Search

There is always a need to develop new, fast and non-complicated microextraction methods that consume small amounts of organic solvents. In this study, a new mode of liquid phase microextraction method, termed as continuous sample drop flow-based microextraction (CSDF-ME), was developed for the enrichment and determination of cobalt in water samples. To attain the appropriate conditions for the CSDF-ME, experimental parameters such as pH, type and volume of extraction solvent, concentration of chelating agent, salting effect, sample flow rate and sample volume, needle diameter were examined. The enrichment factor was 167 for 20 mL sample solution. The calibration graph was linear in the concentration range of 5-200 [mu]g/L with the correlation coefficient of 0.999. The limit of detection was 1.3 [mu]g/L. The reliability of the recommended procedure was verified by analysis of real water samples (including tap, mineral and river water) and synthetic sample spiked with known amount of cobalt, and the obtained recoveries of spiked samples have demonstrated accuracy and applicability of the proposed method., Author(s): Mohanna Ezati [sup.1], Soleyman Moinfar [sup.1] [sup.2], Somayeh Mohammadi [sup.1] [sup.3], Gholamreza Khayatian [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.411189.4, 0000 0000 9352 9878, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University [...]

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the fastest‐growing child neuropsychiatric condition. Cognitive dysfunctions such as memory impairments are experienced by patients along with social disturbances and repetitive/stereotypic movements. We have used the radial arm maze (RAM), for measurement of working and reference memory errors in an animal model of autism. In addition, the potential effects of agmatine, an endogenous NMDA antagonist, on RAM performance and autistic‐like behaviors were assessed. Methods: Autism was modeled by valproic acid (VPA) administration at gestational Day 12.5. Autism‐associated behaviors in male offspring were examined in an open field test (OFT) and three‐chambered test (TCT) on postnatal days 50–51. Thereafter, the animals were trained in the RAM (PND 55) until they attained the criteria of 80% correct choices during five consecutive trials. Forty‐eight hours after the acquisition of criteria, agmatine was injected 30 min before subsequent behavioral testing, which included the retention phase of the RAM, OFT, and TCT. Results: VPA‐treated and intact rats showed the same performance in RAM, and acute injection of agmatine rescued social and anxiety‐like behavior induced by VPA without the effect on RAM. Conclusion: In a rat model of autism, spatial learning, and memory did not change. Agmatine rescued social and anxiety‐like behavior in autistic animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanomaterials are promising candidates to overcome the water quality issues caused by dye consuming industries. However, their restricted efficiency in water treatment hinders their practical applications, particularly in the case of dispersed nanomaterials used in water systems. This study presents a novel approach for immobilizing ferromagnetic nanocomposites on a polymeric microporous structure. 100 mg L−1 Zn0.5Mn0.5Fe2O4 nanocomposites (NCPs) were embedded into poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), eliminating the need to retrieve the dispersed nanomaterials after water treatment. The developed Zn0.5Mn0.5Fe2O4–PMMA nanocomposite was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The removal of two commercial dyes (Brilliant Blue and Allura Red) at concentration levels of (0, 25, 35, 50, 70, and 100 mg L−1) was examined by batch adsorption studies followed by ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectrophotometry quantification. It was observed that the maximum removal percentage was obtained for the embedded Zn0.5Mn0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles on the PMMA polymer using 100 mg of Zn0.5Mn0.5Fe2O4 NCPs for all the four dye levels in comparison to dispersed Zn0.5Mn0.5Fe2O4 nanocomposites. It was observed that the maximum adsorption of Brilliant Blue and Allura Red was obtained under alkaline conditions, pH 7.32 and 8.37, respectively. It was suggested that Zn0.5Mn0.5Fe2O4–PMMA can be applied as a sustainable material to enhance water treatment efficiency by merging the advantages of a fast preparation technique and a higher adsorption capacity to remove complex organic contaminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]