A membraneless gas-diffusion unit-multisyringe flow injection spectrophotometric method for ammonium determination in untreated environmental samples

A new design of a membraneless gas-diffusion (MGD) unit coupled to a multisyringe flow injection system is proposed. The spectrophotometric determination of ammonium using an acid-base indicator was chosen to show the feasibility of this approach. Hence, in alkaline medium, ammonium ions are transformed into ammonia (donor channel) which diffuses through the headspace into the acceptor stream (bromothymol blue solution), causing a pH change and subsequently a colour change. The exploitation of the enhanced potentialities of this re-designed MGD device was the main purpose of the present work. Hence, several strategies concerning flow management were studied seeking to characterize and improve the analytical features of the methodology and moreover, untreated environmental samples were analysed without previous filtration. Consequently, stopped flow in acceptor channel with continuous flow in donor channel was chosen for the application to wastewater and spiked river water samples. A linear concentration range between 10.0 and 50.0 mg L⁻¹ of NH₄⁺, a limit of detection of 2.20 mg L⁻¹ and a determination frequency of 11 h⁻¹ were obtained.     

Determination of ammonia in beers by pervaporation flow injection analysis and spectrophotometric detection

A pervaporation flow injection (PFI) method is described for the determination of ammonia in beers. After injecting the sample into a NaOH donor solution, ammonia and other volatiles are transferred in the pervaporation unit from the donor stream to an acceptor stream containing sodium salicylate and nitroprusside, which subsequently mixes with alkaline sodium dichloroisocyanurate to allow the classical Berthelot reaction to take place. The blue-coloured complex formed is monitored spectrophotometrically at 655 nm. A linear calibration curve with a range of 0.1–40 mg l⁻¹ was obtained. The method has a detection limit of 0.05 mg l⁻¹ and is capable of a sampling frequency of 11 h⁻¹ at 4 mg l⁻¹ ammonia. It was applied successfully to the determination of ammonia in synthetic samples and unfiltered lager beers. The advantages of the present method over the ammonia ion-selective electrode method and the PFI system based on mixed indicator detection are discussed.     

Development of a potentiometric flow cell with a stainless steel electrode for pH measurements. Determination of acid mixtures using flow injection analysis

In this work a stainless steel electrode was prepared, characterised and used as indicator electrode in a potentiometric flow cell. Due to its versatility, it was possible to study different electrode geometries and flow cell arrangements. After optimising the system, mixtures of succinic and oxalic acids were determined by titration. Partial least squares (PLS) regression as multivariate calibration tool was applied for data treatment. The predicted results obtained in a test set showed a relative error of 4.3% for succinic acid and 5.5% for oxalic acid.     

Highly sensitive gas-diffusion sequential injection analysis based on flow manipulation

The present paper describes approaches utilizing the powerful flow manipulation capabilities of sequential injection analysis (SIA) to substantially improve the efficiency of gas-diffusion separation compared to its traditional implementation in flow injection analysis (FIA). Ammonia, ethylamine, diethylamine and triethylamine were used as model analytes in this study. Eleven flow manipulation approaches involving continuous flow, stop-flow, oscillating flow, and the introduction of air bubbles to separate the sample zone from the donor solution were tested. Improvement in sensitivity compared to traditional gas-diffusion FIA exceeding one order of magnitude was achieved. It was observed that this improvement increased with the molecular size of the analyte.     

Electronic tongues in flow analysis

This review presents the evolution of recent flow-based analytical systems, characterized by the use of arrays of sensors as a detection scheme. For the proper processing of the complex responses generated, the systems require the use of advanced chemometric treatment, in which received the term “electronic tongue”. Applications employing the flow injection analysis (FIA) and sequential injection analysis (SIA) are described. Chronologically, the progresses made by different research groups are shown, emphasizing their final applications in real problem solving.     

