Gamma spectrum analysis for in situ automatic monitoring of radioactivity in seawater

The NaI(Tl) detector has been an important research topic and application in the field of in situ marine radioactive automatic monitoring because of its advantages of low power consumption, low cost, and good efficiency. However, its energy resolution is not high enough. This paper investigated an analytical method: spectrum de-noising, background correction based on the SNIP operator, peak search based on the top-hat transform and peak fitting using Gaussian distribution. Simulation and gamma spectra measured from seawater showed that the established energy spectrum analysis method presents satisfactory automatic analytical ability for identification and quantitatively analysis.

     

An improved method for the simultaneous analysis of phenolic and steroidal estrogens in water and sediment

This paper describes an improved method for the extraction and analysis of seven endocrine disrupting chemicals with wide-ranging polarities from water and sediments using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). The analytes were 4-tert-octylphenol, 4-nonylphenol, bisphenol A, estrone, 17β-estradiol, 17α-ethynylestradiol and 16α-hydroxyestrone. The optimised GC-MS/MS method produces increased selectivity and sensitivity compared to GC-MS, with limit of detection ranging from 0.01 to 0.49 ng L⁻¹ in water and from 0.05 to 0.14 ng g⁻¹ in sediment. Extraction from aqueous samples was performed by solid-phase extraction (SPE) and from sediment samples by microwave-assisted extraction (MAE). The improved method for the clean-up of sediment extracts carried out by SPE enhanced EDC recovery (86-102%) while reducing matrix interference and sample drying time. Derivatisation of final sample extracts was achieved using N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide and pyridine, and their stability was enhanced by reconstituting the derivatised extracts with hexane. The method was validated by spiking experiments which showed good recovery and reproducibility. The method was applied to samples taken from the Medway estuary in Kent, UK, where non-conservative behaviour of EDCs was demonstrated.     

LC-ESI-MS-MS method for the analysis of tetrabromobisphenol A in sediment and sewage sludge

Tetrabromobisphenol A (4,4'-isopropylidenebis(2,6-dibromophenol), TBBPA) is the most widely used brominated flame retardant in the world. Due to its low water solubility TBBPA released in aquatic ecosystems ultimately accumulates in sediments, but the lack of data on its environmental level and temporal trend in sediment cores precludes establishing if the input of TBBPA is an on-going environmental problem. We developed an analytical method involving HPLC-ESI-MS-MS (ion trap) with detection of the negative pseudo-molecular ion of TBBPA and its fragmentation pattern. Recovery of TBBPA from spiked marine sediment (both lyophilized and wet) and dehydrated sewage sludge was better than 95%. The current detection limit of TBBPA is 60 pg injected and the linearity of the response is at least three orders of magnitude, ranging from 7 ng ml(-1) to 7000 ng ml(-1). The method was also applied to the analysis of urban sewage sludge where TBBPA was detected at a concentration of 300 ng g(-1)(dry weight). With an analysis time of less than 20 min, this method is adequate for a rapid re-assessment of archived sediment samples avoiding cumbersome derivatization procedures.     

Validation and application of an LC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous quantification of 13 pharmaceuticals in seawater

Knowledge of the presence of micropollutants such as pharmaceuticals, in coastal areas, is very limited; therefore, the main objective of this study was to optimize and validate a new analytical method for the quantitative analysis of 13 multiclass pharmaceuticals in seawater. Target compounds included antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, β-blockers, lipid regulators and one psychiatric drug. A combination of solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography coupled with multiple mass spectrometry enabled their detection at the low nanogram per litre level. The limits of quantification varied between 1 and 50 ng L^-1, for most components the linearities were more than 0.99 and the recoveries obtained in seawater (95–108%) were satisfactory. This method was applied to seawater and estuarine water samples collected in the Belgian coastal zone, to assess the prevalence of common pharmaceuticals in this marine environment. Seven pharmaceuticals, including compounds of which the presence in marine environments had not been reported earlier, were detected, with salicylic acid and carbamazepine being the most abundant, in concentrations up to 855 ng L^-1.     

