Simultaneous determination of sulfite, sulfate, and hydroxymethanesulfonate in atmospheric waters by ion-pair HPLC technique

A reversed-phase ion-pair HPLC with indirect photometric detection for the simultaneous determination of sulfite, sulfate, hydroxymethanesulfonate (HMS), and other inorganic anions in atmospheric water has been developed. Separations were accomplished in less than 10 min in a cetylpyridinium-coated C₁₈ column with 0.5 mM potassium hydrogen phthalate-0.015% triethanolamine-3% methanol at pH 7.9 as mobile phase. Quantitation was carried out by the peak area method, with detection limits in the pmol range. UV light absorption responses were linear over a wide concentration range from several hundred μmoles to the detection limits of each anion. The application of the method provides a rapid and efficient technique for the quantitative determination of sulfur and other inorganic species in atmospheric liquids.     

Direct Barbier-type allylation of aromatic acetals and dioxolanes in the presence of β-cyclodextrin in water

A new and convenient procedure for the synthesis of homoallylic alcohols directly from aromatic acetals and dioxolanes has been developed with very good yields under biomimetic conditions using a Zn-mediated Barbier-type allylation in the presence of β-cyclodextrin in water.     

Solid-phase extraction-liquid chromatography-fluorimetry for organotin speciation in natural waters

Summary A method is reported for the determination of dibutyltin (DBT), diphenyltin (DPhT), tributyltin (TBT), and triphenyltin (TPhT) species at the nanogram per litre concentration level in natural water samples. Analytes were isolated from samples by solid-phase extraction and analysed both off-line and on-line by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with post-column derivatization and fluorimetric detection. Several SPE cartridges and eluents were evaluated; C₁₈ enrichment and elution with a mixture of methanol, acetic acid, and water was found most suitable. Preconcentration factors up to 250 can be achieved when a 500-mL sample is processed. Detection limits, recovery rates, and the precision of the whole process have been determined. The method has been applied to the determination of organotin species in spiked natural water samples collected on the NW Mediterranean coast. Recovery rates range from 75 to 110% and detection limits are at the low ng L⁻¹ level (1–3 ng Sn L⁻¹ for DPhT, DBT, and PhT and 40 ng Sn L⁻¹ for TBT when 250 mL spiked sea water is processed.)     

Kinetic investigation of the textile bleaching process

Volumetric H₂-uptake measurements on an Mo₂N (79 m²g^–1) sample reduced at 673 K have been carried out and the uptake isotherms in the temperature range of 308–623 K have been determined. Both the total and reversible hydrogen uptake increased with the uptake temperature. The irreversible hydrogen uptake increased abruptly when the uptake temperature was raised up to 423 K. The maximum of irreversible hydrogen uptake was measured at 473 K. The H_IR/Mo ratio calculated from the uptakes obtained in the temperature range of 308–623 K varies in the range of 0.0010–0.0202. One possible mechanism for hydrogen adsorption is proposed to be heterolytic dissociation on Mo-N paris, in which the molybdenum atoms are in unsaturated coordination.     

Aqueous solutions—A new perspective. Amorphous carbohydrates: Science and application technology

At a recent meeting of the International Symposium on Solution Chemistry I presented a paper dealing with aqueous solutions in which water was present not in excess but as one component of a supersaturated solution with polyhydroxy compounds. In response to a request from the Editor of this Journal I have submitted this article in which I outline my general interest in the subject and its importance as a new direction for solution chemists.     

Adsorption of water molecules in slit pores

We report molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on the adsorption of water in attractive and repulsive slit pores, where the slit and a bulk region are in contact with each other. Water structure, surface force and adsorption behavior are investigated as a function of the overall density in the bulk region. The gas–liquid transition in both types of pores occurs at similar densities of the bulk region.     

Synthesis and chelation properties of new polymeric ligand derived from 8-hydroxy-5-azoquinoline hydroxy benzene

8-Hydroxy-5-azoquinoline phenyl methacrylate-formaldehyde (8H5AQPMA-F) macromonomer was prepared from methacryloyl chloride with condensation products of 8-hydroxy-5-azoquinoline phenol-formaldehyde, and polymerized in DMF at 70 °C using benzoyl peroxide as free radical initiator. Poly(8H5AQPMA-F) was characterized by infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic techniques. Polychelates were obtained when the DMF solution of the resin containing few drops of ammonia was treated with the aqueous solution of Cu(II)/Ni(II). Elemental analysis of the polychelates indicates that the metal to ligand ratio was about 1:2. The IR spectra of polychelates suggest that the metals were coordinated through the oxygen of the phenolic-OH group and nitrogen of the quinoline ligand. The DRS and magnetic moment data indicate a square planar for Cu(II) complex whereas octahedral for Ni(II) complex. The TGA data revealed the thermal stability of the resin and the polychelates. X-ray diffraction study revealed the incorporation of the metal ions significantly enhanced the degree of crystallinity. The sorption properties of the chelate-forming resin towards various divalent metal ions [Cu(II) and Ni(II)] were studied as a function of pH and electrolyte.     

Solubilization and applications of single-walled carbon nanotubes into aqueous and organic media by the use of nanometer size-controlled fluoroalkyl end-capped oligomeric aggregates

We have studied on the solubilization of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SW-CNTs) into aqueous and organic media by the use of a variety of nanometer size-controlled fluorinated self-assemblies, which were formed by the aggregations of end-capped fluoroalkyl segments in fluoroalkyl end-capped acrylic acid oligomers [R_F-(ACA)_n-R_F], N,N-dimethylacrylamide oligomers [R_F-(DMAA)_n-R_F], acryloylmorpholine oligomers [R_F-(ACMO)_n-R_F], and N-(1,1-dimethyl-3-oxobutyl)acrylamide oligomers [R_F-(DOBAA)_n-R_F]. Fluorinated self assemblies formed in organic media (colorless solutions) could solubilize SW-CNTs into organic media to afford the transparent pale yellow solutions. The dynamic light scattering measurements showed that the size of fluorinated self-assemblies increased after the solubilization of SW-CNTs into organic media. It was suggested that the solubilization of SW-CNTs into organic media is due to the encapsulation of SW-CNTs into fluorinated assemblies. Fluorinated assemblies were also able to solubilize SW-CNTs into water to give the transparent gray solutions. Among a variety of fluorinated assemblies, fluorinated assemblies formed by R_F-(ACMO)_n-R_F [R_F = CF(CF₃)OC₆F₁₃] oligomer was more effective for the solubilization of SW-CNTs into both aqueous and organic media. Contact angle measurements of dodecane and the fluorescence spectra for poly(methyl methacrylate) cast film modified by fluorinated self-assemblies—SW-CNTs complexes showed that SW-CNTs are dispersed above the PMMA surface.     

Osmotic Coefficients of Aqueous Solutions of Some Poly(oxyethylene) Glycols at the Freezing Point of Solution

Summary. The freezing temperatures of dilute aqueous solutions of some poly(oxyethylene) glycols (PEG, HO–(CH₂CH₂O) _n –H, n varying from 4 to 117) were measured over a solute to solvent mass ratio from 0.0100 to 0.3900. The second and third osmotic virial coefficient (A ₂₂ and A ₂₂₂) of poly(oxyethylene) glycols in aqueous solution were determined. The molecular weight dependence of the second virial coefficient can be described by a simple relation A ₂₂=2×10^–5 M _n ^1.86, and the third virial coefficient is A ₂₂₂=0.038A ₂₂ ². The activity coefficients of the solute were calculated using the Gibbs-Duhem equation as applied by Bjerrum. From the osmotic and activity coefficients the excess Gibbs energies of solution, as well as the respective partial molar functions of solute and solvent and the virial pair interaction coefficients for the excess Gibbs energies were estimated. The second and the third osmotic virial coefficients are correlated with the Mc-Millan-Mayer virial coefficients.     

Semi-micro solvent extraction as a rapid and efficient preconcentration technique for the determination of n-alkanes in oil-contaiminated water and soil samples by capillary gas chromatography

Summary In this study, a rapid and efficient semi-micro extraction procedure is presented for the extraction of some higher n-alkanes from water and soil samples. In the case of water samples n-hexane was used as the organic phase in a phase volume ratio (volume of aqueous phase/volume of organic phase) higher than 285, while in the case of soil samples, extraction with n-hexane was carried out in the presence of an excess of 2 M NaCl solution. The extraction rate from soil samples is very high and is better than Soxhlet extraction, comparable with supercritical fluid extraction. High preconcentration factor in water samples allows the limits of detection to be in the ng.mL⁻¹ level with the use of gas chromatographic analysis. Flame ionization detector was used for monitoring the analytes. The obtained recoveries of all studied compounds from both water and soil samples are higher than 90%. This method was successfully used to determine some n-alkanes in municipal wastewater and contaminated soil.