Capacidade de oxidação como índice de estabilidade da matéria orgânica de sedimentos de acordo com gradiente fluvial-estuarino do rio Paraíba do Sul

The hummus composition and it redox properties have been used to evaluate the organic matter quality from natural systems. The objectives of this study were the fractionation of the organic matter and the determination of the oxidation capacity of humic acids to evaluate the organic matter quality of sediments from a gradient fluvial-estuarine in the Brazilian Southeast. The carbon/nitrogen and humic acid/fulvic acid relationships of the organic matter and of the oxidation capacity of humic acids were positively correlated and followed the order: estuarine bordered mangroves ≅ fluvial bordered urban center and pasture > estuarine bordered pasture ≅ marine.

Mobilidade de bário em solo tratado com sulfato de bário sob condição de oxidação e redução

In order to evaluate possible solubility of BaSO4 in soils under reducing conditions, column leaching assay was settled down, where the soil received three doses of BaSO4 (100, 300 and 3000 mg kg-1) at two humidities. After reaching an Eh of -200 mV rainfall of 200 mm per day-1 was simulated. The condition of reduction led to the increased levels of barium in the fractions of higher lability and the highest levels of barium in the leachate extract, which were above the potability standards. Only 0.05% of barium in the column that received the highest dose was removed by leaching.

A intrigante bioquímica da niacina: uma revisão crítica

Niacin (nicotinamide, nicotinic acid) interferes on homeostasis, DNA regulation, signaling and longevity. Nicotinic acid reduces synthesis of lipoproteins-apo-B and increases HDL. Its antilipemic action in liver produces: 1) inhibition of DGAT2, with decreased triacylglycerol synthesis, 2) downregulation of the b-chain of adenosine triphosphate synthase, leading to reduced HDL-apo-A-I catabolism. Nicotinic acid could increase redox potential in vascular endothelium. HM74A receptor activation in macrophages would be responsible for the release of prostaglandins, causing flushing in epidermis. HM74A agonists could assist in identifying antilipemic agents. Extended release niacin in combination with statin appears to protect cardiovascular system of patients with low HDL.

Influência do eletrólito na eletrodeposição de nanopartículas de Cu sobre eletrodo de diamante dopado com boro

This paper presents the electrolyte influence on deposition and dissolution processes of Cu nanoparticles on boron doped diamond electrodes (BDD). Morphological, structural and electrochemical analysis showed BDD films with good reproducibility, quality and reversible in a specific redox system. Electrodeposition of Cu nanoparticles on DDB electrodes in three different solutions was influenced by pH and ionic strength of the electrolytic medium. Analyzing the process as function of the scan rate, it was verified a better efficiency in 0,5 mol L-1 Na2SO4 solution. Under the influence of the pH and ionic strength, Cu nanoparticles on DDB may be obtained with different morphologies and it was important for defining the desired properties.

Determinação de nimesulida por análise por injeção em fluxo com detecção amperométrica de múltiplos pulsos

A simple and fast method for the determination of nimesulide (NI) using flow injection analysis with multiple-pulse amperometric (FIA-MPA) detection at a boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode was developed. The method was based mainly on the application of a four-potential waveform, E1(det) = -0.8 V / 30 ms, E2(det) = 0.6 V / 30 ms, E3(det) = -0.4 V / 30 ms and E4(cleaning) = -0.45 V / 300 ms versus Ag/AgCl (3.0 mol L-1 KCl). NI was detected at three different electrode potentials, at which the nitro group undergoes different redox reactions. The proposed method was selective and sensitive (detection limit of 81.0 nmol L-1), and successfully applied for the determination of NI in pharmaceutical formulations, yielding similar results to those obtained by the reference method.

Caracterização potenciométrica de substâncias húmicas extraídas de solos da Antártica Marítima

Monitoring of soil carbon storage may indicate possible effects of climate change on the terrestrial environment and it is therefore necessary to understand the influence of redox potential and chemical characteristics of humic substances (HS) of Antarctic soil. Five soils from King George Island were used. HS were extracted, quantified and characterized by potentiometry and the content of total carbon and nitrogen determined. HS of these soils had greater aliphatic character, low content of phenolic groups, lower acidity and lower formal standard electrode potential, compared to HS of soils from other regions, suggesting they are more likely to be oxidized.

Eletrodo compósito à base de grafite-Araldite®: aplicações didáticas - parte II

This work proposes the use of a graphite-Araldite® 70% (graphite, m/m) composite electrode in didactic experiments, specifically in the quantitative determination of the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) in a sample of pharmaceutical formulation. The goal is to demonstrate the possibility of using voltammetric techniques in quality control of medicines, besides covering some concepts such as the influence of pH on the redox process, the differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) technique, the optimization of experiments and comparison with an official method described in the United States Pharmacopoeia.

