Evaluation and validation of commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) specific for atrazine, chlorpyrifos, and diazinon in aqueous phase

The performance of commercially available microtiter plate enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) kits specific for the determination of triazines (atrazine), chlorpyrifos, and diazinon was evaluated for sensitivity, intra-assay repeatability, and accuracy using samples of known concentration in aqueous solution. Mean percent recovery values were not significantly different among concentrations for diazinon (One-way parametric ANOVA, P=0.46, n=72). However, mean percent recovery values were significantly different among concentrations for both atrazine and chlorpyrifos analyses (One-way parametric ANOVA, P<0.0001, n=36 for both analyses), and were highly dependent on concentrations for chlorpyrifos (% recovery=−0.155 (concentration)+238.448, r²=0.91, P<0.0001, n=36). All methods demonstrated a high degree of statistical separation between readings at various concentrations (One-way parametric ANOVA followed by Student-Neuman-Keuls (SNK) multiple range test, P<0.0001 for all analyses) and a close correlation between known concentrations and concentrations derived from ELISA for all three analytes (diazinon, r=0.985, P<0.0001, n=72; atrazine r=0.967, P<0.0001, n=36; chlorpyrifos r=0.947, P<0.0001, n=36). Statistical comparisons between known concentrations and concentrations derived from ELISAs showed that diazinon values were significantly (P<0.01, n=12 per concentration level) overestimated for all concentration levels. Chlorpyrifos concentrations were significantly (P<0.01, n=6 per concentration level) overestimated at lower concentrations and significantly (P<0.01, n=6 per concentration level) underestimated at higher concentrations. ELISA-derived atrazine concentrations were statistically similar to known concentrations for most concentration levels (P>0.05, n=6 per concentration level). Results indicate that ELISA kits are excellent for screening purposes, although consistent overestimation of ELISA for diazinon at all concentration levels and chlorpyrifos at lower concentrations levels must be resolved before the kits can be used routinely for regulatory compliance monitoring.     

Determination of arsenic compounds in marine mammals with high-performance liquid chromatography and an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer as element-specific detector

Total arsenic concentrations and the concentrations of individual arsenic compounds were determined in liver samples of pinnipeds [nine ringed seals (Phoca hispida), one bearded seal (Erginathus barbatus)] and cetaceans [two pilot whales (Globicephalus melas), one beluga whale (Deliphinapterus leucus)]. Total arsenic concentrations ranged from 0.167 to 2.40 mg As kg⁻¹ wet mass. The arsenic compounds extracted from the liver samples with a methanol/water mixture (9:1, v/v) were identified and quantified by anion- and cation-exchange chromatography. An ICP–MS equipped with a hydraulic high-pressure nebulizer served as the arsenic-specific detector. Arsenobetaine (0.052–1.67 mg As kg⁻¹ wet mass) was the predominant arsenic compound in all the liver samples. Arsenocholine was present in all livers (0.005–0.044 mg As kg⁻¹ wet mass). The tetramethylarsonium cation was detected in all pinnipeds ( < 0.009 to 0.043 mg As kg⁻¹) but not in any of the cetaceans. The concentration of dimethylarsinic acid ranged from < 0.001 to 0.109 mg As kg⁻¹ wet mass. Most of the concentrations for methylarsonic acid ( < 0.001 to 0.025 mg As kg⁻¹ wet mass) were below the detection limit. Arsenous acid and arsenic acid concentrations were below the detection limit of the method (0.001 mg As kg⁻¹). An unknown arsenic compound was present in all liver samples at concentrations from 0.002–0.027 mg As kg⁻¹. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electrofusion of protoplasts modified by protein adsorption

The synergistic influence of proteins at lowest concentrations (below mg ml⁻¹) on barley protoplast electrofusion together with dielectrophoresis for adhesion of protoplast membranes has been studied by determination of the relative electrofusion yield F_r, which allows further insight into `protein modified electroporation and electrofusion'. As a general rule all proteins with isoelectric points pI>8 stimulate fusion: F_r>1 in buffer free mannitol solution (pH 6.5) reaching levels at F_r=2∼3. Proteins with pI<8 show at lowest concentrations (<1 mg ml⁻¹) also a stimulating effect: F_r>1 followed by the inhibition of F_r—sometimes reaching zero—accompanied by rising conductivity with increasing concentrations. These results are important for resealing, insertion, transfection and the role of integral membrane proteins for the mechanism of fusion.     

