Determination of fluorinated surfactants and their metabolites in sewage sludge samples by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry after pressurised liquid extraction and separation on fluorine-modified reversed-phase sorbents

An analytical method was elaborated for simultaneous extraction and determination of fluorinated anionic and non-ionic surfactants in sewage sludge. Surfactant compounds were determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) after Soxhlet extraction, hot steam extraction and pressurised liquid extraction (PLE) using spiked sludge samples. PLE in a multiple-step procedure consisting of sequential use of ethyl acetate-dimethylformamide and methanol-phosphoric acid resulted in the most efficient extraction procedure. Quantitative analyses of the fluorinated anionic perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and the partly fluorinated non-ionic alkylpolyglycol ether (FAEO) surfactants were performed by selected ion monitoring LC-MS. Electrospray ionisation or atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation in negative or positive mode was performed. Recoveries between 105 and 120% could be reached. No PFOS and non-ionic FAEO surfactants in concentrations higher than 6 or 10 mg kg(-1) dry matter were observed in real environmental samples. Therefore aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation was performed to investigate the fate of fluorinated surfactants reaching wastewaters. Biological wastewater treatment in laboratory scale under aerobic or anaerobic conditions led to an elimination by biodegradation.     

Design and synthesis of the novel branched fluorinated surfactant intermediates with CF3CF2CF2C(CF3)2 group

Here we reported a novel and efficient method for the synthesis of the critical intermediates of branched fluorinated surfactants with CF₃CF₂CF₂C (CF₃)₂- group using HFPD as starting material. The reaction conditions were mild and easy to handle, which was promisingly applied to the industrial production.     

Aggregation of perfluoroctanoate salts studied by 19F NMR and DFT calculations: counterion complexation, poly(ethylene glycol) addition, and conformational effects

The aggregation of perfluoroctanoate salts in H(2)O is studied by (19)F NMR on solutions of LiPFO, NaPFO, and CsPFO, without and with the addition of two poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) oligomers of molecular weight 1500 and 3400 Da, respectively, and with the addition of suitable crown ethers. The (19)F chemical shift (cs) trends are monitored, at 25 °C, in a concentration range including the critical micellar concentration (cmc) or, in the presence of PEG, the critical aggregation concentration (cac). The cac values in the samples with PEG are lower than the cmc values of the corresponding samples without PEG; moreover, the (19)F cs trends above the cac and above the polymer saturation concentration reveal and help to explain some peculiarities of the aggregation process of PEG on PFO micelles, which, in the first step, seems to occur while the surfactant concentration in water is still increasing. Also in LiPFO/H(2)O or NaPFO/H(2)O solutions containing 12-crown-4 or 15-crown-5 ethers, suitable to complex Li(+) or Na(+) ions, respectively, the cmc decreases. On the other hand, the micellization process in the presence of crown ethers does not show other peculiarities. The prevailing conformations of the PFO chain are discussed on the basis of quantum-mechanical calculations. The theoretical chemical shifts were computed at the DFT level of theory, taking into account the effects of the environment by means of the IEF-PCM method. The helical structure is the most stable one, but anti conformations are easily accessible, in both the aqueous and fluorinated environment. The comparison between computed and experimental chemical shifts indicates that anti conformations are more important in the micelles than in water and in CsPFO micelles than in LiPFO or NaPFO ones.     

Determination of perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid in human plasma by large volume injection capillary column switching liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Rapid, selective, and sensitive methodology for the quantification of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in human plasma using packed capillary liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization ion-trap mass spectrometry has been developed. Plasma proteins were precipitated using acetonitrile and the resulting supernatant was diluted 1+1 with water containing 10 mM ammonium acetate (NH4Ac) prior to injection. Sample volumes of 250 microL were loaded onto a 30 mm x 0.32 mm ID 10 microm Kromasil C18 precolumn by a carrier solution consisting of 10 mM NH4Ac in ACN/H2O (5/95, v/v) at a flow rate of 100 microL/min, providing on-line analyte enrichment and sample clean-up. Backflushed elution onto a 100 mm x 0.32 mm ID 3.5 microm Kromasil C18 analytical column was conducted using an ACN/H2O solvent gradient containing 10 mM NH4Ac. In order to improve the robustness and performance of the method, perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHA) was used as internal standard. Separation and detection of PFOA, PFHA, and PFOS were achieved within 10 minutes. Ionization was performed in the negative mode in the m/z range 250-550. The method was validated over the concentration range 1-200 ng/mL for PFOA and over the range 5-200 ng/mL untreated plasma for PFOS, yielding correlation coefficients of 0.997 (PFOA) and 0.996 (PFOS), respectively. The within-assay (n = 6) and between-assay (n = 6) precisions were in the range 2.1-9.2 and 5.6-12%, respectively. The concentration limits of detection (cLOD) of PFOA was 0.5 ng/mL while the cLOD of PFOS was estimated to be 0.2 ng/mL in untreated plasma.     

