Surface Characterization of Sepiolite by Inverse Gas Chromatography

Inverse gas chromatography (IGC) was applied to characterize the surface of sepiolite. The adsorption thermodynamic parameters (the standard enthalpy (ΔH ⁰), entropy (ΔS ⁰) and free energy of adsorption (ΔG ⁰)), the dispersive component of the surface energy (γ _S ^d ), and the acid/base character of sepiolite surface were estimated by using the retention time of different non-polar and polar probes at infinite dilution region. The specific free energy of adsorption (ΔG ^sp ), the specific enthalpy of adsorption (ΔH ^sp ), and the specific entropy of adsorption (ΔS ^sp ) of polar probes on sepiolite were determined. ΔH ^sp were correlated with the donor and modified acceptor numbers of the probes to quantify the acidic K _A and the basic K _D parameters of the sepiolite surface. The values obtained for the parameters K _A and K _D indicated an acidic character for sepiolite surface.     

Novel dye-attached macroporous films for cadmium, zinc and lead sorption: Alkali Blue 6B-attached macroporous poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)

Alkali Blue 6B-attached poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (poly(HEMA)) microporous films were investigated as chelate forming sorbents for heavy metal removal. Poly(HEMA) microporous films were prepared by UV-initiated photo-polymerization of HEMA in the presence of an initiator (azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN)). Alkali Blue 6B was attached covalently. These films with a swelling ratio of 58%, and carrying 14.8 mmol Alkali Blue 6B m(-2) which were then used in the removal of Cd(II), Zn(II) and Pb(II) from aqueous media. Adsorption rates were very high, equilibrium was achieved in about 30 min. The maximum adsorption of heavy metal ions onto the Alkali Blue 6B-attached films were 41.4 mmol m(-2) for Cd(II), 52.4 mmol m(-2) for Zn(II), and 64.5 mmol m(-2) for Pb(II). When the heavy metal ions competed during the adsorption from a mixture the adsorption values for Cd(II), Zn(II) and Pb(II) were quite close. Heavy metal ions were desorbed by using 0.1 M HNO(3). A significant amount of the adsorbed heavy metal ions (up to 95%) could be desorbed in 30 min. Repeated adsorption/desorption cycles showed the feasibility of these novel dye-attached microporous films for heavy metal removal.     

Dioxomolybdenum(VI) complexes of 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde 4-phenyl-S-methylthiosemicarbazone

Mixed ligand complexes of dioxomolybdenum(VI) with 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde 4-phenyl-S-methylthiosemicarbazone (H₂L) were prepared with the formula [MoO₂(L)D] (D = H₂O, methyl, n-butyl, and n-undecyl alcohol, DMF, DMSO, pyridine, 4-picoline, and 3,5-lutidine). The compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, IR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The thermal decomposition of the compounds were investigated by using TGA, DTG, and DTA methods in air, and the thermal behavior depending on the second ligand molecule was discussed. A single crystal of the DMF coordinated complex was studied by X-ray diffractometry. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Nonequilibrium synthesis and assembly of hybrid inorganic-protein nanostructures using an engineered DNA binding protein

We show that a protein with no intrinsic inorganic synthesis activity can be endowed with the ability to control the formation of inorganic nanostructures under thermodynamically unfavorable (nonequilibrium) conditions, reproducing a key feature of biological hard-tissue growth and assembly. The nonequilibrium synthesis of Cu(2)O nanoparticles is accomplished using an engineered derivative of the DNA-binding protein TraI in a room-temperature precursor electrolyte. The functional TraI derivative (TraIi1753::CN225) is engineered to possess a cysteine-constrained 12-residue Cu(2)O binding sequence, designated CN225, that is inserted into a permissive site in TraI. When TraIi1753::CN225 is included in the precursor electrolyte, stable Cu(2)O nanoparticles form, even though the concentrations of [Cu(+)] and [OH(-)] are at 5% of the solubility product (K(sp,Cu2O)). Negative control experiments verify that Cu(2)O formation is controlled by inclusion of the CN225 binding sequence. Transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction reveal a core-shell structure for the nonequilibrium nanoparticles: a 2 nm Cu(2)O core is surrounded by an adsorbed protein shell. Quantitative protein adsorption studies show that the unexpected stability of Cu(2)O is imparted by the nanomolar surface binding affinity of TraIi1753::CN225 for Cu(2)O (K(d) = 1.2 x 10(-)(8) M), which provides favorable interfacial energetics (-45 kJ/mol) for the core-shell configuration. The protein shell retains the DNA-binding traits of TraI, as evidenced by the spontaneous organization of nanoparticles onto circular double-stranded DNA.     

Synthesis and biological activity of new 2-amino-4-[3-methyl-3-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2-naphthyl)cyclobutyl]thiazole derivatives

2-Amino-4-[3-methyl-3-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2-naphthyl)cyclobutyl]thiazole was synthesized by reaction of 1-methyl-1-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2-naphthyl)-3-chloroacetylcyclobutane with thiourea in ethanol, and its subsequent transformations afforded new derivatives which were tested in vitro for antibacterial activity against some bacteria using the disk diffusion technique.__________From Zhurnal Organicheskoi Khimii, Vol. 40, No. 12, 2004, pp. 1861–1865.Original English Text Copyright © 2004 by Koparr, Cansz, Ahmedzade.The original article was submitted in English.     

