K. Suvardhan

RETRACTED: Preconcentration and solid-phase extraction of beryllium, lead, nickel, and bismuth from various water samples using 2-propylpiperidine-1-carbodithioate with flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS).

This article has been retracted at the request of the Editors-in-Chief. Please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy). REASON: Considerable concern was raised about the research purportedly conducted at Sri Venkateswara University, India with the alleged involvement of Professor P. Chiranjeevi. Questions were raised as to the volume of publications, the actual capacity (equipment, orientation and chemicals) of the laboratory in which Professor Chiranjeevi worked, the validity of certain of the research data identified in the articles, the fact that a number of papers appear to have been plagiarized from other previously published papers, and some aspects of authorship. Professor Chiranjeevi was given the opportunity to respond to these allegations. Thereafter, a committee was constituted by the University to look into these allegations. Based on the enquiry committee report, we have been informed by the head of the Department of Chemistry at Sri Venkateswara University that the university authorities have taken disciplinary action against Professor Chiranjeevi, as the university considers that there are grounds for such action. Therefore, based on the results of this investigation, the Editors-in-Chief are retracting this article.

Facile and sensitive spectrophotometric determination of vanadium in various samples

Novel reactions were developed for facile, sensitive and selective rapid spectrophotometric determination of trace amounts of vanadium(V) in various samples. The methods were based on the interactions of 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone hydrochloride (MBTH) with N-(1-naphthyl)ethylenediamine dihydrochloride (NEDA) in the presence of vanadium to give blue colored derivative or on oxidation of dopamine hydrochloride (DPH) by vanadium in acidic medium and coupling with MBTH to yield pink color derivative. The blue color derivative having an absorbance maximum at 595nm was stable for 9 days and the pink color derivative with λ(max) 526nm for 5 days. Beers law is obeyed for vanadium in the concentration range 0.05-6.0μgml(-1) (blue color derivative) and 0.06-7.0μgml(-1) (pink color derivative), respectively. The optimum reaction conditions and other important analytical parameters were established. Interference due to various non-target ions was also investigated. The proposed methods were applied to the analysis of vanadium(V) in environmental, biological, pharmaceutical and steel samples. The performance of proposed method was evaluated in terms of Students t-test and variance ratio F-test that indicates the significance of proposed method over reported method.

Preparation of Reagents for the Sensitive Spectrophotometric Determination of Carbaryl in Environmental Samples

Abstract A simple and sensitive spectrophotometric method was described for the determination of carbaryl in its formulations, fortified water, food grains, polluted water, plant material (cabbage), soil, and biological samples (blood and urine) with the prepared coupling reagents. The method was based on alkaline hydrolysis of the carbaryl pesticide, and the resultant hydrolysis product of 1‐naphthol was coupled with 2,6‐dibromo‐4‐methylaniline to give a purple product with λmax of 505 nm or coupling with 2,4,6‐tribromoaniline to produce a violet colored product with λmax 535 nm or coupling with 2,6‐dibromo‐4‐nitroaniline to form pale‐red colored product has a λmax of 492 nm. The formation of colored derivatives with the coupling agents are instantaneous and stable for 48 h, 40 h, and 36 h, respectively. The results indicate the proposed methods sensitivity, selectivity, and the recovery of the carbaryl from the fortified water, food grains, polluted water, plant material (cabbage), soil, and biological samples (blood and urine) are higher than the other methods. The authors thank Bayer (India) Ltd., Bombay, for the supply of technical grade carbaryl and the Head of the Dept. of Biotechnology, S. V. University, Tirupati for providing instrumental facility to carry out this work.

Novel solid-phase extraction and preconcentration technique coupled with ICP-AES for the determination of Cr(III), Ni(II), and Zn(II) in various water samples

Newly synthesized 2-propylpiperidine-1-carbodithioate (2-PPC) was used for the extraction of Cr(III), Ni(II), and Zn(II) from various water samples. In the present investigation, the use of a syringe loaded with sorbent for the separation and enrichment of Cr(III), Ni(II), and Zn(II) prior to their determination by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) was proposed to substitute the batch and column techniques. The described method was compared with the column technique with respect to fastness, simplicity, recovery, and risk of contamination. The syringe was loaded with 1.0 g of sorbent in order to retain the analyte elements. Next, 7.0 mL of sample solution (pH 5.0 ± 0.2) was drawn into the syringe in 15 s and discharged over 15 s. Then, an eluent (3.0 M HCl) was drawn into the syringe and ejected back to desorb the analyte elements. At the optimum conditions, the percentage recoveries of Cr(III), Ni(II), and Zn(II) were in the range of 94.50 to 99.62% with a standard deviation (S.D.) of 0.03%. The elements could be concentrated by drawing and discharging several portions of sample successively and eluting only one time. The detailed study of various interferences proved the method to be highly selective. The risk of contamination is less than that with the column technique. The method was successfully applied to the determination of Cr(III), Ni(II), and Zn(II) in spiked and natural water samples. The results obtained are in good agreement with those obtained by the reported methods at the 95% confidence level.

