On a Morse conjecture for analytic flows on compact surfaces

The aim of this paper is to prove a Morse conjecture; in particular it is shown that a topologically transitive analytic flow on a compact surface is metrically transitive. We also build smooth topologically transitive flows on surfaces which are not metrically transitive.     

Functionalization of gold and carbon nanostructured materials using gamma-ray irradiation

Gold nanoparticles were successfully attached to the surface sites of carbon nanotubes (CNT). Both nanostructured materials were functionalized by λ-ray irradiation without chemical treatments for creating active sites. UV–visible absorption spectra of the un-irradiated and gamma ray-irradiated nanomaterials are also studied. The absorption spectrum of the irradiated CNT shows a new strong peak located at 700 nm, which might act as the active site on the surface of CNT, the result being an attachment of gold nanoparticles. This approach provides an efficient method to attach other nanostructures to carbon nanotubes for using them in different applications such as medicine and synthesis of catalytic materials.     

Separation and determination of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and o-xylene compounds in water using directly suspended droplet microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-flame ionization detector

The directly suspended droplet microextraction (DSDME) technique coupled with the capillary gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) was used to determine BTEX compounds in aqueous samples. The effective parameters such as organic solvent, extraction time, microdroplet volume, salt effect and stirring speed were optimized. The performance of the proposed technique was evaluated for the determination of BTEX compounds in natural water samples. Under the optimal conditions the enrichment factors ranged from 142.68 to 312.13, linear range; 0.01-20 μg mL⁻¹, limits of detection; 0.8-7 ng mL⁻¹ for most analytes. Relative standard deviations for 0.2 μg mL⁻¹ of BTEX in water were in the range 1.81-2.47% (n = 5). The relative recoveries of BTEX from surface water at spiking level of 0.2 μg mL⁻¹ were in the range of 89.87-98.62%.     

Magnetic Nanoparticle-Based Micro-Solid Phase Extraction and GC�CMS Determination of Oxadiargyl in Aqueous Samples

A new facile, rapid, inexpensive, and sensitive method based on magnetic micro-solid phase extraction (M-??-SPE) coupled to gas chromatography?Cmass spectrometry (GC?CMS) was developed for determination of the herbicide oxadiargyl in environmental water samples. The feasibility of employing non-modified magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) as sorbent was examined and applied to perform the extraction process. Influential parameters affecting the extraction efficiency along with desorption conditions were investigated and optimized. The limit of detection (LOD, S/N = 3) and limit of quantification (LOQ, S/N = 10) of the method under optimized conditions were 0.005 and 0.030 ng mL^?1, respectively. The relative standard deviations (RSD) (n = 3) at a concentration of 0.10 ng mL^?1 was 11%. The calibration curve of oxadiargyl showed linearity in the range of 0.050?C0.50 ng mL^?1. The developed method was successfully applied to the extraction of oxadiargyl from spiked tap water and Zayande-Rood River water samples and the relative recoveries of 98 and 94% were obtained, respectively.     

A Polypyrrole-Based Sorptive Microextraction Coating for Preconcentration of Malathion from Aquatic Media

A new micro-solid phase extraction method was developed by combining solid-phase extraction and stir bar sorptive extraction to benefit from the advantages of both techniques. A polypyrrole coating was electrochemically synthesized on the surface of an already used graphite furnace, employed in electro-thermal atomic absorption spectroscopy. The cylindrical geometry of the graphite tube provided a rather huge surface area, suitable for sorptive extraction. The novel sorbent coating was examined as an extracting medium to isolate malathion. Effects of different parameters such as extraction time, salt concentration, sample volume, desorption solvent and time were investigated and optimized. Under the optimized conditions, the limit of detection and limit of quantification of the developed method were 5 and 20?ng?L^?1, respectively. The calibration curve showed linearity in the range of 0.1?C100???g?L^?1 (R ²?=?0.9968). The precision was evaluated at 0.1 and 1???g?L^?1 concentration levels and relative standard deviations (n?=?3) were found to be 10 and 7%, respectively. The developed method was successfully applied to the extraction of malathion from real river water and tap water samples, and relative recoveries at the spiked level of 0.1???g?L^?1 were 94 and 97%, respectively.     

A novel solid-phase microextraction using coated fiber based sol-gel technique using poly(ethylene glycol) grafted multi-walled carbon nanotubes for determination of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and o-xylene in water samples with gas chromatography-flame ionization detector

