Kinetic Spectrophotometric Determination of Chromium (VI) by Oxidation of Sodium Pyrogallol-5-sulphonate by Hydrogen Peroxide

A new selective, sensitive, and simple kinetic method is developed for the determination of trace amounts of chromium (VI). The method is based on the catalytic effect of Cr(VI) on the reaction of sodium pyrogallol-5-sulphonate (PS) with hydrogen peroxide. The reaction is followed spectrophotometrically by tracing the oxidation product at 437nm within 1min after addition of H₂O₂. The optimum reaction conditions are PS (1.32·10^–3mol·dm^–3), H₂O₂ (0.32mol·dm^–3), HClO₄ (2.6·10^–3mol·dm^–3) at 25°C. Following this procedure, chromium (VI) can be determined with a linear calibration graph up to 0.25ng·cm^–3 and a detection limit of 0.024ng·cm^–3, based on the 3 criterion. The interference effect of several species was also investigated and it was found that the most common cations and anions do not interfere with the determination. The developed procedure was successfully applied to the determination of Cr(VI) and total Cr in river waters and total Cr in herbal samples.     

A new coordination mode of 6‐methylnicotinic acid in trans‐tetraaquabis(6‐methylpyridine‐3‐carboxylato‐κO)cobalt(II) tetrahydrate

The title compound, [Co(C₇H₆NO₂)₂(H₂O)₄]·4H₂O, contains a Co^II ion lying on a crystallographic inversion centre. The Co^II ion is octahedrally coordinated by two 6‐methylpyridine‐3‐carboxylate ligands in axial positions [Co—O = 2.0621 (9) Å] and by four water molecules in the equatorial plane [Co—O = 2.1169 (9) and 2.1223 (11) Å]. There are also four uncoordinated water molecules. The 6‐methylpyridine‐3‐carboxylate ligands are bound to the Co^II ion in a monodentate manner through a carboxylate O atom. There is one strong intramolecular O—H...O hydrogen bond, and six strong intermolecular hydrogen bonds of type O—H...O and one of type O—H...N in the packing, resulting in a complex three‐dimensional supramolecular structure.     

Mercury(II) Compounds with 1,3-Benzothiazole-2-thione. Spectral, Thermal, and Crystal Structure Studies

Mercury(II) halides, HgX₂ (X = Cl^–, Br^–, I^–) react with 1,3-benzothiazole-2-thione (btztH) in methanol solutions giving the HgX₂(btztH) and HgX₂(btztH)₂ types of compounds. Mercury(II) acetate gives the thiolato compound Hg(btzt)₂ because of the deprotonation of btztH. Hg(btzt)₂ reacts with 2,2-bipyridine (bipy) giving a 1:1 complex. IR, ¹H, and ¹³C NMR spectral studies indicate that btztH acts as a monodenatate ligand through the S thione donor atom in all complexes. The X-ray crystal structure determinations of [HgI₂(btztH)]₂, HgBr₂(btztH)₂, Hg(btzt)₂, and Hg(btzt)₂(bipy) have been carried out revealing tetrahedrally coordinated mercury atom in [HgI₂(btztH)]₂ and HgBr₂(btztH)₂, while in Hg(btzt)₂(bipy) 2 + 2 coordination is achieved through strong Hg (N(bipy) contacts. A linear coordination in Hg(btzt)₂ is not affected by the Hg N contacts, which are longer than in Hg(btzt)₂(bipy), but still shorter than the van der Waals sum of mercury and nitrogen covalent radii. [HgI₂(btztH)]₂ exists as centrosymmetrical dimer with a Hg₂I₂ bridging core. The dimeric molecules are linked by the intermolecular hydrogen bonds between the terminal iodine atom and the NH group [3.63(1) Å] into infinite chains along the z-axis. There are N–H Br(bridging) intermolecular hydrogen bonds in HgBr₂(btztH)₂ joining molecules into endless chains along the x-axis. The Br(bridging) atom acts as double proton acceptor and two NH groups as proton donors [NH Br(bridging) 3.278(9) and 3.338(7) Å]. The mercury to sulfur and mercury to halogen bond distances in [HgI₂(btztH)]₂ and HgBr₂(btztH)₂ are discussed in relation to the analogous compounds, revealing strong influence of hydrogen bonds on their relative strengths as well as crystal packing requirements of the ligand. The sulfur and halogen atoms are more tightly bound to mercury implicating severe distortion of the coordination polyhedron in the structures in which they do not take part in hydrogen bonds formation. The influence of steric requirements of the ligands in Hg(btzt)₂ and Hg(btzt)₂(bipy) on the distortion of the mercury coordination polyhedra accompanied with the relative strength of Hg N contacts is considered.     

Kinetic Determination of Iodide Traces Based on the Manganese(III) Metaphosphate–Arsenic(III) Reaction in the Presence of Orthophosphoric Acid

The kinetics of the iodide-catalyzed Mn(III) metaphosphate–As(III) reaction was studied in the presence of orthophosphoric acid. The reaction rate was followed spectrophotometrically at 516nm. It was established that orthophosphoric acid increased the reaction rate and that the extent of the non-catalytic reaction was extremely small. A kinetic equation was postulated and the apparent rate constant calculated. The dependence of the reaction rate on temperature was investigated and the energy of activation and other kinetic parameters determined. Iodide was determined under the optimal experimental conditions in the range 0.6–2.5ng·mL^–1 with a relative standard deviation of up to 6.7% and a detection limit of 0.12ngmL^–1. The effect of foreign ions on the accuracy of the determinations was also investigated.     

