Construction and Evaluation of a Gold Tubular Electrode for Flow Analysis: Application to Speciation of Antimony in Water Samples

A tubular gold electrode (TGE) is described for the first time by summarizing the important aspects of its construction and evaluation. Applicability of the TGE is evaluated in the speciation of Sb(III) and Sb(V) using anodic stripping voltammetry in a single flow manifold. Studies with surface active interferences and metallic cations were performed. The proposed conditions for antimony determination showed good tolerance towards cationic, anionic and nonionic surface active substances. A linear response for antimony was obtained for solutions containing significant amounts of several metallic cations. Linear calibration curves for Sb(III) were obtained in the range 1–10 ppb with a detection limit of 0.19 ppb (CV=2.91%, n=5, [Sb(III)]=5 ppb). For Sb(V), linear calibration curves were in the range 1–15 ppb with a detection limit of 0.32 ppb (CV=1.41%, n=5, [Sb(V)]=5 ppb). The figures of merit achieved sustain for the good applicability of the proposed method as it allows the determination of antimony at levels below maximum values permitted in consuming waters. Results of antimony concentration determined in water samples were validated against the ICP‐MS reference procedure or compared with reference water samples.     

Protease-catalyzed peptide synthesis on solid support

The direct enzymatic synthesis of peptides from amino acids is widely used as a useful alternative to chemical synthesis. However, good yields of such enzyme-catalyzed reactions require altered reaction conditions to overcome the bias for hydrolysis in aqueous medium. We argue that the synthesis/hydrolysis equilibrium can be shifted toward synthesis in aqueous medium by immobilizing the amine on solid support. In this report, we show the first examples of solid-phase peptide synthesis catalyzed by a protease in bulk aqueous buffer.     

Determination of Se in biological samples by axial view inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry after digestion with aqua regia and on-line chemical vapor generation

A simple and fast method for the determination of Se in biological samples, including food, by axial view inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry using on-line chemical vapor generation (CVG–ICP OES) is proposed. The concentrations of HCl and NaBH₄, used in the chemical vapor generation were optimized by factorial analysis. Six certified materials (non-fat milk powder, lobster hepatopancreas, human hair, whole egg powder, oyster tissue, and lyophilised pig kidney) were treated with 10 mL of aqua regia in a microwave system under reflux for 15 min followed by additional 15 min in an ultrasonic bath. The solutions were transferred to a 100 mL volumetric flask and the final volume was made up with water. The Se was determined directly in these solutions by CVG–ICP OES, using the analytical line at 196.026 nm. Calibration against aqueous standards in 10% v/v aqua regia in the concentration range of 0.5–10.0 µg L^− 1 Se(IV) was used for the analysis. The quantification limit, considering a 0.5 g sample weight in a final volume of 100 mL^− 1 was 0.10 µg g^− 1. The obtained concentration values were in agreement with the total certified concentrations, according to the t-test for a 95% confidence level.     

Approximation numbers of nuclear and Hilbert-Schmidt multilinear forms defined on Hilbert spaces

We deal with multilinear forms t defined on Hilbert spaces and we investigate the relationships between nuclearity of t (respectively to be of Hilbert-Schmidt type) and summability properties of certain approximation numbers of t.     

Polyoxygenated ketopinic-acid-derived γ-amino alcohols in the enantioselective diethylzinc addition to benzaldehyde

Three N,N-dialkylated γ-amino alcohols, specifically 10-(dialkylamino)isoborneols, with different grades of oxygenation in the nitrogen’s alkyl groups (alkoxyalkyl groups), have been obtained from commercial (+)-ketopinic acid and tested as chiral ligands for the enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to benzaldehyde, in order to evaluate the effect of polyoxygenation on the ligand’s catalytic activity. An interesting effect of the oxygen atoms on the ligand activity is observed. The observation is in agreement with two unique previous results on amino-acid-derived polyoxygenated β-amino alcohols. A noticeable dependence of the observed effect with the conformational flexibility of the polyoxygenated chains is also demonstrated. The effect is explained by a pincer role of the polyoxygenated dialkylamino moiety, activating and directing a diethylzinc molecule.     

Biosensors to detect marine toxins: Assessing seafood safety

This article describes the different types of marine toxins and their toxic effects, and reviews the bio/analytical techniques for their detection, putting special emphasis to biosensors. Important health concerns have recently appeared around shellfish (diarrheic, paralytic, amnesic, neurologic and azaspiracid) and fish (ciguatera and puffer) poisonings produced by different types of phycotoxins, making evident the urgent necessity of counting on appropriate detection technologies. With this purpose, several analysis methods (bioassays, chromatographic techniques, immunoassays and enzyme inhibition-based assays) have been developed. However, easy-to-use, fast and low-cost devices, able to deal with complicated matrices, are still required. Biosensors offer themselves as promising biotools, alternative and/or complementary to conventional analysis techniques, for fast, simple, cheap and reliable toxicity screening. Nevertheless, despite the wide range of seafood toxins and the already rooted biosensing systems, the literature on biosensors for phycotoxins is scarce. This article discusses the existing biosensor-based strategies and their advantages and limitations. Finally, the article gives a general overlook about the regulation toxin levels and monitoring programmes currently established around the world concerning seafood safety.     

Two examples of trilinear forms whose approximation numbers satisfy the appropriate summability properties but which are not nuclear or of Hilbert–Schmidt type

We give two examples of trilinear forms defined on Hilbert spaces such that the first one is not nuclear but the series of its approximations numbers is convergent and the second one is not a Hilbert–Schmidt form but the series of the square of its approximation numbers is convergent.