Neurotoxicity of fungal volatile organic compounds in Drosophila melanogaster.

PubMed

Inamdar, Arati A; Masurekar, Prakash; Bennett, Joan Wennstrom

2010-10-01

Many volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are found in indoor environment as products of microbial metabolism. In damp indoor environments, fungi are associated with poor air quality. Some epidemiological studies have suggested that microbial VOCs have a negative impact on human health. Our study was designed to provide a reductionist approach toward studying fungal VOC-mediated toxicity using the inexpensive model organism, Drosophila melanogaster, and pure chemical standards of several important fungal VOCs. Low concentrations of the following known fungal VOCs, 0.1% of 1-octen-3-ol and 0.5% of 2-octanone; 2,5 dimethylfuran; 3-octanol; and trans-2-octenal, caused locomotory defects and changes in green fluorescent protein (GFP)- and antigen-labeled dopaminergic neurons in adult D. melanogaster. Locomotory defects could be partially rescued with L-DOPA. Ingestion of the antioxidant, vitamin E, improved the survival span and delayed the VOC-mediated changes in dopaminergic neurons, indicating that the VOC-mediated toxicity was due, in part, to generation of reactive oxygen species.

Surface microlayer enrichment of volatile organic compounds and semi-volatile organic compounds in drinking water source.

PubMed

Huang, Zhi; Zhou, Wen; Yu, Ya-juan; Zhang, Ai-qian; Han, Shuo-kui; Wang, Lian-sheng

2004-01-01

Enrichment of volatile organic compounds(VOC) and semi-volatility organic compounds(SVOC) in surface microlayer(SM) of three drinking water sources were studied. The enrichment factor(EFs) were 0.67 to 13.37 and 0.16 to 136, respectively. The results showed some VOC and most SVOC could enrich in SM. Some EFs of SVOC was quite high. Suspension and temperature could affect EFs of SVOC, slim wind and water movement do not destroy enrichment of organic in SM.

Methods of making organic compounds by metathesis

DOEpatents

Abraham, Timothy W.; Kaido, Hiroki; Lee, Choon Woo; Pederson, Richard L.; Schrodi, Yann; Tupy, Michael John

2015-09-01

Described are methods of making organic compounds by metathesis chemistry. The methods of the invention are particularly useful for making industrially-important organic compounds beginning with starting compositions derived from renewable feedstocks, such as natural oils. The methods make use of a cross-metathesis step with an olefin compound to produce functionalized alkene intermediates having a pre-determined double bond position. Once isolated, the functionalized alkene intermediate can be self-metathesized or cross-metathesized (e.g., with a second functionalized alkene) to produce the desired organic compound or a precursor thereto. The method may be used to make bifunctional organic compounds, such as diacids, diesters, dicarboxylate salts, acid/esters, acid/amines, acid/alcohols, acid/aldehydes, acid/ketones, acid/halides, acid/nitriles, ester/amines, ester/alcohols, ester/aldehydes, ester/ketones, ester/halides, ester/nitriles, and the like.

Atmospheric Chemistry of Micrometeoritic Organic Compounds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kress, M. E.; Belle, C. L.; Pevyhouse, A. R.; Iraci, L. T.

2011-01-01

Micrometeorites approx.100 m in diameter deliver most of the Earth s annual accumulation of extraterrestrial material. These small particles are so strongly heated upon atmospheric entry that most of their volatile content is vaporized. Here we present preliminary results from two sets of experiments to investigate the fate of the organic fraction of micrometeorites. In the first set of experiments, 300 m particles of a CM carbonaceous chondrite were subject to flash pyrolysis, simulating atmospheric entry. In addition to CO and CO2, many organic compounds were released, including functionalized benzenes, hydrocarbons, and small polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. In the second set of experiments, we subjected two of these compounds to conditions that simulate the heterogeneous chemistry of Earth s upper atmosphere. We find evidence that meteor-derived compounds can follow reaction pathways leading to the formation of more complex organic compounds.

Apparatus for reading two-dimensional electrophoretograms containing. beta. -ray-emitting labeled compounds

DOEpatents

Anderson, H.L.; Kinnison, W.W.; Lillberg, J.W.

1985-04-30

An apparatus and method for electronically reading planar two-dimensional ..beta..-ray emitter-labeled gel electrophoretograms. A single, flat rectangular multiwire proportional chamber is placed in close proximity to the gel and the assembly placed in an intense uniform magnetic field disposed in a perpendicular manner to the rectangular face of the proportional chamber. Beta rays emitted in the direction of the proportional chamber are caused to execute helical motions which substantially preserve knowledge the coordinates of their origin in the gel. Perpendicularly oriented, parallel wire, parallel plane cathodes electronically sense the location of the ..beta..-rays from ionization generated thereby in a detection gas coupled with an electron avalanche effect resulting from the action of a parallel wire anode located therebetween. A scintillator permits the present apparatus to be rendered insensitive when signals are generated from cosmic rays incident on the proportional chamber. Resolution for concentrations of radioactive compounds in the gel exceeds 700-..mu..m. The apparatus and method of the present invention represent a significant improvement over conventional autoradiographic techniques in dynamic range, linearity and sensitivity of data collection. A concentration and position map for gel electrophoretograms having significant concentrations of labeled compounds and/or highly radioactive labeling nuclides can generally be obtained in less than one hour.

Copper-catalyzed oxidative desulfurization-oxygenation of thiocarbonyl compounds using molecular oxygen: an efficient method for the preparation of oxygen isotopically labeled carbonyl compounds.

PubMed

Shibahara, Fumitoshi; Suenami, Aiko; Yoshida, Atsunori; Murai, Toshiaki

2007-06-21

A novel copper-catalyzed oxidative desulfurization reaction of thiocarbonyl compounds, using molecular oxygen as an oxidant and leading to formation of carbonyl compounds, has been developed, and the utility of the process is demonstrated by its application to the preparation of a carbonyl-18O labeled sialic acid derivative.

Biogenic Volatile Organic Compound and Respiratory CO2 Emissions after 13C-Labeling: Online Tracing of C Translocation Dynamics in Poplar Plants

PubMed Central

Ghirardo, Andrea; Gutknecht, Jessica; Zimmer, Ina; Brüggemann, Nicolas; Schnitzler, Jörg-Peter

2011-01-01

Background Globally plants are the primary sink of atmospheric CO2, but are also the major contributor of a large spectrum of atmospheric reactive hydrocarbons such as terpenes (e.g. isoprene) and other biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC). The prediction of plant carbon (C) uptake and atmospheric oxidation capacity are crucial to define the trajectory and consequences of global environmental changes. To achieve this, the biosynthesis of BVOC and the dynamics of C allocation and translocation in both plants and ecosystems are important. Methodology We combined tunable diode laser absorption spectrometry (TDLAS) and proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) for studying isoprene biosynthesis and following C fluxes within grey poplar (Populus x canescens) saplings. This was achieved by feeding either 13CO2 to leaves or 13C-glucose to shoots via xylem uptake. The translocation of 13CO2 from the source to other plant parts could be traced by 13C-labeled isoprene and respiratory 13CO2 emission. Principal Finding In intact plants, assimilated 13CO2 was rapidly translocated via the phloem to the roots within 1 hour, with an average phloem transport velocity of 20.3±2.5 cm h−1. 13C label was stored in the roots and partially reallocated to the plants' apical part one day after labeling, particularly in the absence of photosynthesis. The daily C loss as BVOC ranged between 1.6% in mature leaves and 7.0% in young leaves. Non-isoprene BVOC accounted under light conditions for half of the BVOC C loss in young leaves and one-third in mature leaves. The C loss as isoprene originated mainly (76–78%) from recently fixed CO2, to a minor extent from xylem-transported sugars (7–11%) and from photosynthetic intermediates with slower turnover rates (8–11%). Conclusion We quantified the plants' C loss as respiratory CO2 and BVOC emissions, allowing in tandem with metabolic analysis to deepen our understanding of ecosystem C flux. PMID:21387007

Sorption of organic carbon compounds to the fine fraction of surface and Subsurface Soils

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jagadamma, Sindhu; Mayes, Melanie; Zinn, Yuri

2014-01-01

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) transported from the soil surface is stabilized in deeper soil profiles by physicochemical sorption processes. However, it is unclear how different forms of organic carbon (OC) compounds common in soil organic matter interact with soil minerals in the surface (A) and subsurface (B) horizons. We added four compounds (glucose, starch, cinnamic acid and stearic acid) to the silt- and clay-sized fraction (fine fraction) of A and B horizons of eight soils from varying climates (3 temperate, 3 tropical, 1 arctic and 1 sub-arctic). Equilibriumbatch experiments were conducted using 0 to 100 mg C L 1 ofmore » 14C-labeled compounds for 8 h. Sorption parameters (maximum sorption capacity, Qmax and binding coefficient, k) calculated by fitting sorption data to the Langmuir equation showed that Qmax of A and B horizons was very similar for all compounds. Both Qmax and k values were related to sorbate properties, with Qmax being lowest for glucose (20 500 mg kg 1), highest for stearic acid (20,000 200,000 mg kg 1), and intermediate for both cinnamic acid (200 4000 mg kg 1) and starch (400 6000 mg kg 1). Simple linear regression analysis revealed that physicochemical properties of the sorbents influenced the Qmax of cinnamic acid and stearic acid, but not glucose and starch. The sorbent properties did not show predictive ability for binding coefficient k. By using the fine fraction as sorbent, we found that the mineral fractions of A horizons are equally reactive as the B horizons irrespective of soil organic carbon content.« less

Method and reaction pathway for selectively oxidizing organic compounds

DOEpatents

Camaioni, Donald M.; Lilga, Michael A.

1998-01-01

A method of selectively oxidizing an organic compound in a single vessel comprises: a) combining an organic compound, an acid solution in which the organic compound is soluble, a compound containing two oxygen atoms bonded to one another, and a metal ion reducing agent capable of reducing one of such oxygen atoms, and thereby forming a mixture; b) reducing the compound containing the two oxygen atoms by reducing one of such oxygen atoms with the metal ion reducing agent to, 1) oxidize the metal ion reducing agent to a higher valence state, and 2) produce an oxygen containing intermediate capable of oxidizing the organic compound; c) reacting the oxygen containing intermediate with the organic compound to oxidize the organic compound into an oxidized organic intermediate, the oxidized organic intermediate having an oxidized carbon atom; d) reacting the oxidized organic intermediate with the acid counter ion and higher valence state metal ion to bond the acid counter ion to the oxidized carbon atom and thereby produce a quantity of an ester incorporating the organic intermediate and acid counter ion; and e) reacting the oxidized organic intermediate with the higher valence state metal ion and water to produce a quantity of alcohol which is less than the quantity of ester, the acid counter ion incorporated in the ester rendering the carbon atom bonded to the counter ion less reactive with the oxygen containing intermediate in the mixture than is the alcohol with the oxygen containing intermediate.

7 CFR 205.303 - Packaged products labeled “100 percent organic” or “organic.”

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

..., verifying organic certification of the operations producing such ingredients, and: Provided further, That... (CONTINUED) ORGANIC FOODS PRODUCTION ACT PROVISIONS NATIONAL ORGANIC PROGRAM Labels, Labeling, and Market Information § 205.303 Packaged products labeled “100 percent organic” or “organic.” (a) Agricultural products...

Creating and virtually screening databases of fluorescently-labelled compounds for the discovery of target-specific molecular probes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamstra, Rhiannon L.; Dadgar, Saedeh; Wigg, John; Chowdhury, Morshed A.; Phenix, Christopher P.; Floriano, Wely B.

2014-11-01

Our group has recently demonstrated that virtual screening is a useful technique for the identification of target-specific molecular probes. In this paper, we discuss some of our proof-of-concept results involving two biologically relevant target proteins, and report the development of a computational script to generate large databases of fluorescence-labelled compounds for computer-assisted molecular design. The virtual screening of a small library of 1,153 fluorescently-labelled compounds against two targets, and the experimental testing of selected hits reveal that this approach is efficient at identifying molecular probes, and that the screening of a labelled library is preferred over the screening of base compounds followed by conjugation of confirmed hits. The automated script for library generation explores the known reactivity of commercially available dyes, such as NHS-esters, to create large virtual databases of fluorescence-tagged small molecules that can be easily synthesized in a laboratory. A database of 14,862 compounds, each tagged with the ATTO680 fluorophore was generated with the automated script reported here. This library is available for downloading and it is suitable for virtual ligand screening aiming at the identification of target-specific fluorescent molecular probes.

Organic compounds in radiation fogs in Davis (California)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herckes, Pierre; Hannigan, Michael P.; Trenary, Laurie; Lee, Taehyoung; Collett, Jeffrey L.

New stainless steel active fogwater collectors were designed and used in Davis (CA, USA) to collect fogwater for the speciation of organic matter. Organic compounds in fog samples were extracted by liquid-liquid extraction and analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Numerous organic compounds, including various alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and alkanoic acids, have been identified in the fogwater samples. Higher molecular weight (MW) compounds are preferentially associated with an insoluble phase inside the fog drops, whereas lower molecular weight and more polar compounds are found predominantly in the dissolved phase. Concentrations in the dissolved phase were sometimes much higher than estimated by the compounds' aqueous solubilities.

Fluorine-18 labeled tracers for PET studies in the neurosciences

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ding, Yu-Shin; Fowler, J.S.

This chapter focuses on fluorine-18, the positron emitter with the longest half-life, the lowest positron energy and probably, the most challenging chemistry. The incorporation of F-18 into organic compounds presents many challenges, including: the need to synthesize and purify the compound within a 2--3 hour time frame; the limited number of labeled precursor molecules; the need to work on a microscale; and the need to produce radiotracers which are chemically and radiochemically pure, sterile and pyrogen-free, and suitable for intravenous injection. The PET method and F-18 labeling of organic molecules are described followed by highlights of the applications of F-18more » labeled compounds in the neurosciences and neuropharmacology. It is important to emphasize the essential and pivotal role that organic synthesis has played in the progression of the PET field over the past twenty years from one in which only a handful of institutions possessed the instrumentation and staff to carry out research to the present-day situation where there are more than 200 PET centers worldwide. During this period PET has become an important scientific tool in the neurosciences, cardiology and oncology. It is important to point out that PET is by no means a mature field. The fact that a hundreds of different F-18 labeled compounds have been developed but only a few possess the necessary selectivity and sensitivity in vivo to track a specific biochemical process illustrates this and underscores a major difficulty in radiotracer development, namely the selection of priority structures for synthesis and the complexities of the interactions between chemical compounds and living systems. New developments in rapid organic synthesis are needed in order to investigate new molecular targets and to improve the quantitative nature of PET experiments.« less

Organic compounds in the Murchison meteorite.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ponnamperuma, C.

1972-01-01

Impressive supporting evidence for the concept of the chemical evolution of life has appeared in the discovery of biologically important compounds in extraterrestrial samples. The approaches pursued to detect extraterrestrial organic compounds include the study of interstellar space by radioastronomy, the evaluation of the Apollo lunar samples, and the analysis of meteorites, both ancient and recent. It has been found that the clouds of gas in the interstellar medium contain a wide variety of molecules, most of which are organic in nature. The carbonaceous chondrites contain polymeric organic matter. Amino acids have been detected in the Murchison meteorite.

Removal of organic compounds from shale gas flowback water.

PubMed

Butkovskyi, Andrii; Faber, Ann-Hélène; Wang, Yue; Grolle, Katja; Hofman-Caris, Roberta; Bruning, Harry; Van Wezel, Annemarie P; Rijnaarts, Huub H M

2018-07-01

Ozonation, sorption to granular activated carbon and aerobic degradation were compared as potential treatment methods for removal of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) fractions and selected organic compounds from shale gas flowback water after pre-treatment in dissolved air flotation unit. Flowback water was characterised by high chemical oxygen demand and DOC. Low molecular weight (LMW) acids and neutral compounds were the most abundant organic fractions, corresponding to 47% and 35% of DOC respectively. Ozonation did not change distribution of organic carbon fractions and concentrations of detected individual organic compounds significantly. Sorption to activated carbon targeted removal of individual organic compounds with molecular weight >115 Da, whereas LMW compounds remained largely unaffected. Aerobic degradation was responsible for removal of LMW compounds and partial ammonium removal, whereas formation of intermediates with molecular weight of 200-350 Da was observed. Combination of aerobic degradation for LMW organics removal with adsorption to activated carbon for removal of non-biodegradable organics is proposed to be implemented between pre-treatment (dissolved air floatation) and desalination (thermal or membrane desalination) steps. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reflectance spectroscopy of organic compounds: 1. Alkanes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, Roger N.; Curchin, John M.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Swayze, Gregg A.

2009-03-01

Reflectance spectra of the organic compounds comprising the alkane series are presented from the ultraviolet to midinfrared, 0.35 to 15.5 μm. Alkanes are hydrocarbon molecules containing only single carbon-carbon bonds, and are found naturally on the Earth and in the atmospheres of the giant planets and Saturn's moon, Titan. This paper presents the spectral properties of the alkanes as the first in a series of papers to build a spectral database of organic compounds for use in remote sensing studies. Applications range from mapping the environment on the Earth, to the search for organic molecules and life in the solar system and throughout the universe. We show that the spectral reflectance properties of organic compounds are rich, with major diagnostic spectral features throughout the spectral range studied. Little to no spectral change was observed as a function of temperature and only small shifts and changes in the width of absorption bands were observed between liquids and solids, making remote detection of spectral properties throughout the solar system simpler. Some high molecular weight organic compounds contain single-bonded carbon chains and have spectra similar to alkanes even when they fall into other families. Small spectral differences are often present allowing discrimination among some compounds, further illustrating the need to catalog spectral properties for accurate remote sensing identification with spectroscopy.

Reflectance spectroscopy of organic compounds: 1. Alkanes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, R.N.; Curchin, J.M.; Hoefen, T.M.; Swayze, G.A.

2009-01-01

Reflectance spectra of the organic compounds comprising the alkane series are presented from the ultraviolet to midinfrared, 0.35 to 15.5 /??m. Alkanes are hydrocarbon molecules containing only single carbon-carbon bonds, and are found naturally on the Earth and in the atmospheres of the giant planets and Saturn's moon, Titan. This paper presents the spectral properties of the alkanes as the first in a series of papers to build a spectral database of organic compounds for use in remote sensing studies. Applications range from mapping the environment on the Earth, to the search for organic molecules and life in the solar system and throughout the. universe. We show that the spectral reflectance properties of organic compounds are rich, with major diagnostic spectral features throughout the spectral range studied. Little to no spectral change was observed as a function of temperature and only small shifts and changes in the width of absorption bands were observed between liquids and solids, making remote detection of spectral properties throughout the solar system simpler. Some high molecular weight organic compounds contain single-bonded carbon chains and have spectra similar to alkanes even ' when they fall into other families. Small spectral differences are often present allowing discrimination among some compounds, further illustrating the need to catalog spectral properties for accurate remote sensing identification with spectroscopy.

Catalyst for Oxidation of Volatile Organic Compounds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wood, George M. (Inventor); Upchurch, Billy T. (Inventor); Schryer, David R. (Inventor); Davis, Patricia P. (Inventor); Kielin, Erik J. (Inventor); Brown, Kenneth G. (Inventor); Schyryer, Jacqueline L. (Inventor); DAmbrosia, Christine M. (Inventor)

2000-01-01

Disclosed is a process for oxidizing volatile organic compounds to carbon dioxide and water with the minimal addition of energy. A mixture of the volatile organic compound and an oxidizing agent (e.g. ambient air containing the volatile organic compound) is exposed to a catalyst which includes a noble metal dispersed on a metal oxide which possesses more than one oxidation state. Especially good results are obtained when the noble metal is platinum, and the metal oxide which possesses more than one oxidation state is tin oxide. A promoter (i.e., a small amount of an oxide of a transition series metal) may be used in association with the tin oxide to provide very beneficial results.

PERFLUORINATED ORGANIC COMPOUND EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT RESEARCH

EPA Science Inventory

A wide range of perfluorinated organic compounds (PFCs) has been used in a variety of industrial processes and consumer products. The most commonly studied PFCs include perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), but there are many more compounds in this c...

VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOCS) CHAPTER 31.

EPA Science Inventory

The term "volatile organic compounds' (VOCs) was originally coined to refer, as a class, to carbon-containing chemicals that participate in photochemical reactions in the ambient (outdoor) are. The regulatory definition of VOCs used by the U.S. EPA is: Any compound of carbon, ex...

TEMPORAL VARIABILITY MEASUREMENT OF SPECIFIC VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

EPA Science Inventory

Methodology was developed to determine unambiguously trace levels of volatile organic compounds as they vary in concentration over a variety of time scales. his capability is important because volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are usually measure by time-integrative techniques th...

Oceanic protection of prebiotic organic compounds from UV radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cleaves, H. J.; Miller, S. L.; Bada, J. L. (Principal Investigator)

1998-01-01

It is frequently stated that UV light would cause massive destruction of prebiotic organic compounds because of the absence of an ozone layer. The elevated UV flux of the early sun compounds this problem. This applies to organic compounds of both terrestrial and extraterrestrial origin. Attempts to deal with this problem generally involve atmospheric absorbers. We show here that prebiotic organic polymers as well as several inorganic compounds are sufficient to protect oceanic organic molecules from UV degradation. This aqueous protection is in addition to any atmospheric UV absorbers and should be a ubiquitous planetary phenomenon serving to increase the size of planetary habitable zones.

Trace organic compounds in wet atmospheric deposition: an overview

USGS Publications Warehouse

Steinheimer, T.R.; Johnson, S.M.

1987-01-01

An overview of the occurrence of organic compounds in wet atmospheric deposition is given. Multiplicity of sources and problems associated with source identification are discussed. Available literature is reviewed by using citations from Chemical Abstracts and Water Resources Abstracts through June 1985 and includes reports published through December 1984 that summarize current knowledge. Approaches to the chemical determination of organic compounds in precipitation are examined in addition to aspects of sampling protocols. Best methods for sample collection and preparation for instrumental analysis continue to be discussed among various investigators. Automatic wet-deposition-only devices for collection and extraction are preferred. Classes of organic compounds that have been identified in precipitation include a spectrum of compounds with differing properties of acidity or basicity, polarity, and water solubility. Those compounds that have been reported in rainfall, snowfall, and ice include hydrocarbons (both aromatic and nonaromatic), chlorinated derivatives of these hydrocarbons, carbonyl compounds (both acidic and nonacidic), and carboxylic acids and esters. Formic and acetic are the most abundant organic acids present. Cloudwater, fogwater, and mist also have been collected and analyzed for organic composition.

Monitoring Microbial Mineralization Using Reverse Stable Isotope Labeling Analysis by Mid-Infrared Laser Spectroscopy

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Assessing the biodegradation of organic compounds is a frequent question in environmental science. Here, we present a sensitive, inexpensive, and simple approach to monitor microbial mineralization using reverse stable isotope labeling analysis (RIL) of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). The medium for the biodegradation assay contains regular organic compounds and 13C-labeled DIC with 13C atom fractions (x(13C)DIC) higher than natural abundance (typically 2–50%). The produced CO2 (x(13C) ≈ 1.11%) gradually dilutes the initial x(13C)DIC allowing to quantify microbial mineralization using mass-balance calculations. For 13C-enriched CO2 samples, a newly developed isotope ratio mid-infrared spectrometer was introduced with a precision of x(13C) < 0.006%. As an example for extremely difficult and slowly degradable compounds, CO2 production was close to the theoretical stoichiometry for anaerobic naphthalene degradation by a sulfate-reducing enrichment culture. Furthermore, we could measure the aerobic degradation of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) adsorbed to granular activated carbon in a drinking water production plant, which cannot be labeled with 13C. Thus, the RIL approach can be applied to sensitively monitor biodegradation of various organic compounds under anoxic or oxic conditions. PMID:28903553

Apparatus and method for reading two-dimensional electrophoretograms containing .beta.-ray-emitting labeled compounds

DOEpatents

Anderson, Herbert L.; Kinnison, W. Wayne; Lillberg, John W.

1987-01-01

Apparatus and method for electronically reading planar two dimensional .beta.-ray emitter-labeled gel electrophoretograms. A single, flat rectangular multiwire proportional chamber is placed in close proximity to the gel and the assembly placed in an intense uniform magnetic field disposed in a perpendicular manner to the rectangular face of the proportional chamber. Beta rays emitted in the direction of the proportional chamber are caused to execute helical motions which substantially preserve knowledge of the coordinates of their origin in the gel. Perpendicularly oriented, parallel wire, parallel plane cathodes electronically sense the location of the .beta.-rays from ionization generated thereby in a detection gas coupled with an electron avalanche effect resulting from the action of a parallel wire anode located therebetween. A scintillator permits the present apparatus to be rendered insensitive when signals are generated from cosmic rays incident on the proportional chamber. Resolution for concentrations of radioactive compounds in the gel exceeds 700 .mu.m. The apparatus and method of the present invention represent a significant improvement over conventional autoradiographic techniques in dynamic range, linearity and sensitivity of data collection. A concentration and position map for gel electrophoretograms having significant concentrations of labeled compounds and/or highly radioactive labeling nuclides can generally be obtained in less than one hour.

Improving rubber concrete by waste organic sulfur compounds.

PubMed

Chou, Liang-Hisng; Lin, Chun-Nan; Lu, Chun-Ku; Lee, Cheng-Haw; Lee, Maw-Tien

2010-01-01

In this study, the use of crumb tyres as additives to concrete was investigated. For some time, researchers have been studying the physical properties of concrete to determine why the inclusion of rubber particles causes the concrete to degrade. Several methods have been developed to improve the bonding between rubber particles and cement hydration products (C-S-H) with the hope of creating a product with an improvement in mechanical strength. In this study, the crumb tyres were treated with waste organic sulfur compounds from a petroleum refining factory in order to modify their surface properties. Organic sulfur compounds with amphiphilic properties can enhance the hydrophilic properties of the rubber and increase the intermolecular interaction forces between rubber and C-S-H. In the present study, a colloid probe of C-S-H was prepared to measure these intermolecular interaction forces by utilizing an atomic force microscope. Experimental results showed that rubber particles treated with waste organic sulfur compounds became more hydrophilic. In addition, the intermolecular interaction forces increased with the adsorption of waste organic sulfur compounds on the surface of the rubber particles. The compressive, tensile and flexural strengths of concrete samples that included rubber particles treated with organic sulfur compound also increased significantly.

[Indoor volatile organic compounds: concentrations, sources, variation factors].

PubMed

Palot, A; Charpin-Kadouch, C; Ercoli, J; Charpin, D

2008-06-01

Volatile organic compounds (V.O.C.) are part of urban air pollution and are also generated indoors from cleaning and maintenance products. VOC measurements are, on average, 10 times higher within homes than outside. Results of the national survey led by the Observatoire National de la Qualité de l'Air Intérieur demonstrated that up to 25% of French homes have very high or high concentrations of VOC. Indoor levels depend mainly on indoor sources. Aldehydes are included in many everyday life products. VOC originate from various household decorating and cleaning products. Some products are less detrimental to the environment and health and have special labelling. Indoor VOC levels also depend on the rate of air exchange and on household characteristics such as indoor temperature and humidity, age of the building, presence of smokers, and communication with a garage. The public may participate in maintaining good indoor air quality and the authorities should also improve regulations. VOC are part of everyday air pollution. Their sources and concentrations should be better monitored.

Evolution of interstellar organic compounds under asteroidal hydrothermal conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vinogradoff, V.; Bernard, S.; Le Guillou, C.; Remusat, L.

2018-05-01

Carbonaceous chondrites (CC) contain a diversity of organic compounds. No definitive evidence for a genetic relationship between these complex organic molecules and the simple organic molecules detected in the interstellar medium (ISM) has yet been reported. One of the many difficulties arises from the transformations of organic compounds during accretion and hydrothermal alteration on asteroids. Here, we report results of hydrothermal alteration experiments conducted on a common constituent of interstellar ice analogs, Hexamethylenetetramine (HMT - C6H12N4). We submitted HMT to asteroidal hydrothermal conditions at 150 °C, for various durations (up to 31 days) and under alkaline pH. Organic products were characterized by gas chromatography mass spectrometry, infrared spectroscopy and synchrotron-based X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy. Results show that, within a few days, HMT has evolved into (1) a very diverse suite of soluble compounds dominated by N-bearing aromatic compounds (> 150 species after 31 days), including for instance formamide, pyridine, pyrrole and their polymers (2) an aromatic and N-rich insoluble material that forms after only 7 days of experiment and then remains stable through time. The reaction pathways leading to the soluble compounds likely include HMT dissociation, formose and Maillard-type reactions, e.g. reactions of sugar derivatives with amines. The present study demonstrates that, if interstellar organic compounds such as HMT had been accreted by chondrite parent bodies, they would have undergone chemical transformations during hydrothermal alteration, potentially leading to the formation of high molecular weight insoluble organic molecules. Some of the diversity of soluble and insoluble organic compounds found in CC may thus result from asteroidal hydrothermal alteration.

Molybdenum compounds in organic synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khusnutdinov, R. I.; Oshnyakova, T. M.; Dzhemilev, U. M.

2017-02-01

The review presents the first analysis and systematic discussion of data published in the last 35-40 years on the use of molybdenum compounds and complexes in organic synthesis and catalysis of various ion coordination and radical reactions. Detailed account is given of the key trends in the use of molybdenum complexes as catalysts of alkene epoxidation and oxyketonation, oxidation of sulfur, nitrogen and phosphorus compounds, hydrosilylation of 1,3-dienes, ketones and aldehydes, hydrostannylation of acetylenes and hydrogermylation of norbornadienes. Considerable attention is paid to the description of new reactions and in situ generation of highly reactive hypohalites, ROX and HOX, induced by molybdenum complexes and the use of hypohalites in oxidative transformations. Data on the application of molybdenum complexes in well-known reactions are discussed, including Kharasch and Pauson-Khand reactions, allylic alkylation of C-nucleophiles, aminocarbonylation of halo derivatives and oligomerization of cyclic dienes, trienes, alkynes and 1,3-dienes. The last Section of the review considers 'unusual' organic reactions involving molybdenum compounds and complexes. The bibliography includes 257 references.

GROUNDWATER TRANSPORT OF HYDROPHOBIC ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN THE PRESENCE OF DISSOLVED ORGANIC MATTER

EPA Science Inventory

The effects of dissolved organic matter (DOM) on the transport of hydrophobic organic compounds in soil columns were investigated. Three compounds (naphthalene, phenanthrene and DDT) that spanned three orders of magnitude in water solubility were used. Instead of humic matter, mo...

Quantitative Proteomics by Metabolic Labeling of Model Organisms*

PubMed Central

Gouw, Joost W.; Krijgsveld, Jeroen; Heck, Albert J. R.

2010-01-01

In the biological sciences, model organisms have been used for many decades and have enabled the gathering of a large proportion of our present day knowledge of basic biological processes and their derailments in disease. Although in many of these studies using model organisms, the focus has primarily been on genetics and genomics approaches, it is important that methods become available to extend this to the relevant protein level. Mass spectrometry-based proteomics is increasingly becoming the standard to comprehensively analyze proteomes. An important transition has been made recently by moving from charting static proteomes to monitoring their dynamics by simultaneously quantifying multiple proteins obtained from differently treated samples. Especially the labeling with stable isotopes has proved an effective means to accurately determine differential expression levels of proteins. Among these, metabolic incorporation of stable isotopes in vivo in whole organisms is one of the favored strategies. In this perspective, we will focus on methodologies to stable isotope label a variety of model organisms in vivo, ranging from relatively simple organisms such as bacteria and yeast to Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila, and Arabidopsis up to mammals such as rats and mice. We also summarize how this has opened up ways to investigate biological processes at the protein level in health and disease, revealing conservation and variation across the evolutionary tree of life. PMID:19955089

Palladium catalyzed hydrogenation of bio-oils and organic compounds

DOEpatents

Elliott, Douglas C [Kennewick, WA; Hu, Jianli [Richland, WA; Hart,; Todd, R [Kennewick, WA; Neuenschwander, Gary G [Burbank, WA

2011-06-07

The invention provides palladium-catalyzed hydrogenations of bio-oils and certain organic compounds. Experimental results have shown unexpected and superior results for palladium-catalyzed hydrogenations of organic compounds typically found in bio-oils.

Palladium catalyzed hydrogenation of bio-oils and organic compounds

DOEpatents

Elliott, Douglas C [Richland, WA; Hu, Jianli [Kennewick, WA; Hart, Todd R [Kennewick, WA; Neuenschwander, Gary G [Burbank, WA

2008-09-16

The invention provides palladium-catalyzed hydrogenations of bio-oils and certain organic compounds. Experimental results have shown unexpected and superior results for palladium-catalyzed hydrogenations of organic compounds typically found in bio-oils.

Volatile and semivolatile organic compounds in laboratory ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Speciated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and organic fine particulate matter (PM2.5) mass emission factors were determined from laboratory peat fire experiments. Peat samples originated from two wildlife reserves located near the coast of North Carolina, U.S. Gas and particulate organics were quantified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and by high pressure liquid chromatography. Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) accounted for a large fraction (~60 %) of the speciated VOC emissions from peat burning, including large contributions of acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, and chloromethane. Speciated organic PM2.5 mass was dominated by the following compound classes: organic acids, levoglucosan, n-alkanes, and n-alkenes. Emission factors for PM2.5 organic acids including n-alkanoic acids, n-alkenoic acids, n-alkanedioic acids, and aromatic acids were reported for the first time for peat burning, representing the largest fraction of organic carbon (OC) mass (11-12 %) of all speciated compound classes measured in this work. Levoglucosan contributed 2-3 % of the OC mass, while methoxyphenols represented 0.2-0.3 % of the OC mass on a carbon mass basis. Retene was the most abundant particulate phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. Total HAP VOC and particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emissions from a 2008 peat wildfire in North Carolina were estimated, suggesting that peat fires can contribute a large fraction of state-wide HAP emissions. This p

Compound-specific 15N analysis of amino acids in 15N tracer experiments provide an estimate of newly synthesised soil protein from inorganic and organic substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charteris, Alice; Michaelides, Katerina; Evershed, Richard

2015-04-01

Organic N concentrations far exceed those of inorganic N in most soils and despite much investigation, the composition and cycling of this complex pool of SOM remains poorly understood. A particular problem has been separating more recalcitrant soil organic N from that actively cycling through the soil system; an important consideration in N cycling studies and for the soil's nutrient supplying capacity. The use of 15N-labelled substrates as stable isotope tracers has contributed much to our understanding of the soil system, but the complexity and heterogeneity of soil organic N prevents thorough compound-specific 15N analyses of organic N compounds and makes it difficult to examine any 15N-labelled organic products in any detail. As a result, a significant proportion of previous work has either simply assumed that since the majority of soil N is organic, all of the 15N retained in the soil is organic N (e.g. Sebilo et al., 2013) or subtracted 15N-labelled inorganic compounds from bulk values (e.g. Pilbeam et al., 1997). While the latter approach is more accurate, these methods only provide an estimate of the bulk 15N value of an extremely complex and non-uniformly labelled organic pool. A more detailed approach has been to use microbial biomass extraction (Brookes et al., 1985) and subsequent N isotopic analysis to determine the 15N value of biomass-N, representing the fraction of 15N assimilated by microbes or the 15N cycling through the 'living' or 'active' portion of soil organic N. However, this extraction method can only generate estimates and some lack of confidence in its validity and reliability remains. Here, we present an alternative technique to obtain a measure of the assimilation of an applied 15N substrate by the soil microbial biomass and an estimate of the newly synthesized soil protein, which is representative of the magnitude of the active soil microbial biomass. The technique uses a stable isotope tracer and compound-specific 15N analysis, but

Whole Organism High-Content Screening by Label-Free, Image-Based Bayesian Classification for Parasitic Diseases

PubMed Central

Paveley, Ross A.; Mansour, Nuha R.; Hallyburton, Irene; Bleicher, Leo S.; Benn, Alex E.; Mikic, Ivana; Guidi, Alessandra; Gilbert, Ian H.; Hopkins, Andrew L.; Bickle, Quentin D.

2012-01-01

Sole reliance on one drug, Praziquantel, for treatment and control of schistosomiasis raises concerns about development of widespread resistance, prompting renewed interest in the discovery of new anthelmintics. To discover new leads we designed an automated label-free, high content-based, high throughput screen (HTS) to assess drug-induced effects on in vitro cultured larvae (schistosomula) using bright-field imaging. Automatic image analysis and Bayesian prediction models define morphological damage, hit/non-hit prediction and larval phenotype characterization. Motility was also assessed from time-lapse images. In screening a 10,041 compound library the HTS correctly detected 99.8% of the hits scored visually. A proportion of these larval hits were also active in an adult worm ex-vivo screen and are the subject of ongoing studies. The method allows, for the first time, screening of large compound collections against schistosomes and the methods are adaptable to other whole organism and cell-based screening by morphology and motility phenotyping. PMID:22860151

A method of isolating organic compounds present in water

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calder, G. V.; Fritz, J.; Junk, G. A.

1972-01-01

Water sample is passed through a column containing macroreticular resin, which absorbs only nonionic organic compounds. These compounds are selectively separated using aqueous eluents of varying pH, or completely exuded with small amount of an organic eluent.

7 CFR 205.303 - Packaged products labeled “100 percent organic” or “organic.”

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Information § 205.303 Packaged products labeled “100 percent organic” or “organic.” (a) Agricultural products... product, the following: (1) The term, “100 percent organic” or “organic,” as applicable, to modify the name of the product; (2) For products labeled “organic,” the percentage of organic ingredients in the...

Separation-oriented derivatization of native fluorescent compounds through fluorous labeling followed by liquid chromatography with fluorous-phase.

PubMed

Sakaguchi, Yohei; Yoshida, Hideyuki; Todoroki, Kenichiro; Nohta, Hitoshi; Yamaguchi, Masatoshi

2009-06-15

We have developed a new and simple method based on "fluorous derivatization" for LC of native fluorescent compounds. This method involves the use of a column with a fluorous stationary phase. Native fluorescent analytes with target functional groups are precolumn derivatized with a nonfluorescent fluorous tag, and the fluorous-labeled analytes are retained in the column, whereas underivatized substances are not. Only the retained fluorescent analytes are detected fluorometrically at appropriate retention times, and retained substrates without fluorophores are not detected. In this study, biologically important carboxylic acids (homovanillic acid, vanillylmandelic acid, and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid) and drugs (naproxen, felbinac, flurbiprofen, and etodolac) were used as model native fluorescent compounds. Experimental results indicate that the fluorous-phase column can selectively retain fluorous compounds including fluorous-labeled analytes on the basis of fluorous separation. We believe that separation-oriented derivatization presented here is the first step toward the introduction of fluorous derivatization in quantitative LC analysis.

Photochemical dimerization of organic compounds

DOEpatents

Crabtree, Robert H.; Brown, Stephen H.; Muedas, Cesar A.; Ferguson, Richard R.

1992-01-01

At least one of selectivity and reaction rate of photosensitized vapor phase dimerizations, including dehydrodimerizations, hydrodimerizations and cross-dimerizations of saturated and unsaturated organic compounds is improved by conducting the dimerization in the presence of hydrogen or nitrous oxide.

(CHINA) PERFLUORINATED ORGANIC COMPOUND EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT RESEARCH

EPA Science Inventory

A wide range of perfluorinated organic compounds (PFCs) has been used in a variety of industrial processes and consumer products. The most commonly studied PFCs include perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), but there are many more compounds in this c...

Mechanochemical synthesis of organic compounds and composites with their participation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lyakhov, Nikolai Z.; Grigorieva, Tatiana F.; Barinova, Antonina P.; Vorsina, I. A.

2010-05-01

The results of experimental studies in the mechanochemical synthesis of organic compounds and composites with their participation published over the last 15 years are described systematically. The key reactions of organic compounds are considered: synthesis of the salts of organic acids, acylation, substitution, dehalogenation, esterification, hydrometallation and other reactions. Primary attention is devoted to systems and compounds that cannot be obtained by traditional chemistry methods.

Chlorinated organic compounds in urban river sediments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Soma, Y.; Shiraishi, H.; Inaba, K.

1995-12-31

Among anthropogenic chemicals, many chlorinated organic compounds have been used as insecticides and detected frequently as contaminants in urban river sediments so far. However, the number and total amount of chemicals produced commercially and used are increasing year by year, though each amount of chemicals is not so high. New types of contaminants in the environment may be detected by the use of newly developed chemicals. Chlorinated organic compounds in the urban river sediments around Tokyo and Kyoto, large cities in Japan, were surveyed and recent trends of contaminants were studied. Contaminants of the river sediments in industrial areas hadmore » a variety, but PCB (polychlorinated biphenyls) was detected in common in industrial areas. Concentration of PCB related well to the number of factories on both sides of rivers, although the use of PCB was stopped 20 years ago. In domestic areas, Triclosan (5-chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)-phenol) and Triclocarban (3,4,4{prime}-trichlorocarbanilide)(both are contained in soap or shampoo for fungicides), p-dichlorobenzene (insecticides for wears) and TCEP(tris-chloroethyl phosphate) were detected. EOX(extracted organic halogen) in the sediments was 5 to 10 times of chlorinated organic compounds detected by GC/MS. Major part of organic halogen was suggested to be included in chlorinated organics formed by bleaching or sterilization.« less

40 CFR 59.103 - Container labeling requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 5 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Container labeling requirements. 59.103... National Volatile Organic Compound Emission Standards for Automobile Refinish Coatings § 59.103 Container... automobile refinish coating or coating component container or package, the day, month, and year on which the...

40 CFR 59.405 - Container labeling requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 5 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Container labeling requirements. 59.405... National Volatile Organic Compound Emission Standards for Architectural Coatings § 59.405 Container... section on the coating container in which the coating is sold or distributed. (1) The date the coating was...

Testing the optimal defence hypothesis for two indirect defences: extrafloral nectar and volatile organic compounds

PubMed Central

Radhika, Venkatesan; Kost, Christian; Bartram, Stefan; Heil, Martin

2008-01-01

Many plants respond to herbivory with an increased production of extrafloral nectar (EFN) and/or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to attract predatory arthropods as an indirect defensive strategy. In this study, we tested whether these two indirect defences fit the optimal defence hypothesis (ODH), which predicts the within-plant allocation of anti-herbivore defences according to trade-offs between growth and defence. Using jasmonic acid-induced plants of Phaseolus lunatus and Ricinus communis, we tested whether the within-plant distribution pattern of these two indirect defences reflects the fitness value of the respective plant parts. Furthermore, we quantified photosynthetic rates and followed the within-plant transport of assimilates with 13C labelling experiments. EFN secretion and VOC emission were highest in younger leaves. Moreover, the photosynthetic rate increased with leaf age, and pulse-labelling experiments suggested transport of carbon to younger leaves. Our results demonstrate that the ODH can explain the within-plant allocation pattern of both indirect defences studied. PMID:18493790

Metabolic Reactions among Organic Sulfur Compounds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schulte, M.; Rogers, K.

2005-01-01

Sulfur is central to the metabolisms of many organisms that inhabit extreme environments. Numerous authors have addressed the energy available from a variety of inorganic sulfur redox pairs. Less attention has been paid, however, to the energy required or gained from metabolic reactions among organic sulfur compounds. Work in this area has focused on the oxidation of alkyl sulfide or disulfide to thiol and formaldehyde, e.g. (CH3)2S + H2O yields CH3SH + HCHO + H2, eventually resulting in the formation of CO2 and SO4(-2). It is also found that reactions among thiols and disulfides may help control redox disequilibria between the cytoplasm and the periplasm. Building on our earlier efforts for thiols, we have compiled and estimated thermodynamic properties for alkyl sulfides. We are investigating metabolic reactions among various sulfur compounds in a variety of extreme environments, ranging from sea floor hydrothermal systems to organic-rich sludge. Using thermodynamic data and the revised HKF equation of state, along with constraints imposed by the geochemical environments sulfur-metabolizing organisms inhabit, we are able to calculate the amount of energy available to these organisms.

Molecular and Enantiomeric Analysis of Organic Compounds in Carbonaceous Meteorites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooper, George

2003-01-01

Carbonaceous meteorites are relatively enriched in carbon. Much of this carbon is in the form of soluble organic compounds. The Murchison and Murray meteorites are the best-characterized carbonaceous meteorites with respect to organic chemistry. Their content of organic compounds has led to an initial understanding of early solar system organic chemistry as well as what compounds may have played a role in the origin of life (Cronin and Chang, 1993). Reported compounds include: amino acids, amides, carboxylic acids, sulfonic acids, and polyols. This talk will focus on the molecular and enantiomeric analysis of individual meteoritic compounds: polyol acids; and a newly identified class of meteorite compounds, keto acids, i.e., acetoacetic acid, levulinic acid, etc. Keto acids (including pyruvic) are critically important in all contemporary organisms. They are key intermediates in metabolism and processes such as the citric acid cycle. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry we identified individual meteoritic keto acids after derivatization to one or more of the following forms: isopropyl ester (ISP), trimethyIsiIy1 (TMS), tert-butyldimethylsilyl (BDMS). Ongoing analyses will determine if, in addition to certain amino acids from Murchison (Cronin and Pizzarello, 1997), other potentially important prebiotic compounds also contain enantiomeric excesses, i.e., excesses that could have contributed to the current homochirality of life.

A Systematic Presentation of Organic Phosphorus and Sulfur Compounds.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hendrickson, James B.

1985-01-01

Because the names, interrelations, and oxidation levels of the organic compounds of phosphorus and sulfur tend to confuse students, a simple way to organize these compounds has been developed. The system consists of grouping them by oxidation state and extent of carbon substitution. (JN)

Labeling of Pesticide Products under the National Organic Program

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This notice describes how registrants can obtain EPA approval of label language indicating that all ingredients in a pesticide product and all uses of that pesticide meet the criteria defined in the USDA National Organic Program Rule.

Analysis of Organic Compounds in Mars Analog Samples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mahaffy, P. R.; Brinckerhoff, W. B.; Buch, A.; Cabane, M.; Coll, P.; Demick, J.; Glavin, D. P.

2004-01-01

The detailed characterization of organic compounds that might be preserved in rocks, ices, or sedimentary layers on Mars would be a significant step toward resolving the question of the habitability and potential for life on that planet. The fact that the Viking gas chromatograph mass spectrometer (GCMS) did not detect organic compounds should not discourage further investigations since (a) an oxidizing environment in the near surface fines analyzed by Viking is likely to have destroyed many reduced carbon species; (b) there are classes of refractory or partially oxidized species such as carboxylic acids that would not have been detected by the Viking GCMS; and (c) the Viking landing sites are not representative of Mars overall. These factors motivate the development of advanced in situ analytical protocols to carry out a comprehensive survey of organic compounds in martian regolith, ices, and rocks. We combine pyrolysis GCMS for analysis of volatile species, chemical derivatization for transformation of less volatile organics, and laser desorption mass spectrometry (LDMS) for analysis of elements and more refractory, higher-mass organics. To evaluate this approach and enable a comparison with other measurement techniques we analyze organics in Mars simulant samples.

Soil amino compound and carbohydrate contents influenced by organic amendments

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Amino compounds (i. e. amino acids and sugars), and carbohydrates are labile organic components and contribute to the improvement of soil fertility and quality. Animal manure and other organic soil amendments are rich in both amino compounds and carbohydrates, hence organic soil amendments might af...

Volatile organic compound emissions from silage systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

As a precursor to smog, emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to the atmosphere is an environmental concern in some regions. The major source from farms is silage, with emissions coming from the silo face, mixing wagon, and feed bunk. The major compounds emitted are alcohols with other impor...

Organic compounds in hydraulic fracturing fluids and wastewaters: A review.

