Controlled Synthesis of Au@AgAu Yolk-Shell Cuboctahedra with Well-Defined Facets

The synthesis of Au@AgAu yolk-shell cuboctahedra nanoparticles formed by galvanic replacement in a seed-mediated method is described. Initially, single-crystal Au seeds are used for the formation of Au@Ag core-shell nanocubes, which serve as the template material for the deposition of an external Au layer. The well-controlled synthesis yields the formation of cuboctahedra nanoparticles with smooth inner and outer Au/Ag surfaces. The deposition/oxidation process is described to understand the formation of cuboctahedra and octahedra nanoparticles. The Au core maintains the initial morphology of the seed and remains static at the center of the yolk-shell because of residual Ag. Structural analysis of the shell indicates intrinsic stacking faults (SFs) near the surface. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) compositional analysis show an Au-Ag nonordered alloy forming the shell. The three-dimensional structure of the nanoparticles presented open facets on the [111] as observed by electron tomography SIRT reconstruction over a stack of high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) images. The geometrical model was validated by analyzing the direction of streaks in coherent nanobeam diffraction (NBD). The catalytic activity was evaluated using a model reaction based on the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NTP) by NaBH4 in the presence of Au@AgAu yolk-shell nanoparticles.

An analysis of the structure of the compound biological effectiveness factor

This report is an analysis of the structure of the compound biological effectiveness (CBE) factor. The value of the CBE factor previously reported was revalued for the central nervous system, skin and lung. To describe the structure, the following terms are introduced: the vascular CBE (v-CBE), intraluminal CBE (il-CBE), extraluminal CBE (el-CBE) and non-vascular CBE (nv-CBE) factors and the geometric biological factor (GBF), i.e. the contributions that are derived from the total dose to the vasculature, each dose to vasculature from the intraluminal side and the extraluminal side, the dose to the non-vascular tissue and the factor to calculate el-CBE from il-CBE, respectively. The el-CBE factor element was also introduced to relate il-CBE to el-CBE factors. A CBE factor of 0.36 for disodium mercaptoundecahydrododecaborate (BSH) for the CNS was independent of the (10)B level in the blood; however, that for p-Boron-L-phenylalanine (BPA) increased with the (10)B level ratio of the normal tissue to the blood (N/B). The CBE factor was expressed as follows: factor = 0.32 + N/B × 1.65. The factor of 0.32 at 0 of N/B was close to the CBE factor for BSH. GBFs had similar values, between BSH and BPA, 1.39 and 1.52, respectively. The structure of the CBE factor for BPA to the lung was also elucidated based on this idea. The factor is described as follows: CBE factor = 0.32 + N/B × 1.80. By this elucidation of the structure of the CBE factor, it is expected that basic and clinical research into boron neutron capture therapy will progress.

By-Product Carrying Humidified Hydrogen: An Underestimated Issue in the Hydrolysis of Sodium Borohydride

Catalyzed hydrolysis of sodium borohydride generates up to four molecules of hydrogen, but contrary to what has been reported so far, the humidified evolved gas is not pure hydrogen. Elemental and spectroscopic analyses show, for the first time, that borate by-products pollute the stream as well as the vessel.

Synthesis and Anticancer Activities of Novel Guanylhydrazone and Aminoguanidine Tetrahydropyran Derivatives

In this paper we present the convenient syntheses of six new guanylhydrazone and aminoguanidine tetrahydropyran derivatives 2-7. The guanylhydrazone 2, 3 and 4 were prepared in 100% yield, starting from corresponding aromatic ketones 8a-c and aminoguanidine hydrochloride accessed by microwave irradiation. The aminoguanidine 5, 6 and 7 were prepared by reduction of guanylhydrazone 2-4 with sodium cyanoborohydride (94% yield of 5, and 100% yield of 6 and 7). The aromatic ketones 8a-c were prepared from the Barbier reaction followed by the Prins cyclization reaction (two steps, 63%-65% and 95%-98%). Cytotoxicity studies have demonstrated the effects of compounds 2-7 in various cancer and normal cell lines. That way, we showed that these compounds decreased cell viabilities in a micromolar range, and from all the compounds tested we can state that, at least, compound 3 can be considered a promising molecule for target-directed drug design.

