Background levels of uranium in human urine

The literature on the normal content of uranium in urine is reviewed. The reported normal concentration has declined several orders of magnitude over the years, probably due to improvements in analytical technique rather than a real change. The lowest mean values were reported with spectrometry (mean of 23 ng/l in 12 subjects) and thermal ion mass spectrometry (3.4 ng/l in 1 subject). Even spectrometry is not sufficiently sensitive at normal levels, so that techniques such as fission track analysis or mass spectrometry must be used to obtain results above the detection limit of the technique for individual samples.     

Thiosalicylic acid-immobilized Amberlite XAD-2: metal sorption behaviour and applications in estimation of metal ions by flame atomic absorption spectrometry

Thiosalicylic acid (TSA)-modified Amberlite XAD-2 (AXAD-2) was synthesized by coupling TSA with the support matrix AXAD-2 through an azo spacer. The resulting chelating resin was characterized by elemental analyses, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and infrared spectra. The newly designed resin quantitatively sorbs CdII, CoII, CuII, FeIII, NiII and ZnII at pH 3.5-7.0 when the flow rate is maintained between 2 and 4 ml min-1. The HCl or HNO3 (2 mol l-1) instantaneously elutes all the metal ions. The sorption capacity is 197.5, 106.9, 214.0, 66.2, 309.9 and 47.4 mumol g-1 of the resin for cadmium, cobalt, copper, iron, nickel and zinc, respectively, whereas their preconcentration factor is between 180-400. The breakthrough volume of HCl or HNO3 for elution of these metal ions was found to be 4-8 ml. The limit of detection (LOD) for CdII, CoII, CuII, FeIII, NiII and ZnII was 0.48, 0.20, 4.05, 0.98, 1.28 and 3.94 micrograms l-1, respectively, and the limit of quantification (LOQ) was found to be 0.51, 0.29, 4.49, 1.43, 1.58 and 4.46 micrograms l-1, respectively. The loading half time, t1/2, for the cations was found to be less than 2.0 min, except for nickel for which the value was 13.1 min. The determination of each of these six cations is possible in the presence of other five, if their concentration is up to 4 times. All six metals were determined in river water (RSD approximately 0.7-7.7%) and tap water samples (RSD approximately 0.3-5.7%). The estimation of Co was made in the samples of multivitamin tablets (RSD < 2.3%). The results agree with those quoted by manufacturers.     

Synthesis and spectral studies on nickel(II) complexes of amide group-containing ligands

Summary Complexes of nickel(II) with N-(2-carboxyphenyl)benzamide (CPBH), 2-amino-N-(2-carboxyphenyl)benzamide (ACPBH), N-isoxazolyl benzamide (IB), N-anilinobenzamide (AB), N-(2-pyridyl)-3-carboxypropanamide (PCPA) and N-(2-pyridyl)-2-carboxybenzamide (PCBA) have been isolated and characterized by elemental analyses, magnetic susceptibility measurements, thermal studies, i.r. and electronic spectral studies. The electrochemical behaviour of some complexes has also been investigated.     

Kinetics and mechanism of the oxidation of acetaldehyde by chromic acid in perchloric acid

Summary The oxidation of MeCHO by chromium(VI) has been studied in HClO₄ medium over a wide range of experimental conditions and has been found to obey the rate law;v=k[MeCHO][HCrO ₄ ^– ][H⁺]. The calculated H and-S values for the reaction are 30±2kJ mol^–1 and 171±7J mol^–1deg^–1, respectively. The mechanism is discussed in terms of carbon-hydrogen bond cleavage.     

Studies on chromium(III) complexes of some new dithiocarbamato ligands

Summary Tris-chelates of chromium(III) have been synthesised with five new dithiocarbamates, [RR'NCS₂]^–, where R=PhCH₂ and R/t'=H, PhCH₂, Me, Et and i-Pr. Magnetic moments together with electronic, i.r. and e.s.r spectra of the complexes have been described. Various ligand-field parameters have been evaluated and discussed.     

Investigating the interface of superhydrophobic surfaces in contact with water

Neutron reflectivity (NR) is used to probe the solid, liquid, vapor interface of a porous superhydrophobic (SH) surface submerged in water. A low-temperature, low-pressure technique was used to prepare a rough, highly porous organosilica aerogel-like film. UV/ozone treatments were used to control the surface coverage of hydrophobic organic ligands on the silica framework, allowing the contact angle with water to be continuously varied over the range of 160 degrees (superhydrophobic) to <10 degrees (hydrophilic). NR shows that the superhydrophobic nature of the surface prevents infiltration of water into the porous film. Atomic force microscopy and density functional theory simulations are used in combination to interpret the NR results and help establish the location, width, and nature of the SH film-water interface.     

Platinum carbonyl derived catalysts on inorganic and organic supports: a comparative study

Fumed silica, silica gel, silica-alumina and cross-linked (5.5%) polystyrene have been functionalized with quaternary ammonium groups and the Chini cluster [Pt₁₂(CO)₂₄]²⁻ has been anchored onto these functionalized materials by ion pairing. A catalyst has also been prepared by the adsorption of Na₂[Pt₁₂(CO)₂₄] on unfunctionalized fumed silica. The catalytic activities of the resultant materials, and that of commercially purchased 5% platinum on alumina have been studied for the hydrogenation of a variety of unsaturated compounds. The substrates studied are: α-acetamidocinnamic acid, cyclohexanone, acetophenone, methyl pyruvate, ethyl acetoacetate, nitrobenzene and benzonitrile. Compared to the polystyrene supported catalyst, the inorganic oxide supported catalysts have higher surface areas and for most of the substrates have notably higher activities. The functionalized fumed silica-based catalyst gives higher conversions than functionalized silica gel and silica-alumina-based catalysts. In the hydrogenation of acetophenone and ethyl acetoacetate, the functionalized fumed silica-based catalyst show superior activity compared to the commercial platinum catalyst, and the catalyst made by conventional adsorption method. In benzonitrile hydrogenation with all the cluster-derived catalysts a hydrazine derivative is selectively formed, but when the commercial platinum catalyst is used benzyl amine is the main product.     

Structural changes by sulfoxidation of phenothiazine drugs

Summary The side-chain conformations of psychoactive phenothiazine drugs in crystals are different from those of biologically inactive ring sulfoxide metabolites. This study examines the potential energies, molecular conformations and electrostatic potentials in chlorpromazine, levomepromazine (methotrimeprazine), their sulfoxide metabolites and methoxypromazine. The purpose of the study was to examine the significance of the different crystal conformations of active and inactive phenothiazine derivatives, and to determine why phenothiazine drugs lose most of their biological activity by sulfoxidation. Quantum mechanics and molecular mechanics calculations demonstrated that conformations with the side chain folded over the ring structure had lowest potential energy in vacuo, both in the drugs and in the sulfoxide metabolites. In the sulfoxides, side chain conformations corresponding to the crystal structure of chlorpromazine sulfoxide were characterized by stronger negative electrostatic potentials around the ring system than in the parent drugs. This may weaken the electrostatic interaction of sulfoxide metabolites with negatively charged domains in dopamine receptors, and cause the sulfoxides to be virtually inactive in dopamine receptor binding and related pharmacological tests.