Rapid determination of PAHs in soil samples by HPLC with fluorimetric detection following sonication extraction

A rapid method for the determination of PAHs in soil samples based on their extraction with methylene chloride by sonication and subsequent separation by HPLC with fluorimetric detection is proposed. A Hypersil Green PAH column was used with a gradient of acetonitrile/water as the mobile phase, together with a program of nine excitation and emission wavelength pairs. Recoveries were in the range 70-98%, except for acenaphthene and naphthalene, at concentration levels 1.08-442 microg/kg with relative standard deviations in the range 2-15% (n = 4). Total PAHs found in soil samples were in the range 15-282 microg/kg. The results were compared with those obtained by applying the 3540 EPA method for two samples.     

A method for experimental determination of effective resonance energies related to (n, γ) reactions

When making use of some single comparator or absolute standardization methods in reactor neutron and in epicadmium neutron activation analysis, the knowledge of the effective resonance energy ( ) is essential to correct for the effect of the nonideal epithermal flux distribution on the analysis result. can be calculated from neutron resonance data, but when these are incomplete, not accurate or even not known at all, experimental determination should be considered. Such a method, providing both and the resonance integral to 2200 ms^–1 cross-section ratio (Q_O), is described in this paper. Results are given for 11 isotopes.     

Systematic calculation of detection limits in INAA of single element matrices with a SLOWPOKE reactor

A computer code using a simple model for the simulation of γ-ray spectra has been written to evaluate detection limits in INAA of single-element matrices. The data base includes cross-sections for the (n, γ), (n, p) and (n, α) reactions that contribute to the activity of samples irradiated in the inner irradiation sites of a SLOWPOKE reactor. The values of the detection limits of 63 elements in 60 matrices are presented in a tabular form. Up to 4 radioisotopes per element were considered for a total of 114 radioisotopes. The program also lists the set of experimental conditions, selected from 7 sets which cover the range of practically used values of irradiation, decay and counting time, which yields for each radioisotope the lowest limit of detection. It also indicates, via a reduction factor, the maximum allowable sample size.     

Delphinidin–Aluminum(III) Complexes in Aqueous and Non-Aqueous Media: Spectroscopic Characterization and Theoretical Study

Summary. The study of delphinidin complexation with trivalent aluminum in acidic aqueous buffered (pH 3.0 and 3.8) and methanolic solutions was performed utilizing electronic absorption spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations. In its structure delphinidin possesses several chelating sites in competition towards aluminum(III). Molar ratio plots denoted the formation of only one aluminum(III):delphinidin complex of stoichiometry of 1:1 in both investigated media. Semiempirical calculations, performed at the restricted HF AM1 level, enabled the determination of the structural features of free delphinidin and structural modifications caused by chelation of aluminum(III). Considering the pigment molecular structure and the results of the theoretical calculations it is possible to equally implicate C3′–C4′ and C4′–C5′ hydroxyl groups as those with the predominant chelating power.     

Thermodynamic properties of aluminum monooxycarbide Al2OC

It was shown that the published data on the thermodynamic properties of aluminum monooxycarbide Al₂OC (ed) are not consistent with the phase diagram of the Al₂O₃-Al₄C₃ system. A thermodynamic modeling of the equilibrium state of the Al₂O₃-Al₄C₃ system made it possible to obtain new estimates of the standard entropy and enthalpy of formation of aluminum monooxycarbide: S°(298.15 K, cd. Al₂OC) = 45.3 J/(K mol) and Δ_f H°(298.15 K, cd, Al₂OC) = ?625.6 kJ/mol.     

Characterization of a complex dispersion of multilamellar vesicles

Spherulites ^® are multilamellar vesicles made up of surfactant bilayers. These vesicles would potentially be very useful for the encapsulation and protection of molecules; however, traditional formulations of these vesicles are poor at retaining small hydrophilic molecules (below 1000 g/mol). In this study, we present new systems of Spherulites called complex dispersions. These are prepared by dispersing Spherulites in an oil medium, and then emulsifying this oily dispersion of Spherulites within an aqueous solvent. These new systems provide an additional oil barrier between encapsulated molecules and an external aqueous phase. We have used polarized light optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction and freeze–fracture electron microscopy to study a complex dispersion of Spherulites at all stages of its preparation. We first studied the sheared lamellar phase, followed by the dispersion of the multilamellar vesicles in the oily medium and finally the emulsification of the oily dispersion within the aqueous solvent. We compared our results on lamellar phases with previous results obtained with Spherulites directly dispersible in an aqueous medium. Since the formulation of our lamellar phase included a large percentage of oil as a component, we studied the localization of the oil in the lamellar structure. We also studied the influence of osmotic pressure on complex dispersions, because complex dispersions possess a double structure similar to that of water-in-oil-in-water emulsions and multiple emulsions are known to be sensitive to osmotic pressure. In conclusion, complex dispersions proved to be new potential carriers exhibiting some unique physical properties.     

