Tenderness of PGI "Ternera de Navarra" Beef Samples Determined by FTIR-MIR Spectroscopy.

Understanding meat quality attribute changes during ageing by using non-destructive techniques is an emergent pursuit in the agroindustry research field. Using beef certified samples from the protected geographical indication (PGI) "Ternera de Navarra", the primary goal of this study was to use Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy on the middle infrared region (FTIR-MIR) as a tool for the examination of meat tenderness evolution throughout ageing. Samples of the muscle of twenty young bulls were aged for 4, 6, 11, or 18 days at 4 °C.

Fiber optic sensors based on hybrid phenyl-silica xerogel films to detect -hexane: determination of the isosteric enthalpy of adsorption.

We investigated the response of three fiber optic sensing elements prepared at pH 10 from phenyltriethoxysilane (PhTEOS) and tetraethylsilane (TEOS) mixtures with 30, 40, and 50% PhTEOS in the silicon precursor mixture. The sensing elements are referred to as Ph30, Ph40 and Ph50, respectively. The films were synthesized by the sol-gel method and affixed to the end of optical fibers by the dip-coating technique.

A fiber-optic sensor to detect volatile organic compounds based on a porous silica xerogel film.

Fiber-optic sensors are increasingly used for the determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air matrices. This paper provides experimental results on the sensitivity of a fiber-optic sensor that uses a film of a porous silica xerogel as the sensing element. This film was synthesized by the sol-gel process and affixed to the end of the optical fiber by the dip-coating technique.

Characterization of the hydrophobicity of mesoporous silicas and clays with silica pillars by water adsorption and DRIFT.

The hydrophobic-hydrophilic properties of a solid are related to the material chemistry and, often, these properties are relevant to the applications of a particular material. Contrarily to what happens with other properties, such as specific surface areas or pore volumes, the methodologies to ascertain on the hydrophilicity of a porous material are not well defined. In this work, we discuss and relate the information on the hydrophobicity degree obtained from water adsorption isotherms and from diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT), in a set of porous materials.

Particle and surface characterization of a natural illite and study of its copper retention.

Illite clays are known to have a strong affinity for metallic pollutants in the environment and can be applied as low-cost adsorbents for industrial waste treatment. A crucial factor in the development of such applications, however, is the understanding of the chemical, mineralogical, and colloidal properties of these clays. It is also important to understand the mechanisms involved in the surface adsorption of metals by these adsorbants.