A novel approach for solid-liquid extraction laser-excited time-resolved Shpol'skii spectrometry

A new procedure is presented for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by solid–liquid extraction (SLE) and laser-excited time-resolved Shpol'skii spectrometry (LETRSS). Microliters of Shpol'skii solvent are spiked on the surface of the extraction membrane and LETRSS is directly performed on the organic layer above the surface of the solid substrate. Fluorescence measurements are easily performed with a fiber-optic cell specifically designed for cryogenic measurements at 77 and 4.2 K. In comparison to the SLE–LETRSS procedure previously reported (Environ. Sci. Technol. 35 (2001) 2566), the spiking procedure eliminates the eluting step, reduces solvent consumption and improves limits of detection for at least one order of magnitude.     

Shpol'skii spectrometry, a distinct method in environmental analysis

Whereas common fluorescence and phosphorescence spectra of organic molecules in solutions show little details, Shpol'skii spectra exhibit completely resolved vibronic transitions, enabling the analytical distinction between isomeric compounds. In a simplified qualification, the Shpol'skii technique combines the sensitivity inherent to luminescence spectroscopy with the selectivity of infrared spectra. There are however two main limitations as far as its applicability is concerned: (i) cryogenic temperature conditions are required and (ii) the analytes should be compatible with the solvent matrix, typically an-alkane.The present paper is focused on the potential and achievements of Shpol'skii spectrometry in environmental analysis. After a discussion of the fundamental aspects of spectral line-broadenings and the approaches to accomplish high-resolution, special attention is paid to experimental and instrumental aspects. Recent instrumental developments have made Shpol'skii spectroscopy not only attractive for qualitative but also for quantitative purposes.The main part of the review is devoted to recent applications, for instance the determination of parent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in complex environmental samples as crude oils, sediments, soils and biota. The special features of large PAHs, i.e. PAHs with seven or more hexagonal aromatic rings are considered separately. The analysis of PAH-metabolites in samples like fish bile and human urine is extensively discussed. Subsequently the applicability of Shpol'skii spectroscopy to both in-ring and atring substituted polycyclic aromatics is concerned, including amino- and nitro-substituted PAHs and nitrogen-, oxygen- and sulphur-heterocyclic compounds. The review ends with an interesting new development i.e. the Shpol'skii spectra of fullerenes, the soccerball and rugbyball shaped molecules C₆₀ and C₇₀, compounds receiving wide attention in physics and chemistry.     

Optimization of solid-phase extraction procedure for determination of polychlorinated dibenzo-<Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-dioxins,polychlorinated dibenzofurans,and coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls in humic acid containing water

A solid-phase extraction (SPE) method was optimized for accurate determination of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (CoPCBs) in humic acid containing surface water. Recovery experiments using humic materials revealed that humic acids permit dioxins to pass through an octadecylsilica (C₁₈) extraction disk by associating with them under weakly alkaline conditions. Acidification of the sample before percolation improved this otherwise insufficient recovery. The analysis of surface water acidified to pH 2 gave better recovery with surrogate standards and lower quantitative values for higher-chlorinated homologues than the sample at pH 9. In all samples, the native octachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (OCDD) peak abundance showed no difference between at pH 2 and at pH 9, indicating overestimation of the quantitative value of the homologue at pH 9. Acidification of a humic acid containing water sample can avoid overestimation of higher-chlorinated congeners caused by insufficient recovery of their corresponding surrogates.     

Combination of a Mid-infrared Hollow Waveguide Gas Sensor with a Supported Capillary Membrane Sampler for the Detection of Organic Compounds in Water

A Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy based gas sensor for continuous analysis of liquid phase samples has been developed, coupling a short hollow waveguide (HWG) gas cell with a supported capillary membrane sampler (SCMS) probe. Passing an inert carrier gas through the thin-walled tubular silicon membrane enables the permeation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in aqueous solution and facilitates their continuous and quantitative detection in the infrared hollow fiber by multiple internal reflection spectroscopy. The sensitivity of the sensor system has been determined at the ppb (μg/L) concentration level and the response time ranges from few minutes to 30 min, depending on the analyte and the permeation properties of the sampling membrane.

