Determination of platinum in urine and airborne particulate matter from Budapest and Vienna

Urine samples taken from 100 adults living in the city centres of the two capitals were analysed by the same inductively coupled plasma quadrupole mass spectrometer following their 10-fold dilution with bidistilled water. The mean concentration values of platinum related to creatinine were about three times higher in the Hungarian samples than in the Austrian ones. Six particulate matter samples were collected by a Gent-type two-stage sampler in the districts of the two capitals, which have high traffic density. The polycarbonate filters containing the fine (d<2 μm) and the coarse (d=2–10 μm) fractions were digested in a microwave assisted digestion system and analysed by the same high-resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. The respirable, fine fractions of aerosols collected in Budapest contained approximately twice as much platinum than the aerosols from Vienna. However, the coarse fraction showed a contrary picture, with five times higher Pt concentration in the samples collected in Vienna.     

Development of an analytical method for monitoring worker populations exposed to platinum-group elements

The increasing industrial use of platinum-group elements (PGEs), namely Ir, Pd, Pt and Rh, and related allergies such as rhinitis, conjunctivitis, asthma, urticaria and contact dermatitis, have led to a growing need to monitor selected populations of exposed workers. In this study, the levels of PGEs were measured in indoor airborne particulate matter and in biological samples taken from employees of a plant where car catalytic converters are produced and precious metals are recovered from spent carbon catalysts. The development of an analytical procedure based on quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (Q-ICP-MS) for the analysis of PGEs in airborne particulate matter and on sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SF-ICP-MS) for the analysis of PGEs in blood, serum, urine and hair is described. For airborne particulate matter deposited on filters, the limits of detection (LoDs) were found to be 0.006 ng m⁻³, 0.020 ng m⁻³, 0.018 ng m⁻³ and 0.006 ng m⁻³ for Ir, Pd, Pt and Rh, respectively. Repeatability of measurements ranged from 1.8 to 8.5%, while recovery was in the range from 92 to 102%. For biological samples LoDs in blood, serum, urine and hair ranged from (in ng l⁻¹) 0.2–0.6 for Ir, 5–10 for Pd, 1–3 for Pt and 2–3 for Rh. For all biological materials, the repeatability varied from 1.1 to 12% for the four elements. Recovery data for the determination of PGEs in biological matrices were found to range from 84.0 to 107.8%. The method was applied to the determination of either total or respirable airborne PGEs collected from five different work areas in the plant. The difference between areas with high and low exposure correlates closely with metal levels in hair, blood and urine. The correlation coefficients between Pt in airborne particulate matter and Pt in biological materials was 0.994, 0.991 and 0.970 for blood, hair and urine, respectively.     

Assessment of exposure to platinum-group metals in urban children

Catalytic converters for automotive traction raise some concern for human health and the environment, due to the release of Pd, Pt and Rh (Pt-Group Metals, PGMs). In fact, the thermal and mechanical conditions under which such devices work (including abrasion effects and hot-temperature chemical reactions with oil fumes) can cause significant release of the PGMs to the environment and eventually affect human health. A pilot investigation was performed to assess the exposure to these metals of 310 schoolchildren aged between 6 and 10 years from the urban and suburban area of Rome. All determinations were performed by high-resolution magnetic-sector inductively-coupled plasma-mass spectrometry after UV irradiation of the samples. The mean concentration values of these metals in urine were found to be (in ng/g creatinine) 7.5±5.4 for Pd, 0.9±1.1 for Pt and 8.5±8.0 for Rh. Urine concentrations of Pd and Rh (but not Pt) were found to be strongly associated with traffic density in the area of residence.     

Methods for the determination of platinum group elements originating from the abrasion of automotive catalytic converters

Anthropogenic emission of platinum group elements (PGEs) from the abrasion of automotive catalytic converters into the environment has significantly increased. However, the concentration level of these PGEs (i.e. Pd, Pt, Rh) is still very low in the nature. Accordingly, their determination and speciation in various environmental compartments appears to be a challenging task for analytical chemists. The present review gives an overview of the analytical procedures documented in this particular field of analytical chemistry with a distinctive emphasis on spectrochemical methodology, it being the most sensitive and robust for accomplishing the above analytical task.     

