The knowledge of the host-guest complexes using cyclodextrins (CDs) has prompted an increase in the development of new formulations. The capacity of these organic host structures of including guest within their hydrophobic cavities, improves physicochemical properties of the guest. In the case of pesticides, several inclusion complexes with cyclodextrins have been reported. However, in order to explore rationally new pesticide formulations, it is essential to know the effect of cyclodextrins on the properties of guest molecules. In this study, the inclusion complexes of bentazon (Btz) with native βCD and two derivatives, 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPCD) and sulfobutylether-β-cyclodextrin (SBECD), were prepared by two methods: kneading and freeze-drying, and their characterization was investigated with different analytical techniques including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), differential thermal analysis (DTA), X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). All these approaches indicate that Btz forms inclusion complexes with CDs in solution and in solid state, with a stoichiometry of 1∶1, although some of them are obtained in mixtures with free Btz. The calculated association constant of the Btz/HPCD complex by DPV was 244±19 M⁻¹ being an intermediate value compared with those obtained with βCD and SBECD. The use of CDs significantly increases Btz photostability, and depending on the CDs, decreases the surface tension. The results indicated that bentazon forms inclusion complexes with CDs showing improved physicochemical properties compared to free bentazon indicating that CDs may serve as excipient in herbicide formulations.

For the first time a critical analysis of the influence that four different graphene oxide reduction methods have on the electrochemical properties of the resulting reduced graphene oxides (RGOs) is reported. Starting from the same graphene oxide, chemical (CRGO), hydrothermal (hTRGO), electrochemical (ERGO), and thermal (TRGO) reduced graphene oxide were produced. The materials were fully characterized and the topography and electroactivity of the resulting glassy carbon modified electrodes were also evaluated. An oligonucleotide molecule was used as a model of DNA electrochemical biosensing. The results allow for the conclusion that TRGO produced the RGOs with the best electrochemical performance for oligonucleotide electroanalysis. A clear shift in the guanine oxidation peak potential to lower values (~0.100 V) and an almost two-fold increase in the current intensity were observed compared with the other RGOs. The electrocatalytic effect has a multifactorial explanation because the TRGO was the material that presented a higher polydispersity and lower sheet size, thus exposing a larger quantity of defects to the electrode surface, which produces larger physical and electrochemical areas.

In this work, an adsorbent was prepared based on the attachment of organophosphorus acid extractants, namely, D2EHPA, CYANEX 272, and CYANEX 301, to the surface of superparamagnetic magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles. The synthesized nanoparticles were coated with oleic acid, first by a chemisorption mechanism and later by the respective extractant via physical adsorption. The obtained core–shell functionalized magnetite nanoparticle composites were characterized by dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetry, infrared absorption and vibrating sample magnetometry. All the prepared nanoparticles exhibited a high saturation magnetization capacity that varied between 72 and 46 emu g−1 and decreased as the magnetite nanoparticle was coated with oleic acid and functionalized. The scope of this study also included adsorption tests for lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, and neodymium and the corresponding analysis of their results. Sorption tests ...