Extension of the Taylor Equation for Oil-Water-Surfactant System and Investigating the Impact of Surfactant Concentration over the Quality of Emulsion

Emulsions stand among the most important multiphase fluids, exhibiting various complicated phenomenon. To understand the process of emulsification, the Taylor equation has been extended to incorporate the parameters that depend on molecular mass of oil and their contents and the amount of surfactant added. To test the validity of the proposed equations, four well-defined short chain (n-hexane, n-heptane, n-decane, and kerosene) oils were emulsified in water and the results were compared with the experimental ones. It has been concluded that the extended Taylor equation worked well, even in the presence of surfactant. The quality of the emulsion defined and discussed in terms of size and number of droplets was best near CMC of the surfactant used. A relationship has also been derived between CMC of surfactant and its distribution coefficient, which allows the exact value of one parameter to be determined if other is known.     

Synthesis of regenerated bacterial cellulose-zinc oxide nanocomposite films for biomedical applications

Regenerated bacterial cellulose (RBC) composites with zinc-oxide nanoparticles (ZnO) were prepared using a new strategy for enhanced biomedical applications of BC. Powdered BC was dissolved in N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide, and different concentrations of ZnO nanoparticles were mixed into the BC solution. RBC, RBC-ZnO1 (1 % ZnO) and ZnO-RBC2 (2 % ZnO) nanocomposite films were prepared by casting the solutions through an applicator. FE-SEM images confirmed the structural features and impregnation of the RBC films by nanoparticles. XRD analysis indicated the presence of specific peaks for RBC and ZnO in the composites. The RBC nanocomposites were found to have greatly enhanced thermal, mechanical and biological properties. Specifically, the degradation temperatures were improved from 334 °C for RBC to 339 and 344 °C for RBC-ZnO1 and RBC-ZnO2, respectively. The mechanical strength and Young’s modulus of the composites were also higher than those of pure RBC. The greatly improved antibacterial properties of the RBC-ZnO nanocomposites are the most striking feature of the present study. The bacterial growth inhibition measured for the RBC was zero, but reached up to 34 and 41 mm for RBC-ZnO1 and RBC-ZnO2, respectively. In addition to their antibacterial properties, the RBC-ZnO nanocomposites were found to be nontoxic and biocompatible with impressive cell adhesion capabilities. These RBC-ZnO nanocomposites can be used for different biomedical applications and have the potential for use in bioelectroanalysis.     

Cellulose nanocrystals as promising adsorbents for the removal of cationic dyes

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) prepared from cellulose fibre via sulfuric acid hydrolysis was used as an adsorbent for the removal of methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solution. The effects of pH, adsorbent dosage, temperature, ionic strength, initial dye concentration were studied to optimize the conditions for the maximum adsorption of dye. Adsorption equilibrium data was fitted to both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models, where the Langmuir model better described the adsorption process. The maximum adsorption capacity was 118 mg dye/g CNC at 25 °C and pH 9. Calculated thermodynamic parameters, such as free energy change (ΔG = ?20.8 kJ/mol), enthalpy change (ΔH = ?3.45 kJ/mol), and entropy change (ΔS = 0.58 kJ/mol K) indicates that MB adsorption on CNCs is a spontaneous exothermic process. Tunability of the adsorption capacity by surface modification of CNCs was shown by oxidizing the primary hydroxyl groups on the CNC surface with TEMPO reagent and the adsorption capacity was increased from 118 to 769 mg dye/g CNC.     

Quantitative monitoring of tamoxifen in human plasma extended to 40 metabolites using liquid-chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry: new investigation capabilities for clinical pharmacology