Rhenium- and ruthenium-containing catalysts for neutralization of automobile exhaust

The rhenium- and ruthenium-containing catalysts are active in the oxidation of CH _x and CO and in the reduction of NO _x . Comparative testing of catalyst samples under laboratory conditions and on an engine stand demonstrated that these catalysts outperform the known commercial catalysts in the neutralization of exhaust gas from automotive gasoline engines. It is, therefore, possible to completely replace expensive Rh and partially replace Pt and Pd with cheaper components—Re and Rh—in the manufacturing of catalytic converters.     

Adsorptive voltammetric procedure for the determination of platinum baseline levels in human body fluids

Summary An extremly sensitive procedure for the determination of platinum in human body fluids is presented. A high pressure decomposition of the samples is followed by adsorptive voltammetric measurement. A detection limit down to 0.2 ng Pt/l sample allowed baseline levels of platinum in body fluids (urine: 0.5–15 ng/l, blood and blood plasma: 0.8–6.9 ng/l) to be evaluated. The concentration ranges in body fluids of occupationally exposed people were determined to 21–2900 ng/l (urine), 32–180 ng/l (blood) and 95–280 ng/l (blood plasma).     

Monitoring of the exposure to platinum-group elements for two Italian population groups through urine analysis

It is well recognized that automobile catalytic converters are the main source of Pd, Pt and Rh (also called platinum-group elements (PGEs)) in an urban atmosphere. Over recent years, urinary biomonitoring of PGEs has gained considerable importance in assessing the individual human exposure to these elements. This paper reports the concentration ranges of PGEs in the urine of 257 Italian subjects, aged between 23 and 88 years. Subjects were selected on the basis of standardized criteria in two different Italian cities, so as to represent a small urban area surrounded by an essentially rural environment and characterized by low automobile-traffic density (Foligno) and a large urban area with almost constant high-traffic conditions (Rome). The determination of PGEs was performed by sector field inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (SF-ICP-MS) after 1:4 (v/v) dilution of the samples. The 5th and 95th percentiles for PGEs in urine of subjects living in Foligno were the following (in ng l⁻¹): Pd 1.99-17.2, Pt 0.24-3.08 and Rh 0.53-14.8. The 5th and 95th percentiles in the urine of subjects from the area of Rome were (in ng l⁻¹): Pd 0.71-17.0, Pt 0.49-8.13 and Rh 4.10-38.6. Platinum and Rh median concentration values showed large and significant differences (P<0.0001) between the two urban settings considered (0.52 and 3.50 ng l⁻¹ for Pt and Rh in Foligno, respectively, and 1.70 and 12.85 ng l⁻¹ for Pt and Rh in Rome, respectively). On the other hand, no striking differences were found in the Pd concentration (median value of 6.02 ng l⁻¹ in Foligno versus 7.79 ng l⁻¹ in Rome). The sex variable correlates only with Pd concentration (P=0.05), pointing out that in males concentrations are higher than in females.     

Property and structure of various platinum catalysts for low-temperature carbon monoxide oxidations

The oxidation of carbon monoxide (CO) has received more attention in the last two to three decades owing to its importance in different fields. To control this CO pollution, catalytic converters have been investigated. Different types of catalysts have been used in a catalytic converter for CO emission control purposes. Platinum (Pt)-based noble metal catalysts show great potential for CO oxidation in catalytic converters with high thermal stability and tailoring flexibility. Pt metal catalysts modified with promoters such as alkali metals and reducible metal oxides have received great attention for their superior catalytic activities in CO oxidation. Temperature, close environment of the catalyst, and chemical composition in the surface layer of the catalyst have a huge effect on the active phase dispersion and O₂ adsorption capacity of the Pt metal catalysts. The main difference in activities of Pt metal catalyst for CO oxidation in O₂ or H₂ atmosphere has found. The addition of supports in Pt metal catalysts has improved their performances and reduced their cost. These improvement strongly depends on the surface structure, morphology, number of active sites, and various Pt-O interactions. Many research articles have already been published in CO oxidation over Pt metal catalysts, but no review article dedicated to CO oxidation is available in the literature.     

