Determination of cobalt by air-assisted liquid–liquid microextraction

Abstract

A rapid and selective technique for extraction, preconcentration and determination of trace amounts of cobalt in water and pharmaceutical samples by air-assisted liquid–liquid microextraction combined with flame atomic absorption spectrometry is proposed. 1-Nitroso-2-naphthol is used as a complexing agent and 1-octanol as an extraction solvent. Parameters relevant for analytical effectivity, i.e. pH of sample solution, concentration of complexing agent, volume of extraction solvent, and number of extraction cycles are optimized using a Box–Behnken design. At optimum conditions, a dynamic linear range of 5–600?µg L^?1 is obtained, with a limit of detection of 1.2?µg L^?1. The method is used for determination of Co(II) in environmental water and pharmaceutical samples.     

Hazardous halogenated substances formed during combustion processes

The results of the emissions from combustion processes and/or from fire accidents show the risk to man and his environment and thus the need for strict legislation and critical analysis of unwanted compounds. These substances or their thermolysis products are often due to incomplete combustion or may result from the interaction of various substances.

In the following we report the formation of octachlorostyrene (OCS) and of high‐toxic substances such as polybrominated dioxins (PBrDD's), dibenzofurans (PBrDF's) by the combustion.

In order to determine a possible source of the non‐manufactured compound OCS, we conducted several model experiments in a combustion chamber at various temperatures from 400 °C to 800 °C. The thermolysis of chlorinated solvents like chloroform or of chlorinated aromatice like pentachlorobenzene produced—among other chlorinated substances—OCS as one of the major products.

Analogous combustion experiments with polyester plastics containing decabromodiphenylether as flame retardant and antimony trioxide as Synergist led to PBrDD's and PBrDF's. Here antimony trioxide seems to play an important role because in absence of this oxide, PBrDD's and PBrDF's were not found in our experimental conditions.     

Are indigenous forest reserves sustainable? An analysis of present and future land-use trends in Bosawas,Nicaragua

SUMMARY

In recent years, indigenous tenure over forest lands has emerged as a means to conserve forests while recognizing indigenous rights. There is concern, however, that indigenous reserves may not be an appropriate policy tool for sustained forest conservation. Our research examined how recognition of indigenous common-property rights has controlled agricultural expansion and conserved forests in Bosawas Biosphere Reserve, Nicaragua. We used satellite imagery with empirical data gathered in the field on land-use institutions, population pressures, and land-use practices to compare whether indigenous communities under territorial management or public management are better able to (1) control the ‘fast threat’ of frontier expansion and (2) address the long-term ecological threats posed by indigenous land-use practices and institutional changes in the region. Our findings are that indigenous residents who share common-property rights over their territories are better able to control agricultural expansion than are indigenous residents living on public lands. With respect to the long-term threats to the region, a series of simulations of possible land-use pressures demonstrate that the enforcement of territorial boundaries and further development of indigenous forest management rules will prove crucial in determining land-use capacity and deforestation over the next 50 years.     

An international survey of decabromodiphenyl ethane (deBDethane) and decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE) in sewage sludge samples

Decabromodiphenyl ethane (deBDethane) is an additive flame retardant marketed as a replacement for decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE). The structures of the two chemicals are similar, and hence deBDethane may also become an environmental contaminant of concern. Environmental data on deBDethane are scarce. Since sewage sludge is an early indicator of leakage of these chemicals into the environment, an international survey of deBDethane and decaBDE levels in sludge was conducted. Samples were collected from 42 WWTPs in 12 different countries and analyzed with GC/LRMS. DeBDethane was present in sludge from all countries and may therefore be a worldwide concern. The levels of deBDethane in sludge samples from the Ruhr area of Germany were the highest so far reported in the literature (216 ng g⁻¹ d.wt.). The [deBDethane]/[decaBDE] quotient for the whole data set ranged from 0.0018 to 0.83. High ratios were found in and around Germany where deBDethane imports are known to have been high and substitution of decaBDE with deBDethane is likely to have occurred. Low ratios were found in the USA and the UK, countries that have traditionally been large users of decaBDE. An estimate of the flux of deBDEthane from the technosphere via WWTPs to the environment within the European Union gave 1.7 ± 0.34 mg annually per person. The corresponding value for decaBDE was 41 ± 22 mg annually per person.     

