El mercurio es considerado un contaminante altamente peligroso debido a su elevada toxicidad y a su carácter acumulativo. Presenta varios efectos en la salud humana, tales como: trastornos del sistema nervioso, deterioro intelectual, problemas gastrointestinales y cáncer. El uso de técnicas electroquímicas es una alternativa para la cuantificación de mercurio a niveles traza, debido a su bajo costo y buena sensibilidad. En este trabajo de investigación se evaluó un microelectrodo de fibra de carbono modificado con nanopartículas de oro para la determinación de mercurio (II) en medio acuoso. Se realizó la modificación superficial de la fibra de carbono electrodepositando nanopartículas de oro, a un potencial de -0,1 V durante 100 s, y se utilizó microscopía electrónica de barrido y voltamperometría cíclica para confirmar la presencia de nanopartículas de oro. Se cuantificó el mercurio (II) mediante voltamperometría de redisolución anódica de pulso diferencial. Se obtuvo un rango lineal, en la curva de calibración, entre 50 - 100 μg L-1 de mercurio (II). Los límites de detección y de cuantificación obtenidos fueron de 38 y 46 μg L-1, respectivamente. La validación de la metodología se realizó mediante porcentaje de recuperación, obteniendo valores entre 94 y 104 % y desviación estándar relativa (RSD, por sus siglas en inglés) entre 3,6 y 4,7 %. El método propuesto muestra características útiles para su implementación en el monitoreo de contaminación por mercurio.

The search for sensitive and rapid analytical techniques for the determination of natural antioxidants is an area in constant growth due, among other aspects, to the complexity of plant matrices. In this study, silver nanoparticles prepared with the aqueous extract of Mimosa albida leaves were used to assess their polyphenolic content and antioxidant capacity. Silver nanoparticles were characterized by different techniques. As a result, nanoparticles of 6.5 ± 3.1 nm were obtained. The total phenolic content in the extract was 1320.4 ± 17.6 mg of gallic acid equivalents GAE· 100 g−1 and in the nanoparticles 257.3 ± 5.1 mg GAE· 100 g−1. From the phenolic profile analyzed by ultra high-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) with a diode-array detector (DAD), the presence of apigenin and luteolin in the plant extract is postulated. The antioxidant capacity measured by oxygen radical absorbance capacity ORAC-fluorescein assay was 86917 ± 6287 and 7563 ± 967 µmol ET g−1 in the extract and nanoparticles respectively. Electrochemical analysis by cyclic voltammetry (CV) confirmed the effective reduction capacity of the Mimosa albida leaves extract to reduce Ag ions to AgNPs and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) suggested the presence of two main reducing agents in the extract. From this study, it was concluded that the aqueous extract of Mimosa albida contains reducing agents capable of synthesizing silver nanoparticles, which can be used in the phytochemical industry.

Photovoltaic energy presents environmental advantages; however, these advantages are limited by the cost of manufacturing solar cells and in many cases, scarce or dangerous materials are incorporated. Therefore, the use of natural dyes from mortiño (Vaccinium floribundum) as sensitizers in solar cells is proposed. The dyes were extracted by maceration in acidified methanol (HCl, citric acid and trifluoroacetic acid TFA) and were characterized by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC) and spectrometric methods (UV-Vis, IR and MS-MALDI). The construction and characterization of cells were in standard conditions. The study confirms that pigments in mortiño are flavonoids of the anthocyanidin group as: cyanidin-3-galactoside, and cyanidin-3-arabinoside. The efficiency of solar cells was between 0.18–0.26%; the extraction with TFA in methanol leads to the best performance. Although they have low power conversion efficiency, mortiño dyes could be an alternative to artificial sensitizers for solar cell technologies because they are harmless and abundant substances.

Thiosulfate leaching combined with ion-exchange resins is an innovative alternative for gold recovery. According to the properties of activated carbon, it could replace resins in the gold recovery process, improve efficiency, and reduce operating cost. In this research, the adsorption process of gold thiosulfate complex on thiol-modified activated carbon was studied. Thioglycolic acid (ATG) was impregnated in activated carbon, and its adsorption ability was tested with synthetic solutions of gold and sodium thiosulfate (Au 10 mg·L-1, Na2S2O3 0.1 mol·L-1, pH = 10.0). Carbon was characterized by infrared spectroscopy, SEM-EDS, PZC titration, hardness number measures, and proximal analysis. Synthetic solutions were also characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The percentage of volatile material increased from 10.0 to 13.9% due to the impregnation process of ATG. Infrared spectra show characteristic bands of C-H, S-H, and C-S bonds. In the adsorption tests, the ATG-impregnated carbon achieved 91% of gold recovery, while the same amount of ATG in the liquid phase stirred with unmodified activated carbon reached 90% of gold recovery. The 44.9% of gold recovered with activated carbon impregnated with ATG was eluted with sodium cyanide ([NaCN] = 0.2 mol·L-1; [NaOH] = 0.25 mol·L-1; [CH3CH2OH] = 30% V/V; pH = 12.0; t = 24 h). These results suggest the gold transferred from the thiosulfate complex to a new gold thiolate complex.

