The use of emulsions for the determination of methylmercury and inorganic mercury in fish-eggs oil by cold vapor generation in a flow injection system with atomic absorption spectrometric detection

An on-line time based injection system used in conjunction with cold vapor generation atomic absorption spectrometry and microwave-aided oxidation with potassium persulfate has been developed for the determination of the different mercury species in fish-eggs oil samples. A three-phase surfactant-oil-water emulsion produced an advantageous flow when a peristaltic pump was used to introduce the highly viscous sample into the system. The optimum proportion of the oil-water mixture ratio was 2:3 v/v with a Tween 20 surfactant concentration in the emulsion of 0.008% v/v. Inorganic mercury was determined after reduction with sodium borohydride while total mercury was determined after an oxidation step with persulfate prior to the reduction step to elemental mercury with the same reducing agent. The difference between total and inorganic mercury determined the organomercury content in samples. A linear calibration graph was obtained in the range 0.1-20 micrograms l-1 of Hg2+ by injecting 0.7 ml of samples. The detection limits based on 3 sigma of the blank signals were 0.11 and 0.12 microgram l-1 for total and inorganic mercury, respectively. The relative standard deviation of ten independent measurements were 2.8 and 2.2% for 10 micrograms l-1 and 8.8 and 9.0% for 0.1 microgram l-1 amounts of total and inorganic mercury, respectively. The recoveries of 0.3, 0.6 and 8 micrograms l-1 of inorganic and organic mercury added to fish-eggs oil samples ranged from 93.0 to 94.8% and from 100 to 106%, respectively. Good agreement with those values obtained for total mercury content in real samples by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry was also obtained, differences between mean values were < 7%. With the proposed procedure, 22 proteropterous catfish-eggs oil samples from the northwestern coast of Venezuela were measured; while the organic mercury lay in the range 2.0 and 3.3 micrograms l-1, inorganic mercury was not detected.     

Synthesis and characterization of a new isocyanato carborane anion [7-OCN-7-CB10H12]; study on its reactivity toward amino containing compounds

The new isocyanato carborane anion, [7-OCN-7-CB₁₀H₁₂]⁻ was prepared by the reaction of 7-H₃N-7-CB₁₀H₁₂ with triphosgene in the presence of triethylamine. The structure of this compound was established by ¹H, ¹¹B and ¹³C NMR as well as IR spectroscopy. The reactivigty of this compound with a series of organic amines was investigated. The resulting ureas were obtained in good to excellent yields. This approach is suitable for development of compounds for use in tumor selective Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT).     

Analysis of promazines in bovine livers by high performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet and fluorimetric detection

Fluorimetric and UV methods of detection for liquid chromatographic determination of phenothiazines (chlorpromazine, acetopromazine and propionylpromazine) were developed. The effects of several experimental parameters on the separation and the sensitivity of the methods were evaluated. The detection limits ranged from 31 to 350 ng ml⁻¹. Optimized methods were successfully applied to determination of the promazines in bovine liver samples.     

Evaluation of Ptitsyn-Eizner λ parameter in dilute solutions of poly(N-vinylcarbazole) and its variation in conformational transitions of poly(methyl methacrylate)

The Ptitsyn-Eizner λ flexibility parameter for poly(N-vinylcarbozole) solutions under theta conditions has been found to be 6.31, demonstrating the rigidity imparted to the polymer chain by the carbazole group. A study has been made of the variation of this parameter with solvent and temperature. A study has been made of the variation of λ in a conformational transition of poly(methyl methacrylate).     

Color Displays with Gel-Glass Dispersed Liquid Crystals

Liquid crystal microdroplets trapped into silica gel-glasses by sol-gel processes may be used for display applications. Gel-glass dispersed liquid crystals (GDLC) are switched between opaque and transparent states by applying external AC-voltage signals; no polarizers are required. The feasibility of applying these materials to colored displays has been explored. A comparative study of different dyes for GDLC color displays, which were either embedded in the sol-gel matrix or dissolved in the liquid crystal microdroplets is presented.     

Latex Fractionation by Sedimentation and Colloidal Crystallization: The Case of Poly(styrene-co-acrylamide)

Poly(styrene-co-acrylamide) (PS-AAM) latex was prepared, fractionated by sedimentation under gravity, and characterized by PCS, infrared spectra, secondary and backscattered electron imaging in the scanning electron microscope, and electron spectroscopy imaging in an analytical transmission electron microscope. Three latex fractions were obtained. The lower fraction was opalescent and its particles were the more uniform, concerning size, chemical composition, and topochemical features. This lower fraction was still further fractionated by zonal centrifugation in a density gradient, yielding two fractions with similar macrocrystal-forming abilities but different sizes and chemical compositions. These results confirm those previously obtained for the PS-HEMA latex. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.