The experimental set-up consists of Bruker Vector 22 FT-IR spectrometer with an externally aligned 50 cm long silica HWG coupled to the SCMS, which is immersed into a glass flask filled with analyte solution and kept under constant stirring.

Aqueous solutions of benzene, toluene, xylene isomers and chloroform were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed confirming the feasibility of this sensor approach for environmental analysis.     

Photophysical properties of a tetraphenoxy-substituted perylene bisimide derivative characterized by single-molecule spectroscopy.

We present a detailed study of the photophysical properties of a tetraphenoxy-substituted perylene bisimide derivative. The probe molecules were immobilized in a Shpol'skii matrix of hexadecane and investigated by single-molecule spectroscopy at cryogenic temperatures. By using single-molecule spectroscopic techniques we reveal the triplet substate kinetics and the fluorescence quantum yield, and we provide an estimate for the S1-S0 transition dipole moment.     

Synthesis of stationary phases that provide group recognition for polychlorinated biphenyls by porogenic fragment template imprinting

Molecular recognition based on imprinted polymers results from the polymerization of functional monomers and cross‐linkers in the presence of a target analyte (i.e. template), with subsequent removal of the template to create synthetic binding sites. However, complete removal of the template is difficult to achieve, thereby leading to template leaching, which adversely affects real‐world analytical applications. To overcome this challenge, the present study utilizes porogenic fragment template imprinting techniques to provide an alternative synthetic strategy to generate molecularly imprinted polymers with molecular recognition toward polychlorinated biphenyls. Thereafter, thus‐generated imprinted polymers have been applied as stationary phases in molecularly imprinted solid‐phase extraction for preconcentrating six “indicator polychlorinated biphenyls” in both organic and aqueous media. Recoveries of up to 98.9% (imprinted polymers) versus 73.0% (conventional C₁₈) in an organic phase, and up to 97.4% (imprinted polymers) versus 89.4% (C₁₈) in an aqueous phase have been achieved corroborating the utility of this advanced sorbent material. Finally, porogenic fragment template imprinting strategies have yielded molecularly imprinted polymers that are useful for the quantitative determination of polychlorinated biphenyls in environmental matrices, which provides a low‐cost strategy for tailoring stationary phases that avoid template leaching in applications in solid‐phase extraction as well as liquid chromatography.     

Surface water preparation procedure for chromatographic determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls

A new sample preparation procedure for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in water containing suspended particulate matter (SPM) has been developed. A specially designed filtration vessel coupled directly to an SPE cartridge was used for this purpose. SPM separation and analyte isolation/concentration were carried out in a single step. Both the SPE cartridge and the suspended matter collected on the filter were solvent extracted, and analyte recoveries were determined. Analyte recoveries from the filtrate ranged from 64 to 100% of the spiked amount for PAHs with the highest aqueous solubilities, and did not exceed 20% for those with the lowest solubilities. Total recoveries of PAHs from surface water containing 21 mg l(-1) SPM ranged from 65 to 121%. PCB recoveries from the particulate matter reached over 10% of the spiked amount, while those from the filtrate ranged from 20 to 57%. Total PCBs recoveries ranged from 34 to 69%.     

Combined gas chromatography-infra-red spectroscopy for the determination of propanediol in acyclovir cream

Summary A simple procedure is described for the determination of the 1,2-propanediol (propylene glycol) content of cream formulations containing the antiviral drug Acyclovir. Analysis of a solvent extract by gas chromatography coupled to an infra-red spectrometer enables the target analyte to be positively identified and an estimate of its concentration to be made. This application utilises the newer Tracer cryogenic deposition interface for gas chromatography and infra-red spectroscopy. This offers an alternative and complementary analytical strategy to gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry.     

Conventional fluorescence spectrometry of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in Shpol'skii matrices at 77 K

A simple fluorimeter assembled from commercial components and its use for the study and application of the Shpol'skii effect on polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in n-alkane matrices at 77 K are described. The correlation between the dimensions and geometries of PAHs and their corresponding Shpol'skii solvents is considered. Analytical figures of merit have been evaluated, and the power of the Shpol'skii technique with a conventional fluorimeter in the direct qualitative and quantitative determination of 11 PAHs in mixture is demonstrated. Comparisons with conventional room-temperature fluorescence and laser-excited Shpol'skii spectrometry are also commented upon.     

Determination of selected polychlorinated biphenyls in soil and earthworm (Eisenia fetida) using a QuEChERS‐based method and gas chromatography with tandem MS

Soil and earthworms are important objects in soil pollution assessment and environmental behavior and toxicity study for polychlorinated biphenyls. Accelerated solvent extraction and solid‐phase extraction are generally required for the extraction and clean‐up of polychlorinated biphenyls in soil and earthworm, which are tedious and time‐consuming. In this work, a modified QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) procedure combined with gas chromatography and triple quadrupole mass spectrometry was developed for the determination of 20 selected polychlorinated biphenyl congeners in soil and earthworm. Different extraction times, solvents, and clean‐up adsorbents were compared and optimized. The average recoveries from spiked soils ranged between 70 and 120% with satisfactory relative standard deviations for all the polychlorinated biphenyls. In earthworm, the recoveries of polychlorinated biphenyls 180, 183, and 189 were relatively low (< 70% in some spiking levels) compared to that of the other polychlorinated biphenyls. The limits of quantification were in the range of 0.01–0.05 ng/g. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of 66 agricultural soils. To our knowledge, a combined method based on QuEChERS for the determination of polychlorinated biphenyls in soil and earthworms has not been published before. The procedure proved to be simple, sensitive, efficient, and environmentally friendly.     

Graphene oxide assisted electromembrane extraction with gas chromatography for the determination of methamphetamine as a model analyte in hair and urine samples

In the present study, graphene oxide reinforced two‐phase electromembrane extraction (EME) coupled with gas chromatography was applied for the determination of methamphetamine as a model analyte in biological samples. The presence of graphene oxide in the hollow fiber wall can increase the effective surface area, interactions with analyte and polarity of support liquid membrane that leads to an enhancement in the analyte migration. To investigate the influence of the presence of graphene oxide in the support liquid membrane on the extraction efficiency, a comparative study was performed between graphene oxide and graphene oxide/EME methods. The extraction parameters such as type of organic solvent, pH of the donor phase, stirring speed, time, voltage, salt addition and the concentration of graphene oxide were optimized. Under the optimum conditions, the proposed microextraction technique provided low limit of detection (2.4 ng/mL), high preconcentration factor (195–198) and high relative recovery (95–98.5%). Finally, the method was successfully employed for the determination of methamphetamine in urine and hair samples.     

Fluorescence detection of trace PCB101 based on PITC immobilized on porous AAO membrane

A sensitive and selective fluorescent membrane for rapid detection of trace 2,2',4,5,5'-pentachlorinated biphenyl (PCB101) has been achieved by immobilizing the fluorophore phenyl isothiocyanate (PITC) onto porous anodic aluminium oxide (AAO) membrane (denoted as PITC@AAO). The fluorescence of the PITC@AAO membrane is obviously enhanced after titrating the analyte PCB101 into the membrane, being ascribed to the halogen-bonding interaction between the fluorophore PITC and the analyte PCB101. The fluorescence intensity increases with the PCB101 concentration in the low range below 1 ppm, and there exists an approximate linear relationship between the relative fluorescence intensity and the PCB101 concentration in the low range of 1-6 ppb. Moreover, the PITC@AAO membrane shows good selectivity; for example, it is insensitive to common structural analogs (polychlorinated aromatics). The mechanisms of the fluorescence enhancement and the better sensitivity and selectivity of the PITC@AAO membrane to PCB101 than that of PITC/n-hexane solution are also discussed. This work demonstrates that trace (in ppb range) PCBs can be detected by simple fluorescence measurement.     

