Pathways in permanganate oxidation of mandelic acid: reactivity and selectivity of intermediate manganese species.

We report a comprehensive kinetic and product study of the oxidation of mandelic acid (MA) by permanganate in the pH range of 1-13, including a full account of total oxidizing equivalents (five and three-electron change in acidic and basic media, respectively). In the entire pH range, the reaction shows a primary kinetic deuterium isotope effect (/ ≥8-9), indicating rate-limiting hydride transfer. The deuterium label in α-deutero-mandelic acid is retained in benzaldehyde.

Spark-induced breakdown spectroscopy and multivariate analysis applied to the measurement of total carbon in soil.

Identifying and implementing techniques for carbon management has become an important endeavor in the mitigation of global climate change. Two important techniques being pursued are geologic and terrestrial carbon sequestration. With regard to terrestrial sequestration, in order to accurately monitor changes in soil carbon potentially induced by sequestration practices, rapid, cost-effective, and accurate measurements must be developed.