Application of in-vial membrane assisted solvent extraction to the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in seawater by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A device for membrane assisted solvent extraction from an aqueous sample to an organic solvent within a micro-vial compatible with a chromatography auto-sampler was used to extract trace amounts of seven polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from seawater. The device consisted in an assembly of a volumetric flask containing the sample and a micro-vial containing the organic solvent by means of a screw stopper in which the septum was replaced by a sized piece of a membrane. Extraction conditions (nature of the organic solvent, extraction time, presence of ethanol in the donor phase, ionic content of the donor phase, characteristics of the membrane and volumes of donor and acceptor phases) were studied in order to find the conditions for maximum extraction. Analytical performance characteristics have also been established. The extraction efficiency was between 12.5 and 23%, which implies an enrichment factor value above 40. The repeatability and reproducibility were in the range of 8.6–10.0% and 13–19%, respectively. Detection limits were in the range of 24–39 ng L⁻¹. Nine seawater samples have been studied. Most of the concentrations were under the limits of detection. Naphthalene and phenanthrene contents have been determined in a sample using the method of standard additions, and concentrations 100 and 91 ng L⁻¹, respectively.     

Determination of picomolar beryllium levels in seawater with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry following silica-gel preconcentration

A robust and rapid method for the determination of natural levels of beryllium (Be) in seawater was developed to facilitate mapping Be concentrations in the ocean. A solid-phase extraction method using a silica gel column was applied for preconcentration and purification of Be in seawater prior to determination of Be concentrations with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Be was quantitatively adsorbed onto silica gel from solutions with pH values ranging from 6.3 to 9, including natural seawater. The chelating agent ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid was used to remove other ions in the seawater matrix (Na, Mg, and Ca) that interfere with the ICP-MS analysis. The reproducibility of the method was 3% based on triplicate analyses of natural seawater samples, and the detection limit was 0.4 pmol kg⁻¹ for 250 mL of seawater, which is sufficient for the analysis of seawater in the open ocean. The method was then used to determine the vertical profile of Be in the eastern North Pacific Ocean, which was found to be a recycled-type profile in which the Be concentration increased with depth from the surface (7.2 pmol kg⁻¹ at <200 m) to deep water (29.2 pmol kg⁻¹ from 3500 m to the bottom).     

Durability enhancement and degradation of oxygen evolution anodes in seawater electrolysis for hydrogen production

For the anode composed of electrocatalyst oxide, intermediate layer and titanium substrate, the substitution of a certain amount of iridium with tin in the IrO₂ intermediate layer was remarkably effective in elongating the life of the anode in preventing oxidation of the substrate titanium during oxygen evolution. The longest life was realized by preparation of intermediate layer with uniform thickness by brush-coating of H₂IrCl₆-SnCl₄ butanol solution and subsequent calcination. The anode with the intermediate layer prepared from 0.04 M H₂IrCl₆-0.06 M SnCl₄ butanol solution showed the best performance, that is, the oxygen evolution efficiency higher than 99.8% for more than 4300 h in the electrolysis of 0.5 M NaCl solution of pH 1 at the current density of 1000 Am⁻². An increase in SnCl₄ concentration decreased the viscosity of the coating solution with a consequent enhancement of uniformity of the intermediate layer but decreased the thickness of the intermediate layer acting as a barrier to prevent oxidation of titanium. Thus, the best performance was attained at an intermediate SnCl₄ concentration. The growth of an oxide layer on titanium during electrolysis occurred and was found by the potential increase.     

Rapid collection of iron hydroxide for determination of Th isotopes in seawater

This work introduces a novel method of recovery of iron hydroxide using a DIAION CR-20 chelating resin column to determine Th isotopes in seawater with a sector field (SF) inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). Thorium isotopes in seawater were co-precipitated with iron hydroxide, and this precipitate was sent to chelating resin column. Ferric ions in the iron hydroxide were bonded to functional groups of the chelating resin directly, resulting in a pH increase of the effluent by release of hydroxide ion from the iron hydroxide. The co-precipitated thorium isotopes were quantitatively collected within the column, which indicated that thorium was retained on the iron hydroxide remaining on the chelating column. The chelating column quantitatively collected ²³²Th with iron hydroxide in seawater at flow rates of 20–25 mL min⁻¹. Based on this flow rate, a 5 L sample was processed within 3–4 h. The >20 h aging of iron hydroxide tends to reduce the recovery of ²³²Th. The rapid collection method was successfully applied to the determination of ²³⁰Th and ²³²Th in open-ocean seawater samples.     

