[Research advances on the pollution of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) in natural waters and their toxicity to freshwater algae.].

The continuous discharge of pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) into aquatic environment and their potential threaten to ecological environment or human health has received more and more attention all over the world. Algae are primary producers in aquatic environment and play an important role in ecosystem balance and stabilization. In this review, the concentrations of PPCPs in natural waters from different countries and regions are introduced to demonstrate their characteristics of pollution in aquatic environment.

TiAl₃-TiN Composite Nanoparticles Produced by Hydrogen Plasma-Metal Reaction: Synthesis, Passivation, and Characterization.

TiAl₃ and TiN composite nanoparticles were continuously synthesized from Ti-48Al master alloy by hydrogen plasma-metal reaction in a N₂, H₂ and Ar atmosphere. The phase, morphology, and size of the nanoparticles were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electronic microscopy (TEM). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and evolved gas analysis (EGA) were used to analyze the surface phase constitution and oxygen content of the nanoparticles.

Determination of cholesterol and four phytosterols in foods without derivatization by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

In this study, a method for determination of cholesterol and four phytosterols by gas chromatography coupled with electron impact ionization mode-tandem mass spectrometry without derivatization in general food was developed. The sample was saponified with 7.5% KOH in methanol.

A highly specific tetrazole-based chemosensor for fluoride ion: a new sensing functional group based on intramolecular proton transfer.

A simple but highly selective colorimetric and fluorescent chemosensor for fluoride ion has been prepared based on coumarin chromophore and 1H-tetrazole. Tetrazole functional group provided a novel sensing functional group containing the ESIPT structure for designing fluoride chemosensor.

Fluorescence turn-on detection of hypochlorous acid via HOCl-promoted dihydrofluorescein-ether oxidation and its application in vivo.

We report three new water-soluble dihydrofluorescein-ether probes FCN1, FCN2 and FCN3 for the detection of hypochlorous acid (HOCl), which were designed on the basis of a specific HOCl-promoted oxidation reaction. This work also provided a useful method to monitor the accumulated HOCl in specific organelles using a zebrafish model.

Visualization of nitroxyl in living cells by a chelated copper(II) coumarin complex.

The coumarin-based probe Cu(II)-COT1 was successfully developed for the detection of HNO on the basis of the reduction reaction. In addition, highly selective "turn on" type fluorogenic behavior upon the addition of Angeli's salt (Na(2)N(2)O(3)) was also applied to bioimaging in A375 cells.

A thiophen-thiooxorhodamine conjugate fluorescent probe for detecting mercury in aqueous media and living cells.

A rhodamine-based sensor RB-S2 was designed and synthesized by combination of the thiospirolacton chromophore and the thiophen ring block with high affinity to Hg(2+). Probe RB-S2 exhibits high selectivity and excellent sensitivity in both absorbance and fluorescence detection of Hg(2+) in aqueous solution. In addition, fluorescent imaging of Hg(2+) in MCF-7 cells is also successfully demonstrated.