A toxic reagent-free method for normal-phase matrix solid-phase dispersion extraction and reversed-phase liquid chromatographic determination of aldrin,dieldrin, and DDTs in animal fats

A method for the determination of aldrin, dieldrin, DDT, DDE, and DDD contamination in animal fats (beef tallow, lard, and chicken fat) without using toxic reagents is developed, that uses high-performance liquid chromatography after the sample has been prepared by matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) with acidic alumina oxide. A reversed-phase C₁-silica column with a mobile phase of 50% (v/v) ethanol solution (in water) and a photo-diode array detector were used for the determination. Average recoveries of the target compounds (0.2–5.0 g g^–1) ranged from 84–98%, with coefficients of variation of <5%. The limits of quantitation were 0.16 g g^–1 for AD, 0.10 g g^–1 for DD, 0.06 g g^–1 for DDT, 0.07 g g^–1 for DDE, and 0.05 g g^–1 for DDD. No toxic reagents were used at all.     

Extractive spectrophotometric determination of dioxouranium(VI) with the sodium salt of hexamethyleneiminecarbodithioate

The optimum conditions for the extractive spectrophotometric determination of dioxouranium(VI) with hexamethyleneiminecarbodithioate(HMICdt) have been established. Dioxouranium(VI) reacts with this ligand at pH 4.5 to form a yellowish-orange uncharged 12 metal-ligand complex which can be extracted by chloroform. The calibration graph was linear in the range of 1–20 g ml^–1 of dioxouranium(VI) at 335 nm. The molar absorptivity of the extracted species is 5.952×10³ l mol^–1 cm^–1 with Sandell's sensitivity of 0.04 g cm^–2. The average of 10 determinations of dioxouranium was 49.75 g for the samples containing 50 g of U(VI) and the variation from the mean at 95% confidence limit was 49.75±0.5955.     

Determination of lead in bone tissues by axially viewed inductively coupled plasma multichannel-based emission spectrometry

A new procedure for determining low levels of lead in bone tissues has been developed. After wet acid digestion in a pressurized microwave-heated system, the solution was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma multichannel-based emission spectrometry. Internal standardization using the Co 228.615 nm reference line was chosen as the optimal method to compensate for the matrix effects from the presence of calcium and nitric acid at high concentration levels. The detection limit of the procedure was 0.11 g Pb g^–1 dry mass. Instrumental precision at the analytical concentration of ~10 g l^–1 ranged from 6.1 to 9.4%. Precision of the sample preparation step was 5.4%. The concentration of lead in SRM 1486 (1.32±0.04 g g^–1) found using the new procedure was in excellent agreement with the certified level (1.335±0.014 g g^–1). Finally, the method was applied to determine the lead in various fish bone tissues, and the analytical results were found to be in good agreement with those obtained through differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry. The method is therefore suitable for the reliable determination of lead at concentration levels of below 1 g g^–1 in bone samples. Moreover, the multi-element capability of the technique allows us to simultaneously determine other major or trace elements in order to investigate inter-element correlation and to compute enrichment factors, making the proposed procedure particularly useful for investigating lead occurrence and pathways in fish bone tissues in order to find suitable biomarkers for the Antarctic marine environment.     

Trace uranium analysis of water from the south-west coastal region of India

Water samples collected from various sources along the south-west coastal region of India have been analyzed for trace uranium concentration. Fission track registration technique with the Dry method has been used for the analysis. Uranium concentration was found to vary from 0.28±0.01 g/l to 2.71±0.41 g/l and was higher in sea water than in well, river and tap water, respectively.     

Determination of oxygen by deuteron-induced PIPPS

Using the 871-keV¹⁶O p/1,0/ prompt -ray, oxygen was determined with a relative precision of ±3.8% at a concentration level of 120 g g^–1. The sensitivity of the method is below 10 g g^–1. 50 nm oxide layers on silicon wafers can be determined with a relative precision of 10%. A chamber for transporting targets sensitive to atmospheric gases and humidity is described.     

Simultaneous determination of aluminium and iron in glasses,phosphate rocks and cement using first- and second-derivative spectrophotometry

First- and second-derivative spectrophoto-metric methods for the simultaneous determination of aluminium and iron in their mixtures are described. The methods are based on the colored complexes formed by aluminium and iron with hematoxylin in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as a surfactant. The zero-crossing method has been utilized to measure the first- and second-derivative value of the derivative spectrum. Aluminium (0.05–1 gml^-1) could be determined in the presence of iron (0.09–1.6 gml^-1) and vice versa. The detection limits of aluminium and iron are 0.01 and 0.09 gml^-1, respectively in the first-derivative mode and 0.014 and 0.1 gml^-1 in the second-derivative mode. The proposed method has been applied to the simultaneous determination of aluminium and iron in glasses, phosphate rocks, cement and magnesite alloy.     

