New uniform algorithm to predict reversed phase retention values under different gradient conditions

A new numerical emulation algorithm was established to calculate retention parameters in RP-HPLC with several retention times under different linear or nonlinear binary gradient elution conditions and further predict the retention time under any other binary gradient conditions. A program was written according to this algorithm and nine solutes were used to test the program. The prediction results were excellent. The maximum relative error of predicted retention time was less than 0.45%.     

Some thermodynamic aspects of highT c superconductors

Thermochemical and thermodynamical properties of HTSC phases are reviewed for the Y-Ba-Cu-O system and also presented for the newly calculated Bi-Sr-Cu-O system stressing out stoichiometric and phenomenological viewpoints. Simulated data are listed for (H ₂₉₈ ^o -H _o ^o , phase transformation temperatures, standard entropies, standard enthalpies of formation, heat capacities in crystalline phase, etc. Pseudobinary phase diagrams are treated showing the effect of oxygen partial pressure particularly illustrated on the (Sr, Bi, Ba)-Cu-O system.The work was carried out under the project No. A 2010532 supported by the Grant Agency of Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic and the grant No. 104/97/0589 financed by the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic.     

Efficiency assessment of wastewater treatment plant based on SPMD sampling

The efficiency of treatment processes forboth municipal and industrial wastewater (treatment plant-Ostrava, Czech Republic) focused on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) was assessed. Semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) as a sampling system were applied. Exposed SPMDs were analyzed both for chemical contaminants of POPs and toxicity response. The chemical analyses of PAHs were made by HPLC-FLD, PCDD/Fs and PCBs were analysed by GC/MS/MS on GCQ or PolarisQ (Thermoquest). Ecotoxicity data on chlorococcal alga Desmodesmus subspicatus (Scenedesmus subspicatus) and luminescent bacteria Vibrio fischeri are presented here. All toxicity data as effective volume Vtox are expressed. The results show good treatment ability of the treatment plant and proved used system as an appropriate tool for efficiency assessment of treatment and/or decontamination processes.     

Chemical modifiers in arsenic determination in biological materials by tungsten coil electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

Palladium, iridium, and rhodium are evaluated as possible chemical modifiers in the determination of As in digest solutions of biological materials (human hair and clam) by tungsten coil electrothermal atomic absorption spectrophotometry (TCA-AAS). The modifier in solution was applied onto the coil and thermally pre-reduced; the pre-reduction conditions, the amount of modifier, and the thermal program were optimized. Palladium was not satisfactory, whereas Ir and Rh were effective modifiers and rendered better relative sensitivity for As by a factor of 1.4 and 1.9, respectively compared to the case without modifier. Upon optimization of thermal conditions for As in pre-reduced Ir (2.0 µg) and Rh (2.0 µg) modifiers and in the digest solutions of the study matrices, Rh (2.0 µg) was more effective modifier and was selected as such. The mean within-day repeatability was 2.8% in consecutive measurements (25–100 µg L^–1) (3 cycles, each of n=6) and confirmed good short-term stability of the absorbance measurements. The mean reproducibility was 4.4% (n=20 in a 3-day period) and the detection limit (3 _blank/slope) was 29 pg (n=15). The useful coil lifetime in Rh modifier was extended to 300–400 firings. Validation was by determination of As in the certified reference material (CRM) of Oyster tissue solution with a percentage relative error (E _rel%) of 2% and percentage relative standard deviation (RSD%) of 3% (n=4), and by analytical recovery of As spiked in CRM of human hair [94±8% (n=4)]. The methodology is simple, fast (sample readout frequency 21 h^–1), reliable, of low cost, and was applied to the determination of As in hair samples of exposed and unexposed workers.     

Efficient Separation of Hydrophobic Molecules by Molecularly Imprinted Cyclodextrin Polymers

Cyclodextrins were cross-linked with toluene 2,4-diisocyanate in dimethyl sufoxide in the presence of hydrophobic biomolecules as templates, and the imprinted polymers were applied to the stationary phases of high performance liquid chromatography. Molecular imprinting efficiently promoted the binding-affinity and substrate-selectivity towards the template molecule, compared with the control polymers prepared in their absence. When cholesterol (template molecule) was complexed with cyclodextrins prior to the polymerization, for example, the imprinted polymer retained cholesterol more strongly than other steroids. Upon the polymerization without a template molecule, the binding towards steroids was much weaker. Besides steroids, imprinting was effective for various hydrophobic and rigid template molecules. Since binding of the guest molecule was based on inclusion complex formation with cyclodextrins, separation could be achieved in the solvents containing water. These polymeric receptors are also applicable to selective recognition of biologically important molecules or removal of toxic molecules from aqueous media. Thus, imprinting of cyclodextrins is useful for the preparation of synthetic tailor-made receptors for various kinds of hydrophobic guest molecules.     