Uncertainty analysis of the microtiter plate method for determining trypsin inhibitor activity

Protease inhibitor activity is frequently measured in legume seeds as protease inhibitors are thought to have anti-nutritional as well as anti-carcinogenic properties. Trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA) can be measured using different methods. The microtiter plate method is very convenient and routinely used; therefore, in this study, we analyzed the measurement uncertainty of the microtiter plate method to understand what affects the measurement results, as well as to compare TIA values obtained by similar and different methods. For uncertainty analysis of TIA measurement, we used the soybean variety ‘Vojvodjanka,’ which is known to have TIA greater than 80 trypsin units inhibited (TUI) per mg of seed. We followed the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM) for our uncertainty analysis of the microtiter plate method for TIA testing, which we present in the form of an uncertainty budget. Absorbance measurement and preparation of sample reaction mixture took the largest percent (71 %) of overall uncertainty of TIA value. The TIA of soybean variety ‘Vojvodjanka’ was (94.1 ± 8.4) TUI/mg, and this result is consistent with those obtained by other authors. The microtiter plate method is a reliable method for TIA measurement, making seed quality testing more efficient.     

Tailoring Atomoxetine Release Rate from DLP 3D-Printed Tablets Using Artificial Neural Networks: Influence of Tablet Thickness and Drug Loading

Various three-dimensional printing (3DP) technologies have been investigated so far in relation to their potential to produce customizable medicines and medical devices. The aim of this study was to examine the possibility of tailoring drug release rates from immediate to prolonged release by varying the tablet thickness and the drug loading, as well as to develop artificial neural network (ANN) predictive models for atomoxetine (ATH) release rate from DLP 3D-printed tablets. Photoreactive mixtures were comprised of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) and poly(ethylene glycol) 400 in a constant ratio of 3:1, water, photoinitiator and ATH as a model drug whose content was varied from 5% to 20% (w/w). Designed 3D models of cylindrical shape tablets were of constant diameter, but different thickness. A series of tablets with doses ranging from 2.06 mg to 37.48 mg, exhibiting immediate- and modified-release profiles were successfully fabricated, confirming the potential of this technology in manufacturing dosage forms on demand, with the possibility to adjust the dose and release behavior by varying drug loading and dimensions of tablets. DSC (differential scanning calorimetry), XRPD (X-ray powder diffraction) and microscopic analysis showed that ATH remained in a crystalline form in tablets, while FTIR spectroscopy confirmed that no interactions occurred between ATH and polymers.     

Noncovalent functionalization of DNA-wrapped single-walled carbon nanotubes with platinum-based DNA cross-linkers

A method for noncovalent functionalization of DNA-wrapped single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) using platinum-based DNA cross-linkers is investigated. In particular, cisplatin and potassium tetrachloroplatinate are shown to bind to DNA that encapsulates SWNTs in aqueous solution. The bound platinum salt can then be reduced to decorate the DNA-encapsulated SWNTs with platinum nanoparticles. The resulting SWNT/DNA/Pt hybrids are investigated by optical absorption spectroscopy, circular dichroism spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The unique combination of catalytic activity of nanoscale platinum, biological functionality of DNA, and optoelectronic properties of SWNTs suggests a myriad of applications including fuel cells, catalysts, biosensors, and electrochemical devices.     

Excitation coefficients of O I (2p (4S)3p) level by electron and fast neutral swarms

In this work we present the spatial distributions and excitation coefficients for the level O I 2p³3s–2p³(4S⁰)3p (leading to λ = 777.4 nm transition), produced by dissociative excitation by electron swarms in oxygen. We used a simple parallel plate drift tube and obtained absolute emission intensities in a low-current self-sustained Townsend type discharge. The data were obtained between moderate E/N (E—electric field, N—gas density) where electrons are in equilibrium and very high E/N where electrons may not be in equilibrium with the field and where heavy particles may be the dominant contributor to the excitation. Even at moderate E/N heavy particle effects become considerable.     

Separation of plant viral satellite double-stranded RNA using high-performance liquid chromatography

High-performance liquid chromatography was developed for further separation of double-stranded (ds) RNAs obtained by CF-11 cellulose chromatography from plants infected with satellite associated cucumber mosaic virus. Fractions separated by monolithic polymer column, especially applicable for nucleic acid analyses, were identified electrophoretically and confirmed with a polymerase chain reaction test. Once standardized, the method has revealed clear evidence of satellite presence without precipitation and electrophoresis. According to demonstrated sensitivity, its application in the preliminary diagnostics of field samples is also predictable. Principally, it can be used as a powerful preparative approach resulting in highly pure satellite dsRNA for further analyses.     

Kinetic method for the determination of traces of thyroxine by its catalytic effect on the Mn(III) metaphosphate-As(III) reaction

A new, highly sensitive and simple kinetic method for the determination of thyroxine was proposed. The method was based on the catalytic effect of thyroxine on the oxidation of As(III) by Mn(III) metaphosphate. The kinetics of the reaction was studied in the presence of orthophosphoric acid. The reaction rate was followed spectrophotometrically at 516 nm. It was established that orthophosphoric acid increased the reaction rate and that the extent of the non-catalytic reaction was extremely small. A kinetic equation was postulated and the apparent rate constant was calculated. The dependence of the reaction rate on temperature was investigated and the energy of activation and other kinetic parameters were determined.

Thyroxine was determined under the optimal experimental conditions in the range 7.0 × 10⁻⁹ to 3.0 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹ with a relative standard deviation up to 6.7% and a detection limit of 2.7 × 10⁻⁹ mol L⁻¹. In the presence of 0.08 mol L⁻¹ chloride, the detection limit decreased to 6.6 × 10⁻¹⁰ mol L⁻¹. The proposed method was applied for the determination of thyroxine in tablets. The accuracy of the method was evaluated by comparison with the HPLC method.