Increase in removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons during bioremediation of crude oil-contaminated sandy soil

A 2³ full factorial experimental design was adopted to estimate the effects of three variables on the biodegradation of oil during soil bioremediation: bioaugmentation seeding a mixed culture, addition of fertilizer or mineral media, and correction of initial pH of the soil to 7.0. The tests were carried out in polyvinyl chloride reactors with 5.0 kg of crude oil-contaminated soil at 14 g/kg. After screening the variables, soil bioremediation tests were conduced with varied C:N ratios, yielding an increase in biodegradation of the oil heavy fraction from 24 to 65%, consumption of total n-paraffins, and a remarkable decrease in the concentration of residual polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons of the soil.     

Microdevices for manipulation and accumulation of micro- and nanoparticles by dielectrophoresis

Microfluidic devices with three-dimensional (3-D) arrays of microelectrodes embedded in microchannels have been developed to study dielectrophoretic forces acting on synthetic micro- and nanoparticles. In particular, so-called deflector structures were used to separate particles according to their size and to enable accumulation of a fraction of interest into a small sample volume for further analysis. Particle velocity within the microchannels was measured by video microscopy and the hydrodynamic friction forces exerted on deflected particles were determined according to Stokes law. These results lead to an absolute measure of the dielectrophoretic forces and allowed for a quantitative test of the underlying theory. In summary, the influence of channel height, particle size, buffer composition, electric field, strength and frequency on the dielectrophoretic force and the effectiveness of dielectrophoretic deflection structures were determined. For this purpose, microfluidic devices have been developed comprising pairs of electrodes extending into fluid channels on both top and bottom side of the microfluidic channels. Electrodes were aligned under angles varying from 0 to 75 degrees with respect to the direction of flow. Devices with channel height varying between 5 and 50 microm were manufactured. Fabrication involved a dedicated bonding technology using a mask aligner and UV-curing adhesive. Particles with radius ranging from 250 nm to 12 microm were injected into the channels using aqueous buffer solutions.     

Operating characteristics and energy distribution in transferred plasma arc systems

A specially designed plasma chamber was constructed to study the operating characteristics of a dc plasma-transferred arc of argon, struck between a fluid convective cathode and a water-cooled anode. The arc voltage increased markedly with arc length and with an increase in the inlet velocity of the argon flow past the cathode tip, and much less with an increase in current. Radiation from the plasma column to the chamber walls and transfer of energy to the anode were the two principal modes of transfer of the arc energy. The former was dominant in the case of long arcs and at high inlet argon velocities. At the anode, the major contribution was from electron transfer, which occurred on a very small area of the anode (～5 mm in diameter). Convective heat transfer from the plasma was somewhat less. In all cases, the arc energy contributions to cathode cooling and to the exit gas enthalpy were small. From total heat flux and radiative heat transfer measurements, it was estimated that the plasma temperature just above the anode was in the range 10,000–12,000 K. Preliminary experiments with an anode consisting of molten copper showed that the arc root was no longer fixed but moved around continuously. The arc was othwewise quite stable, and its operating characteristics differed little from those reported for solid anodes, in spite of the greater extent of metal vaporization.     

一种新的滤纸基质固体表面低温荧光(燐光)测定装置

对自行研制的铜制滤纸基质低温荧光（燐光）测定的样品支架，进行了滤纸基质固体表面低温荧光测定的可行性研究。与同类冷冻装置和室温装置比较，本装置用于滤纸基质固体表面低温荧光（燐光）测定具有以下优点；样品的分析周期大大地缩短，由45min缩短为5-6min；装置简单、便宜耐用；操作简便，简化了室温测定时的滤纸干燥程序，应用范围广，方法的重现性好，检样分析结果的相对标准偏差RSD%小于10%，荧光（燐光）分析灵敏度高，检出限低，线性范围宽。     

Determination of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes in air by solid phase micro-extraction/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

