Application of chemometric methods to the investigation of main microcontaminant sources of endocrine disruptors in coastal and harbour waters and sediments

Identification, resolution and distribution of main microcontaminant sources of endocrine disruptors in Spanish harbours, coastal waters and sediments are investigated using chemometric methods. We investigated eighteen different endocrine disruptor chemical compounds, including non-ionic surfactants, their degradation products and linear alkylbenzene sulfonates, found in a total number of 74 samples (35 water samples and 39 sediment samples) over a period of 16 months from March 1999 to July 2000, and in 32 different geographical sites along the Spanish Mediterranean Coast (e.g. Barcelona, Tarragona, Almeria Harbour, Malaga and the Bay of Cadiz). Main environmental contamination sources of these endocrine disruptor compounds were investigated and interpreted according to their chemical composition and according to their resolved geographical distribution profiles.An erratum to this article can be found at     

Liquid chromatography-(tandem) mass spectrometry of selected emerging pollutants (steroid sex hormones,drugs and alkylphenolic surfactants) in the aquatic environment

Among the various compounds considered as emerging pollutants, alkylphenolic surfactants, steroid sex hormones, and pharmaceuticals are of particular concern, both because of the volume of these substances used and because of their activity as endocrine disruptors or as causative agents of bacterial resistance, as is the case of antibiotics. Today, the technique of choice for analysis of these groups of substances is liquid-chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC–MS) and tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS–MS). In the last decades, this technique has experienced an impressive progress that has made possible the analysis of many environmental pollutants in a faster, more convenient, and more sensitive way, and, in some cases, the analysis of compounds that could not be determined before. This article reviews the LC–MS and LC–MS–MS methods published so far for the determination of alkylphenolic surfactants, steroid sex hormones and drugs in the aquatic environment. Practical considerations with regards to the analysis of these groups of substances by using different mass spectrometers (single quadrupole, ion trap and triple quadrupole instruments, etc.), interfaces and ionization and monitoring modes, are presented. Sample preparation aspects, with special focus on the application of advanced techniques, such as immunosorbents, restricted access materials and molecular imprinted materials, for extraction/purification of aquatic environmental samples and extracts are also discussed.     

Reversed phase liquid chromatography of some benzimidazole derivatives

Summary The retention behaviour of a series of benzimidazole derivatives has been studied as a function of the water content of aqueous methanol and aqueous acetonitrile eluents. The relationship between the retention constant (log k) and the pH of the aqueous phase was linear, with slope values depending on the composition of the aqueous phase, the molecular structure of the compound, and the type of C-18 bonded stationary phase. The type of organic modifier significantly affected the shape of the relationship between log k and the volume fraction of organic modifier in the mobile phase.     

Thermal stability enhancement of polyurethanes by surface treatment

Both oxidation and methoxymethylation of the surfaces of a series of MDI (methylene diphenyl isocyanate) and TDI (toluene diisocyanate) polyether and polyester soft segment 1–4 butanediol polyurethanes result in increased thermal stability as measured by TG. Explosive loss of mass above the hard segment melting temperature suggests that the diffusion of the dissociated diisocyanate moiety is hindered at lower temperatures. Thus suppression of the depolycondensation reaction by chemical blockage of the surface may result in a material with an increased service life at use temperatures as thermal stability of a polyurethane may depend upon the low diffusivity of its diisocyanate comonomer. The effect of vacuum, oxygen and water vapor on the kinetics of mass-loss of several of the polyurethanes is presented. In celebration of the 60^th birthday of Dr. Andrew K. Galwey     

Raman line mapping as a fast method for analyzing pharmaceutical bead formulations

This paper describes the use of principal component analysis (PCA) to de-noise Raman spectra and considerably shorten data acquisition time in Raman mapping experiments. A solid dosage pharmaceutical material (bead) is mapped by a Raman line-mapping system. The mapping acquisition time was varied from 30 s (usually employed in practice) to only 3 s. Apparently excessive noise in the maps measured for 3 s is removed by PCA and the maps of all three components of the bead are then binarized and compared. It is found that spatial difference is negligible despite the remarkably different acquisition times employed. The spectra acquired for 3 s and reconstructed via PCA are found to largely overlap with the spectra acquired for 30 s. The signal to noise ratio of the Raman mapping spectra does not obey the expected root t dependence, thereby preventing straightforward estimation of the shortest usable acquisition time (which is to a lesser extent also a function of the binarization threshold). The results reveal that Raman microscopy can be considered a fast method for mapping some materials, in contrast to the established opinion that it is an inherently slow technique.     