El aumento poblacional y el desarrollo tecnológico ha ocasionado una gran demanda energética, lo que ha dado paso a que varios grupos de investigación incursionen en la búsqueda de soluciones a corto y mediano plazo. El uso de tecnologías que permitan tratar aguas contaminadas y la generación simultánea de energía eléctrica surge como una alternativa viable para dar solución a este problema. En este documento se revisa el mecanismo para el tratamiento de agua residual y la generación de energía eléctrica simultánea, a través de sistemas combinados de humedales acoplados a celdas de combustible microbianas (CW-MFC, por sus siglas en inglés). El objetivo de esta revisión es describir los componentes y funcionamiento de los sistemas individuales CW y MFC, así como también del sistema combinado CW-MFC, los cuales han sido empleados en investigaciones recientes. Se exploran los principales estudios, relacionados con el material con el cual se construyen los electrodos, que generen mayor eficiencia energética y materiales filtrantes que beneficien el tratamiento del agua residual. Además, se presentan los desafíos en este ámbito de investigación. Los CW y las MFC son sistemas que combinados mejoran la eficiencia en el tratamiento de agua residual y a la vez permiten aprovechar la energía eléctrica que los microorganismos generan durante el proceso de oxidación de la materia orgánica.

Kinetic and environmental aspects related with the mineralization of a commercial glyphosate (GP) formulation in a pre-pilot-scale reactor were assessed. Assays were performed at an acidic pH using Na2SO4 as support electrolyte at five different current densities. GP removal can be achieved in 60 min and is not dependent on the applied current density; however, the reduction of organic carbon (TOC) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) from the sample evidence the impact of the limitations of mass transfer in aspects like energy consumption, effluent quality, and sustainability of the process. Assays at 120 and 240 mg L−1 revealed that it is feasible to improve the biodegradability of the effluent after 300 min of treatment using higher current densities (80 and 100 mA cm−2 ). At 360 mg L−1, neither the current density nor the time of treatment had an impact on the biodegradability of the effluent at all the assessed current densities. GP removal could have an environmental footprint (1.3 kg CO2 Eqv/kg TOC) in countries where the energy matrix depends on hydro-power. In countries where electricity is generated from non-renewable raw materials, like gas or coal, the emis-sions of greenhouse gasses (GHG) could increase 170% and 439%, respectively. The use of renewable energy sources, like wind power or solar, could reduce the GHG emission to 0.3 kg CO2 Eqv/kg TOC. The cost of treatment ranged between US$ 0.7 and 2.1 g TOC−1 removed; this variability is due to the selected energy source and the subsidies established in each country.

In this study, electro-oxidation (EOx) and in situ generation of ferrate ions [Fe(VI)] were tested to treat water contaminated with Blue BR dye (BBR) using a boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode. Two electrolytic media (0.1 M HClO4 and 0.05 M Na2SO4) were evaluated for the BDD, which simultaneously produced oxygen radicals (•OH) and [Fe(VI)]. The generation of [Fe(VI)] was characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and the effect of different current intensity values (e.g., 7 mA cm−2, 15 mA cm−2, and 30 mA cm−2) was assessed during BBR degradation tests. The discoloration of BBR was followed by UV-Vis spectrophotometry. When the EOx process was used alone, only 78% BBR discoloration was achieved. The best electrochemical discoloration conditions were found using 0.05 M Na2SO4 and 30 mA cm−2. Using these conditions, overall BBR discoloration values up to 98%, 95%, and 87% with 12 mM, 6 mM, and 1 mM of FeSO4, respectively, were achieved. In the case of chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduction, the EOx process showed only a 37% COD reduction, whereas combining [Fe(VI)] generation using 12 mM of FeSO4 achieved an up to 61% COD reduction after 90 min. The evolution of reaction byproducts (oxalic acid) was performed using liquid chromatography analysis.

In this work, a new hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) electrochemical sensor was fabricated. Prussian blue (PB) was electrodeposited on a glassy carbon (GC) electrode modified with zirconia doped functionalized carbon nanotubes (ZrO2-fCNTs), (PB/ZrO2-fCNTs/GC). The morphology and structure of the nanostructured system were characterized by scanning and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), specific surface area, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Raman and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The electrochemical properties were studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA). Zirconia nanocrystallites (6.6 ± 1.8 nm) with cubic crystal structure were directly synthesized on the fCNTs walls, obtaining a well dispersed distribution with a high surface area. The experimental results indicate that the ZrO2-fCNTs nanostructured system exhibits good electrochemical properties and could be tunable by enhancing the modification conditions and method of synthesis. The fabricated sensor could be used to efficiently detect H2O2, presenting a good linear relationship between the H2O2 concentration and the peak current, with quantification limit (LQ) of the 10.91 μmol·L−1 and detection limit (LD) of 3.5913 μmol·L−1

