48 research outputs found

    The molybdenum blue reaction for the determination of orthophosphate revisited: Opening the black box

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    The molybdenum blue reaction, used predominantly for the determination of orthophosphate in environmental waters, has been perpetually modified and re-optimised over the years, but this important reaction in analytical chemistry is usually treated as something of a 'black box' in the analytical literature. A large number of papers describe a wide variety of reaction conditions and apparently different products (as determined by UV–visible spectroscopy) but a discussion of the chemistry underlying this behaviour is often addressed superficially or not at all. This review aims to rationalise the findings of the many 'optimised' molybdenum blue methods in the literature, mainly for environmental waters, in terms of the underlying polyoxometallate chemistry and offers suggestions for the further enhancement of this time-honoured analytical reaction

    Land management impacts on European butterflies of conservation concern: a review

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    The Effect of Surface Confined Gold Nanoparticles in Blocking the Extraction of Nitrate by PVC-Based Polymer Inclusion Membranes Containing Aliquat 336 as the Carrier

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    Clusters of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) formed on the surface of PVC-based polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs) with a liquid phase containing Aliquat 336 as the carrier and in some cases 1-dodecanol or 2-nitrophenol octyl ether as plasticizers were found to inhibit the extraction of nitrate by the PIMs. This observation was based on gradually increasing the mass of AuNPs on the membrane surface and testing the ability of the membrane to extract nitrate after each increase. In this way, it was possible to determine the so-called "critical AuNP masses" at which the studied membranes ceased to extract nitrate. On the basis of these results, it can be hypothesized that the surfaces of these PIMs are not homogeneous with respect to the distribution of their membrane liquid phases, which are present only at certain sites. Extraction takes place only at these sites, and at the "critical AuNP mass" of a PIM, all these extraction sites are blocked and the membrane loses its ability to extract

    Extraction of Gold(III) from Hydrochloric Acid Solutions with a PVC-based Polymer Inclusion Membrane (PIM) Containing Cyphos (R) IL 104

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    Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) based polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs), with different concentrations of CyphosÂź IL 104 as the membrane extractant/carrier, were studied for their ability to extract Au(III) from hydrochloric acid solutions. Some of the PIMs also contained one of the following plasticizers or modifiers: 2-nitrophenyloctyl ether, dioctylphthalate, 1-dodecanol, 1-tetradecanol, or tri(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate. The best performance, in terms of extraction rate and amount of Au(III) extracted, was exhibited by a PIM consisting of 25 wt% Cyphos(Âź) IL 104, 5 wt% 1-dodecanol, and 70 wt% PVC. An almost complete back-extraction of the Au(III) extracted from this membrane was achieved by using a 0.10 mol L(-1) Na₂SO₃ receiver solution at pH 8. The stoichiometry of the extracted Au(III)/CyphosÂź IL 104 adduct was determined as [P]âș [AuCl₄](-) Hâș [PO₂](-) where [P]âș and [PO₂](-) represent trihexyl(tetradecyl) phosphonium and bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl) phosphinate ions, respectively. Back-extraction of Au(III) is suggested to occur by reduction of Au(III) to Au(I), with the formation of the species [Au(SO₃)₂](3-) in the aqueous receiver solution. Loss of 1-dodecanol from the newly developed PIM to the aqueous solutions in contact with it was observed, which indicated that this membrane was suitable for single use in the efficient recovery of Au(III) from hydrochloric acid solutions of electronic scrap or recycled jewelry

    Microfluidic Paper-Based Analytical Device for the Determination of Nitrite and Nitrate

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    A low-cost disposable colorimetric microfluidic paper-based analytical device (ÎŒPAD) was developed for the determination of nitrite and nitrate. Nitrite is determined directly by the Griess reaction while nitrate is first reduced to nitrite in a hydrophilic channel of the ÎŒPAD with immobilized zinc microparticles. This ÎŒPAD is fabricated by a simple and inexpensive inkjet printing method. Under optimal conditions, the limits of detection and quantification for nitrite are 1.0 and 7.8 ÎŒM, respectively, while the corresponding values for nitrate are 19 and 48 ÎŒM, respectively. The repeatability, expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD), is less than 2.9% and 5.6% (n ≀ 8) for the determination of nitrite and nitrate, respectively. This ÎŒPAD was successfully applied to the determination of nitrate and nitrite in both synthetic and natural water samples. It is user and environmentally friendly and suitable for on-site measurement of the analytes mentioned above in environmental and drinking waters