Construção de eletrodo de grafite retirado de pilha comum: aplicações didáticas

This paper presents a proposal for using recycled graphite electrodes obtained from exhausted commercial 1.5 V batteries and its application in electroanalysis. The electrode could be prepared by the students and applied in the simple didactic experiments suggested, such as determination of active electrode area, cyclic voltammetry and useful potential range (also called "potential window"), demonstration and effect of scan rate on cyclic voltammograms. The possibility of using the graphite electrode in quantitative analysis was also demonstrated using the ferricyanide/ferrocyanide reversible redox couple ([Fe(CN)6]3-/[Fe(CN)6]4-) as an electrochemical probe by the dependence of peak current with the analyte concentration and flow injection analysis with amperometric detection.

A FACTORIAL DESIGN APPLIED TO THE STUDY OF CHROMIUM TOXICITY ON THE GLUTATHIONE LEVELS OF Brachiaria brizantha AND Brachiaria ruziziensis SEEDLINGS

Chromium toxicity affects redox reactions within plant cells, generating detrimental reactive oxygen species. Glutathione is an antioxidant peptide and also a substrate for the production of phytochelatins, which are chelating peptides reported to mitigate Cr3+ toxicity in plants. In this study, Brachiaria brizantha (B. brizantha) and Brachiaria ruziziensis (B. ruziziensis) seedlings were evaluated for physiological responses and glutathione production following the addition of zero or 5 mg L-1 Cr3+ to the nutrient solution. Glutathione levels were determined by colorimetric analysis at 412 nm using 5,5'-dithio-bis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) as a chromophore reagent and recovery with glutathione reductase (with evaluations at days 10 and 20 of continuous growth). The assessments were carried out in a completely randomized design with 2 authentic replications, and arranged in a 23 factorial. Cr3+ caused an average increase of 0.76 mg g-1 in the initial glutathione content. However, by day 20 there was an average reduction of 3.63 mg g-1. Chromium-affected physiological detrimental responses, albeit detected in both species, were less-pronounced in B. ruziziensis, along with a much higher level of glutathione. This study indicates that B. ruziziensis has a greater tolerance for chromium toxicity than B. brizantha, and that glutathione is likely to be involved in the mitigation of chromium stress in B. ruziziensis.

Ni(II), Cu(II), AND Zn(II) COMPLEXES DERIVED FROM A NEW SCHIFF BASE 2-((Z)-(3-METHYLPYRIDIN-2- YLEIMINO)METHYL)PHENOL AND SYNTHESIS OF NANO SIZED METAL OXIDE PARTICLES FROM THESE COMPOUNDS

Synthesis, spectral identification, and magnetic properties of three complexes of Ni(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) are described. All three compounds have the general formula [M(L)2(H2O)2], where L = deprotonated phenol in the Schiff base 2-((z)-(3-methylpyridin-2-yleimino)methyl)phenol. The three complexes were synthesized in a one-step synthesis and characterized by elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, electronic spectra, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and room temperature magnetic moments. The Cu(II) and Ni(II) complexes exhibited room temperature magnetic moments of 1.85 B.M. per copper atom and 2.96 B.M. per nickel atom. The X-band electron spin resonance spectra of a Cu(II) sample in dimethylformamide frozen at 77 K (liquid nitrogen temperature) showed a typical ΔMS = ± 1 transition. The complexes ([M(L)2(H2O)2]) were investigated by the cyclic voltammetry technique, which provided information regarding the electrochemical mechanism of redox behavior of the compounds. Thermal decomposition of the complexes at 750 ºC resulted in the formation of metal oxide nanoparticles. XRD analyses indicated that the nanoparticles had a high degree of crystallinity. The average sizes of the nanoparticles were found to be approximately 54.3, 30.1, and 44.4 nm for NiO, CuO, and ZnO, respectively.

CÉLULAS SOLARES SENSIBILIZADAS POR CORANTES NATURAIS: UM EXPERIMENTO INTRODUTÓRIO SOBRE ENERGIA RENOVÁVEL PARA ALUNOS DE GRADUAÇÃO

An interesting practical experiment about the preparation of dye–sensitized solar cells (DSSC) using natural dyes were carried out by the undergraduate students in the chemistry course at UNICAMP . Natural dyes were extracted from blueberries (Vaccinium myrtillus L.), jabuticabas (Myrciaria cauliflora), raw and cooked beets (Beta vulgaris L.), and annattos (Bixa orellana L.), which were used to sensitize TiO2 films that composed the photoanode in the DSSC. A polymer electrolyte containing an iodide/triiodide redox couple was used in lieu of the use of liquid solutions to prevent any leakage in the devices. A maximum solar-to-electric energy conversion of 0.26 ± 0.02% was obtained for the solar cell prepared with annatto extracts. This experiment was an effective way to illustrate to the undergraduate students how to apply some of the chemical concepts that they learned during their chemistry course to produce electric energy from a clean and renewable energy source. Teachers could also exploit the basics of the electronic transitions in inorganic and organic compounds (e.g., metal-to-ligand charge transfer and ϖ-ϖ* transitions), thermodynamics (e.g., Gibbs free energy), acid–base reactions in the oxide solid surface and electrolyte, and band theory (i.e., the importance of the Fermi level energy).

