Spectrophotometric and fluorimetric determinations of trichothecene mycotoxins with reagents for formaldehyde

Several trichothecene mycotoxins, such as fusarenone-X (F-X) and T-2 toxin (T-2), readily liberate formaldehyde on heating with sulfuric acid. Spectrophotometric and fluorimetric methods for the determination of trichothecenes with reagents for formaldehyde are therefore possible. F-X (or T-2) can be determined in the 50–1000 mg l^-1 (or 50–1500 mg l^-1) range by the chromotropic acid method, in the 30–1200 mg l^-1 (or 50–2000 mg l^-1) range by the phenyl J acid method, and in the 1.25–25 mg l^-1 (or 2–40 mg l^-1) range by the J acid method. Other trichothecenes, neosolaniol, nivalenol, tetraacetylnivalenol, diacetoxyscirpenol and HT-2 toxin, etc. also give positive reactions but trichothecin and dihydronivalenol do not.     

Determination of residual chlorine by derivatisation with 2,6-dimethylphenol and gas chromatographic separation

Residual chlorine in aqueous solution is converted to 4-chloro-2,6-dimethylphenol, which is extracted into hexane and determined by gas chromatography. Relative standard deviations (n = 5) are 0.36–1.1% for chlorine concentrations of 8.6–0.01 mg l^-1 and chlorine recoveries are 99.2–101%. In the presence of dichromate (30 mg l^-1), relative standard deviations (n = 5) are 1.19–2.71% for chlorine concentrations of 9.3–0.1 mg l^-1. Oxidants and coloured solutes do not interfere.     

An atomic absorption spectrometric method for the determination of non-ionic surfactants

A method is described for the determination of non-ionic surfactants in the concentration range 0.05–2 mg l^-1.Surfactant molecules are extracted into 1,2-dichlorobenzene as a neutral adduct with potassium tetrathiocyanatozincate(II) and the determination is completed by atomic absorption spectrometry. With a 150-ml water sample, the limit of detection is 0.03 mg l^-1(as Triton X-100).The method requires a single phase separation step, is applicable, without modification, to fresh, estuarine and sea-water samples and is relatively free from interference by anionic surfactants; the presence of up to 5 mg l^-1 of anionic surfactant (as LAS) introduces an error of no more than 0.07 mg l^-1 (as Triton X-100) in the apparent non-ionic surfactant concentration.     

Utilisation of kinetic-based flow injection methods for the determination of chlorine and oxychlorine species

Automated selective iodometric methods for the determination of chlorine and oxychlorine species have been developed for use in the drinking water industry. By utilising kinetic-based methods, linear ranges observed were: chlorine, 0.2–10 mg l^?1; chlorine dioxide, 0.3–10 mg l^?1; chlorite ion, 0.08–5 mg l^?1; and chlorate ion, 0.08–5 mg l^?1.     

Spectrophotometric determination of sulfate by solvent extraction with the non-ionic surfactant span 20 and crystal violet

The sulfate ion is extracted into toluene with Span 20 (sorbitan monolaurate) and crystal violet. The calibration graph is linear over the range 2.5 × 10^-5–2.5 × 1O^-4 mol l^-1 sulfate (2.4–24 mg l^-1) in the aqueous phase when the extracted crystal violet is measured at 600 nm. The method is applied to natural waters.     

Vergleichende untersuchungen zur titrimetrischen,photometrischen und ionen-chromatographischen hydrogencarbonat-bestimmung in trink-und mineralwässern: A comparison of titrimetric,spectrophotometric and ion-chromatographic methods for the determination of hydrogencarbonate in drinking and mineral waters

A photometric method for hydrogencarbonate determination in various natural waters is presented, based on measurements with methyl red. Accuracy of the results is demonstrated by comparison with titrimetric and ion-chromatographic methods. The photometric method is suitable for contents in the range of 1–2000 mg l^?1. The linear range of the continous flow method varies form 6–60 mg l^?1 to 12–90 mg l^?1 depending on conditions.     

Analysis of organic amines and acids for water

Conventional methods for the determination of cyanide in effluents associated with steel-making procedures are compared with a method based on a cyanide-selective electrode. For cyanide levels above 1.0 mg l^-1, the standard argentimetric titration and electrode method give similar results. At lower levels (0.1–1.0 mg l^-1 and 0.01–0.10 mg l^-1), the potentiometric method is compared with pyridine-pyrazolone and pyridine—barbituric acid colorimetric procedures; the pyrazolene method tends to give higher results than the other two methods. Synthetic standards and actual effluent samples are discussed. Problems associated with the determination of cyanide in effluents containing complex iron cyanides and sulphides are examined. Sulphide removal with lead carbonate or cadmium carbonate above pH 11 should not be done until after the distillation.     

Simultaneous spectrophotometric determination of calcium and magnesium with chlorphosphonazo-III by flow injection analysis

In this flow-injection method, the total concentration of calcium and magnesium is determined by using triethanolamine/hydrochloric acid buffer (pH 7.0) and chlorphosphonazo-III (CPA-III) in the flow streams, and the concentration of calcium alone is determined by using 1.6×10^?3 M hydrochloric acid and CPA-III in the flow treams. At pH 7.0, medium, the linear calibration ranges were 0–2.00 mg l^?1 for both calcium and magnesium and the detection limits were each 0.02 mg l^?1; at pH 2.2, the linear calibration range for calcium and the detection limit were 0.20–2.00 mg l^?1 and 0.1 mg l^?1, respectively. Injection rates are 200 h. The method is suitable for analyzing natural waters.     

Flow-injection analysis for power plants: Evaluation of detectors for the determination of control parameters in conditioned water—steam cycles

Flow-injection methods are described for monitoring water in power-plant cycles. The parameters considered are pH (in the range 5.5–9.5), using a flat-headed combined electrode, ammonia (0.2–3 mg N l^?1), using Nessler, Berthelot and gas-diffusion methods, hydrazine (0.025–0.3 mg l^?1), using the dimethylamino-4-benzaldehyde method, copper (0.02–0.2 mg l^?1), using bathocuproin and methods based on ion-selective electrodes, iron (0.01–10 mg l^?1), using phenanthroline, ferrozine and biamperometric methods, and silicon (0.02–0.1 mg l^?1), using the heteropoly blue complex, with two different types of reducing agent [tin(II) chloride and ascorbic acid]. The parameters considered were precision, analysis frequency and application range. The results obtained showed that flow-injection methods perform well in terms of sensitivity and analysis frequency and suggested the possibility of transferring this methodology to analytical systems in power plants.     

The spectrophotometric determination of arsenic in sea water,potable water and effluents

Procedures are described for the determination of arsenic in sea water, potable waters and effluents. The sample is treated with sodium borohydride added at a controlled rate. The arsine evolved is absorbed in a solution of iodine and the resultant arsenate ion is determined photometrically by a molybdenum blue method. The time required for a complete analysis is about 90 min, but of this only 15 min is operator time. For sea water the range, standard deviation, and detection limit are 1–4 μgl^-1, 1.4 % and O.14 μg l^-1, respectively; for potable waters they are 0–800 μg l^-1, about 1 % (at 20μg l^-1 level) and 0.5μg l^-1, respectively. Silver and copper cause serious interference at levels of 0.5 mgl^-1, and nickel, cadmium and bismuth interfere at concentrations of a few tens of mg l^-1; however, these elements can be removed either by preliminary extraction with a solution of dithizone in chloroform or by ion exchange. Arsenic present in organo-arsenic compounds is not directly determinable, but can be rendered reactive either by photolysis with ultraviolet radiation or by oxidation with permanganate or nitric—sulphuric acid mixture. Arsenic(V) can be determined separately from total inorganic arsenic after extracting arsenic(III) as its pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate into chloroform.     

Determination of sulphur dioxide by flow injection analysis with amperometric detection

Sulphur dioxide can be determined at a sampling rate of 120 h^?1, with amperometric detection after separation in a diffusion cell with a teflon membrane. At 25°C, the calibration graph shows two linear ranges, between 0.06 and 6 mg l^?1 and 12 and 110 ml l^? sulphur dioxide, with a detection limit of 0.03 mg l^?1. At 50°C, the liner range is 04–5 mg l^?1, with a detection limit of mg of l^?1. The procedure has been applied to the determination of sulphur dioxide in wines.     

