Synthesis,characterization and evaluation of phosphorylated resins in the removal of Pb<Superscript>2+</Superscript> from aqueous solutions

Phosphinic-derivative poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene)-based on PS–DVB copolymers with different porosity degrees have been prepared by aromatic electrophilic substitution reaction using PCl₃/AlCl₃ followed by base-promoted hydrolysis. The phosphorylation reaction was analyzed by infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetry (TG/DTG). In addition, the phosphorous content of the phosphorylated copolymers was determined by spectrophotometry using the method based on sodium molybdate reactant so that the extension of that modification could be assessed. The performance of the phosphorylated resins in the extraction of Pb²⁺ from aqueous solutions in a batch system was also evaluated. The Pb²⁺ content was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). These materials presented excellent extraction capacity under the contact time of 30 min and pH 6.     

Analysis of turbulent combustion in inert porous media

The objective of this paper is to present an extension of a simplified reaction kinetics model that, combined with a thermo-mechanical closure, entails a full-generalized turbulent combustion model for flow in porous media. In this model, one explicitly considers the intra-pore levels of turbulent kinetic energy. Transport equations are written in their time-and-volume-averaged form and a volume-based statistical turbulence model is applied to simulate turbulence generation due to the porous matrix. The rate of fuel consumption is described by an Arrhenius expression involving the product of the fuel and oxidant mass fractions. These mass fractions are double decomposed in time and space and, after applying simultaneous time-and-volume integration operations to them, distinct terms arise, which are here associated with the mechanisms of dispersion and turbulence. Modeling of these extra terms remains an open question and the derivations herein might motivate further development of models for turbulent combustion in porous media.     

Robust ℋ︁∞ filtering for uncertain Markovian jump linear systems

This paper investigates the problem of ??_∞ filtering for a class of uncertain Markovian jump linear systems. The uncertainty is assumed to be norm‐bounded and appears in all the matrices of the system state‐space model, including the coefficient matrices of the noise signals. It is also assumed that the jumping parameter is available. We develop a methodology for designing a Markovian jump linear filter that ensures a prescribed bound on the ??₂‐induced gain from the noise signals to the estimation error, irrespective of the uncertainty. The proposed design is given in terms of linear matrix inequalities. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reliable indirect competitive ELISA used for a survey of ochratoxin A in green coffee from the North of Paraná State, Brazil.

The performance of an indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ic-ELISA) based on a monoclonal antibody (mAb) for ochratoxin A (OTA) detection was evaluated in a comparative study with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis using 68 freshly harvested coffee samples from the North of Paraná State, Brazil. The anti-OTA mAb showed high specificity and low cross-reactivity with OTA analogues (OTB and OTalpha), but cross-reacted with OTC. This ic-ELISA showed a detection limit of 3.75 ngg-1 sample, when compared to 0.80 ngg-1 by HPLC, with an ic-ELISA/HPLC correlation coefficient of 0.90. As regards OTA analysis of these coffee samples, natural contamination was detected in 10 samples (14.7%) by both methods, where the ic-ELISA values (range 3.9-7.3 ngg-1) were 1.1 to 1.6-fold higher than HPLC data (2.7-4.7 ngg-1). Five samples (7.4%) were OTA positive (range 0.84-1.30 ngg-1) only by HPLC assay, probably due to the higher detection limit reached by ic-ELISA. OTA was undetectable in 53 samples (77.9%) by both methods, while all positive samples (range 0.84-7.30 ngg-1) showed OTA levels lower than 8 ngg-1 (maximum limit recommended by the European Union). The matrix interference of green coffee was minimized by dilution of sample extracts before carrying out the ELISA assay. This mAb-based ic-ELISA can be effectively applied for OTA screening in coffee, because it is simple, sensitive and sample preparation is easy.     

Conformational properties of poly(diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride) (PDDA) determined by combination of molecular dynamics, rotational isomeric states and Monte Carlo procedures

A theoretical model describing the conformational properties of poly(diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride) (PDDA) is developed with the following strategy: molecular dynamics simulations are performed on model molecules representing dimers of PDDA. The results are employed to formulate a rotational isomeric state model for these molecules in terms of short-range interactions. Furthermore, the MD trajectories permit the evaluation of conformational energies and probabilities for the 27 conformations allowed to the three bonds sequence contained in the dimers. These probabilities are then employed to generate single chains of PDDA in vacuo according to standard Monte Carlo procedures and their main squared end to end distance 〈r²〉 are computed. The procedure (MD simulations, evaluation of energies and probabilities and MC calculations) is then repeated for two more realistic systems obtained by fitting into a cubic box, having side length L and periodic boundary conditions, a forty repeating units oligomer of PDDA together with 40 Cl⁻ as counterions and 500 water molecules (referred to as water system, ) or the oligomer with its counterions, 500 water molecules and 20 NaCl molecules (referred to as salt system, ). The behavior of the three systems is noticeably different and the value of unperturbed dimensions computed for the realistic systems are in good agreement with preliminary results of experimental measurements being carried out in our laboratory.     

Evaluation of indoor gamma radiation dose in dwellings

The use of materials containing naturally occurring radionuclides for house construction may enhance the natural radiation background to which some population groups are exposed. External exposure results from gamma emitter radionuclides existing in the walls, floor and ceiling. Mathematical models can be used to predict external dose rates inside a room, provided the compartment geometry and the radionuclide concentration activities are known. This paper presents a methodology and a computer code for theoretical evaluation of indoor external gamma doses in the air. The room was modelled as three pairs of rectangular slabs of finite thickness. Doses were evaluated by applying a photon transport model, taking into account self-absorption and radiation build-up. Calculations were performed for 40K, 226Ra and 232Th, considering concrete walls. The results obtained show good agreement with those reported in the literature. Dose conversion factors are presented in a practical manner, ready to use for radiological impact screening.     

A Mechanized Proof Environment for the Convenient Computations Proof Method

A mechanized verification environment made up of theories over the deductive mechanized theorem prover PVS is presented, which allows taking advantage of the convenient computations method. This method reduces the conceptual difficulty of proving a given property for all the possible computations of a system by separating two different concerns: (1) proving that special convenient computations satisfy the property, and (2) proving that every computation is related to a convenient one by a relation which preserves the property. The approach is especially appropriate for applications in which the first concern is trivial once the second has been shown, e.g., where the specification itself is that every computation reduces to a convenient one. Two examples are the serializability of transactions in distributed databases, and sequential consistency of distributed shared memories. To reduce the repetition of effort, a clear separation is made between infrastructural theories to be supplied as a proof environment PVS library to users, and the specification and proof of particular examples. The provided infrastructure formally defines the method in its most general way. It also defines a computation model and a reduction relation—the equivalence of computations that differ only in the order of finitely many independent operations. One way to prove that this relation holds between every computation and some convenient one involves the definition of a measure function from computations into a well-founded set. Two possible default measures, which can be applied in many cases, are also defined in the infrastructure, along with useful lemmas that assist in their usage. We show how the proof environment can be used, by a step-by-step explanation of an application example.     

Phase-object detection by use of double-exposure fringe-modulated speckle patterns

We study the properties of a double-exposure image specklegram of a diffuse object obtained by use of a double-aperture pupil. A phase object is placed in front of one aperture during the first or the second exposure. Also, it is assumed that a uniform displacement of the diffuser between exposures is produced. The recorded specklegram is coherently illuminated and analyzed by Fourier transform operations. The average intensity distribution and the interference fringe visibility in the Fourier plane are investigated. On this basis, an alternative interference technique to detect phase objects is proposed.