Gheorghe Bota

Direct detection of trimethylamine in meat food products using ion mobility spectrometry

Biogenic amines are degradation products generated by bacteria in meat products. These amines can indicate bacterial contamination or have a carcinogenic effect to humans consuming spoiled meats; therefore, their rapid detection is essential. Trimethylamine (TMA) is a good target for the detection of biogenic amines because its volatility. TMA was directly detected in meat food products using ion mobility spectrometry (IMS). TMA concentrations were measured in chicken meat juice for a quantitative evaluation of the meat decaying process. The lowest detected TMA concentration in chicken juice was 0.6+/-0.2 ng and the lowest detected signal for TMA in a standard aqueous solution was 0.6 ng. IMS data were processed using partial least squares (PLS) and Fuzzy rule-building expert system (FuRES). Using these two chemometric methods, trimethylamine concentrations of different days of meat spoilage can be separated, indicating the decaying of meat products. Comparing the two methods, FuRES provided a better classification of different days of meat spoilage.

Influence of Pyrrhotite on the Corrosion of Mild Steel

As a result of the electrical conductivity of pyrrhotite, it was hypothesized that its presence in the corrosion product layer on a steel surface could lead to localized corrosion. Mild steel specimens (API 5L X65) were pretreated to form a pyrrhotite layer on the surface using high-temperature sulfidation in oil. The pretreated specimens were then exposed to a range of aqueous CO2 and H2S corrosion environments at 30°C and 60°C. X-ray diffraction data showed that the pyrrhotite layer changed during exposure; in an aqueous CO2 solution it underwent dissolution, while in a mixed CO2/H2S solution it partially transformed to troilite, with some mackinawite formation. Initiation of localized corrosion was observed in both cases. It was concluded that this was the result of a galvanic coupling between the pyrrhotite layer and the steel surface. The intensity of the observed localized corrosion varied with solution conductivity (NaCl concentration); a more conductive solution resulted in higher localized corros...

Kinetic Reaction Modelling of Naphthenic Acid Corrosion and Sulfidation in Refineries â A Mechanistic Model

Corrosion by naphthenic acids and sulfur compounds has long plagued the refining industry, generating a large body of research and field literature. However, the corrosion mechanism is not well und...