Determination of iodide and bromide by flow methods with amperometric detection

Determination of bromide and iodide in real samples (water, pharmaceutical preparations, and biological material) was performed using modified flow injection analyses (FIA) with amperometric detection on platinum electrode. As an additional confirmation of FIA experiments, cyclic voltammetry was employed. Iodide was determined by the kinetic method, its limit of detection was 1.0 nM, and the linearity was 0.1–100 μM. The limit of detection for bromide determination was 50.0 nM and the calibration was linear for 2.5–100 μM and 0.1–10 mM. The relative standard deviation for 1 μM of iodide was 3.03% and, for 5 μM of bromide, it was 1.23% (n = 6). Both methods enable 60 analyses per hour to be performed. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Preparation and characterization of a polyclonal antibody from rabbit for detection of trinitrotoluene by a surface plasmon resonance biosensor

A polyclonal antibody against trinitrophenyl (TNP) derivatives was raised in rabbit, and the antibody was applied to detection of trinitrotoluene (TNT) using a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor. TNP-keyhole limpet hemocyanine (TNP-KLH) conjugate was injected into a rabbit, and a polyclonal anti-TNP antibody was realized after purification of the sera using protein G. Aspects of the anti-TNP antibody against various nitroaromatic compounds, such as cross-reactivities and affinities, were characterized. The temperature dependence of the affinity between the anti-TNP antibody and TNT was also evaluated. The quantification of TNT was based on the principle of indirect competitive immunoassay, in which the immunoreaction between the TNP-β-alanine-ovalbumin (TNP-β-ala-OVA) and anti-TNP antibody was inhibited in the presence of free TNT in solution. TNP-β-ala-OVA was immobilized to the dextran matrix on the Au surface by amine coupling. The addition of a mixture of free TNT to the anti-TNP antibody was found to decrease the incidence angle shift due to the inhibitory effect of TNT. The immunoassay exhibited excellent sensitivity for the detection of TNT in the concentration range of 3 × 10⁻¹¹ to 3 × 10⁻⁷ g/ml. To increase the sensitivity of the sensor, anti-rabbit IgG antibody was used. After flowing the mixture of free TNT and anti-TNP antibody, anti-rabbit IgG antibody was injected, and the incidence angle shift was measured. Amplification of the signal was observed and the detection limit was improved to 1 × 10⁻¹¹ g/ml.     

Capillary zone electrophoretic determination of tosufloxacin and trovafloxacin in urine

Summary A simple and rapid capillary zone electrophoretic method with UV detection has been developed for determination of tosufloxacin and trovafloxacin. The separation was performed in fused-silica capillaries (57 cm length × 75μm i.d.); the running buffer was 35mm borate + 35mm phosphate buffer solution, pH 8.6, containing 6% (v/v) acetonitrile. The applied potential was 15 kV, the temperature 30°C, and detection was at 262 nm. Piromidic acid was used as the internal standard. Response was linearly dependent on concentration in the range 1.0–120.0 μg mL⁻¹ and the detection limit was 0.2 μg mL⁻¹ for both compounds. The analysis was highly reproducible (RSD between 3.41 and 1.25%). The method was applied to the determination of tosufloxacin and trovafloxacin in human and rat urine. The method was validated by using HPLC as a reference method. Recovery was between 96.8 and 102%.     

Study of degradation kinetics of sunflower oil on H-Beta zeolite

In this study, were studied the degradation of pure sunflower oil and mixed with H-Beta zeolite. This zeolite was synthesized by the hydrothermal method, followed by calcination and ion exchanged. The characterization of the zeolite was performed by X-ray diffraction and nitrogen adsorption/desorption by the method of BET. The analysis showed that H-Beta zeolite presented a good crystallinity and the template was completely removed from the catalyst. The thermal and catalytic degradation study was carried out using the TG/DTG method in multiple heating rates of 5, 10, and 20 °C min⁻¹. The isoconversion method proposed by Vyazovkin was applied to determine the kinetic parameters for degradation of the sunflower oil. The activation energy for the degradation process of pure sunflower oil was 193 kJ mol⁻¹, while for sunflower oil mixed with 20% of H-Beta zeolite was equivalent to 88 kJ mol⁻¹. It was verified that for the degradation of 90% of the sunflower oil mixed with H-Beta, for a period of 1 h, a temperature of 356 °C was required, whereas for the pure vegetable oil, this value was of 387 °C, at the same time period, showing that the catalyst was effective for the degradation process of sunflower oil.     

