Speciation for analysis of organotin compounds by GC AA and GC MS after ethylation by sodium tetraethylborate

A range of organotin compounds has been ethylated using the reagent sodium tetraethylborate in a simple one-step procedure. Analysis of the volatile, fully alkylated derivatives has been achieved by GC AA with confirmation of the identity of the resulting ethylated derivatives by GC MS. Conditions for the GC AA and GC MS analysis of the organometallic ethyl derivatives are given.     

The use of sodium tetraethylborate for the derivatization and analysis of selenium containing compounds

Several selenium containing compounds have been derivatized to diethyl selenide using sodium tetraethylborate. The evolved diethyl selenide was detected by gas chromatography interfaced with atomic absorption or mass spectroscopic methods. Derivatization was carried out on the analyte in a sealed vial using an aqueous solution of sodium tetraethylborate (2%) added by means of a syringe.     

The determination of tetra-alkyllead and ionic alkyllead compounds in seafood

Extraction methodologies were developed for tetra-alkyllead and ionic alkyllead compounds in seafood. Tetra-alkylleads were extracted with n-hexane after the samples had been enzymatically hydrolyzed. The ionic alkylleads were complexed with diphenylthiocarbazone (dithizone) at pH 8 and 9 from enzymatically hydrolyzed samples to optimize recovery. The dithizone extracts were butylated prior to analysis by gas chromatography–atomic absorption spectrometry (GC AA). Instrumental detection limits ranged between 1.6 and 2.3 pg lead. Application to a limited number of seafood samples indicated the possible presence of trace amounts (ca 1 ng g^?1) of trimethyllead in some samples. No other alkylleads were detected.     

Determination of Butyltin and Phenyltin by GC–FPD Following Ethylation by NaBEt4

An organotin speciation method was optimized for the simultaneous determination of mono-, di- and tri-butyltin compounds and mono-, di- and tri-phenyltin compounds in water. The procedure was based on a one-step simultaneous ethylation and extraction using the sodium tetraethylborate reagent directly in the aqueous phase in the presence of an iso-octane layer. Direct extract analysis was performed using capillary gas chromatography and flame photometric detection (GC–FPD). This derivatization procedure reduces drastically the number of analytical steps, thus saving time and improving reliability. Relative detection limits range from 0.4 to 0.8 ng dm⁻³ for butyltin species and from 0.7 to 2.1 ng dm⁻³ for phenyltin species; the linearity ranges from 0 to 400 ng dm⁻³. Analysis of environmental aqueous samples and a Certified Reference Material (CRM) demonstrates the accuracy of the analytical method.     

Determination of butyl- and phenyltin compounds in biological material by gas chromatography-flame photometric detection after ethylation with sodium tetraethylborate

A reliable and rapid speciation method for the simultaneous determination of butyl- and phenyltin species in biological samples has been developed. Three extraction procedures are compared: enzymatic hydrolysis and solubilization by ethanoic and hydrochloric acids. Derivatization is performed by the one-step ethylation/extraction procedure using the sodium tetraethylborate reagent directly in the aqueous phase in the presence of an isooctane layer. Analysis is performed using capillary gas chromatography coupled to flame photometric detection. The detection limits are in the range of a few ng(Sn)/g. Analysis of the environmental samples and the certified reference material demonstrates the accuracy of the analytical method.     

Indirect hydrogen analysis by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC–MS)

Gas chromatography (GC) is an analytical tool very useful to investigate the composition of gaseous mixtures. The different gases are separated by specific columns but, if hydrogen (H₂) is present in the sample, its detection can be performed by a thermal conductivity detector or a helium ionization detector. Indeed, coupled to GC, no other detector can perform this detection except the expensive atomic emission detector. Based on the detection and analysis of H₂ isotopes by low‐pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (MS), a new method for H₂ detection by GC coupled to MS with an electron ionization ion source and a quadrupole analyser is presented. The presence of H₂ in a gaseous mixture could easily be put in evidence by the monitoring of the molecular ion of the protonated carrier gas. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The use of sodium tetraethylborate in the derivatization of octyltin compounds

Octyltin trichloride (OctSnCl₃) and dioctyltin dichloride (Oct₂SnCl₂) have been reacted with sodium tetraethylborate (NaBEt₄) to yield the volatile tetraalkyltin derivatives OctSnEt₃ and Oct₂SnEt₂. Single and mixed solutions of the octyltin chlorides have been derivatized, separated and quantified using interfaced GC AA and GC MS methodology.     

