Levels of essential and potentially toxic trace metals in Antarctic macro algae

Eleven species of Antarctic algae were examined for their accumulation ability in the uptake of different metals and metalloids from the Antarctic aquatic environment. Macro algae were collected during the 2000 austral summer season at Jubany Station (Argentinean base) around Potter Cove, King George Island. The elements quantified were: As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, Sr, V, and Zn. An optimized microwave-assisted digestion procedure was used to digest the samples and the elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. A wide range of metal retention capacity among the different species was observed. The highest levels of trace elements were found in Monostroma hariotii and Phaeurus antarcticus, with concentrations up to 3095 μg g⁻¹ for Fe. On the basis of the levels of trace elements observed in Monostroma hariotii and its wide distribution in the Antarctic Peninsula, this organism accomplishes a number of prerequisites to be considered as an adequate biomonitor for future studies.     

Use of iridium plus rhodium as permanent modifier to determine As, Cd and Pb in acids and ethanol by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

The most severe interferences in atomic absorption spectrometry are caused by the presence of anions when they are in different concentrations in the samples and in the calibration solutions. The analyte addition technique or matrix matching calibration can be employed to minimize or compensate the non-spectral interferences, but they are time consuming or difficult to be carried out. The use of chemical modifiers usually allows higher pyrolysis temperatures and consequently the removal of components of the sample matrix, equalizing the analyte signal in the sample and in the calibration solution. In this work, a mixture of Ir and Rh is proposed as permanent modifier to determine As, Cd and Pb in diluted hydrochloric, sulfuric and phosphoric acids and in ethanol and methanol by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ET AAS) with calibration against 1% v/v nitric acid aqueous solutions. The performance of the proposed permanent modifier was compared to that of Pd plus Mg nitrates in solution. Better recoveries, low background levels and faster analysis were obtained with the permanent modifier. The permanent modifier was also successfully employed for the determination of As, Cd and Pb in different concentrations of sulfuric and hydrochloric acids. For the phosphoric acid, the proposed modifier was only efficient for acid concentrations up to 2% v/v for As and up to 5% v/v for Cd and Pb. The precision, expressed as the relative standard deviation (n=3), was lower than 10%, for all samples, including ethanol and methanol.     

Simple procedure for the determination of Cd, Pb, As and Se in biological samples by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry using colloidal Pd modifier

Electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry was used for the determination of Cd, Pb, As and Se in the whole blood, serum, hair reference standard materials and the samples of algae collected at the coastal Estonian regions of Baltik sea. Instead of tedious and time-consuming experimental comparison of various chemical modifiers, theoretical consideration of the problem was applied for choosing the most prospective one (colloidal Pd) for solution of the given task. The experimental data obtained proved correctness of the choice. Pure standard solutions in diluted nitric acid were used for construction of the calibration graphs. The same experimental conditions were applied for each analyte for calibration solutions and all samples studied. In spite of very limited optimization procedures used, all the values obtained agree well with the corresponding reference values. Accuracy of the analysis of the algae samples was checked by recoveries of the spikes that were in the region 91-109%. Detection limits reached are 0.021, 1.2, 0.62 and 1.1 ng ml⁻¹ for Cd, Pb, As and Se, respectively, in digests of biological samples.     

Bioaccumulation and voltammetry of gold at flower-biomass modified electrodes

The bioaccumulation of gold at antheral cells from flower Datura innoxia is investigated by incorporating these plant cells into a carbon paste matrix. The resulting plant-modified electrode offers a preferential uptake of gold from dilute solutions. The voltammetric behavior of the surface-bound gold is examined under different preconcentration conditions. Scanning electron microscopy offers useful insights into the gold collection process. Convenient measurements of micromolar gold concentrations are possible, with effective self cleaning allowing the use of a single electrode in multiple determinations (R.S.D. of 4.8% for 50 repetitions). The sensitivity and selectivity enhancements associated with the preferential bioaccumulation process, and the convenient surface regeneration, offer the prospect of using the flower-biomass containing electrodes as sensors for gold.     

