Voltammetry of resazurin at a mercury electrode

Electrochemical behavior of resazurin on HMDE in Britton-Robinson (B-R) buffers (pH 2.0–10.0) was studied using the square-wave voltammetry (SWV), square-wave adsorptive stripping voltammetry (SWAdSV), and cyclic voltammetry (CV) techniques. The voltammogram of resazurin in B-R buffer at pH < 4.0 exhibited two cathodic reduction peaks. The voltammetric peaks were obtained at −0.144 V (reversible) and −1.250 V (irreversible) at pH 3.2, and correspond to the reduction of resorufin to dihydroresorufin and to the catalytic hydrogen wave, respectively. At pH > 4.0, a new irreversible cathodic reduction peak, assigned to the protonation of N-oxide on the phenoxazin ring, was observed. Electrochemical parameters (I _p/E _p, I _p/v, I _p/pH, I _p/t _acc) of the compound were determined. From the voltammetric data, electrochemical reduction mechanisms for all peaks have been suggested. Maximum peak current for the reversible peak was obtained at pH 4.1. A linear relationship between the current and concentration was determined, and also the lowest detection limit was found as 3.25 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹ and 1.98 × 10⁻¹⁰ mol L⁻¹ for SWV and SWAdSV, respectively.     

Theoretical studies of some sulphonamides as corrosion inhibitors for mild steel in acidic medium

Density functional theory (DFT) at the B3LYP/6‐31G (d,p) and BP86/CEP‐31G* basis set levels and ab initio calculations using the RHF/6‐31G (d,p) methods were performed on four sulfonamides (namely sulfaacetamide (SAM), sulfapyridine (SPY), sulfamerazine (SMR), and sulfathiazole (STI)) used as corrosion inhibitors for mild steel in acidic medium to determine the relationship between molecular structure and their inhibition efficiencies (%IE). The order of inhibition efficiency obtained was SMR > SPY > STI > SAM which corresponded with the order of most of the calculated quantum chemical parameters namely E_HOMO (highest occupied molecular orbital energy), E_LUMO (lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy), the energy gap (ΔE), the Mulliken charges on the C, O, N, S atoms, hardness (η), softness (S), polarizability (α), dipole moment (μ), total energy change (ΔE_T), electrophilicity (ω), electron affinity (A), ionization potential (I), the absolute electronegativity (χ), and the fraction of electrons transferred (ΔN). Quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) approach has been used and a correlation of the composite index of some of the quantum chemical parameters was performed to characterize the inhibition performance of the sulfonamides studied. The results showed that the %IE of the sulfonamides was closely related to some of the quantum chemical parameters but with varying degrees/order. The calculated %IE of the sulfonamides studied was found to be close to their experimental corrosion inhibition efficiencies. The experimental data obtained fits the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The negative sign of the E_HOMO values and other thermodynamic parameters obtained indicates that the data obtained supports physical adsorption mechanism. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2010     

Binary mixed micelles of chiral sodium undecenyl leucinate and achiral sodium undecenyl sulfate: I. Characterization and application as pseudostationary phases in micellar electrokinetic chromatography

Sodium 10-undecenyl sulfate (SUS), sodium 10-undecenyl leucinate (SUL) and their five different mixed micelles at varied percent mole ratios were prepared. The critical micelle concentration (CMC), C₂₀, γ_CMC, partial specific volume, methylene group selectivity, mobilities and elution window were determined using a variety of analytical techniques. These surfactant systems were then evaluated as novel pseudostationary phases in micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC). As a commonly used pseudostationary phase in MEKC, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was also evaluated. The CMC values of SUS and SUL were found to be 26 and 16 mM, respectively, whereas the CMC of mixed surfactants was found to be very similar to that of SUL. The C₂₀ values decreased dramatically as the concentration of SUL is increased in the mixed micelle. An increase in SUL content gradually increased the methylene group selectivity making the binary mixed surfactants more hydrophobic. Linear solvation energy relationships (LSERs) and free energy of transfer studies were also applied to predict the selectivity differences between the surfactant systems. The cohesiveness and the hydrogen bond acidic character of the surfactant systems were found to have the most significant influence on selectivity and MEKC retention. The SUS and SDS showed the strongest while SUL showed the weakest hydrogen bond donating capacity. The basicity, interaction with n and π-electrons of the solute and dipolarity/polarizability were the least significant factors in LSER model for the surfactant systems studied. Free energies of transfer of selected functional groups in each surfactant systems were also calculated and found to be in good agreement with the LSER data.     

