Improving the lower detection limit of potentiometric sensors by covalently binding the ionophore to a polymer backbone

The lower detection limit of polymeric membrane ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) is impaired by zero-current ion fluxes through the organic phase. This adverse effect is largely eliminated by covalently attaching the ionophore to a polymer backbone. To this purpose, the Pb²⁺-selective ligand, 4-tert-butylcalix[4] arene-tetrakis(N,N′-dimethylthioacetamide) is substituted on its upper rim by a diol derivative which is subsequently copolymerized with poly(tetrahydrofuran)diol and 2,2,4-trimethylhexamethylene diisocyanate to the corresponding polyurethane. By measurements on sandwich membranes, it is shown that through binding the ionophore to the polymer, the mobility of Pb²⁺ in the ISE membrane is strongly reduced. As a consequence, the response range of such an ISE is extended by several orders of magnitude. This is the case even when using an internal electrolyte that with an ISE based on a mobile ionophore leads to strong deviations from the linear response because of ion uptake from the sample into the membrane or ion release from the membrane into the sample. With a conventional inner filling solution of 10⁻¹ M Pb(NO₃)₂, a lower detection limit of 1.7×10⁻⁹ M Pb²⁺ has been achieved in the presence of 10⁻⁴ M Na⁺.     

Theory of the Lamellar Superstructure of an ABC 3‐Miktoarm Star‐Terpolymer

Summary: The theory of lamellar superstructures of an ABC 3‐miktoarm star terpolymer in the conditions corresponding to the strong segregation limit for linear ABC triblock terpolymer has been developed. According to the particular molecular topology (namely, the common junction point for all three blocks), the system cannot avoid volume interactions between monomers of different blocks even in this limit. Hence, in the lamellar superstructure, there exists the so‐called “mixed” domain containing monomers of all three blocks but formed mainly of the block with the lowest degree of incompatibility. It is shown that unfavorable volume interactions in this domain are minimized by the increase of the interfacial area per ABC molecule which makes the mixed domain narrow. This leads to an unusual behavior of the period of the superstructure which decreases with an increase in the length of the block with the lowest incompatibility. However, in the case of a “synchronous” increase in the size of the branches of the ABC 3‐miktoarm star terpolymer, the period of the superstructure increases similarly to that for a linear ABC triblock terpolymer.

ABC 3‐miktoarm star terpolymer.     

键连接性指数的建构及其在有机体系中的应用研究

以化学键为基础建构了键连接性指数及分子键连接性指数，该指数同时考虑顶 点原子的化学特征及键的性质．对于任意化学键，键连接性指数Si＝1+△I/R·[（ Z1-h1)m2/n1+(Z2-h2)m1/n2]，分子键连接性指数S为∑i=1^m√Si或∑i=1^m1/√ Si，其中，Z1，Z2为化学键键连原子的价电子数；n1，n2成键原子的价层最高主量 子数；m1，m2为成键原子的氧化数；h1，h2为与成键原子相连的氢原子个数；△I 为成键原子的电负性差(△I≥0)；R为化学键的相对键长．与以顶点为基础的价连 接性指数不同，该指数不仅能方便而有效地应用于饱和碳氢体系亦能有效地应用于 含多重键的不饱和体系及含杂原子的有机体系．研究了饱和碳氢体系标准生成焓， 不饱和碳氢体系和酮、醚、酯体系在水中的溶解度和辛醇/水分配系数，卤代甲烷 体系的标准生成焓，卤代苯体系辛醇/水分配系数，均取得比较满意的结果。     

Electrothermal Atomization Atomic Absorption Spectrometry with Platinum Tube Atomizer in Air

Abstract

An electrothermal atomization method of atomic absorption spectrometry using a platinum tube atomizer in air is described. The atomizer consists of 0.025 mm-walled platinum tube and two supports. The remarkable merit of the platinum atomizer is the stability in air, when heated. This paper describes the improved performance for volatile elements like alkalimetals. Detection limits and characteristic mass are calculated for 7 elements and compared with literature values. The platinum atomizer can be used with a simple, effective and relatively low-cost atomic absorption spectrometer for routine in situ analysis.     

QSAR modeling with the electrotopological state indices: Corticosteroids

A structure-activity analysis of a series of steroids binding to corticosteroid-binding globulin was made using the electrotopological state index for each atom in the molecule. Two indices were found to correlate well with the binding affinity. The indices encode structural characteristics in the A and the D rings of the steroids in the study. One of the indices was formulated as the difference between two indices in the A ring. The two were not intercorrelated, suggesting that the composite index signals the influence of structure changes in or near the A ring that can be monitored by the composite index. This is a new observation using this structure-activity method. It is suggested that this model makes some contributions towards detection of the pharmacophore.     

