Optimization of the Microwave-Assisted Saponification and Extraction of Organic Pollutants from Marine Biota Using Experimental Design and Artificial Neural Networks

Several improvements in sample pretreatment for the determination of organic pollutants (i.e. n-alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, PAHs) in marine biota (mussels) are presented. The use of liquid nitrogen and homogenization of the samples are shown to be an alternative to the time consuming liophilization step required for the analysis of biota samples. Microwave-assisted hydrolysis and extraction are combined to isolate organic pollutants (19 n-alkanes and 27 PAHs) from biota matrices. Experimental design (ED) and artificial neural networks (ANNs) were used to optimize the experimental conditions. NIST-CRM 2978 was used to test the validity of the developed method which shows a good agreement with certified values.     

Thermal behaviour of benzenesulfenamides and of their chromium carbonyl complexes

Benzenesulfenamides with the formula R-S-N-(R)₂ (R=C₆H₅ andR=NC₄H₈O, C₇H₇ and C₆H₁₁) and their chromium carbonyl complexes were studied by means of TG and mass spectrometric methods. The thermal behaviour of the compounds the stabilities of free sulfenamides are lower than those observed for the corresponding chromium carbonyl complexes. Combined thermogravimetry — mass spectrometry results suggest that the fragmentation mechanism of the carbonyl complexes involves cleavage of the Cr-S and Cr-CO bonds while that of sulfenamide depends mainly on the dissociation rates of the NR₂ groups.This work was partially supported by the Departamento técnico de Investigation of the Universidad de Chile, Grant Q3280/9324.     

Cadmium colloids from non-aqueous solvents

Cadmium colloids have been prepared by Chemical Liquid Deposition (CLD). The metal is evaporated to yield atoms which are solvated at liquid nitrogen temperature, and upon warming, stable liquid colloids are formed with particle size ranging between 25–100 Å. Zeta potentials were calculated according to the conversion of Hunter and the Hückel equation, for ethanol and dimethyl sulphoxide. UV/VIS measurement of most of the black colloids showed absorption band around 280 nm. For comparison, we prepared CdS colloid with size 400–625 Å. The colloids are stable to oxidation in air and/or oxygen bubbling. The synthesis of colloids and films from Cd with acetone, 2-butanone, ethanol, 2-propanol, 2-methoxyethanol, DMF and DMSO is reported. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) allows us to determine particle size.     

The relationship between the structures of Cu(II) complexes and their chemical transformations

The paper presents the results of a study of M ₂ ^I M ^II(SO₄)₂ compounds withM ^I= K, Rb, Cs or Tl, andM ^II=Cu or Ni, in the interval from room temperature to the melting temperature. All the compounds studied show endo- or exothermic excursions in their DTA curves, corresponding to phase transitions connected with colour changes of the compounds. For M ₂ ^I Cu(SO₄)₂, whereM ^I is K or Tl, several modifications could be prepared at laboratory temperature, probably distortion isomers. No modifications of this type could be prepared, however, for M ₂ ^I Ni(SO₄)₂ compounds.

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Zusammenfassung Die Ergebnisse einer Untersuchung von M ₂ ^I M ^II(SO₄)₂-Verbindungen Cs, Tl;M ^II=Cu, Ni) im Temperaturbereich von Raum- bis Schmelztemperatur werden beschrieben. Alle untersuchten Verbindungen zeigen in ihren DTA-Kurven mit Farbänderungen einhergehende, durch Phasenumwandlungen bedingte endo- und exotherme Peaks. Bei Laboratoriumstemperatur konnten verschiedene Modifikationen von M ₂ ^I Cu(SO₄)₂ (mitM ^I gleich K oder Tl) hergestellt werden, wobei es sich wahrscheinlich um Distorsionsisomere handelt. Keine Modifikationen dieses Typs konnten jedoch für M ₂ ^I Ni(SO₄)₂ erhalten werden.

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M ₂ ^I M ^II(SO₄)₂, ¹-, Rb, Cs Tl, aM ¹¹-Cu Ni, . - -, , . M ₂ ^I Cu(SO₄)₂, ¹- l, , , , . , M _i ² Ni(SO₄)₂ .

     

Ethylenediaminetetraacetato-monoperoxo complexes of vanadium(V)

Summary The monoperoxo complexes, M₂[VO(HEDTA)(O₂)]· 4H₂O, where M is K⁺ or NH ₄ ⁺ and H₄EDTA is ethylene-diaminetetraacetic acid, were prepared and characterized by Raman and i.r. spectra in the solid state and in aqueous solution. The single crystal X-ray study revealed a pentagonal bipyramidal anion structure with a tetradentate HEDTA(3—) ligand. The decomposition of complexes in aqueous solution to blue vanadium(IV) complexes as end products proceeds via a nonperoxo complex of vanadium.     

