Headspace single-drop microextraction and cuvetteless microspectrophotometry for the selective determination of free and total cyanide involving reaction with ninhydrin

Headspace single-drop microextraction has been used for the determination of cyanide with ninhydrin in combination with fibre-optic-based cuvetteless microspectrophotometry which accommodates sample volume of 1 μL placed between the two ends of optical fibres, and has been found to avoid salient drawbacks of batch methods. This method involved hydrocyanic acid formation in a closed vial, and simultaneous extraction and reaction with 2 μL drop of ninhydrin in carbonate medium suspended at the tip of a microsyringe needle held in the headspace of the acidified sample solution. The method was linear in range 0.025-0.5 mg L⁻¹ of cyanide. The headspace reaction was free from the interference of substances, e.g., thiocyanate, hydrazine sulphate, hydroxylammonium chloride and ascorbic acid. Sulphide was masked by cadmium sulphate, nitrite by sulphamic acid, sulphite by N-ethylmaleimide, and halogens by ascorbic acid. The limit of detection was found to be 4.3 μg L⁻¹ of cyanide which was comparable to existing most sensitive methods for cyanide. However, the present method is far more simple. The method was applied to acid-labile and metal cyanides complexes by treatment with sulphide when metal sulphides were precipitated setting cyanide ion free, and to iron(II) and (III) cyanide complexes by their decomposition with mercury(II), the mercury(II) cyanide formed was then determined. These pre-treatment methods avoided cumbersome pre-separation of cyanide by methods such as distillation or gas diffusion. The overall recovery of cyanide in diverse samples was 97% with RSD of 3.9%.     

Novel sensitive spectrophotometric method for the trace determination of cyanide in industrial effluent.

The high toxicity of the cyanide ion at low concentration necessitates its analysis in a variety of environmental samples with a very low cyanide content. A new sensitive spectrophotometric method has been developed for the trace determination of cyanide with ninhydrin (NH) in an alkaline medium. Beer's law is obeyed in the range of cyanide concentration 0.04-0.24 microg cm(-3), and the molar absorptivity at 590 nm is 2.20 x 10(5) dm3 mol(-1) cm(-1). The Sandell's sensitivity of the product is 0.000118 microg cm(-2). The optimum reaction conditions and other important analytical parameters have been investigated. The results obtained by using the proposed method for environmental samples agree well with those obtained by the Aldridge standard method.     

Highly selective and sensitive reaction of cyanide with 2,2-dihydroxy-1,3-indanedione

A novel reaction of cyanide with 2,2-dihydroxy-1,3-indanedione in the presence of sodium carbonate is described. It is highly selective and sensitive, and suitable for the determination of hydrogen cyanide in the environment and free cyanide ions in water, blood, urine, serum, etc. As little as 1.25x10(-7) mol x L(-1) CN(-) (3.25x10(-9) g x mL(-1) cyanide) can be determined by use of this reaction. The color system obeys Beer's law in the range 10 ng x mL(-1) to 1.0 microg x mL(-1) at 510 nm. The molar absorptivity was 8.0x10(4) L x mol(-1) x cm(-1) for a solution of concentration 0.2 microg x mL(-1). All other important analytical properties of the reaction have been studied. It is proposed that the purple color produced under these reaction conditions is that of 2-cyano-1,2,3-trihydroxy-2 H indene.     

检测水中氢氰酸的新型便携式RGB色度传感器

基于氢氰酸在碱性条件下与水合茚三酮反应,溶液呈紫红色的检测原理,建立了一种快速、灵敏检测水中氢氰酸的分析方法。对显色剂种类、水合茚三酮浓度、pH值、反应温度、反应时间等因素进行优化。采用源于归一化RGB系统的RGB色度法进行检测,可克服基于RGB模型的由于光强变化导致三刺激值变化的不足。在最优条件下,色度值与氢氰酸的质量浓度在0.04～3.96 mg/L范围内呈良好线性,对R值的理论检出限为0.038 mg/L,实际检出限为0.04 mg/L。用于人工水样中氢氰酸的测定,回收率为98.3%～111%。该方法具有较高的选择性、灵敏度和较好的重复性,在检测环境中其他有毒有害物质方面同样具有应用潜力。     

