Incorporation of surface-derivatized gold nanoparticles into electrochemically generated polymer films

Stable colloidal solutions of gold nanoparticles surface-derivatized with a thiol monolayer have been prepared using two-phase (water-nitrobenzene) reduction of AuCl4- by sodium borohydride in the presence of 2-mercapto-3-n-octylthiophene (MOT). This kind of surface-functionalized gold nanoparticles can be easily incorporated into the poly(3-octylthiophene) (POT) films on electrode in the process of electrochemical polymerization leading to POT-gold nanoparticle (POT-Au) composite films. Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) and X-ray photoelectric spectroscopy (XPS) have been employed to characterize the surface-derivatized particles and the resulting films. The method of incorporation of nanoparticles into polymer by surface-derivatization and in situ polymerization can also be employed to prepare many other polymer-nanoparticle compostie materials.

The effects of spring-neap tide on the phytoplankton community development in the Jiaozhou Bay, China

The development of the phytoplankton community was studied in the Jiaozhou Bay during the spring to neap tide in August 2001, through three cruises and a 15 d continuous observation. This investigation indicates that diatom cell abundance increased sharply following the end of a spring tide, from 9 cells/cm(3) to a peak of 94 cells/cm(3). The dominant species composition and abundance show a quick species sequence from spring to neap tide, and the dominant species at the start phase is Skeletomena costatum, then changes to Chaetoceros curvisetus, finally it changes to Eucampia zodiacus. Silicate concentration increases during spring tide, as a result of nutrient replenishment from the water-sediment interface, its initial average concentration in neap tide is 1.39 mumol/dm(3) and reached the peak average concentration of 8.40 mumol/dm(3) in spring tide. But the nitrogen concentration dropped due to dilution by the low nitrogen seawater from the Huanghai Sea, its initial average concentration in neap tide is 67 mumol/dm(3) and decreased to the average concentration of 54 mumol/dm(3) in spring tide. The degree of silicon limitation was decreased and phytoplankton, especially diatoms, responds immediately after nutrient replenishment in the water column. Skeletonmea costatum, as one of the dominant species in the Jiaozhou Bay, shows a quicker response to nutrient availability than Eucampia zodiacus and Chaetoceros curvisetus. It is proposed that dominant species composition and water column stability synchronously determine the development of phytoplankton summer blooms in the Raozhou bay.

Study on steel corrosion in different seabed sediments

A series of simulation experiments on carbon steel (A(3) steel) and low alloy steel (16 Mn steel) in marine atmosphere (MA), seawater (SW) and seabed sediment (SBS) including rough sea sand, fine sea sand and seabed mud were carried out indoors for a year or so by means of individually hanging plates (IHP) and electrically connected hanging plates (ECHP). The corrosion of steels in SBS was mainly due to the macrogalvanic cell effect. The steel plates at the bottom of SBS, as the anode of a macrogalvanic cell, showed the heaviest corrosion with a corrosion rate of up to 0.12 mm/a, approximately equal to that of steel plates in marine atmosphere. The test results showed that the corrosion rates of A(3) and 16 Mn steel in marine environment were in the order: MA > SW > SBS by the IHP method; and MA > SBS > SW by the ECHP method. The corrosion rates of steels in the water/sediment interface were directly proportional to the grain size of the SBS by the ECHP method, but those of steels in the water/sediment interface did not vary with the grain size of SBS by the IHP method. The corrosion rate of low-alloy steel was a little higher than that of carbon steel. The results of this study have important applications for design of offshore steel structures such as oil platform, pier, and port.