Determination of arsenic, cadmium, lead and selenium in highly mineralized waters by graphite-furnace atomic-absorption spectrometry

A graphite-furnace AAS method using the stabilized-temperature platform furnace (STPF) concept, mixed palladium and magnesium nitrates as chemical modifier and Zeeman background correction has been applied to the direct determination of As, Cd, Pb and Se in highly mineralized waters used for medicinal purposes. These contain 20-40 g/l. concentrations of salts, mainly sodium and magnesium chlorides, bicarbonates and sulphates. The use of a pre-atomization cool-down step to 20 degrees in the graphite-furnace programme reduced the background absorption. Increasing the mass of magnesium nitrate modifier to 5 times that originally proposed improved the analyte peak shape. Under these conditions, no interference was found in analysis of the chloride/bicarbonate type of water, but the sodium and magnesium sulphate type of water had to be diluted, and even then an interference remained. Calibration with matrix-free standard solutions was used, but use of spike recovery is strongly recommended for testing the accuracy. The limits of determination (4.65sigma) of the proposed method for undiluted samples are 2.0 mug/l. for As, 0.05 mug/l. for Cd, 1.0 mug/l. for Pb and 1.5 mug/l. for Se.     

Depolarization of light scattering by atomic and molecular solutions with strongly anisotropic translational-orientational fluctuations

Translational-orientational fluctuations are shown to raise or lower the depolarization of light scattered by solutions according to the structure of the near-order region of anisotropic molecules. In solutions of atoms, translational fluctuations induce anisotropic scattering already described in the bi-molecular radial correlations approximation; in accordance with the latest experiments, this scattering undergoes an increase or decrease depending on ternary radial correlations. A general expression for the effective optical anisotropy of the near-order region in solutions is applied to the dilute case permitting, in a novel manner, determination of both the value and sign of the anisotropy for isolated solute molecules.     

不同海藻吸附重金属镉离子的研究

本文采用6种分别属于褐藻门、绿藻门、红藻门的海边常见大型海藻对重金属镉离子进行吸附比较实验，镉离子浓度较低时，其吸附容量排列顺序为：海黍子＞海带＞孔石莼＞节荚藻＞刺松藻＞内枝藻，海黍子的吸附量高达181mg/g，超出文献报道值，对3种吸附容量较高的海藻进行了较详细的研究，研究溶液的pH值、初始Cd^2 离子浓度等因素对Ca^2 的吸附特性的影响，对吸附机理进行了初步的探讨，发现镉离子与海藻中的钙离子发生离子交换作用，交换率占总吸附量的33－34％，得出了适宜的吸附等温线方程。     

Simultaneous determination of L-693,612, a topical carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, and two potential metabolites in human whole blood by ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography

A method for the simultaneous determination of a topical carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, L-693,612, and two of its potential metabolites in human whole blood is described. The analytes are isolated from the matrix via liquid-liquid extraction with a mixture of toluene, ethyl acetate and isopropanol (49:50:1, v/v/v). The analytes are then back extracted into dilute phosphoric acid prior to injection into the HPLC system. A cyano column (Zorbax SB-CN, 150 × 4.6 mm) with a mobile phase of phosphoric acid(0.085%)-acetonitrile (73.5:26.5) containing 10 mM sodium decane sulfonate and adjusted to pH 3 is used for the analysis. Detection is based on UV absorbance at 252 nm. The assay was found to be linear in the concentration range of 5–500 ng/ml for each analyte when 1-ml aliquots of whole blood were extracted.     

Trans-cis isomerization of an azoxybenzene liquid crystal

Trans-cis isomerization was investigated in a room temperature liquid crystal mixture of two azoxybenzene compounds. Experiments were performed on isolated molecules in dilute solutions and on the liquid crystal phase composed of the pure compounds. The absorption spectra of the trans and cis isomers were found to be similar to those of azobenzene compounds, as were the birefringence and order parameter of the nematic liquid crystal phase. The photo-optic properties were also similar in that irradiation by ultraviolet light caused the conversion from trans to cis isomers, while short wavelength visible light incident on these compounds resulted in the conversion from cis to trans isomers. The activation energy for thermal relaxation from the cis to trans isomer in the liquid crystal phase was determined to be (66±7) kJ/mole, which is less than for azobenzene in solution. While a photostationary state in a dilute solution with approximately equal numbers of trans and cis isomers was achieved, the nematic-isotropic transition of the mixture of the pure compounds decreased from 70°C to room temperature with a cis concentration of only about 12%. One unusual finding was that the photostationary concentration of trans and cis isomers due to irradiation with light of a specific visible wavelength depended on the starting concentrations of the two isomers, indicating that there may be a molecular conformation that is not photo-responsive and relaxes only thermally.     