Catalytic role of gemini surfactant micelles in the ninhydrin-L-isoleucine reaction

Effect of dicationic gemini surfactants C₁₆H₃₃(CH₃)₂N⁺-(CH₂) _s -N⁺(CH₃)₂C₁₆H₃₃, 2Br⁻ (where s = 4, 5, 6) on the reaction of ninhydrin with L-isoleucine has been investigated spectrophotometrically as a function of [gemini], [L-isoleucine], [ninhydrin], and pH. The reaction follows first- and fractional-order kinetics, respectively, in [L-isoleucine] and [ninhydrin]. The gemini surfactant micellar media are found more effective for the reaction than their conventional monomeric counterpart CTAB. Furthermore, whereas typical rate constant (k _ψ) increase and leveling-off regions are observed with CTAB and geminis, the latter produce a third region of increasing k _ψ at concentrations ≥ 60 cmc’s. ¹H NMR studies reveal that this unusual third-region effect of the geminis is due to changes in their micellar morphologies. Quantitative kinetic analysis has been performed on the basis of modified pseudo-phase model.     

Studies on the mechanism of the reaction between coenzyme B12 and cyanide: direct 1H NMR spectroscopic evidence for a (beta-5'-deoxyadenosyl)(alpha-cyano)cobalamin intermediate

The reaction between coenzyme B12 (5'-deoxyadenosylcobalamin, AdoCbl) and tetrabutylammonium cyanide to give dicyanocobalamin, adenine, and 1-cyano-D-erythro-2,3-dihydroxy-4-pentenol has been examined in 92% N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF)/8% D2O. Under these conditions rate-determining Co-C heterolytic cleavage is preceded by rapid addition of cyanide to AdoCbl to form an intermediate, (beta-5'-deoxyadenosyl)(alpha-cyano)cobalamin ((beta-Ado)(alpha-CN)Cbl-), identified by 1H NMR spectroscopy. Rate constants have been determined by both 1H NMR and visible spectroscopies, with the latter showing saturation kinetics. The observed rate constant is pH-independent in the pH region studied, and replacing D2O by H2O increases it by ca. 10%. Increasing the percentage of D2O in the DMF/D2O solvent mixture also increases the reaction rate, and for D2O > or = 50% there is a change in the rate-determining step, with formation of the (beta-Ado)(alpha-CN)Cbl- intermediate becoming rate-determining. A mechanism in 92% DMF/8% D2O is proposed which involves rapid reversible formation of (beta-Ado)(alpha-CN)Cbl- from base-off AdoCbl plus cyanide, followed by rate-determining solvent-assisted cleavage of the Co-C bond of the intermediate and subsequent rapid addition of a second cyanide to give the products.     

Spectrophotometric determination of cyanide with organic disulphides

The reaction of cyanide ion with the disulphides 2,2'-dithiodipyridine, 4,4'-dithiodipyridine, 2,2'-dithiodipyrimidine, and 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) to displace an absorbing thiol anion has been evaluated for the spectrophotometric determination of cyanide. Reaction is somewhat slow and is applicable to cyanide determination in the range 0.2-5.0 mug ml . By variation of reactant ratios and pH the concentration range can be increased to 50 mug ml . The reaction is faster when cyanide is present at a higher concentration than the disulphide.     

The benzil-cyanide reaction and its application to the development of a selective cyanide anion indicator

The benzil-cyanide reaction is a cyanide-specific reaction that has been exploited to produce a colorimetric indicator for this toxic anion. This was done by producing a pi-extended analogue of benzil, 7, which is soluble in a 70:30 (v/v) mixture of methanol-water. In this medium, dilute solutions of 7 are yellow but produce colorless products when exposed to low concentrations of cyanide anion (> or = 1.7 microM; added as an aqueous NaCN solution), but no other common anions (e.g., OH(-), F(-), N3(-), benzoate(-), and H2PO4(-)). On the basis of these observations and supporting mechanistic analyses, it is concluded that the modified benzil system 7 is a promising cyanide anion indicator that is attractive in terms of its selectivity, ease-of-use, water compatibility, and the low, naked-eye discernible cyanide detection limit it provides.     