Removal of methyl violet from aqueous solution by perlite

The use of perlite for the removal of methyl violet from aqueous solutions at different concentration, pH, and temperature has been investigated. Adsorption equilibrium is reached within 1 h. The capacity of perlite samples for the adsorption of methyl violet was found to increase with increasing pH and temperature and decrease with expansion and increasing acid-activation. The adsorption isotherms are described by means of the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The adsorption isotherm was measured experimentally at different conditions and the experimental data were correlated reasonably well by the adsorption isotherm of Langmuir. The order of heat of adsorption corresponds to a physical reaction. It is concluded that the methyl violet is physically adsorbed onto the perlite. The removal efficiency (P) and dimensionless separation factor (R) have shown that perlite can be used for removal of methyl violet from aqueous solutions, but unexpanded perlite is more effective.     

Synthesis, characterization, catalytic, electrochemical and thermal properties of tetradentate Schiff base complexes

In this study, the Schiff base ligands H₂L¹–H₂L³ and their Cu^II, Co^II, Ni^II, Fe^III Ru^III and VO^IV complexes have been prepared and characterized by spectroscopic and analytical techniques. All the complexes are mononuclear. Keto-enol tautomeric forms of the ligands have been investigated in polar and apolar solvents. The ligands favor the keto-form in the C₇H₈ and C₆H₁₄. The C–C coupling reaction of the 2,6-di-t-butylphenol has been investigated by the Co^II and Cu^II complexes. Thermal properties of the complexes have been assessed using thermal techniques and similar properties were found. In the Fe^III and Ru^III complexes, firstly, the coordinated water molecule is lost from the complex; in the second step, the chloride ion leaves the molecule in the 300–350 °C temperature range. Finally, the complexes decompose to the appropriate metal oxide at the higher temperature ranges. The electrochemical properties of the complexes have been studied in the two different solvents (DMF and CH₃CN).     

Determination of heavy metal concentration in feed and permeate streams of polymer enhanced ultrafiltration process

Polymer enhanced ultrafiltration (PEUF) is a newly developed method for the removal of heavy metals from aqueous solutions. This method was applied for the removal of mercury and cadmium with the presence of polyethyleneimine (PEI) as a water soluble polymer. After ultrafiltration experiments for metal–polymer mixtures, two separate streams, namely, retentate and permeate, former of which contains mainly metal–polymer complex and free polymer molecules while latter of which mainly contains free metal ions, were obtained. At the end of PEUF experiments, performance of operation was determined by concentration analyses which was achieved by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) applied in a different way for permeate and retentate streams considering the effect of presence of polymer. For mercury analysis, cold vapor AAS was applied. It was observed that the presence of PEI did not affect the atomic absorption signal when 10% HCl was added to the sample solutions. For calcium and cadmium, flame AAS was used. It was observed that change in PEI concentration results in change in measured concentration of calcium and cadmium. Therefore, two new approaches were developed for accurate measurement of concentrations of calcium and cadmium. It was also observed that presence of other metals did not affect the accuracy of the measurement of a particular metal in the concentration range studied.     

Hierarchical structure of the energy landscape of proteins revisited by time series analysis. I. Mimicking protein dynamics in different time scales

Time series models, which are constructed from the projections of the molecular-dynamics (MD) runs on principal components (modes), are used to mimic the dynamics of two proteins: tendamistat and immunity protein of colicin E7 (ImmE7). Four independent MD runs of tendamistat and three independent runs of ImmE7 protein in vacuum are used to investigate the energy landscapes of these proteins. It is found that mean-square displacements of residues along the modes in different time scales can be mimicked by time series models, which are utilized in dividing protein dynamics into different regimes with respect to the dominating motion type. The first two regimes constitute the dominance of intraminimum motions during the first 5 ps and the random walk motion in a hierarchically higher-level energy minimum, which comprise the initial time period of the trajectories up to 20-40 ps for tendamistat and 80-120 ps for ImmE7. These are also the time ranges within which the linear nonstationary time series are completely satisfactory in explaining protein dynamics. Encountering energy barriers enclosing higher-level energy minima constrains the random walk motion of the proteins, and pseudorelaxation processes at different levels of minima are detected in tendamistat, depending on the sampling window size. Correlation (relaxation) times of 30-40 ps and 150-200 ps are detected for two energy envelopes of successive levels for tendamistat, which gives an overall idea about the hierarchical structure of the energy landscape. However, it should be stressed that correlation times of the modes are highly variable with respect to conformational subspaces and sampling window sizes, indicating the absence of an actual relaxation. The random-walk step sizes and the time length of the second regime are used to illuminate an important difference between the dynamics of the two proteins, which cannot be clarified by the investigation of relaxation times alone: ImmE7 has lower-energy barriers enclosing the higher-level energy minimum, preventing the protein to relax and letting it move in a random-walk fashion for a longer period of time.