The condensation reaction between carbohydrazide and salicylaldehyde in different solvents gave mono(salicylidene)carbohydrazide (1). The structure of 1 in solution has been determined by using experimental (NMR and UV spectroscopies and Mass spectrometry) and quantum chemical (DFT) meth- ods. It has been demonstrated that 1 adopts the hydroxy-one tautomeric form which is in accordance with previously published results for the related systems. Changes in NMR chemical shifts and calculations have pointed towards a formation of intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonds, the later being weaker and easily broken at higher temperatures. These results can further be exploited for better understanding of the role hydrogen bonds can play in bioactivity of related derivatives. (doi: 10.5562/cca2123)

Acrolein is a toxic unsaturated aldehyde and widespread environmental pollutant produced during lipid peroxidation and also by burning of tobacco or liquid fuels. Inhalation or dermal exposure to acrolein could be toxic to organisms. This very reactive aldehyde has a strong affinity for binding to proteins thus forming pathogenic protein‐adducts. In the present study we have analyzed formation of bioreactive acrolein‐protein adducts in bovine serum albumin solution exposed to exhaust gases of mineral diesel fuel and of mineral diesel fuel supplemented with different amounts of a novel diesel fuel additive denoted Ecodiesel (produced by a genuine procedure of recycling of plant oils used for food preparation). The effects of acrolein‐protein adducts were tested on human microvascular endothelial cells and on human osteosarcoma cells that are sensitive to bioactivities of lipid peroxidation products. The results have shown a reduction of the bioreactive acrolein in exhaust gases when mineral diesel was supplemented with 5–20% Ecodiesel. Moreover, acrolein‐protein adducts obtained from mineral diesel supplemented with Ecodiesel were less toxic than those obtained from mineral diesel alone. Thus, we assume that supplementing mineral diesel fuel with Ecodiesel would be of benefit for the use of renewable energy, for environment and for human health due to reduced environmental pollution with bioreactive acrolein. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol, 2011.

U ovom radu obrađuje se pojam fotografije sirokog dinamickog raspona. Dinamicki raspon scene u prirodi je razlika između osvijetljenih i sjenovitih podrucja i veci je sto je scena kontrastnija te uvelike prelazi dinamicki raspon ljudskog oka, senzora fotoaparata, zaslona racunala ili mogucnosti ispisa. Fotografija sirokog dinamickog raspona je fotografija koju se zapisuje u posebnom digitalnom zapisu i sadrži zapisane sve vrijednosti luminacije scene. Dakle, postoji nacin bilježenja sirokog dinamickog raspona, ali tehnologija fotoaparata i tiska jos nije mogucnosti snimiti (pri jednostrukoj ekspoziciji) odnosno otisnuti takav raspon tonova. Proces izrade ovakve fotografije sastoji se od snimanja dinamickog raspona visestrukim ekspozicijama iste scene, generiranja fotografije sirokog dinamickog raspona iz dobivenih fotografija te ponovnim smanjivanjem dinamickog raspona tonskim mapiranjem kako bi fotografiju bilo moguce prikazati, odnosno otisnuti. Prakticnim primjerima detaljno je opisan proces izrade fotografije sirokog dinamickog raspona te kreativne mogucnosti koje ona nudi.

Polymeric dispersive viscosity index improvers of lubricating mineral oils based on styrene, dodecyl-methacrylate, octadecyl methacrylate, and N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (d-PSAMA) were produced by performing copolymerizations isothermally up to the high conversion in mineral base oil solution, using monofunctional or bifunctional peroxide initiator. The obtained kinetics results reveal the benefits of the usage of a bifunctional peroxide initiator over a monofunctional, because complete conversion of monomers was accomplished in the shorter reaction time, performing the process in a full batchwise mode. When the bifunctional initiator was applied, the required polymerization temperature was slightly higher (105 °C), and copolymers of higher average molecular weight values (Mw = 60–120 kg mol–1) were obtained, while in case of the monofunctional peroxide initiator, the reaction temperature was 100 °C, and average molecular weight values of copolymers were Mw = 30–100 kg/mol. Investigated applicati...

An approach has been proposed combining one dimensional inverse gated 13C NMR spectroscopy and a comprehensive two dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) to analyze diesel fuels prior and after oxidation under the standard conditions. Classes of hydrocarbons present before and after oxidation have been identified and quantified. A decrease in aromatic iso- and n-paraffinic hydrocarbons and an increase in the total saturated hydrocarbons have been observed after oxidation. In that respect NMR spectroscopy has potential to be used as standard method for determination of oxidation stability. Furthermore, GC×GC has been applied to identify compounds involved in the formation of sediments during oxidation. Obtained results have shown that hydrocarbon composition, especially the normal paraffin content play a role in the formation of sediments in these distillate fuels. This is important since sediments may influence the quality of diesel fuels.

A portable instrument that measures heavy metal concentration from a colorimetric sensor array is presented. The use of eight sensing membranes, placed on a plastic support, allows to obtain the hue component of the HSV colour space of each one in order to determinate the concentration of metals present in a solution. The developed microcontroller-based system captures, in an ambient light environment, an image of the sensor array using an integrated micro-camera and shows the picture in a touch micro-LCD screen which acts as user interface. After image-processing of the regions of interest selected by the user, colour and concentration information are displayed on the screen.

Abstract Various types of bio-components, such as all types of edible oils (sunflower, rape, palm), used edible oils may be used in the fluid catalytic cracking process as part in standard FCC feed. In this work, the used sunflower oil was chosen as a feed added to the standard FCC feedstock in the quantity of 10 v/v % and 20 v/v %. Testing of yield and distribution of products (gas components, LPG, FCC gasoline, light cyclic oil, heavy cyclic oils, and coke) has been performed by the micro-activity test and the obtained results have been compared with the yields and products obtained from the standard feedstock. The equilibrium zeolite catalyst from the commercial FCC unit was used. It was shown how the use of bio-components as the standard FCC feed has been proven to meet the requirements for use of bio-fuels in road transportation, as well as to provide a quality disposal of used edible oils without high added costs.

Kontrola Euro IV kvalitete benzina prema važecoj evropskoj normi prihvacenoj i u Hrvatskoj propisuje maksimalno dopustene kolicine benzena, olefina, aromata i oksigenata. Za takva mjerenja uobicajeno se koristi vise razlicitih standardnih test metoda. U ovom radu opisana je i testirana brza i jednostavna 1H NMR spektrometrijska metoda, kojim se na osnovu podataka dobivenih iz samo jednog spektra istovremeno u motornim benzinima određuje sadržaj benzena, olefina, aromata i MTBE u vol% . Analiza daje i podatak o prisutnosti vise razlicitih oksigenata koji se lako mogu pojedinacno identificirati. Metoda ne zahtjeva posebnu pripravu uzorka niti upotrebu referentnih komponenata a potrebno je svega 0, 5 ml uzorka i traje ~30 min. Metoda je testirana na komercijalnim uzorcima motornih benzina razlicitog porijekla iz redovite opskrbe tržista. Rezultati su pokazali odlicno slaganje sa rezultatima standardnih test metoda.