The application of the hydrogen-palladium electrode (H2/Pd) as the indicator electrode for the determination of relative acidity scale (Es, mV) of tetrahydrofuran (THF) and the potentiometric titrations of acids in this solvent was investigated. The relative acidity scale tetrahydrofuran was determined from the difference half-neutralization potentials of perchloric acid and tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAH), which were measured by using both H2/Pd-SCE and glass-SCE electrode pairs. The experimentally obtained value of Es scale THF with a H2/Pd-SCE electrode pair was 1155 mV, and those obtained with glass-SCE electrode pair 880 mV. By using a H2/Pd indicator electrode, the individual acids (benzoic acid, palmitic acid, maleic acid, acetyl acetone, α-naphthol) and two component acid mixtures (benzoic acid + α-naphthol, palmitic acid + α-naphthol, maleic acid + α-naphthol and maleic acid + ftalic acid) were titrated with a standard solution of TBAH. In addition, sodium methylate and potassium hydroxide proved to be very suitable titrating agents for titrating of the individual acids and the acids in mixtures, respectively. The relative error of the determination of acids in mixture was less than 3%. The results are in agreement with those obtained by a conventional glass electrode. The advantages of H2/Pd electrode over a glass electrode in potentiometric acid-base determinations in tetrahydrofuran lie in the following: this electrode gives wider relative acidity scale THF, higher the potential jumps at the titration end-point and relatively fast response time; furthermore, it is very durable, simple to prepare and can be used in the titrations of small volumes. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br.172051

Pseudomonas aeruginosa NCAIM(P), B001380, a propitious bacterial strain isolated from mineral cutting oil was identified to be chromium tolerant and a producer of biosurfactant rhamnolipid (RL) with potential application in heavy metal bioremediation. Culture growth, RL production and Cr(VI) removal capacity of the strain in the presence of 50 mg L-1 (I) and 100 mg L-1 of Cr(VI) (II) were studied. Maximum of RL production were found in the late-stationary phase at 72 h for both Cr(VI)-amended cultures: I (236 mg L-1) and II (160 mg L-1), as well as the maximum of Cr(VI) removal capacity: 70 % (I) and 57 % (II). The amount of Cr in RL preparation II was 22 mg mg-1 determined by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS). Appearance of a new band at 914 cm-1 in infrared (IR) spectrum of RL (II) indicated a significant proof for possible coordination of CrO42-ion with RL. The effect of Cr(VI) on monorhamnolipids (RL1) and dirhamnolipids (RL2) distribution and its ratio were studied by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). An increase was observed in a RL2/RL1 ratio for II compared to control

A new reaction was suggested and a new kinetic method was elaborated for determination of Bi(III) in solution, based on its catalytic effect on the oxidation of phenyl-fluorone (PF) by hydrogen peroxide in ammonia buffer. By application of spectrophotometric technique, a limit of quantification (LQ) of 128 ng cm -3 was reached, and the limit of detection (LD) of 37 ng cm -3 was obtained, where LQ was defined as the ratio signal:noise = 10:1 and LD was defined as signal 3:1 against the blank. The RSD value was found to be in the range 2.8-4.8 % for the investigated concentration range of Bi(III). The influence of some ions upon the reaction rate was tested. The method was confirmed by determining Bi(III) in a stomach ulcer drug ("Bicit HP", Hemofarm A.D.). The obtained results were compared to those obtained by AAS and good agreement of results was obtained.