Publications

Abstract Firefly luciferase catalyzes the synthesis of H2O2 from the same substrates as the bioluminescence reaction: ATP and luciferin (D-LH2). About 80% of the enzyme-bound intermediate D-luciferyl adenylate (D-LH2-AMP) is oxidized into oxyluciferin, and a photon is emitted during this reaction. The enzyme pathway responsible for the generation of H2O2 is a side reaction in which D-LH2-AMP is oxidized into dehydroluciferyl adenylate (L-AMP). Like the bioluminescence reaction, the luciferase-catalyzed synthesis of H2O2 and L-AMP is a stereospecific process, involving only the natural D enantiomer. However, the intramolecular electron transfer postulated as essential to the light emission process is not involved in this side reaction.

Abstract The kinetics of the transfer of a series of hydrophilic monovalent anions across the water/nitrobenzene (W/NB) interface has been Studied by means of thin organic film-modified electrodes in combination with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and square-wave voltammetry. The Studied ions are Cl-, Br-, I-, ClO4-, NO3-, SCN-, and CH3COO-. The electrode assembly comprises a graphite electrode (GE) covered with a thin NB film containing a neutral strongly hydrophobic redox probe (decamethylferrocene or lutetium bis(tetra-tert-butylphthalocyaninato)) and an organic supporting electrolyte. The modified electrode is immersed in an aqueous solution containing a supporting electrolyte and transferring ions, and used in a conventional three-electrode configuration. Upon oxidation of the redox probe, the overall electrochemical process proceeds as an electron-ion charge-transfer reaction coupling the electron transfer at the GE/NB interface and compensates ion transfer across the W/NB interface. The rate of the ion transfer across the W/NB interface is the limiting step in the kinetics of the overall coupled electron-ion transfer reaction. Moreover. the transferring ion that is initially present in the aqueous phase only at a concentration lower than the redox probe, controls the mass transfer regime in the overall reaction. A rate equation describing the kinetics of the ion transfer that is valid for the conditions at thin organic film-modified electrodes is derived. Kinetic data measured with two electrochemical techniques are in very good agreement.

Abstract The standard (p(o) = 0.1 MPa) molar enthalpies of combustion, Delta(c)H(m)(o), for crystalline 2-, 4-, 6-chloroquinoline and 4.7-dichloroniquinoline were determined at the temperature 298.15 K using a rotating-bomb combustion calorimeter. The standard molar enthalpies of sublimation, Delta(cr)(g)H(m)(o) at T = 298.15 K, were determined by Calvet microcalorimetry. The results were as follows: [GRAPHICS] These values were used to derive the standard molar enthalpies of formation of the compounds in their crystalline and gaseous phases, respectively. The derived standard molar enthalpies of formation, in the gaseous state, are analysed in terms of enthalpic increments and interpreted in terms of molecular structure.

Abstract The standard (p(o) = 0,1 MPa) molar enthalpy of formation for crystalline 2,3-dihydroxypyridine was measured, at T = 298.15 K by static bomb calorimetry and the standard molar enthalpy of sublimation, at T = 298.15 K, was obtained using Calvet microcalorimetry. These values were used to derive the standard molar enthalpy of formation of 2,3-dihydroxypyridine in gaseous phase, at T = 298.15 K, -(263.9 +/- 4.6) kJ . mol(-1). Additionally, high-level density functional theory calculations using the B3LYP hybrid exchange-correlation energy functional with extended basis sets have been performed for all dihydroxypyridine isomers to determine the thermochemical order of stability of these systems. The agreement between experiment and theory for the 2,3-dihydroxypyridine isomer gives confidence to the estimates of the enthalpies of formation concerning the other five isomers. It is found that the enthalpic increment for the dihydroxy substitution of pyridine is equal to the sum of the respective enthalpic increment of the monosubstituted pyridines.

Abstract The standard (p(degrees) = 0.1 MPa) molar energy of combustion, at T = 298.15 K, of crystalline 2,3-dicyanopyrazine was measured by static bomb calorimetry, in oxygen atmosphere. The standard molar enthalpy of sublimation, at T = 298.15 K, was obtained by Calvet Microcalorimetry, allowing the calculation of the standard molar enthalpy of formation of the compound, in the gas phase, at T = 298.15 K: Delta H-f(m)degrees (g) = (518.7 +/- 3.4) kJ center dot mol(-1). In addition, the geometries of all cyanopyrazines were obtained using density functional theory with the B3LYP functional and two basis sets: 6-31G* and 6-311G**. These calculations were Then used for a better understanding of the relation between structure and energetics of the cyanopyrazine systems. These calculations also reproduce measured standard molar enthalpies of formation with some accuracy and do provide estimates of this thermochemical parameter for those compounds that could not be studied experimentally, namely the tri- and tetracyanopyrazines: the strong electron withdrawing cyano group on the pyrazine ring makes cyanopyrazines highly destabilized compounds.

