Sorption mechanisms of cephapirin, a veterinary antibiotic, onto quartz and feldspar minerals as detected by Raman spectroscopy

Raman spectroscopy was used to investigate sorption mechanisms of cephapirin (CHP), a veterinary antibiotic, onto quartz (SiO₂) and feldspar (KAlSi₃O₈) at different pH. Sorption occurs by electrostatic attraction, monodentate and bidentate complexation. The zwitterion (CHP^o) adsorbs to a quartz⁽⁺⁾ surface by electrostatic attraction of the carboxylate anion group (-COO⁻) at low pH, but adsorbs to a quartz⁽⁻⁾ surface through electrostatic attraction of the pyridinium cation, and possibly COO⁻ bridge complexes, at higher pH. CHP⁻ bonds to quartz⁽⁻⁾ surfaces by bidentate complexation between one oxygen of -COO⁻ and oxygen from carbonyl of an acetoxymethyl group. On a feldspar^(+/−) surface, CHP^o forms monodentate complexes between CO, and possible -COO⁻ bridges and/or electrostatic attachments to localized edge (hydr)oxy-Al surfaces. CHP⁻ adsorbs to feldspar⁽⁻⁾ through monodentate CO complexation. Similar mechanisms may operate for other cephalosporins. Results demonstrate, for the first time, that Raman techniques can be effective for evaluating sorption mechanisms of antibiotics.     

Sedimentology models from activity concentration measurements: application to the “Bay of Cadiz” Natural Park (SW Spain)

A previous study on seabed sediments of the Bay of Cadiz (SW of Spain) enabled us to identify several relations between sedimentological variables and activity concentrations of environmental radionuclides such as ¹³⁷Cs, ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K. In this paper the study has been extended to a large neighbouring inter-tidal area in order to establish if the above mentioned models can be generalized. As a result we have determined that the measured activity concentrations are closely to the values predicted by the theoretical models (correlation coefficient range = 0.85–0.93).     

Adsorption behavior of condensed phosphate on aluminum hydroxide

Sodium pyrophosphate （pyro-P, Na4P2OT）, sodium tripolyphosphate （tripoly-P, Na3P3O10）, and sodium hexametaphosphate （meta-P, （NaPO3）6） were selected as the model compounds of condensed phosphate to investigate the adsorption behavior of condensed phosphate on aluminum hydroxide. The adsorption was found to be endothermic and divisible into two stages： （1） fast adsorption within 1 h; and （2） slow adsorption between 1 and 24 h. The modified Freundlich model simulated the fast adsorption stage well; the slow adsorption stage was described well by the first-order kinetics. The activation energies of pyro-P, tripoly-P, and meta-P adsorption on aluminum hydroxide were determined to be 20.2, 22.8 and 10.9 kJ/mol P adsorbed, respectively, in the fast adsorption stage and to be 66.3, 53.5 and 72.5 kJ/mol P adsorbed, respectively, in the slow adsorption stage. The adsorption increased the negative charge of the aluminum hydroxide surface. Transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis analyses provided evidence that the adsorption was not uniform on the surface and that the small crystals contributed more to the fast adsorption than the normal sites did. The results from X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy tests also revealed the uneven adsorption of condensed phosphate as a function of the penetration depth. More condensed phosphates were adsorbed on the outer surface of aluminum hydroxide than in its inner parts.     

Detection of intermediates in the TiO2-assisted photodegradation of Rhodamine B under visible light irradiation

The photocatalytic degradation of dye Rhodamine B （RhB） in the presence of TiO2 nanostdpe or P25 under visible light irradiation was investigated. The degradation intermediates were identified using Infrared spectra （IR spectra）, ^1H nuclear magnetic resonance （^1HNMR） spectra, and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy （GC-MS）. The IR and the ^1HNMR results showed that the large conjugated chromophore structure of RhB was efficiently destroyed under visible light irradiation in both the photocatalytic systems （TiO2 nanostfipe or P25 and Rhodamine B systems）. GC-MS results showed that the main identified intermediates were ethanediotic acid, 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, 4-hydroxy benzoic acid and benzoic acid, which were almost the same in the TiO2 nanostdpes and P25 systems. This work provides a good insight into the reaction pathway（s） for the TiO2-assisted photocatalytic degradation of dye pollutants under visible light irradiation.     

