Determination of Malathion Using Corona Discharge – Ion Mobility Spectrometry with Solid-Phase Microextraction

A corona discharge (CD) ion mobility spectrometer combined with solid-phase microextraction was constructed. The detection limit and stability of the system for malathion detection were improved using a novel sample introduction port through which the sample desorption was performed in high-temperature drift tube and the sample was introduced directly to the ionization area. The working parameters of the distance between CD needle tip and carrier gas outlet, the drift tube and carrier gas temperature, the carrier gas flow, and the voltage on CD needle were selected. When the extraction time for standard malathion was set to 5?min, the detection limit was 0.96?µg?L^?1 based on thrice the baseline noise, the linear range was 50–500?µg?L^?1, the correlation coefficient was approximately 0.9941, and the relative standard deviation was below 10%. Malathion-spiked lake water samples were analyzed using the developed system and the recovery was 92–102%. This method is suitable for the rapid detection of organophosphorus pesticide residues.     

Optimized Quantitative Method for Determining Isoflavones and Equol in Bovine Digestive Fluids and Feces

Many studies have been conducted on the impact of animal feed on isoflavones and their metabolite concentrations in bovine milk, but few studies have focused on the development and validation of analytical protocols for quantifying these compounds in biological matrices other than milk and plants. The purpose of this study was to develop a method that would enable four isoflavones and equol in cows’ feces and digestive fluids to be quantified simultaneously. The method is based on aglycones released by methanolic ultrasound-assisted extraction, followed by enzymatic hydrolysis and high-performance liquid chromatography tandem–mass spectrometry analysis. The sample preparation was optimized using the Box–Behnken design. The selected extraction conditions were 80°C, 10?min, and 50% methanol for digestive fluids and 70°C, 35?min, and 60% methanol for feces. For hydrolysis, the selected conditions were 37°C, 1?h, and a pH of 6 for both matrices. The analytical method showed a good linear regression model ranging from 5 to 125?ng?mL^?1. Both inter- and intraday accuracy (≤8.5 and ≤12.3%) and precision (≤11.1 and ≤15.2%) were suitable. No matrix effects were found. There was good repeatability and extract stability for at least 4 days of storage at???20 and 6°C. All recoveries were in the acceptable range of 70–120% for both matrices, except for biochanin A in feces, where the value was approximately 43%. This sensitive and reliable method will be useful for monitoring the passage of isoflavones and equol in the digestive system of ruminants.     

Cleaving Direct‐Laser‐Written Microstructures on Demand

Using an advanced functional photoresist we introduce direct‐laser‐written (DLW) 3D microstructures capable of complete degradation on demand. The networks consist exclusively of reversible bonds, formed by irradiation of a phenacyl sulfide linker, giving disulfide bonds in a radical‐free step‐growth polymerization via a reactive thioaldehyde. The bond formation was verified in solution by ESI‐MS. To induce cleavage, dithiothreitol causes a thiol–disulfide exchange, erasing the written structure. The mild cleavage of the disulfide network is highly orthogonal to other, for example, acrylate‐based DLW structures. To emphasize this aspect, DLW structures were prepared incorporating reversible structural elements into a non‐reversible acrylate‐based standard scaffold, confirming subsequent selective cleavage. The high lateral resolution achievable was verified by the preparation of well‐defined line gratings with line separations of down to 300 nm.     

Macrokinetic study on ozone boundary concentration. Effect of temperature

The process of ozone production in pure oxygen using the tubular, high voltage pulse supplied ozonizer was studied. The unusual methodology of conducting kinetics measurements of the ozone synthesis process was presented. It was shown how the process rate changes along the discharge gap. The effect of power density and gas residence time in the discharge gap on the process rate was analysed. The temperature influence on the course of the process, particularly on the ozone boundary concentration and ozone decomposition rate constant, was discussed.     

Determination of different arsenic species in food‐grade spirulina powder by ion chromatography combined with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

A “two‐step” pressurized microwave‐assisted extraction method coupled with ion chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for the determination of different arsenic species in spirulina samples was developed. The extraction method used H₂O₂/H₂O (1:5, v/v) as solvent to extract all arsenic species except arsenite, which was extracted by using water as solvent. The extraction method had a satisfactory recovery (>96%) and took a short time (20.0 min). With our method, all arsenic species in spirulina samples were completely separated and determined with recoveries of 84–105% and relative standard deviations of 2–4%. Food‐grade spirulina powder samples from seven provinces (Inner Mongolia, Zhejiang, Fujian, Hainan, Yunnan, Jiangsu, and Guangxi) in China were analyzed using the optimized protocol. Arsenate was detected at the concentration range of 170–394 ng/g in all the spirulina samples. Dimethylarsinic acid was detected at the concentration range of 32–839 ng/g in spirulina from above‐six provinces except Guangxi. Monomethylarsonic acid (67 ± 3 ng/g) was detected only in spirulina from Yunnan province. Arsenite was detected at the concentration range of 28–147 ng/g in spirulina from above five provinces except Hainan and Guangxi. Five unknown organic arsenic species were found in spirulina from above six provinces except Guangxi.     

Remote detection of explosives using field asymmetric ion mobility spectrometer installed on multicopter

The detection of explosives and drugs in hard‐to‐reach places is a considerable challenge. We report the development and initial experimental characterization of the air analysis system that includes Field Asymmetric Ion Mobility Spectrometer, array of the semiconductor gas sensors and is installed on multicopter. The system was developed based on the commercially available DJI Matrix 100 platform. For data collection and communication with operator, the special compact computer (Intel Compute Stick) was installed onboard. The total weight of the system was 3.3 kg. The system allows the 15‐minute flight and provides the remote access to the obtained data. The developed system can be effectively used for the detection of impurities in the air, ecology monitoring, detection of chemical warfare agents, and explosives, what is especially important in light of recent terroristic attacks. The capabilities of the system were tested on the several explosives such as trinitrotoluene and nitro powder.     

2型糖尿病患者尿液的代谢组学研究

目的 从代谢组学角度分析并寻找2型糖尿病（T2DM）患者可能的代谢标记物。方法 选取30例初诊、或有糖尿病史经药物治疗控制不理想且无并发症的T2DM 患者,另选取30例性别、年龄匹配的健康者为正常对照。收集清晨空腹中段尿,以气相色谱- 质谱联用（GC-MS）技术对尿液样本进行代谢图谱分析,正交偏最小二乘法判别研究尿液内源性化合物在两组间的差异。结果 T2DM 组和正常对照组尿液代谢谱明显分离。与正常对照组比较,T2DM 组尿液2,3,4- 三羟基丁酸、肌醇、D- 葡萄糖、D- 葡萄糖酸及尿素含量升高（P＜0.05 或0.01）,马尿酸含量减少（P＜0.01）。结论 代谢组学检查提示T2DM 患者尿液中代谢标志物为2,3,4- 三羟基丁酸、肌醇、马尿酸、D-葡萄糖、D- 葡萄糖酸及尿素,观察这些标志物含量的变化有助于T2DM 的临床诊断及发病机制研究。