Simultaneous determination of metabolites of trimethylbenzenes,dimethylbenzylmercapturicacid and dimethylhippuric acid,in human urine by solid-phase extraction followed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

We describe a novel method for the determination of three kinds of dimethylbenzylmercapturic acids (DMM) and six kinds of dimethylhippuric acids (DMH), found in urine as metabolites of trimethylbenzenes, based on liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. A solid-phase extraction procedure was used for the extractions of DMM and DMH from a urine sample, and the separation was performed on a reversed-phase C(30) column. The analytes were ionized by electrospray in the positive-ion mode. Operating in the multiple reaction monitoring mode, the linearity of the relative mass spectrometric responses to the internal standard versus analyte concentrations were established in the range 0.1-100 ng ml(-1). The extraction procedure was rapid and the relative standard deviations were below 5%. The detection limits of DMM and DMH in the urine by the proposed method were in the ranges 0.26-0.41 and 0.42-2.0 ng l(-1), respectively. Furthermore, DMM and DMH were detected in a urine sample from an individual who did not suffer from occupational exposure to trimethylbenzenes, by using this method.     

A Square‐Planar Complex of Platinum(0)

The Pt⁰ complex [Pt(PPh₃)(Eind₂‐BPEP)] with a pyridine‐based PNP‐pincer‐type phosphaalkene ligand (Eind₂‐BPEP) has a highly planar geometry around Pt with ∑(Pt)=358.6°. This coordination geometry is very uncommon for formal d¹⁰ complexes, and the Pd and Ni homologues with the same ligands adopt distorted tetrahedral geometries. DFT calculations reveal that both the Pt and Pd complexes are M⁰ species with nearly ten valence electrons on the metals whereas their atomic orbital occupancies are evidently different from one another. The Pt complex has a higher occupancy of the atomic 6s orbital because of strong s–d hybridization due to relativistic effects, thereby adopting a highly planar geometry reflecting the shape and orientation of the partially unoccupied orbital.     

Capillary zone electrophoretic determination of iodide in seawater using transient isotachophoresis with artificial seawater as the background electrolyte

We describe an application of capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) with transient isotachophoresis (ITP) as the on-line concentration procedure for the determination of iodide in seawater. The effective mobility of iodide was decreased by the addition of 10 mM cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC) to an artificial seawater background electrolyte (BGE) so that transient ITP functioned and iodide was separated from other coexisting anions such as bromide, nitrite, and nitrate in seawater samples. After sample injection, 600 mM acetate was separately injected into the capillary as the terminating ion to generate transient ITP. The limit of detection (LOD) for iodide was 3.0 microg/L. The LOD was obtained at a signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of 3. The values of the relative standard deviation (RSD) of peak area, peak height, and migration time for iodide were 2.9, 2.1, and 0.6%. The proposed method was applied to the determination of iodide in seawater collected around the Osaka Bay. The results obtained by use of the calibration graph were agreed with those obtained by the addition of the standard solutions for iodide.     

Cluster ions in the secondary ion mass spectrometry of choline and acetylcholine halides

Liquid secondary ion mass spectra of choline and acetylcholine halides exhibit several series of cluster ions whose origins were investigated using B/E and B²/E linked-scan techniques. In the case of choline halides three series of cluster ions were identified as (Me₃$ \mathop {\rm N}\limits^ + $CH₂CH₂OH + nM), (Me₃$ \mathop {\rm N}\limits^ + $CH₂CH₂OMe + nM) and (Me₃N$ \mathop {\rm N}\limits^ + $CH₂CH₂OH · Me₃$ \mathop {\rm N}\limits^ + $CH₂CH₂O^? + nM), while (CH₃COOCH₂CH₂$ \mathop {\rm N}\limits^ + $Me₃ + nM), (Me₃$ \mathop {\rm N}\limits^ + $CH₂CH₂OH + nM) and (CH₂ = CH$ \mathop {\rm N}\limits^ + $Me₃ + nM) were observed in the spectra of acetylcholine halides. For these cluster ions, bimolecular reactions induced on ion bombardment under secondary ion mass spectrometric conditions are discussed.     

Secondary ion mass spectrometry of sugar nucleotides

Secondary ion mass spectra of fifteen sugar nucleotide sodium salts were investigated. In the negative-ion mode. deprotonated free acid molecules, desodiated sodium salts and some structurally significant fragment ion swere obtained. The linked scan at constant B/E gave information on the characteristics of the sugar, nucleosides and base moieties in the sugar nucleotides.     