溶液介质条件和腐殖影响下REE在水/粘土界面分配和分馏的实验研究

过去几十年，由于REE具有重要的物源和过程示踪的地球化学意义，又与核放射性元素（钢系元素）的地球化学结构类似，因此，稀土元素的表生地球化学分配和行为研究便成为微量元素地球化学研究的一个重要部分。目前"通过水体悬浮物吸附态REE组成变化分析研究水／微粒界面作用REE分异现象．的工作不少，但至今进行的胶体或其他微粒吸附REE的实验研究不多，且已有的实验未能对溶液介质条件（如pH、离子强度、阴离子、固／液比），尤其是天然有机物的控制机理进行系统研究，对所观察到的水体中REE及其他微量元素分布变化多样性的解释仍缺乏实验依据。本文用结晶良好且粘土矿物含量高的苏州高岭土、美国粘土协会高岭土（Kga-1b）和蒙脱土（Wwy-2）作为吸附剂，采用系列吸附实验定量研究了不同理化条件（如pH值、离子强度、固／液比）下，受溶液阴离子（Cl-、C1O4-、SO42-、HCO3-）和Fluka胡敏酸（HA）影响，REE在粘土／水界面的分配和分馏，并讨论了HA和粘土的相互作用及胡敏酸存在与不存在时的REE形态分布。得到以下几点重要认识，为合理解释地表水体中既E和其他微量元素分布变化的多样性提供了实验依据：1、REE在苏州高岭土／水界面的重现性实验结果为：稀土配分系数D的相对标准偏差最大值为Eu8.4％，其他大多介于5．0％和6．6％间。而稀土吸附率Rd的相对标准偏差最大值为D2.2％，其他大多＜2％。较小误差表明本次研究所用实验方法是可行的。2、REE在苏州高岭土／水界面的动力学实验结果表明：短时间内（几分钟）稀土快速吸附在高岭土：接着因为粘土的层状结构，在20h内粘土层间金属与REE发生交换，稀土分配系数变化较大；20h以后能达到稳定的吸附／解吸平衡。因此本次研究采用的平衡时间为24h。3、pH分别为4.5和6.5时REE在苏州高岭土冰界面的分配能用Langmuir吸附等温线模拟和MINEQL＋软件表达。与静电吸附相对应，pH值越高REE最大吸附量越大。同时REE浓度的差异造成了REE分馏，总的趋势是REE含量越高，分馏越不明显。4、近中性（pH＝6.5）条件下不同阴离子的存在对REE在苏州高岭土／水界面分配和分馏的影响表明：随阴离子（Cl-、ClO4-、SO42-）含量升高REE吸附率降低，其中SO42-对REE吸附的影响最大，说明Na＋质量效应和阴离子配合的影响；同时由于不同阴离子与轻重R陇的络合差异所致，阴离子含量越高，轻重稀土的分馏越明显（La／Yb＝0.14-0.96），一般为阴离子含量的增加使得重稀土更多的被吸附，其中C1-和SO42+的影响最为明显。HCO3-虽然与REE有较强配合，但可能由于我们的HCO3-实验浓度低（＜0.0O25mol／L），在我们的实验结果中其对REE吸附和分馏的影响较小。5、由于不同pH和介质条件下，REE的络合形态分布不同，它们可以影响其在水／粒界面的分配。应用MINEQL＋模型，考虑REE的氢氧化物、碳酸盐和腐殖酸的影响，研究了REE的形态分布，结果表明fIA的存在对REE形态有很大影响：在HA不存在时，pH7-8间REECO3＋为主要的REEs形态，在更低和更高pH值，REE主要存在形式分别为REE加和REE（CO3）2-；而当HA存在时，在1）H值3-9，REEHA成为主要形态，在低pH（＜3）和高pH（＞9）时REE3+和REE（CO3）2-分别为主要形态。6、在较宽的pH范围HA能吸附在粘土上意味着在大多数含HA的天然水体中，粘土表面被HA覆盖。随H增加粘土对HA的吸附降低，反应了配位体交换或表面络合反应引起的专属吸附，其他如疏水性、、腐殖物质的溶解和HA的结构变化可能也影响了吸附。HA含量、矿物表面积和离子强度等理化条件对HA吸附会产生影响，从而影响HA对粘土表面的覆盖和接下来的粘土对REE的吸附。7、溶液介质条件对REE在粘土（Kga-1b和SWy-2）／水界面分配和分馏的影响表明：主要与静电相互作用、离子交换反应相对应，除低PH外，REE在高岭土上的吸附表现出弱的pH依赖性；而随pH增加REE在蒙脱土上的吸附呈下降趋势，显示交换反应为吸附过程的主要因素。在两种粘土中REE吸附均为随离子强度增加而降低，反应了Na质量效应。8、腐殖物质在粘土表面的吸附改变了吸附剂的属性。HA存在时REE在固液界面的分配反应了REEHA在固液界面的分配和HA在高岭土或蒙脱土／水界面上的分配，其他如静电吸附等机制也影响了吸附：在高岭土中，HA会增加低pH（＜4）吸附，随pH增加（＞5）HA会降低吸附。与此不同，在整个PH范围（3-10），HA的存在明显降低了REE在蒙脱土上的吸附。REE吸附在高岭土上随队含量增加是先增加后降低。而蒙脱土实验中，在低HA含量（＜5mg／L）处，RE阮吸附率与HA含量增加呈线性降低至几个百分比，而在高队含量处，REEs吸，附率无明显变化。这些清楚地说明水体环境中有机物的存在通常降低微量金属吸，附在微粒上，增加微量金属在水体中的溶解量，从而促进微量金属在水体环境中的长距离迁移。9、HA存在和不存在时，吸附／解吸过程中的REE分馏随pH或离子强度的变化都不明显，但由于REE系列与腐殖物质和矿物络合的差异，会随队含量的变化发生明显变化。通常溶液中高队含量增加了LREE在高岭土／蒙脱土上的吸附。这些结果是在HA存在时，微粒相上产生LREE富集的一个实验证实，也和大多数天然水体中的REEs分馏相一致。

季节性氧湖泊微量金属元素的界面地球化学行为

沉积物表层几厘米范围经常呈现某些微量金属元素富集的现象，过去常笼统地认为这是工业革命以来人为污染不断加剧的证据。但近来的研究却证明强烈的早期成岩作用可以在一定程度上造成微量金属元素在沉积物中的再迁移现象，使得其环境记录失真。因此沉积物中元素分布记录不能完全反映对流域输入的物质组成特征。另外，在一定条件下，沉积物中部分金属元素也可再次向上覆水体释放，造成“二次污染”问题，严重威胁到湖泊／水库的水质安全，成为埋藏在湖泊深处的一颗“定时炸弹”。各种地球化学过程在沉积物一水界面附近造成的重金属元素的源／汇效应因此日益受到人们的重视。近年来贵州红枫湖水质季节性恶化事件频繁出现，作为贵阳市饮用水源的阿哈湖水质也开始出现季节性恶化趋势。紧迫的环境问题及重要的科学意义促使我们系统开展了红枫湖、啊哈湖沉积物一水界面微量金属的地球化学行为研究。两湖都是黔中地区人工水库，具有岩溶湖泊的共性，也具有明显的区别。红枫湖湖水具有典型的岩溶水化学特征，湖水中度富营养化；而啊哈湖受矿山废水的影响，同时由于近年的人工石灰投放等原因，造成该湖湖水具有极硬水、硫酸盐型水特征，矿化度达到600tng／L。我们对上述两湖进行了详细研究，获得了如下的研究成果：1．硫酸盐还原细菌（SRB）及铁还原细菌（DIRB）的计数直观地指示了有机质早期成岩过程中各电子受体依次利用的分带性：即硫还原（锰还原）叶铁还原。孔隙水中硫酸根及溶解铁分布与SRB和D工RB的分布吻合。沉积物孔柱的模拟实验、各类还原性微生物计数及与孔隙水中铁锰、硫酸根分布的综合分析证实了微生物的作用是厌氧环境中各种还原反应的不可缺少的因素，界面附近氧含量的变化是引起水质恶化的基本外因。模拟实验的结果还解释了铁、锰、硫在季节性缺氧湖泊中的循环机理。2．微生物计数及生物大分子分析证实了上层沉积物（0-10厘米）是微生物活跃最为强烈的区域，易降解有机质在此区域被降解。红枫湖沉积物有机质降解持续的深度较深〔达到10cm），而啊哈湖沉积物有机质降解持续深度较浅，仅为4厘米，这主要是由于两湖都是季节性厌氧型湖泊，红枫湖在缺氧季节，有机质厌氧降解所需的电子受体迅速消耗，使得缺氧季节该湖有机质降解速率相对缓慢；啊哈湖受到大量煤矿废水注入，水体及沉积物中硫酸根、铁锰含量异常高，并在厌氧季节里为微生物厌氧呼吸提供充足的电子受体，因而易降解部分有机质在表层迅速被氧化，而且该湖沉积速率相对较慢，有机质有相对充裕的时间在上层被降解，避免了被掩埋的命运。3．啊哈湖沉积物孔隙水及界面水δ13CDIC及DIC浓度的分析，显示啊哈湖沉积物产甲烷过程很弱或不明显。这主要是受到硫酸盐还原作用的抑制。从δ34SSO42-SO42-相关关系及硫酸盐还原菌分布特征，可以在深度上划分为两种还原过程及硫同位素分馏过程：慢速还原阶段（6厘米以下），硫同位素分馏程度较大，最大分馏达13．71％。分馏因子约为1.024-1.026之间；快速还原阶段（0-6厘米），硫同位素具有明显分馏，最大达到38‰，这与快速还原过程硫同位素分馏较小的规律相反，主要原因是由于表层同时出现有还原态硫的氧化反应．产生较负的δ34S-so41，δ34S-SO42--SO42-的变化反映出混合过程。通过研究我们进一步还推断，采样点沉积物下部还有煤矿硫源的输入。4．两湖沉积物中铁、锰、硫的还原作用发生位置都具有季节性沿沉积深度上下迁移的特性，部分微量金属元素扩散通量因此发生季节性变化。受沉积物中铁锰含量的控制，红枫湖沉积物一水界面铁锰循环作用比啊哈湖弱。啊哈湖锰含量很高，导致界面附近锰的循环剧烈且远强于铁的循环，并在一定程度上引起部分微量金属在沉积物上层强烈富集。5．通过红枫湖后五沉积物剖面研究，我们发现各种微量元素由于其自身不同的地球化学性质差异，早期成岩过程对其在沉积物中的垂直分布特征的改造程度是不同的。①锰具有明显的向上富集趋势，铁在沉积物中的分布特征的后期改造作用就比较弱。②钻、镍分布的后期改造程度与铁相似，从总量来看再迁移程度比较弱。③铜、锌在早期成岩过程中逐渐向沉积物中上部富集，这主要是与铜锌强烈的亲硫性引起的。钥的表层富集现象最为明显，沉积后再迁移效应显著。由其含量在上层沉积物中的两重峰值，可以指示界面剧烈的锰循环及界面下硫酸盐还原作用对它的联合控制。6．与红枫湖相比，啊哈湖沉积物金属元素再迁移特征有很大的不同：①通过部分微量金属元素地球化学相态分析，各相态微量金属分布主要服从其总量分布特征。②沉积物稀土配分模式明确指示了啊哈湖成湖基底的位置，即沉积物－水界面下18-19厘米以下。③通过Ti、Zr、ΣREE＋Y等的分析也显示了成湖前原始基底的存在位置，同时它们在沉积物中的含量变化特征还反映了该湖扩容后陆源输入的减少。④在沉积深度上铁锰及部分微量金属元素出现明显的分离现象。⑤通过相关性分析，Fe与Cu，U、Mn与Pb，C0，Ni，Cd，Zn等都存在很好的相关性，表明它们之间具有相似的界面地球化学行为。Fe型元素与Mn型元素分布差异的原因可以简约的概括为：锰的界面循环极为强烈，导致再迁移程度很高；而铁的循环相对较弱，又容易受到上层硫酸盐还原作用的抑制，因此再迁移程度不高。此外，由岩溶地区湖泊较强的酸中和能力及近年来的人为石灰投放，沉淀PH不同导致微量金属元素间发生分离，引起下游大坝处金属元素的输入差异。因此，啊哈湖大坝附近沉积物中微量金属元素的分布特征应受到沉积后再迁移和受 pH控制的煤矿废水输送差异联合制约。

An experimental study on turbulent coherent structures near a sheared air-water interface

The turbulence structures near a sheared air-water interface were experimentally investigated with the hydrogen bubble visualization technique. Surface shear was imposed by an airflow over the water flow which was kept free from surface waves. Results show that the wind shear has the main influence on coherent structures under air-water interfaces. Low- and high- speed streaks form in the region close to the interface as a result of the imposed shear stress. When a certain airflow velocity is reached, "turbulent spots" appear randomly at low-speed streaks with some characteristics of hairpin vortices. At even higher shear rates, the flow near the interface is dominated primarily by intermittent bursting events. The coherent structures observed neat sheared air-water interfaces show qualitative similarities with those occurring in near-wall turbulence. However, a few distinctive phenomena were also observed, including the fluctuating thickness of the instantaneous boundary layer and vertical vortices in bursting processes, which appear to be associated with the characteristics of air-water interfaces.

