Natural radioactivity and radon exhalation rates in building materials used in Egypt

Natural and fabricated building materials commonly used in Egypt were surveyed for both natural radionuclides content and radon exhalation rate. These include raw as well as construction products. Concentration of natural radionuclides in all samples were determined by γ-ray spectroscopy with HPGe detector. For Radon exhalation rate measurements of fabricated samples, the seal can-technique has been applied using CR-39 plastic track detectors. The radiation hazard indices of the total natural radioactivity in the studied samples were estimated. The results were compared with the corresponding results of different countries and were found to be lying within the average world values. Radon exhalation rate in the studied samples varied between 197 (cement brick) and 907 mBq m⁻² h⁻¹ (blast furnace slag cement). The results of this survey suggest that, using blast furnace slag cement for pre-coating the internal walls of buildings in the Urban region of Egypt is discouraged and the replacement of clay brick by cement brick will be more healthy for the public.     

The electrochemical behaviour of polycrystalline silver electrodes in Na2CO3 solution and the effect of ClO− 4 ions

The electrochemical behaviour of polycrystalline silver electrodes in Na₂CO₃ solutions was studied under potentiodynamic and potentiostatic conditions and complemented with X-ray diffraction analysis. Potentiodynamic E/i anodic curves exhibit active passive transition prior to an oxygen evolution reaction. The active region involves a small peak AI followed by a major peak AII before the passive region. Peak AI is assigned to the formation of an Ag₂O layer while peak AII is due to the formation of an Ag₂CO₃ layer. The height of the anodic peaks increases with increasing Na₂CO₃ concentration, scan rate and temperature. The effect of increasing additions of NaClO₄ on the electrochemical behaviour of Ag in Na₂CO₃ solutions was investigated. The perchlorate ions stimulate the active dissolution of Ag, presumably as a result of the formation of soluble AgClO₄ salt. In the passive region, ClO⁻ ₄ ions tend to break down the dual passive film, leading to pitting corrosion at a certain critical pitting potential. The pitting potential decreases with ClO⁻ ₄ concentration. Potentiostatic current/time transients showed that the formation of Ag₂O and Ag₂CO₃ layers involves a nucleation and growth mechanism under diffusion control. However, in the presence of ClO⁻ ₄ ions, the incubation time for pit initiation decreases on increasing the anodic potential step. Received: 3 July 1998 / Accepted: 10 March 1999     

Enrichment of Zinc and Iron Micronutrients in Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) through Biofortification

Biofortification of pulse crops with Zn and Fe is a viable approach to combat their widespread deficiencies in humans. Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is a widely consumed edible crop possessing a high level of Zn and Fe micronutrients. Thus, the present study was conducted to examine the influence of foliar application of Zn and Fe on productivity, concentration, uptake and the economics of lentil cultivation (LL 931). For this, different treatment combinations of ZnSO₄·7H₂O (0.5%) and FeSO₄·7H₂O (0.5%), along with the recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF), were applied to the lentil. The results of study reported that the combined foliar application of ZnSO₄·7H₂O (0.5%) + FeSO₄·7H₂O (0.5%) at pre-flowering (S1) and pod formation (S2) stages was most effective in enhancing grain and straw yield, Zn and Fe concentration, and uptake. However, the outcome of this treatment was statistically on par with the results obtained under the treatment ZnSO₄·7H₂O (0.5%) + FeSO₄·7H₂O (0.5%) at S1 stage. A single spray of ZnSO₄·7H₂O (0.5%) + FeSO₄·7H₂O (0.5%) at S1 stage enhanced the grain and straw yield up to 39.6% and 51.8%, respectively. Similarly, Zn and Fe concentrations showed enhancement in grain (10.9% and 20.4%, respectively) and straw (27.5% and 27.6% respectively) of the lentil. The increase in Zn and Fe uptake by grain was 54.8% and 68.0%, respectively, whereas uptake by straw was 93.6% and 93.7%, respectively. Also the benefit:cost was the highest (1.96) with application of ZnSO₄·7H₂O (0.5%) + FeSO₄·7H₂O (0.5%) at S1 stage. Conclusively, the combined use of ZnSO₄·7H₂O (0.5%) + FeSO₄·7H₂O (0.5%) at S1 stage can contribute significantly towards yield, Zn and Fe concentration, as well as uptake and the economic returns of lentil to remediate the Zn and Fe deficiency.     

