Characterization of size‐segregated aerosols using ToF‐SIMS imaging and depth profiling

Size‐segregated particles were collected with a ten‐stage micro‐orifice uniform deposit impactor from a busy walkway in a downtown area of Hong Kong. The surface chemical compositions of aerosol samples from each stage were analyzed using time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF‐SIMS) operated in the static mode. The ToF‐SIMS spectra of particles from stage 2 (5.6–10 µm), stage 6 (0.56–1 µm), and stage 10 (0.056–0.1 µm) were compared, and the positive ion spectra from stage 2 to stage 10 were analyzed with principal component analysis (PCA). Both spectral analysis and PCA results show that the coarse‐mode particles were associated with inorganic ions, while the fine particles were associated with organic ions. PCA results further show that the particle surface compositions were size dependent. Particles from the same mode exhibited more similar surface features. Particles from stage 2 (5.6–10 µm), stage 6 (0.56–1 µm), and stage 10 (0.056–0.1 µm) were further selected as representatives of the three modes, and the chemical compositions of these modes of particles were examined using ToF‐SIMS imaging and depth profiling. The results reveal a non‐uniform chemical distribution from the outer to the inner layer of the particles. The coarse‐mode particles were shown to contain inorganic salts beneath the organics surface. The accumulation‐mode particles contained sulfate, nitrate, ammonium salts, and silicate in the regions below a thick surface layer of organic species. The nucleation‐mode particles consisted mainly of soot particles with a surface coated with sulfate, hydrocarbons, and, possibly, fullerenic carbon. The study demonstrated the capability of ToF‐SIMS depth profiling and imaging in characterizing both the surface and the region beneath the surface of aerosol particles. It also revealed the complex heterogeneity of chemical composition in size and depth distributions of atmospheric particles. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

灰中酸性成分对灰熔融温度的影响

搜集并统计了世界129种典型煤种、城市污水污泥及污泥/煤混烧灰样的灰成分及灰熔融特征温度等相关数据,研究灰中酸性成分SiO2、Al2O3、TiO2和P2O5对灰熔融特性的影响。结果表明,Al2O3是决定灰熔点的主要因素,酸性金属氧化物SiO2、Al2O3和TiO2形成的耐熔矿物质石英、偏高岭石、莫来石、金红石等可提高灰熔点。非金属氧化物P2O5与污泥和污泥/煤的灰熔点FT二次拟合很好且明显降低熔点,污泥灰中P2O5含量显著高于煤灰是导致其熔点明显低于煤的重要原因。     

爆炸条件下溶菌酶反应产物的基质辅助激光解吸-飞行时间质谱分析

以爆炸条件下溶菌酶的反应产物为研究对象,运用基质辅助激光解吸-飞行时间质谱的方法研究其反应产物与不同炸药的反应特征性.结果显示,雷管的使用不会对溶菌酶有影响,而在有爆炸物爆炸的条件下,除了正常溶菌酶酶解多肽信号外,一些[MH+17]+,[MH+18]+,[MH+28]+,[MH+32]+和[MH+44]+的加合峰信号也能被检测到.这可能是在炸药爆炸过程中产生的一些活性小分子(如NH3,H2O,CO/N2,O2,CO2)与溶菌酶发生反应得到的反应产物.不同炸药生成的活性小分子能够分别与溶菌酶的某些反应位点反应生成特征性的反应产物,有利于这些炸药的分析与检测.     

The Novel Method of Synthesis of Solid Solutions LnxCa1-xF2+x (Ln=Yb,Nd) Using Beta-cyclodextrin

In this study we propose the novel method of synthesis of solid solutions Ln_xCa_1-xF_2+x (Ln = Yb, Nd) by decomposition of metal trifluoroacetate hydrates with beta-cyclodextrin. It is important to mention that the decomposition of the similar reaction mixture without beta-cyclodextrin does not induce the formation of such compounds. In this case, the formation of individual fluorides takes place. The metal fluorides were studied by XRD and X-ray fluorescence. The advantages of the method proposed are as follows: relatively low temperature of the synthesis, simplicity of a change in the composition of the prepared compounds, and a homogeneous distribution of the elements in products.     

初中化学“酸和碱的性质”创意教学*——探析食品发热包

以食品发热包为主题情境,通过探析发热包成分、解密发热原理、计算原料配比、配制发热包等环节梳理酸和碱的性质、用途。从元素观、转化观的视角认识物质转化规律,体现物质研究的一般思路,凸显科学探究的基本过程。通过设计方案测定发热包中碳酸钠的含量,总结混合物成分鉴定及定量测定的方法;归纳气体定量测定的影响因素。呈现一堂学科观念、学科方法教学具体课例,凸显物质研究、定性检验、定量测定的基本方法。     

Effect of calcination temperature on structure and characteristics of calcium oxide powder derived from marine shell waste

Marine fishery wastes such as bivalve shells, crab shells and cuttlebone are rich in calcium. Calcium carbonate derived from these materials can be transformed into calcium oxide by calcination, which is used in a wide variety of applications (e.g., biomaterials for bone and teeth implants and drugs). In this study we analyze the effects of calcination temperatures (550 °C, 700 °C and 900 °C) on characteristics and elemental composition of calcium oxide derived from shells of four marine species collected in Thailand: oyster (Saccostrea cucullata), green mussel (Perna viridis), blue swimming crab (Portunus pelagicus), and cuttlefish (Sepia brevimana). The XRD patterns indicated the complete transformation of calcium carbonate into calcium oxide, observed by the changes of diffraction angles at 900 °C for all calcined samples, except cuttlebone, which was calcined successfully at 700 °C. Likewise, the FT-IR results revealed changes of functional groups at the same calcination temperatures. In addition, ICP-OES showed the effects of calcination temperature on elemental contents: major elements (Ca, P and K) increased in all samples, and some minor elements increased in blue swimming crab shell (Zn and Cu) and oyster shell (Fe) as a result of increasing the calcination temperature. This study demonstrates the optimum calcination temperature of calcium oxide production from four types of marine wastes that might be benefit for the chemical compound production industry.     

