Spectroscopic, Raman, EMPA, Micro-XRF and Micro-XANES Analyses of Sulphur Concentration and Oxidation State of Natural Apatite Crystals

Sulphur is the third most abundant volatile element in deep Earth systems. Analytical methods for accurately and efficiently determining the sulphur content and oxidation state in natural minerals are still lacking. Natural apatite is widely distributed in the Earth and incorporates a large amount of sulphur. Therefore, apatite is an ideal mineral for performing sulphur measurements. Here, we used spectroscopic, Raman, X-ray diffraction, laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), electron microprobe (EMPA) and micro-X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (micro-XRF) analysis techniques and developed a new analytical approach (i.e., micro-X-ray absorption near-edge structure (micro-XANES) analysis of the sulphur K-edge) to investigate the chemical characteristics of natural apatite. These multiple methods were developed to measure in situ sulphur concentration and S oxidation states and to assess a potential natural apatite reference material. Apatite contains chemically homogeneous sulphur, with micro-XANES located at the peak energies corresponding to S6+ (sulphate; ~2482 eV), S4+ (sulfite; ~2478 eV), and S2− (sulphide; ~2467, 2470 and 2474 eV). The Durango apatite contains total S presented as SO3 at amount of 0.332 ± 0.012 wt.% (1σ), with a large amount of S6+ and a small contribution of S4+. The Kovdor apatite contains 44–100 ppm of S and is dominated by S6+. These results indicate that the Durango apatite crystallised under relative oxidising conditions, and the Kovdor apatite has a higher oxygen fugacity than Durango. In addition, this study indicates the potential use of the natural apatite reference material with its S composition and S oxidation state.

Growth of Wheat and Na+/ K+ Ratio under Neutral and Alkaline Salts Stress

Saline soils contain multiple types of soluble salts. Role of alkaline salts (AS) may be different than neutral salts (NS) for crop growth. Usually these types of salinity frequently co-exist. Neutral salts generally induce osmotic stress and ion-induced injury to growing crop plants. Behavior of AS may be different due to high pH. This study was conducted to see the response of wheat growth and Na+/ K+ ratio under AS and NS application as nutrient solution study. Germinated disinfected seeds of wheat (Cv. Pak-13) and raised in sand. Ten days seedlings were transferred to pots containing standard nutrients solution, with the application of 30 and 60 mM of NS (NaCl, Na2SO4) and AS (NaHCO3 and Na2CO3) separately in 1:1 ratio using complete randomize design in triplicates. The seedling growth period in salt solution comprised 33 days. Biomass and the selected inorganic ions were affected significantly (p< 0.01) under salt stress. The magnitude of loss of bio mass was 11 percent higher in AS than that of NS application. Phosphorus and sulphur concentration were lower 10 and 7 percent with AS than NS respectively besides high Na+/K+ ratio and pH. Further such studies on salt tolerant crop varieties can be carried out to differentiate response under different types of salts.

Structural and Optoelectronic Properties of Zinc Sulfide Thin Films Synthesized by Co-Precipitation Method

Wide bandgap Zinc Sulfide nanocrystals are prepared by a simple co-precipitation method at different precursor concentrations. The influence of sulphur concentration in Zinc sulfide on morphological, optical and electric properties is found to be significant. The Zinc Sulfide nanomaterial was prepared using low-cost starting materials and deionised water as the solvent. As synthesized Zinc Sulfide nanocrystals were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) analysis, UV-Visible Spectrophotometry, Photoluminescence (PL), Scanning electron Microscopy (SEM), Ellipsometry techniques and electric conductivity measurements. XRD patterns revealed that ZnS nanocrystals are polycrystalline, cubic phase with (111) preferred orientation. The obtained crystallites have sizes in the range of 5 to 11 nm. EDS pattern confirms the purity of the films. From optical absorption measurements, it is clear that the direct energy gap decreases from 5.2 to 4.4eV with the increase in sulphur concentration in ZnS and exhibit large quantum confinement effect. Ellipsometry was used to determine the optical constants and film thickness. The films deposited on ITO – coated glass was used to record the IV Characteristics of the films by two probe method. The wide-bandgap, conducting materials have applications in optoelectronic devices such as high-frequency UV detectors and thin-film solar cells.

Density of mudclams Anodontia edentula Linnaeus, 1758 relation to enviromental parameters of Muna Regency

The research aims to analyze the density of mud clams Anodintia edentula Linnaeus, 1758 relation to environmental parameters, covering organic material content and composition of sediment in Muna regency. Research carried out in coastal Lambiku and Tobea island. The sample collection begins in March until May 2011, intervals collection example once a month for three months. A collection of mud clams example in a plot trasek (Line Transect Plot) is determined (purposive sampling). A plot observation based on three categories, Plot I near coast, Plot II the transition and Plot III far from the beach, intervals 50m each a plot observation. Analysis data the density use Krebs (1978) formula, relations of density and environmental parameters use corelation and descriptif analysis. The research results show that the density is different of mud clams between Tobea island and coastal Lambiku. The density of mud clams on the Tobea island have higher is 33 ind m-2 or 29-40 ind m-2. While density of mud clams in coast Lambiku is 10 ind m-2 or 8-11 ind m-2. The density of mud clams far from the beach between the coastal areas relatively different. While composition sediment and the organic matter on Tobea island and coastal Lambiku relatively is the same. Phosphates and sulphur concentration on the Tobea island each of 13,90 ppm and 15,76 ppm. Phosphates and sulphur concentration in coastal Lambiku each of 14,55 ppm and 17,01 ppm. Phosphate and sulfur concentrate far from shore show organic material content of sulphur and phosphates is high with density mud clams.

