Central European Journal of Chemistry

The effect of hydrothermal treatment on the structure of an aluminosilicate polymer prepared by a polycondensation reaction between silicate and hydroxoaluminate in alkaline aqueous solution was studied. The structural changes were investigated using X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy imaging and thermogravimetric analysis. The results indicated that the amorphous aluminosilicate polymer transformed into a crystalline product during the hydrothermal treatment at 145°C. The crystalline phase was identified as a mineral of the zeolite group, most likely phillipsite. This transformation required an alkaline environment during the hydrothermal treatment.

In this study, a Taguchi experimental design methodology was used to determine the importance of process parameters influencing the ultrafiltration (UF) of oil-in-water emulsions. Four parameters including pH (5–11), oil concentration (φ) (0.5–3% (v/v)), temperature (T) (25–45°C) and trans-membrane pressure (TMP) (1–5 bar) were studied at three levels. The highest flux was used as optimization criterion. In order to reduce the number of experiments, a Taguchi method was applied. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the most significant parameters affecting the optimization criterion. Filtration experiments were performed in a cross-flow operation at a total recycle condition in a laboratory-scale plant. The ceramic UF membrane with a pore size of 50 nm was employed in a tubular module with an active area of 0,418 m2. We used water-soluble cutting oil mixed with water as a model oil-in-water emulsion. During the experiment, the drop size and zeta potential distributions were evaluated. The optimum conditions for UF providing the highest flux were found at TMP = 5 bar, pH = 7, and φ = 0.5 v/v%. The pH of emulsion had the highest impact on COD retention. The results of this study could be used as a guideline for operating UF systems with ceramic membranes at optimal conditions.

In the present paper we describe results on the synthesis and lipophilicity determination of a series of biologically active compounds based on their heterocyclic structure. For synthesis of styrylquinoline-based compounds we applied microwave irradiation and solid phase techniques. The correlation between RP-HPLC retention parameter log k (the logarithm of retention factor k) and log P data calculated in various ways is discussed, as well as, the relationships between the lipophilicity and the chemical structure of the studied compounds.

Two bifunctional sulfur-silicon nucleophilic ionophores 3-(trimethoxysilyl)-propanethiol (Nu1) and 3-(tri-2-methoxyethoxysilyl)-propanethiol (Nu2) were used as reagents in the acyl transfer reaction studied by kinetic methods. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and electro-spray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESI MS) were used for determination of the stoichiometry and stability constants of the complexes made by the podands and lithium or sodium ions in acetonitrile solution.

A rapid, simple and reliable capillary electrophoresis method for the separation and quantitation of inorganic cations with indirect UV detection at 214 nm was developed. The electrolyte was: 12 mM imidazole as background absorbance provider; 5 mM malic acid and 1.0 mM 18-crown-6 ether as complexing agents; and 20% D2O (v/v) to improve ion mobility. The pH was 4.25. The applied voltage was 22 kV at 22°C. Nine ions were completely separated and determined with correlation coefficients of 0.9979-0.9992. The relative standard deviations (RSD) were less than 0.5% for migration time and less than 5.2% for peak area (n=8). The detection limits (S/N=3) were from 0.08 mg L−1 (for Na+) to 0.51 mg L−1 (for Cu2+). To assess the reliability atomic absorption (AA) was also used to determine the same samples. Satisfactory results were obtained for real samples of jasmine tea drink and coconut milk.

