Fast flow-injection fluorimetric determination of amiloride by using a solid sensing zone

A rapid and simple flow-through solid phase spectrofluorimetric system is described in this paper for the determination of the diuretic amiloride in physiological fluid (serum) and pharmaceuticals. The sensor was developed in conjunction with a monochannel flow-injection analysis system with fluorimetric transduction. Amiloride was transitorily retained on cationic exchanger gel Sephadex SP-C25 placed in the detection area into the cell. The determination is carried out without any derivatization reaction, by measuring directly the intrinsic fluorescence of the analyte and using the peak height as analytical signal. The wavelengths of excitation and emission were 291 and 419 nm, respectively. Amiloride could be determined in the concentration ranges of 10–600 and 4–250 μg l⁻¹ at a sampling rate of 24 and 30 h⁻¹, respectively with detection limits of 0.92 and 0.33 μg l⁻¹ for 100, and 600 μl of sample volume injected, respectively. The relative standard deviations for ten independent determinations were better than 0.65%. The method was satisfactorily applied to the determination of amiloride in spiked biological fluids (serum) and pharmaceutical preparations without any pretreatment of the samples.     

Flow-injection immuno-bioassay for interleukin-6 in humans based on gold nanoparticles modified screen-printed graphite electrodes

A flow-injection electrochemical immunoassay system based on a disposable immunosensor for the determination of interleukin-6 (IL-6) was proposed. The immunosensor was prepared by entrapping horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-labeled IL-6 antibody into gold nanoparticles-modified composite membrane at a screen-printed graphite electrode. With a non-competitive immunoassay format, the immunosensor was inserted in the flow system with an injection of sample, and the injected sample containing IL-6 antigen was produced transparent immunoaffinity reaction with the immobilized HRP-labeled IL-6 antibody. The formed antigen–antibody complex inhibited partly the active center of HRP, and decreased the immobilized HRP to H₂O₂ reduction. The performance and factors influencing the performance of the immunosensor were investigated. Under optimal conditions, the current change obtained from the labeled HRP relative to thionine–H₂O₂ system was proportional to the IL-6 concentration in the range of 5–100 ng L⁻¹ with a detection limit of 1.0 ng L⁻¹ (at 3δ). The flow-injection immunoassay system could automatically control the incubation, washing and measurement steps with acceptable reproducibility and good stability. Moreover, the proposed immunosensors were used to analyze IL-6 in human serum specimens. Analytical results of clinical samples show the developed immunoassay has a promising alternative approach for detecting IL-6 in the clinical diagnosis.     

Chemically surface-modified carbon nanoparticle carrier for phenolic pollutants: Extraction and electrochemical determination of benzophenone-3 and triclosan

Chemically surface-modified (tosyl-functionalized) carbon nanoparticles (Emperor 2000 from Cabot Corp.) are employed for the extraction and electrochemical determination of phenolic impurities such as benzophenone-3 (2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone) or triclosan (5-chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)phenol). The hydrophilic carbon nanoparticles are readily suspended and separated by centrifugation prior to deposition onto suitable electrode surfaces and voltammetric analysis. Voltammetric peaks provide concentration information over a 10–100 μM range and an estimated limit of detection of ca. 10 μM (or 2.3 ppm) for benzophenone-3 and ca. 20 μM (or 5.8 ppm) for triclosan.

Alternatively, analyte-free carbon nanoparticles immobilized at a graphite or glassy carbon electrode surface and directly immersed in analyte solution bind benzophenone-3 and triclosan (both with an estimated Langmuirian binding constants of K ≈ 6000 mol⁻¹ dm³ at pH 9.5) and they also give characteristic voltammetric responses (anodic for triclosan and cathodic for benzophenone-3) with a linear range of ca. 1–120 μM. The estimated limit of detection is improved to ca.5 μM (or 1.2 ppm) for benzophenone-3 and ca. 10 μM (or 2.3 ppm) for triclosan. Surface functionalization is discussed as the key to further improvements in extraction and detection efficiency.     

Indirect ultraviolet determination of silver with nickelocyanide ion by flow injection analysis

A flow-injection method for the ultraviolet spectrophotometric determination of silver, based on its reaction with nickelocyanide ion, Ni(CN)²⁻₄, in ammoniacal buffer medium (pH 10) and subsequent measurement of the decrease in the absorption of the Ni(CN)²⁻₄ complex at 275 nm is described. The calibration graph is linear in the range 10–400 μm silver. At a sampling rate of about 60 samples h⁻¹ with 35 μl sample injections, precision was about 1% relative standard deviation. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of silver in some common silver minerals.     