Density of mudclams Anodontia edentula Linnaeus, 1758 relation to enviromental parameters of Muna Regency

The research aims to analyze the density of mud clams Anodintia edentula Linnaeus, 1758 relation to environmental parameters, covering organic material content and composition of sediment in Muna regency. Research carried out in coastal Lambiku and Tobea island. The sample collection begins in March until May 2011, intervals collection example once a month for three months. A collection of mud clams example in a plot trasek (Line Transect Plot) is determined (purposive sampling). A plot observation based on three categories, Plot I near coast, Plot II the transition and Plot III far from the beach, intervals 50m each a plot observation. Analysis data the density use Krebs (1978) formula, relations of density and environmental parameters use corelation and descriptif analysis. The research results show that the density is different of mud clams between Tobea island and coastal Lambiku. The density of mud clams on the Tobea island have higher is 33 ind m-2 or 29-40 ind m-2. While density of mud clams in coast Lambiku is 10 ind m-2 or 8-11 ind m-2. The density of mud clams far from the beach between the coastal areas relatively different. While composition sediment and the organic matter on Tobea island and coastal Lambiku relatively is the same. Phosphates and sulphur concentration on the Tobea island each of 13,90 ppm and 15,76 ppm. Phosphates and sulphur concentration in coastal Lambiku each of 14,55 ppm and 17,01 ppm. Phosphate and sulfur concentrate far from shore show organic material content of sulphur and phosphates is high with density mud clams.

Short Communication: Sulphur Levels and Fuel Quality in Peninsular Malaysia

This paper presents the investigation on sulphur levels in fuels collected from different petrol stations in Peninsular Malaysia. Diesel and gasoline samples were analysed for sulphur using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry technique. In general, diesel concentrations of sulphur were only slightly lower than the Deprtment of Environment’s current sulphur limit of 500 p.p.m. across 2010–2014 (the range was 289–698 p.p.m., 374–410 p.p.m., 319–436 p.p.m., 447–605 p.p.m. and 300–477 p.p.m. for 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, respectively). Sulphur concentrations were relatively low in gasoline samples: the mean figures were 95, 77, 96, 74, 240 and 125 for 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, respectively when compared with the sulphur limit of 500 p.p.m.. The importance of determining sulphur concentration in fuel oils was critical in the efforts to determine if the vehicles used quality fuels that comply with Euro 2 Standards; and also was relevant in meeting Euro 4 Standards requirement of 50 p.p.m. sulphur that was proposed to be adopted in the future.

Kondisi Optimum Reaksi Vulkanisasi Minyak Jarak Kepyar dengan Sulfur dalam Pembentukan Faktis Cokelat Bermutu Tinggi, Optimum Condition of Castor Oil Vulcanization With Sulphur on High Quality Brown Factice Formation

<p>Manufaktur produk karet diawali oleh pembuatan kompon karet dengan cara mencampurkan karet dengan bahan kimia. Salah satu bahan kimia utama karet adalah bahan bantu olah yang berfungsi untuk mempermudah pencampuran dan distribusi bahan kimia terutama bahan pengisi dalam matriks karet. Faktis cokelat yang dihasilkan dari vulkanisasi minyak nabati dengan sulfur merupakan bahan bantu olah karet yang banyak digunakan dalam industri hilir karet. Dalam reaksi vulkanisasi terjadi pembentukan ikatan silang antar trigliserida dalam minyak nabati yang dijembatani oleh sulfur. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menen-tukan kondisi optimum pembentukan faktis cokelat pada skala laboratorium berkapasitas 200 ml/<em>batch</em> dari minyak jarak kepyar sebagai sumber trigliserida yang direaksikan dengan sulfur (23 dan 24 bsm) pada berbagai suhu (150^oC, 160^oC, dan 170^oC). Penentuan kondisi optimum reaksi didasarkan pada hasil karak-terisasi visualisasi fisik dan sifat kimia faktis cokelat yang diperoleh. Hasil percobaan menunjukkan bahwa kondisi optimal reaksi vulkanisasi pembentukan faktis cokelat tercapai pada suhu 150^oC dan penambahan sulfur 24 bsm. Pada kondisi reaksi vulkanisasi tersebut diperoleh faktis cokelat yang memiliki spesifikasi mutu terbaik meliputi kadar ekstrak aseton 52,43%, kadar sulfur bebas sebesar 1,20%, kadar abu 0,11%, dan pH sebesar 6,45 dan derajat ikatan silang 3,2 x 10^-4 mol/mL. Faktis ini berwarna cokelat dan bertekstur kenyal. Mengacu pada sifat tersebut, faktis cokelat yang diperoleh layak dikembangkan pada skala yang lebih tinggi.</p><p> </p><p>Manufacture of rubber goods is began with rubber compounding by mixing the rubber with its chemicals including processing aids. The function of processing aids is to facilitate the compounding process. Brown factice from vulcanization of vegetable oil with sulphur, is the most processing aid being used in downstream rubber industry. During vulcanization, the triglyceride content on vegetable oil form crosslink which is bridged by sulphur. The research was aimed to determine the optimum condition of brown factice formation at laboratory scale (200 ml/batch) from castor oil which was reacted with various sulphur concentration (23 and 24 pho) and themperature of reaction (150^oC, 160^oC, dan 170^oC). The determination of optimum condition was based on brown factice characteristic such physical visualization and chemical properties. The result showed that the optimum reaction condition was gained at themperature reaction of 150^oC and sulphur concentration of 24 pho. By those condition, the brown factice had 52.43% extract acetone content, 1.20% free sulphur content, 0.11% ash content and pH 6.45 and crosslink density as 3.2 x 10^-4 mol/mL. The brown factice also had good brown color and elastic texture. Based on its properties, the brown factice achieved was feasible to be developed at higher scale.</p>