On-line liquid-liquid extraction system using a new phase separator for flame atomic absorption spectrometric determination of ultra-trace cadmium in natural waters

A robust flow injection (FI) on-line liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) preconcentration/separation system associated with a newly designed gravitational phase separator, coupled to flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) was developed. The performance of the system was illustrated for cadmium determination at the μg l⁻¹ level. The non-charged cadmium complex with ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (APDC) was extracted on-line into isobutyl methyl ketone (IBMK). The organic phase was effectively separated from a large volume of aqueous phase and is led into a 100 μl loop of an injection valve before its introduction into the nebulizer. The system was optimized and offered good performance characteristics with unlimited life time of phase separator, greater flow rate ratios and improved flexibility, as compared with other solvent extraction preconcentration systems. With a sampling frequency of 33 h⁻¹, the enhancement factor was 155, the detection limit was 0.02 μg l⁻¹, the relative standard deviation was 3.2% at 2.0 μg l⁻¹ Cd concentration level and the calibration curve was linear over the concentration range 0.06-6.0 μg l⁻¹. The accuracy of the proposed method was evaluated by analyzing a certified reference material of water and by recovery measurements on spiked samples. Finally, it was successfully applied to the analysis of tapwater, river and seawater samples.     

Adsorption-spectroscopic method for multielement analysis: Determination of Cr(VI), V(V), Ni(II), and Cu(II) from one sample using a two-layer adsorbent

The possibility of preconcentrating vanadium, chromium, copper, and nickel by the simultaneous adsorption in a flow-through mode on a two-layer adsorbent and the determination of metal ions by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy was studied. The adsorbent was made of a polyacrylonitrile fiber, one layer of which was filled with an AV-17 anion exchanger (PANV-AV-17), while another layer, with a KU-2 cation exchanger (PANV-KU-2). The procedure was based on the simultaneous preconcentration of vanadium and chromium on the first disk and nickel and copper on the second disk, by pumping the analyzed solution through both disks in a flow-through cell. Then, vanadium was determined on the disk of PANV-AV-17 with 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid in 0.1 M HCl; next, chromium was determined with 1,5-diphenylcarbazide; the complex of vanadium was decomposed by 0.5 M H₂SO₄ and ascorbic acid. In the PANV-KU-2 disk, nickel was determined with dimethylglyoxime and then copper was analyzed with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate; the complex of nickel was decomposed with 1 M HCl. The selectivity factors were determined. A procedure was developed for the dynamic adsorption-spectroscopic determination of the following elements present simultaneously (μg/mL): V, 0.01–0.05; Cr, 0.002–0.015; Ni, 0.02–0.10; and Cu, 0.02–0.15. The results of analysis of model solutions are presented for different component ratios, RSD < 20%.     

Kinetic study of low density polyethylene degradation on the silicoaluminophospate SAPO-11

Degradation of low density polyethylene (LDPE) was studied for the pure polymer and mixed with silicoaluminophosphate SAPO-11 catalyst. SAPO-11 was synthesized by hydrothermal method using di-isoprolpylamine as structure template, and characterized by XRD and SEM. From X-ray diffraction, it was observed that SAPO-11 was obtained with high crystallinity. Using the model-free kinetics, proposed by Vyazovkin, the activation energies were determined for the process of polymer degradation. It was found that the degradation process of 90% of LDPE mixed with SAPO-11 over a period of 1 h, occurred at a temperature of 378 °C, while for the pure LDPE, the temperature was increased to 434 °C in the same period of time and conversion, indicating that SAPO-11 was an effective catalyst for the degradation of LDPE. The activation energy for the degradation of pure LDPE was equivalent to 251 kJ mol⁻¹. Also, when the SAPO-11 was mixed with the polymer, this value was decreased to 243 kJ mol⁻¹.     

Development of an efficient method for the preparative isolation and purification of chlorophyll a from a marine dinoflagellate Amphidinium carterae by high-speed counter-current chromatography coupled with reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

In our research into chlorophylls of marine dinoflagellates, chlorophyll a was separated rapidly from the hexane extract of Amphidinium carterae in three steps. The first step was silica gel column chromatography, where elution was performed with 0–50% ethyl acetate in n-hexane. The second was high-speed counter-current chromatography using a two-phase solvent system consisting of n-hexane–ethyl acetate–methanol–water (5:5:5:1, v/v), and the third step was preparative reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography using a solvent system of acetone–water (89:11, v/v). HPLC analysis showed that the purity of chlorophyll a from the second step was over 83%, and after the third it was over 99%. Thirty milligrams of chlorophyll a was isolated from a crude sample of 250 mg of chlorophylls, and its structure was identified by analyzing its MS, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectra.     

Dispersive solid–liquid phase microextraction based on nanomagnetic Preyssler heteropolyacid: A novel method for the preconcentration of nortriptyline

In this study, a new, simple, rapid, and efficient method combined with ultraviolet visible spectrophotometry and high‐performance liquid chromatography analysis was developed for the extraction and determination of nortriptyline. The tendency of the Preyssler tungsten heteropolyacid, H₁₄[NaP₅W₃₀O₁₁₀], immobilized on the surface of mesoporous nanomagnetite to adsorb the drug from the solution has been investigated. This method involves the use of an appropriate mixture of nanosorbent that was homogenized in disperser solvent (1.0 mL, ethanol). At first, the mixture containing the nanomagnetic sorbent and disperser solvent was injected into the aqueous sample, and a cloudy solution was formed. Subsequently, separation of the two phases was carried out using a magnet. In the second stage, analyte was desorbed from the sorbent by methanol as the optimal desorption solvent using sonication method. The elution solvent containing enriched analyte was introduced to the instruments for further analysis. Optimization of experimental conditions with respect to the extraction efficiency was investigated. The method was linear in the range of 25–5000, while the detection limit (LOD = 3S_B/m) was 7.9 ng/mL and the limit of quantification (LOQ = 10S_B/m) was 26.4 ng/mL. The relative standard deviation was 4.66%. The method was successfully applied to human hair samples.     

多级质谱法测定Axinastatin 1环肽序列及其断裂机理研究

对具有抗癌活性的海洋环肽Axinastatin 1进行化学合成. 采用多级质谱法对合成环肽进行序列测定. 线性前体测序依据b_x－y_z断裂路径, 在同一张MS²谱中利用b和y离子所提供序列信息的互补来实现. 环肽测序依据b_x→b_x－1断裂路径, 每一级MS由b离子的C端碰撞掉一个氨基酸残基直到MS⁶, 得到2套b离子, 根据它们所提供序列信息的互补可准确测定环肽序列并推断其环结构, 同时观察到b离子重排现象. 讨论了上述断裂与重排的路径和机理, 并利用半经验量子化学PM3和AM1两种算法计算了碎片的生成焓, 验证了路径的合理性. 由离子b_5PN的生成焓偏高和其重排间的联系尝试提出过渡结构假设.     

The direct resist-free deposition of a lithographic mask from vapor initiated by an electron beam

A dry resist-free process of electron-beam vapor deposition of an undecane precursor (C₁₁H₂₄) mask on SiO₂-on-silicon and copper-on-silicon substrates was studied. The band section was trapezoidal, and the band width at the base was much larger than the diameter of the electron beam and depended on the substrate (it was three or four times larger on copper than on SiO₂). In mask deposition on copper, the mask thickening rate v was found to depend strongly on the scan time τ_sc when scanning was performed along the band. When τ_sc changed from 20 ms to 13 s, v decreased by a factor of 7.4 (beam current 1.0 nA). This was probably caused by significant diffusion delay of precursor transport to the reaction zone during pixel time when τ_sc was 13 s. The ion-beam etching of the substrates through the deposited masks was performed (the SiO₂ substrate was etched with SF₆ ions, and the copper substrate, with Ar ions).     

Decolorization of Remazol Brilliant Blue R by a Purified Laccase of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Polyporus brumalis</Emphasis>

A white rot basidiomycete Polyporus brumalis has been reported to induce two laccase genes under degradation conditions of dibutylphthalate. When this fungus was grown in a minimal medium, one laccase enzyme was detected by the native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. A laccase was purified through ammonium sulfate precipitation and ion exchange chromatography, and the estimated molecular weight was 70 kDa. The optimum pH and temperature of the purified laccase was pH 4.0 and 20 °C, respectively. The K _m value of the enzyme was 685.0 μM, and the V _max was 0.147 ODmin⁻¹ unit⁻¹ for o-tolidine. Purified laccase showed effective decolorization of a dye, Remazol Brilliant Blue R (RBBR), without any laccase mediator. However, this effect was reduced by a laccase inhibitor, kojic acid, which confirmed that the laccase was directly involved in the decolorization of RBBR.     

