Chromatographic determination of nitrophenols in aqueous media after two-stage preconcentration using an N-vinylpyrrolidone-based polymer

Two-stage procedures for the preconcentration of nitrophenols (4-nitrophenol, 2,4- and 2,5-dinitrophenol, and 2,4,6-trinitrophenol) from aqueous solutions are proposed. At the first stage, the preconcentration and desorption of nitrophenols under dynamic conditions is carried out. At the second stage, depending on the nature of the desorption solution, the eluate is evaporated (acetonitrile) or saturated with ammonium sulfate and extracted with acetone (aqueous NH₃ solution). The concentration factors are 4000 and 910, respectively. Nitrophenols are determined in concentrates by thin layer chromatography and HPLC, the limits of detection are 1.0–1.8 and 0.25–0.45 μg/L, respectively. The duration of analysis is 200 min.     

Detection and quantification of chitosan aggregates by pressure-assisted capillary zone electrophoresis

An approach to the detection and determination of chitosan aggregates in acetic acid solutions is proposed using pressure-assisted capillary zone electrophoresis. Processes of chitosan aggregation are studied depending on the composition of dispersion medium and storage time. The presence of several species of positively charged chitosan aggregates is revealed for the first time. Particle sizes in the range 20–2500 nm are determined by scanning electron microscopy and static and dynamic light scattering. The dependence of the shape of electropherograms on particle size distribution obtained under the same conditions is found. A trend to changing electrophoretic mobility depending on the size of the aggregate is observed, which enables the approximate evaluation of the polydispersity of chitosan solutions. Chitosan is used for the effective dynamic modification of capillaries, which does not require the introduction of a modifier into the background electrolyte.     

Determination of the surface area of loose metal deposits by impedance spectroscopy

The surface area and fractal dimensions of the surface of loose copper and zinc deposits obtained within 30 and 300 s at direct current sixfold exceeding limiting diffusion current on a smooth electrode were in situ determined by impedance spectroscopy. Impedance measurements were performed in 0.5 M Na₂SO₄ solution. A constant phase element taking into account the distribution of double-layer capacitance over the fractal surface of the electrode was used in the equivalent impedance scheme. Specific surface calculated with regard to the weight of the released metal slightly varied within 300 s (from 6.16 to 6.55 and from 7.12 to 5.89 m²/g for copper and zinc deposits, respectively). Fractal dimensions estimated by chronopotentiometry were given for comparison. Fractal dimensions found by two methods for loose copper and zinc deposits agree with each other; their values (2.19–2.75) testify that the surface of the deposits densely fills the space.     

An electrochemical aptasensor for cytochrome C,based on pillar[5]arene modified with Neutral Red

An electrochemical aptasensor is developed for the highly sensitive determination of cytochrome C, using a change in the redox current of Neutral Red covalently bound to terminal carboxyl groups of decasubstituted pillar[5]arene as a signal. The inclusion of the analyte into the complex with an aptamer reduces peaks of redox current of the dye through the dissociation of electron transfer chain in the surface layer. The aptasensor enables the determination of 1 nM to 1.0 mM of cytochrome C in the presence of 1000-fold excesses of albumin, polyethylene glycol, and lysozyme as models of interfering components in biological fluids.     

A comparative study of the reactions of fluorinated oxi- and thiiranes with acyl chlorides

The CoCl₂-catalyzed reactions of fluorinated 1,2-oxi- and thiiranes with acyl chlorides were studied. It was found that a regioselective heterocycle opening reaction resulted in two isomers having normal and abnormal structure in a ratio predetermined by the substituents in both the starting heterocycles and acyl chlorides.     

The importance of glyceraldehyde radiolysis in chemical evolution

Studies in chemical evolution are intended to demonstrate how compounds of biological importance are generated from substances that could have been found in abiotic conditions on the primitive Earth or in extraterrestrial environments. In this context, the aim of the present work was to examine the behavior of dl-glyceraldehyde in both aqueous solution and solid samples under gamma irradiation. We irradiated dl-glyceraldehyde at different doses and temperatures with a gamma source; even at low doses and temperature (77 K), free radicals were detected. Among the products formed were ethylene glycol and glycolaldehyde. Some sugar-like compounds were also detected.

