<Superscript>40</Superscript>K activities and potassium concentrations in tobacco samples of Mexican cigarettes

Nine brands of tobacco cigarettes manufactured and distributed in the Mexican market were analyzed by γ-spectrometry to certify their non-artificial radioactive contamination. Since natural occurring radioactive materials (NORM) ⁴⁰K, ²³²Th, ²³⁵U, and ²³⁹U (and decay products from the latter three nuclides) are the main sources for human radiation exposure, the aim of this work was to determine the activity of ⁴⁰K and potassium concentration. Averages of ⁴⁰K and potassium concentration were of 1.29±0.18 Bq·g⁻¹, and 4.0±0.57%. The annual dose equivalents to the whole body from ingestion and inhalation of 26 Bq ⁴⁰K were 0.23 μSv and 15.8 μSv, respectively. The corresponding 50 years committed dose equivalents was 0.23 μSv. The total committed dose to the lungs due to inhalation of ⁴⁰K in tobacco was 16 μSv. Potassium concentrations obtained in this work were in the same range of those obtained by INAA, so showing that the used technique is acute, reproducible, and accessible to laboratories equipped with low background scintillation detectors.     

Conductive polyethylene-carbon black composites by elongational-flow injection molding Part 3. Study of the structure and morphology

The morphology and structure of high molecular weight linear polyethylene (M _w 450000) filled with carbon black and processed using molds that introduce an elongational flow component during injection molding has been examined using electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction techniques. The study of fracture surfaces reveals the display of shish-kebabs oriented along the injection direction with segregated longitudinal channels of carbon black particles. Molecular and lamellar changes in orientation are, furthermore, studied across the thickness of the moldings. It is shown that addition of carbon black particles to injection-molded polyethylene induces significant changes in lamellar orientation. Thus, while lamellar overgrowth proceeds perpendicular to the fiber axes within carbon free channels, lamellae grow randomly within carbon-enriched regions where flow is less pronounced.     

The preparation of 4-oxo-N-aryl-4H-1-benzopyran-2-acetamides by the condensation/cyclization of trilithiated acetoacetanilides with lithiated methyl salicylates

Several acetoacetanilides were trilithiated in excess lithium diisopropylamide, and the resulting polylithiated intermediates were regioselectively condensed with lithiated methyl salicylates followed by acid cyclization to substituted 4-oxo-N-aryl-4H-1-benzopyran-2-acetamides (benzopyranone-2-acetamides).     

Stress development during drying of calcium carbonate suspensions containing carboxymethylcellulose and latex particles

Stress development during drying of coatings produced from aqueous dispersions of calcium carbonate particles in the presence and absence of organic binders was studied using a controlled-environment stress apparatus that simultaneously monitored drying stress, weight loss, and relative humidity. Specifically, the influence of two organic binders on drying stress evolution was investigated: (1) carboxymethylcellulose, a water-soluble viscosifying aid, and (2) a styrene-butadiene latex emulsion of varying glass transition temperature. The stress histories exhibited three distinct regions. First, a period of stress rise was observed, which reflected the capillary tension exerted by the liquid on the particle network. Second, a maximum stress was observed. Third, it was followed by a period of either stress decay or rise depending on the organic species present. Significant differences in stress histories were observed between coatings containing soluble and nonsoluble binders. Maximum drying stresses (sigmamax) of 0.2-0.5 MPa were observed for coatings produced from pure calcium carbonate or calcium carbonate-latex suspensions, whereas coatings with carboxymethylcellulose exhibited substantially higher sigmamax values of 1-2 MPa. Upon drying, these coatings were quite hygroscopic, such that cyclic variations in relative humidity induced large cyclic changes in residual stress.     

Synthesis of 2-(p-R-benzoylmethylene)-3-(p-R-phenyl)-1H-quinoxalines

The reaction of 1,2-diaminobenzenes with substituted 1,2-dibenzoyl-1,2-dibromoethanes constitutes a convenient synthetic route to the hitherto 2-(p-R-benzoylmethylene)-3-(p-R-phenyl)-1H-quinoxalines. Structures of all products were elucidated by ir, ¹H and ¹³C-nmr, mass spectra data. X-Ray crystallography data confirm assigned structures.     

Determination of phosphorus in samples of vegetable origin Mineralization with molten alkali and spectrophotometric determination

For determination of phosphorus in samples of vegetable origin (leaves and wheat flour) decomposition by means of molten alkali is proposed. Two procedures have been studied, one with dry reagents including an auxiliary oxidant, and the other with initially moist alkali with no extra oxidant. The fusion product is easily soluble and produces a solution suitable for elemental analysis. The phosphorus is determined by the molybdenum blue method. The suggested mineralization is rapid, accurate and precise.     

Analysis of primary aliphatic short-chain monoamines by LC in water samples

Several derivatization procedures with o-phthaldialdehyde-N-acetylcysteine (OPA-NAC) were compared for a rapid analysis of primary aliphatic short-chain monoamines in water samples by HPLC using a LiChorospher analytical separation column (100RP₁₈ mm i.d., 5 μm). Both the solution and the solid-support assisted off-line derivatization on C₁₈ SPE cartridges were inadequate options because of beginning degradation processes of the instable isoindol derivatives during their transfer to the analytical column. This problem was precluded with the on-column or solid-support assisted on-line derivatization. In the last mentioned procedure, the derivatization took place in a Hypersil C₁₈ precolumn ( mm i.d., 30 μm) connected with an additional preconcentration step resulting in better detection limits (0.002-0.040 μg ml⁻¹ requiring only 150 μl of water sample) than in the on-column procedure (0.08-0.16 μg ml⁻¹). The improved sample handling, the better control of parameters affecting reaction rates, the fully automation of this method with only 10 min analysis time for each sample are further advantageous. The potential of the solid-support assisted on-line derivatization was outlined and applied to water samples from several sources. Recovery values near 100% were obtained.     

Benzylic cleavage and McLafferty rearrangement under electron ionization conditions in the fragmentation of 5,6-dialkyl-2, 4-diarylpyrimidines

Several 5,6-dialkyl-2,4-diarylpyrimidines were prepared and their electron ionization (EI) mass spectra reported. The benzylic cleavage takes place easily together with an important McLafferty rearrangement. The involvement of the nitrogen atom appears to be important in the fragmentation of 5-methyl-substituted pyrimidines. In contrast, the 6-methyl-substituted pyrimidines undergo benzylic cleavage without hydrogen transfer. Thus, the difference in the mass spectrometric behaviour allows the identification of these isomeric compounds which, in contrast, exhibit only small differences in their NMR spectra. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.