Biorecovery of gold as nanoparticles and its catalytic activities for p-nitrophenol degradation

Recovery of gold from aqueous solution using simple and economical methodologies is highly desirable. In this work, recovery of gold as gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) by Shewanella haliotis with sodium lactate as electron donor was explored. The results showed that the process was affected by the concentration of biomass, sodium lactate, and initial gold ions as well as pH value. Specifically, the presence of sodium lactate determines the formation of nanoparticles, biomass, and AuCl4 (-) concentration mainly affected the size and dispersity of the products, reaction pH greatly affected the recovery efficiency, and morphology of the products in the recovery process. Under appropriate conditions (5.25 g/L biomass, 40 mM sodium lactate, 0.5 mM AuCl4 (-), and pH of 5), the recovery efficiency was almost 99 %, and the recovered AuNPs were mainly spherical with size range of 10-30 nm (~85 %). Meanwhile, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy demonstrated that carboxyl and amine groups might play an important role in the process. In addition, the catalytic activity of the AuNPs recovered under various conditions was testified by analyzing the reduction rate of p-nitrophenol by borohydride. The biorecovered AuNPs exhibited interesting size and shape-dependent catalytic activity, of which the spherical particle with smaller size showed the highest catalytic reduction activity with rate constant of 0.665 min(-1).

Gram scale synthesis of specialized pro-resolving mediator 17(S)-HDHA using lipoxygenase enhanced by water-soluble reducing agent TCEP

17(S)-Hydroxy docosahexaenoic acid (17(S)-HDHA) is a specialized pro-resolving mediator. The oxidation of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to 17(S)-HDHA using soybean lipoxygenase was accomplished in the presence of the reducing agent TCEP in high yield and high enantio excess. We demonstrated application of this strategy to the synthesis of other fatty acids and to gram scale synthesis of 17(S)-HDHA.

A terminally protected dipeptide: from crystal structure and self-assembly, through co-assembly with carbon-based materials, to a ternary catalyst for reduction chemistry in water

A terminally protected, hydrophobic dipeptide Boc-L-Cys(Me)-L-Leu-OMe (1) was synthesized and its 3D-structure was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. This peptide is able to hierarchically self-assemble in a variety of superstructures, including hollow rods, ranging from the nano- to the macroscale, and organogels. In addition, 1 is able to drive fullerene (C60) or multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in an organogel by co-assembling with them. A hybrid 1-C60–MWCNT organogel was prepared and converted (through a high vacuum-drying process) into a robust, high-volume, water insoluble, solid material where C60 is well dispersed over the entire superstructure. This ternary material was successfully tested as a catalyst for: (i) the reduction reaction of water-soluble azo compounds mediated by NaBH4 and UV-light with an overall performance remarkably better than that provided by C60 alone, and (ii) the NaBH4-mediated reduction of benzoic acid to benzyl alcohol. Our results suggest that the self-assembly properties of 1 might be related to the occurrence in its single crystal structure of a sixfold screw axis, a feature shared by most of the linear peptides known so far to give rise to nanotubes.

Sodium borohydride removes aldehyde inhibitors for enhancing biohydrogen fermentation

To enhance biohydrogen production from glucose and xylose in the presence of aldehyde inhibitors, reducing agent (i.e., sodium borohydride) was in situ added for effective detoxification. The detoxification efficiencies of furfural (96.7%) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF, 91.7%) with 30mM NaBH4 were much higher than those of vanillin (77.3%) and syringaldehyde (69.3%). Biohydrogen fermentation was completely inhibited without detoxification, probably because of the consumption of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) by inhibitors reduction (R-CHO+2NADH→R-CH2OH+2NAD(+)). Addition of 30mM NaBH4 provided the reducing power necessary for inhibitors reduction (4R-CHO+NaBH4+2H2O→4R-CH2OH+NaBO2). The recovered reducing power in fermentation resulted in 99.3% recovery of the hydrogen yield and 64.6% recovery of peak production rate. Metabolite production and carbon conversion after detoxification significantly increased to 63.7mM and 81.9%, respectively.

Ammine Calcium and Strontium Borohydrides: Syntheses, Structures, and Properties

A new series of solvent- and halide-free ammine strontium metal borohydrides Sr(NH3 )n (BH4 )2 (n=1, 2, and 4) and further investigations of Ca(NH3 )n (BH4 )2 (n=1, 2, 4, and 6) are presented. Crystal structures have been determined by powder XRD and optimized by DFT calculations to evaluate the strength of the dihydrogen bonds. Sr(NH3 )(BH4 )2 (Pbcn) and Sr(NH3 )2 (BH4 )2 (Pnc2) are layered structures, whereas M(NH3 )4 (BH4 )2 (M=Ca and Sr; P21 /c) are molecular structures connected by dihydrogen bonds. Both series of compounds release NH3 gas upon thermal treatment if the partial pressure of ammonia is low. Therefore, the strength of the dihydrogen bonds, the structure of the compounds, and the NH3 /BH4 (-) ratio for M(NH3 )n (BH4 )m have little influence on the composition of the released gasses. The composition of the released gas depends mainly on the thermal stability of the ammine metal borohydride and the corresponding metal borohydride.

Ag/g-C3N4 catalyst with superior catalytic performance for the degradation of dyes: a borohydride-generated superoxide radical approach

A straightforward approach is developed for fabrication of a visible-light-driven Ag/g-C3N4 catalyst. Morphological observation shows that the g-C3N4 sheets are decorated with highly dispersed Ag nanoparticles having an average size of 5.6 nm. The photocatalytic activity measurements demonstrate that the photocatalytic degradation rates of methyl orange (MO), methylene blue (MB), and neutral dark yellow GL (NDY-GL) over Ag/g-C3N4-4 can reach up to 98.2, 99.3 and 99.6% in the presence of borohydride ions (BH4(-)) only with 8, 45, and 16 min visible light irradiation, respectively. The significant enhancement in photoactivity of the catalyst is mainly attributed to the high dispersity and smaller size of Ag nanoparticles, the strong surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect of metallic Ag nanoparticles, the efficient separation of photogenerated charge carriers, the additional superoxide radicals (O) generated from the reduction of dissolved oxygen in the presence of BH4(-) and the synergistic effect of Ag nanoparticles and g-C3N4.

A NaBH₄ Coupled Ninhydrin-Based Assay for the Quantification of Protein/Enzymes During the Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Pretreated Lignocellulosic Biomass

Accurate protein quantification is necessary in many of the steps during the enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated lignocellulosic biomass, from the fundamental determination of enzyme kinetics to techno-economic assessments, such as the use of enzyme recycling strategies, evaluation of enzyme costs, and the optimization of various process steps. In the work described here, a modified, more rapid ninhydrin-based protein quantification assay was developed to better quantify enzyme levels in the presence of lignocellulosic biomass derived compounds. The addition of sodium borohydride followed by acid hydrolysis at 130 °C greatly reduced interference from monosaccharides and oligosaccharides and decreased the assay time 6-fold. The modified ninhydrin assay was shown to be more accurate as compared to various traditional colorimetric protein assays when commercial cellulase enzyme mixtures were quantified under typical pretreated lignocellulosic biomass enzymatic hydrolysis conditions. The relatively short assay time and microplate-reading capability of the modified assay indicated that the method could likely be used for high-throughput protein determination.