The LaMg2Cu9, PrMg2Cu9, LaMg2Cu4Ni5, PrMg2Cu4Ni5 and TbMg2Cu6Ni3 alloys were prepared for the investigations of crystal structure, magnetic and hydrogen storage properties. The magnetic properties of several REMg2Cu9−xNix compounds have been studied up to 9 T and from 2 to 300 K. Tb compounds show a ferrimagnetic (with Ni) or antiferromagnetic (without Ni) behaviour, which can be attributed to the Tb magnetic structure. At high temperature a paramagnetic Curie Weiss behaviour is observed and the effective moment corresponds to that of Tb. A magnetic contribution of Pr moment is observed in both Pr compounds, with larger magnetization for PrMg2Cu4Ni5 and a transition at 3 K. The hydrogen absorption occurs at 95 bar for LaMg2Cu9 (3 H f.u.−1) and above 2 bars for LaMg2Cu4Ni5 (1.6 H f.u.−1). The effect of Cu-Ni substitution on the electrochemical properties of LaMg2M9 ternary alloys was investigated leading to maximum discharge capacity of 250–310 mAh g−1.

The structural instability of the [NH4−n (CH3) n ]2HgCl4 group has been investigated. Consideration of different crystals of this family shows that the H-bonds, obviously, hinder the appearance of incommensurate modulation. The dependence of phase transition sequence on the sizes of cation and anion may be obtained only for crystals with simple cation. The appearance of H-bonds complicates the situation and, leads to gradual disappearance of IC phase in the A2BX4 family.

The electro-reduction of tolmetin at the hanging mercury drop electrode was studied in different supporting electrolytes using cyclic voltammetry and square-wave stripping voltammetry techniques. Voltammograms of tolmetin exhibited a single well-defined 2-electron irreversible cathodic peak in media of pH < 4, which may be attributed to reduction of the >C=O double bond of the analyte molecule. Adsorption of tolmetin onto the surface of the hanging mercury electrode was identified and each adsorbed tolmetin molecule was found to occupy an area of 0.23 nm2. A square-wave adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetric procedure was described for the direct determination of tolmetin in bulk form and pharmaceutical formulation (Rumatol® capsules) with a limit of quantitation of 2 × 10−9 M and a mean percentage recovery of 98.35 ± 1.21% to 99.57 ± 1.23. Moreover, the described procedure was successfully applied for the direct assay of tolmetin in spiked human serum without pretreatment or extraction prior to the analysis while a quantitation limit of 5 × 10−9 M tolmetin was achieved.

ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized in mixtures of ionic liquids based on imidazolium cation with organic solvents (dimethyl sulfoxide and ethylene glycol) by a simple, one-step solution route at low temperature. The effect of these mixtures on the morphology, size and properties of as obtained ZnO nanopowders was investigated. The obtained nanopowders have been characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy (UV-Vis) and photoluminescence (PL). The effect of the ionic liquid mixture on the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue has been analysed. The XRD studies confirmed the hexagonal wurtzite structure of the obtained ZnO powder. The UV-Vis absorption spectra present the typical shape for ZnO, with a broad band situated in the UV region, with the maximum around 360 nm. The calculated band-gap energy is in interval 3.25–3.28 eV. The synthesized ZnO nanopowders have high photocatalytic activity against methylene blue, the best results being obtained when 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate was used as the solvent.

Stabilization of Horseradish Peroxidase (HRP; EC 1.11.1.7) against temperature and pH via the formation of the conjugates obtained by multipoint covalent bonding of dextran aldehyde (DA) to the enzyme were studied. Hence, three different molar weighted dextrans (17.5 kD, 75 kD, 188 kD) were covalently bonded to purified enzyme with different molar ratios (nHRP/nDA 20/1, 10/1, 1/1, 1/5, 1/10, 1/15, 1/20). The thermal stabilities of the obtained conjugates were evaluated with the activities determined at different temperatures (25, 30, 35, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80°C) applying 60 minutes incubation time. Conjugates formed were characterized by gel-permeation chromatography (GPC) and fluorescence techniques. The conjugate synthesized using dextran 75 kDa with nHRP/nDA 1/10 molar ratio showed better thermal stability than other conjugates and purified enzyme at pH 7. This conjugate also has wider activity pH range than purified enzyme. In addition, mentioned conjugate at pH 7 had very long storage lifetime compared to purified enzyme at +4°C and room temperature; which is considered a favorable feature for usage in practice.