Determination of total ammonium-nitrogen and free ammonia in a fermentation medium by sequential injection analysis

Summary Automated methods for the determination of ammonium and ammonia are reviewed, and techniques based on gas diffusion using a semi-permeable membrane were selected for the determination of both total ammonium-nitrogen and free ammonia in fermentation samples. A simple and robust instrument based on sequential injection analysis (SIA) consisting of a piston pump and two selector valves was used. Two different methods of ammonia detection, the Berthelot method and detection using pH-indicators, have been evaluated and compared. The indicator method showed higher reproducibility and the range of determination could easily be adjusted to match the concentrations of the samples. The range of determination could be adjusted from 0.05 mmol/l to 350 mmol/l, depending on choice of acceptor solution. This method has been evaluated with fermentation medium samples and tested on-line in a yeast fermentation process.Dedicated to Professor Dr. Wilhelm Fresenius on the occasion of his 80th birthday     

Aqueous solution and solid state interactions of lanthanide ions with a methacrylic ester polymer bearing pendant 15‐crown‐5 moieties

The interaction between trivalent lanthanide ions and poly(1,4,7,10,13‐pentaoxacyclopentadecan‐2‐yl‐methyl methacrylate), PCR5, in aqueous solution and in the solid state have been studied. In aqueous solution, evidence of a weak interaction between the lanthanides and PCR5 comes from the small red shift of the Ce(III) emission spectra and the slight broadening of the Gd(III) EPR spectra. From the Tb(III) lifetimes in the presence of H₂O and D₂O the loss of one or two water coordinated molecules is confirmed when Tb(III) is bound to PCR5. An association constant of the order of 200 M^?1 was obtained for a 1:1 (lanthanide:15‐crown‐5) complex from the shift of the polymer NMR signals induced by Tb(III). A similar association constant is obtained from the differences of the molar conductivity of Ce(III) solution at various concentrations in presence and absence of PCR5. When Tb(III) is adsorbed on PCR5 membranes, lifetime experiments in H₂O and D₂O confirm the loss of 5 or 6 water coordinated molecules indicating that in solid state the lanthanide(III)‐PCR5 interaction is stronger than in solution. The adsorption of Ce(III) in PCR5 membranes shows a Langmuir type isotherm, from which an equilibrium constant of 39 M^?1 has been calculated. SEM shows that the membrane morphology is not much affected by lanthanide adsorption. Support for lanthanide ion–crown interactions comes from ab initio calculations on 15‐crown‐5/La(III) complex. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 1788–1799, 2007     

Shape transition from InAs quantum dash to quantum dot on InP(3 1 1)A

We report on the shape transition from InAs quantum dashes to quantum dots (QDs) on lattice-matched GaInAsP on InP(3 1 1)A substrates. InAs quantum dashes develop during chemical-beam epitaxy of 3.2 monolayers InAs, which transform into round InAs QDs by introducing a growth interruption without arsenic flux after InAs deposition. The shape transition is solely attributed to surface properties, i.e., increase of the surface energy and symmetry under arsenic deficient conditions. The round QD shape is maintained during subsequent GaInAsP overgrowth because the reversed shape transition from dot to dash is kinetically hindered by the decreased ad-atom diffusion under arsenic flux.     

Nonlinear optical properties of regioregular main‐chain polyesters

We have prepared new polyesters containing quadratic, nonlinear optical (NLO) active chromophores covalently incorporated into the main chain. In these polymers, the sequence of the chromophore units along the main chain is rigorously head to tail. All the polyesters are processable, both in the melt and in solution. For one polyester, a full second‐order NLO characterization has been performed. An out‐of‐resonance d₃₃ coefficient of 21 pm/V at 1368 nm has been measured. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 2719–2725, 2007     

Degradative chain transfer in vinyl acetate polymerizations using toluene as solvent

In this work, we propose that retardation in vinyl acetate polymerization rate in the presence of toluene is due to degradative chain transfer. The transfer constant to toluene (C_trs) determined using the Mayo method is equal to 3.8 × 10^?3, which is remarkably similar to the value calculated from the rate data, assuming degradative chain transfer (2.7 × 10^?3). Simulations, including chain‐length‐dependent termination, were carried out to compare our degradative chain transfer model with experimental results. The conversion–time profiles showed excellent agreement between experiment and simulation. Good agreement was found for the M_n data as a function of conversion. The experimental and simulation data strongly support the postulate that degradative chain transfer is the dominant kinetic mechanism. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 3620–3625, 2007     

On Critical Stability of Three Quantum Charges Interacting Through Delta Potentials

We consider three one-dimensional quantum, charged and spinless particles interacting through delta potentials. We derive sufficient conditions which guarantee the existence of at least one bound state.     

Butyltins in california river and lake marina waters

Butyltins were analyzed in waters from California river and lake marinas and were detected at the part per trillion (ppt) level in most locations. The tributyltin:dibutyltin (TBT/DBT) ratios in the fresh waters were similar to those in their saline counterparts indicating like rates of degradation in the two salinity regimes.