Assessment of the effect of heavy metal salts on the photosynthetic activity of aquatic plants

The status of the photosynthetic pigments in the aquatic plants Lemna minor L. and Elodea canadensis Michx. under the action of Ni2+, Co2+, Cu2+ and Pb2+ acetate in concentrations 5.00, 2.50, 1.25, 0.62, 0.31, 0.15, 0.07, and 0.03 mg/L was assessed by changes in the fluorescence intensity of chlorophyll a and b and their ratio. It was established that nickel acetate in original solutions in all the above concentrations caused an increase in the fluorescence intensity of chlorophylls a and b in L. minor in relation to the control while the lead salt suppressed it. Co2+ acetate inhibits the fluorescence of chlorophyll a with concentrations in the initial solutions of 0.03 to 0.15 and 2.50 mg/L and that of chlorophyll b at all concentrations, except 0.62, 1.25 and 2.50 mg/L. For E. canadensis it was found that the salts of all metals at all concentrations caused a reduction of the fluorescence intensity of chlorophyll a relative to the control and increased it in the case of chlorophyll b. The exception is the effect of copper and lead acetates with a concentration of 1.25 mg/L, when the fluorescence intensity of chlorophyll b is maintained at the control level. The presence of Ni2+, Co2+, Cu2+, and Pb2+ acetates in all concentrations in the culture medium influences the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of chlorophyll a and b, which indicates a violation of the photosynthesis process. Our data on the change in the chlorophyll a / b ratio leads to a conclusion about degradation of chlorophyll a relative to chlorophyll b after the effect of heavy metals.

Engineering fluorinated-cation containing inverted perovskite solar cells with an efficiency of >21% and improved stability towards humidity

Efficient and stable perovskite solar cells with a simple active layer are desirable for manufacturing. Three-dimensional perovskite solar cells are most efficient but need to have improved environmental stability. Inclusion of larger ammonium salts has led to a trade-off between improved stability and efficiency, which is attributed to the perovskite films containing a two-dimensional component. Here, we show that addition of 0.3 mole percent of a fluorinated lead salt into the three-dimensional methylammonium lead iodide perovskite enables low temperature fabrication of simple inverted solar cells with a maximum power conversion efficiency of 21.1%. The perovskite layer has no detectable two-dimensional component at salt concentrations of up to 5 mole percent. The high concentration of fluorinated material found at the film-air interface provides greater hydrophobicity, increased size and orientation of the surface perovskite crystals, and unencapsulated devices with increased stability to high humidity.

Morphology and Composition of Lead-Cadmium Sulfide Photo-Sensitive Films

CdxPb1-xS films with a thickness of 620 and 680 nm were prepared by chemical precipitation from a reaction mixture containing lead salt, thiourea, alkali and cadmium acetate. The concentration of cadmium acetate was 0.01 and 0.1 mol/l. Electron-microscopic studies showed a fundamental difference in the morphology of the CdxPb1-xS thin films with a 10-fold difference in the concentration of cadmium acetate in the reaction bath. The results of energy dispersive analysis indicate the nonstoichiometry of the synthesized films on sulfur. Auger spectrometry revealed a high content of oxygen in the surface layer of the thin film coating CdxPb1-xS (up to 10 and 40 at. %). In the sample obtained from the reaction bath containing 0.01 mol / l of cadmium acetate, after ion etching at a depth of more than 30 nm, no oxygen was detected. In a sample prepared with a cadmium acetate content of up to 0.1 mol/l, the oxygen content does not exceed 3 at. %

Impact of external physical effects on water and aqueous solutions: the problem of “memory”

A brief analysis of scientific publications on the changes in the physicochemical properties of water and aqueous solutions under the influence of temperature, magnetic and electric fields, laser and microwave radiation, ultrasound, and mechanical mixing was performed. A number of researchers have shown the influence of such effects on changes in pH and redox potential, electrical conductivity, surface tension and viscosity of an aqueous solution. The question of influence of external physical effects on water and aqueous solutions remains controversial. Some scientists suggest that water has a cluster structure, which is influenced by physical effects. An important aspect of the problem is the impact on the subsequent behavior and the final result of a chemical process involving previously treated aqueous solutions. Using water solutions of lead and thiourea as an example, the effect of their temperature prehistory in the range of 275-369 K on the kinetics of precipitation of the solid phase of lead sulfide and their microstructure is demonstrated. A threefold change in the composition of supersaturated CdxPb1–xS solid solutions precipitated from solutions containing a lead salt with different temperature prehistory was established. It is shown that the “memory” on the preliminary temperature effect is maintained for at least a day. The influence of electromagnetic treatment of water and aqueous solutions on the content of dissolved oxygen, pH and electrical conductivity is analyzed. Some scientists explain these results by the influence of the field on the structure of hydrogen bonds, others by a change in the cluster structure of water, as well as by the presence of ferromagnetic particles in water. The review presents the current state of the problem of the “memory” effect and the related influence of the prehistory of the impact of physical factors. The review suggested that the “memory” of an aqueous solution is the preservation for a certain time of the changes in its structure and properties that have arisen as a result of the effect. The basic ideas about the mechanisms of influence of the prehistory of physical effects on aqueous solutions are given.

Transformation of Combustion Nanocatalysts inside Solid Rocket Motor under Various Pressures

In this paper, the dependences of the morphology, particle sizes, and compositions of the condensed combustion products (CCP) of modified double-base propellants (1,3,5-trimethylenetrinitramine (RDX) as oxidizer) on the chamber pressure (<35 MPa) and nickel inclusion have been evaluated under a practical rocket motor operation. It has been shown that higher pressure results in smaller average particle sizes of the CCPs. The CCPs of Ni-containing propellants have more diverse morphologies, including spherical particles, large layered structures, and small flakes coated on large particles depending on the pressure. The specific surface area (SSA) of CCPs is in the range of 2.49 to 3.24 m2 g−1 for propellants without nickel are less dependent on the pressure, whereas it is 1.22 to 3.81 Ni-based propellants. The C, N, O, Al, Cu, Pb, and Si are the major elements presented on the surfaces of the CCP particles of both propellants. The compositions of CCPs from Ni-propellant are much more diverse than another one, but only three or four major phases have been found for both propellants under any pressure. The metallic copper is presented in CCPs for both propellants when the chamber pressure is low. The lead salt as the catalyst has been transformed in to Pb(OH)Cl as the most common products of lead-based catalysts with pressure lower than 15 MPa. When pressure is higher than 5 MPa, the nickel-based CCPs has been found to contain one of the following crystalline phases: Pb2Ni(NO2)6, (NH4)2Ni(SO4)2·6H2O, C2H2NiO4·2H2O, and NiO, depending on the pressure.