Coupled in-tube and on-fibre solid-phase microextractions for cleanup and preconcentration of organic micropollutants from aqueous samples and analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Matrix interference removal is an important step when large volumes of aqueous samples are required to be processed to detect trace levels of analytes. A combination of two sample extraction methods has been used in this work with the aim of cleanup and preconcentration of analytes. For first objective, mild but preferential sorption of a range of analytes has been performed with in-tube solid-phase microextraction (SPME) using polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tubing, and for the second, the eluate from in-tube SPME was subjected to on-fibre SPME using DVB/Caboxen/PDMS (30/50 μm) fibre. Knitting of PTFE tubing created secondary flow pattern that enhanced radial diffusion and retention of organic analytes. Up to 2 mg L⁻¹ of a broad range of substances that are not extracted by PTFE include nitrogen containing aromatic heterocyclic compounds, anilines, phenols and certain organophosphorus pesticides, thus providing a clean extract using this method of sample preparation. The proposed combination of in-tube and on-fibre SPME produced a rectilinear calibration graph over 0.03-150 μg L⁻¹ of a range of analytes using 60 mL of aqueous sample. The overall recovery of analytes was in the range 27-78%. The detection limits were between 6.1 and 21.8 ng L⁻¹. The R.S.D. was in range 5.4-8.2% and 4.2-6.5% in the analysis of respectively 2 and 20 μg L⁻¹ of analytes.     

One-pot, Simple, and Convenient Synthesis of 2-Thioxo-2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1 H )-ones

A simple and convenient method for the synthesis of diverse 2-thioxo-2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones was developed as one-pot reaction of anthranilic acid esters, primary amines, and bis(benzotriazolyl)methanethione in presence of the amidine base DBU.     

One-pot,Simple, and Convenient Synthesis of 2-Thioxo-2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1<Emphasis Type="Italic">H</Emphasis>)-ones

Summary. A simple and convenient method for the synthesis of diverse 2-thioxo-2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones was developed as one-pot reaction of anthranilic acid esters, primary amines, and bis(benzotriazolyl)methanethione in presence of the amidine base DBU.     

Molybdenum Incorporated Strontium-Iron and Strontium-Cobalt (SrBMoO3−δ; B=Fe & Co) Perovskites: Preparation and Their Application on Oxidation of Iso-Eugenol into Vanillin

SrBO_3−δ (B=Fe & Co) type perovskite oxides and their 25 % molybdenum doped counterparts, SrFe_0.75Mo_0.25O_3−δ (SFMO) and SrCo_0.75Mo_0.25O_3−δ (SFCO) are synthesized by the conventional solid-state method and systematically characterized using Fourier transfer infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, thermo-gravimetric analysis, nitrogen sorption, and temperature-programmed reduction. The powder X-ray diffraction patterns and FTIR spectral analysis evident the formation of the pure cubic phase and the doping of molybdenum into the perovskite crystal lattice. The variable oxidation states of iron and cobalt and the formation of oxygen vacancies are apparent from the TPR-H₂ and TGA curves, respectively. All of the samples have a lower surface area than porous materials, which is typical of the bulk oxide character. The iron-based perovskite demonstrated superior activity to the cobalt-based one for the oxidation of iso-eugenol to 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde (vanillin) when employing aqueous H₂O₂ as the oxidant. The maximum conversion of 73 % with 63 % selectivity for vanillin was obtained within 1.5 h at 60 °C over the SFMO catalyst. The catalytic conversion was almost similar upon re-use of the catalyst.     

EPR, IR and electronic spectral studies on Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes with N-donor tetradentate [N4] macrocyclic ligand

Nickel(II) and copper(II) complexes are synthesized with a novel tetradentate macrocyclic ligand, i.e. 2,6,12,16,21,22-hexaaza;3,5,13,15-tetraphenyltricyclo[15,3,1,1(7-11)] docosa;1(21),2,5,7,9,11(22),12,15,17,19-decaene (L) and characterized by the elemental analysis, magnetic susceptibility measurements, mass, (1)H NMR, IR, electronic and EPR spectral studies. All the complexes are non-electrolytic in nature. Thus, these may be formulated as [M(L)X(2)] [M=Ni(II), Cu(II) and X=Cl(-), NO(3)(-) and (1/2)SO(4)(2-)]. Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes show magnetic moments corresponding to two and one unpaired electron, respectively. On the basis of IR, electronic and EPR spectral studies an octahedral geometry has been assigned for Ni(II) and tetragonal geometry for Cu(II) complexes.     

Ultrahigh sensitivity assays for human cardiac troponin I using TiO2 nanotube arrays

Rapid, highly sensitive troponin assays for the analysis of serum at the point-of-care are particularly desirable for the effective treatment of myocardial infarction (MYI). TiO(2) nanotube arrays constitute a low cost, high surface area, semiconducting architecture with great promise for biosensing applications due to their compatibility with multiple detection techniques. Using TiO(2) nanotube arrays functionalized with highly robust and ordered carboxyalkylphosphonic acid self-assembled monolayers, we have developed a simple and highly sensitive fluorescence immunoassay which can detect concentrations of human cardiac troponin I as low as 0.1 pg ml(-1) without the use of enzymatic amplification. Varying the morphological parameters of the nanotube arrays allows tuning the detection range over 6 orders of magnitude of the troponin concentration from 0.1 pg ml(-1)-100 ng ml(-1).     

