This work is focused on the occurrence of surface-active substances in the environment. It deals with the development and optimization of methods for the determination of selected surfactants in samples from rivers and from influent and effluent of wastewater treatment plants. Representatives of anionic, nonionic and zwitterionic surfactants were selected as target compounds. Based on optimization of analytical methods and their pilot testing abroad on samples of surface water, the selection of analytes for the conditions in the Czech Republic were corrected and operatively expanded. For the final analysis liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry was used. Analysis of cationic surfactants was realized using liquid chromatograph with UV-VIS detector. This optimized method for analysis of anionic surfactants was applied to real samples. Samples of surface running water were from the River Thurso in Scotland and then from watercourses in the catchment area of Moravia river were collected. In addition to the grab sampling also continuous weekly sampling of water from Tvaroženský potok and Litava was realized. Waste water was collected at inflow and outflow of three wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) in South Moravia (Brno – Modřice, Břeclav and Hodonín).

Les tensioactifs dérivés de sucres représentent la principale famille de tensioactifs bio-sourcés et constituent de bons candidats pour substituer les tensioactifs dérivés du pétrole puisqu'ils sont issus de ressources renouvelables et peuvent être autant, voire plus performants dans diverses applications, comme la formulation (détergents, cosmétiques,…), la récupération assistée du pétrole ou des minéraux, etc. Différentes propriétés amphiphiles permettent de caractériser la performance des tensioactifs dans de telles applications, comme la concentration micellaire critique, la tension de surface à la concentration micellaire critique, l'efficience et le point de Krafft. Prédire ces propriétés serait bénéfique pour identifier plus rapidement les tensioactifs possédant les propriétés désirées. Les modèles QSPR sont des outils permettant de prédire de telles propriétés, mais aucun modèle QSPR fiable dédié à ces propriétés n'a été identifié pour les tensioactifs bio-sourcés, et en particulier les tensioactifs dérivés de sucres. Au cours de cette thèse, de tels modèles QSPR ont été développés. Une base de données fiables est nécessaire pour développer tout modèle QSPR. Concernant les tensioactifs dérivés de sucres, aucune base de données existante n'a été identifiée pour les propriétés ciblées. Cela a donné suite à la construction de la première base de données de propriétés amphiphiles de tensioactifs dérivés de sucres, qui est en cours de valorisation. L'analyse de cette base de données a mis en évidence différentes relations empiriques entre la structure de ces molécules et leurs propriétés amphiphiles, et permis d'isoler des jeux de données les plus fiables et au protocole le plus homogène possibles en vue du développement de modèles QSPR. Après établissement d'une stratégie robuste pour calculer les descripteurs moléculaires constituant les modèles QSPR, qui s'appuie notamment sur des analyses conformationnelles des tensioactifs dérivés de sucres et des descripteurs des têtes polaires et chaînes alkyles, différents modèles QSPR ont été développés, validés, et leur domaine d'applicabilité spécifié, pour la concentration micellaire critique, la tension de surface à la concentration micellaire critique, l'efficience et le point de Krafft. Pour les trois premières propriétés, des modèles quantitatifs performants ont pu être obtenus. Si les descripteurs quantiques ont apporté un gain prédictif important pour la tension de surface à la concentration micellaire critique, et un léger gain pour la concentration micellaire critique, aucun gain n'a été observé pour l'efficience. Pour ces trois propriétés, des modèles simples basés sur des descripteurs constitutionnels des parties hydrophile et hydrophobe de la molécule (comme des décomptes d'atomes) ont aussi été obtenus. Pour le point de Krafft, deux arbres de décision qualitatifs, classant la molécule comme soluble ou insoluble dans l'eau à température ambiante, ont été proposés. Les descripteurs quantiques ont ici aussi apporté un gain en prédictivité, même si un modèle relativement fiable basé sur des descripteurs constitutionnels des parties hydrophile et hydrophobe de la molécule a aussi été obtenu. Enfin, nous avons montré comment ces modèles QSPR peuvent être utilisés, pour prédire les propriétés de nouvelles molécules avant toute synthèse dans un contexte de screening, ou les propriétés manquantes de molécules existantes, et pour le design in silico de nouvelles molécules par combinaison de fragments. / Sugar-based surfactants are the main family of bio-based surfactants and are good candidates as substitutes for petroleum-based surfactants, since they originate from renewable resources and can show as good as, or even better, performances in various applications, such as detergent and cosmetic formulation, enhanced oil or mineral recovery, etc. Different amphiphilic properties can characterize surfactant performance in such applications, like critical micelle concentration, surface tension at critical micelle concentration, efficiency and Kraft point. Predicting such properties would be beneficial to quickly identify surfactants that exhibit desired properties. QSPR models are tools to predict such properties, but no reliable QSPR model was identified for bio-based surfactants, and in particular sugar-based surfactants. During this thesis, such QSPR models were developed. A reliable database is required to develop any QSPR model. Regarding sugar-based surfactants, no database was identified for the targeted properties. This motivated the elaboration of the first database of amphiphilic properties of sugar-based surfactants. The analysis of this database highlighted various empirical relationships between the chemical structure of these molecules and their amphiphilic properties, and enabled to isolate the most reliable datasets with the most homogeneous possible protocol, to be used for the development of the QSPR models. After the development of a robust strategy to calculate molecular descriptors that constitute QSPR models, notably relying upon conformational analysis of sugar-based surfactants and descriptors calculated only for the polar heads and for the alkyl chains, different QSPR models were developed, validated, and their applicability domain defined, for the critical micelle concentration, the surface tension at critical micelle concentration, the efficiency and the Kraft point. For the three first properties, good quantitative models were obtained. If the quantum chemical descriptors brought a significant additional predictive power for the surface tension at critical micelle concentration, and a slight improvement for the critical micelle concentration, no gain was observed for efficiency. For these three properties, simple models based on constitutional descriptors of polar heads and alkyl chains of the molecule (like atomic counts) were also obtained. For the Krafft point, two qualitative decision trees, classifying the molecule as water soluble or insoluble at room temperature, were proposed. The use of quantum chemical descriptors brought an increase in predictive power for these decision trees, even if a quite reliable model only based on constitutional descriptors of polar heads and alkyl chains was also obtained. At last, we showed how these QSPR models can be used, to predict properties of new surfactants before synthesis in a context of computational screening, or missing properties of existing surfactants, and for the in silico design of new surfactants by combining different polar heads with different alkyl chain

Nous présentons au cours de ce manuscrit diverses expériences de dépôt de tensioactifs solubles dans l'eau à l'interface entre deux fluides. Après quelques développements théoriques, nous étudions l'étalement de tensioactifs solubles déposés à une interface eau/air. Nous présentons au cours de cette partie deux configurations expérimentales dans lesquelles ces molécules exhibent une vitesse caractéristique d'écoulement induit ainsi qu'une distance finie d'étalement dépendant de la CMC du surfactant utilisé, qui se traduit par l'apparition d'une tache centimétrique à la surface de l'eau. Nous mettons alors au point un protocole de mesure simple et rapide de CMC utilisant notre dispositif expérimental. À cet étalement s'ajoutent une déformation verticale de l'interface, la mise en place d'une double recirculation toroïdale, ainsi qu'une instabilité hydrodynamique de surface tout autour de la tache. La deuxième expérience porte sur l'étalement de tensioactifs solubles à une interface eau/huile. Dans cette expérience, les déformations verticales induites par l'étalement peuvent devenir très importantes, si bien que sous certaines conditions cette déformation crée un trou dans la couche d'huile. Nous nous penchons donc sur l'étude de ces déformations verticales, ainsi que sur les caractéristiques de ce cratère. Enfin, la dernière partie traite du dépôt d'une goutte de Triton X-100 à la surface de l'eau. Ce tensioactif possède la propriété de gélifier lorsqu'il est hydraté, ce qui lui permet de flotter. On observe alors un phénomène d'auto-propulsion de la goutte. Nous nous intéressons plus particulièrement à la structure microscopique de cette phase gel, ainsi qu'aux trajectoires erratiques empruntées par la goutte. / We report experiments about the deposition of water soluble surfactants at the interface between two fluids. After some theoretical developments, we study the spreading of water soluble amphiphiles at the water/air interface. In this part, we present two experimental setups where these molecules show a typical induced flow velocity, and a finite spreading distance, depending on the CMC of surfactant we use, which results in the apparition of a coronna on the surface of the liquid. We then set up a fast and simple CMC measurement protocole using our experimental setup. This spreading induces also a vertical deformation of the interface, a double toroidal recirculation in the bulk, and a beatiful hydrodynamic surface instability all around the coronna. The second experiment is about the spreading of amphiphiles at the interface between oil and water. In this experiment, the vertical deformations induced by the spreading can become so important that under certain circumstances, we manage to create a hole in the oil layer. We focus on the study of these vertical deformations and on the caracteristics of this hole. Finally, the last experiment is about the deposition of a Triton X-100 drop at the water/air interface. This molecule has the ability to gelify when it gets hydrated, allowing him to float. Then we can observe the self propulsion of the droplet. We focus on the microscopic structure of this gel phase, and also on the erratic trajectories followed by the drop.

Orientador: Eneida de Paula / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-07T20:44:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Prete_PauloSergioCastilho_D.pdf: 3376950 bytes, checksum: fd06e65f64531668e35cf4a9cb817913 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Resumo: Surfatantes ou detergentes são compostos anfifílicos que, na presença de água, têm a característica de formar agregados micelares. Surfatantes induzem a desestruturação de outros agregados como bicamadas sendo, por isso, usados para ruptura celular ou solubilização de lipídios e proteínas de membrana. A capacidade lítica dos surfatantes resulta de sua estrutura química, que determina o modo de interação dos mesmos com as membranas. Em concentrações mais altas (acima da concentração micelar crítica), os surfatantes desestabilizam as bicamadas lipídicas, levando à formação de micelas-mistas. Ensaios hemolíticos são bons modelos para estudo do efeito lítico de surfatantes em biomembranas. Aplicando em eritrócitos humanos o tratamento quantitativo proposto por Lichtenberg (1985) para estudo da solubilização de bicamadas lipídicas mensurou-se, neste trabalho, as concentrações para início (Csat) e 100% de hemólise (Csol), induzidas por 25 surfatantes clássicos, pertencentes a cinco diferentes famílias. A variação dos valores de Csat, Csol determinada com diferentes hematócritos permitiu o cálculo da constante de ligação surfatante/membrana e da razão surfatante/lipídio de membrana (Re) para início e 100% de hemólise. O parâmetro Re foi usado para classificar os detergentes como fortes, médios ou fracos agentes solubilizantes, com boa correlação com dados da literatura o que nos permitiu propor seu uso para descrever o efeito lítico de surfatantes, como uma alternativa simples e aplicável as membranas biológicas. As transições durante o processo hemolítico foram acompanhadas pela técnica de Ressonância Paramagnética Eletrônica, com uso marcador de spin 5 doxil-estearato (incorporado a 1 mol% nas membranas de eritrócito) e lise induzida pelo surfatante não iônico Triton X100. Concomitante ao aparecimento de hemoglobina e fosfato livres no sobrenadante - indicadores da ruptura da membrana, medidas do parâmetro de ordem daquele marcador de spin permitiram estudar as transições que acontecem durante (membrana:membrana mista) e após (membrana mista:micela mista) a hemólise / Abstract: Surfactants or detergents are amphiphilic compounds that form micellar aggregates in the presence of excess water. Surfactants are able to induce disruption of lamellar aggregates, justifying their use for cell lysis or in the extraction of membrane constituents such as lipids and proteins. The lytic capacity of a given surfactant is determined by its chemical structure, that rules its interaction with the membranes. At high concentration (above the critic micelle concentration), surfactants destabilize lipid bilayer leading to mixed micelle formation. Hemolytic assays are a good model to study the lytic effect of surfactants on biomembranes. In this study we have applied to human erythrocytes the quantitative treatment proposed by Lichtenberg (1985) to describe the solubilization of model lipid membranes. The concentration for onset (Csat) and complete (Csol) hemolysis induced by 25 classic surfactants from five different families were measured. Changes in Csat and Csol values at different hematocrits allowed the determination of the surfactant/membrane lipid molar ratio (Re) for beginning and 100% lysis. The Re arameter was used to classify the surfactants as strong, medium or weak membrane solubilizers. The classification was in good correlation with data in the literature, allowing us to recommend the use of Re parameter to describe the lyric effect of surfactants on biomembranes. The transitions in the hemolytic process were accompanied by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance, using the 5-doxyl-stearate spin-probe (1 mol%, incorporated in the erythrocyte membrane) and the non-ionic surfactant Triton X100. Simultaneously to the appearance of hemoglobin and phosphate released in the supernatant, measurements of the order parameter of the spin probe were used to characterize the transitions that take place during (membrane :mixed membrane) and after (mixed: membrane: mixed micelle) hemolysis / Doutorado / Bioquimica / Doutor em Biologia Funcional e Molecular

<p>Da bi se dobio sistem surfaktanata željenih osobina moguće je hemijski modifikovati već postojeće molekule povr&scaron;inski aktivnih supstanci, a druga mogućnost je konstrukcija binarnih sme&scaron;a surfaktanata. U farmaceutskoj i prehrambenoj industriji uveliko se primenjuju binarne sme&scaron;e povr&scaron;inski aktivnih molekula. Ukoliko je binarna me&scaron;ovita micela termodinamički stabilnija od hipotetičke idealne binarne me&scaron;ovite micele, onda je kritična micelarna koncentracija binarne sme&scaron;e surfaktanata niža čak i od hidrofobnije gradivne jedinice me&scaron;ovite micele, &scaron;to znači da je za isti efekat povr&scaron;inske aktivnosti potrebna manja količina binarne sme&scaron;e nego čistog surfaktanta. Različite gradivne jedinice binarne micele u micelarnoj pseudofazi mogu formirati specifične regije koje mogu vezivati lekove određenih strukturnih karakteristika. Pogodno je da jedna gradivna jedinica bude krute konformacije, npr. soli žučnih kiselina, dok je druga gradivna jedinica konformaciono pokretljiva (ugljovodonični nizovi iznad C10). Na taj način se povećava zapremina hidrofobne micelarne faze u odnosu na zapreminu hidrofobne micelarne faze monokomponentne micelle konformaciono krutog surfaktanta, &scaron;to povećava solubilizacioni kapacitet me&scaron;ovite micele u odnosu na monokomponentnu micelu krutog surfaktanta. Povećanjem dužine ugljovodoničnog niza konformaciono pokretnog surfaktanta povećava se stepen unutra&scaron;nje pokretljivosti u hidrofobnom domenu me&scaron;ovite micele, &scaron;to takođe povećava verovatnoću prihvatanja molekula gosta. Micelarni sistemi, kako monokomponentnih micela tako i binarnih me&scaron;ovitih micela dodatno se mogu termodinamički stabilizovati povećanjem jonske jačine rastvora. Za hidrataciju katjona tro&scaron;e se molekuli vode iz sistema, &scaron;to povećava efekat desolvatizacije hidrofobne povr&scaron;ine surfaktanata, pa se zbog toga pospe&scaron;uje samoasocijacija.