     

New two stages high order symmetric six-step method with vanished phase–lag and its first,second and third derivatives for the numerical solution of the Schrödinger equation

In the present paper, we obtain and analyze, for the first time in the literature, a new two-stages high order symmetric six-step method. The specific characteristics of the new proposed method are the highest possible algebraic order, the elimination of the phase–lag and its first, second and third derivatives. Additionally, for the new method we give the analysis of the method (both error and stability and interval of periodicity analysis) and the comparison of the effectiveness of the new developed method with the effectiveness of well known methods and very recently produced methods in the literature. The comparison is based on the numerical solution of the Schrödinger equation. The theoretical achievements and the numerical results show the effectiveness of the new developed method in comparison with other well known or recently developed numerical methods.     

An efficient and computational effective method for second order problems

An efficient and computational effective algorithm is introduced, for the first time in the literature, in the present paper. The main properties of the scheme are: (1) the algorithm is a two-step scheme, (2) the algorithm is symmetric one, (3) it is a hight algebraic order scheme (i.e of eight algebraic order), (4) it is a three-stages algorithm, (5) the first layer of the new method is based on an approximation to the point \(x_{n-1}\), (6) the scheme has vanished phase-lag and its first, second and third derivatives, (7) the new proposed algorithm has an interval of periodicity equal to \(\left( 0, 9.8 \right) \). For the present new scheme we study: (1) its construction, (2) its error analysis (3) its stability analysis. Finally, the investigation of the effectiveness of the new algorithm leads to its application to systems of differential equations arising from the Schrödinger equation.     

On the effectiveness of exponential type orbitals with hyperbolic cosine functions in atomic calculations

Unconventional basis functions, constructed from exponential type orbitals (ETOs) with hyperbolic cosine functions, are applied to Roothaan-Hartree-Fock calculations of atoms within the minimal basis sets framework. The most popular ETOs, Slater type orbitals, B functions and \(\psi ^{(\alpha ^*)}\) functions with \(\alpha ^*=2\), and two types of hyperbolic cosine functions, \(\cosh (\beta r)\) and \(\cosh (\beta r+\gamma )\), are used in this work. The performance of the present basis functions is investigated and compared to the conventional double-zeta Slater-type basis set and numerical Hartree-Fock results. The improvement in the atomic energies clearly demonstrates how the accuracy increases when we move from ETO to ETO with hyperbolic cosine basis functions. The resulting improved minimal basis sets can also be useful in molecular calculations.     

A Study of the Influence of the Surrounding Gas on the Plasma Jet and Coating Quality During Plasma Spraying

Coating quality is affected by arc and plume instabilities during plasma spraying. In closed chamber plasma spraying, gradual drift is one of the intermediate instabilities, which is mainly due to the electrode erosion. This work focuses on the source of the gradual drift of the plasma jet and the influence on coating quality. The ambient state inside the chamber was controlled by a ventilation system and a vacuum system. The variation in the plasma jet was observed by a particle flux image device based on a CCD camera. The optical spectrum of the plasma plume was measured and analyzed through an optical spectrometer. The results indicated that the addition of hydrogen to plasma gas induced the change in the plasma jet length and width with changing rates depending on the chamber state and the ventilation power. With poor ventilation, the intensity of H_α emission was found to become gradually stronger while H_β and H_γ were found to become weaker. On closing the chamber and retaining enough ventilation power, it was observed that the ambient gas slowly turned red. Simultaneously, the coating weight and thickness were slightly decreased meanwhile the porosity ratio was obviously increased. The red ambient gas has been proved to be able to acidify the city water with pH value decreased from 7 to 1–3. Without hydrogen, the plasma jet was found to be stable without reddening and variation, but the plasma enthalpy was unfortunately low.