Development and validation of a method for the determination of trace alkylphenols and phthalates in the atmosphere

An analytical method has been developed for the simultaneous extraction and determination of trace tertiary octylphenol (t-OP), technical nonylphenol isomers (NP), nonylphenol monoethoxylate isomers (NP1EO) and seven phthalates in the atmosphere using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). High volume samples were collected using a high-volume pump equipped with a PUF/XAD-2 column for air and glass fiber filter for particles. The detection limits of the method for alkylphenols (APs) and the phthalates ranged from 0.0006 to 0.034 ng m⁻³ in air. The recoveries of t-OP, NP, NP1EO and the phthalates for the entire procedure were satisfactory (>69%). The method was successfully applied to the determination of the analytes in the atmosphere samples collected over land and the ocean. The concentrations of t-OP, NP, NP1EO showed decline trends from land to the open sea, and the phthalates present over land and the North Sea were comparable. It is suggested that the atmosphere is a significant pathway for the transport of alkylphenols and the phthalates in the environment.     

Multiplexed hybridizations of positively charge-tagged peptide nucleic acids detected by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Peptide nucleic acid (PNA) is a novel class of DNA analogues in which the entire sugar-phosphate backbone is replaced by a pseudopeptide counterpart. Owing to its neutral character and the consequent lack of electrostatic repulsion, PNA exhibits very stable heteroduplex formation with complementary nucleic acid that is essentially ionic strength independent and enables hybridization under minimum salt conditions. This feature as well as its superior ion stability and easy ionization compared to DNA renders PNA very attractive for hybridization-based matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) applications. We have developed an approach to DNA characterization that takes advantage of multiplexed PNA hybridizations analyzed by MALDI-TOFMS. Our motivation was the further development of oligonucleotide fingerprinting, an efficient technique for cDNA and genomic DNA library characterization. Through positive 'charge-tagging' of PNA the efficiency of detection in MALDI-TOFMS was considerably enhanced permitting an unparalleled degree of multiplexing. Results from the simultaneous hybridization of 21 charge-tagged PNA hexamer oligonucleotides showed that genomic DNA and cDNA clones are successfully characterized on the basis of their hybridization profiles. The degree of multiplexing achieved may render a significant increase in throughput and hence efficiency of oligonucleotide fingerprinting possible.     

b1Σ+ Emissions from group V–VII diatomic molecules. b 0+ → X1 0+, X2 1 emissions of AsI and SbI

Chemiluminescence from the b 0⁺ → X₁ 0⁺ band system of AsI and of the b 0⁺ → X₁ 0⁺, X₂ 1 systems of SbI in the near-infrared spectral region has been observed in a discharge flow system. Analysis of the spectra led to the spectroscopic constants (in cm^?1) of AsI: ω_e(X₁, X₂) = 257 ± 2, ω_ex_e(X₁, X₂) = 0.82 ± 0.2, T_e(b 0⁺) = 11738 ± 5, ω_e(b 0⁺) = 271 ± 2, ω_ex_e(b 0⁺) = 0.66 ± 0.2, and of SbI: T_e(X₂ 1) = 965 ± 10, ω_e(X₁, X₂) = 206 ± 6, T_e(b 0⁺) = 12328 ± 10, ω_e(b 0⁺) = 211 ± 6. The intensity ratio of the two sub-systems b 0⁺ → X₂ 1 and b 0⁺→ X₁ 0⁺ was found to be ≈0.013 in the case of SbI and ? 0.01 for AsI.     

Phosphaniminato-Komplexe des Antimons. Die Kristallstrukturen von [Sb2Cl5(NPMe3)2][SbCl6] · CH3CN und [SbCl(NPPh3)]2[SbCl6]2 · 6 CH3CN

Phosphorane Iminato Complexes of Antimony. The Crystal Structures of [Sb₂Cl₅(NPMe₃)₂][SbCl₆] · CH₃CN and [SbCl(NPPh₃)]₂[SbCl₆]₂ · 6 CH₃CN The title compounds are formed by reaction of antimony pentachloride in acetonitrile solution with the phosphorane iminato complexes SbCl₂(NPMe₃) and SbCl₂(NPPh₃), respectively, which themselves are synthesized by reaction of antimony trichloride with Me₃SiNPR₃ (R = Me, Ph). The complexionic compounds are characterized by ¹²¹Sb Mössbauer spectroscopy and by crystal structure determinations. [Sb₂Cl₅(NPMe₃)₂][SbCl₆] · CH₃CN: Space group P4₁, Z = 4, 3 698 observed unique reflections, R = 0.022. Lattice dimensions at ?60°C: a = b = 1 056.0(1), c = 2 709.6(2) pm. The structure consists of SbCl₆^? ions and cations [Sb₂Cl₅(NPMe₃)₂(CH₃CN)]⁺, in which one Sb^III atom and one Sb^V atom are bridged by the N atoms of the phosphorane iminato ligands. [SbCl(NPPh₃)]₂[SbCl₆]₂ · 6 CH₃CN: Space group P1 , Z = 2, 5 958 observed unique reflections, R = 0.033. Lattice dimensions at ?60°C: a = 989.4(11), b = 1 273(1), c = 1 396(1) pm, α = 78.33(7), β = 77.27(8)°, γ = 86.62(8)°. The structure consists of SbCl₆^? ions and centrosymmetric cations [SbCl(NPPh₃)(CH₃CN)₂]₂²⁺, in which the antimony atoms are bridged by the N atoms of the phosphorane iminato ligands.     