Flow-injection spectrophotometric determination of glucose in blood plasma with bindschedler's green leuco base as color reagent

The hydrogen peroxide produces in the oxidation of glucos in an immobilized glucose oxidase reactor is determined by using Bindschedler's green (leuco base) as color reagent with iron(II) as catalyst; the increase in the absorbance at 725 nm is measured. For 100-μl samples, calibration was almost linear in the range 0–2.5 mg l^?1 glucose; the relative standard deviation for 1 mg l^?1 glucose was 0.6% (n=10) and the detection limit (S/N= 2) was 0.02 mg l^?1. The injection rate was 20 h^?1. Glucose was determined satisfactorily in control sera and in real blood sera.     

Effects of iron on the degradation of triphenyltin by pyoverdins isolated from Pseudomonas chlororaphis

The yellow compound pyoverdin was isolated from the bacteria Pseudomonas chlororaphis, isolated from mud in Japan. A study of the effects of iron, phosphorus, manganese and zinc on degradation of triphenyltin (TPT) by pyoverdin (20 mg) was carried out in distilled water (30 ml) containing 6 µg l^?1 concentration of TPT at 20 °C for 48 or 96 h. The organotins in water were analyzed by gas chromatograph–mass spectrometry in the selected ion mode. The degradation of TPT by pyoverdin decreased with increase of phosphorus at 0–35 mg l^?1 and Fe‐EDTA at 0–2 mg l^?1 concentrations. Also, degradation of diphenyltin by pyoverdin decreased with increase of Mn‐EDTA at 0–1 mg l^?1 and Zn‐EDTA at 0–1 mg l^?1. On the other hand, degradation of TPT by pyoverdin was found to be unaffected by manganese and zinc in water. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Determination of humic acid by chemiluminescence

The analytical utility of the chemiluminescence resulting from the reaction of humic acid with permanganate is investigated. The chemiluminescence response curve rises sharply to a peak value at about 0.5 s after mixing and decays somewhat more slowly. The peak signal for a fixed humic acid concentration is shown to pass through a maximum near a permanganate concentration of 17 μmol l^-1 and to increase continuously with potassium hydroxide concentration up to 2.0 mol l^-1. Calibration plots of peak signal vs. humic acid concentration exhibit complex behaviour, being approximately linear up to about 20 mg l^-1, curving slightly toward the concentration axis up to about 40 mg l^-1, and then curving away from the concentration axis above 40 mg l^-1. The detection limit for humic acid is about 0.7 mg l^-1. No interference is observed for thirteen common inorganic species at typical levels in water samples. Substantial differences are observed for humic acid in selected samples determined by the chemiluminescence and visible absorption procedures.     

Determination of Ammonia in Water Using Flow Injection Analysis with Automatic Pervaporation Enrichment

Abstract

An automated ammonia monitoring system has been developed by putting a pervaporation unit in an enrichment cycle used in flow injection analysis mode. In the proposed system, an enrichment cycle was equipped to enable the adjustment for the measuring range of ammonium by controlling the duration of the enrichment circulation. Therefore, the system was capable to determine ammonia in both the surface water with low ammonia concentration and the ammonia-rich wastewater with the linear dynamic range of 0.05–15 mg l^?1 and 15–50 mg l^?1, respectively. The relative standard deviations were less than 1.9% and the quantification limit is as low as 0.03 mg l^?1. The sampling frequency is 8–10 h^?1.     

Application of the iron(III)/3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde 4-nitrophenylhydrazone complex for the analysis of sulphide/fluoride/phosphate mixtures by spectrophotometry or atomic absorption spectrometry

3,4-Dihydroxybenzaldehyde 4-nitrophenylhydrazone reacts with iron(III) to form a red complex extractable into methyl isobutyl ketone. Sulphide, fluoride and phosphate inhibit the formation of the complex. Sulphide and fluoride are masked with Cu(II) and Al(III), respectively. These properties are used to determine sulphide (0.15–4 mg l^?1), fluoride (0.3–9 mg l^?1) and phosphate (0.3–8 mg l^?1) in mixtures by spectrophotometry or atomic absorption spectrometry.     

