Determination of the elemental composition of cyanobacteria cells and cell fractions by atomic emission and atomic absorption spectrometry

An approach to studying the elemental composition of cyanobacteria Spirulina platensis and Nostoc commune using a set of complementary analytical methods (ICP-AES, PAAS, and ETAAS) is proposed. The procedures were adapted for the determination of macro- and microelements (Na, K, Mg, Ca, Fe, Mn, Cu, Mo, Zn, B, and Se) in the biomass of cyanobacteria and separated cell fractions (chloroform and water-methanol extracts and precipitates). The conditions for the mineralization of biological materials were optimized for autoclave and microwave sample preparation procedures. The evaporation and atomization of Se and Mo in a graphite furnace in the presence of chloroform and methanol were studied. The use of combined analytical methods and the interpretation of analytical results allow one to draw conclusions about the ability of cyanobacteria to accumulate biologically important microelements (B, Mo, Se, and Zn) and to optimize technological processes for manufacturing biologically active substances.Translated from Zhurnal Analiticheskoi Khimii, Vol. 60, No. 1, 2005, pp. 35–40.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Sedykh, Lyabusheva, Tambiev, Bannykh.     

Conjugates of Iron-Transporting N-Hydroxylactams with Ciprofloxacin

Screening of a library of novel N-hydroxylactams amenable by the Castagnoli-Cushman reaction identified four lead compounds that facilitated ⁵⁵Fe transport into P. aeruginosa cells (one of these synthetic siderophores was found to be as efficient at promoting iron uptake as the natural siderophores pyoverdine, pyochelin or enterobactin). Conjugates of the four lead siderophores with ciprofloxacin were tested for antibacterial activity against P. aeruginosa POA1 (wild type) and the ∆pvdF∆pchA mutant strain. The antibacterial activity was found to be pronounced against the ∆pvdF∆pchA mutant strain grown in CAA medium but not for the POA1 strain. This may be indicative of these compounds being ‘Trojan horse’ antibiotics. Further scrutiny of the mechanism of the antibacterial action of the newly developed conjugates is warranted.     

Electrical conductivity of BaCe0.9Nd0.1O3−α in H2+H2O+Ar gas mixture

Electroconductivity of BaCe_0.9Nd_0.1O_3−α was studied as a function of the composition of the H₂+H₂O+Ar mixture and temperature in the interval from 873 to 1173 K. It was shown that the electroconductivity was independent of P_H2 (0.97 to 0.10 atm) and P_O2 (10⁻²¹ to 10⁻²⁶ atm), but depended on P_H2O (0.08 to 0.005 atm). A mathematical processing of the P_H2O dependencies of the electroconductivity, which was performed in terms of a classical model of defect formation in high-temperature proton-conducting solid electrolytes, yielded equilibrium constants of the reaction of water dissolution in BaCe_0.9Nd_0.1O_3−α and mobilities of protons and oxygen ions. The temperature dependencies of these quantities were used to determine the mobility activation energies of protons (E_a=34±7 kJ/mole) and oxygen ions (E_a=72±8 kJ/mole), and also the enthalpy (ΔH=−150±25 kJ/mole) and the entropy (ΔS=153±26 kJ/mole·K) of the reaction of water dissolution in BaCe_0.9Nd_0.1O_3−α.     

Ascorbic acid as a matrix modifier for determination of tin in concentrated boric acid solutions by electrothermal atomic-absorption spectrometry

It has been found that the atomic-absorption signal for tin is reduced in the presence of 5 micro1 of 0.05-0.30M boric acid at STPF-conditions. It has been proposed that the reason for the boron interferences is the formation of SnB(g) at the atomization stage. In the presence of palladium chloride the interferences from 0.2M boric acid are reduced by a factor of 1.3. The interferences are reduced most effectively when the sample is atomized from a polycrystalline graphite platform or in the presence of ascorbic acid. The interference of up to 0.2M boric acid can be suppressed and the area of the tin signal doubled. It is proposed that the observed phenomenon is connected with the bonding of boron as non-volatile B(4)C. Ascorbic acid is the most effective matrix modifier for the determination of different trace elements in boron compounds.     

Phase Equilibria and Crystal Structure of Complex Oxides in the La–Sr–Co–Ni– System

Phase equilibria in the La–Sr–Co–Ni–O system were studied in air at 1100°. The samples for the study were synthesized by the standard ceramic and citrate processes. The limiting solubility and structure of La_1-xSr_xCo_1-yNi_yO_3- and (La_1-xSr_x)₂Co_1-yNi_yO₄ solid solutions were determined by Xray powder diffraction analysis. La_1-xSr_xCo_1-yNi_yO₃- solid solutions with 0 x 0.5 have a distorted rhombohedral perovskitelike structure (R c space group). An increase in the strontium concentration reduces the rhombohedral distortions, and the compounds with x < 0.5 have an ideal cubic structure (Pm3m space group). (La_1-xSr_x)₂Co_1-yNi_yO₄ crystals have a tetragonal K₂NiF₄ type unit cell (I4/mmm space group). The relationships between unit cell parameters and compositions were obtained for singlephase La_1-xSr_xCo_1-yNi_yO_3- and (La_1-xSr_x)₂Co_1-yNi_yO₄ samples. The existence regions of La_1-xSr_xCo_1-yNi_yO₃- and La_1-xSr_x)₂Co_1-yNi_yO₄ solid solutions were distinguished on P–T phase diagrams.     