</p> / <p>To obtain the surfactant system with the desired properties it is possible to chemically modify existing molecules of surface active agents. The other possibility is the construction of binary mixtures of surfactants. Binary mixtures of surface active molecules are widely used In the pharmaceutical and food industry. If the binary mixture micelle is more thermodynamically stable than the hypothetical ideal binary mixed micelle, then the critical micellar concentration (CMC) of the binary mixture of surfactants is even lower than the CMC of the more hydrophobic building block of the binary mixture. That means that for the same effect of surface activity less the amount of the binary mixture than the pure surfactants is required. The different building blocks of binary micelles in micelar pseudophase can form specific regions that can bind drugs of certain structural characteristics. It is suitable that one building block is of a rigid conformation, i.e. bile acid salts, while the second building block is of a flexible conformation (above C10 hydrocarbon arrays). In this way the volume of the hydrophobic micellar phase is increased in relation to the volume of the hydrophobic micellar phase of the monocomponent micelles of conformationally rigid surfactant, which increases the capacity of solubilisation of the mixed micelles, compared to the mono-component surfactant micelle of the rigid conformation. By increasing the length of the hydrocarbon array of the the conformational flexible surfactant, the degree of internal mobility in the hydrophobic domain of mixed micelles is also increased, which also increases the likelihood of acceptance of guest molecules. Micellar systems, of both monocomponent micelles and mixed micelles can be additionally thermodynamically stabilized by increasing the ionic strength of the solution. The hydration of cations uses the molecules of water from the system, which increases the effect of desolvatisation of the hydrophobic surface of the surfactants, and therefore promotes self-association.</p>

No description available.

O surfactante pulmonar é uma substância fundamental na mecânica pulmonar, com atividade biofísica e de proteção alveolar por reduzir a tensão superficial e impedir o seu colabamento.Na síndrome do desconforto respiratório tipo agudo(SDRA) ocorre uma diminuição quantitativa e disfunção qualitativa do surfactante com agravamento do quadro clínico.Estudamos, em um modelo experimental de SDRA em coelho adulto, os efeitos da adição de polietilenoglicol ao surfactante pulmonar exógeno quanto à melhora da complacência pulmonar,pressão ventilatória,índice de oxigenação,diferença alvéolo-arterial de oxigênio,gradiente alvéolo-arterial de oxigênio pressão arteial parcial de CO2, pelo índice de eficiência ventilatória,diâmetro alveolar médio e índice de distorção.A utilização do surfactante melhorou a oxigenação, e a mecânica pulmonar, sem no entanto, haver diferença entre os grupos surfactante e surfactante mais polietilenoglicol / Lung surfactant is a fundamental substance in lung mechanics, with biophysical activity to reduce alveolar surface tension and to avoid pulmonary collapse. In the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) occurs a quantitative and qualitative surfactant dysfunction with worsening of clinical status. We study, in an experimental model of ARDS in adult rabbit, the effects of polyethyeneglycol addition to the exogenous surfactant to improve the pulmonary compliance, ventilatory pressure, oxygenation index, arterial-alveolar oxygen ratio , alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient, carbon dioxide partial arterial pressure, ventilatory efficiency index , alveolar medium diameter and ditorsion index. Surfactant treatment improved arterial oxygenation and the lung mechanics, with no differences between the study groups

O surfactante pulmonar é uma substância fundamental na mecânica pulmonar, com atividade biofísica e de proteção alveolar por reduzir a tensão superficial e impedir o seu colabamento.Na síndrome do desconforto respiratório tipo agudo(SDRA) ocorre uma diminuição quantitativa e disfunção qualitativa do surfactante com agravamento do quadro clínico.Estudamos, em um modelo experimental de SDRA em coelho adulto, os efeitos da adição de polietilenoglicol ao surfactante pulmonar exógeno quanto à melhora da complacência pulmonar,pressão ventilatória,índice de oxigenação,diferença alvéolo-arterial de oxigênio,gradiente alvéolo-arterial de oxigênio pressão arteial parcial de CO2, pelo índice de eficiência ventilatória,diâmetro alveolar médio e índice de distorção.A utilização do surfactante melhorou a oxigenação, e a