Development of a Sensor Based on Modified Carbon Paste with Com Iron(III) Protoporphyrin Immobilized on SiNbZn Silica Matrix for L‐tryptophan Determination

In this work, SiO₂/Nb₂O₅/ZnO prepared by the sol‐gel processing method was used as substrate base for immobilization of the protoporphyrin‐IX ion. Iron(III) ion was inserted into the porphyrin ring (SiNbZn‐PPFe). A simple square wave voltammetry method based on a composite sensor carbon paste electrode of this material,designed as EPC‐SiNbZn‐PPFe, was developed and validated successfully for the determination of L‐tryptophan (Trp). The optimum conditions were obtained by using sensor modified with 18.00 mg SiNbZn‐PPFe material, 12.00 mg graphite powder and 6.0 μL mineral oil and phosphate buffer 0.3 mol L⁻¹ pH 7.0. The sensitivity of the sensor was found to be 0.523 AL mol ⁻¹, linear range from 10 to 70 μmol L⁻¹ and limit of detection of 3.28 μmol L⁻¹. Therefore, the developed method was successfully applied for the Trp determination in real samples of pharmaceutical formulation and can be used for routine quality control pharmaceutical formulations containing Trp.     

The use of the capillary rheometer for the rheological evaluation of extrudable cement-based materials

In this paper, the rheological properties of an extrudable cement-based paste are investigated by means of an original ram extrusion apparatus (capillary rheometer). The experimental results indicate that a careful measurement of the die pressure is necessary to obtain a realistic viscosity vs shear rate curve, as required in extrusion technology. In particular, it is shown that the optimal test configuration is when the pressure measurement is made directly inside the rheometer die. By applying this rheological methodology in steady-state conditions, it has been observed that the extrudable cement-based material here evaluated obeys to a simple power–law equation, in the range of shear rates investigated, which are suitable for an industrial extrusion process. This paper was presented at the third Annual European Rheology Conference (AERC) held in Hersonissos, Crete, Greece, April 24–27, 2006.     

Capillary Imbibition and Pore Characterisation in Cement Pastes

The kinetics of capillary imbibition in ordinary Portland cement pastes has been studied experimentally and theoretically. Nuclear magnetic resonance stray field imaging (STRAFI) has been used to record water concentration profiles for various ingress times. The profiles follow a t law and thus a master curve can be formed using the Boltzmann transformation. The distribution of pore sizes within the sample as measured by NMR cryoporometry shows a prominent peak at 100Å. A computer model of the pore structure was developed consisting of a lattice of interconnecting pores with a size distribution consistent with the cryoporometry results. The Hagen–Poiseuille law was used to describe the kinetics of the water in this pore structure. The best agreement between the computer simulations and the experimental master curve was obtained by using a narrower range of pore sizes than indicated by the cryoporometry results.     

Construction and Validation of New Electrochemical Carbon Nanotubes Sensors for Determination of Acebutolol Hydrochloride in Pharmaceuticals and Biological Fluids

A simple, rapid and a highly selective method for direct electrochemical determination of acebutolol hydrochloride (AC) was developed. The developed method was based on the construction of three types of sensors conventional polymer (I), carbon paste (II) and modified carbon nanotubes (MCNTs) carbon paste (III). The fabricated sensors depend mainly on the incorporation of acebutolol hydrochloride with phosphotungstic acid (PTA) forming ion exchange acebutolol‐phosphotungstate (AC‐PT). The performance characteristics of the proposed sensors were studied. The sensors exhibited Nernstian responses (55.6 ± 0.5, 57.14 ± 0.2 and 58.6 ± 0.4 mV mol L^?1) at 25 °C over drug concentration ranges (1.0 × 10^?6‐1.0 × 10^?2, 1.0 × 10^?7‐1.0 × 10^?2 and 5.0 × 10^?8‐1.0 × 10^?2 mol L^?1 with lower detection limits of (5.0 × 10^?7, 5.0 × 10^?8 and 2.5 × 10^?8 mol L^?1 for sensors (I), (II) and (III), respectively. The influence of common and possible interfering species, pharmaceutical additives and some related pharmacological action drugs was investigated using separate solution method and no interference was found. The stability indicating using forced degradation of acebutolol hydrochloride was studied. The standard addition method was used for determination of the investigated drug in its pharmaceutical dosage forms and biological fluids. The results were validated and statistically analysed and compared with those from previously reported methods.     

Stripping voltammetric determination of mercury(II) at antimony-coated carbon paste electrode

A new procedure was elaborated to determine mercury(II) using an anodic stripping square-wave voltammetry at the antimony film carbon paste electrode (SbF-CPE). In highly acidic medium of 1 M hydrochloric acid, voltammetric measurements can be realized in a wide potential window. Presence of cadmium(II) allows to separate peaks of Hg(II) and Sb(III) and apparently catalyses reoxidation of electrolytically accumulated mercury, thus allowing its determination at ppb levels. Calibration dependence was linear up to 100 ppb Hg with a detection limit of 1.3 ppb. Applicability of the method was tested on the real river water sample.     

Fabrication of a nanostructure-based electrochemical sensor for simultaneous determination of N-acetylcysteine and acetaminophen

A carbon-paste electrode modified with 2,7-bis(ferrocenyl ethyl)fluoren-9-one (2,7-BF) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was used for the sensitive and selective voltammetric determination of N-acetylcysteine (NAC). The mediated oxidation of NAC at the modified electrode was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV). Also, the values of catalytic rate constant (k), and diffusion coefficient (D) for NAC were calculated. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) of NAC at the modified electrode exhibited two linear dynamic ranges with a detection limit (3σ) of 52.0 nmol L⁻¹. DPV was used for simultaneous determination of NAC and acetaminophen (AC) at the modified electrode, and quantitation of NAC and AC in some real samples by the standard addition method.     

N-heterocyclic carbene-silver complexes: Potential conductive materials for silver pastes in electronic applications

New organosilver complexes, silver(I) tetraalkylbis(benzimidazolidene) halide [1a-3a] and silver(I) dimethyl-N,N′-hexyl(imidazolyl) bromide [4a], were synthesized and incorporated into electroconductive silver pastes. Complex 3a had a 15-fold higher conductivity than conventional silver salt pastes, specifically silver(I) hexanoate, and exhibited a smooth, homogeneous surface after reductive heat-treatment of the silver paste. While the conductivity of silver(I) hexanoate can be increased by up to 33% by the addition of a supporting silver source, such as Ag₂O, the conductivity of 3a was markedly decreased by Ag₂O treatment. Thus, 3a can be used in silver pastes with moderate conductivity and can reduce the amount of conventional silver supporting materials without loss of electroconductivity.     

延胡索酸泰妙菌素在碳糊电极上的电化学性质及电分析方法

运用循环伏安法(CV)、计时电流法(CA)和计时电量法(CC)研究了延胡索酸泰妙菌素(Tiamulin fumarate,TF)在碳糊电极(Carbon Paste Electrode,CPE)上的电化学及其电化学动力学性质。结果表明,TF在CPE上的电化学过程是一不可逆的氧化过程,氧化峰电位Ep为0.772 V。在扫描速度10～1 000 mV.s-1范围内,其氧化峰电流Ip与扫描速度v呈良好的线性关系,表明TF在CPE上的伏安行为是一受吸附控制的过程。方波伏安(SWV)法结果表明TF氧化峰电流与其浓度在5.0×10-7～1.0×10-5mol.L-1及1.0×10-5～1.0×10-4mol.L-1范围内均呈良好的线性关系,相关系数r分别为0.9980及0.9966,检出限(S/N=3)为5.8×10-8mol.L-1,相对标准偏差(RSD)为0.8%～2.8%,加样回收率为97.6%～102.0%。据此建立了TF含量的电化学测定方法。该方法简便快捷,测定结果令人满意。     

Studies on the Synthesis and Characterization of Pd?TiO2?SiO2 Nanocomposite for Electroanalytical Applications

A nanocomposite of Pd? TiO₂? SiO₂ is developed through a sol‐gel process from the reaction products of titanium isopropoxide followed by mixing the same with palladium linked 3‐glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane. The reaction product is sonicated and calcinated to obtain the nanocomposite of Pd? TiO₂? SiO₂. The calcination at 600 °C yielded an amorphous structure whereas at 900 °C it resulted into a nanocrystalline structure. The nanocomposite of palladium was further characterized by TEM, XRD, IR and EDS. The material acts as an efficient electrocatalyst. Electrocatalysis of ascorbic acid is observed at 0.1 V vs. Ag/AgCl, shows linearity between 1 µM and 1 mM in 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.0).     

A novel palygorskite-modified carbon paste amperometric sensor for catechol determination

A palygorskite-modified carbon paste electrode (CPE) was constructed using graphite powder mixed with palygorskite particles. Compared with the unmodified CPE, the resulting palygorskite-modified CPE remarkably increases the peak currents of catechol, and greatly lowers the peak potential separation. Therefore, the palygorskite exhibits catalytic activity to catechol and significantly improves the determining sensitivity. The electrocatalytic activity of palygorskite is attributed to its high adsorption capability and the –OH groups on its surface, which plays an important role in the electron transfer between the modified CPE and the catechol in the solution. The sensor shows a linear response range between 5 and 100 μM catechol with a correlation coefficient of 0.998. The detection limit was calculated as 0.57 μM (s/n = 3).