Rapid determination of PAHs in soil samples by HPLC with fluorimetric detection following sonication extraction

A rapid method for the determination of PAHs in soil samples based on their extraction with methylene chloride by sonication and subsequent separation by HPLC with fluorimetric detection is proposed. A Hypersil Green PAH column was used with a gradient of acetonitrile/water as the mobile phase, together with a program of nine excitation and emission wavelength pairs. Recoveries were in the range 70-98%, except for acenaphthene and naphthalene, at concentration levels 1.08-442 microg/kg with relative standard deviations in the range 2-15% (n = 4). Total PAHs found in soil samples were in the range 15-282 microg/kg. The results were compared with those obtained by applying the 3540 EPA method for two samples.     

Bidimensional mixtures of polyglutamic and myristic acid

Summary Monolayers of polyglutamic acid and of its mixtures with myristic acid at the water/air interface on subphase composed of solutions of hydrochloric acid only and solutions containing CaCl₂ and hydrochloric acid were studied. The comparison of the experimental data with the bidimensional state equation deduced theoretically is in agreement with the presence of the rigid macromolecular form of alpha helix type in the bidimensional state, as shown by other authors. So far as the mixtures are concerned, on both the support solutions the two components are miscible between one another in all the molar ratios considered. On the support solution free of Ca⁺⁺ ions, the bidimensional mixtures are more stable than either of the components. In particular at a 1/1 molar ratio a sharp minimum of the free surface energy of mixing is found. On support solutions containing Ca⁺⁺ ions, the mixtures especially those containing higher concentrations of myristic acid, are thermodynamically less stable than the components themselves.

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Zusammenfassung Es werden an der Grenzfläche Wasser/Luft Monoschichten von Polyglutaminsäure und deren Mischungen mit Miristinsäure auf Unterlagen, die nur Salzsäutelösungen oder auch Ca⁺⁺ enthalten, studiert. Für die Polyglutaminsäure ist der Vergleich der experimentellen Daten mit den theoretischen Gleichungen des bidimensionalen Zustand übereinstimmend mit dem Vorhandensein in bidimensionalem Zustand einer makromolekularen starren Form des-Helixtyps, wie schon von anderen Autoren festgestellt wurde.Was die Mischungen betrifft, sind auf beiden Unterlagen die Komponenten miteinander mischbar in sämtlichen Verhältnissen, die in Betracht gezogen wurden. Auf einer Unterlage ohne Calciumionen sind die bidimensionalen Mischungen stabiler als die Komponenten allein. Insbesondere dem Verhältnis 1/1 entspricht ein ausgesprochenes Minimum der Freien Oberflächenenergie der Mischungen. Auf einer Unterlage, die Calciumionen enthält, insbesondere wenn die Mischungen reich an Miristinsäure sind, erweisen sie sich als thermodynamisch weniger stabil als die Komponenten.

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With 4 figures and 1 table     

Characterisation of Tokaj wines based on free amino acids and biogenic amines using ion-exchange chromatography

Summary Tokaj wines (Szamorodni and Aszu wines) of Hungarian origin were investigated on the basis of free amino acids and biogenic amines. The separation and determination of these compounds was performed by an amino acid analyser equipped with an ion-exchange resin column. The total amount of free amino acids and biogenic amines was higher in Aszu wines than in Szamorodni wines. The main amino acids were proline and arginine, while the major biogenic amines were tyramine and putrescine. The free amino acid and biogenic amine content of Aszu wines depended on the vineyards the wines originated from. Presented at Balaton Symposium '01 on High-Performance Separation Methods, Siófok, Hungary, September 2–4, 2001     

Natural radioactivity of building materials

Experiments were designed to measure trace uranium concentration and the rate of radon exhalation from masonry structural materials, both bare and surface finished and coated. LR115 cellulose nitrate track detectors were used to record the alpha emission from structural material surface. Fission track, neutron activation and fluorometric analysis methods were used to determine the uranium content. Most types of paints studied will reduce alpha contribution and radon emanation from building materials.     

