Direct determination of lead in biological samples by electrothermal vaporization inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ETV-ICP-MS) after furnace-fusion in the sample cuvette-tungsten boat furnace

The newly conceived electrothermal vaporization (ETV) system using a tungsten boat furnace (TBF) sample cuvette was designed for the direct analysis of solid samples with detection by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Into this small sample cuvette, a solid mixture of the biological samples and diammonium hydrogenphosphate powder as a fusion flux was placed and situated on a TBF. Tetramethylammonium hydroxide solution was added to the mixture. After the on-furnace digestion had been completed, the analyte in the cuvette was vaporized and introduced into the ICP mass spectrometer. The solid samples were analyzed by using a calibration curve prepared from the aqueous standard solutions. The detection limit was estimated to be 5.1 pg of lead, which corresponds to 10.2 ng g^–1 of lead in solid samples when a prepared sample amount of 1.0 mg was applied. The relative standard deviation for 8 replicate measurements obtained with 100 pg of lead was calculated to be 6.5%. The analytical results for various biological samples are described.     

Electrothermal vaporization system using furnace-fusion technique for the determination of lead in botanical samples by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry

A new approach to sample digestion, subsequent vaporization and introduction into an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer was developed for the direct determination of lead. To each small sample cuvette made of tungsten, a mixture of a ground solid sample and powdered diammonium hydrogenphosphate was precisely weighed. The cuvette was positioned onto the tungsten boat furnace (TBF) incorporating a vaporizer. Tetramethylammonium hydroxide solution was added. Then the cuvette was heated and maintained at a wet-digestion temperature to decompose the solid sample. After digestion, the temperature was elevated to generate the analyte vapor for introduction into a plasma. Since the solid samples were wet-digested in the sample cuvettes before vaporization, they could be analyzed by using a calibration curve prepared from aqueous standard solutions. This method was applied to the determination of lead in several biological materials with satisfactory results.     

Electrothermal vaporization system using furnace-fusion technique for the determination of lead in botanical samples by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry

A new approach to sample digestion, subsequent vaporization and introduction into an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer was developed for the direct determination of lead. To each small sample cuvette made of tungsten, a mixture of a ground solid sample and powdered diammonium hydrogenphosphate was precisely weighed. The cuvette was positioned onto the tungsten boat furnace (TBF) incorporating a vaporizer. Tetramethylammonium hydroxide solution was added. Then the cuvette was heated and maintained at a wet-digestion temperature to decompose the solid sample. After digestion, the temperature was elevated to generate the analyte vapor for introduction into a plasma. Since the solid samples were wet-digested in the sample cuvettes before vaporization, they could be analyzed by using a calibration curve prepared from aqueous standard solutions. This method was applied to the determination of lead in several biological materials with satisfactory results.     

Direct determination of bromine in plastics by electrothermal vaporization/inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry using a tungsten boat furnace vaporizer and an exchangeable sample cuvette system

A tungsten boat furnace vaporization inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (TBF/ICP‐MS) method has been applied to the direct determination of bromine in plastic samples. In the pretreatment, the plastic sample is spread over a small sample cuvette made of tungsten by treating it with a strongly basic organic solution, e.g., octanol or diisobutyl ketone in the presence of potassium hydroxide. The cuvette is placed on a tungsten boat furnace, with which the electrothermal vaporizer is equipped. At the vaporization step, a widely spread thin layer of the sample facilitates its efficient evaporation and introduction into an ICP mass spectrometer. The most remarkable feature is that all the bromine species in plastic samples are decomposed to form a thermally stable inorganic salt during the pretreatment procedure. Therefore, the bromine content in plastic samples can be measured by a calibration curve method constructed with an aqueous standard solution of potassium bromate(V). The detection limit (3σ) was estimated to be 0.77 pg of bromine, which corresponds to a concentration of 0.31 ng g^?1 of bromine in plastic samples when a sample amount taken of 2.5 mg is studied. The relative standard deviation was calculated to be 2.2%. Analytical results of some plastic samples, which contained both inorganic bromide salts and also organic bromine species, are given. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Determination of Trace Chlorine in Fine Ceramics by ICP-AES Using Tungsten Boat Furnace Vaporizer and Exchangeable Sample Cuvette System as a Direct Solid Sampler

A new approach to simple solid sample digestion, subsequent vaporization, and introduction into an inductively coupled plasma was developed for the direct determination of chlorine in fine ceramic materials by atomic emission spectrometry. To each small sample cuvette made of tungsten, a powder sample was placed and weighed accurately. Following an addition of modifier solution, the cuvette was positioned on the tungsten boat furnace incorporated an electrothermal vaporizer. Then, the analyte in the sample cuvette was vaporized and introduced into the plasma; the major components of ceramic being retained. The solid ceramic samples were analyzed by using an external calibration curve prepared with the aqueous standard solutions. The detection limit of chlorine was estimated to be 0.71 ng, which corresponds to 59 ng g^?1 of the chlorine concentration in solid ceramic materials. The relative standard deviation was calculated to be 3.2%. The analytical results in various ceramic materials are described.     

Determination of cadmium, chromium, copper and lead in sediments and soil samples by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry using zirconium containing chemical modifiers.

A method for direct determination of cadmium, chromium, copper and lead in sediments and soil samples by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry using Zr, Ir, etylenediamine acetic acid (EDTA), Zr + EDTA, Ir + EDTA, Zr + Ir and Zr + Ir + EDTA as chemical modifiers in 0.5% (v/v) Triton X-100 plus 0.2% (v/v) nitric acid mixture used as diluent was developed. The effects of mass and mass ratio of modifiers on analytes in sample solutions were studied. The optimum masses and mass ratios of modifiers: 20 microg of Zr, 4 microg of Ir, 100 microg of EDTA and 20 microg of Zr + 4 microg of Ir + 100 microg of EDTA, were used to enhance the analyte signals. Pyrolysis and atomization temperatures, atomization and background absorption profiles, characteristic masses, and detection limits of analytes in samples were compared in the presence or absence of a modifier. The detection limits and characteristic masses of analytes in a 0.5% (m/v) dissolved sample (dilution factor of 200 ml g(-1)) obtained with Zr + Ir + EDTA are 8.0 ng g(-1) and 1.2 pg for Cd, 61 ng g(-1) and 4.3 pg for Cr, 32 ng g(-1) and 23 pg for Cu, and 3.4 ng g(-1) and 19 pg for Pb, respectively. The Zr + Ir + EDTA modifier mixture was found to be preferable for the determination of analytes in sediment and soil-certified and standard reference materials. Depending on the sample type, the percent recoveries of analytes were increased from 81 to 103% by using the proposed modifier mixture; the results obtained are in good agreement with the certified values.     

Simple and convenient analytical method for the direct determination of chlorine species by ETV-ICP-AES using tungsten boat furnace vaporiser and exchangeable small sample cuvettes

A tungsten boat furnace vaporiser and an exchangeable sample cuvette system were applied for the direct determination of chlorine in plastic samples by electrothermal vaporisation inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. Each piece of plastic samples was moulded into a thin film, and weighed into small sample cuvettes. An ethanolic solution of the modifier potassium hydroxide and an organic solvent were added to each sample cuvette. The contents including the plastic piece were spread over the bottom of each sample cuvette by warming on a hotplate. After the preparation, one of the cuvettes was placed in the tungsten boat furnace equipped with the electrothermal vaporiser. The temperature was gradually elevated. At the flash vaporisation step of 1800 °C, the analyte was vaporised and introduced into the ICP to measure an atomic emission assignable to Cl I 134.724 nm. A widely spread thin layer of the plastic facilitated its rapid evaporation and introduction into an ICP atomic emission spectrometer. Since all the chlorine species were on-furnace decomposed to form potassium chloride during the pretreatment, the solid samples were analysed using a calibration curve prepared from the aqueous standard solutions. By using this system, a detection limit of 1.5 μg g⁻¹ of chlorine in solid plastic samples was established when a sample amount taken of 2 mg was studied. The exchangeable sample cuvette technique makes it possible to measure a number of sample sequentially by preparing a lot of sample cuvettes prior to analysis. Approximately 20 batches could be vaporised per hour. Analytical results of some plastic samples that were analysed by this technique are given in this report.     

