Modeling the adsorption of U(VI) onto animal chitin using coupled mass transfer and surface complexation

This paper reports the development of a treatment system, using animal chitin as a passive biosorbent, for removing U(VI) from aqueous waste streams. An integral part of this system is a model that provides for the optimization of the treatment system through simulation of U(VI) removal efficiency based on the characteristics of the influent waste stream. The model accounts for changing solution matrix conditions through the coupling of surface complexation and mass transfer models. Complexation of U(VI) by chitin surface sites was modeled using FITEQL. Application of FITEQL in the “forward” mode provided the sorbed and aqueous phase concentrations needed for the mass transfer model. The mass transfer model was derived for both batch and continuously stirred tank reactor (CSTR) configurations using Fick's Law, reactor mass balances and rate law expressions. The coupled model was successfully validated using CSTR data at pH 6.5 and rate constants determined from batch sorption experiments. The CSTR configuration yields a steady-state, eighty percent U(VI) removal for 1 μM influent U(VI) with a solution-phase pH of 6.5 and 3.9 g l⁻¹ chitin.     

Separation of dixanthogen and sulphur xanthates by H.P.L.C.: Disproportionation of Sulphur Dixanthates

High-performance liquid chromatography on C₁₃ reverse-phase or silica gel columns, with methanol—water (85:15) or n-hexane, respectively, as mobile phase, is used to separate dixanthogens and sulphur xanthates with different alkyl groups. Detection limits are as low as 1 ng (0.05 ppm) with u.v. detectors. When molecular emission cavity analysis is used for the detector, detection limits are reduced to ca. 0.25 ng (0.013 ppm). In aqueous methanol, alkyl sulphur dixanthates, (ROCS₂)₂S, disproportionate to yield mixtures of the corresponding dixanthogen, (ROCS₂)₂ , alkyl sulphur monoxanthates, (ROCS₂)₂S₂ , and dixanthates.     

X-Ray Structure and Proton NMR Study of a Hexacoordinated Lithium Complex

The structure of the lithium complex with1,3,5-tris[oxymethylene(N,N-dicyclohexyl)carboxyamido]cyclohexanehas been determined by the X-ray method.The compound is triclinic, space group P¯1,a = 15.623(3), b = 19.279(4),c = 19.295(4)Å = 102.32(3), = 92.45(3), = 105.67(3)0, V = 5436(2)Å3, Z = 4. Itscomposition is represented by the formulaC48H82N3O6LiI 0.5H2O. The lithium cationis encapsulated in a polar pseudo-cavity of six oxygen atoms of the ligandmolecule and displays a distorted trigonal prism coordination. The conformationof the ligand in the solid state complex has been compared with the conformationof the complex in solution determined by 1H-NMR measurements.Supplementary data relevant to this publication have been deposited with the British Library, No. SUP 82224 (21 pages).     

High‐efficiency polymer solar cells based on phenylenevinylene copolymer with BF2‐azopyrrole complex and CN‐PC70BM with solvent additive

Power conversion efficiency (PCE) of phenylenevinylene‐based copolymer with BF₂ azopyrrole complex (PB)/modified PC₇₀BM, that is, CN‐PC₇₀BM bulk heterojunction solar cells improves from 2.16 to 4.90% using a processing additive and drying condition. The results demonstrate that a processing additive and drying condition provides an effective means to control both the surface roughness and finer interpenetrating networks to enhance the exciton dissociation into free charge carriers, charge transportation, and collection. Taking into the account of simple device fabrication process without thermal annealing, the PCE of the polymer solar cell can further improved by chloronapthalene (CN) additive under the fast drying condition. The average carrier lifetimes extracted from the impedance spectra and found to correlate with measured PCEs. At short circuit conditions and illumination, the average charge carrier lifetime was found vary from 16.8 to 32 μs with power conversion efficiencies ranging from 3.0 to 4.9%. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2012     

Experimental results on neutrino-electron scattering

A determination of sin² θ _w based on measurements of elastic scattering of muon-neutrinos and muon-anti-neutrinos on atomic electrons is described. These purely leptonic processes were studied using the CHARM calorimeter exposed to neutrino and antineutrino wide-band beams at the CERN super proton synchrotron. A total of 83±16 neutrino-electron and 112±21 antineutrino-electron events have been detected. From the measurement of the ratio of muon-neutrino and muon-antineutrino cross-sections a value of sin² θ _w =0.211±0.037 was obtained.     

Truncation rules for modelling discontinuities with Galerkin method in electromagnetic theory

It is well known that apparently similar discretization schemes of Maxwell's equations in Fourier series may provide very different convergence performances because of truncation. We argue that this work performed in grating theory can be applied to other electromagnetic theories relying on expansions over series different from Fourier series. This generalization is supported by an intuitive argument and by a simple numerical example with Hermite–Gauss functions.     

Transport with a Very Low Density Contrast in Hele–Shaw Cell and Porous Medium: Evolution of the Mixing Zone

The optimal concentration of a blue dye solution with 'tracer' properties, enabling a pollutant to be marked was determined by the use of numerical, theoretical and experimental approaches. Experimental investigations were performed on a transparent Hele–Shaw cell and the concentration distribution was analyzed using an optical technique based on dye light absorption properties. The injected optimal concentration was established thanks to a theoretical and experimental study carried out on the output signal dynamics. Using the same experimental conditions, numerical simulations were performed. The very good agreement between the data (experimental and numerical) clarified that: (i) the choice of the blue dye optimal concentration was valid and (ii) the concentration-dependent density should not be neglected in flow and transport equations even if it concerns a so-called 'tracer'. Following this remark, a theoretical aspect was developed in order to determine the analogous conditions between a Hele–Shaw cell and a porous medium for the variable density transport phenomenon. The structure of the concentration-dependent dispersion tensor used in the numerical code was obtained by homogenizing the Stokes flow of a bi-component mixture. The numerical results show that, as long as the tracer density does not exceed a certain value, it is not necessary to take into account a density contrast in terms of the dispersion tensor. The classical form of the Taylor dispersion tensor can be used successfully.