Experimental determination of acetamiprid pesticide residue in three different types of pistachio by ion mobility spectrometry and using QuEChERS method in the different temperatures and in the presence of ammonia as dopant gas

In this project, Ion Mobility Spectrometer (IMS) instrument in the positive mode and with corona ionization source was utilized to determine the residue of acetamiprid pesticide in three different types of pistachio (Akbari, Fandoghi and Kalachuchi). The QuEChERS method, notable because of easy and quick preparation of sample and using lower amounts of organic solvents with harmful environmental effects and high costs, was used in this study. Many experiments were performed in the different temperatures in order to obtain optimum temperature for cell and injection. Ammonia and acetone were considered as dopant substances and it turned out that the ammonia gas, contrary to acetone, increased significantly the signal intensity and sensitivity and avoided the overlap of desired peaks. The LOD of device for acetamiprid pesticide was estimated to be 0.5 μg g^?1 and the LOQ of instrument was obtained as 1.66 μg g^?1. The calibration curve was in the dynamic range between 0.5–11.5 μg g^?1 and the Correlation Coefficient was 0.998. Also, the ion mobility and the reduced ion mobility were calculated for acetamiprid ion. After analysis of five samples with IMS instrument, the acetamiprid residue was determined and it turned out that it was under allowed limit in all three types of pistachio. In addition, the amount of acetamiprid residue was higher for Akbari type relative to Fandoghi and Kalachuchi ones. The reason for this observation is the higher vulnerability of Akbari trees to insects and pests and this in turn causes more pesticide to be consumed.     

Detection of acetone in the human breath as diabetes biomarker based on PPy/WO3 nanocomposite sensor by FFT continuous cyclic voltammetry method

This research represents a novel detection method of acetone level in the exhaled breath samples (RH=88 %) based on polypyrrole/tungsten oxide (PPy/WO₃) nanocomposite sensor. The PPy/WO₃ sensor was fabricated by the deposition of nanocomposite on/between interdigitated electrodes (IDEs) through electrospray coating and was then characterized by FE-SEM imaging. In this detection method, the coulometric signal of the sensor was calculated using Fast Fourier Continuous Cyclic Voltammetry (FFTCCV), where cyclic voltammetry (CV) was applied to the sensor in the defined potential rang and then charge changes of the sensor was obtained by integration of the current in all scanned potential ranges. FFTCCV method enhances the sensitivity of the sensor when exposed to the gas mixtures containing acetone. In addition to its fast coulometric response time (≤5 s) in the two linear ranges of 0.7–2.8 ppm and 2.8–28.2 ppm (R²=0.99), FFTCCV method provides the low detection limit of 70 ppb, and high sensitivity toward acetone at the optimum values of the parameters. The fabricated sensor showed great selectivity toward acetone when exposed to humid air and some exhaled gas like carbon dioxide, ammonia, methanol, ethanol and alkyl amines. The results were very satisfying as the sensor was capable to detect different acetone levels in human exhaled breath as non-invasive diagnosis of diabetes with a good correlation (R²≃0.9) to the routine blood sugar test taken by different commercial glucometers results.     

On the stability of a radical cubic functional equation in quasi-$${\beta}$$-spaces

In this paper, we introduce and solve the radical cubic functional equation

$$f\left({\sqrt[3]{x^{3} + y^{3}}}\right)= f(x) + f(y).$$

We also establish stability in quasi-\({\beta}\)-Banach spaces, and then the stability by using subadditive and subquadratic functions for the radical cubic functional equation in (\({\beta}\), p)-Banach spaces is given.

     

Electrochemical synthesis of 5,6-dihydroxy-2-methyl-1-benzofuran-3-carboxylate derivatives

Electrochemical oxidation of catechols (1a-c) has been studied in the presence of methyl acetoacetate (2a) and ethyl acetoacetate (2b) as nucleophiles in aqueous solution using cyclic voltammetry and controlled-potential coulometry. The results indicate that the quinones derived from catechols (1a-c) participate in Michael addition reactions with 2a and 2b to form the corresponding benzofuran derivatives (3a-f). The electrochemical synthesis of 3a-f has been successfully performed in an undivided cell in good yield and purity. The oxidation mechanism was deduced from voltammetric data and by coulometry at controlled potential. The products have been characterized after purification by IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, MS, and single crystal X-ray diffraction.     