Preparation and properties of electron donor acceptor complexes of the compounds having capto-dative substituents

In order to examine the “capto-dative” substitution-effect on the electrical conductivity, five compounds which have capto-dative substituents were prepared. Electron withdrawing (capto) group was nitro- or cyano-substituted phenyl and electron donating (dative) one was 5-methyl-5,10-dihydrophenazinyl moiety. The character of intramolecular electron donor acceptor complex of the five compounds were demonstrated by their uv spectra. Electron donor acceptor complexes of them with tetracyanoquinodimethane were prepared and their electrical resistivities were measured.     

Reactivity of a trivalent phosphorus radical cation as an electrophile toward pyridine derivatives

The reaction of methylviologen (MV²⁺) with tributylphosphine ( 1p ) and diethylphenylphosphine ( 1q ) in the presence of an alkyl-substituted pyridine ( 2 ) was found to take place through a single-electron transfer (SET) from 1 to MV²⁺ followed by nucleophilic attack by 2 on the resulting phosphine radical cation 1 ^•+. Kinetic examination showed that, in the transition state for the reaction of 1 ^•+ with 2 , an unpaired electron is largely delocalized to the pyridine moiety. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 11:152–157, 2000     

Theoretical analysis of infrasound radiation from an oscillating bridge

As a typical example of the sound radiation caused by the oscillation of a large sized structure, the infrasound radiation from a highway bridge is theoretically analyzed by applying a lifting surface technique. The relation between the bridge oscillation and the corresponding infrasound radiation is made clear quantitatively. By using measured results of the bridge oscillation due to the passage of a vehicle, the infrasound radiated from the bridge is estimated analytically. The results are compared with the measurements, and good agreement is seen. Moreover, it is shown that the reflection of sound at the ground causes both the radiation impedance of the bridge and the radiation pattern of the sound pressure to vary considerably according to the height of the bridge from the ground. Hence the height of the bridge is an important factor which controls sound pressure level (SPL) near the ground, on which the noise is actually perceived.     

Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles Produced in Water-in-oil Emulsion

Titanium dioxide (titania) particles were prepared by a water-in-oil emulsion system, and studied for the photodecomposition property of methylene blue. Microemulsion (ME) consisted of water, cyclohexane or octane, and surfactant, such as polyoxyethylene (10) octylphenyl ether (TX-100), polyoxyethylene lauryl ether, or bis (2-ethylhexyl) sodium sulfosuccinate. Titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) was dropped into the ME solution and then titania particles were formed by the hydrolysis reaction between TTIP in the organic solvent and the water in the core of ME. It was found that ME could be classified to the reversed micelle (RM) region and the swelling reversed micelle (SM) region according to the water content. The water droplets in RM were almost monodispersed, where the water content was small. On the other hand, the water droplets in SM had a size distribution, although most of the water molecules associated with surfactant molecules. The size of the particles prepared in the RM region was smaller than the ME size. In contrast, the size of the particles formed in the SM region was larger than the ME size, and coagulation of the particles was observed within a few hours. The smallest diameter of the particles was 2 nm in the system of cyclohexane with TX-100 surfactant when the molar ratio of water to surfactant was 2. Titania particles prepared in this condition were collected as amorphous powder, and converted to anatase phase at less than 500 K, which is lower than the ordinal phase transition temperature. These anatase phase titania particles only showed a significant photodecomposition of methylene blue by illumination with a Xenon lamp.     

Polymerization of Vinyl Monomers Using Oxidase Catalysts

Polymerization of vinyl monomers using oxidase as catalyst has been performed under argon in the presence of acetylacetone as a mediator and without the use of hydrogen peroxide. The polymerization of acrylamide was catalyzed by a laccase or sarcosine oxidase catalyst in distilled water and efficiently produced the polymer with high molecular weight. In the polymerization using the laccase catalyst, the effects of temperature, time, and amounts of enzyme and mediator have been systematically investigated. On the other hand, various other oxidases such as bilirubin, choline, and xanthine oxidases showed no or little activity for the vinyl polymerization. The laccase/acetylacetone catalyst induced the polymerization of methyl methacrylate and styrene in a mixture of water and tetrahydrofuran. Laccase alone also acted as a catalyst for the vinyl polymerization of acrylamide and methyl methacrylate without acetylacetone. In the polymerization of methyl methacrylate using lipoxidase as the catalyst in the presence of acetylacetone, the reaction occurred in air.