Simple flow-injection system for the simultaneous determination of nitrite and nitrate in water samples

A novel spectrophotometric reaction system was developed for the determination of nitrite as well as nitrate in water samples, and was applied to a flow-injection analysis (FIA). The spectrophotometric flow-injection system coupled with a copperised cadmium reductor column was proposed. The detection was based on the nitrosation reaction between nitrite ion and phloroglucinol (1,3,5-trihydroxybenzene), a commercially available phenolic compound. Sample injected into a carrier stream was split into two streams at the Y-shaped connector. One of the streams merged directly and reacted with the reagent stream: nitrite ion in the samples was detected. The other stream was passed through the copperised cadmium reductor column, where the reduction of nitrate to nitrite occurred, and the sample zone was then mixed with the reagent stream and passed through the detector: the sum of nitrate and nitrite was detected. The optimised conditions allow a linear calibration range of 0.03–0.30 μg NO₂⁻-N ml⁻¹ and 0.10–1.00 μg NO₃⁻-N ml⁻¹. The detection limits for nitrite and nitrate, defined as three times the standard deviation of measured blanks are 2.9 ng NO₂⁻-N ml⁻¹ and 2.3 ng NO₃⁻-N ml⁻¹, respectively. Up to 20 samples can be analyzed per hour with a relative standard deviation of less than 1.5%. The proposed method could be applied successfully to the simultaneous determination of nitrite and nitrate in water samples.     

Automated determination of glucose in soluble coffee using Prussian Blue-glucose oxidase-Nafion((R)) modified electrode

A highly selective, fast and stable biosensor for determination of glucose in soluble coffee has been developed. The biosensor electrode consist of a thin film of ferric hexacyanoferrate (Prussian Blue or PB) electrodeposited on the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) (to provide a catalytic surface for the detection of hydrogen peroxide) glucose oxidase immobilized on top of the electrode and a Nafion^® polymer layer. The stability of the PB film and the biosensor was evaluated by injecting standard-solution (50 μM H₂O₂ and 0.5 mM glucose) during 4 h in a flow-injection system with the electrodes polarized at −50 mV versus Ag/AgCl. The system is able to handle about 60 samples per hour and is very stable and suitable for industrial control. Determination of glucose in the range 2.5 and 15% (w/v) in phosphate buffer with precision (r.s.d. < 1.5%) has been achieved and is in agreement with the conventional procedures. Linear calibration in the range of 0.15 and 2.50 mM with detection limits of ca. 0.03 mM has been obtained. The morphology of the enzyme glucose oxidase on the modified electrode has been analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements.     

A flow-injection renewable surface sensor for the fluorimetric determination of vanadium(V) with Alizarin Red S

Vanadium(V) is determined by a simple bead injection spectroscopy–flow-injection analysis (BIS–FIA) system with spectrofluorimetric detection using a commercially available flow cell (Hellma 176-QS). The 500 μl of a homogeneous bead suspension of an anionic resin (Sephadex QAE A-25) previously loaded with the fluorogenic reagent 1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone-3-sulfonic acid (Alizarin Red S) was injected to fill the flow cell. Next, V(V) is injected into the carrier and reacts with the immobilized reagent on the active solid support placed in the flow cell to form a fluorescent chelate in the absence of surfactant agents. The complex is so strongly retained on the beads that the regeneration of the solid support becomes extraordinarily difficult, so needing the renovation of the sensing surface which is achieved by means of bead injection. At the end of the analysis, beads are automatically discarded from the flow cell and transported out of the system by reversing the flow.

The measurement of fluorescence is continuously performed at an excitation wavelength of 521 nm and an emission wavelength of 617 nm. Using a low sample volume of 800 μl, the analytical signal showed a very good linearity in the range 2–60 ng ml⁻¹, with a detection limit of 0.45 ng ml⁻¹ and a R.S.D. (%) of 4.22 for 50 ng ml⁻¹ of V(V) concentration (n = 10). The sensor showed both a good selectivity, which could also be increased by the addition of EDTA and F⁻ as masking agents, and applicability to the determination of V(V) in waters, physiological samples (serum and urine) and mussel tissues.     