New glycidyl ester compounds containing a preformed imide ring—I

The synthesis of the new esterglycidyl compounds produced by condensation of bis-carboxyimides with a large excess of epichlorohydrin were reported. To define the optimal conditions of condensation the process with monofunctional compounds were studied at first. For all synthesis, yield and epoxide and chlorine contents were found. The structure of glycidyl esters was determined by elementary analysis, IR and ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra. The physical properties were also defined.     

Rapid spectrophotometric determination of chlorate with dimedone bisthiosemicarbazone monohydrochloride

Summary Dimedone bisthiosemicarbazone monohydrochloride has been examined to evaluate its usefulness as a reagent for rapid and sensitive Spectrophotometric determination of chlorate (0.5–5.0 ppm) by oxidation of the reagent in 70% perchloric acid medium and measurement of the yellow product. The molar absorptivity at 417 nm is 1.86×10⁴ l·mole^–1·cm^–1. The relative standard deviation is 1.6% for 2.5 ppm of chlorate.

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Spektropbotometrische Bestimmung von Chlorat mit Dimedonbisthiosemicarbazon-monocblorhydrat (I)

Zusammenfassung Die Verwendbarkeit von I als Reagens für die rasche und empfindliche spektrophotometrische Bestimmung von 0,5–5,0 ppm Chlorat durch Oxydation von I in 70%iger Perchlorsäure und Messung des gelben Reaktionsproduktes wurde untersucht. Die molare Absorptivität bei 417 nm beträgt 1,86×10⁴ l·mol^–1·cm^–1. Die relative Standardabweichung beträgt 1,6% für 2,5 ppm Chlorat.

     

Computer simulation study of metastable ice VII and amorphous phases obtained by its melting

Molecular dynamics simulations of metastable ice VII and cubic ice Ic are carried out in order to examine (1) the ability of commonly used water interaction potentials to reproduce the properties of ices, and (2) the possibility of generating low-density amorphous (LDA) structures by heating ice VII, which is known to transform to LDA at approximately 135 K at normal pressure [S. Klotz, J. M. Besson, G. Hamel, R. J. Nelmes, J. S. Loveday, and W. G. Marshall, Nature (London) 398, 681 (1999)]. We test four simple empirical interaction potentials of water: TIP4P [W. L. Jorgensen, J. Chandrasekhar, J. D. Madura, R. W. Impey, and M. L. Klein, J. Chem. Phys. 79, 926 (1983)], SPC/E [H. J. C. Berendsen, J. R. Grigera, and T. P. Straatsma, J. Phys. Chem. B 91, 6269 (1987)], TIP5P [M. W. Mahoney and W. L. Jorgensen, J. Chem. Phys. 112, 8910 (2000)], and ST2 [F. H. Stillinger and A. Rahman, J. Chem. Phys. 60, 1545 (1974)]. We have found that TIP5P ice VII melts at 210 K, TIP4P at 90 K, and SPC/E at 70 K. Only TIP5P water after transition has a structure similar to that of LDA. TIP4P and SPC/E have almost identical structures, dissimilar to any known water or amorphous phases, but upon heating both slowly evolve towards LDA-like structure. ST2 ice VII is remarkably stable up to 430 K. TIP4P and SPC/E predict correctly the cubic ice collapse into a high-density amorphous ice (HDA) at approximately 1 GPa whereas TIP5P remains stable up to approximately 5 GPa. The densities of the simulated ice phases differ significantly, depending on the potential used, and are generally higher than experimental values. The importance of proper treatment of long-range electrostatic interactions is also discussed.     

Separation and quantitation of colour pigments of chili powder (Capsicum frutescens) by high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection

The performance of reversed-phase thin-layer (RP-TLC) and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) was compared for the separation and determination of the colour pigments of chili (Capsicum frutescens) powder using a wide variety of eluent systems. No separation of pigments was achieved in RP-TLC, however, it was established that tetrahydrofuran shows an unusually high solvent strength. RP-HPLC using water-methanol-acetonitrile gradient elution separated the chili pigments in many fractions. Diode array detection (DAD) indicated that yellow pigments are eluted earlier than the red ones and chili powder contains more yellow pigments than common paprika powders. It was established that the very different absorption spectra of pigments make the use of DAD necessary.