Assessment of Chemical Composition and Anti-Penicillium Activity of Vapours of Essential Oils from Abies Alba and Two Melaleuca Species in Food Model Systems

The possibilities of the practical utilization of essential oils (EOs) from various plant species in the food industry have attracted the attention of the scientific community. Following our previous studies, the antifungal activities of three further commercial EOs, Melaleuca armillaris subsp. armillaris (rosalina; REO), Melaleuca quinquenervia (niaouli; NEO), and Abies alba (fir; FEO), were evaluated in the present research in respect to their chemical profiles, over four different concentrations, 62.5 μL/L, 125 μL/L, 250 μL/L, and 500 μL/L. The findings revealed that the major compounds of REO, NEO, and FEO were linalool (47.5%), 1,8-cineole (40.8%), and α-pinene (25.2%), respectively. In vitro antifungal determinations showed that the inhibition zones of a Penicillium spp. mycelial growth ranged from no inhibitory effectiveness (00.00 ± 00.00 mm) to 16.00 ± 1.00 mm, indicating a very strong antifungal activity which was detected against P. citrinum after the highest REO concentration exposure. Furthermore, the in situ antifungal efficacy of all EOs investigated was shown to be dose-dependent. In this sense, we have found that the highest concentration (500 µL/L) of REO, NEO, and FEO significantly reduced (p < 0.05) the growth of all Penicillium strains inoculated on the bread, carrot, and potato models. These results indicate that the investigated EOs may be promising innovative agents in order to extend the shelf life of different types of food products, such as bread, carrot and potato.     

Conducting polypyrrole nanotubes: a review

Polypyrrole nanotubes rank among the most conducting polymer materials. The role of the templates in the formation of nanotubes is analysed and various models are discussed. Special attention has been paid to the role of methyl-orange dye in guiding one-dimensional morphology. The tuning of reaction conditions by varying temperature, acidity, or the introduction of additives, such as dyes, affects both the morphology and conductivity of polypyrrole. The increase in conductivity need not always be associated with nanotubular morphology. In addition to conductivity, also other physical properties are reviewed with the special attention paid to the characterization by UV–visible, infrared, and Raman spectroscopies. The chemical properties are demonstrated by the ability of polypyrrole to reduce noble-metal compounds, and by salt–base transition associated with the conductivity decrease. Polypyrrole nanotubes maintain the most of conductivity under physiological conditions, and they are still conducting under alkaline conditions in the contrast to globular polypyrrole. Polypyrrole nanotubes convert to nitrogen-containing carbon nanotubes at elevated temperature, thus producing useful carbonaceous materials. To improve the processing, the nanotubes have been used in composites, colloids, or hydrogels. The applications of polypyrrole nanotubes extend to adsorbents, actuators, antioxidants, biomedicine, catalysts and electrocatalysts, electrorheological suspensions, electromagnetic interference shielding, and sensors, especially to those exploiting electrical conductivity and electrochemical activity, such as electrodes in batteries and supercapacitors.     

Solvent-free,catalyst-free aza-Michael addition of cyclohexylamine to diethyl maleate: Reaction mechanism and kinetics

The aza-Michael reaction is the addition of an amine to an electron deficient C=C double bond. This reaction is also used in the synthesis of precursors of polymeric networks. In this study, we paid attention to the kinetics and mechanism of the aza-Michael addition of cyclohexylamine (CHXA) to diethyl maleate (DEM) performed as a solvent-free, catalyst-free reaction and to concurrent reactions. In situ Raman spectroscopy, NMR spectroscopy and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry have shown the occurrence of three simultaneous reactions: (i) the aza-Michael addition of CHXA to DEM leading to diethyl 2-(cyclohexylamino)succinate, (ii) isomerization of DEM to diethyl fumarate (DEF), and (iii) the aza-Michael addition of CHXA to DEF formed by the reaction (ii). All of these reactions proceed with third order kinetics, first order in DEM or DEF and second order in CHXA. We propose a kinetic model that allows kinetic constants to be estimated. Furthermore, a numerical solution of the set of differential equations confirms the expected kinetic equations of reactions (i) and (ii) and gives values of rate constants comparable to the estimated ones. A DFT mechanistic study illustrates the structure of the reaction intermediates and transition states of all reactions and explains the contribution of the second amine molecule in the reaction mechanism.     