PubMed

Luek, Jenna L; Gonsior, Michael

2017-10-15

High volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF) of shale to stimulate the release of natural gas produces a large quantity of wastewater in the form of flowback fluids and produced water. These wastewaters are highly variable in their composition and contain a mixture of fracturing fluid additives, geogenic inorganic and organic substances, and transformation products. The qualitative and quantitative analyses of organic compounds identified in HVHF fluids, flowback fluids, and produced waters are reviewed here to communicate knowledge gaps that exist in the composition of HVHF wastewaters. In general, analyses of organic compounds have focused on those amenable to gas chromatography, focusing on volatile and semi-volatile oil and gas compounds. Studies of more polar and non-volatile organic compounds have been limited by a lack of knowledge of what compounds may be present as well as quantitative methods and standards available for analyzing these complex mixtures. Liquid chromatography paired with high-resolution mass spectrometry has been used to investigate a number of additives and will be a key tool to further research on transformation products that are increasingly solubilized through physical, chemical, and biological processes in situ and during environmental contamination events. Diverse treatments have been tested and applied to HVHF wastewaters but limited information has been published on the quantitative removal of individual organic compounds. This review focuses on recently published information on organic compounds identified in flowback fluids and produced waters from HVHF. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Composition and major sources of organic compounds in urban aerosols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bi, Xinhui; Simoneit, Bernd R. T.; Sheng, Guoying; Ma, Shexia; Fu, Jiamo

Total suspended particles (TSP), collected during June 2002 to July 2003 in Guangzhou, a typical economically developed city in South China, were analyzed for the organic compound compositions using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Over 140 organic compounds were detected in the aerosols and grouped into different classes including n-alkanes, hopanoids, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, alkanols, fatty acids, dicarboxylic acids excluding oxalic acid, polyols/polyacids, lignin products, phytosterols, phthalates and water-soluble sugars. The total amounts of the identified organic compounds including unresolved complex mixture (UCM) ranged from 3112 ng/m 3 in spring to 5116 ng/m 3 in winter, comprising on seasonal average 2.8% of TSP. Primary organic compounds peaked in winter although there are no heating systems burning fuels in Guangzhou. The highest saccharide levels occurred in fall due to agricultural activities. This study demonstrated that utilization of fossil fuels, biomass burning, soil resuspension and plastic/refuse burning are the major contributors to the identified organic compounds in the urban atmosphere of South China.

Plant-Associated Bacterial Degradation of Toxic Organic Compounds in Soil

PubMed Central

McGuinness, Martina; Dowling, David

2009-01-01

A number of toxic synthetic organic compounds can contaminate environmental soil through either local (e.g., industrial) or diffuse (e.g., agricultural) contamination. Increased levels of these toxic organic compounds in the environment have been associated with human health risks including cancer. Plant-associated bacteria, such as endophytic bacteria (non-pathogenic bacteria that occur naturally in plants) and rhizospheric bacteria (bacteria that live on and near the roots of plants), have been shown to contribute to biodegradation of toxic organic compounds in contaminated soil and could have potential for improving phytoremediation. Endophytic and rhizospheric bacterial degradation of toxic organic compounds (either naturally occurring or genetically enhanced) in contaminated soil in the environment could have positive implications for human health worldwide and is the subject of this review. PMID:19742157

Thermodynamics of Aqueous Organic Sulfur Compounds: A Key to the Organic Geochemistry of Hydrothermal Systems?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schulte, Mitchell; Rogers, Karyn L.; DeVincenzi, Donald L. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Hydrothermal environments are locations of varied geochemistry due to the disequilibrium between vent fluids and seawater. The disequilibrium geochemistry has been hypothesized to include reactions to synthesize organic compounds. Observations of the organic geochemistry of hydrothermal vent sites has received little attention. Experimental simulations of these environments, however, indicate that organic compounds may have difficulty forming in a purely aqueous environment. On the other hand, thiols. thioesters and disulfides have been implicated as reaction intermediates between CO or CO2 in experiments of carbon reduction in hydrothermal environments as well as in a variety of biological processes and other abiotic reactions (Wachtershauser, 1990, OLEB 20, 173; Heinen and Lauwers, 1996, OLEB 26, 13 1, Huber and Wachtershauser, 1997, Science 276, 245; Russell et al., 1998, in Thermophiles: The keys to molecular evolution and the origin of life?). The reduction of CO2 to thiols, for example, is observed using the FeS-H2S/FeS2 couple to provide the reducing power (see Schoonen et al., 1999, OLEB 29, 5). In addition, the enzyme involved in final stage of methanogenesis, coenzyme-M, is itself a thiol. Thus, organic sulfur compounds may hold the key to the organic chemistry leading to the origin of life at high temperatures. Understanding the biochemical processes of microorganisms that can live to temperatures at least as high as 113 C (Blochl et al., 1996, Extremophiles 1, 14) requires knowledge of the properties of the chemical reactions involved. In order to assess the role of aqueous organic sulfur compounds in hydrothermal organic geochemistry, we have been attempting to determine their thermodynamic properties. We have culled the literature to obtain the properties of organic sulfur compounds. We are able to calculate a number of essential properties, such as free energies of formation, from solubility data available in the literature together with standard

Selected trace metals and organic compounds and bioavailability of selected organic compounds in soils, Hackberry Flat, Tillman County, Oklahoma, 1994-95

USGS Publications Warehouse

Becker, M.F.

1997-01-01

In 1995 the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation acquired a drained wetland in southwest Oklahoma known as Hackberry Flat. Following restoration by Wildlife Conservation the wetland will be used by migratory birds and waterfowl. If naturally occurring trace metals and residual organic compounds from agriculture and industry were present, they may have posed a potential biohazard and were a concern for Wildlife Conservation. The U. S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Wildlife Conservation and the Oklahoma Geological Survey, examined the soils of Hackberry Flat to determine trace metal concentrations, presence of selected organic compounds, and the bioavailability of selected organic compounds in the soils. The purpose of this report is to present the data that establish the baseline concentrations of selected trace metals and organic compounds in the soils of Hackberry Flat prior to wetland restoration. Sampling and analysis were performed using two approaches. One was to collect soil samples and analyze the composition with standard laboratory practices. The second exposed composite soils samples to organic-free water and a semipermeable membrane device that mimics an organism and then analyzed the device. Ten soil samples were collected in 1994 to be analyzed for trace metals, organochlorine pesticides, and polychlorinated biphenyls. Soil samples tested for bioavailability of selected organic compounds were collected in 1995. Most of the 182 soil samples collected were from the center of every 40-acre quarter-quarter section owned by the Wildlife Conservation. The samples were grouped by geographical area with a maximum of 16 sample sites per group. Concentrations of most selected trace metals measured from soils in Hackberry Flat are within the range of mean concentrations measured in cultivated soils within the United States. Organochlorine pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons were not found at concentrations above

Racemization and the origin of optically active organic compounds in living organisms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bada, J. L.; Miller, S. L.

1987-01-01

The organic compounds synthesized in prebiotic experiments are racemic mixtures. A number of proposals have been offered to explain how asymmetric organic compounds formed on the Earth before life arose, with the influence of chiral weak nuclear interactions being the most frequent proposal. This and other proposed asymmetric syntheses give only sight enantiomeric excess and any slight excess will be degraded by racemization. This applies particularly to amino acids where half-lives of 10(5)-10(6) years are to be expected at temperatures characteristic of the Earth's surface. Since the generation of chiral molecules could not have been a significant process under geological conditions, the origins of this asymmetry must have occurred at the time of the origin of life or shortly thereafter. It is possible that the compounds in the first living organisms were prochiral rather than chiral; this is unlikely for amino acids, but it is possible for the monomers of RNA-like molecules.

Shock Modifications of Organic Compounds in Carbonaceous Chondrite Parent Bodies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooper, George W.

1998-01-01

Impacts among asteroidal objects would have altered or destroyed pre-existing organic matter in both targets and projectiles to a greater or lesser degree depending upon impact velocities. To begin filling a knowledge gap on the shock metamorphism of organic compounds, we are studying the effects of shock impacts on selected classes of organic compounds utilizing laboratory shock facilities. Our approach is to subject mixtures of organic compounds, embedded in the matrix of the Murchison meteorite, to simulated hypervelocity impacts by firing them into targets at various pressures. The mixtures are then analyzed to determine the amount of each compound that survives as well as to determine if new compounds are being synthesized. The initial compounds added to the matrix (with the exception of thiosulfate). The sulfonic acids were chosen in part because they are relatively abundant in Murchison, relatively stable, and because they and the phosphonic acids are the first well-characterized homologous series of organic sulfur and phosphorus compounds identified in an extraterrestrial material. Experimental procedures were more fully described in the original proposal. A 20 mm gun, with its barrel extending into a vacuum chamber (10(exp -2) torr), was used to launch the projectile containing the sample at approx. 1.6 km/sec (3,600 mi/hr) into the target material. Maximum pressure of impact depend on target/projectile materials. The target was sufficiently thin to assure minimum pressure decay over the total sample thickness.

Biogenic volatile organic compounds in the Earth system.

PubMed

Laothawornkitkul, Jullada; Taylor, Jane E; Paul, Nigel D; Hewitt, C Nicholas

2009-01-01

Biogenic volatile organic compounds produced by plants are involved in plant growth, development, reproduction and defence. They also function as communication media within plant communities, between plants and between plants and insects. Because of the high chemical reactivity of many of these compounds, coupled with their large mass emission rates from vegetation into the atmosphere, they have significant effects on the chemical composition and physical characteristics of the atmosphere. Hence, biogenic volatile organic compounds mediate the relationship between the biosphere and the atmosphere. Alteration of this relationship by anthropogenically driven changes to the environment, including global climate change, may perturb these interactions and may lead to adverse and hard-to-predict consequences for the Earth system.

Enantiomeric and Isotopic Analysis of Organic Compounds in Carbonaceous Meteorites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooper, George

2004-01-01

Carbonaceous meteorites are relatively enriched in soluble organic compounds. The Murchison and Murray meteorites contain numerous compounds of interest in the study of early solar system organic chemistry and organic compounds of potential importance for the origin of life. These include: amino acids, amides, carboxylic acids, and polyols. This talk will focus on the enantiomeric and isotopic analysis of individual meteoritic compounds - primarily polyol acids. The analyses will determine if, in addition to certain amino acids from Murchison, another potentially important class of prebiotic compounds also contains enantiomeric excesses, i.e., excesses that could have contributed to the current homochirality of life. Preliminary enantiomeric and isotopic (C- 13) measurements of Murchison glyceric acid show that it is indeed extraterrestrial. C-13 and D isotope analysis of meteoritic sugar alcohols (glycerol, threitol, ribitol, etc.) has shown that they are also indigenous to the meteorite.

VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS AS EXPOSURE BIOMARKERS

EPA Science Inventory

Alveolar breath sampling and analysis can be extremely useful in exposure assessment studies involving volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Over recent years scientists from the US Environmental Protection Agency's National Exposure Research Laboratory have developed and refined...

Volatile organic compound and semivolatile organic compound outgassing rates for ethylene propylene diene monomer and fluoropolymer seals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pecault, Isabelle Tovena

2017-11-01

High-power laser facilities, such as Laser MegaJoule, are currently being operated for inertial confinement fusion experiments. Emission of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and moreover semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) from seals in laser environment is of tremendous importance for the optics lifetime and laser performance. That is why all the seals were screening in the same conditions: 48 h at 30°C and three successive cycle of 1.5 h at 50°C. This paper focuses on the qualification test performed on three seals: two ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) and one fluoropolymer (FPM). It is shown that the molded and the extruded EPDM do not outgas the same amount neither the same molecules whereas EPDM and FPM outgas nearly the same level of phthalates.

VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS MEASURED IN DEARS PASSIVE SAMPLERS

EPA Science Inventory

A suite of 27 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were monitored in personal exposures, indoors and outdoors of participant's residences, and at a central community site during the DEARS summer 2004 monitoring season. The list of VOCs focused on compounds typically associated with ...

Photocatalytic oxidation of organic compounds on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chun, S. F. S.; Pang, K. D.; Cutts, J. A.; Ajello, J. M.

1978-01-01

Ultraviolet-stimulated catalytic oxidation is proposed as a mechanism for the destruction of organic compounds on Mars. The process involves the presence of gaseous oxygen, UV radiation, and a catalyst (titanium dioxide), and all three of these have been found to be present in the Martian environment. Therefore it seems plausible that UV-stimulated oxidation of organics is responsible for degrading organic molecules into inorganic end products.

7 CFR 205.670 - Inspection and testing of agricultural product to be sold or labeled “organic.”

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) ORGANIC FOODS PRODUCTION ACT PROVISIONS NATIONAL ORGANIC PROGRAM... agricultural product to be sold or labeled “organic.” (a) All agricultural products that are to be sold, labeled, or represented as “100 percent organic,” “organic,” or “made with organic (specified ingredients...

INDOOR AIR QUALITY DATA BASE FOR ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

EPA Science Inventory

The report gives results of the compilation of a data base for concentrations of organic compounds measured indoors. ased on a review of the literature from 1979 through 1990, the data base contains information on over 220 compounds ranging in molecular weight from 30 to 446. he ...

Determination of fluorine in organic compounds: Microcombustion method

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, H.S.

1951-01-01

A reliable and widely applicable means of determining fluorine in organic compounds has long been needed. Increased interest in this field of research in recent years has intensified the need. Fluorine in organic combinations may be determined by combustion at 900?? C. in a quartz tube with a platinum catalyst, followed by an acid-base titration of the combustion products. Certain necessary precautions and known limitations are discussed in some detail. Milligram samples suffice, and the accuracy of the method is about that usually associated with the other halogen determinations. Use of this method has facilitated the work upon organic fluorine compounds in this laboratory and it should prove to be equally valuable to others.

Volatile organic compounds in Gulf of Mexico sediments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McDonald, T.J.

1988-01-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOC), concentrations and compositions were documented for estuarine, coastal, shelf, slope, and deep water sediments from the Gulf of Mexico. VOC were measured (detection limit >0.01 ppb) using a closed-loop stripping apparatus with gas chromatography (GC) and flame ionization, flame photometric, and mass spectrometric detectors. The five primary sources of Gulf of Mexico sediment VOC are: (1) planktonic and benthic fauna and flora; (2) terrestrial material from riverine and atmospheric deposition; (3) anthropogenic inputs: (4) upward migration of hydrocarbons; and (5) transport by bottom currents or slumping. Detected organo-sulfur compounds include alkylated sulfides, thiophene, alkylated thiophenes, andmore » benzothiophenes. Benzothiophenes are petroleum related. Low molecular weight organo-sulfur compounds result from the biological oxidation of organic matter. A lack of organosulfur compounds in the reducing environment of the Orca Basin may result from a lack of free sulfides which are necessary for their production.« less

Characterization of selected volatile organic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and carbonyl compounds at a roadside monitoring station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ho, K. F.; Lee, S. C.; Chiu, Gloria M. Y.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), PAHs and carbonyl compounds are the major toxic components in Hong Kong. Emissions from motor vehicles have been one of the primary pollution sources in the metropolitan areas throughout Hong Kong for a long time. A 1-yr monitoring program for VOCs, PAHs and carbonyl compounds had been performed at a roadside urban station at Hong Kong Polytechnic University in order to determine the variations and correlations of each selected species (VOCs, PAHs and carbonyl compounds). This study is aimed to analyze toxic volatile organic compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene), two carbonyl compounds (formaldehyde, acetaldehyde), and selective polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The monitoring program started from 16 April 1999 to 30 March 2000. Ambient VOC concentrations, many of which originate from the same sources as particulate PAHs and carbonyls compounds, show significant quantities of benzene, toluene and xylenes. Correlations and multivariate analysis of selected gaseous and particulate phase organic pollutants were performed. Source identification by principle component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis allowed the identification of four sources (factors) for the roadside monitoring station. Factor 1 represents the effect of diesel vehicle exhaust. Factor 2 shows the contribution of aromatic compounds. Factor 3 explains photochemical products—formaldehyde and acetaldehyde. Factor 4 explains the effect of gasoline vehicle exhaust.

Organic compound composition in soil and sediments collected in Jackson, Mississippi.

PubMed

Gołębiowski, Marek; Stepnowski, Piotr; Hemmingway, Tometrick; Leszczyńska, Danuta

2016-01-01

The aim of our study was to identify organic pollutants found in soil and sediment samples collected within the Jackson, MS metropolitan area. The chemical characterization of the organic compound fractions in soil and sediment samples was carried out by separating the organic fraction using column chromatography (CC) and quantitatively analyzing the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), n-alkanes and other organic compounds using gas chromatography-electron impact mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Fifty-six compounds were identified and quantified in the soil samples and 33 compounds were identified and quantified in the sediment samples. The PAHs, n-alkanes and other organic compound profiles in the soil and sediment samples were compared. The percentage contents of the organic compounds in the soil samples were very diverse (from traces to 12.44 ± 1.47%). The compounds present in the highest concentrations were n-alkanes: n-C31 (12.44 ± 1.47%), n-C29 (11.64 ± 1.21%), and n-C33 (8.95 ± 1.08%). The components occurring in smaller quantities (from 1% to 5%) were 2 PAHs (fluoranthene 1.28 ± 0.25%, pyrene 1.16 ± 0.20%), 10 n-alkanes from n-C21 (1.25 ± 0.29%) to n-C32 (2.67 ± 0.52%) and 11 other compounds (e.g., 2-pentanol, 4-methyl (3.33 ± 0.44%), benzyl butyl phthalate (4.25 ± 0.59%), benzenedicarboxylic acid (1.14 ± 0.08%), ethane, 1,1-diethoxy (3.15 ± 0.41) and hexadecanoic acid (2.52 ± 0.34). The soil samples also contained 30 compounds present in concentrations <1% (e.g., anthracene (0.13 ± 0.04%), n-C20 (0.84 ± 0.21%) and acetic acid (0.12 ± 0.04%). The compounds present in the highest concentrations in the sediment samples were PAHs: pyrene (7.73 ± 1.15%) and fluoranthene (6.23 ± 1.07%) and n-alkanes: n-C31 (6.74 ± 1.21%), n-C29 (6.65 ± 0.98%) and n-C27 (6.13 ± 1.09%). The remaining organic compounds were present in smaller quantities (< 5%).

Organic photosensitive devices using subphthalocyanine compounds

DOEpatents

Rand, Barry [Princeton, NJ; Forrest, Stephen R [Ann Arbor, MI; Mutolo, Kristin L [Hollywood, CA; Mayo, Elizabeth [Alhambra, CA; Thompson, Mark E [Anaheim Hills, CA

2011-07-05

An organic photosensitive optoelectronic device, having a donor-acceptor heterojunction of a donor-like material and an acceptor-like material and methods of making such devices is provided. At least one of the donor-like material and the acceptor-like material includes a subphthalocyanine, a subporphyrin, and/or a subporphyrazine compound; and/or the device optionally has at least one of a blocking layer or a charge transport layer, where the blocking layer and/or the charge transport layer includes a subphthalocyanine, a subporphyrin, and/or a subporphyrazine compound.

Enhanced transport of low-polarity organic compounds through soil by cyclodextrin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Brusseau, M.L.; Wang, X.; Hu, Q.

1994-05-01

The removal of low-polarity organic compounds from soils and aquifers by water flushing is often constrained by sorption interactions. There is great interest in developing systems that can enhance the transport of organic compounds through porous media, thus facilitating remediation. We investigated the potential of hydroxypropyl-[beta]-cyclodextrin (HPCD), a microbially produced compound, to reduce the sorption and to enhance the transport of several low-polarity organic compounds. The results show that cyclodextrin does not interact with the two porous media used in the study. As a result, there is no retardation of cyclodextrin during transport. The retardation of compounds such as anthracene,more » pyrene, and trichlorobiphenyl was significantly (orders of magnitude) reduced in the presence of cyclodextrin. The enhancement effect of the cyclodextrin was predictable with a simple equation based on three-phase partitioning. The nonreactive nature of cyclodextrin combined with its large affinity for low-polarity organic compounds makes cyclodextrin a possible candidate for use in in-situ remediation efforts. 22 refs., 6 figs., 3 tabs.« less

Seeking organic compounds on Mars : in situ analysis of organic compounds by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry on MOMA experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buch, A.; Freissinet, C.; Sternberg, R.; Pinnick, V.; Szopa, C.; Coll, P. J.; Rodier, C.; Garnier, C.; Steininger, H.; Moma Team

2010-12-01

The search for signs of past or present life is one of the primary goals of future Mars exploratory missions. The Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA) experiment of the ExoMars mission (set to launch 2016-2018) is a joint venture by the European Space Agency and NASA to develop a sensitive detector for organics on Mars. MOMA will be one of the main analytical instruments aboard the ExoMars Rover aimed at characterizing possible “signs-of-life molecules” in the Martian environment such as amino acids, carboxylic acids, nucleobases or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). With the aim to separate and detect organic compounds from Martian soil, the French MOMA team has built a gas chromatograph able to work in standalone mode by using a TCD detector. The gas chromatograph can also be coupled with an ion trap mass spectrometer developed by the US MOMA team. Moreover, a GC-MS compatible sample processing system (SPS) allowing the extraction and the chemical transformation of the organic compounds from the soil, that fits within space flight conditions, has also been developed. The sample processing is performed in an oven, dedicated to the MOMA experiment containing the solid sample (50-100mg). The internal temperature of oven can be ranged from 20 to 1000 °C which allows for pyrolysis, thermochemolysis or derivatization. The organic extraction step is achieved by using thermodesorption in the range of 100 to 300°C for 0.5 to 5 min. Then, the chemical derivatization and/or thermochemolysis of the extracted compounds is performed directly on the soil with a mixture of MTBSTFA-DMF, TMAH or DMF-DMA solution when enantiomeric separation is required. By decreasing the polarity of the target molecules, this step allows for their volatilization at a temperature below 250°C without any chemical degradation. Once derivatized, the volatile target molecules are trapped in a cold chemical trap and promptly desorbed into the gas chromatograph coupled to the mass

Uptake and metabolism of indole compounds by the goldfish pineal organ

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McNulty, J.A.

Indole metabolism was studied in the pineal organ of the goldfish by radioautography and high-performance liquid chromatography. The rate of uptake of tritiated serotonin was rapid in vitro with dense labeling over the photoreceptor cells. Tritiated tryptophan was taken up at a slower rate and the label was distributed evenly over the epithelium. Continual light caused a reduction in the concentration of serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) compared to groups exposed to constant darkness both in vivo and in explants, suggesting that these effects are not derived from photoreceptors outside the pineal organ. These data are consistent with themore » hypothesis that indole metabolism is functionally linked to phototransduction events in the pineal organ of lower vertebrates.« less

INTERACTIONS BETWEEN ORGANIC COMPOUNDS AND CYCLODEXTRIN-CLAY SYSTEMS

EPA Science Inventory

Computational and experimental techniques are combined in order to better understand interactions involving organic compounds and cyclodextrin (CD)-clay systems. CD-clay systems may have great potential in the containment of organic contaminants in the environment. This study w...

Phosphorus-containing nucleophiles in reactions with polyfluorinated organic compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furin, Georgii G.

1993-03-01

The review presents a compilation of new expelimental data on the reactions of phosphorus-containing nucleophiles [triphenylphosphine, trialkylphosphines, trialkyl phosphites, phosphorus tris(diethylamide), etc.] with perfluorinated olefins and aromatic and heterocyclic compounds, leading to substances both with and without a phosphorus atom. It is shown that the interaction of phosphorus tris(diethylamide) and trialkylphosphines with organic polyfluoro-compounds and perfluoroolefins leads to the formation of phosphoranes, the decomposition of which is accompanied by the generation of aryl and alkenyl anions. The reactions of these anions with C-electrophiles and compounds containing mobile halogen atoms are examined. In addition, the pathways in the Arbuzov reaction involving a series of unsaturated perfluorinated compounds are analysed. Possible applications of these reactions in organic synthesis are demonstrated. The bibliography includes 120 references.

ACUTE TOXICITY OF SELECTED ORGANIC COMPOUNDS TO FATHEAD MINNOWS

EPA Science Inventory

Static nonrenewal laboratory bioassays were conducted with 26 organic compounds commonly used by industry. The selected compounds represented the five following chemical classes: acids, alcohols, hydrocarbons, ketones and aldehydes, and phenols. Juvenile fathead minnows (Pimephal...

Abiotic synthesis of organic compounds from carbon disulfide under hydrothermal conditions.

PubMed

Rushdi, Ahmed I; Simoneit, Bernd R T

2005-12-01

Abiotic formation of organic compounds under hydrothermal conditions is of interest to bio, geo-, and cosmochemists. Oceanic sulfur-rich hydrothermal systems have been proposed as settings for the abiotic synthesis of organic compounds. Carbon disulfide is a common component of magmatic and hot spring gases, and is present in marine and terrestrial hydrothermal systems. Thus, its reactivity should be considered as another carbon source in addition to carbon dioxide in reductive aqueous thermosynthesis. We have examined the formation of organic compounds in aqueous solutions of carbon disulfide and oxalic acid at 175 degrees C for 5 and 72 h. The synthesis products from carbon disulfide in acidic aqueous solutions yielded a series of organic sulfur compounds. The major compounds after 5 h of reaction included dimethyl polysulfides (54.5%), methyl perthioacetate (27.6%), dimethyl trithiocarbonate (6.8%), trithianes (2.7%), hexathiepane (1.4%), trithiolanes (0.8%), and trithiacycloheptanes (0.3%). The main compounds after 72 h of reaction consisted of trithiacycloheptanes (39.4%), pentathiepane (11.6%), tetrathiocyclooctanes (11.5%), trithiolanes (10.6%), tetrathianes (4.4%), trithianes (1.2%), dimethyl trisulfide (1.1%), and numerous minor compounds. It is concluded that the abiotic formation of aliphatic straight-chain and cyclic polysulfides is possible under hydrothermal conditions and warrants further studies.

Screening for Anti-Cancer Compounds in Marine Organisms in Oman

PubMed Central

Dobretsov, Sergey; Tamimi, Yahya; Al-Kindi, Mohamed A.; Burney, Ikram

2016-01-01

Objectives: Marine organisms are a rich source of bioactive molecules with potential applications in medicine, biotechnology and industry; however, few bioactive compounds have been isolated from organisms inhabiting the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. This study aimed to isolate and screen the anti-cancer activity of compounds and extracts from 40 natural products of marine organisms collected from the Gulf of Oman. Methods: This study was carried out between January 2012 and December 2014 at the Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman. Fungi, bacteria, sponges, algae, soft corals, tunicates, bryozoans, mangrove tree samples and sea cucumbers were collected from seawater at Marina Bandar Al-Rowdha and Bandar Al-Khayran in Oman. Bacteria and fungi were isolated using a marine broth and organisms were extracted with methanol and ethyl acetate. Compounds were identified from spectroscopic data. The anti-cancer activity of the compounds and extracts was tested in a Michigan Cancer Foundation (MCF)-7 cell line breast adenocarcinoma model. Results: Eight pure compounds and 32 extracts were investigated. Of these, 22.5% showed strong or medium anti-cancer activity, with malformin A, kuanoniamine D, hymenialdisine and gallic acid showing the greatest activity, as well as the soft coral Sarcophyton sp. extract. Treatment of MCF-7 cells at different concentrations of Sarcophyton sp. extracts indicated the induction of concentration-dependent cell death. Ultrastructural analysis highlighted the presence of nuclear fragmentation, membrane protrusion, blebbing and chromatic segregation at the nuclear membrane, which are typical characteristics of cell death by apoptosis induction. Conclusion: Some Omani marine organisms showed high anti-cancer potential. The efficacy, specificity and molecular mechanisms of anti-cancer compounds from Omani marine organisms on various cancer models should be investigated in future in vitro and in vivo studies. PMID:27226907

Volatile Organic Compound Analysis in Istanbul

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ćapraz, Ö.; Deniz, A.; Öztürk, A.; Incecik, S.; Toros, H.; Coşkun, M.

2012-04-01

Volatile Organic Compound Analysis in Istanbul Ö. Çapraz1, A. Deniz1,3, A. Ozturk2, S. Incecik1, H. Toros1 and, M. Coskun1 (1) Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Department of Meteorology, 34469, Maslak, Istanbul, Turkey. (2) Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Chemical and Metallurgical, Chemical Engineering, 34469, Maslak, Istanbul, Turkey. (3) Marmara Clean Air Center, Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, Nişantaşı, 34365, İstanbul, Turkey. One of the major problems of megacities is air pollution. Therefore, investigations of air quality are increasing and supported by many institutions in recent years. Air pollution in Istanbul contains many components that originate from a wide range of industrial, heating, motor vehicle, and natural emissions sources. VOC, originating mainly from automobile exhaust, secondhand smoke and building materials, are one of these compounds containing some thousands of chemicals. In spite of the risks to human health, relatively little is known about the levels of VOC in Istanbul. In this study, ambient air quality measurements of 32 VOCs including hydrocarbons, halogenated hydrocarbons and carbonyls were conducted in Kağıthane (Golden Horn) region in Istanbul during the winter season of 2011 in order to develop the necessary scientific framework for the subsequent developments. Kağıthane creek valley is the source part of the Golden Horn and one of the most polluted locations in Istanbul due to its topographical form and pollutant sources in the region. In this valley, horizontal and vertical atmospheric motions are very weak. The target compounds most commonly found were benzene, toluene, xylene and ethyl benzene. Concentrations of total hydrocarbons ranged between 1.0 and 10.0 parts per billion, by volume (ppbv). Ambient air levels of halogenated hydrocarbons appeared to exhibit unique spatial variations and no single factor seemed to explain trends for this group of

The Survival of Meteorite Organic Compounds with Increasing Impact Pressure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooper, George; Horz, Friedrich; Oleary, Alanna; Chang, Sherwood; DeVincenzi, Donald L. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The majority of carbonaceous meteorites studied today are thought to originate in the asteroid belt. Impacts among asteroidal objects generate heat and pressure that may have altered or destroyed pre-existing organic matter in both targets and projectiles to a greater or lesser degree depending upon impact velocities. Very little is known about the shock related chemical evolution of organic matter relevant to this stage of the cosmic history of biogenic elements and compounds. The present work continues our study of the effects of shock impacts on selected classes of organic compounds utilizing laboratory shock facilities. Our approach was to subject mixtures of organic compounds, embedded in a matrix of the Murchison meteorite, to a simulated hypervelocity impact. The molecular compositions of products were then analyzed to determine the degree of survival of the original compounds. Insofar as results associated with velocities < 8 km/sec may be relevant to impacts on planetary surfaces (e.g., oblique impacts, impacts on small outer planet satellites) or grain-grain collisions in the interstellar medium, then our experiments will be applicable to these environments as well.

BIOCONCENTRATION FACTORS FOR VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN VEGETATION

EPA Science Inventory

Samples of air and leaves were taken at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas campus and analyzed for volatile organic compounds using vacuum distillation coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The data were used to estimate the bioconcentration of volatile organic compo...

Detection of organic compounds with whole-cell bioluminescent bioassays.

PubMed

Xu, Tingting; Close, Dan; Smartt, Abby; Ripp, Steven; Sayler, Gary

2014-01-01

Natural and manmade organic chemicals are widely deposited across a diverse range of ecosystems including air, surface water, groundwater, wastewater, soil, sediment, and marine environments. Some organic compounds, despite their industrial values, are toxic to living organisms and pose significant health risks to humans and wildlife. Detection and monitoring of these organic pollutants in environmental matrices therefore is of great interest and need for remediation and health risk assessment. Although these detections have traditionally been performed using analytical chemical approaches that offer highly sensitive and specific identification of target compounds, these methods require specialized equipment and trained operators, and fail to describe potential bioavailable effects on living organisms. Alternatively, the integration of bioluminescent systems into whole-cell bioreporters presents a new capacity for organic compound detection. These bioreporters are constructed by incorporating reporter genes into catabolic or signaling pathways that are present within living cells and emit a bioluminescent signal that can be detected upon exposure to target chemicals. Although relatively less specific compared to analytical methods, bioluminescent bioassays are more cost-effective, more rapid, can be scaled to higher throughput, and can be designed to report not only the presence but also the bioavailability of target substances. This chapter reviews available bacterial and eukaryotic whole-cell bioreporters for sensing organic pollutants and their applications in a variety of sample matrices.

Detection of Organic Compounds with Whole-Cell Bioluminescent Bioassays

PubMed Central

Xu, Tingting; Close, Dan; Smartt, Abby; Ripp, Steven

2015-01-01

Natural and manmade organic chemicals are widely deposited across a diverse range of ecosystems including air, surface water, groundwater, wastewater, soil, sediment, and marine environments. Some organic compounds, despite their industrial values, are toxic to living organisms and pose significant health risks to humans and wildlife. Detection and monitoring of these organic pollutants in environmental matrices therefore is of great interest and need for remediation and health risk assessment. Although these detections have traditionally been performed using analytical chemical approaches that offer highly sensitive and specific identification of target compounds, these methods require specialized equipment and trained operators, and fail to describe potential bioavailable effects on living organisms. Alternatively, the integration of bioluminescent systems into whole-cell bioreporters presents a new capacity for organic compound detection. These bioreporters are constructed by incorporating reporter genes into catabolic or signaling pathways that are present within living cells and emit a bioluminescent signal that can be detected upon exposure to target chemicals. Although relatively less specific compared to analytical methods, bioluminescent bioassays are more cost-effective, more rapid, can be scaled to higher throughput, and can be designed to report not only the presence but also the bioavailability of target substances. This chapter reviews available bacterial and eukaryotic whole-cell bioreporters for sensing organic pollutants and their applications in a variety of sample matrices. PMID:25084996

Carbon Compounds from Mars Found Inside Meteorite ALH84001

NASA Image and Video Library

1996-08-08

This 4.5 billion-year-old rock, labeled meteorite ALH84001, is one of 10 rocks from Mars in which researchers have found organic carbon compounds that originated on Mars without involvement of life. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA00289

Volatile and semivolatile organic compounds in laboratory peat fire emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

George, Ingrid J.; Black, Robert R.; Geron, Chris D.; Aurell, Johanna; Hays, Michael D.; Preston, William T.; Gullett, Brian K.

2016-05-01

In this study, volatile and semi-volatile organic compound (VOCs and SVOCs) mass emission factors were determined from laboratory peat fire experiments. The peat samples originated from two National Wildlife Refuges on the coastal plain of North Carolina, U.S.A. Gas- and particle-phase organic compounds were quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and by high pressure liquid chromatography. Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) accounted for a large fraction (∼60%) of the speciated VOC emissions from peat burning, including large contributions of acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, and chloromethane. In the fine particle mass (PM2.5), the following organic compound classes were dominant: organic acids, levoglucosan, n-alkanes, and n-alkenes. Emission factors for the organic acids in PM2.5 including n-alkanoic acids, n-alkenoic acids, n-alkanedioic acids, and aromatic acids were reported for the first time for peat burning, representing the largest fraction of organic carbon (OC) mass (11-12%) of all speciated compound classes measured in this work. Levoglucosan contributed to 2-3% of the OC mass, while methoxyphenols represented 0.2-0.3% of the OC mass on a carbon mass basis. Retene was the most abundant particulate phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). Total HAP VOC and particulate PAH emissions from a 2008 peat wildfire in North Carolina were estimated, suggesting that peat fires can contribute a large fraction of state-wide HAP emissions.

Instrument for Analysis of Organic Compounds on Other Planets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Daulton, Riley M.; Hintze, Paul E.

2016-01-01

The goal of this project is to develop the Instrument for Solvent Extraction and Analysis of Extraterrestrial Bodies using In Situ Resources (ISEE). Specifically, ISEE will extract and characterize organic compounds from regolith which is found on the surface of other planets or asteroids. The techniques this instrument will use are supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC). ISEE aligns with NASA's goal to expand the frontiers of knowledge, capability, and opportunities in space in addition to supporting NASA's aim to search for life elsewhere by characterizing organic compounds. The outcome of this project will be conceptual designs of 2 components of the ISEE instrument as well as the completion of proof-of-concept extraction experiments to demonstrate the capabilities of SFE. The first conceptual design is a pressure vessel to be used for the extraction of the organic compounds from the regolith. This includes a comparison of different materials, geometry's, and a proposition of how to insert the regolith into the vessel. The second conceptual design identifies commercially available fluid pumps based on the requirements needed to generate supercritical CO2. The proof-of-concept extraction results show the percent mass lost during standard solvent extractions of regolith with organic compounds. This data will be compared to SFE results to demonstrate the capabilities of ISEE's approach.

7 CFR 205.670 - Inspection and testing of agricultural product to be sold or labeled “organic.”

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... agricultural product to be sold or labeled “organic.” (a) All agricultural products that are to be sold... product to be sold, labeled, or represented as “100 percent organic,” “organic,” or “made with organic... 7 Agriculture 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Inspection and testing of agricultural product to be...

Precipitate hydrolysis process for the removal of organic compounds from nuclear waste slurries

DOEpatents

Doherty, Joseph P.; Marek, James C.

1989-01-01

A process for removing organic compounds from a nuclear waste slurry comprising reacting a mixture of radioactive waste precipitate slurry and an acid in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of a copper (II) catalyst whereby the organic compounds in the precipitate slurry are hydrolyzed to form volatile organic compounds which are separated from the reacting mixture. The resulting waste slurry, containing less than 10 percent of the orginal organic compounds, is subsequently blended with high level radioactive sludge and transferred to a virtrification facility for processing into borosilicate glass for long-term storage.

Transformations of Model Organic Compounds on Snow Grains at Summit, Greenland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galbavy, E. S.; Ram, K.; Anastasio, C.

2005-12-01

Photochemical reactions in snowpacks produce a number of chemicals species that can significantly impact the overlying atmosphere and transform many organic pollutants. During this past summer's field season at Summit we examined the kinetics for the disappearance of a suite of model organic compounds in surface snowpack. Our compounds (2-nitrobenzaldehyde, sodium benzoate, syringol, 4-chlorophenol, 2-oxo-butanoic acid, and phenanthrene) were chosen because they represent markers from several different emission sources and because they have a range of expected fates, i.e., their lifetimes will be determined by different processes. These processes include direct photolysis and reactions with oxidants such as hydroxyl radical (OH) and singlet molecular oxygen (1O2*) In addition to measuring the rates of loss of the model organics, we also measured concentrations of OH and 1O2* in the snow samples, as well as rates of direct photolysis of the organics in frozen, purified water. Our goal was to compare the measured lifetimes of the organic compounds with calculated lifetimes based on reactions with OH and 1O2* and direct photolysis. While certain compounds behaved as expected, others decayed more slowly, or more rapidly, than expected, indicating that other, unidentified, snow grain reactions and/or mechanisms are significant. The rates of organic compound loss, the potential reasons for the observed differences, and the implications for lifetimes of trace organic pollutants in polar regions will be discussed.

HS-SPME analysis of volatile organic compounds of coniferous needle litter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isidorov, V. A.; Vinogorova, V. T.; Rafałowski, K.

The composition of volatile emission of Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris) and spruce ( Picea exelsa) litter was studied by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and samples were collected by solid-phase microextraction (SPME) method. The list of identified compounds includes over 60 organic substances of different classes. It was established that volatile emission contain not only components of essential oils of pine and spruce needles but also a large number of organic compounds which are probably secondary metabolites of litter-decomposing fungi. They include lower carbonyl compounds and alcohols as well as products of terpene dehydration and oxidation. These data show that the processes of litter decomposition are an important source of reactive organic compounds under canopy of coniferous forests.

Delivery of complex organic compounds from evolved stars to the solar system.

PubMed

Kwok, Sun

2011-12-01

Stars in the late stages of evolution are able to synthesize complex organic compounds with aromatic and aliphatic structures over very short time scales. These compounds are ejected into the interstellar medium and distributed throughout the Galaxy. The structures of these compounds are similar to the insoluble organic matter found in meteorites. In this paper, we discuss to what extent stellar organics has enriched the primordial Solar System and possibly the early Earth.

On the enrichment of hydrophobic organic compounds in fog droplets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valsaraj, K. T.; Thoma, G. J.; Reible, D. D.; Thibodeaux, L. J.

The unusual degree of enrichment of hydrophobic organics in fogwater droplets reported by several investigators can be interpreted as a result of (a) the effects of temperature correction on the reported enrichment factors, (b) the effects of colloidal organic matter (both filterable and non-filterable) in fog water and (c) the effects of the large air-water interfacial adsorption of neutral hydrophobic organics on the tiny fog droplets. The enrichment factor was directly correlated to the hydrophobicity (or the activity coefficient in water) of the compounds, as indicated by their octanol-water partition constants. Compounds with large octanol-water partition coefficients (high activity coefficients in water) showed the largest enrichment. Available experimental data on the adsorption of hydrophobic compounds at the air-water interface and on colloidal organic carbon were used to show that the large specific air-water interfacial areas of fog droplets contribute significantly to the enrichment factor.

Source apportionment of airborne particulate matter using organic compounds as tracers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schauer, James J.; Rogge, Wolfgang F.; Hildemann, Lynn M.; Mazurek, Monica A.; Cass, Glen R.; Simoneit, Bernd R. T.

A chemical mass balance receptor model based on organic compounds has been developed that relates source contributions to airborne fine particle mass concentrations. Source contributions to the concentrations of specific organic compounds are revealed as well. The model is applied to four air quality monitoring sites in southern California using atmospheric organic compound concentration data and source test data collected specifically for the purpose of testing this model. The contributions of up to nine primary particle source types can be separately identified in ambient samples based on this method, and approximately 85% of the organic fine aerosol is assigned to primary sources on an annual average basis. The model provides information on source contributions to fine mass concentrations, fine organic aerosol concentrations and individual organic compound concentrations. The largest primary source contributors to fine particle mass concentrations in Los Angeles are found to include diesel engine exhaust, paved road dust, gasoline-powered vehicle exhaust, plus emissions from food cooking and wood smoke, with smaller contribution from tire dust, plant fragments, natural gas combustion aerosol, and cigarette smoke. Once these primary aerosol source contributions are added to the secondary sulfates, nitrates and organics present, virtually all of the annual average fine particle mass at Los Angeles area monitoring sites can be assigned to its source.

Source apportionment of airborne particulate matter using organic compounds as tracers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schauer, James J.; Rogge, Wolfgang F.; Hildemann, Lynn M.; Mazurek, Monica A.; Cass, Glen R.; Simoneit, Bernd R. T.

A chemical mass balance receptor model based on organic compounds has been developed that relates sours; contributions to airborne fine particle mass concentrations. Source contributions to the concentrations of specific organic compounds are revealed as well. The model is applied to four air quality monitoring sites in southern California using atmospheric organic compound concentration data and source test data collected specifically for the purpose of testing this model. The contributions of up to nine primary particle source types can be separately identified in ambient samples based on this method, and approximately 85% of the organic fine aerosol is assigned to primary sources on an annual average basis. The model provides information on source contributions to fine mass concentrations, fine organic aerosol concentrations and individual organic compound concentrations. The largest primary source contributors to fine particle mass concentrations in Los Angeles are found to include diesel engine exhaust, paved road dust, gasoline-powered vehicle exhaust, plus emissions from food cooking and wood smoke, with smaller contribution:; from tire dust, plant fragments, natural gas combustion aerosol, and cigarette smoke. Once these primary aerosol source contributions are added to the secondary sulfates, nitrates and organics present, virtually all of the annual average fine particle mass at Los Angeles area monitoring sites can be assigned to its source.

Production of isotopically labeled standards from a uniformly labeled precursor for quantitative volatile metabolomic studies.

PubMed

Gómez-Cortés, Pilar; Brenna, J Thomas; Sacks, Gavin L

2012-06-19

Optimal accuracy and precision in small-molecule profiling by mass spectrometry generally requires isotopically labeled standards chemically representative of all compounds of interest. However, preparation of mixed standards from commercially available pure compounds is often prohibitively expensive and time-consuming, and many labeled compounds are not available in pure form. We used a single-prototype uniformly labeled [U-(13)C]compound to generate [U-(13)C]-labeled volatile standards for use in subsequent experimental profiling studies. [U-(13)C]-α-Linolenic acid (18:3n-3, ALA) was thermally oxidized to produce labeled lipid degradation volatiles which were subsequently characterized qualitatively and quantitatively. Twenty-five [U-(13)C]-labeled volatiles were identified by headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC/TOF-MS) by comparison of spectra with unlabeled volatiles. Labeled volatiles were quantified by a reverse isotope dilution procedure. Using the [U-(13)C]-labeled standards, limits of detection comparable to or better than those of previous HS-SPME reports were achieved, 0.010-1.04 ng/g. The performance of the [U-(13)C]-labeled volatile standards was evaluated using a commodity soybean oil (CSO) oxidized at 60 °C from 0 to 15 d. Relative responses of n-decane, an unlabeled internal standard otherwise absent from the mixture, and [U-(13)C]-labeled oxidation products changed by up to 8-fold as the CSO matrix was oxidized, demonstrating that reliance on a single standard in volatile profiling studies yields inaccurate results due to changing matrix effects. The [U-(13)C]-labeled standard mixture was used to quantify 25 volatiles in oxidized CSO and low-ALA soybean oil with an average relative standard deviation of 8.5%. Extension of this approach to other labeled substrates, e.g., [U-(13)C]-labeled sugars and amino acids, for profiling studies should be feasible and can dramatically improve

Organic compounds leached from fast pyrolysis mallee leaf and bark biochars.

PubMed

Lievens, Caroline; Mourant, Daniel; Gunawan, Richard; Hu, Xun; Wang, Yi

2015-11-01

Characterization of organic compounds leached from biochars is essential in assessing the possible toxicity of the biochar to the soils' biota. In this study the nature of the leached organic compounds from Mallee biochars, produced from pyrolysis of Mallee leaf and bark in a fluidised-bed pyrolyser at 400 and 580°C was investigated. Light bio-oil compounds and aromatic organic compounds were investigated. The 'bio-oil like' light compounds from leaf and bark biochars 'surfaces were obtained after leaching the chars with a solvent, suitable to dissolve the respective bio-oils. GC/MS was implemented to investigate the leachates. Phenolics, which are potentially harmful toxins, were detected and their concentration shown to be dependent on the char's origin and the char production temperature. Further, to simulate biochars amendment to soils, the chars were leached with water. The water-leached aromatic compounds from leaf and bark biochars were characterized using UV-fluorescence spectroscopy. Those results suggested that biochars contain leachable compounds of which the nature and amount is dependent on the biomass feedstock, pyrolysis temperature and leaching time. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of plant diversity on the diversity of soil organic compounds.

PubMed

El Moujahid, Lamiae; Le Roux, Xavier; Michalet, Serge; Bellvert, Florian; Weigelt, Alexandra; Poly, Franck

2017-01-01

The effect of plant diversity on aboveground organisms and processes was largely studied but there is still a lack of knowledge regarding the link between plant diversity and soil characteristics. Here, we analyzed the effect of plant identity and diversity on the diversity of extractible soil organic compounds (ESOC) using 87 experimental grassland plots with different levels of plant diversity and based on a pool of over 50 plant species. Two pools of low molecular weight organic compounds, LMW1 and LMW2, were characterized by GC-MS and HPLC-DAD, respectively. These pools include specific organic acids, fatty acids and phenolics, with more organic acids in LMW1 and more phenolics in LMW2. Plant effect on the diversity of LMW1 and LMW2 compounds was strong and weak, respectively. LMW1 richness observed for bare soil was lower than that observed for all planted soils; and the richness of these soil compounds increased twofold when dominant plant species richness increased from 1 to 6. Comparing the richness of LMW1 compounds observed for a range of plant mixtures and for plant monocultures of species present in these mixtures, we showed that plant species richness increases the richness of these ESOC mainly through complementarity effects among plant species associated with contrasted spectra of soil compounds. This could explain previously reported effects of plant diversity on the diversity of soil heterotrophic microorganisms.

Effect of plant diversity on the diversity of soil organic compounds

PubMed Central

El Moujahid, Lamiae; Michalet, Serge; Bellvert, Florian; Weigelt, Alexandra; Poly, Franck

2017-01-01

The effect of plant diversity on aboveground organisms and processes was largely studied but there is still a lack of knowledge regarding the link between plant diversity and soil characteristics. Here, we analyzed the effect of plant identity and diversity on the diversity of extractible soil organic compounds (ESOC) using 87 experimental grassland plots with different levels of plant diversity and based on a pool of over 50 plant species. Two pools of low molecular weight organic compounds, LMW1 and LMW2, were characterized by GC-MS and HPLC-DAD, respectively. These pools include specific organic acids, fatty acids and phenolics, with more organic acids in LMW1 and more phenolics in LMW2. Plant effect on the diversity of LMW1 and LMW2 compounds was strong and weak, respectively. LMW1 richness observed for bare soil was lower than that observed for all planted soils; and the richness of these soil compounds increased twofold when dominant plant species richness increased from 1 to 6. Comparing the richness of LMW1 compounds observed for a range of plant mixtures and for plant monocultures of species present in these mixtures, we showed that plant species richness increases the richness of these ESOC mainly through complementarity effects among plant species associated with contrasted spectra of soil compounds. This could explain previously reported effects of plant diversity on the diversity of soil heterotrophic microorganisms. PMID:28166250

Phosphorus sorption on marine carbonate sediment: phosphonate as model organic compounds.

PubMed

Huang, Xiao-Lan; Zhang, Jia-Zhong

2011-11-01

Organophosphonate, characterized by the presence of a stable, covalent, carbon to phosphorus (C-P) bond, is a group of synthetic or biogenic organophosphorus compounds. The fate of these organic phosphorus compounds in the environment is not well studied. This study presents the first investigation on the sorption of phosphorus (P) in the presence of two model phosphonate compounds, 2-aminothylphosphonoic acid (2-AEP) and phosphonoformic acid (PFA), on marine carbonate sediments. In contrast to other organic P compounds, no significant inorganic phosphate exchange was observed in seawater. P was found to adsorb on the sediment only in the presence of PFA, not 2-AEP. This indicated that sorption of P from phosphonate on marine sediment was compound specific. Compared with inorganic phosphate sorption on the same sediments, P sorption from organic phosphorus is much less in the marine environment. Further study is needed to understand the potential role of the organophosphonate compounds in biogeochemical cycle of phosphorus in the environment. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Organic compounds in re-circulated leachates of aerobic biological treated municipal solid waste.

PubMed

Franke, Matthias; Jandl, Gerald; Leinweber, Peter

2006-10-01

Biodegradation of organic matter is required to reduce the potential of municipal solid waste for producing gaseous emissions and leaching contaminants. Therefore, we studied leachates of an aerobic-treated waste from municipal solids and a sewage sludge mixture that were re-circulated to decrease the concentration of biodegradable organic matter in laboratory-scale reactors. After 12 months, the total organic C and biological and chemical oxygen demands were reduced, indicating the biodegradation of organic compounds in the leachates. Curie-point pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) and pyrolysis-field ionization mass spectrometry (Py-FIMS) revealed that phenols, alkylaromatic compounds, N-containing compounds and carbohydrates were the predominate compounds in the leachates and solid waste. Leachate re-circulation led to a higher thermal stability of the residual organic matter as indicated by temperature-resolved Py-FIMS. Admixture of sewage sludge to solid waste was less effective in removing organic compounds from the leachates. It resulted in drastic higher and more bio-resistant loads of organic matter in the leachates and revealed increased proportions of alkylaromatic compounds. The biodegradation of organic matter in leachates, re-circulated through municipal solid waste, offers the potential for improved aerobic waste treatments and should be investigated on a larger scale.

Screening of ground water samples for volatile organic compounds using a portable gas chromatograph

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buchmiller, R.C.

1989-01-01

A portable gas chromatograph was used to screen 32 ground water samples for volatile organic compounds. Seven screened samples were positive; four of the seven samples had volatile organic substances identified by second-column confirmation. Four of the seven positive, screened samples also tested positive in laboratory analyses of duplicate samples. No volatile organic compounds were detected in laboratory analyses of samples that headspace screening indicated to be negative. Samples that contained volatile organic compounds, as identified by laboratory analysis, and that contained a volatile organic compound present in a standard of selected compounds were correctly identified by using the portable gas chromatography. Comparisons of screened-sample data with laboratory data indicate the ability to detect selected volatile organic compounds at concentrations of about 1 microgram per liter in the headspace of water samples by use of a portable gas chromatography. -Author

Universal HPLC Detector for Hydrophilic Organic Compounds by Means of Total Organic Carbon Detection.

PubMed

Ohira, Shin-Ichi; Kaneda, Kyosuke; Matsuzaki, Toru; Mori, Shuta; Mori, Masanobu; Toda, Kei

2018-06-05

Most quantifications are achieved by comparison of the signals obtained with the sample to those from a standard. Thus, the purity and stability of the standard are key in chemical analysis. Furthermore, if an analyte standard cannot be obtained, quantification cannot be achieved, even if the chemical structures are identified by a qualification method (e.g., high-resolution mass spectrometry). Herein, we describe a universal and analyte standard-free detector for aqueous-eluent-based high-performance liquid chromatography. This universal carbon detector (UCD) was developed based on total organic carbon detection. Separated analytes were oxidized in-line and converted to carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). Generated CO 2 was transferred into the gas phase and collected into ultrapure water, which was followed by conductivity detection. The system can be applied as a HPLC detector that does not use an organic solvent as an eluent. The system can be calibrated with a primary standard of sodium bicarbonate for organic compounds. The universality and quantification were evaluated with organic compounds, including organic acids, sugars, and amino acids. Furthermore, the system was successfully applied to evaluation of the purity of formaldehyde in formalin solution, and determination of sugars in juices. The results show the universal carbon detector has good universality and can quantify many kinds of organic compounds with a single standard such as sodium bicarbonate.

Reverse Osmosis Processing of Organic Model Compounds and Fermentation Broths

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-04-01

AFRL-ML-TY-TP-2007-4545 POSTPRINT REVERSE OSMOSIS PROCESSING OF ORGANIC MODEL COMPOUNDS AND FERMENTATION BROTHS Robert Diltz...TELEPHONE NUMBER (Include area code) Bioresource Technology 98 (2007) 686–695Reverse osmosis processing of organic model compounds and fermentation broths...December 2005; accepted 31 January 2006 Available online 4 April 2006Abstract Post-treatment of an anaerobic fermentation broth was evaluated using a 150

Presence and distribution of chlorinated organic compounds in streambed sediments, new jersey

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stackelberg, P.E.

1997-01-01

Concentrations of 18 hydrophobic chlorinated organic compounds in streambed sediments from 100 sites throughout New Jersey were examined to determine (1) which compounds were detected most frequently, (2) whether detection frequencies differed among selected drainage basins, and (3) whether concentrations differed significantly among selected drainage basins. Twelve drainage basins across New Jersey that contain a range of land-use patterns and population densities were selected to represent various types and degrees of development. To ensure an adequate number of samples for statistical comparison among drainage basins, the 12 selected basins were consolidated into seven drainage areas on the basis of similarities in land- use patterns and population densities. Additionally, data for three classes of chlorinated organic compounds in streambed sediments from 255 sites throughout New Jersey were examined to determine whether the presence of these compounds in streambed sediments is related to the type and degree of development within the drainage area of each sampling site. Chlorinated organic compounds detected most frequently within the seven representative drainage areas were DDT, DDE, DDD, chlordane, dieldrin, and PCBs. DDT, DDE, and DDD, which were the most widely distributed organic compounds, were detected in about 60 to 100 percent of the samples from all drainage areas hut one (where the detection rate for these compounds was about 20 to 40 percent). Chlordane and dieldrin were detected in about 80 to 100 percent of samples from highly urbanized and populated drainage areas; detection frequencies for these compounds tended to be smaller in less developed and populated areas. PCBs were detected in about 40 to 85 percent of samples from all drainage areas; detection frequencies were highest in the most heavily developed and populated areas. Analysis of variance on rank-transformed organic compound concentrations normalized to sediment organic carbon content

Precipitate hydrolysis process for the removal of organic compounds from nuclear waste slurries

DOEpatents

Doherty, J.P.; Marek, J.C.

1987-02-25

A process for removing organic compounds from a nuclear waste slurry comprising reacting a mixture of radioactive waste precipitate slurry and an acid in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of a copper(II) catalyst whereby the organic compounds in the precipitate slurry are hydrolyzed to form volatile organic compounds which are separated from the reacting mixture. The resulting waste slurry, containing less than 10 percent of the original organic compounds, is subsequently blended with high level radioactive sludge land transferred to a vitrification facility for processing into borosilicate glass for long-term storage. 2 figs., 3 tabs.

Transport, behavior, and fate of volatile organic compounds in streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rathbun, R.E.

1998-01-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are compounds with chemical and physical properties that allow the compounds to move freely between the water and air phases of the environment. VOCs are widespread in the environment because of this mobility. Many VOCs have properties making them suspected or known hazards to the health of humans and aquatic organisms. Consequently, understanding the processes affecting the concentration and distribution VOCs in the environment is necessary. The U.S. Geological Survey selected 55 VOCs for study. This report reviews the characteristics of the various process that could affect the transport, behavior, and fate of these VOCs in streams.

Labeling the good: alternative visions and organic branding in Sweden in the late twentieth century.

PubMed

Broberg, Oskar

2010-01-01

The past decade's rapid expansion of a global market for organic food has set powerful economic and political forces in motion. The most important dividing line is whether organic food production should be an alternative to or a niche within a capitalist mode of production. To explore this conflict the article analyzes the formation of a market for eco-labeled milk in Sweden. The analysis draws on three aspects: the strategy of agri-business, the role of eco-labeling, and the importance of inter-organizational dynamics. Based on archival studies, daily press, and interviews, three processes are emphasized: the formative years of the alternative movement in the 1970s, the founding of an independent eco-label (KRAV) in the 1980s, and a discursive shift from alternative visions to organic branding in the early 1990s following the entry of agri-business.

Catalytic Destruction Of Toxic Organic Compounds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Voecks, Gerald E.

1990-01-01

Proposed process disposes of toxic organic compounds in contaminated soil or carbon beds safely and efficiently. Oxidizes toxic materials without producing such other contaminants as nitrogen oxides. Using air, fuel, catalysts, and steam, system consumes less fuel and energy than decontamination processes currently in use. Similar process regenerates carbon beds used in water-treatment plants.

40 CFR 60.622 - Standards for volatile organic compounds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... compounds. 60.622 Section 60.622 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Petroleum Dry Cleaners § 60.622 Standards for volatile organic compounds. (a) Each affected petroleum solvent dry cleaning dryer that is installed at a petroleum dry cleaning plant after December 14, 1982...

40 CFR 60.622 - Standards for volatile organic compounds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... compounds. 60.622 Section 60.622 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Petroleum Dry Cleaners § 60.622 Standards for volatile organic compounds. (a) Each affected petroleum solvent dry cleaning dryer that is installed at a petroleum dry cleaning plant after December 14, 1982...

40 CFR 60.622 - Standards for volatile organic compounds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... compounds. 60.622 Section 60.622 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Petroleum Dry Cleaners § 60.622 Standards for volatile organic compounds. (a) Each affected petroleum solvent dry cleaning dryer that is installed at a petroleum dry cleaning plant after December 14, 1982...

Individual organic compounds in water extracts from podzolic soils of the Komi Republic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shamrikova, E. V.; Punegov, V. V.; Gruzdev, I. V.; Vanchikova, E. V.; Vetoshkina, A. A.

2012-10-01

The contents of organic compounds in water extracts from organic horizons of loamy soils with different water contents from the medium taiga zone of the Komi Republic were determined by gas-liquid chromatography and chromatography-mass spectrometry. The mass concentration of organic carbon in the extracts was in the range of 290-330 mg/dm3; the mass fraction of the carbon from the identified compounds was 0.5-1.9%. Hydrocarbons made up about 60% of the total identified compounds; acids and their derivatives composed less than 40%. Most of the acids (40-70%) were aliphatic hydroxy acids. The tendencies in the formation of different classes of organic compounds were revealed depending on the degree of the soil hydromorphism. The acid properties of the water-soluble compounds were studied by pK spectroscopy. Five groups of compounds containing acid groups with similar pKa values were revealed. The compounds containing groups with pKa < 4.0 were predominant. The increase in the surface wetting favored the formation of compounds with pKa 3.2-4.0 and 7.4-8.4.

Rapid NMR method for the quantification of organic compounds in thin stillage.

PubMed

Ratanapariyanuch, Kornsulee; Shen, Jianheng; Jia, Yunhua; Tyler, Robert T; Shim, Youn Young; Reaney, Martin J T

2011-10-12

Thin stillage contains organic and inorganic compounds, some of which may be valuable fermentation coproducts. This study describes a thorough analysis of the major solutes present in thin stillage as revealed by NMR and HPLC. The concentration of charged and neutral organic compounds in thin stillage was determined by excitation sculpting NMR methods (double pulse field gradient spin echo). Compounds identified by NMR included isopropanol, ethanol, lactic acid, 1,3-propanediol, acetic acid, succinic acid, glycerophosphorylcholine, betaine, glycerol, and 2-phenylethanol. The concentrations of lactic and acetic acid determined with NMR were comparable to those determined using HPLC. HPLC and NMR were complementary, as more compounds were identified using both methods. NMR analysis revealed that stillage contained the nitrogenous organic compounds betaine and glycerophosphorylcholine, which contributed as much as 24% of the nitrogen present in the stillage. These compounds were not observed by HPLC analysis.

Uptake of organic sulfur and nitrogen compounds by aerosols

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Efforts have been undertaken to monitor and model the uptake of medium-sized organic compounds found above agricultural waste. Field effects performed by our collaborators monitor both the gas phase compounds present in a chicken house in Kentucky; using PILS-IC sampling, the contents of PM2.5 parti...

Characterization of polar organic compounds and source analysis of fine organic aerosols in Hong Kong

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yunchun

Organic aerosols, as an important fraction of airborne particulate mass, significantly affect the environment, climate, and human health. Compared with inorganic species, characterization of individual organic compounds is much less complete and comprehensive because they number in thousands or more and are diverse in chemical structures. The source contributions of organic aerosols are far from being well understood because they can be emitted from a variety of sources as well as formed from photochemical reactions of numerous precursors. This thesis work aims to improve the characterization of polar organic compounds and source apportionment analysis of fine organic carbon (OC) in Hong Kong, which consists of two parts: (1) An improved analytical method to determine monocarboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, ketocarboxylic acids, and dicarbonyls collected on filter substrates has been established. These oxygenated compounds were determined as their butyl ester or butyl acetal derivatives using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The new method made improvements over the original Kawamura method by eliminating the water extraction and evaporation steps. Aerosol materials were directly mixed with the BF 3/BuOH derivatization agent and the extracting solvent hexane. This modification improves recoveries for both the more volatile and the less water-soluble compounds. This improved method was applied to study the abundances and sources of these oxygenated compounds in PM2.5 aerosol samples collected in Hong Kong under different synoptic conditions during 2003-2005. These compounds account for on average 5.2% of OC (range: 1.4%-13.6%) on a carbon basis. Oxalic acid was the most abundant species. Six C2 and C3 oxygenated compounds, namely oxalic, malonic, glyoxylic, pyruvic acids, glyoxal, and methylglyoxal, dominated this suite of oxygenated compounds. More efforts are therefore suggested to focus on these small compounds in understanding the role of oxygenated

Incorporation of organic tritium (3H) by marine organisms and sediment in the severn estuary/Bristol channel (UK).

PubMed

McCubbin, D; Leonard, K S; Bailey, T A; Williams, J; Tossell, P

2001-10-01

Discharges of tritium (3H) into the Severn estuary/Bristol Channel (UK) arise from the authorized release of wastes from nuclear power plants at Hinkley Point and Berkley/Oldbury and from the Nycomed-Amersham radiochemical plant, via the sewer system, at Cardiff. The wastes from the nuclear power plants probably consist almost entirely of 3H2O, whereas those from the radiochemical plant also include uncharacterized 3H labelled organic compounds. The total 3H concentrations in demersal fish and other benthic organisms in the vicinity of the Cardiff Eastern sewer outfall are significantly elevated compared to those observed around other UK nuclear establishments. Concentrations in filtered seawater were approximately 10 Bq kg(-1) whilst levels in surface sediment, seaweed (Fucus vesiculosis) and mussels (Mytilus edulis)/flounder (Platichthys flesus) were in the order of 6 x 10(2), 2 x 10(3), and 10(5) Bq kg(-1) (dry weight), respectively. Almost all the 3H found in sediment and biota were organically bound tritium (OBT). The high concentration in these materials, relative to that in seawater, is due to the presence of bioavailable organic 3H labelled compounds in the radiochemical waste. It is suggested that bioaccumulation of 3H by benthic organisms and demersal fish occurs primarily via a pathway of physico-chemical sorption/bacterial transformation of dissolved 3H labelled organic compounds into particulate organic matter, and subsequent transfer up a web of sediment dwelling microbes and meiofauna. Variations in 3H accumulation between individual organisms have been interpreted in terms of their different feeding behaviour. Relatively low concentrations were observed in the herbivorous winkle (Littorina littorea) and the pelagic Sprat (Spratus spratus) compared with other benthic organisms and demersal fish. The elevated 3H concentrations in seafood, due to bioaccumulation of OBT, have low radiological significance even for the local critical group of seafood

Nitrogen Containing Organic Compounds and Oligomers in Secondary Organic Aerosol Formed by Photooxidation of Isoprene

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nguyen, Tran B.; Laskin, Julia; Laskin, Alexander

2011-07-06

Electrospray ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry (ESI HR-MS) was used to probe molecular structures of oligomers in secondary organic aerosol (SOA) generated in laboratory experiments on isoprene photooxidation at low- and high-NOx conditions. Up to 80-90% of the observed products are oligomers and up to 33% are nitrogen-containing organic compounds (NOC). We observe oligomers with up to 8 monomer units in length. Tandem mass spectrometry (MSn) confirms NOC compounds are organic nitrates and elucidates plausible chemical building blocks contributing to oligomer formation. Most organic nitrates are comprised of methylglyceric acid units. Other important multifunctional C2-C5 monomer units are identified including methylglyoxal,more » hydroxyacetone, hydroxyacetic acid, glycolaldehyde, and 2-methyltetrols. The majority of the NOC oligomers contain only one nitrate moiety resulting in a low average N:C ratio of 0.019. Average O:C ratios of the detected SOA compounds are 0.54 under the low-NOx conditions and 0.83 under the high-NOx conditions. Our results underscore the importance of isoprene photooxidation as a source of NOC in organic particulate matter.« less

Self assembly properties of primitive organic compounds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deamer, D. W.

1991-01-01

A central event in the origin of life was the self-assembly of amphiphilic, lipid-like compounds into closed microenvironments. If a primitive macromolecular replicating system could be encapsulated within a vesicular membrane, the components of the system would share the same microenvironment, and the result would be a step toward true cellular function. The goal of our research has been to determine what amphiphilic molecules might plausibly have been available on the early Earth to participate in the formation of such boundary structures. To this end, we have investigated primitive organic mixtures present in carbonaceous meteorites such as the Murchison meteorite, which contains 1-2 percent of its mass in the form of organic carbon compounds. It is likely that such compounds contributed to the inventory of organic carbon on the prebiotic earth, and were available to participate in chemical evolution leading to the emergence of the first cellular life forms. We found that Murchison components extracted into non-polar solvent systems are surface active, a clear indication of amphiphilic character. One acidic fraction self-assembles into vesicular membranes that provide permeability barriers to polar solutes. Other evidence indicates that the membranes are bimolecular layers similar to those formed by contemporary membrane lipids. We conclude that bilayer membrane formation by primitive amphiphiles on the early Earth is feasible. However, only a minor fraction of acidic amphiphiles assembles into bilayers, and the resulting membranes require narrowly defined conditions of pH and ionic composition to be stable. It seems unlikely, therefore, that meteoritic infall was a direct source of membrane amphiphiles. Instead, the hydrocarbon components and their derivatives more probably would provide an organic stock available for chemical evolution. Our current research is directed at possible reactions which would generate substantial quantities of membranogenic

The Atmospheric Fate of Organic Nitrogen Compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borduas, Nadine

Organic nitrogen compounds are present in our atmosphere from biogenic and anthropogenic sources and have impacts on air quality and climate. Due to recent advances in instrumentation, these compounds are being detected in the gas and particle phases, raising questions as to their source, processing and sinks in the environment. With their recently identified role as contributors to aerosol formation and growth, their novel large scale use as solvents in carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology and their emissions from cigarette smoke, it is now important to address the gaps in our understanding of the fate of organic nitrogen. Experimentally and theoretically, I studied the chemical atmospheric fate of specific organic nitrogen compounds in the amine, amide and isocyanate families, yielding information that can be used in chemical transport models to assess the fate of this emerging class of atmospheric molecules. I performed kinetic laboratory studies in a smog chamber to measure the room temperature rate coefficient for reaction with the hydroxyl radical of monoethanolamine, nicotine, and five different amides. I employed online-mass spectrometry techniques to quantify the oxidation products. I found that amines react quickly with OH radicals with lifetimes of a few hours under sunlit conditions, producing amides as oxidation products. My studies on amides revealed that they have much longer lifetimes in the atmosphere, ranging from a few hours to a week. Photo-oxidation of amides produces isocyanates and I investigated these mechanisms in detail using ab initio calculations. Furthermore, I experimentally measured isocyanic acid's Henry's Law constant as well as its hydrolysis rate constants to better understand its sinks in the atmosphere. Finally, I re-examined the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of organic nitrogen molecules for improved model parameterizations.

Highly stable meteoritic organic compounds as markers of asteroidal delivery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cooper, George; Horz, Friedrich; Spees, Alanna; Chang, Sherwood

2014-01-01

Multiple missions to search for water-soluble organic compounds on the surfaces of Solar System bodies are either current or planned and, if such compounds were found, it would be desirable to determine their origin(s). Asteroid or comet material is likely to have been components of all surface environments throughout Solar System history. To simulate the survival of meteoritic compounds both during impacts with planetary surfaces and under subsequent (possibly) harsh ambient conditions, we subjected known meteoritic compounds to comparatively high impact-shock pressures (>30 GPa) and/or to extremely oxidizing/corrosive acid solution. Consistent with past impact experiments, α-amino acids survived only at trace levels above ∼18 GPa. Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) survived at levels of 4-8% at a shock pressure of 36 GPa. Lower molecular weight sulfonic and phosphonic acids (S&P) had the highest degree of impact survival of all tested compounds at higher pressures. Oxidation of compounds was done with a 3:1 mixture of HCl:HNO3, a solution that generates additional strong oxidants such as Cl2 and NOCl. Upon oxidation, keto acids and α-amino acids were the most labile compounds with proline as a significant exception. Some fraction of the other compounds, including non-α amino acids and dicarboxylic acids, were stable during 16-18 hours of oxidation. However, S&P quantitatively survived several months (at least) under the same conditions. Such results begin to build a profile of the more robust meteoritic compounds: those that may have survived, i.e., may be found in, the more hostile Solar System environments. In the search for organic compounds, one current mission, NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), will use analytical procedures similar to those of this study and those employed previously on Earth to identify many of the compounds described in this work. The current results may thus prove to be directly relevant to potential findings of MSL and other

Mathematical modeling of atmospheric fine particle-associated primary organic compound concentrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogge, Wolfgang F.; Hildemann, Lynn M.; Mazurek, Monica A.; Cass, Glen R.; Simoneit, Bernd R. T.

1996-08-01

An atmospheric transport model has been used to explore the relationship between source emissions and ambient air quality for individual particle phase organic compounds present in primary aerosol source emissions. An inventory of fine particulate organic compound emissions was assembled for the Los Angeles area in the year 1982. Sources characterized included noncatalyst- and catalyst-equipped autos, diesel trucks, paved road dust, tire wear, brake lining dust, meat cooking operations, industrial oil-fired boilers, roofing tar pots, natural gas combustion in residential homes, cigarette smoke, fireplaces burning oak and pine wood, and plant leaf abrasion products. These primary fine particle source emissions were supplied to a computer-based model that simulates atmospheric transport, dispersion, and dry deposition based on the time series of hourly wind observations and mixing depths. Monthly average fine particle organic compound concentrations that would prevail if the primary organic aerosol were transported without chemical reaction were computed for more than 100 organic compounds within an 80 km × 80 km modeling area centered over Los Angeles. The monthly average compound concentrations predicted by the transport model were compared to atmospheric measurements made at monitoring sites within the study area during 1982. The predicted seasonal variation and absolute values of the concentrations of the more stable compounds are found to be in reasonable agreement with the ambient observations. While model predictions for the higher molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are in agreement with ambient observations, lower molecular weight PAH show much higher predicted than measured atmospheric concentrations in the particle phase, indicating atmospheric decay by chemical reactions or evaporation from the particle phase. The atmospheric concentrations of dicarboxylic acids and aromatic polycarboxylic acids greatly exceed the contributions that

Process for reducing organic compounds with calcium, amine, and alcohol

DOEpatents

Benkeser, Robert A.; Laugal, James A.; Rappa, Angela

1985-01-01

Olefins are produced by contacting an organic compound having at least one benzene ring with calcium metal, ethylenediamine, a low molecular weight aliphatic alcohol, and optionally a low molecular weight aliphatic primary amine, and/or an inert, abrasive particulate substance. The reduction is conducted at temperatures ranging from about -10.degree. C. to about 30.degree. C. or somewhat higher. Substantially all of the organic compounds are converted to corresponding cyclic olefins, primarily diolefins.

Process for reducing organic compounds with calcium, amine, and alcohol

DOEpatents

Benkeser, R.A.; Laugal, J.A.; Rappa, A.

1985-08-06

Olefins are produced by contacting an organic compound having at least one benzene ring with calcium metal, ethylenediamine, a low molecular weight aliphatic alcohol, and optionally a low molecular weight aliphatic primary amine, and/or an inert, abrasive particulate substance. The reduction is conducted at temperatures ranging from about [minus]10 C to about 30 C or somewhat higher. Substantially all of the organic compounds are converted to corresponding cyclic olefins, primarily diolefins.

Removal of volatile organic compounds using amphiphilic cyclodextrin-coated polypropylene.

PubMed

Lumholdt, Ludmilla; Fourmentin, Sophie; Nielsen, Thorbjørn T; Larsen, Kim L

2014-01-01

Polypropylene nonwovens were functionalised using a self-assembled, amphiphilic cyclodextrin coating and the potential for water purification by removal of pollutants was studied. As benzene is one of the problematic compounds in the Water Framework Directive, six volatile organic compounds (benzene and five benzene-based substances) were chosen as model compounds. The compounds were tested as a mixture in order to provide a more realistic situation since the wastewater will be a complex mixture containing multiple pollutants. The volatile organic compounds are known to form stable inclusion complexes with cyclodextrins. Six different amphiphilic cyclodextrin derivatives were synthesised in order to elucidate whether or not the uptake abilities of the coating depend on the structure of the derivative. Headspace gas chromatography was used for quantification of the uptake exploiting the volatile nature of benzene and its derivatives. The capacity was shown to increase beyond the expected stoichiometries of guest-host complexes with ratios of up to 16:1.

Analysis of volatile organic compounds from illicit cocaine samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robins, W. H.; Wright, Bob W.

1994-10-01

Detection of illicit cocaine hydrochloride shipments can be improved if there is a greater understanding of the identity and quantity of volatile compounds present. This study provides preliminary data concerning the volatile organic compounds detected in a limited set of cocaine hydrochloride samples. In all cases, cocaine was one of the major volatile compounds detected. Other tropeines were detected in almost all samples. Low concentrations of compounds which may be residues of processing solvents were observed in some samples. The equilibrium emissivity of cocaine from cocaine hydrochloride was investigated and a value of 83 parts-per-trillion was determined.

Simplified Production of Organic Compounds Containing High Enantiomer Excesses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooper, George W. (Inventor)

2015-01-01

The present invention is directed to a method for making an enantiomeric organic compound having a high amount of enantiomer excesses including the steps of a) providing an aqueous solution including an initial reactant and a catalyst; and b) subjecting said aqueous solution simultaneously to a magnetic field and photolysis radiation such that said photolysis radiation produces light rays that run substantially parallel or anti-parallel to the magnetic field passing through said aqueous solution, wherein said catalyst reacts with said initial reactant to form the enantiomeric organic compound having a high amount of enantiomer excesses.

Temperature sensitivity of organic compound destruction in SCWO process.

PubMed

Tan, Yaqin; Shen, Zhemin; Guo, Weimin; Ouyang, Chuang; Jia, Jinping; Jiang, Weili; Zhou, Haiyun

2014-03-01

To study the temperature sensitivity of the destruction of organic compounds in supercritical water oxidation process (SCWO), oxidation effects of twelve chemicals in supercritical water were investigated. The SCWO reaction rates of different compounds improved to varying degrees with the increase of temperature, so the highest slope of the temperature-effect curve (imax) was defined as the maximum ratio of removal ratio to working temperature. It is an important index to stand for the temperature sensitivity effect in SCWO. It was proven that the higher imax is, the more significant the effect of temperature on the SCWO effect is. Since the high-temperature area of SCWO equipment is subject to considerable damage from fatigue, the temperature is of great significance in SCWO equipment operation. Generally, most compounds (imax > 0.25) can be completely oxidized when the reactor temperature reaches 500°C. However, some compounds (imax > 0.25) need a higher temperature for complete oxidation, up to 560°C. To analyze the correlation coefficients between imax and various molecular descriptors, a quantum chemical method was used in this study. The structures of the twelve organic compounds were optimized by the Density Functional Theory B3LYP/6-311G method, as well as their quantum properties. It was shown that six molecular descriptors were negatively correlated to imax while other three descriptors were positively correlated to imax. Among them, dipole moment had the greatest effect on the oxidation thermodynamics of the twelve organic compounds. Once a correlation between molecular descriptors and imax is established, SCWO can be run at an appropriate temperature according to molecular structure. Copyright © 2014 The Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electroreduction of Halogenated Organic Compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rondinini, Sandra; Vertova, Alberto

The electroreductive cleavage of the carbon-halogen bond in halogenated organic compounds has been extensively studied for more than 70 years, since it is prodromal to a large variety of synthetic applications in organic electrochemistry. Over the years the research interest have progressively included the environmental applications, since several organic halocompounds are known to have (or have had) a serious environmental impact because of their (present or past) wide use as cleaning agents, herbicides, cryogenic fluids, reagents (e.g. allyl and vinyl monomers) for large production materials, etc. Recent studies have also demonstrated the wide spread out- and in-door-presence of volatile organic halides, although at low level, in connexion with residential and non-residential (e.g. stores, restaurants and transportation) activities. In this context, the detoxification of emissions to air, water and land by the selective removal of the halogen group represents a valid treatment route, which, although not leading to the complete mineralization of the pollutants, produces less harmful streams to be easily treated by electrochemical or conventional techniques. The electroreduction process is analysed and discussed in terms of electrode material, reaction medium, cell design and operation, and of substrate classification.

Identification of organic compounds in landfill leachate treated by advanced oxidation processes.

PubMed

Scandelai, Ana Paula Jambers; Sloboda Rigobello, Eliane; Oliveira, Beatriz Lopes Corso de; Tavares, Célia Regina Granhen

2017-11-27

Landfill leachates are considered to be complex effluents of a variable composition containing many biorecalcitrant and highly toxic compounds. Considering the shortage of studies concerning the treatment of landfill leachates using ozone, as well as its combination with catalysts, the aim of this paper was to identify the organic compounds in this effluent treated with advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) of ozonation (O 3 ), and heterogeneous catalytic ozonation with TiO 2 (O 3 /TiO 2 ) and with ZnO (O 3 /ZnO). In addition, this study sought to assess the efficiency of the removal of the organic matter present in the leachate. For the pre- and post-AOPs, the leachate was characterized through physicochemical parameters and identification of organic compounds using gas chromatography coupled to the mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The three processes studied (O 3 , O 3 /TiO 2 , and O 3 /ZnO) presented color removal, turbidity, BOD above 95%, and lower COD removals (19%, 24%, and 33%, respectively). All AOPs studied promoted a similar reduction of organic compounds from leachate, some of which with toxic and carcinogenic potential, such as p-cresol, bisphenol A, atrazine, and hexazinone. In addition, upon the removal of organic matter and organic compounds, the heterogeneous catalytic ozonation processes proved more efficient than the process carried out only with ozone.

High Throughput, Label-free Screening Small Molecule Compound Libraries for Protein-Ligands using Combination of Small Molecule Microarrays and a Special Ellipsometry-based Optical Scanner.

PubMed

Landry, James P; Fei, Yiyan; Zhu, X D

2011-12-01

Small-molecule compounds remain the major source of therapeutic and preventative drugs. Developing new drugs against a protein target often requires screening large collections of compounds with diverse structures for ligands or ligand fragments that exhibit sufficiently affinity and desirable inhibition effect on the target before further optimization and development. Since the number of small molecule compounds is large, high-throughput screening (HTS) methods are needed. Small-molecule microarrays (SMM) on a solid support in combination with a suitable binding assay form a viable HTS platform. We demonstrate that by combining an oblique-incidence reflectivity difference optical scanner with SMM we can screen 10,000 small-molecule compounds on a single glass slide for protein ligands without fluorescence labeling. Furthermore using such a label-free assay platform we can simultaneously acquire binding curves of a solution-phase protein to over 10,000 immobilized compounds, thus enabling full characterization of protein-ligand interactions over a wide range of affinity constants.

Effect of water saturation in soil organic matter on the partition of organic compounds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rutherford, D.W.; Chlou, G.T.

1992-01-01

The sorption of benzene, trichloroethylene, and carbon tetrachloride at room temperature from water solution and from vapor on two high-organic-content soils (peat and muck) was determined in order to evaluate the effect of water saturation on the solute partition in soil organic matter (SOM). The uptake of water vapor was similarly determined to define the amounts of water in the saturated soil samples. In such high-organic-content soils the organic vapor sorption and the respective solute sorption from water exhibit linear isotherms over a wide range of relative concentrations. This observation, along with the low BET surface areas of the samples, suggests that partition in the SOM of the samples is the dominant process in the uptake of these liquids. A comparison of the sorption from water solution and from vapor phase shows that water saturation reduces the sorption (partition) efficiency of SOM by ?? 42%; the saturated water content is ??38% by weight of dry SOM. This reduction is relatively small when compared with the almost complete suppression by water of organic compound adsorption on soil minerals. While the effect of water saturation on solute uptake by SOM is much expected in terms of solute partition in SOM, the influence of water on the solubility behavior of polar SOM can be explained only qualitatively by regular solution theory. The results suggest that the major effect of water in a drying-wetting cycle on the organic compound uptake by normal low-organic-content soils (and the associated compound's activity) is the suppression of adsorption by minerals rather than the mitigation of the partition effect in SOM.

Architectural Coatings: National Volatile Organic Compounds Emission Standards

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Read about the section 183(e) rule for volatile organic compounds for architectural coatings. Read the rule summary and history, find the code of federal regulations test, and additional documents, including compliance information.

Organic Phase Change Nanoparticles for in-Product Labeling of Agrochemicals.

PubMed

Wang, Miao; Duong, Binh; Su, Ming

2015-10-28

There is an urgent need to develop in-product covert barcodes for anti-counterfeiting of agrochemicals. This paper reports a new organic nanoparticle-based in-product barcode system, in which a panel of organic phase change nanoparticles is added as a barcode into in a variety of chemicals (herein agrochemicals). The barcode is readout by detecting melting peaks of organic nanoparticles using differential scanning calorimetry. This method has high labeling capacity due to small sizes of nanoparticles, sharp melting peaks, and large scan range of thermal analysis. The in-product barcode can be effectively used to protect agrochemical products from being counterfeited due to its large coding capacity, technical readiness, covertness, and robustness.

Leveraging the beneficial compounds of organic and pasture milk

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Much discussion has arisen over the possible benefits of organic food, including milk. Organic milk comes from cows that are on pasture during the growing season, and would be expected to contain some compounds that are not found in animals receiving conventional feed, or at higher concentrations. ...

Detection, composition and treatment of volatile organic compounds from waste treatment plants.

PubMed

Font, Xavier; Artola, Adriana; Sánchez, Antoni

2011-01-01

Environmental policies at the European and global level support the diversion of wastes from landfills for their treatment in different facilities. Organic waste is mainly treated or valorized through composting, anaerobic digestion or a combination of both treatments. Thus, there are an increasing number of waste treatment plants using this type of biological treatment. During waste handling and biological decomposition steps a number of gaseous compounds are generated or removed from the organic matrix and emitted. Different families of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) can be found in these emissions. Many of these compounds are also sources of odor nuisance. In fact, odors are the main source of complaints and social impacts of any waste treatment plant. This work presents a summary of the main types of VOC emitted in organic waste treatment facilities and the methods used to detect and quantify these compounds, together with the treatment methods applied to gaseous emissions commonly used in composting and anaerobic digestion facilities.

Detection, Composition and Treatment of Volatile Organic Compounds from Waste Treatment Plants

PubMed Central

Font, Xavier; Artola, Adriana; Sánchez, Antoni

2011-01-01

Environmental policies at the European and global level support the diversion of wastes from landfills for their treatment in different facilities. Organic waste is mainly treated or valorized through composting, anaerobic digestion or a combination of both treatments. Thus, there are an increasing number of waste treatment plants using this type of biological treatment. During waste handling and biological decomposition steps a number of gaseous compounds are generated or removed from the organic matrix and emitted. Different families of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) can be found in these emissions. Many of these compounds are also sources of odor nuisance. In fact, odors are the main source of complaints and social impacts of any waste treatment plant. This work presents a summary of the main types of VOC emitted in organic waste treatment facilities and the methods used to detect and quantify these compounds, together with the treatment methods applied to gaseous emissions commonly used in composting and anaerobic digestion facilities. PMID:22163835

No-carrier-added labeling of the neuroprotective Ebselen with selenium-73 and selenium-75.

PubMed

Helfer, Andreas; Ermert, Johannes; Humpert, Sven; Coenen, Heinz H

2015-03-01

Selenium-73 is a positron emitting non-standard radionuclide, which is suitable for positron emission tomography. A copper-catalyzed reaction allowed no-carrier-added labeling of the anti-inflammatory seleno-organic compound Ebselen with (73) Se and (75) Se under addition of sulfur carrier in a one-step reaction. The new authentically labeled radioselenium molecule is thus available for preclinical evaluation and positron emission tomography studies. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Dosimeter for monitoring vapors and aerosols of organic compounds

DOEpatents

Vo-Dinh, Tuan

1987-01-01

A dosimeter is provided for collecting and detecting vapors and aerosols of organic compounds. The dosimeter comprises a lightweight, passive device that can be conveniently worn by a person as a badge or placed at a stationary location. The dosimeter includes a sample collector comprising a porous web treated with a chemical for inducing molecular displacement and enhancing phosphorescence. Compounds are collected onto the web by molecular diffusion. The web also serves as the sample medium for detecting the compounds by a room temperature phosphorescence technique.

Anticancer and cancer preventive compounds from edible marine organisms.

PubMed

Correia-da-Silva, Marta; Sousa, Emília; Pinto, Madalena M M; Kijjoa, Anake

2017-10-01

A direct impact of food on health, which demonstrates that dietary habit is one of the most important determinants of chronic diseases such as cancers, has led to an increased interest of the consumers toward natural bioactive compounds as functional ingredients or nutraceuticals. Epidemiological studies revealed that the populations of many Asian countries with high consumption of fish and seafood have low prevalence of particular type of cancers such as lung, breast, colorectal and prostate cancers. This observation has led to extensive investigations of the benefits of compounds present in edible marine organisms such as fish, marine invertebrates (mollusks, echinoderms) and marine algae as cancer chemopreventive agents. Interestingly, many of these marine organisms not only constitute as seafood delicacy but also as ingredients used in folk medicine of some East and Southeast Asian countries. The results of the investigations on extracts and compounds from fish (cods, anchovy, eel and also fish protein hydrolysates), mollusks (mussel, oyster, clams and abalone), as well as from sea cucumbers on the in vivo/in vitro anticancer/antitumor activities can, in part, support the health benefits of these edible marine organisms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sulfur organic compounds in bottom sediments of the eastern Gulf of Finland.

PubMed

Khoroshko, Larisa O; Petrova, Varvara N; Takhistov, Viatcheslav V; Viktorovskii, Igor V; Lahtiperä, Mirja; Paasivirta, Jaakko

2007-09-01

Despite the large number of studies on the forms of sulfur in marine deposits, investigations on sulfur organic compounds are still rare. It is known that the processes leading to formation of intermediate and final sulfur compounds (including organic ones) in modern deposits are the results of microbiological transformation of sulfur containing proteins, as well as the microbiological reduction of sulfate ions. The latter are finally reduced by anaerobic sulfate-reducing bacteria to H2S, HS- and S2-; the total sum of these is referred to as 'hydrogen sulfide' in chemical oceanography. Further, the formation of reduced sulfur organic derivatives (sulfides and polysulfides) is the result of interaction of the organic substance destruction products with the sulfide ions. In such cases, the main source of organic substances, as well as sulfates for the sulfur reducing processes, is the pore water in the sediments. The choice of the target of our study is based on the fact that the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland water area receives the bulk of the anthropogenic load of the St. Petersburg region. Low vertical intermixing of the water thickness is observed there (thus creating a deficiency of oxygen near the bottom), and the bottom sea current transfers the polluted salty water of the Baltic Sea into the Neva Bay. The whole of the above are the preconditions for the formation of sulfur-bearing organic compounds. A great number of bottom sediment samples for analytical surveys were collected in the Eastern Gulf of Finland during research expeditions in the years of 1997 and 2001. These were screened for structures of sulfur organic microcontaminants, including organic forms of sulfur, using advanced instrumentation and experienced personnel in our two, cooperating laboratories. This work is a part of the research being carried out on organic micro-admixtures present in bottom sediments, and is the summary of our findings on previously unstudied sulfur organic

Levels and Sources of Volatile Organic Compounds in Homes of Children with Asthma

PubMed Central

Chin, Jo-Yu; Godwin, Christopher; Parker, Edith; Robins, Thomas; Lewis, Toby; Harbin, Paul; Batterman, Stuart

2014-01-01

Many volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are classified as known or possible carcinogens, irritants and toxicants, and VOC exposure has been associated with the onset and exacerbation of asthma. This study characterizes VOC levels in 126 homes of children with asthma in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The total target VOC concentration ranged from 14 to 2,274 μg/m3 (mean = 150 μg/m3; median = 91 μg/m3); 56 VOCs were quantified; and d-limonene, toluene, p, m-xylene and ethyl acetate had the highest concentrations. Based on the potential for adverse health effects, priority VOCs included naphthalene, benzene, 1,4-dichlorobenzene, isopropylbenzene, ethylbenzene, styrene, chloroform, 1,2-dichloroethane, tetrachloroethene and trichloroethylene. Concentrations varied mostly due to between-residence and seasonal variation. Identified emission sources included cigarette smoking, solvent-related emissions, renovations, household products and pesticides. The effect of nearby traffic on indoor VOC levels was not distinguished. While concentrations in the Detroit homes were lower than levels found in other North American studies, many homes had elevated VOC levels, including compounds that are known health hazards. Thus, the identification and control of VOC sources is important and prudent, especially for vulnerable individuals. Actions and policies to reduce VOC exposures, e.g., sales restrictions, improved product labeling and consumer education, are recommended. PMID:24329990

Organic compounds in produced waters from coalbed natural gas wells in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Orem, W.H.; Tatu, C.A.; Lerch, H.E.; Rice, C.A.; Bartos, T.T.; Bates, A.L.; Tewalt, S.; Corum, M.D.

2007-01-01

The organic composition of produced water samples from coalbed natural gas (CBNG) wells in the Powder River Basin, WY, sampled in 2001 and 2002 are reported as part of a larger study of the potential health and environmental effects of organic compounds derived from coal. The quality of CBNG produced waters is a potential environmental concern and disposal problem for CBNG producers, and no previous studies of organic compounds in CBNG produced water have been published. Organic compounds identified in the produced water samples included: phenols, biphenyls, N-, O-, and S-containing heterocyclic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), aromatic amines, various non-aromatic compounds, and phthalates. Many of the identified organic compounds (phenols, heterocyclic compounds, PAHs) are probably coal-derived. PAHs represented the group of organic compounds most commonly observed. Concentrations of total PAHs ranged up to 23 ??g/L. Concentrations of individual compounds ranged from about 18 to <0.01 ??g/L. Temporal variability of organic compound concentrations was documented, as two wells with relatively high organic compound contents in produced water in 2001 had much lower concentrations in 2002. In many areas, including the PRB, coal strata provide aquifers for drinking water wells. Organic compounds observed in produced water are also likely present in drinking water supplied from wells in the coal. Some of the organic compounds identified in the produced water samples are potentially toxic, but at the levels measured in these samples are unlikely to have acute health effects. The human health effects of low-level, chronic exposure to coal-derived organic compounds in drinking water are currently unknown. Continuing studies will evaluate possible toxic effects from low level, chronic exposure to coal-derived organic compounds in drinking water supplies.

Nitrate radicals and biogenic volatile organic compounds: oxidation, mechanisms, and organic aerosol

EPA Science Inventory

Oxidation of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC) by the nitrate radical (NO3) represents one of the important interactions between anthropogenic emissions related to combustion and natural emissions from the biosphere. This interaction has been recognized for more than 3 d...

POTENTIAL EMISSIONS OF HAZARDOUS ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM SEWAGE SLUDGE INCINERATION

EPA Science Inventory

Laboratory thermal decomposition studies were undertaken to evaluate potential organic emissions from sewage sludge incinerators. Precisely controlled thermal decomposition experiments were conducted on sludge spiked with mixtures of hazardous organic compounds, on the mixtures o...

Synthesis of fluorinated organic compounds using oxygen difluoride

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Toy, M. S.

1971-01-01

Oxygen difluoride synthesis is a much simpler, higher-yield procedure than reactions originally followed to synthesize various fluorinated organic compounds. Extreme care is taken in working with oxygen difluoride as its reactions present severe explosion hazard.

Dosimeter for monitoring vapors and aerosols of organic compounds

DOEpatents

Vo-Dinh, T.

1987-07-14

A dosimeter is provided for collecting and detecting vapors and aerosols of organic compounds. The dosimeter comprises a lightweight, passive device that can be conveniently worn by a person as a badge or placed at a stationary location. The dosimeter includes a sample collector comprising a porous web treated with a chemical for inducing molecular displacement and enhancing phosphorescence. Compounds are collected onto the web by molecular diffusion. The web also serves as the sample medium for detecting the compounds by a room temperature phosphorescence technique. 7 figs.

Nitrogen-rich higher-molecular soil organic compounds patterned by lignin degradation products: Considerations on the nature of soil organic nitrogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liebner, Falk; Bertoli, Luca; Pour, Georg; Klinger, Karl; Ragab, Tamer; Rosenau, Thomas

2016-04-01

The pathways leading to accumulation of covalently bonded nitrogen in higher-molecular soil organic matter (SOM) are still a controversial issue in soil science and geochemistry. Similarly, structural elucidation of the variety of the types of nitrogenous moieties present in SOM is still in its infancy even though recent NMR studies suggest amide-type nitrogen to form the majority of organically bonded nitrogen which is, however, frequently not in accordance with the results of wet-chemical analyses. Following the modified polyphenol theory of Flaig and Kononova but fully aware of the imperfection of a semi-abiotic simulation approach, this work communicates the results of a study that investigated some potential nitrogen accumulation pathways occurring in the re-condensation branch of the theory following the reactions between well-known low-molecular lignin and carbohydrate degradation products with nitrogenous nucleophiles occurring in soils under aerobic conditions. Different low-molecular degradation products of lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose, such as hydroquinone, methoxyhydroquinone, p-benzoquinone, 2,5-dihydroxy-[1,4]benzoquinone, glucose, xylose, and the respective polysaccharides, i.e. cellulose, xylan as well as various types of lignin were subjected to a joint treatment with oxygen and low-molecular N-nucleophiles, such as ammonia, amines, and amino acids in aqueous conditions, partly using respective 15N labeled compounds for further 15N CPMAS NMR studies. Product mixtures derived from mono- and polysaccharides have been comprehensively fractionated and analyzed by GC/MS after derivatization. Some of ammoxidized polyphenols and quinones have been analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Some products, such as those obtained from ammoxidation of methoxy hydroquinone using 15N labeled ammonia were fractionated following the IHSS protocol. Individual humin (H), humic acid (HA), and fulvic acid (FA) fractions were subjected to elemental analyses

Food Labels

MedlinePlus

... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Food Labels KidsHealth / For Teens / Food Labels What's in ... to have at least 95% organic ingredients. Making Food Labels Work for You The first step in ...

Investigation of second-order hyperpolarizability of some organic compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tajalli, H.; Zirak, P.; Ahmadi, S.

2003-04-01

In this work, we have measured the second order hyperpolarizability of some organic materials with (EFISH) method and also calculated the second order hyperpolarizability of 13 organic compound with Mopac6 software and investigated the different factors that affect the amount of second order hyperpolarizability and ways to increase it.

PRN 2003-1: Labeling of Pesticide Products under the National Organic Program

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This notice describes how registrants can obtain EPA approval of label language indicating that all ingredients (active and inert) in a pesticide product and all uses of that pesticide meet the criteria defined in the USDA's National Organic Program Rule.

Organic compounds in indoor air—their relevance for perceived indoor air quality?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolkoff, Peder; Nielsen, Gunnar D.

It is generally believed that indoor air pollution, one way or another may cause indoor air complaints. However, any association between volatile organic compounds (VOCs) concentrations and increase of indoor climate complaints, like the sick-building syndrome symptoms, is not straightforward. The reported symptom rates of, in particular, eye and upper airway irritation cannot generally be explained by our present knowledge of common chemically non-reactive VOCs measured indoors. Recently, experimental evidence has shown those chemical reactions between ozone (either with or without nitrogen dioxide) and unsaturated organic compounds (e.g. from citrus and pine oils) produce strong eye and airway irritating species. These have not yet been well characterised by conventional sampling and analytical techniques. The chemical reactions can occur indoors, and there is indirect evidence that they are associated with eye and airway irritation. However, many other volatile and non-volatile organic compounds have not generally been measured which could equally well have potent biological effects and cause an increase of complaint rates, and posses a health/comfort risk. As a consequence, it is recommended to use a broader analytical window of organic compounds than the classic VOC window as defined by the World Health Organisation. It may include hitherto not yet sampled or identified intermediary species (e.g., radicals, hydroperoxides and ionic compounds like detergents) as well as species deposited onto particles. Additionally, sampling strategies including emission testing of building products should carefully be linked to the measurement of organic compounds that are expected, based on the best available toxicological knowledge, to have biological effects at indoor concentrations.

Hydrophobic Organic Compounds in Hydraulic Fracturing Flowback Waters: Identification and Source Apportionment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plata, D.; Shregglman, K.; Elsner, M.; Getzinger, G.; Ferguson, L.; Drollette, B.; Karatum, O.; Nelson, R. K.; Reddy, C. M.

2014-12-01

Current hydraulic fracturing technologies rely on organic chemicals to serve multiple critical functions, including corrosion inhibition, in situ gel formation, and friction reduction. While industrial users have disclosed several hundreds of compound and mixture identities, it is unclear which of these are used and where, in what proportion, and with what frequency. Furthermore, while flowback and production waters contain both fracturing additive and geogenic compounds, they may contain potential reaction byproducts as well. Here, we identified several hundred organic compounds present in six hydraulic fracturing flowback waters over the Fayetteville shale. Identifications were made via non-target analysis using two-dimensional gas chromatography with time of flight mass spectrometry for hydrophobic organic compounds and liquid chromatography- orbitrap mass spectrometry. Compound identities were confirmed using purchased standards when available. Using the SkyTruth database and the Waxman list of disclosed compounds, we assigned compounds as either fracturing-fluid-derived or geogenic (or both), or a putative transformation products thereof. Several unreported halogenated compounds were detected, including chlorinated, brominated, and iodated species that have no known natural sources. Control studies indicated that these could not be formed under typical laboratory or field storage conditions, suggesting that halogenation reactions may give rise to novel compounds in the subsurface, presumably via reaction between fracturing fluid additives and shale-derived brines. Further, the six samples were strikingly heterogeneous, reflecting the diversity in fracturing fluid composition and flowback handling procedures at the time of the study.

SYNTHESIZING ORGANIC COMPOUNDS USING LIGHT-ACTIVATED TIO2

EPA Science Inventory

High-value organic compounds have been synthesized successfully from linear and cyclic hydrocarbons, by photocatalytic oxidation using a semiconductor material, titanium dioxide (TiO2). Various hydrocarbons were partially oxgenated in both liquid and gaseous phase reactors usi...

Predicting the emission of volatile organic compounds from silage systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

As a precursor to smog, emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to the atmosphere is an environmental concern in some regions. The major VOC emission source from farms is silage, with emissions coming from the silo face, mixing wagon, and feed bunk. The major compounds emitted are alcohols wit...

Characteristics of organic compounds in PM2.5 at urban and remote areas in Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, A.; Lee, J.; Shin, H. J.; Lee, M.; Jin seok, H.; Lim, J.

2016-12-01

Organic aerosols contain thousands of organic compounds and contribute to 20%-90% of the total fine aerosol mass (Kanakidou et al., 2005). These organic aerosols originate from anthropogenic and natural (biogenic and geologic) sources and alter physical and chemical properties in the atmosphere depending on the atmospheric and meteorological conditions. About one hundred individual organic compounds in PM2.5 at Seoul (urban area) and Baengnyeong Island (remote area) were identified and quantified using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) in order to understand the characteristics of organic compounds in PM2.5 at these areas. Further, major factors to determine their concentrations in the atmosphere were investigated. Organic compounds analyzed in this study were classified into six groups, n-alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), hopanes, fatty acids (FA), dicarboxylic acids (DCAs), and sugars. Daily variation of organic compounds concentrations at Seoul were not high, while, the concentrations of organic compounds at Baengnyeong Island showed high daily variation. This is might due to frequent change of source strength and/or SOA formation in this region. Through correlations of organic compounds with other air pollutants and factor analysis at both sites, it found that major factors (or source) for the determination of organic compounds concentrations at Seoul and Baengnyeong Island were different. The major sources at Seoul were anthropogenic sources such as vehicular emission and coal combustions, while, SOA formation and biomass burning were more attributed more to the organic compounds concentrations at Baengnyeong Island.References Kanakidou, M., Seinfeld, J.H., Pandis, S.N., Barnes, I., Dentener, F.J., Facchini, M.C., Van Dingenen, R., Ervens, B., Nenes, A., Nielsen, C.J., Swietlicki, E., Putaud, J.P., Balkanski, Y., Fuzzi, S., Horth, J., Moortgat, G.K., Winterhalter, R., Myhre, C.E.L., Tsigaridis, K., Vignati, E., Stephanou, E

Volatile Halogenated Organic Compounds Released to Seawater from Temperate Marine Macroalgae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gschwend, Philip M.; Macfarlane, John K.; Newman, Kathleen A.

1985-03-01

Volatile halogenated organic compounds synthesized by various industrial processes are troublesome pollutants because they are persistent in terrestrial ecosystems and because they may be present in sufficient quantities to alter the natural atmospheric cycles of the halogens. Certain of these compounds, including polybromomethanes and several previously unobserved alkyl monohalides and dihalides, appear to be natural products of the marine environment. A variety of temperate marine macroalgae (the brown algae Ascophyllum nodosum and Fucus vesiculosis, the green algae Enteromorpha linza and Ulva lacta, and the red alga Gigartina stellata) not only contain volatile halogenated organic compounds but also release them to seawater at rates of nanograms to micrograms of each compound per gram of dry algae per day. The macroalgae may be an important source of bromine-containing material released to the atmosphere.

End-group-directed self-assembly of organic compounds useful for photovoltaic applications

DOEpatents

Beaujuge, Pierre M.; Lee, Olivia P.; Yiu, Alan T.; Frechet, Jean M.J.

2016-05-31

The present invention provides for an organic compound comprising electron deficient unit covalently linked to two or more electron rich units. The present invention also provides for a device comprising the organic compound, such as a light-emitting diode, thin-film transistor, chemical biosensor, non-emissive electrochromic, memory device, photovoltaic cells, or the like.

Detecting and Eliminating Interfering Organic Compounds in Waters Analyzed for Isotopic Composition by Crds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richman, B. A.; Hsiao, G. S.; Rella, C.

2010-12-01

Optical spectroscopy based CRDS technology for isotopic analysis of δD and δ18O directly from liquid water has greatly increased the number and type of liquid samples analyzed. This increase has also revealed a previously unrecognized sample contamination problem. Recently West[1] and Brand[2] identified samples containing ethanol, methanol, plant extracts and other organic compounds analyzed by CRDS and other spectroscopy based techniques as yielding erroneous results for δD and δ18O (especially δD) due to spectroscopic interference. Not all organic compounds generate interference. Thus, identifying which samples are contaminated by which organic compounds is of key importance for data credibility and correction. To address this problem a new approach in the form of a software suite, ChemCorrect™, has been developed. A chemometrics component uses a spectral library of water isotopologues and interfering organic compounds to best fit the measured spectra. The best fit values provide a quantitative assay of the actual concentrations of the various species and are then evaluated to generate a visual flag indicating samples affected by organic contamination. Laboratory testing of samples spiked with known quantities of interfering organic compounds such as methanol, ethanol, and terpenes was performed. The software correctly flagged and identified type of contamination for all the spiked samples without any false positives. Furthermore the reported values were a linear function of actual concentration with an R^2>0.99 even for samples which contained multiple organic compounds. Further testing was carried out against a range of industrial chemical compounds which can contaminate ground water as well as a variety of plant derived waters and juices which were also analyzed by IRMS. The excellent results obtained give good insight into which organic compounds cause interference and which classes of plants are likely to contain interfering compounds. Finally

Sorption interactions of organic compounds with soils affected by agricultural olive mill wastewater.

PubMed

Keren, Yonatan; Borisover, Mikhail; Bukhanovsky, Nadezhda

2015-11-01

The organic compound-soil interactions may be strongly influenced by changes in soil organic matter (OM) which affects the environmental fate of multiple organic pollutants. The soil OM changes may be caused by land disposal of various OM-containing wastes. One unique type of OM-rich waste is olive mill-related wastewater (OMW) characterized by high levels of OM, the presence of fatty aliphatics and polyphenolic aromatics. The systematic data on effects of the land-applied OMW on organic compound-soil interactions is lacking. Therefore, aqueous sorption of simazine and diuron, two herbicides, was examined in batch experiments onto three soils, including untreated and OMW-affected samples. Typically, the organic compound-soil interactions increased following the prior land application of OMW. This increase is associated with the changes in sorption mechanisms and cannot be attributed solely to the increase in soil organic carbon content. A novel observation is that the OMW application changes the soil-sorbent matrix in such a way that the solute uptake may become cooperative or the existing ability of a soil sorbent to cooperatively sorb organic molecules from water may become characterized by a larger affinity. The remarkable finding of this study was that in some cases a cooperative uptake of organic molecules by soils makes itself evident in distinct sigmoidal sorption isotherms rarely observed in soil sorption of non-ionized organic compounds; the cooperative herbicide-soil interactions may be characterized by the Hill model coefficients. However, no single trend was found for the effect of applied OMW on the mechanisms of organic compound-soil interactions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simulation of Comet Impact and Survivability of Organic Compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Benjamin; Lomov, Ilya; Blank, Jennifer; Antoun, Tarabay

2007-06-01

Comets have been proposed as a mechanism for the transport of complex organic compounds to Earth. For this to occur, a significant fraction of organic compounds must survive the shock loading, in particular the high temperatures, due to impact. 2D and 3D numerical simulations were performed to study the thermodynamic states due to a comet impact. The comet was modeled as a 1-km diameter icy sphere traveling at the Earth's escape velocity (11 km/s) impacting a half-space of basalt. Simulations were performed with GEODYN, a parallel, multi-material, Godunov-based Eulerian code employing adaptive mesh refinement. A constitutive model calibrated for hard rock was used for basalt. Tabular equations of state were used to account for the extreme conditions present upon shock loading. A major focus of the study was tracking the thermodynamic state of the comet material. Both the maximum temperature experienced and the phase were tracked for each point in the comet Temperature histories in the comet were also recorded. These quantities were used to estimate viability of organic compounds upon impact. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by the University of California, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract W-7405-Eng-48.

REMOVAL BY COAGULATION OF TRACE ORGANICS FROM MISSISSIPPI RIVER WATER

EPA Science Inventory

In the study alum and ferric sulfate were evaluated for their effectiveness in removing four low-molecular-weight organic compounds - C14-labeled octanoic acid, salicylic acid, phenol, and benzoic acid - from Mississippi River water and from water samples free of natural organic ...

LOSS OF ORGANIC CHEMICALS IN SOIL: PURE COMPOUND TREATABILITY STUDIES

EPA Science Inventory

Comprehensive screening data on the treatability of 32 organic chemicals in soil were developed. Of the evaluated chemicals, 22 were phenolic compounds. Aerobic batch laboratory microcosm experiments were conducted using two soils: an acidic clay soil with <1% organic matter and ...

FACTORS CONTROLLING THE EMISSIONS OF MONOTERPENES AND OTHER VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

EPA Science Inventory

Plants contain a number of volatile organic compounds, including isoprene, mono- and sesquiterpenes, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and esters. ndividual plant species have unique combinations of these compounds; consequently, the emission pattern for each species is also specific...

Volatile organic compound sensor system

DOEpatents

Schabron, John F [Laramie, WY; Rovani, Jr., Joseph F.; Bomstad, Theresa M [Laramie, WY; Sorini-Wong, Susan S [Laramie, WY

2009-02-10

Generally, this invention relates to the development of field monitoring methodology for new substances and sensing chemical warfare agents (CWAs) and terrorist substances. It also relates to a portable test kit which may be utilized to measure concentrations of halogenated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the field. Specifically it relates to systems for reliably field sensing the potential presence of such items while also distinguishing them from other elements potentially present. It also relates to overall systems and processes for sensing, reacting, and responding to an indicated presence of such substance, including modifications of existing halogenated sensors and arrayed sensing systems and methods.

Volatile organic compound sensor system

DOEpatents

Schabron, John F.; Rovani, Jr., Joseph F.; Bomstad, Theresa M.; Sorini-Wong, Susan S.; Wong, Gregory K.

2011-03-01

Generally, this invention relates to the development of field monitoring methodology for new substances and sensing chemical warfare agents (CWAs) and terrorist substances. It also relates to a portable test kit which may be utilized to measure concentrations of halogenated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the field. Specifically it relates to systems for reliably field sensing the potential presence of such items while also distinguishing them from other elements potentially present. It also relates to overall systems and processes for sensing, reacting, and responding to an indicated presence of such substance, including modifications of existing halogenated sensors and arrayed sensing systems and methods.

N-doping of organic semiconductors by bis-metallosandwich compounds

DOEpatents

Barlow, Stephen; Qi, Yabing; Kahn, Antoine; Marder, Seth; Kim, Sang Bok; Mohapatra, Swagat K.; Guo, Song

2016-01-05

The various inventions disclosed, described, and/or claimed herein relate to the field of methods for n-doping organic semiconductors with certain bis-metallosandwich compounds, the doped compositions produced, and the uses of the doped compositions in organic electronic devices. Metals can be manganese, rhenium, iron, ruthenium, osmium, rhodium, or iridium. Stable and efficient doping can be achieved.

Identification and quantification of volatile organic compounds using systematic single-ion chromatograms

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tsuchiya, Yoshio; Kanabus-Kaminska, J.M.

1996-12-31

In order to determine the background level of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Canadian indoor air, a method of identification and quantification at a level of 0.3 {micro}g/m{sup 3} using systematic single-ion chromatograms (SICs) has been developed. The compounds selected for measurement included several halogenated compounds, oxygen compounds, terpenes, and C8 to C16 n-alkanes. Air samples were taken in 3-layered sorbent tubes and trapped compounds were thermally desorbed into the helium stream of a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS) analytical system. Total quantities of volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) were measured using a flame ionization detector (FID). Individual compounds were analyzed bymore » a GC/MS. For the identification of compounds in the main stream GC effluent, both the specific GC retention and mass spectra were used. About 50 selected SICs were routinely extracted from a total ion chromatogram (TIC) to detect and quantify compounds. For each compound, a single representative ion was selected. The specific retention was calculated from the elution time on the SIC. For quantification, ion counts under a peak in the SIC were measured. The single-ion MS response factor for some of the compounds was experimentally determined using a dynamic reference procedure.« less

Volatile and semivolatile organic compounds in laboratory peat fire emissions

EPA Science Inventory

Speciated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and organic fine particulate matter (PM2.5) mass emission factors were determined from laboratory peat fire experiments. Peat samples originated from two wildlife reserves located near the coast of North Carolina, U.S. Gas and particula...

Sugar-Related Organic Compounds in Carbonaceous Meteorites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooper, G.; Kimmich, N.; Belisle, W.; Sarinana, J.; Brabham, K.; Garrel, L.; DeVincenzi, Donald L. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Sugars and related polyols are critical components of all organisms and may have been necessary for the origin of life. To date, this class of organic compounds had not been definitively identified in meteorites. This study was undertaken to determine if polyols were present in the early Solar System as constituents of carbonaceous meteorites. Results of analyses of the Murchison and Murray meteorites indicate that formaldehyde and sugar chemistry may be responsible for the presence of a variety of polyols. We conclude that polyols were present on the early Earth through delivery by asteroids and possibly comets.

Compound prioritization methods increase rates of chemical probe discovery in model organisms

PubMed Central

Wallace, Iain M; Urbanus, Malene L; Luciani, Genna M; Burns, Andrew R; Han, Mitchell KL; Wang, Hao; Arora, Kriti; Heisler, Lawrence E; Proctor, Michael; St. Onge, Robert P; Roemer, Terry; Roy, Peter J; Cummins, Carolyn L; Bader, Gary D; Nislow, Corey; Giaever, Guri

2011-01-01

SUMMARY Pre-selection of compounds that are more likely to induce a phenotype can increase the efficiency and reduce the costs for model organism screening. To identify such molecules, we screened ~81,000 compounds in S. cerevisiae and identified ~7,500 that inhibit cell growth. Screening these growth-inhibitory molecules across a diverse panel of model organisms resulted in an increased phenotypic hit-rate. This data was used to build a model to predict compounds that inhibit yeast growth. Empirical and in silico application of the model enriched the discovery of bioactive compounds in diverse model organisms. To demonstrate the potential of these molecules as lead chemical probes we used chemogenomic profiling in yeast and identified specific inhibitors of lanosterol synthase and of stearoyl-CoA 9-desaturase. As community resources, the ~7,500 growth-inhibitory molecules has been made commercially available and the computational model and filter used are provided. PMID:22035796

Investigation of sorption interactions between oil shale principal mineral phases and organic compounds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bowen, J.M.

1988-09-01

The interactions between minerals representative of the bulk composition of oil shales and organic compounds that have been found in oil shale leachates were investigated. The method used to directly determine the type of interactions that could take place between organic compounds and oil shale mineral phases was Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) using several advanced detection methods, including diffuse reflectance (DRIFT) and photoacoustics (PAS). The minerals that were investigated include quartz, calcite, and dolomite, which are known to figure significantly in the composition of processed oil shales. The organic chemical compounds used were chosen from a list of compoundsmore » identified in spent oil shale leachates, and they include pyridine, phenol, p-cresol, and acetone. The sorption interactions for the study were prepared by exposing each of the minerals to the organic compounds by three different methods. These were vapor deposition, direct application, and immersion in an aqueous solution at pH 12. 41 refs., 3 figs., 4 tabs.« less

Ligand-free palladium-mediated site-specific protein labeling inside gram-negative bacterial pathogens.

PubMed

Li, Jie; Lin, Shixian; Wang, Jie; Jia, Shang; Yang, Maiyun; Hao, Ziyang; Zhang, Xiaoyu; Chen, Peng R

2013-05-15

Palladium, a key transition metal in advancing modern organic synthesis, mediates diverse chemical conversions including many carbon-carbon bond formation reactions between organic compounds. However, expanding palladium chemistry for conjugation of biomolecules such as proteins, particularly within their native cellular context, is still in its infancy. Here we report the site-specific protein labeling inside pathogenic Gram-negative bacterial cells via a ligand-free palladium-mediated cross-coupling reaction. Two rationally designed pyrrolysine analogues bearing an aliphatic alkyne or an iodophenyl handle were first encoded in different enteric bacteria, which offered two facial handles for palladium-mediated Sonogashira coupling reaction on proteins within these pathogens. A GFP-based bioorthogonal reaction screening system was then developed, allowing evaluation of both the efficiency and the biocompatibilty of various palladium reagents in promoting protein-small molecule conjugation. The identified simple compound-Pd(NO3)2 exhibited high efficiency and biocompatibility for site-specific labeling of proteins in vitro and inside living E. coli cells. This Pd-mediated protein coupling method was further utilized to label and visualize a Type-III Secretion (T3S) toxin-OspF in Shigella cells. Our strategy may be generally applicable for imaging and tracking various virulence proteins within Gram-negative bacterial pathogens.

Removal of bulk dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and trace organic compounds by bank filtration and artificial recharge.

PubMed

Grünheid, Steffen; Amy, Gary; Jekel, Martin

2005-09-01

Bank filtration and artificial recharge provide an important drinking water source to the city of Berlin. Due to the practice of water recycling through a semi-closed urban water cycle, the introduction of effluent organic matter (EfOM) and persistent trace organic pollutants in the drinking water is of potential concern. In the work reported herein, the research objectives are to study the removal of bulk and trace organics at bank filtration and artificial recharge sites and to assess important factors of influence for the Berlin area. The monthly analytical program is comprised of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), UV absorbance (UVA254), liquid chromatography with organic carbon detection (LC-OCD), differentiated adsorbable organic halogens (AOX) and single organic compound analysis of a few model compounds. More than 1 year of monitoring was conducted on observation wells located along the flowpaths of the infiltrating water at two field sites that have different characteristics regarding redox conditions, travel time, and travel distance. Two transects are highlighted: one associated with a bank filtration site dominated by anoxic/anaerobic conditions with a travel time of up to 4-5 months, and another with an artificial recharge site dominated by aerobic conditions with a travel time of up to 50 days. It was found that redox conditions and travel time significantly influence the DOC degradation kinetics and the efficiency of AOX and trace compound removal.

Manmade organic compounds in the surface waters of the United States: a review of current understanding

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, James A.; Witkowski, Patrick J.; Fusillo, Thomas V.

1987-01-01

This report reviews the occurrence and distribution of manmade organic compounds in the surface waters of the United States. On the basis of their aqueous solubilities, nonionic organic compounds partition themselves between water, dissolved organic matter, particulate organic matter, and the lipid reservoirs of aquatic organisms. Ionized organic compounds can be absorbed to sediments, thereby reducing their aqueous concentrations. Transformation processes of photolysis, hydrolysis, biodegradation, and volatilization can attenuate organic compounds, and attenuation rate commonly follow a first-order kinetic process. Eight groups of manmade organic compounds are discussed: 1. Polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine insecticides, 2. Carbamate and organophosphorus insecticides, 3. Herbicides, 4. Phenols, 5. Halogenated aliphatic and monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, 6. Phthalate esters, 7. Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, and 8. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. For each compound group, data pertaining to use, production, and properties are presented and discussed. Processes that influence that the environmental fate of each group, as determined primarily through laboratory studies, are reviewed, and important fate processes are identified. Environmental concentrations of compounds from each group in water, biota, and sediment are given to demonstrate representative values for comparison to concentrations determined during ongoing research. Finally, where sufficient data exist, regional and temporal contamination trends in the United States are discussed.

Manmade organic compounds in the surface waters of the United States; a review of current understanding

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smith, James A.; Witkowski, P.J.; Fusillo, Thomas V.

1988-01-01

This report reviews the occurrence and distribution of manmade organic compounds in the surface waters of the United States. On the basis of their aqueous solubilities, nonionic organic compounds partition themselves among water, dissolved organic matter, particulate organic matter, and the lipid reservoirs of aquatic organisms. Ionized organic compounds can be adsorbed to sediments, thereby reducing their aqueous concentrations. Transformation processes of photolysis, hydrolysis, biodegradation, and volatilization can attenuate organic compounds, and attenuation rates commonly follow a first-order kinetic process. Eight groups of manmade organic compounds are discussed: 1. Polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine insecticides, 2. Carbamate and organophosphorus insecticides, 3. Herbicides, 4. Phenols, 5. Halogenated aliphatic and monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, 6. Phthalate esters, 7. Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, and 8. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. For each compound group, data pertaining to use, production, and properties are presented and discussed. Processes that influence the environmental fate of each group, as determined primarily through laboratory studies, are reviewed, and important fate processes are identified. Environmental concentrations of compounds from each group in water, biota, and sediment are given to demonstrate representative values for comparison with concentrations determined during ongoing research. Finally, where data are sufficient, regional and temporal contamination trends in the United States are discussed.

Analysis of selected volatile organic compounds at background level in South Africa.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ntsasa, Napo; Tshilongo, James; Lekoto, Goitsemang

2017-04-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOC) are measured globally at urban air pollution monitoring and background level at specific locations such as the Cape Point station. The urban pollution monitoring is legislated at government level; however, the background levels are scientific outputs of the World Meteorological Organisation Global Atmospheric Watch program (WMO/GAW). The Cape Point is a key station in the Southern Hemisphere which monitors greenhouse gases and halocarbons, with reported for over the past decade. The Cape Point station does not have the measurement capability VOC's currently. A joint research between the Cape Point station and the National Metrology Institute of South Africa (NMISA) objective is to perform qualitative and quantitative analysis of volatile organic compounds listed in the GAW program. NMISA is responsible for development, maintain and disseminate primary reference gas mixtures which are directly traceable to the International System of Units (SI) The results of some volatile organic compounds which where sampled in high pressure gas cylinders will be presented. The analysis of samples was performed on the gas chromatography with flame ionisation detector and mass selective detector (GC-FID/MSD) with a dedicate cryogenic pre-concentrator system. Keywords: volatile organic compounds, gas chromatography, pre-concentrator

Systems-level analysis of microbial community organization through combinatorial labeling and spectral imaging.

PubMed

Valm, Alex M; Mark Welch, Jessica L; Rieken, Christopher W; Hasegawa, Yuko; Sogin, Mitchell L; Oldenbourg, Rudolf; Dewhirst, Floyd E; Borisy, Gary G

2011-03-08

Microbes in nature frequently function as members of complex multitaxon communities, but the structural organization of these communities at the micrometer level is poorly understood because of limitations in labeling and imaging technology. We report here a combinatorial labeling strategy coupled with spectral image acquisition and analysis that greatly expands the number of fluorescent signatures distinguishable in a single image. As an imaging proof of principle, we first demonstrated visualization of Escherichia coli labeled by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with 28 different binary combinations of eight fluorophores. As a biological proof of principle, we then applied this Combinatorial Labeling and Spectral Imaging FISH (CLASI-FISH) strategy using genus- and family-specific probes to visualize simultaneously and differentiate 15 different phylotypes in an artificial mixture of laboratory-grown microbes. We then illustrated the utility of our method for the structural analysis of a natural microbial community, namely, human dental plaque, a microbial biofilm. We demonstrate that 15 taxa in the plaque community can be imaged simultaneously and analyzed and that this community was dominated by early colonizers, including species of Streptococcus, Prevotella, Actinomyces, and Veillonella. Proximity analysis was used to determine the frequency of inter- and intrataxon cell-to-cell associations which revealed statistically significant intertaxon pairings. Cells of the genera Prevotella and Actinomyces showed the most interspecies associations, suggesting a central role for these genera in establishing and maintaining biofilm complexity. The results provide an initial systems-level structural analysis of biofilm organization.

Catalytic oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) - A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamal, Muhammad Shahzad; Razzak, Shaikh A.; Hossain, Mohammad M.

2016-09-01

Emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is one of the major contributors to air pollution. The main sources of VOCs are petroleum refineries, fuel combustions, chemical industries, decomposition in the biosphere and biomass, pharmaceutical plants, automobile industries, textile manufacturers, solvents processes, cleaning products, printing presses, insulating materials, office supplies, printers etc. The most common VOCs are halogenated compounds, aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, aromatic compounds, and ethers. High concentrations of these VOCs can cause irritations, nausea, dizziness, and headaches. Some VOCs are also carcinogenic for both humans and animals. Therefore, it is crucial to minimize the emission of VOCs. Among the available technologies, the catalytic oxidation of VOCs is the most popular because of its versatility of handling a range of organic emissions under mild operating conditions. Due to that fact, there are numerous research initiatives focused on developing advanced technologies for the catalytic destruction of VOCs. This review discusses recent developments in catalytic systems for the destruction of VOCs. Review also describes various VOCs and their sources of emission, mechanisms of catalytic destruction, the causes of catalyst deactivation, and catalyst regeneration methods.

Use of beer bran as an adsorbent for the removal of organic compounds from wastewater.

PubMed

Adachi, Atsuko; Ozaki, Hiroaki; Kasuga, Ikuno; Okano, Toshio

2006-08-23

Beer bran was found to effectively adsorb several organic compounds, such as dichloromethane, chloroform, trichloroethylene, benzene, pretilachlor, and esprocarb. Equilibrium adsorption isotherms conformed to the Freundlich isotherm (log-log linear). Adsorption of these organic compounds by beer bran was observed in the pH range of 1-11. At equilibrium, the adsorption efficiency of beer bran for benzene, chloroform, and dichiloromethane was higher than that of activated carbon. The removal of these organic compounds by beer bran was attributed to the uptake by intracellular particles called spherosomes. The object of this work was to investigate several adsorbents for the effective removal of organic compounds from wastewater.

Fatty acids and small organic compounds bind to mineralo-organic nanoparticles derived from human body fluids as revealed by metabolomic analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martel, Jan; Wu, Cheng-Yeu; Hung, Cheng-Yu; Wong, Tsui-Yin; Cheng, Ann-Joy; Cheng, Mei-Ling; Shiao, Ming-Shi; Young, John D.

2016-03-01

Nanoparticles entering the human body instantly become coated with a ``protein corona'' that influences the effects and distribution of the particles in vivo. Yet, whether nanoparticles may bind to other organic compounds remains unclear. Here we use an untargeted metabolomic approach based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography and quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry to identify the organic compounds that bind to mineral nanoparticles formed in human body fluids (serum, plasma, saliva, and urine). A wide range of organic compounds is identified, including fatty acids, glycerophospholipids, amino acids, sugars, and amides. Our results reveal that, in addition to the proteins identified previously, nanoparticles harbor an ``organic corona'' containing several fatty acids which may affect particle-cell interactions in vivo. This study provides a platform to study the organic corona of biological and synthetic nanoparticles found in the human body.Nanoparticles entering the human body instantly become coated with a ``protein corona'' that influences the effects and distribution of the particles in vivo. Yet, whether nanoparticles may bind to other organic compounds remains unclear. Here we use an untargeted metabolomic approach based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography and quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry to identify the organic compounds that bind to mineral nanoparticles formed in human body fluids (serum, plasma, saliva, and urine). A wide range of organic compounds is identified, including fatty acids, glycerophospholipids, amino acids, sugars, and amides. Our results reveal that, in addition to the proteins identified previously, nanoparticles harbor an ``organic corona'' containing several fatty acids which may affect particle-cell interactions in vivo. This study provides a platform to study the organic corona of biological and synthetic nanoparticles found in the human body. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See

[Research on source profile of aerosol organic compounds in leather plant].

PubMed

Wang, Bo-Guang; Zhou, Yan; Feng, Zhi-Cheng; Liu, Hui-Xuan

2009-04-15

Through investigating current air pollution condition for PM10 in every factories of different style leather plants in Pearl River Delta, characteristic profile of semi-volatile organic compounds in PM10 emitted from leather factories and their contents were researched by using ultrasonic and gas chromatography and mass spectrum technology. The 6 types of organic compounds containing 46 species in total were found in the collected samples, including phenyl compounds, alcohols, PAHs, acids, esters and amides. The concentrations of PM10 in leather tanning plant, leather dying plant and man-made leather plant were 678.5, 454.5, 498.6 microgm x m(-3) respectively, and concentration of organic compounds in PM10 were 10.04, 6.89, 14.21 microg x m(-3) in sequence. The more important type of pollutants in each leather plants had higher contribution to total organic mass as follows, esters and amides in tanning plants profile account for 43.47% and 36.51% respectively; esters and alcohols in dying plants profiles account for 52.52% and 16.16% respectively; esters and amide in man-made leather plant have the highest content and account for 57.07% and 24.17% respectively. In the aerosol organic source profiles of tested leather plants, 9-octadecenamide was the abundant important species with the weight of 26.15% in tanning plant, and Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate was up to 44.19% in the dying plant, and Bis(2-ethylhexyl) maleate and 1-hydroxy-piperidine had obviously higher weight in man-made plant than the other two plants.

40 CFR 60.712 - Standards for volatile organic compounds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Magnetic Tape Coating Facilities § 60.712 Standards for volatile organic compounds. Each owner or operator... (other than a condenser) on a magnetic tape coating operation shall control emissions from the coating...

40 CFR 60.712 - Standards for volatile organic compounds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Magnetic Tape Coating Facilities § 60.712 Standards for volatile organic compounds. Each owner or operator... (other than a condenser) on a magnetic tape coating operation shall control emissions from the coating...

Organic compounds in water extracts of coal: links to Balkan endemic nephropathy.

PubMed

Maharaj, S V M; Orem, W H; Tatu, C A; Lerch, H E; Szilagyi, D N

2014-02-01

The Pliocene lignite hypothesis is an environmental hypothesis that has been proposed to explain the etiology of Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN). Aqueous leaching experiments were conducted on a variety of coal samples in order to simulate groundwater leaching of organic compounds, and to further test the role of the Pliocene lignite hypothesis in the etiology of BEN. Experiments were performed on lignite coal samples from endemic BEN areas in Romania and Serbia, and lignite and bituminous coals from nonendemic regions in Romania and the USA. Room temperature, hot water bath, and Soxhlet aqueous extraction experiments were conducted between 25 and 80 °C, and from 5 to 128 days in duration. A greater number of organic compounds and in higher concentrations were present in all three types of leaching experiments involving endemic area Pliocene lignite samples compared to all other coals examined. A BEN causing molecule or molecules may be among phenols, PAHs, benzenes, and/or lignin degradation compounds. The proposed transport pathway of the Pliocene lignite hypothesis for organic compound exposure from endemic area Pliocene lignite coals to well and spring drinking water, is likely. Aromatic compounds leached by groundwater from Pliocene lignite deposits in the vicinity of endemic BEN areas may play a role in the etiology of the disease. A better understanding of organic compounds leached by groundwater from Pliocene lignite deposits may potentially lead to the identification and implementation of effective strategies for the prevention of exposure to the causative agent(s) for BEN, and in turn, prevention of the disease.

Organic Compounds Complexify Transport in the Amargosa Desert—The Case for Phytotritiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stonestrom, D. A.; Luo, W.; Andraski, B. J.; Baker, R. J.; Maples, S.; Mayers, C. J.; Young, M. B.

2014-12-01

Civilian low-level radioactive waste containing organic compounds was disposed in 2- to 15-m deep unlined trenches in a 110-m deep unsaturated zone at the present-day USGS Amargosa Desert Research Site. Tritium represents the plurality of disposed activity. A plume of gas-phase contaminants surrounds the disposal area, with 60 distinct volatile organic compounds (VOCs) identified to date. The distribution of tritiated water in the unsaturated zone surrounding the disposal area is highly enigmatic, with orders of magnitude separating observed levels from those predicted by multiphase models of mass and energy transport. Peaks of tritium and VOCs are coincidently located in sediments tens of meters below the root zone, suggesting abiotic stratigraphic control on lateral transport at depth. Surprisingly, the highest observed levels of tritium occur at a depth of about 1.5 m, the base of the creosote-bush plant-community root zone, where levels of waste-derived VOCs are low (approaching atmospheric levels). Bulk water-vapor samples from shallow and deep unsaturated-zone profile hot spots were trapped as water ice in cold fingers immersed in dry ice-isopropyl alcohol filled Dewar flasks, then melted and sequentially extracted by purge-and-trap VOC degassing followed by elution through activated carbon solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges. Analysis of tritium activities and mass spectrometer results indicate that over 98% of tritium activity at depth is present as water, whereas about 15% of basal root zone tritium activity is present as organic compounds trapped with the water. Of these, the less-volatile compound group removed by SPE accounted for about 85% of the organic tritium activity, with mass spectrometry identifying 2-ethyl-1-hexanol as the principal compound removed. This plant-produced fatty alcohol is ubiquitous in the root zone of creosote-bush communities and represents a family of hydroxyl-containing plant produced compounds that give the plants their

The "PHS Increased Risk" Label Is Associated With Nonutilization of Hundreds of Organs per Year.

PubMed

Volk, Michael L; Wilk, Amber R; Wolfe, Cameron; Kaul, Daniel R

2017-07-01

The Public Health Service "Increased Risk" (PHS IR) designation identifies donors at increased risk of transmitting hepatitis B, C, and human immunodeficiency virus. Although the risk remains very low in the era of nucleic acid testing, we hypothesized that this label may result in decreased organ utilization. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network data were used to compare utilization rates between PHS-IR and non-PHS-IR donors, as well as to compare export rates and variation in utilization. Among adult standard criteria donors between 2010 and 2013 with a known PHS-IR status, covariate-adjusted utilization rates were lower among PHS-IR donors than non-PHS-IR donors for all organs. For example, 4073 (76.7%) of 5314 PHS-IR kidneys were used, compared with 25 490 (83.7%) of 30 456 non-PHS-IR kidneys-an absolute difference of 7%. Furthermore, all PHS-IR organs had higher export rates than non-PHS-IR organs. For example, 28.7% of PHS-IR kidneys were exported versus 19.7% of non-PHS-IR kidneys. Finally, the utilization rate of PHS-IR organs varied by Donation Service Area; utilization ranged from 20% to 100% among adult kidneys, suggesting significant variation in practices. Similar patterns were seen among pediatric donors. Based on the covariate-adjusted model, if the PHS-IR label did not exist, there could be an additional 313 transplants performed in the United States each year. The PHS "increased risk" label appears to be associated with nonutilization of hundreds of organs per year, despite the very low risk of disease transmission. Better tools are needed to communicate the magnitude of risk to patients and their families.

Tetratopic phenyl compounds, related metal-organic framework materials and post-assembly elaboration

DOEpatents

Farha, Omar K.; Hupp, Joseph T.

2012-09-11

Disclosed are tetratopic carboxylic acid phenyl for use in metal-organic framework compounds. These compounds are useful in catalysis, gas storage, sensing, biological imaging, drug delivery and gas adsorption separation.

Tetratopic phenyl compounds, related metal-organic framework materials and post-assembly elaboration

DOEpatents

Farha, Omar K; Hupp, Joseph T

2013-06-25

Disclosed are tetratopic carboxylic acid phenyl for use in metal-organic framework compounds. These compounds are useful in catalysis, gas storage, sensing, biological imaging, drug delivery and gas adsorption separation.

Students' Understanding of Molecular Structure and Properties of Organic Compounds.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, Hans-Jurgen

The purpose of this study was to investigate senior high school students' difficulties predicting the existence of hydrogen bridge bonds between organic molecules, investigate students' difficulties predicting the relative boiling points of simple organic compounds, and develop test questions that enable teachers to quickly get information about…

Spatial arrangement of organic compounds on a model mineral surface: implications for soil organic matter stabilization.

PubMed

Petridis, Loukas; Ambaye, Haile; Jagadamma, Sindhu; Kilbey, S Michael; Lokitz, Bradley S; Lauter, Valeria; Mayes, Melanie A

2014-01-01

The complexity of the mineral-organic carbon interface may influence the extent of stabilization of organic carbon compounds in soils, which is important for global climate futures. The nanoscale structure of a model interface was examined here by depositing films of organic carbon compounds of contrasting chemical character, hydrophilic glucose and amphiphilic stearic acid, onto a soil mineral analogue (Al2O3). Neutron reflectometry, a technique which provides depth-sensitive insight into the organization of the thin films, indicates that glucose molecules reside in a layer between Al2O3 and stearic acid, a result that was verified by water contact angle measurements. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal the thermodynamic driving force behind glucose partitioning on the mineral interface: The entropic penalty of confining the less mobile glucose on the mineral surface is lower than for stearic acid. The fundamental information obtained here helps rationalize how complex arrangements of organic carbon on soil mineral surfaces may arise.

Clean process to destroy arsenic-containing organic compounds with recovery of arsenic

DOEpatents

Upadhye, R.S.; Wang, F.T.

1996-08-13

A reduction method is provided for the treatment of arsenic-containing organic compounds with simultaneous recovery of pure arsenic. Arsenic-containing organic compounds include pesticides, herbicides, and chemical warfare agents such as Lewisite. The arsenic-containing compound is decomposed using a reducing agent. Arsine gas may be formed directly by using a hydrogen-rich reducing agent, or a metal arsenide may be formed using a pure metal reducing agent. In the latter case, the arsenide is reacted with an acid to form arsine gas. In either case, the arsine gas is then reduced to elemental arsenic. 1 fig.

Clean process to destroy arsenic-containing organic compounds with recovery of arsenic

DOEpatents

Upadhye, Ravindra S.; Wang, Francis T.

1996-01-01

A reduction method is provided for the treatment of arsenic-containing organic compounds with simultaneous recovery of pure arsenic. Arsenic-containing organic compounds include pesticides, herbicides, and chemical warfare agents such as Lewisite. The arsenic-containing compound is decomposed using a reducing agent. Arsine gas may be formed directly by using a hydrogen-rich reducing agent, or a metal arsenide may be formed using a pure metal reducing agent. In the latter case, the arsenide is reacted with an acid to form arsine gas. In either case, the arsine gas is then reduced to elemental arsenic.

Whole-organ atlas imaged by label-free high-resolution photoacoustic microscopy assisted by a microtome

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, Terence T. W.; Zhang, Ruiying; Hsu, Hsun-Chia; Maslov, Konstantin I.; Shi, Junhui; Chen, Ruimin; Shung, K. Kirk; Zhou, Qifa; Wang, Lihong V.

2018-02-01

In biomedical imaging, all optical techniques face a fundamental trade-off between spatial resolution and tissue penetration. Therefore, obtaining an organelle-level resolution image of a whole organ has remained a challenging and yet appealing scientific pursuit. Over the past decade, optical microscopy assisted by mechanical sectioning or chemical clearing of tissue has been demonstrated as a powerful technique to overcome this dilemma, one of particular use in imaging the neural network. However, this type of techniques needs lengthy special preparation of the tissue specimen, which hinders broad application in life sciences. Here, we propose a new label-free three-dimensional imaging technique, named microtomy-assisted photoacoustic microscopy (mPAM), for potentially imaging all biomolecules with 100% endogenous natural staining in whole organs with high fidelity. We demonstrate the first label-free mPAM, using UV light for label-free histology-like imaging, in whole organs (e.g., mouse brains), most of them formalin-fixed and paraffin- or agarose-embedded for minimal morphological deformation. Furthermore, mPAM with dual wavelength illuminations is also employed to image a mouse brain slice, demonstrating the potential for imaging of multiple biomolecules without staining. With visible light illumination, mPAM also shows its deep tissue imaging capability, which enables less slicing and hence reduces sectioning artifacts. mPAM could potentially provide a new insight for understanding complex biological organs.

A microfluidic device for open loop stripping of volatile organic compounds.

PubMed

Cvetković, Benjamin Z; Dittrich, Petra S

2013-03-01

The detection of volatile organic compounds is of great importance for assessing the quality of water. In this contribution, we describe a miniaturized stripping device that allows fast online detection of organic solvents in water. The core component is a glass microfluidic chip that facilitates the creation of an annular-flowing stream of water and nitrogen gas. Volatile compounds are transferred efficiently from the water into the gas phase along the microfluidic pathway at room temperature within less than 5 s. Before exiting the microchip, the liquid phase is separated from the enriched gas phase by incorporating side capillaries through which the hydrophilic water phase is withdrawn. The gas phase is conveniently collected at the outlet reservoir by tubing. Finally, a semiconductor gas sensor analyzes the concentration of (volatile) organic compounds in the nitrogen gas. The operation and use of the stripping device is demonstrated for the organic solvents THF, 1-propanol, toluene, ethylbenzene, benzaldehyde, and methanol. The mobile, inexpensive, and continuously operating system with liquid flow rates in the low range of microliters per minute can be connected to other detectors or implemented in chemical production line for process control.

Organic compounds downstream from a treated-wastewater discharge near Dallas, Texas, March 1987

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buszka, P.M.; Barber, L.B.; Schroeder, M.P.; Becker, L.D.

1994-01-01

Comparison of instantaneous flux values of selected organic compounds in water from downstream sites indicates: (1) the formation of chloroform in the stream following the discharge of the treated effluent, and that (2) instream biodegradation may be decreasing concentrations of linear alkylbenzene compounds in water. The relative persistence of many of the selected organic compounds in Rowlett Creek downstream from the municipal wastewater-treatment plant indicates that they could be transported into Lake Ray Hubbard, a source of municipal water supply.

Azo compounds as a family of organic electrode materials for alkali-ion batteries.

PubMed

Luo, Chao; Borodin, Oleg; Ji, Xiao; Hou, Singyuk; Gaskell, Karen J; Fan, Xiulin; Chen, Ji; Deng, Tao; Wang, Ruixing; Jiang, Jianjun; Wang, Chunsheng

2018-02-27

Organic compounds are desirable for sustainable Li-ion batteries (LIBs), but the poor cycle stability and low power density limit their large-scale application. Here we report a family of organic compounds containing azo group (N=N) for reversible lithiation/delithiation. Azobenzene-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid lithium salt (ADALS) with an azo group in the center of the conjugated structure is used as a model azo compound to investigate the electrochemical behaviors and reaction mechanism of azo compounds. In LIBs, ADALS can provide a capacity of 190 mAh g -1 at 0.5 C (corresponding to current density of 95 mA g -1 ) and still retain 90%, 71%, and 56% of the capacity when the current density is increased to 2 C, 10 C, and 20 C, respectively. Moreover, ADALS retains 89% of initial capacity after 5,000 cycles at 20 C with a slow capacity decay rate of 0.0023% per cycle, representing one of the best performances in all organic compounds. Superior electrochemical behavior of ADALS is also observed in Na-ion batteries, demonstrating that azo compounds are universal electrode materials for alkali-ion batteries. The highly reversible redox chemistry of azo compounds to alkali ions was confirmed by density-functional theory (DFT) calculations. It provides opportunities for developing sustainable batteries.

The study of volatile organic compounds in urban and indoor air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clarkson, Paul Jonathan

Chapter 1 is a review of the literature concerning the study of volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere. It examines the basic chemistry of the atmosphere and the roles that organic compounds play in it. Also investigated are the methods of sampling and analysing the volatile organic compounds in the air, paying particular attention to the role of solid phase sampling. Chapter 1 also examines the role of volatile organic compounds on air quality. Chapter 2 describes the experimental procedures that were employed during the course of this research project. Chapter 3 examines a multi-method approach to the study of volatile organic compounds in urban and indoor air. The methods employed were capillary electrophoresis, high performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography. Although good results were obtained for the various methods that were investigated Chapter 3 concludes that a more unified analytical approach is needed to the study of the air. Chapter 4 investigates the possibilities of using a unified approach to the study of VOC's. This is achieved by the development of an air sampling method that uses solid phase extraction cartridges. By investigating many aspects of air sampling mechanisms the results show that a simple yet efficient method for the sampling of VOC in air has been developed. The SPE method is a reusable, yet reliable method that by using sequential solvent desorption has been shown to exhibit some degree of selectivity. The solid phase that gave the best results was styrene-divinyl benzene however other phases were also investigated. The use of a single gas chromatography method was also investigated for the purpose of confirmatory identification of the VOC's. Various detection systems were used including MS and AED. It was shown that by optimising the GC's it was possible to get complimentary results. Also investigated was the possibility of compound tagging in an attempt to confirm the identity of several of the compounds found

Seasonal Variations of Quantified Organic Compounds in PM10 over Seoul

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, N.; Lee, J.; Kim, Y. P.

2014-12-01

The concentrations of 87 individual organic matters in the PM10 samples, systematically collected on the roof of the School of Public Health building at Seoul National University (mixed commercial and residential area), Seoul, South Korea on a daily basis from April 2010 to April 2011, were quantified by mean of Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). The daily average concentrations of five organic groups, alkanes, PAHs, fatty acid, DCAs, and sugars were ranged from 498.40 ng m3 to 10.20 μg m3. The seasonal concentrations of the total quantified organic species were 1.73 μg m3 (Spring), 2.04 μg m3 (Summer), 3.11 μg m3 (Fall), and 3.60 μg m3 (Winter), respectively. All the organic groups showed higher average concentration in winter than in summer. However, some organic compounds among fatty acids, DCAs, and sugars showed reverse pattern. The seasonal concentration patterns and episode variation of individual organic compounds were studied to clarify the emission characteristics of organic matters in PM10.

Sorption of vapors of some organic liquids on soil humic acid and its relation to partitioning of organic compounds in soil organic matter

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chlou, G.T.; Kile, D.E.; Malcolm, R.L.

1988-01-01

Vapor sorption of water, ethanol, benzene, hexane, carbon tetrachloride, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene, and 1,2-dibromoethane on (Sanhedron) soil humic acid has been determined at room temperature. Isotherms for all organic liquids are highly linear over a wide range of relative pressure (P/P??), characteristic of the partitioning (dissolution) of the organic compounds in soil humic acid. Polar liquids exhibit markedly greater sorption capacities on soil humic acid than relatively nonpolar liquids, in keeping with the polar nature of the soil humic acid as a partition medium. The limiting sorption (partition) capacities of relatively non-polar liquids are remarkably similar when expressed in terms of volumes per unit weight of soil humic acid. The soil humic acid is found to be about half as effective as soil organic matter in sorption of relatively nonpolar organic compounds. The nearly constant limiting sorption capacity for nonpolar organic liquids with soil humic acid on a volume-to-weight basis and its efficiency in sorption relative to soil organic matter provide a basis for predicting the approximate sorption (partition) coefficients of similar compounds in uptake by soil in aqueous systems.

ESTIMATION OF PHYSIOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS BY SPARC

EPA Science Inventory

The computer program SPARC (SPARC Performs Automated Reasoning in Chemistry) has been under development for several years to estimate physical properties and chemical reactivity parameters of organic compounds strictly from molecular structure. SPARC uses computational algorithms...

Emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from PVC floor coverings.

PubMed

Wiglusz, R; Igielska, B; Sitko, E; Nikel, G; Jarnuszkiewicz, I

1998-01-01

In this study 29 PVC floor coverings were tested for emission of vinyl chloride (VC) and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). A study on the effect of higher temperature on emission of VOCs from newly manufactured PVC flooring was also carried out. The study was conducted in climatic chamber, according to Polish Standard PN-89/Z-04021. GC method was used for analyzing of the compounds emitted. VC was not emitted from any of the floorings tested. Other VOCs were emitted in different concentrations. The influence of temperature on emission was conducted at temperatures of 23 degrees C and 35 degrees C from 2 hrs up to 180 days after introduction of materials in the chamber. The increase of temperature caused increase of total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) emission during 24 hrs of experiment. Then the emission was comparable for both temperatures. After 9 days emission of identified and unidentified compounds (TVOC) showed a rapid decay and stayed on very low level during a few months. The study conducted showed that PVC floorings after 10 days of installation in the room should not be source of indoor air contamination.

Measurement of volatile organic compounds in human blood.

PubMed Central

Ashley, D L; Bonin, M A; Cardinali, F L; McCraw, J M; Wooten, J V

1996-01-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are an important public health problem throughout the developed world. Many important questions remain to be addressed in assessing exposure to these compounds. Because they are ubiquitous and highly volatile, special techniques must be applied in the analytical determination of VOCs. The analytical methodology chosen to measure toxicants in biological materials must be well validated and carefully carried out; poor quality assurance can lead to invalid results that can have a direct bearing on treating exposed persons. The pharmacokinetics of VOCs show that most of the internal dose of these compounds is quickly eliminated, but there is a fraction that is only slowly removed, and these compounds may bioaccumulate. VOCs are found in the general population at the high parts-per-trillion range, but some people with much higher levels have apparently been exposed to VOC sources away from the workplace. Smoking is the most significant confounder to internal dose levels of VOCs and must be considered when evaluating suspected cases of exposure. PMID:8933028

Laboratory Studies of Organic Compounds With Reflectance Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Curchin, J. M.; Clark, R. N.; Hoefen, T. M.

2007-12-01

In order to properly interpret reflectance spectra of any solar system surface from the earth to the Oort cloud, laboratory spectra of candidate materials for comparative analysis are needed. Although the common cosmochemical species (H2O, CO2, CO, NH3, and CH4) are well represented in the spectroscopic literature, comparatively little reflectance work has been done on organics from room to cryogenic temperatures at visible to near infrared wavelengths. Reflectance spectra not only enhance weak or unseen transmission features, they are also more analogous to spectra obtained by spacecraft that are imaging such bodies as giant planet moons, kuiper belt objects, centaurs, comets and asteroids, as well as remote sensing of the earth. The USGS Spectroscopy Laboratory is measuring reflectance spectra of organic compounds from room to cryogenic temperatures over the spectral range of 0.35 to 15.5 microns. This region encompasses the fundamental absorptions and many overtones and combinations of C, H, O, and N molecular bonds. Because most organic compounds belong to families whose members have similar structure and composition, individual species identification within a narrow wavelength range may be ambiguous. By measuring spectral reflectance of the pure laboratory samples from the visible through the near and mid-infrared, absorption bands unique to each can be observed, cataloged, and compared to planetary reflectance data. We present here spectra of organic compounds belonging to five families: the alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, aromatics, and cyanides. Common to all of these are the deep C-H stretch fundamental absorptions, which shift shortward from 3.35+ microns in alkanes to 3.25+ microns in aromatics, to 3.2+ microns in alkenes, and down to 3.0+ microns in alkynes. Mid-IR absorptions due to C-H bending deformations at 6.8+ and 7.2+ microns are also identified. In the near infrared these stretching and bending fundamentals yield a diagnostic set of combination

Organic compounds and trace elements in the Pocomoke River and its tributaries

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, Cherie V.; Foster, Gregory D.; Huff, Thomas B.; Garbarino, John R.

1999-01-01

In response to concern about recent blooms of the dinoflagellate, Pfiesteria piscicida, samples of sediment and water were collected from the lower Pocomoke River Basin and were screened for trace elements, pesticides, and other organic compounds. A large group of steroid and fatty acid methyl-ester compounds was detected in streamwater using gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy in scan mode. Some of these steroid compounds have been identified and further quantified in bed-sediment extracts. Spatial patterns of the concentrations of cholesterol suggest that these compounds are linked to the runoff of animal wastes into the river. Many of the organic compounds found in the Pocomoke River sediments have not yet been identified, but at least several are in the class of hormone compounds related to estradiols and have the potential to promote endocrine-disrupting effects in aquatic life. Particulate forms of arsenic and zinc are slightly elevated above normal levels for streams, but the sources for these elements are still undetermined. Several pesticides were found in low, parts-per-trillion concentrations, but were within the ranges commonly found in streams of this region.

Stability of pharmaceuticals and other polar organic compounds stored on polar organic chemical integrative samplers and solid-phase extraction cartridges.

PubMed

Carlson, Jules C; Challis, Jonathan K; Hanson, Mark L; Wong, Charles S

2013-02-01

The stability of 24 chemicals, including pharmaceuticals and personal care products, and some agrochemicals on extraction media was evaluated by preloading them onto Oasis hydrophilic lipophilic balanced solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges and polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) followed by storage at -20°C over time. After 20 months, the average loss was 11% on POCIS, with only 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, atrazine, chlorpyrifos, and gemfibrozil showing a statistically significant decline compared with initial concentrations. Losses on SPE cartridges were below 19%, with an average loss of 9%. In addition to laboratory spiked samples, multiple POCIS deployed in wastewater-impacted surface waters and SPE extracts of these waters were stored in their original coextracted matrix for nearly two years with minimal observed losses. Errors from typical sampling, handling, and concentration estimates from POCIS sampling rates were typically ± 15 to 30% relative standard deviation, so observed storage losses are minimal for most POCIS applications. While losses during storage on SPE cartridges for 20 months were small but statistically significant for many compounds, addition of labeled internal standards prior to freezing should correct for such losses. Thus, storage of processed water samples for analysis of polar organic pollutants is viable for archival purposes or studies for which samples cannot be analyzed in the short term. Copyright © 2012 SETAC.

[Bibliographical study of the toxicity of organic mercury compounds].

PubMed

Ishihara, Nobuo

2011-09-01

The aim of this study is to correct the misunderstanding that the toxicity of organic mercury compounds is unknown at the time of the outbreak of Minamata disease (May 1, 1956). Two case reports of organic mercury (methylmercury) intoxication were published already in 1865 and 1866. The conversion of inorganic mercury added in acetoaldehyde synthesis was already pointed out in 1921. In 1930 several cases of organic mercury poisoning among workers engaged in acetoaldehyde production were reported. Many reports on not only in occupational exposure but a oral exposure via the ingestion of flour made from grains treated with organic mercurials were available at the time of the outbreak of Minamata disease (May 1, 1956). These reports pointed out the toxic effects of organic mercury on the central nervous system, and indicated cleary that the causal substance of Minamata disease must be the organic mercury compounds (methylmercury) from the Chisso plant. The identification of methylmercury as the causal substance by the authority was presented in 1968 when acetoaldehyde production in the Chisso plant was closed. Most of these reports except that of (Hunter et al.) were not referred to in the study of Minamata disease . Inadequate referencing should be pointed out. Several reports indicated that the causal substance of Minamata disease must be methylmercury from the Chisso Plant. However, most of these reports were not referred to during the study of Minamata disease. Inadequate referencing of literatures should be pointed out.

Independent valine and leucine isotope labeling in Escherichia coli protein overexpression systems.

PubMed

Lichtenecker, Roman J; Weinhäupl, Katharina; Reuther, Lukas; Schörghuber, Julia; Schmid, Walther; Konrat, Robert

2013-11-01

The addition of labeled α-ketoisovalerate to the growth medium of a protein-expressing host organism has evolved into a versatile tool to achieve concomitant incorporation of specific isotopes into valine- and leucine- residues. The resulting target proteins represent excellent probes for protein NMR analysis. However, as the sidechain resonances of these residues emerge in a narrow spectral range, signal overlap represents a severe limitation in the case of high-molecular-weight NMR probes. We present a protocol to eliminate leucine labeling by supplying the medium with unlabeled α-ketoisocaproate. The resulting spectra of a model protein exclusively feature valine signals of increased intensity, confirming the method to be a first example of independent valine and leucine labeling employing α-ketoacid precursor compounds.

Origins, fates, and ramifications of natural organic compounds of wetlands

Treesearch

Robert G. Wetzel

2000-01-01

Much of the organic carbon for heterotrophic metabolism in aquatic ecosystems is soluble and derived from structural compounds of higher plants of terrestrial and wetland-littoral sources of both lake and river ecosystems. The chemical recalcitrance of this organic matter and its oxidative utilization are fundamentally different from many sources within the aquatic...

Identification of potential genomic biomarkers of hepatotoxicity caused by reactive metabolites of N-methylformamide: Application of stable isotope labeled compounds in toxicogenomic studies.

PubMed

Mutlib, Abdul; Jiang, Ping; Atherton, Jim; Obert, Leslie; Kostrubsky, Seva; Madore, Steven; Nelson, Sidney

2006-10-01

The inability to predict if a metabolically bioactivated compound will cause toxicity in later stages of drug development or post-marketing is of serious concern. One approach for improving the predictive success of compound toxicity has been to compare the gene expression profile in preclinical models dosed with novel compounds to a gene expression database generated from compounds with known toxicity. While this guilt-by-association approach can be useful, it is often difficult to elucidate gene expression changes that may be related to the generation of reactive metabolites. In an effort to address this issue, we compared the gene expression profiles obtained from animals treated with a soft-electrophile-producing hepatotoxic compound against corresponding deuterium labeled analogues resistant to metabolic processing. Our aim was to identify a subset of potential biomarker genes for hepatotoxicity caused by soft-electrophile-producing compounds. The current study utilized a known hepatotoxic compound N-methylformamide (NMF) and its two analogues labeled with deuterium at different positions to block metabolic oxidation at the formyl (d(1)) and methyl (d(3)) moieties. Groups of mice were dosed with each compound, and their livers were harvested at different time intervals. RNA was prepared and analyzed on Affymetrix GeneChip arrays. RNA transcripts showing statistically significant changes were identified, and selected changes were confirmed using TaqMan RT-PCR. Serum clinical chemistry and histopathologic evaluations were performed on selected samples as well. The data set generated from the different groups of animals enabled us to determine which gene expression changes were attributed to the bioactivating pathway. We were able to selectively modulate the metabolism of NMF by labeling various positions of the molecule with a stable isotope, allowing us to monitor gene changes specifically due to a particular metabolic pathway. Two groups of genes were

Engineering biosynthesis of high-value compounds in photosynthetic organisms.

PubMed

O'Neill, Ellis C; Kelly, Steven

2017-09-01

The photosynthetic, autotrophic lifestyle of plants and algae position them as ideal platform organisms for sustainable production of biomolecules. However, their use in industrial biotechnology is limited in comparison to heterotrophic organisms, such as bacteria and yeast. This usage gap is in part due to the challenges in generating genetically modified plants and algae and in part due to the difficulty in the development of synthetic biology tools for manipulating gene expression in these systems. Plant and algal metabolism, pre-installed with multiple biosynthetic modules for precursor compounds, bypasses the requirement to install these pathways in conventional production organisms, and creates new opportunities for the industrial production of complex molecules. This review provides a broad overview of the successes, challenges and future prospects for genetic engineering in plants and algae for enhanced or de novo production of biomolecules. The toolbox of technologies and strategies that have been used to engineer metabolism are discussed, and the potential use of engineered plants for industrial manufacturing of large quantities of high-value compounds is explored. This review also discusses the routes that have been taken to modify the profiles of primary metabolites for increasing the nutritional quality of foods as well as the production of specialized metabolites, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and industrial chemicals. As the universe of high-value biosynthetic pathways continues to expand, and the tools to engineer these pathways continue to develop, it is likely plants and algae will become increasingly valuable for the biomanufacturing of high-value compounds.

75 FR 57412 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans Alabama: Volatile Organic Compounds

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-21

...] Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans Alabama: Volatile Organic Compounds AGENCY: Environmental... compounds'' (VOCs) found at Alabama Administrative Code section 335-3-1-.02(gggg). Specifically, the revision would add two compounds (propylene carbonate and dimethyl carbonate) to the list of those excluded...

Modeling emissions of volatile organic compounds from silage

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Photochemical smog is a major air pollution problem and a significant cause of premature death in the U.S. Smog forms in the presence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are emitted primarily from industry and motor vehicles in the U.S. However, dairy farms may be an important source in so...

Temporal dynamics of halogenated organic compounds in Marcellus Shale flowback.

PubMed

Luek, Jenna L; Harir, Mourad; Schmitt-Kopplin, Philippe; Mouser, Paula J; Gonsior, Michael

2018-06-01

The chemistry of hydraulic fracturing fluids and wastewaters is complex and is known to vary by operator, geologic formation, and fluid age. A time series of hydraulic fracturing fluids, flowback fluids, and produced waters was collected from two adjacent Marcellus Shale gas wells for organic chemical composition analyses using ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry. Hierarchical clustering was used to compare and extract ions related to different fluid ages and many halogenated organic molecular ions were identified in flowback fluids and early produced waters based on exact mass. Iodinated organic compounds were the dominant halogen class in these clusters and were nearly undetectable in hydraulic fracturing fluid prior to injection. The iodinated ions increased in flowback and remained elevated after ten months of well production. We suggest that these trends are mainly driven by dissolved organic matter reacting with reactive halogen species formed abiotically through oxidizing chemical additives applied to the well and biotically via iodide-oxidizing bacteria. Understanding the implications of these identified halogenated organic compounds will require future investigation in to their structures and environmental fate. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

IMPROVEMENT IN AIR TOXICS METHODS FOR VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

EPA Science Inventory

Innovative and customized monitoring methods for air toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are being developed for applications in exposure and trends monitoring. This task addresses the following applications of specific interest:

o Contributions to EPA Regional Monit...

Synthesis of carbon-11, fluorine-18, and nitrogen-13 labeled radiotracers for biomedical applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fowler, J.S.; Wolf, A.P.

A number of reviews, many of them recent, have appeared on various aspects of /sup 11/C, /sup 18/F and /sup 13/N-labeled radiotracers. This monograph treats the topic principally from the standpoint of synthetic organic chemistry while keeping in perspective the necessity of integrating the organic chemistry with the design and ultimate application of the radiotracer. Where possible, recent examples from the literature of organic synthesis are introduced to suggest potentially new routes which may be applied to problems in labeling organic molecules with the short-lived positron emitters, carbon-11, fluorine-18, and nitrogen-13. The literature survey of carbon-11, fluorine-18 and nitrogen-13 labeledmore » compounds presented are of particular value to scientists working in this field. Two appendices are also included to provide supplementary general references. A subject index concludes this volume.« less

COMPACT, CONTINUOUS MONITORING FOR VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS - PHASE I

EPA Science Inventory

Improved methods for onsite measurement of multiple volatile organic compounds are needed for process control, monitoring, and remediation. This Phase I SBIR project sets forth an optical measurement method that meets these needs. The proposed approach provides an instantaneous m...

MICROBIAL VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND EMISSION RATES AND EXPOSURE MODEL

EPA Science Inventory

This paper presents the results from a study that examined microbial volatile organic compound (MVOC) emissions from six fungi and one bacterial species (Streptomyces spp.) commonly found in indoor environments. Data are presented on peak emission rates from inoculated agar plate...

Generation of Volatile Organic Compounds from Dissolved Organic Matter in far North Atlantic Surface Ocean Waters.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hudson, E. D.; Ariya, P. A.

2005-12-01

The photochemical degradation of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in surface ocean waters is thought to be a source of volatile organic compounds (VOC) (including non-methane hydrocarbons and low MW carbonyl compounds) to the remote marine troposphere. We report on the characterization of DOM sampled at over 30 sites in the far North Atlantic (Greenland and Norwegian seas, Fram strait) during the summer of 2004, and on experiments to identify factors responsible for the photochemical generation of VOCs in these samples. The results will be discussed in the context of VOC profiles of whole air samples taken to match the seawater samples in time and space.

Cloud processing of organic compounds: Secondary organic aerosol and nitrosamine formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutchings, James W., III

Cloud processing of atmospheric organic compounds has been investigated through field studies, laboratory experiments, and numerical modeling. Observational cloud chemistry studies were performed in northern Arizona and fog studies in central Pennsylvania. At both locations, the cloud and fogs showed low acidity due to neutralization by soil dust components (Arizona) and ammonia (Pennsylvania). The field observations showed substantial concentrations (20-5500 ng•L -1) of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the cloud droplets. The potential generation of secondary organic aerosol mass through the processing of these anthropogenic VOCs was investigated through laboratory and modeling studies. Under simulated atmospheric conditions, in idealized solutions, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) degraded quickly in the aqueous phase with half lives of approximately three hours. The degradation process yielded less volatile products which would contribute to new aerosol mass upon cloud evaporation. However, when realistic cloud solutions containing natural organic matter were used in the experiments, the reaction kinetics decreased with increasing organic carbon content, resulting in half lives of approximately 7 hours. The secondary organic aerosol (SUA) mass formation potential of cloud processing of BTEX was evaluated. SOA mass formation by cloud processing of BTEX, while strongly dependent on the atmospheric conditions, could contribute up to 9% of the ambient atmospheric aerosol mass, although typically ˜1% appears realistic. Field observations also showed the occurrence of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), a potent carcinogen, in fogs and clouds (100-340 ng•L -1). Laboratory studies were conducted to investigate the formation of NDMA from nitrous acid and dimethylamine in the homogeneous aqueous phase within cloud droplets. While NDMA was produced in the cloud droplets, the low yields (<1%) observed could not explain observational concentrations

Deuterium enrichment by selective photo-induced dissociation of an organic carbonyl compound

DOEpatents

Marling, John B.

1981-01-01

A method for producing a deuterium enriched material by photoinduced dissociation which uses as the working material a gas phase photolytically dissociable organic carbonyl compound containing at least one hydrogen atom bonded to an atom which is adjacent to a carbonyl group and consisting of molecules wherein said hydrogen atom is present as deuterium and molecules wherein said hydrogen atom is present as another isotope of hydrogen. The organic carbonyl compound is subjected to intense infrared radiation at a preselected wavelength to selectively excite and thereby induce dissociation of the deuterium containing species to yield a deuterium enriched stable molecular product. Undissociated carbonyl compound, depleted in deuterium, is preferably redeuterated for reuse.

Investigation of extractable organic compounds in deep-sea hydrothermal vent fluids along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCollom, Thomas M.; Seewald, Jeffrey S.; German, Christopher R.

2015-05-01

The possibility that deep-sea hydrothermal vents may contain organic compounds produced by abiotic synthesis or by microbial communities living deep beneath the surface has led to numerous studies of the organic composition of vent fluids. Most of these studies have focused on methane and other light hydrocarbons, while the possible occurrence of more complex organic compounds in the fluids has remained largely unstudied. To address this issue, the presence of higher molecular weight organic compounds in deep-sea hydrothermal fluids was assessed at three sites along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge that span a range of temperatures (51 to >360 °C), fluid compositions, and host-rock lithologies (mafic to ultramafic). Samples were obtained at several sites within the Lucky Strike, Rainbow, and Lost City hydrothermal fields. Three methods were employed to extract organic compounds for analysis, including liquid:liquid extraction, cold trapping on the walls of a coil of titanium tubing, and pumping fluids through cartridges filled with solid phase extraction (SPE) sorbents. The only samples to consistently yield high amounts of extractable organic compounds were the warm (51-91 °C), highly alkaline fluids from Lost City, which contained elevated concentrations of C8, C10, and C12n-alkanoic acids and, in some cases, trithiolane, hexadecanol, squalene, and cholesterol. Collectively, the C8-C12 acids can account for about 15% of the total dissolved organic carbon in the Lost City fluids. The even-carbon-number predominance of the alkanoic acids indicates a biological origin, but it is unclear whether these compounds are derived from microbial activity occurring within the hydrothermal chimney proximal to the site of fluid discharge or are transported from deeper within the system. Hydrothermal fluids from the Lucky Strike and Rainbow fields were characterized by an overall scarcity of extractable dissolved organic compounds. Trace amounts of aromatic hydrocarbons including

The composition of the primitive atmosphere and the synthesis of organic compounds on the early Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bada, J. L.; Miller, S. L.

1985-01-01

The generally accepted theory for the origin of life on the Earth requires that a large variety of organic compounds be present to form the first living organisms and to provide the energy sources for primitive life either directly or through various fermentation reactions. This can provide a strong constraint on discussions of the formation of the Earth and on the composition of the primitive atmosphere. In order for substantial amounts of organic compounds to have been present on the prebiological Earth, certain conditions must have existed. There is a large body of literature on the prebiotic synthesis of organic compounds in various postulated atmospheres. In this mixture of abiotically synthesized organic compounds, the amino acids are of special interest since they are utilized by modern organisms to synthesize structural materials and a large array of catalytic peptides.

Henry`s law constant for selected volatile organic compounds in high-boiling oils

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Poddar, T.K.; Sirkar, K.K.

Absorption systems are often used to remove and recover organic vapors from process air/gas streams. A high boiling and inert liquid like silicone oil is an excellent absorbent for volatile organic compounds in air. Henry`s law constants of four different volatile organic compounds, namely, acetone, methanol, methylene chloride, and toluene between air and high-boiling oils were determined experimentally by the headspace-GC technique over a temperature range. The Henry`s law constants were fitted as a function of temperature to an equation.

Understanding the toxicological potential of aerosol organic compounds using informatics based screening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Topping, David; Decesari, Stefano; Bassan, Arianna; Pavan, Manuela; Ciacci, Andrea

2016-04-01

Exposure to atmospheric particulate matter is responsible for both short-term and long-term adverse health effects. So far, all efforts spent in achieving a systematic epidemiological evidence of specific aerosol compounds determining the overall aerosol toxicity were unsuccessful. The results of the epidemiological studies apparently conflict with the laboratory toxicological analyses which have highlighted very different chemical and toxicological potentials for speciated aerosol compounds. Speciation remains a problem, especially for organic compounds: it is impossible to conduct screening on all possible molecular species. At the same time, research on toxic compounds risks to be biased towards the already known compounds, such as PAHs and dioxins. In this study we present results from an initial assessment of the use of in silico methods (i.e. (Q)SAR, read-across) to predict toxicity of atmospheric organic compounds including evaluation of applicability of a variety of popular tools (e.g. OECD QSAR Toolbox) for selected endpoints (e.g. genotoxicity). Compounds are categorised based on the need of new experimental data for the development of in silico approaches for toxicity prediction covering this specific chemical space, namely the atmospheric aerosols. Whilst only an initial investigation, we present recommendations for continuation of this work.

Organic compounds in produced waters from shale gas wells.

PubMed

Maguire-Boyle, Samuel J; Barron, Andrew R

2014-01-01

A detailed analysis is reported of the organic composition of produced water samples from typical shale gas wells in the Marcellus (PA), Eagle Ford (TX), and Barnett (NM) formations. The quality of shale gas produced (and frac flowback) waters is a current environmental concern and disposal problem for producers. Re-use of produced water for hydraulic fracturing is being encouraged; however, knowledge of the organic impurities is important in determining the method of treatment. The metal content was determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Mineral elements are expected depending on the reservoir geology and salts used in hydraulic fracturing; however, significant levels of other transition metals and heavier main group elements are observed. The presence of scaling elements (Ca and Ba) is related to the pH of the water rather than total dissolved solids (TDS). Using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis of the chloroform extracts of the produced water samples, a plethora of organic compounds were identified. In each water sample, the majority of organics are saturated (aliphatic), and only a small fraction comes under aromatic, resin, and asphaltene categories. Unlike coalbed methane produced water it appears that shale oil/gas produced water does not contain significant quantities of polyaromatic hydrocarbons reducing the potential health hazard. Marcellus and Barnett produced waters contain predominantly C6-C16 hydrocarbons, while the Eagle Ford produced water shows the highest concentration in the C17-C30 range. The structures of the saturated hydrocarbons identified generally follows the trend of linear > branched > cyclic. Heterocyclic compounds are identified with the largest fraction being fatty alcohols, esters, and ethers. However, the presence of various fatty acid phthalate esters in the Barnett and Marcellus produced waters can be related to their use in drilling fluids and breaker additives

Fatty acids and small organic compounds bind to mineralo-organic nanoparticles derived from human body fluids as revealed by metabolomic analysis.

PubMed

Martel, Jan; Wu, Cheng-Yeu; Hung, Cheng-Yu; Wong, Tsui-Yin; Cheng, Ann-Joy; Cheng, Mei-Ling; Shiao, Ming-Shi; Young, John D

2016-03-14

Nanoparticles entering the human body instantly become coated with a "protein corona" that influences the effects and distribution of the particles in vivo. Yet, whether nanoparticles may bind to other organic compounds remains unclear. Here we use an untargeted metabolomic approach based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography and quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry to identify the organic compounds that bind to mineral nanoparticles formed in human body fluids (serum, plasma, saliva, and urine). A wide range of organic compounds is identified, including fatty acids, glycerophospholipids, amino acids, sugars, and amides. Our results reveal that, in addition to the proteins identified previously, nanoparticles harbor an "organic corona" containing several fatty acids which may affect particle-cell interactions in vivo. This study provides a platform to study the organic corona of biological and synthetic nanoparticles found in the human body.

Indoor Semi-volatile Organic Compounds (i-SVOC) Version 1.0

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

i-SVOC Version 1.0 is a general-purpose software application for dynamic modeling of the emission, transport, sorption, and distribution of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) in indoor environments.

Application of organic compounds for high-order harmonic generation of ultrashort pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganeev, R. A.

2016-02-01

The studies of the high-order nonlinear optical properties of a few organic compounds (polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene, sugar, coffee, and leaf) are reported. Harmonic generation in the laser-produced plasmas containing the molecules and large particles of above materials is demonstrated. These studies showed that the harmonic distributions and harmonic cutoffs from organic compound plasmas were similar to those from the graphite ablation. The characteristic feature of observed harmonic spectra was the presence of bluesided lobes near the lower-order harmonics.

Detecting Organic Compounds in Martian Soil Analogues Using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glavin, D. P.; Buch, A.; Mahaffy, P. R.

2004-01-01

One of the primary objectives of the 1976 Viking missions was to determine whether organic compounds, possibly of biological origin, were present in the Martian surface soils. The Viking gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS) instruments found no evidence for any organic compounds of Martian origin above a few parts per billion in the upper 10 cm of surface soil [l], suggesting the absence of a widely distributed Martian biota. However, Benner et d. have suggested that significant amounts of non-volatile organic compounds, possibly including oxidation products of bioorganic molecules (e.g. carboxylic acids) would not have been detected by the Viking GCMS [2]. Moreover, other key organic compounds important to biology, such as amino acids and nucleobases, would also likely have been missed by the Viking GCMS as these compounds require chemical derivatization to be stable in a GC column [3]. Recent pyrolysis experiments with a Mars soil analogue that had been innoculated with Escherichia coli bacteria have shown that amino acid decomposition products (amines) and nucleobases are among the most abundant products generated after pyrolysis of the bacterial cells [4,5]. At the part per billion level (Viking GCMS detection limit), these pyrolysis products generated from several million bacterial cells per gram of Martian soil would not have been detected by the Viking GCMS instruments [4]. Analytical protocols are under development for upcoming in situ lander opportunities to target several important biological compounds including amino acids and nucleobases. For example, extraction and chemical derivatization techniques [3] are being adapted for space flight use to transform reactive or fragile molecules that would not have been detected by the Viking GCMS instruments, into species that are sufficiently volatile to be detected by GCMS. Recent experiments carried out at NASA Goddard have shown that using this derivatization technique all of the targeted compounds

Biogenic, urban, and wildfire influences on the molecular composition of dissolved organic compounds in cloud water

DOE PAGES

Cook, Ryan D.; Lin, Ying-Hsuan; Peng, Zhuoyu; ...

2017-12-21

Organic aerosol formation and transformation occurs within aqueous aerosol and cloud droplets, yet little is known about the composition of high molecular weight organic compounds in cloud water. Cloud water samples collected at Whiteface Mountain, New York, during August-September 2014 were analyzed by ultra-high-resolution mass spectrometry to investigate the molecular composition of dissolved organic carbon, with a focus on sulfur- and nitrogen-containing compounds. Organic molecular composition was evaluated in the context of cloud water inorganic ion concentrations, pH, and total organic carbon concentrations to gain insights into the sources and aqueous-phase processes of the observed high molecular weight organic compounds.more » Cloud water acidity was positively correlated with the average oxygen : carbon ratio of the organic constituents, suggesting the possibility for aqueous acid-catalyzed (prior to cloud droplet activation or during/after cloud droplet evaporation) and/or radical (within cloud droplets) oxidation processes. Many tracer compounds recently identified in laboratory studies of bulk aqueous-phase reactions were identified in the cloud water. Organosulfate compounds, with both biogenic and anthropogenic volatile organic compound precursors, were detected for cloud water samples influenced by air masses that had traveled over forested and populated areas. Oxidation products of long-chain (C 10-12) alkane precursors were detected during urban influence. Influence of Canadian wildfires resulted in increased numbers of identified sulfur-containing compounds and oligomeric species, including those formed through aqueous-phase reactions involving methylglyoxal. Light-absorbing aqueous-phase products of syringol and guaiacol oxidation were observed in the wildfire-influenced samples, and dinitroaromatic compounds were observed in all cloud water samples (wildfire, biogenic, and urban-influenced). Overall, the cloud water molecular composition

Biogenic, urban, and wildfire influences on the molecular composition of dissolved organic compounds in cloud water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cook, Ryan D.; Lin, Ying-Hsuan; Peng, Zhuoyu; Boone, Eric; Chu, Rosalie K.; Dukett, James E.; Gunsch, Matthew J.; Zhang, Wuliang; Tolic, Nikola; Laskin, Alexander; Pratt, Kerri A.

2017-12-01

Organic aerosol formation and transformation occurs within aqueous aerosol and cloud droplets, yet little is known about the composition of high molecular weight organic compounds in cloud water. Cloud water samples collected at Whiteface Mountain, New York, during August-September 2014 were analyzed by ultra-high-resolution mass spectrometry to investigate the molecular composition of dissolved organic carbon, with a focus on sulfur- and nitrogen-containing compounds. Organic molecular composition was evaluated in the context of cloud water inorganic ion concentrations, pH, and total organic carbon concentrations to gain insights into the sources and aqueous-phase processes of the observed high molecular weight organic compounds. Cloud water acidity was positively correlated with the average oxygen : carbon ratio of the organic constituents, suggesting the possibility for aqueous acid-catalyzed (prior to cloud droplet activation or during/after cloud droplet evaporation) and/or radical (within cloud droplets) oxidation processes. Many tracer compounds recently identified in laboratory studies of bulk aqueous-phase reactions were identified in the cloud water. Organosulfate compounds, with both biogenic and anthropogenic volatile organic compound precursors, were detected for cloud water samples influenced by air masses that had traveled over forested and populated areas. Oxidation products of long-chain (C10-12) alkane precursors were detected during urban influence. Influence of Canadian wildfires resulted in increased numbers of identified sulfur-containing compounds and oligomeric species, including those formed through aqueous-phase reactions involving methylglyoxal. Light-absorbing aqueous-phase products of syringol and guaiacol oxidation were observed in the wildfire-influenced samples, and dinitroaromatic compounds were observed in all cloud water samples (wildfire, biogenic, and urban-influenced). Overall, the cloud water molecular composition depended on

Biogenic, urban, and wildfire influences on the molecular composition of dissolved organic compounds in cloud water

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cook, Ryan D.; Lin, Ying-Hsuan; Peng, Zhuoyu

Organic aerosol formation and transformation occurs within aqueous aerosol and cloud droplets, yet little is known about the composition of high molecular weight organic compounds in cloud water. Cloud water samples collected at Whiteface Mountain, New York, during August-September 2014 were analyzed by ultra-high-resolution mass spectrometry to investigate the molecular composition of dissolved organic carbon, with a focus on sulfur- and nitrogen-containing compounds. Organic molecular composition was evaluated in the context of cloud water inorganic ion concentrations, pH, and total organic carbon concentrations to gain insights into the sources and aqueous-phase processes of the observed high molecular weight organic compounds.more » Cloud water acidity was positively correlated with the average oxygen : carbon ratio of the organic constituents, suggesting the possibility for aqueous acid-catalyzed (prior to cloud droplet activation or during/after cloud droplet evaporation) and/or radical (within cloud droplets) oxidation processes. Many tracer compounds recently identified in laboratory studies of bulk aqueous-phase reactions were identified in the cloud water. Organosulfate compounds, with both biogenic and anthropogenic volatile organic compound precursors, were detected for cloud water samples influenced by air masses that had traveled over forested and populated areas. Oxidation products of long-chain (C 10-12) alkane precursors were detected during urban influence. Influence of Canadian wildfires resulted in increased numbers of identified sulfur-containing compounds and oligomeric species, including those formed through aqueous-phase reactions involving methylglyoxal. Light-absorbing aqueous-phase products of syringol and guaiacol oxidation were observed in the wildfire-influenced samples, and dinitroaromatic compounds were observed in all cloud water samples (wildfire, biogenic, and urban-influenced). Overall, the cloud water molecular composition

Transformations of organic compounds under the action of mechanical stress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubinskaya, Aleksandra M.

1999-08-01

Transformations of organic compounds (monomeric and polymeric) under the action of mechanical stress are considered. Two types of processes occur under these conditions. The first type involves disordering and amorphisation of crystal structure and conformational transformations as a result of rupture of intermolecular bonds. The second type includes mechanochemical reactions activated by deformation of valence bonds and angles under mechanical stress, namely, the rupture of bonds, oxidation and hydrolysis. Data on the organic mechanochemical synthesis of new compounds or molecular complexes are systematised and generalised. It is demonstrated that mechanical treatment ensures mass transfer and the contact of reacting species in these reactions. Proteins are especially sensitive to mechanical stress and undergo denaturation; enzymes are inactivated. The bibliography includes 115 references.

75 FR 2090 - Approval and Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Indiana; Volatile Organic Compound...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-14

... Promulgation of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Indiana; Volatile Organic Compound Automobile Refinishing... automobile refinishing rule for approval into its State Implementation Plan (SIP). These rule revisions extend the applicability of Indiana's approved volatile organic compound (VOC) automobile refinishing...

Volatile organic compounds: sampling methods and their worldwide profile in ambient air.

PubMed

Kumar, Anuj; Víden, Ivan

2007-08-01

The atmosphere is a particularly difficult analytical system because of the very low levels of substances to be analysed, sharp variations in pollutant levels with time and location, differences in wind, temperature and humidity. This makes the selection of an efficient sampling technique for air analysis a key step to reliable results. Generally, methods for volatile organic compounds sampling include collection of the whole air or preconcentration of samples on adsorbents. All the methods vary from each other according to the sampling technique, type of sorbent, method of extraction and identification technique. In this review paper we discuss various important aspects for sampling of volatile organic compounds by the widely used and advanced sampling methods. Characteristics of various adsorbents used for VOCs sampling are also described. Furthermore, this paper makes an effort to comprehensively review the concentration levels of volatile organic compounds along with the methodology used for analysis, in major cities of the world.

Volatile organic compound sensing devices

DOEpatents

Lancaster, G.D.; Moore, G.A.; Stone, M.L.; Reagen, W.K.

1995-08-29

Apparatus employing vapochromic materials in the form of inorganic double complex salts which change color reversibly when exposed to volatile organic compound (VOC) vapors is adapted for VOC vapor detection, VOC aqueous matrix detection, and selective VOC vapor detection. The basic VOC vapochromic sensor is incorporated in various devices such as a ground probe sensor, a wristband sensor, a periodic sampling monitor, a soil/water penetrometer, an evaporative purge sensor, and various vacuum-based sensors which are particularly adapted for reversible/reusable detection, remote detection, continuous monitoring, or rapid screening of environmental remediation and waste management sites. The vapochromic sensor is used in combination with various fiber optic arrangements to provide a calibrated qualitative and/or quantitative indication of the presence of VOCs. 15 figs.

Volatile organic compound sensing devices

DOEpatents

Lancaster, Gregory D.; Moore, Glenn A.; Stone, Mark L.; Reagen, William K.

1995-01-01

Apparatus employing vapochromic materials in the form of inorganic double complex salts which change color reversibly when exposed to volatile organic compound (VOC) vapors is adapted for VOC vapor detection, VOC aqueous matrix detection, and selective VOC vapor detection. The basic VOC vapochromic sensor is incorporated in various devices such as a ground probe sensor, a wristband sensor, a periodic sampling monitor, a soil/water penetrometer, an evaporative purge sensor, and various vacuum-based sensors which are particularly adapted for reversible/reusable detection, remote detection, continuous monitoring, or rapid screening of environmental remediation and waste management sites. The vapochromic sensor is used in combination with various fiber optic arrangements to provide a calibrated qualitative and/or quantitative indication of the presence of VOCs.

MEASUREMENT OF ORGANIC COMPOUND EMISSIONS USING SMALL TEST CHAMBERS

EPA Science Inventory

Organic compounds emitted from a variety of indoor materials have been measured using small (166 L) environmental test chambers. The paper discusses: a) factors to be considered in small chamber testing; b) parameters to be controlled; c) the types of results obtained. The follow...

15N-labeled glycine synthesis.

PubMed

Tavares, Claudinéia R O; Bendassolli, José A; Coelho, Fernando; Sant'ana Filho, Carlos R; Prestes, Clelber V

2006-09-01

This work describes a method for 15N-isotope-labeled glycine synthesis, as well as details about a recovery line for nitrogen residues. To that effect, amination of alpha-haloacids was performed, using carboxylic chloroacetic acid and labeled aqueous ammonia (15NH3). Special care was taken to avoid possible 15NH3 losses, since its production cost is high. In that respect, although the purchase cost of the 13N-labeled compound (radioactive) is lower, the stable tracer produced constitutes an important tool for N cycling studies in living organisms, also minimizing labor and environmental hazards, as well as time limitation problems in field studies. The tests were carried out with three replications, and variable 15NH3aq volumes in the reaction were used (50, 100, and 150 mL), in order to calibrate the best operational condition; glycine masses obtained were 1.7, 2, and 3.2 g, respectively. With the development of a system for 15NH3 recovery, it was possible to recover 71, 83, and 87% of the ammonia initially used in the synthesis. With the required adaptations, the same system was used to recover methanol, and 75% of the methanol initially used in the amino acid purification process were recovered.

Effects and mechanistic aspects of absorbing organic compounds by coking coal.

PubMed

Ning, Kejia; Wang, Junfeng; Xu, Hongxiang; Sun, Xianfeng; Huang, Gen; Liu, Guowei; Zhou, Lingmei

2017-11-01

Coal is a porous medium and natural absorbent. It can be used for its original purpose after adsorbing organic compounds, its value does not reduce and the pollutants are recycled, and then through systemic circulation of coking wastewater zero emissions can be achieved. Thus, a novel method of industrial organic wastewater treatment using adsorption on coal is introduced. Coking coal was used as an adsorbent in batch adsorption experiments. The quinoline, indole, pyridine and phenol removal efficiencies of coal adsorption were investigated. In addition, several operating parameters which impact removal efficiency such as coking coal consumption, oscillation contact time, initial concentration and pH value were also investigated. The coking coal exhibited properties well-suited for organics' adsorption. The experimental data were fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms as well as Temkin and Redlich-Peterson (R-P) models. The Freundlich isotherm model provided reasonable models of the adsorption process. Furthermore, the purification mechanism of organic compounds' adsorption on coking coal was analysed.

IDENTIFICATION AND QUANTIFICATION OF AEROSOL POLAR OXYGENATED COMPOUNDS BEARING CARBOXYLIC OR HYDROXYL GROUPS. 2. ORGANIC TRACER COMPOUNDS FROM MONOTERPENES

EPA Science Inventory

A comparison was made of polar organic compounds found in the field with those produced in secondary organic aerosol from laboratory irradiations of natural hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen. The field samples comprised atmospheric particulate matter (PM_2.5) collect...

Quantitative prediction of solvation free energy in octanol of organic compounds.

PubMed

Delgado, Eduardo J; Jaña, Gonzalo A

2009-03-01

The free energy of solvation, DeltaGS0, in octanol of organic compounds is quantitatively predicted from the molecular structure. The model, involving only three molecular descriptors, is obtained by multiple linear regression analysis from a data set of 147 compounds containing diverse organic functions, namely, halogenated and non-halogenated alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, aromatics, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, amines, ethers and esters; covering a DeltaGS0 range from about -50 to 0 kJ.mol(-1). The model predicts the free energy of solvation with a squared correlation coefficient of 0.93 and a standard deviation, 2.4 kJ.mol(-1), just marginally larger than the generally accepted value of experimental uncertainty. The involved molecular descriptors have definite physical meaning corresponding to the different intermolecular interactions occurring in the bulk liquid phase. The model is validated with an external set of 36 compounds not included in the training set.

Thermal engine driven heat pump for recovery of volatile organic compounds

DOEpatents

Drake, Richard L.

1991-01-01

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for separating volatile organic compounds from a stream of process gas. An internal combustion engine drives a plurality of refrigeration systems, an electrical generator and an air compressor. The exhaust of the internal combustion engine drives an inert gas subsystem and a heater for the gas. A water jacket captures waste heat from the internal combustion engine and drives a second heater for the gas and possibly an additional refrigeration system for the supply of chilled water. The refrigeration systems mechanically driven by the internal combustion engine effect the precipitation of volatile organic compounds from the stream of gas.

Deuterium enrichment by selective photoinduced dissociation of a multihalogenated organic compound

DOEpatents

Marling, John B.; Herman, Irving P.

1981-01-01

A method for deuterium enrichment by photoinduced dissociation which uses as the deuterium source a multihalogenated organic compound selected from the group consisting of a dihalomethane, a trihalomethane, a 1,2-dihaloethene, a trihaloethene, a tetrahaloethane and a pentahaloethane. The multihalogenated organic compound is subjected to intense infrared radiation at a preselected wavelength to selectively excite and thereby induce dissociation of substantially only those molecules containing deuterium to provide a deuterium enriched dissociation product. The deuterium enriched product may be combusted with oxygen to provide deuterium enriched water. The deuterium depleted undissociated molecules may be redeuterated by treatment with a deuterium source such as water.

Evidence from the Pacific troposphere for large global sources of oxygenated organic compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, H.; Chen, Y.; Staudt, A.; Jacob, D.; Blake, D.; Heikes, B.; Snow, J.

2001-04-01

The presence of oxygenated organic compounds in the troposphere strongly influences key atmospheric processes. Such oxygenated species are, for example, carriers of reactive nitrogen and are easily photolysed, producing free radicals-and so influence the oxidizing capacity and the ozone-forming potential of the atmosphere-and may also contribute significantly to the organic component of aerosols. But knowledge of the distribution and sources of oxygenated organic compounds, especially in the Southern Hemisphere, is limited. Here we characterize the tropospheric composition of oxygenated organic species, using data from a recent airborne survey conducted over the tropical Pacific Ocean (30°N to 30°S). Measurements of a dozen oxygenated chemicals (carbonyls, alcohols, organic nitrates, organic pernitrates and peroxides), along with several C2-C8 hydrocarbons, reveal that abundances of oxygenated species are extremely high, and collectively, oxygenated species are nearly five times more abundant than non-methane hydrocarbons in the Southern Hemisphere. Current atmospheric models are unable to correctly simulate these findings, suggesting that large, diffuse, and hitherto-unknown sources of oxygenated organic compounds must therefore exist. Although the origin of these sources is still unclear, we suggest that oxygenated species could be formed via the oxidation of hydrocarbons in the atmosphere, the photochemical degradation of organic matter in the oceans, and direct emissions from terrestrial vegetation.