Synthesis and combined properties of novel fluorinated cationic surfactants derived from hexafluoropropylene dimer

Three novel fluorinated surfactants with branched short fluorinated tails as hydrophobic groups, ammonium oxide as polar groups are prepared. Surface tension measurement shows that these fluorinated surfactants are ideal compounds to design new formulations in fire-fighting field.     

氯酸钾体系催化动力学光度法测定痕量钒(Ⅱ)

研究了在0.1 mol/L H3PO4介质中,活化剂抗坏血酸的作用下,V(Ⅴ)催化KClO3氧化甲基红褪色的指示反应,由此建立了一种测定痕量V(Ⅱ)的催化动力学光度新方法。研究了影响该催化褪色反应的因素。方法的线性范围为0.09～7.0 ng/mL,检出限为2.9×10-2 ng/mL。方法用于实际样品的测定。     

Study on the Langmuir aggregation of fluorinated surfactants on protein

The microphase adsorption-spectral correction (MPASC) technique was described and applied to the study of the interactions of fluorinated surfactants such as potassium perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and potassium perfluorobutanesulfonate (PFBS) with human serum albumin (HSA). Sodium octanesulfonate (SOS) was also studied as non-fluorinated surfactant. The aggregation of PFOS, PFBS and SOS obeys the Langmuir monolayer adsorption. The results show that the adsorption ratios of surfactants to HSA are PFOS:HSA = 120:1, PFBS:HSA = 205:1 and SOS:HSA = 18:1. The adsorption constants are K_PFOS-HSA = 5.01 × 10³, K_PFBS-HSA = 9.79 × 10² and K_SOS-HSA = 4.03 × 10³. The detection limits are 2.7 mg/L for BSA using PFOS, 3.1 mg/L using PFBS and 3.1 mg/L using SOS. It was found that fluorinated surfactant exhibited stronger interaction with protein than hydrogenated one, and fluorinated surfactant with long hydrophobic chain exhibited stronger interaction with protein than that with short hydrophobic chain.     

Identification of leucine-enkephalin radical oxidation products by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

The oxidation of the peptide leucine-enkephalin (YGGFL) induced by the hydroxyl radical (HO*), formed under Fenton-like conditions [Cu (II)/H(2)O(2)], was studied and monitored by LC-MS. The oxidation products identified included products resultant from (a) the insertion of oxygen atoms (1-5), (b) peptide backbone cleavage (short-chain products formed by diamide pathway) and (c) radical-radical crosslinking reactions. In order to identify the modified residues, LC-MS/MS spectra were obtained. The insertion of oxygen atoms into the peptide originated hydroxide, di-hydroxide and/or hydroperoxide derivatives. In addition it was found that the aromatic amino acids are most susceptible to being hydroxylated, while the aliphatic amino acids are more prone to forming hydroperoxides. Oxidation products with double bonds were also identified. The short chain products resulted from the alpha-carbon radical of terminal amino acids (Tyr and Leu). Products resulting from cross-linking reactions between intact carbon-centered peptide radical (with and without one HO group) and a side chain radical (*C(7)H(7)O) were identified. It was found that, although all amino acids residues of the peptide undergo modifications, the N-terminal seems to be prone to oxidative modifications under these conditions.     

Determination of perfluorooctanesulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid in sewage sludge samples using liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

A new method is developed for the determination of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in sewage sludge samples. The analytes in sewage sludge samples are extracted by methanol and formic acid, cleaned by C18 solid-phase extraction, then separated, identified and quantitated by liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC–QTOF-MS). A C18 column (150 mm × 2.1 mm, 3.5 μm) with gradient elution of MeOH–H₂O (60:40) containing 5 mmol/L ammonium acetate and MeOH–H₂O (80:20) is used for the chromatographic separation. [M−K]⁻ ions at m/z 498.93 for PFOS and [M−COOH]⁻ ion at m/z 368.97 for PFOA are selected for QTOF-MS in the negative electrospray ionization mode. The detection limits for PFOS and PFOA in sewage sludge samples are 0.5 and 0.8 ng/g, respectively. The spiked recoveries are in the range of 85–114 and 71–98% for PFOS and PFOA, respectively. The proposed method is successfully applied to the analysis of PFOS and PFOA in 16 sewage sludge samples from China. PFOS and PFOA are detected in most sewage sludge samples and the concentrations of PFOS and PFOA are up to 5383 and 4780 ng/g (oven dry weight), respectively.     

Identification of linoleic acid free radicals and other breakdown products using spin trapping with liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

Linoleic acid radical products formed by radical reaction (Fenton conditions) were trapped using 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrrolidine-N-oxide (DMPO) and analysed by reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The linoleic acid radical species detected as DMPO spin adducts comprised oxidized linoleic acid and short-chain radical species that resulted from the breakdown of carbon and oxygen centred radicals. Based on the m/z values, the short-chain products were identified as alkyl and carboxylic acid DMPO radical adducts that exhibited different elution times. The ions identified as DMPO radical adducts were studied by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The LC-MS/MS spectra of linoleic acid DMPO radical adducts exhibited the fragment ion at m/z 114 and/or the loss of neutral molecule of 113 Da (DMPO) or 131 Da (DMPO + H2O), indicated to be DMPO adducts. The short-chain products identified allowed inference of the radical oxidation along the linoleic acid chain by abstraction of hydrogen atoms in carbon atoms ranging from C-8 to C-14. Other ions containing the fragment ion at m/z 114 in the LC-MS/MS spectra were attributed to DMPO adducts of unsaturated aldehydes, hydroxy-aldehydes and oxocarboxylic acids. The identification of aldehydic products formed by radical oxidation of linoleic acid peroxidation products, as short-chain product DMPO adducts, is a means of identifying lipid peroxidation products.     

Studies of iridoid glycosides using liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

Fragmentation pathways of five iridoid glycosides have been studied by using electrospray ionization multi-stage tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS(n)). The first-stage MS data of the five iridoid glycosides were compared. The MS spectra showed that the adduct ions of iridoid glycosides and the formate anion were diagnostic ions to distinguish iridoid glycosides with a carboxyl group at the C-4 position or an ester group at the C-4 position. The MS fragmentation pathways of the five iridoid glycosides were also studied. Analyzing the product ion spectra of iridoid glycosides, some neutral losses were observed, such as H(2)O, CO(2) and glucose residues, which were very useful for the identification of the functional groups in the structures of iridoid glycosides. Furthermore, specific loss of one molecule of methyl 3-oxopropanoate or 3-oxopropanic acid was firstly discussed, which corresponded to the isomerization of the hemiacetal group in the structure of iridoid aglycone. According to the fragmentation mechanisms and HPLC/MS(n) data, the structures of five iridoid glycosides in a crude extract of Gardenia jasminoisdes fruit have been identified. Three compounds were compared with standards and the other two were identified as shanzhiside and genipin gentibioside by their MS(n) data without standard compounds. In order to further validate the veracity of the deduction, genipin gentiobioside was isolated from the extract of Gardenia jasminoisdes fruit using Purification Factory and was further identified by C- and H-NMR.     

Separation of catechin epimers by complexation using ion mobility mass spectrometry

Ion mobility coupled with mass spectrometry provides a fast and repeatable method to separate catechin epimers by previous complexation with selected chiral modifiers and transition metals. Several combinations with chiral ligands such as D‐ and L‐amino acids and/or additional metal cations, chiral crown ethers, tartaric acid and heptakis(2,6‐di‐O‐methyl)‐β‐cyclodextrin were screened for their ability to affect the separation efficiency. The clusters having the form of [2M + D‐amino acid + Cu²⁺ ? 3H]^? (M stands for (?)‐epicatechin or (+)‐catechin) showed improvement in stereodifferentiation between two epimeric catechins in comparison to the analysis of pure epimers, where no separation was observed or the separation was hampered by the formation of mixed dimer complexes. Among various examined D‐amino acids only those possessing hydrophobic side chains induced the improvement of separation efficiency. The best peak‐to‐peak resolution (R_p–p) was determined to be 0.71 for [2M + D‐Leucine + Cu²⁺ ? 3H]^? clusters. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Separation and determination of non-ionic surfactants of the nonylphenol polyglycol ether type by liquid chromatography

