Accurate mass determination,quantification and determination of detection limits in liquid chromatography–high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry: Challenges and practical solutions

Uniform guidelines for the data processing and validation of qualitative and quantitative multi-residue analysis using full-spectrum high-resolution mass spectrometry are scarce.     

Estimation of band alignment at CdS/Cu2ZnSnS4 hetero-interface by direct XPS measurements

This paper aims to estimate the band alignment to CdS/CZTS hetero-interface by direct X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements. XPS was used to determinate the valence-band offset (VBO) directly by determining the valence band positions at the hetero-interface. The conduction band offset (CBO) value was estimated based on the band gap measurements by UV/Visible spectroscopy and VBO measurements. The position of valence band (VB) changes close to the CdS-CZTS interface and the CBO is cliff-like. The band alignment diagram indicates that the CdS-CZTS interface heterojunction is type II.     

Non-contact protein microarray fabrication using a procedure based on liquid bridge formation

Contemporary microarrayers of contact or non-contact format used in protein microarray fabrication still suffer from a number of problems, e.g. generation of satellite spots, inhomogeneous spots, misplaced or even absent spots, and sample carryover. In this paper, a new concept of non-contact sample deposition that reduces such problems is introduced. To show the potential and robustness of this pressure-assisted deposition technique, different sample solutions known to cause severe problems or to be even impossible to print with conventional microarrayers were accurately printed. The samples included 200 mg mL^–1 human serum albumin, highly concentrated sticky cell adhesion proteins, pure high-salt cell-lysis buffer, pure DMSO, and a suspension of 5-μm polystyrene beads. Additionally, a water-immiscible liquid fluorocarbon, which was shown not to affect the functionality of the capture molecules, was employed as a lid to reduce evaporation during microarray printing. The fluorocarbon liquid lid was shown to circumvent hydrolysis of water-sensitive activated surfaces during long-term deposition procedures.     

Advanced high-performance liquid chromatography method for highly polar nitroaromatic compounds in ground water samples from ammunition waste sites

An advanced HPLC-photodiode array detection method for the determination of 12 selected highly polar nitroaromatic compounds in ground water samples of ammunition waste sites has been developed and validated. After solid-phase extraction the limits of detection were in the range 0.1–0.5 μg/l. To prove the applicability of the method to other polar nitroaromatic compounds the retention time of another 32 polar compounds under the specified chromatographic conditions were determined and their UV spectra recorded. To review the method, interlaboratory comparisons were performed with a spiked and a real ground water sample.     

Optimized absorption imaging of mesoscopic atomic clouds

We report on the optimization of high-intensity absorption imaging for small Bose–Einstein condensates. The imaging calibration exploits the linear scaling of the quantum projection noise with the mean number of atoms for a coherent spin state. After optimization for atomic clouds containing up to 300 atoms, we find an atom number resolution of $\varDelta_{\rm det}= 3.7$ atoms, mainly limited by photon shot noise and radiation pressure.