A review of surface-water sediment fractions and their interactions with persistent manmade organic compounds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Witkowski, P.J.; Smith, J.A.; Fusillo, T.V.; Chiou, C.T.

1987-01-01

This paper reviews the suspended and surficial sediment fractions and their interactions with manmade organic compounds. The objective of this review is to isolate and describe those contaminant and sediment properties that contribute to the persistence of organic compounds in surface-water systems. Most persistent, nonionic organic contaminants, such as the chlorinated insecticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), are characterized by low water solubilities and high octanol-water partition coefficients. Consequently, sorptive interactions are the primary transformation processes that control their environmental behavior. For nonionic organic compounds, sorption is primarily attributed to the partitioning of an organic contaminant between a water phase and an organic phase. Partitioning processes play a central role in the uptake and release of contaminants by sediment organic matter and in the bioconcentration of contaminants by aquatic organisms. Chemically isolated sediment fractions show that organic matter is the primary determinant of the sorptive capacity exhibited by sediment. Humic substances, as dissolved organic matter, contribute a number of functions to the processes cycling organic contaminants. They alter the rate of transformation of contaminants, enhance apparent water solubility, and increase the carrying capacity of the water column beyond the solubility limits of the contaminant. As a component of sediment particles, humic substances, through sorptive interactions, serve as vectors for the hydrodynamic transport of organic contaminants. The capabilities of the humic substances stem in part from their polyfunctional chemical composition and also from their ability to exist in solution as dissolved species, flocculated aggregates, surface coatings, and colloidal organomineral and organometal complexes. The transport properties of manmade organic compounds have been investigated by field studies and laboratory experiments that examine the

The contribution of evaporative emissions from gasoline vehicles to the volatile organic compound inventory in Mexico City.

PubMed

Schifter, I; Díaz, L; Rodríguez, R; González-Macías, C

2014-06-01

The strategy for decreasing volatile organic compound emissions in Mexico has been focused much more on tailpipe emissions than on evaporative emissions, so there is very little information on the contribution of evaporative emissions to the total volatile organic compound inventory. We examined the magnitudes of exhaust and evaporative volatile organic compound emissions, and the species emitted, in a representative fleet of light-duty gasoline vehicles in the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City. The US "FTP-75" test protocol was used to estimate volatile organic compound emissions associated with diurnal evaporative losses, and when the engine is started and a journey begins. The amount and nature of the volatile organic compounds emitted under these conditions have not previously been accounted in the official inventory of the area. Evaporative emissions from light-duty vehicles in the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City were estimated to be 39 % of the total annual amount of hydrocarbons emitted. Vehicles built before 1992 (16 % of the fleet) were found to be responsible for 43 % of the total hydrocarbon emissions from exhausts and 31 % of the evaporative emissions of organic compounds. The relatively high amounts of volatile organic compounds emitted from older vehicles found in this study show that strong emission controls need to be implemented in order to decrease the contribution of evaporative emissions of this fraction of the fleet.

Volatile organic compounds of whole grain soft winter wheat

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The aroma from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is an indicator of grain soundness and also an important quality attribute of grain foods. To identify the inherent VOCs of wheat grain unaffected by fungal infestation and other extrinsic factors, grains of nine soft wheat varieties were collected at...

Analysis of 34S in Individual Organic Compounds by Coupled GC-ICP-MS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sessions, A. L.; Amrani, A.; Adkins, J. F.

2009-12-01

The abundances of 2H, 13C, and 15N in organic compounds have been extremely useful in many aspects of biogeochemistry. While sulfur plays an equally important role in many earth-surface processes, the isotopes of sulfur in organic matter have not been extensively employed in large part because there has been no direct route to the analysis of 34S in individual organic compounds. To remedy this, we have developed a highly sensitive and robust method for the analysis of 34S in individual organic compounds by coupled gas chromatography (GC) and multicollector inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Isobaric interference from O2+ is minimized by employing dry plasma conditions, and is cleanly resolved at all masses using medium resolution on the Thermo Neptune ICP-MS. Correction for mass bias is accomplished using standard-sample bracketing with peaks of SF6 reference gas. The precision of measured δ34S values approaches 0.1‰ for analytes containing >40 pmol S, and is better than 0.5‰ for those containing as little as 6 pmol S. External accuracy is better than 0.3‰. Integrating only the center of chromatographic peaks, rather than the entire peak, offers significant gain in precision and chromatographic resolution with minimal effect on accuracy, but requires further study for verification as a routine method. Coelution of organic compounds that do not contain S can cause degraded analytical precision and accuracy. As a demonstration of the potential for this new method, we will present data from 3 sample types: individual organosulfur compounds from crude oil, dimethyl sulfide from seawater, and trace H2S from bacterial culture headspace.

Soil organic matter stability as indicated by compound-specific radiocarbon analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Voort, Tessa Sophia; Zell, Claudia; Hagedorn, Frank; McIntyre, Cameron; Eglinton, Timothy Ian

2017-04-01

Carbon storage in soils is increasingly recognized as a key ecosystem function, and molecular-level analyses could be a valuable potential indicator of this storage potential. In this framework, radiocarbon constitutes a powerful tool for unraveling soil carbon dynamics on both decadal as well as centennial and millennial timescales. In this study, we look at the radiocarbon signature of specific compounds (fatty acids and n-alkanes) in two forested ecosystems (temperate and pre-alpine) with the aim of attaining a better understanding of soil organic carbon stability on a molecular level. Radiocarbon dating of the fatty acids and n-alkanes has been coupled to abundance data of these compounds and additionally lignin phenols. We hypothesize that potentially, these long-chain apolar compounds could be a representative indicator of the mineral-bound soil organic carbon pool. These well-studied sites are part of the Long-Term Forest Ecosystem Research (LWF) program of the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape research (WSL). Therefore, a wide suite of ancillary climatic and textural data is available for these sites. Initial results show a wide range of ages in the specific compounds which constitute a much larger range than the ages indicated by the density fractions done on the same samples. Overall, this study explores the use of molecular-level indicators to study soil organic matter dynamics, which could help assess the overall potential vulnerability of soil carbon in various ecosystems.

How to examine soil sorption of ionizable organic compounds and avoid varying pH?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borisover, Mikhail

2017-04-01

Multiple natural and anthropogenic organic compounds including new and emerging pollutants undergo ionization in aqueous solutions, and their sorption by soils and sediments is contributed by presence of both molecular and ionized species. Better understanding of environmental fate of organic chemicals requires taking into account interactions of molecular and ionized species with environmental sorbents. A "standard" (and undoubtedly important) procedure for differentiating contributions of molecular and ionized species into the overall soil sorption of an organic compound involves varying pH of solution in batch sorption experiments. However, varying pH is (1) often not possible, without destroying a sorbent, e.g., due to the buffer capacity of soils containing carbonates, (2) difficult for further interpretation, since it changes not only the ionization status of a solute in a solution but also the sorbent structure, e.g., a conformation of organic matter, and/or ionization of surface functional groups, (3) making difficult (or even impossible) to explicitly evaluate the role of dissolved species-bulk water interactions, directly affecting the affinity of a sorbate to distribute between water and a sorbent. Indeed, both molecular and ionized species undergo interactions with the solvent bulk and, at least in the case of the ionized ones, there was no a simple way to quantify organic ion-water interactions and their role in organic ion distribution between soil and water phases. This paper presents a "counter-intuitive" approach to examine sorption interactions of an ionizable compound, without experimenting with varied pH. The approach is based on an idea of replacing an initial state in sorption transfer of an ionizable compound from the solvent bulk to a solvated (hydrated) sorbed state: a traditional coefficient describing distribution of a partially ionized compound between a hydrated sorbent and a co-equilibrated aqueous phase is converted to the coefficient

Bibliography on contaminants and solubility of organic compounds in oxygen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ordin, P. M. (Compiler)

1975-01-01

A compilation of a number of document citations is presented which contains information on contaminants in oxygen. Topics covered include contaminants and solubility of organic compounds in oxygen, reaction characteristics of organic compounds with oxygen, and sampling and detection limits of impurities. Each citation in the data bank contains many items of information about the document. Some of the items are title, author, abstract, corporate source, description of figures pertinent to hazards or safety, key references, and descriptors (keywords) by which the document can be retrieved. Each citation includes an evaluation of the technical contents as to being good/excellent, acceptable, or poor. The descriptors used to define the contents of the documents and subsequently used in the computerized search operations were developed for the cryogenic fluid safety by experts in the cryogenics field.

Increase in volatilization of organic compounds using air sparging through addition in alcohol in a soil-water system.

PubMed

Chao, Huan-Ping; Hsieh, Lin-Han Chiang; Tran, Hai Nguyen

2018-02-15

This study developed a novel method to promote the remediation efficiency of air sparging. According to the enhanced-volatilization theory presented in this study, selected alcohols added to groundwater can highly enhance the volatilization amounts of organic compounds with high Henry's law constants. In this study, the target organic compounds consisted of n-hexane, n-heptane, benzene, toluene, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, and tetrachloroethene. n-pentanol, n-hexanol, and n-heptanol were used to examine the changes in the volatilization amounts of organic compounds in the given period. Two types of soils with high and low organic matter were applied to evaluate the transport of organic compounds in the soil-water system. The volatilization amounts of the organic compounds increased with increasing alcohol concentrations. The volatilization amounts of the test organic compounds exhibited a decreasing order: n-heptanol>n-hexanol>n-pentanol. When 10mg/L n-heptanol was added to the system, the maximum volatilization enhancement rate was 18-fold higher than that in distilled water. Samples of soil with high organic matter might reduce the volatilization amounts by a factor of 5-10. In the present study, the optimal removal efficiency for aromatic compounds was approximately 98%. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Significance of investigating allelopathic interactions of marine organisms in the discovery and development of cytotoxic compounds.

PubMed

Singh, Anshika; Thakur, Narsinh L

2016-01-05

Marine sessile organisms often inhabit rocky substrata, which are crowded by other sessile organisms. They acquire living space via growth interactions and/or by allelopathy. They are known to secrete toxic compounds having multiple roles. These compounds have been explored for their possible applications in cancer chemotherapy, because of their ability to kill rapidly dividing cells of competitor organisms. As compared to the therapeutic applications of these compounds, their possible ecological role in competition for space has received little attention. To select the potential candidate organisms for the isolation of lead cytotoxic molecules, it is important to understand their chemical ecology with special emphasis on their allelopathic interactions with their competitors. Knowledge of the ecological role of allelopathic compounds will contribute significantly to an understanding of their natural variability and help us to plan effective and sustainable wild harvests to obtain novel cytotoxic chemicals. This review highlights the significance of studying allelopathic interactions of marine invertebrates in the discovery of cytotoxic compounds, by selecting sponge as a model organism. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reductive methods for isotopic labeling of antibiotics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Champney, W.S.

1989-08-15

Methods for the reductive methylation of the amino groups of eight different antibiotics using {sup 3}HCOH or H{sup 14}COH are presented. The reductive labeling of an additional seven antibiotics by NaB{sub 3}H{sub 4} is also described. The specific activity of the methyl-labeled drugs was determined by a phosphocellulose paper binding assay. Two quantitative assays for these compounds based on the reactivity of the antibiotic amino groups with fluorescamine and of the aldehyde and ketone groups with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine are also presented. Data on the cellular uptake and ribosome binding of these labeled compounds are also presented.

Examining the association of DDX compounds to sedimentary organic matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weathers, N.; Rowlett, K.; Geng, Z.; Morrison, A.; White, H. K.

2016-02-01

The association of hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs) with sedimentary organic matter (OM) influences their mobility and bioavailability in the environment. Determining whether these associations result from mechanisms such as sorption, chemical binding or encapsulation is critical for predicting their long-term fate. The pesticide DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) has been previously observed to form bound residues with sedimentary OM although the mechanisms of this association are yet to be fully explored. DDT, which was sprayed ubiquitously in the 1950s and early 1960s, can still be found in the environment today along with its three major metabolites, DDE, DDD and DDMU (collectively known as DDX compounds), and therefore presents a unique opportunity to further explore its long-term associations with OM. To this end, a sediment core from a salt marsh in Dover, Delaware known to contain DDX compounds was collected. A maximum concentration of DDX compounds was found at sediment depths corresponding to the time of the widespread usage of DDT. An initial solvent extraction with toluene provided data on the loosely associated DDX fraction followed by subsequent treatments with sulfuric acid and saponification to release DDX that was encapsulated or bound to the sedimentary matrix. Determining the physical disposition of DDX compounds that persist in sediments for several decades is integral to determining the extent to which they are mobile, bioavailable or sequestered in the marsh.

Determination of organic compounds in water using ultraviolet LED

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Chihoon; Ji, Taeksoo; Eom, Joo Beom

2018-04-01

This paper describes a method of detecting organic compounds in water using an ultraviolet LED (280 nm) spectroscopy system and a photodetector. The LED spectroscopy system showed a high correlation between the concentration of the prepared potassium hydrogen phthalate and that calculated by multiple linear regression, indicating an adjusted coefficient of determination ranging from 0.953-0.993. In addition, a comparison between the performance of the spectroscopy system and the total organic carbon analyzer indicated that the difference in concentration was small. Based on the close correlation between the spectroscopy and photodetector absorbance values, organic measurement with a photodetector could be configured for monitoring.

Airborne concentrations of volatile organic compounds in neonatal incubators.

PubMed

Prazad, P; Cortes, D R; Puppala, B L; Donovan, R; Kumar, S; Gulati, A

2008-08-01

To identify and quantify airborne volatile organic compounds (VOCs) inside neonatal incubators during various modes of operation within the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) environment. Air samples were taken from 10 unoccupied incubators in four operational settings along with ambient air samples using air sampling canisters. The samples were analyzed following EPA TO-15 using a Tekmar AutoCan interfaced to Agilent 6890 Gas Chromatograph with a 5973 Mass Spectrometer calibrated for 60 EPA TO-15 method target compounds. Non-target compounds were tentatively identified using mass spectral interpretation and with a mass spectral library created by National Institute for Standards and Technology. Two non-target compounds, 2-heptanone and n-butyl acetate, were found at elevated concentrations inside the incubators compared with ambient room air samples. Increase in temperature and addition of humidity produced further increased concentrations of these compounds. Their identities were verified by mass spectra and relative retention times using authentic standards. They were quantified using vinyl acetate and 2-hexanone as surrogate standards. The emission pattern of these two compounds and background measurements indicate that they originate inside the incubator. There is evidence that exposure to some VOCs may adversely impact the fetal and developing infants' health. Currently, as there is no definitive information available on the effects of acute or chronic low-level exposure to these compounds in neonates, future studies evaluating the health effects of neonatal exposure to these VOCs are needed.

Analysis of volatile organic compounds of ‘Fuji’ apples following electron beam irradiation and storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Hyun-Pa; Shim, Sung-Lye; Lee, Sun-Im; Kim, Dong-Ho; Kwon, Joong-Ho; Kim, Kyong-Su

2012-08-01

The volatile organic compounds of non-irradiated and electron-beam irradiated 'Fuji' apples (Malus domestica Borkh.) at 0, 0.5, and 1 kGy were isolated through simultaneous distillation extractions and analyzed using gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry. A total of 53 volatile organic compounds were characterized in 0 and 1 kGy irradiated samples, whereas two more compounds related to ketone and terpenoid group were identified in 0.5 kGy irradiated samples. The contents of volatile compounds were 24.33, 36.49, and 35.28 mg/kg in 0, 0.5, and 1 kGy irradiated samples, respectively. The major compounds identified were butanol, hexanal, [E]-2-hexenal, and hexanol in all samples. The relative content of alcohol increased after 30 days of storage in all samples, whereas that of aldehyde decreased. Although the contents of some volatile compounds were changed by electron-beam irradiation, the total yield and major flavor compounds of irradiated 'Fuji' apples were similar to, or even greater than, those of the control. Therefore, the application of e-beam irradiation if required for microbial decontamination of 'Fuji' apples is an acceptable method as it does not bring about any major quantitative changes of volatile organic compounds.

Dual, differential isotope labeling shows the preferential movement of labile plant constituents into mineral-bonded soil organic matter.

PubMed

Haddix, Michelle L; Paul, Eldor A; Cotrufo, M Francesca

2016-06-01

The formation and stabilization of soil organic matter (SOM) are major concerns in the context of global change for carbon sequestration and soil health. It is presently believed that lignin is not selectively preserved in soil and that chemically labile compounds bonding to minerals comprise a large fraction of the SOM. Labile plant inputs have been suggested to be the main precursor of the mineral-bonded SOM. Litter decomposition and SOM formation are expected to have temperature sensitivity varying with the lability of plant inputs. We tested this framework using dual (13) C and (15) N differentially labeled plant material to distinguish the metabolic and structural components within a single plant material. Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) seedlings were grown in an enriched (13) C and (15) N environment and then prior to harvest, removed from the enriched environment and allowed to incorporate natural abundance (13) C-CO2 and (15) N fertilizer into the metabolic plant components. This enabled us to achieve a greater than one atom % difference in (13) C between the metabolic and structural components within the plant litter. This differentially labeled litter was incubated in soil at 15 and 35 °C, for 386 days with CO2 measured throughout the incubation. After 14, 28, 147, and 386 days of incubation, the soil was subsequently fractionated. There was no difference in temperature sensitivity of the metabolic and structural components with regard to how much was respired or in the amount of litter biomass stabilized. Only the metabolic litter component was found in the sand, silt, or clay fraction while the structural component was exclusively found in the light fraction. These results support the stabilization framework that labile plant components are the main precursor of mineral-associated organic matter. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Global simulation of aromatic volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cabrera Perez, David; Taraborrelli, Domenico; Pozzer, Andrea

2015-04-01

Among the large number of chemical compounds in the atmosphere, the organic group plays a key role in the tropospheric chemistry. Specifically the subgroup called aromatics is of great interest. Aromatics are the predominant trace gases in urban areas due to high emissions, primarily by vehicle exhausts and fuel evaporation. They are also present in areas where biofuel is used (i.e residential wood burning). Emissions of aromatic compounds are a substantial fraction of the total emissions of the volatile organic compounds (VOC). Impact of aromatics on human health is very important, as they do not only contribute to the ozone formation in the urban environment, but they are also highly toxic themselves, especially in the case of benzene which is able to trigger a range of illness under long exposure, and of nitro-phenols which cause detrimental for humans and vegetation even at very low concentrations. The aim of this work is to assess the atmospheric impacts of aromatic compounds on the global scale. The main goals are: lifetime and budget estimation, mixing ratios distribution, net effect on ozone production and OH loss for the most emitted aromatic compounds (benzene, toluene, xylenes, ethylbenzene, styrene and trimethylbenzenes). For this purpose, we use the numerical chemistry and climate simulation ECHAM/MESSy Atmospheric Chemistry (EMAC) model to build the global atmospheric budget for the most emitted and predominant aromatic compounds in the atmosphere. A set of emissions was prepared in order to include biomass burning, vegetation and anthropogenic sources of aromatics into the model. A chemical mechanism based on the Master Chemical Mechanism (MCM) was developed to describe the chemical oxidation in the gas phase of these aromatic compounds. MCM have been reduced in terms of number of chemical equation and species in order to make it affordable in a 3D model. Additionally other features have been added, for instance the production of HONO via ortho

Volatile organic compounds and particulates as components of diesel engine exhaust gas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schulz, H.; Bandeira de Melo, G.; Ousmanov, F.

1999-07-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOC) and soot particles have been determined in a Diesel`s exhaust gas. A new sampling method allowed the measurement of emissions of organic compounds (C{sub 1} to C{sub 20}) in a gas chromatogram at a detection limit of ca. 0.2 mg/m{sup 3}. Particles were collected with a filter bed of ceramic particles and characterized by temperature programmed desorption (TPD) and oxidation (TPO). Engine runs were always performed at a fixed and constant air to fuel equivalence ratio ({lambda}) and with a constant volumetric efficiency, because these parameters strongly influenced the emissions in terms of both composition andmore » order of magnitude. The effective combustion temperature again strongly governed the nature of the emissions. Model fuels, composed of individual paraffins and aromatics and additions of sulfur compounds and an organic nitrate (for cetane number enhancement) were used. The results contribute to the understanding of the origin of specific emissions from Diesel engines. These newly developed methods are recommended for further application.« less

Group extraction of organic compounds present in liquid samples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jahnsen, Vilhelm J. (Inventor)

1976-01-01

An extraction device is disclosed comprising a tube containing a substantially inert, chemically non-reactive packing material with a large surface area to volume ratio. A sample which consists of organic compounds dissolved in a liquid, is introduced into the tube. As the sample passes through the packing material it spreads over the material's large surface area to form a thin liquid film which is held on the packing material in a stationary state. A particular group or family of compounds is extractable from the sample by passing a particular solvent system consisting of a solvent and selected reagents through the packing material. The reagents cause optimum conditions to exist for the compounds of the particular family to pass through the phase boundary between the sample liquid and the solvent of the solvent system. Thus, the compounds of the particular family are separated from the sample liquid and become dissolved in the solvent of the solvent system. The particular family of compounds dissolved in the solvent, representing an extract, exits the tube together with the solvent through the tube's nozzle, while the rest of the sample remains on the packing material in a stationary state. Subsequently, a different solvent system may be passed through the packing material to extract another family of compounds from the remaining sample on the packing material.

Preparation and Characterization of Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Macrocyclic Compounds: Cyclic Ladder-like Polyphenylsilsesquioxanes.

PubMed

Zhang, Wenchao; Wang, Xiaoxia; Wu, Yiwei; Qi, Zhi; Yang, Rongjie

2018-04-02

Organic-inorganic hybrid macrocyclic compounds, cyclic polyphenylsilsesquioxanes (cyc-PSQs), have been synthesized through hydrolysis and condensation reactions of phenyltrichlorosilane. Structural characterization has revealed that cyc-PSQs consist of a closed-ring double-chain siloxane inorganic backbone bearing organic phenyl groups. The cyc-PSQ molecules have been simulated and structurally optimized using the Forcite tool as implemented in Materials Studio. Structurally optimized cyc-PSQs are highly symmetrical and regular with high stereoregularity, consistent with the dimensions of their experimentally derived structures. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that these macrocyclic compounds have excellent thermal stability. In addition to these perfectly structured compounds, macrocyclic compounds with the same ring ladder structure but bearing an additional Si-OH group, cyc-PSQs-OH, have also been synthesized. A possible mechanism for the formation of the closed-ring molecular structures of cyc-PSQs and cyc-PSQs-OH is proposed.

Uptake of Small Organic Compounds by Sulfuric Acid Aerosols: Dissolution and Reaction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Iraci, L. T.; Michelsen, R. R.; Ashbourn, S. F. M.; Staton, S. J. R.

2003-01-01

To assess the role of oxygenated volatile organic compounds in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere, the interactions of a series of small organic compounds with low-temperature aqueous sulfuric acid will be evaluated. The total amount of organic material which may be taken up from the gas phase by dissolution, surface layer formation, and reaction during the particle lifetime will be quantified. Our current results for acetaldehyde uptake on 40 - 80 wt% sulfuric acid solutions will be compared to those of methanol, formaldehyde, and acetone to investigate the relationships between chemical functionality and heterogeneous activity. Where possible, equilibrium uptake will be ascribed to component pathways (hydration, protonation, etc.) to facilitate evaluation of other species not yet studied in low temperature aqueous sulfuric acid.

Sorption characteristics of organic compounds on hexadecyltrimethylammonium-smectite

USGS Publications Warehouse

Boyd, Stephen A.; Mortland, Max M.; Chiou, Cary T.

1988-01-01

When hexadedyltrimethylammonium (HDTMA) ion is exchanged for metal cations like calcium in smectite, the sorptive properties of the clay are greatly modified. The resultant HDTMA-smectite complex behaves as a dual sorbent, in the sorption of organic compounds, in which the mineral fraction functions as a solid adsorbent and the organic (HDTMA) phase as a partition medium. Capacities of mineral adsorption and partition uptake by HDTMA in the HDTMA-smectites are illustrated by sorption of benzene, trichloroethene (TCE), and water as vapors on the dry sample and by sorption of benzene and TCE from water. The exchanged HDTMA in clay is found to be a much more powerful partition medium than ordinary soil organic matter in the uptake of benzene and TCE. Based on this finding, HDTMA-smectite appears to be an effective sorbent for removing organic contaminants from water. It is suggested that such sorptive organo-clay complexes could be used to enhance the containment capabilities of clay landfill liners and bentonite slurry walls.

78 FR 53029 - Air Quality: Revision to Definition of Volatile Organic Compounds-Exclusion of trans

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-28

... Air Quality: Revision to Definition of Volatile Organic Compounds--Exclusion of trans 1-chloro-3,3,3.... SUMMARY: The EPA is taking final action to revise the regulatory definition of volatile organic compounds..., June 16, 2010), and as a solvent for metals, electronics, and precision cleaning and in adhesives...

A Review of the Tissue Residue Approach for Organic and Organometallic Compounds in Aquatic Organisms

EPA Science Inventory

This paper reviews the tissue residue approach (TRA) for toxicity assessment as it applies to organic chemicals and some organometallic compounds (tin, mercury, and lead). Specific emphasis was placed on evaluating key factors that influence interpretation of critical body resid...

Uncertainty in aerosol hygroscopicity resulting from semi-volatile organic compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goulden, Olivia; Crooks, Matthew; Connolly, Paul

2018-01-01

We present a novel method of exploring the effect of uncertainties in aerosol properties on cloud droplet number using existing cloud droplet activation parameterisations. Aerosol properties of a single involatile particle mode are randomly sampled within an uncertainty range and resulting maximum supersaturations and critical diameters calculated using the cloud droplet activation scheme. Hygroscopicity parameters are subsequently derived and the values of the mean and uncertainty are found to be comparable to experimental observations. A recently proposed cloud droplet activation scheme that includes the effects of co-condensation of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) onto a single lognormal mode of involatile particles is also considered. In addition to the uncertainties associated with the involatile particles, concentrations, volatility distributions and chemical composition of the SVOCs are randomly sampled and hygroscopicity parameters are derived using the cloud droplet activation scheme. The inclusion of SVOCs is found to have a significant effect on the hygroscopicity and contributes a large uncertainty. For non-volatile particles that are effective cloud condensation nuclei, the co-condensation of SVOCs reduces their actual hygroscopicity by approximately 25 %. A new concept of an effective hygroscopicity parameter is introduced that can computationally efficiently simulate the effect of SVOCs on cloud droplet number concentration without direct modelling of the organic compounds. These effective hygroscopicities can be as much as a factor of 2 higher than those of the non-volatile particles onto which the volatile organic compounds condense.

Occurrence of Organic Wastewater Compounds in Selected Surface-Water Supplies, Triangle Area of North Carolina, 2002-2005

USGS Publications Warehouse

Giorgino, M.J.; Rasmussen, R.B.; Pfeifle, C.M .

2007-01-01

Selected organic wastewater compounds, such as household, industrial, and agricultural-use compounds, sterols, pharmaceuticals, and antibiotics, were measured at eight sites classified as drinking-water supplies in the Triangle Area of North Carolina. From October 2002 through July 2005, seven of the sites were sampled twice, and one site was sampled 28 times, for a total of 42 sets of environmental samples. Samples were analyzed for as many as 126 compounds using three laboratory analytical methods. These methods were developed by the U.S. Geological Survey to detect low levels (generally less than or equal to 1.0 microgram per liter) of the target compounds in filtered water. Because analyses were conducted on filtered samples, the results presented in this report may not reflect the total concentration of organic wastewater compounds in the waters that were sampled. Various quality-control samples were used to quality assure the results in terms of method performance and possible laboratory or field contamination. Of the 108 organic wastewater compounds that met method performance criteria, 24 were detected in at least one sample during the study. These 24 compounds included 3 pharmaceutical compounds, 6 fire retardants and plasticizers, 3 antibiotics, 3 pesticides, 6 fragrances and flavorants, 1 disinfectant, and 2 miscellaneous-use compounds, all of which likely originated from a variety of domestic, industrial, and agricultural sources. The 10 most frequently detected compounds included acetyl-hexamethyl tetrahydronaphthalene and hexahydro-hexamethyl cyclopentabenzopyran (synthetic musks that are widely used in personal-care products and are known endocrine disruptors); tri(2-chloroethyl) phosphate, tri(dichloroisopropyl) phosphate, and tributyl phosphate (fire retardants); metolachlor (herbicide); caffeine (nonprescription stimulant); cotinine (metabolite of nicotine); acetaminophen (nonprescription analgesic); and sulfamethoxazole (prescription antibiotic

Measurement of volatile organic compounds inside automobiles.

PubMed

Fedoruk, Marion J; Kerger, Brent D

2003-01-01

The objective of the current study was to evaluate the types and concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the passenger cabin of selected sedan automobiles under static (parked, unventilated) and specified conditions of operation (i.e., driving the vehicle using air conditioning alone, vent mode alone, or driver's window half open). Data were collected on five different passenger sedan vehicles from three major automobile manufacturers. Airborne concentrations were assessed using 90-min time-weighted average (TWA) samples under U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Method IP-1B to assess individual VOC compounds and total VOCs (TVOCs) calibrated to toluene. Static vehicle testing demonstrated TVOC levels of approximately 400-800 microg/m(3) at warm interior vehicle temperatures (approximately 80 degrees F), whereas TVOCs at least fivefold higher were observed under extreme heat conditions (e.g., up to 145 degrees F). The profile of most prevalent individual VOC compounds varied considerably according to vehicle brand, age, and interior temperature tested, with predominant compounds including styrene, toluene, and 8- to 12-carbon VOCs. TVOC levels under varied operating conditions (and ventilation) were generally four- to eightfold lower (at approximately 50-160 microg/m(3)) than the static vehicle measurements under warm conditions, with the lowest measured levels generally observed in the trials with the driver's window half open. These data indicate that while relatively high concentrations of certain VOCs can be measured inside static vehicles under extreme heat conditions, normal modes of operation rapidly reduce the inside-vehicle VOC concentrations even when the air conditioning is set on recirculation mode.

Application of stable isotope tools for evaluating natural and stimulated biodegradation of organic pollutants in field studies.

PubMed

Fischer, Anko; Manefield, Mike; Bombach, Petra

2016-10-01

Stable isotope tools are increasingly applied for in-depth evaluation of biodegradation of organic pollutants at contaminated field sites. They can be divided into three methods i) determination of changes in natural abundance of stable isotopes using compound-specific stable isotope analysis (CSIA), ii) detection of incorporation of stable-isotope label from a stable-isotope labelled target compound into degradation and/or mineralisation products and iii) determination of stable-isotope label incorporation into biomarkers using stable isotope probing (SIP). Stable isotope tools have been applied as key monitoring tools for multiple-line-of-evidence-approaches (MLEA) for sensitive evaluation of pollutant biodegradation. This review highlights the application of CSIA, SIP and MLEA including stable isotope tools for assessing natural and stimulated biodegradation of organic pollutants in field studies dealing with soil and groundwater contaminations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Salt lakes of Western Australia - Natural abiotic formation of volatile organic compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krause, T.; Studenroth, S.; Mulder, I.; Tubbesing, C.; Kotte, K.; Ofner, J.; Junkermann, W.; Schöler, H. F.

2012-04-01

Western Australia is a semi-/arid region that is heavily influenced by global climate change and agricultural land use. The area is known for its many ephemeral saline and hypersaline lakes with a wide range of hydrogeochemical parameters that have gradually changed over the last fifty years. Historically, the region was covered by eucalyptus trees and shrubs, but was cleared mainly within 10 years after WWII to make room for wheat and live stock. After the clearance of the deep rooted native plants the groundwater started to rise, bringing increased amounts of dissolved salts and minerals to the surface and discharging them into streams and lakes. Thus most of Western Australia is influenced by secondary salinisation (soil salting) [1]. Another problem is that the discharged minerals affect the pH of ground and surface water, which ranges from acidic to slightly basic. During the 2011 campaign surface water was measured with a pH between 2.5 and 7.1. Another phenomenon in Western Australia is the decrease of rainfall over the last decades assumed to be linked to the secondary salinisation. The rising saline and mineral rich groundwater increases the biotical and abiotical activity of the salt lakes. Halogenated and non-halogenated volatile organic compounds emitted from those lakes undergo fast oxidation and chemical reactions to form small particles modifying cloud microphysics and thus suppressing rain events [2]. Our objective is to gain a better understanding of this extreme environment with its hypersaline acidic lakes with regard to the potential abiotic formation of volatile organic compounds and its impact on the local climate. In spring 2011 fifty-three sediment samples from ten salt lakes in the Lake King region where taken, freeze-dried and ground. In order to simulate the abiotic formation of volatile organic compounds the soil samples were resuspended with water in gas-tight headspace vials. The headspace was measured using a purge and trap GC

User’s guide to the collection and analysis of tree cores to assess the distribution of subsurface volatile organic compounds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vroblesky, Don A.

2008-01-01

Analysis of the volatile organic compound content of tree cores is an inexpensive, rapid, simple approach to examining the distribution of subsurface volatile organic compound contaminants. The method has been shown to detect several volatile petroleum hydrocarbons and chlorinated aliphatic compounds associated with vapor intrusion and ground-water contamination. Tree cores, which are approximately 3 inches long, are obtained by using an increment borer. The cores are placed in vials and sealed. After a period of equilibration, the cores can be analyzed by headspace analysis gas chromatography. Because the roots are exposed to volatile organic compound contamination in the unsaturated zone or shallow ground water, the volatile organic compound concentrations in the tree cores are an indication of the presence of subsurface volatile organic compound contamination. Thus, tree coring can be used to detect and map subsurface volatile organic compound contamination. For comparison of tree-core data at a particular site, it is important to maintain consistent methods for all aspects of tree-core collection, handling, and analysis. Factors affecting the volatile organic compound concentrations in tree cores include the type of volatile organic compound, the tree species, the rooting depth, ground-water chemistry, the depth to the contaminated horizon, concentration differences around the trunk related to variations in the distribution of subsurface volatile organic compounds, concentration differences with depth of coring related to volatilization loss through the bark and possibly other unknown factors, dilution by rain, seasonal influences, sorption, vapor-exchange rates, and within-tree volatile organic compound degradation.

Nutrients, organic compounds, and mercury in the Meduxnekeag River watershed, Maine, 2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schalk, Charles W.; Tornes, Lan

2005-01-01

In 2003, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, sampled streambed sediments and surface water of the Meduxnekeag River watershed in northeastern Maine under various hydrologic conditions for nutrients, hydrophobic organic compounds, and mercury. Nutrients were sampled to address concerns related to summer algal blooms, and organic compounds and mercury were sampled to address concerns about regional depositional patterns and overall watershed quality. In most surface-water samples, phosphorus was not detected or was detected at concentrations below the minimum reporting limit. Nitrate and organic nitrogen were detected in every surface-water sample for which they were analyzed; the highest concentration of total nitrogen was 0.75 milligrams per liter during low flow. Instantaneous nitrogen loads and yields were calculated at four stations for two sampling events. These data indicate that the part of the watershed that includes Houlton, its wastewater-treatment plant, and four small urban brooks may have contributed high concentrations of nitrate to Meduxnekeag River during the high flows on April 23-24 and high concentrations of both organic and nitrate nitrogen on June 2-3. Mercury was detected in all three bed-sediment samples for which it was analyzed; concentrations were similar to those reported from regional studies. Notable organic compounds detected in bed sediments included p,p'-DDE and p,p'-DDT (pesticides of the DDT family) and several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and phthalates were not detected in any sample, whereas p-cresol was the only phenolic compound detected. Phosphorus was detected at concentrations below 700 milligrams per kilogram in each bed-sediment sample for which it was analyzed. Data were insufficient to establish whether the lack of large algal blooms in 2003 was related to low concentrations of phosphorus.

Catalytic Hydrogenation of Organic Compounds without H2 Supply: An Electrochemical System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Navarro, Daniela Maria do Amaral Ferraz; Navarro, Marcelo

2004-01-01

An experiment developed for an undergraduate organic chemistry laboratory course that can be used to introduce the catalytic hydrogenation reaction, catalysis electrochemical principles and gas chromatography is presented. The organic compounds hydrogenated by the electrocatalytic hydrogenation (ECH) process were styrene, benzaldehyde and…

Carbonaceous meteorites as a source of sugar-related organic compounds for the early Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooper, G.; Kimmich, N.; Belisle, W.; Sarinana, J.; Brabham, K.; Garrel, L.

2001-01-01

The much-studied Murchison meteorite is generally used as the standard reference for organic compounds in extraterrestrial material. Amino acids and other organic compounds important in contemporary biochemistry are thought to have been delivered to the early Earth by asteroids and comets, where they may have played a role in the origin of life. Polyhydroxylated compounds (polyols) such as sugars, sugar alcohols and sugar acids are vital to all known lifeforms-they are components of nucleic acids (RNA, DNA), cell membranes and also act as energy sources. But there has hitherto been no conclusive evidence for the existence of polyols in meteorites, leaving a gap in our understanding of the origins of biologically important organic compounds on Earth. Here we report that a variety of polyols are present in, and indigenous to, the Murchison and Murray meteorites in amounts comparable to amino acids. Analyses of water extracts indicate that extraterrestrial processes including photolysis and formaldehyde chemistry could account for the observed compounds. We conclude from this that polyols were present on the early Earth and therefore at least available for incorporation into the first forms of life.

Volatile organic compounds associated with Plasmodium falciparum infection in vitro.

PubMed

Correa, Ricardo; Coronado, Lorena M; Garrido, Anette C; Durant-Archibold, Armando A; Spadafora, Carmenza

2017-05-02

In order to identify new ways to prevent transmission of vector-borne diseases such as malaria, efforts have been made to understand how insects are attracted to humans. Vector-host interaction studies have shown that several volatile compounds play an important role in attracting mosquitoes to human targets. A headspace solid-phase micro-extraction/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HSPME GC-MS) analysis of the volatile organic composition of extracellular vesicles (EVs) and supernatants of ultracentrifugation (SNUs) was carried out in Plasmodium falciparum-infected cultures with high and low parasitemias. A list of 18 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was obtained from the EVs of both infected and uninfected RBCs with 1,2,3-Propanetriol, diacetate (diacetin) increased in the infected EVs, regardless of the parasitemia of the culture. The supernatant analysis, however, gave off 56 VOCs, with pentane 2,2,4-trimethyl being present in all the SNUs of uninfected erythrocytes but absent from the parasite-infected ones. Standing out in this study was hexanal, a reported insect attractant, which was the only VOC present in all samples from SNUs from infected erythrocytes and absent from uninfected ones, suggesting that it originates during parasite infection. The hexanal compound, reportedly a low-level component found in healthy human samples such as breath and plasma, had not been found in previous analyses of P. falciparum-infected patients or cultures. This compound has been reported as an Anopheles gambiae attractant in plants. While the compound could be produced during infection by the malaria parasite in human erythrocytes, the A. gambiae attraction could be used by the parasite as a strategy for transmission.

Development of the GC-MS organic aerosol monitor (GC-MS OAM) for in-field detection of particulate organic compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cropper, Paul M.; Overson, Devon K.; Cary, Robert A.; Eatough, Delbert J.; Chow, Judith C.; Hansen, Jaron C.

2017-11-01

Particulate matter (PM) is among the most harmful air pollutants to human health, but due to its complex chemical composition is poorly characterized. A large fraction of PM is composed of organic compounds, but these compounds are not regularly monitored due to limitations in current sampling and analysis techniques. The Organic Aerosol Monitor (GC-MS OAM) combines a collection device with thermal desorption, gas chromatography and mass spectrometry to quantitatively measure the carbonaceous components of PM on an hourly averaged basis. The GC-MS OAM is fully automated and has been successfully deployed in the field. It uses a chemically deactivated filter for collection followed by thermal desorption and GC-MS analysis. Laboratory tests show that detection limits range from 0.2 to 3 ng for 16 atmospherically relevant compounds, with the possibility for hundreds more. The GC-MS OAM was deployed in the field for semi-continuous measurement of the organic markers, levoglucosan, dehydroabietic acid, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from January to March 2015. Results illustrate the significance of this monitoring technique to characterize the organic components of PM and identify sources of pollution.

Role of effluent organic matter in the photochemical degradation of compounds of wastewater origin.

PubMed

Bodhipaksha, Laleen C; Sharpless, Charles M; Chin, Yu-Ping; MacKay, Allison A

2017-03-01

The photoreactivity of treated wastewater effluent organic matter differs from that of natural organic matter, and the indirect phototransformation rates of micropollutants originating in wastewater are expected to depend on the fractional contribution of wastewater to total stream flow. Photodegradation rates of four common compounds of wastewater origin (sulfamethoxazole, sulfadimethoxine, cimetidine and caffeine) were measured in river water, treated municipal wastewater effluent and mixtures of both to simulate various effluent-stream water mixing conditions that could occur in environmental systems. Compounds were chosen for their unique photodegradation pathways with the photochemically produced reactive intermediates, triplet-state excited organic matter ( 3 OM*), singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ), and hydroxyl radicals (OH). For all compounds, higher rates of photodegradation were observed in effluent relative to upstream river water. Sulfamethoxazole degraded primarily via direct photolysis, with some contribution from OH and possibly from carbonate radicals and other unidentified reactive intermediates in effluent-containing samples. Sulfadimethoxine also degraded mainly by direct photolysis, and natural organic matter appeared to inhibit this process to a greater extent than predicted by light screening. In the presence of effluent organic matter, sulfadimethoxine showed additional reactions with OH and 1 O 2 . In all water samples, cimetidine degraded by reaction with 1 O 2 (>95%) and caffeine by reaction with OH (>95%). In river water mixtures, photodegradation rate constants for all compounds increased with increasing fractions of effluent. A conservative mixing model was able to predict reaction rate constants in the case of hydroxyl radical reactions, but it overestimated rate constants in the case of 3 OM* and 1 O 2 pathways. Finally, compound degradation rate constants normalized to the rate of light absorption by water correlated with E 2 /E 3 ratios

Fiber optic micromirror sensor for volatile organic compounds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Butler, M.A.; Ricco, A.J.; Buss, R.

With the growing concern over environmental pollution, there is a need for sensors to locate and measure the distribution of a wide range of pollutants. In this paper the authors report a fiber optic sensor, based on a thin film micromirror, which responds to a wide range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This generic class of sensor will be useful for monitoring applications where the pollutant has already been identified.

Multi-element compound specific stable isotope analysis of volatile organic compounds at trace levels in groundwater samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herrero-Martín, Sara; Nijenhuis, Ivonne; Schmidt, Marie; Wolfram, Diana; Richnow, Hans. H.; Gehre, Matthias

2013-04-01

Groundwater pollution remains one of the major environmental and health concerns. A thorough understanding of sources, sinks and transformation processes of groundwater contaminants is needed to improve risk management evaluation, and to design efficient remediation and water treatment strategies. Isotopic tools provide unique information for an in-depth understanding of the fate of organic chemicals in the environment. During the last decades compound specific isotope analysis (CSIA) of complex mixtures, using gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-IRMS), has gained popularity for the characterization and risk assessment of hazardous waste sites and for isotope forensics of organic contaminants. Multi-element isotope fingerprinting of organic substances provides a more robust framework for interpretation than the isotope analysis of only one element. One major challenge for application of CSIA is the analysis of trace levels of organic compounds in environmental matrices. It is necessary to inject 1 nmol carbon or 8 nmol hydrogen on column, to obtain an accurate and precise measurement of the isotope ratios, which is between two and three orders of magnitude larger than the amount of compound needed for conventional analysis of compound concentrations. Therefore, efficient extraction and pre-concentration techniques have to be integrated with GC-IRMS. Further research is urgently needed in this field, to evaluate the potential of novel and environmental-friendly sample pre-treatment techniques for CSIA to lower the detection limits and extending environmental applications. In this study, the novel coupling of a headspace autosampler (HS) with a programmed temperature vaporizer (PTV), allowing large volume injection of headspace samples, is proposed to improve the sensitivity of CSIA. This automatic, fast and solvent free strategy provides a significant increase on the sensitivity of GC-based methods maintaining the simple headspace instrumentation

SEPARATION OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM SURFACTANT SOLUTIONS BY PERVAPORATION

EPA Science Inventory

Pervaporation is gradually becoming an accepted and practical method for the recovery of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from aqueous process and waste streams. As the technolog has matured, new applications for pervaporation have emerged. One such application is the separati...

FACTORS IN GEOTROPOSPHERIC PARTICLE-GAS TRANSPORT OF SEMIVOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

EPA Science Inventory

Semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) can exist in solid, liquid, or gas phases under ambient environmental conditions. The geotropospheric transport of SVOCs varies according to the particle type. Two classes of SVOCs and two types of particles were analyzed to determine possib...

SUPERCRITICAL FLUID EXTRACTION OF SEMI-VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM PARTICLES

EPA Science Inventory

A nitrogen oxide flux chamber was modified to measure the flux of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs). Part of the modification involved the development of methods to extract SVOCs from polyurethane foam (PUF), sand, and soil. Breakthroughs and extraction efficiencies were ...

LEAVES AS INDICATORS OF EXPOSURE TO AIRBORNE VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

EPA Science Inventory

The concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in leaves is primarily a product of airborne exposures and dependent upon bioconcentration factors and release rates. The bioconcentration factors for VOCs in grass are found to be related to their partitioning between octan...

Selective Sorption of Dissolved Organic Carbon Compounds by Temperate Soils

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jagadamma, Sindhu; Mayes, Melanie; Phillips, Jana Randolph

Physico-chemical sorption of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) on soil minerals is one of the major processes of organic carbon (OC) stabilization in soils, especially in deeper layers. The attachment of C on soil solids is related to the reactivity of the soil minerals and the chemistry of the sorbate functional groups, but the sorption studies conducted without controlling microbial activity may overestimate the sorption potential of soil. This study was conducted to examine the sorptive characteristics of a diverse functional groups of simple OC compounds (D-glucose, L-alanine, oxalic acid, salicylic acid, and sinapyl alcohol) on temperate climate soil orders (Mollisols,more » Ultisols and Alfisols) with and without biological degradative processes. Equilibrium batch experiments were conducted using 0-100 mg C L-1 at a solid-solution ratio of 1:60 for 48 hrs and the sorption parameters were calculated by Langmuir model fitting. The amount of added compounds that remained in the solution phase was detected by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and total organic C (TOC) analysis. Soil sterilization was performed by -irradiation technique and experiments were repeated to determine the contribution of microbial degradation to apparent sorption. Overall, Ultisols did not show a marked preference for apparent sorption of any of the model compounds, as indicated by a narrower range of maximum sorption capacity (Smax) of 173-527 mg kg soil-1 across compounds. Mollisols exhibited a strong preference for apparent sorption of oxalic acid (Smax of 5290 mg kg soil-1) and sinapyl alcohol (Smax of 2031 mg kg soil-1) over the other compounds. The propensity for sorption of oxalic acid is mainly attributed to the precipitation of insoluble Ca-oxalate due to the calcareous nature of most Mollisol subsoils and its preference for sinapyl alcohol could be linked to the polymerization of this lignin monomer on 2:2 mineral dominated soils. The reactivity of Alfisols to DOC

.sup.123m Te-Labeled biochemicals and method of preparation

DOEpatents

Knapp, Jr., Furn F.

1980-01-01

A novel class of .sup.123m Te-labeled steroids and amino acids is provided by the method of reacting a .sup.123m Te symmetric diorgano ditelluride with a hydride reducing agent and a source of alkali metal ions to form an alkali metal organo telluride. The alkali metal organo telluride is reacted with a primary halogenated steroidal side chain, amino acid, or amino acid precursor such as hydantoin. The novel compounds are useful as biological tracers and as organal imaging agents.

Mobilization and Transport of Organic Compounds from Reservoir Rock and Caprock in Geological Carbon Sequestration Sites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhong, Lirong; Cantrell, Kirk J.; Mitroshkov, Alexandre V.