Preparation and Growth of N-Doped Hollow Carbon Nanospheres and Their Application as Catalyst Support in Direct Borohydride Fuel Cell

N-doped hollow carbon nanospheres (HCNSs) were prepared by electric arc discharge method in N2 atmosphere. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) analysis shows that their nitrogen content reaches up to 4.9 atom%. Both the low thermal conductivity of N2 and the doping of nitrogen atom make carbon unit bend to form hollow nanosphere structure. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and X-ray diffusion (XRD) analysis prove the presence of detected defects and a poor crystallinity on the HCNSs shell. Moreover, annealing treatment of HCNSs was carried out at 1100 degrees C/10 h and 1400 degrees C/2 h to research their fracture extension. It is found that HCNSs could grow into closed-tubes even with a shell at high annealing temperature. HCNSs were applied in direct borohydride fuel cell (DBFC) to evaluate their catalytic performance. The electrochemical results show that pure HCNSs doesn't have any catalysis effect, but they can greatly promote the catalytic performance of CoO, and the largest polarization current density of which achieves 1.845 A x cm(-2) at -0.7 V (vs. Hg/HgO electrode).

Tailoring the properties of ammine metal borohydrides for solid-state hydrogen storage

A series of halide-free ammine manganese borohydrides, Mn(BH4 )2 ⋅nNH3 , n=1, 2, 3, and 6, a new bimetallic compound Li2 Mn(BH4 )4 ⋅6NH3 , and the first ammine metal borohydride solid solution Mg1-x Mnx (BH4 )2 ⋅6NH3 are presented. Four new crystal structures have been determined by synchrotron radiation powder X-ray diffraction and the thermal decomposition is systematically investigated for all the new compounds. The solid-gas reaction between Mn(BH4 )2 and NH3 provides Mn(BH4 )2 ⋅6NH3 . The number of NH3 per Mn has been varied by mechanochemical treatment of Mn(BH4 )2 ⋅6NH3 -Mn(BH4 )2 mixtures giving rise to increased hydrogen purity for n/m≤1 for M(BH4 )m ⋅nNH3 . The structures of Mg(BH4 )2 ⋅3NH3 and Li2 Mg(BH4 )4 ⋅6NH3 have been revisited and new structural models are presented. Finally, we demonstrate that ammonia destabilizes metal borohydrides with low electronegativity of the metal (χp <∼1.6), while metal borohydrides with high electronegativity (χp >∼1.6) are generally stabilized.

One-pot green synthesis of reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/Fe3O4 nanocomposites and its catalytic activity toward methylene blue dye degradation

The reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/Fe3O4 nanocomposites were synthesized through a facile one-pot green synthesis by using solanum trilobatum extract as a reducing agent. Spherical shaped Fe3O4 nanoparticles with the diameter of 18 nm were uniformly anchored over the RGO matrix and the existence of fcc structured Fe3O4 nanoparticles over the RGO matrix was ensured from X-ray diffraction patterns. The amide functional groups exist in the solanum trilobatum extract is directly responsible for the reduction of Fe(3+) ions and GO. The thermal stability of GO was increased by the removal of hydrophilic functional groups via solanum trilobatum extract and was further promoted by the ceramic Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The ID/IG ratio of RGO/Fe3O4 was increased over GO, indicating the extended number of structural defects and disorders in the RGO/Fe3O4 composite. The catalytic efficiency of prepared nanostructures toward methylene blue (MB) dye degradation mediated through the electron transfer process of BH4(-) ions was studied in detail. The π-π stacking, hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interaction exerted between the RGO/Fe3O4 composite and methylene blue, increased the adsorption efficiency of dye molecules and the large surface area and extended number of active sites completely degraded the MB dye within 12 min.

Transformation and composition evolution of nanoscale zero valent iron (nZVI) synthesized by borohydride reduction in static water

The reactivity of nanoscale zero valent iron (nZVI) toward targeted contaminants is affected by the initial nZVI composition and the iron oxides formed during the aging process in aquatic systems. In this paper, the aging effects of nZVI, prepared using a borohydride reduction method in static water over a period of 90 days (d), are investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Raman spectroscopy are used to characterize the corrosion products of nZVI. Results show that both the structures and the compositions of the corrosion products change with the process of aging. The products of nZVI aged for 5 d in static water media are mainly magnetite (Fe3O4) and maghemite (γ-Fe2O3), accompanied by lepidocrocite (γ-FeOOH). For products aged 10 d, XRD data show the formation of ferrihydrite and lepidocrocite. When aged up to 90 d, the products are mainly γ-FeOOH mixed with small amounts of Fe3O4 and γ-Fe2O3. Transmission electronic microscopy (TEM) images show that the core-shell structure forms into a hollow spherical shape after 30 d of aging in aquatic media. The results indicate first that iron ions in the Fe(0) core diffuse outwardly toward the shell, and hollowed-out iron oxide shells emerge. Then, the iron oxide shell collapses and becomes a flaky, acicular-shaped structure. The type and the crystal phase of second iron oxide minerals are vastly different at various aging times. This study helps to explain the patterns of occurrence of specific iron oxides in different natural conditions.

A twist on facial selectivity of hydride reductions of cyclic ketones: twist-boat conformers in cyclohexanone, piperidone, and tropinone reactions

The role of twist-boat conformers of cyclohexanones in hydride reductions was explored. The hydride reductions of a cis-2,6-disubstituted N-acylpiperidone, an N-acyltropinone, and tert-butylcyclohexanone by lithium aluminum hydride and by a bulky borohydride reagent were investigated computationally and compared to experiment. Our results indicate that in certain cases, factors such as substrate conformation, nucleophile bulkiness, and remote steric features can affect stereoselectivity in ways that are difficult to predict by the general Felkin-Anh model. In particular, we have calculated that a twist-boat conformation is relevant to the reactivity and facial selectivity of hydride reduction of cis-2,6-disubstituted N-acylpiperidones with a small hydride reagent (LiAlH4) but not with a bulky hydride (lithium triisopropylborohydride).

Optimizing the design and synthesis of supported silver nanoparticles for low cost water disinfection

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were successfully synthesized and impregnated on silica using chemical reduction methods. XPS and Ag K-edge XANES analysis revealed that the impregnation of AgNPs onto silica using a chitosan + sodium borohydride (NaBH4) method results in higher silver loading and Ag(0)/Ag(I) ratio compared to that obtained using NH3 + NaBH4/glucose methods. The effects of the dosage of chitosan on silver loading, Ag(I) release, and bactericidal activities of AgNP-impregnated silica were investigated, with results showing that, at high dosages of chitosan, Ag(I) released from AgNP-impregnated silica plays an important role in disinfection, while AgNP-mediated bactericidal action dominates at low dosages of chitosan. To further decrease the manufacturing cost, partially oxidized "black rice husk ash" containing substantial residual carbon was applied as AgNP support and found to lead to a greater degree of silver impregnation and to exhibit a longer disinfection lifetime than that of lower carbon content silica supports. On the basis of these findings, it is clear that considerable scope exists for careful optimization in the design and production of AgNP-based bactericidal materials for water treatment purposes.

Preparation of gold nanoparticles using Salicornia brachiata plant extract and evaluation of catalytic and antibacterial activity

The current study deals with the synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using Salicornia brachiata (Sb) and evaluation of their antibacterial and catalytic activity. The SbAuNPs showed purple color with a characteristic surface plasmon resonance peak at 532 nm. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy revealed polydispersed AuNPs with the size range from 22 to 35 nm. Energy dispersive X-ray and thin layer X-ray diffraction analysis clearly shows that SbAuNPs was pure and crystalline in nature. As prepared gold nanoparticles was used as a catalyst for the sodium borohydride reduction of 4-nitro phenol to 4-amino phenol and methylene blue to leucomethylene blue. The green synthesized nanoparticles exhibited potent antibacterial activity against the pathogenic bacteria, as evidenced by their zone of inhibition. In addition, we showed that the SbAuNPs in combination with the regular antibiotic, ofloxacin, exhibit superior antibacterial activity than the individual.

