Assessment of carbon nanotubes and silver nanoparticles loaded clays as adsorbents for removal of bacterial contaminants from water sources.

This work evaluated the antimicrobial efficacy of kaolin clay and its loaded forms with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against bacterial isolates from different water supplies (tap, underground and surface water) in addition to wastewater. A total of 160 water samples were collected from different water sources in the investigated districts. Samples were cultured for isolation and serological identification of pathogenic bacteria. AgNPs were synthesized by a typical one-step synthesis protocol, where CNTs were carried out in a reactor employing the double bias-assisted hot filament chemical vapor deposition method. Both were characterized using transmission electron microscopy, infrared and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy. The antimicrobial efficacy of each of natural kaolin clay, AgNPs- and CNTs-loaded clays were evaluated by their application in four concentrations (0.01, 0.03, 0.05 and 0.1 ppm) at different contact times (5 min, 15 min, 30 min and 2 h). AgNPs-loaded clays at concentrations of 0.05 and 0.1 mg/l for 2 h contact time exhibited a higher bactericidal efficacy on Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. (70, 70, 80 and 90%, respectively) compared to CNTs-loaded clay. Concluding, the application of AgNPs-loaded clay for removal of water bacterial contaminants at a concentration of 0.1 ppm for 2 h contact times resulted in highly effective removals.

PVC membrane electrode for the potentiometric determination of Ipratropium bromide using batch and flow injection techniques.

Ipratropium (IP(+)) ion-selective electrode (ISE) has been constructed from poly(vinyl chloride) matrix membrane containing Ipratropium-tetraphenylborate (IP-TPB) as the electroactive component using 2-nitrophenyloctylether as plasticizer. The electrode exhibits near Nernstian response to Ipratropium bromide (IPBr) over the concentration range 10(-5) to 10(-2) mol L(-1) and detection limit 5.1x10(-6) mol L(-1). The electrode offers significant advantages including long lifetime (>2 months), excellent stability and reproducibility, fast response time (<10 s), wide pH working range (pH 2-9), high thermal stability (isothermal coefficient 0.37 mV/degrees C) and superior selectivity for IPBr over a large number of inorganic and organic substances. The electrode was successfully used as indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration of IPBr versus sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB) and in the determination of IPBr in Atrovent vials and spiked urine samples applying batch and flow injection techniques, with satisfactory results.

Simultaneous spectrophotometric determination of salbutamol and bromhexine in tablets.

Typical anti-mucolytic drugs called salbutamol hydrochloride and bromhexine sulfate encountered in tablets were determined simultaneously either by using linear regression at zero-crossing wavelengths of the first derivation of UV-spectra or by application of multiple linear partial least squares regression method. The results obtained by the two proposed mathematical methods were compared with those obtained by the HPLC technique.

Determination of oxalate based on its enhancing effect on the oxidation of Mn(II) by periodate.

A new kinetic spectrophotometric method for the determination of oxalate has been described, based on its enhancing effect on the oxidation of Mn(II) to MnO(4)(-), which is measured at 525 nm, by potassium periodate. Under the optimum conditions of 20 mugml(-1) Mn(II) in MnSO(4).H(2)O/0.015 moll(-1) H(3)PO(4)/0.013 moll(-1) sodium acetate and 3x10(-3) moll(-1) KIO(4) at 35 degrees C, calibration graphs in the range of 0.05-1.25 and 0.05-1.75 mugml(-1) oxalate concentration were obtained with detection limits of 27 and 5 ngml(-1) by the fixed time and the induction period methods, respectively. No serious interference was identified. The proposed method is simple, inexpensive, sensitive and accurate. The applicability of the method was demonstrated by the determination of the oxalate in spinach and urine samples.