The development of an automated HPLC system for the determination of trace-metals in concentrated brines and its application to process monitoring

Methodology based on high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been developed for the determination of trace-metals in concentrated brines. Metal ions, (Al, Ba, Ca, Mg, Sr and Zn) were concentrated quantitatively and isolated from the sodium chloride matrix using a chelating ion-exchange column dynamically coated with the chelating dye xylenol orange. The pH dependence of the uptake of the metals was studied. Using the chelating ion-exchange preconcentration column followed by ion chromatography all the metals studied were determined at the low ng ml^–1 level in concentrated brines and linear/workable calibrations were obtained in the concentration range of interest (<100 ng ml^–1). The methodology developed was successfully transferred to an automated on-line monitoring system for the determination of Ba, Ca, Mg and Sr in concentrated feed brines used in the chlor-alkali industry.     

Speciation of silicon and phosphorous using liquid chromatography coupled with sector field high resolution ICP-MS

Sector-field high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS) has been used, at R=3000, to resolve spectral interferences caused by N₂⁺ and CO⁺ on ²⁸Si⁺, and NOH⁺ and NO⁺ on ³¹P⁺, thereby facilitating the speciation of these elements. Polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMS), ranging from 162 g mol⁻¹ to 16 500 g mol⁻¹, and their silanol breakdown products, have been separated by size exclusion and reverse phase chromatography, respectively, and detected using HR-ICP-MS. Detection limits (as Si) of between 12–30 ng ml⁻¹ and 0.1–4 ng ml⁻¹ were obtained for the PDMS and silanol compounds, respectively. Quantitative and reproducible methods have been developed for the analysis of four common organophosphorous pesticides in blood plasma, and inorganic phosphates in food, with detection limits of between 0.9–2 ng ml⁻¹ and 1–39 ng ml^−1, respectively.     

Fluorimetric determination of calcium by ion-pair extraction with cryptand 2.2.1 and eosin

A fluorimetric study on the extraction of calcium into 1,2-dichloroethane as an ion-pair, formed between the cryptand 2.2.1-calcium complex and the eosinate anion, is described. Optimum conditions for extraction are established and a new fluorimetric determination of ultratraces of calcium is proposed. A linear working range from 1.5 ng ml^–1 (detection limit) to 100 ng ml^–1 of calcium and a relative standard deviation of ± 2.9% at the 70 ng ml^–1 level are obtained. The equilibrium constants involved in the extraction process have been calculated and refined by the Letagrop-DISTR program. The proposed method has been tested for the direct determination of calcium in sugars.     

Ionen-chromatographische Bestimmung yon Chloracetat und Dichloracetat in Niederschlagswasserproben

Summary Chlorinated hydrocarbons are released to the atmosphere by anthropogenic activities. To some extent they are decomposed in the troposphere by chemical reactions. Chlorinated acyl chlorides were found as degradation products in laboratory studies. Chloroacetate and dichloroacetate are supposed to be formed by hydrolysis of the intermediately produced chlorinated acyl chlorides. A multidimensional ion-chromatographic method was developed to separate traces of chloroacetate and dichloroacetate from the more than thousandfold excess of matrix ions. The limits of detection are 0.25 ng ml^–1 chloroacetate and 0.4 ng ml^–1 dichloroacetate. This technique is applied to the analysis of chloroacetate and dichloroacetate in precipitation samples. Mean concentrations of 1.5 ng ml^–1 chloroacetate and 1.6 ng ml^–1 dichloroacetate were found.     

A direct solid sampling electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometric method for determination of trace elements in zirconium dioxide

A direct solid sampling electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometric method for determination of Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Ni and Zn in zirconium dioxide has been developed. Using optimised experimental conditions, very effective in-situ analyte/matrix separation was achieved without any chemical modification. After the measurement, the matrix residue could easily be tipped out from the platform. In the determination of Cr, before sampling, the platform bottom was covered with carbon powder. Quantification was performed using calibration curves measured with aqueous standard solutions pipetted onto the matrix residue from a previous sample run. Sample amounts between 0.5 and 40 mg were applied for each analysis cycle. The accuracy was determined by comparison of the results with those obtained by radiochemical neutron activation analysis and by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry using liquid sampling of digests and slurry sampling. For the nine elements assayed, the limits of detection achievable by this method are between 0.06 ng g^–1 (Cd) and 2.3 ng g^–1 (Fe).Dedicated to the memory of Wilhelm Fresenius     

Assay of femtogram level nitrite in human urine using luminol–myoglobin chemiluminescence

In this paper, a sensitive flow injection chemiluminescence system luminol–myoglobin was described for determining femtogram nitrite. Nitrite bound myoglobin producing the ferric heme nitrite complexes, which catalyzed the electron transfer of luminol to myoglobin leading to fast chemiluminescence. The chemiluminescence intensity in the presence of nitrite was remarkably enhanced compared with that in the absence of it. Under the optimum reaction conditions the chemiluminescence increment produced was proportional to the concentration of nitrite in the range of 0.05 pg ml^− 1–1.0 ng ml^− 1 (R² = 0.9991), with a detection limit (3σ) of 20.0 fg ml^− 1. At the flow rate of 2.0 ml min^− 1, the whole process including sampling and washing could be completed in 0.5 min offering the sampling efficiency of 120 h^− 1 accordingly, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was less than 2.60% (n = 5). It was satisfactory for the application to determine nitrite in human urine samples, and the possible mechanism was proposed.     

Spectrophotometric and derivative spectrophotometric determination of palladium(II) using pyridopyridazine dithione in the presence of non-ionic surfactant

Pyridopyridazine dithione (PPD) was synthesized as a new sensitive and selective reagent for spectrophotometric and derivative spectrophotometric determination of palladium(II). In aqueous and micellar medium, PPD forms 1:4 complexes having molar absorptivities of 4.68 × 10⁴ and 5.74 × 10⁴lmol^–1 cm^–1 at 570 and 615 nm, respectively. Beer's law was obeyed up to 2.2 and 2.5 g ml^–1 with detection limits of 0.2 and 0.1g ml^–1. The relative standard deviations for 1.23g ml^–1 were 2.6 and 1.3%, in the absence and presence of Triton X-100. In fourth-derivative mode, the regression equation, linear range, detection limit and RSD for 0.075 g ml^–1 wereD ₄ = 4.3C + 1.5 × 10^–3, 0.013 – 0.23 g ml^–1, 3.7 ng ml–1 and 0.78%, respectively. The ionization constants of the reagent and stability constants of the complexes were evaluated. The method is free from interference by most common metal ions and anions. The method was applied for determination of palladium in activated charcoal.     

Simple extraction of phencyclidine from human body fluids by headspace solid-phase microextraction (SPME)

Summary Phencyclidine (PCP) was found to be extractable by headspace solid-phase microextraction (SPME) from human whole blood and urine. Sample solutions were heated at 90°C in the presence of NaOH and K₂CO₃, and an SPME fiber was exposed in the headspace of a vial for 30 min. Immediately after withdrawal of the fiber, it was analyzed by gas chromatography with surface ionization detection (GC-SID). Recoveries of PCP were approximately 9.3–10.8% and 39.8–47.8% for whole blood and urine samples, respectively. The calibration curve for PCP showed good linearity in the range 2.5–100 ng mL^–1 whole blood and 0.5–100 ng mL^–1 urine. The detection limits were approximately 1.0 ng mL^–1 for whole blood and 0.25 ng mL^–1 for urine.     

