Dried Biomass of Activated Sludge for Cu2+ Adsorption: Behaviors and Mechanisms

Activated sludge was tested for its ability to remove Cu²⁺ from aqueous solution. The effects of various experimental parameters (initial pH, initial Cu²⁺ concentration, adsorbent dosage, and temperature) on Cu²⁺ adsorption were evaluated. The Langmuir isotherm model well described the adsorption of Cu²⁺ onto activated sludge. The pseudo-second-order kinetic equation was appropriate for describing the kinetic performance of the sorption. Furthermore, Webber–Morris models indicated that the sorption of Cu²⁺ was generally found to involve with the intraparticle diffusion process. Parameters of adsorption thermodynamic suggested that the interaction of Cu²⁺ adsorbed by sludge was spontaneous and exothermic. Activated sludge was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis and results showed that active groups such as –OH, –COOH, –NH₂ were involved in Cu²⁺ adsorption. Zeta potential analysis demonstrated inner-sphere adsorption for Cu²⁺ adsorption on sludge.     

Relevance between the Chemical Structure Modifications and Physicochemical Descriptors of Chemical Reactivity for Series of Nitroxide Radicals

This work presents an experimental and theoretical study to address the chemical reactivity of series of nitroxide radicals. For that purpose two physicochemical properties: the half-wave potential and the hyperfine coupling constants of the nitrogen nuclei, were analyzed. Experimental values are compared with electronic structure calculations at the BHandHLYP/6-311++G(2d,2p) level. E_1/2 values were in good agreement with the adiabatic ionization potential when including the solvent effects by the Cramer and Truhlar Solvation Model. Preeliminar experimental electron spin deslocalization studies suggest that structural hindrance plays an important role in their deslocatization mechanism.     

Catechin mediated green synthesis of Au nanoparticles: Experimental and theoretical approaches to the determination HOMO-LUMO energy gap and reactivity indexes for the (+)-epicatechin (2S, 3S)

This work suggests a green method for synthesizing Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) using the aqueous extract of Salix aegyptiaca extract. The mechanism of green synthesized AuNPs was examined by molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) calculations. AuNPs were characterized with different techniques such as Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Electrochemical investigation of modified glassy carbon electrode using AuNPs (AuNPs/GCE) shows that the electronic transmission rate between the modified electrode and [Fe (CN)₆]^3?/4? increased. Process of oxidation, energy gap, and chemical reactivity indexes of the (+)-epicatechin (2S,3S) were investigated using electrochemical techniques (cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) as well as UV–Visible spectroscopy and compared with quantum mechanical calculations. DPV and CV were used to obtain HOMO energies of the (+)-epicatechin (2S,3S), an optical energy gap was obtained from the UV–Vis spectroscopy. Frontier molecular orbitals analysis (FMO) and reactivity indexes such as chemical hardness (?), electrophilicity (?), electronic chemical potential (μ), electron acceptor power (?⁺), electron donor power (?^?) were determined with functional theory (DFT) calculations. In summary, the HOMO energy obtained from the experimental analyses (E_HOMO (from DPV) = -5.24 eV, and E_HOMO (from CV) = -5.28 eV) has a relative agreement with the HOMO energy calculated by B3LYP/6–31 g (d, p) including the solvent effect (water) (E_HOMO (from B3LYP) = -5.75 eV). Also, UV–Vis spectroscopy gives the bandgap energy equal to 4.31 eV, while the 4.13 eV is calculated by TD-DFT-b3lyp/6–31 + g(d).     

Advances in nucleic acid architectures for electrochemical sensing

Nucleic acid–based electrochemical sensors are ideally suited to the detection of molecular targets for which enzymatic detection or direct electrochemical oxidation – reduction reactions are not possible. Moreover, the versatility of nucleic acids in their ability to bind a great variety of target types, from small molecules to single-entity mesoscopic targets, makes them attractive receptors for the development of electrochemical biosensors. In this brief opinion piece, we discuss field advances from the past two years. We hope the works highlighted here will inspire the community to pursue creative designs enabling the detection of larger and more complex targets with a specific focus on analytical validation and translation into preclinical or clinical applications.     

ZnS/PVA nanocomposites for nonlinear optical applications

We have found a correlation between ZnS nanocomposite nonlinear optical features and technological processing using electrolytic method. In the earlier researches this factor was neglected. However, it may open a new stage for operation by photovoltaic features of the well known semiconductors within a wide range of magnitudes. The titled nanostructured zinc sulfide (ZnS) was synthesized by electrolytic method. The obtained ZnS nano-crystallites possessed nano-particles sizes varying within 1.6 nm…1.8 nm. The titled samples were analyzed by XRD, HR-TEM, STEM, and nonlinear optical methods such as photo-induced two-photon absorption (TPA) and second harmonic generation (SHG). For this reason the nano-powders were embedded into the photopolymer poly(vinyl) alcohol (PVA) matrices. Role of aggregation in the mentioned properties is discussed. Possible origin of the such correlations are discussed.     

低能C36团簇在金刚石(100)晶面沉积时的影响因素

"使用Brenner-LJ拟合势描述了金刚石与C36团簇原子间的相互作用,并用分子动力学模拟的方法研究单个C36(D6h)在金刚石(100)晶面的沉积机制．通过仿真实验分析了C36团簇的入射能量、入射点位置、入射姿势、入射角度等因素对其成核初期化学吸附过程以及沉积后其稳定性的影响．研究发现：由于C36入射点位置及入射姿势的不同,其在金刚石(100)晶面沉积时的沉积阈值最小值为20 eV,最大值为60 eV;在入射角不超过60o斜射时,由于水平运动分量的存在,C36可能翻滚及平滑至成键能量较小的区域后再成键     

Monitoring of the Proton Electrochemical Gradient in Reconstituted Vesicles: Quantitative Measurements of Both Transmembrane Potential and Intravesicular pH by Ratiometric Fluorescent Probes

Proteoliposomes carrying reconstituted yeast plasma membrane H⁺-ATPase in their lipid membrane or plasma membrane vesicles are model systems convenient for studying basic electrochemical processes involved in formation of the proton electrochemical gradient (Δμ_H ⁺) across the microbial or plant cell membrane. Δψ- and pH-sensitive fluorescent probes were used to monitor the gradients formed between inner and outer volume of the reconstituted vesicles. The Δψ-sensitive fluorescent ratiometric probe oxonol VI is suitable for quantitative measurements of inside-positive Δψ generated by the reconstituted H⁺-ATPase. Its Δψ response can be calibrated by the K⁺/valinomycin method and ratiometric mode of fluorescence measurements reduces undesirable artefacts. In situ pH-sensitive fluorescent probe pyranine was used for quantitative measurements of pH inside the proteoliposomes. Calibration of pH-sensitive fluorescence response of pyranine entrapped inside proteoliposomes was performed with several ionophores combined in order to deplete the gradients passively formed across the membrane. Presented model system offers a suitable tool for simultaneous monitoring of both components of the proton electrochemical gradient, Δψ and ΔpH. This approach should help in further understanding how their formation is interconnected on biomembranes and even how transport of other ions is combined to it.     

极性晶体膜中强耦合激子的性质

在强耦合极化子模型基础上,采用Lee-Low-Pines(LLP)变分法研究了极性晶体膜中激子与表面光学(SO)声子强耦合、与体纵光学(LO)声子弱耦合体系的性质.讨论了极性晶体膜中激子的诱生势与膜厚度和温度的变化关系.结果表明:激子的诱生势不仅与电子-空穴间距离有关,而且与极性晶体膜厚度有关,同时温度对激子诱生势的影响十分显著.