Through-shell alkyllithium additions and borane reductions

The through-shell borane reduction and methyllithium addition to benzaldehyde (1), benzocyclobutenone (2), and benzocyclobutenedione (3) incarcerated inside a hemicarcerand (4) with four tetramethylenedioxy bridges are reported. All guests could be reduced and methylated. Selective monoreduction and monomethylation were observed for 3. In the methyllithium addition to 4[symbol: see text]3, the initially formed lithium alcoholate underwent a Moore rearrangement. The reactivity of the incarcerated guests toward methyllithium increased in the order 1 < 2 < 3 and toward borane in the order 1 < 2 approximately equal 3. Guest reactivity was correlated with the inner-phase location of the reacting carbonyl group in the preferred guest inner-phase orientation. The latter was determined from the X-ray structures of 4[symbol: see text]1, 4[symbol: see text]2, and 4[symbol: see text]3, from molecular mechanical calculations, and from the hemicarcerand-induced upfield shift of the guest proton resonances. In the methyllithium and n-butyllithium addition to 4[symbol: see text]1 and 4[symbol: see text]3 at elevated temperatures, selective cleavage of a host's spanner or tetramethylenedioxy bridge, respectively, was observed. The cleavage of one spanner also took place in the methyllithium addition to the 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone hemicarceplex. These scission reactions are initiated by the initially formed lithium alcoholates, which show enhanced basicity and nucleophilicity in the inner phase as compared to the bulk phase. Mechanisms for the host scission reactions are discussed.     

Investigation of potential-sensitive fluorescent dyes for application in nitrate sensitive polymer membranes

The applicability of various potential-sensitive dyes (PSD) for optical sensing of anions is reported. Specifically, nitrate-responsive polymer membranes have been developed which are composed of a plasticized polymer, an anion exchange catalyst, and a fluorescent dye. On exposure to nitrate, the fluorescence intensity of such membranes increases, while the wavelengths of the excitation and emission maxima remain virtually unchanged. The membranes typically are 2–4 μm thick and exhibit highest sensitivity to nitrate in the 2 to 200 mgl^–1 range. Signal changes on exposure to 100 mmol/l nitrate can be as high as +300%. The detection limit is 0.2 mgl^–1. The cationic PSD octadecyl acridine organe was tested in combination with a tin-organic and an indium-organic anion carrier rather than with tridodecylmethylammonium chloride, but both carriers were found to display no improved selectivity. Received: 2 December 1995 / Revised: 28 March 1996 / Accepted: 5 April 1996     

Über die Tonneliertheit von lokalkonvexen Tensorprodukten

It is known that the inductive tensor product of two barrelled spaces is barrelled and that the projective tensor product of two barrelled metrizable spaces or barrelled (DF)-spaces is barrelled. In this note it will be shown by a counterexample that the projective tensor product EF of two barrelled spaces E and F in general is not barrelled, even if E is (DF)-Montel-space and F (F)-Montel-space. Furthermore we show that the -tensor product of two (B)-spaces in general is not barrelled. It follows from the fact that an (F)-space E is nuclear if and only if the -tensor product E l ⁴ is barrelled.     

Ternäre Thallium-Indium-Sulfide: Eine Zusammenfassung

Ternary Thallium Indium Sulfides: A Summary Combined thermal and X-Ray analyses in the ternary system Thallium—Indium—Sulfur show, that the two binary sections Tl₂S? In₂S₃ and TlS? InS contain ternary compounds with unique crystal structures. The chemical formulas of these ternary solids are TlIn₅S₈, TlIn₃S₅, TlInS₂ and Tl₃InS₃ for the section Tl₂S? In₂S₃ and TlIn₅S₆ as well as Tl₃In₅S₈ (metastable high temperature phase) for the section TlS? InS respectively. With TlIn₅S₇ an additional ternary solid could be detected, which is located outside the two sections. It is derived from the binary mixed valence compound In₆S₇ by complete substitution of In⁺ by Tl⁺. The following ionic formulations make the mixed valence character of the ternary Thallium—Indium-Sulfides reasonable: TlIn₅S₈ = Tl⁺(In³⁺)₅(S^2?)₈, TlIn₃S₅ = Tl⁺ (In³⁺)₃(S^2?)₅, TlInS₂ = Tl⁺In³⁺(S^2?)₂, Tl₃InS₃ = (Tl⁺)₃In³⁺ · (S^2?)₃, TlIn₅S₆ = Tl⁺([In₂]⁴⁺)₂In³⁺ (S^2?)₆, Tl₃In₅S₈ = 4 × [(Tl⁺)_0,75 · (In⁺)_0,25In³⁺(S^2?)₂], TlIn₅S₇ = Tl⁺[In₂]⁴⁺ (In³⁺)₃(S^2?)₇. All compounds contain Tl⁺-ions in a characteristic “lone pair coordination” of S^2? ions. Indium atoms however occur with the oxidation numbers +2 (formal, In₂ dumb bells with covalent In? In bonding) and +3 (with In³⁺ in tetrahedral and octahedral coordination of S^2?). Chemical preparation, crystal chemistry and general properties of the ternary solids are discussed, summarized and compared to each other.