Collapse Behavior of an Artificially Cemented Clayey Silt

The present study examines the role of interparticle cementation in the collapse behavior of two partly saturated (S-r = 4 to 12%) and very highly porous (initial void ratio = 1.5 to 2) laboratory-desiccated clayey silt specimens containing varying amounts (5 and 15% by dry weight of the respective specimens) of the cementitious iron oxides hematite and goethite, which are generally encountered in tropical residual soils. Kaolinite is the representative clay mineral of the soil matrix used for this research. Interparticle cementation by the crystalline iron oxides was generated in the laboratory by repeated (six times) wetting and drying of the iron-hydroxide-admixed clayey silt specimens under ambient conditions of temperature and humidity. Results showed that, for a given laboratory-desiccated clayey silt specimen (i.e., a specimen containing 5 or 15% of iron oxide on a dry weight basis), the amount of collapse (represented by Delta epsilon, the change in vertical strain upon wetting under constant pressure) increases with an increase in the experimental loading under which the specimen is inundated. The laboratory results also show that the desiccated specimen with a higher iron oxide content (containing 15% iron oxide by dry weight of the desiccated specimen) in spite of a lower dry unit weight (gamma(d) = 8.8 kN/m(3)) undergoes a lesser amount of collapse on soaking under a constant external stress (50 or 100 kPa) than the desiccated specimen with a lower iron oxide content (i.e., containing 5% iron oxide by dry weight of the desiccated specimen, gamma(d) = 10.4 KN/m(3)). Based on the X-ray diffraction results and the stress-strain relationships obtained from isotropically consolidated undrained triaxial tests, it is suggested that the laboratory-desiccated specimens are characterized by a metastable bonding provided by capillary suction and the crystalline iron oxides. On soaking under load owing to the loss of the metastable bonding, collapse of the laboratory-desiccated specimens occurs. Also, in the case of the laboratory-desiccated specimen with a higher iron oxide content, the presence of a stronger interparticle cementation (due to a greater abundance of crystalline iron oxides) and a higher initial moisture content are considered responsible for the specimen exhibiting a lower amount of collapse in comparison to that exhibited by the desiccated specimen with a lesser iron oxide content.

Differential pulse polarographic determination of trace levels of iron(III) by using the catalytic current

Trace of iron(III) are determined by differential pulse polarography in a medium of sodium hydroxide and sodium bromate using the catalytic current. Various cations do not interfere. The relative standard deviation is 2%.

Synthesis of zero valent iron nanoparticles and application to removal of arsenic(III) and arsenic(V) from water

Recently nano scale zero valent iron particles (nZVI) have been considered as smart adsorbent for environmental and groundwater remediation. Although several synthetic methods are available for the preparation of nZVI, air stable nZVI are not available for remediation works. Further, challenges demand synthesis of nZVI without stabilizers and capping agents. A modified methodology for the synthesis of air stable nZVI has been developed without any capping agents and characterized by powder X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy Energy-dispersive X-Ray (SEM-EDS), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). The results of the present study suggest that the synthetic nZVI are air-stable over a period of one year and consists of particles of 30-40 nm in diameter. Although a layer of less than 3 am thick oxide/hydroxide is observed by TEM and XPS, it appears to be due to oxidation of outer surface during analysis. Adsorption study has shown that the synthetic nZVI are more effective adsorbent than the commercial nZVI and can remove simultaneously arsenite As-III] and arsenate As-V] from water without prior reduction of As-V to As-III. The removal process is adsorptive rather than precipitative and the removal of As-III is greater than that of As-V.

Studies on interaction of Paenibacillus polymyxa with iron ore minerals in relation to beneficiation

Interaction between Paenibacillus polymyxa with minerals such as hematite, corundum, quartz and kaolinite brought about significant surface chemical changes on all the minerals. Quartz and kaolinite were rendered more hydrophobic, while hematite and corundum, became more hydrophilic after biotreatment. The predominance of bacterial polysaccharides on interacted hematite and corundum and of proteins on quartz and kaolinite was responsible for the above surface-chemical changes. Bio-pretreatment of the above iron ore mineral mixtures resulted in the selective separation of silica and alumina from iron oxide, through bioflotation and bioflocculation. The utility of bioprocessing in the beneficiation of iron ores is demonstrated.