Determination of mercury in saliva with a flow-injection system

A simple, fast and reliable method, with a low detection limit, has been developed for the determination of total mercury in saliva samples. The method uses a brominating reagent, followed by on-line addition of KMnO₄ at room temperature to convert organically bound mercury to inorganic mercury ions, and determines mercury by flow-injection cold-vapour atomic absorption spectrometry. Using the method described, complete recoveries of five mercury compounds from saliva were attained. Results obtained on real samples using the new method were comparable to that obtained using the established method with batch system. The detection limit of this method, based on three standard deviations of the blank, is 0.05 μg l⁻¹ Hg in a saliva sample of 500 μl. A sample throughput of 80 measurements per hour is possible with the method. The calibration curves are linear up to 20 μg l⁻¹ and the dynamic range extends to 40 μg l⁻¹ Hg. At a concentration of 1μg l⁻¹ mercury in saliva, the relative standard deviation is about 2% for 11 replicates; a total volume of 0.5 ml saliva is required for three replicates.     

The coordinatively unsaturated cluster cations [Pt3{M(CO)3}(μ-Ph2PCH2PPh2)3] (M = Re, Mn)

The coordinatively unsaturated cluster [Pt₃(μ₃-CO)(μ-dppm)₃]²⁺ (1, dppm = Ph₂PCH₂PPh₂) reacts with Na⁺[M(CO)₅]⁻ to give the mixed metal clusters [Pt₃{M(CO)₃}(μ-dppm)₃]⁺ (M = Re, 2; Mn, 3). The new clusters are characterized by spectroscopic methods and, for M = Re, by an X-ray structure determination. The Pt₃Re core in 2 is tetrahedral with particularly short metal-metal distances.     

Direct electrochemistry and electrocatalysis of hemoglobin immobilized in TiO2 nanotube films

Titanium oxide nanotubes (TiO₂-NTs) synthesized by the hydrothermal method had been prepared as the co-immobilization matrix to incorporate hemoglobin (Hb) successfully. The nanostructures of TiO₂-NTs were investigated by X-ray diffraction and high-resolution electron microscopy. The Hb immobilized in TiO₂-NTs had a similar structure to the native of Hb and retained its near-native conformations as characterized by the UV–vis and FT-IR spectroscopy. A couple of quasi-reversible redox peaks with a formal potential of −0.34 V (vs. SCE) in 0.10 M pH 7.0 phosphate buffered saline (PBS) were observed. The amperometric response of the immobilized Hb linearly to H₂O₂ concentration ranged from 4 μM to 64 μM with a detection limit of 4.637 × 10⁻⁶ M and the high stability of the immobilized Hb in TiO₂-NTs constituted a promising platform for the development of biosensors.     

Peroxidase immobilized on Amberlite IRA-743 resin for on-line spectrophotometric detection of hydrogen peroxide in rainwater

The importance of atmospheric hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) in the oxidation of SO₂ and other compounds has been well established. A spectrophotometric method for the determination of hydrogen peroxide in rainwater is proposed. This method is based on selective oxidation of hydrogen peroxide using an on-line tubular reactor containing peroxidase immobilized on Amberlite IRA-743 resin. The hydrogen peroxide in the presence of phenol, 4-aminoantipyrine and peroxidase, produces a red compound (λ = 505 nm). Beer's law is obeyed in a concentration range of 1–100 μmol l⁻¹ hydrogen peroxide with an excellent correlation coefficient (r = 0.9991), at pH 7.0, with a relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) <2%. The detection limit of the method is 0.7 μmol l⁻¹ (4.8 ng of H₂O₂ in a 200 μl sample). Measurements of hydrogen peroxide in rain samples were carried out over the period from November 2003 to January 2005, in the central area of the Juiz de Fora city, Brazil. The concentration of H₂O₂ varied from values lower than the detection limit to 92.5 μmol l⁻¹. The effects of the presence of nonseasalt (NSS) SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻ and H⁺ in the concentration of hydrogen peroxide in the rainwater had been evaluated. The average concentrations of H₂O₂, NO₃⁻, NSS SO₄²⁻ and SO₄²⁻ are 23.4, 18.9, 7.9 and 10.3 μmol l⁻¹, respectively. The pH values for 82% of the collected samples are greater than 5.0. The spectrophotometeric method developed in this work that uses enzyme immobilized on the resin ion-exchange compared with the amperometric method did not present any significant difference in the results.     