Platinum concentration in silicone breast implant material and capsular tissue by ICP-MS

Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to determine the concentration of platinum (Pt) in silicone breast implant gel (range, 0.26–48.90 g g^–1 Pt; n=15), elastomer (range, 3.05–28.78 g g^–1 Pt; n=7), double lumen (range, 5.79–125.27 g g^–1 Pt; n=7), foam (range, 5.79–8.36 g g^–1 Pt; n=2), and capsular tissue (range, 0.003–0.272 g g^–1 Pt; n=15). The results show that very high levels of Pt are present in the encasing elastomer, double lumen, and foam envelope materials. Silicone breast implants can be a source of significant Pt exposure for individuals with these implants.     

Accurate reflectance measurements in the infrared spectral range using an integrating sphere

An integrating sphere is used together with a Fourier transform spectrometer for directional-hemispherical reflectance measurements in the spectral range from 1m to 15m. Comparisons with PTB's fundamental sphere reflectometer around 1m show that the uncertainty of the infrared measurements is ±0.01.     

Determination of magnesium in botanical reference materials by instrumental neutron activation analysis

Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was applied to the rapid determination of magnesium in the botanical reference materials Beech Leaves-100 and Spruce Needles-101. The magnesium content was quantitatively determined by measuring the gamma-ray photopeak at 1014 keV of the short-lived radionuclide²⁷Mg (9.46 m). The magnesium concentrations in the two materials were found to be 834.6±50.2 g·g^–1 dry weight and 618.6±36.2 g·g^–1, respectively. When assaying a 0.1 g sample under the same experimental conditions the limit of detection is 30 g of Mg.Work carried out at Risø National Laboratory, Isotopes Division, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark.     

Spectrophotometric determination of microamounts of thorium with disodium salt of 2-(2-hydroxy-3,6-disulfo-1-naphthylazo)-benzenearsonic acid (Thorin) as a chromogenic reagent

A sensitive spectrophotometric method has been developed for the determination of microamounts of thorium using 0.05% thorin in a 3M perchloric acid solution as a chromogenic reagent and measuring the absorbance at 544 nm. The complex of thorium thus formed, is stable for more than two months with a constant absorbance of ±0.55%. Beer's law is obeyed from 0 to 25 g g^–1 of thorium in a solution with a molar absorptivity (544 nm) = 1.69×10⁴ M^–1 cm^–1 at 26±1 °C. Among the anions tested, only phosphate, acetate and cyanide at >200-fold excess of thorium interfere in the determination, whereas cations like Zn(II), Al(III), Na(I), Mg(II), and Ca(II) do not effect the absorbance. Thorium can be determined in the presence of oxalate, nitrate, tartrate, sulfate, thiosulfate, citrate, and ascorbate. The accuracy of the method has been checked by measuring the known concentration of thorium in the range of 100 g-5 mg g^–1 and found to be in the range of 7.7–0.9%. The method has been applied successfully to determine thorium at g g^–1 level in local ore samples with a precision of ±0.3%. The sensitivity of the method on Sandell's scale is 0.082±0.002 g g^–1 cm^–1.     

Trace element analysis of some shaving powders commonly marketed in Nigeria using instrumental neutron activation analysis

Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) technique has been employed viak ₀ approximation method to determine elemental composition of five shaving powders commonly marketed in Nigeria. Fe displayed the highest concentrations in the range 1000–2000 g·g^–1. Na and Zn concentrations were established in the range 200–400 g·g^–1. Heavy elements like Ga, La, Cr, Co, Ag, Ce and Nd concentrations were noted in the lower range of 1–10 g·g^–1 Br, As, Sb, Sm, Eu, W, Cs, Tb, Yb, Hf, Ta, Th and U concentrations were established in even lower traces in the <1 g·g^–1 range. Results obtained for a certified reference material, CANMET BL-1 and CERT (in house) Kaolin standard compared favourably with the literature values thus establishing the results presented for the shaving powders.     

Development and application of a simple routine method for the determination of selenium in serum by octopole reaction system ICPMS

The aim of the study was to develop an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) method for robust and simple routine determination of selenium in serum. Polyatomic interferences on ⁷⁶Se, ⁷⁷Se, and ⁷⁸Se were removed by applying an octopole reaction system ICPMS with the reaction cell pressurized with H₂ gas. We developed a novel simple optimization routine for the H₂ gas flow based on a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) calculation of the selenium signal measured in a single selenium standard. The optimum H₂ flow was 2.9 mL min^–1. The selenium content in serum was determined after a 50-fold dilution with 0.16 M HNO₃ and quantified by using addition calibration and gallium as an internal standard. The method detection limit was 0.10 g L^–1 for ⁷⁶Se and ⁷⁸Se and 0.13 g L^–1 for ⁷⁷Se. Human serum samples from a case-control study investigating if selenium was associated with risk of colorectal adenoma were analyzed. The average selenium concentration for the control group (n=768) was 137.1 g L^–1 and the range was 73.4–305.5 g L^–1. The within-batch repeatability (a batch is ten samples) estimated from 182 replicate analyses was 6.3% coefficient of variation (CV), whereas the between-batch repeatability was 7.4% CV estimated from 361 replicates between batches. The method accuracy was evaluated by analysis of a human serum certified reference material (Seronorm Serum level II, Sero A/S, Norway). There was a fairly good agreement between the measured average of 145±3 g L^–1 (n=36) and the certified value of 136±9 g L^–1. In addition the method was successfully applied for analysis of zinc serum concentrations without further optimization. For the Seronorm certified reference material a value of 911±75 g L^–1 (n=31) for zinc was obtained, which corresponds well to the certified zinc value of 920±60 g L^–1.     

Nuclear interferences of uranium and thorium in a reactor neutron activation analysis determination of cerium using the radionuclides141Ce and143Ce

The interference contributions of uranium and thorium to the determination of cerium based on radionuclides¹⁴¹Ce and¹⁴³Ce produced by irradiation in a reactor core was determined. The values of the interference contributions for¹⁴¹Ce were 0.28±0.01 g Ce/g U and /2.01±0.05/x10^–3 g Ce/g Th, and for¹⁴³Ce 1.33±0.03 g Ce/g U and /9.0±0.2/x10^–3 g Ce/g Th.     

Effect of Surfactants on the Immobilization of 4-(2-Pyridylazo)resorcinol on Silochroms

The effect of cationic surfactants (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, cetylpyridinium bromide, and tetrabutylammonium perchlorate) and a nonionic surfactant (OP-7) on the conditions of the immobilization of 4-(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol (PAR) on three types of silica gel (Silochrom S-120 (200–350 m), Silochrom S-120 (315–500 m), and Silochrom S-80 (200–350 m)) was studied. It was found that OP-7 does not affect the adsorption of surfactants. The effect of cationic surfactants increases in the order tetrabutylammonium perchlorate < cetyltrimethylammonium bromide < cetylpyridinium bromide. The adsorption activity of silica gels increases in the order Silochrom S-120 (315–500 m) < Silochrom S-80 (200–350 m) < Silochrom S-120 (200–350 m). Cetylpyridinium bromide provides full immobilization of PAR on silica gel Silochrom S-120 (200–350 m) in the pH range 2–9.     

Kinetics and mechanism of decarboxylation of cis-carbonato- and bicarbonato(3,3′,3′′-triaminotripropylamine)cobalt(III) ions

The acid-catalysed hydrolysis of [Co(trpn)(CO3)]+ and [Co(trpn)(HCO3)]2+ ions (trpn = 3,3,3-triaminotripropylamine) have been studied spectrophotometrically in aqueous 1.0m HClO4/NaClO4. For the carbonato complex, [HClO4] = 0.02–0.25m and T = 20–35°C; for the bicarbonato complex, [HClO4] = 0.025–0.30m and T = 25°C. Both complexes hydrolyse to form the same cis-diaqua species. The rate law for the hydrolysis is d(ln[CoIII])/dt = k0+k1[H3O+]. The values of the rate constants (25°C), H (kJmol–1) and S (Jmol–1K–1)are:[Co(trpn)(CO3)]+,k0 = (1.7±0.6)× 10–4s–1, H 0 = 57±21, S 0 = –126±75; k1 = (1.0 ±0.1)×10–2m–1s–1, HDagger;1 = 62±8, S1 = –75 ±21, and for [Co(trpn)(HCO3)]2+, k0 = (2.9±0.7)× 10–4s–1, and k1 = (7.8±1.0)×10–2m–1s–1. The carbonato complex exhibits a deuterium isotope effect with k1D/k1H = 1.9, consistent with a rapid pre-equilibrium protonation, followed by rate-controlling ring-opening. The rate constants k0 and k1 (25°C and = 1.0m) for the ring-opening decarboxylation of the two systems studied lie within the experimental error. The results are compared with o ther related systems and the factors which influence the ring-opening decarboxylation (steric hindrance, ring strain, electron-donor ability of the amines) are discussed. The k1 path is interpreted in terms of concerted ring-opening and bond-making in the highly unstable aquabicarbonato intermediate.     

