Cascaded Plasma–Ozone Injection System: A Novel Approach for Controlling Total Hydrocarbon Emission in Diesel Exhaust

Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing - The hydrocarbons present in diesel exhaust, although treated as minor pollutants, are equivalent to some of the major pollutants in terms of toxicity,...     

Influence of humic substances on sorption and methylation processes of inorganic- and organo-tin species

The influence of humic substances on sorption and methylation processes for inorganic- and organotin species is presented. Four sediment samples from different locations of the Rivers Elbe, Mulde and Spittelwasser, Germany, with different organotin and humic contents were selected to extract the humic and fulvic acids. The various fractions—the original sediment, the humic acid, the fulvic acid and the residual sediment—were analysed for their organotin content. The individual buyltin species show quite different distribution patterns. Monobutyltin is found mostly associated with humic acids. Dibutyltin shows a nonunique behaviour. At low total organotin content, dibutyltin is found bonded to humic and fulvic acids, whereas at high organotin content dibutyltin is distributed more with the residual sediment. Most of the tributyltin remains in the sediment unextracted; only small quantities of it are in the fulvic acid fraction. Tetrabutyltin is only in the humic acid fraction when it binds to humic matter; it mostly remains in the sediment. General observations indicate that ionic butyltin species bind to fulvic acids whereas the non-polar tetrabutyltin is not found in the fulvic acid fractions in any of the samples. The appearance of monomethyl- and dimethyl-tin species in the humic and fulvic acid fractions after the alkaline extraction was surprising. There is a correlation between the humic content of the sample and the formation of methyltin species. Evidence is provided by experiments that humic substances act as methylation agents.     

Microbial conversion of synthesis gas components to useful fuels and chemicals

Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology - Enriched culture techniques have been used to isolate microbial cultures exhibiting growth on synthesis gas components. Three rod-shaped, gram-positive...     

Structural classification of layered dichalcogenides of group IV B,V B and VI B transition metals

A classification of the trigonal prismatic and octahedral structures exhibited by the layered dichalcogenides of group IV B, V B and VI B metals is achieved through consideration of the relative size, polarisation of the bonding orbitals, and the ionicity of the metal-chalcogen bond. A plot of the ratio of the covalent radii of the metal and chalcogen atoms against Pauling's resonating bond ionicity is shown to successfully achieve a separation of the two structures, consistent with the primarily covalent nature of the bonds.     

A new method for calculating non-ideal point defect induced electronic structure: Application to GaAs1−xPx:O1

We report a new method for calculating non-ideal defect induced electronic structure in crystalline semiconductors. The method is based upon solving the Dyson equation using the transfer matrix technique. The method allows us to include realistic distortions around defects (impurities, vacancies, etc.) in solving for the electronic structure. Results are presented for the system GaAs_1?xP_x:O in which oxygen replaces the anion. Several different distortions are considered and the results are found to agree remarkably well with experiments.     

Prion protein detection in serum using micromechanical resonator arrays

Prion proteins that have transformed from their normal cellular counterparts (PrP^c) into infectious form (PrP^res) are responsible for causing progressive neurodegenerative diseases in numerous species, such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle (also known as mad cow disease), scrapie in sheep, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans. Due to a possible link between BSE and CJD it is highly desirable to develop non-invasive and ante mortem tests for the detection of prion proteins in bovine samples. Such ante mortem tests of all cows prior to slaughter will help to prevent the introduction of PrP^res into the human food supply. Furthermore, detection of PrP^res in donated blood will also help to prevent the transmission of CJD among humans through blood transfusion. In this study, we have continued development of a micromechanical resonator array that is capable of detecting PrP^c in bovine blood serum. The sensitivity of the resonators for the detection of PrP^c is further enhanced by the use of secondary mass labels. A pair of antibodies is used in a sandwich immunoassay format to immobilize PrP^c on the surface of resonators and attach nanoparticles as secondary mass labels to PrP^c. Secondary mass labeling is optimized in terms of incubation time to maximize the frequency shifts that correspond to the presence of PrP^c on the surface of resonators. Our results show that a minimum of 200 pg mL⁻¹ of PrP^c in blood serum can be detected using micromechanical resonator arrays.     

A Simple TLC Method for Analysis of Fluconazole in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - Use of an internal standard is proposed in this thin-layer chromatographic determination of fluconazole in tablet and capsule...     

A novel synthetic approach towards pyrazole-4-carboxamides using N-(3-(dimethylamino)-2-formylacryloyl)formamide

Abstract  

A novel synthesis of pyrazole-4-carboxamides is reported. The reaction of N-(3-(dimethylamino)-2-formylacryloyl)formamide, an intermediate obtained by Vilsmeier–Haack formylation of acetonitrile, with hydrazine hydrate or monosubstituted hydrazines provides such compounds in good yields. This method has advantages over other methods for construction of such ring systems previously described in the literature.