Hapten heterology for a specific and sensitive indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for organophosphorus insecticide fenthion

Five haptens with different spacer-arm attachment sites on the structure of the organophosphorus insecticide fenthion were designed and synthesized. All of the haptens were conjugated with ovalbumin (OVA) for the coating antigen, and three haptens containing all or most of the structure of fenthion were conjugated with bovine serum albumin (BSA) for the immunogen. Six polyclonal antisera were raised against the three BSA conjugates, and 30 antibody/coating conjugate combinations were selected for studies of assay sensitivity and specificity for fenthion. The study revealed the best combination with high sensitivity (I₅₀ of 0.08 ng mL⁻¹) and high assay specificity, which indicated that when structural difference between the analyte and an immunizing hapten is less than that between a coating hapten and the immunizing hapten, a high sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the heterologous system may stand a good chance to be developed. The immunity results showed that heterology in the hapten spacer-arm attachment site of the immunogen could achieve a remarkable improvement in the quantity, sensitivity, and/or specificity of antibody, and that the moiety of an analyte, which is the same as the moiety near/on the immunizing spacer-arm hapten attachment site, contributes greatly to the interaction of antibody and hapten.     

Detoxification of Chemical Warfare Agents Using a Zr6‐Based Metal–Organic Framework/Polymer Mixture

Owing to their high surface area, periodic distribution of metal sites, and water stability, zirconium‐based metal–organic frameworks (Zr₆‐MOFs) have shown promising activity for the hydrolysis of nerve agents GD and VX, as well as the simulant, dimethyl 4‐nitrophenylphosphate (DMNP), in buffered solutions. A hurdle to using MOFs for this application is the current need for a buffer solution. Here the destruction of the simulant DMNP, as well as the chemical warfare agents (GD and VX) through hydrolysis using a MOF catalyst mixed with a non‐volatile, water‐insoluble, heterogeneous buffer is reported. The hydrolysis of the simulant and nerve agents in the presence of the heterogeneous buffer was fast and effective.     

Monitoring the traceability of the pH of a primary tetraborate buffer: comparison of results from primary and secondary apparatus

This paper reports evaluation of the behaviour of different combined glass electrodes applied to measurement of the pH of a primary, 0.01 mol kg⁻¹, tetraborate buffer. Measurements were first performed by use of a primary Harned cell (at 15, 25, and 37 °C); these results were then compared with those obtained for the same solution by use of three combined glass electrodes (25 °C) with different membranes and liquid-junction designs, calibrated by use of commercial pH-metric buffers. The pH of the same solution was also measured in terms of the molal concentration of hydrogen ions, using acid–base titration to evaluate the formal potential difference K of each cell at fixed ionic strength, I, adjusted by addition of KCl or Et₄NI (tetraethylammonium iodide). The reference value from primary measurement, paH = 9.171, was slightly closer to the mean value obtained by determination of concentration, rather than that obtained by direct measurement of activity; the differences were smaller than the extended uncertainty characteristics of the secondary measurements. The importance of evaluation of the ionic strength of the solution under study is emphasised. We verified that for tetraborate buffer slight modification of the value of I used to calculate γ _i (the activity coefficient of a single ion) in the calculation of paH from the acidity function at zero molality of chloride can significantly affect the reference value of the calibrator tool. This is true, in general, for low values of the ionic strength, such as those considered in this work; an approximate value of I can then cause distortions along the pH traceability chain. Application of the concepts of thermodynamics to this traceability chain is discussed.     

毛细管电泳样品电堆积富集过程的数值研究

毛细管电泳样品电堆积富集过程可以浓缩样品组分,从而提高检测灵敏度,是一种有效的样品富集技术。本文通过合理的简化和假设,把毛细管中电堆积富集过程中所涉及的主要变量根据电势分布方程、缓冲溶液的浓度方程和样品粒子的质量传输方程进行耦合求解,建立了一个一维的数学模型,并应用有限元的方法对该模型进行了求解。计算结果给出了毛细管中缓冲溶液浓度及电场强度的分布随时间变化的过程,以及富集过程中毛细管中的电势分布曲线;得到了样品粒子浓度在电堆积富集过程和富集之后的再次扩散过程中的分布曲线以及正、负样品粒子的分离过程;最后分析了不同缓冲溶液浓度比对样品富集效果的影响。该研究为样品电堆积富集技术的进一步完善提供了一种简单可行的理论研究方法。     

毛细管电泳样品电堆积富集过程影响因素的数值分析

毛细管电泳样品电堆积富集是一种通过缓冲溶液浓度的差异在毛细管中形成电场强度梯度,从而对样品进行浓缩的富集技术。本文在已有数学模型的基础上,对影响毛细管电堆积富集过程的因素进行了分析。计算结果发现,样品粒子表面所带的电荷电性以及带电量会影响粒子的电泳速度,进而影响富集过程;外加电势的大小会影响样品粒子到达检测窗口的迁移时间;而样品塞的初始长度则会影响样品所能达到的最大富集浓度以及达到最佳的富集效果所需要的时间。所得到的结果对样品电堆积富集技术的进一步完善具有一定的理论指导意义。     

Calcium Carbonate Dissolution from the Laboratory to the Ocean: Kinetics and Mechanism

The ultimate fate, over the course of millennia, of nearly all of the carbon dioxide formed by humankind is for it to react with calcium carbonate in the world's oceans. Although, this reaction is of global relevance, aspects of the calcite dissolution reaction remain poorly described with apparent contradictions present throughout the expansive literature. In this perspective we aim to evidence how a lack of appreciation of the role of mass-transport may have hampered developments in this area. These insights have important implications for both idealised experiments performed under laboratory conditions and for the measurement and modelling of oceanic calcite sediment dissolution.     

