Preconcentration and determination of trace elements with 2,6-diacetylpyridine functionalized Amberlite XAD-4 by flow injection and atomic spectroscopy

An on-line flow injection method for the direct determination of trace elements in environmental samples is described. A mini-column packed with 2,6-diacetylpyridine functionalized Amberlite XAD-4 was used to preconcentrate and separate 8 trace metals (Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, U and Zn) from water and extracts from solid samples. The metals were eluted with 0.1 M HNO(3) directly to the detection system (either inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) or flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS)). As well as demonstrating that the resin could be used to preconcentrate ultra-trace analytes from natural waters, it was also shown to work well at a pH of 5.5. Therefore, after treatment of sample digests with sodium fluoride, samples that contain extremely large concentrations of iron may be analysed for trace analytes without the excess iron overloading the capacity of the resin. To this end, the analytes Cd, Co, Cu and Ni were preconcentrated from acid extracts of certified soil/sediment samples and then eluted with nitric acid to be determined on-line. Limits of detection (3sigma) of Cd = 0.33 microg l(-1), Co = 0.094 microg l(-1), Cu = 0.34 microg l(-1), Mn = 0.32 microg l(-1), Ni = 0.30 microg l(-1), Pb = 0.43 microg l(-1), U = 0.067 microg l(-1) and Zn = 0.20 microg l(-1) for the FI-ICP-MS system and Cd = 22 microg l(-1), Co = 60 microg l(-1), Cu = 10 microg l(-1) and Ni = 4.8 microg l(-1) for the FI-FAAS system were obtained. Analysis of certified reference materials showed good agreement with the certified values using the two methods.     

Preconcentration and separation of copper (II) with solvent extraction using N,N′-bis(2-hydroxy-5-bromo-benzyl)1,2 diaminopropane

Preconcentration and separation with solvent extraction of Cu(II) from aqueous solution using N,N′-bis(2-hydroxy-5-bromo-benzyl)1,2 diaminopropane (H₂L) as the new extractant has been studied. Separation of Cu(II) from other metal ions such as Cd(II), Ni(II), Zn(II), Pb(II), Cr(III), Co(II) and Mn(II) at aqueous solutions of various pH values and complexing agent H₂L, has been described. The possible extraction mechanism and the compositions of the extracted species have been determined. The separation factors for these metals using this reagent are reported while efficient methods for the separation of Cu(II) from other metal ions are proposed. From the loaded organic phase, Cu(II) stripping was carried out in one stage with different mineral acid solutions. The stripping efficiency was found to be quantitative in case of HNO₃ and HCl. From quantitative evaluation of the extraction equilibrium data, it has been deduced that the complex extracted is the simple 1:1 chelate, CuL. The extraction constant has a value of logK_ex=−4.05±0.04.     

Flow injection determination of aluminium by spectrofluorimetric detection after complexation with N-o-vanillidine-2-amino-p-cresol: the application to natural waters

An on-line flow injection spectrofluorimetric method for the direct determination of aluminium in water samples is described. The method is based on the reaction of aluminium with N-o-vanillidine-2-amino-p-cresol (OVAC) in acidic medium at pH 4.0 to form a water-soluble complex. The excitation and emission wavelengths were 423.0 and 553.0 nm, respectively, at which the OVAC-Al complex gave the maximum fluorescence intensity at pH 4.0 in a 50% methanol-50% water medium at 50 °C. An interference from fluoride ions was minimised by the addition of Be²⁺. Other ions were found not to interfere at the concentrations likely to be found in natural waters. The proposed methods were validated in terms of linearity, repeatability, detection limit, accuracy and selectivity. Under these conditions, the calibration was linear up to 1000 μg L⁻¹ (r = 0.999). The limit of detection (3σ) for the determination of Al(III) was 0.057 μg L⁻¹ and the precision for multiple determinations of 3 ng mL⁻¹ Al(III) prepared in ultra-pure water was found to be 0.62% (n = 10).The Schiff base ligand could be used to determine ultra-trace aluminium from natural waters. Analysis of environmental certified reference materials showed good agreement with the certified values. The procedure was found to be equally applicable to both freshwater and saline solutions, including seawater.     

Monoterpenoid glucoindole alkaloids and iridoids from Pterocephalus pinardii

A new secondary metabolite, pterocephaline, along with the known cantleyoside, 7α‐morroniside, 3β,5α‐tetrahydrodesoxycordifoline lactam, 5S‐5‐carboxyvincoside, sweroside, and loganin have been isolated from the aerial parts of P. pinardii (Dipsacaceae). Moreover, cantleyoside‐methyl‐hemiacetal and cantleyoside‐dimethyl‐acetal were obtained as seco‐iridoid artifacts. The structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods including 1D‐(¹H, ¹³C and TOCSY) and 2D‐NMR (DQF‐COSY, HSQC and HMBC). Monoterpenoid glucoindole alkaloids were encountered for the first time in Dipsacaceae family. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Printable optical sensors based on H-bonded supramolecular cholesteric liquid crystal networks

A printable H-bonded cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) polymer film has been fabricated that, after conversion to a hygroscopic polymer salt film, responds to temperature and humidity by changing its reflection color. Fast-responding humidity sensors have been made in which the reflection color changes between green and yellow depending on the relative humidity. The change in reflection band is a result of a change in helix pitch in the film due to absorption and desorption of water, resulting in swelling/deswelling of the film material. When the polymer salt was saturated with water, a red-reflecting film was obtained that can potentially act as a time/temperature integrator. Finally, the films were printed on a foil, showing the potential application of supramolecular CLC materials as low-cost, printable, battery-free optical sensors.     

Graphene oxide integrated sensor for electrochemical monitoring of mitomycin C-DNA interaction

We present a graphene oxide (GO) integrated disposable electrochemical sensor for the enhanced detection of nucleic acids and the sensitive monitoring of the surface-confined interactions between the anticancer drug mitomycin C (MC) and DNA. Interfacial interactions between immobilized calf thymus double-stranded (dsDNA) and anticancer drug MC were investigated using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. Based on three repetitive voltammetric measurements of 120 μg mL(-1) DNA immobilized on GO-modified electrodes, the RSD % (n = 3) was calculated as 10.47% and the detection limit (DL) for dsDNA was found to be 9.06 μg mL(-1). EIS studies revealed that the binding of the drug MC to dsDNA leads to a gradual decrease of its negative charge. As a consequence of this interaction, the negative redox species were allowed to approach the electrode, and thus increase the charge transfer kinetics. On the other hand, DPV studies exploited the decrease of the guanine signal due to drug binding as the basis for specifically probing the biointeraction process between MC and dsDNA.     

The Comparison of Electrochemical Assay and Agarose Gel Electrophoresis for the Determination of DNA Damage Induced by Kainic Acid

A possible DNA damage after interaction of kainic acid (KA) with calf thymus double stranded DNA and genomic DNA was herein determined in in vitro and in vivo conditions using; electrochemical assay and agarose gel electrophoresis. The changes in guanine signal were detected as an indicator of DNA damage in genomic DNA samples isolated from 1 or 10 mg/kg KA‐treated animals. The decreased levels of guanine signal were found as 29% and 33% by 1 and 10 mg/kg KA treatment when compared to controls, respectively. The results of gel electrophoresis confirmed DNA damage obtained in identical samples by electrochemical method.