Comments concerning “Determination of specific heat capacity and standard molar combustion enthalpy of taurine by DSC”

Abstract

In a recent article appearing in this Journal, Han et al. [1] reported the specific heat capacity and standard molar combustion of taurine. There are several errors in the paper, and the quality of the measured calorimetric data is highly questionable. In Table 4 of the manuscript the authors tabulate a numerical of –DcUm/kJ mol -1 = 2545.7 based on four replicate measured values of 2554.5, 2430.5, 2497.9, and 2700.1. The calculated average value and corresponding standard deviation of –DcUm/kJ mol -1 = 2545.7 ± 114.7 shows that the measured values were not very reproducible. Combustion measurements are normally much more reproducible than this. Moreover, Yan et al. [2] reported a numerical of –DcUm/kJ mol -1 = 1611.8 ± 0.1. Han et al. did not reference the earlier work of Yan et al., and their measured value of –DcUm/kJ mol -1 = 2545.7 differs significantly from the published literature, even when the abnormally large standard deviation of 114.7 kJ mol in the Han et al. value is taken into account. Han et al. [1] calculate the standard molar of formation of taurine, based on the following combustion reaction: