Determination of manganese and zinc in powdered chocolate samples by slurry sampling using sequential multi-element flame atomic absorption spectrometry

In the present work, a slurry sampling flame atomic absorption spectrometric method to determine directly manganese and zinc in powdered chocolate samples is proposed. The optimization step was performed using univariate methodology involving the following factors: nature and concentration of the acid solution, sonication time, and particle size. The established conditions led to the use of a sample mass of 150 mg, 2.0 mol L^− 1 nitric acid solution, sonication time of 15 min, and a slurry volume of 50 mL. This method allows the determination of manganese and zinc with detection limit of 52 and 61 ng g^− 1, respectively, and a precision expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD) of 2.6% and 3.2% (both, n = 10) for contents of manganese and zinc of 52.4 and 100.0 μg g^− 1, respectively. The proposed method was applied for determination of manganese and zinc in five powdered chocolate samples. In these, the manganese content varied from 42.8 to 52.7 and from 88.6 to 102.4 μg g^− 1 of zinc. The analytical results were compared with the results obtained by analysis of these samples after digestion using open vessel and acid bomb digestion procedures and determination using FS-FAAS. The statistical comparison by t-test (95% confidence level) showed no significant difference between these results.     

Influence of promoters on the performance of Au/MnOx and Pt/SnOx/SiO2 low-temperature CO oxidation catalysts

The influence of promoters on Pt/SnO_x/SiO₂ and Au/MnO_x low-temperature CO oxidation catalysts has been investigated under stoichiometric reaction conditions with no CO₂ added to the feed gas. The performance of Pt/SnO_x/SiO₂ catalysts is improved significantly by the addition of 1 wt.% Fe but reduced by the addition of 5 wt.%Fe, 1 wt.% Sb, 5 wt.% Sb, 1 wt.% As, 5 wt.%As and 1.8 wt.% P. The performance of Au/MnO_x is improved significantly by the addition of 1 at.% Ce but reduced by the addition of 1 at.% Co. For the catalysts and conditions examined, the Au/MnO_x catalysts are superior to the Pt/SnO_x/SiO₂ catalysts with respect to both activity and decay characteristics.     

Empfindliche Methode zur Bestimmung geringer Schwefelgehalte in Wolframoxiden und Wolframpulvern

Zusammenfassung Der Schwefel in Wolframoxiden und Wolframpulvern wird im Wasserstoffstrom bei 800°C in H₂S übergeführt, der in Cadmium-Zinkacetat-Lösung absorbiert und anschließend jodometrisch titriert wird. Die Anwesenheit von WO₃ ermöglicht eine quantitative Umwandlung von Sulfatschwefel in H₂S. Die Standardabweichung beträgt für ein Wolframoxid mit 310 ppm S±13 ppmS und für ein Wolfram-Metallpulver mit 45 ppm S±1 ppm S.

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Sulfur is converted into hydrogen sulphide by hydrogenation at 800°C. This H₂S is absorbed in a cadmium-zinc acetate solution and titrated iodometrically. The presence of WO₃ makes possible a quantitative conversion of sulphate sulphur into H₂S. The standard deviation is ±13 ppm S for WO₃ containing 310 ppm S, and ±1 ppm S for metallic tungsten powder containing 45 ppm S.

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Herrn Prof. Dr.E. Hayek zum 60. Geburtstag gewidmet.     

Magnetic circular dichroism of heterocycles: thiophene

The existence of two transitions with opposite MCD in the 38000–45000 cm^?1 absorption of thiophene is demonstrated. The B-term for the lowest transition is negative, while it is positive for the higher one. Quantum mechanical calculations in the π-electron approximation resulted in energies, oscillator strengths and MCD terms in good agreement with the observed spectra.     

Synthesis of (-)-ilimaquinone via a radical decarboxylation and quinone addition reaction

[reaction: see text] A stereoselective synthesis of (-)-ilimaquinone (4) is presented. The synthetic strategy is based on a novel radical decarboxylation and quinone addition methodology that produces quinone 7 from reaction of thiohydroxamic acid derivative 8 with benzoquinone (9). Final functionalization of 7 to ilimaquinone (4) is achieved by exploring the electronic effects of the residual thiopyridyl group.     