Effect of metals on the catalytic activity of sulfated zirconia for light naphtha isomerization

We studied on the function of the metal in the sulfated zirconia(SO₄^2–/ZrO₂) catalyst for the isomerization reaction of light paraffins. The addition of Pt to the SO₄^2–/ZrO₂ carrier could keep the high catalytic activity. The improvement in this isomerization activity is because Pt promotes removal of the coke precursor deposited on the catalyst surface. Though this catalytic function was observed in other transition metals, such as Pd, Ru, Ni, Rh and W, Pt exhibited the highest effect among them. It was further found that the Pd/SO₄^2–/ZrO₂–Al₂O₃ catalyst possessed a catalytic function for desulfurization of sulfur-containing light naphtha in addition to the skeletal isomerization. The sulfur tolerance of catalyst depended on the method of adding Pd, and the catalyst prepared by impregnation of the SO₄^2–/ZrO₂–Al₂O₃ with an aqueous solution of Pd exhibited the highest sulfur tolerance.Further, we investigated the improvement in sulfur tolerance of the Pt/SO₄^2–/ZrO₂–Al₂O₃ catalyst by impregnation of Pd. The results of EPMA analysis indicated that this catalyst was a hybrid-type one (Pt/SO₄^2–/ZrO₂–Pd/Al₂O₃) in which Pt/SO₄^2–/ZrO₂ particles and Pd/Al₂O₃ particles adjoined closely. This hybrid catalyst possessed a very high sulfur tolerance to the raw light naphtha that was obtained from the atmospheric distillation apparatus, although this light naphtha contained much sulfur. We assume that such a high sulfur tolerance in the hybrid catalyst is brought about by the isomerization function of Pt/SO₄^2–/ZrO₂ particles and the hydrodesulfurization function of Pd/Al₂O₃ particles. Besides, since the hybrid catalyst also provides high catalytic activity in the isomerization of HDS light naphtha, we suggest that the Pd/Al₂O₃ particles supply atomic hydrogen to the Pt/SO₄^2–/ZrO₂ particles by homolytic dissociation of gaseous hydrogen and also enhance the sulfur tolerance of Pt/SO₄^2–/ZrO₂ particles. Finally, we also propose the most suitable location of Pd and Pt in the metal-supported SO₄^2–/ZrO₂–Al₂O₃ catalyst.     

Determination of Pd, Pt and Rh in vehicles escape fumes by GF-AAS and ICP-OES

Automotive exhaust gases from vehicles using catalytic converters were filtered through cellulose filter papers to collect suspended particles expulsed along with the engine's escape fumes. A specially designed sample collector was used for supporting the filter papers during collection. The collector was manufactured from a new car's exhaust pipe. A cellulose circular paper filter, 11 cm diameter, was attached to one end of the pipe and kept centered by pressing it against the borders of the pipe by means of a perforated aluminum cap, slightly wider than the pipe, used to cover this end of the collector. Filter papers loaded with the solid particles were acid-digested using a modified domestic microwave oven to bring the solid material into solution. The resulting solutions were analyzed for Pt by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF-AAS) and for Pd and Rh by inductively coupled plasma (ICP-OES). Results indicate that concentration of these analytes in the particulate is higher for new vehicles, having new catalytic converters, than for old ones. Maximum Pd, Pt and Rh in the samples analyzed were found to be 5.36, 12.60 and 1.03 microg g(-1), respectively.     

Determination of strontium-90 in various kinds of water after Chernobyl accident in Austria

As a consequence of the reactor-accident of Chernobyl on Tuesday 29 April 1986 the environmental radioactivity in Austria increased for above the level recorded before. Depending on the amount of precipitation the deposition of radioactive fallout showed great differences. Many water samples /rain water, lake water, swimming pool water, drinking water, underground water/ collected /during period of April 29 to May 30/ from Vienna, Lower Austria and Steiermark were analyzed for⁹⁰Sr. The following concentrations in /nCi 1^–1/ of⁹⁰Sr was found: 8.69±2.3 for rain water, 0.09±0.12 for lake water, 0.08–0.18 for swimming pool, 0.04–0.13 for drinking water, 0.07–0.2 for underground water. The⁹⁰Sr concentration was not higher than the maximal permissible /0.004–0.4 nCi 1^–1/ except for rain water.     

