Combining synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy with multivariate methods for the analysis of petrol-kerosene mixtures

Synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy (SFS) is a rapid, sensitive and nondestructive method suitable for the analysis of multifluorophoric mixtures. The present study demonstrates the use of SFS and multivariate methods for the analysis of petroleum products which is a complex mixture of multiple fluorophores. Two multivariate techniques principal component regression (PCR) and partial least square regression (PLSR) have been successfully applied for the classification of petrol-kerosene mixtures. Calibration models were constructed using 35 samples and their validation was carried out with varying composition of petrol and kerosene in the calibration range. The results showed that the method could be used for the estimation of kerosene in kerosene-mixed petrol. The model was found to be sensitive, detecting even 1% contamination of kerosene in petrol.     

Volumetric studies in oxidation-reduction reactions: Oxidation with chloramine-t. iodine monochloride method

Chloramine-T has been used as an oxidizing agent in hydrochloric acid medium' for the volumetric estimations of potassium iodide, hydrazine sulphate, arscnious oxide, stannous chloride, mercurous chloride, tartar-emetic, potassium thiocyanate and ferrous ammonium sulphate, using iodine monochloride as a catalyst and pre-oxidizer. Chloroform is used as an indicator. It is coloured pink owing to the liberation of iodine during the titration and becomes very pale yellow at the end-point because of the formation of iodine monochloride.     

Phosphorus-based p-tert-butylcalix[5]arene ligands

New calix[5]arene trivalent phosphorus derivatives have been synthesized which should be excellent ligands with which to study and control the interaction of a ligand atom with a metal. The larger cavity of the calix[5]arene (compared to calix[4]arene) provides a good balance between constraint and flexibility. Treatment of p-tert-butylcalix[5]arene with 2 equiv of either tris(dimethylamino)phosphine or dichlorophenylphosphine inserts two RP moieties into the calix[5]arene framework to give calix[5](PR)2(OH) (1, R = Me2N; 2, R = Ph). Further treatment of 1 with 4 equiv of HCl gives calix[5](PCl)2(OH) (3). Heating a solution of the monophosphorus compound calix[5](PNMe2)(OH)3 (4) releases dimethylamine to yield both monomeric calix[5](P)(OH)2 (6) and dimeric [calix[5](P)(OH)2](2) (7), the latter having a tubelike geometry. X-ray crystallographic studies confirm the structures and show that 1 and 2 have approximate cone conformations while 3 has an approximate 1,2-alternate conformation. The orientations of the phosphorus lone pairs and oxygen atoms in all derivatives provide a framework for both soft and hard ligand interactions within the calix[5]arene.     

Favorable interactions of amine- and ester-terminated PAMAM with cationic surfactants: photophysical and transport studies

Conductivity (kappa), turbidity (tau), and fluorescence (I1/I3) studies of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HTAB), hexadecylpyridinium bromide (HPyBr), and hexadecylpyridinium chloride (HPyCl) in aqueous poly(amido amine) (PAMAM) dendrimers of generations 0 to 2.5 G have been carried out. The complexation of surfactant monomers with the PAMAM surface groups is demonstrated by the critical aggregation concentration (cac), which is two to three orders of magnitude less than the micellization of cationic surfactants in aqueous PAMAM and denoted by critical micelle concentration (cmc*). In the presence of aqueous amine-terminated PAMAM, the cmc* value for each surfactant was much lower than the cmc in pure water, while they remain close to each other in the presence of aqueous ester-terminated PAMAM for each surfactant. The fluorescence studies demonstrated that both amine- and ester-terminated PAMAM interact with the cationic surfactants, though the mode of interaction varied due to the different nature of surface groups.     

Grafting onto Wool. XXVII. Graft Copolymerization of MixeD Vinyl Monomers by Use of Ceric Ammonium Nitrate as Redox Initiator

In order to ascertain the effect of a donor monomer, vinyl acetate (VAc), on the graft copolymerization of acceptor monomers, ethyl acrylate (EA) and butyl acrylate (BA), grafting of mixed vinyl monomers (EA + VAc) and (BA + VAc) was carried out on Himachali wool in aqueous medium using ceric ammonium nitrate (CAN) as a redox initiator. Graft copolymerization was carried out at different temperatures for various reaction periods. Percent grafting and percent efficiency were determined as functions of 1) concentration of mixed vinyl monomers, 2) concentration of CAN, 3) concentration of HNO₃ 4) temperature, and 5) reaction time. VAc, the donor monomer, was found to decrease percent grafting of EA and BA onto wool.     