Determination of corypalmine in mouse blood by UPLC–MS/MS and its application to a pharmacokinetic study

In this work, a selective and sensitive ultra‐performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method was established and validated for determination of corypalmine in mouse blood after oral or intravenous administration. A UPLC BEH C₁₈ column was used to separate corypalmine and berberrubine (internal standard) at 40°C. The mobile phase was composed of acetonitrile and 10 mmol/L ammonium acetate (containing 0.1% formic acid) at a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min, and the total run time was 4.0 min. Electrospray ionization in positive ion mode was applied; target fragment ions m/z 342.2 → 178.0 for corypalmine and m/z 322.1 → 307.0 for berberrubine were identified with multiple reaction monitoring mode. The linear range was 1–1000 ng/mL (r > 0.995) and the lower limit of quantification for corypalmine in plasma was 1.0 ng/mL. The intra‐ and inter‐day precisions were both <14%. The range of accuracy in this method was 97.5–109.0%. Mean recovery was >69.6%, and the matrix effect was 96.8–107.6%. Based on its high sensitivity, specificity and reliability, this method was successfully applied to study the pharmacokinetic parameters of corypalmine in mouse by oral and intravenous administration, and finally, the bioavailability of corypalmine was identified at 4.6%.     

Sensitive determination of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) in human plasma by HPLC with electrochemical detection

Summary This study deals with the development of a new HPLC method for the determination of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), the main noradrenaline metabolite in human plasma. A Varian reversed-phase column (C₈; 250 mm×4.6 mm i.d.; 5 μm particles) was used as the stationary phase and an aqueous solution of citric acid, 1-octanesulfonic acid, EDTA, and methanol was used as the mobile phase. Coulometric electrochemical detection (ED) was used to obtain the highest sensitivity. Isolation of MHPG from plasma was accomplished by means of a new solid-phase extraction procedure after a protein precipitation step. The extraction yield of MHPG from plasma was very high (>97%). Linearity was observed in the 0.5–25 ng mL⁻¹ concentration range; the limit of detection was 0.2 ng mL⁻¹ and the limit of quantitation was 0.5 ng mL⁻¹. Repeatability (RSD,%) for plasma samples was found to be <3.2% and intermediate precision was <4.3%. The method was applied to the determination of MHPG in the plasma of healthy subjects under experimentally-induced psychological stress.     

Extraction of surfactin from fermentation broth with n-hexane in microporous PVDF hollow fibers: Significance of membrane adsorption

In order to avoid foaming behavior and the formation of stable emulsions in traditional extraction, non-dispersive extraction of surfactin from the fermentation broth of Bacillus subtilis ATCC 21332 culture with n-hexane was studied in microporous polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF, pore size 0.2 μm) hollow fiber module. In this work, the broth was pretreated by acid precipitation and the precipitate was then dissolved in NaOH solution, and the treated broth was passed through the lumen side of the module and n-hexane was flowed across the shell side. Experiments were performed at a fixed pH of 8.0 and a flow rate of both phases of 2.5 mL min⁻¹ but at different surfactin concentrations (300–3000 mg L⁻¹). Under the conditions studied, it was shown that surfactin was adsorbed onto the surface of the fibers, instead of being extracted by n-hexane and transported through the pores of the fibers into bulk n-hexane phase. The adsorption capacity was determined and the adsorption dynamics was analyzed. The purity of surfactin desorbed from the fibers with ethanol was found to be higher than that obtained after solvent extraction with n-hexane.     

Development and Validation of a Stability-Indicating LC Method for Curcumin

A simple, isocratic, stability-indicating liquid chromatographic method for quantitative determination of curcumin was successfully developed. The chromatographic separations were achieved using a Hi-Q-Sil C18; 4.6 mm × 250 mm and 10 μm particle size column employing acetonitrile and acetate buffer (pH 3.0; 60: 40, v/v) as the mobile phase. The analyte was subjected to acidic, basic, oxidative, thermal and photo degradation. The method was validated with respect to linearity, precision, accuracy, limit of detection and limit of quantification. Curcumin was detected by UV-Vis detector at 425 nm whereas the degradation products were detected at 280 nm. The method was linear over the concentration range of 1–10 μg mL^?1. The limit of detection was found to be 0.06 μg mL^?1 and the quantification limit was 0.21 μg mL^?1. Considerable degradation of the analyte was observed when it was subjected to alkaline conditions. Accuracy, evaluated as recovery, was in the range of 97–103%. Intra-day precision and intermediate precision showed relative standard deviations <1% and <2% respectively.     

