Spectral Analysis of Some Distillates from Asphalt Cracking and Evaluation of UTIMAC as Cracking Catalyst

This paper demonstrates the spectral analysis of some distillates obtained from asphalt cracking in the presence of a conventional expensive catalyst, i.e., HZSM‐5, and local cheap and readily available clay, i.e., UTIMAC. Each distillate was fractionated into pentane soluble (PI) and pentane insoluble (PI) fractions based on solubility in n, pentane. Both PS and PI obtained in the case of HZSM‐5 and UTIMAC were analyzed by ¹H‐NMR spectrophotometry using CDCl₃ as dissolving solvent and tetramethylsilane (TMS) as internal standard. It is evident from the profiles that both catalysts caused the generation of some peaks ascribed to methylene and methene configurations in the aliphatic region. Bands corresponding to aromatic configurations were also generated. The results indicate that the cheap local catalyst used has comparable suitability with the conventional expensive catalyst in terms of asphalt cracking.     

A mild and efficient palladium–triethylsilane system for reduction of olefins and carbon–carbon double bond isomerization

The versatility of palladium(II) acetate and palladium on activated charcoal catalysts with triethylsilane has been investigated in the hydrogenation and the isomerization of carbon–carbon double bond of 1‐alkenes. The reduction of 1‐alkenes was carried out in the presence of triethylsilane, ethanol and a catalytic amount of palladium(II) acetate or palladium on activated charcoal, at room temperature. This facile and efficient method affords high yields for hydrogenation of unsaturated alkenes to the corresponding alkanes. Then the carbon–carbon double bond isomerization of 1‐alkenes was tested using the same catalysts in the absence of solvent. The system palladium(II) acetate‐triethylsilane was found to be more effective compared with palladium on an activated charcoal–triethylsilane system at room temperature, while comparable results were obtained at 50 °C for both catalysts. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A multistep collocation method for solving advection equations with delay

Advection equations with delay are appeared in the modeling of the dynamics of structured cell populations. In this article, we construct an efficient two-dimensional multistep collocation method for the numerical solution of a class of advection equations with delay. Equations with aftereffect and equations with both aftereffect and retardation of a state variable are considered. Computability of the algorithm and convergence properties of the proposed numerical method are analyzed for solutions in appropriate Sobolev spaces, and it is shown that the proposed scheme enjoys the spectral accuracy. Numerical examples are given and comparison with other existing methods in the literature is made to demonstrate the efficiency, superiority and high accuracy of the presented method.     

Application of an Itô-based approximation method to random vibration of a pinching hysteretic system

In this paper, an extension of the Cumulant-Neglect closure scheme is utilized for the random vibration analysis of a single degree of freedom system with a general pinching hysteresis restoring force. The hysteresis element used in the system model can simulate commonly observed forms of stiffness, strength and pinching degradations. The second order statistics of the system response to a stationary Gaussian white noise input are derived using an Itô-based approximation technique. The validity of these response statistics are then verified by comparing them to Monte Carlo simulation results. The numerical studies performed for different combinations of degradation parameters and excitation levels show that the response estimates obtained by this solution method are in good agreement with Monte Carlo simulation. These studies also indicate the applicability of this technique for response analysis of complicated forms of non-linearities.     

Bioconversion potential of Trichoderma viride HN1 cellulase for a lignocellulosic biomass Saccharum spontaneum

The industrialisation of lignocellulose conversion is impeded by expensive cellulase enzymes required for saccharification in bioethanol production. Current research undertakes cellulase production from pretreated Saccharum spontaneum through Trichoderma viride HN1 under submerged fermentation conditions. Pretreatment of substrate with 2% NaOH resulted in 88% delignification. Maximum cellulase production (2603 ± 16.39 U/mL/min carboxymethyl cellulase and 1393 ± 25.55 U/mL/min FPase) was achieved at 6% substrate at pH 5.0, with 5% inoculum, incubated at 35°C for 120 h of fermentation period. Addition of surfactant, Tween 80 and metal ion Mn⁺², significantly enhanced cellulase yield. This study accounts proficient cellulase yield through process optimisation by exploiting cheaper substrate to escalate their commercial endeavour.     

Abeliaside,a new phenolic glucoside from Abelia triflora

A new phenolic glucoside, abeliaside, along with four known compounds, 5,6,7,4′-tetrahydroxy flavones, caffeic acid, 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid and caffeic acid glucoside, was isolated from the leaves of Abelia triflora R. Br. (Caprifoliaceae). The structure of the new compound was elucidated by different spectroscopic techniques. Compounds 1–5 were assayed for their anticancer activities against two cancerous human cell lines, MCF-7 and PC-3 cells, and normal Vero cell line using the crystal violet staining method. From the results it could be seen that caffeic acid possessed the highest anticancer effect against MCF-7 (IC₅₀: 17 μg/mL) and PC-3 (IC₅₀: 20.1 μg/mL) compared to vinblastine sulphate as reference drug (IC₅₀: 4.6, 2.8 μg/mL). The other compounds showed weak anticancer activity on both cell lines.     

Suitability of dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction for the in situ silylation of chlorophenols in water samples before gas chromatography with mass spectrometry

Trace analysis of chlorophenols in water was performed by simultaneous silylation and dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction followed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. Dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction was carried out using an organic solvent lighter than water (n‐hexane). The effect of different silylating reagents on the method efficiency was investigated. The influence of derivatization reagent volume, presence of catalyst and derivatization/extraction time on the yield of the derivatization reaction was studied. Different parameters affecting extraction efficiency such as kind and volume of extraction and disperser solvents, pH of the sample and addition of salt were also investigated and optimized. Under the optimum conditions, the calibration graphs were linear in the range of 0.05–100 ng/mL and the limit of detection was 0.01 ng/mL. The enrichment factors were 242, 351, and 363 for 4‐chlorophenol, 2,4‐dichlorophenol, and 2,4,6‐trichlorophenol, respectively. The values of intra‐ and inter‐day relative standard deviations were in the range of 3.0–6.4 and 6.1–9.9%, respectively. The applicability of the method was investigated by analyzing water and wastewater samples.     

Modified carbon nanotubes as a sorbent for solid-phase extraction of gold,and its determination by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

A simple, sensitive and accurate method was developed for solid-phase extraction and preconcentration of trace levels of gold in various samples. It is based on the adsorption of gold on modified oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotubes prior to its determination by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The type and volume of eluent solution, sample pH value, flow rates of sample and eluent, sorption capacity and breakthrough volume were optimized. Under these conditions, the method showed linearity in the range of 0.2–6.0 ng L⁻¹ with coefficients of determination of >0.99 in the sample. The relative standard deviation for seven replicate determinations of gold (at a level of 0.6 ng L⁻¹) is ±3.8 %, the detection limit is 31 pg L⁻¹ (in the initial solution and at an S/N ratio of 3; for n = 8), and the enrichment factor is 200. The sorption capacity of the modified MWCNTs for gold(III) is 4.15 mg g⁻¹. The procedure was successfully applied to the determination of gold in (spiked) water samples, human hair, human urine and standard reference material with recoveries ranging from 97.0 to 104.2 %.

A sorbent based on modified carbon nanotubes was prepared and used to extract gold ion from various samples prior to its determination by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry