Advances in pretreatment and analysis methods of aromatic hydrocarbons in soil

Benzene compounds that are prevalent in the soil as organic pollutants mainly include BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and three xylene isomers) and PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). These pose a severe threat to many aspects of human health. Therefore, the accurate measurement of BTEX and PAHs concentrations in the soil is of great importance. The samples for analysis of BTEX and PAHs need to be suitable for the various detection methods after pretreatment, which include Soxhlet extraction, ultrasonic extraction, solid-phase microextraction, supercritical extraction, and needle trap. The detection techniques mainly consist of gas chromatography (GC), mass spectrometry (MS), and online sensors, and provide comprehensive information on contaminants in the soil. Their performance is evaluated in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, and recovery. Recently, there has been rapid progress in the pretreatment and analysis methods for the quantitative and qualitative analyses of BTEX and PAHs. Therefore, it is necessary to produce a timely and in-depth review of the emerging pretreatment and analysis methods, which is unfortunately absent from the recent literature. In this work, state-of-art extraction techniques and analytical methods have been summarized for the determination of BTEX and PAHs in soil, with a particular focus on the potential and limitations of the respective methods for different aromatic hydrocarbons. Accordingly, the paper will describe the basic methodological knowledge, as well as the recent advancement of pretreatment and analysis methods for samples containing BTEX and PAHs.

Zn/Ni and Zn/Pd Heterobimetallic Coordination Polymers with [SSC-N(CH2COO)2]3− Ligands

In the construction of heterobimetallic coordination polymers based on dithiocarbamato–carboxylate (DTCC ligands), platinum as a thiophilic metal center can be replaced by the cheaper nickel or palladium. The compounds Zn[Pd(HL)2] and Zn2[M(L)2] (M = Ni, Pd; L = {SSC-N(CH2COO)2}3−) were prepared in a sequential approach starting from K3(L). The products were characterized by IR and NMR spectroscopy, thermal analyses, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The products decompose under nitrogen between 300 and 400 °C. Zn[Pd(HL)2] · 6H2O forms polymeric chains in the solid state, and the Zn2[M(L)2] · 14H2O (M = Ni, Pd) exhibit two-dimensional polymeric structures, each being isotypic with the respective Zn/Pt analogs. While the carboxylate groups in all these products are coordinated to zinc in a κO-monodentate mode, a structural variant of Zn2[Ni(L)2] having κO:κO′-briding carboxylate groups was also obtained. Exchange of the metal sites in the two Ni/Zn compounds was not observed, and these compounds are therefore diamagnetic.

Regulating the Structures of Self-Assembled Mechanically Interlocked Moleculecular Constructs via Dianion Precursor Substituent Effects

Substituent effects play critical roles in both modulating reaction chemistry and supramolecular self-assembly processes. Using substituted terephthalate dianions (p-phthalic acid dianions; PTADAs), the effect of varying the type, number, and position of the substituents was explored in terms of their ability to regulate the inherent anion complexation features of a tetracationic macrocycle, cyclo[2](2,6-di(1H-imidazol-1-yl)pyridine)[2](1,4-dimethylenebenzene) (referred to as the Texas-sized molecular box; 1⁴⁺), in the form of its tetrakis-PF₆^- salt in DMSO. Several of the tested substituents, including 2-OH, 2,5-di(OH), 2,5-di(NH₂), 2,5-di(Me), 2,5-di(Cl), 2,5-di(Br), and 2,5-di(I), were found to promote pseudorotaxane formation in contrast to what was seen for the parent PTADA system. Other derivatives of PTADA, including those with 2,3-di(OH), 2,6-di(OH), 2,5-di(OMe), 2,3,5,6-tetra(Cl), and 2,3,5,6-tetra(F) substituents, led only to so-called outside binding, where the anion interacts with 1⁴⁺ on the outside of the macrocyclic cavity. The differing binding modes produced by the choice of PTADA derivative were found to regulate further supramolecular self-assembly when the reaction components included additional metal cations (M). Depending on the specific choice of PTADA derivatives and metal cations (M = Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, Gd³⁺, Nd³⁺, Eu³⁺, Sm³⁺, Tb³⁺), constructs involving one-dimensional polyrotaxanes, outside-type rotaxanated supramolecular organic frameworks (RSOFs), or two-dimensional metal-organic rotaxane frameworks (MORFs) could be stabilized. The presence and nature of the substituent were found to dictate which specific higher order self-assembled structure was obtained using a given cation. In the specific case of the 2,5-di(OH), 2,5-di(Cl), and 2,5-di(Br) PTADA derivatives and Eu³⁺, so-called MORFs with distinct fluorescence emission properties could be produced. The present work serves to illustrate how small changes in guest substitution patterns may be used to control structure well beyond the first interaction sphere.

Dithiocarbamatocarboxylate (DTCC) Ligands-Building Blocks for Hard/Soft-Heterobimetallic Coordination Polymers

Four zinc/platinum(II) heterobimetallic coordination polymers with dithiocarboxylate-functionalized carboxylate (DTCC) ligands were prepared by different synthetic approaches and characterized by elemental analyses, IR and NMR (¹H, ¹³C, and ¹⁹⁵Pt) spectroscopy, thermal analyses coupled with mass spectrometry (TG/DTA/MS), and single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction studies. Sequential syntheses via the carboxylic acid substituted platinum dithiocarbamates and zinc acetate revealed crystalline products in good to excellent yields. One-pot preparations from potassium DTCC salts, K₂PtCl₄, and ZnCl₂ led to comparable products, thus demonstrating the high selectivity of the two donor groups toward platinum(II) and zinc. [SSC-N(Me)CH₂COO]^2- and [SSC-N(CH₂COO)(CH₂COOH)]^2-, DTCC ligands derived from sarcosine and iminodiacetic acid, respectively, were found to form planar zigzag chains with zinc and platinum(II) ions, while the use of the l-proline-derived ligand [SSC-NC₄H₇COO]^2- results in a helical structure. In the case of [SSC-N(CH₂COO)₂]^3-, two-dimensional arrays are formed. All compounds are thermally stable up to 240-400 °C under nitrogen.

From zero- to three-dimensional heterobimetallic coordination polymers with the [Pt{SSC-N(CH2COO)2}2]4− metalloligand

A series of novel, structurally manifold heterobimetallic dithiocabamato-carboxylates (DTCCs) were efficiently prepared by a metalloligand approach.

Ratiometric fluorescence determination of the anthrax biomarker 2,6-dipicolinic acid using a Eu3+/Tb3+-doped nickel coordination polymer

Tb³⁺_0.6/Eu³⁺_0.4@Ni-BTC is a quantitative ratiometric fluorescence sensor for DPA detection with high sensitivity, anti-interference, rapid response and durability.

A water-stable EuIII-based MOF as a dual-emission luminescent sensor for discriminative detection of nitroaromatic pollutants

This work reports a water-stable Eu^III-based MOF as the first MOF sensor for detecting nitroaromatic compounds discriminatively by ratiometric methods.

A new cluster-based chalcogenide zeolite analogue with a large inter-cluster bridging angle

A new cluster-based chalcogenide zeolite analogue with a large inter-cluster bridging angle.

Mg1−xCoxLi2(3,5-pdcH)2(DMF)2 (x = 0, 0.285, 0.575, 1): a series of heterometallic coordination polymers doped with magnetic Co2+ ions

Presented is a series of Mg_1−xCo_xLi-HCPs with the turn-on effect of anti-ferromagnetic properties upon the doping of high-spin Co²⁺ ions at Mg²⁺ sites.

Fluorescence detection of Mn2+, Cr2O72−and nitroexplosives and photocatalytic degradation of methyl violet and rhodamine B based on two stable metal–organic frameworks

Two new MOFs show 3D 2-fold interpenetrating 4-connected networks and could be a prospective candidate for developing the luminescence sensors and the photocatalysis due to their highly stabilities.

A multi-responsive luminescent sensor for organic small-molecule pollutants and metal ions based on a 4d–4f metal–organic framework

A multi-responsive luminescent sensor for organic small-molecule pollutants and metal ions based on a metal–organic framework is reported.

Luminescent sensing from a new Zn(ii) metal–organic framework

The title compound is a potential candidate for developing novel luminescence sensors for the selective sensing of nitrobenzene which can be deployed for explosives, Fe³⁺ and organic dyes.

Systematic Investigation of Reaction-Time Dependence of Three Series of Copper-Lanthanide/Lanthanide Coordination Polymers: Syntheses, Structures, Photoluminescence, and Magnetism

Three series of copper-lanthanide/lanthanide coordination polymers (CPs) Ln(III) Cu(II) Cu(I) (bct)3 (H2 O)2 [Ln=La (1), Ce (2), Pr (3), Nd (4), Sm (5), Eu (6), Gd (7), Tb (8), Dy (9), Er (10), Yb (11), and Lu (12), H2 bct=2,5-bis(carboxymethylmercapto)-1,3,4-thiadiazole acid], Ln(III) Cu(I) (bct)2 [Ln=Ce (2 a), Pr (3 a), Nd (4 a), Sm (5 a), Eu (6 a), Gd (7 a), Tb (8 a), Dy (9 a), Er (10 a), Yb (11 a), and Lu (12 a)], and Ln(III) 2 (bct)3 (H2 O)5 [Ln=La (1 b), Ce (2 b), Pr (3 b), Nd (4 b), Sm (5 b), Eu (6 b), Gd (7 b), Tb (8 b), and Dy (9 b)] have been successfully constructed under hydrothermal conditions by modulating the reaction time. Structural characterization has revealed that CPs 1-12 possess a unique one-dimensional (1D) strip-shaped structure containing two types of double-helical chains and a double-helical channel. CPs 2 a-12 a show a three-dimensional (3D) framework formed by Cu(I) linking two types of homochiral layers with double-helical channels. CPs 1 b-9 b exhibit a 3D framework with single-helical channels. CPs 6 b and 8 b display visible red and green luminescence of the Eu(III) and Tb(III) ions, respectively, sensitized by the bct ligand, and microsecond-level lifetimes. CP 8 b shows a rare magnetic transition between short-range ferromagnetic ordering at 110 K and long-range ferromagnetic ordering below 10 K. CPs 9 a and 9 b display field-induced single-chain magnet (SCM) and/or single-molecule magnet (SMM) behaviors, with Ueff values of 51.7 and 36.5 K, respectively.

Lanthanide coordination polymers constructed from 5-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)isophthalic acid ligand: white light emission and color tuning

A series of lanthanide coordination polymers (LnCPs), namely [Ln(TZI) (H₂O)₅]_n(1–5) [Ln = Nd (1), Eu (2), Gd (3), Tb (4) and Sm (5)], were synthesized through the self-assembly of 5-(1H-tetrazol-5-yl)isophthalic acid (H₃TZI) ligand and lanthanide ions.

Luminescent metal–organic frameworks for chemical sensing and explosive detection

This review provides an update on the photoluminescence properties of LMOFs and their utility in chemical sensing and explosive detection.

Towards full-color-tunable emission of two component Eu(iii)-doped Gd(iii) coordination frameworks by the variation of excitation light

Eu(iii)-doped Gd(iii) pyrazine-2,3,5,6-tetracarboxylate alkali–lanthanide metal–organic frameworks (LnMOF) with a unique (4¹¹·6⁸·8²)(4³·6²·8)(4³) topology present full color-tunable luminescence and white emission by the variation of excitation wavelengths.