Voltammetric Detection of Free Sulfhydryl Compounds in Food Flours

Cyclic voltammetry has been applied to the rapid measurement of free SH‐compounds in food flours samples. The protocol is based on the electrochemical adaptation of the Ellman's test, where the DTNB reacts with SH‐compounds present in food flour extracts, resulting in the equimolar production of the electroactive compound TNBA which, in turns, reacts with phenylendiamine. The reaction is found to provide an analytical signal from which to quantify indirectly free sulfhydryl compounds in flours extracts.     

On-line testing of gas chromatographic columns with a programmable computing integrator

Summary A program is described which calculates the number of effective plates and the coating efficiency over the entire range of a test chromatogram. The peak widths at half height are derived by assuming a Gaussian peak shape. The interpolated peak width at k=4 is used for computing a standardized number of effective plates. Plate height, column permeability, overall performance and a novel parameter called sampling efficiency are calculated from 5 other figures — i. e. carrier gas code, pressure drop, column length, column temperature and particle size.Dedicated to Dr. Leslie S. Ettre for his 60th birthday.     

Interactions between gelatin and sodium dodecyl sulphate: binding isotherm and solution properties

The interaction between sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and gelatin was studied at pH 4.5 and 6.5 where the gelatin is positively charged (i.e.p. 8). At pH 4.5 a SDS/gelatin concentration range was found where gelatin precipitates. At pH 6.5 the SDS-gelatin complex remains soluble although three SDS concentration domains were distinguished where the SDS-gelatin complex had very different affinities for the solvent. Below C₁ the complex was highly surface active but other measurements (viscosity, potentiometry, protons uptake) did not reveal any particular consequence of binding. Between C₁ and C₂ the molecular size decreased (viscosity lowering) upon charge neutralization and collapse about small SDS aggregates (17 SDS molecules per gelatin molecule). Above C₂ a cooperative binding mechanism lead to the formation of SDS aggregates; the complex stretched out and turned strongly hydrophilic (the viscosity increases, low surface activity). At saturation one gelatin molecule bound about 200 SDS molecules. Above the overlap concentration (about 3 wt%) SDS aggregates formed between several gelatin molecules, the viscosity increased continuously with SDS concentration and the binding ratio was lower than in dilute gelatin solutions. A very good correspondence was found between the different analytical data including turbidity, viscosity, surface tension, protons uptake and direct potentiometric SDS binding measurements.     

Microphase separation of PEG-modified urethane acrylate and the swelling behavior of its gels

The viscosity of PEG-modified urethane acrylate (PMUA) showed peculiar behavior in the course of soap-free emulsification. Moreover, the viscosity change with added amounts of water was influenced by the reaction molar ratio of polyethylene glycol (PEG). The rate of increase in viscosity slowed and the ratio of increase in viscosity increased as the reaction molar ratio of PEG increased. This peculiar viscosity behavior was due to the microphase separation between hydrophilic and hydrophobic segments of PMUA, and the orientation of polyoxyethylene groups at O/W interface which influenced droplet size of the soap-free PMUA emulsion. The location of polyoxyethylene groups of this resin at O/W interface was confirmed using the adsorption isotherm measurement of PMUA molecules containing polyoxyethylene groups at water/benzene interface. The microphase separation behavior of PMUA between hydrophilic and hydrophobic segments could apply to the preparation of the PMUA gels containing peculiar structure. PMUA gels were prepared using dioxane (UAG) and the swelling behavior of these gels were compared to that of gels prepared using water (UAHG) in the same medium. In the same medium, the swelling behavior of UAHG gels differed from that of UAG gels because of the difference in the microstructure of gel due to the microphase separation between hydrophilic and hydrophobic segments. This phase separation in the course of gelation in water could be confirmed using contact angle measurement.     

