The Alternative Voltammetric Method for the Determination of Nicotine and Its Metabolite Nicotine N-Oxide

In the present paper, for the first time, the electrochemical behaviour of nicotine metabolite nicotine N-oxide (NNO) on static mercury dropping electrode (SMDE) and mercury meniscus modified silver solid amalgam electrode (m-AgSAE) has been reported. Nicotine N-oxide is reduced forming one peak at the potential -0.78 V on SDME and -0.86 V on m-AgSAE in Britton-Robinson buffer medium at pH 4.5 using cyclic voltammetry (CV). One electron and one proton take part in the reaction of NNO reduction. Calibration graphs for NNO determination using linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) on SDME and square-wave voltammetry (SWV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) on m-AgSAE were obtained. Limit of detection (LOD) is 0.13 μM on SDME, and 0.16 μM (SWV) and 0.29 μM (DPV) on m-AgSAE. Since NNO can be used as an analytical form for nicotine voltammetric determination, so the developed methods were applied for the analysis of pharmaceutical preparations, and the recoveries from 97.3 to 104.6 % were achieved. Also, the elaborated methods were used in the analysis of biological fluids, and tobacco products. The obtained results were compared to those indicated in the certificates of drugs analysis, and to the results, obtained by reference methods (HPLC and GC).

The effect of Fe3+ ions on the electrochemical behaviour of ocean manganese nodule reduction leaching in sulphuric acid solution

The effect of Fe3+ ions on the ocean manganese nodule reductive leaching in imitated sulphuric acid solutions was investigated.

Valorization of Albedo Orange Peel Waste to Develop Electrode Materials in Supercapacitors for the Electric Industry

This work proposes the use of albedo of orange peel in generation of carbon for applications in supercapacitors. For this, a comparison of compositional and electrochemical properties present in the carbons obtained of albedo, flavedo, and the complete orange peel was carried out. The morphology and composition of carbons obtained were analyzed by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The synthetized carbons were not subjected to the activation process by chemical compounds to relate only the properties of orange peel parts with their electrochemical behaviour. All samples were tested by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The carbon obtained of albedo presented a superior specific capacitance (210 F/g) of the rest samples. The value of albedo-based carbon capacitance is comparable with works presented in the literature that used a whole orange peel with chemical activators. In this way, it is possible to obtain large capacitances using only a part of orange peel (albedo). Thus, the importance of this study is that the albedo can be proposed as a material applied to electrodes for supercapacitors while the flavedo can be used in food industry or for oil extraction.

Electrochemical Behaviour of Ti and Ti-6Al-4V Alloy in Phosphate Buffered Saline Solution

The electrochemical behavior of commercially pure titanium (CP Ti) and Ti-6Al-4V (Grade 5) alloy in phosphate buffered saline solution (PBS, pH = 7.4) at 37 °C (i.e., in simulated physiological solution in the human body) was examined using open circuit potential measurements, linear and potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy methods. After the impedance measurements and after potentiodynamic polarizationmeasurements, the surface of the samples was investigated by scanning electron microscopy, while the elemental composition of oxide film on the surface of each sample was determined by EDS analysis. The electrochemical and corrosion behavior of CP Ti and Ti-6Al-4V alloys is due to forming a two-layer model of surface oxide film, consisting of a thin barrier-type inner layer and a porous outer layer. The inner barrier layer mainly prevents corrosion of CP Ti and Ti-6Al-4V alloy, whose thickness and resistance increase sharply in the first few days of exposure to PBS solution. With longer exposure times to the PBS solution, the structure of the barrier layer subsequently settles, and its resistance increases further. Compared to Ti-6Al-4V alloy, CP Ti shows greater corrosion stability.

Anodic behaviour of manganese germanide Mn5Ge3 in a sodium sulphate aqueous solution

Germanides are an interesting class of two-component systems which consist of metal and germanium. They are similar in their structure with silicides but have the specific properties. The target of the investigation was finding the main anodic electrochemical behaviour mechanisms for magnesium germanide Mn5Ge3 in an Na2SO4 aqueous solution.Electrochemical behaviour of manganese germanide obtained by Czochralski method was investigated by polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy methods and accomplished by microscopy data. Individual manganese and germanium were investigated in the same way for comparison. It was established that in the anodic oxidation process germanium is the potential-determining component. The passivation process associated with the formation of surface oxide films was accomplished by the current density oscillations appearing due to the bad adhesion of oxide film to the surface of the sample, its imperfection and discontinuity. The nature of oxide film formed in the polarization process waspartially established. The dependence of the anodic behaviour of the sample on the sulphate concentration was established: in the diluted solutions the passivation occurs at more positive potentials than in the concentrated. This phenomenon can be explained by the different mechanisms of anodic oxidation in the solutions of different concentrations.