New data on the molecular compounds of stereoisomeric ditertiary glycols of the series 1,4-di-(α-hydroxy-sec-alkyl)-cyclohexanes

Summary 1¹,4¹-Dihydroxy-1¹,4¹-diethyl-1,4-dipropylcyclohexanes, like the previously described 1¹,4¹-dihydroxy-1¹,4¹-dimethyl-1,4-diethylcyclohexanes, give a molecular compound of three molecules of cis- and one molecule of trans-form.     

Conformational structure of divinyl sulfide

The potential of internal rotation about the bond for vinyl methyl sulfide is applied with some modifications to rotation about the analogous bonds in the divinyl sulfide molecule. The potential energy map of divinyl sulfide is discussed with regard to the excited torsional vibrational states. Three stable conformers with approximately identical energies were established. For a complete picture of the rotational isomerism it is also necessary to take account of the torsional vibrational stationary states with large amplitude.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 7, pp. 1531–1535, July, 1991.     

Rapid analysis of dosage forms of some pharmaceuticals by nonaqueous thermometric titrimetry

The use of the technique of solution thermochemistry is proposed for the rapid assay for quality control and quality assurance of dosage amounts of some ethical formulations of some antimalarial drugs. The active ingredients are chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, dapsone, proguanil hydrochloride, and pyrimethamine.Assay is done without the separation of the excipients and without isolation or derivatisation of the analytes. The titrations are done in glacial acetic acid and utilise the catalysed hydrolysis of acetic anhydride by perchloric acid to indicate the endpoint of the reactions.The time taken for a typical assay, of a typical dosage amount is about 3–5 minutes. The reproducibility is of the order of 1% for the milligramme amounts of analyte present in the dosage amounts of the drugs.

---

Zusammenfassung Es wird die Anwendung eines lösungsthermochemischen Verfahrens zu Schnellbestimmungen bei der Qualitätskontrolle und — sicherung von Wirkstoffeinsatzmengen einiger rezeptpflichtiger Präparate von einigen antimalarischen Arzneimitteln empfohlen. Die aktiven Bestandteile sind Chloroquin, Hydroxychloroquin, Dapson, Proguanilhydrochlorid und Pyrimethamin.Die Bestimmungen werden ohne jegliche Abtrennung der Bindestoffe und ohne Isolierung oder Derivatisierung der zu bestimmenden Substanzen durchgeführt. Die Titrierungen werden in Eisessig durchgeführt und bedienen sich der katalytischen Hydrolyse von Essigsäureanhydrid durch Perchlorsäure als Endpunktindikation der Reaktion.Die Dauer für eine typische Probe bei einer typischen Wirkstoffmenge beträgt etwa 3–5 Minuten. Die Reproduzierbarkeit liegt in der Größenordnung von 1% für Milligrammengen der zu analysierenden Stoffe im Arzneimittel.

---

. , , , . - . . 3–5 . 1% , .

---

---

We acknowledge the Nigerian Government for the provision of a grant to one of us (S.I.A.). We acknowledge the following for the gifts of samples of the authentic drugs and the tablets assayed in this work: Imperial Chemical Industries plc; May and Baker plc; Winthrop Laboratories plc; Wellcome Foundation (Medical Division).     

Monte Carlo study of the aqueous hydration of dimethylphosphate conformations

Monte Carlo computer simulations were performed on dilute aqueous solutions of the dimethylphosphate anion and the sodium dimethylphosphate ion pair, with the two phosphodiester torsional angles in the gauche–gauche, gauche–trans, and trans–trans conformations. The structural and energetic aspects of the aqueous hydration of each molecule were analyzed in terms of quasi component distribution functions based on the proximity criterion and partitioned into ionic, hydrophilic, and hydrophobic contributions to facilitate an understanding of the hydration pattern and conformational trends in these multifunctional solutes. Special attention was also paid to methodological issues affecting hydration, such as statistical uncertainty in the determined hydration indices, choice of partial atomic charges for the solute atoms, and solute–water interaction potentials adopted in the simulations. The results showed that gauche–trans and gauche–gauche forms are equally favorable for the dimethylphosphate anion with the trans extended form destabilized by hydration. The sodium dimethylphosphate ion pair hydration energetically favors the trans–trans conformation.