Chemiluminescence behavior based on oxidation reaction of rhodamine B with cerium(IV) in sulfuric acid medium

The chemiluminescence (CL) of the rhodamine B (RhB)-cerium(IV) system was investigated by flow-injection. Rhodamine B was suggested to be a suitable chemiluminescent reagent in acidic conditions. When the concentration of rhodamine B was 100 mg l⁻¹ and cerium sulfate was 1.6 mmol l⁻¹ in sulfuric acid, the chemiluminescent intensity was found to be highest by using 0.3 mol l⁻¹ sulfuric acid as a carrier solution. The particular chemiluminescent system could tolerate such distinct acidic environments that it was utilized for detecting many compounds that are stable in acidic solutions. Furthermore, by virtue of IR, UV-Vis and luminescence spectroscopic measurements, the chemiluminescent behavior of rhodamine B was studied and a possible mechanism for this chemiluminescent reaction was proposed. The emitter was affirmed to be a radical species due to one of the oxidation products of RhB; the chemiluminescent emissive wavelength was about 425 nm.     

Characterization of sepia ink in ancient graphic documents by capillary electrophoresis

A simple and rapid capillary electrophoresis with diode array detection method was developed for sepia ink identification in ancient graphic documents.Separation was performed in a fused-silica capillary (64.5 cm length, 50 μm i.d.). The running buffer was 20 mM sodium tetraborate solution, pH 9.2. The applied potential was 25 kV, temperature 25 °C and detection was at 220 nm. An appropriate extraction procedure was applied for the take and treatment of sample from the reference substances and ancient graphic documents. This method was successfully applied to the collection of drawings and maps from the Royal Chancellery Archives of Granada (Spain).     

A validated UPLC–MS/MS method for quantitative determination of a potent neuroprotective agent Sarsasapogenin-AA13 in rat plasma: Application to pharmacokinetic studies

Sarsasapogenin-AA13(AA13), a sarsasapogenin derivative, exhibited good neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory activities in vitro and therapeutic effects on learning and memory dysfunction in amyloid-β-injected mice. A sensitive UPLC–MS/MS method was developed and validated to quantitatively determine AA13 in rat plasma and was further applied to evaluate the pharmacokinetic behaviour of AA13 in rats that were administered AA13 intravenously and orally. This method was validated to exhibit excellent linearity in the concentration range of 1–1000 ng/mL. The lower limit of quantification was 1 ng/mL for AA13 in rat plasma. Intra-day accuracy for AA13 was in the range of 90–114%, and inter-day accuracy was in the range of 97–103 %. The relative standard deviation of intra-day and inter-day assay was less than 15%. After a single oral administration of AA13 at the dose of 25 mg/kg, C_max of AA13 was 1266.4 ± 316.1 ng/mL. AUC_{0–48 h} was 6928.5 ± 1990.1 h·ng/mL, and t_1/2 was 10.2 ± 0.8 h. Under intravenous administration of AA13 at a dosage of 250 μg/kg, AUC_{0–48 h} was 785.7 ± 103.3 h⋅ng/mL, and t_1/2 was 20.8 ± 7.2 h. Based on the results, oral bioavailability (F %) of AA13 in rats at 25 mg/kg was 8.82 %.     

Interference of nitrite and nitrogen dioxide on mercury and selenium determination by chemical vapor generation atomic absorption spectrometry

In this study, a systematic investigation was performed concerning the interference of nitrogen oxides on the determination of selenium and mercury by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HG AAS) and cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CV AAS). The effect of nitrate, nitrite and NO₂ dissolved in the condensed phase was evaluated. No effect of NO₃⁻ on Se and Hg determination was observed up to 100 mg of sodium nitrate added to the reaction vessel. The Se signal was reduced by about 80% upon the addition of 6.8 mg NO₂⁻. For Hg, no interference of nitrite was observed up to 20 mg of NO₂⁻. A complete suppression of the Se signal was observed when gaseous NO₂ was introduced into analytical solutions. For Hg, a signal decrease between 8 and 13% occurred. For Se, bubbling argon or heating the solution was not able to recover the original absorbance values, whereas Hg signals were recovered with these procedures. When gaseous NO₂ was passed directly into the atomizer, Se signals decreased similarly to when NO₂ was bubbled in analytical solutions. The addition of urea, hydroxylamine hydrochloride and sulfamic acid (SA) was investigated to reduce the NO₂ effect in sample digests containing residual NO₂, but only SA was effective in reducing the interference. Based on the results, it is possible to propose the use of SA to prevent interferences in Se and Hg determinations by HG AAS and CV AAS, respectively.