mecânica pulmonar, sem no entanto, haver diferença entre os grupos surfactante e surfactante mais polietilenoglicol / Lung surfactant is a fundamental substance in lung mechanics, with biophysical activity to reduce alveolar surface tension and to avoid pulmonary collapse. In the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) occurs a quantitative and qualitative surfactant dysfunction with worsening of clinical status. We study, in an experimental model of ARDS in adult rabbit, the effects of polyethyeneglycol addition to the exogenous surfactant to improve the pulmonary compliance, ventilatory pressure, oxygenation index, arterial-alveolar oxygen ratio , alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient, carbon dioxide partial arterial pressure, ventilatory efficiency index , alveolar medium diameter and ditorsion index. Surfactant treatment improved arterial oxygenation and the lung mechanics, with no differences between the study groups

La inulina és un polímer (polifructosa) polidispers i relativament petit que s’extrau de les arrels de la xicoira. Recentment, s’ha observat un interès creixent per part de la indústria per introduir productes més bons, més biodegradables i més biocompatibles en les seves formulacions. En això, la modificació hidrofòbica de polisacàrids a donat i està donant lloc a una gran varietat de productes molt interessants. La inulina modificada hidrofòbicament (HMI) té una gran capacitat per estabilitzar sistemes dispersos com ara emulsions oli en aigua, dispersions de sòlids en líquids, films, etc. Per això, diverses indústries s’han interessat per la incorporació de l’HMI com a tensioactiu polimèric en els seus processos i productes. Inspirat en la química sostenible, l’objectiu principal d’aquesta tesi doctoral és l’obtenció de inulina modificada hidrofòbicament (HMI) en medi aquós. Aquest procés es duu a terme en un sol pas mitjançant reaccions químiques catalitzades per una base entre els hidroxils de la inulina i el grup reactiu terminal de cadenes alquíliques llargues i un. A escala industrial, l’HMI es produeix en presència d’un dissolvent orgànic capaç de solubilitzar tots els agents de reacció. Per tal d’aconseguir la eliminació del dissolvent orgànic del procés, s’han modificat sistemàticament paràmetres com el tipus de grup reactiu, la longitud hidròfobs de les cadenes alquíliques, el tipus i contingut de catalitzador bàsic, la temperatura de reacció, la polaritat del medi, així com la presència de catalitzadors micel•lars. Com a resultat d’aquesta optimització1-3), s’ha descrit una metodologia innovadora que permet l’obtenció d’HMI en medi aquós. Aquesta modificació permet introduir un ventall ampli de característiques hidrofòbiques amb temps raonablement curts i eficiències superiors al 60%. Els mecanismes relatius a les reaccions de modificació hidrofòbica també s’han proposat. Els productes sintetitzats són d’especial interès tant a nivell industrial com a nivell científic, per això la segona part d’aquesta tesi doctoral inclou la seva caracterització fisicoquímica. S’ha demostrat que els HMI sintetitzats són tensioactius polimèrics, s’agreguen i tenen propietats equiparables al HMI comercial basat en la inulina, Inutec®SP1. Addicionalment, també s’ha estudiat la seva interacció amb sistemes vesiculars amb la finalitat d’explorar possibles camps d’aplicació fins ara desconeguts per l’HMI. En aquesta línia, s’ha determinat que la presència de petites quantitats d’HMI produeix una reducció important de la viscositat del sistema DDAB/H2O, la qual cosa s’ha pogut relacionar amb canvis de la microstructura del sistema. Finalment, a partir de les conclusions d’aquesta tesi es poden obtenir tensioactius polimèrics basats en la inulina en medi aquós i es pot esperar que els HMI sintetitzats puguin tenir aplicació en la formulació de vehicles d’alliberament controlat en biomedicina. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) Morros, J., Levecke, B. & Infante, MR, (2010). Chemical hydrophobic modification of inulin in aqueous media: Synthesis of β-hydroxyalkyl ethers of inulin. Carbohydr. Polym. 81, 681–686. doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2010.03.039 2) Morros, J.; Levecke, B.; Infante, M. R. (2010) Synthesis of β-hydroxyalkyl ethers of inulin in aqueous surfactant media. Carbohydr. Polym. 