Modeling phytoplankton dynamics in the River Darling (Australia) using the radial basis function neural network

A radial basis function neural network was employed to model the abundance of cyanobacteria. The trained network could predict the populations of two bloom forming algal taxa with high accuracy, Nostocales spp. and Anabaena spp., in the River Darling, Australia. To elucidate the population dynamics for both Nostocales spp. and Anabaena spp., sensitivity analysis was performed with the following results. Total Kjeldahl nitrogen had a very strong influence on the abundance of the two algal taxa, electrical conductivity had a very strong negative relationship with the population of the two algal species, and flow was identified as one dominant factor influencing algal blooms after a scatter plot revealed that high flow could significantly reduce the algal biomass for both Nostocales spp. and Anabaena spp. Other variables such as turbidity, color, and pH were less important in determining the abundance and succession of the algal blooms.

Green synthesis of highly stable platinum nanoparticles stabilized by amino-terminated ionic liquid and its electrocatalysts for dioxygen reduction and methanol oxidation

Preparation of monodispersed platinum nanoparticles with average size 2.0 nm stabilized by amino-terminated ionic liquid was demonstrated. The resulting platinum nanoparticles (Pt-IL) retained long-term stability without special protection. The Pt-IL nanoparticles exhibited high electrocatalytic activity toward reduction of oxygen and oxidation of methanol. Rotating disk electrode voltammetry and rotating ring-disk electrode voltammetry confirmed that the Pt-IL films could catalyze an almost four-electron reduction of dioxygen to water.

Sol-gel-derived amperometric biosensor for hydrogen peroxide based on methylene green incorporated in Nafion film

A hydrogen peroxide biosensor was fabricated by coating a sol-gel-peroxidase layer onto a Nafion-methylene green modified electrode. Immobilization of methylene green (MG) was attributed to the electrostatic force between MG(+) and the negatively charged sulfonic acid groups in Nafion polymer, whereas immobilization of horseradish peroxidase was attributed to the encapsulation function of the silica sol-gel network. Cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry were employed to demonstrate the feasibility of electron transfer between sol-gel-immobilized peroxidase and a glassy carbon electrode. Performance of the sensor was evaluated with respect to response time, sensitivity as well as operational stability. The enzyme electrode has a sensitivity of 13.5 mu A mM(-1) with a detection limit of 1.0 x 10(-7) M H2O2, and the sensor achieved 95% of the steady-state current within 20 s. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.