Se reporta el estudio del contenido de Pb(II) en seis marcas de cervezas artesanales de la ciudad de Quito-Ecuador, utilizando Voltametría de Redisolución Anódica con Pulso Diferencial (DPASV, por sus siglas en inglés), diamante dopado con boro (BDD, por sus siglas en inglés) como electrodo de trabajo y buffer de acetato como solución electrolítica. La caracterización del BDD se llevó a cabo mediante Microscopía Electrónica de Barrido (SEM, por sus siglas en inglés) y Voltamperometría Cíclica (VC). Los resultados por SEM mostraron que la superficie de electrodos de BDD es rugosa y granular, la cual presentó una baja corriente capacitiva y una respuesta electroquímica quasi-reversible frente al par redox Ferri/Ferrocianuro de potasio. El método se optimizó en un rango lineal entre 0,3-1,3 mg L-1, se obtuvo repetibilidad con un RSD del 4,56 %, reproducibilidad del 9,19 % y límite de detección de 0,020 mg L-1. Las cervezas analizadas fueron etiquetadas como A, B, C, D, E y F, preservando así la identidad de las marcas que participaron en el estudio. Las muestras de cerveza B, C, D y E cumplen con la normativa NTE INEN 2262 para Pb(II) con una concentración por debajo de su límite máximo permitido de 0,1 mg L-1; mientras las muestras A y F exceden del límite máximo permisible.

Nowadays, the increasing pollution of natural water effluents with textile dyes is an emerging problem that has not received attention enough. This work presents a study on the preparation of two Ti/IrO2-SnO2-Sb2O5 electrodes so-called E1 and E2 with 0.01 and 0.09 wt% of Sb dopant, respectively, by the Pechini method. The characteristics of these electrodes were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The E2 anode possessed a higher electroactivity and produced more largely hydroxyl radicals in electrochemical oxidation (EO). The action of this oxidant, along with active chlorine of textile dyes like Violet RL, Green A and Brown DR was assessed in 50 mM Na2SO4 and 10 mM NaCl at pH 3.0 by EO with the E2 anode. It was found that the discoloration of 80 mg L−1 of each individual solution was enhanced with increasing the current density from 25 to 50 mA cm−2, always obeying a pseudo-first-order kinetics. The process was faster in the sequence: Green A < Brown DR < Violet RL, and at 50 mA cm−2, a loss of color > 86% of color was attained in only 6 min. A mixture with 80 mg L−1 of each dye was treated under analogous EO conditions, giving rise to 100% discoloration in 20 min and about 90% chemical oxygen demand removal in 60 min at 50 mA cm−2. Three carboxylic acids, maleic, oxalic and oxamic, were detected as final byproducts by ion-exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography. The results reported in this work demonstrate the large effectiveness of the synthesized Ti/IrO2-SnO2-Sb2O5 electrodes to remove textile azo dyes, with higher rate constants than usual anodes.

We analyze the statistical averages over a set of realizations of the random variable in the Stochastic Optical Bloch equations, using Novikov's sufficient condition theorem. We consider a system on an adiabatic basis interacting with an external field in the presence of a thermal reservoir. We analyzed both for delta-correlated functions (white noise) and situations associated with Ornstein-Uhlenbeck processes (OUP) in colored noise. The effects of thermal reservoir and intramolecular coupling generate an effective transversal relaxation time. In the case of white noise, the resulting optical Bloch equations can be solved algebraically, unlike colored noise cases that requires numerical techniques.

Esta revisión se enfoca en los conceptos básicos y fundamentos sobre los procesos fotocatalíticos, se consideró al TiO2 para describir los factores que determinan las reacciones fotocatalíticas. Se aborda el mecanismo de fotoexcitación de acuerdo con el modelo de bandas y se utiliza la termodinámica para establecer las diferencias entre la catálisis y la fotocatálisis. Se revisan y discuten las principales estrategias de síntesis y modificación del TiO2 que conllevan a una mayor eficiencia de las reacciones fotocatalíticas; se consideran además las aplicaciones de la fotocatálisis y su importancia en la remediación ambiental.

Most dyes used in the textile industry are chemically stable and poorly biodegradable, therefore, they are persistent in the environment and difficult to degrade by conventional methods. An alternative treatment for this kind of substance is heterogeneous photocatalysis using TiO2, so, in this work, it is proposed to degrade Direct Blue 1 (DB1) using microparticulate TiO2 irradiated with e-beam at three different doses: 5, 10 and 20 kGy (J/kg). The DB1 degradation was implemented in a batch reactor (DB1 initial concentration = 50 mg L−1, pH 2.5, TiO2 concentration = 200 mg L−1). We have demonstrated that the photocatalytic power of TiO2, when irradiated with e-beam (5, 10, 20 kGy), varies slightly, with minor effects on photodegradation performance. However, the dose of 10 kGy showed a slightly better result, according to the DB1 photodegradation rate constant. Adsorption process was not affected by irradiation; its isotherm was fitted to Freundlich’s mathematical model. The DB1 photodegradation rate constants, after one hour of treatment, were: 0.0661 and 0.0742 min−1 for irradiated (10 kGy) and nonirradiated TiO2, respectively. The degradation rate constant has an increase of 12.3% for irradiated TiO2. Finally, there was no evidence of mineralization in the degradation process after 60 min of treatment. According to the results, the irradiation of microparticulate TiO2 with e-beam (10 kGy) slightly improves the photodegradation rate constant of DB1.