智能一体化蒸馏仪蒸馏-全自动流动注射分析仪测定底泥中挥发酚

采用碱液浸提底泥中挥发酚后,由于溶液浑浊,且存在干扰,若直接采用流动注射分析仪进行测定,极易堵塞仪器的管路,进而影响后续测定,故将提取液在酸性条件下加入硫酸铜于全自动智能一体化蒸馏器蒸馏,消除硫化物等的干扰,用全自动流动注射分析仪测定底泥中挥发酚。实验对磷酸、硫酸铜加入量、震荡时间、蒸馏功率和蒸馏体积进行了优化,并确定磷酸过量5mL,加入5g硫酸铜,震荡10min,蒸馏功率为50W,蒸馏重量设置为225g。标准曲线的线性关系良好,相关系数为0.999 9以上,样品和空白加标回收率在89.3%～103%,检出限为0.03mg/kg。实验方法测定底泥中挥发酚样品与传统分光光度法结果一致,不仅实现自动化,而且对环境和人均友好。     

Method for monitoring urea and ammonia in wine and must by flow injection-pervaporation

An easy to automate flow injection-pervaporation method for monitoring urea and ammonia in must and wine was developed. The method is based on separation of the ammonia from the sample matrix by pervaporation followed by its reaction with salicylate, hypochlorite and nitroprusside to form a diazonium salt with maximum absorption at 647 nm. Conversion of urea into ammonia catalysed by urease was mandatory before pervaporation. After optimisation by either the univariate or multivariate approaches as required, the linear range was established (between 0 and 25 mg l⁻¹) for both analytes. Then, the assessment of the proposed method versus a reference one for urea and ammonia was studied in terms of repeatability (0.52 and 0.43 mg l⁻¹, respectively), reproducibility (1.34 and 1.21 mg l⁻¹, respectively), detection and quantification limits (LOD=0.9 and 0.6 mg l⁻¹, LQ=1.02 and 0.67 mg l⁻¹, respectively) and traceability. The sample throughput was 16 samples h⁻¹. The method can be applied to the monitoring of the target analytes in must and young wine in order to control their contents, preventing formation of ethyl carbamate.     

流动注射化学发光法测定佐米曲谱坦

在碱性条件下,佐米曲谱坦对鲁米诺-K3[Fe(CN)6]化学发光体系有较强的抑制作用,据此建立了佐米曲谱坦的流动注射化学发光分析法。该法的化学发光抑制值ΔI与佐米曲谱坦质量浓度在2.0×10-6~1.2×10-4g/mL范围内,呈良好的线性关系,检出限为7.6×10-7g/mL。对2.5×10-5g/mL佐米曲谱坦测定的相对标准偏差为1.2%(n=11)。方法适用于佐米曲谱坦片中佐米曲谱坦的测定。     

A membraneless gas diffusion unit: design and its application to determination of ethanol in liquors by spectrophotometric flow injection

This work presents new design of a gas diffusion unit, called ‘membraneless gas diffusion (MGD) unit’, which, unlike a conventional gas diffusion (GD) unit, allows selective detection of volatile compounds to be made without the need of a hydrophobic membrane. A flow injection method was developed employing the MGD unit to determine ethanol in alcoholic drinks based on the reduction of dichromate by ethanol vapor. Results clearly demonstrated that the MGD unit was suitable for determination of ethanol in beer, wine and distilled liquors. Detection limit (3S/N) of MGD unit was lower than the GD unit (GD: 0.68%, v/v; MGD: 0.27%, v/v). The MGD design makes the system more sensitive as mass transfer is more efficient than that of GD and thus, MGD can perfectly replace membrane-based designs.     

Improved method for shipboard determination of iron in seawater by flow injection analysis

A flow injection analysis (FIA) catalytic spectrophotometric method for the determination of dissolved iron in seawater was further developed to yield a more sensitive assay with a low detection limit. The method employs an initial sample acidification step followed by an iron pre-concentration step involving an in-line 8-hydroxy-quinoline (8-HQ) metal-chelating resin column. The copper capacity and elution efficiency, as well as the iron FIA performance of three trace-metal clean resins were compared, resulting in the selection of a clean silica gel support for the 8-HQ ligand. The concentrated sample is eluted from the resin with an acidic carrier and mixed with reagents, initiating an iron-catalyzed, color-forming reaction. Increasing the reaction temperature from 18 to 30 °C doubled the sensitivity; reaction temperature control was necessary to obtain good reproducibility in the field. Reagent blanks were as low as 0.05 nM and a detection limit of 0.016 nM was obtained from three times the S.D. of a 0.06 nM seawater sample repeated six times. A 0.06 nM detection limit was calculated from shipboard experiments where total dissolved iron was determined for 10 different samples from the same station. The instrumental sensitivity and precision evolved to the point where the blank associated with the technique is the major factor influencing its detection limit.     