To add or not to add: the use of quenching agents for the analysis of disinfection by-products in water samples

The formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs) is a public health concern due to their potential adverse health effects. Robust and sensitive methods for the analysis of DBPs, as well as appropriate sample handling procedures, are essential to obtain accurate, precise and reliable data on DBP occurrence and formation. In particular, the use of an appropriate quenching agent is critical to prevent further formation of DBPs during the holding time between sample collection and analysis. Despite reports of decomposition of DBPs caused by some quenching agents, particularly sulphite and thiosulphate, a survey of the literature shows that they are still the most commonly used quenching agents in analysis of DBPs. This study investigated the effects of five quenching agents (sodium sulphite, sodium arsenite, sodium borohydride, ascorbic acid, and ammonium chloride) on the stability of seven different classes of DBPs commonly found in drinking waters, in order to determine the most appropriate quenching agent for the different classes of DBPs. All of the quenching agents tested did not adversely affect the concentrations of trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs), and thus are suitable for quenching of disinfectant residual prior to analysis of these DBPs. Ascorbic acid was found to be suitable for the analysis of haloacetonitriles (HANs) and haloketones (HKs), but should not be used for the analysis of chlorite. Sodium arsenite, sodium borohydride, and ascorbic acid were all acceptable for the analysis of haloacetaldehydes (HALs). All of the quenching agents tested adversely affected the concentration of chloropicrin. A 'universal' quenching agent, suitable for all groups of DBPs studied, was not identified. However, based on the results of this study, we recommend the use of ascorbic acid for quenching of samples to be analysed for organic DBPs (i.e. THMs, HAAs, HANs, HKs, and HALs) and sodium sulphite for analysis of inorganic DBPs. Our study is the first comprehensive study on the effects of quenching agents on the stability of DBPs involving a wide range of DBP classes and quenching agents.

Iron-catalysed, general and operationally simple formal hydrogenation using Fe(OTf)3 and NaBH4

An operationally simple and environmentally benign formal hydrogenation protocol has been developed using highly abundant iron(iii) salts and an inexpensive, bench stable, stoichiometric reductant, NaBH4, in ethanol, under ambient conditions. This reaction has been applied to the reduction of terminal alkenes (22 examples, up to 95% yield) and nitro-groups (26 examples, up to 95% yield). Deuterium labelling studies indicate that this reaction proceeds via an ionic rather than radical mechanism.

FT-IR spectra of inorganic borohydrides

Inorganic compounds with BH4(-) ions are the subject of many recent investigations in the context of potential hydrogen storage materials. In this work, Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectra of a series of reference and research compounds (including deuterated samples) are collected and made available to the research community.

A simple way to prepare Au@polypyrrole/Fe3O4 hollow capsules with high stability and their application in catalytic reduction of methylene blue dye

Metal nanoparticles are promising catalysts for dye degradation in treating wastewater despite the challenges of recycling and stability. In this study, we have introduced a simple way to prepare Au@polypyrrole (PPy)/Fe3O4 catalysts with Au nanoparticles embedded in a PPy/Fe3O4 capsule shell. The PPy/Fe3O4 capsule shell used as a support was constructed in one-step, which not only dramatically simplified the preparation process, but also easily controlled the magnetic properties of the catalysts through adjusting the dosage of FeCl2·4H2O. The component Au nanoparticles could catalyze the reduction of methylene blue dye with NaBH4 as a reducing agent and the reaction rate constant was calculated through the pseudo-first-order reaction equation. The Fe3O4 nanoparticles permitted quick recycling of the catalysts with a magnet due to their room-temperature superparamagnetic properties; therefore, the catalysts exhibited good reusability. In addition to catalytic activity and reusability, stability is also an important property for catalysts. Because both Au and Fe3O4 nanoparticles were wrapped in the PPy shell, compared with precursor polystyrene/Au composites and bare Fe3O4 nanoparticles, the stability of Au@PPy/Fe3O4 hollow capsules was greatly enhanced. Since the current method is simple and flexible to create recyclable catalysts with high stability, it would promote the practicability of metal nanoparticle catalysts in industrial polluted water treatment.

