Minute litter bugs (Heteroptera: Schizopteridae) from the Brazilian Amazon savannas, a poorly sampled biome.

The minute litter bugs (Heteroptera: Schizopteridae) fauna from the Brazilian Amazon comprises only nine species described during the past four years. In this paper, the Schizopteridae fauna of an Amazonian savanna was surveyed, resulting in the discovery of two new species of Corixidea Reuter and a new species of Schizoptera (Cantharocoris) McAtee Malloch: Corixidea graziae sp. nov., Corixidea quilombola sp. nov., and Schizoptera (Cantharocoris) savannensis sp. nov. The species C. graziae sp. nov. and C. quilombola sp. nov. can be distinguished from other Corixidea species by the shape of the process of mediotergite 8 while S. (Cantharocoris) savannensis sp. nov. can be recognized among species of its subgenus by a combination of the shape of the subgenital plate and right conjunctival appendage. The species herein described represent the first records of these genera for the Brazilian Amazon. We provide diagnoses, photographs of habitus, and illustrations of male genitalia.

Optimization and comparison of HPLC and RRLC conditions for the analysis of carbonyl-DNPH derivatives.

Analytical conditions for the analysis of 15 carbonyl-DNPH derivatives were optimized and compared by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and rapid resolution liquid chromatography (RRLC). Binary, ternary and quaternary mixtures of acetonitrile, isopropanol, methanol, tetrahydrofuran and water were evaluated under RRLC conditions employing a Zorbax Eclipse Plus C18 (50 mm x 4.6 mm x 1.8 microm) column and a Zorbax Eclipse Plus C18 (50 mm x 2.1 mm x 1.8 microm) column. The optimized conditions obtained employing the two RRLC columns were compared with those obtained using a Supelcosil C18 (250 mm x 4.6 mm x 5 microm; Supelco) that is designed for HPLC separation of DNPH derivatives. Chromatograms run with a Zorbax Eclipse Plus C18 (50 mm x 2.1 mm x 1.8 microm) column and a mobile phase composed of isopropanol, methanol, tetrahydrofuran and water led to the best separation conditions considering reduced analysis time (approximately 6 min per run), solvent consumption rate (approximately 2 mL per run) and resolution of propanone, acrolein and propionaldehyde hydrazones. Quantification limits and linear ranges were adequate for direct application of EPA TO-11 conditions in all sets of RRLC and HPLC conditions. The analytical method was applied in the determination of carbonyl compounds (CCs) in Niterói City, RJ, Brazil in samples that were collected during periods of 2h. Formaldehyde (8.22-9.78 ppbv) predominated in all periods followed by acetaldehyde (1.77-3.99ppbv) and propanone (1.89-3.26 ppbv). Heavy CCs such as butyraldehyde and benzaldehyde were also detected in most samples. Total CCs varied along the studied day. The obtained results showed that RRLC can be applied to CCs determination without any change in the conditions of sample preparation of the Method EPA TO-11.

Investigation of asphaltene association by front-face fluorescence spectroscopy.

The tendency of asphaltenes to aggregate and form clusters in solvents was studied by fluorescence spectroscopy. This was done by evaluating the relative fluorescence quantum yield of asphaltenes diluted at several concentrations in toluene and by studying the changes in the fluorescence spectra of asphaltene solutions as the composition of the solvent, toluene and cyclohexane, is changed. The asphaltene fraction (heptane insoluble) was collected from a Brazilian heavy crude oil, and solutions of this material varying from 0.016 g/L up to 10 g/L were prepared in toluene. Front-face emission spectra were obtained in two wavelength ranges, from 310 to 710 nm, excited at 300 nm (short range), and from 410 to 710 nm, excited at 400 nm (long range). Severe quenching was observed at concentrations above about 0.1 g/L. Stern-Volmer plots (reciprocal of quantum yield against concentration) exhibited nonlinear, downward-curved behavior, indicating that a more complex suppression mechanism, probably influenced by the association of the asphaltene molecules, is taking place. The same asphaltenes were dissolved (0.1 g/L) in binary mixtures of toluene and cyclohexane, and emission spectra in both the short range and long range were obtained. Fluorescence was progressively quenched at longer wavelengths of the spectra as the proportion of cyclohexane in the solvent grew. Cyclohexane, a poor asphaltene solvent, is probably inducing static quenching through association of asphaltenes.