Speciation and analysis of corrosion products in the primary coolant of pressurized water reactors

The procedure involves separate sampling and determination of the insoluble, cationic and anionic species of corrosion products (Fe, Ni, Cr, Mn, Co, Zn, Cu) in the primary coolant of pressurized water reactors (PWRs) with concentrations in the range 0–2000 mg l^?1 boron and 0–5 mg l^?1 lithium. Samples of coolant (0.2–1 l) are passed through packs consisting of one 0.45-μm filter paper, one cation-exchange membrane (Whatman SA-2) and one anion-exchange membrane (Whatman SB-2). The membranes are examined by wavelength-dispersive x-ray spectrometry. Selection of the ion-exchange membranes and the influence of the boron and lithium concentrations (and pH) on retention of soluble species are discussed. With sample volumes of 0.5 l, the detection limits are between 0.05 and 0.3 μg l^?1 for undissolved species and from 0.03 to 0.14 μg l^?1 for ions. Data collected during a PWR shutdown procedure are summarized.     

Flow-injection spectrophotometric determination of palladium in catalysts and dental alloys with 2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-(N-propyl-N-sulfopropyl-amino)aniline

2-(5-Bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-(N-propyl-N-sulfopropylamino)aniline rapidly forms a water-soluble complex with palladium in an acetate-buffered medium at pH 3.2.The molar absorptivity of the complex is 9.84×10⁴l mol^?1 at 612 nm. The calibration graph is linear over the range of 10–100 μg l^?1 palladium; the detection limit is 2 μg l^?1 and the relative standard deviation is 0.6% for 100 μg l^?1 palladium. The sample throughput is 50 h^?1. Divalent transition metals (Fe, Ni, Co) do not interfere at levels from 2 to 10 mg l^?1. Interference from copper is prevented by adding 10^?3 M EDTA solution to the carrier stream. Palladium in solutions of catalysts and dental alloys can be determined selectively, sensitively and rapidly.     

Peroxidase-catalysed rupture of the CF bond as and indicator reaction for enzyme immunoassay : Kinetic determination of human immunoglobulin G, α-fetoprotein and placental lactogen

A fluoride ion-selective electrode is utilized as a sensor for the kinetic determination of peroxidase label in enzyme immunoassays. The method is based on a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique, the peroxidase-catalysed rupture of the covalent CF bond in 4-fluorophenol and the subsequent release of fluoride ions. The determination of human immunoglobulin G (lgG), human α-fetoprotein (AFP) and human placental lactogen (HPL) was investigated. The potentiometric measurement of the rate of release of fluoride ion within 5 min provided a direct correlation with the concentration of analyte present in the sample. The concentration ranges investigated for the analytes were IgG 30 μg l^?1–10mg l^?1, AFP 5–500 μg l^?1 and HPL 60 ng l^?1–1 mg l^?1. Under the given experimental conditions, the detection limits were IgG 30, AFP 12.8 and HPL 1 μg l^?1. Replacing the rate method with the fixed-time mode (15–30 min) did not improve the detection limits. The performance of the present method was found to be comparable to that of the spectrophotometric detection technique.     

Plant Regeneration Through Callus Organogenesis and True-to-Type Conformity of Plants by RAPD Analysis in Desmodium gangeticum (Linn.) DC.

An efficient plant regeneration protocol was established for an endangered ethnomedicinal plant Desmodium gangeticum (Linn.) DC. Morphogenic calli were produced from 96 % of the cultures comprising the immature leaf explants on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (4.0 mg?l^?1) in combination with 6-benzylaminopurine (BA; 0.8 mg?l^?1). For callus regeneration, various concentrations of BA (1.0–5.0 mg?l^?1) or thidiazuron (TDZ; 1.0–5.0 mg?l^?1) alone or in combination with indole-3-acetic acid (IAA; 0.2–1.0 mg?l^?1) were used. Highest response of shoot regeneration was observed on MS medium fortified with TDZ (4.0 mg?l^?1) and IAA (0.5 mg?l^?1) combination. Here, 100 % cultures responded with an average number of 22.3 shoots per gram calli. Inclusion of indole-3-butyric acid in half MS medium favored rooting of recovered shoots. Out of 45 rooted plants transferred to soil, 40 survived. Total DNA was extracted from the leaves of the acclimatized plants of D. gangeticum. Analysis of random amplified polymorphic DNA using 13 arbitrary decanucleotide primers showed the genetic homogeneity in all the ten plants regenerated from callus with parental plant, suggesting that shoot regeneration from callus could be used for the true-to-type multiplication of this plant.