The aim of the study was to analyse BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes) in air by solid phase micro-extraction/gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (SPME/GC/MS), and this article presents the features of the calibration method proposed. Examples of real-world air analysis are given. Standard gaseous mixtures of BTEX in air were generated by dynamic dilution. SPME sampling was carried out under non-equilibrium conditions using a Carboxen/PDMS fibre exposed for 30 min to standard gas mixtures or to ambient air. The behaviour of the analytical response was studied from 0 to 65 g/m³ by adding increasing amounts of BTEX to the air matrix. Detection limits range from 0.05 to 0.1 g/m³ for benzene, depending on the fibre. Inter-fibre relative standard deviations (reproducibility) are larger than 18%, although the repeatability for an individual fibre is better than 10%. Therefore, each fibre should be considered to be a particular sampling device, and characterised individually depending on the required accuracy. Sampling indoor and outdoor air by SPME appears to be a suitable short-delay diagnostic method for volatile organic compounds, taking advantage of short sampling time and simplicity.     

RATE OF INTRA-MOLECULAR CONTACT FORMATION IN SHORT TWO-DIMENSIONAL COMPACT POLYMERS CHAINS

It is important to know the rate of intra-molecular contact formation in proteins in order to understand how proteins fold clearly. Here we investigate the rate of intra-molecular contact formation in short two-dimensional compact polymer chains by calculating the probability distribution p(r) of end-to-end distance r using the enumeration calculation method and HP model on two-dimensional square lattice. The probability distribution of end-to-end distance p(r) of short two-dimensional compact polymers chains may consist of two parts, i.e. p(r) = p1(r) p2(r), where p1(r) and p2(r) are different for small r. The rate of contact formation decreases monotonically with the number of bonds N, and the rate approximately conforms to the scaling relation of k(N) ∝ N-α. Here the value of α increases with the contact radius a and it also depends on the percentage of H (hydrophobic) residues in the sequences of compact chains and the energy parameters of εHH, εHP and εPP . Some comparisons of theoretical predictions with experimental results are also made. This investigation may help us to understand the protein folding.     

分子电子学的新进展

分子尺度电子学通过构筑基于微尺度电极和单个分子或者少量分子聚集体的"电极-分子-电极"结，研究跨越分子的电荷输运性质.它将分子本征化学特性与器件构筑相结合，考察分子的理化特性与电荷输运的构效关系，揭示微尺度的量子输运动力学原理，并探索基于分子的功能电子器件.是一个集化学、物理学与微电子学为一体的交叉学科.总结整理了分子电子学近些年在器件制备、输运机理及应用方面部分有代表性的进展.     

Analysis of microgram amounts of particulate material by simultaneous multiwavelength AES

A unique simultaneous emission spectrograph is utilized to perform qualitative and quantitative analysis on trace quantities of solid particulates. The atomic emission spectroscopic system consists of a direct current plasma source and an echelle spectrograph with a charge injection device detector, enabling the system to simultaneously measure the wavelength range from 220 nm to 520 nm with 0.02 nm resolution at 300 nm. Monitoring all wavelengths simultaneously allows the qualitative and quantitative determination of most major and minor constituent in a trace quantity of sample with little prior knowledge about the sample. The ability to perform qualitative and quantitative analysis on particulates is demonstrated by evaluating NBS certified coal fly ash, as well as a sample taken from the respirator air filter at an acute care unit in a hospital.Presented in part at the 1989 European Winter Conference on Plasma Spectrochemistry, Reutte, Austria     

Analysis of Petroleum Distillates from Fire Debris Using Supercritical Fluid Extraction with a Two‐Level Orthogonal Array Experimental Design

A supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) method was developed in the present study as an effective sample pretreatment technique of petroleum distillates from fire debris. Three petroleum distillates were used as target analytes, including 95 unleaded gasoline, kerosene, and premium diesel. An orthogonal array (L16) experimental design was adopted to separately evaluate primary SFE experimental factors. The SFE efficiencies of petroleum distillates at various extraction conditions were examined and the optimized SFE conditions were identified. Experimental results demonstrated that the optimized SFE method not only provided an effective extraction method for the spiked sample, but also successfully recovered residues of petroleum distillates from fire debris.     

便携式温度计校验仪的研制

介绍便携式温度计校验仪的工作原理及研制过程。对该仪器的恒温槽体机械结构、制冷器和散热器的设计、恒温槽体温度测量及控制等进行了详细叙述。该仪器提供的温度场稳定、均匀，在-20～100℃范围内可任意设定温度。解决了温度计现场快速校准的问题。