Simultaneous determination of metal ion concentrations in binary mixtures with a multi-LED photometer

 A compact photometer is based on up to seven different light-emitting diodes whose light is guided into a photometric cell by means of a fibre-optic coupler. The wavelength is selected by switching on the appropriate light source. The application of this multi-wavelength photometer to the determination of binary metal ion samples is demonstrated using model mixtures. Solutions of Fe, Co, Cu, Ni, Cr and Mn were used in combination with several photometric reagents. It was found that the instrument yielded concentration measurements which were usually within a few percent of the correct concentration. These results are comparable to reported data obtained with conventional instruments for similar measurements. The application of the instrument for simultaneous determination in flow-injection analysis employing rapid computer controlled switching of the light-emitting diodes is also demonstrated. A limitation in the use of light-emitting diodes for the simultaneous determination was found to arise from the fact that in some instances non-linear calibration curves are obtained when employing light-emitting diodes as light sources. This occurs when the absorptivity of the measured compound changes over the emission band of the diodes. Multiple regression analysis is then not easily possible. Received: 16 September 1996/Revised: 14 October 1996/Accepted: 16 October 1996     

A multi-wavelength photometer based on light-emitting diodes

The light originating from seven light-emitting diodes of different colours is guided, one at a time, into a measuring cell by means of a fibre optic coupler. Detection is carried out with photodiodes which are connected to a log-ratio amplifier yielding direct absorbance readings. Optical filters are used to narrow the emission band from blue light emitting diodes as these bands are relatively wide compared to those of the emitters of other colours. An inexpensive and compact multi-wavelength photometer covering the visible range is thus obtained, which in many cases can replace a conventional spectrophotometer for absorbance measurements. The performance for a range of commonly used photometric analytical procedures is described and compared to conventional measurements with a spectrophotometer.     

A concept of dual optical detection using three light emitting diodes

In this paper a concept of very simple measurement system dedicated for simultaneous photometric and fluorometric detection is presented. Only three ordinary unmodified light emitting diodes (LEDs) can be applied in this analytical device: one of them is used in the conventional way as a source of nearly monochromatic light inducing fluorescence, whereas two others are applied as photometric and fluorometric detectors of light. In this study quinine is chosen as a model analyte. The reported device enables simultaneous detection of this analyte in the micromolar range of concentration. The practical utility of prototype dual detector for complex sample analysis is illustrated by its application for determination of quinine in tonic water samples.     

Multicomponent analysis with a computerized flow injection system using LED photometric detection

An original computer-controlled solid-state photometer has been developed and its potential for simultaneous multicomponent flow-injection analysis of binary and ternary mixtures is demonstrated. The device is simple in construction. Its principle of operation is based on rapid sequential measurements of the absorbance of the complexes formed by the analytes with chromogenic reagents at the wavelengths corresponding to the emission maxima of three light emitting diodes (563, 580 and 638 nm).     

Simultaneous flow-injection determination of aluminium and zinc using LED photometric detection

A flow photometer with a multi-LED detector was applied to the simultaneous determination of aluminium and zinc with microcomputer control of photometric measurements and data processing. Xylenol Orange is the photometric reagent and the reaction is carried out in acetate buffer. Calibration graphs are linear for both metals in the concentration ranges 0.2–25 μg ml^?1 (Al) and 0.2–30 μg ml^?1 (Zn). Both elements can be determined for Al to Zn ratios varying from 0.01 to 100 with r.s.d. 1.1 and 1.4%, respectively. The method developed was applied to the determination of Al and Zn in alloys.     

Design and performance of a light-emitting diode detector compatible with a commercial capillary electrophoresis instrument

Indirect photometric detection in capillary electrophoresis (CE) has been predominantly performed in the UV region, in part due to a lack of suitable high-intensity and low-noise light sources in the visible spectral region. A new photometric detector based on light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as light sources and compatible with a commercially available CE instrument has been designed and constructed and its performance evaluated. The utility of this detector was successfully demonstrated by the indirect photometric detection of anions using a dye as probe and absorbance measured in the visible region. The detector exhibited very low baseline noise (around 0.03 mAU), stable output, and improved upper limit of detection linearity (502 mAU) compared with previously used LED detectors. The detector was tested for indirect detection of anions separated with an electrolyte containing 4 mM Orange G as the indirect detection probe, 10 mM histidine as an isoelectric buffer, and 0.05% hydroxypropylmethylcellulose to suppress the electroosmotic flow. Extremely low detection limits were obtained ranging from 0.16-0.36 microM (excluding chloride 0.56 microM), with separation efficiencies in the range of 154,000-274,000 theoretical plates.     

一种具有温度校正功能的新型手持式农药残留检测仪

介绍了一种采用基于酶动力学分析法，以发光二级管(LED)作为单色光源，以电池供电的新型手持式有机磷和氨基甲酸酯类农药残留检测仪。仪器以单片机系统为核心，体积小，重量轻；采用多点采样线性回归与光强直读等技术，保证了测量结果的稳定可靠；采用了温度校正技术，简化了分析操作，使得农药残留的现场快速分析成为可能。     

Use of a multichannel photometer (Multiskan MS) for determination of humic materials in soil after their dichromate oxidation

Methodology for the determination of humus and humic materials content in soil after dichromate oxidation using a multichannel automatic photometer (Multiskan MS) has been developed. The study presented here demonstrates the benefits of using this methodology for the rapid, reliable and accurate determination of humus and humic materials content in various soils. The method is characterised by good data repeatability and low labour and reagent inputs. Photometric estimation is assessed in various respects, and determination procedures are presented. We have compared the data obtained by the titrimetric method and the photometric method with the photometer Multiskan MS. The methods are well correlated. The regression equations and determination coefficients relating to the data obtained by different methods have been calculated. The best statistics of a comparison between the titrimetric ( y) and photometric ( x) methods of humus determination were obtained with a series of standards prepared from the soil samples of known humus content: R(2)=0.99; y=1.05 x-0.37; BIAS=0.24% of humus; SED=0.27% of humus.     

Biparametric multicommutated flow analysis system for determination of human serum phosphoesterase activity

A multicommutated flow analysis (MCFA) system constructed of microsolenoid valves and pumps offering simultaneous determination of activity of acid phosphatase (ACP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in human serum samples has been developed. The MCFA system is based on optoelectronic flow-through detector made of two light emitting diodes and operating according to paired emitter detector diode (PEDD) principle. This photometric PEDD device has been dedicated for detection of p-nitrophenol (NP) generated in the course of enzymatic hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl phosphate and optimized for the determination of NP in human serum samples. The developed PEDD-based MCFA system allows independent optimization of conditions for reaction and detection steps of photometric ACP and ALP bioassays. Moreover, it allows elimination of photometric interferences from serum matrix components according to two-points kinetic mode of measurement. The single measurement cycle takes 12 min, consists of four measurements (two for each phosphoesterase) and enables determination of serum ACP and ALP activities at physiological and pathological levels. The real analytical utility of the developed MCFA system has been confirmed by analysis of control sera as well as real human serum samples from healthy persons and oncological patients.     

Determination of acetaldehyde in liquid, solid and semi-solid food after pervaporation-derivatization

 A spectrophotometric method for the determination of acetaldehyde in liquid, semi-solid and solid food samples, employing the coupling of a continuous flow configuration to a pervaporation unit, has been proposed. It is based on the reaction of the analyte with fuchsin in acidic medium and subsequent formation of a coloured product (alkylsulphonic acid chromophore) with sodium sulphite, which was monitored spectrophotometrically. Variable sensitivity was obtained by altering the pervaporation temperature and the thickness of the membrane. The detection limits went down to 4.2 μg/mL and the precision was between 1.2 and 3.6%. Received: 5 August 1996/Revised: 16 October 1996/Accepted: 18 October 1996     

Determination of acetaldehyde in liquid, solid and semi-solid food after pervaporation-derivatization

 A spectrophotometric method for the determination of acetaldehyde in liquid, semi-solid and solid food samples, employing the coupling of a continuous flow configuration to a pervaporation unit, has been proposed. It is based on the reaction of the analyte with fuchsin in acidic medium and subsequent formation of a coloured product (alkylsulphonic acid chromophore) with sodium sulphite, which was monitored spectrophotometrically. Variable sensitivity was obtained by altering the pervaporation temperature and the thickness of the membrane. The detection limits went down to 4.2 μg/mL and the precision was between 1.2 and 3.6%. Received: 5 August 1996/Revised: 16 October 1996/Accepted: 18 October 1996     

Solid-phase spectrophotometric analysis of natural water with the simultaneous sample preparation and dynamic preconcentration of test components on reagent cellulose matrices

A photocolorimeter was developed; this instrument made it possible to perform sample preparation, to preconcentrate test water components on indicator cellulose matrices, and to simultaneously measure their light absorption. A white light-emitting diode and a Digital color sensor S9706 photodiode, which simultaneously detected red (615 nm), green (540 nm), and blue (465 nm) regions of the spectrum, were used in the instrument. The applicability of the photocolorimeter to the determination of 36 components and characteristics of water was demonstrated. The photocolorimeter was proposed for the simultaneous determination of 20 components at a level of their maximum permissible concentrations for fishery water (RSD < 10%) for 10–15 min.     

蓝色有机电致发光材料及器件的研究进展

有机电致发光器件因在全彩平板显示和固态照明领域中具有广阔的应用前景, 而受到人们的广泛关注。 时至今日, 与现有的红色和绿色有机电致发光材料和器件相比, 具有优越综合性能的蓝色有机电致发光材料和器件却始终匮乏。 相对而言, 蓝光材料具有较宽的能隙, 因而很难获得低电压、高效率和良好稳定性的深蓝光器件。 通常, 白色有机电致发光器件可以通过混合三基色或者两种颜色的方法获得。 但是无论哪种方法, 蓝光材料均是必不可少的。 另外, 还可以通过能量传递将蓝光转化为红光和绿光。 因此, 研发出具有优越综合性能的蓝光材料对有机电致发光器件的推广及应用十分关键。 本文综述了近年来蓝色荧光材料、蓝色磷光材料的研究进展以及蓝光材料在蓝色和白色有机电致发光器件中的应用, 并结合现有工作, 对蓝色有机电致发光材料的研究和应用前景进行展望。     

LED–LED portable oxygen gas sensor

A portable instrument for oxygen determination, based on the quenching of phosphorescent octaethylporphyrin by gaseous O₂, has been developed using the fluorimetric paired emitter–detector diode technique (FPEDD). The instrument configuration consists of two light-emitting diodes (LEDs) facing each other, with an interchangeable support containing a phosphorescent membrane in between, in which one of the LEDs is used as the light source (emitter LED) and the other, working in reverse bias mode, as the light detector. The feasibility of using a LED as a luminescence detector is studied. Its small size enables integration of the instrument into a portable measurement system. A systematic study of the system capabilities as a portable instrument was performed to optimize range, sensitivity, short term and long term stability, dynamic behaviour, effect of temperature and humidity, and temporal drift.     

Improved screening analysis of organic pollutants in river water samples by gas chromatography with atomic emission detection (GC-MIP-AED)

 The potential of gas chromatography with a microwave-induced plasma atomic emission detector (GC-MIP-AED) for the screening analysis of trace organic components in river water samples is presented. The application of a commercially available GC-MIP-AED system to the screening of organic trace compounds has been greatly enhanced by the optimisation of the operating parameters to achieve the highest sensitivity for the simultaneous determination of C, H, Cl, Br, S and N. An improved evaluation of the chromatographic data has been carried out using several new self-developed macros, which allow the calculation of elemental response ratio factors (RRFs) and empirical formulas for the analysed compounds at different concentration levels. A significant dependence of the RRFs on the concentration level was found for hydrogen and sulphur, whereas the dependence of the RRFs on the type of compound is not significant, considering the analytical objective. Limits of detection in the pg-range can be obtained for the elements investigated. The calculation of empirical formulas and its precision is shown for several analytes over a wide range of concentration. At a concentration level close to the limit of detection the error of the formula calculation increases significantly. The performance characteristics of the GC-MIP-AED system in the presence of matrix interferences are assessed by measuring spiked river water samples. Received: 29 July 1996 / Revised: 12 October 1996 / Accepted: 24 October 1996     

Analytical devices based on light-emitting diodes – a review of the state-of-the-art

A general overview of the development of the uses of light-emitting diodes in analytical instrumentation is given. Fundamental aspects of light-emitting diodes, as far as relevant for this usage, are covered in the first part. The measurement of light intensity is also discussed, as this is an essential part of any device based on light-emitting diodes as well. In the second part, applications are discussed, which cover liquid and gas-phase absorbance measurements, flow-through detectors for chromatography and capillary electrophoresis, sensors, as well as some less often reported methods such as photoacoustic spectroscopy.     

A downsized flow set up based on multicommutation for the sequential photometric determination of iron(II)/iron(III) and nitrite/nitrate in surface water

In this work, a downsized flow set up designed based on multicommutation concept for photometric determination of iron(II)/iron(III) and nitrite/nitrate is surface water is described. The flow system network comprised a set of three-way solenoid valves, reaction coil and a double-channel flow cell, which were nested in order to obtain a compact and small-size instrument. To accomplish the downsizing requirement light source (LED) and radiation detection (phototransistor) were coupled to the flow cell. In order to demonstrated the effectiveness of the system, the photometer methods based on Griess reaction and 1-10-phenantroline for nitrite and iron(II) determination, respectively, were selected. Under computer control the set up provided facilities to handle four reagent solutions employing a single pumping channel, thus permitting also the determination of nitrate and iron(III) after its reduction to nitrite and to iron(II), respectively. The overall system performance was demonstrated working several days running standard solution, no significant variation of base line, linear response range and slop (less than 1%) were observed. The usefulness of the downsized system was ascertained by analyzing a set of surface water. Aiming to access the accuracy sample were also analyzed employing reference procedures and no significant difference at 95% confidence level were observed for the four analytes. Other profitable features such as analytical throughput of 40 determination per hour; relative standard deviation of 1%; linear response range between 50 and 300 μg l⁻¹ for nitrite and nitrate, 0.5-6.0 mg l⁻¹ iron(II) and iron(III); low reagent consumption 75 μg for nitrate/nitrite and 0.6 mg for iron(II)/iron(III) per determination; and 2.4 ml waste generation per determination were also achieved.     

Hemoglobin determination with paired emitter detector diode

Two ordinary green light-emitting diodes used as light emitter and detector coupled with simple voltmeter form a complete, cost-effective prototype of a photometric hemoglobinometer. The device has been optimized for cuvette assays of total hemoglobin (Hb) in diluted blood using three different chemical methods recommended for the needs of clinical analysis (namely Drabkin, lauryl sulfate, and dithionite methods). The utility of developed device for real analytics has been validated by the assays of total Hb content in human blood. The results of analysis are fully compatible with those obtained using clinically recommended method and clinical analyzer.     

Near infrared emission photometer for measuring the oxidative stability of edible oils

Near infrared emission spectroscopy (NIRES) allows the determination of the induction time (IT) of edible oils in accelerated oxidation experiments by monitoring the emissivity of a band at 2900 nm, which corresponds to the formation of hydroperoxides. In this work, a new near infrared emission photometer dedicated to the determination of oxidative stability is described. The photometer presents several advantages compared to the previously reported NIRES instrument, such as lower cost and extreme simplicity of design and maintenance. The results obtained in the evaluation of the proposed instrument were compared with the official Rancimat method and instrument. The significant advantages include: faster analysis, lower sample consumption and operational simplicity. It is demonstrated that the procedure for determination of oxidative stability of oils can be significantly simplified and performed by measuring the sample emission at only one spectral region centered at 2900 nm. Also, the proposed instrument and method present precision equivalent to the Rancimat method (coefficient of variation = 5.0%). A significant correlation between the methods has been found (R² = 0.81).     

Ultramicro photometric titrations using a long-path photometer

The long-path photometer previously described was adapted for photometric microtitrations. The instrument was tested employing several types of titrations. Turbidimetric titrations of silver with chloride and of barium with sulfate did not yield good results. However, the following titrations gave excellent results down to the levels indicated in parentheses: iron(II) with permanganate (0.4 ppm), zinc with EDTA in the presence of excess Zincon (6 ppm), copper with EDTA in the presence of excess SNAZOXS (9 ppb !), and calcium with EDTA in the presence of excess arsenazo III (100 ppb). The last of these titrations gave good results although a blank of about 25% of the actual volume of titrant required was encountered.