Simple syntheses of benzothiazol‐2‐ylazoles

Syntheses of the title ring systems are described starting with benzothiazol‐2‐ylacetohydrazide (1). Thus, 1 was reacted with carbon disulfide to afford the 2‐methyl heteroaryl derivative 2, which on reaction with hydrazine hydrate yielded the corresponding triazole compound 3. Also, 1 can undergo a reaction with an isothiocyanate to give the N‐thiocarbonyl adduct 4 that can then be cyclized to produce a 2‐methyl heteroaryl analog 5 or 6. Compounds 8 or 9 could be obtained by the reaction of 1 with an aryl aldehyde followed by malononitrile or via its self‐cyclization, respectively. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 10: 177–182, 1999     

Ligandless dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction for the separation of trace amounts of silver ions in water samples and flame atomic absorption spectrometry determination

In this article, a new ligandless dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction method has been developed for preconcentration of trace quantities of silver as a prior step to its determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. In the proposed approach, carbon tetrachloride and ethanol were used as extraction and dispersive solvents. Several factors that may be affected on the extraction process, like, extraction solvent, disperser solvent, the volume of extraction and disperser solvent, pH of the aqueous solution and extraction time were optimized. Under the optimal conditions, the calibration curve was linear in the range of 5.0 ng mL⁻¹ to 2.0 μg mL⁻¹ of silver with R² = 0.9995 (n = 9) and detection limit based on three times the standard deviation of the blank (3S_b) was 1.2 ng mL⁻¹ in original solution. The relative standard deviation for eight replicate determination of 0.5 μg mL⁻¹ silver was ±1.5%. The high efficiency of dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction to carry out the determination of silver in complex matrices was demonstrated. The proposed method has been applied for determination of trace amount of silver in standard and water samples with satisfactory results.     

A novel antimicrobial triterpenic acid from the leaves of Ficus benjamina (var. comosa)

The chloroform extract of the leaves of Ficus benjamina (var. comosa) (Moraceae) afforded a new triterpenic acid named as (9,11), (18,19)-disecoolean-12-en-28-oic acid (1) along with β-amyrin (2). Their structures were established on the basis of chemical and physical evidences (IR, ¹H NMR, and MS data). The compound 1 exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against Salmonella typhimurium (MTCC-98), Candida albicans (IAO-109), Staphylococcus aureus (IAO-SA-22), Escherichia coli (K-12) and low activity against Aspergillus niger (lab isolate ICAR) and Aspergillus brassicola.     

Confocal microscopy study of uptake kinetics of α‐lactalbumin and β‐lactoglobulin onto the cation‐exchanger SP Sepharose FF

Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was used to study single‐ and two‐component protein uptake for α‐lactalbumin (ALA) and β‐lactoglobulin (BLG), as models for whey proteins, to SP Sepharose FF at pH 3.7 during batch experiments in a finite bath. By coupling a fluorescent dye with the protein molecule, the penetration into individual adsorbent particles at different times during batch uptake was visualised. In a single‐component system, BLG penetrated fast into the adsorbent beads and gradually filled them in a shell‐wise fashion, while adsorption of ALA was mostly confined to the outer shells of the adsorbent. For the two‐component studies, the results showed that ALA was able to displace BLG despite its lower affinity to the adsorbent under the employed conditions. CLSM results were then compared both qualitatively and quantitatively to their counterparts obtained in traditional experiments by indirect measurements of the protein concentration in the fluid phase. A novel quantitative approach was undertaken by modifying the simple kinetic rate model traditionally used to determine the kinetic rate constant, k₁, for batch uptake experiments, in order to describe batch uptake kinetics based on CLSM data. Although BLG results were in good agreement, there was a discrepancy in ALA results.     

Resolution of 1,1′-Binaphthyl-2,2′-Dicarboxylic Acid with Quinine: Structure of the Intermediate (<Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis>)-1,1′-Binaphthyl-2,2′-Dicarboxylate Dihydrate Diastereomeric Salt

Abstract  

Racemic 1,1′-binaphthyl-2,2′-dicarboxylic acid (BNDA) was resolved using quinine as the resolving agent. The structure of the resultant quininium (S)-1,1′-binaphthyl-2,2′-dicarboxylate dihydrate salt (1) was elucidated. The asymmetric unit contained one 1,1′-binaphthyl-2,2′-dicarboxylate anion, two quininium cations and two water molecules. The structure was solved successfully in the orthorhombic space group P2₁2₁2₁ with unit cell dimensions: a = 11.100(2) ?, b = 16.572(3) ?, c = 28.726(6) ?.     

Synthesis,Crystal Structure,Ab Initio Studies and Fingerprint Plots of 2-Chloro-1,3-dioxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-2-yl acetate

Abstract  

2-Chloro-1,3-dioxo-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-2-yl acetate, C₁₁H₇ClO₄ (Fig. 1), has been synthesized and the structure has been solved by IR and X-ray diffraction studies. The crystals are triclinic, space group P [`1] \bar{1} , with a = 7.62060(10) ?, b = 11.5944(2) ?, c = 13.0753(3) ?, α = 97.2820(10)°, β = 101.5740(10)°, γ = 101.7930(10)°, Mr = 238.62, V = 1090.82(3) ?³, Z = 4 and R = 0.0557. In the title compound there are two molecules in the asymmetric unit. The molecules are linked via weak C–H···O hydrogen bonds forming R₄⁴(28) rings. The intermolecular interactions were analysed by means of the fingerprint plots derived from the Hirshfeld surfaces. The fingerprint plots evidenced subtle differences in the intermolecular contacts for the two independent molecules.