Uncertainty estimation to evaluate mass balances on a combustion system

Mass balances of ash and potassium for a fluidized bed combustor were performed incorporating measurement uncertainties. The total output mass of ash or a chemical element should be equal to the mass in the input fuel; however, this is not often achieved. A realistic estimation of recovery uncertainty can support the reliability of a mass balance. Estimation of uncertainty helps to establish a reliable evaluation of the recovery ratio of ash mass and elemental mass. This may clarify whether any apparent lack in closing the mass balance can be attributed to uncertainties. The evaluation of measurement uncertainty for different matrices, namely coal, biomass, sand and ashes from different streams was based on internal quality control data and external quality control data, namely analysis of samples from proficiency tests or use of a certified reference material. The evaluation of intermediate precision and trueness allowed the estimation of measurement uncertainty. Due to the different physic and chemical characteristics of the studied matrices, the uncertainty of precision was evaluated using R-charts of data obtained from the analysis of duplicates for the majority of samples. This allowed evaluating sample heterogeneity effects. The instrumental acceptance criterion was also considered and included in the combined uncertainty. The trueness was evaluated using data from several proficiency tests and from analysis of a certified reference material or sample spiking. Statistically significant bias was included.     

Anti-HIV-1 and cytotoxicity of the alkaloids of Erythrina abyssinica Lam. growing in Sudan

Erythrina abyssinica Lam. is an important medicinal plant growing in Sudan; its seeds were investigated for the first time for their alkaloidal constituents and biological activity. The in vitro cytotoxicity of the crude alkaloidal fraction (CAF) against the cell lines HeLa, Hep-G2, HEP-2, HCT116, MCF-7 and HFB4 showed promising activity, with IC?? values of 13.8, 10.1, 8.16, 13.9, 11.4 and 12.2?μg?mL?1, respectively. Doxorubicin (positive control) showed in vitro cytotoxic activity with IC?? values 3.64, 4.57, 4.89, 3.74, 2.97 and 3.96?μg?mL?1, respectively. Bioassay-guided fractionation and isolation of the CAF led to the isolation of five Erythrina alkaloids, identified as erythraline, erysodine, erysotrine, 8-oxoerythraline and 11-methoxyerysodine. These were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxic activity against Hep-G2 which resulted in IC?? values 17.60, 11.80, 15.80, 3.89 and 11.40?μg?mL?1, respectively. Furthermore, in vitro cytotoxic activity against HEP-2 was evaluated, which resulted in IC?? values 15.90, 19.90, 21.60, 18.50 and 11.50?μg?mL?1, respectively. The CAF caused a reduction in the viability of mock-infected MT-4 cells with a CC?? of 53?μM and a 50% protection of MT-4 cells against HIV-1 induced cytopathogeneticy with a EC?? of >53?μM, compared with EFV as a positive control, which had a CC?? of 45?μM and an EC?? of 0.003?μM. We concluded that the isolated alkaloids were responsible for the carcinogenic actions of the plant extract previously reported in the literature.     

Chimeric platinum-polyamines and DNA binding. Kinetics of DNA interstrand cross-link formation by dinuclear platinum complexes with polyamine linkers

The first observation of a polyamine-DNA interaction using 2D [(1)H, (15)N] HSQC NMR spectroscopy allows study of the role of the linker in polynuclear platinum-DNA interactions and a novel "anchoring" of the polyamine by Pt-DNA bond formation allows examination of the details of conformational B → Z transitions induced by the polyamine. The kinetics and mechanism of the stepwise formation of 5'-5' 1,4-GG interstrand cross-links (IXLs) by fully (15)N-labeled [{trans-PtCl((15)NH(3))(2)}(2){μ-((15)NH(2)(CH(2))(6)(15)NH(2)(CH(2))(6)(15)NH(2))}](3+) (1,1/t,t-6,6, 1) and [{trans-PtCl((15)NH(3))(2)}(2){μ-((15)NH(2)(CH(2))(6)(15)NH(2)(CH(2))(2)(15)NH(2)(CH(2))(6)(15)NH(2))}](4+) (1,1/t,t-6,2,6, 1') with the self-complementary oligonucleotide 5'-{d(ATATGTACATAT)(2)} (duplex I) are compared to the analogous reaction with 1,0,1/t,t,t (BBR3464) under identical conditions (pH 5.4, 298 K). Initial electrostatic interactions with the DNA are delocalized and followed by aquation to form the monoaqua monochloro species. The rate constant for monofunctional adduct formation, k(MF), for 1 (0.87 M(-1) s(-1)) is 3.5 fold higher than for 1,0,1/t,t,t (0.25 M(-1) s(-1); the value could not be calculated for 1' due to peak overlap). The evidence suggests that several conformers of the bifunctional adduct form, whereas for 1,0,1/t,t,t only two discrete conformers were observed. The combined effect of the conformers observed for 1 and 1' may play a crucial role in the increased potency of these novel complexes compared to 1,0,1/t,t,t. Treated as a single final product, the rate of formation of the 5'-5' 1,4-GG IXL, k(CH), for 1 (k(CH) = 4.37 × 10(-5) s(-1)) is similar to that of 1,0,1/t,t,t, whereas the value for 1' is marginally higher (k(CH) = 5.4 × 10(-5) s(-1)).     

Electrophilic trifluoromethylation by copper-catalyzed addition of CF3-transfer reagents to alkenes and alkynes

Regio- and stereoselective Cu-catalyzed addition of the above hypervalent iodine reagent to alkynes and alkenes was achieved. In the presence of CuI, the reaction is suitable to perform trifluoromethyl-benzoyloxylation and trifluoromethyl-halogenation of alkenes and alkynes. Electron-donating substituents accelerate the process, and alkenes react faster than alkynes emphasizing the electrophilic character of the addition reaction.     