Filipin orientation revealed by linear dichroism. Implication for a model of action

The organization of the polyene antibiotic filipin in membranes containing cholesterol is a controversial matter of debate. Two contradictory models exist, one suggesting a parallel and the other perpendicular organization of filipin with respect to the plane of the membrane. UV-vis linear dichroism, ATR-FTIR, and fluorescence anisotropy decay techniques were combined to study the orientation of filipin in model systems of membranes composed of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) or 1,2-palmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) with and without cholesterol. Filipin's orientation is determined by the presence/absence of cholesterol when it is inserted in gel crystalline phase model membranes. When cholesterol (33%) is present in DPPC bilayers, filipin stands perpendicular to the membrane surface as expected in "pore-forming" models. At variance, absence of cholesterol leaves filipin in an essentially random organization in the lipidic matrix. In liquid crystalline phase bilayers (POPC) filipin's orientation is perpendicular to the membrane surface even in absence of cholesterol. Thus filipin's activity/organization depends not only on cholesterol presence but also in the lipid phase domain it is inserted in. These findings were combined with spectroscopy and microscopy data in the literature, solving controversial matters of debate.     

Report on three aliphatic dimethylarsinoyl compounds as common minor constituents in marine samples. An investigation using high-performance liquid chromatography/inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry

Three water-soluble aliphatic arsenicals, dimethylarsinoyl acetate (DMAA), dimethylarsinoyl ethanol (DMAE), and dimethylarsinoyl propionate (DMAP), were identified in marine biological samples. Sample extracts in methanol/water (1 + 1) were analysed by cation-exchange high-performance liquid chromatography/inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC/ICPMS). Eluate fractions from the HPLC/ICPMS analyses containing the compounds in question were collected and subjected to analysis by electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS), which provided supportive evidence for the structures of the three compounds. The concentrations of the three arsenicals were determined in 37 marine organisms comprising algae, crustaceans, bivalves, fish and mammals by HPLC/ICPMS. The three arsenicals DMAA, DMAE and DMAP, which occurred at microg kg(-1) concentrations, were detected in 25, 23 and 17 of the 37 samples analysed, respectively. The limits of detection were 2-3 microg kg(-1) dry mass. The data illustrate that the three compounds are common minor constituents in marine samples. This is the first report on DMAE and DMAP as naturally occurring species in marine samples. The presence of DMAA and DMAE supports a proposed biosynthesis of arsenobetaine (AB) from dimethylarsinoylribosides. Alternative proposals, which explain the presence of the compounds in marine samples, are addressed briefly in the paper.     

Synthesis, Crystal Structure, and IR Spectroscopic Characterization of 1,6-Hexanediammonium Dihydrogendecavanadate

Summary.  Anhydrous 1,6-hexanediammonium dihydrogendecavanadate ((HdaH₂)₂H₂V₁₀O₂₈, 1) was prepared by reaction of V₂O₅ with 1,6-hexanediamine in aqueous solution. The crystal structure of 1 was determined, and the proton positions in the H₂V₁₀O₂₈ ⁴⁻ anion were calculated by the bond length/bond number method. The protons are bound to the centrosymmetrically oriented μ–OV₃ groups of the decavanadate anion. Based on the analysis of IR spectra of 1 prepared from H₂O and D₂O, the absorption band at 871 cm⁻¹ can be attributed to δ(V–O_b–H) vibrations. Received August 3, 2001. Accepted (revised) October 8, 2001     

The chemistry of 2'' ,3''-seconucleosides II. Reactions and biological properties of 2'',3''-secopyrimidine ribonucleosides

Reaction of 2',3'-secouridine with acetone gave the 3',5'-$\text{O}$-isopropylidene derivative (1) which upon treatment with mesylchloride gave the 2'-$\text{O}$-mesyl compound (2). Replacement of the mesyl group of 2 with halide could be effected by reaction with a metal halide in DMF. The 3',5'-$\text{O}$-isopropylidene group was removed simultaneously to give a 2'-halogeno-2'-deoxy-2',3'-secouridine. 2',3'-Dichloro-2',3'-dideoxy-2',3'-secouridine upon treatment with base gave 6($\text{R}$)-chloromethyl-2($\text{R}$)-(uracil-1-yl)-1,4-dioxane in addition to O²,2'-anhydro-3'-chloro-3'-deoxy-2',3'-secouridine, as previously reported. 2',3'-Dichloro-2',3'-dideoxy-5'-0-trityl-2',3'-secouridine was converted to 2',3'-dichloro-2',3'-dideoxy-2',3'-secocytidine (16) $\text{via}$ a triazole derivative. Compound 16 was unstable and appeared to form O²,2'-anhydro-3'-chloro-3'-deoxy-2,3'-secocytidine upon standing at room temperature. 5-Vinyl- and 5-($\text{E}$) (2-bromovinyl) uridine dialdehydes have been made, as well as a number of other 5-substituted 2',3'-secouridine derivatives. None of the compounds obtained showed significant activity against a number of virus strains or tumor cell lines, except for 5-($\text{E}$)(2-bromovinyl) uridine dialdehyde, which was inhibitory to the growth of human lymphoblast (Raji, Namalva) cells at a concentration of 28 μ/ml.