Matrix effects during phosphorus determination with quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

A quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer was evaluated for use in the detection of phosphorus. The influences of nitric acid and methanol (simulating the composition of a sample solution after nitric acid digestion) on phosphorus determination were studied using two different measuring methods at different plasma conditions: detection of phosphorus ions at m/z 31 and detection of phosphorus oxide ions at m/z 47. The existence of polyatomic interferences at m/z 31 and 47 was explored. Nitric acid and methanol are shown to be the sources of polyatomic ions and therefore cause poorer detection limits. Better detection limits were achieved in such matrices when phosphorus was detected as ³¹P⁺. The presence of methanol improves the system sensitivity towards phosphorus sevenfold; however, this positive effect is hindered by the high background signal due to carbon-based polyatomic ions. For samples with an organic matrix an appropriate mineralization procedure should be applied (high excess of nitric acid and high temperature) to quantitatively oxidize organic compounds to carbon dioxide, which is easily removed from the sample, in order to achieve correct results.     

Selectfluor F-TEDA-BF4 mediated and solvent directed iodination of aryl alkyl ketones using elemental iodine

Reactions of aryl alkyl ketones with methanol solution of elemental iodine and 1-fluoro-4-chloromethyl-1,4-diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane bis(tetrafluoroborate) (Selectfluor F-TEDA-BF4) result in the formation of corresponding alpha-iodo ketones, while switch over of the regioselectivity can be directed by using acetonitrile as the solvent and selective iodination of the aromatic site of target molecules is thus achieved.     

ETAAS determination of aluminium and copper in dialysis concentrates after microcolumn chelating ion-exchange preconcentration

A procedure was developed for the preconcentration and determination of aluminium and copper in dialysis concentrates at the ng cm^–3 level. The preconcentration was achieved on microcolumns filled with Chelex-100 resin adjusted to a pH of 4.0. Five repetitive cycles of the sample through the column ensured a sufficient contact time for quantitative retention of aluminium and copper ions. The retained ions were eluted with HNO₃ (0.5 mol dm^–3). Aluminium and copper were determined in the eluate by Zeeman ETAAS using the standard addition technique. The procedure was performed under clean room conditions (class 10,000), The reliability of the results was evaluated by recovery tests, using dialysis concentrates spiked with aluminium and copper. The recoveries obtained ranged from 86 to 106% for aluminium and from 92 to 97% for copper. Using the recommended procedure, the LOD of aluminium and copper in dialysis concentrates (preconcentration factor 2) was found to be 0.5 ng cm^–3 and 0.2 ng cm^–3, respectively. Received: 19 December 1997 / Revised: 10 March 1998 / Accepted: 28 March 1998     

Selective and effective fluorination of organic compounds in water using Selectfluor F-TEDA-BF4

[reaction: see text] Selective and effective fluorination of various types of organic compounds performed in water as the reaction medium using 1-chloromethyl-4-fluoro-1,4-diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane bis(tetrafluoroborate) (Selectfluor F-TEDA-BF4) is reported. 2-Naphthole and 2-methoxynaphthalene were thus transformed to 1,1-difluoro-2(1H)naphthalenone, estrone to 10beta-fluoro-1,4-estradien-3,17-dione, phenyl-substituted alkenes to vicinal fluorohydrins, and various ketones, 1,3-diketones, or beta-ketoesters to corresponding alpha-fluoro or alpha,alpha-difluoro ketones.     

Using variable and fixed topological indices for the prediction of reaction rate constants of volatile unsaturated hydrocarbons with OH radicals

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) play an important role in different photochemical processes in the troposphere. In order to predict their impact on ozone formation processes a detailed knowledge about their abundance in the atmosphere as well as their reaction rate constants is required. The QSPR models were developed for the prediction of reaction rate constants of volatile unsaturated hydrocarbons. The chemical structure was encoded by constitutional and topological indices. Multiple linear regression models using CODESSA software was developed with the RMS(CV) error of 0.119 log units.The chemical structure was encoded by six topological indices. Additionally, a regression model using a variable connectivity index was developed. It provided worse cross-validation results with an RMS(CV) error of 0.16 log units, but enabled a structural interpretation of the obtained model. We differentiated between three classes of carbon atoms: sp2-hybridized, non-allylic sp3-hybridized and allylic sp3-hybridized. The structural interpretation of the developed model shows that most probably the most important mechanisms are the addition to multiple bonds and the hydrogen atom abstraction at allylic sites.     