Chemical composition and potential bioactivities of essential oil from Quercus mongolica bark

The chemical composition and potential bioactivities of essential oil from Quercus mongolica bark (EOQMB) were researched for value-added utilization processing by-product. The results of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis showed that 30 components accounting for 98.42% were identified in EOQMB, with pentadecanoic acid the most abundant compound accounting for 34.90%, which was further confirmed by the Fourier transform infrared observation. EOQMB exerts antioxidant activities, and the IC₅₀ values for scavenging DPPH radical, ABTS radical, and hydroxyl radical were 8.48, 0.77, and 3.54 mg/mL, respectively. The effects of EOQMB on prolonging activated partial thromboplastin time and thrombin time and on decreasing fibrinogen are similar to those of heparin, and the promising anticoagulant activities of EOQMB could be largely contributed by pentadecanoic acid. Herein, the present study uncovered that the waste Q. mongolica bark can serve as a new potential material in pharmaceutical products.     

Nutritional Value and Preventive Role of Nigella sativa L. and Its Main Component Thymoquinone in Cancer: An Evidenced-Based Review of Preclinical and Clinical Studies

In recent times, scientific attention has been paid to different foods and their bioactive components for the ability to inhibit the onset and progress of different types of cancer. Nigella sativa extract, powder and seed oil and its main components, thymoquinone and α-hederin, have showed potent anticancer and chemosensitizing effects against various types of cancer, such as liver, colon, breast, renal, cervical, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate and skin tumors, through the modulation of various molecular signaling pathways. Herein, the purpose of this review was to highlight the anticancer activity of Nigella sativa and it constitutes, focusing on different in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies and projects, in order to underline their antiproliferative, proapoptotic, cytotoxic and antimetastatic effects. Particular attention has been also given to the synergistic effect of Nigella sativa and it constitutes with chemotherapeutic drugs, and to the synthesized analogs of thymoquinone that seem to enhance the chemo-sensitizing potential. This review could be a useful step towards new research on N. sativa and cancer, to include this plant in the dietary treatments in support to conventional therapies, for the best achievement of therapeutic goals.     

Interspecific Variation between the American Quercus virginiana and Mediterranean Quercus Species in Terms of Seed Nutritional Composition,Phytochemical Content,and Antioxidant Activity

This study aimed to evaluate a complete nutritional composition in the seeds Quercus virginiana to compare this nutritional composition with three Mediterranean Quercus species. We analyzed the seed morphometry, proximate composition, phytochemicals, and antioxidant capacity. The seed of Q. virginiana presented the smaller seed size and weight, while Q. suber presented the highest values. Moreover, Q. virginiana seeds showed the highest amounts of sugar and total lipids, digestibility, energy, palmitic acid, and stearic acid. On the other hand, Q. virginiana seeds showed the lowest values of linoleic acid. Moreover, Q. coccifera seeds presented the highest total phenolics and flavonoids contents and antioxidant activity. The clustering analysis revealed a significant similarity in seed morphometry and nutritional composition between the Mediterranean Q. ilex and Q. suber, grouping with the American Q. virginiana, but to a considerable distance; by contrast, the Mediterranean Q. coccifera was the most distant in the clustering analysis. The content of phenolics and flavonoids and digestibility value were the variables that contributed to the separation to a greater extent in the clustering of the four species. The nutritional and biological activity assessment of plant seed may be considered as an essential mission to find new sustainable sources and novel chemical agents. In this sense, Quercus seeds may be an alternative and a competitive food source for the agri-food industry.     

Chemical Composition,Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of Raspberry,Blackberry and Raspberry-Blackberry Hybrid Leaf Buds

In our investigation, the chemical composition and bioactive potential of leaf buds of raspberry, blackberry, and a raspberry-blackberry hybrid were determined. Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties were tested in water (W), ethanol-water (EW), and glycerol-water (GW) extracts from the buds. These plant organs contain relatively large amounts of minerals, especially Fe. The total antioxidant capacity (TAC) measured by the ABTS and DPPH methods ranged from 2.86 to 12.19 and 6.75 to 24.26 mmol per 100 g fresh weight (FW) of buds, respectively. TAC values were generally higher in the raspberry than in the case of blackberry and raspberry-blackberry hybrid extracts. The antioxidant properties of the extracts were strongly positively correlated with their content of total phenolic (TP). No such relationship was noted for ascorbic acid (AA), whose concentration in all extracts was at a similarly low level. Antioxidant properties determined in vitro were confirmed for the GW extract from raspberry leaf buds in biological test based on the growth parameters of Δsod1 Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant cells in hypertonic medium. The extracts also exhibited strong antibacterial properties against Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis and weaker against Enterobacter aerogenes. The studied leaf buds could be therefore an unconventional source of minerals, natural antioxidants and antibacterial compounds with potential applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries.