Ion chromatography–inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry determination of arsenic species in marine samples

Arsenic speciation analysis in marine samples was performed using ion chromatography (IC) with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS) detection. The separation of eight arsenic species, viz. arsenite, monomethyl arsonic acid, dimethylarsinic acid, arsenate, arsenobetaine, tetramethylarsine oxide, arsenocholine and tetramethylarsonium ion was achieved on a Dionex AS4A (weaker anion exchange column) by using a nitric acid pH gradient eluent (pH 3.3 to 1.3). The entire separation was accomplished in 12 min. The detection limits for the eight arsenic species by IC–ICP‐MS were in the range 0.03–1.6 µ g l^?1, based on 3σ of the blank response (n = 6). The repeatability and day‐to‐day reproducibility were calculated to be less than 10% (residual standard deviation) for all eight species. The method was validated by analyzing a certified reference material (DORM‐2, dogfish muscle) and then successfully applied to several marine samples, e.g. oyster, fish muscle, shrimp and marine algae. The low power microwave digestion was employed for the extraction of arsenic from seafood products. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Solvent and Structural Effects on the Photoreduction of Cobalt(III)-Aryl Amine Complexes in Water–Organic Solvent Media*

Photoreduction of [Co(En)₂Cl(RC₆H₄NH₂)]²⁺ ions (where R = p-OMe, p-OEt, p-Me, m-Me, H, p-F, and m-OMe) in varying compositions of water–methanol and water–1,4-dioxane mixtures containing 15–40% (vol.) of organic co-solvent is carried out. Ultraviolet excitation of the above complexes in air-equilibrated solutions causes bleaching of its intense LMCT excited states with concurrent production of Co²⁺ion. As seen from the quantum yield data, _Co(II) increases smoothly with increasing content of organic co-solvent in the binary mixtures. The observed values indicate that the metal center is reduced by both ligands and solvent. The quantum yield _Co(II) is considerably affected by the substituent R of the amine, RC₆H₄NH₂ ligand. The effects of solvent and substituted ligands on the _Co(II) are estimated quantitatively using linear regression and multiple correlation methods. The former analysis was carried out using Grunwald–Winstein (Y) Gutmann donor number (DN ^N) and Krygowski–Fawcett E ^N _T (solvent empirical parameters). In addition, Kamlet–Taft's , , and * solvatochromic parameters were also used to study the effect of solute–solvent interaction. The effect of substitution on the aromatic amine ligand affects the quantum yield values, which was established using Hammett's substituent constant . Extensive tabulations of percentage contributions of these parameters, calculated using methods reported earlier, provide suitable values which are presumed to explain the quantitative effects of solvent and structural changes in the aromatic ligand on photoreduction of the cobalt(III) complexes.     

Self-assembled coordination cage as a reaction vessel: triplet sensitized [2+2] photodimerization of acenaphthylene, and [4+4] photodimerization of 9-anthraldehyde

Inner cavity of Pd-nanocage has been used as a reaction vessel for performing triplet sensitized [2+2] photodimerization of acenaphthylene using water soluble xanthene dyes (Eosin Y and Rose Bengal) as sensitizers, and [4+4] photodimerization of 9-anthraldehyde. Although the [4+4] photodimerization of 9-anthraldehyde gave similar results to solution reaction, the xanthene dye sensitized [2+2] triplet state photodimerization of acenaphthylene encapsulated within Pd-nanocage yielded the syn dimer in quantitative yield. The results obtained from the triplet state [2+2] photodimerization of acenaphthylene within Pd-nanocage is remarkable given the fact that the photodimerization reaction when performed in methanol in the presence of Eosin Y and Rose Bengal gave the syn and anti dimers in the ratio 0.5 and 0.6, respectively. Preaggregation of molecules encapsulated inside Pd-nanocage in a syn fashion seems to be the governing factor for such a behavior.     

Synthesis,characterization and electrochemical studies of ruthenium(III) heterocyclic Schiff bases

A series of hexacoordinated Ru^III–PPh₃ complexes of general formula [RuCl(PPh₃)L] (L = tetradentate Schiff bases derived from the condensation of 2-furaldehyde or thiophene-2-carboxyaldehyde with alkyl and aryl diamines have been synthesized. The complexes were characterized by elemental analyses, spectroscopic and cyclic voltammetric studies. All of the complexes were paramagnetic. Coordination of the Schiff base appears to occur through the two nitrogen and two heterocyclic oxygen/sulphur atoms.     