Determination of hexavalent chromium by using speciated isotope-dilution mass spectrometry after microwave speciated extraction of environmental and other solid materials

Precise and accurate determination of hexavalent chromium in different types of solid environmental sample is regarded as a technical challenge with significant potential error if historically accepted methods are used. Microwave-assisted alkaline extraction (0.5 mol L^–1 NaOH+0.28 mol L^–1 Na₂CO₃) followed by anion-exchange chromatographic separation and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrophotometric detection has been shown to provide accurate and precise results. To obtain a better understanding of potential species conversion during and/or after extraction steps, speciated isotope-dilution mass spectrometry (SIDMS) (EPA Method 6800) metrology has been successfully applied as a diagnostic tool with the modified accompanying extraction version of EPA Method 3060A. In our study, aggregate materials distributed over a large area of a major western US state were found to contain a high concentration of total chromium (195±13 to 709±19 g g^–1) and significant amounts of Cr⁶⁺ (141±6 to 341±29 g g^–1) which are at least three orders of magnitude higher than the US EPA threshold limit (0.5 g g^–1). Sediment samples from a major western US state, studied independently, were found to contain less (1.77±0.34 g g^–1) or no Cr⁶⁺ in the presence of significant total chromium.     

Determination of traces of sodium alkylbenzenesulphonate by high-performance liquid chromatography. Application to water

Summary For the trace determination of sodium alkylbenzenesulphonate (ABS) by HPLC the following conditions were employed: Shimadzu ZORBAX SIL Column (5 m, 4.6 mm i.d. x 150 mm) as stationary phase, 0.2% ammoniaethanol (v/v) as mobile phase, UV detector at 225 nm, injection volume 12 l. The chromatograms of ABS were simple and sharp (detection limit of ABS 0.02 g in 12 l of ethanol). The calibration curves of ABS were linear in a concentration range of 0.03 0.3 g in 12 l of ethanol. In the case of linear sodium dodecylbenzenesulphonate positive errors of 1 4% were caused by non-ionic surfactants or laurylsulphate (6 times excess), 10 50% positive errors were caused by 2 6 times excess of household detergents.Standard water samples containing ABS were treated with a weak base anion-exchange resin, the adsorbed ABS were eluted, and then determined either by HPLC or by the methylene blue spectrophotometric method. Recoveries of ABS in water were about 92 107% by HPLC.

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Bestimmung von Spuren Natriumalkylbenzolsulfonat mit Hilfe der HPLC. Anwendung auf Wasser

Zusammenfassung Für die Spurenbestimmung von Natriumalkylbenzolsulfonat (ABS) durch HPLC werden die folgenden Bedingungen empfohlen:Shimadzu ZORBAX SIL (5 m, 4,6 mm x 150 mm) als stationäre Phase, 0,2% Ammoniak/Ethanol als mobile Phase, UV-Detektor bei 225 nm, Injektionsvolumen 12 l. Die erhaltenen Chromatogramme sind einfach und scharf (Nachweisgrenze 0,02 g in 12 ml Ethanol). Die Eichkurven sind im Konzentrationsbereich von 0,03–0,3 g in 12 l Ethanol linear. Im Falle des linearen Natriumdodecylbenzolsulfonats werden bei Anwesenheit von nicht-ionischen oberflächenaktiven Substanzen oder von Laurylsulfat in 6fachem Überschuß positiver Fehler von 1–4% erhalten; bei 2–6fachem Überschuß von Haushaltswaschmitteln ergeben sich positive Fehler von 10–50%.Standard-Wasserproben werden zunächst einer Behandlung mit einem Anionenaustauscher unterzogen, die adsorbierten ABS eluiert und durch HPLC oder nach der Methylenblaumethode analysiert. Wiederfindungsraten liegen bei 92–107%.