Routine analysis by high precision gas chromatography/mass selective detector/isotope ratio mass spectrometry to 0.1 parts per mil

Stable isotope methods are potentially quite useful for validating natural or enhanced mineral degradation of contaminants. For this reason, a continuous flow gas chromatograph (GC), isotope ratio mass spectrometer (IRMS) has been coupled with a quadrupole mass selective detector (MSD) to allow simultaneous mass spectral and stable carbon isotope ratio data to be obtained from a single chromatographic analysis. This allows the target contaminant and any extra-cellular degradation intermediates to be both qualified and quantified. Previously acceptable limits of precision (0.3 parts per mil) are undesirable given the small fractionation observed during aerobic degradation. To further understand the fate of organic contaminants and to gain information about the metabolic degradative pathway employed by a microorganism, routine isotopic analyses on a range of analytes have been performed. Quantities of sample producing mass-44 ion beam signal (I(44)) of 2 x 10(-10) to 1 x 10(-8) A were analysed. When the IRMS was tuned for high sensitivity, ion source nonlinearities were overcome by peak height correction from an algorithm that was produced using known isotopic standards of varying concentrations. This led to sample accuracy of <0.01 per thousand and sample precision of 0.1 per thousand. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Frequency scan for the analysis of high mass ions generated by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization in a paul trap

An ion trap has been modified for the analysis of high mass ions generated by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization. Samples are deposited on a probe tip and introduced directly onto the hyperbolically shaped surface of one endcap. All three electrodes - both the endcaps and the ring electrode - are insulated so that the radio frequency (Rf) voltage may be applied to the center ring electrode and the inverted Rf voltage to the endcaps. By using low frequencies (below 100 kHz) and low amplitudes (below 200 V), high mass singly charged ions may be trapped and analyzed by a frequency sweep at constant amplitude. In the high mass range (60-160 kDa), this instrument showed good sensitivity, signal-to-noise ratios, and mass resolution. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Microwave absorption studies of MgB2 superconductor

Microwave absorption studies have been carried out on MgB₂ superconductor using a standard X-band EPR spectrometer. The modulated low-field microwave absorption signals recorded for polycrystalline (grain size ∼ 10 μm) samples suggested the absence of weak-link character. The field dependent direct microwave absorption has been found to obey a ✓H dependence with two different slopes, which indicated a transition from strongly pinned lattice to flux flow regime.     

Synthesis of arabinofuranose branched galactofuran tetrasaccharides, constituents of mycobacterial arabinogalactan

Mycolyl-arabinogalactan (mAG) complex is a major component of the cell wall of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis disease. Due to the essentiality of the cell wall for mycobacterium viability, knowledge of the biosynthesis of the arabinogalactan is crucial for the development of new therapeutic agents. In this context, we have synthesized two new branched arabinogalactafuranose tetrasaccharides, decenyl β-D-Galf-(1→5)-β-D-Galf-(1→6)[α-D-Araf(1→5)]-β-D-Galf (1) and decenyl β-D-Galf-(1→6)-[α-D-Araf-(1→5)]-β-D-Galf-(1→5)-β-D-Galf (2), as interesting tools for arabinofuranosyl transferase studies. The aldonolactone strategy for the introduction of the internal d-Galf was employed, allowing the construction of oligosaccharides from the non-reducing to the reducing end. Moreover, a one-pot procedure was developed for the synthesis of trisaccharide lactone 21, precursor of 2, which involved a glycosylation-deprotection-glycosylation sequence, through the use of TMSOTf as catalyst of the trichloroacetimidate method as well as promoter of TBDMS deprotection.     

The FT-IR study of the brain tissue of Labeo rohita due to arsenic intoxication

The brain is believed to be particularly vulnerable to arsenic due to its high oxygen consumption rate and high level of polyunsaturated fatty acids and relatively high rate of oxygen free radical generate without commensurable level of arsenic. Hence, in the present work an attempt is made to study the changes in the biochemical contents in the brain tissues of edible fish Labeo rohita due to arsenic intoxication using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. FT-IR spectra reveal significant differences in absorbance intensities between the control and arsenic intoxicated brain tissues, reflecting an alteration on the major biochemical constituents, such as lipids, proteins and nucleic acids of the brain tissues of L. rohita due to arsenic intoxication. Further, the administration of antidote DMSA improves the protein and lipid contents significantly in the brain tissues when compared to arsenic intoxicated tissues. The decrease in α-helix structure due to arsenic intoxication might be responsible for the increase in β-sheet secondary structures, which is consistent with the mechanism of β-sheet formation.     

A Carbohydrate Approach to the Enantioselective Synthesis of 1,3-Polyols

Treatment of per-O-benzoyl-D-glycero-D-gulo-heptono-1,4-lactone (2) with tertiary amines afforded selectively and with good yields the (5H)-furan-2-one derivatives 3, 4, and 5, formed by controlled elimination of one, two, or three molecules of benzoic acid, respectively. The stereochemistry for the exocyclic double bonds of 4 and 5 was determined by means of NMR techniques. Particularly, the furanone 4 was obtained from 2 ( approximately 90% yield) as a mixture of the E and Z diastereoisomers, which were separated by column chromatography or, more efficiently, by HPLC. The catalytic hydrogenation of compounds 4-E and 4-Z took place diastereoselectively, due to the chiral induction of the stereocenter located in the lateral chain. Thus, hydrogenation of 4-E led to a mixture of the 4,5-dihydro-(3H)-furan-2-ones having 3R,5S,2'S (D-xylo, 6) and 3S,5R,2'S (D-arabino, 7) configurations, with 6 as the major product; whereas the 4-Z isomer gave the same mixture, but being 7 preponderant. On hydrogenation of the original 4-E/Z mixture, compound 6 was obtained pure after recrystallization. O-Debenzoylation of 6gave 9, which was reduced with NaBH(4) to the 3,5-dideoxy-meso-xylo-heptitol (11). The peracetate (12) and perbenzoate (13) of the latter were prepared, and the 1-(tert-butyldiphenylsilyl)oxy derivative (16) was also synthesized via the 3'-(silyloxy)-4,5-dihydro-(3H)-furan-2-one 14. Chemoselective reduction of the lactone function of 6 with diisoamylborane gave the 2,5,6-tri-O-benzoyl-3,6-dideoxy-D-xylo-heptofuranose (17). The 3,5-dideoxy-D-arabino-heptitol (18), a diastereoisomer of 11, was also isolated and characterized.     

FT-IR study of the effect of zinc exposure on the biochemical contents of the muscle of Labeo rohita

Heavy metal pollution is a major environmental problem in the modern world due to increasing human activities. Zinc is an essential element involved in a wide variety of cellular processes. However, it becomes toxic when elevated concentrations are introduced into the environment. The goal of the present study is to investigate the effect of zinc exposure on the biochemical contents of the muscle tissues of freshwater species Labeo rohita using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Since the muscle constitutes the greatest mass of the fish that is consumed, the present study has paid particular attention to muscle component. The result reveals that the zinc exposure causes significant changes in the biochemical contents of the L. rohita muscle tissues. In addition, it causes an alteration in the protein secondary structures by decreasing the α-helix and increasing the β-sheet contents of muscle tissues. Further, it has been observed that the administration of chelating agent D-penicillamine improves the protein and lipid contents in the muscle tissues compared to zinc exposed tissues. This result shows that D-penicillamine is the effective chelator of zinc in reducing the body burden of L. rohita fingerlings.