Effect of trifluoroacetic acid on the antigenicity of capsular polysaccharides obtained from various Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes

Determining the safety, antigenicity, and immunogenicity by in vitro and in vivo studies is a prerequisite for the development of new vaccines. And this study investigated it for a vaccine made from Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes 2, 5, 12F, 18C, and 22F. The crude CPS was purified and partially depolymerized by conventional and trifluoroacetic acid methods. 1H NMR analysis confirmed the identity of the depolymerized CPS which gave similar profiles to reference polysaccharides, except for serotype 18C which was de-O-acetylated during TFA treatment. The antigenicity of the depolymerized CPS prepared by either method was comparable to that of the native CPS for serotypes 2, 5, 18C, and 22F based on multiplex bead based competitive inhibition assay. This study demonstrated a relationship between antigenicity and immunogenicity, which offers more suitable candidates for conjugation. It was found that after partial depolymerization process, the CPS with optimal molecular size resulted in higher antigenicity. The immunogenicity of S. pneumoniae serotype 2 conjugates in mice was evaluated by opsonophagocytic assay and a multiplex bead-based assay, wherein on day 42 after immunization, the total and functional IgG titer was found to be increased by 32-fold.

The wide presence of fluorinated compounds in common chemical products and the environment: a review

The C-F bonds, due to their many unique features, have been incorporated into numerous compounds in countless products and applications. These fluorinated compounds eventually are disposed of and released into the environment through different pathways. In this review, we analyzed the occurrence of these fluorinated compounds in seven types of products (i.e., refrigerants/propellants, aqueous film-forming foam, cosmetics, food packaging, agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, coating materials) and discussed their fate in the environment. This is followed by describing the quantity of fluorinated compounds from each source based on available data. Total on- and off-site disposal or other releases of 536 fluorinated compounds in 2021 were analyzed using the data sourced from the U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). Among the chemicals examined, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) were the primary contributors in terms of total mass. Upon examining the seven sources of fluorinated compounds, it became evident that additional contributors are also responsible for the presence of organofluorine compounds in the environment. Although various toxic degradation products of fluorinated compounds could form in the environment, trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) was specifically highlighted in this review given the fact that it is a common dead-end degradation product of > 1 million chemicals. This paper ended with a discussion of several questions raised from this study. The path forward was elaborated as well for the purpose of protecting the environment and human health.

Influence of ultrasonication and hydrolysis conditions in methylation analysis of bacterial homoexopolysaccharides

Homoexopolysaccharides (HoEPS) such as α-glucans and β-fructans are synthesized by lactic and acetic acid bacteria. Methylation analysis is an important and well-established tool for the structural analysis of these polysaccharides, however, multiple steps are required for polysaccharide derivatization. Because ultrasonication during methylation and the conditions during acid hydrolysis may influence the results, we investigated their role in the analysis of selected bacterial HoEPS. The results reveal that ultrasonication is crucial for water insoluble α-glucan to swell/disperse and deprotonate prior to methylation whereas it is not necessary for water soluble HoEPS (dextran and levan). Complete hydrolysis of permethylated α-glucans requires 2 M trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) for 60/90 min at 121 °C while levan is hydrolyzed in 1 M TFA for 30 min at 70 °C. Nevertheless, levan was also detectable after hydrolysis in 2 M TFA at 121 °C. Thus, these conditions can be used to analyze a levan/dextran mixture. However, size exclusion chromatography of permethylated and hydrolyzed levan showed degradation and condensation reactions at harsher hydrolysis conditions. Application of reductive hydrolysis with 4-methylmorpholine-borane and TFA did not lead to improved results. Overall, our results demonstrate that conditions used for methylation analysis have to be adjusted for the analysis of different bacterial HoEPS.

Levels and distribution profiles of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in a high Arctic Svalbard ice core

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of persistent organic contaminants of which some are toxic and bioaccumulative. Several PFAS can be formed from the atmospheric degradation of precursors such as fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) as well as hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HFCs) and other ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) replacement compounds. Svalbard ice cores have been shown to provide a valuable record of long-range atmospheric transport of contaminants to the Arctic. This study uses a 12.3 m ice core from the remote Lomonosovfonna ice cap on Svalbard to understand the atmospheric deposition of PFAS in the Arctic. A total of 45 PFAS were targeted, of which 26 were detected, using supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) MS/MS. C₂ to C₁₁ perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) were detected continuously in the ice core and their fluxes ranged from 2.5 to 8200 ng m^-2 yr^-1 (9.51-16,500 pg L^-1). Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) represented 71 % of the total mass of C₂ - C₁₁ PFCAs in the ice core and had increasing temporal trends in deposition. The distribution profile of PFCAs suggested that FTOHs were likely the atmospheric precursor to C₈ - C₁₁ PFCAs, whereas C₂ - C₆ PFCAs had alternative sources, such as HFCs and other CFC replacement compounds. Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) was also widely detected in 82 % of ice core subsections, and its isomer profile (81 % linear) indicated an electrochemical fluorination manufacturing source. Comparisons of PFAS concentrations with a marine aerosol proxy showed that marine aerosols were insignificant for the deposition of PFAS on Lomonosovfonna. Comparisons with a melt proxy showed that TFA and PFOS were mobile during meltwater percolation. This indicates that seasonal snowmelt and runoff from post-industrial accumulation on glaciers could be a significant seasonal source of PFAS to ecosystems in Arctic fjords.

