Comparison of two Analytical Methods (ELISA and LC-MS/MS) for Determination of Aflatoxin B1 in Corn and Aflatoxin M1 in Milk

The aim of this paper is to assess the closeness of agreement between results of ELISA and LC-MS/MS methods for determination of aflatoxin B₁ in corn and aflatoxin M₁ in milk. Samples of corn (n=100) and milk (n=250) were simultaneously analyzed using ELISA and LC-MS/MS methods, after the severe drought that affected Serbia in summer 2012 resulting in occurrence of aflatoxin B1 in corn and aflatoxin M₁ in milk. Regression analysis showed higher level of agreement between aflatoxin B₁ samples (R²=0.994), compared to aflatoxin M₁ samples (R²=0.920). However, both techniques were satisfactory in meeting the requirements for official control purposes.     

Measuring changing strain fields in composites with Distributed Fiber-Optic Sensing using the optical backscatter reflectometer

Background/purposeMeasurements of strains in critical components are often required in addition to finite element calculations when evaluating a structure.MethodsThis paper describes how standard optical fibers, bonded to the surface or embedded in a laminate, can measure strain fields along the entire length of the fiber, using the optical backscatter reflectometer.ResultsA strain field measurement can be much better compared to simulations than the more common single point measurements with strain gauges or Bragg Gratings. Changes of the strain field can be related to damage development and can be used for structural health monitoring. Practical aspects of using the fibers are also discussed.ConclusionDistributed Fiber-Optic Sensing was successfully embedded and bonded to a composite joint. Adhesive damage was identified and the strain field agreed well with FE-Analysis.     

Changes in phenolics,soluble solids,vitamin C,and antioxidant capacity of various cultivars of hardy kiwifruits during cold storage

Food Science and Biotechnology - Hardy kiwifruits (Actinidia arguta) contain various bioactive compounds such as vitamin C and phenolics and can withstand cold temperatures. Changes in soluble...     

β-环糊精修饰Ni/SFCC强化C9石油树脂催化加氢性能

以废弃的流化催化裂化催化剂（简称SFCC）为载体、β-环糊精为金属络合剂、硝酸镍为镍源，采用湿法浸渍法制备β-环糊精修饰的Ni/SFCC催化剂（简称Ni/SFCC-CD催化剂），考察其对C9石油树脂的催化加氢性能。通过BET比表面积测试、H2程序升温还原、X射线光电子能谱等手段对催化剂的物相结构进行表征，研究β-环糊精的作用机理及其对催化剂加氢性能的影响。研究结果表明：在反应温度为260 ℃、反应压力为7 MPa、反应时间为2.0 h的最优条件下，采用Ni/SFCC-CD催化C9石油树脂加氢，可制得溴值为1.45 gBr/（100 g）、色号（加纳德）小于1的水白色氢化C9石油树脂，催化剂循环使用4次后仍保持良好活性；β-环糊精的作用机理是：β-环糊精与硝酸镍产生络合作用，抑制硝酸镍的分解、控制NiO的结晶过程和增强活性组分Ni与载体之间的相互作用力，从而提高了Ni/SFCC-CD的催化活性和稳定性。     

Visible light-activated degradation of microcystin-LR by ultrathin g-C3N4 nanosheets-based heterojunction photocatalyst

Microcystins (MCs) is a harmful toxin generated by blue-green algae in water, which has seriously threatened the ecological safety of water and human body. It is urgent to develop new catalysts and techniques for the degradation of MCs. A feasible electrostatic self-assembly method was carried out to synthesize BiVO₄/g-C₃N₄ heterojunction photocatalyst with highly efficient photocatalytic ability, where BiVO₄ nanoplates with exposed {010} facets anchored to the g-C₃N₄ ultrathin nanosheets. The morphology and microstructure of the heterojunction photocatalysts were identified by XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, and BET. The g-C₃N₄ nanosheets have huge surface area over 200 m²/g and abundant mesoporous ranging from 2-20 nm, which provides tremendous contact area for BiVO₄ nanoplates. Meanwhile, the introduction of BiVO₄ led to red-shift of the absorption spectrum of photocatalyst, which was characterized by UV-vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy (DRS). Compared with pure BiVO₄ and g-C₃N₄, the BiVO₄/g-C₃N₄ heterojunction shows a drastically enhanced photocatalytic activity in degradation of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) in water. The MC-LR could be removed within 15 minutes under the optimal ratio of BiVO₄/g-C₃N₄. The outstanding performance of the photocatalyst is attributed to synergetic effect of interface Z-scheme heterojunction and high active facets {010} of BiVO₄ nanoplates, which provides an efficient transfer pathway to separate photoinduced carriers meanwhile endows the photocatalysts with strong redox ability.     

