Determination of volatile organic compounds in recycled polyethylene terephthalate and high-density polyethylene by headspace solid phase microextraction gas chromatography mass spectrometry to evaluate the efficiency of recycling processes

A method for the determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in recycled polyethylene terephthalate and high-density polyethylene using headspace sampling by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry detection is presented. This method was used to evaluate the efficiency of cleaning processes for VOC removal from recycled PET. In addition, the method was also employed to evaluate the level of VOC contamination in multilayer packaging material containing recycled HDPE material. The optimisation of the extraction procedure for volatile compounds was performed and the best extraction conditions were found using a 75 mu m carboxen-polydimethylsiloxane (CAR-PDMS) fibre for 20 min at 60 degrees C. The validation parameters for the established method were linear range, linearity, sensitivity, precision (repeatability), accuracy (recovery) and detection and quantification limits. The results indicated that the method could easily be used in quality control for the production of recycled PET and HDPE. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ozone formation potentials of volatile organic compounds and ozone sensitivity to their emission in the megacity of Sao Paulo, Brazil

In the present study, a three-dimensional Eulerian photochemical model was employed to estimate the impact that organic compounds have on tropospheric ozone formation in the Metropolitan Area of Sao Paulo (MASP). In the year 2000, base case simulations were conducted in two periods: August 22-24 and March 13-15. Based on the pollutant concentrations calculated by the model, the correlation coefficient relative to observations for ozone ranged from 0.91 to 0.93 in both periods. In the simulations employed to evaluate the ozone potential of individual VOCs, as well as the sensitivity of ozone to the VOC/NO(x) emission ratio, the variation in anthropogenic emissions was estimated at 15% (according to tests performed previously variations of 15% were stable). Although there were significant differences between the two periods, ozone concentrations were found to be much more sensitive to VOCs than to NO(x) in both periods and throughout the study domain. In addition, considering their individual rates of emission from vehicles, the species/classes that were most important for ozone formation were as follows: aromatics with a kOH>2x 10(4) ppm(-1) min(-1); olefins with a kOH 7 x 10(4) ppm(-1) min(-1); olefins with a kOH 7 x 10(4) ppm(-1) min(-1); ethene; and formaldehyde, which are the principal species related to the production, transport, storage and combustion of fossil fuels.

Control of Two-Photon Absorption in Organic Compounds by Pulse Shaping: Spectral Dependence

In this work, we investigate the control of the two-photon absorption process of a series of organic compounds via spectral phase modulation of the excitation pulse. We analyzed the effect of the pulse central wavelength on the control of the two-photon absorption process for each compound. Depending on the molecules` two-photon absorption position relative to the excitation pulse wavelength, different levels of coherent control were observed. By simulating the two-photon transition probability in molecular systems, taking into account the band structure and its positions, we could explain the experimental results trends. We observed that the intrapulse coherent interference plays an important role in the nonlinear process control besides just the pulse intensity modulation.

Simple Method to Evaluate and to Predict Flash Points of Organic Compounds

Flash points (T(FP)) of organic compounds are calculated from their flash point numbers, N(FP), with the relationship T(FP) = 23.369N(FP)(2/3) + 20.010N(FP)(1/3) + 31.901. In turn, the N(FP) values can be predicted from boiling point numbers (Y(BP)) and functional group counts with the equation N(FP) = 0.974Y(BP) + Sigma(i)n(i)G(i) + 0.095 where G(i) is a functional group-specific contribution to the value of N(FP) and n(i) is the number of such functional groups in the structure. For a data set consisting of 1000 diverse organic compounds, the average absolute deviation between reported and predicted flash points was less than 2.5 K.

Organic compounds from plant extracts and their effect on soil phosphorus availability

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de compostos orgânicos de extratos de plantas de seis espécies e da fertilização fosfatada na disponibilidade de fósforo no solo. Tubos de 30 cm de altura e 5 cm de diâmetro foram preenchidos com Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo. Cada tubo constituiu uma parcela, em delineamento completamente casualizado, em arranjo fatorial 7x2, com quatro repetições. Extratos líquidos de aveia-preta (Avena strigosa), nabo forrageiro (Raphanus sativus), milho (Zea mays), milheto (Pennisetum glaucum), soja (Glycine max), sorgo forrageiro (Sorghum bicolor) e água (testemunha) foram aplicados em cada parcela, com ou sem fertilização com fosfato solúvel. Após sete dias de incubação, amostras de solo foram coletadas em várias profundidades, e foram analisadas as formas lábil, moderadamente lábil e não lábil de fósforo no solo. Houve acúmulo de fósforo inorgânico nas frações lábil e moderadamente lábil do solo, como conseqüência da adição dos extratos de plantas, principalmente na camada superficial (0-5 cm). O nabo forrageiro, com maior concentração de ácido málico e maior conteúdo de P no tecido do que outras espécies, foi o mais eficiente em incrementar a disponibilidade de P no solo.

The sensitization of the ligand-field state of the hexaammineruthenium(II) complex ion by organic compounds

The sensitized photolysis of [Ru(NH3)(6)](2+) by the organic dye rhodamine B and biacetyl was studied under conditions in which only the sensitizer absorbs. The reaction products resulting from ammonia aquation and Ru(II) to Ru(III) oxidation are the same for direct and sensitized photolysis. The energy transfer rate constant, calculated from the fluorescence quenching of rhodamine B, is similar to that estimated from the limiting quantum yield of the photosensitized photoaquation of the complex. Both reactions originate from a common reactive low-lying ligand-field (LF) state, which is also responsible for the direct photolysis reactions. This state, which leads directly to photoaquation, seems to have a certain charge transfer to solvent (CTTS) character, which is responsible for the photo-oxidation products. Sensitization is effective with rhodamine B (17 450 cm(-1)) and biacetyl (19 000 cm(-1)), whereas no reaction is observed with neutral red (16 900 cm(-1)). These results show that the excited state responsible for the photochemical reactions lies in the energy range between 16 900 cm(-1) and 17 700 cm(-1) and possesses spin-orbit character.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other selected organic compounds in ambient air of Campo Grande City, Brazil

Fourteen samples of particulate matter and semi-volatile organic compounds were collected during 6 months in the city of Campo Grande, South Mato Grosso State, Brazil. Particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were collected on Fluoropore PTFE filters and gas-phase PAHs were collected into sorbent tubes with XAD-2 resin. Both types of samples were extracted with a dichloromethane/methanol mixture (4:1 v/v), then the extracts were subjected to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. PAHs, oxidized PAH (oxy-PAHs), phenols and methoxyphenols were identified by use of GC retention indices and MS files. The average value obtained for the sum of 15 PAHs was 21.05 ng m(-3) (range: 8.94-62.5 ng m(-3)). The presence of specific tracers and calculations of characteristic ratios (e.g. [Phe]/[Phe] + [Ant]) were used to identify the sources of the emissions of PAHs in the atmospheric samples. Levoglucosan (the anhydride of beta-glucose), retene (1-methyl-7-isopropylphenanthrene) and methoxyphenols (derivatives of syringol and guaiacol) and tracers for wood burning were identified. This study demonstrates that biomass burning from the rural zone is the main source of PAHs and emissions of other substances in the investigated site of Campo Grande. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of the iron source on the solar photo-Fenton degradation of different classes of organic compounds

In this work the influence of two different iron sources, Fe(NO3)(3) and complexed ferrioxalate (FeOx), on the degradation efficiency of 4-chlorophenol (4CP), malachite green, formaldehyde, dichloroacetic acid (DCA) and the commercial products of the herbicides diuron and tebuthiuron was studied. The oxidation of 4CP, DCA, diuron and tebuthiuron shows a strong dependence on the iron source. While the 4CP degradation is favored by the use of Fe(NO3)(3), the degradation of DCA and the herbicides diuron and tebuthiuron is most efficient when ferrioxalate is used. on the other hand, the degradation of malachite green and formaldehyde is not very influenced by the iron source showing only a slight improvement when ferrioxalate is used. In the case of formaldehyde, DCA, diuron and tebuthiuron, despite of the additional carbon introduced by the use of ferrioxalate, higher mineralization percentages were observed, confirming the beneficial effect of ferrioxalate on the degradation of these compounds. The degradation of tebuthiuron was studied in detail using a shallow pond type solar flow reactor of 4.5 L capacity and 4.5 cm solution depth. Solar irradiation of tebuthiuron at a flow rate of 9 L h(-1), in the presence of 10.0 mmol L-1 H2O2 and 1.0 mmol L-1 ferrioxalate resulted in complete conversion of this herbicide and 70% total organic carbon removal. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Role of the Eu3+ Concentration on the SrMoO4:Eu Phosphor Properties: Synthesis, Characterization and Photophysical Studies

