Methyl cellulose-based edible films and coatings I. Effect of plasticizer content on water and 1-octen-3-ol sorption and transport

Edible films were prepared from methyl cellulose with various concentrations of poly(ethylene glycol) 400 (PEG400) used as a plasticizer. Water vapour and 1-octen-3-ol (an aroma compound) were selected as hydrophilic and hydrophobic volatile penetrants respectively. Their solubility and permeability through methyl cellulose-based edible films were studied using gas chromatography methods. Whatever penetrant was used, the flux increased with the PEG400 content. Transfer behaviour, i.e., the order of increased magnitude of the transfer rate, strongly depends on the nature of the volatile compound. However, water sorption only depends on the PEG400 content whereas the aroma compound sorption is affected by both the water and the PEG400 concentrations. Relationships between solubility and permeability can be partially explained by the plasticization phenomenon.     

Photocatalytic TiO2 Coatings: Effect of Substrate and Template

Summary. Transparent TiO₂ films with a high photodegradation activity towards an azo dye in aqueous solution were prepared by sol–gel processing. Films on soda–lime glass supports protected with a thin silica barrier layer exhibited better crystallization and monodisperse nanoparticles, higher absorption of light below 370 nm, and higher photocatalytic activity than those films deposited on bare glass supports proving the detrimental effect of interdiffused sodium ions on the development of the anatase nanostructure. The effect of substrate was more pronounced in thinner films (300 nm) than in thicker ones (1200 nm), which were achieved by adding a template (i.e. Pluronic F127) to the sol.     

Theoretical studies on the conformation of saccharides

Conformations of 2-methoxytetrahydropyran as a model for the six-membered ring in aldopyranosides have been calculated by the PCILO method using the algorithm of the conjugated gradient to optimize the geometry. The calculated geometry of the fourteen basic forms of 2-methoxytetrahydropyran was found to be in agreement with the available data obtained by X-ray diffraction of pyranosides. The results indicate differences in the geometry of 2-methoxytetrahydropyran resulting from the change of the axial vs. equatorial position of the methoxyl group. These changes are particularly meaningful in the values of bond angles and they are in agreement with the anomeric and exoanomeric effects. The experimentally found differences in the energies of an axial (⁴ C ₁) and equatorial (¹ C ₄) conformer, G = 2.9–3.7 kJ/mol, and the dipole moment, = 1.20 ± 0.05 D (1D = 3.33 10^–30mAs) agree well with the calculated values E = 3.18 kJ/mol and <> = 1.18 D which, in turn, suggest that the axial conformer is preferred over the equatorial one by a ratio a:e = 78:22.     

Competitive adsorption and desorption of a bi-solute mixture: effect of activated carbon type

This study aims to clarify the effects of carbon activation type and physical form on the extent of adsorption capacity and desorption capacity of a bi-solute mixture of phenol and 2-chlorophenol (2-CP). For this purpose, two different PACs; thermally activated Norit SA4 and chemically activated Norit CA1, and their granular countertypes with similar physical characteristics, thermally activated Norit PKDA and chemically activated Norit CAgran, were used. The thermally activated carbons were better adsorbers for phenol and 2-CP compared with chemically activated carbons, but adsorption was more reversible in the latter case. 2-CP was adsorbed preferentially by each type of activated carbon, but adsorption of phenol was strongly suppressed in the presence of 2-CP. The simplified ideal adsorbed solution (SIAS) model underestimated the 2-CP loadings and overestimated the phenol loadings. However, the improved and modified forms of the SIAS model could better predict the competitive adsorption. The type of carbon activation was decisive in the application of these models. For each activated carbon type, phenol was desorbed more readily in the bi-solute case, but desorption of 2-CP was less compared with single-solute. This was attributed to higher energies of 2-CP adsorption.     

Flow injection analysis : Part VI. The determination of phosphate and chloride in blood serum by dialysis and sample dilution

The rapid determination of chloride and inorganic phosphate in blood serum based on continuous flow spectrophotometry was adapted to Flow Injection Analysis by applying dialysis as well as differential dilution of the injected samples. In addition to the manual injection procedure, an automated microsampling unit was developed and used. By continuous dialysis, chloride could be determined reproducibly at a sampling rate of 125 samples per hour at sample volumes of 60 μl or less. A similar sampling rate and high precision were obtained for the determination of inorganic phosphate by using differential dilution.     