Determination of traces of lead and cadmium in high-purity tin by polarized zeeman atomic-absorption spectrometry with direct atomization of solid sample in a graphite-cup cuvette

Lead at the mug g level and cadmium at ng g -mug g levels in high-purity tin have been determined by polarized Zeeman atomic-absorption spectrometry with direct atomization of the solid sample. Pieces of high-purity tin weighing up to 5 mg for lead and 20 mg for cadmium were analysed. Calibration graphs were constructed by use of standard solutions of lead and cadmium in the presence of pure tin having lead and cadmium contents below the detection limit. The tin matrix remained in the graphite-cup cuvette after atomization and did not adhere to the wall of the cuvette, so it could be easily removed and the same cuvette repeatedly used.     

A new approach of direct sample-digestion before vaporization for determination of a metal in rocks by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry.

A new approach to sample digestion, subsequent vaporization and introduction to an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) atomic emission spectrometer was developed for the direct determination of magnesium. To each small sample cuvette made of tungsten, a ground rock sample was precisely weighed. The cuvette was situated on a tungsten boat furnace. Ammonium fluoride solution was added to the cuvette as a chemical modifier. After the on-furnace digestion has been completed, the analyte, magnesium, in the cuvette was vaporized and introduced into the ICP atomic emission spectrometer. Since the powdered samples were wet-digested in the sample cuvettes prior to vaporization, they could be analyzed by using a calibration curve prepared from aqueous standard solutions. This method was applied to the determination of magnesium in several standard reference materials with satisfactory results.     

Preconcentration and determination of Sn- and Pb-organic species in environmental samples by SPME and GC-AED

A new sample preparation and preconcentration technique – solid phase microextraction (SPME) – is reported for the application of several tinorganic compounds and tetrabutyllead in aqueous samples. The solvent-free procedure is rapid in comparison with liquid-liquid extraction or SFE but also sensitive. Analytical variables of the extraction such as adsorption and desorption time, stirring rate and temperature has been investigated. The determination has been performed by GC coupled with atomic emission detection (AED). After optimization of the conditions of SPME a calibration was realized on the basis of a multicomponent standard solution, prepared by ethylation of organotin salts directly in the sample using sodium tetraethylborate (NaBEt₄) without prior separation of the analytes from the matrix. The method permits preconcentration. Values of about 10 can be reached. A detection limit of 0.09 pg Sn and 0.08 pg Pb can be achieved under optimized conditions. The proposed procedure has been successfully applied to the analysis of organotin compounds in various slurry samples.     

Preconcentration and determination of Sn- and Pb-organic species in environmental samples by SPME and GC-AED

A new sample preparation and preconcentration technique - solid phase microextraction (SPME) - is reported for the application of several tinorganic compounds and tetrabutyllead in aqueous samples. The solvent-free procedure is rapid in comparison with liquid-liquid extraction or SFE but also sensitive. Analytical variables of the extraction such as adsorption and desorption time, stirring rate and temperature has been investigated. The determination has been performed by GC coupled with atomic emission detection (AED). After optimization of the conditions of SPME a calibration was realized on the basis of a multicomponent standard solution, prepared by ethylation of organotin salts directly in the sample using sodium tetraethylborate (NaBEt(4)) without prior separation of the analytes from the matrix. The method permits preconcentration. Values of about 10 can be reached. A detection limit of 0.09 pg Sn and 0.08 pg Pb can be achieved under optimized conditions. The proposed procedure has been successfully applied to the analysis of organotin compounds in various slurry samples.     