Evaluation of ammonia as diluent for serum sample preparation and determination of selenium by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

A method for the determination of total selenium in serum samples by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry was evaluated. The method involved direct introduction of 1:5 diluted serum samples (1% v/v NH₄OH+0.05% w/v Triton X-100^®) into transversely heated graphite tubes, and the use of 10 μg Pd+3 μg Mg(NO₃)₂ as chemical modifier. Optimization of the modifier mass and the atomization temperature was conducted by simultaneously varying such parameters and evaluating both the integrated absorbance and the peak height/peak area ratio. The latter allowed the selection of compromise conditions rendering good sensitivity and adequate analyte peak profiles. A characteristic mass of 49 pg and a detection limit (3s) of 6 μg 1⁻¹ Se, corresponding to 30 μg l⁻¹ Se in the serum sample, were obtained. The analyte addition technique was used for calibration. The accuracy was assessed by the determination of total selenium in Seronorm™ Trace Elements Serum Batch 116 (Nycomed Pharma AS). The method was applied for the determination of total selenium in ten serum samples taken from individuals with no known physical affection. The selenium concentration ranged between 79 and 147 μg l⁻¹, with a mean value of 114±22 μg l⁻¹.     

Flow-injection determination of iodide ion in nuclear emergency tablets, using boron-doped diamond thin film electrode

The electrochemical determination of iodide was studied at boron-doped diamond thin film electrodes (BDD) using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and flow-injection (FI) analysis, with amperometric detection. Cyclic voltammetry of iodide was conducted in a phosphate buffer pH 5. Experiments were performed using glassy carbon (GC) electrode as a comparison. Well-defined oxidation waves of the quasi-reversible cyclic voltammograms were observed at both electrodes. Voltammetric signal-to-background ratios (S/B) were comparable. However, the GC electrode gives much greater in the background current as usual. The potential sweep rate dependence exhibited that the peak current of iodide oxidation at 1 mM varied linearly (r² = 0.998) with the square root of the scan rate, from 0.01 to 0.30 V s⁻¹. This result indicates that the reaction is a diffusion-controlled process with negligible adsorption on BDD surface, at this iodide concentration. Results of the flow-injection analysis show a highly reproducible amperometric response. The linear working range was observed up to 200 μM (r² = 0.999). The detection limit, as low as 0.01 μM (3σ of blank), was obtained. This method was successfully applied for quantification of iodide contents in nuclear emergency tablets.     

Fluorometric determination of urea in alcoholic beverages by using an acid urease column-FIA system

An acid urease column was applied to a fluorometric flow-injection analysis (FIA) system as a recognition element for determination of urea in rice wines.

The acid urease has specific properties of showing its catalytic activity in low pH range and tolerance to ethanol in comparison to those of a urease from jack-beans. The enzymes were covalently immobilized onto porous glass beads with controlled pore size and then, packed into a small polymer column. The flow-type of the biosensing system was assembled with a sample injection valve, the immobilized enzyme column, and a flow-through quartz cell attached to a fluorescent spectrophotometer. Citrate buffer (50 mM, pH 5.0) as the carrier solution was continuously pumped through the system. Sample solutions were introduced into the system via a rotary injection valve. A standard urea solution was measured through monitoring variations in fluorescent intensity attributable to fluorescent isoindole derivatives formed by coupling with ammonia molecules released in the enzymatic hydrolysis of urea and orthophthalaldehyde reagents. The fluorescent intensity was measured under the conditions of λ_ex = 415 nm and λ_em = 485 nm. A wide, linear relationship was obtained between the concentration of urea (1.0–100 μM) and the variation in fluorescent intensity. The monitoring did not suffer from ethanol and various amino acids contained in rice wines. Real samples pretreated with ion exchange resins for removal of endogenous ammonia were introduced into the FIA system and urea in the samples was determined. These results were compared with those obtained with use of an F-kit method. The proposed FIA system should present sensitive, selective and convenient analysis of urea in alcoholic beverages.     

Chemiluminescence sensor for isoniazid with controlled-reagent-release technology

A novel chemiluminescence (CL) sensor for isoniazid combined with flow-injection technology is presented in this paper. The analytical reagents, luminol and ferricyanide, were both immobilized on an anion-exchange column. The CL signal produced by the reaction between luminol and ferricyanide, which were eluted from the column through sodium phosphate injection, was decreased in the presence of isoniazid. The decreased CL intensity was linear with isoniazid concentration in the range 0.001–1.0 μg·ml⁻¹; and the detection limit was 0.35 ng·ml⁻¹ (3s). The whole process, including sampling and washing, could be completed in 2 min with a relative standard deviation of less than 4.1%. The sensor could be reused more than 400 times and has been applied for the determination of isoniazid in pharmaceutical preparations.     