Flow injection analysis. principles,applications and trends

The basic principles of Flow Injection Analysis are outlined. The parameters governing the dispersion of the injected sample zone in the system are discussed, and it is demonstrated how these parameters can be manipulated in order to suit the requirements of an individual analytical procedure. A number of examples illustrating the practical application of f.i.a. are described, comprising the use of automated, stopped-flow, merging-zones, extraction techniques as well as f.i.a. scanning and methods based on intermittent pumping. Updated lists on f.i.a. procedures published and species that can be determined by f.i.a. are included.     

Synthesis and polymerization of racemic and optically active β-substituted β-propiolactones. II: β-monosubstituted and β-disubstituted monomers and polymers with different optical purities

β-(trichloromethyl)-β-propiolactone (CCl₃-PL), β-(trifluoromethyl,methyl)-β-propiolactone (CF₃, Me-PL) and β-(trifluoromethyl,ethyl)-β-propiolactone (CF₃,Et-PL) have been obtained by the reaction of ketene with chloral, 1,1,1-trifluoroacetone and 1,1,1-trifluorobutanone, respectively. Chiral catalysis lead to optically active monomers. The enantiomeric excess of the lactones has been measured by ¹H-NMR spectroscopy, in the presence of 2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(9-anthryl)ethanol or an europium chiral shift reagent. Polymerizations have been carried out in bulk or in toluene, at 60°C or 80°C, using mainly organometallic initiators. The Polymers become insoluble and crystalline at enantiomeric excesses over 80% for CCl₃-PL and 70% for CF₃,Me-PL. Melting temperatures were recorded from 238 to 268°C for poly(CCl₃-PL) and from 78 to 100°C for poly(CF₃,Me-PL), depending upon the molecular weight and the enantiomeric excess. The ¹³C-NMR specroscopy of poly(CCL₃-PL) indicates that the polymerization of the corresponding lactone leads to polymers of increasing degrees of isotacticity with the enantiomeric excess of the monomer.     

Laser studies of vibrational energy transfer and relaxation of CO trapped in solid neon and argon

The infrared emission of CO trapped in solid Ne and Ar is observed at low temperature. The first vibrational level of ¹²C¹⁶O is excited by a Q-switched frequency doubled CO₂ laser. The emission spectrum consists of several lines arising from upper vibrational levels of ¹²C¹⁶O and also of ¹³C¹⁶O and ¹²C¹⁸O which are present in natural abundance. An interpretation is proposed which is based on the assumption that long range dipole—dipole interaction is the main physical process involved in these experiments. Resonance energy transfer produces an energy migration among ¹²C¹⁶O molecules without any change in vibrational populations. Phonon assisted energy transfer takes place between vibrational levels of the various isotopic species present in the solution. In order to satisfy the resonance condition a phonon is emitted or absorbed whose energy compensates for the energy mismatch between the transitions in each interacting molecule due to isotopic effect and or vibrational anharmonicity. The range of this process is greatly extended by energy migration. At the low phonon bath temperature phonon emission is much more probable than phonon absorption. So a strong excitation of upper vibrational levels with in some cases population inversions is observed.Molecular impurities act as efficient quenching centers even at very low concentration. When highly purified samples are used, the fluorescence decay time is found to be 20.6 ms in Ne and 14.5 ms in Ar and does not significantly depend upon concentration and temperature. It is concluded that radiationless relaxation is unimportant.     

The first decade of flow injection analysis: from serial assay to diagnostic tool

Some 804 papers on flow injection analysis published to the end of May 1985 are summarized. Past trends are discussed and new developments are briefly outlined.The paper entitled “Flow Injection Analysis. Part 1. A New Concept of Fast Continuous Flow Analysis” [1], which appeared in August 1975, was the first of some 804 papers [1/2-804] published on flow injection analysis (f.i.a.) during the past ten years. In the present contribution, all these papers are collected to record the status quo of the general method and to reveal the present trends in applications of f.i.a. and in the geographical distribution of the research activities. Important concepts and technological innovations are reviewed and the future development of f.i.a. is briefly outlined.     

Photocatalytic TiO2 Coatings: Effect of Substrate and Template

Transparent TiO₂ films with a high photodegradation activity towards an azo dye in aqueous solution were prepared by sol–gel processing. Films on soda–lime glass supports protected with a thin silica barrier layer exhibited better crystallization and monodisperse nanoparticles, higher absorption of light below 370 nm, and higher photocatalytic activity than those films deposited on bare glass supports proving the detrimental effect of interdiffused sodium ions on the development of the anatase nanostructure. The effect of substrate was more pronounced in thinner films (300 nm) than in thicker ones (1200 nm), which were achieved by adding a template (i.e. Pluronic F127) to the sol.