Abstract Fluorescence excitation-emission matrices (EEM) of aqueous solutions of Laurentian soil fulvic acid (LFA) at three concentrations (50, 75 and 100 mg/l) were obtained at two pH values (pH = 4.0 and 6.0) and as function of the Cu(II) ion concentration. The presence of Cu(II) ion provokes quenching of the intrinsic LFA fluorescence due to complex formation. Multivariate curve resolution (MCR-ALS) was used to successfully decompose single EEM into excitation and emission spectra for the detected components. Moreover, multidimensional (up to six dimensions) data matrices were generated by adding EEM collected as function of the LFA and Cu(II) concentrations and pH. MCR-ALS was able to resolve the excitation and emission spectra from these multidimensional data matrices given further information about the spectral variation profiles induced by the experimental factors. Conditional stability constants (logK(LFACu)) were calculated from the quenching profiles observed as function of the Cu(II) concentration, as well as, their trends as function of pH and LFA concentration were obtained - average (and standard deviation) of logK(LFACu) = 4.6 +/- 0.2. This EEM/MCR-ALS methodology constitutes a new tool for the study of natural organic matter under varying experimental conditions that characterize natural environmental systems.

Abstract An environmentally friendly methodology is proposed for the analysis of pesticides in soil samples based on supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and analysis at high selectivity and sensitivity, by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS-MS). The pesticides investigated are among the most commonly used in intensive horticulture activities comprising organochlorme and organophosphorous insecticides, triazine and acetanilide herbicides, amongst others. An experimental design approach was used for modelling SFE and optimised extraction conditions were derived for the total pesticides extraction or for specific sub-groups of interest. Pesticide residues could be detected in soils in the sub-ppb range (0.1-3.7 mu g kg(-1)), with quite good precision (4.2-15.7%) and extraction efficiency (80.4-106.5%). The analysis of soil samples from an intensive horticulture area in Povoa de Varzim, north of Portugal, revealed the presence of persistent pesticides, parent compounds and degradation products among the following: endosulfan, endosulfan sulfate, dieldrin, 4,4'-DDE, 4,4'-DDD, atrazine, alachlor, metolachlor, chlorpyrifos, pendimethalin and lindane. The important features to point out are the easy interpretation of chromatograms and straightforward confirmation of analytes that greatly facilitates the analyst judgement on the contamination of the sample.

Abstract The standard (p degrees = 0.1 MPa) molar enthalpy of formation for solid and gaseous diphenic anhydride (2,2'-biphenyldicarboxylic anhydride, dibenz[c,e] oxepin-5,7-dione) was derived from the standard molar enthalpy of combustion, in oxygen, at T 298.15 K, measured by static bomb combustion calorimetry, and the standard molar enthalpy of sublimation, at T = 298.15 K, measured by Calvet microcalorimetry: -(258.4 +/- 4.9) kJ mol(-1). In addition, ab initio and density functional theory calculations have been performed at a variety of levels. The degree of aromaticity of diphenic anhydride is discussed in the context of other oxygen-containing (ring and keto) heterocycles and related carbocycles: this species is surprisingly destabilized.

Abstract The standard molar enthalpies of combustion, sublimation, and formation in the crystalline and gaseous phase at a temperature of 298.15 K have been experimentally determined for saccharin and for benzenesulfonamide. These compounds were also studied theoretically using density functional theory, the B3LYP functional and extended basis sets.

Abstract Vesicle solutions formed by the cationic lipid dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide have been extensively used in the past 20 years as model membrane systems. Often, discrepancies are found in the literature for the thermodynamic parameters of the gel-to-liquid crystal (gel-lc) phase transition of these vesicles. In this work we present a systematic DSC investigation on the influence of the sonication method on the main temperature and enthalpy of the transition for DODAB vesicles, prepared both in normal and deuterated water. It is shown that as the sonication time increases, the T-m and enthalpy values decrease until a plateau value is reached. This effect is associated with incomplete chain crystallization in the highly curved vesicles (produced by sonication) when they are cooled below the transition temperature. The effect of aging on the sonicated solutions has also been monitored by DSC.