Spectrophotometric flow-injection determination of sulphate in soil solutions

A flow-injection procedure for spectrophotometric determination of sulphate in soil solutions is proposed. Samples are directly soaked from the soils under field conditions, in-line filtered through ceramic plates, and preserved with thymol. The method involves reaction with barium dimethylsulphonazo(III) (DMSA) in the presence of dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO) with further measuring the decrease in absorbance at 668 nm. A linear response is observed up to about 5 mgl ⁻¹ SO₄, and detection limit (3σ criterion) is 0.1 mg l⁻¹ SO₄. Only 4.5 μg DMSA is consumed per determination. The system is rugged and baseline drift is not observed during extended operation periods. About 60 samples are injected per hour, and the results are precise (r.s.d. <2%) and in agreement with ion chromatography.     

Development of a luminol-based chemiluminescence flow-injection method for the determination of dichlorvos pesticide

A simple, fast chemiluminescence (CL) flow-injection method based on the reaction of luminol with H₂O₂ in the presence of a cationic surfactant (cyltrimethylammonium bromide, CTMAB) has been described for the direct determination of dichlorvos pesticide (DDVP). Under the optimal conditions, the CL intensity was linear to the DDVP concentration in the range of 0.02–3.1 μg ml⁻¹ (r=0.9998, n=10). The relative standard deviation was 3.4% at 0.35 μg ml⁻¹ (n=10), with a detection limit (3σ) of 0.008 μg ml⁻¹ DDVP. The possible reaction mechanism was also discussed. This method has been successfully applied to the determination of trace DDVP residue in vegetable sample and results have been compared with that of the UV method.     

Synthesis, structure and hydrogenation catalytic activity of [Ru3(μ3,η-ampy)(μ,η:η-PhC=CHPh)(CO)6(PPh3) (Hampy = 2-amino-6-methylpyridine)

The compound [RU₃(μ₃,η²- -ampy)(μ₃η¹:η²-PhC=CHPh)(CO)₆(PPh₃)₂] (1) (ampy = 2-amino-6-methylpyridinate) has been prepared by reaction of [RU₃(η-H)(μ₃,η²- ampy) (μ,η¹:η²-PhC=CHPh)(CO)₇(PPh₃)] with triphenylphosphine at room temperature. However, the reaction of [RU₃(μ-H)(μ₃, η² -ampy)(CO)₇(PPh₃)₂] with diphenylacetylene requires a higher temperature (110°C) and does not give complex 1 but the phenyl derivative [RU₃(μ₃,η²-ampy)(μ,η ¹:η² -PhC=CHPh)(μ,-PPh₂)(Ph)(CO)₅(PPh₃)] (2). The thermolysis of complex 1 (110°C) also gives complex 2 quantitatively. Both 1 and 2 have been characterized by0 X-ray diffraction methods. Complex 1 is a catalyst precursor for the homogeneous hydrogenation of diphenylacetylene to a mixture of cis- and trans -stilbene under mild conditions (80°C, 1 atm. of H₂), although progressive deactivation of the catalytic species is observed. The dihydride [RU₃(μ-H)₂(μ ₃,η²-ampy)(μ,η¹:η²- PhC=CHPh)(CO)₅(PPh₃)₂] (3), which has been characterized spectroscopically, is an intermediate in the catalytic hydrogenation reaction.     

Automated on-line separation preconcentration system for palladium determination by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry and its application to palladium determination in environmental and food samples

A flow injection (FI) system was used to develop an efficient on-line sorbent extraction preconcentration system for palladium by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS). The investigated metal was preconcentrated on a microcolumn packed with 1,5-bis(di-2-pyridyl)methylene thiocarbohydrazide immobilized on silica gel (DPTH-gel). The palladium is eluted with 40 μl of HCl 4 M and directly introduced into the graphite furnace. The detection limit for palladium under the optimum conditions was 0.4 ng ml⁻¹. This procedure was employed to determine palladium in different samples.     

Turbidimetric determination of sulphate in waters employing flow injection and lead sulphate formation

An analytical flow-injection procedure based on PbSO₄ colloidal formation is proposed as a turbidimetric determination of sulphate in natural waters. Ethanol-water was used as a medium in order to improve the sensibility of the method. Both chemical and flow variables as well as interfering species were studied. A detection limit of 0.3 μg SO²⁻₄ ml⁻¹ was found, and the analytical range (according to Beer's law) was 2–20 μg SO²⁻₄ ml⁻¹. The precision was better than 3% R.S.D. and the sample throughput was ca. 35 h⁻¹. The method, when compared with a standard methodology, gave good results when applied to water analysis.