Multivariate optimization of hydrodistillation-headspace solvent microextraction of thymol and carvacrol from Thymus transcaspicus

In this paper multivariate response surface methodology (RSM) has been used for the optimization of hydrodistillation-headspace solvent microextraction (HD-HSME) of thymol and carvacrol in Thymus transcaspicus. Quantitative determination of compounds of interest was performed simultaneously using gas chromatography coupled with flame ionization detector (GC-FID). Parameters affecting the extraction efficiency were assessed and the optimized values were 5 min, 2 μL and 3 min for the extraction time, micro-drop volume and cooling time after extraction, respectively. The amounts of analyte extracted increased with plant weight. The calibration curves were linear in the ranges of 6.25-81.25 and 1.25-87.50 mg L⁻¹ for thymol and carvacrol, respectively. Limit of detection (LOD) for thymol and carvacrol was 1.87 and 0.23 mg L⁻¹, respectively. Within-day and between-day precisions for both analytes were calculated in three different concentrations and recoveries obtained were in the range of 89-101% and 95-116% for thymol and carvacrol, respectively.     

Solving a full fuzzy linear programming using lexicography method and fuzzy approximate solution

This paper discusses full fuzzy linear programming (FFLP) problems of which all parameters and variable are triangular fuzzy numbers. We use the concept of the symmetric triangular fuzzy number and introduce an approach to defuzzify a general fuzzy quantity. For such a problem, first, the fuzzy triangular number is approximated to its nearest symmetric triangular number, with the assumption that all decision variables are symmetric triangular. An optimal solution to the above-mentioned problem is a symmetric fuzzy solution. Every FLP models turned into two crisp complex linear problems; first a problem is designed in which the center objective value will be calculated and since the center of a fuzzy number is preferred to (its) margin. With a special ranking on fuzzy numbers, the FFLP transform to multi objective linear programming (MOLP) where all variables and parameters are crisp.     

A hybrid scatter search for the discrete time/resource trade-off problem in project scheduling

We develop a heuristic procedure for solving the discrete time/resource trade-off problem in the field of project scheduling. In this problem, a project contains activities interrelated by finish-start-type precedence constraints with a time lag of zero, which require one or more constrained renewable resources. Each activity has a specified work content and can be performed in different modes, i.e. with different durations and resource requirements, as long as the required work content is met. The objective is to schedule each activity in one of its modes in order to minimize the project makespan. We use a scatter search algorithm to tackle this problem, using path relinking methodology as a solution combination method. Computational results on randomly generated problem sets are compared with the best available results indicating the efficiency of the proposed algorithm.     

Fracture Assessment of Inclined Double Keyhole Notches in Isostatic Graphite

In the present contribution, the static strength of isostatic graphite using keyhole notch specimens under mixed mode loading is investigated. An experimental program was performed and in total, 18 new experimental data are provided. In addition, different loading mode ratios are considered by varying the inclination angle of the notch with respect to the direction of the applied load. The criterion based on the averaged value of the strain energy density over a control volume at the notch edge is applied to assess the static strength of specimens. A sound agreement is found between experimental data and the results obtained from strain energy density criterion.     

Distorted square-based pyramidal and trigonal bipyramidal geometries in a mercury (II) coordination compound containing 2-(aminomethyl)pyridine ligand

The new complex of [Hg(2-AMPy)₂Cl]₂.HgCl₄ (1) was synthesized from the reaction of HgCl₂ with 2-(aminomethyl)pyridine (2-AMPy) in methanolic solution. Suitable crystal of compound 1 for diffraction experiment was obtained by slow evaporation from dimethyl sulfoxide. Resulted complex was characterized by infrared, elemental analysis, thermal analysis, and single crystal X-ray diffraction. In the cationic part of this compound, two five-coordinated mercury centers have two different geometries, including distorted square-based pyramidal geometry by the trigonality index, τ₅, of 0.23 and trigonal bipyramidal geometries by the trigonality index, τ₅, of 0.57.     

Simulation of gas absorption into string-of-beads liquid flow with chemical reaction

This study is an attempt to investigate the chemical absorption of CO₂ in aqueous monoethanolamine (MEA) solution in a wetted-wire column consisting of one wire. Computational fluid dynamics method along with volume of fluid model was employed for modeling of two-phase flow, mass transfer and chemical reaction inside the column. The modeling results were compared with available experimental data and very good agreement was achieved. The simulation results showed that the diameter and intervals of liquid beads increases by increasing the gas and liquid flow rates. The beads velocity increases by increasing the liquid flow rate and decreasing mass fraction of MEA in the liquid phase. Also, mass transfer resistance in the liquid phase reduces by formation of the beads. It was concluded that the developed model is capable to predict the effect of operating and physical parameters on the investigated chemical absorption process.