This thesis is focused on interconnection between education of plant pigments and inquiry- based science education in upper primary school. The theoretical section of this thesis deals with the current quality of education and knowledge level of Czech pupils in science subjects, as well as characteristic of inquiry based science education and description of various types of plant pigments. Evaluation of publications focused on occurrence of plant pigments in curricular document is another part of this thesis. The study revealed that plant pigments represent only a marginal topic of these publications. The next section of this thesis is a questionnaire survey about utilization of inquiry based science education among the teachers of biology in upper primary school. The results showed that most of the teachers were well acquainted with the method and applied it during their teaching. The last section of this thesis contains two proposals for experimental tasks of inquiry-based science education of plant pigments, which are focused on interface of biology and chemistry. Both tasks were successfully solved.

Title: Quantum mechanical study of the electron hoping processes of pig- ments from photosystems. Simulation of absorption and emission photoelectron spectra. Author: Bc. Radim Cajzl Department: Department of Chemical Physics and Optics Supervisor: prof. RNDr. Ing. Jaroslav Burda, DrSc., Department of Chemical Physics and Optics Abstract: The aim of this thesis is to develop a methodology for simulation of dynamical properties of carotenoids by OMx method combined with surface electron hopping. We use linear conjugated polyenes: ethene, butadiene, hexa- triene up to polyenes with 22 carbon atoms as model systems. First, the spectra are calculated with sufficiently good agreement with the experimental data by both correct order of excited states and small deviation from experimental data. These results are used for electron surface hopping for calculation of mean lifetimes of excited states of studied polyenes. Calculated lifetimes are of the same order as experimental data for butadiene, hexatriene and octatetraene. Calculated lifetimes for poleynes with 20 resp. 22 carbon atoms agree well with chemically analogous carotenoids. Keywords: quantum mechanics, photoelectron spectra, pigments of photosys- tems, elecrton transitions, molecular and electronic dynamics

The aim of this work is to make a literature search in the measurement of membrane voltage using voltage-sensitive dyes and suggest a method for measuring the membrane voltage on the available cells using the voltage-sensitive dye di 4 ANEPPS and its further implementation. The work contains an introduction to electrophysiology of cells, and explains typical fluorescence characteristics. The thesis contains the description of a fluorescence microscope. The document presents characteristics of voltage-sensitive dyes and their distribution. A large part of the work describes the implementation and measurement of the experiment. The document also includes different methods for measuring and processing of all results.

The aim of this work is to realize measurements of membrane potential with voltagesensitive dye Di-4-ANEPPS and the data processed and analyzed. The work includes theoretical basis in the form of electrophysiology animal cells, explains fluorescence and describes the fluorescence microscope. The document is largely devoted to the characterization and distribution of voltage-sensitive dyes (VSD). The practical part deals with the various components necessary to perform the experiment as a pulse generator, high-speed camera and camera’s acquisition and describes experiment. The conclusion will be compared with results from theoretical assumptions.

This thesis deals with various physical-chemical aspects of agricultural and environmental applications of the South Moravian lignite. The main attention was paid to the behavior of lignite in an aqueous environment and the application potential of lignite as a cheap, effective and universal sorbent. In the experimental part of the thesis, aqueous extracts of lignite were characterized in detail (by measurement of pH, conductivity, and by the qualitative and quantitative determination of inorganic constituents). The high sorption affinity towards polar (cationic dyes) and nonpolar compounds (petroleum products) was confirmed experimentally. At last, simple methods of the laboratory preparation of lignite granules was designed and optimized. The main aim of this part was to combine the unusual sorption properties of lignite with an improvement of the end-use properties of the product (user-friendly handling, controlled release of the lignite into the aqueous environment, etc.). The thesis represents a complex compilation of the results of pilot experiments which represent the starting point of detailed future works focused on the non-energetic application of this valuable natural material.

