Metal contents in tench otoliths: relationships to the aquatic environment

A monitoring of the quality of waters was attempted determining metal accumulation in target organs as otoliths of freshwater fish. Tenchs of age ranging between 2 and 10 years were sampled in three different canals receiving wastewater from industrial, agricultural and urban activities. Metal contents were determined in both lapilli and asterisci otoliths, using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). Analytical data are reported for minor metals and for some trace metals. Al, Fe and Zn have contents depending on the environment where the fish has lived, while Na, K, Ca and Sr contents are insensitive to the different aquatic habitat. Considering the two types of otolith separately, lapilli display a different affinity for trace metals (Al, Fe and Zn), while in asterisci this affinity is matched only for zinc. The high affinity of zinc for both types of otoliths suggests using this metal for discriminating the fresh waters by checking its accumulation in otoliths, as well as correlating this accumulation with age of the fish: a negative power curve equation is proposed. Since highest concentrations are found in individuals of 2-3 yr., it is advisable to use this fish for such environmental studies.     

Investigation of the Declared Value of Selenium in Food Supplements by HG-AFS

The method of hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry (HG-AFS) was optimised for determination of selenium in food supplements. Due to the high and varied content of Cu, Mg and Zn in the samples, the standard addition method was found to be the most appropriate. The reliability of the method was checked by the independent method of radiochemical neutron activation analysis, and good agreement was found between the two methods. HG-AFS is simple and rapid for Se determination in food supplements based on minerals. Agreement between the selenium values found and declared was worse than 10% in 9 out of 13 supplements. Furthermore, 2 of the 14 supplements did not comply with the recommendations stated in the 27^th edition of the U.S. Pharmacopoeia, which states that minerals and vitamins in food supplements should be in the range of 90 and 200% of the declared value.     

Forms of vibrations and structural changes in liquid state

Summary The forms of vibrations and displacements of particles in amorphous structures have been investigated. The particles, moving on highly non-linear amplitude, are responsible for the creation of disordered structures of amorphous bodies. The non-linear oscillators, even if 'few' in concentration, are characterized by unpredictable trajectories in phase space. The non-linear oscillators are fully developed in the liquid state above the crossover temperature T_cr and between T_cr and T_g their number decreases. Under T_g they completely disappear. The interconnection between the linear oscillators in blocks plays the most important role in the characteristic time spectra in liquid state. Using the additive properties of elements polarizibilities, the number of acoustical units in individual blocks at T_cr is estimated to be about 600 units. The diameter of blocks at T_cr was estimated to be about 1.8 nm. Even if the non-linear high amplitude motions disappear at solidification, the remnants of structural irregularity remain and the disordered structure of glass is formed.     

Synthesis and fluorescent properties of some new unsymmetricbis-benzothiazolyl furans and thiophenes

Summary Some newmono- andbis-benzothiazolyl compounds with furan or thiophene nuclei were synthesized by multistep reactions from the corresponding furan and thiophene aldehydes. The data obtained from emission spectra show a large influence of the benzothiazole rings on the relative quantum efficiency of the compounds under investigation.

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Synthese und Fluoreszenzeigenschaften von neuen unsymmetrischenbis-Benzothiazolylfuranen und thiophenen

Zusammenfassung Einige neuebis-Benzothiazolylverbindungen mit einem Furan- bzw. Thiophenenring wurden in einer mehrstufigen Reaktion dargestellt. Die Fluoreszenzdaten der untersuchten Verbindungen zeigen einen großen Einfluß der Benzothiazolringe auf die relative Fluoreszenzquantenausbeute.

     

Photocatalytic TiO2 Coatings: Effect of Substrate and Template

Summary. Transparent TiO₂ films with a high photodegradation activity towards an azo dye in aqueous solution were prepared by sol–gel processing. Films on soda–lime glass supports protected with a thin silica barrier layer exhibited better crystallization and monodisperse nanoparticles, higher absorption of light below 370 nm, and higher photocatalytic activity than those films deposited on bare glass supports proving the detrimental effect of interdiffused sodium ions on the development of the anatase nanostructure. The effect of substrate was more pronounced in thinner films (300 nm) than in thicker ones (1200 nm), which were achieved by adding a template (i.e. Pluronic F127) to the sol.     

