Synthetic membranes (vesicles) in inorganic ion analysis: a review

Vesicles are structures of amphiphile molecules occurring through a self-aggregation process at the molecular or nano scale level with a large structural variety and diverse properties providing a reaction environment for chemical reactions that resembles that of natural systems. Their high versatility and recognized utility in various applications have triggered a interdisciplinary scientific endeavor over their formation, characterization and potential applications with impressive results. However, in the vastness of applications surrounding vesicular structures, their utility in analytical chemistry has only received minor attention. Notwithstanding, studies demonstrating their potential as colorimetric or fluorescence sensors, extraction solvents of inorganic ions or their chelates and stationary phase modifiers in liquid chromatography have appeared. To this end, this article aims to present for the first time the analytical chemistry aspects behind the use of vesicle media with special emphasis on the detection and determination of inorganic ions and encourage further research on this promising field of analytical science.     

In situ SAXS investigation of dibromomethane adsorption in ordered mesoporous silica

A SAXS/WAXS apparatus with the aid of a specially designed sample cell capable for performing both SAXS and WAXS experiments was used for adsorption studies in nanoporous materials. The applicability of the instrument for structural investigations and its ability for adsorption experiments because of the advanced sample environment were demonstrated by carrying out in situ SAXS measurements during gas physisorption. SAXS profiles of ordered mesoporous silica were measured at selected equilibrium points alongside a dibromomethane (CH₂Br₂) adsorption isotherm at 293 K. SBA-15 was the adsorbent of choice because it consists of a regular 2D hexagonal array of cylindrical mesopores that gives rise to Bragg reflections in the small-angle regime. CH₂Br₂ was selected as a contrast-matching fluid because it has almost the same electron density as silica. We obtained high-quality data comparable to those resulting from experiments performed in synchrotron light sources which produce intense beams of x-rays and support advanced instrumentation for high-resolution diffraction and SAXS studies. The Bragg peaks of the pore lattice are clearly visible for the evacuated sample and at the early stages of the adsorption process. The intensity decrease and the elimination of the Bragg peaks for the saturated sample suggest that an almost perfect contrast matching was achieved. A model has been used for monitoring the fluid condensation and evaporation regime in SBA-15 by taking into account both the Bragg scattering and the diffuse scattering for spatially random pore filling. The results show the absence of spatial correlations between filled pores suggesting random pore filling.     

Surfactant-enhanced liquid-liquid microextraction coupled to micro-solid phase extraction onto highly hydrophobic magnetic nanoparticles

We are presenting a simplified alternative method for dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) by resorting to the use of surfactants as emulsifiers and micro solid-phase extraction (μ-SPE). In this combined procedure, DLLME of hydrophobic components is initially accomplished in a mixed micellar/microemulsion extractant phase that is prepared by rapidly mixing a non-ionic surfactant and 1-octanol in aqueous medium. Then, and in contrast to classic DLLME, the extractant phase is collected by highly hydrophobic polysiloxane-coated core-shell Fe₂O₃@C magnetic nanoparticles. Hence, the sample components are the target analyte in the DLLME which, in turn, becomes the target analyte of the μ-SPE step. This 2-step approach represents a new and simple DLLME procedure that lacks tedious steps such as centrifugation, thawing, or delicate collection of the extractant phase. As a result, the analytical process is accelerated and the volume of the collected phase does not depend on the volume of the extraction solvent. The method was applied to extract cadmium in the form of its pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate chelate from spiked water samples prior to its determination by FAAS. Detection limits were brought down to the low μg L^?1 levels by preconcentrating 10 mL samples with satisfactory recoveries (96.0–108.0 %).

Novel pyrrolo[1,2-a][3.1.6]benzothiadiazocine ring synthesis. Unusual Truce-Smiles type rearrangement of 1-{[1-(2-nitrophenyl)-1H-pyrrol-2-yl]sulfonyl(or sulfinyl)}acetone

