Simultaneous Determination of Ascorbic Acid,Dopamine and Uric Acid at Pt Nanoparticles Decorated Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes Modified GCE

A modified electrode was fabricated by electrochemically deposition of Pt nanoparticles on the multiwall carbon nanotube covered glassy carbon electrode (Pt nanoparticles decorated MWCNT/GCE). A higher catalytic activity was obtained to electrocatalytic oxidation of ascorbic acid, dopamine, and uric acid due to the enhanced peak current and well‐defined peak separations compared with both, bare and MWCNT/GCE. The electrode surfaces were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Individual and simultaneous determination of AA, DA, and UA were studied by differential pulse voltammetry. The detection limits were individually calculated for ascorbic acid, dopamine, and uric acid as being 1.9×10^?5 M, 2.78×10^?8 M, and 3.2×10^?8 M, respectively. In simultaneous determination, LODs were calculated for AA, DA, and UA, as of 2×10^?5 M, 4.83×10^?8 M, and 3.5×10^?7 M, respectively.     

Intercalation of water and guest molecules within Ca<Superscript>2+</Superscript>–Montmorillonite

The high potential for intercalations by water and various guest molecules is induced by the exchangeable cation inside Ca²⁺–Montmorillonite gallery. XRD peak for Mon at 2θ = 6.04° (d ₀₀₁ = 1.462 nm) shows the structural effect on the clay gallery influenced by the intercalated water layers. Further increases in the gallery height are observed with the intercalation of octadecyl ammonium cations in OMON (d ₀₀₁ = 1.840 nm) and ENR-50 matrix chains in CENR-50 (d ₀₀₁ = 1.954 nm). DSC studies on the other hand reveal the thermal behaviors of intercalated molecules that are linked to the exchangeable cations. The endothermic of Ca²⁺–Montmorillonite (H _Mon = 356.3 J/g) in low temperature range (30–100 °C) indicates the removal of free water and hydrogen bonded water molecules, while the endothermic around 150 °C is related to the induced skeletal layer of water within Ca²⁺–Montmorillonite. The OMON endothermic (H _OMON = 47.0 J/g, T _m = 36.94 °C) tells that cation exchange had modified the water structures and content inside the renewed clay. The intercalation of ENR-50 chains into OMON gallery reveals two endothermic with the T _m1 and T _m2 are at 86.24 and 113.80 °C, respectively. These T _ms confirm that the alkyl chain segment on octadecyl ammonium cation occupy the OMON interlayer space.     

Determination of partition coefficient and analysis of nitrophenols by three‐phase liquid‐phase microextraction coupled with capillary electrophoresis

A three‐phase hollow fiber liquid‐phase microextraction method coupled with CE was developed and used for the determination of partition coefficients and analysis of selected nitrophenols in water samples. The selected nitrophenols were extracted from 14 mL of aqueous solution (donor solution) with the pH adjusted to pH 3 into an organic phase (1‐octanol) immobilized in the pores of the hollow fiber and finally backextracted into 40.0 μL of the acceptor phase (NaOH) at pH 12.0 located inside the lumen of the hollow fiber. The extractions were carried out under the following optimum conditions: donor solution, 0.05 M H₃PO₄, pH 3.0; organic solvent, 1‐octanol; acceptor solution, 40 μL of 0.1 M NaOH, pH 12.0; agitation rate, 1050 rpm; extraction time, 15 min. Under optimized conditions, the calibration curves for the analytes were linear in the range of 0.05–0.30 mg/L with r²>0.9900 and LODs were in the range of 0.01–0.04 mg/L with RSDs of 1.25–2.32%. Excellent enrichment factors of up to 398‐folds were obtained. It was found that the partition coefficient (K_a/d) values were high for 2‐nitrophenol, 3‐nitrophenol, 4‐nitrophenol, 2,4‐dinitrophenol and 2,6‐dinitrophenol and that the individual partition coefficients (K_org/d and K_a/org) promoted efficient simultaneous extraction from the donor through the organic phase and further into the acceptor phase. The developed method was successfully applied for the analysis of water samples.     

Investigating droplet separation efficiency in wire-mesh mist eliminators in bubble column

Effects of design parameters on performance of wire-mesh mist eliminators were experimentally investigated in 15 cm bubble column. The demisters performances were evaluated by droplet collection efficiency as a function of wide ranges of operating and design parameters. These parameters include: droplet size exiting the demister (250–380 μm), specific surface area (236–868 m²/m³), void fraction (97–98.3%), wire diameter (0.14–0.28 mm), packing density (130–240 kg/m³), and superficial gas velocity (0.109–0.118 m/s. All demisters were 15 cm in diameter with 10 cm pad thickness, made from 316L stainless steel layered type demister pad wires. Experiments were carried out using air–water system at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure. The experimental data on the droplet removal efficiency were obtained using Malvern Laser Droplet Sizer. The removal efficiency was found to increase with the increasing the demister specific surface area, packing density, and superficial gas velocity. In contrast, the removal efficiency was found to increase with decreasing the demister void fraction and wire diameter. The separation efficiency is correlated empirically as a function of the design parameters. A good agreement was obtained between the measured values and the correlation predictions with ±5% accuracy.     

