The effects of media properties on the horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed fluorogenic reaction

The effects of media properties including buffers, acidity, solvents and surfactant on horseradish peroxidase-catalyzed fluorogenic reaction were investigated. The results showed that the so-called non-fluorescent hydrogen donors were in fact fluorescent. There existed an acid—base equilibrium in the fluorescent dimer product. For p -hydroxyphenylpropionic acid, a pK_a value of 8.0 for the product was obtained from its titration curve. The product fluorescence increased with higher pH, however, a longer time was needed to reach the reaction equilibrium due to the pH mismatch problem. Cationic micelles cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and cetyltrimethylammonium chloride could reduce the pH mismatch and offered a way to further increase the determination sensitivity. Finally, a micelle-enhanced flow-injection analysis of horseradish peroxidase is suggested.     

Study of occupational health impact of atmospheric pollution on exposed workers at an iron and steel complex by using neutron activation analysis of scalp hair

The occupational health impact of atmospheric pollution on exposed workers at one iron and steel complex was studied by instrumental neutron activation analysis of workers' hair samples and medical examination. The experimental results indicate that there is a positive correlation between the high inhalation amounts of iron and other trace elements by the exposed workers and the symptom of their high blood pressure and hypoglycemia, which implies that the atmospheric environment polluted by iron and steel industry has an adverse health impact on the exposed workers. The measures to relieve and abate the occupational diseases caused by air-borne particulate matter should be taken     

Flow injection spectrofluorimetric determination of reserpine in tablets by on-line acetone sensitized photochemical reaction

On-line photochemical reaction of reserpine in the presence of acetone was investigated. Acetone was found to speed up the on-line photochemical conversion of reserpine into an intensively fluorescent compound. Not only reaction acidity but also the acetate buffer concentration affected the on-line photochemical induced fluorescence signal. Based on the observation an automated flow injection photochemical fluorimetric approach was developed. An injected sample zone was carried by a water stream to be merged with a acetate buffer (pH 3.4) solution containing 0.02% acetone in a knotted PTFE reactor (KR), which was freely coiled around a 6-W low pressure mercury lamp. While passing the KR, reserpine was transformed into an intensively fluorescent compound. It was on-line detected in a flow-through cell at the emission wavelength of 490 nm and excitation wavelength of 386 nm. At optimized conditions, a detection limit 0.45 mug l(-1) was achieved at a sampling rate of 90 h(-1). Eleven determinations of a 0.5 mg l(-1) reserpine standard solution gave a R.S.D. of 0.3%. The linear dynamic range of reserpine calibration curve was 0.01-0.75 mg l(-1). The proposed method was applied to assay the reserpine content in tablets and to monitor the dissolution profile of reserpine tablets. Satisfactory results were obtained for both the assays and dissolution studies.     

2-(8-quinolylazo)-7-phenylazochromotropic acid as an analytical reagent

2-(8-Quinolylazo)-7-phenylazochromotropic acid (QAPAC) has been synthesized by coupling diazotized 8-aminoquinoline with 2-phenylazochromotropic acid as well as by coupling diazotized aniline with 2-(8-quinolylazo)chromotropic acid. The properties of QAPAC and the spectrophotometric characteristics of some metal-QAPAC complexes are reported.     

N2O decomposition over Fe/ZSM-5: reversible generation of highly active cationic Fe species

Fe-oxide species in Fe/ZSM-5 (prepared by chemical vapor deposition of FeCl3)--active in N2O decomposition--react with zeolite protons during high temperature calcination to give highly active cationic Fe species, this transformation being reversible upon exposure to water vapor at lower temperature.     

CHRONIC METABOLIC MEASUREMENTS OF NORMAL BRAIN TISSUE RESPONSE TO PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY

The metabolic response of normal rat brain to photodynamic therapy (PDT) was studied over a 1 week interval using in vivo 31P-NMR spectroscopy. Rats injected with 12.5 mg/kg Photofrin II were submitted to brain photoactivation 48 h after drug administration with either 140 or 70 J/cm2 light (630 +/- 1 nm) from an Argon dye laser. Control studies, animals not given drug or light, animals submitted only to brain illumination without drug, and animals given drug but no light, were also performed. The data revealed a transient metabolic degradation; a decrease in the ratio of beta-nucleotriphosphate to inorganic phosphate (P less than 0.001) at 24 h after PDT treatment was followed by a return to pretreatment spectral values. Brain tissue alkalosis was also noted, with significant (P less than 0.05) differences in brain tissue pH detected at 72 h post treatment between 70 J/cm2 PDT vs control studies and at 1 week post treatment between 140 J/cm2 vs 70 J/cm2, 140 J/cm2 vs no light-no drug and 140 J/cm2 vs drug only. The data suggest that there is no difinitive metabolic marker from 31P-NMR spectroscopy that can identify necrotic brain tissue caused by PDT. Phosphorus-31 NMR data are also presented which suggest that PDT damage to brain is not solely the result of microvascular occlusion causing ischemic necrosis.