饮用水中五种有机磷农药的快速检测法

本文介绍了使用Ｗａｔｅｒｓ ＯＡＳＩＳ－ＨＬＢ固相萃取小柱从水中分离富集敌百虫、敌敌畏、乐果、甲基对硫磷，对硫磷五种有机磷农药的快速检测法。     

Determination of Au(III) and Pd(II) ions by flame atomic absorption spectrometry in some environmental samples after solid phase extraction

A simple and sensitive solid phase extraction method was developed for simultaneous separation and preconcentration of gold and palladium ions with N-(4-methylphenyl)-2-{[(4-phenyl-5-pyridine-4-yl-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)thio]acetyl}hydrazine carbo thioamide complex on Amberlite XAD-1180 resin before their determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Some analytical parameters such as HNO₃ concentration of the sample solution, amount of complexing agent, sample volume, eluent type and volume, effects of foreign ions and adsorption capacity of the resin were investigated for quantitative recovery of gold and palladium ions. The effects of some anions and cations were also examined. Under optimum conditions, the detection limits for gold and palladium ions were found to be 0.29 and 0.19 μg L^?1, respectively. The preconcentration factor for gold and palladium was 250. After being validated by standard addition and analysis of standard reference material, the procedure was successfully applied to the analysis of sea and stream water, anodic slime, gold ore, soil and electronic waste.     

环杭州湾地区城市扩张的遥感动态监测

以环杭州湾地区为研究对象,应用决策树和形状指数相结合的方法从TM影像中分别提取了2003年和2006年的城镇用地信息,并对杭州市、绍兴市和宁波市的城市扩张特点进行了分析和研究。通过精度检验,城镇用地总体Kappa系数都在0.87以上,说明该方法提取城镇信息是行之有效的。2003年环杭州湾地区的城镇用地面积为914.04km²,2006年为1 286.1km²,4年间城镇用地净增了372.06km²,主要城市用地净增了192.6km²;杭州市、绍兴市、宁波市市区面积增加了43.7 km²;而其它县城与开发区增加了145.6 km²;说明小城市在环杭州湾地区城市化进程中处于主导地位;而大城市的作用则相对较小。杭州市、绍兴市城市扩张明显,其中尤以杭州市下沙区和绍兴市袍江工业园区的扩张最显著;宁波市城市扩张最小,特别是余姚城区。扩张方向上,杭州市主要向西北和北面扩张;宁波市在各个方向上的扩张比较平均。     

爆炸形成过程中火焰加速的试验研究

为预防和控制工业爆炸事故,并为脉冲爆轰发动机的研究提供理论指导,分析火焰加速导致的燃烧转爆轰过程的影响因素。采用爆轰管探讨障碍物的阻塞比、混合物的组成、初始压力和点火能等4个因素对爆炸性气体火焰速度和爆轰压力的影响规律。试验结果表明:障碍物的存在能大大提高火焰速度和爆轰压力;爆轰压力随管内障碍物阻塞比的增大先变大后减小,并在阻塞比为0.498,燃料种类为天然气,化学当量比为1时达到最大;爆轰压力还随混合气体初始压力的增大和点火能的提高而增大。选择适宜的条件可大大提高火焰加速速率,促进燃烧向爆轰过程转变。     

安徽省中小型城市用地扩展研究——以滁州市为例

以滁州市1966年的地形图,1978年、1987年、1995年、2000年及2006年的遥感影像为数据源,提取滁州市6个时段的建成区面积对其用地扩展进行了研究。结果表明,滁州市建成区面积在1966-2006年间面积增加了7．84倍,扩展速度经历了先快后慢的过程;发展方向以东南方向为主,40年间城市中心向东、南方向分别迁移了1084m和1940m对揭示安徽省中小型城市用地的发展特征具有一定意义。     

Deforestation and the Limited Contribution of Forests to Rural Livelihoods in West Africa: Evidence from Burkina Faso and Ghana

Forest degradation in West Africa is generally thought to have negative consequences on rural livelihoods but there is little overview of its effects in the region because the importance of forests to rural livelihoods has never been adequately quantified. Based on data from 1014 rural households across Burkina Faso and Ghana this paper attempts to fill this knowledge gap. We demonstrate that agricultural lands and the non-forest environment including parklands are considerably more valuable to poor as well as more well-off rural households than forests. Furthermore, product types supplied by the non-forest environment are almost identical with those from forests. Accordingly, forest clearance/degradation is profitable for and, hence, probably performed by rural people at large. We attribute rural people's high reliance on non-forest versus forest resources to the two countries' restrictive and inequitable forest policies which must be reformed to promote effective forest conservation, e.g., to mitigate climate change.