Hybrid framework iron(II) phosphate-oxalates

Two inorganic-organic hybrid framework iron phosphate-oxalates, I, [N2C4H12](0.5)[Fe-2(HPO4)(C2O4)(1.5)] and II, [Fe-2(OH2)PO4(C2O4)(0.5)] have been synthesized by hydrothermal means and the structures determined by X-ray crystallography. Crystal Data: compound I, monoclinic, spacegroup = P2(1)/c (No. 14), a=7.569(2) Angstrom, b=7.821(2) Angstrom, c=18.033(4) Angstrom, beta=98.8(1)degrees, V=1055.0(4) Angstrom(3), Z=4, M=382.8, D-calc=2.41 g cm(-3) MoK alpha, R-F=0.02; compound II, monoclinic, spacegroup=P2(1)/c (No. 14), a=10.240(1) b=6.375(3) Angstrom, 9.955(1) Angstrom, beta=117.3(1)degrees, V=577.4(1) Angstrom(3), Z=4, M=268.7, D-calc=3.09 g cm(-3) MoK alpha, R-F=0.03. These materials contain a high proportion of three-coordinated oxygens and [Fe2O9] dimeric units, besides other interesting structural features. The connectivity of Fe2O9 is entirely different in the two materials resulting in the formation of a continuous chain of Fe-O-Fe in II. The phosphate-oxalate containing the amine, I, forms well-defined channels. Magnetic susceptibility measurements show Fen to be in the high-spin state (t(2g)(4)e(g)(2)) in II, and in the intermediate-spin state (t(2g)(5)e(g)(1)) in I.

An Iron Complex of Dipyridophenazine as a Potent Photocytotoxic Agent in Visible Light

Ternary iron(III) complexes (FeL(B)] (1-3) of a trianionic tetradentate phenolate-based ligand (L) and henanthroline base (B), namely, 1,10-phenanthroline (phen, 1), dipyridoquinoxaline (dpq, 2), and dipyridophenazine (dppz, 3), have been prepared and structurally characterized and their DNA binding, cleavage, and photocytotoxic properties studied. The complexes with a FeN3O3 core show the Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couple near -0.6 V in DMF, a magnetic moment value of similar to 5.9 mu(B), and a binding propensity to both calf thymus DNA and bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein. They exhibit red-light-induced DNA cleavage activity following a metal-assisted photoredox pathway forming HO center dot radicals but do not show any photocleavage of BSA in UV-A light. Complex 3 displays photocytotoxicity in the human cervical cancer cell line (HeLa) and human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT) with respective IC50 values of 3.59 mu M and 6.07 mu M in visible light and 251 nM and 751 nM in UV-A light of 365 nm. No significant cytotoxicity is observed in the dark. The photoexposed HeLa cells, treated prior with complex 3, have shown marked changes in nuclear morphology as demonstrated by Hoechst 33258 nuclear stain. Generation of reactive oxygen species has been evidenced from the fluorescence enhancement of dichlorofluorescein upon treatment with 3 followed by photoexposure. Nuclear chromatin cleavage has been observed in acridine orange/ethidium bromide dual staining of treated HeLa cells and from alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis. Caspase 3/7 activity in HeLa cells has been found to be upregulated by only 4 fold after photoirradiation, signifying the fact that cell death through a caspase 3/7 dependent pathway may not be solely operative.

Synthesis, crystal structures and protease activity of amino acid Schiff base iron(III) complexes

Iron(III) complexes, (NHEt3)[Fe(III)(sal-met)(2)] and (NHEt3)[Fe(III)(sal-phe)(2)], of amino acid Schiffbase ligands, viz., N-salicylidene-L-methionine and N-salicylidene L-phenylalanine, have been prepared and their binding to bovine serum albumin (BSA) and photo-induced BSA cleavage activity have been investigated. The complexes are structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray crystallography. The crystal Structures of the discrete mononuclear rnonoanionic complexes show FeN2O4 octahedral coordination geometry in which the tridentate dianionic amino acid Schiff base ligand binds through phenolate and carboxylate oxygen and imine nitrogen atoms. The imine nitrogen atoms are trans to each other. The Fe-O and Fe-N bond distances range between 1.9 and 2.1 angstrom. The sal-met complex has two pendant thiomethyl groups. The high-spin iron(III) complexes (mu(eff) similar to 5.9 mu(B)) exhibit quasi-reversible Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox process near -0.6 V vs. SCE in water. These complexes display a visible electronic hand near 480 nm in tris-HCl buffer assignable to the phenolate-to-iron(III) charge transfer transition. The water soluble complexes bind to BSA giving binding constant values of similar to 10(5) M-1. The Complexes show non-specific oxidative cleavage of BSA protein on photo-irradiation with UV-A light of 365 nm.

NMR-Studies of Octahedral Dicyano-(2,2' Bipyridine) and Tetracyano-(2,2'-Bipyridine) Iron(ii) Complexes

Coordination compounds of the polypyridines, 2,2 ' -bipyridine (bipy) and 1,10-penanthroline (phen) have offered renewed interest on account of their manifold applications and from the point of view of understanding their structure-reactivity relationships.1 Iron(II) reacts with them to form tris-complexes possessing spin-paired ground states. Cyanide ion greatly enhances the rate of displacement of bipy or phen to form the Schilt class of compounds. Fe(bipy)2(CN)2 and Fe(phen)2(CN)2. They display varying colours in solution depending upon the nature of the solvent and react reversibly with acids to form diprotonated species.2 Magnetic circular dichroism studies have been reported to describe their lowest electronic excitation.

Using lead sulphate instead of lead oxide in flux growth of yttrium iron garnet(YIG) crystals

Crystal growth of YIG from fluxes containing lead sulphate in place of lead oxide in the usual lead oxide-lead fluoride-boron oxide flux system has been tried. Lead sulphate decomposes during crystal growth giving lead oxide and sulphur trioxide. Due to the influence of sulphur trioxide in the system the yield of crystals almost doubles. There is no change either in the morphology of the crystals or their lattice parameter. It is possible that solubility of YIG is different in the new flux and the changed solubility causes the increase in yield of crystals.