Flame retardant activity of SiO2-coated regenerated cellulose fibres

An alternative route to lower the flammability of viscose fibres is presented. Instead of adding a flame retardant to the viscose dope chemically, we have grown a layer of silica (SiO₂) on the surface of a regenerated cellulose fibre via a sol-gel process. One set of samples was used as-received, while the other was pre-treated in an 18% NaOH solution, giving a rough, etched surface to the fibre. The different surface morphology of both fibre types triggered a different growth of silica layers. On an untreated fibre, silica formed a 300-400 nm thick surface layer containing a high density of cracks and holes. Conversely, on a NaOH pre-treated fibre, the silica layer intruded into fibre interior, adhered more tightly to the fibre structure and formed an almost defect-free, thin (100 nm) layer on the outer fibre surface. This type of silica layer increased the temperature at which the fibre started to decompose by 20 °C. It also hindered significantly the flow of oxygen to the generated volatiles during the thermal decomposition, and increased the temperature of glowing combustion of the residual char; the temperature of the corresponding exothermic peaks increased by ca. 20 °C and 40 °C. In contrast, the thermal effects of silica coatings that grew on an untreated fibre were much smaller.     

Determination of jasmonic acid in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lemna minor</Emphasis> (L.) by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

A new method is described for the determination of endogenous jasmonic acid (JA) in Lemna minor plant extracts using liquid chromatography (LC) with fluorescence detection. Plant tissues were extracted and derivatised using 9-anthryldiazomethane (ADAM reagent) prepared in situ. Accuracy and precision were improved by using the internal standard dihydrojasmonic acid (dh-JA) for the correction of JA losses during sample preparation steps. Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC/MS) analysis of ADAM derivatives of JA and dh-JA confirmed that a single molecule of JA and dh-JA was coupled with one molecule of reagent. Derivatives of JA and dh-JA were separated with gradient elution on a C₁₈ reversed-phase column using acetonitrile/water as a mobile phase and detected by a fluorescence detector at excitation and emission wavelengths of 254 and 412 nm, respectively. The detection limits of JA and dh-JA were 2.9 ng mL⁻¹ and 3.7 ng mL⁻¹ per 50-μL injection. The method is reproducible and selective and yields single peaks for each compound regardless of isomer. The specificity and accuracy of the proposed LC/FD method was confirmed by liquid chromatography–TurboIon Spray tandem mass spectrometric (LC/MS/MS) analysis of free JA in Lemna minor samples under multiple reaction monitoring conditions.     

Synthesis of Carbon Quantum Dots Nanoparticles by Cyclic Voltammetry and Its Application as Methanol Tolerant Oxygen Reduction Reaction Electrocatalyst

Carbon quantum dot (CQD) nanoparticles are synthesized by one‐step electrochemical method, cyclic voltammetry (CV), at different potentials using graphite rods and NaOH/EtOH as electrolyte. The electro‐chemically manufactured CQD is characterized by Transmission electron microscopy, Ultra violet absorption, X‐ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. The morphology and microstructure methods confirm the formation of high quality CQD. Finally, we design a new gas diffusion electrode (GDE) based on CQD pasted on carbon paper for the oxygen reduction reaction at cathode side as methanol tolerance in direct methanol fuel cell and compared it with standard Pt‐C catalysts using cyclic voltammetry and linear sweep voltammetry. The ORR results in presence of methanol indicate that the GDE prepared from CQD exhibits methanol tolerance compared to the GDE prepared from Pt/C (Electrochem).     

A theoretical study of high-pressure-induced phases of LiAlH<Subscript>4</Subscript> using calculated NQCC parameters

Quadrupolar parameters of nuclei can be used as a tool to understand the electronic structure of compounds. Lithium alanate (LiAlH₄) is a potential hydrogen storage material because of its high capacity of 10.5 wt % H₂. However, the drawbacks of its dehydrogenation process are the relatively high temperatures and the slow dehydrogenation kinetics; furthermore, its reversibility is rather poor. Understanding the bonding nature of Al and H is essential for improving its dehydrogenation performance. In this work the charge density distribution in LiAlH₄ is studied. Thus using calculated nuclear quadrupole coupling constants of hydrogens (²H-NQCCs), the electronic structure of α-LiAlH₄ with high pressure forms of LiAlH₄, (β- and γ-LiAlH₄) were compared. The results show that easier condition for dehydrogenation is expected in β-LiAlH₄. Comparison of calculated dehydrogenation enthalpies of LiAlH₄ phases verifies this prediction. The electric field gradient (EFG) of quadrupolar nuclei were calculated to obtain NQCC parameters. All calculations performed using Gaussian 03 at B3LYP/6-31G* level of theory.