En este documento, se reporta el efecto del residuo de caucho, recuperado de la pista de aterrizaje producto de la fricción del neumático y superficie de rodamiento, como material modificador de una mezcla asfáltica que utiliza asfalto AC-20. Se estudió, el comportamiento de la mezcla asfáltica resultante cuando el residuo se agrega como reemplazo de una porción de agregado fino. La mezcla modificada se conformó mediante el proceso vía seca. Los especímenes de mezcla asfáltica fueron analizados por el método Marshall. Los resultados experimentales muestran que la incorporación del residuo a la mezcla asfáltica, mejora sus propiedades volumétricas tales como vacíos de aire, vacíos en el agregado mineral y los vacíos llenos de asfalto; los primeros se redujeron y los dos últimos aumentaron en relación a la mezcla sin modificar. Por otro lado, la estabilidad aumentó y el flujo mantuvo valores dispuestos en la norma. El ensayo de módulo de rigidez, que determinó el comportamiento del pavimento en sitio, igualmente aumentó, lo que demuestra significativamente las ventajas de usar este residuo de caucho en la mezcla asfáltica.

Se reporta la caracterización de una mezcla asfáltica, modificada con desechos especiales proveniente de baterías de automóviles. La modificación se realizó por vía seca y se evaluó la relación de vacíos que caracteriza la calidad de una mezcla asfáltica, en el material modificado y sin modificar. El estudio se realizó añadiendo en peso porcentajes de 5%, 15%, 25% y 35% de escoria a la mezcla asfáltica. Los resultados obtenidos de la integración de desechos especiales a la mezcla, indican que dicha modificación mejora sus propiedades mecánicas y el rendimiento de los materiales al momento de ser usados en la mezcla. En comparación con la mezcla sin modificar, la muestra modificada presentó un aumento de un 30% en estabilidad y un 8% en flujo, lo que predice una mejora en las propiedades mecánicas de la mezcla en cuanto a aumento en resistencia. Por otro lado, las propiedades volumétricas de la mezcla modificada se mantuvieron en el rango dispuesto en la norma y el ensayo de módulo de rigidez, que determinó el comportamiento del pavimento en sitio, igualmente aumentó. Lo que demuestra las ventajas de modificar la mezcla asfáltica con la escoria de baterías desechadas.

Nowadays, the increasing pollution of natural water effluents with herbicides, such as atrazine (ATZ, 2-chloro-4- ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-s-triazine), is an emerging problem that has not received the sufficient attention. This work presents a study on ATZ degradation under an electrochemical advanced oxidation process (EAOP), such as anodic oxidation (AO). The degradation of 175 mL of 10 and 40 mg L ATZ solutions was studied using Pt or BDD as anode. The assays were made with a stirred tank cell, using a supporting electrolyte of 0.050 mM of Na SO at pH 3.0 by applying 0.18, 0.27 and 0.37 A cm . The degradation rate increased by increasing current density, regardless of the anode employed. Greater amounts of ATZ were removed at higher organic load. The pesticide decay always obeyed a pseudo-first-order kinetics. A high degradation efficiency of 97%-99% was obtained by the more powerful AO-BDD process at 0.37 A cm . High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to follow the evolution of major oxidation products by AO-BDD, such as desethyl atrazine, desethyl desisopropyl atrazine and cyanuric acid.

Las reacciones de transferencia de electrones de las biomoléculas son un foco importante de investigación extensa en Química, Física y Bioquímica. La electroquímica proporciona potentes herramientas para estudiar los procesos de transferencia de electrones en sistemas bioquímicos, donde las enzimas son moléculas de particular interés. Entre los nanomateriales para la inmovilización enzimática en superficies de electrodos, las nanopartículas de oro son una buena alternativa para sus propiedades: biocompatibilidad, altas propiedades electroactivas, fuerte capacidad de adsorción, relación superficie-volumen y alta actividad catalítica. El peróxido de hidrógeno (H2O2), un sustrato para la enzima "Peroxidasa rábano picante", desempeña un papel crítico en campos industriales, biológicos, farmacéuticos y muchos otros. El nivel de concentración de H2O2 es un parámetro biológico significativo en el estudio de enfermedades como la enfermedad de Alzheimer, infarto de miocardio, enfermedad de Parkinson, Cáncer, etc. Por lo tanto, es de gran importancia desarrollar métodos eficientes para la detección sensible y selectiva de H2O2 en condiciones fisiológicas. En el presente manuscrito, se revisa el uso de nanopartículas de oro en electrodos modificados enzimáticos (biosensores) para la determinación de H2O2. Los resultados más relevantes indican que las nanopartículas de oro favorecen la transferencia directa de electrones entre la proteína redox y el electrodo. Las nanopartículas de oro proporcionan un entorno natural para la inmovilización biomolecular que permite una mayor estabilidad y vida útil en el electrodo.

