Determination of polychlorinated biphenyls by fast chromatography mass-spectrometry in environmental and biological samples

A method for the determination of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) by fast gas chromatography coupled with mass-spectrometric detection in selective ion monitoring mode has been developed. Chromatographic separation was carried out with HT-8 column (30 m × 0.25 mm) under sharp temperature increase from 80 to 320°C at a rate of 40°C/min. Duration of chromatography is 10 min. Fast chromatography conditions suggested by authors makes it possible to increase S/N ratios 10 times and so to reduce significantly the representative weight of the sample and develop an effective sample preparation technique. The method was used for PCB determination in Baikal area samples such as soil, snow, sediments from Lake Baikal and its tributaries, tissues of Baikal omul (Coregonus migratorius, Georgi, 1775) and blubber of Baikal seal (Phoca sibirica Gm.). The sample preparation stage includes PCB extraction from environmental samples and hydrolyzate of biological material with the following cleanup of the extract on the compact silica gel and florisil cartridges (0.5 g of the sorbent). The method enables the measurements of total PCBs and isomer groups of the same chlorination level with interlaboratory precision of no greater than 10% and the determination of indicator congeners (PCBs 28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153, and 180) with a precision not exceeding 15%.     

Electronic structure of LiMnO : X-ray emission and photoelectron spectra and band structure calculations

The electronic structure of LiMnO₂ and Li₂MnO₃ was studied by means of X-ray photoelectron and soft X-ray emission spectroscopy. For LiMnO₂, LSDA and LSDA+U calculations were carried out. The LSDA+U calculations are in rather good agreement with the measured valence-band structure as well as with the magnetic and electrical properties of LiMnO₂. It is shown that the band gap in LiMnO₂ is determined by the charge-transfer effect. Received 15 March 1999 and Received in final form 14 July 1999     

Robust quantum state transfer in random unpolarized spin chains

We propose and analyze a new approach for quantum state transfer between remote spin qubits. Specifically, we demonstrate that coherent quantum coupling between remote qubits can be achieved via certain classes of random, unpolarized (infinite temperature) spin chains. Our method is robust to coupling-strength disorder and does not require manipulation or control over individual spins. In principle, it can be used to attain perfect state transfer over an arbitrarily long range via purely Hamiltonian evolution and may be particularly applicable in a solid-state quantum information processor. As an example, we demonstrate that it can be used to attain strong coherent coupling between nitrogen-vacancy centers separated by micrometer distances at room temperature. Realistic imperfections and decoherence effects are analyzed.     

Controllable dissipative tunneling in an external electric field

We have studied the problem of controllable dissipative tunneling in the system of tunnel-binding quantum dots (quantum molecules) and in the “AFM/STM cantilever tip-quantum dot” system, which was simulated by a double-well oscillator potential interacting with a heat-bath in an external electric field. We show that theoretical results qualitatively describe some experimental I–V curves for “the AFM/STM cantilever tip-zirconium quantum dot” system. These experimental curves were obtained in the Research Institute of Physics and Technologies at the State University of Nizhniy Novgorod.     

Condensation-induced dynamic gas fluxes in a mixture of condensable and non-condensable gases

It is shown that condensation of water vapor produces dynamic instability of atmospheric air and induces air circulation that is characterized by observable air velocities and persists independently of the magnitude of horizontal temperature gradients.     

The temperature dependence of the exchange enthalpy of calcium and sodium ions on polymethacrylic and polyacrylic cationites

The influence of temperature on the exchange of calcium and sodium ions from solutions of 2.3–2.8 g-equiv/l concentrations on KB-2e4 gel polyacrylic cationite, KB-4P2 and KB-4 gel polymethacrylic cationites, and Purolite C104 polyacrylic cationite was studied over the temperature range 273–400 K. It was shown that, simultaneously with a substantial increase in selectivity with respect to calcium ions, the differential enthalpy of the ion exchange reaction increased linearly on all polyacrylic and polymethacrylic cationites as the temperature grew.     

Flavonoid glycosides from Aconitum baicalense

Two known flavonoids, the 7-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosides of kaempferol and of quercetin, and also the new acylated glycoside quercetin 3-O-[O-(6-caffeoyl-β-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1→2)-β-D-glucopyranoside 7-O-α-L-rhamnopyranoside (czekanoside A) have been isolated from the epigeal part ofAconitum baicalense Turcz, ex Rapaics (A. Czekanovskyi Steinb.). Their structures have been demonstrated by the methods of IR, UV,¹H, and¹³C NMR spectroscopies and FAB mass spectrometry and also with the aid of acid hydrolysis.     

The new isotope 217U

The new neutron deficient isotope ²¹⁷U was produced in the bombardment of the ¹⁸²W target with ⁴⁰Ar ions and identified using a recoil-- correlation method. The -decay energy and the half-life of ²¹⁷U were determined to be 8005 ± 20 keV and 15.6 ^+21.3 _-5.7 ms, respectively. Received: 18 May 2000 / Accepted: 21 June 2000