Solid-phase extraction system for Pb (II) ions enrichment based on multiwall carbon nanotubes coupled on-line to flame atomic absorption spectrometry

The present paper proposes the application of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as a solid sorbent for lead preconcentration using a flow system coupled to flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The method comprises the preconcentration of Pb (II) ions at a buffered solution (pH 4.7) onto 30 mg of MWCNTs previously oxidized with concentrated HNO₃. The elution step is carried out with 1.0 mol L⁻¹ HNO₃. The effect of the experimental parameters, including sample pH, sampling flow rate, buffer and eluent concentrations were investigated by means of a 2⁴ full factorial design, while for the final optimization a Doehlert design was employed. Under the best experimental conditions the preconcentration system provided detection and quantification limits of 2.6 and 8.6 μg L⁻¹, respectively. A wide linear range varying from 8.6 up to 775 μg L⁻¹ (r > 0.999) and the respective precision (relative standard deviation) of 7.7 and 1.4% for the 15 and 200 μg L⁻¹ levels were obtained. The characteristics obtained for the performance of the flow preconcentration system were a preconcentration factor of 44.2, preconcentration efficiency of 11 min⁻¹, consumptive index of 0.45 mL and sampling frequency estimated as 14 h⁻¹. Preconcentration studies of Pb (II) ions in the presence of the majority foreign ions tested did not show interference, attesting the good performance of MWCNTs. The accuracy of the method was assessed from analysis of water samples (tap, mineral, physiological serum and synthetic seawater) and common medicinal herbs submitted to the acid decomposition (garlic and Ginkgo Biloba). The satisfactory recovery values obtained without using analyte addition method confirms the feasibility of this method for Pb (II) ions determination in different type of samples.     

Development of a laccase-based flow injection electrochemical biosensor for the determination of phenolic compounds and its application for monitoring remediation of Kraft E1 paper mill effluent

This paper describes the development of a new system for amperometric determination of phenolic compounds, and its application for monitoring these compounds in paper mill effluent. The method was based on a flow system, a dialysis sampler, and a laccase-based biosensor. The performance of this system was investigated with respect to pH, ionic strength, working potential, and flow-rate dependence. The biosensor showed an excellent long-term stability allowing measurements for over than 3 months. The sensitivity of laccase-based biosensor was tested for phenol, p-chlorophenol, guaiacol and chloroguaiacol; the detector presented selective measurements of micromolar concentration of these compounds. The integration of a dialysis membrane sampling in the system protected the biosensor surface from fouling and gave independence of sample conditions that commonly influence the biosensor performance. These favorable characteristics allowed its application for direct measurements in complex media with no sample pretreatment. This ability was confirmed employing this system in a continuous analysis of phenolic compounds during the remediation of paper mill effluent by ozonization process.     

Superstructures of donor packing arrangements in a series of molecular charge transfer salts

Three conducting BEDT-TTF charge-transfer salts with tris(oxalato)metallate anions have unit cells containing both[small alpha] and [small beta][double prime] donor packing motifs.     

Synthesis of human renin inhibitory peptides, angiotensinogen transition-state analogs containing a retro-inverso amide bond

The experimental details for the synthesis of human renin inhibitors are described. In order to avoid metabolic degradation of the Phe-His (P3-P2) amide bond in transition-state analogs, structurally modified acyl residues (P4-P3) were incorporated into the inhibitors. Compound 1a, which contained 2-(1-naphthylmethyl)-3-(N-phenethylcarbamoyl)propionyl residue (P4-P3) with a retro-inverso amide bond, L-histidine, and norstatine isoamylamide residue (P1-P1) as a transition-state mimic, had potent human renin inhibitory activity, and it lowered blood pressure when administered orally to common marmosets.     