This thesis was focused on a determination of heparin using sequential injection analysis with spectrofluorimetric and spectrophotometric detection. The principle of determination was based on the interaction of heparin with phenothiazine dye. A decrease of fluorescence intensity of dye in its emission maximum was detected. In the case of spectrophotometric detection a decrease of the absorbance of dye was measured. Azure A, azure B and methylene blue were used as representantive selection of phenothiazine dyes. The determination was performed on a laboratory made SIA apparatus, for which a control software in LabVIEW 7.1 graphical programming was created. Two types of flow configuration for spectrofluorimetric detection were implemented. Type 1: For deionized water as a carrier stream with a injection of heparin and dye zones there were found the following optimal conditions: cdye = 1×10-5 mol dm-3 ; vflow = 2500 µl min-1 ; reaction coil length of 0 cm; injected volume of dye 150 µl and injected volume of sample 150 µl. Dynamic range of calibration curves with an exponential course for the individual dyes in the range of LOQ - 1200, eventually up 1500 IU dm-3 were detected. Limits of detection between 7.6 - 39.1 and the limits of quantification between 58.8 - 124.5 IU dm-3 were found. Type 2: For...

This Diploma thesis talks about the production of concentrates and lyophilisate from the extract of elderberry moldlings (elderberry, Sambuvus nigra L.) and by determination by chosen chemical characteristics of these products. The theoretical part includes the botanical characteristics of the plant species Sambucus nigra L. Next is the part that is dedicated to biologicaly active substances found in elderberry and it‘s possible usage in the food industry. Next is the part where the extraction, purification and indentification of anthocyanic dyes are described. In the next part is the analyrical method HPLC described, including the description of instrumentation. The last part talks about the description of the used methods: methods for the concentration of the extract, UV-VIS spectrophotometry, determination of phenolic compounds, determination of dry matter, determination of active acidity and the overall titrating acidity. The experimental part contained the optimalization of the process of producing the extract from elderberry moldings. The extract obtained was then concentrated for preservation and characterization purposes based on selected chemical properties. The total content of anthocyanin dyes was chosen as a quality parameter. The most suitable process for the preparation of the extract was chosen to be the ratio of moldings and solvent 1:2, 4 (m/V). The most suitable solvent was chosen to be a mixture of water and ethanol in a ratio of 1:1 (V/V). According to the needs of the submitter, an extract with the use of water as the extraction agent is also provided. The prepared extract was then concentrated on a vacuum evaporator or lyophilized for storage purposes. The dye degradation while using the evaporator was the lowest in a 40 ° C water bath. The final products were characterized by the determination of soluble solids, pH, titration acidity, total phenolic compounds and total anthocyanin dyes. The anthocyanin pigments contained identified by liquid chromatography are: cyanidine-3-sambubioside, cyanidine-3-glucoside, cyanidine-3-sambubioside-5-glucoside, and cyanidine-3,5-diglucoside The total content of anthocyanins in the concentrate was determined to be equivalent to cyanidine-3-glucoside at 2.8 gl-1 and in the lyophilisate 2.5 gl-1.

The purpose of this thesis is to compare the contents anthocyans in different varieties of European elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.). It was also studied the relationship between the content anthocyans in selected samples of blue grape varieties (Vitis vinifera L.) and position of the track, where the grapes were grown. The theoretical part describes elderberries and grapes in terms of botanical, chemical, and in terms of their using in the food industry. The dominant part of this chapter is to describe anthocyans and possibilities for their determination in the elderberry and grapes. Emphasis has been placed on the pH-differential method and determination by high performance liquid chromatography. The experiments are divided into two parts. The aim of the first experimental part is comparison of the total anthocyanins content in fifteen varieties of elderberry. The performed analysis shows that in terms of anthocyanins content for cultivation of elderberry in the Czech Republic the most suitable varieties are Mammut, Samyl, Reis aus Vossloch and Haschberg. In the second part of the experiments were determined total anthocyanins content in nine varieties of blue grape grown in the Mikulov region. For determination were used HPLC and pH-differential methods, as well as in the first part. The highest content of pigments was found in varieties Alibernet and Neronet. The present study focused on the suitability of the location pointed to vineyard south to southeast orientation plantings. At the end of the experimental part is a comparison of both methods of determination. Method using high performance liquid chromatography to provide very accurate results compared to less demanding pH-differential method of determination. This is recommended only for tentative determination of anthocyanins content in real samples.

The aim of this work is to make a literature search in the measurement of membrane voltage using the voltage-sensitive dyes and suggest a method of measuring the membrane voltage on the available cells using the voltage-sensitive dye Di-4-ANEPPS and RH237. The work contains an introduction to electrophysiology of cell, explains fluorescence and typical fluorescence characteristics. The thesis contains the description of a fluorescence microscope. The document was largely devoted to characterization and distribution of voltage-sensitive dyes. The output of a design solution is a real experiment.

Disertační práce se zabývá detailním studiem vlastností různých elektrických výbojů generovaných ve vodných roztocích. Tyto výboje se staly v posledním desetiletí velmi populárním tématem, a to zejména díky mnoha praktickým využitím jako například v biomedicíně, čištění odpadních vod, ekologii nebo nanoinženýrství. Studium je zaměřeno na generaci peroxidu vodíku, jakožto jednu z nejvýznamnějších částic generovaných právě elektrickými výboji v kapalinách. Pro první část této práce byla využita speciální výbojová komora zkonstruovaná na Fakultě chemické Vysokého Učení Technického v Brně. Komora byla rozdělena tenkou diafragmovou přepážkou na dvě poloviny, přičemž uvnitř přepážky se nacházela malá dírka. V každé části komory se nacházela jedna elektroda, a obě dvě části komory byly vyplněny kapalinou. Ze zdroje bylo do kapaliny aplikováno vysokofrekvenční napětí (1 a 2 kHz), které tak vlastně upravovalo roztok chloridu sodného (1.5 l). Bylo zjištěno, že tento druh napětí, v porovnání s DC, nezpůsobuje nežádoucí přehřívání roztoku (počáteční vodivost 100 - 800 S/cm) během jeho úpravy při zachování účinnosti produkce peroxidu. Experimentální aparatura pro druhou část práce byla sestavena na Gentské Univerzitě v Belgii. Stejnosměrný výboj byl generován v bublinách plynů (He, Ar, N2, vzduch) v prostředí vodných roztoků. Byla studována generace peroxidu vodíku a odbourávání organických barviv přítomných ve zkoumaném roztoku. Ke generaci peroxidu vodíku byl použit roztok NaH2PO4 . 2H2O (5 microS/cm, V= 750 ml), ke zkoumání rozkladu barviv byly použity roztoky organických barviv Direct Red 79 (20 mg/l) a Direct Blue 106 (20 mg/l, V= 750 ml). Minimální koncentrace peroxidu vodíku byla naměřena při aplikaci proudu 10 mA, zatímco maximální koncentrace peroxidu vodíku byla zaznamenána při použití proudu 30 mA. Rozklad organických barviv vykazoval stejné vlastnosti. Čím vyšší byla dodávaná energie, tím více barviva se odbouralo. Třetí část práce probíhala ve spolupráci s Queen's University of Belfast, Centrum for Plasma Physics, UK. K realizaci experimentů bylo využito vysokofrekvenčního plazmového skalpelu (Arthrocar). Bylo zjištěno, že hodnota koncentrace peroxidu vodíku dosahovala maxima v roztocích s nepatrným přídavkem alkoholu (0.25 %). Celkem byly studovány čtyři 0.15 M roztoky BaCl2, Na2CO3, KCl a NaCl (V= 20 ml), jejichž počáteční vodivost se pohybovala kolem 13 mS/cm. Z výsledků bylo patrné, že největší rozdíl hodnot pH byl zaznamenán u roztoků s přídavkem ethanolu. V optických emisních spektrech byly identifikovány především radikály OH, které jsou prekurzory peroxidu vodíku. Výsledky ukázaly, že plazma v takovémto roztoku je stále tvořeno, což může být považováno za první krok generace plazmatu v organických sloučeninách. Poslední část práce byla zaměřena na tzv. mikroplazmatický jet v přímém kontaktu s kapalnou fází. Tato experimentální práce byla realizována na pracovišti Nanotechnology & Integrated Bio-Engineering Centre (NIBEC), University of Ulster, UK během studijní stáže. Jako vodivé médium byl použit roztok trihydrátu kyseliny chlorozlatité s různou počáteční vodivostí. Zajímavým zjištěním je fakt, že při tomto druhu měření bylo generováno stabilní plazma i při velmi malém výbojovém proudu (0.05 a 0.2 mA), a tedy i peroxid vodíku vznikal při velmi malé vstupní energii, což může být považováno za velmi dobrý výsledek.