A normal-phase method for the separation and determination of non-ionic surfactants of the 4-nonylphenol polyglycol ether (NPEO) type by liquid chromatography is described, based on a LiChrosorb-Diol column and nonpolar linear gradient elution, with spectrophotometric detection at 275 nm. The method was applied to the determination of NPEO oligomers in the technical surfactants Arkopal N-20, N-40, N-60 and N-100 and in aqueous solutions from flotation processes. The relative standard deviations were 2.47–5.62%. The detection limits for nonylphenol polyglycol ether with 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 13 and 15 ethoxy units were 51, 57, 64, 74, 85, 118 and 132 ng, respectively. The method can also be used for the determination of other alkylphenol polyglycol ethers. Reversed-phase LC with an octadecylsilica column was investigated and can be applied to the identification of the alkyl group present.     

表面活性剂对均相沉淀法制备单晶Ce2O(CO3)2·H2O微粉形貌及形成机理的影响

Three kinds of ultra-fine Ce2O(CO3)2.H2O powders with different morphologies were prepared by adding CTAB, PEG19000 and OP-10 to a solution of Ce2O (NO3)3.6H2O and urea according to the principle and the characteristics of the homogeneous precipitation method. The products were characterized by TEM and XRD. The results showed that the precursor was a single crystal, and that different surfactants had different influences on the morphology of the products. The cationic surfactant CTAB had little effect on crystal morphology merely reducing its size. Nonionic surfactants PEG19000 and OP-10 are both able to change the crystal morphology to a much greater extent. Adding PEG19000 produces an array of rod-like particles with ordered formation and uniform dimension. Meanwhile, in the system of OP-10, a sort of flower-like with different morphologies occured because of the mechanism of formation and grain growth.     

Determination of non-ionic polyethoxylated surfactants in wastewater and river water by mixed hemimicelle extraction and liquid chromatography-ion trap mass spectrometry

The capability of hemimicelles-based solid phase extraction (SPE)/liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation in positive mode, ion trap mass spectrometry (LC/(APCl+-IT)-MS) for the concentration, separation and quantitation of non-ionic surfactants has been investigated. Concentration was based on the formation of mixed aggregates of analytes [alkylphenol ethoxylates (APE, octyl and nonyl) and alkyl ethoxylates (AE, C12-C16)] with the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) that is adsorbed on alumina. Parameters affecting SPE were investigated on the basis that hemimicelles are dynamic entities in equilibrium with the aqueous phase. The performance of ion trap mass spectrometry for MS and MS/MS quantitation of non-ionic homologues was assessed. Recoveries of analytes from wastewater influent and effluent and river water samples ranged between 91 and 98% and were found independent on the length of the alkyl chain under the optimised conditions. Anionic surfactants did not interfere to the levels found in environmental samples. The detection limits ranged between 14 and 111 ng/l for wastewater influent, 10 and 40 for wastewater effluent and 4 and 35 for river water, after concentration of 250, 500 and 750 ml of sample, respectively. The approach was applied to the determination of AE and APE in influent and effluent samples from four wastewater treatment plants and four river samples. The concentrations of individual non-ionic surfactants found ranged between 0.3 and 373 microg/l.     

Extractive spectrophotometric determination of non-ionic surfactants in water

The solvent extraction of non-ionic surfactants with potassium chloride and tetrabromophenolphthalein ethyl ester potassium salt has been studied, and a method developed for determining trace amounts of non-ionic surfactants in water spectrophotometrically. Various non-ionic surfactants of general type RO(CH(2)CH(2)O)(n)H (where R is an alkyl or alkylphenyl group and n is the number-average degree of polymerization) are extracted quantitatively into o-dichlorobenzene from the water sample, and reacted in the organic phase with tetrabromophenolphthalein ethyl ester potassium salt to give a coloured product, the absorbance of which is measured at 620 nm.     

齐墩果酸乙酰氧基取代三烯的合成及氧化

以齐墩果酸(1)为原料,依次经过17-羧基的甲酯化、3-羟基的苯甲酰化、12-双键的臭氧化、Br2/HBr脱氢、羰基的烯醇乙酰化以及C环的光照开环,得到12-乙酰氧基取代的三烯化合物6。 采用不同的氧化剂,如O3、间氯过氧苯甲酸、H2O2、过氧叔丁醇以及Na2S2O8等对化合物6进行氧化,得到了十氢萘型的手性合成子以及环氧化或者环氧内酯化的齐墩果酸衍生物。     

Kinetic and mechanistic study of the gas-phase reactions of a series of vinyl ethers with the nitrate radical