Speciation of Cr(VI)/Cr(III) by electrothermal atomisation AAS after electrodeposition on a L'vov platform

Summary The pyrolysed graphite L'vov platform of a tube furnace is considered as an electrode for the electrodeposition and speciation of chromium by electrothermal atomisation atomic absorption spectrometry (ETA-AAS). Firstly, a preliminary study of the Cr(VI)/Cr(III) voltammetric behavior at pH 4.70 on a glassy-carbon electrode is carried out. Secondly, the L'vov platform is used as a cathodic macro-electrode for the selective preconcentration of Cr(VI)/Cr(III) on a mercury film. Speciation of Cr(VI)/Cr(III) is carried out on the basis of the electrolysis potential (E_e): at pH 4.70 and E_e=–0.30 V, only Cr(VI) is reduced to Cr(III) and accumulated as Cr(OH)₃ by adsorption on a mercury film; at E_e=–1.80 V both Cr(VI) and Cr(III) are accumulated forming an amalgam with added mercury(II) ions. Once the film has been formed, the platform is transferred to a graphite tube to atomise the element. The reliability of the method was tested for the speciation of chromium in natural waters and it proves to be highly sensitive thanks to the electroanalytical step. In all samples, the Cr(VI) concentration was less than the detection limit (0.15 ng ml^–1), and the concentration of Cr(III) agrees with those of total chromium. The analytical recovery of Cr(VI) added to water samples [3.50 ng ml^–1 of Cr(VI)] was 105±6.2%.     

Measurement of Cr(III)/Cr(VI) species by wavelength modulation diode laser flame atomic absorption spectrometry

High-performance flow atomic spectrometry of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) species by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) separation, hydraulic high-pressure nebulization (HHPN) for sample introduction and wavelength modulation-laser atomic absorption spectrometry (WM-LAAS) with diode lasers in an analytical flame is reported. 3σ detection limits of 0.5 and 1 ng ml⁻¹ have been obtained for Cr(VI) in deionized and drinking water, respectively. Due to relatively high blank levels, the corresponding detection limits of Cr(III) are higher than for Cr(VI), i.e. 1.6 ng ml⁻¹ in deionized water and 5 ng ml⁻¹ in drinking water.     

Transition metals in atmospheric aqueous samples, analytical determination and speciation

Summary Two rain water samples were analyzed with respect to the determination of the species which are present at the given conditions. The parameters determined were: pH, E_h, electrolytical conductivity, concentration of anions (SO ₄ ^2– , NO ₃ ^– , Cl^–, NO ₂ ^– , HCOO^–, CH₃COO^–), of main cations (Na⁺, K⁺, NH ₄ ⁺ , Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺), and of transition metals (V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn). The methods used were filtration and ultrafiltration, voltammetry, sorption on various sorbents and ion chromatography. Furthermore, E_h-pH-diagrams were taken into account and the partition of the species was calculated by means of stability constants. The transition elements species in the atmospheric aqueous solutions are discussed.     

Simultaneous determination of chromium(VI) and chromium(III) by flame atomic absorption spectrometry with a chelating ion-exchange flow injection system

Summary Simultaneous Determination of Chromium(VI) and Chromium(III) by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry with a Chelating Ion-Exchange Flow Injection System A simple method is described for the simultaneous determination of chromium(VI) and chromium(III) in a flow injection system comprising chelating ion-exchange and flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Sampling rates for 2001 and 1 ml sample volumes were 120 and 60 h^–1 (240 and 120 speciations per hour), respectively. Typical relative standard deviations were 0.52% for Cr(VI) (0.50g ml^–1 and 0.67% for Cr(III) (0.10,g ml^–1) and the corresponding limits of detection were 85 ng ml^–1, and 16 ng ml^–1, respectively.On leave from University of Belgrade.     

Organically modified silica gel and flame atomic absorption spectrometry: employment for separation and preconcentration of nine trace heavy metals for their determination in natural aqueous systems