Zur Thermochemie der Zinnhalogenide

The enthalpy change of the reaction at 298 K between Br₂ (l) and Sn(c) in CS₂ as solvent giving SnBr₄ (s) has been determined by calorimetry to be (?374, 2±1.4) kJ·mol^?1, [(?89.45±0.33) kcal·mol^?1]. By the same method the heat of solution of SnBr₄ (c) in CS₂ has been found to be (11.9±0.3) kJ·mol^?1, [(2.84±0.08) kcal·mol^?1]. Combining these results, a value of (?386.1±1.5) kJ·mol^?1, [(?92.3±0.4) kcal·mol^?1] is derived for the standard heat of formation of SnBr₄ (c). Substituting this figure in the thermochemical cycle hitherto used for calculating the heat of formation of SnBr₄ (c) gives ?124.3 kcal·mol^?1 for the standard heat of formation of SnCl₄ (l), which is in reasonable agreement with a recent determination of this quantity⁸.     

Thermal rearrangements of 2-vinylcyclopropylidene to cyclopentadiene and vinylallene: a theoretical investigation

In an attempt to clarify the favored rearrangement reaction of vinylcyclopropylidenes, the prototype thermal rearrangements of singlet 2-vinylcyclopropylidene (1) leading to 1,3cyclopentadiene (2) and 1,2,4-pentatriene (vinylallene) (3) were investigated by means of ab initio quantum-mechanical electronic-structure calculations. The B3LYP functional with the 6-31G(d) basis set was employed for geometry optimization of the equilibrium and transition-state structures relevant to the two reaction pathways and for computing their harmonic vibrational frequencies. Final energies were evaluated by single-point calculations at the CCSD(T) level of theory with the 6-311 + G(3df,2p) basis set. The rearrangement of s-cis 1 to 2 is found to occur by a three-step pathway. The first step involves the formation of a nonclassical carbene (5), which is an internal pi complex between the pi molecular orbital of the double bond and the empty p atomic orbital of the carbene carbon. In the second step, the nonplanar five-membered ring geometry of 5 flattens to reach the planar structure of 3-cyclopentenylidene (4). The last step is the 1,2-migration of a alpha-hydrogen atom to the carbene center in 4. The rate-determining step for the rearrangement of s-cis 1 to 2 is the formation of 5, with a predicted global deltaG++(220 K) of only 0.6 kcalmol(-1). The rearrangement of s-trans 1 to 2 requires an initial conversion of s-trans 1 to the s-cis conformer, with a predicted deltaG++(220 K) of 1.8 kcalmol(-1). The transition structure for the ring-opening of s-trans 1 into s-trans 3 (deltaG++(220 K)=4.7 kcalmol(-1)) is more energetic than that for the ring-opening of s-cis 1 into s-cis 3 (deltaG++(220 K)=2.5 kcalmol(-2)) due to larger repulsive nonbonded H...H interactions in the former transition structure. On the basis of these results, it is suggested that if the reaction of 1,1-dibromo-2-vinylcyclopropane with methyllithium at -78 degrees C leads to the initial formation of carbene 1, then the reaction should yield 2 as the main product together with small amounts of 3. This theoretical prediction nicely agrees with experimental findings.     

IR- und Raman-Spektren einiger Kaliumpentafluorometallate-monohydrate

The IR- and Raman Spectra of several compounds of the stoichiometryM ₂ ^I M ^IIIF₅H₂O and their deuterated analogs have been interpreted on the basis of their crystal structures. The compounds studied were divided into two classes regarding the bonding of water molecules. The main spectroscopic difference between the two classes was found in the region of H₂O vibrations in good agreement with theoretical predictions. The metal—fluorine and metal—oxygene vibrations gave no direct information concerning the two types of water.     

Selective liquid adsorption and structural properties of montmorillonite and its hexadecylpyridinium derivatives

Summary An X-ray diffraction method was used to study the structures of montmorillonites, the surfaces of which were covered to a systematically increasing extent with hexadecylpyridinium (HDP) cations. It was found that, depending on the degree of cover of the surface, the HDP cations form a mono- or bimolecular layer in the interlayer space. A detailed investigation was made of the selective sorption of binary mixtures on montmorillonite and on HDP-montmorillonites with different surface coverages. The adsorption excess isotherms were determined, as were the adsorption capacities from analysis of the isotherms, and also the equivalent specific surface areas.It was established that from benzene-n-heptane mixtures the benzene is adsorbed only on the external surface of montmorillonite, while in the case of organocomplexes it causes moderate disaggregation.From benzene, alcohols with different numbers of carbon atoms are also preferentially adsorbed on the internal surfaces of montmorillonite; with the rise in the number of carbon atoms, the extent of interlamellar adsorption decreases. In the case of HDP-montmorillonites in methanol-benzene mixtures, the adsorption capacity exhibits a monotonous increase with the degree of organopbility in the range under consideration. In the event of optimum organophility the disaggregation of the organocomplex is complete, and the equivalent specific surface area is 764-778 m² · g^–1. The swelling of the organocomplex, which can be characterized by X-ray diffraction measurement, is in close correlation with the interlamellar liquid adsorption. The results show modification of the surface of montmorillonite with HDP cations fundamentally determines the nature and extent of the selective liquid adsorption.