Chemical characterization of PM10 fractions of urban aerosol

The goal of this investigation was to give an overview about the trace metal and total organic/inorganic carbon (TOC/TIC), water-soluble carbon (WSOC) and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) concentrations in the PM10 aerosol fraction in Budapest and to monitor monthly changes during the sampling period, whether there is a tendency in the seasonal change of the concentrations. The sampling took place in Budapest, Hungary between September 2004 and August 2007 in an area with high traffic density. For the sampling, a high-volume aerosol sampler equipped with a PM10 head was used. The samples were taken onto quartz fiber filters. Each month, one sample was collected. Sampling time was 96 h, the air intake was 30 m³/h, resulting in 2880 m³ sampled air volume.To measure the metal concentrations two types of sample preparation were used: microwave assisted aqua regia extraction and water extraction by sonication. In both cases, the solutions were analyzed by using a sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (SF-ICP-MS). The following 23 elements were investigated: V, Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni, Sb, Sn, Cr, Pt, Pb, Te, Tl, U, Mn, Fe, Co, Ga, Rb, Sr, Mo, Ag, Bi, Li. Comparing the data obtained from the aqua regia extraction to some other cities, the measured trace elements were found in moderate concentration. In the water extract, a significant part of zinc and thallium was found. During the sampling period, no proof of seasonal change in trace element concentrations was found. Trace metal and total organic/inorganic carbon concentrations in Budapest were similar to the concentration data measured in other cities with exception of Mn, Ga, Rb, Cd which are present in higher concentration in Budapest. The TOC content in the PM10 fraction amounted to 30-50%, and its value was the highest during the winter period due to the heating.The yearly average concentration of polyaromatic hydrocarbons was almost constant over the investigated period, but its seasonal change is more than one order of magnitude.     

Voltammetric determination of platinum in perfusate and blood: Preliminary data on pharmacokinetic study of arterial infusion with oxaliplatin

Because Platinum Group Elements have found widespread use in catalytic converters in cars and as chemotherapeutic agent, interest in the development of reliable analytical methods is carried out in order to monitor these analita in humans to protect the citizen's health.Considering that information on the levels of many trace elements in biological matrices is scarce and for many non-essential elements, baseline levels in the population, and especially in those particularly exposed to the risk are lacking, in this paper we optimize an analytical method for biological matrices, using a voltammetric technique to measure the concentration of Pt in blood and perfusate.The amount of Pt recovered from the blood and perfusate samples spiked with analita was observed to be meanly of 95% with 5–6% of R.S.D. These results indicated that proposed method for the determination of platinum in biological materials is accurate and reproducible.The amounts of platinum found in the blood samples of common ranged citizen were similar to quantification limit while in the patients the concentration ranged from 1.5 to 360 μg/L, in perfusate ranged from 0.7 to 9700 μg/l. The concentrations of Pt of populace and in patients before of infusion are in agreement with the level measured in the blood of unexposed patients.The proposed analytical method permits to determine the amount of Pt in the perfusate and subsequently absorbed by the target organs in order to determine the dose and timing of treatment and to avoid overdoses with related undesired effects.     

Semiconductor Sensors Based on SnO<Subscript>2</Subscript> with Pt Additives and their Catalytic Activity in Oxidation of Methane

We have studied the effect of small additives of Pt on the methane sensitivity of semiconductor adsorption sensors based on SnO₂ (doped with Sb₂O₅) and on the catalytic activity of sensor materials of the same composition in oxidation of methane. We have shown that as the amount of Pt increases, the catalytic activity increases and the sensitivity of the sensors passes through a maximum. The results obtained are explained taking into account the spillover phenomenon.__________Translated from Teoreticheskaya i Eksperimental’naya Khimiya, Vol. 41, No. 3, pp. 176–179, May–June, 2005.     

Mechanochemical Activation of Solid Salts K2PtX6 (X = Cl,Br)

Mechanochemical treatment of solid-phase K₂PtX₆ salts in a vibrating mill in an argon or air atmosphere produced paramagnetic Pt(III) complexes via the homolytic cleavage of the Pt–X bond. Lewis acid sites were found on the surface of the mechanically activated K₂PtCl₆ salt using the paramagnetic probe method. The sites can be attributed to coordinatively unsaturated Pt(IV) complexes formed via Pt–Cl bond heterolysis.     