In this study, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) grafted onto multi-walled carbon nanotubes (PEG-g-MWCNTs) were synthesized by the covalent functionalization of MWCNTs with hydroxyl-terminated PEG chains. For the first time, functionalized product of PEG-g-MWCNTs was used as selective stationary phase to prepare the sol-gel solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fiber in combination with gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) for the determination of ultra-trace levels of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and o-xylene (BTEX) in real water samples. The PEG-g-MWCNTs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectra and also thermo-gravimetric analysis, which verified that PEG chains were grafted onto the surface of the MWCNTs. The scanning electron micrographs of the fiber surface revealed a highly porous structure which greatly increases the surface area for PEG-g-MWCNTs sol-gel coating. This fiber demonstrated many inherent advantages, the main being the strong anchoring of the coating to the fused silica resulting from chemical bonding with the silanol groups on the fused-silica fiber surface. The new PEG-g-MWCNTs sol-gel fiber is simple to prepare, robust, with high thermal stability and long lifetime, up to 200 extractions. Important parameters influencing the extraction efficiency such as desorption temperature and time, extraction temperature, extraction time, stirring speed and salt effect were investigated and optimized. Under the optimal conditions, the method detection limits (S/N=3) were in the range of 0.6-3 pg mL(-1) and the limits of quantification (S/N=10) between 2 and 10 pg mL(-1). The relative standard deviations (RSDs) for one fiber (repeatability) (n=5) were obtained from 4.40 up to 5.75% and between fibers or batch to batch (n=3) (reproducibility) in the range of 4.31-6.55%. The developed method was successfully applied to real water samples while the relative recovery percentages obtained for the spiked water samples at 20 pg mL(-1) were from 90.21 to 101.90%.     

Catalyst-free synthesis of dihydropyridine from barbituric acid in water

An operationally simple, atom-economical, and green procedure has been developed for the synthesis of dihydropyridine derivatives by a simple condensation of barbituric acid, aldehyde, and ammonium acetate in water under catalyst-free conditions. Excellent yields and purity were obtained with only filtration and washing with hot water and ethanol.     

Photocatalytic decolorization of Brilliant Golden Yellow in TiO2 and ZnO suspensions

Photocatalytic decolorization of BGY, an anionic dye, has been investigated in TiO₂ and ZnO aqueous dispersions under UV-light irradiation. Spectrum of the dye has been found unaffected in the pH range 4.21–11.30. Adsorption is a prerequisite for the metal oxide-mediated photodegradation/photodecolorization and the extent of decolorization has been discussed in terms of the Langmuir–Hinshelwood model. Complete decolorization was achieved in case of UV irradiation whereas degradation of BGY was found to be about ca.75%. ZnO-mediated decolorization has appeared to be better and faster. The effects of various parameters, such as catalyst loading, pH and initial concentration of the dye on decolorization have been investigated.     

Structural analysis and thermochemistry of “A” type phosphostrontium carbonate hydroxyapatites

“A” type phosphostrontium carbonate hydroxyapatites, having the general formula Sr₁₀(PO₄)₆(OH)_(2−2x)(CO₃) _x with 0 ≤ x ≤ 1, were synthesised by solid gas reaction at high temperature. The samples were characterised by X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy. Analysis of carbonate was achieved by coulometry and Rietveld refinement of the structure. Using an isoperibol calorimeter, the heat of solution of these products was measured at 298 K in 9 wt% nitric acid solution. Thermochemical cycle was proposed and complementary experiences were performed to reach the standard enthalpies of formation of these compounds. The results showed a decrease of the enthalpy of formation with the amount of carbonate introduced in the lattice, suggesting an increase of stability due to this kind of substitution.     

Sol–gel-based molecularly imprinted xerogel for capillary microextraction

A novel molecularly imprinted xerogel (MIX) based on organically modified silica (ORMOSIL) was successfully prepared for on-line capillary microextraction (CME) coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The sol-gel-based xerogel was prepared using only one precursor and exhibited extensive selectivity towards triazines along with significant thermal and chemical stability. Atrazine was selected as a model template molecule and 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propylmethacrylate (TMSPMA) as a precursor in which the propylmethacrylate moiety was responsible for van der Waals, dipole-dipole, and hydrogen-bond interactions with the template. This moiety plays a key role in creation of selective sites while methoxysilyl groups in TMSPMA acted as crosslinkers between the template and the propylmethacrylate moiety. Moreover, a non-imprinted xerogel (NIX) was also prepared in the absence of the template for evaluating the extraction efficiency of the prepared MIX. Then, the prepared imprinted and non-imprinted xerogels were used for extraction of three selected analytes of triazines class including atrazine, ametryn, and terbutryn, which have rather similar structures. The extraction efficiency of the prepared xerogel for atrazine, the template molecule, was found to be ten times greater than the efficiency achieved by the non-imprinted one. In the meantime, the extraction efficiency ratio of MIX to NIX for ametryn and terbutryn was also rather significant (eight times). Moreover, other compounds from different classes including dicamba, mecoprop, and estriol were also analyzed to evaluate the selectivity of the prepared MIX towards triazines. The ratio of enrichment factors (EF) of MIX to NIX for atrazine, ametryn, terbutryn, dicamba, mecoprop, and estriol were about 10, 8, 8, 2, 2, and 3, respectively. The linearity for the analytes was in the range of 5-700 μg L(-1). Limit of detection was in the range of 1-5 μg L(-1) and the RSD% values (n = 5) were all below 6.6% at the 20 μg L(-1) level. The developed method was also applied to real water samples and the relative recovery percentages obtained for the spiked water samples were from 92 to 104%. The CME loop, containing the prepared MIX, exhibited a rather long life time due to its remarkable solvent and mechanical stability. Even after 100 runs, no decrease in the peak areas was observed. The developed method could easily provide the possibility of preparing a selective sorbent in a unique way with the lowest possible cost and time.