A Fractional Factorial Design Applied to the Optimization of Microwave- and Ultrasound-Assisted Acid Leaching Methods for Heavy Metals Determination in Sludges by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

Abstract

The sampling performance of C₁₈ cartridges coated with DNPH has been studied for twenty four C₁-C₉ carbonyls in experiments involving sampling of parts per billion levels of carbonyls in urban air. indoor air and laboratory experiments. The cartridge background carbonyl content in thirty six batches of cartridges averaged 85, 137 and 155 nanogram/cartridge for formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and acetone, respectively, and was below analytical detection for all other carbonyls. Carbonyl-DNPH derivative recovery from the cartridge was complete in the first elution with 2 mL acetonitrile, and this for twenty four carbonyls at concentrations of 0.02–73 μg carbonyl/cartridge. Studies carried out using two cartridges in series showed no breakthrough, for the sixteen carbonyls tested, at concentrations of 0.10–49 μg carbonyl/cartridge and volumes of air sampled = 6–370 L. Average relative standard deviations (RSD) for replicate analyses were 0.20–13.2% for twenty one carbonyls. Average RSD for co-located samples were 0.9–16.2% for eighteen carbonyls. Comparison of RSD for replicates and RSD for co-located samples for thirteen carbonyls indicated that the overall method precision was limited by sampling precision rather than by analytical precision.     

Multiphonon radiationless phenomena in Mn2+-Doped Ca1-x Sr x F2 and BaF2 Fluorites

This work investigates the surprising disappearance of the Mn²⁺ photoluminescence on passing from CaF₂:Mn²⁺ to SrF₂:Mn²⁺ or BaF₂:Mn²⁺ using pressure spectroscopy. We show that the loss of luminescence in these systems is associated with non-radiative thermally activated processes whose activation energy and pre-exponential rates strongly depend on the crystal volume irrespective of the chemical composition. A salient feature is the PL enhancement observed in the cotunnite high-pressure phase along the series. This enhancement is explained in terms of the large volume reduction at the phase transition, as well as by the presence of low-symmetry crystal fields attained at the cation sites leading to an increase of the radiative transition rate by the electric-dipole mechanism.     

Comparison among three anion exchange chromatographic supports to capture erythropoietin from cell culture supernatant Lourdes

Affinity and ion exchange conventional chromatography have been used to capture erythropoietin (EPO) from mammalian cell culture supernatant. Currently, chromatographic adsorbent perfusion is available, however a limited number of applications have been found in the literature. In this work, three anion exchange chromatographic supports (gel, membrane and monolithic) were evaluated in the capture step of the recombinant erythropoietin purification process. The influences of load and flow rate on each support performance were analyzed. Also the purity of the EPO molecules was determined. A productivity analysis, as a decision tool for larger scale implementation, was done. As a conclusion, the evaluated supports are technically suitable to capture EPO with adequate recovery and good purity. However, the monolithic column admits high operating velocity, showing the highest adsorption capacity and productivity.     

THE MITRA‐WAN FORESTRY MODEL: A DISCRETE‐TIME OPTIMAL CONTROL PROBLEM

In this paper, we present some new properties of the Mitra‐Wan forestry model written as a discrete‐time optimal control problem. For this problem, the set of stationary states is characterized. For the optimal long‐run management, we consider the following optimality criteria: average optimality, good control policies, bias optimality, and overtaking optimality. We establish relationships between these criteria and show that the value of average optimal policies is constant and equals the value in the optimal stationary state.     

Vector-valued almost convergence and classical properties in normed spaces

In this paper we study the almost convergence and the almost summability in normed spaces. Among other things, spaces of sequences defined by the almost convergence and the almost summability are proved to be complete if the basis normed space is so. Finally, some classical properties such as completeness, reflexivity, Schur property, Grothendieck property, and the property of containing a copy of c ₀ are characterized in terms of the almost convergence.     