Anthranilate Hydroxylase from Aspergillus niger: New Type of NADPH-Linked Nonheme Iron Monooxygenase

Anthranilate hydroxylase from Aspergillus niger catalyzes the oxidative deamination and dihydroxylation of anthranilic acid to 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid. This enzyme has been purified to homogeneity and has a molecular weight of 89,000. The enzyme is composed of two subunits of 42,000 with 2 gram-atoms of nonheme iron per mol. Fe2+-chelators like alpha,alpha'-dipyridyl and o-phenanthroline are potent inhibitors of the enzyme activity. Absorption and fluorescence spectra of the enzyme offer no evidence for the presence of other cofactors like flavin. Flavins and flavin-specific inhibitors like atebrin have no effect on the activity of the enzyme. The enzyme incorporates one atom of oxygen each from 18O2 and H218O into the product 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid. Based on these studies, it is concluded that anthranilate hydroxylase from A. niger is a new type of NADPH-linked nonheme iron monooxygenase.

Vermicular graphite cast iron current state of the art

Vermicular graphite cast iron is a new addition to the family of cast irons. Various methods for producing vermicular graphite cast iron are briefly discussed in this paper. The mechanical and physical properties of cast irons with vermicular graphite have been found to be intermediate between those of gray and ductile irons. Other properties such as casting characteristics, scaling resistance, damping capacity and machinability have been compared with those of gray and ductile irons. Probable applications of vermicular graphite cast irons are suggested.

Mössbauer studies of the corrosion products of iron formed in aqueous ammonium nitrate solution

The products of corrosion reaction of electrolytic iron in 45% ammonium nitrate solution formed under various conditions of time, temperature and pH have been analysed mainly by Mössbauer spectroscopy, in combination with X-ray diffraction, infrared absorption and electron microscopy techniques. γ-Fe00H is found to be the major product of hydrolytic precipitation at pH > 5.6 while only α-FeOOH is formed at pH < 3.0. In the pH range 3.0 < pH < 5.0, α-Fe00H and ferrihydrite are both formed. However, once the nuclei of α-Fe00H are formed under low pH conditions, their growth is favoured even in the otherwise unfavourable slightly acidic medium, resulting in a hydrous α-Fe00H which has two distinct hyperfine fields at the 57Fe nucleus. Magnetite is always formed in the vicinity of the metal and its rate of formation on the surface increases with temperature. α-Fe203 is the major product of hydrolytic precipitation at temperatures >80C. The possible mechanisms for the formation of each of the corrosion products are discussed.

Mossbauer-Effect Study Of The Thermal-Decomposition In Hydrogen Of Homogeneously Mixed Ferrous Nickel Oxalates With Different Iron To Nickel Ratios

Mossbauer effect and X-ray measurements are carried out on product samples of the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and isothermal decomposition in hydrogen of homogeneously mixed ferrous nickel oxalates with different iron to nickel ratios. The formation of Fe-Ni alloy is obtained at considerably lower temperatures (z 300 "C) in each case. The Fe-Ni alloys obtained shift from iron-rich to nickel-rich composition as the nickel ratio in the mixed metal oxalates is increased. The formation of Pe-Ni Invar from mixed metal oxalate with Fe:Ni = 1:l is indicated in the early stages but not from those with Fe:Ni = 2: 1 or 64:36. An Produktproben von homogen verteilten Eisen-Nickeloxalaten mit unterschiedlichem Eisen- Nickel-Verhaltnis nach thermogravimetrischer Analyse (TGA) und isothermem Zerfall in Wasserst off werden Mollbauereffekt- und Rontgenmessnngen durchgefuhrt. In allen Fiillen wird die Bildung der Fe-Ni-Legierung bei betriichtlich niedrigeren Temperaturen (= 300 "C) erhalten. Die erhaltenen Fe-Ni-Legierungen verschieben sich von der eisenreichen zur nickelreichen Zusrtmmensetzung, wenn das Nickelverhaltnis in dem BIetall-Mischoxalat erhoht wird. Die Bildung der Fe-Ni-lnvar-Legierung aus dem Metall-Mischoxalat mit Fe:Ni = 1 : 1 wird in fruhen Zu Zustanden beobachtet, iedoch nicht aus Oxalaten mit Fe:Ni = 2:1 oder 64:36.

Statistical Optimization of Iron Electrodes for Alkaline Storage Batteries

A pressed-plate Fe electrode for alkalines storage batteries, designed using a statistical method (fractional factorial technique), is described. Parameters such as the configuration of the base grid, electrode compaction temperature and pressure, binder composition, mixing time, etc. have been optimised using this method. The optimised electrodes have a capacity of 300 plus /minus 5 mA h/g of active material (mixture of Fe and magnetite) at 7 h rate to a cut-off voltage of 8.86V vs. Hg/HgO, OH exp 17 ref.