Liquid-chromatography (LC) high-resolution (HR) mass spectrometry (MS) analysis can record HR full scans, a technique of detection that shows comparable selectivity and sensitivity to ion transitions (SRM) performed with triple-quadrupole (TQ)-MS but that allows de facto determination of “all” ions including drug metabolites. This could be of potential utility in in vivo drug metabolism and pharmacovigilance studies in order to have a more comprehensive insight in drug biotransformation profile differences in patients. This simultaneous quantitative and qualitative (Quan/Qual) approach has been tested with 20 patients chronically treated with tamoxifen (TAM). The absolute quantification of TAM and three metabolites in plasma was realized using HR- and TQ-MS and compared. The same LC-HR-MS analysis allowed the identification and relative quantification of 37 additional TAM metabolites. A number of new metabolites were detected in patients’ plasma including metabolites identified as didemethyl-trihydroxy-TAM-glucoside and didemethyl-tetrahydroxy-TAM-glucoside conjugates corresponding to TAM with six and seven biotransformation steps, respectively. Multivariate analysis allowed relevant patterns of metabolites and ratios to be associated with TAM administration and CYP2D6 genotype. Two hydroxylated metabolites, α-OH-TAM and 4′-OH-TAM, were newly identified as putative CYP2D6 substrates. The relative quantification was precise (<20 %), and the semiquantitative estimation suggests that metabolite levels are non-negligible. Metabolites could play an important role in drug toxicity, but their impact on drug-related side effects has been partially neglected due to the tremendous effort needed with previous MS technologies. Using present HR-MS, this situation should evolve with the straightforward determination of drug metabolites, enlarging the possibilities in studying inter- and intra-patients drug metabolism variability and related effects.

Silabenzene through divalent precursors at theoretical levels

Abstract  

Based on geometries and relative energies, three different mechanisms are proposed for the rearrangements of five isomers of silacyclohexadienylidenes to silabenzene at B3LYP and MP2 levels: (1) [1,2]-hydrogen migration through a planar transition state, (2) [1,4]-hydrogen migration through a boat transition state, and (3) zip-zap mechanism, comprised of three successive [1,2]-hydrogen migrations. The above results are compared and contrasted to rearrangements of the corresponding cyclohexadienylidenes to benzene.     

Analysis of fluid storage tanks including foundation-superstructure interaction

An analytical formulation is developed to predict the flexural behavior of a cylindrical liquid storage tank resting on an isotropic elastic soil medium, which is modelled as a half space. The interface between the plate foundation and the soil medium is considered to be smooth and continuous. The plate deflection function is assumed in the form of a power series expansion in terms of the radial coordinate. The procedure accounts for the interactions between the tank wall and the plate foundation, and between the plate foundation and the soil medium. The principle of minimum potential energy is used to evaluate the unknown coefficients appearing in the assumed power series expansion and also the unknown interacting forces at the tank wall-plate foundation junction. Any number of terms can be considered in the assumed deflection function. Analytical expressions are obtained for the plate foundation deflections and radial moment, the contact stress distribution, the tank wall displacements, and the tank wall stress resultants. The results obtained compare well with the finite element analysis of a similar problem. Results of a parametric study are also presented to demonstrate the effect of the various geometric and material parameters on the flexural behavior of the system.     

Problems with the charge plate technique in dibromomethane-aniline or 1,2-dibromoethane-aniline systems for radiochemical investigations

Reactions between aniline and dibromomethane (DBM) or 1,2-dibromoethane (DBE) produce fine glassy crystals at ordinary temperature. Due to these product formation processes, aniline fails to exert its scavenging action on bromine recoil reactions in these media.     

Effect of phosphate complexation on Cd2+ sorption by manganese dioxide (beta-MnO2)

Sorption of metal ions on oxide/hydroxide surfaces mediates the fate and transport of these ions in many natural systems. These metallic ions often exist in bulk in the aqueous phase as complexes with inorganic and organic ligands. In the present study, we investigated the sorption properties of manganese dioxide in the presence of phosphate which is thought to be one of the most important complex forming species. The surface area, point of zero charge and structural morphology of the solid manganese dioxide were determined. Cd(2+) sorption studies were carried out on manganese dioxide as a function of pH, temperature and phosphate concentration. Cd(2+) sorption increased with increasing pH, temperature and phosphate concentration. It was found that phosphate formed both outer and inner sphere complexes via metal and ligand-like adsorption. The Langmuir equation was applied to describe the data and from the constants of this equation different thermodynamic parameters such as DeltaH(0), DeltaS(0) and DeltaG(0) were evaluated.     

A robust and recyclable ruthenium catalyst immobilised on polyethylene glycol

A highly robust and recyclable Hoveyda-Grubbs’ second generation ruthenium type catalyst immobilised on polyethylene glycol is conveniently prepared from Grubbs’ second generation catalyst. The catalyst performs ring-closing metathesis of various di-and tri-substituted olefins efficiently in dichloromethane in air.