Atomic absorption determination of Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Ni in viscous aqueous solutions of poly(ethyleneimine) using a high-pressure flow and nebulization system for sample introduction

Summary The influence of increasing concentration of water-soluble polymers on the analytical signals for Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Ni in flame atomic absorption spectrometry with hydraulic high-pressure nebulization (HHPN) and pneumatic nebulization (self uptake mode) has been studied using aqueous solutions of poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI) as examples. For a solution of 50 g/l polymer, HHPN sample introduction leads to a 5.0 (Cd), 8.8 (Co), 17 (Cu), 7.1 (Fe) and 22 (Ni) fold higher sensitivity compared to pneumatic nebulization. Even at polymer concentrations of more than 100 g/l HHPN operation is still possible without any problems, whilst such viscous solutions cannot be transferred into an aerosol by a pneumatic nebulizer.     

Cloud point preconcentration and flame atomic absorption spectrometric determination of Cd and Pb in human hair

Cloud point methodology has been successfully used for the preconcentration of trace amounts of Cd and Pb as a prior step to their determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. O,O-Diethyldithiophosphate and Triton X-114 are used as hydrophobic ligand and non-ionic surfactant, respectively. After phase separation at 40 °C based on cloud point of the mixture, the surfactant-rich phase is diluted with methanol. The enriched analyte in the final solution is determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry using conventional nebulization. After optimization of the complexation and extraction conditions, enhancement factors of 22 and 43 were obtained for Cd and Pb, respectively. Under the experimental conditions used, preconcentration of only 10 ml of sample in the presence of 0.05% (v/v) Triton X-114 permitted the detection of 0.62 μg l⁻¹ of Cd and 2.86 μg l⁻¹of Pb. The proposed method was applied to the determination of Cd and Pb in human hair samples.     

Simultaneous determination of sub-mg/1 levels of sulphur and chlorine in liquid hydrocarbons by a coupled combustion—ion chromatography technique

A method for elemental analysis that employs a novel coupled combustion—ion chromatography (C---IC) apparatus is described in detail. The samples are combusted and the products collected in a dilute peroxide solution. This solution is loaded onto a concentrator column which is then introduced into the injection position of a suppressed conductivity anion chromatography system. The method is rapid, reliable, free from interferences and has the capacity for simultaneous determination of sulphur and chlorine in organic liquids at concentrations down to 0.03 mg/1. Provided that the capacity of the concentrator column is not exceeded, the recovery for organic standards of both chlorine and sulphur in a variety of organic solvents is greater than 93%, irrespective of the solvent and the sample volume and concentration. Repeatability is only slightly worse than that observed for conventional direct IC analysis of aqueous solutions. At concentrations of 0.4 mg/1 C1 and 0.5 mg/1 S, the % standard deviations (n = 10) were found to be 2.9 and 3.5% respectively. The results obtained with the C---IC analyser for both standards and petroleum-based samples are in good agreement with those obtained by microcoulometry.     

萃取液浓度对火焰原子吸收光谱法测定日用陶瓷铅、镉溶出量的影响研究

采用火焰原子吸收光谱法测定日用陶瓷的铅、镉溶出量和标准曲线,通过对不同浓度的萃取液及其稀释液在各自相应的标准曲线条件下进行重金属溶出量检测,运用单因素多水平方差分析法(F检验)验证结果数据的显著性差异水平,并依据Lambert-Beer定律研究差异形成原因.推导在置信度为95%的条件下,当样品中铅的质量浓度低于80.00 mg/L、镉的质量浓度低于1.000 mg/L时,原始样液与其稀释液的测定结果间无显著性差异.当样液中铅的质量浓度高于100.00 mg/L、镉的质量浓度高于1.000 mg/L时,原始样液与其稀释液测定结果之间的显著性差异程度将随重金属元素浓度升高而加大.     

