Spectroscopic investigations in molecularly organized solvent media. Part 3. Examination of the nitromethane selective quenching rule in aqueous anionic + cationic and anionic + nonionic mixed surfactant solutions

Applicability of the nitromethane selective quenching rule for discriminating between alternant versus nonalternant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is examined for 20 representative PAH solutes dissolved in micellar sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) + cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), SDS + dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB), SDS + Brij-35, and SDS + sodium octanoate (SO) mixed surfactant solvent media. Experimental results show that nitromethane quenched fluorescence of all 8 alternant PAHs studied in the four different solvent systems. Unexpected quenching behavior was observed, however, in the case of nonalternant PAHs. Nitromethane quenched fluorescence emission of nonalternant PAHs dissolved in the SDS + SO solvent media, which is contrary to the selective quenching rule. In the case of the mixed anionic + cationic surfactant solvent media, nitromethane quenching selectivity was restored at concentration ratios of approximately 4 : 1 (anionic:cationic) or less. Received: 22 May 1997 / Revised: 29 September 1997 / Accepted: 3 October 1997     

Isolation of essential oils from tobacco by gas co-distillation/solvent extraction

Summary The essential oils have been isolated from tobacco leaves using a simple gas co-distillation apparatus. The method involves co-distillation with water under the continuous stream of an inert gas with subsequent single solvent extraction of the distillate. The extract is analysed on GC and GC/MS in splitless injection mode without further concentration. The method was evaluated for reproducibility using n-octadecane as an internal standard. The distillation-extraction procedure was reporducible with an average deviation of ±3% for the major constituents. The present method was applied to the analyses of the essential oils of other agricultural products.Dedicated to Dr. L. S. Ettre on the occasion of his 60th birthday.     

Comparison of gas chromatographic and high-performance liquid chromatographic assays for the determination of debrisoquine and its 4-hydroxy metabolite in human fluids

A comparison of an established gas chromatographic assay for 4-hydroxydebrisoquine and debrisoquine and a modified high-performance liquid chromatographic assay was made. Both assays used guanoxan as the internal standard and required derivatization of all three compounds with acetylacetone at 96 degrees C for 2.5 h and subsequent ethereal extraction and cleaning steps before chromatographic analysis. For detailed pharmacokinetic studies the gas chromatographic assay was more sensitive in the measurement of low concentrations in plasma, but the liquid chromatographic assay was adequate for phenotyping the 4-hydroxylation of debrisoquine in a population. In the latter assay a mobile phase consisting of 70% methanol in water at pH 3.5 (adjusted with orthophosphoric acid containing 10 mM 1-pentanesulphonic acid was employed (flow-rate 1.5 ml/min) with a pre-column (C8) linked to a reversed-phase muBondapak C18 cartridge in a Z-module. The eluate was detected at 248 nm. With this assay it was observed that the buccal absorption of debrisoquine and 4-hydroxy-debrisoquine was affected by the pH of the buccal medium. This indicates that urinary pH may influence the excretion of both substances at high pH. The debrisoquine-to-4-hydroxydebrisoquine ratio may be dose-dependent.     

Examination of the different procedural steps in the determination of organotin compounds in water samples

Previous animal experiments suggested that the Magos cold vapor atomic absorption spectroscopic (CVAAS) method might overestimate the concentrations of inorganic mercury (I-Hg) in the presence of methylmercury (MeHg). In the present study it is shown that this error is due to a fast degradation of MeHg during the formation of the analytical signal. For brain samples, about 5% of the total amount of MeHg in the reaction vessel is degraded to I-Hg. Speciation of Hg in aqueous solution of MeHg chloride, after purification with ionexchange chromatography using the Magos method, showed that about 9% was I-Hg. Analysis by NMR of MeHg chloride and MeHg hydroxide showed that less than 1% was in the form of I-Hg. The absolute magnitude of the error in the CVAAS method is dependent on the amounts of SnCl₂ and MeHg in the reaction vessel; however, the ratio of I-Hg to total (T-Hg) is shown to be independent of the amount of MeHg (25.5–255 ng as Hg) in the reaction vessel. A procedure for corrections is proposed, based on the results from these studies and empirical data from speciation analyses of brain tissue from MeHg-exposed rats and rabbits.     

Analysis of terbutaline in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection using a micro-electrochemical flow cell.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method is described for the determination of terbutaline in human plasma in the range 1-35 ng/ml. Detection was achieved using a carbon fibre micro-electrochemical detector and a column-switching system. The microelectrode cell has advantages over conventional glassy carbon electrode-based detection systems in that it is easy to prepare, flexible in its operation and suffers less trouble from problems such as air bubbles and leaks. Furthermore, it has a better detection limit for terbutaline (0.8 ng/ml) to that obtained using a conventional glassy carbon electrode flow detector (2 ng/ml). Sample clean-up was by on-line solid-phase extraction with column switching, providing a method which was sensitive and reproducible, where the mean overall coefficient of variation was 5.60% and drug recovery in excess of 86% at the concentration levels studied.     