Errors in isotope ratios measured on a laser mass spectrometer with photographic recording

The random and systematic measurement errors were determined for tin isotope ratios measured by laser mass spectrometry with photographic recording. The analytical isotope signals were treated by the Hull equation using the widths of mass-spectrometric lines. This method significantly reduced the systematic measurement error in the isotope ratios and extended the working range of signal intensities (0.1 <T< 10). Within this range, the relative standard deviation (s _r ) of the measured isotope ratios wass _r < 0.15, and the relative systematic error was S < 0.15. For isotope lines with close signal intensities in the region of normal blackening of the photographic emulsion, the valuess _r = 0.04-0.08 and δ = 0.01 were obtained. A discrimination effect was revealed for isotopes with large masses 120, 122, and 124 amu, which increased δ to 0.21     

Arsenic, antimony and bismuth in human hair from potentially exposed individuals in the vicinity of antimony mines in Southwest China

To study the effect of the environmental pollution in exposed population, human hair samples of residents were collected from two typical antimony mines (Xikuangshan antimony mine and Qinglong antimony mine, Southwest China) and one non-mining city (Guiyang, Southwest China), and the concentrations of arsenic, antimony and bismuth in these samples were analyzed by hydride generation-atomic fluorescence spectrometry. Arsenic concentrations for Xikuangshan, Qinglong, and Guiyang ranged 0.236-48.4 (mean 4.21), 0.130-16.1 (mean 2.96), and 0.104-0.796 (mean 0.280) μg/g, respectively. Antimony concentrations for Xikuangshan, Qinglong, and Guiyang ranged 0.250-82.4 (mean 15.9), 0.060-45.9 (mean 5.15), and 0.065-2.87 (mean 0.532) μg/g, respectively. Bismuth contents were found to be greater than the limit of detection (LOD > 0.016 μg/g) in all the human hair samples collected from residents from Qinglong antimony mine, 95.5% samples from Xikuangshan mine and only 22.7% samples from Guiyang. There were no significant differences in both arsenic and antimony concentrations between hair samples from male and female individuals in the same area (P > 0.05). Arsenic and bismuth were mainly present in samples from children (5-9 years) and adults aged 41-51 years. Relatively high antimony contents (≥ 3 μg/g) were detected mainly in samples from children and adults aged ≥ 41 years. Significant correlation was found between the concentrations of arsenic and antimony in the human hair samples (r = 0.523, P < 0.05). The results indicate that arsenic and antimony in antimony mining area may significantly affect human health.     

Interfacial and aggregation properties of aqueous sodium <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-dodecanoylsarcosinate solutions at different pH

The pH dependence of an anionic surfactant, sodium N-dodecanoylsarcosinate (SLAS), has been studied by measuring interfacial tension, fluorescence, dynamic light scattering, etc., in aqueous solutions with phosphate and borate buffers. The interfacial tension (γ) of SLAS decreases remarkably with a pH decrease and is constant at pH > 7.3. The observed values for the critical micelle concentration (cmc) and the surfactant concentration at which its γ value is reduced by 20 mN/m from that of pure water (C ₂₀) decrease with a pH decrease, while those also become constant at pH > 6.5 and >7.3, respectively. On the other hand, the interfacial excess of SLAS increases at pH < 7.3. These interfacial behaviors have been further investigated by the addition of Tl⁺ which replaces Na⁺ of SLAS. The observed γ values of LAS⁻ with the different counter cations are in the order of H⁺ < Tl⁺ < Na⁺. In order to reveal aggregation properties of SLAS, the aggregation number (N _agg), the micropolarity, the hydrodynamic radius (R _h) of micelle, and the fluorescence anisotropy of Rhodamine B (r) have been evaluated at various pHs. The N _agg value shows a decreasing tendency with a pH increase. The I ₁/I ₃ ratio and the R _h values do not strongly depend on pH. The r value decreases until pH 7 and remains constant at pH > 7.0. These interfacial and micelle properties have been discussed in detail considering the electrostatic interaction and the molecular structures of the hydrophilic headgroup.     

Effect of realgar on extracellular amino acid neurotransmitters in hippocampal CA1 region determined by online microdialysis–dansyl chloride derivatization–high‐performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection

An online microdialysis (MD)–dansyl chloride (Dns) derivatization–high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and fluorescence detection (FD) system was developed for simultaneous determination of eight extracellular amino acid neurotransmitters in hippocampus. The MD probe was implanted in hippocampal CA1 region. Dialysate and Dns were online mixed and derivatized. The derivatives were separated on an ODS column and detected by FD. The developed online system showed good linearity, precision, accuracy and recovery. This online MD‐HPLC system was applied to monitor amino acid neurotransmitters levels in rats exposed to realgar (0.3, 0.9 and 2.7 g/kg body weight). The result shows that glutamate concentrations were significantly increased (p < 0.05) in hippocampal CA1 region of rats exposed to three doses of realgar. A decrease in γ‐aminobutyric acid concentrations was found in rats exposed to medium and high doses of realgar (p < 0.05). Elevation of excitotoxic index (EI) values in hippocampal CA1 region of realgar‐exposed rats was observed (p < 0.05). Positive correlation was found between EI values and arsenic contents in hippocampus of realgar‐exposed rats, which indicates that the change in extracellular EI values is associated with arsenic accumulation in hippocampus. The developed online MD–Dns derivatization–HPLC–FD system provides a new experimental method for studying the effect of toxic Chinese medicines on amino acid neurotransmitters. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Copolymerization of Methacrylic Acid and N-Vinylpyrrolidone in Aqueous Solution

The monomer reactivity ratios for the copolymerization of methacrylic acid (MA) and N-vinylpyrrolidone (NVP) in aqueous media at 30°C were determined as a function of pH (range 2-10), by use of both the modified differential (YBR) and integrated copolymerization equation to process the data at high conversions (< 70% by weight). The reactivity ratio r₁ (for MA) ranges from 0.92 to 8.3 and that for NVP (r₂) is very small except at pH 7 and 8. The ri values show two minima: 2.9 at pH 4 and 0.92 at pH 8, nearly corresponding to the pKa values of the monomer MA and the polymer, respectively. Addition of 1 M sodium chloride results in an increase of n values, and the values are still lower than those of the undissoeiated acid. The trend of r_xwith pH is seen to follow that of the homopolymerization behavior of MA reported in the literature. The r₁ and r₂ are of the same order as those obtained in dimethylformamide in the literature.     

Analytical Hartree-Fock electron densities for singly charged cations and anions

The Hartree-Fock (HF) electron density has an important property that it is identical to the unknown exact density to the first order in the perturbation theory. We generate the spherically averaged HF electron density ρ(r) by using the numerical HF method for the singly charged 53 cations from Li⁺ to Cs⁺ and 43 anions from H⁻ to I⁻ in their ground state. The resultant density is then accurately fitted into an analytical function F(r), which is expressed by a linear combination of basis functions r ⁿⁱ exp(−ζ _i r). The present analytical approximation F(r) has the following properties: (1) F(r) is nonnegative, (2) F(r) is normalized, (3) F(r) reproduces the HF moments <r ^k > (k=−2 to +6), (4) F(0) is equal to ρ(0), (5) F ^′(0) satisfies the cusp condition and (6) F(r) has the correct exponential decay in the long-range asymptotic region. The present results together with our previous ones for neutral atoms provide a compilation of accurate analytical approximations of the HF electron densities for all the neutral and singly charged atoms with the number of electrons N≤54. Received: 11 July 1997 / Accepted: 27 August 1997     