Caloric properties of dilute nonelectrolyte solutions: A success story

Selected aspects of the thermodynamics of very dilute solutions of gases in liquids, in particular aqueous solutions, are reviewed and connected with recent high-precision experimental techniques [vapor-liquid equilibrium measurements (VLE), calorimetry and densimetry]. Some of the problems encountered in data reduction and data correlation over large temperature ranges, including the critical region, are discussed. The focus is on caloric properties, such as partial molar enthalpy changes on solution, ΔH^∞₂, and partial molar heat capacity changes on solution, ΔC^∞_P,2: direct calorimetric methods are compared with indirect methods based on VLE studies as a function of temperature (van't Hoff approach).     

Determination of lead and cadmium in ceramicware leach solutions by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy: method development and interlaboratory trial.

This method was developed to improve sensitivity and eliminate time consuming, evaporative pre-concentration in AOAC Method 973.82 and American Society for Testing and Materials method C738 for testing foodware. The method was developed using leach solutions obtained by leaching 9 differently decorated ceramic vessels with 4% acetic acid for 24 h at room temperature. Lead and cadmium concentrations in leach solutions were 0.005-17,600 and 0.0004-0.500 microg/mL, respectively. Concentrations were determined using peak area, phosphate chemical modifier (8.3 microg PO4(-3)), and a standard curve for quantitation. Optimized pre-atomization and atomization temperatures were 1,300 and 1,800 degrees C, respectively, for Pb and 1,100 and 1,700 degrees C, respectively, for Cd. Characteristic masses (mo) were 10 and 0.4 pg for Pb and Cd, respectively. Precision of repeated analyses of calibration solutions was < or =3% relative standard deviation. Precision of duplicate leach solution analyses on different days was 0-9% relative difference. Recovery from fortified leach solutions was 96-106%. Results obtained by this method agreed 92-110% with those of confirmatory analyses. Results of certified reference material solutions agreed 94-100% with certificate values. Pb and Cd limits of quantitation (LOQ) were 0.005 and 0.0005 microg/mL, respectively. Results from 3 trial laboratories for 4 leach solutions containing Pb and Cd concentrations of 0.017-1.47 and <0.0005-0.0864 microg/mL, respectively, agreed 89-102% with results of the author. Two attributes of this method were noteworthy: (1) Background absorbance due to organic matter was entirely absent from atomization profiles, making the use of short pre-atomization hold times (2 s) possible. (2) Instrument precision was excellent and only one determination per solution was needed. Acceptance criteria for quality control measurements and a practical procedure for estimating the method LOQ during routine regulatory analyses are described.     

Why robust background electrolytes containing multivalent ionic species can fail in capillary zone electrophoresis

Previous models for the retention behaviour of carboxylic acids in ion-exclusion chromatography are applicable only when the degree of ionisation of the analyte is constant over the entire chromatographic peak. When solutions of sulfuric acid are used as eluents, this condition applies only when the eluent concentration is considerably higher than that of the analyte. Since it is common for dilute solutions of sulfuric acid to be used as eluents, a retention model which accounts for unbuffered eluents has been developed. This model also considers the effects on retention of hydrophobic adsorption of the undissociated and dissociated forms of the analyte onto the stationary phase substrate, as well as the effects of organic solvents added to the eluent. The derivation of this model is presented and it has been evaluated using a comprehensive set of retention data obtained using three different sulfonated stationary phases over a range of eluent conditions. The adsorption coefficients calculated from the model are in accordance with expected trends and showed that both the undissociated and dissociated forms of the analyte acids were retained by hydrophobic adsorption effects, although this adsorption was much stronger for the undissociated analytes.     

Single-run analysis of retinal isomers, retinol and photooxidation products by high-performance liquid chromatography

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) procedure was developed to allow the rapid separation, in a single run, of a mixture of the main retinal isomers (all-trans, 13-cis, 9-cis), all-trans-retinol, and of the two major photooxygenated photoproducts (5,8-peroxyretinal and 5,6-epoxyretinal). The mixture was separated by HPLC on an octadecyl (ODS) column with 16% (v/v) diethyl ether in hexane as mobile phase and anthracene as the internal standard. A commercial type cosmetic formulation containing 0.05% all-trans-retinal was analyzed successfully for this analyte.     