On-line determination of cyanide in the presence of sulfide by flow injection with pervaporation

A pervaporation-flow injection (PFI) method is described for the analysis of cyanide in the presence of sulfide. The interfering sulfide ion in the injected sample is precipitated on-line using an acidified lead nitrate reagent solution before the donor stream enters the pervaporation cell. Using amperometric detection at a silver electrode set at −50 mV (vs Ag/AgCl), linear calibration was obtained in the range 0.02–100.0 mg l⁻¹ with a detection limit of 1.0 μg l⁻¹. Sample throughput was of the order of 12–15 h⁻¹. When the method was applied to the analysis of synthetic samples, there was no significant interference from sulfide at concentrations up to 50 mg l⁻¹. Thiocyanate did not interfere at levels up to 1000 mg l⁻¹. When applied to industrial samples containing sulfide and thiocyanate ions where the cyanide ions are predominantly complexed with various metal ions the PFI method was found to give results close to those obtained by standard distillation methods for weak acid dissociable (WAD) cyanide.     

Focussed microwave-assisted sample preparation: total phenol determination in petroleum refinery effluents by flow injection spectrophotometry

This paper reports the development of a new approach for total phenol distillation using a focussed microwave oven, aiming its determination in petroleum refinery effluents and sour waters. In the procedure, 25 ml of sample is distilled during 15 min at 210 W power. At these conditions, recoveries as high as 95% are obtained, making possible the determination of total phenol in the samples without any interference and in a time significantly lower than that required by the reference method. In the course of the research, the influence of the distilled volume was investigated and a Doehlert matrix was employed for the multivariate optimization of the irradiation power and time. Quantification of phenol was spectrophotometrically performed in a FIA system, exploring classical reaction of phenol with 4-amineantipyrine and ferricyanide. Aqueous standards solutions of phenol could be directly injected in the FIA system for calibration purposes, making the procedure very simple and low time-consuming. A detection limit of 10 μg l⁻¹ was achieved as well as a quantification limit of 33 μg l⁻¹, becoming the procedure very suitable to be applied in the control of total phenols in effluents from petroleum industry.     

流动注射化学发光法测定甲硝唑

在碱性条件下 ,铁氰化钾氧化鲁米诺产生化学发光 ,甲硝唑对该体系有显著的增强作用 (亚铁氰化钾存在时 )。基于此 ,建立了流动注射化学发光测定痕量甲硝唑的新方法。甲硝唑浓度在 2 .0× 1 0 -6～ 4 .0× 1 0 -4 mol L范围内与发光强度呈良好的线性关系 ;检出限 (3σ)为 1 .5× 1 0 -7mol L。相对标准偏差 (c =1 .0× 1 0 -5mol L ,n=1 1 )为 3.6 %。方法已用于制剂中甲硝唑含量测定     

Development of xylitol oxidase-based flow injection analysis for monitoring of xylitol concentrations

A flow injection method for monitoring xylitol was developed using xylitol oxidase (XYO) immobilized on a VA-Epoxy Biosynth E3-support. The immobilized XYO cartridge had a good operational lifetime (up to 24 h) and storage stability (up to 1 month). The XYO-FIA system with an oxygen electrode was investigated systematically regarding the factors that can affect enzyme activity, such as pH, reaction temperature, carrier solution and sample matrix. In order to attain high activity of the immobilized XYO, potassium phosphate solution (1 M) with 0.5 g l⁻¹ Triton X-100 adjusted to pH 8.5 was used as the carrier solution. Sample matrix effects on the immobilized XYO were also investigated. High concentrations of some components (arabinose, 20 g l⁻¹; xylose, 30 g l⁻¹; NaCl, 30 g l⁻¹) in the sample had significant inhibitory effects on the response of the XYO-FIA system. The performance of the XYO-FIA system was tested by using different sample injection volumes (75-250 μl) and carrier flow rates (0.7-2.0 ml min⁻¹).     

流动注射化学发光法测定那格列奈

在碱性介质中,那格列奈对Luminol-H2O2体系的化学发光有很强的抑制作用,据此建立了流动注射化学发光抑制法测定那格列奈的新方法.该法的化学发光抑制值△I与那格列奈的质量浓度在2.0×10-8～1.0×10-6 g/mL范围内,呈良好的线性关系,检出限为1.4×10-8 g/mL;对4.0×10-7 g/mL那格列奈连续进行11次平行测定,相对标准偏差为1.0%;通过对荧光光谱的研究,对机理进行了初步探讨.     

Comparison of soluble manganese(IV) and acidic potassium permanganate chemiluminescence detection using flow injection and sequential injection analysis for the determination of ascorbic acid in Vitamin C tablets

The limits of detection (3s) for ascorbic acid were 5×10⁻⁸ M with acidic potassium permanganate using both flow injection analysis (FIA) and sequential injection analysis (SIA) whereas the soluble manganese(IV) afforded 1×10⁻⁸ M and 5×10⁻⁹ M for FIA and SIA, respectively. Determinations of ascorbic acid in Vitamin C tablets were achieved with minimal sample pretreatment using a standard additions calibration and gave good agreement with those of iodimetric titration.     

Development of a tubular fluoride potentiometric detector for flow analysis: evaluation and analytical applications

In this work a construction procedure for tubular fluoride electrode to be used in flow systems is outlined. The electrode was constructed from a commercially available, LaF₃ single crystal. Principal advantages of the flow detector presented include simplicity of construction, robustness, durability, low cost and easy coupling into any point of a flow manifold.Evaluation of the intrinsic working characteristics of the potentiometric detector in a low dispersion manifold is presented with respect to analytical and dynamic parameters. The constructed detector has similar working characteristics to those of the conventional fluoride electrodes, namely the detection limit, lower limit of linear response and operational pH range.The analytical usefulness of the constructed device was assessed in a flow system developed for fluoride determination in toothpaste, tablet, collutory and water samples for which the reference procedures suggest the determination of fluoride ion with a conventional ion selective electrode.     

流动注射化学发光法测定痕量NO_2~-的研究与应用

Based on the principle of the reaction of NO2-with I-and formation of I2 in HCl solution,and the chemiluminescence(CL) reaction between luminol and I2 in an alkaline medium.A fairly sensitive,simple and rapid flow-injection analysis-chemiluminescence method for the determina-tion of trace nitrite with the luminal-I——NO2-coupling luminescence system has been developed.Experiment conditions of flow-injection analysis are optimized.When satisfying the condition that Luminol as 4.0×10-4 mol/L,0.7 % KI,0.04 mol/...     

Bulk and measured temperatures in direct contact membrane distillation

The aim of this work is the development of a transport model for a direct contact membrane distillation process in laminar flow that allows knowing the velocity and temperature profiles within the flow channels as a function of externally measured temperatures just at the entrances and exits of the flow channels in the membrane module. The second aim is to apply this model to a conventional membrane module, and so calculate the difference between the bulk temperatures and the externally measured ones. For the system studied here, moderately important differences between both temperatures have been obtained when working at low flow rates and high temperatures. It can be concluded from the trends observed in this study that an estimation of this temperature difference has to be made before considering the bulk temperature as equal to the externally measured temperature, above all, in those systems where the thermal boundary layers represent an important portion of the flow channels height, and important temperature drops exist through them.     

流动注射光度法直接测定海水中的微量苯胺

基于苯胺与亚硝酸盐的重氮化反应及反应产物与甲萘酚的显色,借助流动分析技术,实现了海水中苯胺含量的分析测定。体系以30.9g/L的NaCl做载液、人工海水配制标准样品,对各个影响因素进行了优化。苯胺浓度在0.01～1.0mg/L范围内与相对峰高呈线性关系,线性方程ΔH(mV)=200.53ρ+1.0728(n=8,ρ为苯胺浓度mg/L),相关系数R2=0.9982。方法的检出限(3σ)为0.005mg/L,相对标准偏差(RSD)为4.8%(n=11)。考察了共存离子、不同盐度样品对分析测定的影响。用于实际海水样品的分析,回收率为95.8%～106.6%。