Lipid-soluble and water-soluble arsenic compounds in blubber of ringed seal (Pusa hispida)

High concentrations of arsenic were observed in the blubber of ringed seals (Pusa hispida) in our previous study. To better understand the arsenic accumulation in blubber of marine mammals, arsenicals in the blubber of ringed seal were characterized using high performance liquid chromatography–inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC–ICPMS). The most predominant water-soluble arsenical in the blubber was dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), in spite of the predominance of arsenobetaine in other tissues. Lipid-soluble fraction was hydrolyzed under mild (tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAH) hydrolysis) and strong (NaOH hydrolysis) conditions, and then an aliquot of hydrolysate was injected onto HPLC–ICPMS. Both TEAH-labile and TEAH-stable/NaOH-labile lipid-soluble fractions contained precursors of DMA. These results suggest that the blubber might be the pool of DMA and DMA-containing precursors in ringed seals.     

Synthesis of the ABCD ring of gambierol

A fully functionalized ABCD ring moiety of gambierol, a marine polycyclic ether toxin, was synthesized by the use of the oxiranyl anion strategy and reductive cycloetherification of a beta,delta-dihydroxy ketone.     

Practical synthesis of a neuropeptide Y antagonist via stereoselective addition to a ketene

[Reaction: see text]. The synthesis of neuropeptide Y antagonist 1, currently under clinical investigation for the treatment of obesity, is described. The convergent synthesis from trans-spirolactone carboxylic acid intermediate 2a and aminopyrazole 3 is predicated on a stereoselective route to the former. The coupling reaction of ethyl 4-oxocyclohexanecarboxylate (10a) with lithiated isonicotinamide 11 was investigated in detail, but even optimized conditions only provided a 45:55 ratio of trans:cis isomers (12a:12b). While selective crystallization schemes were developed to isolate the thermodynamically less stable trans isomer 2a, improved stereocontrol was subsequentially achieved by the application of ketene chemistry. The ketene formation and quench was investigated under a variety of conditions aimed at maximizing the trans:cis ratio. Reacting a mixture of carboxylic acids 2a and 2b with POCl3 in THF, followed by concomitant addition of tert-butyl alcohol in the presence of TMEDA at 35 degrees C provided a 4:1 ratio of trans:cis tert-butyl esters (18a:18b) via in situ ketene formation. Ester hydrolysis, followed by selective crystallization of undesired 2b as the HCl salt, led to isolation of 2a in 47% overall yield. Aminopyrazole intermediate 3 was synthesized via the condensation reaction of 2-fluorophenylhydrazine hydrochloride (4a) with acrylonitrile derivative 5 in 65-70% yield. Coupling of advanced intermediates 2a and 3b via activation with thionyl chloride gave a 92% yield of 1.     

Synthesis of polyanionic glycopolymers for the facile assembly of glycosyl arrays

Polyanionic glycopolymers were synthesized aiming at establishing a simple process for assembling glycosyl arrays. The synthetic glycopolymers carry the key carbohydrate epitopes of α-d-galactobioside (Gb₂), β-lactoside, and α-d-mannopyranoside, each of which serves as a ligand of bacterial toxins and adhesion proteins. The Gb₂ epitope, prepared from penta-O-acetyl-d-galactopyranose, was coupled with poly(ethylene-alt-maleic anhydride) in a polymer reaction to afford a Gb₂-embedded glycopolymer having also carboxylate (COO⁻) polyanions at the side chain. The polyanionic glycopolymer was then applied to a preparation of sugar-coated gold electrodes, which involves an alternating layer-by-layer adsorption based on electrostatic interactions. The presence of the Gb₂-coat on the surface was evidenced by Fourier transform infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy. The Gb₂-coated glyco-chip was stable in 10 mM HEPES buffer containing 150 mM NaCl aq. Other glycopolymers carrying the β-lactoside and α-d-mannopyranoside epitopes were applied to the same assembling process. The derived glycosyl arrays will be useful for detecting Shiga toxins, other pathogenic toxins and viruses when applied as glyco-chips for surface plasmon resonance or quartz crystal microbalance technique.