[Quantitative Analysis of Mn in Soil Samples Using LIBS].

The trace element of Manganese element in the agricultural farm (Anhui Huaiyuan Nongkang) soil was quantitatively analyzed by Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. The line of 403.1 nm was selected as the analysis line of Mn. The matrix element of Fe in soil was chosen as the internal calibration element and the analysis line was 407.2 nm. Ten soil samples were used to construct calibration curves with traditional method and internal standard method, and four soil samples were selected as test samples. The experimental results showed that the fitting correlation coefficient (r) is 0.954 when using the traditional method, the maximum relative error of the measurement samples is 5.72%, and the detection limit of Mn in soil is 93 mg x kg(-1). While using the internal standard method to construct the calibration curve, the fitting correlation coefficient (r) is 0.983, the relative error of measurement samples is reduced to 4.1%, and the detection limit of Mn in soil is 71 mg x kg(-1). The result indicates that LIBS technique can be used to detect trace element Mn in soil. In a certain extent, the internal standard method can improve the accuracy of measurement.

[Quantitative analysis of thiram by surface-enhanced raman spectroscopy combined with feature extraction Algorithms].

Three feature extraction algorithms, such as the principal component analysis (PCA), the discrete cosine transform (DCT) and the non-negative factorization (NMF), were used to extract the main information of the spectral data in order to weaken the influence of the spectral fluctuation on the subsequent quantitative analysis results based on the SERS spectra of the pesticide thiram. Then the extracted components were respectively combined with the linear regression algorithm--the partial least square regression (PLSR) and the non-linear regression algorithm--the support vector machine regression (SVR) to develop the quantitative analysis models. Finally, the effect of the different feature extraction algorithms on the different kinds of the regression algorithms was evaluated by using 5-fold cross-validation method. The experiments demonstrate that the analysis results of SVR are better than PLSR for the non-linear relationship between the intensity of the SERS spectrum and the concentration of the analyte. Further, the feature extraction algorithms can significantly improve the analysis results regardless of the regression algorithms which mainly due to extracting the main information of the source spectral data and eliminating the fluctuation. Additionally, PCA performs best on the linear regression model and NMF is best on the non-linear model, and the predictive error can be reduced nearly three times in the best case. The root mean square error of cross-validation of the best regression model (NMF+SVR) is 0.0455 micormol x L(-1) (10(-6) mol x L(-1)), and it attains the national detection limit of thiram, so the method in this study provides a novel method for the fast detection of thiram. In conclusion, the study provides the experimental references the selecting the feature extraction algorithms on the analysis of the SERS spectrum, and some common findings of feature extraction can also help processing of other kinds of spectroscopy.

[Pleiotropic drug resistance ABC transporters in fungi].

Overexpression of pleiotropic drug resistance (PDR) efflux pumps of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter superfamily is the major cause of fungal multi-drug resistance and decreased efficacy of antifungal drugs. This review focused on recent progresses in understanding of the PDR efflux pumps of ABC transporter superfamily in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the fungal pathogens Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Aspergillus fumigates. The mechanisms underlying efflux pump-mediated drug resistance and the regulatory networks involved were discussed. Investigation of the PDR efflux pumps of ABC transporter superfamily and their impact on drug resistance may lead to strategies to overcome fungal multi-drug resistance and improve drug efficacy.

[Detection of metal ions in water solution by laser induced breakdown spectroscopy].