Lysinated Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes with Carbohydrate Ligands as an Effective Nanocarrier for Targeted Doxorubicin Delivery to Breast Cancer Cells

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are elongated, hollow cylindrical nanotubes made of sp2 carbon. MWCNTs have attracted significant attention in the area of drug delivery due to their high drug-loading capacity and large surface area. Furthermore, they can be linked to bioactive ligands molecules via covalent and noncovalent bonds that allow for the targeted delivery of anticancer drugs such as doxorubicin. The majority of methodologies reported for the functionalization of MWCNTs for drug delivery are quite complex and use expensive linkers and ligands. In the present study, we report a simple, cost-effective approach for functionalizing MWCNTs with the carbohydrate ligands, galactose (GA), mannose (MA) and lactose (LA), using lysine as a linker. The doxorubicin (Dox)-loaded functionalized MWCNTs were characterized using FT-IR, NMR, Raman, XRD and FE-SEM. The drug–loaded MWCNTs were evaluated for drug loading, drug release and cell toxicity in vitro, in breast cancer cells. The results indicated that the carbohydrate-modified lysinated MWCNTs had greater Dox loading capacity, compared to carboxylated MWCNTs (COOHMWCNTs) and lysinated MWCNTs (LyMWCNTs). In vitro drug release experiments indicated that the carbohydrate functionalized LyMWCNTs had higher Dox release at pH 5.0, compared to the physiological pH of 7.4, over 120 h, indicating that they are suitable candidates for targeting the tumor microenvironment as a result of their sustained release profile of Dox. Doxorubicin-loaded galactosylated MWCNTs (Dox-GAMWCNTs) and doxorubicin loaded mannosylated MWCNTs (Dox-MAMWCNTs) had greater anticancer efficacy and cellular uptake, compared to doxorubicin–loaded lactosylated MWCNTs (Dox-LAMWCNTs) and pure Dox, in MDA-MB231 and MCF7 breast cancer cells. However, neither the ligand conjugated multiwall blank carbon nanotubes (GAMWCNTs, MAMWCNTs and LAMWCNTs) nor the lysinated multiwalled blank carbon nanotubes produced significant toxicity in the normal cells. Our results suggest that sugar-tethered multiwalled carbon nanotubes, especially the galactosylated (Dox-GAMWCNTs) and mannosylated (Dox-MAMWCNTs) formulations, may be used to improve the targeted delivery of anticancer drugs to breast cancer cells.     

Optical rectification coefficient in an oxide quantum dot with different confinement potentials

Exciton binding energies, oscillator strength, optical rectification coefficients and second harmonic generation are investigated using three different confinement potentials in a CdO/ZnO core/shell quantum dot. The bare potential, Smorodinsky–Winternitz potential and Woods–Saxon potential are employed in the Hamiltonian. The position dependent dielectric function is used. The electronic properties are found using variational formulism within a single band effective mass approximation whereas the optic properties are investigated using compact density matrix approach. The results show that different confinement potentials lead to significant changes in the coefficients of optical rectification and the second harmonic generations and the effects of confined potentials are more pronounced in the strong confinement region. The resonant peaks in the nonlinear optical rectification coefficients and second harmonic generation are blue shifted to larger photon energies with the various confined potentials and the results are enhanced using Smorodinsky–Winternitz potential. The obtained results can be applied for the potential applications for fabricating opto-electronic devices.     

Enhanced photocatalytic activity of Cu-doped ZnO nanorods

Cu-doped ZnO nanorods with different Cu concentrations were synthesized through the vapor transport method. The synthesized nanorods were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and UV–vis spectroscopy. The XRD results revealed that Cu was successfully doped into ZnO lattice. The FE-SEM images showed that the undoped ZnO has needle like morphology whereas Cu-doped ZnO samples have rod like morphology with an average diameter and length of 60–90 nm and 1.5–3 μm respectively. The red shift in band edge absorption peak in UV-vis absorbance spectrum with increasing Cu content also confirm the doping of Cu in ZnO nanorods. The photocatalytic activity of pure and Cu-doped ZnO samples was studied by the photodegradation of resazurin (Rz) dye. Both pure ZnO and the Cu-doped ZnO nanorods effectively removed the Rz in a short time. This photodegradation of Rz followed the pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics. ZnO nanorods with increasing Cu doping exhibit enhanced photocatalytic activity. The pseudo-first-order reaction rate constant for 15 % Cu-doped ZnO is equal to 10.17×10^?2min^?1 about double of that with pure ZnO. The increased photocatalytic activity of Cu-doped ZnO is attributed to intrinsic oxygen vacancies due to high surface to volume ratio in nanorods and extrinsic defect due to Cu doping.     

DIASTEREOSELECTIVE SYNTHESIS AND STEREOCHEMISTRY OF (Z)-1-[3-ARYL-2-(PHENYLSULFANYL)-2-OXIRANYL]-1-ETHANONES

Diastereoselective synthesis of a series of (Z)-1-[3-aryl-2-(phenylsulfanyl)-2-oxiranyl]-1-ethanones was effected from the reaction of (Z)-4-aryl-3-(phenylsulfanyl)-3-buten-2-ones with alkaline hydrogen peroxide in tetrahydrofuran. The stereochemistry of the oxiranes has been deduced from two-dimensional NOESY spectrum.