Operational extended model formulations for Advanced Planning and Scheduling systems

Since the basic reasoning of Manufacturing Resources Planning (MRPII) systems is flawed, a new breed of concepts called Advanced Planning and Scheduling systems (APS) have recently emerged to overcome the problems occurring on the shop floor. In this study, we develop improved and extended mixed integer programming formulations for APS systems at the factory planning level. First, we develop a basic model which explicitly considers capacity constraints, operation sequences, processing times, and due dates in a multi-machine, multi-order, multi-item environment where an item can be processed on a given set of eligible machines. The extensions to the basic model include sequence dependent setups, and transfer times between machines. We also show that our model with a little modification could be used to quote delivery times for customer orders in case due dates are not specified. We provide numerical examples and our conclusions along with future research directions.     

Approximation of analytical functions by k-positive linear operators in the closed domain

This work treats the problem of convergence for the sequences of linear \(k\) -positive operators on a space of functions that are analytic in a closed domain. By convergence in this space, we mean a uniform convergence in a closed domain that contains the original domain strictly inside itself, while the linear \(k\) -positive operators are naturally associated with Faber polynomials related to the considered domain. Until now, this problem has been solved in the space of functions analytic in an open bounded domain with the topology of compact convergence.     

Chloro-Bridged Dimeric Cadmium(II)-Isothiocyanate Complex with a Tridentate NNN Type Ligand: Synthesis,X-ray Structure,Thermal Analysis

Abstract  

The dinuclear cadmium(II) complex with 2,6-bis(3,4,5-trimethyl-N-pyrazolyl)pyridine (btmpp) has been synthesized, and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, IR, UV–Vis and TGA–DTA methods. Cd atoms are located in a distorted octahedral environment in the complex. The complex crystalizes in monoclinic space group C 2/c, with unit cell dimensions a = 20.5636(12) Å, b = 14.0167(13) Å, c = 15.6598(11) Å, β = 113.425(5)o, V = 4141.7(5) Å³. There are two intermolecular and a intramolecular hydrogen bonds interactions in crystal.     

Functional Stabilization of Cellulase from Aspergillus niger by Conjugation with Dextran-aldehyde

The covalent conjugates of cellulase from Aspergillus niger were prepared with various molar ratios by using dextran. The conjugate (n_E/n_D: 1/5) showed higher activity than purified enzyme at all temperatures after 1 h of incubation and its activity could also be measured at higher temperature. Also, this conjugate lost only 60% activity in 2 h at 70°C in comparison to the purified enzyme, which lost all its activity. In addition, conjugation protected cellulase against denaturation in the presence of sodium dodecylsulfate (residual activity of about 80%) and inactivation by air bubbles (residual activity of about 50% for 4 h).     

Effect of conjugated core building block dibenzo[a,c]phenazine unit on π‐conjugated electrochromic polymers: Red‐shifted absorption

A comparative investigation was undertaken for the electrosynthesis and electrochemical properties of three different electroactive polymers having a conjugated core building block, dibenzo[a,c]phenazine. A series of monomers has been synthesized as regards to thiophene based units; thiophene, 3‐hexyl thiophene, and 3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene. The effects of different donor substituents on the polymers' electrochemical properties were examined by cyclic voltammetry. Introducing highly electron‐donating (ethylene dioxy) group to the monomer enables solubility while also lowering the oxidation potential. The planarity of the monomer unit enhances π‐stacking and consequently lowering the E_g from 2.4 eV (PHTP) to 1.7 (PTBP). Cyclic voltammetry and spectroelectrochemical measurements revealed that 2,7‐bis(4‐hexylthiophen‐2‐yl)dibenzo[a,c]phenazine (HTP) and 2,7‐bis(2,3‐dihydrothieno[3,4‐b][1,4]dioxin‐5‐yl)dibenzo[a,c]phenazine (TBP) possessed electrochromic behavior. The colorimetry analysis revealed that while PTBP have a color change from red to blue, PHTP has yellow color at neutral state and blue color at oxidized state. Hence the presence of the phenazine derivative as the acceptor unit causes a red shift in the polymers' absorption to have a blue color. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 1714–1720, 2010     

GC–MS characterisation and antibacterial activity evaluation of Nigella sativa oil against diverse strains of Salmonella

Salmonella resistance is becoming a worldwide serious health issue in these days; therefore, it is an urgent need to develop some alternative approaches to overcome this problem. Twenty bacterial strains were isolated and purified from different environmental sources and confirmed as Salmonella by morphological and biochemical analyses. Further confirmation was done by 16s rRNA sequencing. Antibiotic susceptibility test was performed by well diffusion assay against different concentrations of Ceftriaxone and Ciprofloxacin. The behaviour of both antibiotics was different against diverse strains of Salmonella. Salmonella strains resistant to both antibiotics were analysed for antibacterial activity of natural extracts of Nigella sativa (black seeds). N. sativa oil was found to be more effective against Salmonella species for which even Ceftriaxone and Ciprofloxacin were ineffective. Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry analysis of N. sativa oil was also accomplished, exhibiting 10 compounds including thymoquinone, p-cymene, cis-carveol, thymol, α-phellandrene, α-pinene, β-pinene, trans-anethole, α-longipinene and longifolene.