Urinary arsenic species in an arsenic‐affected area of West Bengal,India (part III)

Arsenic contamination of groundwater has long been reported in the Mushidabad district of West Bengal, India. We visited 13 arsenic‐affected families in the Makrampur village of the Beldanga block in Mushidabad during 18–21 December 2001 and collected five shallow tubewell‐water samples used general household purposes, four deep tubewell‐water samples used for drinking and cooking purposes, and 44 urine samples from those families. The arsenic concentrations in the five shallow tubewell‐water samples ranged from 18.0 to 408.4 ppb and those in the four deep tubewell‐water samples were from 5.2 to 9.6 ppb. The average arsenite (arsenic(III)), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) and arsenate (arsenic(V)) in urine were 28.7 ng mg^?1, 168.6 ng mg^?1, 25.0 ng mg^?1 and 4.6 ng mg^?1 creatinine respectively. The average total arsenic was 227.0 ng mg^?1 creatinine. On comparison of the ratio of (MMA + DMA) to total arsenic, the average proportion was 86.7 ± 9.2% (mean plus/minus to residual standard deviation, n = 43). The exception was data for one boy, whose proportion was 8.0%. One woman excreted the highest total arsenic, at 2890.0 ng mg^?1 creatinine. When using 43 of the urine samples (the exception being the one sample obtained from the boy) there were significantly positive correlations (p < 0.01) between arsenic(III) and MMA, between arsenic(III) and DMA and between MMA and DMA. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Orientational order of tetra n-hexylesters of perylene and tetrachloroperylene tetracarboxylic acids in low-molar-mass liquid crystal investigated using absorption and fluorescence methods

The orientational order parameters <P₂> and <P₄> of perylene-3,4,9,10-tetra-(n-hexylester) (PTHE) and 1,6,7,12-tetrachloroperylene-3,4,9,10-tetra-(n-hexylester) (4Cl-PTHE) dye molecules dissolved in low-molar-mass liquid crystal, 4-(trans-4-n-hexylylcyclohexyl)-isothiocyanobenzene, are calculated from the experimental values of polarised absorption and fluorescence anisotropies. The experimental data show that the substitution of chlorine atoms instead of hydrogen in the perylene core reduces the value of <P₂> parameter. Moreover, the <P₂> and <P₄> values for molecules of the perylene derivatives, playing the role of the guest in the liquid crystal matrix, are much less than these values for molecules of the liquid crystal host. The extremely low negative values of <P₄> for the perylene dyes are explained as the result of the preferable oblique orientation of the main molecular symmetry axis of the probe with respect to the direction of the macroscopic orientation of the liquid crystal host molecules.     

Analytical Hartree–Fock electron densities for atoms He through Lr

The Hartree-Fock electron density has an important property that it is identical to the exact density to first order in the perturbation theory. For the neutral atoms from He (Z = 2) to Lr (Z = 103) in their ground state, we report an accurate analytical approximation F(r) to the spherically averaged electron densityρ(r) obtained by the numerical Hartree-Fock method. The present density functionF(r) is expressed by a linear combination of reasonable number (not more than 30) of basis functionsr ⁿⁱ exp(- ζ _i r), and has the following properties: (i)F(r) is nonnegative, (ii)F(tr) is normalized, (iii)F(r) reproduces the Hartree-Fock moments <r ^k > (k = −2 to +6), (iv)F(0) is equal toρ(0), (v)F′(0) satisfies the cusp condition, and (vi)F(r) has the correct exponential decay in the long-range asymptotic region.     