2014-05-06

Supercritical CO2 (scCO2) is an excellent solvent for organic compounds, including benzene, toluene, ethyl-benzene, and xylene (BTEX), phenols, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Monitoring results from geological carbon sequestration (GCS) field tests has shown that organic compounds are mobilized following CO2 injection. Such results have raised concerns regarding the potential for groundwater contamination by toxic organic compounds mobilized during GCS. Knowledge of the mobilization mechanism of organic compounds and their transport and fate in the subsurface is essential for assessing risks associated with GCS. Extraction tests using scCO2 and methylene chloride (CH2Cl2) were conducted to study the mobilization of volatilemore » organic compounds (VOCs, including BTEX), the PAH naphthalene, and n-alkanes (n-C20 – n-C30) by scCO2 from representative reservoir rock and caprock obtained from depleted oil reservoirs and coal from an enhanced coal-bed methane recovery site. More VOCs and naphthalene were extractable by scCO2 compared to the CH2Cl2 extractions, while scCO2 extractable alkane concentrations were much lower than concentrations extractable by CH2Cl2. In addition, dry scCO2 was found to extract more VOCs than water saturated scCO2, but water saturated scCO2 mobilized more naphthalene than dry scCO2. In sand column experiments, moisture content was found to have an important influence on the transport of the organic compounds. In dry sand columns the majority of the compounds were retained in the column except benzene and toluene. In wet sand columns the mobility of the BTEX was much higher than that of naphthalene. Based upon results determined for the reservoir rock, caprock, and coal samples studied here, the risk to aquifers from contamination by organic compounds appears to be relatively low; however, further work is necessary to fully evaluate risks from depleted oil reservoirs.« less

REVIEW OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND SOURCE APPORTIONMENT BY CHEMICAL MASS BALANCE. (R826237)

EPA Science Inventory

The chemical mass balance (CMB) receptor model has apportioned volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in more than 20 urban areas, mostly in the United States. These applications differ in terms of the total fraction apportioned, the calculation method, the chemical compounds used ...

METHOD DEVELOPMENT FOR THE DETERMINATION OF PERFLUORINATED ORGANIC COMPOUNDS ( PFCS ) IN SURFACE WATER

EPA Science Inventory

The method for the determination of perfluorinated organic compounds (PFCs) in surface water has been developed and applied to natural water. The method shows an adequate sensitivity, precision and accuracy for ten kinds of target compounds. These PFCs were found in most samples...

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

MedlinePlus

... in the environment and their potential to cause human health effects EPA's Office of Drinking Water Regulations List ... to carbon monoxide. Carefully read the labels containing health hazard information and ... is a known human carcinogen. The main indoor sources of this chemical ...

Sensory irritating potency of some microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs) and a mixture of five MVOCs.

PubMed

Korpi, A; Kasanen, J P; Alarie, Y; Kosma, V M; Pasanen, A L

1999-01-01

The authors investigated the ability/potencies of 3 microbial volatile organic compounds and a mixture of 5 microbial volatile organic compounds to cause eye and upper respiratory tract irritation (i.e., sensory irritation), with an animal bioassay. The authors estimated potencies by determining the concentration capable of decreasing the respiratory frequency of mice by 50% (i.e., the RD50 value). The RD50 values for 1-octen-3-ol, 3-octanol, and 3-octanone were 182 mg/m3 (35 ppm), 1359 mg/m3 (256 ppm), and 17586 mg/m3 (3360 ppm), respectively. Recommended indoor air levels calculated from the individual RD50 values for 1-octen-3-ol, 3-octanol, and 3-octanone were 100, 1000, and 13000 microg/m3, respectively-values considerably higher than the reported measured indoor air levels for these compounds. The RD50 value for a mixture of 5 microbial volatile organic compounds was also determined and found to be 3.6 times lower than estimated from the fractional concentrations and the respective RD50s of the individual components. The data support the conclusion that a variety of microbial volatile organic compounds may have some synergistic effects for the sensory irritation response, which constrains the interpretation and application of recommended indoor air levels of individual microbial volatile organic compounds. The results also showed that if a particular component of a mixture was much more potent than the other components, it may dominate the sensory irritation effect. With respect to irritation symptoms reported in moldy houses, the results of this study indicate that the contribution of microbial volatile organic compounds to these symptoms seems less than previously supposed.

A comprehensive screen for volatile organic compounds in biological fluids.

PubMed

Sharp, M E

2001-10-01

A headspace gas chromatographic (GC) screen for common volatile organic compounds in biological fluids is reported. Common GC phases, DB-1 and DB-WAX, with split injection provide separation and identification of more than 40 compounds in a single 20-min run. In addition, this method easily accommodates quantitation. The screen detects commonly encountered volatile compounds at levels below 4 mg%. A control mixture, providing qualitative and semiquantitative information, is described. For comparison, elution of the volatiles on a specialty phase, DB-624, is reported. This method is an expansion and modification of a screen that had been used for more than 20 years. During its first year of use, the expanded screen has proven to be advantageous in routine forensic casework.

Prediction of Partition Coefficients of Organic Compounds between SPME/PDMS and Aqueous Solution

PubMed Central

Chao, Keh-Ping; Lu, Yu-Ting; Yang, Hsiu-Wen

2014-01-01

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is commonly used as the coated polymer in the solid phase microextraction (SPME) technique. In this study, the partition coefficients of organic compounds between SPME/PDMS and the aqueous solution were compiled from the literature sources. The correlation analysis for partition coefficients was conducted to interpret the effect of their physicochemical properties and descriptors on the partitioning process. The PDMS-water partition coefficients were significantly correlated to the polarizability of organic compounds (r = 0.977, p < 0.05). An empirical model, consisting of the polarizability, the molecular connectivity index, and an indicator variable, was developed to appropriately predict the partition coefficients of 61 organic compounds for the training set. The predictive ability of the empirical model was demonstrated by using it on a test set of 26 chemicals not included in the training set. The empirical model, applying the straightforward calculated molecular descriptors, for estimating the PDMS-water partition coefficient will contribute to the practical applications of the SPME technique. PMID:24534804

Halogenated Organic Compounds Identified in Hydraulic Fracturing Wastewaters Using Ultrahigh Resolution Mass Spectrometry.

PubMed

Luek, Jenna L; Schmitt-Kopplin, Philippe; Mouser, Paula J; Petty, William Tyler; Richardson, Susan D; Gonsior, Michael

2017-05-16

Large volumes of water return to the surface following hydraulic fracturing of deep shale formations to retrieve oil and natural gas. Current understanding of the specific organic constituents in these hydraulic fracturing wastewaters is limited to hydrocarbons and a fraction of known chemical additives. In this study, we analyzed hydraulic fracturing wastewater samples using ultrahigh resolution Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) as a nontargeted technique to assign unambiguous molecular formulas to singly charged molecular ions. Halogenated molecular formulas were identified and confirmed using isotopic simulation and MS-MS fragmentation spectra. The abundance of halogenated organic compounds in flowback fluids rather than older wastewaters suggested that the observed molecular ions might have been related to hydraulic fracturing additives and related subsurface reactions, such as through the reaction of shale-extracted chloride, bromide, and iodide with strong oxidant additives (e.g., hypochlorite, persulfate, hydrogen peroxide) and subsequently with diverse dissolved organic matter. Some molecular ions matched the exact masses of known disinfection byproducts including diiodoacetic acid, dibromobenzoic acid, and diiodobenzoic acid. The identified halogenated organic compounds, particularly iodinated organic molecules, are absent from inland natural systems and these compounds could therefore play an important role as environmental tracers.

Diagnosing gastrointestinal illnesses using fecal headspace volatile organic compounds

PubMed Central

Chan, Daniel K; Leggett, Cadman L; Wang, Kenneth K

2016-01-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from stool are the components of the smell of stool representing the end products of microbial activity and metabolism that can be used to diagnose disease. Despite the abundance of hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and methane that have already been identified in human flatus, the small portion of trace gases making up the VOCs emitted from stool include organic acids, alcohols, esters, heterocyclic compounds, aldehydes, ketones, and alkanes, among others. These are the gases that vary among individuals in sickness and in health, in dietary changes, and in gut microbial activity. Electronic nose devices are analytical and pattern recognition platforms that can utilize mass spectrometry or electrochemical sensors to detect these VOCs in gas samples. When paired with machine-learning and pattern recognition algorithms, this can identify patterns of VOCs, and thus patterns of smell, that can be used to identify disease states. In this review, we provide a clinical background of VOC identification, electronic nose development, and review gastroenterology applications toward diagnosing disease by the volatile headspace analysis of stool. PMID:26819529

Formation of highly oxygenated organic molecules from aromatic compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molteni, Ugo; Bianchi, Federico; Klein, Felix; El Haddad, Imad; Frege, Carla; Rossi, Michel J.; Dommen, Josef; Baltensperger, Urs

2018-02-01

Anthropogenic volatile organic compounds (AVOCs) often dominate the urban atmosphere and consist to a large degree of aromatic hydrocarbons (ArHCs), such as benzene, toluene, xylenes, and trimethylbenzenes, e.g., from the handling and combustion of fuels. These compounds are important precursors for the formation of secondary organic aerosol. Here we show that the oxidation of aromatics with OH leads to a subsequent autoxidation chain reaction forming highly oxygenated molecules (HOMs) with an O : C ratio of up to 1.09. This is exemplified for five single-ring ArHCs (benzene, toluene, o-/m-/p-xylene, mesitylene (1,3,5-trimethylbenzene) and ethylbenzene), as well as two conjugated polycyclic ArHCs (naphthalene and biphenyl). We report the elemental composition of the HOMs and show the differences in the oxidation patterns of these ArHCs. A potential pathway for the formation of these HOMs from aromatics is presented and discussed. We hypothesize that AVOCs may contribute substantially to new particle formation events that have been detected in urban areas.

Volatile organic compounds of polyethylene vinyl acetate plastic are toxic to living organisms.

PubMed

Meng, Tingzhu Teresa

2014-01-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic products readily evaporate; as a result, hazardous gases enter the ecosystem, and cause cancer in humans and other animals. Polyethylene vinyl acetate (PEVA) plastic has recently become a popular alternative to PVC since it is chlorine-free. In order to determine whether PEVA is harmful to humans, this research employed the freshwater oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus as a model to compare their oxygen intakes while they were exposed to the original stock solutions of PEVA, PVC or distilled water at a different length of time for one day, four days or eight days. During the exposure periods, the oxygen intakes in both PEVA and PVC groups were much higher than in the distilled water group, indicating that VOCs in both PEVA and PVC were toxins that stressed L. variegatus. Furthermore, none of the worms fully recovered during the24-hr recovery period. Additionally, the L. variegatus did not clump together tightly after four or eight days' exposure to either of the two types of plastic solutions, which meant that both PEVA and PVC negatively affected the social behaviors of these blackworms. The LD50 tests also supported the observations above. For the first time, our results have shown that PEVA plastic has adverse effects on living organisms, and therefore it is not a safe alternative to PVC. Further studies should identify specific compounds causing the adverse effects, and determine whether toxic effect occurs in more complex organisms, especially humans.

Biogenic volatile organic compound emissions from vegetation fires

PubMed Central

CICCIOLI, PAOLO; CENTRITTO, MAURO; LORETO, FRANCESCO

2014-01-01

The aim of this paper was to provide an overview of the current state of the art on research into the emission of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) from vegetation fires. Significant amounts of VOCs are emitted from vegetation fires, including several reactive compounds, the majority belonging to the isoprenoid family, which rapidly disappear in the plume to yield pollutants such as secondary organic aerosol and ozone. This makes determination of fire-induced BVOC emission difficult, particularly in areas where the ratio between VOCs and anthropogenic NOx is favourable to the production of ozone, such as Mediterranean areas and highly anthropic temperate (and fire-prone) regions of the Earth. Fire emissions affecting relatively pristine areas, such as the Amazon and the African savannah, are representative of emissions of undisturbed plant communities. We also examined expected BVOC emissions at different stages of fire development and combustion, from drying to flaming, and from heatwaves coming into contact with unburned vegetation at the edge of fires. We conclude that forest fires may dramatically change emission factors and the profile of emitted BVOCs, thereby influencing the chemistry and physics of the atmosphere, the physiology of plants and the evolution of plant communities within the ecosystem. PMID:24689733

Biogenic volatile organic compound emissions from vegetation fires.

PubMed

Ciccioli, Paolo; Centritto, Mauro; Loreto, Francesco

2014-08-01

The aim of this paper was to provide an overview of the current state of the art on research into the emission of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) from vegetation fires. Significant amounts of VOCs are emitted from vegetation fires, including several reactive compounds, the majority belonging to the isoprenoid family, which rapidly disappear in the plume to yield pollutants such as secondary organic aerosol and ozone. This makes determination of fire-induced BVOC emission difficult, particularly in areas where the ratio between VOCs and anthropogenic NOx is favourable to the production of ozone, such as Mediterranean areas and highly anthropic temperate (and fire-prone) regions of the Earth. Fire emissions affecting relatively pristine areas, such as the Amazon and the African savannah, are representative of emissions of undisturbed plant communities. We also examined expected BVOC emissions at different stages of fire development and combustion, from drying to flaming, and from heatwaves coming into contact with unburned vegetation at the edge of fires. We conclude that forest fires may dramatically change emission factors and the profile of emitted BVOCs, thereby influencing the chemistry and physics of the atmosphere, the physiology of plants and the evolution of plant communities within the ecosystem. © 2014 The Authors. Plant, Cell & Environment published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Phenolic compounds and fatty acid composition of organic and conventional grown pecan kernels

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In this study, differences in contents of phenolic compounds and fatty acids in pecan kernels of organically versus conventionally grown pecan cultivars (‘Desirable’, ‘Cheyenne’, and ‘Wichita’) were evaluated. Although we were able to identify nine phenolic compounds (gallic acid, catechol, catechin...

Sampling of atmospheric carbonyl compounds for determination by liquid chromatography after 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine labelling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vairavamurthy, A.; Roberts, J.M.; Newman, L.

1991-02-01

Determination of carbonyl compounds in the ambient atmosphere is receiving increasing attention because of the critical role these compounds play as pollutants and as key participants in tropospheric photochemistry. Carbonyls are involved in photochemical reactions as products of the oxidation of hydrocarbons, precursors of oxidants including ozone and peroxycarboxylic nitric anhydrides (PANs), and as sources of free radicals and organic aerosols. A correct understanding and assessment of the role of carbonyls in tropospheric chemistry requires the accurate and precise measurement of these compounds along with their parent and product compounds. Here we discuss some of these important issues along withmore » the different techniques used for time-integrated collection of carbonyls in the DNPH based liquid chromatographic methods because of their complexity, variability and as well their importance; we emphasize the principles, advantages, and limitations of these techniques. 58 refs., 9 figs., 3 tabs.« less

Volatile organic compounds in the unsaturated zone from radioactive wastes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baker, Ronald J.; Andraski, Brian J.; Stonestrom, David A.; Luo, Wentai

2012-01-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are often comingled with low-level radioactive wastes (LLRW), but little is known about subsurface VOC emanations from LLRW landfills. The current study systematically quantified VOCs associated with LLRW over an 11-yr period at the USGS Amargosa Desert Research Site (ADRS) in southwestern Nevada. Unsaturated-zone gas samples of VOCs were collected by adsorption on resin cartridges and analyzed by thermal desorption and GC/MS. Sixty of 87 VOC method analytes were detected in the 110-m-thick unsaturated zone surrounding a LLRW disposal facility. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were detected in 100% of samples collected. Chlorofluorocarbons are powerful greenhouse gases, deplete stratospheric ozone, and are likely released from LLRW facilities worldwide. Soil-gas samples collected from a depth of 24 m and a horizontal distance 100 m south of the nearest waste-disposal trench contained >60,000 ppbv total VOCs, including >37,000 ppbv CFCs. Extensive sampling in the shallow unsaturated zone (0–2 m deep) identified areas where total VOC concentrations exceeded 5000 ppbv at the 1.5-m depth. Volatile organic compound concentrations exceeded background levels up to 300 m from the facility. Maximum vertical diffusive fluxes of total VOCs were estimated to be 1 g m-2 yr-1. Volatile organic compound distributions were similar but not identical to those previously determined for tritium and elemental mercury. To our knowledge, this study is the first to characterize the unsaturated zone distribution of VOCs emanating from a LLRW landfill. Our results may help explain anomalous transport of radionuclides at the ADRS and elsewhere.

Simulation of Comet Impact and Survivability of Organic Compounds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, B T; Lomov, I N; Blank, J G

Comets have long been proposed as a potential means for the transport of complex organic compounds to early Earth. For this to be a viable mechanism, a significant fraction of organic compounds must survive the high temperatures due to impact. We have undertaken three-dimensional numerical simulations to track the thermodynamic state of a comet during oblique impacts. The comet was modeled as a 1-km water-ice sphere impacting a basalt plane at 11.2 km/s; impact angles of 15{sup o} (from horizontal), 30{sup o}, 45{sup o}, 65{sup o}, and 90{sup o} (normal impact) were examined. The survival of organic cometary material, modeledmore » as water ice for simplicity, was calculated using three criteria: (1) peak temperatures, (2) the thermodynamic phase of H{sub 2}O, and (3) final temperature upon isentropic unloading. For impact angles greater than or equal to 30{sup o}, no organic material is expected to survive the impact. For the 15{sup o} impact, most of the material survives the initial impact and significant fractions (55%, 25%, and 44%, respectively) satisfy each survival criterion at 1 second. Heating due to deceleration, in addition to shock heating, plays a role in the heating of the cometary material for nonnormal impacts. This effect is more noticeable for more oblique impacts, resulting in significant deviations from estimates using scaling of normal impacts. The deceleration heating of the material at late times requires further modeling of breakup and mixing.« less

Photoaffinity-labeled Cytokinins

PubMed Central

Theiler, Jane B.; Leonard, Nelson J.; Schmitz, Ruth Y.; Skoog, Folke

1976-01-01

Two new azidopurine derivatives, 2-azido-N6-(Δ2-isopentenyl)adenine and 2-azido-N6-benzyladenine, have been synthesized as potential photoaffinity labels for probing cytokinin-binding sites. The preparation and the biological activity of these compounds are described. PMID:16659772

Protective effects of novel organic selenium compounds against oxidative stress in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

PubMed

Stefanello, Sílvio Terra; Gubert, Priscila; Puntel, Bruna; Mizdal, Caren Rigon; de Campos, Marli Matiko Anraku; Salman, Syed M; Dornelles, Luciano; Avila, Daiana Silva; Aschner, Michael; Soares, Félix Alexandre Antunes

Organic selenium compounds possess numerous biological properties, including antioxidant activity. Yet, the high toxicity of some of them, such as diphenyl diselenide (DPDS), is a limiting factor in their current usage. Accordingly, we tested four novel organic selenium compounds in the non-parasite nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and compared their efficacy to DPDS. The novel organic selenium compounds are β-selenoamines (1-phenyl-3-( p -tolylselanyl)propan-2-amine (C1) and 1-(2-methoxyphenylselanyl)-3-phenylpropan-2-amine (C2) and analogs of DPDS (1,2-bis (2-methoxyphenyl) diselenide (C3) and 1,2-bis p -tolyldiselenide (C4). Synchronized worms at the L4 larval stage were exposed for one hour in M9 buffer to these compounds. Oxidative stress conditions were induced by juglone (200 μM) and heat shock (35 °C). Moreover, we evaluated Caenorhabditis elegans behavior, GST-4::GFP (glutathione S-transferase) expression and the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). All tested compounds efficiently restored viability in juglone stressed worms. However, DPDS, C2, C3 and C4 significantly decreased the defecation cycle time. Juglone-induced GST-4::GFP expression was not attenuated in worms pretreated with the novel compounds, except with C2. Finally, AChE activity was reduced by DPDS, C2, C3 and C4. To our knowledge, this is study firstly showed the effects of C1, C2, C3 and C4 selenium-derived compounds in Caenorhabditis elegans . Low toxic effects were noted, except for reduction in the defecation cycle, which is likely associated with AChE inhibition. The juglone-induced stress (reduced viability) was fully reversed by compounds to control animal levels. C2 was also efficient in reducing the juglone-induced GST-4::GFP expression, suggesting the latter may mediate the stress induced by this compound. Future studies could be profitably directed at addressing additional molecular mechanisms that mediate the protective effects of these novel organic selenium compounds.

Production of 15N-Labelled Liquid Organic Fertilisers Based on Manure and Crop Residue for Use in Fertigation Studies.

PubMed

Martínez-Alcántara, Belén; Martínez-Cuenca, Mary-Rus; Fernández, Carlos; Legaz, Francisco; Quiñones, Ana

2016-01-01

Large quantities of crop residue and animal manure from agricultural and livestock activities are annually produced worldwide. With proper management, these residues are potentially valuable sources of plant nutrients, mainly N. Recycling such subproducts in sustainably-based agricultural systems can minimise the use of mineral fertilisers, and hence reduce the potential risk of surface and groundwater pollution. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to obtain (small scale) two liquid labelled-organic fertilisers, an animal- and a vegetal-based organic (AO and VO, respectively) fertiliser, to be used as organic N sources in subsequent fertigation studies. Forage maize (Zea mays L.) grown under 15N-labelled fertiliser supply was used as raw material for VO fertiliser production, and also as 15N-labelled sheep feed to obtain 15N-labelled manure. The labelled faeces fraction was used as raw material for the AO fertiliser. The VO fertiliser was obtained after an acidic and an enzyme-driven hydrolysis. The AO fertiliser was obtained after acidic hydrolysis. The VO liquid fertiliser presented an N concentration of 330 mg·L-1, 85% of total N was organic, while ammonium and nitrate N accounted for 55% and 45% of the mineral nitrogen fraction, respectively. This fertiliser also exhibited high K, Ca and S concentrations and notable values for the remaining macro- and micronutrients. The AO liquid fertiliser had a similar total N concentration (496 mg·L-1, 82% of total N in an organic form) to that of VO, but its mineral N fraction significantly differed, which came in a predominantly (95%) ammonia form. It also had a high content of N, P, K and other macronutrients, and sufficient Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu and B levels, which suggests its suitability as a potential fertiliser. The percentage of 15N enrichment in both VO and AO liquid fertilisers exceeded 2% 15N atom excess, which enabled their use in subsequent assays run to assess nitrogen uptake efficiency.

Production of 15N-Labelled Liquid Organic Fertilisers Based on Manure and Crop Residue for Use in Fertigation Studies

PubMed Central

Martínez-Alcántara, Belén; Martínez-Cuenca, Mary-Rus; Fernández, Carlos; Legaz, Francisco; Quiñones, Ana

2016-01-01

Large quantities of crop residue and animal manure from agricultural and livestock activities are annually produced worldwide. With proper management, these residues are potentially valuable sources of plant nutrients, mainly N. Recycling such subproducts in sustainably-based agricultural systems can minimise the use of mineral fertilisers, and hence reduce the potential risk of surface and groundwater pollution. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to obtain (small scale) two liquid labelled-organic fertilisers, an animal- and a vegetal-based organic (AO and VO, respectively) fertiliser, to be used as organic N sources in subsequent fertigation studies. Forage maize (Zea mays L.) grown under 15N-labelled fertiliser supply was used as raw material for VO fertiliser production, and also as 15N-labelled sheep feed to obtain 15N-labelled manure. The labelled faeces fraction was used as raw material for the AO fertiliser. The VO fertiliser was obtained after an acidic and an enzyme-driven hydrolysis. The AO fertiliser was obtained after acidic hydrolysis. The VO liquid fertiliser presented an N concentration of 330 mg·L-1, 85% of total N was organic, while ammonium and nitrate N accounted for 55% and 45% of the mineral nitrogen fraction, respectively. This fertiliser also exhibited high K, Ca and S concentrations and notable values for the remaining macro- and micronutrients. The AO liquid fertiliser had a similar total N concentration (496 mg·L-1, 82% of total N in an organic form) to that of VO, but its mineral N fraction significantly differed, which came in a predominantly (95%) ammonia form. It also had a high content of N, P, K and other macronutrients, and sufficient Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu and B levels, which suggests its suitability as a potential fertiliser. The percentage of 15N enrichment in both VO and AO liquid fertilisers exceeded 2% 15N atom excess, which enabled their use in subsequent assays run to assess nitrogen uptake efficiency. PMID:26982183

Natural low-molecular mass organic compounds with oxidase activity as organocatalysts.

PubMed

Nishiyama, Tatsuya; Hashimoto, Yoshiteru; Kusakabe, Hitoshi; Kumano, Takuto; Kobayashi, Michihiko

2014-12-02

Organocatalysts, low-molecular mass organic compounds composed of nonmetallic elements, are often used in organic synthesis, but there have been no reports of organocatalysts of biological origin that function in vivo. Here, we report that actinorhodin (ACT), a natural product derived from Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2), acts as a biocatalyst. We purified ACT and assayed its catalytic activity in the oxidation of L-ascorbic acid and L-cysteine as substrates by analytical methods for enzymes. Our findings were as follows: (i) oxidation reactions producing H2O2 proceeded upon addition of ACT to the reaction mixture; (ii) ACT was not consumed during the reactions; and (iii) a small amount (catalytic amount) of ACT consumed an excess amount of the substrates. Even at room temperature, atmospheric pressure, and neutral pH, ACT showed catalytic activity in aqueous solution, and ACT exhibited substrate specificity in the oxidation reactions. These findings reveal ACT to be an organocatalyst. ACT is known to show antibiotic activity, but its mechanism of action remains unknown. On the basis of our results, we propose that ACT kills bacteria by catalyzing the production of toxic levels of H2O2. We also screened various other natural products of bacterial, plant, and animal origins and found that several of the compounds exhibited catalytic activity, suggesting that living organisms produce and use these compounds as biocatalysts in nature.

Are Some Fungal Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Mycotoxins?

PubMed Central

Bennett, Joan W.; Inamdar, Arati A.

2015-01-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are carbon-compounds that easily evaporate at room temperature. Toxins are biologically produced poisons; mycotoxins are those toxins produced by microscopic fungi. All fungi emit blends of VOCs; the qualitative and quantitative composition of these volatile blends varies with the species of fungus and the environmental situation in which the fungus is grown. These fungal VOCs, produced as mixtures of alcohols, aldehydes, acids, ethers, esters, ketones, terpenes, thiols and their derivatives, are responsible for the characteristic moldy odors associated with damp indoor spaces. There is increasing experimental evidence that some of these VOCs have toxic properties. Laboratory tests in mammalian tissue culture and Drosophila melanogaster have shown that many single VOCs, as well as mixtures of VOCs emitted by growing fungi, have toxic effects. This paper describes the pros and cons of categorizing toxigenic fungal VOCs as mycotoxins, uses genomic data to expand on the definition of mycotoxin, and summarizes some of the linguistic and other conventions that can create barriers to communication between the scientists who study VOCs and those who study toxins. We propose that “volatoxin” might be a useful term to describe biogenic volatile compounds with toxigenic properties. PMID:26402705

Chiral Analyses of Organic Compounds in Carbonaceous Meteorites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pizzarello, Sandra

2004-01-01

Contents include the following: 1. Characterization of Tagish Lake organic content. The first two grant years were largely devoted to the molecular and isotopic analyses of Tagish Lake organic composition. This carbonaceous meteorite fell in Canada in the winter of the year 2000, and its exceptional atmospheric entry and subsequent recovery (e. g., the sample was recovered and stored by avoiding hand contact and above freezing temperatures) contributed in providing a rare and pristine extraterrestrial material. 2. Chiral analyses of Murchison and Murray soluble organics. One of the most intriguing finding in regard to soluble meteorite organics is the presence within the amino acid suite of some compounds displaying L-enantiomeric excesses. This configuration is exclusive in the amino acids of terrestrial proteins and the finding has raised speculations of a possible role of amino acids from meteorites in the origin of homochirality on the early Earth. The main objective for this NASA funding was the characterization of enantiomeric excesses in meteorites and we have conducted several studies toward establishing their distribution and indignity.

Air monitoring of volatile organic compounds at relevant receptors during hydraulic fracturing operations in Washington County, Pennsylvania.

PubMed

Maskrey, Joshua R; Insley, Allison L; Hynds, Erin S; Panko, Julie M

2016-07-01

A 3-month air monitoring study was conducted in Washington County, Pennsylvania, at the request of local community members regarding the potential risks resulting from air emissions of pollutants related to hydraulic fracturing operations. Continuous air monitoring for total volatile organic compounds was performed at two sampling sites, including a school and a residence, located within 900 m of a hydraulic fracturing well pad that had been drilled prior to the study. Intermittent 24-hour air samples for 62 individual volatile organic compounds were also collected. The ambient air at both sites was monitored during four distinct periods of unconventional natural gas extraction activity: an inactive period prior to fracturing operations, during fracturing operations, during flaring operations, and during another inactive period after operations. The results of the continuous monitoring during fracturing and flaring sampling periods for total volatile organic compounds were similar to the results obtained during inactive periods. Total volatile organic compound 24-hour average concentrations ranged between 0.16 and 80 ppb during all sampling periods. Several individual volatile compounds were detected in the 24-hour samples, but they were consistent with background atmospheric levels measured previously at nearby sampling sites and in other areas in Washington County. Furthermore, a basic yet conservative screening level evaluation demonstrated that the detected volatile organic compounds were well below health-protective levels. The primary finding of this study was that the operation of a hydraulic fracturing well pad in Washington County did not substantially affect local air concentrations of total and individual volatile organic compounds.

Composites for removing metals and volatile organic compounds and method thereof

DOEpatents

Coronado, Paul R [Livermore, CA; Coleman, Sabre J [Oakland, CA; Reynolds, John G [San Ramon, CA

2006-12-12

Functionalized hydrophobic aerogel/solid support structure composites have been developed to remove metals and organic compounds from aqueous and vapor media. The targeted metals and organics are removed by passing the aqueous or vapor phase through the composite which can be in molded, granular, or powder form. The composites adsorb the metals and the organics leaving a purified aqueous or vapor stream. The species-specific adsorption occurs through specific functionalization of the aerogels tailored towards specific metals and/or organics. After adsorption, the composites can be disposed of or the targeted metals and/or organics can be reclaimed or removed and the composites recycled.

Fact Sheets for the Architectural Coating Rule for Volatile Organic Compounds

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This page contains an August 1998 fact sheet with information regarding the National Volatile Organic Compounds Emission Standards for Architectural Coatings Rule. This page also contains information on applicability and compliance for this rule.

Insights into the attenuated sorption of organic compounds on black carbon aged in soil.

PubMed

Luo, Lei; Lv, Jitao; Chen, Zien; Huang, Rixiang; Zhang, Shuzhen

2017-12-01

Sorption of organic compounds on fresh black carbons (BCs) can be greatly attenuated in soil over time. We examined herein the changes in surface properties of maize straw-derived BCs (biochars) after aged in a black soil and their effects on the sorptive behaviors of naphthalene, phenanthrene and 1,3-dinitrobenzene. Dissolved fulvic and humic acids extracted from the soil were used to explore the role of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the aging of biochars. Chromatography analysis indicated that DOC molecules with relatively large molecular weight were preferentially adsorbed on the biochars during the aging processes. DOC sorption led to blockage of the biochar's micropores according to N 2 and CO 2 adsorption analyses. Surface chemistry of the biochars was also substantially modified, with more O-rich functional groups on the aged biochars compared to the original biochars, as evidenced by Near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses. The changes in both the physical and chemical surface properties of biochars by DOC led to significant attenuation of the sorption capacity and nonlinearity of the nonionic organic compounds on the aged biochars. Among the tested organic compounds, phenanthrene was the most attenuated in its sorption by the aging treatments, possibly because of its relatively large molecular size and hydrophobicity. The information can help gain a mechanistic understanding of interactions between BCs and organic compounds in soil environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Acidic organic compounds in beverage, food, and feed production.

PubMed

Quitmann, Hendrich; Fan, Rong; Czermak, Peter

2014-01-01

Organic acids and their derivatives are frequently used in beverage, food, and feed production. Acidic additives may act as buffers to regulate acidity, antioxidants, preservatives, flavor enhancers, and sequestrants. Beneficial effects on animal health and growth performance have been observed when using acidic substances as feed additives. Organic acids could be classified in groups according to their chemical structure. Each group of organic acids has its own specific properties and is used for different applications. Organic acids with low molecular weight (e.g. acetic acid, lactic acid, and citric acid), which are part of the primary metabolism, are often produced by fermentation. Others are produced more economically by chemical synthesis based on petrochemical raw materials on an industrial scale (e.g. formic acid, propionic and benzoic acid). Biotechnology-based production is of interest due to legislation, consumer demand for natural ingredients, and increasing environmental awareness. In the United States, for example, biocatalytically produced esters for food applications can be labeled as "natural," whereas identical conventional acid catalyst-based molecules cannot. Natural esters command a price several times that of non-natural esters. Biotechnological routes need to be optimized regarding raw materials and yield, microorganisms, and recovery methods. New bioprocesses are being developed for organic acids, which are at this time commercially produced by chemical synthesis. Moreover, new organic acids that could be produced with biotechnological methods are under investigation for food applications.

The effects of ultraviolet light on the degradation of organic compounds - A possible explanation for the absence of organic matter on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oro, J.; Holzer, G.

1979-01-01

The analysis of the top layer of the Martian regolith at the two Viking landing sites did not reveal any indigenous organic compounds. However, the existence of such compounds at deeper layers cannot be ruled out. Cosmochemical considerations indicate various potential sources for organic matter on Mars, such as comets and meteorites. The study tested the stability of a sample of the Murchison meteorite and various organic substances which have been detected in carbonaceous chondrites, such as glycine, adenine and naphthalene, to the action of ultraviolet light. The compounds were adsorbed on powdered quartz and on California desert soil and were irradiated in the presence or absence of oxygen. The organic content, before and after irradiation, was measured by carbon elementary analysis, UV-absorption, amino acid analysis or pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In the absence of oxygen, adenine and glycine appear to be stable over the given part of irradiation. A definite degradation was noticed in the case of naphtalene and the Murchison meteorite. In the presence of oxygen in amounts comparable to those on Mars all compounds were degraded. The degree of degradation was influenced by the irradiation time, temperature and oxygen content.

Graphene and graphene nanocomposites for the removal of aromatic organic compounds from the water: systematic review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monsores Paixão, Monique; Tadeu Gomes Vianna, Marco; Marques, Marcia

2018-01-01

Aromatic organic pollutants are highly toxic to the human and environmental health and are considered as priority pollutants by regulatory agencies. Managing contaminated sites with organic pollutants is one of the major environmental challenges today. Of all technologies that have been proposed to remove contaminants, adsorption is recognized worldwide as an attractive option due to its versatility, wide applicability and economic viability. Recent studies report the use of graphene (GN), a recently carbon nanomaterial, and its derivatives in sorption processes for the removal of aromatic organic compounds. The present review has shown that GN structures are a promising alternative to traditional adsorbent materials, with excellent results in the removal of organic compounds from water, due to their unique structural characteristics and great adsorption capacity for organic compounds. Although, there is still a long way to go until that practical applications can be implemented.

Hammerhead ribozyme activity and oligonucleotide duplex stability in mixed solutions of water and organic compounds

PubMed Central

Nakano, Shu-ichi; Kitagawa, Yuichi; Miyoshi, Daisuke; Sugimoto, Naoki

2014-01-01

Nucleic acids are useful for biomedical targeting and sensing applications in which the molecular environment is different from that of a dilute aqueous solution. In this study, the influence of various types of mixed solutions of water and water-soluble organic compounds on RNA was investigated by measuring the catalytic activity of the hammerhead ribozyme and the thermodynamic stability of an oligonucleotide duplex. The compounds with a net neutral charge, such as poly(ethylene glycol), small primary alcohols, amide compounds, and aprotic solvent molecules, added at high concentrations changed the ribozyme-catalyzed RNA cleavage rate, with the magnitude of the effect dependent on the NaCl concentration. These compounds also changed the thermodynamic stability of RNA base pairs of an oligonucleotide duplex and its dependence on the NaCl concentration. Specific interactions with RNA molecules and reduced water activity could account for the inhibiting effects on the ribozyme catalysis and destabilizing effects on the duplex stability. The salt concentration dependence data correlated with the dielectric constant, but not with water activity, viscosity, and the size of organic compounds. This observation suggests the significance of the dielectric constant effects on the RNA reactions under molecular crowding conditions created by organic compounds. PMID:25161873

Models for liquid-liquid partition in the system dimethyl sulfoxide-organic solvent and their use for estimating descriptors for organic compounds.

PubMed

Karunasekara, Thushara; Poole, Colin F

2011-07-15

Partition coefficients for varied compounds were determined for the organic solvent-dimethyl sulfoxide biphasic partition system where the organic solvent is n-heptane or isopentyl ether. These partition coefficient databases are analyzed using the solvation parameter model facilitating a quantitative comparison of the dimethyl sulfoxide-based partition systems with other totally organic partition systems. Dimethyl sulfoxide is a moderately cohesive solvent, reasonably dipolar/polarizable and strongly hydrogen-bond basic. Although generally considered to be non-hydrogen-bond acidic, analysis of the partition coefficient database strongly supports reclassification as a weak hydrogen-bond acid in agreement with recent literature. The system constants for the n-heptane-dimethyl sulfoxide biphasic system provide an explanation of the mechanism for the selective isolation of polycyclic aromatic compounds from mixtures containing low-polarity hydrocarbons based on the capability of the polar interactions (dipolarity/polarizability and hydrogen-bonding) to overcome the opposing cohesive forces in dimethyl sulfoxide that are absent for the interactions with hydrocarbons of low polarity. In addition, dimethyl sulfoxide-organic solvent systems afford a complementary approach to other totally organic biphasic partition systems for descriptor measurements of compounds virtually insoluble in water. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Potential of select intermediate-volatility organic compounds and consumer products for secondary organic aerosol and ozone formation under relevant urban conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Weihua; Li, Lijie; Chen, Chia-li; Kacarab, Mary; Peng, Weihan; Price, Derek; Xu, Jin; Cocker, David R.

2018-04-01

Emissions of certain low vapor pressure-volatile organic compounds (LVP-VOCs) are considered exempt to volatile organic compounds (VOC) regulations due to their low evaporation rates. However, these compounds may still play a role in ambient secondary organic aerosol (SOA) and ozone formation. The LVP-VOCs selected for this work are categorized as intermediate-volatility organic compounds (IVOCs) according to their vapor pressures and molecular formulas. In this study, the evaporation rates of 14 select IVOCs are investigated with half of them losing more than 95% of their mass in less than one month. Further, SOA and ozone formation are presented from 11 select IVOCs and 5 IVOC-containing generic consumer products under atmospherically relevant conditions using varying radical sources (NOx and/or H2O2) and a surrogate reactive organic gas (ROG) mixture. Benzyl alcohol (0.41), n-heptadecane (0.38), and diethylene glycol monobutyl ether (0.16) are determined to have SOA yields greater than 0.1 in the presence of NOx and a surrogate urban hydrocarbon mixture. IVOCs also influence ozone formation from the surrogate urban mixture by impacting radical levels and NOx availability. The addition of lab created generic consumer products has a weak influence on ozone formation from the surrogate mixture but strongly affects SOA formation. The overall SOA and ozone formation of the generic consumer products could not be explained solely by the results of the pure IVOC experiments.

Refractory Organic Compounds in Enceladus' Ice Grains and Hydrothermal Activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Postberg, F.; Khawaja, N.; Hsu, H. W.; Sekine, Y.; Shibuya, T.

2015-12-01

Cassini's Cosmic Dust Analyzer (CDA) generates time-of-flight mass spectra of individual grains impinging on the instruments target-plate. Following the analysis of salt rich ice grains emitted by Enceladus that indicated a salt-water ocean in contact with the moon's rocky core [1,2] a recent CDA analysis of nano-phase silica particles pointed at hydrothermal activity at the moon's rock/water interface [3]. The results imply temperatures above 80 - 90°C and alkaline pH values around 10 reminiscent of alkaline hydrothermal vents on Earth like the Lost City Hydrothermal Field. In this context the compositional analysis of organic components in CDA mass spectra of the ejected ice grains is of particular relevance. A multitude of volatile organic species has already been identified in the gas component of the plume [4]. As expected, we find more complex organic molecules in ice grains than in the gas indicating aromatic species, amines, and carbonyl group species. The composition of organic-bearing ice grains displays a great diversity indicating a variety of different organic species in varying concentrations. Recent spatially resolved CDA in situ measurements inside Enceladus' plume indicate that these organic compounds are especially frequent in 'young' ice grains that have just been ejected by high velocity jets. We investigate the implications of our findings with respect to ice grain formation at the water surface and inside the icy vents. We constrain the generation of organic compounds at the rock/water interface in the light of hydrothermal activity and the potential for the formation of life precursor molecules in Enceladus' ocean. Ref:[1] Postberg et al., Nature 459, 1098-1101 (2009). [2] Postberg et al., Nature 474, 620-622 (2011). [3]. Hsu, Postberg, Sekine et al., Nature, 519, 207-210 (2015). [4] Waite et al., Nature 460, 487-490 (2009).

Analyses of volatile organic compounds from human skin

PubMed Central

Gallagher, M.; Wysocki, C.J.; Leyden, J.J.; Spielman, A.I.; Sun, X.; Preti, G.

2008-01-01

Summary Background Human skin emits a variety of volatile metabolites, many of them odorous. Much previous work has focused upon chemical structure and biogenesis of metabolites produced in the axillae (underarms), which are a primary source of human body odour. Nonaxillary skin also harbours volatile metabolites, possibly with different biological origins than axillary odorants. Objectives To take inventory of the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the upper back and forearm skin, and assess their relative quantitative variation across 25 healthy subjects. Methods Two complementary sampling techniques were used to obtain comprehensive VOC profiles, viz., solid-phase micro extraction and solvent extraction. Analyses were performed using both gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and gas chromatography with flame photometric detection. Results Nearly 100 compounds were identified, some of which varied with age. The VOC profiles of the upper back and forearm within a subject were, for the most part, similar, although there were notable differences. Conclusions The natural variation in nonaxillary skin odorants described in this study provides a baseline of compounds we have identified from both endogenous and exogenous sources. Although complex, the profiles of volatile constituents suggest that the two body locations share a considerable number of compounds, but both quantitative and qualitative differences are present. In addition, quantitative changes due to ageing are also present. These data may provide future investigators of skin VOCs with a baseline against which any abnormalities can be viewed in searching for biomarkers of skin diseases. PMID:18637798

Bonded-phase extraction column isolation of organic compounds in groundwater at a hazardous waste site

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rostad, C.E.; Pereira, W.E.; Ratcliff, S.M.

1984-01-01

A procedure for isolation of hazardous organic compounds from water for gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis Is presented and applied to creosote- and pentachlorophenol-contaminated groundwater resulting from wood-treatment processes. This simple procedure involved passing a 50-100-mL sample through a bonded-phase extraction column, eluting the trapped organic compounds from the column with 2-4 mL of solvent, and evaporating the sample to 100 ??L with a stream of dry nitrogen, after which the sample was ready for gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis. Representative compounds indicative of creosote contamination were used for recovery and precision studies from the cyclohexyl-bonded phase. Recovery of these compounds from n-octyl-, n-octadecyl-, cyclohexyl-, and phenyl-bonded phases was compared. The bonded phase that exhibited the best recovery and least bias toward acidic or basic cmpounds was the n-octadecyl phase. Detailed compound Identification Is given for compounds Isolated from creosote- and pentachlorophenol-contaminated groundwater using the cyclohexyl-bonded phase.

ESTIMATION OF PHYSICAL PROPERTIES AND CHEMICAL REACTIVITY PARAMETERS OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

EPA Science Inventory

The computer program SPARC (Sparc Performs Automated Reasoning in Chemistry)has been under development for several years to estimate physical properties and chemical reactivity parameters of organic compounds strictly from molecular structure. SPARC uses computational algorithms ...

IRRADIATION METHOD OF CONVERTING ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

DOEpatents

Allen, A.O.; Caffrey, J.M. Jr.

1960-10-11

A method is given for changing the distribution of organic compounds from that produced by the irradiation of bulk alkane hydrocarbons. This method consists of depositing an alkane hydrocarbon on the surface of a substrate material and irradiating with gamma radiation at a dose rate of more than 100,000 rads. The substrate material may be a metal, metal salts, metal oxides, or carbons having a surface area in excess of 1 m/sup 2//g. The hydrocarbons are deposited in layers of from 0.1 to 10 monolayers on the surfaces of these substrates and irradiated. The product yields are found to vary from those which result from the irradiation of bulk hydrocarbons in that there is an increase in the quantity of branched hydrocarbons.

MECHANISTIC ROLES OF SOIL HUMUS AND MINERALS IN THE SORPTION OF NONIONIC ORGANIC COMPOUNDS FROM AQUEOUS AND ORGANIC SOLUTIONS

EPA Science Inventory

Mechanistic roles of soil humus and soil minerals and their contributions to soil sorption of nonionic organic compounds from aqueous and organic solutions are illustrated. Parathion and lindane are used as model solutes on two soils that differ greatly in their humic and mineral...

Novel collection method for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from dogs

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Host derived chemical cues are an important aspect of arthropod attraction to potential hosts. Host cues that act over longer distances include CO2, heat, and water vapor, while cues such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) act over closer distances. Domestic dogs are important hosts for disease cy...

Trace element, semivolatile organic, and chlorinated organic compound concentrations in bed sediments of selected streams at Fort Gordon, Georgia, February-April 2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thomas, Lashun K.; Journey, Celeste A.; Stringfield, Whitney J.; Clark, Jimmy M.; Bradley, Paul M.; Wellborn, John B.; Ratliff, Hagan; Abrahamsen, Thomas A.

2011-01-01

A spatial survey of streams was conducted from February to April 2010 to assess the concentrations of major ions, selected trace elements, semivolatile organic compounds, organochlorine pesticides, and polychlorinated biphenyls associated with the bed sediments of surface waters at Fort Gordon military installation near Augusta, Georgia. This investigation expanded a previous study conducted in May 1998 by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of the Army Environmental and Natural Resources Management Office of the U.S. Army Signal Center and Fort Gordon, that evaluated the streambed sediment quality of selected surface waters at Fort Gordon. The data presented in this report are intended to help evaluate bed sediment quality in relation to guidelines for the protection of aquatic life, and identify temporal trends in trace elements and semivolatile organic compound concentrations at streambed sites previously sampled. Concentrations of 34 major ions and trace elements and 102 semivolatile organic, organochlorine pesticide, and polychlorinated biphenyl compounds were determined in the fine-grained fraction of bed sediment samples collected from 13 of the original 29 sites in the previous study, and 22 additional sites at Fort Gordon. Three of the sites were considered reference sites as they were presumed to be located away from potential sources of contaminants and were selected to represent surface waters flowing onto the fort, and the remaining 32 nonreference sites were presumed to be located within the contamination area at the fort. Temporal trends in trace elements and semivolatile organic compound concentrations also were evaluated at 13 of the 32 nonreference sites to provide an assessment of the variability in the number of detections and concentrations of constituents in bed sediment associated with potential sources, accumulation, and attenuation processes. Major ion and trace element concentrations in fine-grained bed

Using portable Raman spectrometers for the identification of organic compounds at low temperatures and high altitudes: exobiological applications.

