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van der Waals (vdW) engineering of magnetism is a topic of increasing research interest in the community at present. We study the magnetic properties of quasi-two-dimensional layered vdW Mn3Si2Te6 (MST) crystals upon proton irradiation as a function of fluences of 1 × 1015, 5 × 1015, 1 × 1016, and 1 × 1018 H+/cm2. We find that the magnetization is significantly enhanced by 53 % and 37 % in the ferrimagnetic phase (at 50 K) when the MST crystal was irradiated with the proton fluence of 5 × 1015, both in ab and c planes, respectively. The ferrimagnetic ordering temperature and magnetic anisotropy are retained even after proton irradiation. From the fluence dependence of magnetization, electron paramagnetic resonance spectral parameters (g-value and signal width), and Raman data, we show that the magnetic exchange interactions (Mn–Te–Mn) are significantly modified at this fluence. This work shows that it is possible to employ proton irradiation in tuning the magnetic properties of vdW crystals and provide many opportunities to design desired magnetic phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A near infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) procedure for the quantitative control analysis of the active compound (otilonium bromide) in a pharmaceutical preparation in three steps of the production process (blended product, cores and coated tablets) and a methodology for its validation are proposed. The analytical procedure is composed by two consecutive steps. First, the sample is identified by comparing its spectrum with a second derivative spectral library. If the sample is positively identified, the active compound is quantified by using a previously established partial least squares (PLS) calibration model. The procedure was validated by studying repeatability, intermediate precision, accuracy and linearity. To this end, an adaptation of ICH (International Conference on Harmonisation) validation methodology to an NIR multivariate calibration procedure is proposed. The relative standard error of prediction (RSEP) was ≤ 1% and the suitability of the procedure for control analysis was confirmed by the results obtained analysing new production samples produced over a three-month period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method for the simultaneous determination of organic additives in Zn(II) and Ni(II) electrolytic baths is proposed. Absorbance and first-derivative spectra were subjected to direct and inverse multiple linear regression (CLS and ILS, respectively) in order to choose the optimum alternative. The use of a factor design to prepare the samples enables the identification of interactions between analytes and their correction by ILS. The results provided by first-derivative spectra were slightly better than those obtained with absorbance spectra (prediction errors were always less than 2% with the former). The ILS procedure was applied to three industrial baths used to a different extent, with highly satisfactory results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new procedure for the simultaneous spectrophotometric determination of Zn(II) and Ni(II) with 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol as chromogenic reagent has been developed. It is based on resolution of the mixed spectrum over the wavelength range 530-590 nm by applying a least-squares fitting program to standard spectra from each component. The spectra are recorded at an apparent pH of 5.0, provided by an acetate buffer in a mixed 60∶40 v/v 2-ethoxyethanol/water medium. The relative standard deviations for determination of 13.7 μg of Ni and 31.0 μg of Zn were 1.9 and 1.0%, respectively (8 replications). The method has been applied to the analysis of iron surfaces coated with a Zn-Ni alloy. The results are compared with those obtained by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The equilibrium data show that indium can be quickly extracted from acidic aqueous solutions by di-(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid in methyl isobutyl ketone. In this polar solvent the species ML·HL is extracted. The overall extraction constant is higher than that for other tervalent metals. The extraction process can be combined with AAS determination of the indium. The method is fast because stripping is not necessary, and the organic phase can be analysed directly by AAS. Use of a 5∶1 v/v aqueous: organic phase ratio increases the sensitivity. In the pH-range used the method has good selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Partial least-squares calibration was used for the simultaneous UV spectrophotometric determination of the active principle (ketoprofen) and preservative (parabens) in a pharmaceutical preparation commercially available in gel form. Calibration mixtures were prepared by mixing pure solutions of the analytes. The analytes were extracted and the UV spectrum of the resulting dispersion was recorded. Suppression of the effect of undissolved gel components was accomplished by prior centrifugation, using first and second-derivative spectra, introducing artificial baseline changes and adding the turbidity effect on the sample spectrum to some of the spectra in the calibration matrix. Both the second-derivative and the addition of the turbidity effect allow the quantification of non-centrifuged samples, the last one seems to be a little more effective. The results thus obtained are compared with those provided by HPLC following centrifugation of the samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]