TFA-mediated stereoselective aza-Michael addition for the synthesis of 3β-arylamine derivatives of withaferin A and evaluation of their anticancer potential

A simple and efficient protocol for the aza-Michael addition of various aromatic anilines to ring A of withaferin A has been developed. Stereoselectivity, functional group tolerance, broad substrate scope, short reaction time and moderate to high yield are the merits of the protocol. One of the synthesized compounds 11 shows an IC 50 value of 3.8 μM against aggressive, highly metastatic triple-negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231.

Targeted PFAS analyses and extractable organofluorine - Enhancing our understanding of the presence of unknown PFAS in Norwegian wildlife

With the current possible presence of thousands of PFAS compounds in industrial emissions, there is an increasing need to assess the impacts of PFAS regulation of conventional PFAS on one hand and the exposure to emerging and yet unknown PFAS on the other. Today's analytical methodologies using targeted approaches are not sufficient to determine the complete suite of PFAS present. To evaluate the presence of unknown PFAS, we investigated in this study the occurrence of an extended range of target PFAS in various species from the marine and terrestrial Norwegian environment, in relation to the extractable organofluorine (EOF), which yields the total amount of organofluorine. The results showed a varying presence of extractable fluorinated organics, with glaucous gull eggs, otter liver and polar bear plasma showing the highest EOF and a high abundance of PFAS as well. The targeted PFAS measurements explained 1% of the organofluorine for moose liver as the lowest and 94% for otter liver as the highest. PFCAs like trifluoroacetic acid (TFA, reported semi-quantitatively), played a major role in explaining the organic fluorine present. Emerging PFAS as the perfluoroethylcyclohexane sulfonate (PFECHS), was found in polar bear plasma in quantifiable amounts for the first time, confirming earlier detection in arctic species far removed from emission sources. To enable a complete organic fluorine mass balance in wildlife, new approaches are needed, to uncover the presence of new emerging PFAS as cyclic- or ether PFAS together with chlorinated PFAS as well as fluorinated organic pesticides and pharmaceuticals.

A New Sustainable Multistep Catalytic Process from Benzene to Caprolactam: Amination, Hydroximation and Beckmann Rearrangement Promoted and Catalyzed by Trifluoroacetic Acid

Here we report some results on a 3 steps benzene caprolactam process via amination, aniline Hydroxymation and Beckmann rearrangement. The amination proceeds with hydroxylamine trifluoroacetate, with 97% of conversion and selectivity of 90%, catalyzed by V compounds. We achieve 98% of conversion and 95% of selectivity in the hydroxymation of aniline in the presence of hydroxylamine trifluoroacetate, sulfonic resin and Pd/C. While in the absence of the resin, hydrogenation of hydroxylamine trifluoroacetate occurs readily to the ammonium salt. The reaction occurs likely by the exchanged hydroxylamine and the aniline reduction intermediate. The use of hydroxylamine trifluoroacetate, instead of the chloride, favors the sustainability of the process by avoiding the ammonium chloride formation. The absence of salt except those derived from the trifluoroacetic acid allows a complete reuse of the trifluoroacetic acid and the only byproduct is ammonium nitrate obtained by resin regeneration. Beckmann rearrangement of the so produced cyclohexanone oxime occurs easily after diethyl ether evaporation and additions of a solution trifluoroacetic acid acetonitrile in high yield and selectivity.

Graphical Abstract

New three steps caprolactam process via benzene amination and aniline hydrogenation.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10562-022-04207-9.

Efficient removal of trifluoroacetic acid from water using surface-modified activated carbon and electro-assisted desorption

Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) is a very persistent, very mobile substance (vPvM) with potential toxicity, and causes increasing environmental concerns worldwide. Conventional wastewater treatment strategies are inefficient for selective TFA removal in the presence of inorganic anions. Here we show that surface defunctionalized activated carbon felt (DeACF) carrying anion exchange sites exhibits an outstanding adsorption efficiency towards TFA thanks to introduced electrostatic attraction and enhanced interactions between hydrophobic carbon surface and CF₃ moieties (q_max = 30 mg/g, K_d = (840 ± 80) L/kg at c_TFA = 3.4 mg/L in tap water). Flow-cell experiments demonstrated a strongly favored TFA uptake by DeACF from tap water over Cl^- and SO₄^2- but a remarkable co-adsorption of the inorganic water contaminant NO₃^-. Electro-assisted TFA desorption using 10 mM Na₂SO₄ as electrolyte and oxidized ACF as anode showed high recoveries of ≥ 87% at low cell voltages (< 1.1 V). Despite an initial decrease in TFA adsorption capacity (by 33%) caused by partial surface oxidation of DeACF after the 1st ad-/desorption cycle, the system stability was fully maintained over the next 4 cycles. Such electro-assisted 'trap&release' approach for TFA removal can be exploited for on-site regenerable adsorption units and as a pre-concentration step combined with degradation technologies.