Rapid determination of clenbuterol residues in urine by high-performance liquid chromatography with on-line automated sample processing using immunoaffinity chromatography

A liquid chromatographic column-switching system for automated sample pretreatment and determination of clenbuterol in calf urine, using an immunoaffinity precolumn with Sepharose-immobilized polyclonal antibodies against clenbuterol, is described. A second precolumn packed with C18-bonded silica was used for the reconcentration of desorbed clenbuterol prior to the analytical separation. Urine, after 2-fold dilution with buffer (pH 7.4), was loaded directly onto the immuno precolumn, where clenbuterol was trapped by the immobilized antibodies. This immuno precolumn has been used for more than 200 runs with standard solutions and samples. Bound analyte was desorbed with 0.01 M acetic acid and transferred, via the second precolumn, to the analytical column. The total runtime per sample was 35 min. Using a sample load of 27 ml of dilute urine and UV detection at 244 nm, the detection limit was 0.5 ng/ml. The mean recovery of clenbuterol added to a blank urine sample at the 5 ng/ml level was 82 +/- 2% (n = 5) as determined with standard solutions loaded onto the same system. Urine samples from treated animals were analysed and the clenbuterol concentrations were comparable to those obtained by high-performance liquid chromatography using solid-phase extraction for sample clean-up.     

三角褐指藻对镉的富集机制和转化途径

本论文报道了在典型配体乙二胺四乙酸(EDTA)和半胱氨酸(Cys)的存在下三角褐指藻(Phaeodactylum tricornutum)对镉(Cd)的富集机制和转化途径. 毒性试验表明, 两种配体均可有效降低Cd对三角褐指藻的毒性. ICP-MS分析结果表明, EDTA存在下细胞表面吸附和内部吸收Cd的量随着培养液中EDTA浓度的升高(自由Cd²⁺浓度的降低)而降低, 基本符合自由离子活度模型(Free ion activity model, FIAM)的预测; 而Cys存在时, 细胞表面吸附Cd的量随着Cys浓度的增大呈现先增加后降低的趋势. 在Cys浓度由空白浓度增加至4.45 µmol/L时, 细胞内部吸收Cd的量呈现增加趋势; 而大于4.45 µmol/L时, 又趋于同一水平的现象, 结果偏离FIAM. FTIR和XPS研究确证了细胞壁上的?OH和−NH₂基团对Cd的吸附起主要作用. Cd胁迫后P. tricornutum细胞内诱导合成的植物螯合肽(PCs)的HPLC和ESI-IT-MS分析结果证实造成这两种配体对P. tricornutum积累和转化Cd行为产生不同影响的主要原因是Cys作为Cd²⁺的配体的同时, 又是P. tricornutum细胞内PCs合成的前驱体之一. P. tricornutum细胞内PCs、氧化型PCs以及Cd-PC2的发现证明了Cd诱导P. tricornutum合成的PCs反过来钝化细胞内吸收的Cd, 降低了其对P. tricornutum细胞的氧化毒性.     

Quantitative Analysis of Chromium(VI) in Dilute Solution by Using Adsorption and Diffuse Reflectance Near‐infrared Spectroscopy

A method for quantitative determination of metal element in aqueous solution was developed by using adsorption and diffuse reflectance near‐infrared spectroscopy (DRNIRS). In this method, the analyte is firstly adsorbed onto the resin from the dilute solution, and then the adsorbed analyte is directly determined in the sorbent by using DRNIRS. Enrichment of the analyte is achieved by the adsorption from the dilute solution, and quantitative determination is accomplished by using multivariate calibration technique. Taking chromium(VI) in river water as the analytical target, adsorption conditions and the partial least squares (PLS) model was optimized. The results show that chromium(VI) can be immobilized onto the adsorbent and quantitatively measured by DRNIRS and multivariate calibration. With cross validation and external validation, the correlation coefficient between the reference and predicted concentration was found to be above 0.98 in the range of 0.75–29.90 mg·L⁻¹ for the PLS model, and the interference of the coexisting matrix was eliminated with the aid of multivariate calibration.