Validation of HPLC Analysis of 2-Phenoxyethanol, 1-Phenoxypropan-2-ol, Methyl, Ethyl, Propyl, Butyl and Benzyl 4-Hydroxybenzoate (Parabens) in Cosmetic Products, with Emphasis on Decision Limit and Detection Capability

The Commission Decision of August 12, 2002 on the performance of analytical methods and the interpretation of results was applied to the HPLC method for the analysis of parabens, 2-phenoxyethanol and 1-phenoxypropan-2-ol in cosmetic products. This method is published in the seventh Directive 96/45/EC of the European Commission. Non-compliant concentrations, taking into account the data distribution (CC) and the probability of false negative values (CC) were determined. The repeatability and reproducibility amount to <4% and <7%, respectively. These values were obtained with blanc samples that were fortified in the laboratory. Calibration linearity was confirmed by absence of lack of fit for all seven preservatives. Matrix effects on the determinations of the preservatives in body milk or shampoo are negligible.     

Structural Analogy Method in Studies of Adamantanes

The potential of the structural analogy method in the topological studies of adamantane derivatives and analogs is demonstrated. The topological and structural characteristics of these compounds are calculated. Chromatographic retention indices were determined experimentally. Correlations between the topological indices and the physicochemical and chromatographic characteristics are investigated.     

Static electric properties of LiH: explicitly correlated coupled cluster calculations

Explicitly correlated MBPT-R12 and coupled cluster [up to CCSD(T)-R12] methods have been used in calculations of various (vibrationless) electrical properties for the LiH molecule, including the dipole and quadrupole moments, dipole and quadrupole polarizability tensors, dipole hyperpolarizability tensors, and the second dipole hyperpolarizability tensors. Generally, with extension of the basis set the R12 method did not lead to faster convergence for the calculated properties towards the basis limit. Nevertheless, R12 calculations serve as useful indicators to judge the reliability of the results, and substantially help in determining the accuracy. Results obtained with the 11s8p6d5f/9s8p6d5f basis and CCSD(T)-R12 calculated within this work should be close to the basis set limit. Received: 8 June 1998 / Accepted: 23 July 1998 / Published online: 7 October 1998     

Theoretical study on two types of weak interactions between methylenecyclopropane and XY (X,Y = H,F, Cl,and Br)

We present theoretical evidence that the two types of interactions exist in the complexes formed between methylenecyclopropane (MECP) and XY (X, Y = H, F, Cl, and Br). Two seats of XY interacted with MECP are located: (a) is via the pseudo‐π bonding electron pair associated with a C? C bond of the cyclopropane ring and (b) is via the typical‐π bonding of electron pair of the C?C bond of MECP. These two types of weak interactions are compared based on the calculated geometries, interaction energies, frequency changes, and topological properties of electron density. The integration of electron density over the interatomic surface is found to be a good measure for the strength of weak interaction. Furthermore, the total electron density and separated σ and π electron densities are also computed and discussed in this article. The separated electron density shows σ electron density determined the strength and π electron density influenced the direction of the hydrogen/halogen bond. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

Development and characterization of a magnetic bead-quantum dot nanoparticles based assay capable of Escherichia coli O157:H7 quantification

The development and characterization of a magnetic bead (MB)-quantum dot (QD) nanoparticles based assay capable of quantifying pathogenic bacteria is presented here. The MB-QD assay operates by having a capturing probe DNA selectively linked to the signaling probe DNA via the target genomic DNA (gDNA) during DNA hybridization. The signaling probe DNA is labeled with fluorescent QD₅₆₅ which serves as a reporter. The capturing probe DNA is conjugated simultaneously to a MB and another QD₆₅₅, which serve as a carrier and an internal standard, respectively. Successfully captured target gDNA is separated using a magnetic field and is quantified via a spectrofluorometer. The use of QDs (i.e., QD₅₆₅/QD₆₅₅) as both a fluorescence label and an internal standard increased the sensitivity of the assay. The passivation effect and the molar ratio between QD and DNA were optimized. The MB-QD assay demonstrated a detection limit of 890 zeptomolar (i.e., 10⁻²¹ mol L⁻¹) concentration for the linear single stranded DNA (ssDNA). It also demonstrated a detection limit of 87 gene copies for double stranded DNA (dsDNA) eaeA gene extracted from pure Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 culture. Its corresponding dynamic range, sensitivity, and selectivity were also presented. Finally, the bacterial gDNA of E. coli O157:H7 was used to highlight the MB-QD assay's ability to detect below the minimum infective dose (i.e., 100 organisms) of E. coli O157:H7 in water environment.