Rapid isolation of plutonium in environmental solid samples using sequential injection anion exchange chromatography followed by detection with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

This paper reports an automated analytical method for rapid determination of plutonium isotopes (²³⁹Pu and ²⁴⁰Pu) in environmental solid extracts. Anion exchange chromatographic columns were incorporated in a sequential injection (SI) system to undertake the automated separation of plutonium from matrix and interfering elements. The analytical results most distinctly demonstrated that the crosslinkage of the anion exchanger is a key parameter controlling the separation efficiency. AG 1-×4 type resin was selected as the most suitable sorbent material for analyte separation. Investigation of column size effect upon the separation efficiency revealed that small-sized (2 mL) columns sufficed to handle up to 50 g of environmental soil samples. Under the optimum conditions, chemical yields of plutonium exceeded 90% and the decontamination factors for uranium, thorium and lead ranged from 10³ to 10⁴. The determination of plutonium isotopes in three standard/certified reference materials (IAEA-375 soil, IAEA-135 sediment and NIST-4359 seaweed) and two reference samples (Irish Sea sediment and Danish soil) revealed a good agreement with reference/certified values. The SI column-separation method is straightforward and less labor intensive as compared with batch-wise anion exchange chromatographic procedures. Besides, the automated method features low consumption of ion-exchanger and reagents for column washing and elution, with the consequent decrease in the generation of acidic waste, thus bearing green chemical credentials.     

Preparation of magnetic polyurethane rigid foam nanocomposites

Super paramagnetic Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ nanoparticle was incorporated into polyurethane rigid foams in order to prepare new corresponded magnetic nanocomposite foams via one-shot method. The core–shell-structured nanoparticles were prepared by sol–gel method and characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, as well as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy techniques. Magnetic nanoparticles were used up to 3 % in the foam formulations and the samples prepared successfully. Thermal, mechanical, and magnetic properties of nanocomposites were studied and the results showed superior properties in comparison with pristine foams.     

Supramolecular architectures of streptavidin on biotinylated self-assembled monolayers. Tracking biomolecular reorganization after bioconjugation

In this work we have studied the supramolecular bioconjugation of streptavidin (SAv) on biotinylated self-assembled monolayers. By using the quartz crystal microbalance technique with dissipation we were able to follow in real time the biomolecular reorganization within the film. The overall process could be described as an early stage involving a significant increase in surface coverage followed by another stage where the SAv layer slowly reached the asymptotic coverage. Finally, a reorganization process takes place in the bioconjugated film. These results on the kinetics of biomolecular reorganization can be described in terms of the Lifshitz-Slyozov law. These are the first experimental results demonstrating the complexity and the different time scales involved on the bioconjugation of SAv at solid-liquid interfaces. We consider that these findings could have strong implications on the molecular design of biosensing platforms.     

New nickel(II), copper(II), platinum(II) and palladium(II) complexes of a multidentate sulfur–nitrogen chelating agent

A new, potentially polydentate sulfur–nitrogen chelating agent, 2,6–bis(N-methyl-S-methyldithiocarbazato)pyridine (L) has been synthesized and characterized. With nickel(II) salts, the ligand yields complexes of empirical formula NiLX2·nH2O (X=Cl−, NCS− or NO3−; n=0 or 1) in which it behaves as a quadridentate NSSN chelating agent, coordinating to the nickel(II) ion via the two amino nitrogen atoms and the two sulfur atoms. Magnetic and spectral evidence support a distorted octahedral structure for these complexes. The ligand reacts with copper(II), platinum(II) and palladium(II) salts to yield homo-binuclear complexes of general formula [M2LX4]·nSol (M=CuII, PtII or PdII; X=Cl− or Br−; n=0.5, 1 or 2; Sol=H2O, MeOH or MeCOMe), in which each of the metal ions is in a square-planar environment. These complexes have been characterized by a variety of physicochemical techniques. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A Novel Hydrogen Peroxide Sensor Based on the Direct Electron Transfer of Catalase Immobilized on Nano‐Sized NiO/MWCNTs Composite Film

MWCNTs‐nanoNiO composite was used as a glassy carbon electrode modifier for construction of a novel catalase nanobiosensor for hydrogen peroxide. The immobilized catalase exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the reduction of H₂O₂. The resulting amperometric biosensor exhibited a linear response over a concentration range of 200 µM to 2.53 mM with a low detection limit of 19.0 µM. Electrochemical impedance measurements revealed that the modified electrode can be used for the sensitive detection of H₂O₂. The charge transfer resistance found to decrease significantly after enzymatic reaction of nanobiosensor with H₂O₂. The resulting impedance was highly sensitive to H₂O₂ over a linear range of 19–170 nM with a detection limit of 2.4 nM.     

