The transport of water in four EVOH copolymers commonly used in high barrier food packages was characterized through permeation (continuous flow) and gravimetric experiments at different rela tive humidities and 23 ± 2°C. Water sorption isotherms were fitted with the D'Arcy and Watts' equa tion. From these data, the value of the solubility coefficient (S, as defined by Henry's law) was deter mined and was found constant within a 0.2-0.75 water activity (a w) range. Water uptake at the same a w increased as the EVOH ethylene content decreased. The permeability coefficient (P) for water through EVOH was determined as a function of water activity. The permeability was constant within the range of 0.3-0.75 a w and decreased with EVOH ethylene content. At high relative humidities (a w > 0.75) the value of permeability increased by up to two orders of magnitude. In this range, the higher the ethylene content the lesser the value of P.

Sodium sulfadiazine (SD-Na) is a drug extensively used for the treatment of certain infections caused by several kinds of microorganisms. Although SD-Na is widely used nowadays in therapeutics, the physicochemical information about their aqueous solutions is not complete at present. In this context, by using the van’t Hoff and Gibbs equations the thermodynamic functions Gibbs energy, enthalpy, and entropy of solution for SD-Na in ethanol + water cosolvent mixtures, are evaluated from solubility data determined at temperatures from 278.15 to 308.15 K. The drug solubility is greatest in neat water and lowest in neat ethanol at all the temperatures studied. This behavior shows the negative cosolvent effect for this electrolyte drug in this solvent system. By means of enthalpy-entropy compensation analysis, non-linear &Delta;Hsoln0-app vs. &Delta;Gsoln0-app plot with positive slope from neat ethanol up to 0.60 in mass fraction of water and negative from this composition to neat water is obtained; accordingly to this result, it follows that the dissolution process of this drug in ethanol-rich is entropy-driven, whereas, in water-rich mixtures the process is enthalpy-driven. Nevertheless, the molecular and ionic events involved in the dissolution of this drug in this cosolvent system are unclear.<br>La sulfadiazina sódica (SD-Na) es un fármaco ampliamente utilizado en el tratamiento de ciertas infecciones causadas por diferentes microorganismos. Si bien la Na-SD es ampliamente usada en la terapéutica actual, la información fisicoquímica de sus soluciones acuosas aún no es completa. En este contexto, se estudian las funciones termodinámicas aparentes de solución, energía de Gibbs, entalpía y entropía, a partir de valores de solubilidad de este fármaco en mezclas cosolventes etanol + agua en el intervalo de temperatura desde 278,15 hasta 308,15 K. La solubilidad del fármaco es mayor en agua pura y menor en etanol puro a todas las temperaturas estudiadas. Este resultado demuestra el efecto cosolvente negativo del etanol sobre este fármaco del tipo electrolito. Mediante análisis de compensación entálpica- entrópica se obtiene un gráfico no lineal &Delta;Hsoln0-app vs. &Delta;Gsoln0-app exhibiendo pendiente positiva desde el etanol puro hasta la mezcla cosolvente de 0,60 en fracción másica de agua y pendiente negativa desde esta mezcla hasta el agua pura; de acuerdo a este resultado, se tiene que el proceso de disolución de este fármaco en mezclas ricas en etanol es conducido entrópicamente, mientras que en mezclas ricas en agua el proceso es conducido entálpicamente. Sin embargo, los eventos moleculares e iónicos involucrados en el proceso de disolución de este fármaco en este sistema cosolventes no son claros.

Phosphate fertilizers should match soil attributes to enhance agronomic effectiveness and recovery by plants. The purpose of this study was to test the agronomic effectiveness of P sources varying in water solubility on two soils differing widely in P adsorption capacity (PAC). Soils selected for the study were Oxisols with very low available P and presenting low and high PAC (Ox-LPAC and Ox-HPAC, respectively). Both were limed to pH 5.4 in a greenhouse study conducted utilizing corn as the test crop. Treatments consisted of the two soils interacting with five P sources (monocalcium phosphate - MCP, low-grade single superphosphate - LG-SSP, multimagnesium phosphate - MMP, Arad phosphate rock - PR and a P impurity in triple superphosphate - H14), and four rates of P (12.5, 25.0, 50.0 and 100.0 mg kg-1). A control with no P was added for each soil. The treatments were arranged as blocks with three replicates. Plants were harvested 45 d after germination. Dry-matter yield and P uptake were measured and the relative agronomic effectiveness (RAE) compared with MCP as the standard. When applied in low rates of P (12.5 and 25.0 mg kg-1) the RAE of the alternative sources was higher in the soil with high PAC (45, 66, 39 and 65% in the Ox-HPAC for the LG-SSP, MMP, PR and H14, respectively, as opposed to 24, 40, 14 and 47% in the Ox-LPAC). Results suggest that sources of P with low water solubility can be agronomically more effective in soils with high PAC.<br>Fertilizantes fosfatados devem ser aplicados tendo em vista os atributos do solo. Este estudo foi conduzido para testar fontes de P, distintas quanto à solubilidade, na eficiência agronômica em solos com diferença marcante na capacidade de adsorção de P (CAP). Foram selecionados dois Latossolos com teor muito baixo de P e apresentando baixa e elevada CAP (Lat-BCAP e Lat-ECAP, respectivamente). Ambos foram corrigidos para pH 5,4 e utilizados em experimento em casa-de-vegetação com milho. Os tratamentos foram cinco fontes de P com solubilidade em água diferente (fosfato monocálcico - FMC, "low-grade" superfosfato simples - LG-SSP, multifosfato magnesiano - MFM, fosfato de rocha de Arad - FR, e uma impureza de superfosfatos triplos - H14), aplicadas em quatro doses (12,5, 25,0, 50,0 e 100,0 mg kg-1) mais um controle, em três repetições. As plantas foram colhidas 45 dias apos a germinação. A produção de matéria seca e o fósforo acumulado consistiram as variáveis dependentes. A eficiência agronômica relativa (EAR) foi calculada levando-se em consideração o desempenho de cada fonte em comparação ao padrão, o FMC. Quando aplicadas em baixas doses (12,5 e 25,0 mg kg-1) as fontes alternativas apresentaram maior EAR no solo com elevada CAP. Por exemplo, a EAR foi de 45, 66, 39 e 65% no Lat-ECAP para as fontes LG-SSP, MFM, FR e H14, respectivamente, em oposição a 24, 40, 14 e 47% no Lat-BCAP. Os resultados sugerem que fontes alternativas de P de baixa solubilidade em água podem ser agronomicamente mais eficientes em solos de elevada CAP.