Adsorption and catalytic properties of sulfated aluminum oxide modified with cobalt ions

The adsorption properties of sulfated aluminum oxide (9% SO ₄ ^2- /γ-Al₂O₃) and a cobalt-containing composite (0.5%Сo/SO ₄ ^2- /γ-Al₂O₃) based on it are studied via dynamic sorption. The adsorption isotherms of such test adsorbates as n-hydrocarbons (C₆–C₈), benzene, ethylbenzene, chloroform, and diethyl ether are measured, and their isosteric heats of adsorption are calculated. It is shown that the surface sulfation of aluminum oxide substantially improves its electron-accepting properties, and so the catalytic activity of SO ₄ ^2- /γ-Al₂O₃ in the liquid-phase alkylation of benzene with octene-1 at temperatures of 25–120°C is one order of magnitude higher than for the initial aluminum oxide. It is established that additional modification of sulfated aluminum oxide with cobalt ions increases the activity of this catalyst by 2–4 times. It is shown that adsorption sites capable of strong specific adsorption with both donating (aromatics, diethyl ether chemosorption) and accepting molecules (chloroform) form on the surface of sulfated γ-Al₂O₃ promoted by cobalt salt.     

A TEM and XRD study of the SbNbSe3 misfit layer structures

Two new misfit layer structures have been synthesized within the Sb-Nb-Se system. Powder X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy techniques (electron diffraction, HREM, XEDS) have been used to determine the nature of their structure. According to TEM and XEDS data (for more than 15 crystals studied) both phases are monolayer type, i.e. (SbSe)1+delta (NbSe2). Electron microscopy reveals a composite modulated structure that consists of the periodical intergrowth of a pseudotetragonal SbSe layer, denominated as Q, and a pseudohexagonal layer NbSe2, denominated as H. Both layers fit along b, stack along c and do not fit along a (misfit) giving rise to an incommensurate modulation along this direction. The two phases differ in the symmetry of the Q layers being in one case orthorhombic (for delta = 0.17) and monoclinic in the other (for delta = 0.19). After the characterization of the sample by electron microscopy the unit cells of the basic layers could be refined for both phases by powder X-ray diffraction: aQ = 5.824(2) A, bQ = 5.962(5) A, cQ = 23.927(6) A, alpha = 90 degrees, beta = 90 degrees and gamma = 90 degrees and aH = 3.415(5) A, bH = 5.962(6) A,, cH = 11.962(1) A, alpha = 90 degrees, beta = 90 degrees and gamma = 90 degrees for the orthorhombic phase; aQ = 5.844(2) A, bQ = 5.981(1) A, cQ = 23.919(5) A, alpha = 90 degrees, beta = 90 degrees and gamma = 96.00(3)degrees and aH = 3.439(1) A, bH = 5.994(2) A, cH = 11.956(3) A, alpha = 90 degrees, beta = 90 degrees and gamma = 90 degrees for the monoclinic phase. The phase with the monoclinic Q-sublattice often appears as twinned crystals. The more abundant crystals are disordered intergrowths of both monolayer phases.     

Studying the adsorption and activation of benzene and chlorobenzene on Ni(12%)/Al2O3 by means of gas chromatography and quantum chemistry

In studying the surface and adsorption properties of Al₂O₃ and Ni(12%)/Al₂O₃ with respect to C₆H₆ and C₆H₅Cl, it is found that adsorbate-adsorbent interaction is stronger than adsorbate-adsorbate interaction. It is shown that the calculated isosteric heats of adsorption vary in a range of 61 to 45 kJ/mol depending on adsorption magnitude; for Ni(12%)/γ-Al₂O₃, as in the case of γ-Al₂O₃, the heat of adsorption of chlorobenzene is higher at low degrees of filling than that of benzene. According to density functional theory quantum-chemical calculations of the structures of complexes (NinC₆H₅Cl) ^z and (Ni _n C₆H₆) ^z (n = 1, 4; z = ?1, 0, +1), a nickel atom can penetrate into C₆H₅Cl along the C-Cl bond. It is concluded that a negative charge on nickel contributes to the efficient activation of the C-Cl bond and to an increase in the rate of desorption of benzene, a key step in the hydrodechlorination of chlorobenzene.     

Carboxylate Catalyzed Isomerization of β,γ-Unsaturated N-Acetylcysteamine Thioesters**

We demonstrate herein the capacity of simple carboxylate salts – tetrametylammonium and tetramethylguanidinium pivalate – to act as catalysts in the isomerization of β,γ-unsaturated thioesters to α,β-unsaturated thioesters. The carboxylate catalysts gave reaction rates comparable to those obtained with DBU, but with fewer side reactions. The reaction exhibits a normal secondary kinetic isotope effect (k_1H/k_1D=1.065±0.026) with a β,γ-deuterated substrate. Computational analysis of the mechanism provides a similar value (k_1H/k_1D=1.05) with a mechanism where γ-reprotonation of the enolate intermediate is rate determining.