MNDO study of reaction paths: Hydroboration of methyl cyanide

The hydroboration reaction of methyl cyanide has been investigated by the MNDO method. It has been shown that the reaction requires an activation energy of 25.3 kcal/mol and involves a four-center-like transition state in the rate-determining step. This reaction has been compared with the corresponding reaction of hydrogen cyanide, and the effect of methyl substitution on the reaction has been discussed. The charge-transfer effects accompanying the reaction have also been studied.     

Assay of sialidase activity using ion-exchange chromatography and acidic ninhydrin reaction.

A new assay method for sialidase (EC 3.2.1.18) activity using ion-exchange chromatography and acidic ninhydrin reaction has been developed. Fetuin, 4-methylumbelliferyl-N-acetylneuraminic acid (MUB-NANA), gangliosides and N-acetylneuramin-lactose were examined as substrates. Free sialic acid liberated from these substrates by sialidase reaction was isolated with a Dowex 1-X8 column (trifluoroacetate form, 1.5 cm x 0.5 cm I.D.) and determined by acidic ninhydrin reaction. Among the substrates tested, MUB-NANA was the best in the present method, N-Acetylneuramin-lactose could not be used as the substrate, because it was not separated from liberated sialic acid under the conditions used. The recovery of N-acetylneuraminic acid was above 88%, and the sensitivity of the method was 20 nmol in 300 microliters of the reaction mixture. The method was applied to the sialidase assay during its purification from rat skeletal muscle, and a Michaelis constant of 1.15 mM was obtained with MUB-NANA as the substrate. The method using the acidic ninhydrin reaction was simple and exhibited good reproducibility.     

Calculations on the rate of the ion-molecule reaction between NH3+ and H2

The rate coefficient for the ion-molecule reaction NH3(+) + H2 --> NH4(+) + H has been calculated as a function of temperature with the use of the statistical phase space approach. The potential surface and reaction complex and transition state parameters used in the calculation have been taken from ab initio quantum chemical calculations. The calculated rate coefficient has been found to mimic the unusual temperature dependence measured in the laboratory, in which the rate coefficient decreases with decreasing temperature until 50-100 K and then increases at still lower temperatures. Quantitative agreement between experimental and theoretical rate coefficients is satisfactory given the uncertainties in the ab initio results and in the dynamics calculations. The rate coefficient for the unusual three-body process NH3(+) + H2 + He --> NH4(+) + H + He has also been calculated as a function of temperature and the result found to agree well with a previous laboratory determination.     

Template mechanism and kinetics for the complexation of ninhydrin with copper (II) complexes of asparagine and serine

Ninhydrin has been found to form a 1:1 complex with Cu(II) complexes of asparagine and serine. The kinetics of the complexation reaction has been studied spectrophotometrically in acetate buffer. The effect of the [ninhydrin], pH, and temperature on the reaction rate of the reaction was studied. The reaction follows fractional-order kinetics with respect to ninhydrin and first-order with respect to asparagine-Cu(II) and serine-Cu(II), respectively. The reaction proceeds through the coordination of ninhydrin with the same Cu(II) of asparagine and serine complexes. The results are best accounted by the “Template mechanism” for the inner sphere complexation. The values for the inner sphere complex formation constant were also calculated from the kinetic data. The role of Cu(II) in this reaction is to inhibit the breaking of C(SINGLEBOND)C (evolution of CO₂) as well as stabilize the C(DOUBLEBOND)N of Schiff base. On the basis of observed results, probable mechanism has been proposed. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Determination of magnesium by spectrofluorimetry and synchronous scanning first and second derivative spectrofluorimetry with 2-quinizarinsulphonate

Summary Determination of Magnesium by Spectrofluorimetry and Synchronous Scanning First and Second Derivative Spectrofluorimetry with 2-Quinizarinsulpbonate An analytical method has been developed for the fluorimetric determination of microgram amounts of magnesium in solution. The method is based on the reaction of magnesium with 2-quinizarinsulphonate. Synchronous scanned first and second derivative fluorimetry has been employed to increase the sensitivity of the method. The influence of reaction variables as well as instrumental parameters and the composition of the complex is discussed. The interference of various foreign cations and anions has also been examined and in some cases eliminated or reduced by addition of cyanide.     