Los recubrimientos comestibles para frutas y verduras han logrado prolongar la vida útil de los alimentos postcosecha, dichos recubrimientos a base polisacáridos o proteínas, que incorporan en su formulación lípidos y plastificantes, sirven de barrera para intercambio gaseoso, protegen a los alimentos debido a sus propiedades mecánicas, reducen pérdidas nutricionales y organolépticas, no alteran la composición fisicoquímica y adicionan protección antimicrobiana. Actualmente, los recubrimientos comestibles están formados a base de compuestos bifásicos o trifásicos combinados en una matriz polimérica que potencializan, funcionalizan o adicionan nuevas propiedades al recubrimiento, que vinculado al uso de la nanotecnología en la industria alimentaria han permitido obtener nuevos recubrimientos comestibles, incorporando a la matriz polimérica compuestos antimicrobianos, antioxidantes y con potencial bioactivo. Adicionalmente, el uso de métodos de homogenización como microfluidización y ultrasonicación permiten obtener nanoemulsiones con tamaño de gota nanométrica y uniformes, brindando al recubrimiento nuevas características que en conjunto con el uso del electrospinning (electrohilado), como método físico de aplicación del recubrimiento, se puede obtener nanofibras con alto potencial para el control microbiológico, organoléptico y nutricional, aplicable para la conservación de frutas y verduras. Este artículo revisa el uso de algunas innovaciones en recubrimientos comestibles con material nanoestructurado para la conservación de frutas y verduras

We consider the Four-Wave mixing (FWM) signal and the effects of the pump beam on the nonlinear optical responses of a two-level system where intramolecular coupling is modelled by two coupled harmonic electronic potentials, displaced both in their equilibrium minimum position and energy. We investigate the modifications introduced in the FWM signal , considering a simple representation for the vibrational structure and including molecular electronic states with nonzero permanent dipole moments. The critical quantities for this analysis are the transition and permanent dipole moments, which depend strongly on the intramolecular coupling. Our results show how both absorption and dispersion are affected by the vibronic coupling .

Glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)-glycine] is a herbicide with several commercial formulations that are used generally in agriculture for the control of various weeds. It is the most used pesticide in the world and comprises multiple constituents (coadjutants, salts, and others) that help to effectively reach the action’s mechanism in plants. Due to its extensive and inadequate use, this herbicide has been frequently detected in water, principally in surface and groundwater nearest to agricultural areas. Its presence in the aquatic environment poses chronic and remote hazards to human health and the environment. Therefore, it becomes necessary to develop treatment processes to remediate aquatic environments polluted with glyphosate, its metabolites, and/or coadjutants. This review is focused on conventional and non-conventional water treatment processes developed for water polluted with glyphosate herbicide; it describes the fundamental mechanism of water treatment processes and their applications are summarized. It addressed biological processes (bacterial and fungi degradation), physicochemical processes (adsorption, membrane filtration), advanced oxidation processes—AOPs (photocatalysis, electrochemical oxidation, photo-electrocatalysis, among others) and combined water treatment processes. Finally, the main operating parameters and the effectiveness of treatment processes are analyzed, ending with an analysis of the challenges in this field of research

Proponemos modificaciones de las ecuaciones de Bloch ópticas convencionales para un sistema molecular, cuando consideramos los efectos de acoplamiento intramolecular. Modelamos la molécula aislada como curvas de energía de Born-Oppenheimer que consisten en dos estados electrónicos cruzados descritos como potenciales armónicos, con los mínimos desplazados en coordenadas nucleares y energía. Consideramos dos estados vibracionales y una perturbación, que puede surgir de una correlación residual electrón-electrón y/o términos de acoplamiento spin-órbita en el Hamiltoniano del sistema, causando la separación de las dos curvas según la regla del cruce evitado. Las ecuaciones extendidas de Bloch ópticas permiten establecer la dinámica de un sistema molecular de estados adiabáticos sujeto a la interacción de un reservorio térmico e interactuando con campos electromagnéticos. En las ecuaciones se observa que haciendo nulo el factor de acoplamiento intramolecular, se recuperan las ecuaciones de Bloch ópticas convencionales para un sistema molecular con potenciales armónicos cuyos mínimos se encuentran exactamente en la misma coordenada nuclear sujeto a la aproximación Born-Oppenheimer.