Gas-phase thermolysis of benzotriazole derivatives. Part 3: Kinetic and mechanistic evidence for biradical intermediates in pyrolysis of aroylbenzotriazoles and related compounds

Gas-phase pyrolysis (static and FVP) of 1-aroylbenzotriazoles gave the corresponding substituted benzoxazole, benzimidazole, benzamide, N-phenylbenzamide, phenanthridin-6(5H)-one derivatives and 1-cyanocyclopentadiene. The present kinetic and mechanistic findings also provide further evidence of the involvement of biradical or carbene reactive intermediates in the reaction pathway of gas-phase pyrolysis of benzotriazoles.     

A New Neutral Carrier for Silver Ions Based on a Bis(Thiothiazole) Derivative and its Evaluation in Membrane Electrodes

Membrane electrodes based on 2,2-dithiobis(benzothiazole), DTBBT, as a neutral carrier for silver ions are described. Silver-selective membrane electrodes formulated with 2wt% DTBBT ionophore and 50mol% TFPB in an FPNPE plasticized poly (vinyl chloride) exhibited near-Nernstian responses towards silver ions (60.3±0.5mVdecade^–1) over a wide silver ion activity range of 0.83µM to 94mM. Increasing the amount of anionic sites, TFPB, to 100 or 150mol% (relative to the DTBBT weight) resulted in super-Nernstian responses toward silver ions. Membrane electrodes prepared using a low dielectric constant plasticizer, however, exhibited sub-Nernstian responses. Polymer membrane electrodes with optimal composition (i.e., 2wt% DTBBT, 50mol% TFPB in FPNPE plasticized poly(vinyl chloride)) exhibited high potentiometric selectivity towards silver ions over alkali, alkaline earth, transition metal ions, as well as heavy metal ions such as Hg²⁺ and Pb²⁺. A good correlation was found between the potentiometric selectivity coefficients and the change in the UV-visible spectra of the ionophore upon exposure to different metal ions. The overall performance of the silver-selective membrane electrodes based on DTBBT ionophore, which is available at low cost, was found to be comparable to the performance of silver electrodes prepared with Fluka silver ionophore-IV. A DTBBT-based silver electrode was used as an indicator electrode for titrations of silver ions using standard sodium chloride solutions. Sharp inflections occur at the end point, and the data obtained showed 99.4% recovery with a standard deviation of 0.7% (n=3). In addition, the applicability of the DTBBT-based silver-selective electrode is illustrated by measuring the silver concentrations in natural water spiked with silver nitrate and by analyzing the silver in electroplating wastewater samples. The results obtained utilizing a DTBBT-based silver electrode showed very good agreement with the standard methods of analysis.     

Determination of neutron flux parameters in PUSPATI TRIGA Mark II Research Reactor, Malaysia

In standardization NAA, it is necessary to characterize the neutron spectrum parameters such as epithermal neutron flux shape factor (α), thermal to epithermal neutron flux ratio (f), thermal neutron flux (φ _th) and epithermal neutron flux (φ _epi) in the irradiation facility to determine the concentration of an element in the sample using absolute and k ₀ standardization methods. The α and f were determined using Cd-ratio multi monitor method using experimental data obtained in PUSPATI TRIGA Mark II research reactor at four irradiation positions (10, 20, 30 and 40) of the rotary rack. The calculated values of α and f ranged from 0.006 to 0.0281 and 18.56 to 19.12 respectively. The average values of φ _th and φ _epi were found as 2.33 × 10¹² and 1.23 × 10¹¹ n cm^?2 s^?1 respectively. Moreover, a comparison of the neutron flux parameters in the present study shows an acceptable level of consistency with those of previous studies.     

A simple microextraction and preconcentration approach based on a mixed matrix membrane

A simple adsorption/desorption procedure using a mixed matrix membrane (MMM) as extraction medium is demonstrated as a new miniaturized sample pretreatment and preconcentration technique. Reversed-phase particles namely polymeric bonded octadecyl (C₁₈) was incorporated through dispersion in a cellulose triacetate (CTA) polymer matrix to form a C₁₈-MMM. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) namely diclofenac, mefenamic acid and ibuprofen present in the environmental water samples were selected as targeted model analytes. The extraction setup is simple by dipping a small piece of C₁₈-MMM (7 mm × 7 mm) in a stirred 10 mL sample solution for analyte adsorption process. The entrapped analyte within the membrane was then desorbed into 100 μL of methanol by ultrasonication prior to high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. Each membrane was discarded after single use to avoid any analyte carry-over effect. Several important parameters, such as effect of sample pH, salting-out effect, sample volume, extraction time, desorption solvent and desorption time were comprehensively optimized. The C₁₈-MMM demonstrated high affinity for NSAIDs spiked in tap and river water with relative recoveries ranging from 92 to 100% and good reproducibility with relative standard deviations between 1.1 and 5.5% (n = 9). The overall results obtained were found comparable against conventional solid phase extraction (SPE) using cartridge packed with identical C₁₈ adsorbent.     

Synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of indomethacin-Cd(II), Ce(III), and Th(IV) complexes: IR, 1H NMR,thermal, and biological studies

Solid complexes have been prepared and characterized by IR, UV-Vis, elemental analysis, and ¹H NMR. Indomethacin forms complexes with Cd(II), Ce(III), and Th(IV) ions in molar ratios (ligand: metal) (2: 1), (3: 1), and (4: 1), respectively. The IR spectra of the complexes suggest that the Indomethacin behaves as a monobasic monodentate ligand coordinated to the metal ions via the deprotonated carboxylate group. Prepared complexes exhibit higher antimicrobial activity against several microorganisms, compared to free ligand.