大气颗粒物中棕色碳的化学组成、来源和生成机制

大气颗粒物中棕色碳(BrC)在近紫外波段具有强吸光性,并因其显著的气候效应被广泛关注。BrC组成、来源、演变和光学性质的不确定性是造成气候模型估算气溶胶辐射强迫不确定性的重要因素。本文综述了大气颗粒物中BrC的化学组成、来源和生成机制,聚焦分子水平上BrC组成、二次生成机制和吸光间的关联。大气颗粒物中BrC的主要类别包括有机溶剂(甲醇)提取的碳质组分、水溶性有机碳及类腐殖质; 分子水平上,硝基芳香烃和含氮杂环有机物是BrC的主要发色团。BrC的来源包括生物质等不完全燃烧一次排放和挥发性有机物氧化二次生成; 二次生成途径主要包括人为源芳香烃氧化生成硝基芳香烃等含氮组分、羰基化合物与铵/胺反应生成含氮杂环组分或低聚物。前体物和反应条件影响二次生成BrC的组成和吸光性质; BrC在大气传输过程中还会发生“光漂白”现象。在分子水平上识别和阐明BrC的发色团、二次生成机制及其演变过程是未来该领域的重点研究方向。     

Preorganization and protein dynamics in enzyme catalysis

Recently, an alternative has been offered to the concept of transition state (TS) stabilization as an explanation for rate enhancements in enzyme-catalyzed reactions. Instead, most of the rate increase has been ascribed to preorganization of the enzyme active site to bind substrates in a geometry close to that of the TS, which then transit the activation barrier impelled by motions along the reaction coordinate. The question as to how an enzyme achieves such preorganization and concomitant TS stabilization as well as potential coupled motions along the reaction coordinate leads directly to the role of protein dynamic motion. Dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) is a paradigm in which the role of dynamics in catalysis continues to be unraveled by a wealth of kinetic, structural, and computational studies. DHFR has flexible loop regions adjacent to the active site whose motions modulate passage through the kinetically preferred pathway. The participation of residues distant from the DHFR active site in enhancing the rate of hydride transfer, however, is unanticipated and may signify the importance of long range protein motions. The general significance of protein dynamics in understanding other biological processes is briefly discussed.     

Rational Design and Facile Synthesis of Dual-State Emission Fluorophores: Expanding Functionality for the Sensitive Detection of Nitroaromatic Compounds

Six novel benzimidazole-based D-π-A compounds 4 a – 4 f were concisely synthesized by attaching different donor/acceptor units to the skeleton of 1,3-bis(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)benzene on its 5-position through an ethynyl link. Due to the twisted conformation and effective conjugation structure, these dual-state emission (DSE) molecules show intense and multifarious photoluminescence, and their fluorescence quantum yields in solution and solid state can be up to 96.16 and 69.82 %, respectively. Especially, for excellent photostability, obvious solvatofluorochromic and extraordinary wide range of solvent compatibility, DSE molecule 4 a is a multifunctional fluorescent probe for the visual detection of nitroaromatic compounds (NACs) with the limit of detection as low as 10⁻⁷ M. The quenching mechanism has been proved as the results of photoinduced electron transfer and fluorescence resonance energy transfer processes. Importantly, probe 4 a can sensitively detect NACs not only in real water samples, but also on 4 a -coated strips and 4 a @PBAT thin films.     

Comparison of fluorescence and QCM technologies: Example of explosives detection with a π-conjugated thin film

A π-conjugated compound was synthesized as a sensitive material for explosives detection. The detection of vapors of 2,4-dinitrotoluene was demonstrated with quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and fluorescence transduction methods. The fluorescence intensity monitoring shows a higher sensitivity and selectivity than the monitoring of the QCM frequency. Both methods appear to be synergic when used simultaneously as the sensor helps to discriminate interferent vapors from nitroaromatics.