Reduction in microcystin concentrations in large and shallow lakes: Water and sediment-interface contributions

Blooms of cyanobacteria, or blue-greens, are known to produce chemicals, such as microcystins, which can be toxic to aquatic and terrestrial organisms. Although previous studies have examined the fate of microcystins in freshwater lakes, primary elimination pathways and factors affecting degradation and loss have not been fully explained. The goal of the present study was to explore sources of algal toxins and investigate the distribution and biodegradation of microcystins in water and sediment through laboratory and field analyses. Water and sediment samples were collected monthly from several locations in Lake Taihu from February 2005 to January 2006. Samples were analyzed for the presence of microcystin. Water and sediment were also used in laboratory studies to determine microcystin degradation rates by spiking environmental samples with known concentrations of the chemical and observing concentration changes over time. Some water samples were found to efficiently degrade microcystins. Microcystin concentrations dropped faster in water collected immediately above lake sediment (overlying water). Degradation in sediments was higher than in water. Based on spatial distribution analyses of microcystin in Lake Taihu, higher concentrations (relative to water concentrations) of the chemical were found in lake sediments. These data suggest that sediments play a critical role in microcystin degradation in aquatic systems. The relatively low levels of microcystins found in the environment are most likely due to bacterial biodegradation. Sediments play a crucial role as a source (to the water column) of bio-degrading bacteria and as a carbon-rich environment for bacteria to proliferate and metabolize microcystin and other biogenic toxins produced by cyanobacteria. These, and other, data provide important information that may be applied to management strategies for improvement of water quality in lakes, reservoirs and other water bodies. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spontaneous formation of two-dimensional gold networks at the air-water interface and their application in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)

Two-dimensional (2-D) gold networks were spontaneously formed at the air-water interface after HAuCl4 reacted with fructose at 90 degrees C in a sealed vessel, in a reaction in which fructose acted as both a reducing and a protecting agent. Through fine-tuning of the molar ratio of HAuCl4 to fructose, the thus-formed 2-D gold networks can be changed from a coalesced pattern to an interconnected pattern. In the coalesced pattern, some well-defined single-crystalline gold plates at the micrometer-scale could be seen, while in the interconnected pattern, many sub-micrometer particles and some irregular gold plates instead of well-defined gold plates appeared. It is also found that the 2-D gold networks in the form of an interconnected pattern can be used as substrates for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) because of the strong localized electromagnetic field produced by the gaps between the neighboring particles in the 2-D gold networks.

Self-assembly of ionic liquids-stabilized Pt nanoparticles into two-dimensional patterned nanostructures at the air-water interface

In this paper, we demonstrate the self-assembly of ionic liquids (ILs)-stabilized Pt nanoparticles into two-dimensional (2D) patterned nanostructures at the air-water interface under ambient conditions. Here, ILs are not used as solvents but as mediators by virtue of their pronounced self-organization ability in synthesis of self-assembled, highly organized hybrid Pt nanostructures. It is also found that the morphologies of the 2D patterned nanostructures are directly connected with the quantities of ILs. Due to the special structures of ILs-stabilized Pt nanoparticles, 2D patterned Pt nanostructures can be formed through the pi-pi stack interactions and hydrogen bonds. The resulting 2D patterned Pt nanostructures exhibit good electrocatalytic activity toward oxygen reduction.

Photochemical formation of silver and gold nanostructures at the air-water interface and their electrocatalytic properties

In this paper, we report a simple method of fabricating silver and gold nanostructures at the air - water interface, which can be spontaneously assembled through the reduction of AgNO3 and HAuCl4 with ultraviolet (UV) irradiation in the presence of polyacrylic acid (PAA), respectively. It was found that the building blocks in the silver nanostructure are mainly interwoven silver nanofilaments, while those of the gold nanostructure are mainly different sizes of gold nanoparticles and some truncated gold nanoplates, and even coalescence into networks. At the air - water interface, these silver and gold nanostructures can be easily transferred onto the surface of indium tin oxide (ITO) slides and used for electrochemical measurements. After a replacement reaction with H2PdCl4, the silver nanostructure is transformed into a Ag - Pd bimetallic nanostructure, with good electrocatalytic activity for O-2 reduction. The gold nanostructure can also show high electrocatalytic activity to the oxidation of nitric oxide (NO) with a detection limit of about 10 mu M NaNO2 at S/N = 3.