Determination of benzo[a]pyrene tetrols by column-switching capillary liquid chromatography with fluorescence and micro-electrospray ionization mass spectrometric detection

The present work displays capillary liquid chromatographic column switching methodology tailored for determination of benzo[a]pyrene tetrol isomers in biological matrices using on-line fluorescence and micro-electrospray ionization mass spectrometric detection. A well-established off-line crude solid phase extraction procedure was used in order to make the method compatible with several biological matrices. The solid phase extraction eluates were evaporated to dryness, redissolved in 1.0 ml methanol:water (10:90, v/v), loaded onto a 0.32 mm I.D. x 40 mm 5 microm Kromasil C(18) pre-column for analyte enrichment and back-flushed elution onto a 0.30 mm I.D. x 150 mm 3.5 microm Kromasil C(18) analytical column. The samples were loaded with a flow rate of 50 microl min(-1) and the tetrols were separated at a flow rate of 4 microl min(-1) with an acetonitrile:10 mM ammonium acetate gradient from 10 to 90%. A sample loading flow rate up to 50 microl min(-1) was allowed. The fluorescence excitation and emission were set to 342 and 385 nm, respectively, while mass spectrometric detection of the benzo[a]pyrene tetrols was obtained by monitoring their [M - H](-) molecular ions at m/z 319. The method was validated over the concentration range 0.1-50 ng ml(-1) benzo[a]pyrene tetrols in a cell culture medium with 100 microl injection volume, fluorescence detection and the first eluting tetrol isomer as model compound, resulting in a correlation coefficient of 0.993. The within-assay (n= 6) and between-assay (n= 6) precisions were determined to 2.6-8.6% and 3.8-9.6%, respectively, and the recoveries were determined to 97.9-102.4% within the investigated concentration range. The mass limit of detection (by fluorescence) was 3 pg for all the tetrol isomers, corresponding to a concentration limit of detection of 30 pg ml(-1) cell culture medium. The corresponding mass spectrometric mass limits of detection were 4-10 pg, corresponding to concentration limits of detection of 40-100 pg ml(-1) cell culture medium.     

Standard-addition procedure for the determination of traces of lead in solid samples by x-ray fluorescence spectrometry

A standard-addition procedure for analysis of powdered solid samples by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence is described. Different amounts of the element to be determined are added to 4–6 specimens of the unknown sample. The spiked samples are prepared by mixing the powdered sample with an aqueous standard solution and drying the mixture. Homogeneously spiked samples are thus obtained with analyte and spike concentrations at the ppm level. The procedure has been investigated theoretically, and it is found suitable for the quantitative determination of lead at the ppm level. The accuracy of the technique for traces of lead has been tested on solid reference materials for the determination of lead. The quantitative results obtained compare well with those found by potentiometric stripping analysis.     

石墨炉原子吸收光谱法测定含盐食品中铅

含盐食品样品经硝酸和过氧化氢加热消解,采用石墨炉原子吸收光谱法测定其中铅的含量。以氯化钯-硝酸铵为混合基体改进剂,灰化温度为1 200℃,原子化温度为1 850℃。铅(Ⅱ)的质量浓度在25μg·L-1以内与其吸光度呈线性关系,检出限(3s/b)为26pg。应用此法分析了酱油样品,加标平均回收率为96.2%,相对标准偏差(n=5)为3.0%。     

Determination of total gaseous lead in the atmosphere by honeycomb denuder/electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry.

A technique is described for the determination of total gaseous lead in the atmosphere by honeycomb denuder collection, followed by an electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) measurement. The collection efficiency of the honeycomb denuder in which a solution containing 2% HNO3/2% glycerine/1% ammonium dihydrogenphosphate was coated for trapping the gaseous lead in the atmosphere was 98.8%. The linear absorbance response was obtained for a concentration range of 0-1.39 microg m(-3) of lead in the atmosphere. A precision of 4.8% RSD (peak-height absorbance, n = 11) for an aqueous solution of 1 ng of lead standard, characteristic masses (CM) of 23 pg and detection limit (3sigma) of 54 pg for an aqueous solution of 0.01 ng lead standard was achieved with 100 microg ammonium dihydrogenphosphate as a chemical modifier. The average recovery of lead in three standard samples prepared by the independent digestion of NIST SRM 1648 (Urban Particulate Matter) using our analytical system was 97.8%. The total content of the gaseous lead in the atmosphere of our laboratories was 0.35-0.38 microg m(-3).     