A 5-formyl-3-(1′-carboxyphenylazo) salicylic acid-bonded silica gel (FCPASASG) chelating adsorbent was synthesized according to a very simple and rapid one step reaction between aminopropyl silica gel (APSG) and 5-formyl-3-(1′-carboxyphenylazo) salicylic acid (FCPASA) and its adsorption characteristics were studied in details. Nine trace metals viz.: Cd(II), Zn(II), Fe(III), Cu(II), Pb(II), Mn(II), Cr(III), Co(II) and Ni(II) can be quantitatively adsorbed by the adsorbent from natural aqueous systems at pH 7.0–8.0. The adsorbed metal ions can be readily desorbed with 1 M HNO₃ or 0.05 M Na₂EDTA. The distribution coefficient, K_d and the percentage concentration of the investigated metal ions on the adsorbent at equilibrium, C_M,_eqm % (Recovery, R%) were studied as a function of experimental parameters. The logarithmic values of the distribution coefficient, logK_d, are 3.7–6.4. Some foreign ions caused little interference in the preconcentration and determination of the investigated nine metals by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS).The adsorption capacity of FCPASASG was 0.32–0.43 meq g⁻¹. C and N elemental analyses of the adsorbent (FCPASASG) allowed us to calculate a surface converge of 0.82 mmol g⁻¹. This value compares well with the best values reported for the azo compounds. The adsorbent and its formed metal chelates were characterized by IR (absorbance and/or reflectance) and UV spectrometry, potentiometric titrations and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA and DTG). The mode of chelation between the FCPASASG adsorbent and the investigated metal ions is proposed to be due to reaction of those metal ions with the salicylic and/or the carboxyphenylazo chelation centers of the FCPASASG adsorbent. Nanogram concentrations (0.07–0.14 ng ml⁻¹) of Cd(II), Zn(II), Fe(III), Pb(II), Cr(III), Mn(II), Cu(II), Co(II) and Ni(II) can be determined reliably with a preconcentration factor of 100.     

Selective Sorption–Spectrometric Determination of Nanogram Amounts of Vanadium(IV) and Vanadium(V)

Conditions of the selective sorption–spectrometric determination of vanadium(IV) and vanadium(V) using sulfonitrophenol M were found. The determination of vanadium (visual test (RSD = 30%) using a reference color scale or quantitative determination (RSD < 10%) by diffuse reflectance spectra is performed immediately after the dynamic-mode sorption of its colored complexes with sulfonitrophenol M at pH 3.5 (vanadium(IV)) or with sulfonitrophenol M and hydroxylamine at pH 1.5 (vanadium(V), 650 nm) at the surface of polyamide membrane disks (d= 1 cm, l= 0.1 mm, m= 2.7 mg). The flow rate is 10–20 mL/min. The detection limit is 5–7 ng of vanadium in the support zone or 0.2–0.5 ng/mL. The determination of 0.5–5 ng/mL vanadium(V) at pH 1.5 does not interfere with 20-fold amounts of V(IV) and 1000-fold amounts of Ni, Zn, Cd, Mg, Co, Cr(III), Mn, PO^3- ₄, and F^–.     

Determination of trace amounts of titanium and vanadium in human blood serum by neutron activation analysis: Coprecipitation with Pb/PDC/2 or Bi/PDC/3

The concentrations of titanium and vanadium in biological material, human blood serum, were determined by neutron activation analysis, using a prior coprecipitation with Pb/PDC/₂ as well as Bi/PDC/₃. Titanium and vanadium were quantitatively determined by measuring the gamma ray photopeaks of the short-lived radionuclides⁵¹Ti /5.8 min/ and⁵²V /3.75 min/, respectively. The concentrations ranged from 105.7 to 131.9 ng ml^–1 /Ti/ and from 1.30 to 6.05 ng ml^–1 /V/. The detection limits for titanium and vanadium under the present experimental conditions were found to be 70 and 0.7 ng for 1 ml of blood serum sample, respectively.     

Extraction-spectrophotometric determination of chromium with Nitrotetrazolium Blue

The interaction of Cr(VI) and Nitrotetrazolium Blue has been examined. A 12 NTB (CrO₃Cl)₂ ion-associate is formed and is extractable into 1,2-dichloroethane. The optimum conditions have been established. The molar absorptivity at 260 nm was (8.2 ± 0.06) × 10⁴L mol^–1cm^–1. Beer's law was obeyed in the range 0.01–0.4 g ml^–1 Cr(VI). A sensitive and selective method for determination of micro-quantities of Cr(VI) in soils and steels is suggested.     

Neutron activation analysis of CdxHg1-xTe

A procedure has been developed for the analysis of Cd_xHg_1-xTe samples; the elements to be determined /Na, K, Cr, Mn, Cu, Co, Zn, As, La/ are separated by chromatography after neutron activation. The detection limit varies between 1×10^–5% and 5×10^–8%. A comparison of the calculation and semiempirical methods of the screening effect determination has been made.     

Occurrence of ochratoxin A in Turkish wines

A total of 95 wine samples including 34 white, 10 rosé and 51 red wines originating from four different Turkish areas were analysed for ochratoxin A (OTA). An analytical method based on immunoaffinity column (IAC) for clean-up and high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FD) was used to determine OTA in wines. The limit of detection (LOD) was estimated as 0.006 ng ml^− 1 for white wine and 0.010 ng ml^− 1 for rosé and red wines. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was estimated as 0.020 ng ml^− 1 in white wine and 0.030 ng ml^− 1 in rosé and red wines. Recovery experiments were carried out with spiked samples in the range 0.1–1 ng ml^− 1 of OTA. The average OTA recoveries from spiked white wine samples varied from 79.43% to 85.07%; while the mean recoveries for rosé and red wine samples were in the range of 77.48–83.96% and 76.61–83.55%, respectively. OTA was detected in 82 (86%) wine samples at levels of < 0.006–0.815 ng ml^− 1, which were below the maximum allowable limit established by the European Community. The mean OTA concentration in red wines was slightly higher than in white and rosé wines. Furthermore, our data indicate that the geographic region of origin has strong influence on OTA level for white, rosé and red wines: wines originating from Thrace (n = 44, mean = 0.158 ng ml^− 1) and Aegean (n = 28, mean = 0.060 ng ml^− 1) regions of Turkey were more contaminated with OTA compared with wines originating from central (n = 15, mean = 0.027 ng ml⁻¹) and east Anatolia (n = 8, mean = 0.027 ng ml^− 1) areas. This study showed that the occurrence of OTA in Turkish wines is high, but at levels that probably leads to a non-significant human exposure to OTA by consumption of wines.     

Preconcentration of metal ions using an immobilized dialkyldithiocarbamate in a flow system

Flow injection analysis with on-line preconcentration using a minicolumn loaded with dialkyldithiocarbamate immobilized on controlled pore glass is described for the determination of Rh(III), Co²⁺, Cu²⁺, Hg²⁺, and Hg₂²⁺. The detection limits range from 0.05 ng ml⁻¹ for Cu²⁺ to 50 ng ml⁻¹ for Hg²⁺ for 5- or 10-ml samples, improvement of 2–3 orders of magnitude compared with direct injection. The operating conditions are optimized and the effects of interferents are studied. The capacity of the collector varied from 0.9 mmol g⁻¹ for Rh(III) to ca 4 mmol g⁻¹ (Co²⁺, Cu²⁺, Hg²⁺).     

Voltammetric determination of methyl parathion, ortho, meta and para nitrophenol with a carbon paste electrode modified with C18

Summary The determination of methyl-parathion (MPT), ortho (ONP), meta (MNP) and para nitrophenol (PNP) has been studied by differential pulse voltammetry with a carbon-paste electrode modified with 50% (w/w) of C₁₈. A study of the influence of the pH in the preconcentration cell and the measurement cell was carried out for an electrode with 50% modifier and an accumulation time of 5 min. The voltammograms were recorded with a sweep rate of 40 mV s^–1 and a pulse amplitude of 50 mV. With the optimum conditions of pH for both of the steps, various other variables were studied. The variables for each compound were optimized and the possibility of application to the determination of a mixture of the four compounds was investigated. The determination limits found for all the compounds are: 2 ng ml^–1 for ONP, 5 ng ml^–1 for MNP, 4.3 ng ml^–1 for PNP and 7.9 ng ml^–1 for MPT. The method was applied to samples of a small lake which gathers rain water and water filtered from land on which cereals are grown.