Benzothiazole Pyrazoline: Acid-Switchable Absorption and Fluorescence of Photoinduced Electron Transfer (PET)

Acid-responsive fluorescent compounds were prepared by introducing an ortho-hydroxyphenyl to pyrazoline with a benzothiazole backbone. These compounds demonstrated normal fluorescence photoinduced electron transfer (PET) under neutral conditions but the addition of trifluoroacetic acid showed an arctic blue fluorescence, we verified that a protonation process of nitrogen in the thiazole ring which weakened the ability of thiazole to donate electrons to the pyrazoline and changed the photoinduced electron transfer led to photoinduced electron transfer (PET), which was the mechanism of the fluorescence quenching phenomenon under strongly acidic conditions. The photophysical properties of Benzothiazole pyrazoline exhibited blue emission at 421 nm in aqueous DMSO. The blue shift in the emission was switched by acid in DMSO, showing the compound's distinct fluorescence peak at 554 nm. To investigate solvatochromism, eight different solvents were used. The red-shift emission observed in enhancing the polarity of solvents and emission in DMSO suggested the conformation of the molecule which led to the intramolecular charge transfer by color and emission changes. Furthermore, the probe was also applied using the High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a UV detector to determine the trifluoroacetic acid in water samples. Interestingly, the method was found to be linear over the range of 10.0 µg L^-1 to 250.0 µg L^-1 (0.999). Under the optimum condition, the separation of trifluoroacetic acid was achieved in 20 min with the LOD of 1.3 µg L^-1 and LOQ of 5.1 µg L^-1. This proposed method also showed satisfactory results when applied for the analysis of trifluoroacetic acid in a water sample.

Simultaneous purification and depolymerization of Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 2 capsular polysaccharides by trifluoroacetic acid

Development of an effective purification process in order to provide low cost and high-quality vaccine is the necessity of glycoconjugate vaccine manufacturing industries. In the present study, we have attempted to develop a method for simultaneous purification and depolymerization process for capsular polysaccharides (CPS) derived from Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 2. Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) was used to precipitate impurities which were then removed by centrifugation. It was observed that the TFA treatment could simultaneously depolymerize the CPS and purify it. The purified and depolymerized CPS was analyzed for its purity, structural identity and conformity, molecular size, antigenicity to meet desired quality specifications. The obtained results showed that the purification and depolymerization of S. pneumoniae serotype 2 CPS did not affect the antigenicity of CPS.

Evaluation of strategies for overcoming trifluoroacetic acid ionization suppression resulted in single-column intact level, middle-up, and bottom-up reversed-phase LC-MS analyses of antibody biopharmaceuticals

A wide range of strategies for efficient chromatography and high MS sensitivity in reversed-phase LC-MS analysis of antibody biopharmaceuticals and their large derivates has been evaluated. They included replacing trifluoroacetic acid with alternative acidifiers, relevancy of elevated column temperature, use of dedicated stationary phases, and counteraction of the suppression effect of trifluoroacetic acid in electrospray ionization. At the column temperature of 60 °C, which significantly reduces in-column protein degradation, the BioResolve RP mAb Polyphenyl, BioShell IgG C₄ columns performed best using mobile phases with full or partial replacement of trifluoroacetic acid with difluoroacetic acid in the analysis of intact antibodies. Similarly, 0.03% trifluoroacetic acid in combination with 0.07% formic acid is a good alternative in analyzing antibody chains at 60 °C. Collectively, the addition of 3% 1-butanol to the mobile phase acidified with 0.1% formic acid was the most efficient approach to simultaneously achieving good chromatographic separation and MS sensitivity for intact and reduced antibody biopharmaceuticals. Moreover, this mobile phase combined with the BioResolve RP mAb Polyphenyl column was subsequently demonstrated to provide excellent results for peptide mapping of antibody biopharmaceuticals fully comparable with those obtained using a state-of-the-art column for peptide separation, thus opening an avenue for a single-column multilevel analysis of these biotherapeutics.

TFA-mediated synthesis of functionalized pyrano[2,3-c]pyrazoles from pyrazol-3-ones, active carbonyl compounds and tert-BuOH

Functionalized pyrano[2,3-c]pyrazoles were synthesized from 2,4-dihydro-3H-pyrazol-3-ones, active carbonyl compounds and tert-BuOH in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid at 65 °C. These reactions are proceeded by acid catalyzed generation of isobutylene from tert-BuOH for LUMO_diene-controlled inverse [4 + 2] cycloaddition reaction with in situ-generated vinylidenepyrazolones.