New mechanisms regulating human Th1 and Th2 cell differentiation

Selective development of human T helper (Th) cells into functionally distinct Th1 and Th2 subtypes plays an essential role in the host immune response towards pathogens. However, abnormal function or differentiation of these cells can lead to development of various autoimmune diseases as well as asthma and allergy. Therefore, identification of key factors and the molecular mechanisms mediating Th1 and Th2 cell differentiation is important for understanding the molecular mechanisms of these diseases. The goal of this study was to identify novel factors involved in the regulation of Th1 and Th2 differentiation processes. A new method was optimized for enrichment of transiently transfected resting human primary T lymphocytes, that allowed the study of the influence of genes of interest in human Th1/Th2 cell differentiation and other primary Th cell functions. Functional characterization of PRELI, a novel activation-induced protein in human Th cells, identified it as a mitochondrial protein involved in the regulation of Th cell differentiation and apoptosis. By influencing the intracellular redox state, PRELI induces mitochondrial apoptosis pathway and downregulates STAT6 and Th2 differentiation. The data suggested that Calpain, an oxidative stress induced cysteine protease, is involved as a mediator in PRELI-induced downregulation of STAT6. PIM serine/threonine-specific kinases were identified as new regulators of human Th1 cell differentiation. PIM1 and PIM2 kinases were shown to be preferentially expressed in Th1 cells as compared to Th2 cells. RNA interference studies showed that PIM kinases enhance the production of IFN, the hallmark cytokine produced by Th1 cells. They also induce the expression of the key Th1-driving factor T-bet and the IL-12 signaling pathway during early phases of Th1 cell differentiation. Taken together, new regulators of human T helper cell differentiation were identified in this study, which provides new insights into the signaling mechanisms controlling the selective activation of human Th cell subsets.

Estudo eletroquímico de Fe[Fe(CN)5NO] em eletrodo de pasta de grafite

Nitroprussiato de ferro (FeNP) foi sintetisado e caracterizado por Infravermelho e absorção atômica. FeNP foi incorporado em eletrodo de pasta de grafite empregando-se como técnica de estudo a voltametria cíclica. O comportamento eletroquímico do eletrodo de pasta de grafite contendo FeNP apresenta dois processos eletródicos com potencial médio (Em) de (Em)1 = 0,24 V e (Em)2 = 0,85 V ( KCl =1,0M; v = 20 mV.s-1 vs ECS) atribuídos aos pares redox ( FeII/FeIII ) e FeII(CN)5NO/ FeIII(CN)5NO, respectivamente. A intensidade de corrente dos pares redox aumenta, linearmente com a velocidade de varredura indicando um controle de adsorção. O eletrodo de pasta de grafite modificada com FeNP apresenta estabilidade por vários dias. O estudo eletroquímico do eletrodo de pasta de grafite modificada com FeNP foi examinado em várias soluções de eletrólitos suporte sendo que a natureza do cátion afetam a intensidade de corrente e os potenciais dos pares redox ,deslocando (Em)1 para potenciais mais positivos na sequência: K+ >Na+>Li+ enquanto que a natureza do anion (Cl-, NO3-,SO4=) não afeta os pares redox. Os voltamogramas obtidos em diferentes concentrações de KCl (0,05 - 2,5 M)exibem deslocamentos do (Em)1 para potencial de valores mais positivos. Este deslocamento é linear com a variação da concentração do eletrólito suporte. A inclinação da reta é de 66 mV por década de concentração indicando a ocorrência de um processo quase nernstiano. O potencial médio permanece praticamente constante em pH entre os valores de 3,0 e 8,0. Um outro processo eletródico com (Em)3 = 0,47 V ocorre em pH < 3, sendo este atribuído a formação de novas espécies intermediárias.

Oxidação de ciclohexano em fase gasosa catalisada por argilas pilarizadas com ferro e cromo

Argilas pilarizadas formadas pela intercalação de óxidos de metais de transição, capazes de prevenir o colapso da estrutura, constituem materiais micro- e mesoporosos com diferentes atividades catalíticas e estabilidades. Argilas pilarizadas com cromo e com ferro foram utilizadas como catalisadores em reações de oxidação do cicloexano em fase gasosa. Os resultados indicam que os catalisadores são ativos e seletivos na produção de cicloexanona e cicloexanol. Entretanto, especial atenção deve ser dada à acidez superficial dos sólidos, responsável pela formação de cicloexeno no meio reacional, com conseqüente redução dos produtos de interesse.

Eletrocatálise da reação de redução de oxigênio sobre eletrodos de grafite modificados com ftalocianina tetracarboxilada de ferro

Este trabalho apresenta um estudo das propriedades eletroquímicas de eletrodos de grafite modificados, em níveis de monocamadas, com ftalocianina tetracarboxilada de ferro, FeTcPc, em soluções aquosas. Em meio alcalino, os eletrodos modificados apresentaram alta atividade eletrocatalítica para a reação de redução de oxigênio, comparável com a do eletrodo de platina. A reação processa-se de acordo com uma cinética de primeira ordem com relação ao oxigênio dissolvido, um mecanismo envolvendo 4 elétrons e associado com o processo redox Fe(3+)TcPc/Fe(2+)TcPc.