PIXE and radioactivity measurements for elemental determination in river water and sediment samples

In order to evaluate the evolution of contamination we collected river water and sediment samples in the every spring season since 1998. The elemental analysis of water and sediment samples was performed by PIXE using the 3×2 MeV NEC Tandem accelerator at the Taipei Institute of Physics. The characterization of - and -radioactive levels for water and sediment samples was performed by a BH1216, low background radioactivity instrument at the Shanghai Institute of Nuclear Research. The PIXE results showed that the elemental contents of Cl, K, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Zn and Pb in river water gradually decreased with the rising tide. At high tide, their concentrations were minimum and then increased toward the ebb tide. The analysis also demonstrated that the radioactivity of water samples had been gradually decreasing year by year. It was found that the decreasing rate of -radioactivity was a little quicker than that of -radioactivity. Further aspects of environmental data evaluation and assessment are also discussed.     

Determination of 237 Np in marine sediment and seawater

Procedures for determination of neptunium in marine sediment and seawatersamples are described. Iron hydroxide Fe(OH)₂ –Fe(OH)₃ is used for preliminary pre-concentration of neptunium. Secondly,neptunium Np⁴⁺ and Pu³⁺ are separated by tri-isooctylamine-(TIOA)extraction in 8–10M HCl by redox with SO₃ ^2–-Fe³⁺ Neptunium Np⁴⁺ and uranium U⁶⁺ areseparated by back extraction the Np⁴⁺ with 2M HCl. Finally, theneptunium is purified from the uranium and thorium by anion exchange in 8MHNO₃ and 12M HCl. The stripping of 6M HCl + NH₂ OH HClfurther separates the neptunium Np³⁺ and uranium. Reduction bySO 3_2– –Fe³⁺ appeared to be an efficientway to obtain Np⁴⁺ The decontamination factors of the procedureare 4.0. 10⁴ for ²³² Th, 5.6 . 10⁴ for uraniumand 1.6 . 10⁴ for plutonium.     

A dipping method for radioactivity measurement in water using plastic scintillator

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - A new dipping method was studied for the measurement of radioactive solution using plastic scintillator sheets and pellets (PSs) and a liquid...     

Fast method for routine simultaneous analysis of methylmercury and butyltins in seafood

A simple, fast, and accurate method for the simultaneous determination of methylmercury (MeHg(+)), monobutyltin (MBT), dibutyltin (DBT) and tributyltin (TBT) in seafood is proposed. The method makes use of relatively cheap instrumentation and allows simultaneous analysis of those four species in a routine basis. The sample is treated with methanolic potassium hydroxide in an ultrasound bath, derivatised with sodium tetraethylborate (NaBEt(4)), preconcentrated into n-hexane and analysed by gas chromatography with atomic emission detection (GC-MIP/AES). The soft extraction conditions provided by ultrasound energy prevent chemical decomposition of the analytes and allow fast and efficient recovery of the species considered. Both the extraction and the derivatisation/preconcentration steps were optimised. Detection limits of 34, 3, 6 and 8 ng g(-1) (dry mass) were obtained for MeHg(+), MBT, DBT and TBT, respectively, using the best experimental conditions found. The uncertainty of the analysis ranged from 11% (MeHg(+)) to 15% (MBT). The accuracy of the method was checked by the analysis of several certified reference materials, e.g., BCR 477 (mussel tissue, MBT, DBT and TBT), DOLT-2 (dogfish liver, MeHg(+)), BCR 463 (tuna fish, MeHg(+)) and NIST 2976 (mussel tissue, MeHg(+)) with satisfactory results. Several oyster samples collected in the estuary of the Oka River (Urdaibai, Unesco Reserve of the Biosphere, Basque Country) during four sampling campaigns in 2003-2004 were processed following the proposed procedure. Concentrations ranging from 65 to 149 ng g(-1) (MeHg(+)), 相似文献   

A multiple-reaction-monitoring mass spectrometric method for simultaneous quantitative analysis of five plasma apolipoproteins