Synthesis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies of 1-β-D-ribofuranosyl-1,2,4-triazole-3-sulfonamide and certain related nucleosides

1-β-D-Ribofuranosyl- 21 , 1-(2-deoxy-β-D-erytftro-pento fur anosyl)- 27 and 1-β-D-arabinofuranosyl- 29 derivatives of 1,2,4-triazole-3-sulfonamide ( 19 ) have been prepared. Glycosylation of the silylated 19 with 1,2,3,5-tetra-0-acetyl-β-D-ribofuranose ( 5 ) in the presence of trimethylsilyl triflate gave the corresponding blocked nucleoside ( 20 ), which on ammonolysis afforded 1-β-D-ribofuranosyl-1,2,4-triazole-3-sulfonamide ( 21 ). Stereospecific glycosylation of the sodium salt of 19 with either 1-chloro-2-deoxy-3,5-di-O-p-toluoyl-α-D-erythro-pentofuranose ( 22 ) or 1-chloro-2,3,5-tri-0-benzyl-α-D-arabinofuranose ( 23 ) provided the corresponding protected nucleosides 26 and 28. Deprotection of 26 and 28 furnished 1-(2-deoxy-β-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)-1,2,4-triazole-3-sulfonamide ( 27 ) and 1-β-D-arabinofuranosyl-1,2,4-triazole-3-sulfonamide ( 29 ), respectively. 2-0-D-Ribofuranosyl-1,2,4-triazole-3(4H)-thione ( 7 ) and 4-β-D-ribofuranosyl-1,2,4-triazole-3(2H)-thione ( 9 ) were also prepared utilizing either an acid catalyzed fusion of 1,2,4-triazole-3(1H,2H)-thione ( 4 ) with 5 , the reaction of 5 with silylated 4 in the presence of trimethylsilyl triflate, or by ring closure of 4-(2,3,5-tri-0-benzoyl-β-D-ribofuranosyl)thiosemicarbazide ( 10 ) with mixed anhydride and subsequent deacylation. The synthesis of 1-β-D-ribofuranosyl-3-benzylthio-1,2,4-triazole ( 15 ) has also been accomplished by the silylation procedure employing 3-benzylthio-1,2,4-triazole ( 13 ) and 5 to give 1-(2,3,5-tri-0-acetyl-β-D-ribofuranosyl)-3-benzylthio-1,2,4-triazole ( 14 ). Deacetylation of 14 furnished 15 . The structural assignments of 7, 14 and 21 were made by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and their hydrogen bonding characteristics have been studied. The sulfonamido-1,2,4-triazole nucleosides are devoid of any significant antiviral or antitumor activity in cell culture.     

Recent advances in the mass spectrometric analysis related to endocrine disrupting compounds in aquatic environmental samples

An overview of mass spectrometric methods used for the determination of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in environmental samples is presented. Among the EDCs we have selected five groups of compounds that are of priority within European Union and US research activities: alkylphenols, polychlorinated compounds (dioxins, furans and biphenyls), polybrominated diphenyl ethers, phthalates and steroid sex hormones. Various aspects of current LC-MS and GC-MS methodology, including sample preparation, are discussed.     

Experimental testing of impact of railway wagons

Experimental Techniques - This article presents a methodology for the experimental testing of impact of the wagons with a special attention on the identification of wave phenomena and influence of...     

Effect of the Physicochemical Properties of N,N-Disubstituted-2-phenylacetamide Derivatives on their Retention Behavior in RP-TLC

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC - The chromatographic behavior of some N,N-disubstituted-2-phenyl-acetamide derivatives has been studied on the chemically bonded...     

Cuprous sulfide deposition method for visualization of latent fingermarks on unfired cartridge cases

A new chemical method for visualization of latent fingermarks on unfired cartridge cases is reported in this research. The method is based on two-step immersion of the cartridge cases in aqueous solutions of sulfuric acid and acidified sodium thiosulfate at room temperature. The chemical reactions that are occurring on the cartridge case's surface are leading to deposition of material in the furrows between the papillary line ridges thus visualizing the latent fingermark. The qualitative chemical composition of the as-deposited material was studied using X-ray powder diffraction analysis thus revealing that it corresponds to a low-crystalline hexagonal chalcocite phase cuprous sulfide (Cu₂S). The performance of the method was studied on fresh and aged fingermarks, and according to the results, it can visualize latent fingermarks that are up to 9 months old. The newly proposed method provides good performance considering the most important qualitative and quantitative parameters that describe each fingermark, that is, satisfactory contrast between the papillary line ridges and the background furrows, possibility of recognizing the pattern of each fingermark (arch, loop, and whorl), clarity and continuity of the friction ridges, and clarity of the second level characteristics and features. The proposed method is simple, fast, inexpensive, and reliable.