Sensitised decomposition of microcystin-LR using UV radiation

UV radiation was applied to degrade cyanobacterial hepatotoxin, microcystin-LR in the presence of phycocyanin as a model natural sensitiser. The concentrations of both the toxin and the pigment used in the experiments were higher by several orders of magnitude than found in the environment. The photoreaction parameters were optimised. The process was found to be of limited use for water treatment due to its low efficacy. Additionally, pronounced UV-induced bleaching of the pigment significantly reducing the photoreaction rates of the toxin was observed for the highest UV radiation intensities applied.     

Enzymatic flow-injection determination of urea in blood serum using potentiometric gas sensor with internal nonactin based ISE

Ion-selective electrode with cellulose triacetate membrane containing nonactin is employed for the potentiometric detection of ammonia produced in biocatalytic reaction in flow-injection system with enzyme reactor. The elimination of interferences occurring in the presence of alkali metal ions was achieved by covering a nonactin membrane with outer hydrophobic gas permeable membrane. The obtained flow-injection response to ammonia indicates a possibility of ammonia determination down to 10 microM ammonia. In the flow-injection system for urea determination 200 microl of 10-fold diluted blood serum sample was injected into carrier stream of distilled water merged with TRIS buffer, passed through the urease flow-through reactor and then after merging with NaOH stream delivered to the detector. It was found in several series of natural blood serum samples, that the correction for endogenous ammonia in such a determination is not indispensable.     

Comparison of the thermal behavior of three cellulose fibers mercerized or submitted to solar degradation

Comparison of Lyocell, modal and viscose fibers was performed by means of differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetry and scanning electron microscopy. Thermal analysis was performed in air atmosphere. Samples were mercerized (21.3 g 100 mL-1) or submitted to solar radiation (seven months). Solar degraded samples presents a higher thermal stability and are initially less degraded. Furthermore, Lyocell fiber is the most stable under thermal degradation conditions. Heating produces a reduction of the fiber diameter (about 50%). This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Evaluation of a purge-and-trap injection system for capillary gas chromatography-microwave induced plasma-atomic emission spectrometry for the determination of volatile selenium compounds in water

A method is presented for the selective determination of the volatile selenium species dimethylselenide and dimethyldiselenide, using a commercially available purge-and-trap injection system coupled to capillary gas chromatography-microwave induced plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The efficiency of the purging step was evaluated and the parameters affecting the purge and trap processes were optimized. The method was applied to the determination of volatile selenium compounds in lake water. Relative detection limits of 2ng/l for dimethylselenide and dimethyldiselenide, corresponding to an absolute detection limit of 10 pg, were achieved.     

Thiol-ene chemistry as an effective tool for hydrophobization of cotton fabrics

In this paper, several methods of hydrophobization of cotton fabrics using the thio-ene click reaction were compared. Durable, superhydrophobic textiles were obtained in an easy way. Various variants of functionalized silsesquioxanes were used for the hydrophobization of fabrics. The synthesis of bifunctional silsesquioxanes (RSiMe₂O)₄(ViSiMe₂O)₄Si₈O₁₂ and (RSiMe₂O)₄(R’SiMe₂O)₄Si₈O₁₂ were performed via hydrothiolation of silsesquioxane derivative (ViSiMe₂O)₈Si₈O₁₂. Alkoxysilyl, alkyl and fluoroalkyl moieties were introduced as functional groups. Samples were prepared using four methods, differing in the modification method and the number of stages. During the research, fabrics were modified via (a) the dip-coating process, (b) carrying out thiol-ene click reactions directly on the surface of the fabric and (c) using both of these methods. The hydrophobicity of the fabric was evaluated by measuring the Water contact angle (WCA). The obtained samples were also examined using infrared analysis (FT-IR), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Elemental analysis (SEM–EDS). All analyses were performed before and after the washing process in order to verify the stability of the performed modifications.