One-pot three-component reaction of ninhydrin, 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds,and primary amines to afford indeno[1,2-b]pyrrol-4(1H)-ones

Chemistry of Heterocyclic Compounds - A convenient one-pot three-component synthesis of indeno[1,2-b]pyrrol-4(1H)-ones has been developed. The reaction of ninhydrin, 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds, and...     

The evidence of proteases in sprouted seeds and their application for animal protein digestion

It has been experimentally proven that germinated plant seeds, such as leek, red clover, broccoli, and others contain proteases, which are able to digest animal protein such as gelatin, bovine albumin, casein, and egg albumin. Preliminary tests were carried out with the use of a semi-qualitative gelatin test, which is often applied to prove the presence of fruit enzymes. Quantitative examinations were carried out with the use of a ninhydrin reaction for amino acid determination as well as the Bradford and Smith methods for protein determination. Respective calibration curves were obtained for glycine (amino acid analysis) as well as for egg albumin, bovine albumin, and gelatin (protein analysis), with a full statistical evaluation including Mandel and Lack-of-Fit tests to check for linearity. It has been proven that the selected germinated seeds containing proteases can be applied as an effective aid for animal protein digestion.     

Use of an Aqueous Micellar Medium to Improve the Spectrophotometry Determination of Cyanide Ion with 5,5′-Dithiobis(2-Nitrobenzoic Acid)

Abstract

The spectrophotometric method for the determination of cyanide, which is based on the reaction of cyanide ion with 5,5′-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) to displace the corresponding absorbing thiol anion, has been reinvestigated using an aqueous cetyltrimethylammonium bromide micellar reaction medium. The rate of the analytical reaction is increased considerably in the presence of the cationic surfactant. Thus, the time required for the spectrophotometric determination of cyanide ion in the 0.18 – 2.80 μg/ml range using this procedure is decreased from 25 minutes to 1 – 3 minutes.     

Improved gas chromatography with electron-capture detection using a reaction pre-column for the determination of blood cyanide: a higher content in the left ventricle of fire victims

We developed a head-space method for the determination of blood cyanide by gas chromatography with electron-capture detection. In this technique, a reaction pre-column, packed with chloramine-T, was used for the conversion of hydrogen cyanide into cyanogen chloride. Since the reaction pre-column eliminated the necessity for trapping hydrogen cyanide from the biological samples, blood cyanide was quickly analysed by acidification only. The reaction pre-column was durable for at least several months. The calibration curve gave good linearity when dichloromethane was used as the internal standard, and the lower detection limit taken from this plot was ca. 0.05 micrograms/ml. The relative standard deviation of spiked blood samples was in the range 0.6-3.9%. We determined blood cyanide levels at autopsy in victims who had died from fire using this method. A significantly higher cyanide content was detected in the left ventricular blood than in the right. There was a positive correlation between blood cyanide and carboxylhaemoglobin contents. This simple and sensitive technique could be very useful for the determination of cyanide in various samples.     

Determination of cyanides by continuous distillation and flow analysis with cylindrical amperometric electrodes

A continuous system for the determination of free and complex cyanides has been developed. Hydrogen cyanide is released in an acidic solution in a counter-current system operated by a peristaltic pump, absorbed in dilute sodium hydroxide and then fed into the amperometric detector with a cylindrical silver flow-through electrode. The parameters affecting the release and absorption of cyanide, as well as the electrode response and sensitivity, are described. Differentiation between total cyanide and strongly bound metal cyanide complexes is achieved by u.v. decomposition of the complexes.     

Dynamics of the F atom reaction with propene

The F+C2H3CH3 reaction has been investigated using the crossed molecular beam technique. Three reaction channels have been observed in this reaction: H+C3H5F, CH3+C2H3F, and HF+C3H5. Time-of-flight spectra as well as product laboratory angular distributions have been measured for the HF, C2H3F, and C3H5F products from these three channels. Relative branching ratios of the three observed reaction channels have also been estimated. Experimental results indicate that these different channels exhibit significantly different reaction dynamics.     

Determination of cyanide by an indirect spectrophotometric method using 5-Br-PADAP

Complexation of Ni(2+) with cyanide inhibits its colour reaction with 5-Br-PADAP and this reaction is used in the spectrophotometric determination of cyanide at the ug level. Cyanide in industrial waste waters is determined after an initial transfer as hydrogen cyanide from the sample into sodium hydroxide solution with a stream of air.