Production of Acid-Stable and High-Maltose-Forming α-Amylase of Bacillus acidicola by Solid-State Fermentation and Immobilized Cells and Its Applicability in Baking

Among matrices used for immobilizing Bacillus acidicola cells [calcium alginate, chitosan + alginate, scotch brite, and polyurethane foam (PUF)], ??-amylase production was highest by PUF-immobilized cells (9.1?U?ml^?1), which is higher than free cells (7.2?U?ml^?1). The PUF-immobilized cells could be reused over seven cycles with sustained ??-amylase production. When three variables (moisture, starch, and ammonium sulfate), which significantly affected enzyme production in solid-state fermentation (SSF), were optimized using response surface methodology, 5.6-fold enhancement in enzyme production was attained. The enzyme production in SSF is 3.8-fold higher than that in submerged fermentation. The bread made by supplementing dough with ??-amylase of B. acidicola scored better than those with the xylanase of Bacillus halodurans and thermostable ??-amylase of Geobacillus thermoleovorans.     

Elicitation of Andrographolide in the Suspension Cultures of Andrographis paniculata

Andrographis paniculata belonging to the family Acanthaceae produces a group of diterpene lactones, one of which is the pharmaceutically important??andrographolide. It is known to possess various important biological properties like anticancer, anti-HIV, anti-inflammatory, etc. This is the first report on the production of andrographolide in the cell suspension cultures of Andrographis paniculata by ??elicitation??. Elicitation was attempted to enhance the andrographolide content in the suspension cultures of Andrographis paniculata and also to ascertain its stimulation under stress conditions or in response to pathogen attack. The maximum andrographolide production was found to be 1.53?mg/g dry cell weight (DCW) at the end of stationary phase during the growth curve. The biotic elicitors (yeast, Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Agrobacterium rhizogenes 532 and Agrobacterium tumefaciens C 58) were more effective in eliciting the response when compared to the abiotic elicitors (CdCl₂, AgNO₃, CuCl₂ and HgCl₂). Yeast has shown to stimulate maximum accumulation of 13.5?mg/g DCW andrographolide, which was found to be 8.82-fold higher than the untreated cultures.     

A protocol for stripping and reprobing of Western blots originally developed with colorimetric substrate TMB

Western blotting is a widely used analytical technique for detection of specific protein(s) in a given sample of tissue/cell homogenate or extract. Both chemiluminescence (CL) and colorimetric detections can be used for imaging Western blots. Colorimetric substrates offer background free, sensitive, and clean imaging results directly on the blotted membrane and provides more accurate profile with respect to prestained marker. However, blots stained with colorimetric substrates cannot be reused since no stripping protocols have been reported for such blots, thus limiting their reuse for detection of another protein. In the present study, for the first time, we report a novel method of stripping Western blots developed with the colorimetric substrate TMB for detection of a low‐abundant protein and reprobing of these blots after stripping for detection of a more abundant protein through CL procedure. The stripping procedure utilizes a stripping buffer consisting of β‐mercaptoethanol, SDS, and Tris‐HCl and a washing buffer consisting of PBS added with 0.1% Tween‐20 involves a series of steps and facilitates accurate detection of the second protein (i.e., more abundant protein) in the stripped blot through CL. The protocol is reproducible and facilitates saving of precious clinical samples, in addition to saving cost and time as compared to the existing procedures.     

Dibenzyltin(IV) complexes of the 5-[(E)-2-(aryl)-1-diazenyl]quinolin-8-olates: Synthesis and an investigation of structures by X-ray diffraction, solution and solid-state tin NMR, Sn Mössbauer and electrospray ionization MS

A series of cis-bis{5-[(E)-2-(aryl)-1-diazenyl]quinolinolato}dibenzyltin(IV) complexes have been synthesized by reacting sodium salts of 5-[(E)-2-(aryl)-1-diazenyl]quinolin-8-ol (LH) and dibenzyltin dichloride. These complexes have been characterized by ¹H, ¹³C, ¹¹⁹Sn NMR, ESI-MS in solution and by IR and ^119mSn Mössbauer, ¹¹⁷Sn CP-MAS NMR spectroscopy in solid state. In addition, the structures of three of the dibenzyltin(IV) complexes, viz., Bz₂Sn(L²)₂ (2), Bz₂Sn(L³)₂ (3), and Bz₂Sn(L⁵)₂ (5) (L = 5-[(E)-2-(aryl)-1-diazenyl]quinolin-8-ol: aryl = 4′-methylphenyl- (L²H), 4′-methoxylphenyl- (L³H) and 4′-bromophenyl- (L⁵H)) were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. In general, the complexes were found to adopt a distorted cis-octahedral arrangement around the tin atom in both solution and solid state.