Authentication of Galician (N.W. Spain) quality brand potatoes using metal analysis. Classical pattern recognition techniques versus a new vector quantization-based classification procedure

The objective of this work was to develop a classification system in order to confirm the authenticity of Galician potatoes with a Certified Brand of Origin and Quality (CBOQ) and to differentiate them from other potatoes that did not have this quality brand. Elemental analysis (K, Na, Rb, Li, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu, Mg and Ca) of potatoes was performed by atomic spectroscopy in 307 samples belonging to two categories, CBOQ and Non-CBOQ potatoes. The 307 x 10 data set was evaluated employing multivariate chemometric techniques, such as cluster analysis and principal component analysis in order to perform a preliminary study of the data structure. Different classification systems for the two categories on the basis of the chemical data were obtained applying several commonly supervised pattern recognition procedures [such as linear discriminant analysis, K-nearest neighbours (KNN), soft independent modelling of class analogy and multilayer feed-forward neural networks]. In spite of the fact that some of these classification methods produced satisfactory results, the particular data distribution in the 10-dimensional space led to the proposal of a new vector quantization-based classification procedure (VQBCP). The results achieved with this new approach (percentages of recognition and prediction abilities > 97%) were better than those attained by KNN and can be compared advantageously with those provided by LDA (linear discriminant analysis), SIMCA (soft independent modelling of class analogy) and MLF-ANN (multilayer feed-forward neural networks). The new VQBCP demonstrated good performance by carrying out adequate classifications in a data set in which the classes are subgrouped. The metal profiles of potatoes provided sufficient information to enable classification criteria to be developed for classifying samples on the basis of their origin and brand.     

Comparison of several chemometric techniques for the classification of orujo distillate alcoholic samples from Galicia (northwest Spain) according to their certified brand of origin

This paper has a double objective. The first goal was to develop an authentication system to differentiate between traditional orujo alcoholic distillates with and without a certified brand of origin (CBO). Owing to their low price and quality, samples without a CBO can be used as substrates for falsification of genuine CBO ones. The second objective was to perform a comparison of the abilities of the different chemometric procedures employed for this classification. The classification was performed on the basis of the chemical information contained in the metal composition of the orujo distillates. Eight metals determined by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry were considered (Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, K, Mg, Na and Ni). After the appropriate pretreatment, the data were processed using different chemometric techniques. In the first stage, principal component analysis and cluster analysis were employed to reveal the latent structure contained in the data. Once it had been demonstrated that a relation exists between the metal composition and the raw materials, and not between the metal composition and the distillation systems employed for the orujo production, the second step consisted in the comparative application of different supervised pattern recognition procedures (such as linear discriminant analysis, K-nearest neighbours, soft independent modelling of class analogy, UNEQ and different artificial neural network approaches, including multilayer feed-forward, support vector machines, learning vector quantization and probabilistic neural networks). The results showed the different capabilities of the diverse classification techniques to discriminate between Galician orujo samples. The best results were those provided by probabilistic neural networks, in which the correct recognition abilities for CBO classes and without CBO classes were 98.6 ± 3.1 and 98.0 ± 4.5%; the prediction results were 87.7 ± 3.3 and 86.2 ± 5.0%, respectively. The usefulness of chemical metal analysis in combination with chemometric techniques to develop a classification procedure to authenticate Galician CBO orujo samples is demonstrated.     

Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in drinking and surface waters from Galicia (N.W. Spain) by constant-wavelength synchronous spectrofluorimetry

We describe a fast, new method for determination of the joint concentration of the six polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), designated by current legislation as indicators of the quality of drinking waters and surface waters intended for the abstraction of drinking waters. The limit of detection of the new method was 6 ng l(-1), its limit of quantification 20 ng l(-1), its precision (CV%) 2.48 and its recovery 94.05%. Its speed allowed rapid PAH screening of 404 samples of surface and drinking water from Galicia (N.W. Spain).     

Essential oil of Nepeta x faassenii Bergmans ex Stearn (N. mussinii Spreng. x N. nepetella L.): a comparison study

Analysis (GC and GC/MS) of an essential oil sample obtained from dry leaves of Nepeta x faassenii Bergmans ex Steam, a hybrid species produced by crossbreeding N. mussinii Spreng. with N. nepetella L., led to the identification of 109 constituents that represented 95.9% of the oil. The major constituents were 4aalpha,7alpha,7aalpha-nepetalactone (67.8%), 1,8-cineole (6.6%), germacrene D (4.8%), beta-pinene (2.7%), (E)-beta-ocimene (2.6%), 4aalpha,7beta,7aalpha-nepetalactone (2.3%) and (E)-beta-farnesene (1.0%). Chemical composition of the oil was compared, using multivariate statistical analyses (MVA) with those of the oils of other Nepeta taxa, in particular N. mussinii and N. nepetella. This was done in order to explore the mode of inheritance of the monoterpene biosynthetic apparatus of N. faassenii. Chemical composition of the volatiles of a Nepeta taxon (different populations) can be subject to variation due to environmental and geographical factors. To accommodate this fact in the MVAs, along side with N. faassenii essential oil, additional 6 oils (3 different populations of N. nuda L. and N. cataria L. from Serbia) were included in this study (isolated and analyzed (chemically and statistically)). The MVA analyses recognized N. faassenii as being closely related to both N. mussinii and N. nepetella. If the relative content of oil constituents per plant and not per chromatogram were used as variables in the MVA (this was done by simple multiplication of the yields and relative percentages of components) a higher degree of mutual similarity (in respect to the monoterpene biosynthesis) of N. faassenii to N. mussinii, than to the other parent species, was observed.     

Synthesis, Structure, Characterization and Electrochemistry of a New Dinuclear W(0)-complex [Et4N]2[W2(CO)8(SCH2COOMe)2]

Reaction of Et4NCl, NaSCH2COOMe and W(CO)6 in MeCN affords a new dinuclear tungsten(0) complex [Et4N]2[W2(CO)8(SCH2COOMe)2] (1). The crystal and molecular structure has been determined by X-ray single crystal diffraction. 1 Crystallized in the triclinic, space group P with a=11.141(7), b=10.267(4), c=10.798(3)(); α=93.96(3), β=96.88(4), γ=114.97(5)°; V=1003()3, Z=1, Dc=1.76 g/cm3, μ=60.1 cm-1, R=0.042 and Rw=0.050 for 2967 independent reflections with I>3.0 σ(I). 1 contains a WS2W planar core with nonbonding W...W distance of 3.9611(5)(), and its IR, 13C NMR, and cyclic voltammetry were measured and discussed.     

Chemometric detection of acetaminophen in pharmaceuticals by infrared spectroscopy combined with pattern recognition techniques: comparison of attenuated total reflectance-FTIR and Raman spectroscopy

This paper presents and discusses the building of discriminant models from attenuated total reflectance (ATR)-FTIR and Raman spectra that were constructed to detect the presence of acetaminophen in over-the-counter pharmaceutical formulations. The datasets, containing 11 spectra of pure substances and 21 spectra of various formulations, were processed by partial least squares (PLS) discriminant analysis. The models found in the present study coped greatly with the discrimination, and their quality parameters were acceptable. A root mean square error of cross-validation was in the 0.14-0.35 range, while a root mean square error of prediction was in the 0.20-0.56 range. It was found that standard normal variate preprocessing had a negligible influence on the quality of ATR-FTIR; in the Raman case, it lowered the prediction error by 2. The influence of variable selection with the uninformative variable elimination by PLS method was studied, and no further model improvement was found.     