Investigations of the thermal stability and phase transformations in the system marocco phosphorite—(NH4)3H(SO4)2.NH4HSO4

Different physical chemical methods were used to study the thermochemical processes in a system involving a natural phosphate and complex acid salts of ammonium sulphate. The products of decomposition of the double ammonium salt and the products of their interactions with the phosphate were identified. The formation of ammonium and calcium polyphosphates and the disproportionation of P₃O ₁₀ ^5? and P₂O ₇ ^4? to PO ₄ ^3? and PO ₃ ^? were found to depend on the circumstances of the thermal interactions.     

环状芴基张力半导体拉曼光谱理论与实验研究

环状芴基张力半导体由于其特殊的分子结构，发射状排布的p轨道和纳米级空腔等诸多特点，引起了科学家广泛的关注.相对于直链型芴基半导体，环状芴基张力半导体展现出独特的光电性质.然而，迄今为止其振动性质没有被报道.对四元环芴的晶体与直链四聚芴粉末样品进行拉曼光谱表征和归一化处理，并结合理论计算.结果表明，与直链寡聚芴相比，环芴类似于碳纳米管的G峰发生了偏移，并且低频区域拉曼频移峰的峰强增加.其原因是由于张力的引入，改变了芴基主链的骨架和电子结构，加强芴骨架上π电子离域，同时使环芴中每个芴单元都参与到振动中.该研究结果为芴基张力半导体材料拉曼光谱的研究提供了一定的工作基础.     

茉莉醛相转移催化合成法的改良

茉莉醛又称2-戊基肉桂醛,具有优雅的茉莉花香,是一种深受调香师喜爱的合成香料。目前已广泛应用于各种日用化学品中。     

Determination of Hormones and Non-ionic Surfactant Degradation Products in Small-Volume Aqueous Samples from Soil Columns Using LC-ESI-MS-MS and GC-MS

The leaching of two estrogens, 17β-estradiol and estrone, and two degradation products of non-ionic surfactants, octylphenol and nonylphenol, through a soil column were studied to estimate their transport behavior. Different concentration methods (lyophilization, solid phase extraction, and liquid–liquid extraction) were evaluated for analyzing these compounds in small effluent fractions (30–50 mL) collected. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were employed for quantitative analysis of these compounds. After comparison, the lyophilization-LC-MS-MS method was found to be best suited for the analysis of the two estrogen hormones and the liquid–liquid extraction-GC-MS method best for the analysis of the two phenols in small samples in the soil column study. Because of their high sorption capacity, these compounds were mostly sorbed in the upper part of the soil column and were difficult to detect in column effluent.     

Novel polymer blends based on poly(ether-urethane) ionomer and ion-containing styrene copolymer

The structure-property relationships of thermoplastic polymer blends based on poly(ether-urethane) ionomer (PEUI) and ion-containing styrene-acrylic acid copolymer (S-co-AA(K)) have been investigated by using DMTA, DSC and TGA, as well as tensile tests. Convergence of the glass transition temperature (T_g) values of the PEUI and the S-co-AA(K) components in the blends studied, as compared to the individual polymers, was found and explained by improving compatibility of the components due to increasing effective density of physical networks formed by ion-dipole and ion-ion interactions of ionic groups of the components. Character of E'=f(T) and E'=f(T) dependencies confirms the increase of the effective density of physical networks in the compositions studied compared to individual PEUI and S-co-AA(K). Improvement of end-use properties, i.e. thermal stability and tensile properties has been found for the PEUI/S-co-AA(K) compositions with lower content of S-co-AA(K) (i.e. <10 mass%) and explained by formation of additional network of intermolecular ionic bonds between the functional groups of PEUI and S-co-AA(K).