Development of a novel method for polar metabolite profiling by supercritical fluid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

Supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO₂), the main fluid in the mobile phase for supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC), is non-polar. The majority of polar compounds are little soluble in scCO₂, thereby rendering them poor candidates for achieving separation by carbon dioxide-based SFC. There is no reported method for the comprehensive analysis of hydrophilic metabolites by SFC with mobile phases comprising a high CO₂ ratio. In this study, we investigated the effect of additives in the modifier for enabling the application of SFC to profile diverse polar compounds for metabolomics. Eleven types of columns were screened by using proteinogenic amino acids as the model compounds. The addition of water and acids (formic acid and trifluoroacetic acid (TFA)) to the modifier was also investigated to improve the solubility of the polar compounds and mitigate the unfavorable interaction between the stationary phase and the polar compounds. A significant improvement in the peak shapes of the amino acids was observed upon addition of TFA. The CO₂/modifier ratio and TFA concentration in the mobile phases were investigated using the CROWNPAK CR-I (+) column, which showed the best performance during the column-screening. The CO₂/methanol/water/TFA ratio of 70/27/3/0.15 (v/v/v/v) was determined as the optimized mobile phase composition. Furthermore, the applicability of the optimized analytical method to other polar compounds was examined; 100 cationic and amphoteric compounds with predicted logP_ow values that ranged from -5.9 to 1.7 could be simultaneously analyzed without derivatization. Anionic compounds such as organic acids, phosphates, and sugars were excluded from the target analytes. Most of the previously reported SFC methods for analyzing polar compounds employ a gradient elution and require the use of high modifier ratios at 40% or more. In the proposed method, the use of water and TFA enabled the rapid and simultaneous analysis under isocratic elution within 10 min, even with a high CO₂ ratio of 70%. Additionally, a rat serum extract was analyzed using the optimized conditions, and 43 polar metabolites were successfully detected. This result demonstrates the applicability of the SFC/tandem mass spectrometry method to real samples.

Thermodynamic interpretation of the drift and noise of gradient baselines in reversed-phase liquid chromatography using mobile phase additives

The drift and noise of acetonitrile-water gradient baselines (5-95%, v/v, 5 min linear gradient) in reversed phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) are recorded at a wavelength of 215 nm using 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) as the mobile phase additive, a 4.6 mm  ×  150 mm 5 μm Symmetry-C₁₈ RPLC column, and an Arc system (low-pressure gradient proportioning valve or GPV, pump with a stroke volume of either 66 or 132 μL, no mixer) as the LC instrument. These observations are predicted from solid-liquid adsorption thermodynamics which requires the measurement of the excess adsorption isotherm of acetonitrile from water onto the RPLC column and of the variation of the Henry's constant of TFA as a function of the volume fraction of acetonitrile in the bulk mobile phase. The incomplete mixing of the acetonitrile and water packets delivered by the low-pressure GPV is represented by a sinusoidal perturbation of the programmed volume fraction of acetonitrile during the entire gradient. The variation of the TFA absorbance at 215 nm with increasing acetonitrile concentration is measured in order to transform TFA concentration into the observable absorbance unit. The drift and noise of the gradient baseline are calculated by solving numerically (Rouchon method) the equilibrium-dispersive (ED) mass balance equations of acetonitrile and TFA. The agreement between the calculated and observed gradient baselines is very good as the proposed model of chromatography accurately accounts for the displacement of TFA between stationary and mobile phases (early excess and late deficit of TFA concentration relative to 0.1%) and for the frequency (equal to the ratio of the applied flow rate to the stroke volume) and the amplitude of the periodic noise recorded during the gradient. From a practical viewpoint, the drift of the gradient baseline can be minimized by maximizing the ratio of the gradient volume to the hold-up volume ( > 10) and/or by minimizing the retention factor of the mobile phase additive in the water-rich eluent (k < 0.2). The reduction of the noise amplitude below 0.1 mAU as requested by the pharmaceutical industry imposes the ratio of the flow rate to the stroke volume of the pump to be larger than 1 Hz. This opens avenues towards the development of new GPV, pump, and mixers in order to mix efficiently the solvent packets delivered by conventional LC instrument.

Fluorochemicals biodegradation as a potential source of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) to the environment

The anthropogenic release of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) into the environmental media is not limited to photochemical oxidation of CFC alternatives and industrial emissions. Biological degradation of some fluorochemicals is expected to be a potential TFA source. For the first time, we assess if the potential precursors [6:2 fluorotelomer alcohol (6:2 FTOH), 4:2 fluorotelomer alcohol (4:2 FTOH), acrinathrin, trifluralin, and 2-(trifluoromethyl)acrylic acid (TFMAA)] can be biologically degraded to TFA. Results show that 6:2 FTOH was terminally transformed to 5:3 polyfluorinated acid (5:3 FTCA; 12.5 mol%), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA; 2.0 mol%), perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA; 1.6 mol%), perfluorobutyric acid (PFBA; 1.7 mol%), and TFA (2.3 mol%) by day 32 in the landfill soil microbial culture system. 4:2 FTOH could remove multiple -CF₂ groups by microorganisms and produce PFPeA (2.6 mol%), PFBA (17.4 mol%), TFA (7.8 mol%). We also quantified the degradation products of TFMAA as PFBA (1.3 mol%) and TFA (6.3 mol%). Furthermore, we basically analyzed the biodegradation contribution of short-chain FTOH as raw material residuals in commercial products to the TFA burden in the environmental media. We estimate global emission of 3.9-47.3 tonnes of TFA in the period from 1961 to 2019, and project 3.8-46.4 tonnes to be emitted from 2020 to 2040 via the pathway of 4:2 and 6:2 FTOH biodegradation (0.6-7.1 and 0.6-7.0 tonnes in China, respectively). Direct evidence of the experiments indicates that biodegradation of fluorochemicals is an overlooked source of TFA and there are still some unspecified mechanisms of TFA production pathways.

Challenges in the analytical determination of ultra-short-chain perfluoroalkyl acids and implications for environmental and human health

Ultra-short-chain perfluoroalkyl acids have recently gained attention due to increasing environmental concentrations being observed. The most well-known ultra-short-chain perfluoroalkyl acid is trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) which has been studied since the 1990s. Potential sources and the fate of ultra-short-chain perfluoroalkyl acids other than TFA are not well studied and data reporting their environmental occurrence is scarce. The analytical determination of ultra-short-chain perfluoroalkyl acids is challenging due to their high polarity resulting in low retention using reversed-phase liquid chromatography. Furthermore, recent studies have reported varying extraction recoveries in water samples depending on the water matrix and different methods have been suggested to increase the extraction recovery. The present review gives an overview of the currently used analytical methods and summarizes the findings regarding potential analytical challenges. In addition, the current state of knowledge regarding TFA and other ultra-short-chain perfluoroalkyl acids, namely perfluoropropanoic acid, trifluoromethane sulfonic acid, perfluoroethane sulfonic acid, and perfluoropropane sulfonic acid‚ are reviewed. Both known and potential sources as well as environmental concentrations are summarized and discussed together with their fate and the environmental and human implications.

Distribution characteristics of trifluoroacetic acid in the environments surrounding fluorochemical production plants in Jinan, China

Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) is a ubiquitous and extremely stable contaminant in the ambient environment and may be discharged during fluorochemical production processes. However, the impacts of fluorochemical production on surrounding areas have seldom been evaluated. We focused on Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province, China, and measured TFA levels in water, soil, and air samples. Our results showed that the average TFA concentrations in flowing water bodies were lower than those in landscape water bodies. The average TFA concentrations in soils were significantly higher than the background concentration. As for atmospheric TFA levels, the mean concentrations in the gas phase were higher than those in the particle phase, and average daytime levels were slightly higher than nighttime levels. In addition, the quotient method was used to assess the ecological risk of TFA in water in Jinan. The ratio of pollutant environmental concentration to predicted no-effect concentration (PEC/PNEC) for TFA was greater than 1, indicating that TFA does potentially damage the aquatic ecosystem of Jinan. Our findings suggest that TFA pollution around fluoride production plants is a serious problem and that actions are required to avoid exacerbating the local ecological and environmental risks of TFA.

Computational investigation of catalytic effects of CX3COOH (X = F,Cl,H) on the three-component cyclocondensation reaction

The mechanism of acetic acid (AA), trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), and trichloroacetic acid (TCA) catalyzed three-component cyclocondensation reaction to (4S,6S)-4,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazinane-2-thione was determined via density functional calculations. Based on the potential energy surface diagram, TCA was found to be a reasonable catalyst [energy span (δG) is 2 kcal mol^-1 less than TFA and AA] for the reaction. An energetic span model implies that TFA and AA show the same catalytic performance. The impact of the presence of halogen atoms in TFA and TCA catalysts is quantified via energy barriers. Graphical Abstract Ranking catalytic efficiency of OTC triazinane-2-thione formation Graphical Abstract contains poor quality and small text inside the artwork. Please do not re-use the file that we have rejected or attempt to increase its resolution and re-save. It is originally poor, therefore, increasing the resolution will not solve the quality problem. We suggest that you provide us the original format. We prefer replacement figures containing vector/editable objects rather than embedded images. Preferred file formats are eps, ai, tiff and pdf.It is attached as tiff format.

The contribution of fluoropolymer thermolysis to trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in environmental media

The source of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) has long been a controversial issue. Fluoropolymer thermolysis is expected to be a potential anthropogenic source except for CFC alternatives. However, its TFA yield and contributions have rarely been reported more recently. In this study, we investigated the thermal properties of three kinds of fluoropolymers, including poly (vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluropropylene) (PVDF-HFP), poly (vinylidene fluoride-co-chlorotrifluoroethylene) (PVDF-CTFE) and poly (tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE). A laboratory simulation experiment was then performed to analyze the TFA levels in the thermolysis products and hence to examine the TFA yields of these fluoropolymers. Thermolysis of these fluoropolymers occurred in the temperature ranges from ∼400 °C to ∼650 °C, with the peak weight loss rate at around 550-600 °C. TFA could be produced through fluoropolymer thermolysis when being heated to 500 °C and above. Average TFA yields of PTFE, PVDF-HFP and PVDF-CTFE were 1.2%, 0.9% and 0.3%, respectively. Furthermore, the contribution of fluoropolymer thermolysis and CFC alternatives to rainwater TFA in Beijing, China was evaluated by using a Two-Box model. The degradation of fluoropolymers and HCFCs/HFCs could explain 37.9-43.4 ng L^-1 rainwater TFA in Beijing in 2014. The thermolysis of fluoropolymers contributed 0.6-6.1 ng L^-1 of rainwater TFA, accounting for 1.6-14.0% of the TFA burden from all the precursors which were considered here.

Degradation of perfluorinated compounds by sulfate radicals - New mechanistic aspects and economical considerations

Perfluorinated organic compounds (PFC) are an important group of pollutants, which are difficult to be degraded in conventional water treatment. Even hydroxyl radical based processes are not capable to degrade these compounds. Sulfate radicals can oxidize a group of PFC, i.e., perfluorinated carboxylic (PFCAs) acids. However, information in literature on kinetics and reaction mechanism is largely based on model simulations which are prone to errors. The present study provides mechanistic insights based on product formation, material balances, competition kinetics experiments and quantum chemical calculations. Furthermore, energy requirements for sulfate radical based degradation of PFCA is evaluated in the present study. PFCAs can be partly mineralized in chain reactions initiated by sulfate radicals (SO₄^─). The perfluorinated acetic acid (TFA), propionic acid, and butanoic acid are largely degraded in a primary reaction with sulfate radicals. In case of PFCA with a chain length of > 4 carbons low yields of PFCA products were observed. Regarding reaction kinetics sulfate radicals react very slow with PFCAs (≈ 10⁴ M^-1 s^-1). Thus, the energy demand required for generation of SO₄^─ by photolysis of S₂O₈^2─ (UV/S₂O₈^2-) is very high. A 90% degradation of a PFCA by UV/S₂O₈^2- was estimated to be 55 kW h m^-3 in pure water.

Cellulose modification by recyclable swelling solvents

BACKGROUND

The invention of efficient systems for lignocellulose conversion is essential for economically feasible production of bio-based chemicals and biofuels. One limiting step is highly selective processes to quickly decrystallize the compact cellulose structure for efficient hydrolysis. We evaluated the impact of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) and phosphorous acid (PA)-induced swelling of crystalline cellulose on enhancement of enzymatic digestion.

RESULTS

In this study, two swelling agents, TFA and PA, are compared and found to be highly efficient for cellulose decrystallization at low temperatures within 1 h. After treatment, the microfibril structure of swollen celluloses was observed to develop distinct microscopic morphology and subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis resulted over 90% cellulose conversion within 24 h. The crystalline cellulose change was determined by reduction of loss of X-ray diffractability, and loss of resistance to enzymatic hydrolysis. NMR results suggest that both TFA and PA efficiently converted most of the crystalline cellulose regions to amorphous regions through cellulose chain relocation that inhibits recrystallization. It was found that the swelling mechanism is different between TFA and PA. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time to compare and quantify the cellulose regions transformation by swelling agents.

CONCLUSION

This study shows the low-temperature swelling of different celluloses in TFA and PA reduces recalcitrance of crystalline cellulose to enzymatic hydrolysis. TFA and PA are both ideal candidate swelling agents for a closed system for ease of solvent recovery by either simple distillation or filtration. This study provides potentially useful agents in large-scale deconstruction of biomass.

Small, mobile, persistent: Trifluoroacetate in the water cycle - Overlooked sources, pathways, and consequences for drinking water supply

Elevated concentrations of trifluoroacetate (TFA) of more than 100 μg/L in a major German river led to the occurrence of more than 20 μg/L TFA in bank filtration based tap waters. Several spatially resolved monitoring programs were conducted and discharges from an industrial company were identified as the point source of TFA contamination. Treatment options for TFA removal were investigated at full-scale waterworks and in laboratory batch tests. Commonly applied techniques like ozonation or granulated activated carbon filtration are inappropriate for TFA removal, whereas TFA was partly removed by ion exchange and completely retained by reverse osmosis. Further investigations identified wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) as additional TFA dischargers into the aquatic environment. TFA was neither removed by biological wastewater treatment, nor by a retention soil filter used for the treatment of combined sewer overflows. WWTP influents can even bear a TFA formation potential, when appropriate CF₃-containing precursors are present. Biological degradation and ozonation batch experiments with chemicals of different classes (flurtamone, fluopyram, tembotrione, flufenacet, fluoxetine, sitagliptine and 4:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate) proved that there are yet overlooked sources and pathways of TFA, which need to be addressed in the future.