Determination of cadmium in biological samples solubilized with tetramethylammonium hydroxide by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry, using ruthenium as permanent modifier

The feasibility of Ru as a permanent modifier for the determination of Cd in biological samples treated with tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) by ET AAS was investigated. The tube treatment with Ru was carried out only once and lasted for about 300 atomization cycles. The pyrolysis and atomization temperatures, 750 °C and 1300 °C, respectively, were chosen from the temperature curves. The sample dissolution procedure was very simple: a sample aliquot was mixed with a small volume of a 25% m/v TMAH solution, the volume was made up to 50 ml and the mixture was kept at 60 °C for 1 h. Six certified biological reference materials were analyzed and the obtained Cd concentrations are within the 95% confidence interval of the certified values, proving the accuracy of the proposed procedure for a variety of biological samples. The calibration curve, with correlation coefficient higher than 0.99, was established for a working range up to10 μg l⁻¹. The precision was good as demonstrated by relative standard deviations below 3%, except for one sample. The limit of detection (3σ) was 0.05 μg l⁻¹ and the characteristic mass was 1.30 pg, obtained in the presence of the Ru modifier.     

固体进样-石墨炉原子吸收法测定农产品中重金属元素含量

采用直接固体进样-石墨炉原子吸收光谱法(SS-GFAAS)测定农产品中镉、铅、铜和铬重金属元素含量.通过标准物质、质控样品和电感耦合等离子体质谱法比对试验验证,各元素方法检出限均低于25 pg.方法操作简单、对环境友好、重复性好、结果准确、检出限低,满足农产品检测要求.     

Mass spectrometric determination of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in human urine for doping control purposes by means of LC-ESI-MS/MS

The decapeptide gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is endogenously produced in the hypothalamus and secreted into the microcirculation between hypothalamus and pituitary gland. Here, the bioactive hormone is responsible for the release of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) into the systemic circulation. Because an intermittent application of exogenous GnRH in young males increases the testosterone plasma level by stimulation of the Leydig cells, the potential misuse of the administered substance offers a reasonable relevancy for doping controls and is prohibited in accordance to the list of banned substances of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The presented method provides a mass spectrometric approach to determine the nondegraded hormone in regular doping control samples by utilizing a sample preparation procedure with solid phase extraction, immunoaffinity purification and a subsequent separation by liquid chromatography with ESI-MS/MS detection. For liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry two alternative instrumental equipments were tested: the first consisted of an Agilent 1100 liquid chromatograph coupled to an Applied Biosystem Q Trap 4000 mass spectrometer, the second equipment was assembled by a Waters Aquity nano-UPLC coupled to a Thermo LTQ Orbitrap high resolution/high accuracy mass spectrometer. In urine specimens provided from healthy volunteers GnRH was not detected in accordance to the recent literature, but in postadministration samples urinary concentrations between 20 to 100 pg/ml of the intact peptide were determined. The method offered good validation results considering the parameter specificity, linearity (5-300 pg/ml), limit of detection (LOD, approx. 5 pg/ml), precision (inter/intraday, < 20%) and accuracy (105%) using Des-pGlu(1)-GnRH as internal standard to control each sample preparation step.     

Ultra-trace determination of iodine in sediments and biological material using UV photochemical generation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Several sample preparation techniques have been evaluated for the determination of iodine using UV-photochemical generation-quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Thermal decomposition of samples at 1000 °C followed by capture of the liberated iodine in dilute acetic acid permitted subsequent UV-photochemical generation of a volatile iodine species that serves to enhance sensitivity 25-fold over conventional solution nebulization, delivering reagent blank detection limits of 8.75 pg g^{–1 127}I and 0.075 pg g^–1 129I for solid samples (400 mg test mass). The methodology was validated through determination of total iodine in several Standard Reference Materials, including NIST 1572 Citrus leaves, NIST 1549 Non-fat milk powder, NIST 1566a Oyster tissue and NIST 2709 San Joaquin Soil. Liberation of iodine from samples and its collection as well as photochemical generation were quantitative, permitting calibration to be achieved using standards prepared in dilute acetic acid.