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Zusammenfassung Die Struktur von mit Hexadecyl-pyridinium(HDP)-Kationen im systematisch gesteigerten Maße bedeckten Montmorilloniten wurde mit der Röntgendiffraktions-Methode untersucht. Es wurde festgestellt, daß die HDP-Kationen, von der Bedeckung der Oberfläche abhängend, im Schichtzwischenraum eine mono- bzw. bimolekulare Schicht bilden. Die selektive Sorption binärer Gemische wurde an Montmorilloniten und an HDP-Montmorilloniten verschiedener Bedeckung eingehend untersucht. Es wurden die Adsorptionsisothermen von Flüssigkeitsgemischen und aus deren Analyse die Adsorptionskapazitäten und die äquivalenten spezifischen Oberflächen bestimmt.Es wurde festgestellt, daß aus Benzol-n-Heptan-Gemischen das Benzol nur an der äußeren Montmorillonite-Oberfläche adsorbiert wird, während es bei Organokomplexen eine mäßige Desaggregation verursacht. Die Adsorption von Alkoholen verschiedener Kohlenstoffzahl aus Benzol erscheint auch an inneren Montmorillonit-Oberflächen bevorzugt; mit zunehmender Kohlenstoffzahl nimmt das Ausmaß der interlamellaren Adsorption ab. Bei HDP-Montmorilloniten zeigt die Adsorptionskapazität aus Methanol-Benzol-Gemischen mit zunehmender Organophilität im untersuchten Gebiet eine monotone Steigerung. Im Falle optimaler Organophilität ist die Desaggregation vollständig, die äquivalente spezifische Oberfläche beträgt 764-778 m²/g. Die durch Röntgenn-diffraktionsmessung charakterisierbare Quellung des Organokomplexes steht mit der interlamellaren Flüssig-keitsadsorption in engern Zusammenhang. Unsere Ergebnisse zeigen, daß Charakter und Ausmaß der selektiven Flüssigkeitsadsorption durch die Modifizierung der Montmorillonit-Oberfläche mit HDP-Kationen grundlegend verändert wird.

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With 14 figures and 4 tables     

Anordnung und Orientierung kationischer Tenside auf ebenen Silicatoberflächen

Zusammenfassung Die n-Alkylammoniumderivate der glimmerartigen Schichtsilicate können als Modellsubstanzen für die Anordnung kationischer Tenside an Festkörpergrenzflächen herangezogen werden. Im ersten Teil der Arbeit wird die Darstellung durch Kationenaustausch aus den natürlichen Schichtsilicaten beschrieben. Es wird ausführlich auf die Fehlerquellen hingewiesen, die reproduzierbare Messungen erschweren.

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Summary The n-alkylammonium derivatives of mica-type layer silicates are suitable models for studies about the arrangement of cationic tensides at solid interfaces. Part I of the paper deals with the preparation of these compounds by a simple cation exchange reaction. Sources for errors in obtaining reproducible data are discussed in detail.

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Mit 1 Abbildung in 3 Einzeldarstellungen und 3 Tabellen     

Vernetzung von Polyolefinen mit ultraviolettem Licht

Zusammenfassung Es wird gezeigt, daß sich neben verschiedenen Polyäthylen-Typen auch Äthylen-Propylen-Copolymerisate, Polypropylen und Polybuten-(1) durch ultraviolettes Licht vernetzen lassen, wenn man als Sensibilisatoren bestimmte Chlorkohlenwasserstoffe oder Dischwefeldichlorid verwendet. Die Festigkeit der vernetzten Produkte oberhalb ihres Schmelzpunktes wird mit dem ZST-Versuch gemessen. Die erreichten Reißzeiten unter Belastung sind z. T. recht hoch; die entsprechenden Vernetzungsgrade werden aus Bestimmungen des Gelanteils berechnet.