Mechanical,thermal and morphological properties of poly(ε‐caprolactone)/zein blends

Blends of poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) with zein (PCL/zein) in different proportions (100/0, 75/25, 50/50, 25/75 and 0/100 wt% containing 5 wt% glycerol) were compared based on their mechanical properties (tensile strength, elongation at break, and Young's modulus), and on their thermal properties, the latter determined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). The morphology of the materials was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Blends of PCL/zein showed reduced tensile strength and elongation at break, but increased Young's modulus compared to the pure polymers, in agreement with the DMTA and SEM results. These findings indicated that PCL and zein were incompatible. TGA showed that the thermal stability was enhanced by the addition of zein to PCL, whereas SEM showed a poor interfacial interaction between the polymers. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

1H and 13C assignments of two new triterpenes from Cladocolea grahami

The structure elucidation and 1H and 13C assignments of the new triterpenes 3beta-palmitoxy-7beta-hydroxyolean-12-ene (1) and its hydrolysis product 3beta,7beta-dihydroxyolean-12-ene (2) and 3beta-sn-glyceroyl-(1'-palmitoxy)urs-12-ene (3), isolated from the aerial parts of Cladocolea grahami (Loranthaceae), are reported.     

A Screening Method for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Determination in Water by Headspace SPME with GC-FID

A simple method for determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water using headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) with gas chromatography-flame ionisation detector (GC-FID) was developed. In order to obtain the convenient experimental conditions for HS-SPME extraction an experimental design with two steps was accomplished. A 2^6-2 fractional factorial design and central composite design (CCD) considering three significant factors were used. Naphthalene, anthracene and fluoranthene were chosen as representatives of two, three and four aromatic rings, and the global response of three PAHs was used for the results, evaluation. The chosen extraction conditions were: 85 μm polyacrylate fibre; 50 °C temperature; 60 min time; 20 mL-dissolution volume (in 40 mL glass vial); without salt addition; and 2 min desorption time. The procedure was extended to other seven PAHs (acenaphthylene, acenaphthene, fluorene, phenanthrene, pyrene, chrysene and benzo(a)anthracene) and the analytical characteristics were checked. The limit of detection (LOD) was from 0.08 (anthracene) to 0.20 μg L^?1 (naphthalene). The precision expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD in %) using 50 μg L^?1 of each analyte ranged from 6.8 to 17 %. The method was applied to the analysis of the surface waters and leaching waters of contaminated soils from Gipuzkoa (North Spain). The PAHs were not detected in surface water samples. Most of the PAHs were found in the leachates from contaminated soils showing a maximum global value of 75.5 μg L^?1.     

A traceless solid-phase synthesis of pteridines

The linking of pyrimidines to polystyrene supports via either a 2- or 4-thioether provides access to pteridines through solid-phase synthesis. Oxidative cleavage (dimethyldioxirane) followed by nucleophilic substitution by amines, azide, or water completes a traceless synthesis of pteridines.     

Ruling out harmonic couplings as a possible origin of an anomalous isotope effect on the ν5modes in H bonds

Measurements of the transition probabilities of all the IR bands of adipic acid crystals, polarized in the a, c plane and having frequencies in the range 1000–4000 cm^?1show that the anomalous value P_H/P_D= 2 found for the ratio of the transition probabilities of ν_s bands

and

cannot be due to a harmonic coupling of ν_s vibrations with other vibrations.     

Synthetic studies on neomarinone: practical and efficient stereoselective synthesis of the side chain

A practical and efficient stereoselective synthesis of the side chain of neomarinone is reported. The synthesis was achieved in six steps (41% overall yield) from 2-methyl-2-cyclohexenone. The key step is a novel stereoselective 1,4-conjugate addition/enolate alkylation by an epoxide-opening reaction.     

Complex emulsion inversion pattern associated with the partitioning of nonionic surfactant mixtures in the presence of alcohol cosurfactant

Commercial ethoxylated nonionic surfactant mixtures containing alcohol cosurfactant exhibit a three-phase behavior whose formulation strongly varies with the water/oil ratio. As a consequence, a change in water/oil ratio can result in a sequence of up to three different emulsion inversion processes, through a combination of formulation and composition effects.     

Selective spectrofluorimetric method for paracetamol determination through coumarinic compound formation

A spectrofluorimetrical selective method was designed for determination of paracetamol in tablets. This important technique can be characterized by its sensitivity, simplicity, celerity and cheaper cost than current official methods. The employed methodology involves coumarinic compound formation obtained by reaction between paracetamol and ethylacetoacetate (EAA) in the presence of sulphuric acid as catalyst. The reaction product is highly fluorescent at 478 nm, being excited at 446 nm.The linear concentration range of the application was 0.1-0.4 μg/ml of paracetamol and the detection limit was 57 ng/ml.The influence of different variables was studied and optimized through chemometric techniques. Applying the above-mentioned method good results were obtained with regard to pharmaceutical formulations containing paracetamol. Therefore, it is relevant to suggest this profitable technique for medicament control analysis.     

Carbon fiber cylindrical microelectrode-based detector for the determination of antithyroid drugs

An amperometric flow-injection method for the determination of antithyroid drugs such as 6-methyl-2-thiouracil (MTU) using a carbon fiber cylindrical microelectrode-based detector is reported. A home-made flow-cell specially adapted for working with cylindrical microelectrodes ranging between 4 and 10 mm in length was used for this purpose. Methanol containing 0.05 mol l(-1) tetrabutylammonium perchlorate as the supporting electrolyte was employed, and a potential of +1.6 V was selected for the amperometric detection of MTU. No cleaning or electrode surface regeneration of the fiber was necessary during the whole working day. A limit of detection of 2.6x10(-7) mol l(-1) (37 mug MTU l(-1)) was achieved. The method was applied to the determination of MTU in spiked feed samples (peas and corn flour), at the 142 mug g(-1) level. The procedure involved the extraction of the drug in methanol, a clean-up step using Florisil cartridges and the use of the standard additions method. Recoveries of 81+/-6 and 85+/-8% were obtained for peas and corn flour, respectively.     

Identification of Earth Pigments by Applying Hierarchical Cluster Analysis to Solid State Voltammetry. Application to Severely Damaged Frescoes

Multivariate chemometric methods are applied for identifying earth pigments from square‐wave voltammetric measurements performed at pigment‐modified paraffin‐impregnated graphite electrodes allowing for a separation between hematite‐based earths, French ochres, Spanish ochres, siennas, umbers and green earths. This methodology is applied to the identification of the pigments in samples from the ceiling frescoes of Antonio Palomino (dated 1707) in the vaulted nave of the Sant Joan del Mercat church in Valencia (Spain). These frescoes suffered considerable damage by fire during the Spanish Civil War in 1936, resulting in severe chemical and chromatic alterations. Electrochemical data, supported by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X‐ray microanalysis and Raman spectroscopy, indicate that thermal stress induced the transformation of goethite‐based yellow ochres into hematite and magnetite.