Validation of speciation techniques: a study of chlorozincate(II) ionic liquids

The speciation of chlorozincate(II) ionic liquids, prepared by mixing 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, [C(8)mim]Cl, and zinc(II) chloride in various molar ratios, χ(ZnCl(2)), was investigated using Raman spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry; the Gutmann acceptor number, which is a quantitative measure of Lewis acidity, was also determined as a function of the composition. These results were combined with literature data to define the anionic speciation; in the neat liquid phase, the existence of Cl(-), [ZnCl(4)](2-), [Zn(2)Cl(6)](2-), [Zn(3)Cl(8)](2-), and [Zn(4)Cl(10)](2-) anions was confirmed. From two chlorozincate(II) ionic liquids with [C(2)mim](+) cations (χ(ZnCl(2)) = 0.33 and χ(ZnCl(2)) = 0.50), crystals have been obtained, revealing the structures of [C(2)mim](2)[ZnCl(4)] and [C(2)mim](2)[Zn(2)Cl(6)] forming three-dimensional hydrogen-bond networks. The compound [C(2)mim](2){Zn(4)Cl(10)} was crystallized from the χ(ZnCl(2)) = 0.75 composition, showing an open-framework structure, with the first example of zinc in a trigonal-bipyramidal chloride coordination. Reinvestigation of the electrospray ionization mass spectrometry of these systems demonstrated that it is an unreliable technique to study liquid-phase speciation.     

Supervised pattern recognition to discriminate the geographical origin of rice bran oils: a first study

Supervised pattern recognition appears to be a useful tool to authenticate foodstuffs according to their geographical or varietal origin, when a set of samples whose classification is known a priori are available. In this work, linear discriminant analysis and artificial neural networks trained by the back-propagation algorithm have been used to discriminate rice bran oils manufactured in three different countries (Italy, Thailand and Switzerland) according to their geographical origin. The variables to be included in the mathematical models have been chosen by means of Fisher F-ratio value among the chemical indices routinely determined on vegetable oils (particularly fatty acids, triglycerides and sterol composition). The prediction ability of all the classifiers was 100% as evaluated by cross-validation.     

The role of chemometrics in single and sequential extraction assays: a review: part I. Extraction procedures, uni- and bivariate techniques and multivariate variable reduction techniques for pattern recognition

Element mobility and availability in natural solid matrices can be studied with single and sequential extraction procedures; such procedures provide reliable and useful information only if the experiments are correctly planned and executed and the results are properly interpreted. Chemometrics can be a valuable tool for these aims, especially taking into account the large amounts of data generated with extraction essays and the complexity of the processes under investigation. This review deals with the application of chemometrics in research studies involving single and sequential extractions on soils or sediments, for several purposes: the development and optimization of the extraction conditions, the calculation of element fractionation, the visual illustration of the experimental results, the acquisition of different areas of information, including relationships among variables, similarities and differences among samples, causes of the observed behaviour (e.g. source identification), risk assessment, models and predictions of future events. In Part I of the review, following an overview on extraction procedures, the applications of univariate and bivariate chemometric methods are reported; then the principles of multivariate techniques for pattern recognition based on variable reduction, their applications and the main findings obtained are addressed.     

Mechanisms of the reactions of W and W+ with NOx (x=1, 2): a computational study

The mechanisms of the reactions of W and W+ with NOx (x=1, 2) were studied at the CCSD(T)/[SDD+6-311G(d)]//B3LYP/[SDD+6-31G(d)] level of theory. It was shown that the insertion pathway of the reaction W(7S)+NO2(2A1) is a multistate process, which involves several lower lying electronic states of numerous intermediates and transition states, and leads to oxidation, WO(3Sigma)+NO(2Pi), and/or nitration, WN(4Sigma)+O2(3Sigmag-), of the W-center. Oxidation products WO(3Sigma)+NO(2Pi) lie 87.6 kcal/mol below the reactants, while the nitration channel is only 31.0 kcal/mol exothermic. Furthermore, it was shown that nitration of W with NO2 is kinetically less favorable than its oxidation. The addition-dissociation pathway of the reaction W(7S)+NO2(2A1) proceeds via the octet (ground) state potential energy surface of the reaction, requires 3.3 kcal/mol barrier, and leads exclusively to oxidation products. Calculations show that oxidation of the W+ cation by NO2 is a barrierless process in the gas phase, proceeds exclusively via the insertion pathway, and is exothermic by 82.9 kcal/mol. The nitration of W+ by NO2 is only 14.1 kcal/mol exothermic and could be accessible only under high-temperature conditions. Reactions of M=W/W+ with NO are also barrierless processes in the gas phase and lead to the N-O insertion product NMO, which are 105.4 and 77.4 kcal/mol lower than the reactants for W and W+, respectively.     

