Modern contaminants affecting microscopic residue analysis on stone tools: A word of caution

Residue analysis is a method frequently used to infer the function of stone tools and it is very often applied in combination with use-wear analysis. Beyond its undeniable potential, the method itself has several intrinsic constraints. Apart from the exceptional circumstances necessary for residues to survive, the correct identification of the residue type is a very debatable topic. Before attempting to recognise ancient residues, a proper method should allow analysts to identify possible modern contaminants and exclude them from the final interpretation. Therefore, analysts should not underestimate the presence of modern contaminants and might learn how to discriminate the background noise due to handling.The main aim of this research is to provide some methodological improvements to residue analysis through the characterisation of some modern residues often present on the surface of stone tools (e.g. skin flakes, modelling clay). This characterisation was done by using both optical light microscopy (OLM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).Finally, a special care in the post-excavation treatment of stone tools is claimed in order to avoid major contamination of the samples.     

基于PLC的三维调整机同步控制系统设计与实现

针对三维调整机难以实现多台同步工作，设计了基于PLC的同步控制方案。在同步控制系统方案中，采用西门子PLC通过工业无线以太网进行同步控制，由各维度油缸的位移传感器来保证同步控制的精确性。经实验，证实了此系统的精度满足设计要求，实现了同步控制的效果。     

Evaluation of Formaldehyde in Foundry Waste Sands Using Liquid Chromatography

Abstract

The industrial manufacturing of metallic objects results in a high level of foundry waste sands that may contain toxic compounds such as formaldehyde. The formaldehyde content of foundry waste sands was evaluated by liquid chromatography. Samples were collected during various steps of the industrial processes. Results showed that the phenolic alkaline process generated waste sands with higher formaldehyde content than the furanic process; the highest value was 7.6 × 10^?3% (w/w). In this work, formaldehyde content decreased with time in all of the samples studied, revealing that most formaldehyde was released to the occupational environment.     

Some Aspects of the Mobility and Distribution of Toxic Heavy Metal Contaminants Insoil Profiles and River Sediments

Abstract

Investigations of the distribution and mobility of Pb, Ni, Cd and Hg have shown that Pb is strongly associated with humic substances in the top layer of soils and in river sediments, and that Pb shows the highest organophilicity. Ni is very organophilic, and Cd, somewhat less so. The hydrophilicity of Hg highly influences its movement in soil profiles and river sediments. The risk of contamination by these metals is characterized through the environment protection capacity (EPC_G) values which combine humus content and the quality and thickness of the humus layer in one parameter. The risk of contamination is highest at low EPC_G values. Increase of EPC_G decreases the risk of environmental contamination through binding of heavy metals to humic substances, decreasing their mobility.     

Light Hydrocarbon Separations Using Porous Organic Framework Materials

Light hydrocarbons (C₁–C₃) are used as basic energy feedstocks and as commodity organic compounds for the production of many industrially necessary chemicals. Due to the nature of the raw materials and production processes, light hydrocarbons are generated as mixtures, but the high-purity single-component products are of vital importance to the petrochemical industry. Consequently, the separation of these C₁–C₃ products is a crucial industrial procedure that comprises a significant share of the total global energy consumption per year. As a complement to traditional separation methods (distillation, partial hydrogenation, etc.), adsorptive separations using porous solids have received widespread attention due to their lower energy costs and higher efficiency. Extensive research has been devoted to the use of porous materials such as zeolites and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as solid adsorbents for these key separations, owing to the high porosity, tunable pore structures, and unsaturated metal sites present in these materials. Recently, porous organic framework (POF) materials composed of organic building blocks linked by covalent bonds have also shown excellent properties in light hydrocarbon adsorption and separation, sparking interest in the use of these materials as adsorbents in separation processes. This Minireview summarizes the recent advances in the use of POFs for light hydrocarbon separations, including the separation of mixtures of methane/ethane, methane/propane, ethylene/ethane, acetylene/ethylene, and propylene/propane, while highlighting the relationships between the structural features of these materials and their separation performances. Finally, the difficulties, challenges, and opportunities associated with leveraging POFs for light hydrocarbon separations are discussed to conclude the review.     

