Determination of diethanolamine or <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-methyldiethanolamine in high ammonium concentration matrices by capillary electrophoresis with indirect UV detection: application to the analysis of refinery process waters

Alkanolamines such as diethanolamine (DEA) and N-methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) are used in desulfurization processes in crude oil refineries. These compounds may be found in process waters following an accidental contamination. The analysis of alkanolamines in refinery process waters is very difficult due to the high ammonium concentration of the samples. This paper describes a method for the determination of DEA in high ammonium concentration refinery process waters by using capillary electrophoresis (CE) with indirect UV detection. The same method can be used for the determination of MDEA. Best results were achieved with a background electrolyte (BGE) comprising 10 mM histidine adjusted to pH 5.0 with acetic acid. The development of this electrolyte and the analytical performances are discussed. The quantification was performed by using internal standardization, by which triethanolamine (TEA) was used as internal standard. A matrix effect due to the high ammonium content has been highlighted and standard addition was therefore used. The developed method was characterized in terms of repeatability of migration times and corrected peak areas, linearity, and accuracy. Limits of detection (LODs) and quantification (LOQs) obtained were 0.2 and 0.7 ppm, respectively. The CE method was applied to the determination of DEA or MDEA in refinery process waters spiked with known amounts of analytes and it gave excellent results, since uncertainties obtained were 8 and 5%, respectively.     

Ce0.8Y0.2O1.9-Ca3(PO4)2-K3PO4复合电解质在中温区的质子导电性及在常压合成氨中的应用

A precursor of Ce_0.8Y_0.2O_1.9(YDC) solid electrolyte was synthesized by the gol-gel method. YDC and phosphates powders were prepared by mixing the YDC and phosphates according to different weight ratios. The mixtures of the YDC and binary phosphates were ground and sintered at 1 400 ℃. The proton conductivity in solid electrolyte of the sintered samples was examined using electrochemical methods at 400～800 ℃. Ammonia was synthesized from nitrogen and hydrogen at atmospheric pressure in the solid state proton conducting cell reactor. The optimal condition for the ammonia production was determined. The result indicated that composite electrolyte of 80wt% YDC: 20wt% binary phosphates as proton conductor could obtain the highest ionic conductivity and ammonia production rate among the four samples, the rate of evolution of ammonia was up to 9.5 × 10^-9 mol·s^-1·cm^-2.     

Preparation and characterization of molecularly imprinted electropolymerized carbon electrodes

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) selective for fluorescein, rhodamine or 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) were electropolymerized onto graphite electrodes using an aqueous solution equimolar in resorsinol/ortho-phenylenediamine and in the presence of the template molecule. For the dyes, the MIP-coated electrodes showed higher affinity for their template molecule than for a non-template dye. The 2,4-D-MIP-coated electrode showed a concentration dependent response for 2,4-D as compared to the polymer-coated electrode prepared in the absence of template molecule.     

Fabrication and performance of a three-dimensionally adjustable device for the amperometric detection of microchip capillary electrophoresis

A microchip CE-amperometric detection (AD) system has been fabricated by integrating a two-dimensionally adjustable CE microchip and an AD cell containing a one-dimensionally adjustable disk detection electrode in a Plexiglas holder. It facilitates the precise 3-D alignment between the channel outlet and the detection electrode without a complicated 3-D manipulator. The performance of this unique system was demonstrated by separating five aromatic amines (1,4-phenyldiamine, aniline, 2-methylaniline, 4-chloroaniline, and 1-naphthylamine) of environmental concern. Factors influencing their separation and detection processes were examined and optimized. The five analytes have been well separated within 140 s in a 74 cm long separation channel at a separation voltage of +2500 V using a 10 mM phosphate buffer (pH 3.5). Highly linear response is obtained for the five analytes over the range 20-200 microM with the detection limits ranging from 0.46 to 1.44 microM, respectively. The present system demonstrated long-term stability and reproducibility with RSDs of less than 5% for the peak current (n = 9). The new approach for the microchannel-electrode alignment should find a wide range of applications in CE, flowing injection analysis, and other microfluidic analysis systems.     

Selectivity enhancement of a metal-sensitive flame ionization detector for capillary gas chromatography

A novel modification of a hydrogen-atmosphere flamo ionization detector (HAFID) is presented which attenuates response to hydrocarbon compounds, significantly enhancing selectivity towards organometallic compounds by more than an order of magnitude. Chromatograms of an organometallic compound test mixture and regular leaded gasoline are presented to depict the specificity of the response.     