The mechanisms of the reactions of W and W+ with COx (x=1, 2): a computational study

The mechanisms of the reactions of W and W+ with COx (x=1, 2) were studied at the CCSD(T)/[SDD+6-311G(d)]//B3LYP/[SDD+6-31G(d)] level of theory. It was shown that the gas-phase reaction of W with CO2 proceeds with a negligible barrier via an insertion pathway, W(7S)+CO2(1A1)-->W(eta2-OCO)(6A')-->OW(eta1-CO)(1A)-->WO (3Sigma+)+CO(1Sigma). This oxidation process is calculated to be exothermic by 32.4 kcal/mol. Possible intermediates of this reaction are the W(eta2-OCO) and OWCO complexes, among which the latter is 37.4 kcal/mol more stable and lies 39.7 and 7.3 kcal/mol lower than the reactants, W(7S)+CO2(1A1), and the products, WO (3Sigma+)+CO(1Sigma), respectively. The barrier separating W(eta2-OCO) from OWCO is 8.0 kcal/mol (relative to the W(eta2-OCO) complex), which may be characterized as a W+delta-(CO2)-delta charge-transfer complex. Ionization of W does not change the character of the reaction of W with CO2: the reaction of W+ with CO2, like its neutral analog, proceeds via an insertion pathway and leads to oxidation of the W-center. The overall reaction W+(6D) + CO2(1A1)-->W(eta1-OCO)+(6A)-->OW(eta1-CO)+(4A)-->WO+(4Sigma+)+CO(1Sigma) is calculated to be exothermic by 25.4 kcal/mol. The cationic reaction proceeds with a somewhat large (9.9 kcal/mol) barrier and produces two intermediates, W(eta1-OCO)+(6A) and OW(eta1-CO)+(4A). Intermediate W(eta1-OCO)+(6A) is 20.0 kcal/mol less stable than OW(eta1-CO)+(4A), and separated from the latter by a 35.2 kcal/mol barrier. Complex W(eta1-OCO)+(6A) is characterized as an ion-molecular complex type of W+-(CO2). Gas-phase reactions of M=W/W+ with CO lead to the formation of a W-carbonyl complex M(eta1-CO) for both M=W and W+. The C-O insertion product, OMC, lies by 5.2 and 69.3 kcal/mol higher than the corresponding M(eta1-CO) isomer, for M=W and W+, respectively, and is separated from the latter by a large energy barrier.     

Authentication of Kalix (N.E. Sweden) vendace caviar using inductively coupled plasma-based analytical techniques: evaluation of different approaches

Different analytical approaches for origin differentiation between vendace and whitefish caviars from brackish- and freshwaters were tested using inductively coupled plasma double focusing sector field mass spectrometry (ICP-SFMS) and multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS). These approaches involve identifying differences in elemental concentrations or sample-specific isotopic composition (Sr and Os) variations. Concentrations of 72 elements were determined by ICP-SFMS following microwave-assisted digestion in vendace and whitefish caviar samples from Sweden (from both brackish and freshwater), Finland and USA, as well as in unprocessed vendace roe and salt used in caviar production. This data set allows identification of elements whose contents in caviar can be affected by salt addition as well as by contamination during production and packaging. Long-term method reproducibility was assessed for all analytes based on replicate caviar preparations/analyses and variations in element concentrations in caviar from different harvests were evaluated. The greatest utility for differentiation was demonstrated for elements with varying concentrations between brackish and freshwaters (e.g. As, Br, Sr). Elemental ratios, specifically Sr/Ca, Sr/Mg and Sr/Ba, are especially useful for authentication of vendace caviar processed from brackish water roe, due to the significant differences between caviar from different sources, limited between-harvest variations and relatively high concentrations in samples, allowing precise determination by modern analytical instrumentation. Variations in the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio for vendace caviar from different harvests (on the order of 0.05-0.1%) is at least 10-fold less than differences between caviar processed from brackish and freshwater roe. Hence, Sr isotope ratio measurements (either by ICP-SFMS or by MC-ICP-MS) have great potential for origin differentiation. On the contrary, it was impossible to differentiate between Swedish caviar processed from brackish water roe and Finnish freshwater caviar based solely on ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os ratios.     

