Determination of Specific Heats Using Isothermal Microcalorimetry

The specific heat capacities (c_p) for the brain and muscle equivalent liquids were determined with isothermal heat conduction microcalorimetry (IMC) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). IMC was found to afford an accurate technique to measure c_p for solid and liquid samples, when an appropriate reference is employed. The accuracy of obtained c_p values was estimated to be better than 0.7% with the equivalent liquids. Intercomparison with a conventional isoperibolic calorimeter showed an excellent agreement within the estimated uncertainty of the isoperibolic calorimeter (±3%). Additionally, suitability of different kinds of IMC sample vessels was tested, and the standard electrical calibration procedure of IMC was evaluated through the determination of c_p with and without a reference material. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The destruction of organic pollutants under mild reaction conditions: A review

A survey of the literature covering the destruction of organic pollutants accomplished under mild reaction conditions is presented. Technologies presented are segregated according to two main reaction pathways; oxidation and reduction. Sub-topics discussed are representative of the main component of the degradation system, including the following; electrochemical reactors, hydrogen as a reducing agent, zero-valent metals, biological based systems, photolytic processes, Fenton reaction, and a recently discovered process that is a form of room temperature and pressure oxygen activation.     

Preparation of Langmuir/Blodgett-cellulose Surfaces by Using Horizontal Dipping Procedure. Application for Polyelectrolyte Adsorption Studies Performed with QCM-D

A method of preparing model cellulose surfaces by the Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) technique with horizontal dipping procedure has been developed. The primary aim for the use of these surfaces was adsorption studies performed with the quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) instrument. Hydrophobised cellulose (trimethylsilyl cellulose, TMSC) was deposited on the hydrophobic, polystyrene-coated QCM-D crystal. After 15 dipping cycles, the TMSC film fully covers the crystal surface. TMSC can easily be hydrolysed back to cellulose with acid hydrolysis. With this method a smooth, rigid, thin and reproducible cellulose film was obtained. Its morphology, coverage, chemical composition and wetting was further characterised using atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and contact angle measurements. The swelling behaviour and the stability of the cellulose film in aqueous solutions at different ionic strengths were studied using the QCM-D instrument. The swelling/deswelling properties of the cellulose film were those expected of polyelectrolytes with low charge density; some swelling occurred in pure water and the swelling decreased when the ionic strength was increased. No significant layer softening was detected during the swelling. The effect of electrolyte concentration and polymer charge density on the adsorption of cationic polyelectrolytes on the cellulose surface was also investigated. At low electrolyte concentration less of the highly charged PDADMAC was adsorbed as compared to low charged C-PAM. The adsorbed amount of PDADMAC increased with increasing ionic strength and a more compact layer was formed while the effect of electrolyte concentration on the adsorption of C-PAM was not as pronounced.     

Validation of the microbiological methods hygicult dipslide, contact plate, and swabbing in surface hygiene control: a Nordic collaborative study

A collaborative study on total aerobic bacterial count was conducted to validate the Hygicult TPC dipslide against contact plates and swabbing, using stainless-steel surfaces artificially contaminated with different microbes at various levels. Twelve laboratories took part in the validation procedure. The total number of collaborative samples was 108. The microbial level in each sample was assessed in triplicate using the 3 above-mentioned methods under 3 different incubation conditions (at 25 +/- 1 degrees C for 48 and 72 h and at 30 +/- 1 degrees C for 48 h). Surface sampling methods detached 25-30% at the lowest (theoretical yield, 1.4 cfu/cm2), 18-20% at the middle (theoretical yield, 10.7 cfu/cm2), and 16-21% at the highest (theoretical yield, 43.6 cfu/cm2) levels of microbes from the test surfaces. The percentage of acceptable results after removing outliers was 89%. Repeatability standard deviations ranged from 27.2 to 74.6% and reproducibility standard deviations ranged from 42.1 to 97.5%. There were no significant differences between results obtained at different incubation temperatures (25 and 30 degrees C) or incubation times (48 and 72 h) for all 3 methods. The Hygicult TPC dipslide, contact plate, and swabbing methods gave similar results at all 3 microbial levels tested: 0.35-0.43 cfu/cm2 at the lowest level, 1.9-2.2 cfu/cm2 at the middle level, and 7.1-9.1 cfu/cm2 at the highest level.     

Relative thermodynamic stabilities of allyl vinyl and propenyl vinyl ethers

The relative thermodynamic stabilities of a number of isomeric allyl vinyl and propenyl vinyl ethers were determined by chemical equilibration in DMSO solution with KOBu-t as catalyst. From the temperature dependence of the values of the equilibrium constant the parameters G _m , H _m and S _m of isomerization at 298.15 K were evaluated. Propenyl vinyl ethers, owing to their low enthalpy contents, are much more stable than the isomeric allyl vinyl ethers. It appears that in the parent propenyl vinyl ether, the Me group attached to C- of the divinyl ether skeleton has a strong stabilizing effect, comparable to that of alkyl groups in ordinary olefins, on the unsaturated system. In more heavily alkyl-substituted divinyl ethers, however, the stabilizing effects of alkyl groups are less prominent, being comparable to the low stabilization energies of alkyl groups in vinyl ethers, and depend moreover, on the pattern of substitution.