Chemical environment of copper at the surface of a CuAl2 model alloy: XPS,MEIS and TEM analyses

Air‐formed oxide on a CuAl₂ model alloy is shown to be free of copper species, with copper enriching in the alloy. With thickening of the oxide by anodizing, copper enriches further to a critical concentration at which its oxidation proceeds with incorporation of Cu(II) species into the film. Such species migrate more rapidly through the film than aluminium species. Incorporation of copper species is associated with generation of oxygen gas within the film and subsequent film rupture is due to release of the gas. Reduction of Cu(II) to Cu(I) species during XPS analysis is characterized and the accelerating role of charge neutralizing is highlighted. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

EPR detection of foods preserved with ionizing radiation

The applicability of the epr technique for the detection of dried vegetables, mushrooms, some spices, flavour additives and some condiments preserved with ionizing radiation is discussed. The epr signals recorded after exposure to gamma rays and to beams of 10 MeV electrons from linac are stable, intense and specific enough as compared with those observed with nonirradiated samples and could be used for the detection of irradiation. However, stability of radiation induced epr signals produced in these foods depends on storage condition.

No differences in shapes (spectral parameters) and intensities of the epr spectra recorded with samples exposed to the same doses of gamma rays (⁶⁰Co) and 10 MeV electrons were observed     

Electrochemical response of ascorbic acid at conducting and electrogenerated polymer modified electrodes for electroanalytical applications: a review

The present short review deals with electroanalytical aspects of electrochemical response of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) at conducting and electrogenerated polymer modified electrodes. Two main topics are considered: (i) electrocatalytic oxidation of ascorbate at conducting polymer modified electrodes, leading to electroanalytical techniques for ascorbate assay, and (ii) retardation of ascorbate penetration through a layer of electrogenerated polymers, leading to permselective coatings and their diverse uses, especially for biosensing devices.     

Fermentation characteristics and the dynamic trend of chemical components during fermentation of Massa Medicata Fermentata

As a representative of traditionally fermented Chinese medicine, Massa Medicata Fermentata (MMF) shows the functions of invigorating the spleen and stomach and promoting digestion, which plays an important role in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. The fermentation mechanism and the key factors that affect the quality of MMF have not been revealed yet, which has become an urgent issue that limits its clinical application. This article aims to systematically and comprehensively reveal the transformation of physical properties and the dynamic trend of chemical components including substrate components, volatile components, and lactic acid as anaerobic fermentation product during MMF fermentation. Along with obvious hyphae growth observed for MMF, the weight of MMF decreased, and the moisture and temperature increased. Through the quantified 14 components from substrate, ferulic acid increased from 45.53 ± 6.94 to 141.89 ± 78.40 μg/g, while glycosides and phenolic acids declined except caffeic acid. Also, within the 66 volatile components analyzed, alcohols and acids increased, while aldehydes and ketones decreased. Lactic acid was not detected in the fermentation substrate, but an apparent increase in lactic acid content was observed along with the increased fermentation days, resulting in 2.54 ± 0.15 mg/g on day 8. Based on the tested components, the fermentation process of MMF was discriminated into three distinct stages by principal component analysis, and an optimal fermentation time of four days was proposed. The results of this study will be of great significance to clarify the characteristics of fermentation and conduce to improving quality standards of MMF.     

Comparative bioanalytical study of3H-deramciclane in dog plasma, using a gas chromatography-nitrogen-selective detection (GC-NPD), a new GC-radiochemical detection (GC-RD) and a liquid scintillation method

Summary A new, highly sensitive and selective gas chromatography method, using radiochemical detection (GC-DR) was developed for the selective determination of³H-labelled deramciclane and its N-desmethyl metabolite in dog plasma. Inter-day accuracy and precision, as well as system suitability of the GC-RD method was investigated during the method validation. The calibration curve was proved to be linear (r=0.9986) in a wide concentration range (13–1000 ngeqv mL⁻¹) The lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) was 13.7 ngeqv mL⁻¹, and the limit of the detection (LOD) was 1 ngeqv mL⁻¹. Using this new GC-RD method, plasma levels of³H-labelled deramciclane and its metabolite were determined in dogs, after the administration of a single 10 mg kg⁻¹ oral dose. Pharmacokinetic curves and the calculated pharmacokinetic parameters were compared to those obtained using a previously elaborated gas chromatography-nitrogen selective detection method (GC-NPD) and to those obtained by measuring the plasma level of total radioactivity (liquid scintillation counting, LSC). Pharmacokinetic curves and the calculated pharmacokinetic parameters obtained with the two different gas chromatography detection methods (NPD and RD) showed good correlation. Comparison of these results to those acquired by total radioactivity measurement demonstrated that deramciclane was intensively metabolised. Moreover, the biological half-life (t ₁ ^2/β ) of the unknown metabolites proved to be more than a magnitude longer than the half-life of the parent compound or that of N-desmethyl metabolite. Presented at: Balaton Symposium on High-Performance Separation Methods, Siófok, Hungary, September 3–5, 1997.