Theory-guided access to efficient photodegradation of the simplest perfluorocarboxylic acid: Trifluoroacetic acid

The photodegradation approaches of perfluorocarboxylic acids have attracted considerable attention and have been developed extensively. However, the reaction channels along which the perfluorocarboxylic acid molecules dissociate remain to be deciphered by means of the quantum chemical method at the electronically excited state level of theory until now. Here we report the photodissociation mechanism of the simplest perfluorocarboxylic acid, trifluoroacetic acid, using the complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) and the multi-configurational second-order perturbation (CASPT2) methods. The CC and CO α bond fission channels were both taken into account. Based on the constructed potential energy surfaces, it is concluded that the CC α bond fission, which would probably account for further degradations and mineralizations, may mainly take place in the triplet manifolds via intersystem crossing from the S₁ state. Thus, taking the computational results of the simple member of perfluorocarboxylic acids as a rational clue, strategies to enhance intersystem crossing process efficiencies of the photodegradation of perfluorocarboxylic acids can be developed.

Dynamic and thermodynamic mechanisms of TFA adsorption by particulate matter

Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in the atmosphere is produced by degradation of hydrochlorofluorocarbons and hydrofluorocarbons. In recent years, TFA has attracted global attention because of increased environmental concentrations, biological toxicity and accumulation in aqueous environments. This study focused on the mechanisms underlying the adsorption of TFA by particulate matter to identify the appropriate descriptive model for this process and thus improve estimation of TFA adsorption in future environmental monitoring. Onsite gas and particle phase sampling in Beijing, China, and subsequent measurement of TFA concentrations indicated that the TFA concentration in the gas phase (1396 ± 225 pg m^-3) was much higher than that in the particle phase (62 ± 8 pg m^-3) and that monthly concentrations varied seasonally with temperature. Based on the field results and analysis, an adsorption experiment of TFA on soot was then conducted at three different temperatures (293, 303, and 313 K) to provide parameters for kinetic and thermodynamic modelling. The proportion of atmospheric TFA concentration in the gas phase increased with temperature, indicating that temperature affected the phase distribution of TFA. The subsequent kinetic and thermodynamic modelling showed that the adsorption of TFA by soot could be described well by the Bangham kinetic model. The adsorption was controlled by diffusion, and the key mechanism was physical adsorption. The adsorption behavior can be well described by the Langmuir isotherm model. The calculated thermodynamic parameters ΔG° (-2.34, -1.25, and -0.15 kJ mol^-1 at 293, 303, and 313 K, respectively), ΔH° (-34.34 kJ mol^-1), and ΔS° (-109.22 J mol^-1 K^-1) for TFA adsorption by soot were negative, indicating that adsorption was a spontaneous, exothermic process.

A mild acetolysis procedure for the regioselective removal of isopropylidene in di-O-isopropylidene-protected pyranoside systems

A mild acetolysis method for the regioselective removal of isopropylidene group from di-O-isopropylidene-protected hexopyranosides is reported. O-Isopropylidene-protected intermediates play an important role in carbohydrate chemistry, as they are often found in commercially available furanosyl and pyranosyl materials, and some of them contain more than one O-isopropylidene groups. Methods that permit regioselective removal of O-isopropylidene groups are extremely valuable, as the number of steps in the total synthesis of complex oligosaccharides could be significantly decreased. Here we report that trifluoroacetic acid (TFA)/acetic anhydride (Ac₂O) can be used to regioselectively convert one of the two O-isopropylidene groups to vicinal di-O-acetates in the di-O-isopropylidene-protected galacto- and fructo-pyranosyl systems, and the reagent is compatible with some common functionalities such as sulfonate esters, bromide, azide etc.

A 17-fold increase of trifluoroacetic acid in landscape waters of Beijing, China during the last decade

The concentrations of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) were measured in urban landscape waters, tap water and snows in Beijing, China in 2012. Compared with the 2002 measurements, a 17-fold increase from 23-98ngL(-1) to 345-828ngL(-1) was observed for TFA concentrations in urban landscape waters, and an obvious increase from not detected (n.d.) to 155ngL(-1) occurred to TFA in tap water. By flux estimation between air and water interface, the remarkable increase of TFA was attributable to dry and wet deposition. The quantitative water-air-sediment interaction (QWASI) model simulated TFAs in various environmental media and showed that, over 99% of TFA distributed in water bodies. Our results recommend that measures are needed to control the increase of TFA in China.

Characterization of cyclic peptides containing disulfide bonds

Unlike linear peptides, analysis of cyclic peptides containing disulfide bonds is not straightforward and demands indirect methods to achieve a rigorous proof of structure. Three peptides that belong to this category, p-Cl-Phe-DPDPE, DPDPE, and CTOP, were analyzed and the results are presented in this paper. The great potential of two dimensional NMR and ESI tandem mass spectrometry was harnessed during the course of peptide characterizations. A new RP-HPLC method for the analysis of trifluoroacetic acid is also presented. It is robust, simple, and efficient compared to the currently available methods.