82, 1168-1173. doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2010.06.050 3) Morros, J., Levecke, B., Infante, M. R. (2011). Hydrophobically modified inulin from alkenyl succinic anhydride in aqueous media. Carbohydr. Polym. 84, 1110-1116. doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2010.12.077 / SYNTHESIS OF BIOPOLYMERIC SURFACTANTS BASED ON INULIN IN AQUEOUS MEDIA Recently, a growing interest from industry, especially in cosmetics and pharmaceutics, to introduce bio based products in their formulations has been observed. The replacement of petroleum based products by bio based products reduce the environmental impact because the latter are made from sustainable feedstock and are easily biodegraded. A relatively small and polydisperse polyfructose extracted from chicory with several hydrophobic chains attached along its backbone named hydrophobically modified inulin (HMI), has focused a special interest concerning surfactant technologies. HMI products have excellent properties as stabilizing agents in many disperse systems such as o/w emulsions, solid dispersions or films. In order to increase the sustainability of these products, the aim of this doctoral thesis was to synthesize biopolymeric surfactants based on inulin (HMI) in aqueous media. The hydrophobic modification of inulin was carried out in one-step synthesis through chemical reactions catalysed by base. This reaction occurs between some activated hydroxyl groups of the inulin backbone and the electrophilic end-group of long alkylic chains. At industrial scale, HMI is produced in presence of an organic solvent able to solubilise all reagents. To achieve the organic solvent removal from the process, several reaction parameters such as the type of reactive end-group, the length of the hydrophobic chains, the type and the amount of basic catalyst, the reaction temperature, the polarity of the reaction media, as well as the presence of surfactants have been optimized. As a result of this optimization1-3, it has been described a new methodology that allows getting HMI in aqueous media. A wide range of hydrophobic chain lengths, reasonably reaction times and relatively good reaction efficiencies, higher than 60%, have been reached satisfactorily with the help of cationic surfactants acting as micellar catalysts. Related reaction mechanisms have been also proposed. Additionally, our HMI have been characterized as a polymeric surfactants and as vesicle interacting polymer. Surface tension profiles, zero-shear viscosity and SAXS of HMI aqueous solutions were measured. The influence of little amounts of HMI over the vesicle forming system DDDAB/H2O, has been related to dramatic changes on the micro-structure of the system, which would have some specific application on drug delivery vehicles formulations. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Morros, J., Levecke, B. & Infante, MR, (2010). Chemical hydrophobic modification of inulin in aqueous media: Synthesis of β-hydroxyalkyl ethers of inulin. Carbohydr. Polym. 81, 681–686. 2 Morros, J.; Levecke, B.; Infante, M. R. (2010) Synthesis of β-hydroxyalkyl ethers of inulin in aqueous surfactant media. Carbohydr. Polym. 82, 1168-1173. 3 Morros, J., Levecke, B., Infante, M. R. (2011). Hydrophobically modified inulin from alkenyl succinic anhydride in aqueous media. Carbohydr. Polym. 84, 1110-1116.

Early transition metal oxide clusters have been a focus of study for several years. The production of vanadium oxide cluster anions in a pulsed helium flow reactor provides a relatively precise way of introducing defect sites and controlling the oxidation state of the vanadium atoms. The composition of the clusters can be changed from the V2O5 stoichiometry, where the vanadium atom is in a +5 oxidation state, to more reduced stoichiometries yielding a mixture of oxidation states containing atoms in the +2 oxidation state. The subsequent addition of reactant gases such as H2O and SO2 yields very intense adsorption reactions as well as a demonstration of the robustness of particular defect free clusters. For example, the cluster has been identified as a defect free cluster where all vanadium atoms are in the +5 oxidation state and all oxygen atoms are predicted to be in the 2- state. The cluster has been shown to not adsorb SO2- while clusters in a reduced oxidation state, such as and readily adsorb one or more SO2 molecules. The adsorption process has been shown to be size dependent, with the smallest monovanadium oxide anions being the most reactive.