Untersuchungen zur thermischen Zersetzung von Boraten

In spite of numerous investigations the literature data on the thermal decomposition of borax are contradictory. On the basis of thermal, X-ray, gas analytical and optical investigations this fact can be attributed to the complex decomposition mechanism. After the release of about 8 mole water the reaction product is an X-ray amorphous phase, having the thermal behaviour of glass. From this glass sodium diborate (Na₂O.2B₂O₃) crystallizes between 500–600? with further mass loss. Sodium diborate decomposes from about 700? incongruently yielding NaBO₂ vapor and B₂O₃ glass phase. After evaporation of NaBO₂ is completed the rate of evaporation of B₂O₃ increases considerably.     

Die Fehlordnung des Natriumazides und deren Einfluß auf die thermische Zersetzung, 4. Mitt.: Über die Programmierung von Zersetzungsreaktionen mit Hilfe von Korngrößenverteilungen

It is shown that in the case of thermal decomposition of sodium azide the overall kinetics can be predicted by defined particle size of the decomposed sodium azide crystals. This is always the case if the rate constant is a function of the particle size. Hence this special example can be generalized for similar decomposition reactions. It is necessary that the particles decompose independently which could be proved experimentally with sodium azide. If for this reason we state for true that the pressure/time-function of each particle size add together it is possible to set up a formula for the pressure/time-function of any particle size distribution. With the pressure/time function holding for sodium azide of uniform particle size, the total function for a Gauß distribution can be calculated exactly. Moreover, the trivial case of one single particle size and the case of two different particle sizes are discussed. Furthermore an approximation method for any arbitrary pressure/time-functions and distribution by means of “Schwerpunktdeutung” are discussed which can be carried out graphically as well as numerically. The numerical approximation is illustrated by an example. Pressure/time-functions then loose their characteristic form because of their dependence on the particle size distributions under consideration. In this case, reaction mechanism cannot be derived from pressure/time functions.     

Investigations in the fie ld of substituted furanurona ldehydes steric directivity of the nitromethane condensation

Summary 1. The condensation of the anomeric methyl 2,3-di-O-benzyl-D-xylofuranosiduronaldehydes with nitromethane has been studied.2. It has been shown that the position of the substituent at the glycosidic center has an influence on the steric directivity of this reaction.3. The structure of the 6-nitro-6-deoxyhexofuranosides synthesized has been confirmed by their conversion into known derivatives of methyl D-glucofuranosides.Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 8–12, January–February, 1972.     

Die Kristallstrukturen der Diquecksilber(I)-Salze von Aminobenzolsulfonsäuren

Crystal Structures of Dimercuri (I) Salts of p- and m-Sulfanilic Acids The crystal structures of the compounds Hg₂(p-H₂N–C₆H₄–SO₃)₂ ( 1 ), Hg₂(m-H₂N–C₆H₄–SO₃)₂ ( 2 ), and Hg₂(m-H₂N–C₆H₄–SO₃)₂ · 2H₂O ( 3 ) contain leaf-structures ( 1 and 3 ) or chain-structures ( 2 ), with nearly linear groups N–Hg–Hg–N, Hg–O-contacts and hydrogen-bridging bonds. The smaller density of 3 compared with 1 –caused by the steric hindrance through the ligand – declared the incorporation of water for raising the stabilising interaction in the crystals. The compound 3 is the kinetic controlled, the compound 2 the thermodynamic controlled product.     

Ultraviolet absorbers for retarding wool photo-degradation: Sulphonated 2-hydroxybenzophenones and 2,2′-dihydroxybenzophenones

Nineteen sulphonated 2-hydroxybenzophenones and three sulphonated 2,2′-dihydroxybenzophenones have been prepared and compared with a commercially available member of each class of uv absorber as photo-protective agents for wool. Treated fabrics were exposed to Philips ML G/74 lamps and the extent of photo-tendering was assessed by measuring breaking loads and tear strengths. In general, 2-hydroxybenzophenones with 3-alkyl substituents provide better protection against photo-tendering than absorbers lacking 3-alkyl substituents. 2,2′-Dihydroxybenzophenones are more effective than 2-hydroxybenzophenones.

On the basis of effectiveness and ease of synthesis, 2,2′-dihydroxy-4,4′-bis-w-sulphobutyloxybenzophenone (VIIb) shows most promise as a photo-protective agent. At the 5% level of application it trebles the lifetime of wool fabric during exposure to sunlight through window glass. It also retards the photo-tendering and fading of wool fabrics containing either a red or a blue milling acid dye.