Impact of phase out of leaded gasoline on the air quality in Budapest

As part of an air pollution study in Budapest, size-fractionated aerosol samples were collected by stacked filter units and cascade impactors, and some criteria pollutants and meteorological parameters were recorded in 1996, 1998 and 1999. The samplings were performed at three urban locations including an urban background site, a downtown site, and a tunnel. Elemental composition of the aerosol samples was measured by instrumental neutron activation analysis and/or particle-induced X-ray emission spectrometry; and black carbon (BC) was determined by a light reflectance technique. Since leaded gasoline was completely phased out in Hungary on 1 April 1999, the atmospheric concentrations of some typical transportation-related air pollutants (i.e. Pb, Br, BC and CO) were used for overviewing the actual impact of the phase out on the air quality and on the aerosol characteristics. For the background site, mean concentration of Pb and Br was not changed significantly. In the downtown site, the phase out resulted in a concentration decrease by a factor of 3–4 for Pb and Br. For the tunnel, concentrations of Pb and Br were decreased by a factor up to 9 and 28, respectively. Correlation between the pollutants, their crustal enrichment factors, and average elemental mass size distributions are also presented and discussed.     

Enhanced activity for ethanol electrooxidation on Pt–MgO/C catalysts

MgO promoted Pt/C electrocatalysts were rapidly prepared by intermittent microwave heating method and characterized using different techniques. Electrooxidation of ethanol on MgO promoted Pt/C catalysts in alkaline media was studied. Such electrocatalysts are superior to pure Pt electrocatalysts. The influence of the amount of MgO in the catalysts on catalytic activity for ethanol oxidation was tested. The electrode with a weight ratio of Pt to MgO of 4:1 showed the highest electrocatalytic activity for ethanol oxidation. The presence of MgO in the electrocatalysts improved the kinetic processes, giving the exchange current density for ethanol oxidation of 1.8 × 10⁻⁵ A cm⁻² on Pt–MgO/C instead of 3.3 × 10⁻⁷ A cm⁻² on Pt/C.     

Study of air pollution particulates by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Summary This paper discusses the application of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to the determination of the chemical composition of sulfur and nitrogen species in air pollution particulates. Core electron chemical shift measurements are augmented by the determination of relative concentrations and volatility of particulate species.

---

Untersuchung von Verunreinigungsteilchen in der Luft durch Röntgenphotoelektronen-Spektroskopie

Zusammenfassung Die Anwendung der Röntgenphotoelektronen-Spektroskopie auf die Bestimmung der chemischen Zusammensetzung von Schwefel und Stickstoff enthaltenden Verunreinigungsteilchen in Luft wird diskutiert. Messungen der chemischen Verschiebung werden ergänzt durch die Bestimmung der relativen Konzentrationen und der Flüchtigkeit der Verbindungen.

Presented at the 6th Annual Symposium on Recent Advances in the Analytical Chemistry of Pollutants, April 21–23, 1976; Vienna, Austria.     

铂族元素在环境和生物样品中的积累及毒性研究进展

由汽车尾气净化器的安装使用而导致环境中的铂族元素尤其是铂、钯、铑的含量逐渐增长,铂族元素对于生活和生态环境的影响也越来越多受到关注.论述了汽车三元催化剂中铂族元素毒性、铂族元素在环境和生物样品的分布、环境样品中铂族元素的消解、测定方法以及干扰处理方法,总结了多国测定结果并对结果进行了综合评述.     

A promising amendment for water splitters: Boosted oxygen evolution at a platinum,titanium oxide and manganese oxide hybrid catalyst

A hybrid catalyst composed of a platinum thin layer and modified with manganese oxide (MnOx) is recommended for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The Pt layer of the catalyst was physically sputtered onto a TiOx-coated Si substrate (this TiOx layer was sputtered inbetween the Si substrate and Pt layer to improve their adhesion and prevent their mutual diffusion). On top of the Pt layer, another thin TiOx layer (∼60 nm) was spun before the electrochemical deposition of MnOx. The investigation focused primarily to evaluate the impact of the catalyst’s annealing in oxygen atmosphere on its catalytic activity toward OER. Interestingly, before the modification with MnOx, a large catalytic enhancement both in activity (∼228 mV negative shift at 20 mA cm⁻² if compared to conventional bare Pt catalysts) and stability was achieved at the catalyst annealed at 600 °C toward OER in 0.5 M KOH. Surprisingly, the addition of MnOx to the catalyst synergized a boosted activity amplifying the negative shift to 470 mV at the same current density. Bunch of materials and electrochemical techniques were combined to reveal important remarks about the catalyst’s morphology, structure, composition and intrinsic activity which was attributed to electronic rather than geometric factors.