Response of the Iron Chalcogenide Glass Membrane Ion‐Selective Electrode in a Seawater Ligand Mimetic Calibration Buffer

As a continuation of recent mechanistic studies into the influence of seawater ligands on the surface chemistry of the iron chalcogenide glass membrane ion‐selective electrode (ISE), the present study has investigated the response of the iron(III) ISE in a seawater ligand mimetic system to examine its suitability as a calibration medium for the electroanalysis of raw or natural seawater. Significantly, dip method calibrations of the ISE in a mixture of salicylate, ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), ethylene diamine and minor amounts of dissolved iron(III) and copper(II) yielded the expected Nernstian response of 30 mV/decade according to the known ion‐exchange/electron transfer response mechanism of this ISE. Furthermore, ideal Nernstian response of the electrode is also obtained in a continuous flow analysis (CFA) mode, noting that this provides scope for using a hydrodynamic flow regime to minimize the electrode release of iron and the concomitant detection limit of the ISE. Ultimately, repetitive CFA analyses of free iron(III) in raw or natural seawater yielded a free iron(III) level commensurate with the expected inorganic and organic speciation of iron(III) in seawater.     

海水入浸问题的数值分析

海水入浸问题的数学模型是两个耦合抛物型偏微分方程,其中一个是关于压力的流动方程,另一个是关于浓度的对流扩散方程.压力方程由标准有限元方法逼近,浓度方程则用特征有限元方法逼近.在扩散项系数半正定的情形得到逼近解的次优L2 模误差估计.     

The distribution and potential toxic effects of TBT in UK estuaries during 1986

The concentrations of butyltin compounds in seawater were measured at nine sites in the UK during 1986. In popular yachting centres concentrations of tributyltin (TBT) ranged from less than detectable ( < 1 ng dm^?3) in the winter, up to 1500 ng dm^?3 in marinas in the summer. Measurements of wastewater generated by high-pressure hosing of yachts demonstrated that even higher environmental concentrations of TBT resulted from the procedure. The results of the monitoring programme are discssed in relation to the toxicity of TBT and recent government legislative actions.     

Direct determination of uranium in seawater by laser fluorimetry

A method for estimation of uranium in seawater by using steady state laser flourimetry is described. Uranium present in seawater, in concentration of approximately 3 ng ml⁻¹ was estimated without prior separation of matrix. Quenching effect of major ions (Cl⁻, Na⁺, SO₄⁻, Mg⁺, Ca⁺, K⁺, HCO₃⁻, Br⁻) present in seawater on fluorescence intensity of uranium was studied. The concentration of phosphoric acid required for maximum enhancement of fluorescence intensity was optimized and was found to be 5%. Similarly the volume of concentrated nitric acid required to eliminate the quenching effect of chloride and bromide completely from 5 ml of seawater were optimized and was found to be 3 ml. A simple equation was derived using steady state fluorescence correction method and was used for calculation of uranium concentration in seawater samples. The method has a precesion of 1% (1 s, n = 3). The values obtained from laser fluorimetry were validated by analyzing the same samples by linear sweep adsorptive stripping voltametry (LSASV) of the uranium-chloranilic acid (2,5-dichloro-3,6-dihydroxy-1,4-benzoquinone) complex. Both the values are well in agreement.     

Inorganic adsorbent containing polymeric membrane reservoir for the recovery of lithium from seawater

Polymeric membrane reservoir system which contains inorganic ion-exchange adsorbent inside is suggested for the recovery of lithium from natural seawater. Manganese oxide particles having high selectivity toward lithium adsorption was used as inorganic ion-exchange adsorbent. Polymeric membrane reservoir was prepared from non-woven fabric, polysulfone (PSf) membrane, PSf/non-woven fabric composite membrane, and Kimtex^®. Leakage of the inorganic particles and morphology of the membrane were investigated and availability as membrane reservoir for the lithium recovery was evaluated by the lithium desorption from Li_1.33Mn_1.67O₄ in the membrane reservoir. From this study, ease of water diffusion to the reservoir was the most important factor for the reservoir system to be applied to lithium recovery from seawater and membrane reservoir prepared by Kimtex^® showed the best result. The proposed system has the advantage of direct application in the sea without using pressurized flow system.     

Ultratrace-level radium-226 determination in seawater samples by isotope dilution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

An improved and novel sample preparation method for ²²⁶Ra determination in liquid samples by isotope dilution inductively coupled plasma sector field mass spectrometry using laboratory-prepared ²²⁸Ra tracer has been developed. The procedure involves a selective preconcentration achieved by applying laboratory-prepared MnO₂ resin followed by cation exchange chromatographic separation. In order to completely eliminate possible molecular interferences, medium mass resolution (R = 4,000) combined with chemical separation was found to be a good compromise that enhanced the reliability of the method. The detection limit of 0.084 fg g⁻¹ (3.1 mBq kg⁻¹) achieved is comparable to that of the emanation method or alpha spectrometry and is suitable for low-level environmental measurements. The chemical recovery of the sample preparation method ranged from 72 to 94%. The proposed method enables a rapid, accurate and less labor-intensive approach to routine environmental ²²⁶Ra determination than the radioanalytical techniques conventionally applied.