NO(3) oxidation of methyl, ethyl, propyl, and butyl vinyl ethers has been studied under tropospheric conditions (atmospheric pressure and T = 293 +/- 3 K) in the LISA indoor simulation chamber. NO(3) was produced inside the reactor by thermal decomposition of N(2)O(5) previously added to the air-VOC mixture, and concentrations were monitored using FTIR spectrometry. All the kinetic experiments were carried out by relative rate technique using isoprene as reference compound, leading to the rate constants k(1) = (7.2 +/- 1.5) x 10(-13), k(2) = (13.1 +/- 2.7) x 10(-13), k(3) = (13.3 +/- 3.0) x 10(-13), and k(4) = (17.0 +/- 3.7) x 10(-13) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) for methyl, ethyl, propyl, and butyl vinyl ethers, respectively. Main oxidation products have been identified like being formaldehyde and respectively methyl, ethyl, propyl, and butyl formates. Production yields of oxidation products were close to 50%. Oxygenated nitrates and peroxynitrates were also detected.     

Factors affecting the selectivity of the oxidation of methyl p-toluate by cobalt(III)

The anaerobic oxidation of methyl p-toluate by cobalt(III) in acetic acid was investigated. Observed products were 4-carbomethoxybenzaldehyde (2), 4-carbomethoxybenzoic acid (3), 4-carbomethoxybenzyl acetate (1), 4,4'-dicarbomethoxybibenzyl (6), methyl 2,4-dimethylbenzoate (8), and methyl 3,4-dimethylbenzoate (9). Deuterium isotope labeling showed that 2 was not formed from 1, but appeared to be formed directly from methyl p-toluate via 4-carbomethoxybenzyl alcohol (5). The ratio of (2 + 3) to 1 was 0.5 with [py3Co3O(OAc)5OH[PF6] and 1.0 with cobaltic acetate. Cobaltic acetate was generated in situ by the reaction of cobaltous acetate and peracetic acid. When the oxidation was carried out in the presence of chromium (0.05 equiv based on cobalt), the ratio increased dramatically and no 6 was observed. Other transition metals such as vanadium, molybdenum, and manganese had a similar effect, but were not as effective as chromium. Chromium was observed to form a mixed-metal cluster complex with cobalt. Treatment of an acetic acid solution of cobaltous acetate and methyl isonicotinate with K2CrO4 produced a solid tentatively identified as [(MIN)3Co2CrO(OAc)6][CrO4H] (MIN = methyl isonicotinate). The selectivity for the oxidation of methyl p-toluate exhibited by the mixed-metal cluster complex was similar to that observed by the addition of chromium to oxidations using [py3Co3O(OAc)5OH[PF6].     

Recent advances on synthesis of potentially non-bioaccumulable fluorinated surfactants

Fluorinated surfactants are exceptional compounds that have found many applications in everyday life. This review focuses on severe issues on the toxicity, persistency and bioaccumulation of these halogenated products, especially perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), the half-lives of which are several years in human serum. After an introduction on their productions, uses and hazards, this minireview updates non-exhaustive recent strategies of synthesis of original fluorosurfactants that may be potentially non-bioaccumulable. These routes have been devoted on: (i) the preparation of CF₃-X-(CH₂)_n-SO₃Na (with X = O, C₆H₄O or N(CF₃) and n = 8–12), (ii) the use of fluorinated polyethers (achieved either by oligomerization of hexafluoropropylene oxide (HFPO) or by ring opening cationic oligomerization of fluorinated oxetanes; (iii) the telomerization of vinylidene fluoride (VDF) with 1-iodoperfluoralkanes to produce C_nF_2n + 1-(VDF)₂-CH₂CO₂R (n = 2 or 4, R = H or NH₄), (iv) the radical telomerization of 3,3,3-trifluoropropene (TFP) with isoperfluoropropyliodide to prepare (CF₃)₂CF(TFP)_x-R_H, and (v) the radical cotelomerization of VDF and TFP, or their controlled radical copolymerization in the presence of either (CF₃)₂CFI or a fluorinated xanthate. In most cases, the surface tensions versus the surfactant concentrations have been assessed. These above pathways led to various highly fluorinated (but yet not perfluorinated) telomers or cooligomers, the chemical changes of which enabled to obtain original surfactants as novel alternatives to PFOA, ammonium perfluorooctanoate (APFO), or PFOS regarded as the PCBs of the XXIst century.