TC4合金表面Cu/石墨复合镀层的摩擦磨损行为

采用无氰电镀工艺在TC4合金表面制备了Cu/石墨复合镀层，研究了镀层的组织结构和摩擦磨损行为。结果表明，采用无氰电镀方法能够在TC4合金表面制备出组织致密且与基体结合紧密的Cu/石墨复合镀层，但增加镀层中石墨的含量会降低镀层与基体合金的结合强度，并导致硬度小幅下降。摩擦磨损实验结果表明，Cu/石墨复合镀层具有优良的摩擦磨损防护性能，归因于石墨有效降低了镀层的摩擦系数和磨损率；对镀层磨损形貌、磨损产物和摩擦系数的综合分析结果表明，纯铜镀层的摩擦磨损机制主要为犁削磨损、黏着磨损和剥层磨损，Cu/石墨复合镀层的磨损机制为轻微的削层磨损和疲劳磨损。     

Microwave and conventional treatment of low-cement high-alumina castables with different water-to-cement ratio; Part II. Dehydration

Modern refractory castables contain between 3.5 and 5?wt.-% water that is necessary for sufficient flow during emplacement and for the formation of hydrate phases, necessary for the green strength of the material. Prior to the high temperature use of this material, it must be dried very carefully to avoid explosive spalling.This paper will demonstrate that beside conventional drying of pre-shaped materials in resistance furnaces microwave radiation is an energy saving and rapid method to remove pore water as well as hydrate bond water from the castable. In comparison to resistance furnaces, the use of microwave radiation does not affect the castable properties as there are mechanical strength (MOR, CCS), open porosity and pore size distribution. This study proved microwave radiation as valuable alternative with a series of tabular alumina based low cement castables (LLC) in which the water-to-cement-ratio (wcr = 0.64, 0.75, 0.82 and 1.13) was systematically altered by changing the cement concentration at constant mixing water concentration of 4.5%.     

Hydrogen production through dry reforming of biogas using a porous electrochemical cell: Effects of a cobalt catalyst in the electrode and mixing of air with biogas

This paper reports the performance of porous Gd-doped ceria (GDC) electrochemical cells with Co metal in both electrodes (cell No. 1) and with Ni metal in the cathode and Co metal in the anode (cell No. 2) for CO₂ decomposition, CH₄ decomposition, and the dry reforming reaction of a biogas with CO₂ gas (CH₄ + CO₂ → 2H₂ + 2CO) or with O₂ gas in air (3CH₄ +?1.875CO₂ +?1.314O₂ → 6H₂ +?4.875CO +?0.7515O₂). GDC cell No. 1 produced H₂ gas at formation rates of 0.055 and 0.33?mL-H₂/(min?m²-electrode) per 1?mL-supplied gas/(min?m²-electrode) at 600?°C and 800?°C, respectively, by the reforming of the biogas with CO₂ gas. Similarly, cell No. 2 produced H₂ gas at formation rates of 0.40?mL-H₂/(min?m²) per 1?mL-supplied gas/(min?m²) at 800?°C from a mixture of biogas and CO₂ gas. The dry reforming of a real biogas with CO₂ or O₂ gas at 800?°C proceeded thermodynamically over the Co or Ni metal catalyst in the cathode of the porous GDC cell. Faraday's law controlled the dry reforming rate of the biogas at 600?°C in cell No. 2. This paper also clarifies the influence of carbon deposition, which originates from CH₄ pyrolysis (CH₄ → C + 2H₂) and disproportionation of CO gas (2CO → C + CO₂), on the cell performance during dry reforming. The dry reforming of a biogas with O₂ molecules from air exhibits high durability because of the oxidation of the deposited carbon by supplied air.     

N,N'-二(2-羟丙基)哌嗪-硫酸钠-水三元体系相平衡测定与计算

采用等温溶解平衡法测定N,N′-二(2-羟丙基)哌嗪(HPP)?Na2SO4?H2O三元体系在273.15和298.15 K下的相平衡数据，采用湿渣法测定其平衡固相数据，绘制等温相图。用改进的单组分电解质Pitzer方程计算该体系中Na2SO4和Na2SO4?10H2O的溶解平衡常数，并对相平衡数据进行理论计算。结果表明，273.15 K时存在3个结晶区，298.15 K时存在4个结晶区。HPP的存在降低了Na2SO4和Na2SO4?10H2O的相转变温度，使298.15 K下的相图中存在Na2SO4的结晶区域，且273.15和298.15 K的相图中不存在纯HPP的结晶区域。理论计算与实验数据的均方根偏差不高于0.0290，表明相平衡数据计算值与实验值较吻合，证实了改进的单组分电解质Pitzer方程适用于该体系计算。     

Simultaneous determination of mycotoxin in commercial coffee

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by filamentous fungi that usually contaminate food products. Coffee is a natural product susceptible to mycotoxin contamination. The present study evaluates the presence of nivalenol, deoxynivalenol, T-2 and HT-2 Toxin, diacetoxyscirpenol, aflatoxin B₁, aflatoxin B₂, aflatoxin G₁, aflatoxin G₂, fumonisin B₁, fumonisin B₂, ochratoxin A, zearalenone, enniatin A, enniatin A₁, enniatin B, enniatin B₁, and beauvericin in coffee samples, using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The results show that zearalenone was not present in any sample. In the positive samples the contents of fumonisins ranged from 58.62 to 537.45 μg/kg, emerging mycotoxins ranged from 0.10 to 3569.92 μg/kg, aflatoxins ranged from 0.25 to 13.12 μg/kg, and trichothecenes, excepting nivalenol, ranged from 5.70 to 325.68 μg/kg. Nivalenol presented the highest concentrations, from 0.40 to 25.86 mg/kg. Ochratoxin A ranged from 1.56 to 32.40 μg/kg, and five samples exceeded the maximum limit established by the European Commission.