A multiplexed targeted proteomic assay using a mTRAQ-MRM/MS-based approach was developed and assessed to systematically quantify the relative expressions of five candidate plasma apolipoproteins that have been previously shown to be dysregulated in neuropsychiatric disorders and cognitive dysfunction:apolipoprotein H(APOH),apolipoprotein J(APOJ),apolipoprotein A4(APOA4),apolipoprotein E(APOE),and apolipoprotein D(APOD).The peptides and transitions of each APO were carefully selected according to the tandem MS signals acquired on a TripleTOFTM 5600,followed by optimization of the declustering potential and collision energy voltages for transitions on a QTRAP 5500.Our results showed that the collision energies of mTRAQ-labeled peptides were approximately 15%–20%higher than corresponding non-labeled peptides.Through optimized transitions and parameters,we analyzed the relative abundances of the five APOs in human plasma with and without depletion of high abundant proteins.The results indicated that the MRM signals of four target APOs were significantly increased after depletion,while the MRM signal of one APO,APOD,was decreased.Furthermore,the relative abundances of the five target APOs in healthy human plasma were stable,and the ranking of these proteins according to their MS responses changed slightly.Therefore,we deduced that the rank order of the MS signals for these target proteins can be developed as a diagnostic signature for diseased plasma.     

Direct extraction of alkylphenols, chlorophenols and bisphenol A from acid-digested sediment suspension for simultaneous gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analysis

The direct extraction of alkylphenols, chlorophenols and bisphenol A from an acid-digested sediment suspension for GC-MS analysis was studied. The sediment was digested with acid while the hydrolyzed analytes were being extracted with dichloromethane. The conditions of the acid digestion and extraction were optimized in terms of time, acidity of digestion, and extracting solvent. It is possible to complete the extraction within 20 min with 5 ml of 0.1 M HCl digesting solution and three portions of 5 ml of dichloromethane. The recoveries of analytes were mostly around 90% with about 10% relative standard deviations. With this technique parallel treatment of large numbers of sediment samples is possible without any expensive special equipment or heating process. The analytical characteristics of this extraction technique were compared with Soxhlet extraction and the pressurized liquid extraction technique. The technique was examined and evaluated for real environmental sediment samples and certified reference material of natural matrix.     

An efficient and fast microwave-assisted extraction method developed for the simultaneous determination of 18 organochlorine pesticides in sediment

An efficient and fast microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) method followed by gas chromatographic separation with mass spectrometric detection (GC–MS) was developed for the extraction of 18 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) from sediment. Parameters affecting the MAE procedure such as the type and volume of the extraction solvent, irradiation power, temperature and irradiation time were successfully optimised. Under the optimal conditions, extraction efficiencies in the range of 73.4–119% were obtained with THF–HEX (9:1, v/v) for all OCPs studied. The method was linear over the range of 2.9–5000 ng g^?1 with determination coefficients (r²) higher than 0.992 for all analytes. The limits of detection, LODs (S/N = 3), obtained varied from 1.0 to 2.2 ng g^?1 and limits of quantification, LOQs (S/N = 10) were between 2.9 and 6.8 ng g^?1. The proposed method was successfully applied to the analysis of real sediment samples and acceptable recoveries from 70.1 to 124% with RSDs ≤14.8% were obtained. 10 OCPs were determined below their LOQ and 8 OCPs in the range of 124–2830 ng g^?1. The MAE method was compared with Soxhlet, shake flask and ultrasonic solvent extraction techniques. Thus, the MAE–GC–MS method could efficiently be used for selective extraction and quantification of the target analytes from the complex sediment matrices.     

A simple colorimetric method for the determination of ammonia in seawater

A method is proposed for the determination of trace amounts of ammonia in seawater. After calcium and magnesium have been chelated with CDTA, the blue colour obtained with hypochlorite and thymol-acetone is measured at 630 nm. The sensitivity is 1.3 ng NH₄⁺-N/cm².     