Selective kinetic spectrophotometric method for determination of gatifloxacin based on formation of its N-vinyl chlorobenzoquinone derivative

A selective and simple kinetic spectrophotometric has been developed, for the first time, for the determination of gatifloxacin (GAT) in its dosage forms. The method was based on the formation of a colored N-vinyl chlorobenzoquinone derivative of GAT by its reaction with 2,3,5,6-tetrachloro-1,4-benzoquinone in presence of acetaldehyde. The formation of the colored product was monitored spectrophotometrically by measuring the absorbances at 655 nm. The factors affecting the reaction were studied and optimized. The stoichiometry of the reaction was determined, and the reaction pathway was postulated. Under the optimized conditions, the initial rate and fixed time (at 5 min) methods were utilized for constructing the calibration graphs. The graphs were linear in the concentration ranges of 2–100 and 10–140 μg ml^?1 with limits of detection of 0.84 and 3.5 μg ml^?1 for the initial rate and fixed time methods, respectively. The analytical performance of both methods was fully validated, and the results were satisfactory. The proposed methods were successfully applied to the determination of GAT in its commercial dosage forms. The label claim percentages were 99.7–100.5 and 98.2–99.5% for the initial rate and fixed time methods, respectively. Statistical comparison of the results with those of the reference method showed excellent agreement and proved that there was no significant difference in the accuracy and precision between the reference and the proposed methods. The proposed methods are superior to all the previously reported spectrophotometric methods in terms of the procedure simplicity and assay selectivity.     

Rapid and direct determination of glyphosate,glufosinate, and aminophosphonic acid by online preconcentration CE with contactless conductivity detection

Rapid and direct online preconcentration followed by CE with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection (CE‐C⁴D) is evaluated as a new approach for the determination of glyphosate, glufosinate (GLUF), and aminophosphonic acid (AMPA) in drinking water. Two online preconcentration techniques, namely large volume sample stacking without polarity switching and field‐enhanced sample injection, coupled with CE‐C⁴D were successfully developed and optimized. Under optimized conditions, LODs in the range of 0.01–0.1 μM (1.7–11.1 μg/L) and sensitivity enhancements of 48‐ to 53‐fold were achieved with the large volume sample stacking‐CE‐C⁴D method. By performing the field‐enhanced sample injection‐CE‐C⁴D procedure, excellent LODs down to 0.0005–0.02 μM (0.1–2.2 μg/L) as well as sensitivity enhancements of up to 245‐ to 1002‐fold were obtained. Both techniques showed satisfactory reproducibility with RSDs of peak height of better than 10%. The newly established approaches were successfully applied to the analysis of glyphosate, glufosinate, and aminophosphonic acid in spiked tap drinking water.     

Synthesis,labeling and biodistribution of <Superscript>99m</Superscript>Tc-3-amino-2-quinoxalin-carbonitrile 1,4-dioxide in tumor bearing mice

3-Amino-2-quinoxalincarbonitrile 1,4-dioxide (AQCD) is a quinoxaline derivative, which was synthesized by condensation method. AQCD was labeled with ^99mTc with labeling yield above 90% investigated by paper chromatography. ^99mTc-AQCD was prepared using stannous chloride as reducing agent at pH 7 and 10 min reaction time. ^99mTc-AQCD should be freshly prepared, otherwise the yield significantly decreased after 15 min post labeling. Stability study of ^99mTc-AQCD reflected the short time stability of Biodistribution study of ^99 mTc-AQCD in tumor bearing mice reflected that its uptake in tumor sites in both ascites and solid tumor sites. This uptake of ^99mTc-AQCD in tumor sites was sufficient to radioimage the inoculated sites.     

Dynamic supported liquid membrane tip extraction of glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid followed by capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductivity detection

A dynamic supported liquid membrane tip extraction (SLMTE) procedure for the effective extraction and preconcentration of glyphosate (GLYP) and its metabolite aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) in water has been investigated. The SLMTE procedure was performed in a semi-automated dynamic mode and demonstrated a greater performance against a static extraction. Several important extraction parameters such as donor phase pH, cationic carrier concentration, type of membrane solvent, type of acceptor stripping phase, agitation and extraction time were comprehensively optimized. A solution of Aliquat-336, a cationic carrier, in dihexyl ether was selected as the supported liquid incorporated into the membrane phase. Quantification of GLYP and AMPA was carried out using capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductivity detection. An electrolyte solution consisting of 12 mM histidine (His), 8 mM 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid (MES), 75 μM cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), 3% methanol, pH 6.3, was used as running buffer. Under the optimum extraction conditions, the method showed good linearity in the range of 0.01–200 μg/L (GLYP) and 0.1–400 μg/L (AMPA), acceptable reproducibility (RSD 5–7%, n = 5), low limits of detection of 0.005 μg/L for GLYP and 0.06 μg/L for AMPA, and satisfactory relative recoveries (90–94%). Due to the low cost, the SLMTE device was disposed after each run which additionally eliminated the possibility of carry-over between runs. The validated method was tested for the analysis of both analytes in spiked tap water and river water with good success.     

Reinforcement of natural rubber/high density polyethylene blends with electron beam irradiated liquid natural rubber-coated rice husk

Coating of rice husk (RH) surface with liquid natural rubber (LNR) and exposure to electron beam irradiation in air were studied. FTIR analysis on the LNR-coated RH (RHR) exposed to electron beam (EB) showed a decrease in the double bonds and an increase in hydroxyl and hydrogen bonded carbonyl groups arising from the chemical interaction between the active groups on RH surface with LNR. The scanning electron micrograph showed that the LNR formed a coating on the RH particles which transformed to a fine and clear fibrous layer at 20 kGy irradiation. The LNR film appeared as patches at 50 kGy irradiation due to degradation of rubber. Composites of natural rubber (NR)/high density polyethylene (HDPE)/RHR showed an optimum at 20–30 kGy dosage with the maximum stress, tensile modulus and impact strength of 6.5, 79 and 13.2 kJ/m², respectively. The interfacial interaction between the modified RH and TPNR matrix had improved on exposure of RHR to e-beam at 20–30 kGy dosage.