Micro-SR-XRF studies for archaeological gold identification—the case of Carpathian gold and Romanian museal objects

In the determination of the provenance of gold in archaeological artifacts, trace elements are more significant than the main components. Several minute fragments of natural Carpathian gold—placer and primary—and some very small (a few milligrams) fragments of archaeological items were studied using micro Synchrotron Radiation X-Ray Fluorescence (micro SR-XRF) at the BESSY Synchrotron Facility in Berlin, Germany. The goal of the study was to identify the trace elements characterizing Carpathian gold, looking especially at Sn, Sb, Pb and Te, and to determine if the gold in the archaeological items is native or refined. Applications to the authentication and provenance of nine Dacian gold bracelets, koson coins and two Bronze Age items are presented.     

Strategies for developing NADH detectors based on Meldola Blue and screen-printed electrodes: a comparative study

Three strategies have been compared to produce screen-printed amperometric detectors for NADH: mixing Meldola Blue (MB) in the screen-printing ink, incorporation of MB-Reinecke salt (MBRS) in the graphite ink and electrodeposition of films of MB-derived polymer (poly (MB)) on electrode surface. Following modification of graphite electrodes the mediators displayed values of the formal potential E°′ from −0.129 to −0.160 V vs. Ag/AgCl and pK_as of 5.09-6.02. A second redox couple with E°′=−0.450 V vs. Ag/AgCl was observed in cyclic voltammetry experiments with poly (MB) sensors or with old electrodes obtained according to the other two strategies. Electropolymerisation of MB allowed to achieve the best operational stability and best detection limit, 2×10⁻⁶ M, for amperometric detection of NADH, while the most extended linear range, 1×10⁻⁵-7.5×10⁻⁴ M, corresponds to sensors with MBRS. MB and MBRS electrodes were compared with a similar NADH detector produced by Gwent Electronic Materials, England. Several characteristics of the modified-electrodes induced by the fabrication by screen-printing were also highlighted.     

The Effect of Cyclodextrins on the Luminol-Hydrogen Peroxide Chemiluminescence

The action of different molar ratios of α, β, γ-cyclodextrin upon the chemiluminescence of the luminol-H₂O₂ in alkaline buffer Tris-HCl, pH=8.5 has been evidenced. It was found out that α, β, γ- cyclodextrin have an antioxidant capacity, probably due to the free radicals (that are generate in the system) encapsulation in the their cavity. This behaviour depends on α, β, γ-cyclodextrin molar ratio; α-cyclodextrin and γ-cyclodextrin protects more efficiently against free radicals than β-cyclodextrin. These findings could be very important regarding the oxidative stress process.     

Investigation of the micropolarity in reverse micelles of nonionic poly(ethylene oxide) surfactants using 4-nitropyridine-N-oxide as absorption probe

The micropolarities of the reverse micelle (RM) interior of nonionic poly(ethylene oxide) surfactants of the alkyl ether type (poly(ethylene oxide)[4] lauryl ether (C12E4, Brij 30)), alkyl-aryl ethers (poly(ethylene oxide)[4] nonylphenyl ether (C9PhiE4), poly(ethylene oxide)[5] nonylphenyl ether (C9PhiE5), and poly(ethylene oxide)[5] octylphenyl ether (C8PhiE5)), and poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PPO-PEO) triblock copolymers (Pluronics P123, F127) were investigated as a function of the water content by applying the absorption probe technique, using 4-nitropyridine-N-oxide (NP) as a probe. The change in the micellar aggregate micropolarity in different solvents (cyclohexane, decane, n-butanol, and n-butyl acetate) at various water contents has been investigated. The research was focused on the determination of the effects of surfactant structure and solvent type on the hydration degrees of the PEO chains in the region at the core limit, where the NP probe was located. All results regarding the polarities in RM and PEO/water calibration mixtures have been expressed in terms of Kosower's Z values, using the linear dependence of E(NP) on Kosower's Z. The PPO/butanol mixtures have also been used for RM in butanol as a reference system. The data revealed that local polarity in RM is dependent on the surfactant type, block copolymer composition, solvent nature, and water content. At the same water content, the results clearly indicate a lower hydration degree of triblock copolymers, as compared to the surfactants of the alkyl ether and alkyl-aryl ether type, but for P123 and F127 Pluronics in n-butanol the hydration is higher owing to the behavior of butanol as cosurfactant and to its hydration.     

Surface properties and electromagnetic excitation of a piezoelectric gallium phosphate biosensor

The surface properties of GaPO4 have been studied by secondary ion mass spectrometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electromagnetic acoustic wave excitation in order to explore the potential of this relatively new piezoelectric material as a biosensor. The X-ray photoelectron spectrum of the substrate shows a Ga-rich surface (Ga:P = 1.4), while the negative secondary ion mass spectrum is similar to that of other phosphates, with PO3- and PO2- being the main fragments derived from the substrate. Surface analysis reveals that the linker protein for biotinylated moieties, neutravidin, is both readily chemisorbed to bare gallium phosphate at pH 7.5 and attached to p-hydroxy benzaldehyde-treated devices, establishing the possibility to exploit the surface chemistry of the phosphate for the fabrication of an electrode-free acoustic wave biosensor. Preliminary results regarding the detection of the adsorption of neutravidin with an electromagnetic field-excited GaPO4 device incorporated in a FIA configuration showed comparable results with those obtained with a quartz-sensor equivalent. The frequency shift for the adsorbed protein layer at the device fundamental frequency was 200 Hz and the noise was routinely around 13 Hz. The possibility to use the electrodeless acoustic GaPO4 device at higher harmonics in the liquid phase has also been confirmed.     

Modification of molecular properties of some dyes in sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) micellar aqueous solution

The influence of SDS upon the molecular properties of proflavine (3,6-diaminoacridine), acridine yellow (2,7-dimethyl-3,6-diaminoacridine) and methylene blue (3,7-bis-dimethylamino-phenothiazine) was studied comparatively to their properties in that of aqueous media. The absorption and emission spectra of the three dyes in SDS aqueous solution (1–100 mmol/l) were recorded. The spectroscopic data also allowed the evaluation of the critical micellization concentration (CMC), acidity constants in fundamental (pk_a) and excited (pK^*_a) states, and lifetimes of excited singlet states.     

Nanostructured Hybrid Systems with Rhodamine 6G

We synthesized hybrid materials by sol-gel process, using: methyltriethoxysilane, tetraetylorthosilicate and vinyltriethoxysilane, in the presence of Rhodamine 6G. It was synthesized as well organic-inorganic hybrids with addition of tetraisopropyl orthotitanate and maleic anhydride UV-VIS spectra of dye show two absorption peaks at 499 nm (dimer) and 530 nm (monomer). Evaluating FTIR spectra of hybrid films, it was observed a band at 1077 cm^?1, characteristic of the asymmetric Si-O-Si stretching vibration in oligomer. Fluorescence spectra show that tetraisopropyl orthotitanate presence in the composites modifies the nature of the inorganic matrix and affects the interaction with the added dye.