A new method of growing crystalline networks in polymer matrices by simultaneous CT complex formation and in situ crystallization

A new method of preparing conductive polymer composites by growing crystalline networks of conductive additives in polymer matrices (reticulate doping) is described. The method consists of treating the polymer containing molecularly dispersed donor additive with acceptor/solvent vapors. In the swollen polymer layer simultaneously CT complex formation and crystallization takes place which for proper conditions leads to the formation of a network of the CT complex crystallites, making the film surface-conducting. The preparation and properties of surface conductive films using several electron donors and an iodine acceptor are described. The films obtained show surface resistivities of 10⁴–10⁶ ohm and are generally stable under ambient conditions.     

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.     

A new method for sealing containers with liquid samples for radioactivity measurements

It is imperative to use a leak-proof container for counting liquid sample to prevent contamination of costly gamma detectors. We report in this technical note a sealant that ensures no leak. It is a vinyl adhesive sealant used for household purposes, marketed by Gloucester Co., Inc, Franklin, MA under the trade name of Phenoseal (translucent variety). This sealant was superior to other sealants studied because it cures quickly, peels off easily after counting, and contains no detectable radioactivity. We have thoroughly tested this sealant in our laboratory and successfully employed it in the routine analysis of environmental liquid samples.     

A GC method for simultaneous analysis of bornesitol, other polyalcohols and sugars in coffee and its substitutes

A GC method has been developed for the determination of polyalcohols and sugars in aqueous extracts from green coffee beans, ground roasted coffee beans submitted to either conventional or torrefacto processes, coffee blends and soluble instant coffees. Bornesitol was detected in aqueous coffee extracts for the first time. Mannitol, myo-inositol, mannose, fructose, galactose, glucose and sucrose have also been determined. Results seem to indicate that coffee manufacturing processes, such as roasting or decaffeination, do not affect the polyalcohol content. Coffee substitutes based on cereals, carob or chicory, have also been studied. The possibility to characterize their presence in coffee extracts was evaluated.     

钴钯同时测定的新方法

用2-吡啶偶氮类衍生物分光光度法测定微量钴,虽然灵敏度高,但钯的干扰较严重,至今尚未见简单的消除方法。本文采用5-[(5-氯2-吡啶)偶氮]-2,4-氨基甲苯(简称5-Cl-PADAT)作显色剂,提出利用差减法消除测定钴时钯的干扰,以及钴、钯同时测定的新方法。在实验条件下,钴和钯与试剂分别形成1:2和1:1的紫红色配合物。配合物的最大吸收波长在570nm处,摩尔吸光系数ε_(Co)=1.20×10~5,ε_(Pd)=6.90×10~4。钴浓度在0～10μg/25mL,钯浓度在0～25μg/25mL时符合Beer定律。该法灵敏度高,选择性好,手续简单,快速,用于钯精矿,钢样及分子筛中微量钴和钯的同时测定,获得了良好的结果。     

High-precision quadruple isotope dilution method for simultaneous determination of nitrite and nitrate in seawater by GCMS after derivatization with triethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate

Quadruple isotope dilution mass spectrometry (ID⁴MS) has been applied for simultaneous determination of nitrite and nitrate in seawater. ID⁴MS allows high-precision measurements and entails the use of isotopic internal standards (¹⁸O-nitrite and ¹⁵N-nitrate). We include a tutorial on ID⁴MS outlining optimal experimental design which generates results with low uncertainties and obviates the need for direct (separate) evaluation of the procedural blank. Nitrite and nitrate detection was achieved using a headspace GCMS procedure based on single-step aqueous derivatization with triethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate at room temperature. In this paper the sample preparation was revised and fundamental aspects of this chemistry are presented. The proposed method has detection limits in the low parts-per-billion for both analytes, is reliable, precise, and has been validated using a seawater certified reference material (MOOS-2). Simplicity of the experimental design, low detection limits, and the use of quadruple isotope dilution makes the present method superior to the state-of-the-art for determination of nitrite and nitrate, and an ideal candidate for reference measurements of these analytes in seawater.