Environmental concerns about the hazardous heavy metals in seawaters have been greatly increased in these years. To evaluate the potential application of laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) to on-line toxic metals pollution monitoring in ocean, some experimental investigations with LIBS technique to detect metal ions in CuSO4 and Pb(NO3)2 water solutions have been carried out in our laboratory. A Q-switched Nd:YAG laser operating at 532 nm with pulse width of 10 ns and repetition frequency of 10 Hz was utilized to generate plasma on a flowing liquid surface. The ensuing plasma emission was coupled by a quartz lens to a double grating monochromator and recorded with a PMT in conjunction with a computer controlled boxcar integrator. The temporal characteristic of the laser induced plasma and the power dependence of LIBS signal were investigated. The operation condition was improved with the optimal ablation pulse energy and the delay time for LIBS signal detection. The ablation location was varied to achieve better LIBS signal. The optimized ablation location for lead was found to be different from that for copper due to the breakdown of the ambient air. The detection limit of metal ion in water solution under the optimized operation conditions was found to be 31 ppm for copper and 50 ppm for lead. The experimental results proved that the flexibility of LIBS has the potential to be applied to the detection of toxic metals in seawaters, but the limits of detection for each element should be improved further to make a practical application of LIBS in this field.

Experimental and theoretical studies on the complexes of [Pb(m)-pyridyl]- (m = 1-4).

The pyridyl-lead complexes [Pb(m)-C5H4N](-) (m = 1-4), which are produced from the reactions between lead clusters formed by laser ablation and the pyridine molecules seeded in argon carrier gas, are studied by photoelectron (PE) spectra and density functional theory. The adiabatic electron affinity (EA) of [Pb(m)C5H4N](-) is obtained from PE spectra at photon energies of 308 and 193 nm. Theoretical calculation is carried out to elucidate their structures and bonding modes. A variety of geometries for the isomers are optimized to search for the lowest-energy geometry. By comparing the theoretical results, including the EA and simulated density of state spectra, with the experimental determination, the lowest-energy structures for each species are obtained. The following analysis of the molecular orbital composition provides the evidence that the pyridyl binds on lead clusters through the Pb-C sigma bond. Moreover, there is an apparent spin-state transition from triplet state toward singlet state for the ground-state structure of [Pb(m)C5H4N](-) with an increase of lead cluster.

An empirical approach to the bond additivity model in quantitative interpretation of sum frequency generation vibrational spectra.

Knowledge of the ratios between different polarizability betai'j'k' tensor elements of a chemical group in a molecule is crucial for quantitative interpretation and polarization analysis of its sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy (SFG-VS) spectrum at interface. The bond additivity model (BAM) or the hyperpolarizability derivative model along with experimentally obtained Raman depolarization ratios has been widely used to obtain such tensor ratios for the CH3, CH2, and CH groups. Successfully, such treatment can quantitatively reproduce the intensity polarization dependence in SFG-VS spectra for the symmetric (SS) and asymmetric (AS) stretching modes of CH3 and CH2 groups, respectively. However, the relative intensities between the SS and AS modes usually do not agree with each other within this model even for some of the simplest molecular systems, such as the air/methanol interface. This fact certainly has cast uncertainties on the effectiveness and conclusions based on the BAM. One of such examples is that the AS mode of CH3 group has never been observed in SFG-VS spectra from the air/methanol interface, while this AS mode is usually very strong for SFG-VS spectra from the air/ethanol interface, other short chain alcohol, as well as long chain surfactants. In order to answer these questions, an empirical approach from known Raman and IR spectra is used to make corrections to the BAM. With the corrected ratios between the betai'j'k' tensor elements of the SS and AS modes, all features in the SFG-VS spectra of the air/methanol and air/ethanol interfaces can be quantitatively interpreted. This empirical approach not only provides new understandings of the effectiveness and limitations of the bond additivity model but also provides a practical way for its application in SFG-VS studies of molecular interfaces.

[The analysis of vibrational structure of the electronic spectra of diatomic molecules].

On the basis of the spectrum term of a electronic rotational-vibrational energy level, the law of vibrational band sequences and progressions in diatomic molecules was analysed. According to the law, the Deslandres table and its nature were summarized. How to indicate the measured values of a electronic-vibrational spectrum was illustrated by taking the Swan band spectra of the C2 molecule as an example. In the example, the measured values were put in order which formed the Deslandres table in terms of the law of vibrational structure. The authors can gain some important data, such as anharmonicity constants and harmonic oscillator frequencies in different vibrational states, concerning the band spectra of molecules. Furthermore, the formula of wave numbers of every band spectrum was derived.