Elemental distribution in breast tissue samples using X-ray fluorescence microtomography

Summary The X-ray fluorescence microtomography (XRFMT) is a non-destructive technique, based on the detection of X-ray fluorescence emitted by the elements in the sample, and it is used to complement other techniques for sample characterization. In this work some tissues of human breast (healthy tissue, benign tumor and malignant tumor) have been analyzed in order to verify the efficiency of the system in the determination of the elemental distribution in these types of samples. The experiments were performed at the X-ray fluorescence beam line (D09B-XRF) of the Brazilian Synchrotron Light Source (LNLS), Campinas, Brazil. A white beam was used for the excitation of the elements and an HPGe detector detected the fluorescence photons. The incident beam was monitored by an ionization chamber and a fast scintillator detector was used to detect the transmitted radiation. All the tomographies have been reconstructed using a filtered-back projection algorithm. In the tissues samples, the elements of higher concentration were Zn, Cu and Fe.     

Interaction of indigo carmine dye with chitosan evaluated by adsorption and thermochemical data

Chitosan can use its protonated amine groups to adsorb strongly anionic species from diluted solutions. In this work, adsorption and thermochemical data on the interaction of the dye indigo carmine with chitosan in aqueous medium were found, in order to obtain new adsorption data on this relatively unexplored chitosan field. The studies were carried out by the batch method from 35 to 50 degrees C. The adsorption results were well fitted to both Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models. The increase in the temperature decreased the adsorption of the dye. The enthalpy of interaction, when a monolayer of the dye was formed on the chitosan surface, delta(int)H, of -23.2 kJ mol(-1) was encountered for all temperature ranges studied. The spontaneity of the interaction is indicated by the delta(int)G values from -9.1 to -8.2 kJ mol(-1). Other thermodynamic quantities were also calculated and are discussed.