Fast survey analysis of biomass by-product samples based on ICP optical emission spectra

Prehydrolysate samples from the acidic prehydrolysis of Eucalyptus wood residues were submitted to survey analysis by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) optical emission spectrometry (OES) based on the multicomponent and multiline techniques. The survey analysis software is designed to determine 64 elements. The semiquantitative data obtained for the unknown prehydrolysate samples provided fast and valuable information for the determination of important inorganic constituents (Al, B, Ba, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, S, Si, Sr, Zn, Co, Pb, Sn) for further utilisation of the prehydrolysate in the production of fertilisers, animal feed and furfural. To validate the survey analysis approach, the prehydrolysate samples were quantitatively analysed by the standard additions method. For the prehydrolysate samples the relative difference between the results obtained by both techniques was generally ± 25% for the majority of the elements, a typical value for the survey approach. Analyte recoveries in the spiked prehydrolysate samples analysed by the survey approach ranged from 95 to 125%. Independent replicates of prehydrolysate samples were measured over a 15-day period showing relative standard deviations of ≤ 4% for all elements, except for Zn (10%) and S (16%).     

Wave features of a hodograph-like transformation for quasilinear hyperbolic systems

We study the properties of a variables transformation for a 2×2 quasilinear hyperbolic nonhomogeneous system of first order, related to wave propagation. The considered variables transformation transforms characteristic curves of the original system, into characteristic curves of the transformed system. We make use of this property to study the propagation of weak discontinuities (acceleration waves) compatible with the quasilinear system (1.1). Finally a special class of rate-type media is considered and asymptotic solutions are investigated.

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Sommario Si studiano le proprietà di una trasformazione di variabili per un sistema quasilineare iperbolico del primo ordine non omogeneo. La trasformazione considerata trasforma curve caratteristiche del sistema originale in curve caratteristiche del sistema trasformato. Utilizzando queste proprietà si studia la propagazione delle onde di discontinuità (onde di accelerazione) compatibile con il sistema quasilineare iperbolico considerato e si cercano soluzioni asintotiche.

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This work was supported by the C.N.R. through the G.N.F.M. and partially under contract No. 88. 01855.01.     

Similarity analysis and exact solutions for a general discrete two-velocity model of Boltzmann equation

Summary This paper concerns with the similarity analysis for a general discrete two-velocity model of the Boltzmann equation introduced by Illner [12]. We find the general groups of invariance and we get some exact solutions, recovering general results which contain either solutions extensively described in the literature or undiscovered ones.

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Sommario In questa nota si applica l'analisi dei gruppi infinitesimi di trasformazione ad un modello generale discreto a due velocità dell'equazione di Boltzmann introdotto da Illner [12]. Si trovano i più generali gruppi di invarianza e si ottengono alcune soluzioni esatte, ritrovando risultati generali che contengono sia soluzioni ampiamente descritte in letteratura che nuove soluzioni.

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Work supported by the C.N.R. through the G.N.F.M.     

Sodium β-Diketonate Glyme Adducts as Precursors for Fluoride Phases: Synthesis,Characterization and Functional Validation

Very few sodium complexes are available as precursors for the syntheses of sodium-based nanostructured materials. Herein, the diglyme, triglyme, and tetraglyme (CH₃O(CH₂CH₂O)_nCH₃, n = 2–4) adducts of sodium hexafluoroacetylacetonate were synthesized in a single-step reaction and characterized by IR spectroscopy, ¹H, and ¹³C NMR. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies provide evidence of the formation of the ionic oligomeric structure [Na₄(hfa)₆]²⁻•2[Na(diglyme₂]⁺ when the diglyme is coordinated, while a mononuclear seven-coordinated complex Na(hfa)•tetraglyme is formed with the tetraglyme. Reaction with the monoglyme (CH₃OCH₂CH₂OCH₃) does not occur, and the unadducted polymeric structure [Na(hfa)]_n forms, while the triglyme gives rise to a liquid adduct, Na(hfa)•triglyme•H₂O. Thermal analysis data reveal great potentialities for their applications as precursors in metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) and sol-gel processes. As a proof-of-concept, the Na(hfa)•tetraglyme adduct was successfully applied to both the low-pressure MOCVD and the sol-gel/spin-coating synthesis of NaF films.     

Reductions of Gauss–Codazzi Equations

We prove that conformally parameterized surfaces in Euclidean space of curvature c admit a symmetry reduction of their Gauss–Codazzi equations whose general solution is expressed with the sixth Painlevé function. Moreover, it is shown that the two known solutions of this type (Bonnet 1867, Bobenko et al. 1997) can be recovered by such a reduction.     

Auto-bäcklund transformation and analytic solutions in one dimensional carrier flow equations

We consider the simplified one dimensional PDE's governing the carrier flow in semi-conductor devices via the Painlevé analysis approach, and obtain analytic solutions.     

Wood cellulignin as an alternative matrix for enzyme immobilization

The objective of this work was to select an efficient methodology for preparing active samples of Candida rugosa lipase immobilized in wood cellulignin, to be applied in hydrolysis and ester reactions. For this purpose, lipase was immobilized in the matrix by physical adsorption (pure cellulignin) and covalent binding (activated cellulignin with glutaraldeyde or carbonyldiimidazole [CDI]) in the presence or absence of polyethylene glycol (PEG) (Molecular mass of 1500 Daltons) as stabilizing agent. The activating agent and the presence of PEG-1500 in the immobilization procedure showed a strong influence on enzyme retention in the support. The values for enzyme retention ranged from 20 to 68%, and the highest yield was obtained when the enzyme was immobilized in cellulignin activated with CDI in the presence of PEG-1500. This immobilized derivative presented high hydrolytic (193.27 μM/[mg·min]) and synthetic (522.92 μM/[g·min]) activities when compared with those obtained by other techniques. The superiority of this immobilized system was confirmed by additional analyses, such as infrared spectroscopy and elemental analysis, which demonstrated an appropriate enzyme fixation and the highest level of protein incorporation in the support. Further information on the immobilized derivative was obtained by assessing the recycle potential in both aqueous and nonaqueous media.