Buffering dissociation/formation reaction of biogenic calcium carbonate

The oscillating stability of coral reef seawater pH has been maintained at around physiological pH values over the past 300 years (Pelejero et al., 2005). The stability mechanism of its pH has been interpreted in terms of the buffering dissolution/formation reaction of CaCO(3) as well as the proton consumption/generation reaction in CaCO(3)-saturated water. Here the pH-dependent solubility product [HCO(3)(-)][Ca(2+)] has been derived on the basis of the actual pH-dependent reactions for the atmospheric CO(2)/CO(2 (aq.))/HCO(3)(-)/CO(3)(2-)/Ca(2+)/CaCO(3) system. Overbasic pH peaks appeared between pH approximately 8 and approximately 9.5 during sodium hydroxide titration, as a result of simultaneous CaCO(3) formation and proton generation. The spontaneous and prompt water pH recovery from the acidic to the physiological range has been confirmed by the observation of acid/base time evolution, because of simultaneous CaCO(3) dissolution and proton consumption. The dissolution/formation of CaCO(3) in water at pH 7.5-9 does not take place without a proton consumption/generation reaction, or a buffering chemical reaction of HCO(3)(-)+Ca(2+)right arrow over left arrowCaCO(3)+H(+). SEM images of the CaCO(3) fragments showed that the acid water ate away at the CaCO(3) formed at physiological pH values. Natural coral reefs can thus recover the physiological pH levels of seawater from the acidic range through partial dissolution of their own skeletons.     

Environmental Effect of Macrocyclic Molecules on the Oxidation of Triethylamine by Ferricyanide Ion in Aqueous Solution

The effect of 18-crown-6 and kryptofix (2,2,1) on the oxidation of triethylamine byaqueous ferricyanide ion has been studied at pH 4, 7, and 9.The macrocycle retarded the normal oxidation process at all pH values,the effect depending on the macrocyclic ligand concentration Kryptofix (2,2,1) had a greater effect than 18-crown-6 at all pHvalues in this study. For 18-crown-6, retardation decreases in the order pH 9 > 4 > 7 while forkryptofix it follows the order pH 9 > 7 > 4.     

金属基上以YSZ为过渡层的YBCO薄膜的微观结构

采用透射电子显微术（ＴＥＭ），研究了用磁控溅射技术在柔性金属基体上制备的、钇稳定的ＺｒＯ２（ＹＳＺ）为过镀层的ＹＢａ２Ｃｕ３Ｏ７－ｙ（ＹＢＣＯ）薄膜的横断面结构。所得ＹＢＣＯ膜的超导临界转变温度Ｔｃ为９１Ｋ，临界电流密度Ｊｃ＝２×１０３Ａ／ｃｍ２（７７Ｋ，０Ｔ）。基体为Ｎｉ基合金（ＨａｓｔｅｌｏｙＣ）。ＹＳＺ层为致密、均匀的细晶组织，约１２μｍ厚，具有织构取向，并与基体紧密连接。ＹＢＣＯ层的厚度不均匀，约５００ｎｍ；ＹＢＣＯ／ＹＳＺ界面有时连接较差，在该界面上有杂质出现，杂质有可能引发裂纹。     

Equations for calculation of the pH of buffer solutions containing sodium or potassium dihydrogen phosphate, sodium hydrogen phosphate, and sodium chloride at 25°C

Published thermodynamic data measured in aqueous mixtures of sodium or potassium dihydrogen phosphate with hydrogen phosphate and chloride at 25°C were used to test recently developed methods for calculation of the pH of phosphate buffer solutions. Equations for ionic activity coefficients are used in these methods. It is shown that all data used in the tests up to an ionic strength of about 0.5 mol-kg^-1 can be accurately predicted by the two methods recommended. In one of these methods, equations of the Hückel type are used for ionic activity coefficients and in the other equations of the Pitzer type. Several sets of phosphate buffer solutions are recommended,e.g., for calibrations of glass electrode cells. In the recommended sets, the pH of the buffer solutions can be calculated either by the Hückel or Pitzer method, and the pH predictions of these methods agree in most cases within 0.005 at least up to ionic strengths of about 0.2 mol-kg^-1. The pH values of the two primary pH standards endorsed by IUPAC based on aqueous mixtures of KH₂PO₄ and Na₂HPO₄,i.e., pH values of 6.865 and 7.413, can also be accurately predicted by the equations recommended in this study.