Geospatial interpolation and mapping of tropospheric ozone pollution using geostatistics.

Tropospheric ozone (O3) pollution is a major problem worldwide, including in the United States of America (USA), particularly during the summer months. Ozone oxidative capacity and its impact on human health have attracted the attention of the scientific community. In the USA, sparse spatial observations for O3 may not provide a reliable source of data over a geo-environmental region.

An integrated WRF/HYSPLIT modeling approach for the assessment of PM(2.5) source regions over the Mississippi Gulf Coast region.

Fine particulate matter (PM(2.5)) is majorly formed by precursor gases, such as sulfur dioxide (SO(2)) and nitrogen oxides (NO(x)), which are emitted largely from intense industrial operations and transportation activities. PM(2.

Air quality modeling for the urban Jackson, Mississippi Region using a high resolution WRF/Chem model.

In this study, an attempt was made to simulate the air quality with reference to ozone over the Jackson (Mississippi) region using an online WRF/Chem (Weather Research and Forecasting-Chemistry) model. The WRF/Chem model has the advantages of the integration of the meteorological and chemistry modules with the same computational grid and same physical parameterizations and includes the feedback between the atmospheric chemistry and physical processes. The model was designed to have three nested domains with the inner-most domain covering the study region with a resolution of 1 km.

A comparison of HWRF, ARW and NMM models in Hurricane Katrina (2005) simulation.

The life cycle of Hurricane Katrina (2005) was simulated using three different modeling systems of Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) mesoscale model. These are, HWRF (Hurricane WRF) designed specifically for hurricane studies and WRF model with two different dynamic cores as the Advanced Research WRF (ARW) model and the Non-hydrostatic Mesoscale Model (NMM). The WRF model was developed and sourced from National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), incorporating the advances in atmospheric simulation system suitable for a broad range of applications.

Photodegradation of selected PCBs in the presence of Nano-TiO2 as catalyst and H2O2 as an oxidant.

Photodegradation of five strategically selected PCBs was carried out in acetonitrile/water 80:20. Quantum chemical calculations reveal that PCBs without any chlorine on ortho-positions are closer to be planar, while PCBs with at least one chlorine atoms at the ortho-positions causes the two benzene rings to be nearly perpendicular. Light-induced degradation of planar PCBs is much slower than the perpendicular ones.

Highly sensitive and selective dynamic light-scattering assay for TNT detection using p-ATP attached gold nanoparticle.

TNT is one of the most commonly used nitro aromatic explosives for landmines of military and terrorist activities. As a result, there is an urgent need for rapid and reliable methods for the detection of trace amount of TNT for screenings in airport, analysis of forensic samples, and environmental analysis. Driven by the need to detect trace amounts of TNT from environmental samples, this article demonstrates a label-free, highly selective, and ultrasensitive para-aminothiophenol (p-ATP) modified gold nanoparticle based dynamic light scattering (DLS) probe for TNT recognition in 100 pico molar (pM) level from ethanol:acetonitile mixture solution.

Fluorescence spectrophotometer analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in environmental samples based on solid phase extraction using molecularly imprinted polymer.

A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was synthesized using a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) standard as a template, methacrylic acid as a functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as a cross-linker, and acetonitrile as a porogen. This polymer was used as a solid phase adsorbent for the quantitative enrichment of PAHs in coastal sediments, atmospheric particulates, and industrial effluents. The MIP selective adsorption capacity for PAHs started reducing when the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total dissolved solids (TDS) was more than 800 mg L(-1) in the targeted environmental samples.

Simulation of atmospheric dispersion of elevated releases from point sources in Mississippi Gulf Coast with different meteorological data.

Atmospheric dispersion calculations are made using the HYSPLIT Particle Dispersion Model for studying the transport and dispersion of air-borne releases from point elevated sources in the Mississippi Gulf coastal region. Simulations are performed separately with three meteorological data sets having different spatial and temporal resolution for a typical summer period in 1-3 June 2006 representing a weak synoptic condition. The first two data are the NCEP global and regional analyses (FNL, EDAS) while the third is a meso-scale simulation generated using the Weather Research and Forecasting model with nested domains at a fine resolution of 4 km.

Some observational and modeling studies of the atmospheric boundary layer at Mississippi gulf coast for air pollution dispersion assessment.

