Nonlinear distortions in the current modulation of non-self-pulsing and weakly self-pulsing GaAs/GaAlAs injection lasers

Nonlinear distortion characteristics of GaAs/GaAlAs injection lasers under analog current modulation were experimentally investigated. In non-self-pulsing lasers, relaxation oscillation (R.O.) plays a heavy role in generating harmonic distortions, in good agreement with theory. Additional distortions generated by microwave mixing in weakly self-pulsing lasers make such lasers unacceptable for wideband analog transmissions unless suitable negative feedback is applied. With such measure taken, both fundamental and the harmonic responses of a self-pulsing laser is indistinguishable from that of a laser with no R.O. resonance.     

Contamination in food from packaging material

Packaging has become an indispensible element in the food manufacturing process, and different types of additives, such as antioxidants, stabilizers, lubricants, anti-static and anti-blocking agents, have also been developed to improve the performance of polymeric packaging materials. Recently the packaging has been found to represent a source of contamination itself through the migration of substances from the packaging into food. Various analytical methods have been developed to analyze the migrants in the foodstuff, and migration evaluation procedures based on theoretical prediction of migration from plastic food contact material were also introduced recently. In this paper, the regulatory control, analytical methodology, factors affecting the migration and migration evaluation are reviewed.     

Indirect conductimetric detection of amino acids after liquid chromatographic separation

A liquid chromatographic method using indirect conductimetric detection is proposed for the determination of low levels of organic compounds, which does not require any special functional characteristics of the analyte. The signal detected is proportional to the molar concentration of the analyte and independent of its nature. The detector response is linearly dependent on analyte concentrations over at least three orders of magnitude. The basis of the detection is to create a conducting background, which will decrease on elution of the organic compounds. The theory of the method is discussed, with special reference to the quantitative displacement of the conducting species of the mobile phase from the column by the analyte on sample injection. The proposed method has been applied to study the chromatographic behaviour of twenty-one amino acids, where a 5 -μm Econosil CN column was used as the stationary phase with a mixture of water-acetonitrile-tetrahydrofuran (70:20:3) containing 1 mM perchloric acid or trichloroacetic acid as the mobile phase. The proposed method allows as little as 10 ng of each amino acid to be determined.     

Synthesis and characterization of a new monomer with pendant hindered amine group

A new monomer, 1,2,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidinyl m-isopropenyl-α, α-dimethylbenzyl carbamate, was synthesized by direct addition of 1,2,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidinol to m-isopropenyl-α, α-dimethylbenzyl isocyanate in the presence of dibutyltin dilaurate catalyst at elevated temperatures. It was characterized by FT-IR, ¹H-NMR. MS, and elemental analysis. It is a potential hindered amine light stabilizer as it contains the 2,2,6,6-tetraalkylpiperidine moiety and its vinylic functionality makes it polymerizable.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic method with quantitative comparisons of whole chromatograms of raw and steamed Panax notoginseng

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method coupled with chromatographic pattern matching was developed to differentiate whole chromatograms of raw and steamed Panax notoginseng objectively and quantitatively. The major peaks differentiating chromatograms of raw and steamed samples were also identified for the first time in this herb. The raw and steamed P. notoginseng roots and its products were successfully differentiated. The quantitative differences between the chromatograms were correlated to the duration of steaming. Chromatographic pattern matching allows rapid, simple, automated, and quantitative comparisons of complex chromatograms. It is a useful tool in ensuring safety and quality of herbal products.