Full optimization and validation of an HPLC method for the quantitative analysis of total sugars in a soft drink

Five HPLC methods were employed for the quantitative analysis of three natural sugars namely fructose, glucose and sucrose in soft drinks. HPLC-refractive index detector (RID)-AMINO proved to be the most suitable HPLC method to carry out the latter task. For the optimum separation and response of the natural sugars the best conditions employed were column oven temperature 30 oC, flow rate 0.1 mL/min, mobile phase ratio acetonitrile:water 75:25 and they were determined by studying all possible interactions among these three parameters. Full validation of HPLC-RID-AMINO was performed in terms of system suitability test, precision check, accuracy check and robustness.                     KEY WORDS: Sugar, Soft drink, Experimental design, Validation, HPLC, System suitability   Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2020, 34(2), 419-426 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v34i2.1

An Appraisal of The Small-Scale Agroprocessing Sector in Rodrigues – Part 2: Product Marketing, Training Programmes and Awareness of Support Services

This second and final paper on the agroprocessing sector in Rodrigues dealswith the marketing of agroprocessed products, the relevance of past trainingprogrammes, future training needs in the sector and end-users’ awareness ofsupport services. 119 producers were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The survey indicated that the products are mostly sold directly to the consumers (69%) by the processors, either along the roadside or market stalls. The products are mainly advertised through word-ofmouth. Most of them do not keep financial, production and sale records and do not calculate their cost of production. 75% of them fix the selling price by adding a mark-up on their perceived cost of production, while some 20.4% rely on the prices set by their competitors. 68% of the respondents An Appraisal of The Small Scale Agroprocessing Sector in Rodrigues- Part 2: Product Marketing, Training Programmes and Awareness of Support Services 59 have followed a training programme and 80% of them find it to bebeneficial. There is a high demand for training in the following areas; food preservation techniques, packaging, food labelling, food safety and quality,business management and marketing skills. Several support institutionsprovide technical information, financial assistance and training to the agroprocessors but their activities are not properly coordinated. Specificrecommendations regarding improved marketing strategies, effective training programmes and support services are made for boosting the agroprocessing sector.Keywords: Rodrigues, small-scale agroprocessors, marketing, training,support institutions

Investigation of Cu/TiO₂ synthesis methods and conditions for CO₂ photocatalytic reduction via conversion of bicarbonate/carbonate to formate

This work is aimed at improving the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 in the reduction of CO2. TiO2 and Cu/TiO2 at 5 wt% copper bulk loading were synthesised using the sol-gel method at a pH of 0.4 and 1.5. The synthesised pure TiO2 samples, alongside the commercial TiO2 (Degussa® P25), were also doped with copper via the incipient wetness method. The low pH and the presence of copper inhibited the anatase-rutile transformation. Copper existed in Cu(I) and Cu(II) states in all the doped samples, with the Cu(I) to Cu(II) ratio intimately linked with the anatase to rutile ratio. The UPS data have shown the type II band offset between TiO2 and CuO. The performance of the samples prepared was tested through the reduction of sodium bicarbonate-carbonate buffered at pH > 8. Commercial TiO2 impregnated with Cu demonstrated the highest formate production rate of 173 µmol·g−1·h−1 at pH 11. This study demonstrated the synergetic effect of the anatase-rutile mixture of phases, the reaction pH, and the copper dopant in improving the photocatalytic activity of TiO2

A review of process intensification applied to solids handling

Process intensification (PI) is a strategy aimed at transforming conventional chemical processes into more economical, productive and green processes. Its fundamental concept hinges upon the volume reduction of processing equipment resulting in enhanced mixing and heat/mass transfer as well as a multitude of other benefits. To date, the focus of PI has been on processes mainly involving gas/liquid systems. Solids handling applications have been more limited as fouling and blockages can occur due to large concentrations of solids in smaller equipment sizes. Appropriately designed equipment is therefore a key consideration for intensifying industrially-relevant solids handling processes. In this review paper, we highlight a number of solid processing applications including precipitation, separation, granulation and milling, etc. where PI has been demonstrated. Much effort has been directed at reactive crystallization and precipitation in various intensified technologies, exploiting their enhanced mixing capabilities to produce uniformly distributed nano-particles. Generally, the objective in many of these processes has focused on transforming solids handling in batch processes into continuous ones with processing time reduction and improved energy efficiency. The review highlights the considerable opportunity for further development of multifunctional technologies in solids handling applications such as granulation and drying, the subject of a European Commission-funded HORIZON 2020 project

Electrical cardioversion during pregnancy: safe or not?

Two pregnant patients with a sustained symptomatic maternal supraventricular arrhythmia are presented. Both patients were treated with direct-current cardioversion. Electrical cardioversion during pregnancy is a rarely applied but highly effective procedure in the treatment of maternal cardiac arrhythmias and is assumed safe for both mother and child. However, once foetal viability is reached, monitoring of the foetal heart rate is advised and facilities for immediate caesarean section should be available