The effect of adding a standard on the result of determination of polychlorinated biphenyls in bottom sediment samples

Bottom sediments are a very important component of aquatic ecosystems. The sediment matrix is highly diverse and heterogeneous; in consequence, compounds entering the aquatic environment from different sources are considerably enriched at its surface. Bottom sediments are regarded as natural sorbents, since they accumulate many harmful substances, such as heavy metals and stable organic contaminants.Extraction is a key stage in every analytical procedure. It is during this stage that standards are added to samples. Standards are necessary not only for estimating analyte yields but also for validating the whole procedure. The question of the addition of standard substances to sediment samples has not been widely addressed in the subject literature, and yet it is of fundamental importance as regards obtaining reliable results of determinations.This paper describes the results of a study on the effect of standard addition techniques on the results of determination of polychlorinated biphenyls in sediment samples (certified reference material: METRANAL™2—river sediment).     

Rapid and quantitative extraction and analysis of trace organics using directly coupled SFE-GC

Supercritical fluid extraction can be coupled with capillary gas chromatography (SFE-GC) using commercially-available on-column or split/splitless injection ports. While liquid solvent extractions require several hours or even days to perform, SFC-GC analyses can be completed in ≤ 1 hour including extraction, analyte concentration, and GC separation. SFE-GC yields chromatographic peak shapes that compare favorably with those obtained using conventional liquid solvent injections. Quantitative extraction and recovery of analytes is usually achieved in 10 minutes, and maximum sensitivity is obtained since the extracted analytes can be quantitatively transferred into the GC column for cryogenic focusing prior to GC analysis. SFE-GC analysis of a variety of organic pollutants from environmental solids and sorbent resins, and flavor and fragrance compounds from food products will be discussed.     

Microwave-assisted extraction of OCPs, PCBs and PAHs concentrated by semi-permeable membrane devices (SPMDs)

Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) has been evaluated as an alternative to dialysis for extraction of some water-borne hydrophobic contaminants sampled by semi-permeable membrane devices (SPMDs). Seven organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), 11 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and 13 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were accumulated in SPMDs at nanogram levels and extracted with three 3-min irradiation cycles with 33 mL of a solvent mixture hexane–water (10:1,v/v) in each cycle. The developed MAE method gave for all analytes investigated statistically comparable extraction yields with those found by dialysis carried out with a total volume of 250 mL hexane for 48 h at room temperature. The recoveries of all the targeted contaminants were in the range of 65–105% with variation coefficients not exceeding 19%. The applicability of the MAE extraction was tested in field SPMDs samples deployed for 15 days in a sewage-treatment process. Our results show that MAE provides a remarkable reduction of time and solvent volume when used as an extraction method in the analysis of SPMDs.     

Selective pressurized liquid extraction of three classes of halogenated contaminants in fish

Pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) combined with in-cell clean-up of co-extracts, so-called selective-PLE (S-PLE), is a fast and accepted method for the analysis of halogenated organic contaminants in fish. However, many of the existing methods were optimized for use with single classes of contaminants. The main objective of this research was to develop an S-PLE method that elutes a minimal amount of fats while simultaneously extracting halogenated pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) from fat-rich fish. The optimized method uses n-hexane:dichloromethane (75:25, v/v) as the extraction solvent, a 0.0078 fat to fat-retainer ratio (FFR) with Florisil as the fat retainer, three individual 5-min extractions with flush volumes of 150% and a selection of labeled surrogate standards (isotope dilution). This method resulted in a mean recovery of 77% for all target analytes in spiked samples and an average relative standard deviation of 6.3%. The method was validated with a certified reference material; the mean measured analyte concentrations agreed with the reference values except in the case of individual endosulfan isomers. It is likely that interconversion from the beta- to alpha-endosulfan isomer had occurred in the CRM, resulting in low measured concentrations for beta-endosulfan and high measured concentrations for alpha-endosulfan when compared with the reference values. Finally, the method was tested on three fish species with varying fat content. Different contaminant patterns were observed in the various species.     

Application of C-labelled polychlorinated biphenyl congener 153 as internal standard in the gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls

We developed a method of qualitative and quantitative GC-MS analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in soil samples, to be able to determine the biodegradation efficiency for individual PCBs. ¹³C₁₂-Substituted PCB 153 was used as internal standard. The analyses were performed on a DB-5 capillary column. The identification procedure was based on the correlation analysis of the measured and published relative retention r₁₂ data using [¹³C₁₂]PCB 153 instead of octachloronaphthalene (OCN). [¹³C]PCB 153 was also used for quantification of individual PCBs in soil samples.     

Fast isolation of hydrophobic organic environmental contaminants from exposed semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) prior to GC analysis

Semipermeable membrane devices (SPMD) represent a passive sampling technology that is becoming widely used for monitoring of surface waters pollution. While "classic" procedures employ dialysis to recover target compounds from exposed SPMDs, in the present study analytes were isolated from cut membrane together with sequestering medium (triolein) using hexane as an extraction solvent. This approach allowed us to reduce the time needed for accomplishment of isolation step from 48 h to only 1 h. Automated gel permeation chromatography (GPC) clean-up is employed in the following step to separate triolein from analytes fraction. Musk compounds (MCs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and several other persistent organochlorine compounds (OCs) were determined in the respective fraction by GC method employing selective detectors (MSD, ECD). As shown in a series of analyses of SPMDs deployed in various aquatic ecosystems, high recoveries and good repeatability of results together with a possibility to obtain the information on the pollution of sampling site at the day of sample arrival to laboratory make this newly implemented procedure an interesting alternative to time consuming dialysis.     

Evaluation of modulators and electron-capture detectors for comprehensive two-dimensional GC of halogenated organic compounds

Different cryogenic and a heated GC x GC modulator(s) were evaluated and compared for the analysis of high-boiling halogenated compounds. The cryogenic modulators investigated were: (i) the longitudinally modulated cryogenic system; (ii) the liquid-nitrogen-cooled jet modulator (KT2001); (iii) a dual-jet CO2 modulator (made in-house); (iv) a semi-rotating cryogenic modulator (made in-house) and (v) a CO2 loop modulator (KT2003); the heated modulator was the slotted heater system (sweeper). Each modulator was optimised with respect to analyte peak widths at half height in the second-dimension. n-Alkanes, chlorinated alkanes, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and fluorinated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (F-PAHs) were used as test analytes. The flow rate of the coolant was found to be an important parameter, i.e. the flow rate of the gaseous nitrogen in the KT2001, and of the liquid CO2 in the other cryogenic modulators. For the slotted heater the stroke velocity and pause time were important parameters. This modulator had a limited application range in terms of temperature due to a necessary 100 degrees C difference between sweeper and oven temperature. All cryogenic modulators were found to be suitable for the GC x GC analysis of high-boiling compounds, but the CO2 modulators are to be preferred to the KT2001 due to a wider application range and slightly narrower peaks. As regards the performance of three commercially available electron-capture detectors (ECDs), the aim was to obtain narrow peak widths in GC x GC, i.e. to avoid band broadening caused by the cell volume. The most important parameters were the flow rate of the make-up gas and the detector temperature which both should be as high as possible. Comparison of analyte peak widths obtained with ECD mode and flame ionisation detection (FID) showed that all ECDs exhibited band broadening compared to the FID. The narrowest peaks were obtained with the Agilent micro-ECD, which has a cell volume of only 150 microl.