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The aggregation and/or adhesion of bacterial cells is a serious disadvantage of electrophoretic separations. In this study, physicochemical surface characteristics of bacteria were measured to establish their role in bacterial adhesion and aggregation on the basis of electrophoretic behavior of different clinical strains of Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli bacteria. The number and the shape of peaks obtained on the electropherograms were connected with the zeta potential measurements and in-line microscope observation using specially designed CE fluorescence stereomicroscope setup. These results suggest that the lower the zeta potential, the higher the number of smaller peaks detected. The direct microscopic observation of electrophoretic movement proved the presence of many small aggregates originating from individual or clustered bacterial cells. On the other hand, lower zeta potential was also observed for dead bacterial cells, which suggested that some of the peaks can be attributed to viable cells while the other to the dead ones.

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The specific adsorption of citric acid ions at hydroxyapatite interface was investigated by the means of radioisotope method (14C) as a function of citric acid ions concentration, NaCl concentration and pH. Application of the hydroxyapatite has become wide in the biomaterial field as the Ca10(OH)2(PO4)6 possess biocompatibility with human hard tissue. Hydroxyapatite was synthesized using three different methods. The physical properties of the resulting powder were characterized by DTA/TG, XRD, AFM and SEM microscopy. Physicochemical qualities characterizing the electrical double layer of the hydroxyapatite/NaCl solution interface were determined. The zeta potential and the adsorption of citric acid molecule were studied as a function of pH. The point of zero charge and the isoelectric point of samples were determined. Electrical double layer parameters of hydroxyapatite/NaCl interface are influenced by a synthesis method. The points pHpzc and pHIEP for sample 1 are pHpzc 7.5 and pHIEP 3; for sample 2 pHpzc 7.05 and pHIEP 3, for smaple 3 pHpzc 6.7 and pHIEP 3. Temperature has weak influence both on pure substance and with citric acid adsorbed, as derivatographic analysis has shown, and characterization of hydroxyapatite structure may be carried out by this thermal analysis. Two phenomena are responsible for citric acid adsorption: phosphate group’s replacement at hydroxyapatite surface by citric ions parallel to intraspherical complexes formation.

Adsorption of 90 Sr on hydroxyapatite is important in many fields of life. The aim of the paper was to discuss the changes in the double electrical layer at the hydroxyapatite/electrolyte solution interface during Sr ions adsorption and to establish the relations between time and adsorption on this material. Hydroxyapatite was prepared by the wet method, characterized by the X-ray diffraction and accelerated surface area and porosimetry methods. Studies of adsorption were carried out using 90 Sr isotopes and ionic solutions containing this ion depending on concentration and pH of the solution. Sr adsorption isotherms on hydroxyapatite were determined and the effect of strontium ions presence on the surface charge density and zeta potential was discussed.

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