Diffusion with simultaneous immobilization in polymer–dye systems. I. Diffusion of the cationic dye anilana red BL in the anionically modified polyester fiber dilana

The diffusion coefficient of the cationic dye Anilana Red BL in the anionically modified polyester fiber Dilana has been calculated regarding a general diffusion-immobilization model. In the model the mobile species are distinguished from the immobilized ones. In computations of Sand's equation and experimentally determined sorption isotherm of the dye in the fiber, the rate-of-dyeing curve and the concentration profiles of the dye in the same fiber were employed. The diffusion coefficient of the mobile species of Anilana Red BL in the fiber is two orders of magnitude higher than the average diffusion coefficient obtained from Hill's equation and the apparent diffusion coefficient calculated by the Boltzmann–Matano method.     

Cardioinotropic Effects in Subchronic Intoxication of Rats with Lead and/or Cadmium Oxide Nanoparticles

Subchronic intoxication was induced in outbred male rats by repeated intraperitoneal injections with lead oxide (PbO) and/or cadmium oxide (CdO) nanoparticles (NPs) 3 times a week during 6 weeks for the purpose of examining its effects on the contractile characteristics of isolated right ventricle trabeculae and papillary muscles in isometric and afterload contractions. Isolated and combined intoxication with these NPs was observed to reduce the mechanical work produced by both types of myocardial preparation. Using the in vitro motility assay, we showed that the sliding velocity of regulated thin filaments drops under both isolated and combined intoxication with CdO–NP and PbO–NP. These results correlate with a shift in the expression of myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms towards slowly cycling β–MHC. The type of CdO–NP + PbO–NP combined cardiotoxicity depends on the effect of the toxic impact, the extent of this effect, the ratio of toxicant doses, and the degree of stretching of cardiomyocytes and muscle type studied. Some indices of combined Pb–NP and CdO–NP cardiotoxicity and general toxicity (genotoxicity included) became fully or partly normalized if intoxication developed against background administration of a bioprotective complex.     

Lithium conducting ionic liquids based on lithium borate salts

The simple reaction of trialkoxyborates with butyllithium resulted in the obtaining of new lithium borate salts: Li{[CH₃(OCH₂CH₂)_nO]₃BC₄H₉}, containing oxyethylene substituents (EO) of n = 1, 2, 3 and 7. Salts of n ≥ 2 show properties of room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) of low glass transition temperature, T_g of the order from −70 to −80 °C. The ionic conductivity of the salts depends on the number of EO units, the highest conductivity is shown by the salt with n = 3; in bulk its ambient temperature conductivity is 2 × 10⁻⁵ S cm⁻¹ and in solution in cyclic propylene sulfite or EC/PC mixture, conductivity increases by an order of magnitude. Solid polymer electrolytes with borate salts over a wide concentration range, from 10 to 90 mol.% were obtained and characterized. Three types of polymeric matrices: poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC) and two copolymers of acrylonitrile and butyl acrylate p(AN-BuA) were used in them as polymer matrices. It has been found that for systems of low salt concentration (10 mol.%) the best conducting properties were shown by solid polymer electrolytes with PEO, whereas for systems of high salt concentration, of the polymer-in-salt type, good results were achieved for PTMC as polymer matrix.     

Electropolymerized flavin adenine dinucleotide as an advanced NADH transducer

Electropolymerizing the prosthetic group (flavin adenine dinucleotide, FAD) responsible in the active sites of dehydrogenases for NAD(+)|NADH regeneration, we succeeded in mimicking enzyme activity. Poly(FAD) characterized by an additional polymer-type redox reaction has been discovered as a highly effective electrocatalyst for NADH oxidation: operating at the lowest potentials reported for NADH transducers (0.00 V, pH 7.4), poly(FAD) is characterized by the electrochemical rate constant of 1.8 +/- 0.6 x 10(-3) cm s(-1), which is at the level of the NADH mass-transfer constant. Flow injection analysis of NADH with the poly(FAD)-modified wall-jet electrode as a detector has been characterized by a linear calibration range prolonged down to 5 x 10(-7) M and a sensitivity of 0.08 A M(-1) cm(-2), which taking into account the dispersion coefficient ( approximately 3), is at the diffusion-limiting value. In contrast to the low molecular weight mediators able to exhibit similar electrocatalytic properties, poly(FAD)-modified electrodes are characterized by the dramatically improved stability and, thus, can be considered as the most advantageous NADH transducers for analytical chemistry.     