Theoretical studies on the conformation of saccharides

Conformations of 2-methoxytetrahydropyran as a model for the six-membered ring in aldopyranosides have been calculated by the PCILO method using the algorithm of the conjugated gradient to optimize the geometry. The calculated geometry of the fourteen basic forms of 2-methoxytetrahydropyran was found to be in agreement with the available data obtained by X-ray diffraction of pyranosides. The results indicate differences in the geometry of 2-methoxytetrahydropyran resulting from the change of the axial vs. equatorial position of the methoxyl group. These changes are particularly meaningful in the values of bond angles and they are in agreement with the anomeric and exoanomeric effects. The experimentally found differences in the energies of an axial (⁴ C ₁) and equatorial (¹ C ₄) conformer, G = 2.9–3.7 kJ/mol, and the dipole moment, = 1.20 ± 0.05 D (1D = 3.33 10^–30mAs) agree well with the calculated values E = 3.18 kJ/mol and <> = 1.18 D which, in turn, suggest that the axial conformer is preferred over the equatorial one by a ratio a:e = 78:22.     

Coulometrische Wismutometrie

Zusammenfassung Durch elektrolytische Oxydation einer Bi-Anode in gesättigter NaCl-Lösung können Bi³⁺-Ionen in Lösung gebracht werden. Dieser Prozeß ermöglicht die coulometrische Bestimmung anwesender Anionen, die schwerlösliche Bi-Verbindungen bilden.Es wurden Semimikro- und Mikrobestimmungen von Phosphationen durch elektrolytisch erzeugte Bi³⁺-Ionen bei konstanter Stromstärke ausgeführt. Die Endpunktbestimmung erfolgte amperometrisch bei konstantem Potential mit einer Indikatorelektrode — tropfende Quecksilberelektrode — und mit einer gesättigten Kalomelelektrode als Bezugselektrode. Die coulometrische Wismutometrie bietet eine weitere Möglichkeit der coulometrischen Eichung volumetrischer Lösungen im Sinne des seinerzeitigen Vorschlags vonTutundi.

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Summary Bi³⁺ ions can be brought into solution through electrolytic oxidation of a Bi-anode in saturated NaCl solution. This process makes possible the coulometric determination of the anions present that yield difficulty soluble bismuth compounds.Semimicro- and micro-determinations of phosphate ions were made via Bi³⁺-ions produced electrolytically at constant current strength. The endpoint was determined amperometrically at constant potential with an indicator electrode-dropping mercury electrode-and with a saturated calomel electrode as reference electrode. The coulometric bismuthometry affords a further possibility of the coulometric standardization of volumetric solutions in the sense of the proposal previously advanced byTutundi.

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Résumé On peut utiliser les ions Bi³⁺ en solution par oxydation électrolytique d'une anode en bismuth, en solution de chlorure de sodium saturée. Ce procédé permet le dosage coulométrique des anions présents qui forment des composés peu solubles avec le bismuth.On a mis au point le dosage semimicro et micro des ions phosphates par les ions Bi³⁺ formés électrolytiquement sous intensité constante. On détermine par ampérométrie le point équivalent à potentiel constant à l'aide d'une électrode indicatrice — électrode de mercure à goutte pendante —et avec une électrode au calomel saturée comme électrode de référence. La «bismuthométrie» coulométrique offre de grandes possibilités pour l'étalonnage coulométrique de solutions volumétriques, suivant l'idée queTutundi a émise en son temps.

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Vorgetragen beim Symposium für analytische Chemie in Graz, 29. September bis 1. Oktober 1965.

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Wir danken Herrn Dipl.-Ing.Vladimir Pantovi für seine Hilfe bei unserer experimentellen Arbeit.     

Crystallochemical causes of the different thermal properties of [Cu(py)2(NCS)2] and [Cu(4-Mepy)2(NCS)2] complexes

The crystal structures and thermal behaviour of [Cu(py)₂(NCS)₂] (at 293) and [Cu(4-Mepy)₂(NCS)₂] and 180 K) complexes have been compared with their different temperature behaviour. It was found that the thermal stability of coordinated thiocyanate ligands in the course of thermal decomposition depends not only on the properties of the ligand L, but it is related to the arrangement of the thiocyanatocopper chains in the crystal structures.     

Partial Least-Squares Study of the Effects of Organic Modifier and Physicochemical Properties on the Retention of Some Thiazoles

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - Reversed-phase (RP) HPTLC with aqueous ammonia-organic modifier (acetonitrile, dioxane, acetone) mobile phases has been used to...     

Mechanism of the thermal decomposition of hydrophosphites of lithium,sodium and potassium

The thermal decomposition of some M ₂ ^I HPO₃ (M-Li, Na, K) phosphites under nitrogen atmosphere was investigated. A stepwise mechanism of thermal decomposition has been proposed.

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Zusammenfassung Es wurde die thermische Zersetzung von Phosphiten M ₂ ^I HPO₃ (M-Li, Na, K) in Stickstoffatmosphere untersucht. Die Schritte des Mechanismus der thermischen Zersetzung wurden vorgeschlagen.