Studies of the interaction between apigenin and bovine serum albumin by spectroscopic methods

The interaction between apigenin (Ap) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) in physiological buffer (pH = 7.4) is investigated by fluorescence quenching technique and UV-vis absorption spectra. The results reveal that Ap could strongly quench the intrinsic fluorescence of BSA. The quenching mechanism of Ap for BSA varies with the change of Ap concentration. when Ap concentration is lower, it is a static quenching procedure, when Ap concentration is higher, a combined quenching (both static and dynamic) would operate. The apparent binding constants Ka and number of binding sites n of Ap with BSA are obtained by fluorescence quenching method. The thermodynamic parameters, enthalpy change (Δ_r H ^m and entropy change (Δ_r S ^m ), are calculated to be −15.382 kJ mol⁻¹ K⁻¹ < 0 and 104.888 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹ > 0, respectively, which indicate that the interaction of Ap with BSA is driven mainly by hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. The distance r between BSA and Ap is calculated to be 1.89 nm based on F?rster’s non-radiative energy transfer theory. The results of synchronous fluorescence spectra show that binding of Ap with BSA cannot induce conformational changes in BSA.     

Countercurrent Chromatography for the Measurement of the Hydrophobicity of Sulfonamide Amphoteric Compounds

Octanol-water partition coefficients (P _o/w ) of 17 sulfonamides (SAs) were determined by countercurrent chromatography (CCC). The measured P _o/w values were in the 0.002–46 range (–2.65 < log P _o/w < 1.7). The lipophility of these compounds depends on the pH showing a maximum for intermediate values. The apparent P _o/w coefficients of SAs were obtained at 5 pH values: 2, 3, 5, 7 and 11, using 0.01 M ammonium phosphate octanol saturated buffers. A theoretical model linking these values with pH for amphoteric compounds was checked and verified. Often the P _o/w coefficients of the molecular forms obtained with the CCC method differ significantly from literature values obtained using softwares and/or from experimental values calculated with extrapolation. The CCC method allows also the determination of the P _o/w coefficients of the ionic forms of the SAs, cationic forms at low pH values and anionic forms at elevated pHs. The acidity constants were also estimated using the theoretical model. Relationships between SA retention factors obtained by RPLC and hydrophobicity were also discussed.     

Comparison of the Structural Information on Sol-Gel Systems Provided by Pyrene Labeled Fluorescent Probes

The influence of the acid catalyst concentration on the structural evolution of a sol-gel system was studied by doping TEOS based starting solutions with two fluorescent probes: a polystyrene chain (M _n =1700) and a much shorter alkane chain (M=172), both of them labeled at both ends with 1-pyrenyl. For this purpose, each probe was incorporated in two TEOS∶H₂O∶C₂H₅OH mixtures (molar ratios 1∶4∶1), one at pH 1.2 and the other at pH 2.5 (respectively below and above the isoelectric point of silica). Very low concentrations of the probes were used (≤10⁻⁶ M), so the pyrene dimmers and excimers were formed only intramolecularly. The ratios of excimer to monomer fluorescence intensities at excitation wavelength of 360 nm (where mainly the ground state pyrene dimmers are excited) were studied as a function of time. Different evolutions of these ratios were observed, which allowed us to predict that the silica structure developsvia the formation of primary particles, even at pH values below the isoelectric point of silica, where it is not possible to directly detect their formation.     

Hindered internal rotation of the CF<Subscript>3</Subscript> group in the 2-trifluoromethylnitrobenzene radical anion in DMF:H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O mixtures

The temperature dependences of the EPR spectrum of the 2-trifluoromethylnitrobenzene radical anion in DMF:H₂O mixtures, caused by the dynamic modulation of the fluorine isotropic hyperfine interaction by the hindered internal rotation of the CF₃ group, have been measured and reconstructed numerically. The activation energy of rotation (E _F) and the dynamic mode depended on the water content in the mixture. For mixtures with a molar fraction of water χ = 0, 0.186, 0.315, 0.409, 0.534, 0.650, 0.810, and 0.910, E _F = 34.70 kJ/mol, 41.31 kJ/mol, 42.30 kJ/mol, 38.41 kJ/mol, 37.01 kJ/mol, 34.51 kJ/mol, 24.10 kJ/mol, and 21.78 kJ/mol, respectively. For χ = 0.186 in the temperature ranges accessible for measurements, the dynamic exchange is slow; for χ = 0.315, 0.409, 0.534, and 0.650, transitions from slow to intermediate and fast exchange take place; for χ = 0.810 and 0.910 in the temperature ranges under study T ∈ [252, 309]; [254, 297] (K), the exchange is fast. In the range 0.6 < χ < 0.9, E _F decreased drastically, and the activation energy of rotational diffusion (E _r) of the radical anion became maximum, which corresponds to the range of the compositions of DMF:H₂O with maximum deviations from the ideal state.     

