N-Alkanes in Air Particulates of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Oil hydrocarbons represent a great proportion of organic compounds in the atmosphere. Information about these compounds in the atmosphere of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia is lacking. In this study, n-alkanes and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in air particulates were determined. The highest median concentration levels of n-alkanes in three urban areas and three areas near oil production centers were 121 ng/m³ and 42.9 ng/m³, respectively. Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons were also detected, although they are present in too low concentration for reliable quantitative measurement by GC and GC/MS techniques. A positive correlation was found between the concentration levels of n-alkanes in air particulates and the total suspended particulates measured at most locations. The carbon preference index (CPI) and the presence of the unresolved complex envelope suggested an anthropogenic origin for the n-alkanes.     

Determination of Trace Amounts of Organic Pollutants in the Yellow River by Capillary Column Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

The trace organic pollutants in the Yellow River enriched by a solvent extraction method were pre-separated into four different fractions of fatty hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polar compounds and organic acids and were analyzed by the use of combined capillary column gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Using the combined techniques of relative retention value, mass spectra and mass chromatogram, more than 60 organic pollutants were identified, among which 16 fatty hydrocarbons and 6 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons which were quantitatively analyzed. The concentration range of fatty hydrocarbon was 5–800 ng/l, and that of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon was 0-90ng/l.     

The Direct Electrochemical Detection of Amino Acids at a Platinum Electrode in an Alkaline Chromatographic Effluent

Abstract

It is the general experience that most organic compounds including amino acids do not produce reversible or even quasi-reversible anodic waves at a Pt electrode under conditions of conventional cyclic voltammetry. Furthermore, amperometric detection of these compounds at a constant electrode potential is not successful because of the accumulation of adsorbed reaction products and/or an oxide film at the electrode surface. However, it is observed that a Pt electrode surface is cleaned quite effectively of adsorbed organic molecles and radicals simultanaeously with the anodic formation of the oxide layer. This oxidation of adsorbed organic species is concluded to be electrocatalyzed by PtOH formed as the first step in the production of the oxide layer (PtO). A pulsed-potential waveform applied at a frequency of ca. 1 Hz is demonstrated to provide direct amperometric detection of adsorbed amino acids at a Pt electrode. Satisfactory analytical precision (i.e., < 3% rel. std. dev.) results because the waveform reproducibly generates the catalytically active surface state at the Pt electrode. Both primary and secondary amino acids are determined with satisfactory detection limits: e.g., ca. 13 ng for glycine, 7 ng for phenylamine and 23 ng for hydroxyproline in 50-μL samples. Analytical response is concluded to depend on the adsorption isotherm of the amino acid being detected. Hence, the calibration plot of I/I_peak vs. 1/C^D is linear for low surface coverages. Results are shown for amperometric detection of a synthetic mixture of amino acids by anion-exchange chromatography using NaOH as the eluent and supporting electrolyte.     

Determination of Volatile Halogenated Compounds in Tap and Surface Waters from the Gdańsk District

Abstract

The present method is based on preconcentration of organic contaminants on XAD-4 as sorbent, thermal desorption, mineralization and coulometric argentometric titration for the final determination of halides. The results were calculated as the total parameter VOX (volatile organic halogen) expressed as chlorine. The method has been used for the VOX determination in tap water, Vistula river water and Baltic Sea water. Sampling of the Baltic Sea water has been carried out during the research cruise of the r/v ‘Oceania’. The relatively high anthropogenic pollution of the river Vistula (c _vox = 11–45 μg Cl/cd³), Gulf of Gdańsk (c _vox = 0.6–4.5 μg Cl/dm³) and the Pomerania Bay (c _vox = 2 μg Cl/dm³) has been determined. The VOX concentration in the tap water varied between 13 and 56 μg/dm³; that is, this water is seriously polluted by volatile organic halogen compounds.     

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Suramin and Protein Binding

Abstract

A liquid chromatographic method of suramin has been used for the determination of the polysulfonated naphtylurea in both plasma and plasma filtrate from prostate cancer patients treated with the drug. The chromatographic system is based on the use of tetrabutylammonium bromide as an ion-pairing agent, while UV detection at 237 nm and 313 nm is applied. The sample pretreatment is a simple deproteination step by an organic solvent. The same counter-ion as used in the phase system is added in order to increase the recovery of the almost complete protein-bound suramin. The minimum detectable concentration in plasma is ca. 20 ng/mL at 237 nm, in plasma filtrate 10 ng/mL at 237 nm.

The method was routinely applied in plasma level guided treatment of prostate cancer patients with suramin, as well as in protein binding studies. The data of the study demonstrated the necessity of therapeutic drug monitoring in suramin treatment: development of severe, irreversible toxicity could be prevented owing to timed withdrawal of suramin administration when total drug levels were beyond 300 μg/mL. Data of protein binding studies explained in part the development of severe toxicity associated with plasma levels beyond 300–350 μg/mL: at that point free fraction of suramin sharply increases from 500 ng/mL at a total plasma level of 500 μg/mL to 10 μg/mL at a total plasma concentration of 1000 μg/mL, which corresponds with a twenty-fold dose increase (2000%).     

Micro Dry Ashing for Trace Selenium Determination in Organic Matrices

Abstract

A specific sample treatment method was established for determination of ng levels of Selenium in microquantities of organic compounds. Our task was determination of Selenium traces, in a new pharmaceutical product, as a result of a laboratory scale synthesis, in an amount of several tens of mg. GFAAS was chosen as an analysis method, due to its sensitivity and rapidity. Among the wet and dry methods for organic material digestion tried, the low temperature dry ashing using ashing aid, was the only one which gave satisfactory recoveries of Selenium. Micro dry ashing was performed, using an Ethanol solution of Magnesium Nitrate on samples spiked with Selenium Nitrate in the range of concentration of 1–6ng mg^?1 at a temperature of 450°C for two hours. The presence of Magnesium Nitrate and the heating suppress the atomization with approximately 15–25%. Recoveries of Selenium varies as a function of the organic matrix: for polyaromate compounds as Chrysene and Fluoranthene they lie between 90–103% and for oxygenated compounds as Dimethoxybenzoic acid or Phthalates 23–50% respectively.

Another aspect of chemical interference by organic matrices and the way how to overcome it, has been clarified.     

Isolation and Determination of Volatile Organic Compounds from Water by Dynamic Purge-and-Trap Technique Coupled with Capillary Gas Chromatography

The preconcentration technique of purge-and-trap has been investigated in the present work for quantitative adsorption of volatile organic pollutants purged from water samples. A dynamic purging device with variable volume size has been constructed and tested to purge different concentrations of organic compounds. With Tenax GR as the adsorbent, a dynamic purge-and-trap technique was developed combining on-column preconcentration procedures using ambient trapping/thermal desorption/cryogenic focusing/back-flash injection prior to separation and determination using capillary gas chromatography. Various aromatic compounds in water were determined, giving linear working ranges over five orders of magnitude from 0.02 to 5000 µg/L. The analytical procedures were optimized under the assistance of ultrasonication with results validated for the determination of organic contaminants in underground water and tap water, giving over 93% recoveries and a detection limit of 0.01 µg/L, two orders of magnitude lower than those obtained using commercial available instruments with on-line configuration to minimize cross-contamination. The technique provides a potential automated method for in situ monitoring of volatile organic compounds in water.     

A Simplified Method for Determination of Nifedipine in Human Plasma by High Performance Liquid Chromatography

Abstract

A simplified high performance liquid chromatographic method was developed to determine the levels of nifedipine in human plasma. Nifedipine and the internal standard, 11-ketoprogesterone, are extracted from alkalinized plasma into organic solvent. The organic solvent is then evaporated to total dryness and the analytes are reconstituted with mobile phase and chromatographed. The limit of quantitation is 10 ng/ml using a 1.0 ml plasma sample.     

Determination of Organic Group Parameters: (AOCI,AOBr, AOS) in Water by Means of Ion-Chromatographic Detection. Pyrohydrolysis and Absorption

Abstract

In recent years methods have been developed to determine organic halogen at the μg/1 level in water samples by adsorbing these compounds on active carbon and by detecting the inorganic halides formed after conversion of the adsorbates by pyrohydrolysis. Applying these techniques the analysis of the so-called group parameter “Adsorbable Organic Halogen (AOX)” is performed.

The distinction of each of the halogens in the group parameter AOX and the determination of the parameter “adsorbable organic sulfur compounds (AOS)” can be realized using ion-chromatography for the detection of the anions, obtained after pyrohydrolysis of the adsorbed organic compounds.

Further investigations have shown good adsorption capacity of a newly developed nearly chlorine- and sulfur-free active carbon for organic model substances. This report presents the examinations concerning pyrohydrolysis of the organic solutes and absorption of the formed inorganic species.

The conditions for complete conversion of the model substances and high recovery rates in inorganic anions have been proved successfully. The optimization of the pyrohydrolysis apparatus and of the combustion conditions have been performed and proved with good results.     

Anti-tumour-promoting and thermal-induced protein denaturation inhibitory activities of β-sitosterol and lupeol isolated from Diospyros lotus L.

In this study, the anti-tumour-promoting and thermal-induced protein denaturation inhibitory activities of β-sitosterol (1) and lupeol (2), isolated from Diospyros lotus L., were explored. Compound 1 showed a marked concentration-dependent inhibition against 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (20 ng/32 pmol)-induced Epstein–Barr virus early antigen activation in Raji cells with IC₅₀ of 270 μg/ml, without significant toxicity (70% viability). Compound 2 showed significant anti-tumour-promoting effect with IC₅₀ of 412 μg/ml, without significant toxicity (60% viability). In heat-induced protein denaturation assay, compound 1 exhibited a concentration-dependent attenuation with a maximum effect of 73.5% at 500 μg/ml with EC₅₀ of 117 μg/ml, while compound 2 exhibited a maximum effect of 59.2% at 500 μg/ml with EC₅₀ of 355 μg/ml. Moreover, in silico docking studies against the phosphoinositide 3-kinase enzyme also show the inhibitory potency of these compounds. In short, both the compounds exhibited a marked anti-tumour-promoting and potent inhibitory effect on thermal-induced protein denaturation.     

The Submicrodetermination of Oxygen in Organic Compounds by a Gas-Chromatographic Method

Abstract

Preliminary studies of a method for the determination of oxygen in 30–80 μ;g samples of organic compounds are described. Organic oxygen is converted to carbon monoxide by pyrolysis through platinized graphite wool and the monoxide is measured by thermal conductivity.     

Quantification and bio-assay of α-glucosidase inhibitors from the roots of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.

This work aimed to investigate the α-glucosidase inhibitor from the roots of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. Seven flavonoids were isolated, and the total content of compounds 1–7 were more than 50% in Glycyrrhiza total flavones (GTF), and the content of compound 1 and 2 was abundant in GTF. The results of the α-glucosidase inhibitory activities indicated that compounds 1–6 and GTF respectively with the IC₅₀ values of 31.303, 30.263, 23.363, 19.528, 10.854, 26.454 and 21.641 μg/mL exhibited the more potent activity than acarbose with the IC₅₀ values of 38.995 μg/mL. These result suggested that Glycyrrhiza flavonoids may become a valid alternative of potential basis for new hypoglycaemic and antidiabetic agents.     

Magnetic solid‐phase extraction of benzoylurea insecticides by Fe3O4 nanoparticles decorated with a hyper‐cross‐linked porous organic polymer

A magnetic polytriphenylamine porous organic polymer was prepared through simple self‐polycondensation of triphenylamine followed by coprecipitation with Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺. It was applied as a magnetic adsorbent for the extraction of six benzoylurea insecticides from tomato, cucumber, and watermelon samples before their high‐performance liquid chromatography and mass spectral detection. Under the optimized experimental conditions, the established method gave a low limit of detection ranging from 0.05 to 0.1 ng/g and a good linear response ranging from 0.2 to 40 ng/g with coefficients of determination >0.99. The method recoveries for spiked analytes at the concentrations of 3 and 15 ng/g in real samples were in the range of 87.7–106.7% with the relative standard deviations <6.4%. The results indicated that it had a good adsorption capability toward the target analytes due to the π‐stacking and hydrogen bonding interactions. The polymer material showed great potential in the efficient extraction of organic compounds from real samples with complex matrixes.     

The High-Pressure Liquid Chromatographic Determination of Chlordiazepoxide and Its N-Demethyl Metabolite in Mouse Brain

Abstract

This report presents a simple and accurate method for the analyses of chlordiazepoxide and its N-demethyl metabolite in small tissue samples such as mouse brains. The procedure involves the addition of diazepam as the internal standard, homogenization of the mixture with 0.01 N NaOH, and extraction with heptane containing 1.5% (v/v) iso-amyl alcohol. After evaporation of the organic solvent, the residue is dissolved in methanol and the compounds separated by reverse phase high pressure liquid chromatography with 66% (v/v) methanol in water as eluant in isocratic conditions. The analysis is linear for concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 50 ng/mg brain for chlordiazepoxide and the metabolite. The method was applied to the study of the distribution of chlordiazepoxide and the N-demethyl metabolite to the brain of mice receiving intraperitoneally 10 mg/kg chlordiazepoxide HCl.     

Method for the Isolation and Liquid Chromatographic Determination of Furazolidone in Chicken Muscle Tissue

Abstract

A method for the isolation and quantitation of furazolidone as a residue in poultry muscle tissue is presented. Blank control and furazolidone fortified chicken muscle (7.8–250 ng/g tissue) (0.5g) were blended with 2g of octadecylsilyl derivatized silica (C₁₈). The C₁₈/chicken muscle matrix blend was used to prepare a column that was subsequently washed with 8mL of hexane to remove lipids. The furazolidone was then eluted with 8mL of dichloromethane (DCM). The DCM eluate contained furazolidone analyte that was free from interfering compounds when examined by HPLC utilizing UV detection (365nm, photodiode array). The extracted standard curves (linear regression analysis correlation r=0.9995 /pm 0.0002, n=5), average percentage recovery (99.8/pm 4.42%, the Major Metabolite of Δ-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol in Urine., J. Anal. Toxicol., 2, 6–9 (1985).     

On-Plate Electrochemical Detection for Thin-Layer Chromatography

Abstract

Voltammetric electrochemical detection (ECD) coupled with thin-layer chromatography (TLC) was demonstrated for the quantification of trace organic compounds directly on a TLC plate. the electrochemical detection solvent was a thin layer of aqueous potassium chloride. For undeveloped plates, detection limits for p-anisidine and p-phenetidine were 10 ng and 13 ng, respectively. Linearity was demonstrated over nearly 2 orders of magnitude. After development, detection limits increased by approximately a factor of ten. Advantages of this method over other quantitative TLC methods include sensitivity, speed, simplicity, and cost. in addition, this method is selective for electrochemically active compounds. Major sources of experimental error include spot size reproducibility, working electrode placement, and supporting electrolyte film thickness.     

