Weak anion-exchange hypercrosslinked sorbent in on-line solid-phase extraction-liquid chromatography coupling to achieve automated determination with an effective clean-up

A mixed-mode polymeric sorbent was on-line coupled to liquid chromatography (LC) for the first time and applied it to the selective solid-phase extract a group of pharmaceuticals in complex environmental water samples. The mixed-mode polymeric sorbent is a high-specific surface area hypercrosslinked polymer resin (HXLPP) in the form of monodisperse microspheres further modified with 1,2-ethylenediamine (EDA) moieties. These properties allows its application as a weak anion-exchange (WAX) sorbent in the on-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupling. The on-line SPE-LC method developed using the HXLPP-WAX sorbent was successfully applied to percolate a large volume of ultrapure (500 ml), river (250 ml) and effluent sewage (100 ml) water samples. In all the cases, the HXLPP-WAX resin provided near total recoveries of the most acidic compounds studied and clean chromatograms. This is because the ion-exchange interactions enable a washing step to be added to the SPE protocol that removes the compounds with weak acidic, neutral and basic properties from the sample matrix

The heterogeneity of world trade collapses

This paper analyses drivers of imports during the major world trade collapses of the Great Depression (1930s; 34 countries) and the Great Recession (1930s; 173 countries). The analysis deals with the first year of these episodes and develops a small empirical model that shows a significant impact of the development of GDP, the share of manufacturing goods in total imports and the political system. The analysis reveals substantial heterogeneity with respect to regional importance of these drivers

Where the financial and economic crisis does bite : Impact on the Least Developed Countries

This paper looks beyond the comparatively good performance of the large emerging economies that gave rise to the mainstream narrative of decoupling. I discuss the negative economic and social impacts of the financial and economic crisis on the Least Developed Countries that the mainstream narrative hides below the veil of well performing large countries. The negative macroeconomic consequences are directly observed in a reduction of the foreign contribution to capital formation in LDCs and a deceleration of the growth of per capita Gross Domestic Product. Official Development Aid does not offer recourse contracting in real terms in 2011 and falling short by US$ 51 billion over 2008-2011. The potential implications for human development are important. The paper indicates that Millennium Development Goals (especially in the fields of poverty, child mortality and universal primary education) will be more difficult to attain in the Least Developed Countries

Sanctions against Iran - A preliminary economic assessment

This chapter seeks to contribute to the academic and policy debates on the merits of sanctions against Iran by providing an empirical analysis of their economic impact.1 It starts by taking a look at stylised facts2 in order to establish whether sanctions are effective – measured by the degree to which they have constrained the Iranian authorities’ ability to sustain their ambitions in the nuclear field as a result of the costs sanctions have inflicted on the country. Having established the conditions under which sanctions meet the criteria for success (as developed in chapter I), the rest of the chapter explores the results of an econometric model that not only tracks the economic mechanisms through which sanctions operate, but also analyses their spillover effects in the political realm

Some economic historic perspectives on the 2009 world trade collapse

The paper puts the collapse of the world trade volume in 2009 into two historic perspectives. First, the paper analyses 18 major post-1980/pre-2007 financial crises and uses these observations as a basis to critically evaluate presently available projections for world trade. Second, the paper takes into account the developments in the world's trade volume and openness since 1880. Next to the direct impact of the present financial crisis on trade, potential second order effects on economic growth and international political relations are identified

What could anti-trust in the OECD do for development?

The extra-territorial effects of cartels, mergers and other non-competitive activities require consideration especially if they harm consumers and firms in developing countries. This paper provides an overview of the available empirical literature regarding the impact of cartels, mergers and abuses of dominance that are rooted in the OECD. Typically the available evidence is not yet sufficiently comprehensive to allow robust conclusions, but (with no claim on accuracy), it seems reasonable that the direct impact on developing countries is very substantial and in welfare terms may exceed the contribution by Official Development Aid. OECD countries could contribute to development through the activities of their competition authorities and appropriate changes in legislation