A novel process for recycling and resynthesizing LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 from the cathode scraps intended for lithium-ion batteries

To solve the recycling challenge for aqueous binder based lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), a novel process for recycling and resynthesizing LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 from the cathode scraps generated during manufacturing process is proposed in this study. Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) is employed to separate the cathode material from the aluminum foil. The effects of TFA concentration, liquid/solid (L/S) ratio, reaction temperature and time on the separation efficiencies of the cathode material and aluminum foil are investigated systematically. The cathode material can be separated completely under the optimal experimental condition of 15vol.% TFA solution, L/S ratio of 8.0 mL g(-1), reacting at 40°C for 180 min along with appropriate agitation. LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 is successfully resynthesized from the separated cathode material by solid state reaction method. Several kinds of characterizations are performed to verify the typical properties of the resynthesized LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 powder. Electrochemical tests show that the initial charge and discharge capacities of the resynthesized LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 are 201 mAh g(-)(1) and 155.4 mAh g(-1) (2.8-4.5 V, 0.1C), respectively. The discharge capacity remains at 129 mAh g(-1) even after 30 cycles with a capacity retention ratio of 83.01%.

Rainwater trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in Guangzhou, South China: levels, wet deposition fluxes and source implication

The origin of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) occurring in hydrosphere has long been a controversial issue. Hydrochlorofluorocarbons and hydrofluorocarbons (HCFCs/HFCs) as replacements of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are precursors of TFA in the atmosphere, their contribution to rainwater TFA is a concern as their ambient mixing ratios are continually growing. Here we present rainwater TFA monitored from April 2007 to March 2008 in urban Guangzhou, a central city in south China's highly industrialized and densely populated Pearl River Delta region. Rainwater TFA levels ranged 45.8-974 ng L(-1) with a median of 166 ng L(-1). TFA levels negatively correlated with rainfall amount, the yearly rainfall-weighted average for TFA was 152 ng L(-1). The annual TFA wet deposition flux was estimated to be 229 g km(-2) yr(-1), and the total wet deposition of TFA reached ~1.7 tyr(-1) in Guangzhou. The Two-Box model was applied to estimate attributions of HCFCs/HFCs and fluoropolymers to rainwater TFA assuming TFA generated was proportional to gross domestic product (GDP), gross industrial product (GIP) or number of private cars. The results revealed that the degradation of HCFCs/HFCs and fluoropolymers could explain 131.5-152.4 ng L(-1) rainwater TFA, quite near the observed rainfall-weighted annual mean of 152 ng L(-1), suggesting rainwater TFA in Guangzhou was predominantly originated from these anthropogenic precursors. HCFCs/HFCs accounted for 83.3-96.5% of rainwater TFA observed, while fluoropolymers' contributions were minor (~5%). HFC-134a alone could explain 55.9-90.0% of rainwater TFA, and its contribution would be greatly enhanced with its wide use in mobile air conditioning systems and rapid increase in ambient mixing ratios.

A 'conovenomic' analysis of the milked venom from the mollusk-hunting cone snail Conus textile--the pharmacological importance of post-translational modifications

Cone snail venoms provide a largely untapped source of novel peptide drug leads. To enhance the discovery phase, a detailed comparative proteomic analysis was undertaken on milked venom from the mollusk-hunting cone snail, Conus textile, from three different geographic locations (Hawai'i, American Samoa and Australia's Great Barrier Reef). A novel milked venom conopeptide rich in post-translational modifications was discovered, characterized and named α-conotoxin TxIC. We assign this conopeptide to the 4/7 α-conotoxin family based on the peptide's sequence homology and cDNA pre-propeptide alignment. Pharmacologically, α-conotoxin TxIC demonstrates minimal activity on human acetylcholine receptor models (100 μM, <5% inhibition), compared to its high paralytic potency in invertebrates, PD50 = 34.2 nMol kg(-1). The non-post-translationally modified form, [Pro](2,8)[Glu](16)α-conotoxin TxIC, demonstrates differential selectivity for the α3β2 isoform of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor with maximal inhibition of 96% and an observed IC50 of 5.4 ± 0.5 μM. Interestingly its comparative PD50 (3.6 μMol kg(-1)) in invertebrates was ~100 fold more than that of the native peptide. Differentiating α-conotoxin TxIC from other α-conotoxins is the high degree of post-translational modification (44% of residues). This includes the incorporation of γ-carboxyglutamic acid, two moieties of 4-trans hydroxyproline, two disulfide bond linkages, and C-terminal amidation. These findings expand upon the known chemical diversity of α-conotoxins and illustrate a potential driver of toxin phyla-selectivity within Conus.

Functional proteomics approaches for the identification of transnitrosylase and denitrosylase targets

Protein S-nitrosylation is a dynamic post-translational modification (PTM) of specific cysteines within a target protein. Both proteins and small molecules are known to regulate the attachment and removal of this PTM, and proteins exhibiting such a function are transnitrosylase or denitrosylase candidates. With the advent of the biotin switch technique coupled to high-throughput proteomics workflows, the identification and quantification of large numbers of S-nitrosylated proteins and peptides is now possible. Proper analysis and interpretation of high throughout and quantitative proteomics data will help identify specific transnitrosylase and denitrosylase target peptide sequences and contribute to an understanding of the function and regulation of specific S-nitrosylation events. Here we describe the application of a quantitative proteomics approach using isotope-coded affinity tags (ICAT) in the biotin switch approach for the identification of transnitrosylation and denitrosylation targets of thioredoxin 1, an enigmatic protein with both reported transnitrosylase and denitrosylase activities.