Se reporta una correlación analítica-técnica entre ensayos de laboratorio de Módulo Resiliente y California Bearing Ratio, para un agregado que proviene de la mina de Copeto (Toachi – Santo Domingo de Los Tsáchilas-Ecuador), la cual arroja valores reales útiles en la optimización del material utilizado en proyectos viales, a través de la obtención del Módulo Resiliente. El estudio se sustenta en la cualificación de la mina, mediante ensayos fisicoquímicos, que permite conocer las características propias de los agregados, según las normas ASTM. Con el logro de una correlación entre el CBR y el Módulo Resiliente real de la mina en estudio, se tiene valores reales en el comportamiento de los materiales, que se van a usar en la estructura de la vía, lo que genera como resultado espesores de capas menores, que, al momento de la construcción reduce el tiempo de entrega, la cantidad de material y por consiguiente el costo final de la construcción de la vía.

A hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) sensor and biosensor based on modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanostructures was designed and evaluated. The construction of the sensor was performed using a glassy carbon (GC) modified electrode with a TiO2-CNT film and Prussian blue (PB) as an electrocalatyzer. The same sensor was also employed as the basis for H2O2 biosensor construction through further modification with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) immobilized at the TiO2-fCNT film. Functionalized CNTs (fCNTs) and modified TiO2-fCNTs were characterized by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-Ray DifFraction (XRD), confirming the presence of anatase over the fCNTs. Depending on the surface charge, a solvent which optimizes the CNT dispersion was selected: dimethyl formamide (DMF) for fCNTs and sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) for TiO2-fCNTs. Calculated values for the electron transfer rate constant (ks) were 0.027 s-1 at the PB-fCNT/GC modified electrode and 4.7 × 10-4 s-1 at the PB-TiO2/fCNT/GC electrode, suggesting that, at the PB-TiO2/fCNT/GC modified electrode, the electronic transfer was improved. According to these results, the PB-fCNT/GC electrode exhibited better Detection Limit (LD) and Quantification Limit (LQ) than the PB-TiO2/fCNT/GC electrode for H2O2. However, the PB film was very unstable at the potentials used. Therefore, the PB-TiO2/fCNT/GC modified electrode was considered the best for H2O2 detection in terms of operability. Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) behaviors of the HRP-TiO2/fCNT/GC modified electrodes before and after the chronoamperometric test for H2O2, suggest the high stability of the enzymatic electrode. In comparison with other HRP/fCNT-based electrochemical biosensors previously described in the literature, the HRP-fCNTs/GC modified electrode did not show an electroanalytical response toward H2O2.

We modified and evaluated the performance of a CuO/Cu electrochemical electrode for chemical oxygen demand (COD) determination by covering it with a Nafion (Nf) film. The resulting modified CuONf/Cu electrode sensor was used for the electrochemical determination of COD in river, slaughterhouse and estuarine water samples in order to evaluate its performance for this particular task. It was compared with the CuO/Cu sensor with no Nafion. The main electrochemical characteristics of interest, resistance, sensitivity, accuracy and reproducibility, were assessed by means of Linear Sweep Voltammetry using glucose as a standard. Results of these essays indicate that the procedure used produced smooth and firmly attached Nf films covering the whole copper surface. This sensor was shown to be resistant to interferences and effective in electro-oxidation of a wide range of organic compounds and therefore very useful for COD determination. Using the newly developed CuONf/Cu electrode an analytical linear range of 50 to 1000 mg·L−1 COD, with a detection limit of 2.11 mg·L−1 (n = 6) COD was achieved. The comparison shows that the CuONf/Cu sensor is more appropriate for COD determination than its counterpart with no Nafion.

Glyphosate is the most widely used active ingredient of Glyphosate Based Herbicides (GBHs), and which has environmental mobility towards water by its physicochemical characteristics. These properties determine its low availability in living organisms (log Kow < 0), which is increased by the presence of co-adjuvant activators in GBHs and its biodegradation (metabolites). Eco-toxicological studies have determined that glyphosate affects to several aquatic trophic-levels (fresh[1]water/marine environments), being more toxics GBHs. Therefore, its potential environmental risk has promoted the development of conventional (biological and physicochemical) and non-conventional (Advanced-Oxidation-Processes or AOPs, combined processes) treatment strategies. Biological processes will generate incomplete degradation (metabolites generation), and variable removal efficiencies (25–99%). Physicochemical processes will be efficient (approx. 90%) but transferring the glyphosate from water to the adsorbent material (dangerous waste generation). Currently, AOPs will arise as a rapid (minutes) and effective alternative for glyphosate removal (>90%), depending on operational conditions, and without generation of intermediate metabolites. Moreover, new strategies (electrochemical) will avoid the hazardous waste production. Other combined processes (biological physicochemical) will also reach glyphosate efficiencies removal above 90% but needing large spaces. However, their physical characteristics would make them feasible to be applied in agricultural areas.