Highly effective hot spots for SERS signatures of live fibroblasts

Pre-formed silver-boron nanoparticles of 22 nm form pearl-like necklace nanostructures with interparticle junctions of less than 10 nm length in the matrix of polyethylene glycol (8000 Da). The silver necklace nanostructure is stable at 37 °C or 70 °C and also inside a live cell medium. A polyethylene glycol matrix with a shorter chain length (1000 Da) does not protect the nanoparticles against attraction, and random aggregates are formed. Silver necklace nanostructures exhibit strong Raman enhancement by more than ∼10(9) which is much higher than for silver-citrate or random silver-boron aggregates. The polymeric matrix of 8000 Da contributes strongly to the electromagnetic field enhancement and removes the chemical contribution to the surface Raman scattering increase. The stable interparticle junctions act as local hot spots for strong Raman scattering signals collected from live fibroblasts and allow systematic in situ studies.

Mass Spectrometric Assignment of Smith Degradation Glycopeptides Derived from Ribonuclease B

We established a method to determine the glycosyl linkage structure by a combination of Smith degradation and liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-quadrupole-time of flight-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS) and tandem MS (MS/MS). To assign the sugar linkage of N-glycoprotein, we employed a typical ribonuclease B containing oligosaccharides (Man5-9GlcNAc2). Tryptic digestion of ribonuclease B provided a mixture of high-mannose glycopeptides consisting of the four amino acids, Asn34-Leu-Thr-Lys37 (NLTK, T6). The mixture of glycopeptides was separated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in a reversed phase column and was characterized by ESI-Q-TOF-MS and MS/MS. Comparison of the data with and without Smith degradation allowed us to make reasonable assignments to support such linkage patterns as (1-->2), (1-->3), (1-->6) and their multiples. These assignments were limited to six mannoses or lower due to the unstable nature of the higher derivatives. This method should be applicable to determine the linkage pattern of an unknown glycoprotein in about a 6-microgram amount.

Cyanovanadate(III) complexes as novel additives for efficient generation of volatile cadmium species in complex samples prior to determinations by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)

A new method has been described for generation of volatile species of Cd using vanadium(III) cyanide complex. Aqueous solutions of 0.04 mol L(-1) vanadium chloride (VCl3) and 0.12 mol L(-1) potassium cyanide (KCN) were reacted on-line yielding a suspension of vanadium hydroxide, V(OH)3. This suspension was dissolved along the stream of sample solution in dilute HCl to form heptacyanovanadate(III) complex, [V(CN)7]4-. Volatile Cd species were generated by reacting the stream of sample solution and cyanovanadate(III) complex with sodium borohydride (NaBH4). Feasibility of off-line and on-online approaches was investigated for quantitative determinations. Better precision and daily stability were achieved with on-line settings. Optimum signals were obtained from sample solutions within a range of 3 to 5% v/v HCl. A concentration of 2% m/v NaBH4 was adequate to achieve an enhancement of 20-fold in the presence of cyanovanadate(III) complex. The limits of detection were 5.0 and 4.5 ng L(-1) for 110Cd and 111Cd isotopes, respectively. Precision (%RSD) was better than 4.7% for six replicate measurements. The interferences of Cu(II) and Ni(II) were marginal (<10%) at 1.0 µg mL(-1). Depressive effects from Bi, Se and Sn were not significant below 0.1 µg mL(-1). The method was validated by determination of Cd using ICP-MS in certified reference materials of Nearshore seawater (CASS-4), Bone ash (SRM 1400), Dogfish liver (DOLT-4) and Mussel tissue (SRM 2976).