OPTIMAL HARVESTING TIME OF FARMED AQUATIC POPULATIONS WITH NONLINEAR SIZE‐HETEROGENEOUS GROWTH

Abstract This paper examines the question of optimal harvesting time in a size‐heterogeneous farmed aquatic population, using a model reflecting the effect of population density on both overall mortality rate and individual growth. This analysis enables an optimal harvesting rule to be deduced. The results obtained are applied to shrimp culture in recirculation systems in Mexico. Numerical solutions are derived for different production scenarios. Assuming identical culture conditions, results are also obtained under the hypothesis of homogeneous population growth, the view traditionally taken in the relevant economic literature. The optimal harvesting times calculated tend to decrease with higher densities, although this rule fails under the size‐heterogeneous population model. In general, optimal harvesting times are overestimated when size‐homogeneity in the culture is assumed. Our analysis reveals that management predictions are significantly mistaken if the size‐heterogeneity phenomenon is not taken into account.     

Experimental and theoretical study of the far-infrared spectra of HCl dissolved in liquid Ar,Kr, and Xe

New experimental results are reported on the relative absorption intensity distribution in the FIR spectra of HCl dissolved in liquefied Ar, Kr, and Xe at several temperatures along the liquid—vapour coexistence curve. These are treated further by applying a previously developed quantum-statistical spectral theory, which accounts for the line mixing and memory effects. Theoretical spectra are given in terms of the anisotropic potential time autocorrelation functions obtained from classical MD simulations using several empirical analytical potentials with density-adjusted well depths. Globally fair agreement between the theoretical and experimental spectra is demonstrated, except in the high frequency wings, where the theory underestimates the observed intensities. The choice of a particular radial form for the anisotropic HCl/RG potentials is found to be not critical for reproducing the experimental absorption profiles.     

Blue dye degradation in an aqueous medium by a combined photocatalytic and bacterial biodegradation process

This paper aimed at implementing a treatment system for polluted water with textile dyes, starting with a photocatalytic decomposition process using sunlight as a source of energy and continuing with a bacterial biodegradation process, in order to reach degradation percentages higher than those obtained using only one of the processes mentioned above. When water treatment with the dye in the combined system was over, an acute ecotoxicity test was performed to make sure that toxic metabolites were not produced due to biodegradation. Solophenyl Blue azoic dye, and Erionyl Blue and Terasil Blue anthraquinone dye-colored solutions were treated with the Pd/Al ₈₀ Ce ₁₀ Zr ₁₀ catalyst in a solar collector for the photocatalytic process. On the other hand, the waste dye, which was obtained from photocatalysis with a bacterial consortium from polluted areas by metals and hydrocarbons in aerobic conditions, was inoculated for biodegradation. Biodegradation was obtained for the dyes after both processes as 90.91% for the Solophenyl Blue azoic dye, and 87.80% and 87.94%, respectively, for the Erionyl Blue and Terasil Blue anthraquinone dyes. After the degradation processes, it was proven, via an ecotoxicity test with Daphnia magna , that toxic metabolites had not been produced.     

Evaluation of the importance of germinative cycles for destruction of bacillus cereus spores in miniature cheeses

Our objective was to determine the effect of high pressure on inactivation of spores of Bacillus cereus ATCC 9139 inoculated into cheese made of raw cow's milk. Inoculated miniature cheeses were manufactured under controlled bacteriological conditions, vacuum packed and kept at 8 °C for 15 days after pressure treatment. Cheeses were submitted to pressures of 300, 400 or 500 MPa at 30 °C, during 15 min. Some of them were treated with a germination cycle of 60 MPa at 30 °C for 210 min. Lethality was calculated comparing surviving sample counts to control ones. Adding the germinative cycle resulted in higher efficiency, and when applied with 500 MPa, lethality reached 2.0 log cfu/mL. We saw that with both cycles initial counts of spores diminish, but all of them were not inactivated. However, considering that in raw milk mesophilic spore counts are 2.6-2.9 log cfu/mL, this treatment may be useful.     

Simple parameter-dependent relations for the maximum value of the optical activity of push—pull molecules in solution

Based on the valence bond-charge transfer model for push-pull polyenes and reaction field theory, several parameter-dependent relations for selecting the molecule-solvent pair that produces a maximum value of the nonlinear optical response have been established. From these relations, we have determined a limit to the value of the dielectric constant of the solvent (above ε = 9) and effectiveness of the donor-acceptor pairs (between 5 and 6eV) beyond which the (hyper)polarizabilities of push-pull molecules in solution do not exhibit any significant change in magnitude.