Copolymerization parameters of acrolein and acidic vinyl monomers

Acrolein was copolymerized by radical initiation in aqueous solutions with sodium p-styrenesulfonate and acrylic acid, respectively, in the pH range of 3–7. The reactivities were shown to be pH-dependent. For the acrolein (M₁)–sodium p-styrenesulfonate (M₂) pair, r₁ = 0.33 ± 0.15 and r₂ = 0.32 ± 0.05 at pH 3; r₁ = 0.23 ± 0.12 and r₂ = 0.05 ± 0.03 at pH 5; r₁ = 0.26 ± 0.03 and r₂ = 0.025 ± 0.025 at pH 7. For the acrolein (M₁)–acrylic acid (M₂) pair, r₁ = 0.50 ± 0.30 and r₂ = 1.15 ± 0.2 at pH 3; r₁ = 2.40 ± 0.50 and r₂ = 0.05 ± 0.05 at pH 5; r₁ = 6.70 ± 3.00 and r₂ = 0.00 at pH 7. For acrolein, the new values of Q = 1.6 and e = 1.2 have been calculated. For sodium p-styrenesulfonate, the values Q = 0.76 and e = ?0.26 at pH 3, Q = 0.51 and e = ?0.87 at pH 5, Q = 0.39 and e = ?1.00 at pH 7 were obtained; and for acrylic acid, the values Q = 1.27 and e = 0.50 at pH 3, Q = 0.11 and e = ?0.22 at pH 5 were derived. The changes in reactivity are explained on the basis of inductive and resonance effects.     

Application of the monomer reactivity ratios to the kinetic‐model discrimination and the solvent‐effect determination for the styrene/acrylonitrile monomer system

The impact of reactivity ratios determined with the Nelder and Mead simplex method on the kinetic‐model discrimination and the solvent‐effect determination for the styrene/acrylonitrile monomer system was investigated. For the monomer system, the penultimate unit effect was inversely proportional to the polarity of the solvent: acetonitrile < N,N‐dimethylformamide < methyl ethyl ketone < toluene. Quantitatively, the penultimate unit effect could be correlated with an absolute value of the difference between the standard deviation of the reactivity ratios determined for the terminal and penultimate models. By application of the F test, the penultimate model was justified for copolymerization in toluene. The conclusion was less certain for polymerization in methyl ethyl ketone. With a scanning procedure based on the simplex method, it was found that an equivalent representation of the copolymer‐composition data could be achieved with multiple sets of penultimate‐model reactivity ratios. However, the relationship between the triad‐sequence distribution and copolymer composition depended on the reactivity‐ratio set chosen for the microstructure determination. The microstructure calculated with the penultimate‐model reactivity ratios determined with the simplex method from the initial guess (r₁₁ = r₁, r₂₁ = 1/r₂, r₂₂ = r₂, r₁₂ = 1/r₁) did not obey the general “bootstrap effect” rule. This observation still requires some theoretical interpretation. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 846–854, 2000     

Controllable Intramolecular Motions That Generate Fluorescent Signals for a Metal Scorpionate Complex

Simply by changing the pH value, the side chain of complex 1 can be reversibly moved between two positions. Coordination to the metal center through the nitrogen atom of the side chain at moderate pH values is accompanied by a decrease in fluorescence intensity (from I_F=100% to I_F=60%). A further decrease is observed upon deprotonation of the bound water molecule at higher pH (I_F≤2%). Therefore, 1 can be seen as a molecular three-position switch.