We report on two new electrochemical sensors which, coupled to differential pulse voltammetry, constitutes a useful tool for diagnosis of heavy metal pollution. The electrochemical sensors AgHgNf/Cu and the AgBiNf/Cu were obtained by deposition of bimetallic particles of AgHg or AgBi on copper electrodes covered with a Nafion (Nf) film, respectively. Micrographs of the electrode’s surface showed evenly scattered bimetallic particles, with an approximate diameter of 150 nm, embedded in the Nafion (Nf) film. In order to test the electrodes, the hydrogen evolution signal according to the Brdiˇcka reaction was measured for the determination of cysteine-rich peptides (CRp) produced by plants. To check the accuracy of the electrodes, real samples of Nicotiana tabacum cells exposed to cytotoxic levels of cadmium were tested. The AgHgNf/Cu electrode produced detection limits (DLs) of 0.088 µmol L−1 for Cysteine and 0.139µmol L−1 for Glutathione, while for the AgBiNf/Cu electrode DLs were 0.41 µmol L−1 for cysteine and 0.244 µmol L−1 for glutathione. Thus, the new electrodes could be a useful analytical electrochemical system very convenient for fieldwork. The electrodes were capable of direct, accurate, and sensitive detection of synthesized peptides, despite the complex matrix where the Nicotiana tabacum cells were grown

Los policloruros de bifenilo (PCB’s) son compuestos orgánicos que fueron usados en condensadores y transformadores eléctricos debido a sus propiedades aislantes y alta estabilidad química. Al prohibirse la fabricación y el uso de PCB’s, gran cantidad de estos equipos eléctricos quedaron obsoletos y enormes volúmenes de aceite dieléctrico con PCB’s se almacenaron como desecho peligroso a la espera de una alternativa para su eliminación. En este trabajo se reporta la transferencia de fase del Aroclor 1254, desde el aceite dieléctrico hacia fase acuosa, para su posterior degradación fotocatalítica. Se probaron dos agentes de transferencia de fase, Polietilenglicol 400 y Tritón X-100. El proceso fotocatalítico se llevó a cabo con TiO2 sin irradiar (0 kGy) e irradiado con haz de electrones a dosis de 20 y 60 kGy, se utilizó radiación ultravioleta como fuente de energía durante la fotodegradación. La degradación se siguió por cromatografía de gases y la mineralización se verificó mediante Carbono Orgánico Total (COT). La mayor eficiencia de transferencia de fase se logró con el Tritón X- 100, por lo que se utilizó este agente en los estudios posteriores. Los mejores resultados de degradación y mineralización del Aroclor 1254, se alcanzó con el TiO2 irradiado a 20 kGy, estos fueron de 98,36 % y 58,92 % respectivamente, luego de 240 min de fotooxidación. De esta manera esta tecnología se convierte en una alternativa viable para solucionar el problema de la contaminación por PCBs.

Long-term cadmium intake can be very dangerous to human health due to its toxic effects. Although people can be contaminated with this element from different sources, contaminated food is probably the most important one. Foods such as vegetables and fruits can become contaminated with cadmium existing in soils, irrigation water, or chemical fertilizers. Some plants produce an excess of cysteine-rich peptides (CRp) when affected by high concentrations of heavy metals such as cadmium, thus indicating the presence of this type of contamination. Among these plants is tamarillo (Solanum betaceum), which is locally known as “tree tomato”. This is a native plant widely consumed in the Ecuadorian Andes because of its abundance, low cost, and high content of vitamin C and fiber. The fact that Solanum betaceum produces CRp upon contamination with heavy metals means that this plant may be able to accumulate heavy metals. If this is the case, the plant can possibly be used as an indicator of metal pollution. The main goals of the present work were to evaluate the possibility of using Solanum betaceum as an indicator of metal contamination in plants and to examine its capability to accumulate metals. Both goals were met by determination of the amounts of CRp produced by Solanum betaceum cells cultivated in vitro in the laboratory under controlled conditions in the presence of different concentrations of cadmium. The CRp determination was carried out by means of electrogeneration of iodine in an iodide solution containing reduced glutathione as a biological thiol model. Solanum betaceum cells were grown in a Murashige and Skoog solution enriched with a 30 g L−1 sugar aqueous solution and 1 mg L−1 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. The results of these experiments confirmed the following: (1) CRp production is a function of the amount of cadmium present as a contaminant up to a limiting value after which cell apoptosis occurs; (2) Solanum betaceum accumulates cadmium; (3) the analytical method used is appropriate for CRp determination; and (4) CRp determination is a valid alternative to detect contamination by heavy metals in plants.