Lithium electrolytes based on modified imidazolium ionic liquids

In this study, new electrolytes for Li-ion batteries in the form of lithium salt solutions in room temperature imidazolium ionic liquids (RTIL) are reported. The ionic liquids applied, for higher reduction potential stability, were substituted at position C2 with oligooxyethylene groups of various length ([Im nEO]⁺X⁻; where: n = 0, 3, 7, 20 and X = Cl, BF₄, N(CF₃SO₂)₂). It was found that they are good solvents for lithium salts (LiBF₄, LiN(CF₃SO₂)₂, {[CH₃(OCH₂CH₂)₃O]₃BC₄H₉}Li) forming liquid solutions of low glass transition temperature (T_g in the −70 to −40 °C range). Ionic conductivity depends on the length of oxyethylene substituent in Im nEO and on the concentration of the salt applied, for 10 mol%, σ_RT is of the order of 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹. On the basis of polarization measurements by the variable-current method, the proportion of lithium cations in electric charge transfer (t₊) has been determined. The values obtained (typical for ionic liquids) are low and depend on n and lithium salt concentration but do not exceed a dozen or so percent.     

Moisture sorption characteristics and glass transition temperature of apple puree powder

The aim of this study was to characterise the influence of different foam‐mat‐drying methods on the moisture sorption characteristics and glass transition temperatures of apple puree powder. Apple puree was foamed with the addition of 2.5% egg albumin and 0.5% methylcellulose. Convective air‐drying and microwave‐drying techniques were used. Also foamed puree with and without maltodextrin (6% or 15% w/w) was freeze‐dried. Moisture equilibrium data of powders were determined by using a static desiccator method in a water activity range of 0.0–0.903. Modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC) was used to obtain the glass transition temperature. No effect of drying method on sorption properties and glass transition temperatures of apple puree powders was observed. The addition of maltodextrin to the apple puree caused an increase in T_g by 10–30 °C depending on the amount of incorporated additive. Addition of maltodextrin significantly reduced the hygroscopicity of apple puree powders.     

Chitosan-based fiber-sponge materials as a promising tool for microalgae harvesting from Lake Baikal

Mass eutrophication of microalgae and cyanobacteria is observed in Lake Baikal in the past decade. In this paper, the concept of replaceable adsorption filter material based on chitosan flocculant filler and chlorinated polyvinyl chloride polymer nonwoven material are proposed. Functional and mechanical properties and morphology of the material are investigated depending on a packing density and a degree of chitosan filling. The introduction of 45% chitosan increases the Young's modulus up to 10 times, and it makes the material more rigid in 2.8 times. The high efficiency of sorption and growth inhibition of cumulative biomass culture was shown. The biomass source is taken from the coast of Barguzinsky Bay of Lake Baikal. Dominant species is microalgae of Scenedesmus genus.     

Modification of Nonionic Vesicles by Adding Decanol and Functional Lanthanide Ions

Colloid systems modified by luminescent ions in situ are highly attractive for the design of new molecular architectures and adaptable for monitoring and visualizing soft drug delivery systems. This paper presents original results on the characterization of the self‐organization process and the structure of vesicles formed by tetraethylene glycol monodecyl ether (C₁₂EO₄) in the presence of lanthanide ions and decanol additives. Detailed characterization of surface activity, aggregation properties and microstructure of individual and mixed aggregates has been carried out based on surface tension, electron microscopy, small‐angle X‐ray scattering, dynamic light scattering analysis and fluorescence spectroscopy. The small‐angle scattering results in combination with quantum‐chemical calculations assume the multishell vesicle formation in C₁₂EO₄/C₁₀H₂₁OH/H₂O media. In the C₁₂EO₄ solution the presence of Ln(III) ions and decanol initiate the formation of multilamellar vesicles with a size of about 100 nm. The luminescence analysis of the Eu(III) and Tb(III) complexes has shown the efficient solubilization in the C₁₂EO₄/C₁₀H₂₁OH/H₂O vesicles, which leads to increase in the lifetime. The resulting outcome is the possibility to control micro and macro properties of a molecular organized system to give it the desired functionality.