Reaction of 1-{[1-(2-nitrophenyl)-1H-pyrrol-2-yl]sulfonyl}acetone with sodium hydroxide with or without zinc gave 1-(2-nitrophenyl)(1H-pyrrol-2-ylsulfonyl)methane by a Truce-Smiles type of transformation and 1-(2-nitrophenyl)-2-methylsulfonylpyrrole by deacetylation. Similar treatment of 1-{[1-(2-nitrophenyl)-1H-pyrrol-2-yl]sulfinyl}acetone gave only 1-(2-nitro-phenyl)(1H-pyrrol-2-ylsulfinyl)methane. 1-{[1-(2-Nitrophenyl)-1H-pyrrol-2-yl]sulfanyl}acetone, 2-{[1-(2-nitrophenyl)-1H-pyrrol-2-yl]sulfanyl}-1-phenyl-ethan-1-one or 2-{[1-(2-nitrophenyl)-1H-pyrrol-2-yl]sulfanyl}acetonitrile were reductively cyclised with sodium borohydride and 5% palladium-on-carbon into 6-methyl(or phenyl)-5,6-dihydro-7H-pyrrolo[1,2-a][3.1.6]benzothiadiazocin-7-ol or 6-amino-5H-pyrrolo[1,2-a][3.1.6]benzothiadiazocine-7-oxide, respectively.     

Generation of the [NiFe] Hydrogenase Active Site (Sulfur's the One!)

Abstract

Chemical and biochemical methods were used to unravel the unprecedented pathway by which the CN ligands of iron in [NiFe] hydrogenase are introduced. Carbamoyl phosphate is the one carbon precursor of these ligands, and reactions involving a protein cysteinyl sulfur are key for processing this precursor into CN ligands.     

Physicochemical study of the ‘anatase/electrolyte solution’ interface in suspension and closely packed particles of the solid

The electric double layer (EDL) developed at the interface of anatase in contact with aqueous electrolyte solutions was investigated at 25 °C. Potentiometric titrations (PT), measurements of the electrophoretic mobility (EM) in suspensions, and streaming potential (SP) measurements were taken. The surface charge over a wide pH range (ca. 3–10) and the point of zero charge (pzc = 6.3 ± 0.1) of anatase was easily determined by means of the suspension titration curve and the blank one, obtained at a single ionic strength value. Streaming potential measurements were conducted in anatase particles appropriately packed to form plugs. Two different plugs were prepared differing in the degree of particles' packing and, consequently, in the respective porosities. It was found that surface conductivity is lower at higher packing (lower porosity), because of the reduction of the total surface area in contact with the electrolyte. Moreover, it was found that the surface conductivity of the anatase samples increased at pH values away from pzc, while the mobility of the counter ions behind the shear plane decreased. This trend was attributed to the increase of the absolute surface charge. This increase caused an increase in the amount of the counter ions and, therefore, in the conductivity due to these ions. On the other hand, stronger electrostatic interactions between the surface of the solid and the counter ions reduced their mobility. The packing density of the anatase particles in the respective plugs, affected the values of ζ‐potential calculated from SP measurements when the effect of surface conductivity was neglected. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reaction of graphite fluoride with NaOH-KOH eutectic

Graphite fluoride has been generally considered chemically inert against strong alkalis under ambient conditions. In the present study we demonstrate that treatment of graphite fluoride with eutectic NaOH-KOH mixture at 250 °C induces dramatic structural and textural changes in the solid as evidenced by XRD, FT-IR, Raman, UV-vis absorption and fluorescence and microscopy techniques (TEM, AFM). The reaction proceeds in the molten state leading to water-soluble, graphitized carbon particles which unlike graphite fluoride, adopt a variety of morphologies, like platy, tetragonal, triangular, discoid and spherical. The resulting carbon particles are dispersible in water and fluoresce under UV excitation.     

Robust and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic-UV detection technique for the determination of tigecycline in rabbit plasma

An isocratic HPLC method with detection at 248 nm was developed and fully validated for the determination of tigecycline in rabbit plasma. Minocycline was used as an internal standard. A Hypersil BDS RP-C18 column (250 x 4.6 mm, 5 microm particle size) was used with the mobile phase phosphate buffer (pH 7.10, 0.070 M)-acetonitrile (76 + 24, v/v) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The elution time of tigecycline and minocycline was approximately 8.1 and 9.9 min, respectively. Calibration curves of tigecycline were linear in the concentration range of 0.021-3.15 microg/mL in plasma. The LOD and LOQ in plasma were estimated as 7 and 21 ng/mL, respectively. The intraday and interday precision values of the method were in the range of 5.0-7.1 and 5.6-9.1%, while the corresponding accuracy values were in the ranges of 92.8-111.1 and 97.6-102.3%, respectively. At the LOQ, the intraday precision was 18.7%, while intraday and interday accuracy values were 97.3 and 98.0%, respectively. Robustness of the proposed method was studied using a Plackett-Burman experimental design. A pharmacokinetic profile is presented for confirmation of the applicability of the method to pharmacokinetic studies.