Ochratoxin A survey in Portuguese wine by LC-FD with direct injection

Wine and grape juices were identified as one of the most important sources of ochratoxin A (OTA), a mycotoxin with diverse toxic effects that naturally appears in food and foodstuffs all over the world.The aim of this study was to assess the OTA levels in Portuguese wines through the application of a simple and accurate method based on liquid chromatography (LC) with direct injection, followed by fluorescence detection (FD).Randomly selected wine samples were used to evaluate the performance of direct injection as efficient, fast, inexpensive and safe sample preparation method. The proposed method was successfully validated. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 1.0 μg/L and OTA recoveries from wine samples, spiked at the three fortification levels, were higher than 85.4%, with RSDs lower than 9.6% for both red and white wines. The presence of OTA was confirmed by methyl ester derivatization followed by LC analysis.Data on OTA levels were obtained for 60 Portuguese red and white wine samples. OTA was found in 12 samples, nine (26%) red wine samples and three (12%) white wine samples. Only one red wine sample and one white wine sample presented a contamination level above the LOQ, with 1.23 and 2.4 μg/L, respectively. It should be pointed out that this white wine sample exceeded the EC maximum permitted level of 2.0 μg/L. The safe dose established as 120 ng/kg body weight/week was not exceeded by the weekly intake estimated for the samples contaminated above the LOQ.     

Determination of gold and palladium in rocks and ores by atomic absorption spectrometry using two-stage probe atomization

The efficiency of two-stage probe atomization for the determination of gold and palladium in geological samples by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry is studied. The effects of temperature–time program and the position of the probe in an atomizer on the fractionation of sample components and the magnitude of the analytical signal are studied. It is demonstrated that gold and palladium can be quantitatively determined by atomic absorption spectrometry in rocks and ores, using a two-stage probe atomization with the limits of detection for gold and palladium 0.01 and 0.04 g/t, respectively.     

一次溶矿、两种方法联用测定地质样品中的金

主要研究了将氢醌容量法和原子吸收光谱法结合起来,实现一次溶矿,两种方法联用测定金含量。即在氢醌滴定基础上,王水氧化零价金,甲基异丁基酮(MIBK)萃取,火焰原子吸收法测定,准确检测出0.50g/t以下的低含量金。结果表明,方法简便、快速,不需二次溶矿。分析有证标准物质的结果与推荐值一致,样品加标回收率可达到96%以上,符合国家地质勘查管理规范的要求,精密度和准确度均能满足分析要求。适用于地质找矿中批量样品金的测定,已应用于实际样品分析,结果令人满意。     

双孔石墨管原子吸收法测定化探样品中的痕量金

建立了双孔石墨管原子吸收法测定化探样品中痕量金的方法。以王水溶解样品,泡沫塑料吸附,10 g/L的硫脲溶液解脱,2%抗坏血酸作为基体改进剂,用双孔石墨管原子吸收法测定化探样品中的痕量金。该方法仪器分析时间由65 s缩短到32 s,提高了工作效率,方法标准曲线线性相关系数为0.999 8,检出限为0.045 ng/g,测定结果的相对标准偏差为4.1%~6.9%(n=7),标准样品测定值与推荐值的相对偏差小于3.24%。该法适合批量化探样品中金的测定。     

封闭溶样-电感耦合等离子体质谱法测定地质样品中痕量金

建立了聚乙烯塑料瓶封闭水浴加热,王水溶解,以铼作内标,电感耦合等离子体质谱法测定地质样品中痕量金。结果表明,样品中的金可分解完全,节约了成本、减少了环境污染。方法经国家一级标准物质验证,结果与标准值相符。对实际样品测定的方法相对标准偏差(RSD,n=9)为4.1%～6.7%。方法检出限为0.12ng/g,方法简便快速,适用于地质样品的批量分析。     

Cumulative neutron activation of short-lived radionuclides for the analysis of large samples in mineral exploration

Cumulative neutron activation is used to determine mg/kg concentrations of gold in rock samples, weighing 10 g. Twenty 0.5 g replicates are irradiated in an epithermal-neutron flux for 5 s and counted for 14 s. The twenty spectra are summed, and gold is measured with the 279 keV gamma-ray of^197mAu (7.2 s). Total analysis time for a 10 g sample is 400 s and detection limits around 2 mg/kg are achieved in gold ores, sulfides and silicates.     

Gold nanoparticle/polymer nanocomposites: dispersion of nanoparticles as a function of capping agent molecular weight and grafting density

The dispersion of polymer-covered gold nanoparticles in high molecular weight (MW) polymer matrixes is reported. Complete particle dispersion was achieved for PS125-Au in the polystyrene (PS) matrixes studied (up to and including Mn = 80 000 g/mol). PS19-Au, on the other hand, exhibits complete dispersion in a low MW PS matrix (Mn = 2000 g/mol) but only partial dispersion in higher MW matrixes (up to 80 000 g/mol). Similarly, PEO45-Au is fully dispersed in a low MW poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) matrix (Mn = 1000 g/mol) but only partially in a higher MW PEO matrix (Mn = 15 000 g/mol). Wetting of the polymer-Au brushes by the polymer matrix is associated with dispersibility. Theory predicts that, for dense polymer brushes, wetting is achieved when the MW of the polymer brush equals (and is greater than) that of the polymer matrix. The observed partial dispersion of the PS19-Au and PEO45-Au nanoparticles in matrixes whose MW is greater than the brush MW is attributable to the existence of a high volume fraction of voids within the brush. These voids arise from the unique geometry of the nanoparticle surface arising from the juxtaposed facets of the gold nanoparticle. PS125-Au brushes are wetted by PS matrixes whose degree of polymerization is larger than 125, probably because of their lower grafting density on the gold core or the high fraction of void volumes caused by the facets on the gold cores. Dispersion thus occurs when the matrix MW is greater than that of the brush.     

Flow-through stripping chronopotentiometry for the monitoring of mercury in waste waters

A simple method for the determination of total mercury in waste waters is described. It makes use of a flow system incorporating a wall-jet cell equipped with a gold working electrode. The untreated sample is mixed on-line with the acidic carrier electrolyte which contains potassium permanganate and transforms the various species of mercury, especially elementary Hg, to Hg(II). The pre-treated solution enters the cell where mercury is deposited on the gold electrode. In the next step the deposit is stripped at constant current and the time corresponding to the dissolution of the deposit is obtained from the chronopotentiometric signal. The method enables it to determine and monitor Hg in the concentration range of 1 to 1000 μg/L in 5 min intervals. Received: 20 October 1997 / Revised: 23 December 1997 / Accepted: 30 December 1997     

Flow-through stripping chronopotentiometry for the monitoring of mercury in waste waters

A simple method for the determination of total mercury in waste waters is described. It makes use of a flow system incorporating a wall-jet cell equipped with a gold working electrode. The untreated sample is mixed on-line with the acidic carrier electrolyte which contains potassium permanganate and transforms the various species of mercury, especially elementary Hg, to Hg(II). The pre-treated solution enters the cell where mercury is deposited on the gold electrode. In the next step the deposit is stripped at constant current and the time corresponding to the dissolution of the deposit is obtained from the chronopotentiometric signal. The method enables it to determine and monitor Hg in the concentration range of 1 to 1000 μg/L in 5 min intervals. Received: 20 October 1997 / Revised: 23 December 1997 / Accepted: 30 December 1997     

Recovery of diesel fuel from soil by supercritical fluid extraction–gas chromatography

An analytical method based on CO₂ supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) followed by gas chromatography (GC) was evaluated, compared to Soxhlet extraction, and found to determine accurately and precisely diesel fuel contamination of standard soil samples at a total petroleum hydrocarbon level of 100 μg/g in soil. While both extraction methods have the same 3% relative repeatability standard deviation for determination of total hydrocarbon contamination at this level, SFE requires much less time, uses less organic solvent and provides better recovery of the more volatile n-C₁₀ to n-C₁₂ hydrocarbons.     

A fast and very sensitive LSC procedure to determine Fe-55 in steel and concrete

This procedure for determining Fe-55 contributes to a safe and economically reasonable decommissioning of nuclear power plants. Co-60, Fe-55 and Ni-63 are the most abundant, long-lived radionuclides associated with contaminated piping, hardware, and concrete for several decades of years after shutdown. The analysis of Fe takes about three hours until the measurement with an anticoincidence shielded LSC Quantulus 1220 starts. The decontamination factors are ranging from greater than 10⁵ to 10⁹ for all important naturally and artificially occurring radionuclides except Sb. The chemical yield stays constant at a value of about 92% up to 0.1 g stable Fe in steel, concrete or other material. The detection limits (confidence level 95%) reach values of 8 mBq per sample or about 60 mBq/g steel and 1.5 mBq/g concrete at a counting time of 1000 minutes. Four to eight analyses are performed by one technician during eight hours.     

Occurrence of ochratoxin A in bread consumed in Morocco

One hundred samples of commercial bread purchased from January to October (2006) from retail bakeshops in five different cities (Rabat, Témara, Salé, Casablanca and Meknès) in Morocco were surveyed for the presence of ochratoxin A (OTA) using liquid chromatography coupled to fluorescence detection. The identification of OTA in positive bread samples was confirmed by methyl ester derivatization. Analytical results showed that forty eight (48%) samples were positive with OTA greater than the limit of quantification (LOQ = 0.051 ng/g). Levels of OTA in positive samples ranged between 0.14 and 149 ng/g. The average contamination of bread samples with OTA was 13 ± 1.5 ng/g. The highest frequency of positive samples (61.5%) and the most contaminated sample (149 ng/g) were found in bread commercialized in the Casablanca area. Twenty six of the positive samples exceeded the maximum level of 3 ng/g set by European regulations for OTA in cereals and derivatives. Based in the results presented in this study, the estimated daily intake of OTA from bread was 126 ng/kg bw/day. The present paper is the first ever drafted on the natural occurrence of OTA in bread consumed in Morocco. Data on the daily intake of OTA by the Moroccan population are also estimated for the first time.     

Detection of illicit drugs on surfaces using direct analysis in real time (DART) time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Methamphetamine (meth) from meth syntheses or habitual meth smoking deposited on household surfaces poses human health hazards. The U.S. State Departments of Health require decontamination of sites where meth was synthesized (meth labs) before they are sold. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) methods for meth analysis require wipe sampling, extraction, clean‐up, solvent exchange, derivatization, and/or mass spectral analysis using selected ion monitoring. Rapid and inexpensive analyses could screen for drug‐contamination within structures with greater spatial resolution, provide real‐time analyses during decontamination, and provide thorough documentation of successful clean ups. Herein an autosampler/open‐air ion source time‐of‐flight mass spectrometric technique is described that required only direct sampling using cotton‐swab wipes. Each wipe sample collection required 2 min and data acquisition required only 13 s per sample. Optimum collision‐induced dissociation voltages, desorption gas temperatures, and wipe sample solvents were determined for 11 drugs. Peaks were observed in analyte‐ion traces for 0.025 µg/100 cm² of meth and seven other drugs. This level is half the detection limit of NIOSH methods and one‐fourth of the lowest U.S. state decontamination limit for meth. Dynamic ranges of 100 in concentration were demonstrated for eight drugs, which is sufficient for a screening technique. The volatilities of 11 drugs deposited on glass were determined. The pick up of the drugs by solvent‐soaked cotton‐swab wipes from glass relative to acrylic latex paint was also compared. Published in 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Preconcentration and separation of copper(II), cadmium(II) and chromium(III) in a syringe filled with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane supported on silica gel

In this study, a syringe was filled with silica gel loaded with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, for the separation and preconcentration of copper, cadmium and chromium prior to their determination by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) in seawater. For this purpose, a syringe was filled with 0.5 g of modified silica gel and the sample solution was drawn into the syringe and ejected back again. The analyte elements were quantitatively retained at pH 5. Then, the elements sorbed by the silica gel were eluted with 2.0 M of HCl and determined by GFAAS. At optimum conditions, the recovery of Cu, Cd and Cr were 96-98%. Detection limits (3delta) were 6.6, 7.5 and 6.0 micro g L(-1) for Cu, Cd and Cr, respectively. The elements could be concentrated by drawing and discharging several portions of sample successively but eluting only once. Cu, Cd and Cr added to a seawater sample were quantitatively recovered (>95%) in the range of the 95% confidence level. The method proposed in this paper was compared with a column technique. Optimum experimental conditions, reproducibility, precision and recoveries of both techniques are the same, but the syringe technique is much faster, easier and more practical than the column technique. It is a portable system and allows one to make the sorption process in the source of sample. In addition, the risk of contamination is less than in the column technique.     

溶出伏安法同时测定矿山地下水中痕量砷铅

本文以电化学预处理的金电极为工作电极,采用线性扫描溶出伏安法实现了矿山地下水中痕量As3+、Pb2+的同时测定。研究了金电极的预处理方法、不同预富集时间和不同电解质对重金属离子测定的影响规律。研究发现,电化学预处理有利于金电极对重金属离子的响应,在最优实验条件下,As3+、Pb2+在电化学活化的金电极上分别于0.18V、-0.07V产生灵敏的溶出峰,峰高与其浓度线性相关,检测限分别可达到0.5!g/L、2!g/L。该方法操作简单、干扰小、线性范围宽、灵敏度高。     

Determination of mercury in mineral coal using cold vapor generation directly from slurries,trapping in a graphite tube,and electrothermal atomization

A rugged and reliable method for the determination of mercury in coal without sample digestion, based on chemical vapor generation (cold vapor technique) from slurried coal samples has been developed. It involves collection of the mercury vapor in a graphite tube, treated with gold or rhodium as permanent modifier, and determination by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. Mercury quantitatively leached out of the investigated coal reference materials into 1 mol l⁻¹ nitric acid within 48 h when the coal was ground to a particle size of ≤50 μm, except for one sample (BCR 180), which had to be ground to ≤30 μm, or a leaching time of 72 h had to be used. No detectable quantity of mercury was generated directly from the slurry particles, but it was not necessary to filter the solution. The greatest advantage of the method is that only a minimum of reagents and sample handling steps are required, a prerequisite for accurate results in routine analysis. The results were well within the 95% confidence level of the certificate or close to the information value of the reference materials investigated. The characteristic mass of 110 pg obtained with gold as the permanent modifier is close to values reported for direct analysis of solutions, showing close to 100% trapping efficiency for mercury. A limit of detection (LOD) of 90 pg absolute was obtained with this modifier, which corresponds to an LOD of 0.009 μg g⁻¹ Hg in coal. This is based on 1 ml of slurry containing 10 mg of coal, and is an order of magnitude lower than the lowest mercury content in the investigated reference materials.     

Formyloxyl radical-gold nanoparticle binding: a theoretical study

The citrate reduction method is one of the simplest and most common methods used in the synthesis of gold nanoparticles. It has been thought that citrate acts as both a reducing agent for the gold salt and as the capping agent. However, it has recently been reported using density functional theory (DFT) that electron density builds up on uncomplexed apex gold atoms and the binding of formate (the simplest carboxylate and a model for citrate) becomes unfavorable after two additions, limiting citrate's utility as a capping agent. In this study, Au(20)-formyloxyl radical interactions are investigated using DFT at the BP86/DZ level of theory to model neutral carboxylate-gold nanoparticle binding (corresponding to carboxylates interacting with a partially oxidized gold nanoparticle). Binding energies are refined using a TZP basis set. It is found that the incremental binding energies of formyloxyl radicals remain highly favorable through eight additions (the highest number tested). The addition of one formyloxyl radical is 56 kJ/mol less than the addition of one formate but becomes 210 kJ/mol more favorable for the second addition. The range of binding energies through the eight additions is 154-331 kJ/mol. Furthermore, after the third addition, the most favorable geometries feature distortion of the gold tetrahedron. These results suggest that oxidized species formed in the citrate reduction method are likely capping agents and that binding of these ligands may affect the properties of the nanoparticles through distortion of the gold structure.     

氧化还原功能纤维的研究──Ⅴ．含胺基及乙二胺基功能纤维的合成及其对Au~（3＋）的吸附性能

本文以反应性氯甲基化纤维为基体，合成丁氮含量分别为４．０６、４．９２ｍｍｏｌ／ｇ的含胺基（－ＮＨ２）及乙二胺基（－ＮＨＣ２Ｈ４ＮＨ２）功能纤维．静态吸附实验结果表明：在ｐＨ２．０乙二胺基纤维对Ａｕ３＋的吸附量达最大（６２０ｍｇ／ｇ），含胺基纤维的吸附量为２４８ｍｇ／ｇ；ＷＡＸＤ证实它们对Ａｕ３＋都有还原作用；含乙二胺基纤维对吸附态Ａｕ３＋的还原百分率最大值为９１％（ｐＨ４．０），而含胺基纤维在ｐＨ２．０的还原百分率为１００％，但ｐＨ＜０．６后，含乙二胺基纤维对Ａｕ３＋无还原作用；含乙二胺基纤维对Ａｕ３＋的吸附量随溶液温度升高而增大；在乙醇、１、４－氧六环、乙酸乙酯中含乙二胺基纤维对Ａｕ３＋的吸附量分别为４２、１４３、０ｍｇ／ｇ，且在乙醇中它对Ａｕ３＋有还原作用．吸附动力学实验结果表明：吸附初期为快速离子交换过程，中期为螯合吸附占主导地位，后期则是氧化还原吸附占优势．在扫描电子显微镜可观察到部分吸附在含乙二胺基纤维上的金聚集成粒状．     

Electrochemical Sample Preparation for the Voltammetric Determination of Heavy-Metal Ions in Wine

An original, simple, and rapid method consuming little labor and eliminating the contamination of a sample and the loss of analytes is proposed for the electrochemical preparation of wine samples. The time of electrochemical sample preparation (ECSP) is no longer than 10 min. A four-electrode single-compartment electrolyzer allows all stages of voltammetric analysis (electrochemical sample preparation, electrochemical preconcentration and determination) to be carried out continuously. The processes occurring at electrodes at different stages of analysis are described. The concentrations of heavy metals determined in wines by stripping voltammetry (SVA) and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) are compared.     

A HPLC Screening Procedure for Sulfamethazine Residues in Pork Tissues

Abstract

A sensitive and specific screening procedure is described for the quantitative detection of sulfamethazine residues in pork kidney, liver and muscle. Initial screening is by both the Bratton-Marshall reaction, and by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC); quantitation is by HPLC; identification is then confirmed by means of thin-layer chromatography (TLC) of the derivatized standards and the unknown from the Bratton-Marshall reaction. Only one extraction of a 50g sample is needed, one portion (10g tissue equivalent) is used for the colorimetric reaction and TLC confirmation, and another portion (25g tissue equivalent) is used for quantitative HPLC determination. Standard curves for sulfamethazine are constructed for each tissue at 50, 100, 200 and 500 ppb levels. The average mean recovery for all tissues at all levels is 78.2%. The method is verified by a 150 sample survey using 50 samples of each tissue from local supermarkets. Approximately 4% of the samples show contamination ranging from a level of 100 ppb to 3 ppm.