人工养殖与野生扬子鳄卵中重金属含量分析

以原子吸收分光光度法，测定了人工养殖与野生的扬子鳄卵中Cu、Zn、Cd、Pb等重金属元素的含量，并对上述4种元素的分布状况和差异性进行了探讨。实验表明，人工繁殖卵中重金属元素含量高于野生卵，人工饲养过程中所提供的饮水和饲料中重金属元素含量高于自然界，值得关注和重视。     

New approaches to characterizing urban air particles in central London

１　ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＯｎａｎｉｎｔｅｒｎａｔｉｏｎａｌｓｃａｌｅ，ｔｈｅｎａｔｕｒｅｏｆｕｒｂａｎａｉｒｐｏｌｌｕｔｉｏｎｈａｓｃｈａｎｇｅｄｓｉｇｎｉｆｉｃａｎｔｌｙｏｖｅｒｔｈｅｌａｓｔ５０ｙｅａｒｓ．Ｉｎｔｈｅ１９５０ｓａｎｄ１９６０ｓ，ｔｈｅｍｏｓｔｉｍｐｏｒｔａｎｔｅｎｖｉｒｏｎｍｅｎｔａｌｈｅａｌｔｈｉｓｓｕｅｓｓｔｅｍｍｅｄｆｒｏｍｔｈｅｏｃｃｕｒｒｅｎｃｅｏｆｕｒｂａｎｓｍｏｇｓ，ａｎａｔｍｏｓｐｈｅｒｉｃｃｏｃｋｔａｉｌｃｈａｒａｃｔｅｒｉｚｅｄｂｙｈｉｇｈｃｏｎｃｅｎ…     

Amniotic fluid enzymes in pregnancies with trisomy 21

The activities of a range of microvillous enzymes in amniotic fluid from normal pregnancies (n = 213) and those complicated by trisomy 21 (n = 26) were compared in a prospective study. Using a centrifugal analyser, the activities of leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), aspartate transferase (AST), and isoenzymes of alkaline phosphate (ALP) were measured in amniotic fluid alongside alpha fetoprotein (AFP) levels. Of the markers studied, LAP was found to be the most reliable indicator of trisomy 21. Using levels below the 5th percentile, LAP showed sensitivity 73 per cent, specificity 94 per cent, and predictive value positive 63 percent. Although these tests would not replace karyotyping in all cases, the measurement of LAP could be useful as a rapid initial screening test, particularly when amniocentesis is performed for indications other than chromosomal abnormalities.     

Zinc and lead sequestration in an impacted wetland system

The fate and bioavailability of pollutant metals is important to the long-term health of freshwater wetland systems, particularly in areas with elevated background levels of trace metals. Precipitation of some authigenic mineral phases in wetland sediments can potentially limit metal bioavailability through sequestration in low-solubility compounds, such as metal sulfides. Zinc and Pb concentrations were analyzed in water, plant and sediment samples taken from a metal-contaminated wetland in Chicago, IL, USA in order to assess metal fate and bioavailability, while X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) studies were conducted to determine zinc speciation in the wetland sediments. The results showed sequestration of metal into the pond sediments, most likely in iron precipitate phases. In surface sediments, re-release of Zn and Pb into pore waters was correlated with microbial iron reduction, while the presence of sulfide in anoxic pore waters corresponded to decreased dissolved concentrations of both elements. Analysis of extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) data confirmed that sulfide compounds dominated zinc speciation throughout the sediment. Uptake of trace metals in Phragmites plants was limited primarily to plant roots, while concentrations of both Pb and Zn in aquatic vegetation were significantly elevated, representing a potential bioaccumulation hazard.     

High resolution proton NMR spectroscopy of human amniotic fluid

Human amniotic fluid (HAF) is a dynamic system whose characteristics depend on continuous interchanges between fetal and maternal circulations. HAF reflects not only the environment of the fetus but may also provide information about fetal development or pathology. The concentration of HAF constituents varies with gestational age and pathological states. The number of the compounds currently implicated in fetal developmental pathology are relatively few. Currently used assay methods are not adequate to totally explain or predict the complex biochemistry of the fetus. The purpose of this work was to investigate HAF with NMR spectroscopy. In the present study HAF was obtained from 47 women undergoing routine amniocentesis. Cells were separated for karyological analysis and the supernatant was acid-extracted, lyophilized and re-suspended in D₂0 resulting in a concentration increase over native fluid. ¹H NMR spectra were obtained at 360 MHz and 60 MHz. Eighteen compounds including several amino acids, were identified using parallel reference and standard addition protocols. NMR spectroscopy detected compounds of known clinical importance including glucose, leucine, isoleucine, lactate and creatinine. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that a number of physiologically relevant compounds are readily observable in HAF using ¹H NMR spectroscopy. This technique can currently provide valuable information regarding HAF composition and has the potential of being used in vivo in the future.     

~(57)Fe Mssbauer spectroscopic study on the barks of several three species grown in Lanzhou, China

１ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＡｌｔｈｏｕｇｈｆｉｌｔｅｒｍｅｔｈｏｄｉｓｖｅｒｙｔｉｍｅｃｏｎｓｕｍｉｎｇ，ｉｔｈａｓｂｅｅｎｅｍｐｌｏｙｅｄｉｎｔｈｅｉｎｖｅｓｔｉｇａｔｉｏｎｓｏｆａｅｒｏｓｏｌｓｆｏｒａｌｏｎｇｔｉｍｅ（Ｋｏｐｃｅｗｉｃｚ，１９...