Analysis of Organic Compounds in Antarctic Snow and Their Origin

Abstract

Organic compounds extractable with n-hexane were identified and quantitatively determined in pack, surface and deep snow samples taken at different depths and collected at several altitudes above sea level from Antarctica during the 1993/94 Italian expedition. The comparison between the composition of organic compounds in snow and the ones in pack and sea-water samples pointed out that the three matrices substantially contain the same biogenic and anthropogenic organic compounds. The contribution of marine aerosol to organic content in the snow is confirmed by the enrichment ratios calculated for the more representative classes of identified compounds (n-alkanes, phthalates and low molecular weight alkylbenzenes). The changes in the composition of organic compounds in snow as the altitude increases seem to depend on the dimensional spectrum of the aerosol. Thus, smallest particles, richest in surfactant material, reach the highest altitudes.     

Pervaporation as a Separation Technique for Direct Determination of Volatile Selenium Species by Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry

Abstract

This paper reports for the first time a suitable way to determine methylated selenium compounds using the new approach of pervaporation coupled to atomic fluorescence spectrcmetry (PV-AFS).

The method developed allows direct extraction, separation, preconcentration and determination of dimethylselenium (DMSe) and dimethyldiselenium (DMDSe) from slurry samples. Under the optimum conditions, the detection limits (LODs) were found to be 0.66 ng and 0.39 ng for DMSe and DMDSe, respectively, the precision being about 6–9 % for 10 ng mL as selenium concentration. The linearity ranges were from the LOD to 0.7 μg mL^?1 for DMSe and from the LOD to 0.4 μg mL^?1 for DMDSe (as Se). The pervaporation efficiencies were 55 ± 1 % and 85 ± 5 % for DMSe and DMDSe, respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied to determine methylated selenium species in sewage sludge, garlic and oyster samples. The concentrations found were from 0.07 to 1.42 μg g^?1.

As no certified reference materials are available for these analytes, validation was carried out by recovery studies in these matrices, and the results showed that the proposed method performed satisfactorily.     

Organochlorine Pesticides in Water,Sediment and Fish from the Nile River and Manzala Lake in Egypt

Abstract

To assess the risks of organochlorine pesticides discharged into the hydrospheric environment of Egypt, river and lake water, drinking water, suspended solids, sediments and fish were collected during 1993—1994 from the Nile River and Manzala Lake in Egypt and were transported to Japan for chemical analysis. Among different organochlorine pesticides analyzed, p,p′-DDE was the most predominant in fish (7.6 to 67 ng/g wet wt.), sediments (3.2 to 432 ng/g dry wt.) and suspended solids (5.3 tc 138 pg/L). However, in the dissolved phase of water samples HCH compounds predominated (α-HCH, 71 to 2,815 pg/L). Concentrations of organochlorine pesticides, except chlordane, were higher in Manzala Lake than in the River Nile. Concentrations of organochlorine pesticides in fish corresponded with those in sediments from each location. Comparison of organochlorine concentrations in Nile River water with those reported in earlier studies suggested a decrease in concentrations during the last decade. However, concentrations of p,p′-DDE has increased in fish. It appears that the release of this metabolite from contaminated sediment is the major source of p,p′-DDE in fish during recent years.     

Validation of the Method of Selected Polychlorinated Biphenyls Determination in Human Milk Samples

A method for determination of trace concentrations of individual PCB congeners in human milk was validated. The analytical procedure included the following steps: acetone : hexane extraction, clean-up of extracts with concentrated sulfuric acid and solid phase extraction (SPE) on Florisil. The identification and quantification of analytes in purified extracts were carried out by high-resolution gas chromatography (HRGC) with electron capture detection (ECD) and/or with low-resolution mass spectrometry (LRMS). Recoveries of 14 PCB congeners from spiked cow milk samples, based on HRGC-ECD were between 87.3 and 93.6%. The precision of analyte determination was established as close to or less than 10%. The detection limits ranged between 0.14 and 0.26 ng/g fat and the quantification limits between 0.57 and 0.86 ng/g fat. The method was linear and characterized by good correlation coefficients (>0.99) for most of the compounds studied. The quality of the method under validation was verified by the analysis of Standard Reference Material (CRM-450) and interlaboratory exercise.