Two-dimensional pH-responsive printable smectic hydrogels

Anisotropic swelling and deswelling of smectic liquid crystal networks have been observed in response to pH changes.     

Possibilities for misinterpretation in ASV-speciation studies of natural waters

Summary A summary is given of possible pitfalls identified in the speciation studies of trace elements by Differential Pulse Anodic Stripping Voltammetry including sampling-, storage- and sample treatment procedures.

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Mögliche Mißdeutungen bei ASV-Speciesuntersuchungen von natürlichen Wässern

Zusammenfassung Die Probleme, die bei Speciesuntersuchungen von Spurenelementen mit Hilfe der Differentialpuls Anodic Stripping Voltammetrie auftreten, werden zusammenfassend dargestellt. Neben den bei der eigentlichen Bestimmung auftretenden Problemen, werden auch solche erwähnt, die mit der Probennahme sowie der Lagerung und Vorbehandlung der Proben in Zusammenhang stehen.

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Dedicated to Prof. Dr. W. Fresenius on the occasion of his 70th birthday     

Combined theoretical and experimental deep-UV resonance raman studies of substituted pyrenes

The results of time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations of resonance Raman intensities are combined with experimental deep-ultraviolet resonance Raman measurements at a single wavelength, i.e., 244 nm, in order to test the possibility to distinguish several very similar compounds. Pyrene and three of its substituted derivatives, in which a single hydrogen atom has been replaced by a halogen atom, are compared. The fixed 244 nm excitation wavelength overlapped with the same electronic transition of the four pyrenes. Ground-state calculations using the BP86 exchange-correlation functional were used to predict the Raman frequencies, whereas excited-state calculations have been carried out employing the "statistical averaging of (model) orbital potentials" (SAOP) potential within a linear-response TDDFT framework in combination with the short-time approximation of resonance Raman intensities. In view of the simplistic theoretical approach, we find a surprisingly good agreement between the simulated and measured resonance Raman spectra of pyrene and its substituted analogues in terms of frequencies and intensities, which shows that the calculations can be used reliably to interpret the experimental spectra. With this combined information, it is possible to find criteria to distinguish the compounds under investigation, although many features of their vibrational spectra are similar.     

Spatially resolved spectroscopy and structurally encoded imaging by magnetic resonance force microscopy of quadrupolar spin systems

Enhancement of the sensitivity of magnetic resonance force microscopy allowed the extension of the technique to observe half-integer quadrupolar nuclei. This is demonstrated for various different compounds and nuclei with different spin numbers. The possibility of obtaining spatially localized spectral information through the quadrupole interaction is implemented by using nutation NMR. This enables us to superimpose a contrast function on the image of materials depending on their local lattice structure. This opens up new possibilities for both surface and subsurface studies in materials chemistry.     

539—electrochemical behaviour of low-potential electron-transferring proteins at the mercury electrode

This paper reports on a pulse polarographic study of low-potential electron-transferring proteins at the mercury electrode ★. The proteins studied were the negatively charged iron—sulphur cluster containing ferredoxins from spinach, and from Megasphaera elsdenii, the iron-containing rubredoxin and the FMN-containing flavodoxin both from M. elsdenii. Furthermore, the positively charged, four haem-containing cytochrome c₃ from Desulfovibrio vulgaris strain Hildenborough was studied. It was observed that the electrode reaction of these proteins could be made much more efficient when a polymer or surfactant was added, with a charge opposite to the protein. The reduction efficiency of these proteins reaches an optimum when the net charge of the protein times its concentration is about equal to the same amount of opposite charges, which was added as a polymer or surfactant.     

Shpol'skii spectrofluorimetric determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in biota

The applicability of high-resolution Shpol'skii spectrofluorimetry to the direct analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in tern and mussel samples was investigated. The sensitivity of the measurements suffered considerably from the large amounts of interfering (e.g., fatty components) in the crude extracts, resulting in a poor-quality Shpol'skii matrix and a high sample absorbance. Nevertheless, after a thorough study of these limiting factors, optimum conditions could be defined and a number of PAHs were detected directly without any sample clean-up. Results obtained after sample pretreatment are also presented for comparison.     

Time-resolved spatially offset Raman spectroscopy for depth analysis of diffusely scattering layers

The objective of this study is to use time-resolved (TR) Raman spectroscopy, spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS), and a combination of these approaches to obtain high quality Raman spectra from materials hidden underneath an opaque layer. Both TR Raman and SORS are advanced techniques that allow for an increased relative selectivity of photons from deeper layers within a sample. Time-resolved detection reduces fluorescence background, and the selectivity for the second layer is improved. By combining this with spatially offset excitation we additionally increased selectivity for deeper layers. Test samples were opaque white polymer blocks of several mm thicknesses. Excitation was carried out with a frequency-doubled Ti:sapphire laser at 460 nm, 3 ps pulse width and 76 MHz repetition rate. Detection was either with a continuous-wave CCD camera or in time-resolved mode using an intensified CCD camera with a 250 ps gate width. The Raman photons were collected in backscatter mode, with or without lateral offset. By measuring the delay of the Raman signal from the second layer (polyethylene terephthalate/PET/Arnite), the net photon migration speeds through Teflon, polythene, Delrin and Nylon were determined. Raman spectra could be obtained from a second layer of PET through Teflon layers up to 7 mm of thickness. The ability to obtain chemical information through layers of diffusely scattering materials has powerful potential for biomedical applications.