Synthesis,X-ray crystal structure and DFT studies of cobalt(II) and vanadium(V) complexes with N,N,O-tridentate aroyl-hydrazone based ligand

A new aroyl-hydrazone, 2-pyridine carboxaldehyde-derived hydrazone ligand and its cobalt(II) (1) and vanadium(V) (2) complexes were prepared. The structures of these compounds were investigated using elemental analysis, spectral (IR, UV), and X-ray diffraction measurements. The electrochemical properties of the complexes were studied by cyclic voltammetry. The hydrazone ligand acted as tridentate and coordinated to vanadium and cobalt via N-imine, N-pyridine, and O-benzohydrazide atoms. The Co(II) complex crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P2₁/c, and has a binuclear structure. Chloride ions behave as the linking bridge and a tridentate hydrazine ligand HL and water as the terminal capping ligands. The central Co(II) ion has distorted octahedral geometry. The vanadium(V) complex crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system, space group P2₁/n, and can be described as having highly distorted trigonal-bipyramidal coordination. The geometries and electronic properties of the complexes were also obtained using DFT and TD-DFT calculations.     

Nitrogen doped nano porous graphene as a sorbent for separation and preconcentration trace amounts of Pb,Cd and Cr by Ultrasonic assisted in‐syringe dispersive micro solid phase extraction

Nitrogen doped nano porous graphene was used as an efficient sorbent in solid‐phase extraction process for simultaneous separation and pre‐concentration of metal ions lead (II), cadmium(II), and chromium(III)) in biological samples. Ultrasonic assisted in‐syringe dispersive micro solid phase extraction coupled with micro sampling atomic absorption spectrometry was utilized for the determination of metal ions. Nitrogen doped nano porous graphene was synthesized as a nano sorbent by chemical vapour deposition method. Methane and aniline were used as carbon and nitrogen sources. The characterization of sorbent was performed by field emission scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscope, fourier transform infrared, chemical element analysis and raman analysis. Effective parameters on the extraction efficiency such as pH, sorbent dosage, eluent volume and eluent concentration were optimized by central composite design and desirability function. Experimental results indicate that the optimal conditions for this extraction were pH = 6.4, 1.42 mg of sorbent, 100 μL of eluent, and 0.84 mol L^‐1 of eluent concentration. The detection limits are as low as 1.5, 0.3 and 0.9 μg L^‐1 for lead, cadmium, and chromium, respectively. The intra‐day precisions were 3.6, 4.38 and 2.94 and Inter‐day precision were 4.83, 5.26 and 4.52 for lead, cadmium, and chromium, respectively. Method performance was investigated by determination of mentioned heavy metals in complicated biological matrixes such as human plasma, urine and saliva samples with good recoveries.     

PVT properties of imidazolium-, phosphonium-, pyridinium- and pyrrolidinium-based ionic liquids using critical point constants

Song and Mason equation of state (EOS) with a simple modification has been extended to modelling PVT properties of ionic liquids (ILs). The considered ILs are [C₁mim][MeSO4], [C₁mim][CH₃OC₂H₅SO₄], [C₁mim][(CH₃)₂PO₄], [C₂mim][MeSO4], [C₂mim][BF₄], [C₂mim][SCN], [C₂eim][NTf₂], [C₄mim][C(CN)₃], [C₄mim][CF₃SO₃], [C₄mim][SCN], [C₅mim][NTf₂], [C₈mim][NTf₂], [(C₆H₁₃)₃P(C₁₄H₂₉)][Cl], [(C₆H₁₃)₃P(C₁₄H₂₉)][NTf₂], [(C₆H₁₃)₃P(C₁₄H₂₉)][Ac], [C₃mpyr][NTf₂], [C₄mpyr][NTf₂] and [Py][C₂H₅OC₂H₄SO₄]. Three temperature-dependent parameters in the proposed EOS have been scaled as functions of reduced temperature with the use of the law of corresponding states. It is shown that the knowledge of just critical temperature and critical density is sufficient to predict the PVT properties of these ILs. The overall average absolute deviation of calculated densities from literature values for 1347 data points of 18 ILs was found to be 0.58%. The predicted density of ILs from proposed EOS has been compared with those obtained by other literature work. Moreover, we indicate that the Zeno line regularity can well be predicted by proposed model for ILs.     

Gas chromatographic determination of some phenolic compounds in fuels and engine oil after simultaneous derivatization and microextraction

In this study, a simultaneous derivatization/air‐assisted liquid–liquid microextraction method has been developed for sample preparation of some phenolic compounds in fuels and engine oil. Analytes are transferred by back liquid–liquid extraction into NaOH solution and then are derivatized with butyl chloroformate and extracted simultaneously into carbon tetrachloride. The extracted derivatized analytes are analyzed using gas chromatography with flame ionization detection. The effect of extracting solvent type, derivatization agent and extraction solvent volumes, ionic strength of the aqueous solution, number of extraction cycles, etc., on the extraction efficiency is investigated. The calibration graphs are linear in the range of 3–10 000 μg/L. Enhancement factors, enrichment factors, and extraction recoveries are in the ranges of 497 to 1471, 571 to 991, and 60 to 109%, respectively. Detection limits are obtained in the range of 0.8 to 2.0 μg/L. Relative standard deviations for the extraction of each selected phenols are in the ranges of 2–4% for intraday (n = 6) and 3–6% (n = 5) for interday precisions for 200 μg/L. This technique is successfully applied for the extraction, preconcentration, and determination of the selected phenols in gasoline, kerosene, gas oil, and engine oil.     

Corrigendum to “Constraints on operator ordering from third quantization” [Ann. Phys. 365 (2016) 54–65]

In our previous paper Ohkuwa et al. (2016) corrigendum was found in Eqs. (3.4) and (3.6). However, conclusions of our previous paper are not changed.