Coastal atmospheric conditions widely vary from those over inland due to the land-sea interface, temperature contrast and the consequent development of local circulations. In this study a field meteorological experiment was conducted to measure vertical structure of boundary layer during the period 25-29 June, 2007 at three locations Seabee base, Harrison and Wiggins sites in the Mississippi coast. A GPS Sonde along with slow ascent helium balloon and automated weather stations equipped with slow and fast response sensors were used in the experiment.

Gold Nanoparticle Based Surface Enhanced Fluorescence For Detection of Organophosphorus Agents.

Organophosphorus agents (OPA) represent a serious concern to public safety as nerve agents and pesticides. Here we report the development of gold nanoparticle based surface enhanced fluorescence (NSEF) spectroscopy for rapid and sensitive screening of organophosphorus agents. Fluorescent from Eu ions that are bound within the electromagnetic field of gold nanoparticles exhibit a strong enhancement.

Effect of arsenic and chromium on the serum amino-transferases activity in Indian major carp, Labeo rohita.

Arsenic and hexavalent chromium toxicity results from their ability to interact with sulfahydryl groups of proteins and enzymes, and to substitute phosphorus in a variety of biochemical reactions. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT; E.C: 2.

Liquid chromatographic tandem mass spectrometry method for the quantification of miglitol in human plasma.

A rapid, sensitive and accurate liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the quantification of miglitol (CAS 72432-03-2), an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor, in human plasma using gabapentin (CAS 60142-96-3) as internal standard (IS). Following protein precipitation, the analytes were separated using an isocratic mobile phase on a reversed phase phenyl column and analyzed by MS in the multiple reaction monitoring mode using the respective [M+H]+ ions, m/z 208/146 for miglitol and m/z 172/154 for the IS. The assay exhibited a linear dynamic range of 100-6000 ng/mL for miglitol in human plasma.

Development and validation of a sensitive liquid chromatography/electrospray tandem mass spectrometry assay for the quantification of olanzapine in human plasma.

A simple, sensitive and rapid liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the quantification of olanzapine, atypical antipsychotic drug, in human plasma using loratadine as internal standard (IS). Following liquid-liquid extraction, the analytes were separated using an isocratic mobile phase on a reverse phase C18 column and analyzed by MS in the multiple reaction monitoring mode using the respective [M+H]+ ions, m/z 313/256 for olanzapine and m/z 383/337 for the IS. The assay exhibited a linear dynamic range of 0.

Simultaneous quantification of atorvastatin and active metabolites in human plasma by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry using rosuvastatin as internal standard.

A simple, sensitive, selective and rapid liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the quantification of atorvastatin and its active metabolites ortho-hydroxyatorvastatin and para-hydroxyatorvastatin in human plasma using rosuvastatin as internal standard (IS). Following simple liquid-liquid extraction, the analytes were separated using an isocratic mobile phase on a reversed-phase C18 column and analyzed by MS in the multiple reaction monitoring mode using the respective [M+H]+ ions, m/z 559/440 for atorvastatin, m/z 575/466 for ortho-hydroxyatorvastatin, m/z 575/440 for para-hydroxyatorvastatin and m/z 482/258 for the IS. The assay exhibited a linear dynamic range of 0.

Simultaneous quantification of cilostazol and its primary metabolite 3,4-dehydrocilostazol in human plasma by rapid liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.

A simple, rapid, sensitive and selective liquid chromatography/electrospray tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the simultaneous quantification of cilostazol and its primary metabolite 3,4-dehydrocilostazol in human plasma using mosapride as an internal standard. The method involves a simple one-step liquid-liquid extraction with a diethyl ether and dichloromethane mixture (7:3). The analytes were chromatographed using an isocratic mobile phase on a reversed-phase C18 column and analyzed by mass spectrometry in the multiple reaction monitoring mode using the respective [M+H]+ ions, m/z 370/288 for cilostazol, m/z 368/286 for 3,4-dehydrocilostazol and m/z 422/198 for the internal standard.

X-ray powder diffraction patterns for certain fluoroquinolone antibiotic drugs.

X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) data for six pure fluoroquinolone antibiotic drugs, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, enrofloxacin, ofloxacin, pefloxacin and sparfloxacin have been obtained using a powder diffractometer. The drugs were scanned from a Bragg angle (2theta) of 10 degrees to 70 degrees. The obtained data were tabulated in terms of the lattice spacing (A) and relative line intensities (I/I(I)).