Development and Validation of a High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatographic Method,with Densitometry,for Quantitative Analysis of Tizoxanide (a Metabolite of Nitazoxanide) in Human Plasma

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - A new simple, rapid, and selective high-performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method with metronidazole as the internal...     

The search for a new model structure of β-Factor XIIa

We present the search for a new model of -factor XIIa, a blood coagulation enzyme, with an unknown experimental 3D-structure. We decided to build not one but three different models using different homologous proteins as well as different techniques and different modellers. Additional studies, including extensive molecular dynamics simulations on the solvated state, allowed us to draw several conclusions concerning homology modelling, in general, and -factor XIIa, in particular.     

Study on the stability of noradrenaline and on the determination of its acidity constants

Noradrenaline is a catecholamine which has been largely recognised to play a very important role in biological systems. In view of the neurotransmitter's alleged importance, this work aimed at showing the influence of time on its spectral behaviour using different analytical methods and determining its acidity constants through spectrophotometric titration and by the so-called point-by-point analysis, where the samples are freshly prepared for each pH value investigated at the instant required. Because the catecholamines are light-sensitive and likely to react with the oxygen in the surrounding air, both methods used preclude its incidence onto the samples being analysed under the presence of a nitrogen atmosphere maintained over the solutions. The constants obtained through point-by-point analysis were log beta1 = 30.71+/-0.16, log beta2 = 22.00+/-0.15 and log beta3 = 11.69+/-0.16.     

Vapor-particle partitioning of hydrocarbons in Western Mediterranean urban and marine atmospheres

An analytical procedure is described for a comprehensive determination of the composition of hydrocarbons in the atmosphere, based on: (a) aerosol filtration and subsequent adsorption of the vapor phase onto active charcoal and polyurethane foam; (b) GPC and HPLC fractionation of the extracts, and (c) analysis of the fractions by GC-MS under EI and NICI modes. Special emphasis is placed onn-alkanes, PAHs and their oxygenated derivatives.The characterization of samples collected in a coastal urban area (Barcelona city), and far away over the Western Mediterranean, at sea level and at 1100 m of altitude, revealed significant changes in the aerosol composition, mainly attributed to initial vapor-particle partitioning processes, influenced by ambient temperature variations, and to others taking place during long-range atmospheric transport, related with the different compound photoreactivities and with an unexplained source-decoupling phenomenon.     

Substituted m-phenylene bridges as strong ferromagnetic couplers for Cu(II)-bridge-Cu(II) magnetic interactions: new perspectives

Based on a combined theoretical-experimental study, we propose that substituted m-phenylene ligands (m-N-Phi-N) can act as tuneable strong ferromagnetic couplers connecting Cu(II) ions; a new complex presenting that bridge with J close to +15 cm(-1) has been suggested and synthesized.     

Pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse hemicellulose hydrolysate for xylitol production byCandida guilliermondii

Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology - In order to remove or reduce the concentrations of toxic substances present in the sugarcane bagasse hemicellulose hydrolysate for xyloseto-xylitol...     

Determination of propazine by differential pulse polarography in micellar and emulsified media

An electroanalytical study of the herbicide propazine's reduction process in micellar solutions and oil-in-water emulsions is reported. The anionic surfactant sodium pentanesulphonate was chosen as the most suitable. The differential pulse polarograms of micellar solutions had two reduction peaks below pH 2.0, whereas only one peak was obtained above pH 2.O. Ethyl acetate was chosen as the organic solvent to form propazine emulsions. Unlike in micellar solutions, the DPP polarograms of propazine emulsions showed only one peak even at pH < 2.0, suggesting that propazine hydrolysis was hindered in the emulsified medium. The limiting current is diffusion-controlled and the electrode process is irreversible. Propazine can be determined by differential pulse polarography over the 1.0 × 10^–1 – 1.0 × 10^–1moll^–1 and 1.0 × 10^–15 – 4.0 × 10^–1 moll^–1 concentration ranges and the limit of detection was 2.8 × 10^–1 moll^–1. Of the potential interferents simazine, methoprotryne and terbutryn (alls-triazines), thiram (a dithiocarbamate), dinoseb (nitrophenolic), and heptachlor (chlorinated cyclo-diene herbicide), only the first two were significant (10% error for equimolar concentrations). The method was applied to the determination of propazine in spiked drinking water. At a concentration level of 2.0 × 10^–1 moll^–1 a recovery of 94 ± 6% was obtained, after tenfold concentration on Sep-Pak.     

Potentiometric studies on the complexation of copper(II) by phenolic acids as discrete ligand models of humic substances

Studies on the complexation of copper(II) by phenolic acids, as ligand models of humic substances were done by potentiometry. The acids under study were: 3,4-dihydroxyhydrocinnamic acid or hydrocaffeic acid (1), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (2) and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid or protocatechuic acid (3). Acidity constants of the ligands and the formation constants of metal-ligand complexes were evaluated by computer programs. The carboxylic group of the phenolic acids has different pK_a1 values, being the dissociation constants intrinsically related with the distance between the function and the aromatic nucleus. The results obtained allow concluding that acidity constants of the catechol moiety of the compounds are similar with pK_a2 and pK_a3 values between 9.47-9.41 and 11.55-11.70. The complexation properties of the three ligands towards copper(II) ion are quite similar, being the species found not different either in nature or stability. Although the model ligands have some structural differences no significant differences were found in their complexation properties towards copper(II). So, it can be postulated that complexation process is intrinsically related with the presence of a catechol group.     

Effect of ionic strength on the formal potential of the glass electrode in various saline media

We examined the variation with ionic strength (I, adjusted with KCl, KNO₃, KBr, NaCl or NaClO₄) of the formal potential (E_const) for glass electrodes exhibiting a Nernstian response (i.e. E_cell=E_const−s log [H⁺]). For this purpose, we investigated the different factors included in the formal potential, so we obtained reported values for the liquid junction potential as a function of ionic strength and determined the logarithm of the activity coefficient for the proton in various saline media, using Pitzer equations.