RETRACTED: Simultaneous flow-through determination of nitrites, nitrates and their mixtures in environmental and biological samples using spectrophotometry

This article has been retracted at the request of the Editors-in-Chief. Please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy). REASON: Considerable concern was raised about the research purportedly conducted at Sri Venkateswara University, India with the alleged involvement of Professor P. Chiranjeevi. Questions were raised as to the volume of publications, the actual capacity (equipment, orientation and chemicals) of the laboratory in which Professor Chiranjeevi worked, the validity of certain of the research data identified in the articles, the fact that a number of papers appear to have been plagiarized from other previously published papers, and some aspects of authorship. Professor Chiranjeevi was given the opportunity to respond to these allegations. Thereafter, a committee was constituted by the University to look into these allegations. Based on the enquiry committee report, we have been informed by the head of the Department of Chemistry at Sri Venkateswara University that the university authorities have taken disciplinary action against Professor Chiranjeevi, as the university considers that there are grounds for such action. Therefore, based on the results of this investigation, the Editors-in-Chief are retracting this article.

Spectrophotometric determination of traces of selenium(IV) in various environmental samples using the flow-injection technique (FIT)

A simple, sensitive, and rapid flow-injection spectrophotometric method was developed for the determination of trace amounts of selenium(IV). The method is based on the oxidation reaction of 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone hydrochloride (MBTH) by selenium(IV) followed by the coupling reaction with chromotropic acid (4.5-dihydroxy naphthalene-2.7-disulphonic acid) in a basic medium (phosphate buffer, pH 10.5) to give a pink derivative with λmax 530 nm that is stable for more than 7 days at 35°C. The reaction and flow conditions of the full experimental design were optimized. A detection limit (2s) of 0.25 μg/L Se(IV) was obtained at a sampling rate of 10 samples per hour. Beer’s law is obeyed for a Se(IV) concentration range of 0.05–0.5 μg/mL at the wavelength of maximum absorption. The detailed study of various interference ions indicates that the method is highly selective. The method was successfully applied to the determination of traces of selenium(IV) in various water samples. The results obtained were in good agreement with those obtained by the reported methods at the 95% confidence level.

Analysis of fenvalerate in its formulations and environmental samples using spectrophotometry

Two rapid, simple, sensitive, and nonextractive spectrophotometric methods were described for the determination of fenvalerate (syntheitic pyrethroid) in its formulations, water and grain samples. The methods are based on the hydrolysis of fenvalerate with methanolic NaOH to form 3-phenoxybenzaldehyde. The resultant aldehyde group was condensed with 4-aminoantipyrine in the basic medium to form a red product having λmax at 489 nm or condensed with4,4′-methylene-bis-m-nitroaniline to form a plae red product with an absorption maximum of 513 nm. Beer’s law was obeyed over the range 0.6–10 μg/mL (molar absorptivity 2.184 × 104 L/mol cm) for 4-aminoantityrine and over the range of 1–12 μg/mL (molar absorptivity 4.162 × 104 L/mol cm) for 4,4′-methylene-bis-m-nitroaniline. The formations of color derivatives with the reagents are instantaneous and stable for 40 and 32 h, respectively. The methods were rapid, simple, sensitive, and free from nontarget species. The proposed methods have been applied to the determination of fenvalerate in its formulations and environmental samples.

RETRACTED: Development of novel reactions for the simple and sensitive spectrophotometric determination of vanadium in various samples

This article has been retracted at the request of the Editors-in-Chief. Please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy). Reason: Considerable concern was raised about the research purportedly conducted at Sri Venkateswara University, India with the alleged involvement of Professor P. Chiranjeevi. Questions were raised as to the volume of publications, the actual capacity (equipment, orientation and chemicals) of the laboratory in which Professor Chiranjeevi worked, the validity of certain of the research data identified in the articles, the fact that a number of papers appear to have been plagiarized from other previously published papers, and some aspects of authorship. Professor Chiranjeevi was given the opportunity to respond to these allegations. Thereafter, a committee was constituted by the University to look into these allegations. Based on the enquiry committee report, we have been informed by the head of the Department of Chemistry at Sri Venkateswara University that the university authorities have taken disciplinary action against ProfessorChiranjeevi, as the university considers that there are grounds for such action. Therefore, based on the results of this investigation, the Editors-in-Chief are retracting this article.

A Sensitive Determination of Carbofuran by Spectrophotometer using 4, 4-azo-bis-3, 3′5, 5′-tetra bromoaniline in various Environmental Samples

A simple and sensitive spectrophotometric technique was developed for the determination of carbofuran in its formulations, water and grain samples. The method was based on the alkaline hydrolyzed product of carbofuran phenol interacted with diazonium salt of 4,4-azo-bis-3,3′5,5′-tetra bromo aniline. The maximum absorbance of the red coloured derivative was measured at 470 nm. The beer’s law was obeyed in the concentration range of 0.1-16.0 µg/mL. The interference of the non target species were studied on the determination of carbofuran which increases the selectivity of the method. The present method was successfully applied for the determination of carbofuran in its formulations, water and grain samples.

New reagents for the facile and sensitive spectrophotometric determination of carbofuran in its formulations and environmental samples

Facile and sensitive spectrophotometric methods were developed for the determination of carbofuran in its formulations and environmental samples by using new reagents. The methods were based on the coupling reaction of hydrolysed product of cabofuran with diazotized reagents, namely, 2,6-dibromo-4-methylaniline, 2,6-dibromo-4-nitroaniline, and 2,4,6-tribromoaniline in basic medium to give color derivatives having the absorption maximum at 468, 474, and 410 nm, respectively. The color derivatives were correspondingly stable for 40, 30, and 16 h. Beer’s law was obeyed in the carbofuran concentration range 0.2–10.0 µg/mL. The proposed methods have been found to be applicable to the determination of carbofuran in its formulations, tap and distilled water, grains, polluted water, plant material (cabbage), and soil samples.