    Pandemic products and volatile chemical emissions

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    The recent pandemic (COVID-19) has seen a sweeping and surging use of products intended to clean and disinfect, such as air sprays, hand sanitizers, and surface cleaners, many of which contain fragrance. However, exposure to fragranced cleaning products has been associated with adverse effects on human health. Products can emit a range of volatile chemicals, including some classified as hazardous, but relatively few ingredients are disclosed to the public. Thus, relatively little is known about the specific emissions from these products. This study investigates the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from “pandemic products” that are being used frequently and extensively in society. In addition, among these emissions, this study identifies potentially hazardous compounds, compares so-called green and regular versions of products, and examines whether ingredients are disclosed to the public. Using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, 26 commonly used pandemic products, including 13 regular and 13 so-called green versions, were analyzed for their volatile emissions. Product types included hand sanitizers, air disinfectants, multipurpose cleaners, and handwashing soap. All products were fragranced. The analyses found the products collectively emitted 399 VOCs with 127 VOCs classified as potentially hazardous. All products emitted potentially hazardous compounds. Comparing regular products and green products, no significant difference was found in the emissions of the most prevalent compounds. Further, among the 399 compounds emitted, only 4% of all VOCs and 11% of potentially hazardous VOCs were disclosed on any product label or safety data sheet. This study reveals that pandemic products can generate volatile emissions that could pose risks to health, that could be unrecognized, and that could be reduced, such as by using fragrance-free versions of products

    Separation and Recovery of Scandium from Sulfate Media by Solvent Extraction and Polymer Inclusion Membranes with Amic Acid Extractants

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    We report on the separation and recovery of scandium(III) from sulfate solutions using solvent extraction and a membrane transport system utilizing newly synthesized amic acid extractants. Scandium(III) was quantitatively extracted with 50 mmol dm-3 N-[N,N-di(2-ethylhexyl)aminocarbonylmethyl]glycine (D2EHAG) or N-[N,N-di(2-ethylhexyl)aminocarbonylmethyl]phenylalanine (D2EHAF) in n-dodecane at pH 2 and easily stripped using a 0.5 mol dm-3 sulfuric acid solution. The extraction mechanisms of scandium(III) extraction with D2EHAG and D2EHAF were examined, and it was established that scandium(III) formed a 1:3 complex with both extractants (HR), that is, Sc(SO4)2 - aq + 1.5(HR)2org ⇄ Sc(SO4)R(HR)2org + H+ aq + SO4 2- aq. The equilibrium constants of extraction were evaluated to be 4.87 and 9.99 (mol dm-3)0.5 for D2EHAG and D2EHAF, respectively. D2EHAG and D2EHAF preferentially extracted scandium(III) with a high selectivity compared to common transition metal ions under high acidic conditions (0 < pH ≀ 3). In addition, scandium(III) was quantitatively transported from a feed solution into a 0.5 mol dm-3 sulfuric acid receiving solution through a polymer inclusion membrane (PIM) containing D2EHAF as a carrier. Scandium(III) was completely separated thermodynamically from nickel(II), aluminum(III), cobalt(II), manganese(II), chromium(III), calcium(II), and magnesium(II), and partially separated from iron(III) kinetically using a PIM containing D2EHAF as a carrier. The initial flux value for scandium(III) (J 0,Sc = 1.9 × 10-7 mol m-2 s-1) was two times higher than that of iron(III) (J 0,Fe = 9.3 × 10-8 mol m-2 s-1)

    Imaging chemical extraction by polymer inclusion membranes using fluorescence microscopy

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    Polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs) transport chemicals between bodies of liquid by simultaneously performing chemical extraction and back-extraction. The internal chemical and physical mechanisms by which this transport occurs are, however, poorly understood. Also, some PIMs, which are otherwise optimal for their task, age and lose function after only days, limiting their feasibility for industrial upscaling. Through the application of fluorescence imaging methods we are able for the first time to see where chemical extraction occurs in the membrane. Extraction of fluorescein from solution by PIMs demonstrates inhomogeneities that do not correlate to surface morphology. Fluorescence lifetime imaging demonstrates that regions of increased extraction have distinctly different fluorescence lifetimes to that of the surrounding PIM indicating localized chemical environments, and this is observed to change with membrane age. Fluorescence imaging is shown to allow probing and novel understanding of PIM internal chemical morphology
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