Third Order Derivative Spectrophotometry Determination of Mercury (II) as the Ternary Complex with Iodide and Pyronine G

Abstract

This paper describes a third order derivative mole cular absorption spectrophotometric procedure for the deter mination of traces of mercury based on the formation of ternary ion-association complex by reaction of mercury with pyronine G in the presence of iodide. The pink coloured ternary ion-association complex is readily formed in the pH range 1–7 and remained stable for 24 h. after stabilization with gelatin. The influence of various instru mental parameters and reaction conditions for maximum color development are discussed. The few interfering ions can be masked by the addition of appropriate reagent solutions.     

A Novel One Pot Synthesis of o‐Nitrophenylacetic Acid and Unexpected p‐Nitrobenzoic Acid by HNO3‐Mediated CH2 Extrusion Reaction of Phenylacetic Acid

The HNO₃‐mediated CH₂ extrusion reactions of phenylacetic acid lead to one pot synthesis of unexpected commercially important product 4‐nitrobenzoic acid through the formation of 4‐nitrophenylacetic acid and 2‐nitrophenylacetic acid.     

Application of the Combustion Method in a Closed Flask to the Lead Determination in Atmospheric Aerosols

Abstract

The destruction of the filter for metal determination in atmospheric aerosols is an important step in the analysis. Nowadays the decomposition of this kind of sample has not been completely solved, so it is interesting to study new methods for filter sample attack. In the present work the application of the combustion method in a closed flask for mixed cellulose esters filter decomposition for lead determination is proposed. For this purpose optimum operating conditions as stopper flask design, sample size, flask volume, shaking time and volume and concentration of absorbing solution are established, and accuracy and precision of the proposed method using AAS for the measurements is given. The results obtained by the closed flask combustion are compared with those found by wet attack with HNO₃. The method proposed is rapid, has low reagent contamination and no loss of lead by volatilization or by amalgamation occurs. This method shows an accuracy and a precision in good agreement with the standard method.     

Levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in mountainous and park soils in Beijing,China

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) were analysed in 95 mountainous and park soil samples collected from 19 sites in Beijing, China. The levels of PCDD/Fs in the mountainous soils were low (0.086–0.59; mean 0.29; median 0.23 ng I-TEQ/kg). The levels in the park soils far from the city centre were a little higher (0.39–0.88, mean0.68; median 0.75 ng I-TEQ/kg). However, in the park soils near to the city centre, there were an abrupt jump in their concentration (1.7–3.2; mean 2.3, median 1.7 ng I-TEQ/kg), about ten times higher than those in the mountainous sites. Comparison of PCDD/Fs homologues and congener compositions between possible sources and samples indicated that the mountainous and park soils in Beijing had been slightly contaminated mainly by sodium pentachlorophenate, sewage sludge, atmospheric deposition and vehicle exhaust. These results have also been supported by the principal component analysis.     

Industrial Applications of Dimeric Surfactants: A Review

Dimeric surfactants also known as gemini surfactants have received lots of attention for high performance formulations in the various scientific and commercial products. Due to the greater amount of hydrocarbon per molecule, the critical micelle concentrations (CMC) of dimeric are typically one order of magnitude lower than the corresponding monomeric surfactant. They are ten to hundred times more efficient at reducing the surface tension of water and the interfacial tension of the oil-water interface than conventional surfactants. Besides, the Krafft temperatures of gemini surfactants with hydrophilic spacers are generally very low giving these surfactants the capacity to be used in cold water. These surfactants display a range of interesting properties, including elevated surface activity, extremely low CMC and extraordinary rheology and self-assimilation aspect. As a consequence of these properties, they have many potential applications include detergents and cleaning agents, cosmetics, textile, and dyeing, dispersion stabilization and emulsion polymerization, genetics science, pharmaceutical, and biological applications.