Dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction using the freezed floating organic drop for rapid,fast, and sensitive determination of lead

A rapid, simple, and sensitive method was developed for lead preconcentration and separation in various real samples by dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction based on the freezing of floating organic drop. In this method, a suitable extraction solvent dissolved in a dispersive solvent was quickly syringed into the water sample so that the solution became turbid. Then, two phases were separated by centrifugation. The floating extractant droplet can be easily solidified on an ice bath and taken out of the water sample. Then, it can be liquefied instantly at room temperature, and analyte can be determined in it. In the creation of a hydrophobic complex with lead, 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthole (PAN) was used as the chelating agent. 1-Undecanol and acetone were used as extraction and disperser solvent. To achieve the highest recovery, some factors (type and volume of dispersive and extraction solvent, pH, PAN concentration, and salt concentration) were optimised. Under optimised conditions (pH = 9, 1.0 × 10^–3 mol L^?1 PAN, 15% w/v NaCl, 100 µL 1-undecanol, and 0.3 mL acetone), the lead calibration graph was linear from 1.5 to 80 μg L^?1. The detection limit and preconcentration factor were 0.5 μg L^?1 and 50, respectively. Lead was successfully determined in water and food (spinach, rice, potato, carrot, and black tea bag) samples by this method.     

The Effect of Surface Charge Saturation on Heat‐induced Aggregation of Firefly Luciferase

We present here the effect of firefly luciferase surface charge saturation and the presence of some additives on its thermal‐induced aggregation. Three mutants of firefly luciferase prepared by introduction of surface Arg residues named as 2R, 3R and 5R have two, three and five additional arginine residues substituted at their surface compared to native luciferase; respectively. Turbidimetric study of heat‐induced aggregation indicates that all three mutants were reproducibly aggregated at higher rates relative to wild type in spite of their higher thermostability. Among them, 2R had most evaluated propensity to heat‐induced aggregation. Therefore, the hydrophilization followed by appearing of more substituted arginine residues with positive charge on the firefly luciferase surface was not reduced its thermal aggregation. Nevertheless, at the same condition in the presence of charged amino acids, e.g. Arg, Lys and Glu, as well as a hydrophobic amino acid, e.g. Val, the heat‐induced aggregation of wild type and mutants of firefly luciferases was markedly decelerated than those in the absence of additives. On the basis of obtained results it seems, relinquishment of variety in charge of amino acid side chains, they via local interactions with proteins cause to decrease rate and extent of their thermal aggregation.     

Preparation and characterization of Fe3O4@Boehmite core‐shell nanoparticles to support molybdenum or vanadium complexes for catalytic epoxidation of alkenes

Fe₃O₄ core nanoparticles were prepared via a solvothermal process, and then they were covered with a surface hydroxyl‐rich boehmite shell via the hydrothermal‐assisted sol–gel processing of aluminum 2‐propoxide. The outer surface of the boehmite shell was subsequently covalently functionalized with 3‐(tri‐methoxysilyl)‐propylamine or 3‐(tri‐methoxysilyl)‐propyl chloride, and the terminal chlorine groups were treated with imidazole. These compounds were used to support the hexa‐carbonyl molybdenum and oxo‐sulfato vanadium (IV) complexes. The supported catalysts were characterized by the FT‐IR, CHN, ICP, and TEM analysis techniques. They were then used in the epoxidation of cis‐cyclooctene. The catalytic procedures were optimized for different parameters such as the solvent, oxidant, and temperature. The reaction progress was investigated by the gas–liquid chromatography analysis. The catalysts used were simply recovered from the solution by applying a magnet, and recycling the experiments revealed that the heterogeneous nanocatalysts could be repeatedly used for the epoxidation of cis‐cyclooctene. The optimized conditions were also successfully used for the epoxidation of some other alkenes.