Retrieving planktonic foraminifera from lithified rocks, examples from the Eocene limestones and marls (External Dinarides, Croatia).

Paleoecologic (paleoclimatologic) and biostratigraphic studies of pelagic and deep-water deposits rely on the identification of planktonic foraminifera. Here we report and compare the results of planktonic foraminiferal assemblages from the Middle Eocene indurated limestones and marls collected in the External Dinarides extracted with acetic acid of different concentrations (50%, 60%, 70% and 80%) and different reaction (exposure) times. The deposits originated within the Dinaric foreland basin, have been assigned to the so-called Transitional beds and Flysch, and are characterized by different ratio of carbonate content and degree of lithification. The aim of this paper is to compare the efficiency of the laboratory procedures for obtaining isolated specimens and to evaluate the impact of preparation procedure on the quality of tests (complete test vs. secondary dissolution effects). For each acetic concentration we assessed:(1)the effectiveness of the treatment in terms of the time required for successful extraction of planktonic foraminifera, and(2)the degree of dissolution by analyses of dissolution proxies, including the weight percentage of sieved residues after disaggregation and preservation features of the tests. Our results indicate that accurate taxonomic analysis of carbonate rocks requires the use of 60% acetic acid for a shorter reaction time, and hydrogen peroxide methods for marls.

Direct potentiometric determination of starch using a platinum redox sensor.

Here, we describe the development of a platinum redox sensor for the direct potentiometric quantification of starch in solution. The sensor measures the decrease in free triiodide ion after it complexes with starch to form a starch-triiodide complex. This decrease was, therefore, correlated with starch concentration, and the composition and stability of the potassium triiodide solution were optimised. The starch-triiodide complex was characterized potentiometrically at variable starch and triiodide concentrations. We also propose a response mechanism for the platinum redox sensor towards starch and an appropriate theoretical model. The optimised method exhibited satisfactory accuracy and precision and was in good agreement with a standard spectrophotometric method. The sensor was tested over a range of 0.4-9 mg starch, with recoveries ranging from 97.8% to 103.4% and a detection limit of 0.01 mg starch.

A new potentiometric sensor for the determination of α-amylase activity.

A platinum redox sensor for the direct potentiometric determination of α-amylase concentration has been described. The sensor measured the amount of triiodide released from a starch-triiodide complex, which was correlated with the α-amylase activity after biocatalytic starch degradation. The composition and stability of the potassium triiodide solution was optimized. The starch-triiodide complex was characterized potentiometrically at variable starch and triiodide concentrations. The response mechanism of the platinum redox sensor towards α-amylase was proposed and the appropriate theoretical model was elaborated. The results obtained using the redox sensor exhibited satisfactory accuracy and precision and good agreement with a standard spectrophotometric method and high-sensitive fully automated descret analyser method. The sensor was tested on pure α-amylase (EC 3.2.1.1, Fluka, Switzerland), industrial granulated α-amylase Duramyl 120 T and an industrial cogranulate of protease and α-amylase Everlase/Duramyl 8.0 T/60 T. The detection limit was found to be 1.944 mU for α-amylase in the range of 0-0.54 U (0-15 µg), 0.030 mKNU for Duramyl 120 T in the range of 0-9.6 mKNU (0-80 µg) and 0.032 mKNU for Everlase/Duramyl 8.0 T/60 T in the range of 0-9.24 mKNU (0-140 µg).