密胺-脲甲醛树脂合成工艺放大研究

以密胺－脲甲醛树脂合成的小试工艺条件为依据，完成了放大试验过程的工艺研究。研究结果与小试研究的工艺条件相吻合。     

An optical surface plasmon resonance biosensor for determination of tetanus toxin

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) has been successfully applied for the simple, rapid, and label-free assay of various biomolecules. This assay evaluates a novel wavelength modulation SPR biosensor for the detection of tetanus toxin. The wavelength modulation SPR biosensor is designed based on fixing the incident angle of light and measuring the reflected intensities in the resonance wavelength range spanning 400-800 nm simultaneously. Tetanus toxin (TeNT), one of the most potent toxins known, is synthesized as a 150 kDa single polypeptide chain. The SPR biosensor has been shown to be capable of directly detecting concentration of tetanus toxin as low as 0.028 Lf ml⁻¹. Under selected experimental conditions, the SPR biosensor has a good reproducibility, sensitivity and reversibility. The results illustrate how wavelength modulation SPR biosensor can be used to detect biomolecular interactions.     

Effect of electrolytes on the surface behavior of rhamnolipids R1 and R2

The surface behavior of solutions of the rhamnolipids, R1 and R2, were investigated in the absence and presence of an electrolyte (NaCl) through surface tension measurements and optical microscopy at pH 6.8. The NaCl concentrations studied are 0.05, 0.5 and 1 M. Electrolytes directly affect the carboxylate groups of the rhamnolipids. The solution/air interface has a net negative charge due to the dissociated carboxylate ions at pH 6.8 with strong repulsive electrostatic forces between the rhamnolipid molecules. This negative charge is shielded by the Na⁺ ions in the electrical double layer in the presence of NaCl, causing the formation of a close-packed monolayer, and a decrease in CMC, and surface tension values. The maximum compaction is observed at 0.5 M NaCl concentrations for R1 and R2 monolayers, with the R1 monolayer more compact than R2. The larger spaces left below the hydrophobic tails of R1 with respect to that of R2, due to the missing second rhamnosyl groups are thought to be responsible for the higher compaction. The rigidity of both R1 and R2 monolayers increases with the electrolyte concentration. The rigidity of the R1 monolayer is greater than that of R2 at all NaCl concentrations due to the lower hydrophilic character of R1. The variation of CMC values as a function of NaCl concentration obtained from the surface tension measurements and critical packing parameter (CPP) calculations show that spherical micelles, bilayer and rod like micelles are formed in the rhamnolipid solutions as a function of the NaCl concentration. The results of optical microscopy supported these aggregation states indicating lamellar nematic liquid crystal, cubic lamellar and hexagonal liquid crystal phases in R1 and R2 solutions depending on the NaCl concentration.     

光敏型季铵盐类阳离子表面活性剂的合成及表面活性和泡沫性质

本文报道了一种光敏型的阳离子表面活性剂（AZO），其分子结构中含有偶氮苯基团，并研究了光照对表面活性和泡沫性能的影响。经紫外光照射后，表面活性剂的饱和吸附量（Г_max）减小，临界胶束浓度（cmc）、最低表面张力（γ_cmc）和分子极限占有面积（A_min）增大；气泡数目增多，直径变小，发泡能力和泡沫稳定性降低。实验结果证实，该表面活性剂的表面活性和泡沫稳定性可以用光照进行调控。     

Interfacial tension and fluorine evolution on a carbon anode

During electrolysis of molten KF-2HF, strongly adherent fluorine bubbles are generated at the surface of carbon anode. The current was passing even if the horizontal anode was fully covered with gas film. The formation and growth of gas bubbles were studied by transient electrochemical techniques. It was observed that the fluorine bubbles do not have the spherical cap shape predicted by the classical theory. The curvature radius of the interface profile is not constant, the edge of the bubble being flat with a contact angle close to zero. The results are interpreted in the frame of a model which takes into account the predominant role of the interfacial properties.     

超临界流体萃取仪器的研制

本文报道了以国产原配件为基础，成功地研制了分析规模的超临界流体萃取仪器、并对仪器性能进行了全面考察，仪器性能稳定，重现性良好（ＲＳＤ＜３．１％），定量线性关系可靠，可满足定量萃取的要求。