Graphical abstract

     

Electrooxidation of phenol at exfoliated graphite electrode in alkaline solution

The present paper reports on exfoliated graphite (EG) used for the cyclic electrochemical process of phenol oxidation in alkaline solution. It is shown that the electrochemical activity of anode-produced EG decreases considerably in the second cycle due to the deposition of an oligomer film, composed of the products of phenol oxidation, on the EG surface. Thermal treatment of the inactive graphite anode in air at 500 °C provided a regenerated material of activity three times higher for the first cycle and 2.6 times higher for three cycles as compared to the original anode. The reason for such a behavior is assigned to a carbon film formed on the EG surface during the carbonization/oxidation processes involving the products of phenol oxidation. Comparative studies showed that electroactivity of the original EG can also be enhanced if before the process of phenol oxidation the original EG is activated by heat treatment. Unfortunately, the electrochemical activity of the product of such a treatment is higher only for the first cycle of phenol oxidation and drops dramatically in the following cycles.Contribution to the 3rd Baltic Conference on Electrochemistry, Gdask-Sobieszewo, 23–26 April 2003. Dedicated to the memory of Harry B. Mark, Jr. (28 February 1934–3 March 2003)     

Study on the electroreduction of In(III) ions at gold from acidic bromide solutions by the rotating ring-disc electrode technique

The mechanism of the indium electrodeposition on gold from acidic KBr solutions has been investigated by means of the rotating ring-disc electrode technique. The measurements showed that the overall electrode reaction In(III) + 3 e In consists of two successive charge transfer steps, i.e. In(III) + 2 e In(I) and In(I) + e In, with soluble monovalent indium as an intermediate. The current efficiency for In(I) generation under steady-state conditions is 100% in the case of low disc current densities. The disproportionation of In(I) in the bulk of solution occurs in slightly acidified solutions,pH=2, in addition to the In(I) electrochemical reduction. Based on the ring current transients, it was established that the two-electron transfer step is preceded by the formation of a thin passive film of indium metal.

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Untersuchung der elektrochemischen Reduktion von In(III)-Ionen an Gold in sauren Bromidlösungen mit der rotierenden Ring-Scheiben-Elektrode

Zusammenfassung Mit Hilfe der rotierenden Ring-Scheiben-Elektrode wurde der Mechanismus der kathodischen Abscheidung von Indium auf Gold in sauren KBr-Lösungen untersucht. Aus den Messungen folgt, daß die Bruttoreaktion In(III) + 3e In über zwei aufeinanderfolgende Durchtrittsreaktionen, In(III) + 2 e In(I) und In(I) + e In, mit löslichem einwertigem Indium als Zwischenprodukt abläuft. Bei kleinen Stromdichten werden die In(I)-Ionen mit 100%iger Stromausbeute erzeugt. In schwächer sauren Lösungen (pH=2) konnte außer der elektrochemischen Reduktion von In(I) zusätzlich dessen Disproportionierung innerhalb der Lösung ermittelt werden. Auf Grund der Ringstrom-Zeit-Kurven wurde auch festgestellt, daß die Bildung von einer dünnen In-Metallschicht, die ein passives Verhalten aufweist, dem Zweielektronenübergang vorangegangen ist.

     

Copolymer of Di (methacryloyloxymethyl) naphthalene and divinylbenzene as a column packing for high-performance liquid chromatography

Summary A new porous polyaromatic ester packing was synthetized for high performance liquid chromatography. The relationship between retention and chain length of the members of homologous series of alkylbenzenes, N-alkylanilines, alkylarylethers, alkylbenzoates and alkylarylketones on this new stationary phase using different eluents was investigated. Using the alkylarylketone scale the retention indices of the homologues and test compounds were calculated. The results were compared with those obtained for poly (styrene-divinylbenzene) polymers. For both types of packing the first members of each homologous series gave non-linear behaviour. The methylene group index increments are different for the studied homologous series; thus there is no simple additivity of the retention indices. The efficiency of the porous polymeric columns is a function of the capacity factor of the solute and the organic component of the eluent.     

Luminescence Properties of Tb-Doped Yttrium Disilicate Prepared by the Sol–Gel Method

A sol–gel method for the synthesis of nanosized powders of yttrium disilicate doped with Tb^{3 +} is presented. The influence of grain size and annealing temperature on the structure and luminescence properties of the materials obtained has been investigated. The preparation of glass-ceramic composite has been also described. The effect of incorporating the nanocrystals into sol–gel silica glasses on their physicochemical properties has been shown and discussed. A lack of influence of the annealing above 1300°C on the lifetimes measured for the nanocrystals embedded in the glass, as compared to the Y₂Si₂O₇:Tb^{3 +} powders, has been observed.