Rheological properties of nanopowder alumina coated with adsorbed fatty acids

The rheological properties of a nanosized alumina powder coated with fatty acid steric stabilizers of varying chain length were investigated. The storage and loss moduli of the complex modulus were measured to characterize the behavior of the flocculated systems. As chain length increased, there was a transition from an elastic response to fluid behavior. However, the fluid system developed elastic characteristics at relatively low volume fractions of 22%. The length of the steric barrier required to produce the fluid dispersion was estimated to be approximately 2 nm and correlates with attractive interactions on the order of the system thermal energy. Moreover, in the flocculated systems, the storage modulus was found to be higher than reported previously in the literature. These higher values were related to the additional attractive forces due to van der Waals attractions between the hydrocarbon tails of the adsorbed fatty acid layers.     

Determination of trace arsenic on hanging copper amalgam drop electrode

Hanging copper amalgam drop electrode has been applied for trace determination of arsenic by cathodic stripping analysis. Detection limit for As(III) as low as 0.33 nM (0.02 μg/L) at deposition time (240 s) could be obtained. For seven successive determinations of As(III) at concentration of 5 nM relative standard deviation was 2.5% (n = 7). Interferences from selected metals and surfactant substances were examined. Absence of copper ions in sample solution causes easier optimization and makes method less vulnerable on contamination. The developed method was validated by analysis of certified reference materials (CRMs) and applied to arsenic determinations in natural water samples.     

Highly Sensitive AdSV Method for Fe(III) Determination in Presence of Solochrome Violet RS on Renewable Amalgam Film Electrode

The new DP AdSV method for high sensitive Fe(III) determination in the presence of Solochrome Violet RS was developed. The use of an innovative renewable amalgam film electrode Hg(Ag)FE allowed to obtain high sensitivity and significantly minimize the mercury consumption. The best results were obtained for surface area of Hg(Ag)FE equal to 11.8 mm². Instrumental parameters were optimized. The optimal results were obtained using differential pulse technique for the following values: sampling and waiting time ts=tw=10 ms, step potential Es=5 mV, pulse amplitude ΔE=50 mV. Measurements were conducted in 0.05 M acetate buffer (pH 5.6), the concentration of SVRS was equal to 5 μM. Deposition step was carried out at the potential ?400 mV for 20 s. Calculated detection limit for 40 s preconcentration time was equal to 1.4 nM (78 ng L^?1). The influence of the common in environment, organic and inorganic interferences was studied. The developed method for Fe(III) determination was successfully applied and validated by investigation of certified reference material SPS‐SW2 Batch 118 and recovery of Fe(III) from various spiked samples as snow, tap water and bottom sediments. The repeatability (for 50 nM of Fe(III)) of the developed method expressed as CV was equal 3.1 % (n=5).     

Sensitive voltammetric determination of gallium in aluminium materials using renewable mercury film silver based electrode

Simple cyclic renewable silver amalgam film electrode (Hg(Ag)FE), applied for the determination of gallium(III) using differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DP ASV), is presented. The effects of various factors such as: preconcentration potential and time, pulse height, step potential and supporting electrolyte composition are optimised. The calibration graph is linear from 5?nM (0.35?µg?L^?1) to 80?nM (5.6?µg?L^?1) for a preconcentration time of 60?s, with correlation coefficient of 0.995. For a Hg(Ag)FE with a surface area of 9.9?mm² the detection limit for a preconcentration time of 120?s is as low as 0.1?µg?L^?1. The repeatability of the method at a concentration level of the analyte as low as 3.5?µg?L^?1, expressed as RSD is 3.2% (n?=?5). The proposed method was successfully applied by studying the synthetic samples and simultaneously recovery of Ga(III) from spiked aluminium samples.     

Adsorptive Stripping Determination of Scandium(III) with Mordant Blue 9 on Silver Amalgam Film Electrode

A new adsorptive stripping voltammetric method for the determination of trace scandium(III) based on the adsorption of scandium(III)‐mordant blue 9 complex on the cyclic renewable mercury film silver based electrode (Hg(Ag)FE) is presented. The effects of various factors such as: preconcentration potential and time, pulse height, step potential and supporting electrolyte composition are optimized. The calibration graph is linear from 2 nM (0.09 μg L^?1) to 90 nM (4 μg L^?1) for a preconcentration time of 45 s, with correlation coefficient of 0.9995. For a Hg(Ag)FE with a surface area of 7.9 mm² the detection limit for a preconcentration time of 90 s is as low as 5 ng L^?1. The repeatability of the method at a concentration level of the analyte as low as 0.2 μg L^?1, expressed as RSD is 1.9 % (n=5). The proposed method was successfully applied and validated by studying the certified reference material (CRM 320 – river sediment) and natural samples with simultaneous recovery of Sc(III) from spiked water and sediment samples.     

Traveling wave solutions of a model of skin pattern formation in a singular case

We study traveling wave solutions to a system of four non‐linear partial differential equations, which arise in a tissue interaction model for skin morphogenesis. Under the assumption that the strength of attachment of the epidermis to the basal lamina is sufficiently large, we prove the existence and uniqueness (up to a translation) of traveling wave solutions connecting two stationary states of the system with the dermis and epidermis cell densities being positive. We discuss the problem of the minimal wave speed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Iridium Oxide Film Electrodes for Anodic Stripping Voltammetry

The new iridium oxide film electrode, applied for the determination of lead(II), cadmium(II) and copper(II) traces using differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DP ASV) is presented. The electrode display an interesting stripping voltammetric performance which compares with electrodes commonly used in voltammetry. The deposited film is known as anodically electrodeposited iridium oxide film (AEIROF). The AEIROF electrode is characterized by long‐term stability (more than 40 days) and very good reproducibility of the analytical signals in this time (≤12% for 0.5 μM of lead). The regeneration of iridium film is very simple in a time shorter than 60 seconds. The effects of various factors such as: thickness of AEIROF film, preconcentration potential and time, supporting electrolyte composition, potential interferences are optimized. The detection limit for AEIROF film electrode based on glassy carbon for an accumulation time of 30 s is as low as 7 nM for lead(II). The repeatability of the method at a concentration level of the lead(II) as low as 0.5 μM, expressed as RSD is 2.5% (n=10). The proposed method was successfully applied and validated by studying certified reference material CTA‐OTL‐1. Such an attractive use of ‘mercury–free’ ‐ environmentally friendly electrodes offers great promise to measure trace metals.