PubMed

Jehlicka, J; Edwards, H G M; Culka, A

2010-07-13

Organic minerals, organic acids and NH-containing organic molecules represent important target molecules for astrobiology. Here, we present the results of the evaluation of a portable hand-held Raman spectrometer to detect these organic compounds outdoors under field conditions. These measurements were carried out during the February-March 2009 winter period in Austrian Alpine sites at temperatures ranging between -5 and -25 degrees C. The compounds investigated were detected under field conditions and their main Raman spectral features were observed unambiguously at their correct reference wavenumber positions. The results obtained demonstrate that a miniaturized Raman spectrometer equipped with 785 nm excitation could be applied with advantage as a key instrument for investigating the presence of organic minerals, organic acids and nitrogen-containing organic compounds outdoors under terrestrial low-temperature conditions. Within the payload designed by ESA and NASA for several missions focusing on Mars, Titan, Europa and other extraterrestrial bodies, Raman spectroscopy can be proposed as an important non-destructive analytical tool for the in situ identification of organic compounds relevant to life detection on planetary and moon surfaces or near subsurfaces.

Evaluation of employee exposure to organic tin compounds used as stabilizers at PVC processing facilities.

PubMed

Boraiko, Carol; Batt, John

2005-02-01

Organic tin compounds are primary substances used as heat stabilizers by the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) industry. The use of these compounds in the PVC industry is generally well controlled, usually by automated processes. This study was conducted to provide an overview of worker exposure to organic tin compounds at PVC processing facilities and to verify that these exposures are below the threshold limit value (TLV((R))) set by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists for organic tin. The basis of the TLV indicates the principal concern is to minimize adverse effects on immune function and the central nervous system from airborne exposure to organic tin. The TLV has a skin designation based on the potential for percutaneous absorption; the TLVs for inhalation exposures are based on the presumption that there is no concurrent exposure via the skin and oral ingestion routes. Personal exposure monitoring was conducted following the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 5504 sampling method and a modified version of the NIOSH analytical method. The results were reported as"total tin."The data indicated no average exposure levels for individual tasks exceeded the organic tin TLV, and 96%of results the samples were less than 20%of the TLV. Only 1 sample of 102 exceeded the TLV, and the individual was wearing appropriate respiratory protection. Subsequent investigation indicated the highest exposures occurred while the operators were conducting tasks that included manual handling of the organic tin compounds. These data suggest manual operations may have a greater potential for organic tin exposure.

Extraction of organic compounds with room temperature ionic liquids.

PubMed

Poole, Colin F; Poole, Salwa K

2010-04-16

Room temperature ionic liquids are novel solvents with a rather specific blend of physical and solution properties that makes them of interest for applications in separation science. They are good solvents for a wide range of compounds in which they behave as polar solvents. Their physical properties of note that distinguish them from conventional organic solvents are a negligible vapor pressure, high thermal stability, and relatively high viscosity. They can form biphasic systems with water or low polarity organic solvents and gases suitable for use in liquid-liquid and gas-liquid partition systems. An analysis of partition coefficients for varied compounds in these systems allows characterization of solvent selectivity using the solvation parameter model, which together with spectroscopic studies of solvent effects on probe substances, results in a detailed picture of solvent behavior. These studies indicate that the solution properties of ionic liquids are similar to those of polar organic solvents. Practical applications of ionic liquids in sample preparation include extractive distillation, aqueous biphasic systems, liquid-liquid extraction, liquid-phase microextraction, supported liquid membrane extraction, matrix solvents for headspace analysis, and micellar extraction. The specific advantages and limitations of ionic liquids in these studies is discussed with a view to defining future uses and the need not to neglect the identification of new room temperature ionic liquids with physical and solution properties tailored to the needs of specific sample preparation techniques. The defining feature of the special nature of ionic liquids is not their solution or physical properties viewed separately but their unique combinations when taken together compared with traditional organic solvents. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nitrate radicals and biogenic volatile organic compounds ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Oxidation of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC) by the nitrate radical (NO3) represents one of the important interactions between anthropogenic emissions related to combustion and natural emissions from the biosphere. This interaction has been recognized for more than 3 decades, during which time a large body of research has emerged from laboratory, field, and modeling studies. NO3-BVOC reactions influence air quality, climate and visibility through regional and global budgets for reactive nitrogen (particularly organic nitrates), ozone, and organic aerosol. Despite its long history of research and the significance of this topic in atmospheric chemistry, a number of important uncertainties remain. These include an incomplete understanding of the rates, mechanisms, and organic aerosol yields for NO3-BVOC reactions, lack of constraints on the role of heterogeneous oxidative processes associated with the NO3 radical, the difficulty of characterizing the spatial distributions of BVOC and NO3 within the poorly mixed nocturnal atmosphere, and the challenge of constructing appropriate boundary layer schemes and non-photochemical mechanisms for use in state-of-the-art chemical transport and chemistry–climate models. This review is the result of a workshop of the same title held at the Georgia Institute of Technology in June 2015. The first half of the review summarizes the current literature on NO3-BVOC chemistry, with a particular focus on recent advances in

Extemporaneous compounding in a sample of New Zealand hospitals: a retrospective survey.

PubMed

Kairuz, Therése; Chhim, Srey; Hasan, Fhazeel; Kumar, Karishma; Lal, Aarti; Patel, Roshni; Singh, Ranjani; Dogra, Mridula; Garg, Sanjay

2007-03-23

To determine the extent and nature of extemporaneous compounding of liquid preparations in a sample of New Zealand hospitals. Retrospective data were collected from eight hospitals known to provide compounding services during the period 1 June 2004 to 31 December 2004; including dosage form, volume, and quantity prepared. Data were collected on site from compounding logbooks and batch sheets. Demographic patient data was limited to age and was only collected from pharmacy departments where this information was readily available. Off-label use was analysed where appropriate data were available. 2015 products were compounded over the 7-month period; an average of 251.9 per month. More oral dosage forms were compounded (n=152) compared to topical dosage forms (n=100); 74 drugs required extemporaneous preparation for oral use. There were 16 drugs used in an off-label manner on 144 occasions for paediatric patients. Most off-label drugs were reformulated as suspensions; omeprazole suspension was compounded at all of the hospitals. Off-label use of four drugs (sotalol, labetalol, diazoxide, and clonidine) was analysed for different paediatric age groups. Suspensions are the most frequently compounded dosage form and omeprazole is the drug that is most frequently reformulated. Off-label medicines form a small but integral role in the supply of medicinal products.

Responses of polar organic compounds to different ionic environments in aqueous media are interrelated.

PubMed

Ferreira, L A; Chervenak, A; Placko, S; Kestranek, A; Madeira, P P; Zaslavsky, B Y

2014-11-14

Solubilities of 17 polar organic compounds in aqueous solutions of Na2SO4, NaCl, NaClO4, and NaSCN at the salt concentrations of up to 1.0-2.0 M were determined and the Setschenow constant, ksalt, values were estimated. It was found that NaClO4 may display both salting-in and salting-out effects depending on the particular compound structure. The Setschenow constant values for all the polar compounds examined in different salt solutions are found to be interrelated. Similar relationships were observed for partition coefficients of nonionic organic compounds in aqueous polyethylene glycol-sodium sulfate two-phase systems in the presence of different salt additives reported previously [Ferreira et al., J. Chromatogr. A, 2011, 1218, 5031], and for the effects of different salts on optical rotation of amino acids reported by Rossi et al. [J. Phys. Chem. B, 2007, 111, 10510]. In order to explain the observed relationships it is suggested that all the effects observed originate as responses of the compounds to the presence of a given ionic environment and its interaction with the compounds by forming direct or solvent-separated ionic pairs. The response is compound-specific and its strength is determined by the compound structure and the type (and concentration) of ions inducing the response.

Protein organic chemistry and applications for labeling and engineering in live-cell systems.

PubMed

Takaoka, Yousuke; Ojida, Akio; Hamachi, Itaru

2013-04-08

The modification of proteins with synthetic probes is a powerful means of elucidating and engineering the functions of proteins both in vitro and in live cells or in vivo. Herein we review recent progress in chemistry-based protein modification methods and their application in protein engineering, with particular emphasis on the following four strategies: 1) the bioconjugation reactions of amino acids on the surfaces of natural proteins, mainly applied in test-tube settings; 2) the bioorthogonal reactions of proteins with non-natural functional groups; 3) the coupling of recognition and reactive sites using an enzyme or short peptide tag-probe pair for labeling natural amino acids; and 4) ligand-directed labeling chemistries for the selective labeling of endogenous proteins in living systems. Overall, these techniques represent a useful set of tools for application in chemical biology, with the methods 2-4 in particular being applicable to crude (living) habitats. Although still in its infancy, the use of organic chemistry for the manipulation of endogenous proteins, with subsequent applications in living systems, represents a worthy challenge for many chemists. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Synthetic organic compounds and their transformation products in groundwater: occurrence, fate and mitigation.

PubMed

Postigo, Cristina; Barceló, Damià

2015-01-15

Groundwater constitutes the main source of public drinking water supply in many regions. Thus, the contamination of groundwater resources by organic chemicals is a matter of growing concern because of its potential effects on public health. The present manuscript compiles the most recent works related to the study of synthetic organic compounds (SOCs) in groundwater, with special focus on the occurrence of contaminants not or barely covered by previously published reviews, e.g., pesticide and pharmaceutical transformation products, lifestyle products, and industrial chemicals such as corrosion inhibitors, brominated and organophosphate flame retardants, plasticizers, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Moreover, the main challenges in managed aquifer recharge, i.e., reclaimed water injection and infiltration, and riverbank filtration, regarding natural attenuation of organic micropollutants are discussed, and insights into the future chemical quality of groundwater are provided. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Off-label use of intravascular iodinated organic and MR contrast media.

PubMed

Tamburrini, O; Aprile, I; Falcone, C; Console, D; Rotundo, A; Rotondo, A

2011-02-01

This paper analyses off-label prescribing of the iodinated organic and magnetic resonance (MR) contrast media used in diagnostic imaging and evaluates the liability profiles and medicolegal issues associated with such use. The term off-label generally indicates the use of known drugs for which new scientific evidence suggests use in a manner and in clinical scenarios not explicitly addressed by the drug data sheet and is outside the indications for which the medication was approved. In addition, the term also indicates the use of drugs with a different route of administration and dosage from those indicated in the information leaflet. Intravascular contrast media used in diagnostic imaging are drugs in the complete sense of the term, even though they have unique characteristics which in many ways distinguish them from other pharmacological agents. The off-label use of contrast media in diagnostic imaging is a little-investigated field and most commonly, but not exclusively, applies to gadolinium-based contrast media used in MR angiography as well as cardiac and paediatric applications. In particular, the off-label use of contrast media mostly concerns deviations from the recommended dose. As contrast media are to all effects pharmaceutical agents, their off-label use can be considered admissible within the limitations laid down by the Italian law in force (Article 3 of Law 94/98) and its interpretation, i.e. the following criteria must be present: the lack of a valid diagnostic alternative; written informed consent by the patient; the presence of scientific publications validated at the international level; assumption of responsibility by the radiologist. The use of contrast media in modern image-guided medicine is essential. In cases in which the information contained in the information leaflet is modified and updated in any way whatsoever (indications, dosage, at others), specifically if restrictions are introduced in accordance with the law in force, the

Mixed organic compound-ionic liquid electrolytes for lithium battery electrolyte systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montanino, M.; Moreno, M.; Carewska, M.; Maresca, G.; Simonetti, E.; Lo Presti, R.; Alessandrini, F.; Appetecchi, G. B.

2014-12-01

The thermal, transport, rheological and flammability properties of electrolyte mixtures, proposed for safer lithium-ion battery systems, were investigated as a function of the mole composition. The blends were composed of a lithium salt (LiTFSI), organic solvents (namely EC, DEC) and an ionic liquid (PYR13TFSI). The main goal is to combine the fast ion transport properties of the organic compounds with the safe issues of the non-flammable and non-volatile ionic liquids. Preliminary tests in batteries have evidenced cycling performance approaching that observed in commercial organic electrolytes.

Composition of semi-volatile organic compounds in the urban atmosphere of Singapore: influence of biomass burning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, J.; Zielinska, B.; Balasubramanian, R.

2010-04-01

An intensive field study was conducted in the urban atmosphere of Singapore to investigate the composition of organic compounds in both gaseous and particulate phases during the period of August to early November 2006. 17 atmospheric samples were collected. These samples were subjected to accelerated solvent extraction with a mixture of dichloromethane and acetone and separated into functional group fractions for analyses by GC/MS. Over 180 organic compounds belonging to three major fractions (n-alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and polar organic compounds (POCs)) were identified and quantified. The characteristics and abundance of the n-alkanes, PAHs, mono and dicarboxylic acids, methoxylated phenols and other POCs were determined. The composition of these organic compounds fluctuated temporally with most of them being relatively higher in October than those in other months of the sampling period. 3-D backward air mass trajectory analyses together with the carbon preference index (CPI), molecular diagnostic ratios and molecular markers were used to investigate the origin of organic species measured in this study. Based on these diagnostic tools, the increased abundance of atmospheric organic species during October could be attributed to the occurrence of regional smoke haze episodes due to biomass burning in Indonesia. Among the POCs investigated, phthalic acid and cis-pinonic acid showed a strong linear relationship with maximum daily ozone concentration, indicating secondary organic aerosols (SOA) to be an important contributor to ambient atmospheric organics over Singapore.

Label-free detection of protein molecules secreted from an organ-on-a-chip model for drug toxicity assays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morales, Andres W.; Zhang, Yu S.; Aleman, Julio; Alerasool, Parissa; Dokmeci, Mehmet R.; Khademhosseini, Ali; Ye, Jing Yong

2016-03-01

Clinical attrition is about 30% from failure of drug candidates due to toxic side effects, increasing the drug development costs significantly and slowing down the drug discovery process. This partly originates from the fact that the animal models do not accurately represent human physiology. Hence there is a clear unmet need for developing drug toxicity assays using human-based models that are complementary to traditional animal models before starting expensive clinical trials. Organ-on-a-chip techniques developed in recent years have generated a variety of human organ models mimicking different human physiological conditions. However, it is extremely challenging to monitor the transient and long-term response of the organ models to drug treatments during drug toxicity tests. First, when an organ-on-a-chip model interacts with drugs, a certain amount of protein molecules may be released into the medium due to certain drug effects, but the amount of the protein molecules is limited, since the organ tissue grown inside microfluidic bioreactors have minimum volume. Second, traditional fluorescence techniques cannot be utilized for real-time monitoring of the concentration of the protein molecules, because the protein molecules are continuously secreted from the tissue and it is practically impossible to achieve fluorescence labeling in the dynamically changing environment. Therefore, direct measurements of the secreted protein molecules with a label-free approach is strongly desired for organs-on-a-chip applications. In this paper, we report the development of a photonic crystal-based biosensor for label-free assays of secreted protein molecules from a liver-on-a-chip model. Ultrahigh detection sensitivity and specificity have been demonstrated.

Microbial use of gas phase organic compounds in the surface ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arrieta, Jesus M.; Duarte, Carlos M.; Monserrat Sala, M.; Dachs, Jordi

2016-04-01

Large diffusive air-sea fluxes of gas-phase organic carbon (GOC) have been identified, indicating that the ocean may be a major sink for these compounds. However, little is known about the fate of these GOC compounds entering the surface ocean. We report efficient use of atmospheric GOC by marine prokaryotes at different locations in the NE Subtropical Atlantic Ocean, the Arctic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Our results indicate that between 2 to 27% of the prokaryotic carbon demand was supported by GOC. Between 1 and 94% of the GOC entering the ocean was consumed by prokaryotes depending on locations, thus sustaining a disequilibrium, which drives the transfer of GOC from the atmosphere into the ocean. The magnitude of this, previously unnoticed, microbial GOC utilization stresses the need for incorporating the oceanic uptake of gaseous organic carbon into the global carbon budget.

Energetic Limitations on Microbial Respiration of Organic Compounds using Aqueous Fe(III) Complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naughton, H.; Fendorf, S. E.

2015-12-01

Soil organic matter constitutes up to 75% of the terrestrial carbon stock. Microorganisms mediate the breakdown of organic compounds and the return of carbon to the atmosphere, predominantly through respiration. Microbial respiration requires an electron acceptor and an electron donor such as small fatty acids, organic acids, alcohols, sugars, and other molecules that differ in oxidation state of carbon. Carbon redox state affects how much energy is required to oxidize a molecule through respiration. Therefore, different organic compounds should offer a spectrum of energies to respiring microorganisms. However, microbial respiration has traditionally focused on the availability and reduction potential of electron acceptors, ignoring the organic electron donor. We found through incubation experiments that the organic compound serving as electron donor determined how rapidly Shewanella putrefaciens CN32 respires organic substrate and the extent of reduction of the electron acceptor. We simulated a range of energetically favorable to unfavorable electron acceptors using organic chelators bound to Fe(III) with equilibrium stability constants ranging from log(K) of 11.5 to 25.0 for the 1:1 complex, where more stable complexes are less favorable for microbial respiration. Organic substrates varied in nominal oxidation state of carbon from +2 to -2. The most energetically favorable substrate, lactate, promoted up to 30x more rapid increase in percent Fe(II) compared to less favorable substrates such as formate. This increased respiration on lactate was more substantial with less stable Fe(III)-chelate complexes. Intriguingly, this pattern contradicts respiration rate predicted by nominal oxidation state of carbon. Our results suggest that organic substrates will be consumed so long as the energetic toll corresponding to the electron donor half reaction is counterbalanced by the energy available from the electron accepting half reaction. We propose using the chemical

Targeting Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) with F-18-Labeled Compounds: the Influence of Prosthetic Groups on Tumor Uptake and Clearance Profile.

PubMed

Bouvet, Vincent; Wuest, Melinda; Bailey, Justin J; Bergman, Cody; Janzen, Nancy; Valliant, John F; Wuest, Frank

2017-12-01

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is an important biomarker expressed in the majority of prostate cancers. The favorable positron emission tomography (PET) imaging profile of the PSMA imaging agent 2-(3-(1-carboxy-5-[(6-[ 18 F]fluoro-pyridine-3-carbonyl)-amino]-pentyl)-ureido)-pentane-dioic acid [ 18 F]DCFPyL in preclinical prostate cancer models and in prostate cancer patients stimulated the development and validation of other fluorine-containing PSMA inhibitors to further enhance pharmacokinetics and simplify production methods. Here, we describe the synthesis and radiopharmacological evaluation of various F-18-labeled PSMA inhibitors which were prepared through different prosthetic group chemistry strategies. Prosthetic groups N-succinimidyl-4-[ 18 F]fluorobenzoate ([ 18 F]SFB), 4-[ 18 F]fluorobenzaldehyde, and 2-deoxy-2-[ 18 F]fluoro-D-glucose ([ 18 F]FDG) were used for bioconjugation reactions to PSMA-binding lysine-urea-glutamate scaffold via acylation and oxime formation. All fluorine-containing PSMA inhibitors were tested for their PSMA inhibitory potency in an in vitro competitive binding assay in comparison to an established reference compound [ 125 I]TAAG-PSMA. Tumor uptake and clearance profiles of three F-18-labeled PSMA inhibitors ([ 18 F]4, [ 18 F]7, and [ 18 F]8) were studied with dynamic PET imaging using LNCaP tumor-bearing mice. F-18-labeled PSMA inhibitors were synthesized in 32-69 % radiochemical yields using (1) acylation reaction at the primary amino group of the lysine residue with [ 18 F]SFB and (2) oxime formation with 4-[ 18 F]fluorobenzaldehyde and [ 18 F]FDG using the respective aminooxy-functionalized lysine residue. Compound 7 displayed an IC 50 value of 6 nM reflecting very high affinity for PSMA. Compounds 4 and 8 showed IC 50 values of 13 and 62 nM, respectively. The IC 50 value of reference compound DCFPyL was 13 nM. Dynamic PET imaging revealed the following SUV 60min for radiotracer uptake in PSMA(+) LNCaP tumors: 0

Semi-empirical estimation of organic compound fugacity ratios at environmentally relevant system temperatures.

PubMed

van Noort, Paul C M

2009-06-01

Fugacity ratios of organic compounds are used to calculate (subcooled) liquid properties, such as solubility or vapour pressure, from solid properties and vice versa. They can be calculated from the entropy of fusion, the melting temperature, and heat capacity data for the solid and the liquid. For many organic compounds, values for the fusion entropy are lacking. Heat capacity data are even scarcer. In the present study, semi-empirical compound class specific equations were derived to estimate fugacity ratios from molecular weight and melting temperature for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated benzenes, biphenyls, dibenzo[p]dioxins and dibenzofurans. These equations estimate fugacity ratios with an average standard error of about 0.05 log units. In addition, for compounds with known fusion entropy values, a general semi-empirical correction equation based on molecular weight and melting temperature was derived for estimation of the contribution of heat capacity differences to the fugacity ratio. This equation estimates the heat capacity contribution correction factor with an average standard error of 0.02 log units for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated benzenes, biphenyls, dibenzo[p]dioxins and dibenzofurans.

Antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds in organic red wine using different winemaking techniques.

PubMed

Mulero, Juana; Zafrilla, Pilar; Cayuela, Jose M; Martínez-Cachá, Adela; Pardo, Francisco

2011-04-01

Wine phenolic composition depends on the grapes used to make wine and on vinification conditions. The occurrence of these biological compounds has stimulated numerous studies focused on understanding the mechanisms that influence their concentrations in wine. This article studied the effect of different vinification techniques on the antioxidant activity and on the phenolic compounds of red wine made from the variety of Monastrell grapes obtained by organic culture. To this purpose, 3 different vinification procedures were carried out: vinification after prolonged maceration, vinification with the addition of enological enzymes, and traditional vinification procedures (used as control).The results showed similar values of antioxidant activity in all 3 types of wine elaborated and found no differences in the concentrations of the different types of phenolic compounds in wine made with the 3 different methods. The evolution of antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds tested in wines during 3 mo of storage showed a similar pattern. Organic wine has acquired an important role in the economic world and its important, working in oenology to research in this field.

Development and Mining of a Volatile Organic Compound Database

PubMed Central

Abdullah, Azian Azamimi; Ono, Naoaki; Sugiura, Tadao; Morita, Aki Hirai; Katsuragi, Tetsuo; Muto, Ai; Nishioka, Takaaki; Kanaya, Shigehiko

2015-01-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are small molecules that exhibit high vapor pressure under ambient conditions and have low boiling points. Although VOCs contribute only a small proportion of the total metabolites produced by living organisms, they play an important role in chemical ecology specifically in the biological interactions between organisms and ecosystems. VOCs are also important in the health care field as they are presently used as a biomarker to detect various human diseases. Information on VOCs is scattered in the literature until now; however, there is still no available database describing VOCs and their biological activities. To attain this purpose, we have developed KNApSAcK Metabolite Ecology Database, which contains the information on the relationships between VOCs and their emitting organisms. The KNApSAcK Metabolite Ecology is also linked with the KNApSAcK Core and KNApSAcK Metabolite Activity Database to provide further information on the metabolites and their biological activities. The VOC database can be accessed online. PMID:26495281

Prediction of cloud condensation nuclei activity for organic compounds using functional group contribution methods

DOE PAGES

Petters, M. D.; Kreidenweis, S. M.; Ziemann, P. J.

2016-01-19

A wealth of recent laboratory and field experiments demonstrate that organic aerosol composition evolves with time in the atmosphere, leading to changes in the influence of the organic fraction to cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) spectra. There is a need for tools that can realistically represent the evolution of CCN activity to better predict indirect effects of organic aerosol on clouds and climate. This work describes a model to predict the CCN activity of organic compounds from functional group composition. Following previous methods in the literature, we test the ability of semi-empirical group contribution methods in Kohler theory to predict themore » effective hygroscopicity parameter, kappa. However, in our approach we also account for liquid–liquid phase boundaries to simulate phase-limited activation behavior. Model evaluation against a selected database of published laboratory measurements demonstrates that kappa can be predicted within a factor of 2. Simulation of homologous series is used to identify the relative effectiveness of different functional groups in increasing the CCN activity of weakly functionalized organic compounds. Hydroxyl, carboxyl, aldehyde, hydroperoxide, carbonyl, and ether moieties promote CCN activity while methylene and nitrate moieties inhibit CCN activity. Furthermore, the model can be incorporated into scale-bridging test beds such as the Generator of Explicit Chemistry and Kinetics of Organics in the Atmosphere (GECKO-A) to evaluate the evolution of kappa for a complex mix of organic compounds and to develop suitable parameterizations of CCN evolution for larger-scale models.« less

Bioremediation of trace organic compounds found in precious metals refineries' wastewaters: a review of potential options.

PubMed

Barbosa, V L; Tandlich, R; Burgess, J E

2007-07-01

Platinum group metal (PGM) refining processes produce large quantities of wastewater, which is contaminated with the compounds that make up the solvents/extractants mixtures used in the process. These compounds often include solvesso, beta-hydroxyxime, amines, amides and methyl isobutyl ketone. A process to clean up PGM refinery wastewaters so that they could be re-used in the refining process would greatly contribute to continual water storage problems and to cost reduction for the industry. Based on the concept that organic compounds that are produced biologically can be destroyed biologically, the use of biological processes for the treatment of organic compounds in other types of waste stream has been favoured in recent years, owing to their low cost and environmental acceptability. This review examines the available biotechnologies and their effectiveness for treating compounds likely to be contained in precious metal extraction process wastewaters. The processes examined include: biofilters, fluidized bed reactors, trickle-bed bioreactors, bioscrubbers, two-phase partitioning bioreactors, membrane bioreactors and activated sludge. Although all processes examined showed adequate to excellent removal of organic compounds from various gaseous and fewer liquid waste streams, there was a variation in their effectiveness. Variations in performance of laboratory-scale biological processes are probably due to the inherent change in the microbial population composition due to selection pressure, environmental conditions and the time allowed for adaptation to the organic compounds. However, if these factors are disregarded, it can be established that activated sludge and membrane bioreactors are the most promising processes for use in the treatment of PGM refinery wastewaters.

Characterisation of antioxidant compounds in sweet bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) under organic and conventional growing systems.

PubMed

Hallmann, Ewelina; Rembiałkowska, Ewa

2012-09-01

Sweet red bell pepper is one of the best sources of ascorbic acid and carotenoids as well as phenolic compounds important in the human diet. There have been some studies showing a higher level of bioactive compounds in organic bell pepper fruits compared with conventional fruits, but not all studies have been consistent in this respect. The levels of carotenoids and phenolics are very variable and may be affected by ripeness, genotype and cultivation. The results obtained in this study showed that an organic growing system affected the level of bioactive compounds (carotenoids and polyphenols) in sweet bell pepper fruits cultivated in Poland. Organic bell pepper fruits contained significantly more dry matter, vitamin C, total carotenoids, β-carotene, α-carotene, cis-β-carotene, total phenolic acids (as well as individual gallic and chlorogenic acids) and flavonoids (quercetin D-glucoside, quercetin and kaempferol) compared with conventional fruits. The bell pepper variety also affected the level of antioxidant compounds in fruits. Organic growing increased the level of antioxidant compounds such as carotenoids, phenolic compounds and vitamin C in sweet bell pepper. The second significant factor affecting the antioxidant compound content of sweet bell pepper was variety. It would be necessary to continue this study as a long-term experiment in order to eliminate the influence of seasonality. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.

VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS AS BREATH BIOMARKERS FOR ACTIVE AND PASSIVE SMOKING

EPA Science Inventory

Real-time breath measurement technology was used to investigate the suitability of some volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to serve as breath biomarkers for active and passive smoking and to measure actual exposures and resulting breath concentrations for persons exposed to toba...

Volatile Organic Sulfur Compounds of Environmental Interest: Dimethyl Sulfide and Methanethiol

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chasteen, Thomas G.; Bentley, Ronald

2004-01-01

Volatile organic sulfur compounds (VOSCs) have been assigned environmental roles in global warming, acid precipitation, and cloud formation where two important members dimethyl sulfide (CH3)2 S, DMS, and methanethiol, CH3SH, MT, of VOSC group are involved.

ABIOTIC REDOX TRANSFORMATION OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS AT THE CLAY-WATER INTERFACE

EPA Science Inventory

The interactions of clay, water and organic compounds considerably modify the structural and physico-chemical properties of all components and create a unique domain for biological and chemical species in environments. Previous research indicates that the nature and properties of...

INHIBITORY EFFECTS OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS ON NEURONAL NICOTINIC ACETYLCHOLINE RECEPTORS.

EPA Science Inventory

INHIBITORY EFFECTS OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS ON NEURONAL NICOTINIC ACETYLCHOLINE RECEPTORS.
A.S. Bale*; P.J. Bushnell; C.A. Meacham; T.J. Shafer
Neurotoxicology Division, NHEERL, ORD, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
Toluene (TOL...

EVALUATION OF CONTROL STRATEGIES FOR VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUND IN INDOOR AIR

EPA Science Inventory

The Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) conducts and sponsors research on technology to reduce or eliminate emissions of potentially toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from industrial/commercial sources. The r...

Volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions during malting and beer manufacture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibson, Nigel B.; Costigan, Gavin T.; Swannell, Richard P. J.; Woodfield, Michael J.

Estimates have been made of the amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released during different stages of beer manufacture. The estimates are based on recent measurements and plant specification data supplied by manufacturers. Data were obtained for three main manufacturing processes (malting, wort processing and fermentation) for three commercial beer types. Some data on the speciation of emitted compounds have been obtained. Based on these measurements, an estimate of the total unabated VOC emission. from the U.K. brewing industry was calculated as 3.5 kta -1, over 95% of which was generated during barley malting. This value does not include any correction for air pollution control.

High-efficiency THz modulator based on phthalocyanine-compound organic films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

He, Ting; Zhang, Bo, E-mail: bzhang@cnu.edu.cn, E-mail: sjl-phy@cnu.edu.cn; Shen, Jingling, E-mail: bzhang@cnu.edu.cn, E-mail: sjl-phy@cnu.edu.cn

2015-02-02

We report a high efficiency, broadband terahertz (THz) modulator following a study of phthalocyanine-compound organic films irradiated with an external excitation laser. Both transmission and reflection modulations of each organic/silicon bilayers were measured using THz time-domain and continuous-wave systems. For very low intensities, the experimental results show that AlClPc/Si can achieve a high modulation factor for transmission and reflection, indicating that AlClPc/Si has a superior modulation efficiency compared with the other films (CuPc and SnCl{sub 2}Pc). In contrast, the strong attenuation of the transmitted and reflected THz waves revealed that a nonlinear absorption process takes place at the organic/silicon interface.

Identification of Organic Iodine Compounds and Their Transformation Products in Edible Iodized Salt Using Liquid Chromatography-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry.

PubMed

Yun, Lifen; Peng, Yue'e; Chang, Qing; Zhu, Qingxin; Guo, Wei; Wang, Yanxin

2017-07-05

The consumption of edible iodized salt is a key strategy to control and eliminate iodine deficiency disorders worldwide. We herein report the identification of the organic iodine compounds present in different edible iodized salt products using liquid chromatography combined with high resolution mass spectrometry. A total of 38 organic iodine compounds and their transformation products (TPs) were identified in seaweed iodine salt from China. Our experiments confirmed that the TPs were generated by the replacement of I atoms from organic iodine compounds with Cl atoms. Furthermore, the organic iodine compound contents in 4 seaweed iodine salt samples obtained from different manufacturers were measured, with significant differences in content being observed. We expect that the identification of organic iodine compounds in salt will be important for estimating the validity and safety of edible iodized salt products.

Process for removing an organic compound from water

DOEpatents

Baker, Richard W.; Kaschemekat, Jurgen; Wijmans, Johannes G.; Kamaruddin, Henky D.

1993-12-28

A process for removing organic compounds from water is disclosed. The process involves gas stripping followed by membrane separation treatment of the stripping gas. The stripping step can be carried out using one or multiple gas strippers and using air or any other gas as stripping gas. The membrane separation step can be carried out using a single-stage membrane unit or a multistage unit. Apparatus for carrying out the process is also disclosed. The process is particularly suited for treatment of contaminated groundwater or industrial wastewater.

Environmental Aspects of Two Volatile Organic Compound Groundwater Treatment Designs at the Rocky Flats Site - 13135

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Michalski, Casey C.; DiSalvo, Rick; Boylan, John

2013-07-01

DOE's Rocky Flats Site in Colorado is a former nuclear weapons production facility that began operations in the early 1950's. Because of releases of hazardous substances to the environment, the federally owned property and adjacent offsite areas were placed on the CERCLA National Priorities List in 1989. The final remedy was selected in 2006. Engineered components of the remedy include four groundwater treatment systems that were installed before closure as CERCLA-accelerated actions. Two of the systems, the Mound Site Plume Treatment System and the East Trenches Plume Treatment System, remove low levels of volatile organic compounds using zero-valent iron media,more » thereby reducing the loading of volatile organic compounds in surface water resulting from the groundwater pathway. However, the zero-valent iron treatment does not reliably reduce all volatile organic compounds to consistently meet water quality goals. While adding additional zero-valent iron media capacity could improve volatile organic compound removal capability, installation of a solar powered air-stripper has proven an effective treatment optimization in further reducing volatile organic compound concentrations. A comparison of the air stripper to the alternative of adding additional zero-valent iron capacity to improve Mound Site Plume Treatment System and East Trenches Plume Treatment System treatment based on several key sustainable remediation aspects indicates the air stripper is also more 'environmentally friendly'. These key aspects include air pollutant emissions, water quality, waste management, transportation, and costs. (authors)« less

Atmospheric PM and volatile organic compounds released from Mediterranean shrubland wildfires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia-Hurtado, Elisa; Pey, Jorge; Borrás, Esther; Sánchez, Pilar; Vera, Teresa; Carratalá, Adoración; Alastuey, Andrés; Querol, Xavier; Vallejo, V. Ramon

2014-06-01

Wildfires produce a significant release of gases and particles affecting climate and air quality. In the Mediterranean region, shrublands significantly contribute to burned areas and may show specific emission profiles. Our objective was to depict and quantify the primary-derived aerosols and precursors of secondary particulate species released during shrubland experimental fires, in which fire-line intensity values were equivalent to those of moderate shrubland wildfires, by using a number of different methodologies for the characterization of organic and inorganic compounds in both gas-phase and particulate-phase. Emissions of PM mass, particle number concentrations and organic and inorganic PMx components during flaming and smouldering phases were characterized in a field shrubland fire experiment. Our results revealed a clear prevalence of K+ and SO42- as inorganic ions released during the flaming-smouldering processes, accounting for 68-80% of the inorganic soluble fraction. During the residual-smouldering phases, in addition to K+ and SO42-, Ca2+ was found in significant amounts probably due the predominance of re-suspension processes (ashes and soil dust) over other emission sources during this stage. Concerning organic markers, the chromatograms were dominated by phenols, n-alkanals and n-alkanones, as well as by alcohol biomarkers in all the PMx fractions investigated. Levoglucosan was the most abundant degradation compound with maximum emission factors between 182 and 261 mg kg-1 in PM2.5 and PM10 respectively. However, levoglucosan was also observed in significant amounts in the gas-phase. The most representative organic volatile constituents in the smoke samples were alcohols, carbonyls, acids, monocyclic and bicyclic arenes, isoprenoids and alkanes compounds. The emission factors obtained in this study may contribute to the validation and improvement of national and international emission inventories of this intricate and diffuse emission source.

Mechanism of heterogeneous catalytic oxidation of organic compounds to carboxylic acids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrushkevich, T. V.; Chesalov, Yu A.

2018-06-01

The results of studies on the mechanism of heterogeneous catalytic oxidation of organic compounds of different chemical structure to carboxylic acids are analyzed and generalized. The concept developed by Academician G.K.Boreskov, according to which the direction of the reaction is governed by the structure and bond energy of surface intermediates, was confirmed taking the title processes as examples. Quantitative criteria of the bond energies of surface compounds of oxidizable reactants, reaction products and oxygen that determine the selective course of the reaction are presented. The bibliography includes 195 references.

40 CFR 60.542 - Standards for volatile organic compounds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Rubber Tire Manufacturing Industry § 60.542 Standards for volatile organic compounds. (a) On and after... duration of the compliance period: (A) 3,870 kg (8,531 lb) of VOC per 28 days, (B) 4,010 kg (8,846 lb) of VOC per 29 days, (C) 4,150 kg (9,149 lb) of VOC per 30 days, (D) 4,280 kg (9,436 lb) of VOC per 31...

Multifunctional slow-release organic-inorganic compound fertilizer.

PubMed

Ni, Boli; Liu, Mingzhu; Lü, Shaoyu; Xie, Lihua; Wang, Yanfang

2010-12-08

Multifunctional slow-release organic-inorganic compound fertilizer (MSOF) has been investigated to improve fertilizer use efficiency and reduce environmental pollution derived from fertilizer overdosage. The special fertilizer is based on natural attapulgite (APT) clay used as a matrix, sodium alginate used as an inner coating and sodium alginate-g-poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide)/humic acid (SA-g-P(AA-co-AM)/HA) superabsorbent polymer used as an outer coating. The coated multielement compound fertilizer granules were produced in a pan granulator, and the diameter of the prills was in the range of 2.5-3.5 mm. The structural and chemical characteristics of the product, as well as its efficiency in slowing the nutrients release, were examined. In addition, a mathematical model for nutrient release from the fertilizer was applied to calculate the diffusion coefficient D of nutrients in MSOF. The degradation of the SA-g-P(AA-co-AM)/HA coating was assessed by examining the weight loss with incubation time in soil. It is demonstrated that the product prepared by a simple route with good slow-release property may be expected to have wide potential applications in modern agriculture and horticulture.

User's guide for polyethylene-based passive diffusion bag samplers to obtain volatile organic compound concentrations in wells. Part 2, Field tests

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vroblesky, Don A.

2001-01-01

Diffusion samplers installed in observation wells were found to be capable of yielding representative water samples for chlorinated volatile organic compounds. The samplers consisted of polyethylene bags containing deionized water and relied on diffusion of chlorinated volatile organic compounds through the polyethylene membrane. The known ability of polyethylene to transmit other volatile compounds, such as benzene and toluene, indicates that the samplers can be used for a variety of volatile organic compounds. In wells at the study area, the volatile organic compound concentrations in water samples obtained using the samplers without prior purging were similar to concentrations in water samples obtained from the respective wells using traditional purging and sampling approaches. The low cost associated with this approach makes it a viable option for monitoring large observation-well networks for volatile organic compounds.

Volatile organic compounds detected in the atmosphere of NASA's Biomass Production Chamber

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Batten, J. H.; Stutte, G. W.; Wheeler, R. M.

1996-01-01

Atmospheres of enclosed environments in which 20 m2 stands of wheat, potato, and lettuce were grown were characterized and quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A large number (in excess of 90) of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were identified in the chambers. Twenty eight VOC's were assumed to be of biogenic origin for these were not found in the chamber atmosphere when air samples were analyzed in the absence of plants. Some of the compounds found were unique to a single crop. For example, only 35% of the biogenic compounds detected in the wheat atmosphere were unique to wheat, while 36% were unique to potato and 26% were unique to lettuce. The number of compounds detected in the wheat (20 compounds) atmosphere was greater than that of potato (11) and lettuce (15) and concentration levels of biogenic and non-biogenic VOC's were similar.

Spatial Gradients and Source Apportionment of Volatile Organic Compounds Near Roadways

EPA Science Inventory

Concentrations of 55 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are reported near a highway in Raleigh, NC (traffic volume of approximately 125,000 vehicles/day). Levels of VOCs generally decreased exponentially with perpendicular distance from the roadway 10-100m). The EPA Chemical Mass ...

EXPOSURE TO VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS MEASURED IN A SOURCE IMPACTED AIRSHED

EPA Science Inventory

A three-year exposure monitoring study is being conducted in a large city in the Midwestern U.S. The study is aimed at determining the factors influencing exposures to air pollutants of outdoor origin, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter.

SOIL SORPTION OF VOLATILE AND SEMIVOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN A MIXTURE

EPA Science Inventory

Studies were conducted to evaluate lipophilicity as a predictor sorption for a mixture of organic compounds with high vapor pressures commonly present at hazardous waste sites. Sorption partition coefficients (K_p) for the mixture of 16 volatile and semivolatile ...

MASTER ANALYTICAL SCHEME FOR ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN WATER: PART 1. PROTOCOLS

EPA Science Inventory

A Master Analytical Scheme (MAS) has been developed for the analysis of volatile (gas chromatographable) organic compounds in water. In developing the MAS, it was necessary to evaluate and modify existing analysis procedures and develop new techniques to produce protocols that pr...

Volatile organic compounds in storm water from a parking lot

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lopes, T.J.; Fallon, J.D.; Rutherford, D.W.; Hiatt, M.H.

2000-01-01

A mass balance approach was used to determine the most important nonpoint source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in storm water from an asphalt parking lot without obvious point sources (e.g., gasoline stations). The parking lot surface and atmosphere are important nonpoint sources of VOCs, with each being important for different VOCs. The atmosphere is an important source of soluble, oxygenated VOCs (e.g., acetone), and the parking lot surface is an important source for the more hydrophobic VOCs (e.g., benzene). VOCs on the parking lot surface appear to be concentrated in oil and grease and organic material in urban particles (e.g., vehicle soot). Except in the case of spills, asphalt does not appear to be an important source of VOCs. The uptake isotherm of gaseous methyl tert-butyl ether on urban particles indicates a mechanism for dry deposition of VOCs from the atmosphere. This study demonstrated that a mass balance approach is a useful means of understanding non-point-source pollution, even for compounds such as VOCs, which are difficult to sample.

Measurement and modelling of oxygenated organic compounds from smoldering combustion of biomass

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McKenzie, L.M.; Richards, G.N.

Biomass fires emit a myriad of compounds, some of which are toxic and/or globally significant as photochemically reactive, tropospheric trace gases, greenhouse gases and precursors to stratospheric ozone-destroying radicals. 35 oxygenated organic compounds in condensed (-45{degrees}C) smoke from 29 bench scale fires of ponderosa pine sapwood, needles, bark, litter, duff, and humus have been identified and quantified. These fires ranged from flaming to low intensity smoldering. In addition, five low intensity fires of intact ponderosa pine forest floor (litter, duff, and humus) were carried out on a larger scale in a combustion chamber. The condensates were analyzed by gas chromatography/massmore » spectrometry and the gas phase was analyzed by gas chromatography/flame ionization detection. Acetic acid, vinyl acetate and acetol were major condensable emissions. The dependence of oxygenated organic emissions on fuel chemistry and combustion efficiency has been investigated, along with correlations between emissions. Molar emission ratios of individual compounds to CO have been calculated and used to estimate possible exposure levels for wildland firefighters.« less

Synthesis and preliminary biological evaluations of fluorescent or 149Promethium labeled Trastuzumab-polyethylenimine

DOE PAGES

Fitzsimmons, Jonathan; Nayak, Tapan; Cutler, Cathy; ...

2015-12-30

Radioimmunotherapy utilize a targeting antibody coupled to a therapeutic isotope to target and treat a tumor or disease. In this study we examine the synthesis and cell binding of a polymer scaffold containing a radiotherapeutic isotope and a targeting antibody. Methods: The multistep synthesis of a fluorescent or 149Promethium-labeled Trastuzumab-polyethyleneimine (PEI), Trastuzumab, or PEI is described. In vitro uptake, internalization and/or the binding affinity to the Her2/neu expressing human breast adenocarcinoma SKBr3 cells was investigated with the labeled compounds. Fluorescent-labeled Trastuzumab-PEI was internalized more into cells at 2 and 18 h than fluorescent-labeled Trastuzumab or PEI. The fluorescent-labeled Trastuzumab wasmore » concentrated on the cell surface at 2 and 18 h and the labeled PEI had minimal uptake. DOTA-PEI was prepared and contained an average of 16 chelates per PEI; the compound was radio-labeled with 149Promethium and conjugated to Trastuzumab. The purified 149Pm-DOTA-PEI-Trastuzumab had a radiochemical purity of 96.7% and a specific activity of 0.118 TBq/g. The compound demonstrated a dissociation constant for the Her2/neu receptor of 20.30 ± 6.91 nM. In conclusion, the results indicate the DOTA-PEI-Trastuzumab compound has potential as a targeted therapeutic carrier, and future in vivo studies should be performed.« less

A spin labelling study of immunomodulating peptidoglycan monomer and adamantyltripeptides entrapped into liposomes.

PubMed

Frkanec, Ruza; Noethig-Laslo, Vesna; Vranesić, Branka; Mirosavljević, Krunoslav; Tomasić, Jelka

2003-04-01

The interaction of immunostimulating compounds, the peptidoglycan monomer (PGM) and structurally related adamantyltripeptides (AdTP1 and AdTP2), respectively, with phospholipids in liposomal bilayers were investigated by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. (1). The fatty acids bearing the nitroxide spin label at different positions along the acyl chain were used to investigate the interaction of tested compounds with negatively charged multilamellar liposomes. Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra were studied at 290 and 310 K. The entrapment of the adamantyltripeptides affected the motional properties of all spin labelled lipids, while the entrapment of PGM had no effect. (2). Spin labelled PGM was prepared and the novel compound bearing the spin label attached via the amino group of diaminopimelic acid was chromatographically purified and chemically characterized. The rotational correlation time of the spin labelled molecule dissolved in buffer at pH 7.4 was studied as a function of temperature. The conformational change was observed above 300 K. The same effect was observed with the spin labelled PGM incorporated into liposomes. Such effect was not observed when the spin labelled PGM was studied at alkaline pH, probably due to the hydrolysis of PGM molecule. The study of possible interaction with liposomal membrane is relevant to the use of tested compounds incorporated into liposomes, as adjuvants in vivo.

Cyclodextrin-based microsensor for volatile organic compounds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Swanson, B.I.; Li, D.Q.

1996-12-31

The direct covalent attachment of modified {alpha}- and {beta}-cyclodextrin on oxide surfaces has been studied for application in chemical sensors. First, oxide surfaces were treated with a silane coupling layer followed by the addition of cyclodextrin to form a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of host receptors. Second, the oxide surfaces were reacted with a sol-gel (SG) precursor based on cyclodextrin structure to form a thick film with defined hydrophobic cyclodextrin cavities. The sensing properties of both films (SAM and SG) were examined with surface acoustic wave (SAW) measurement platform. Molecular interactions between an organic guest and a host thin-film on amore » 200 MHZ SAW resonator are being studied as a method of tracking and recognizing the presence of volatile organics. Surface acoustic wave sensors based on the inclusion chemistry of the bucket-type (cyclodextrin) molecules, were capable of detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) down to ppb levels. Because the nature of the interactions is moderate but noncovalent, detection of these VOCs was possible using a reversible real-time mode. Pattern recognition with an array of complementary microsensors appears to be a viable approach for identifying and quantifying VOCs. Recent results using optical waveguides for sensor transduction will also be discussed.« less

Sulfate minerals: a problem for the detection of organic compounds on Mars?

PubMed

Lewis, James M T; Watson, Jonathan S; Najorka, Jens; Luong, Duy; Sephton, Mark A

2015-03-01

The search for in situ organic matter on Mars involves encounters with minerals and requires an understanding of their influence on lander and rover experiments. Inorganic host materials can be helpful by aiding the preservation of organic compounds or unhelpful by causing the destruction of organic matter during thermal extraction steps. Perchlorates are recognized as confounding minerals for thermal degradation studies. On heating, perchlorates can decompose to produce oxygen, which then oxidizes organic matter. Other common minerals on Mars, such as sulfates, may also produce oxygen upon thermal decay, presenting an additional complication. Different sulfate species decompose within a large range of temperatures. We performed a series of experiments on a sample containing the ferric sulfate jarosite. The sulfate ions within jarosite break down from 500 °C. Carbon dioxide detected during heating of the sample was attributed to oxidation of organic matter. A laboratory standard of ferric sulfate hydrate released sulfur dioxide from 550 °C, and an oxygen peak was detected in the products. Calcium sulfate did not decompose below 1000 °C. Oxygen released from sulfate minerals may have already affected organic compound detection during in situ thermal experiments on Mars missions. A combination of preliminary mineralogical analyses and suitably selected pyrolysis temperatures may increase future success in the search for past or present life on Mars.