Intercalation of cyclic ethers into vanadyl phosphate

Two cyclic ethers, tetrahydrofuran (THF) and tetrahydropyran (THP), were intercalated into vanadyl phosphate and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, thermogravimetry, and IR and Raman spectroscopy. Both compounds contain one molecule of ether per formula unit of VOPO(4) and show high thermal stability in comparison with VOPO(4) intercalates with other organic guest molecules. Both ethers are anchored to the VOPO(4) host layers by their oxygen atoms, which are coordinated to the vanadium atoms of the host. The probable arrangement of the tetrahydropyran molecules in the host interlayer space is derived from molecular simulations by the Cerius(2) 4.5 program.     

New azo dyes as colored isoelectric point markers for isoelectric focusing in acidic pH region

Newly prepared azo compounds and several commercially available indicators were investigated for their applicability as colored isoelectric point (pI) markers for isoelectric focusing (IEF) in the acidic range below pH 5. The majority of compounds described here can serve as primary standards since their pI values were determined by UV-VIS spectrophotometry independently IEF and direct measurement with a pH electrode. Subjected to gel IEF they show narrow and well-observable zones of different colors. Finally, our work resulted in suggestion of a color ladder composed of pI markers covering the pH range from 1.5 to 4.7.     

Intercalation of cyclic ketones into vanadyl phosphate

Intercalation compounds of vanadyl phosphate with cyclic ketones (cyclopentanone, cyclohexanone, 4-methylcyclohexanone, and 1,4-cyclohexanedione) were prepared from corresponding propanol or ethanol intercalates by a molecular exchange. The intercalates prepared were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis. The intercalates are stable in dry environment and decompose slowly in humid air. Infrared and Raman spectra indicate that carbonyl oxygens of the guest molecules are coordinated to the vanadium atoms of the host layers. The local structure and interactions in the cyclopentanone intercalate have been suggested on the basis of quantum chemical calculations.     

Inequalities for solutions of singular initial problems for Carathéodory systems via Ważewski’s principle

In this paper we give sufficient conditions for solvability of a singular initial problem formulated for Carathéodory systems of ordinary differential equations. The existence of solutions is proved by the supposition that corresponding auxiliary lower and upper singular problems have solutions. The proof technique uses a notion of a regular polyfacial subset which is developed for Carathéodory systems of ordinary differential equations and a modification of the topological method for such systems given by Palamides, Sficas and Staikos. An application concerning the existence of positive solutions for a special class of singular problems is given as well.     

The role of acidity profile in the nanotubular growth of polyaniline

Conditions of polyaniline (PANI) nanotubes preparation were analyzed. Aniline was oxidized with ammonium peroxydisulfate in 0.4 M acetic acid. There are two subsequent oxidation steps and the products were collected after each of them. At pH > 3, neutral aniline molecules are oxidized to non-conducting aniline oligomers. These produce templates for the subsequent growth of PANI nanotubes, which takes place preferably at pH 2–3. At pH < 2, granular morphology of the conducting PANI is obtained. High final acidity of the medium should be avoided in the preparation of nanotubes, e.g., by reducing the amount of sulfuric acid which is a by-product. Reduction of the peroxydisulfate-to-aniline mole ratio was tested for this purpose in the present study. Lowering of the reaction temperature from 20°C to −4°C had a positive effect on the formation of nanotubes.     

Structural and conductivity changes during the pyrolysis of polyaniline base

Polyaniline base has been exposed to various temperatures between 100 °C and 1000 °C for 2 h in air. The mass loss has increased with increasing temperature. FTIR and Raman spectroscopies show the gradual destruction of the PANI structure, the possible formation of intermediate oxime and nitrile groups, and the final conversion to graphitic material. The elemental analysis confirmed the dehydrogenation while the content of nitrogen was nearly constant even after treatment at 800 °C. The conductivity of PANI base, 10⁻⁸ S cm⁻¹, increased to ∼10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹ after treatment at 1000 °C; most of the products, however, were non-conducting. Another series of experiments involved the polyaniline base heated at 500 °C for 1-8 h. The studies were performed in connection with the potential flame-retardant application of polyaniline.