Recognizing chromatographic peaks with pattern recognition methods : Part 1. Development of a k-nearest-neighbour technique

Problems in automated peak recognition in chromatography are discussed. An algorithm based on the k-nearest neighbour technique is proposed. Recognition of a peak is done by comparing it with a predefined profile function (normally a Gaussian peak profile). The profile and a part of the chromatogram are both interpreted as points in a multi-dimensional pattern space. The distance between the two points gives the value of the peak recognition function. The effects of different properties of chromatographic peaks (i.e., peak width, peak height and noise) and of the profile parameter (i.e., dimension of the pattern space, shape and width of the function, and characteristics of the distance measure) are evaluated. The method has excellent properties for recognizing peaks with low signal/noise (S/N) ratios; an example with S/N = 1 is shown. Changing peak widths and drifting baselines have little effect on the recognition ability. Difficulties with changing peak heights can be compensated by range scaling. Problems occur when two peaks are not sufficiently separated.     

Heterobimetallic Clusters of Copper(I) with Trithiotungstate and Trithiomolybdate. Synthesis and Characterization of the Octanuclear Clusters [Et(4)N](4)[M(4)Cu(4)S(12)O(4)] (M = Mo, W) and the Dodecanuclear Clusters [M(4)Cu(4)S(12)O(4)(CuTMEN)(4)] (M = Mo, W; TMEN = N,N,N',N'-Tetramethylethylenediamine)

Synthetic methods for [Et(4)N](4)[W(4)Cu(4)S(12)O(4)] (1), [Et(4)N](4)[Mo(4)Cu(4)S(12)O(4)] (2), [W(4)Cu(4)S(12)O(4)(CuTMEN)(4)] (3), and [Mo(4)Cu(4)S(12)O(4)(CuTMEN)(4)] (4) are described. [Et(4)N](2)[MS(4)], [Et(4)N](2)[MS(2)O(2)], Cu(NO(3))(2).3H(2)O, and KBH(4) (or Et(4)NBH(4)) were used as starting materials for the synthesis of 1 and 2. Compounds 3 and 4 were produced by reaction of [Et(4)N](2)[WOS(3)], Cu(NO(3))(2).3H(2)O, and TMEN and by reaction of [Me(4)N](2)[MO(2)O(2)S(8)], Cu(NO(3))(2).3H(2)O, and TMEN, respectively. Crystal structures of compounds 1-4 were determined. Compounds 1 and 2 crystallized in the monoclinic space group C2/c with a = 14.264(5) ?, b = 32.833(8) ?, c = 14.480(3) ?, beta = 118.66(2) degrees, V = 5950.8(5) ?(3), and Z = 4 for 1 and a = 14.288(5) ?, b = 32.937(10) ?, c = 14.490(3) ?, beta = 118.75(2) degrees, V = 5978.4(7) ?(3), and Z = 4 for 2. Compounds 3 and 4 crystallized in the trigonal space group P3(2)21 with a = 13.836(6) ?, c = 29.81(1) ?, V = 4942(4) ?(3), and Z = 3 for 3 and a = 13.756(9) ?, c = 29.80(2) ?, V = 4885(6) ?(3), and Z = 3 for 4. The cluster cores have approximate C(2v) symmetry. The anions of 1 and 2 may be viewed as consisting of two butterfly-type [CuMOS(3)Cu] fragments bridged by two [MOS(3)](2-) groups. Eight metal atoms in the anions are arranged in an approximate square configuration, with a Cu(4)M(4)S(12) ring structure. Compounds 3 and 4 can be considered to consist of one [M(4)Cu(4)S(12)O(4)](4-) (the anions of 1 and 2) unit capped by Cu(TMEN)(+) groups on each M atom; the Cu(TMEN)(+) groups extend alternately up and down around the Cu(4)M(4) square. The electronic spectra of the compounds are dominated by the internal transitions of the [MOS(3)](2-) moiety. (95)Mo NMR spectral data are investigated and compared with those of other compounds.