Synthesis of enantiopure furo[2,3-b]pyrroles

A simple method for the preparation of enantiopure furo[2,3-b]pyrroles, a rare class of concave bicyclic nitrogen and oxygen heterocycle, in promising yield has been developed. The 3-substituted pyrrolidinediones prepared from (2S,3S)-tetrahydro-3-hydroxy-5-oxo-2,3-furandicarboxylic acid (Garcinia acid) have been cyclized diastereo as well as enantioselectively to furo[2,3-b]pyrroles. The cyclization follows Baldwin’s rule.     

Favipiravir (SARS-CoV-2) degradation impurities: Identification and route of degradation mechanism in the finished solid dosage form using LC/LC–MS method

Favipiravir finished dosage was approved for emergency use in many countries to treat SARS-CoV-2 patients. A specific, accurate, linear, robust, simple, and stability-indicating HPLC method was developed and validated for the determination of degradation impurities present in favipiravir film-coated tablets. The separation of all impurities was achieved from the stationary phase (Inert sustain AQ-C18, 250 × 4.6 mm, 5-μm particle) and mobile phase. Mobile phase A contained KH₂PO₄ buffer (pH 2.5 ± 0.05) and acetonitrile in the ratio of 98:2 (v/v), and mobile phase B contained water and acetonitrile in the ratio of 50:50 (v/v). The chromatographic conditions were optimized as follows: flow rate, 0.7 mL/min; UV detection, 210 nm; injection volume, 20 μL; and column temperature, 33°C. The proposed method was validated per the current International Conference on Harmonization Q2 (R1) guidelines. The recovery study and linearity ranges were established from the limit of quantification to 150% optimal concentrations. The method validation results were found to be between 98.6 and 106.2% for recovery and r² = 0.9995–0.9999 for linearity of all identified impurities. The method precision results were achieved below 5% of relative standard deviation. Forced degradation studies were performed in chemical and physical stress conditions. The compound was sensitive to chemical stress conditions. During the study, the analyte degraded and converted to unknown degradation impurities, and its molecular mass was found using the LC–MS technique and established degradation pathways supported by reaction of mechanism. The developed method was found to be suitable for routine analysis of research and development and quality control.     

Biogenic Synthesis of Rod Shaped ZnO Nanoparticles Using Red Paprika (Capsicum annuum L. var. grossum (L.) Sendt) and Their in Vitro Evaluation

Journal of Cluster Science - Metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) have gained attention in biomedicine due to their broad spectrum of applications, such as targeted drug delivery, their use as...     

Fluorescent Temporin B Derivative and its Binding to Liposomes

Temporins are short (10–13 amino acids) and linear antimicrobial peptides first isolated from the skin of the European red frog, Rana temporaria, and are effective against Gram-positive bacteria and Candida albicans. Similarly to other antimicrobial peptides, the association of temporins to lipid membranes has been concluded to underlie their antimicrobial effects. Accordingly, a detailed understanding of their interactions with phospholipids is needed. We conjugated a fluorophore (Texas Red) to a Cys containing derivative of temporin B (temB) and investigated its binding to liposomes by fluorescence spectroscopy. Circular dichroic spectra for the Cys-mutant recorded in the absence and in the presence of phospholipids were essentially similar to those for temB. A blue shift in the emission spectra and diminished quenching by ferrocyanide (FCN) of Texas Red labeled temporin B (TRC-temB) were seen in the presence of liposomes. Both of these changes can be attributed to the insertion of the Texas Red into the hydrophobic region of the bilayer. Resonance energy transfer, steady state anisotropy, and fluorescence lifetimes further demonstrate the interaction of TRC-temB with liposomes to be enhanced by negatively charged phospholipids. Instead, cholesterol attenuates the association of TRC-temB with membranes. The interactions between TRC-temB and liposomes of varying negative surface charge are driven by electrostatics as well as hydrophobicity. Similarly to native temporin B also TRC-temB forms amyloid type fibers in the presence of negatively charged liposomes. This property is likely to relate to the cytotoxic activity of this peptide.