The construction of a photoanode with several layers of titanium oxysulfate as a precursor to form ti- tanium dioxide-TiO2 on boron doped diamond-BDD (TiO2/BDD), and its application for the photoelectro-degradation of glyphosate in aqueous medium are presented. The study was divided into three stages: i) optimization of the number of layers of the TiO2 precursor to modify BDD using a novel method combining Sol-gel/Spin-Coating; ii) characterization of the TiO2/BDD electrodes, by scanning electron microscopy-SEM, dispersive energy spectroscopy-EDX, Ray diffraction-XRD, contact angle, and electro-chemical response by cyclic voltammetry using [Fe(CN)6] 3-/4- system; iii) degradation of glyphosate (50 mg L1) by electrochemical oxidation on BDD and photoelectrocatalysis on TiO2/BDD in dark and UV-light conditions, at different current densities, for 5 h. The glyphosate degradation and mineralization were evaluated by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography, Total Organic Carbon, Chemical Oxygen Demand and inorganic-ions concentration (NO3, PO3, and NH4þ). Also, the aminomethylphosphonicacid-AMPA was quantified by HPLC, as a degradation intermediate. Using five layers of the TiO2 pre-cursor, in the construction of TiO2/BDD photoanode, and a lower contact angle, greater photo-electrocatalysis against the [Fe(CN)6]3-/4- redox system and better degradation of glyphosate compared to BDD without modification were achieved. The formation of TiO2 nanoparticles (14.79 ± 3.43 nm) inanatase phase on BDD was verified by SEM and XRD. Additionally, glyphosate degradation and mineralization were 2.3 times faster by photoelectrocatalysis on TiO2/BDD, relative to BDD, at 3 mA cm2 and UV-light. Thus, the presence of TiO2 on BDD increases the rate and efficiency of glyphosate degra-dation with respect to electrochemical oxidation on BDD.

Lead ion in drinking water is one of the most dangerous metals. It affects several systems, such as the nervous, gastrointestinal, reproductive, renal, and cardiovascular systems. Adsorption process is used as a technology that can solve this problem through suitable composites. The adsorption of lead (Pb(II)) on graphene oxide (GO) and on two goethite (α-FeOOH)/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composites (composite 1: 0.10 g GO: 22.22 g α-FeOOH and composite 2: 0.10 g GO: 5.56 g α-FeOOH), in aqueous medium, was studied. The GO was synthesized from a commercial pencil lead. Composites 1 and 2 were prepared from GO and ferrous sulfate. The GO and both composites were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The adsorption capacity of Pb(II) on the GO and both composites was evaluated through adsorption isotherms. Composite 1 presented a significant agglomeration of α-FeOOH nanorods on the reduced graphene oxide layers. Meanwhile, composite 2 exhibited a more uniform distribution of nanorods. The adsorption of Pb(II) on the three adsorbents fits the Langmuir isotherm, with an adsorption capacity of 277.78 mg/g for composite 2200 mg/g for GO and 138.89 mg/g for composite 1. Composite 2 emerged as a highly efficient alternative to purify water contaminated with Pb(II).

Presentamos la evaluación de los electrodos de carbono vítreo (GC) modificados con películas de Nafion (Nf) y depósitos bimetálicos de aleaciones Ag-Hg y Ag-Bi. La mayoría de los bimetálicos depositados, con un tamaño promedio de aproximadamente 150 nm, se dispersaron e incrustaron uniformemente dentro de la red del Nafion, mientras que una cantidad mucho menor permaneció encima de las incrustadas sin ninguna orientación regular, como lo indica imágenes de microscopía electrónica de barrido (SEM) y microscopía de fuerza atómica (AFM). Las pruebas de sensibilidad para el electrodo modificado AgBiNf/GC produjeron límites de detección (DL), basados en la variabilidad de una solución en blanco (criterio de 3 s), de 0,78 y 0,66 μg L-1 para Cd (II) y Pb (II), respectivamente; mientras que el DL sobre el electrodo modificado AgHgNf/GC fue 0,17 y 0,24 μg L-1 para Cd (II) y Pb (II), respectivamente. La precisión de la metodología por voltametría de redisolución anódica se verificó mediante el cálculo de porcentajes de recuperación de los dos analitos, expresados como error relativo. Se logró una recuperación del 99% al 92%.

The development and evaluation of a cathode consisting of a gold electrode covered by a polyaniline film, PANI/Au modified electrode, for electrochemical generation of arsine is described. The efficiency of arsine production using the new electrode was ascertained by comparison with corresponding hydride generation atomic absorption spectroscopy determinations of arsenic (As) in aqueous standards. The PANI/Au modified electrodes provide better sensitivity, accuracy and precision than the pure Au cathodes. The PANI/Au cathodes were prepared by controlled electrodeposition cycles of polyaniline films on top of Au electrodes. Cathodes obtained after 10 electrodeposition cycles showed the best performance, while the ones obtained after five voltammetry cycles produced films too thin and those obtained after 20 voltammetry cycles produced films too thick for the purpose of this work. Under optimised conditions, the As limit of detection in aqueous solutions, according to the (3σ) criterion, was 2.48 µg L−1. For accuracy determination, the modified electrode was applied to quantification of As(III) in acidified aqueous solutions of the certified standard reference material, NIST SRM 1643d, and in well-water samples containing possible interfering ions. Application of the Student’s t-test showed no significant difference between the expected and obtained results of the NIST SRM standard analysis at the 95% confidence level. Values for six replicate determinations of As(III) in the well-water samples showed close agreement with values obtained by analyses using hydride generation atomic absorption. Recoveries were in the range of 95–105% at test for acceptable accuracy in the analysis of real samples.