SrMoO4 doped with rare earth are still scarce nowadays and have attracted great attention due to their applications as scintillating materials in electro-optical like solid-state lasers and optical fibers, for instance. In this work Sr1-xEuxMoO4 powders, where x = 0.01; 0.03 and 0.05, were synthesized by Complex Polymerization (CP) Method. The structural and optical properties of the SrMoO4:Eu3+ were analyzed by powder X-ray diffraction patterns, Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR), Raman Spectroscopy, and through Photoluminescent Measurements (PL). Only a crystalline scheelite-type phase was obtained when the powders were heat-treated at 800 A degrees C for 2 h, 2 theta = 27.8A degrees (100% peak). The excitation spectra of the SrMoO4:Eu3+ (lambda(Em.) = 614 nm) presented the characteristic band of the Eu3 + 5L6 transition at 394 nm and a broad band at around 288 nm ascribed to the charge-transfer from the O (2p) state to the Mo (4d) one in the SrMoO4 matrix. The emission spectra of the SrMoO4:Eu3+ powders (lambda(Exc.) = 394 and 288 nm) show the group of sharp emission bands among 523-554 nm and 578-699 nm, assigned to the D-5(1)-> F-7(0,1and 2) and D-5(0)-> F-7(0,1,2,3 and 4), respectively. The band related to the D-5(0)-> F-7(0) transition indicates the presence of Eu3+ site without inversion center. This hypothesis is strengthened by the fact that the band referent to the D-5(0)-> F-7(2) transition is the most intense in the emission spectra.

Optical chemical sensors using polythiophene derivatives as active layer for detection of volatile organic compounds

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

BaMoO4:Tb3+ phosphor properties: Synthesis, characterization and photophysical studies

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Electrochemical Determination of Organic Compounds in Automotive Fuels

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

The use of radon (Rn-222) and volatile organic compounds in monitoring soil gas to localize NAPL contamination at a gas station in Rio Claro, Sao Paulo State, Brazil

This study focuses on the presence of radon (Rn-222) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in soil gases at a gas station located in the city of Rio Claro, Sao Paulo, Brazil, where a fossil fuel leak occurred. The spatial distribution results show a correlation between Rn-222 and VOCs, consistent with the fact that radon gas has a greater chemical affinity with organic phases than with water. This finding demonstrates that the presence of a residual hydrocarbon phase in an aquifer can retain radon, leading to a reduced radon content in the soil gas. The data in this study confirm the results of previous investigations, in which the method used in this study provided a preliminary fingerprint of a contaminated area. Furthermore, the data analysis time is brief, and only simple equipment is required. (C) 2014 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

NUTRITIONAL STATUS AND LEVELS OF HEAVY METALS IN LETTUCE PLANTS FERTILIZED WITH ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

The use of organic compounds has been a good option to reduce spending on fertilizers, and gain increased productivity in the cultivation of lettuce. However, given the wide variety of raw materials used in the preparation of organic compounds, studies are needed to evaluate its effects on the release of essential nutrients to plants and on the release of contaminants such as heavy metals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the mineral nutrition and heavy metal contamination of lettuce in soils treated with doses and types of compost. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse in randomized blocks in factorial scheme 5x4, with five types of organic compounds and four nitrogen levels (0, 35, 70 and 140 kg ha(-1) of N), with four replications. In general, the doses of the compounds were not enough to provide the necessary quantity of nutrients to the lettuce, with the exception of nitrogen. There was no increase in levels of heavy metals in the soil above that allowed by Brazilian legislation. Furthermore, compounds based on manure plus grass, and commercial compound caused increases in Zn concentration in plants at levels above the recommended for consumed.

Composite Material Sensitive to Volatile Organic Compounds

This work evaluates fluorinated thin films and their composites for sensor development. Composites were produced using 5 µm starch particles and plasma films obtained from organic fluorinated and silicon compounds reactants. Silicon wafers and aluminum trenches were used as substrates. Film thickness, refractive index and chemical structure were also determined. Scanning electron microscopy shows conformal deposition on aluminum trenches. Films deposited on silicon were exposed to vapor of volatile organic compounds and CV curves were obtained. A qualitative model (FemLab 3.2® program) was proposed for the electronic behavior. These environmentally correct films can be used in electronic devices and preferentially reacted to polar compounds. Nonetheless, due to the difficulty in signal recovery, these films are more effective in one-way sensors, in sub-ppm range.