Systematic study of the transfer of amino acids across the water/1,2-dichloroethane interface facilitated by dibenzo-18-crown-6

Facilitated ion transfer reactions of 20 amino acids with di.benzo-18-crown-6 (DB18C6) at the water/1,2-dichloroethane (W/DCE) interfaces supported at the tips of micro- and nano-pipets were investigated systematically using cyclic voltammetry. It was found that there were only 10 amino acids, that is, Leu, Val, Ile, Phe, Trp, Met, Ala, Gly, Cys, Gln (in brief), whose protonated forms as cations can give well-defined facilitated ion transfer voltammograms within the potential window, and the reaction pathway was proven to be consistent with the transfer by interfacial complexation/dissociation (TIC/TID) mechanisms. The association constants of DB 18C6 with different amino acids in the DCE (beta(0)), and the kinetic parameters of reaction were evaluated based on the steady-state voltammetry of micro- or nano-pipets, respectively The experimental results demonstrated that the selectivity of complexation of protonated amino acid by DB18C6 compared with that of alkali metal cations was low, which can be attributed to the vicinal effect arising from steric hindrance introduced by their side group and the steric bulk effect by lipophilic stabilization.

Studies of effect of phase volume ratio on transfer of ionizable species across the water/1,2-dichloroethane interface by a three-electrode setup

The electrochemical behavior of pyridine distribution at the water/1,2-dichloroethane interface with variable phase volume ratios (r=V-0/V-W) was investigated by cyclic voltammetry. The system was composed of an aqueous droplet supported on a Ag/AgCl disk electrode covered with an organic solution or an organic droplet supported on a Ag/AgTPBCl disk electrode covered with an aqueous solution. In this way, a conventional three-electrode potentiostat can be used to study an ionizable compound transfer process at a liquid/liquid interface with a wide range of phase volume ratios (from 0.0004 to 1 and from 1 to 2500). Using this special cell we designed, only very small volumes of both phase were needed for r equal to unity, which is very useful for the investigation of the distribution of ionizable species at a biphasic system when the available amount of species is limited. The ionic partition diagrams were obtained for different phase volume ratios.

Electrochemical recognition of alkali metal ions at the micro-water 1,2-dichloroethane interface using a calix[4]arene derivative

In this paper, a calix[4]arene derivative, 5,11,17,23-butyl-25,26,27,28-tetra-(ethanoxycarbonyl)-methoxy-calix[4]arene (L), is investigated as a host to recognize alkali metal ions (Li+, Na+, K+, Rb+ and Cs+) at the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions (ITIES). Well-defined cyclic voltammograms are obtained at the micro- and nano-water \ 1,2-dichloroethane (W \ DCE) interfaces supported at micro- and nano-pipets.

Study of ionizable drugs transfer across the water/1,2-dichloroethane interface with phase volume ratio equal to unity using a three-electrode system

The electrochemical behavior of ionizable drugs (Amitriptyline, Diphenhydramine and Trihexyphenedyl) at the water/1,2-dichloroethane interface with the phase volume ratio (r = V-o/V-w) equal to 1 are investigated by cyclic voltammetry. The system is composed of an aqueous droplet supported at an Ag/AgCl disk electrode and it was covered with an organic solution. In this manner, a conventional three-electrode potentiostat can be used to study the ionizable drugs transfer process at a liquid/liquid interface. Physicochemical parameters such as the formal transfer potential, the Gibbs energy of transfer and the standard partition coefficients of the ionized forms of these drugs can be evaluated from cyclic voltammograms obtained. The obtained results have been summarized in ionic partition diagrams, which are a useful tool for predicting and interpreting the transfer mechanisms of ionizable drugs at the liquid/liquid interfaces and biological membranes.