Effect of additives on the chemical vapour generation of bismuthane by tetrahydroborate(III) derivatization

The effect of mM concentrations of K₃[Fe(CN)₆], Fe(III), Mo(VI), KSCN and KMnO₄ on the generation of BiH₃ by the reaction of 0.2–10 μg ml⁻¹ Bi(III) with 0.2 M tetrahydroborate(III) at 1 M acidity (HCl or HNO₃) was investigated. Chemical vapour generation (CVG) of BiH₃ was investigated by atomic absorption spectrometry using a continuous flow reaction system (CF–CVG–AAS) and different mixing sequences and reagent reaction times. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was employed in batch generation experiments with NaBD₄. In the absence of additives, the formation of Bi⁰ at high concentrations of Bi(III) caused rollover of calibration curves and limited the linear range to less than 1 μg ml⁻¹ Bi(III). In the presence of additives, the formation of Bi⁰ was not observed and the linear range was increased to 5 μg ml⁻¹ of Bi(III) while rollover was completely removed. GC–MS experiments indicated that the presence of additives did not affect the direct transfer of H from boron to bismuth. Experiments with CF–CVG–AAS and different mixing sequences and reagent reaction times suggest that additives act by preventing the formation of Bi⁰ through the formation of reaction intermediates which evolve towards the formation of BiH₃ at elevated Bi(III)/NaBH₄ ratios.      

Cloud point extraction of aluminum (III) in water samples and determination by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry,flame atomic absorption spectrometry and UV-visible spectrophotometry

Cloud point extraction was applied as a preconcentration step for the determination of trace level of Al(III) in water samples with electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS), flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) and UV-visible spectrophotometry. The aluminum was extracted as aluminum-Eriochrome Cyanine R (ECR) complex, at pH 6 by micelles of the non-ionic surfactant octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol (Triton X-114). The investigations showed that the same CPE procedure can be used for different detection techniques. The results obtained from these techniques were evaluated. Under the optimal conditions, limit of detection obtained with ETAAS, FAAS and UV-visible spectrophotometry were 0.03 ng mL^?1, 0.06 µg mL^?1 and 0.01 µg mL^?1, respectively. The accuracy of the procedure was tested by analysing certified reference material. The method was successfully applied to determination of aluminum in water samples and dialysis fluid.     

Screening for inherited metabolic diseases using gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (GC–MS/MS) in Sichuan,China

The aim of this study was to retrospectively diagnose and confirm inherited metabolic diseases (IMD), from a small population of IMD high‐risk patients, with the aid of gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (GC–MS/MS), technologies yet to be popularized in Sichuan, China. Using GC–MS/MS coupled with clinical diagnosis, we retrospectively analyzed samples of dried blood spots and urine specimen from 183 IMD high‐risk infant patients, who visited the West China Second Hospital of Sichuan University between June 2013 and October 2015. Four out of 183 IMD high‐risk infant patients were finally diagnosed to be IMD positive, among which two patients were identified with phenylketonuria, one with maple syrup urine disease, and 1 with methylmalonic academia. Restrictive diets and other symptomatic treatments were employed to treat the confirmed infant patients whose conditions are still under tracking and there are zero cases of death so far. GC–MS/MS was found to be an efficient and reliable way to detect IMD. It is necessary to apply GC–MS/MS, in addition to other clinical approaches, for diagnosing candidate IMD patients so that the confirmed patients can get medical intervention and timely treatment.     

Metabolomics of lung cancer: Analytical platforms and their applications

Lung cancer is the leading type of cancer worldwide in terms of the number of new cases and is responsible for the largest number of deaths due to poor prognosis and difficult early detection. Due to its ability to detect numerous small molecular metabolites simultaneously, metabolomics has been widely used for the assessment of global metabolic changes in a living organism to discover candidate biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, investigate the development of cancer, and provide insights into the underlying pathophysiology. This review will mainly describe recent developments in lung cancer metabolomics in terms of early‐stage detection, biomarker discovery and mechanism exploration by using nuclear magnetic resonance, liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, and capillary electrophoresis–mass spectrometry in the last 10 years. The sample collection and metabolite extraction methods are also summarized.     

Organotin Leachates in Drinking Water from Chlorinated Poly(vinyl chloride) (CPVC) Pipe

A solid-phase extraction method, using a phenyl-bonded silica sorbent, was developed for the isolation of mono- and di-methyltin, -butyltin and -octyltin from drinking water. Recoveries averaged 92% over two tested sample weights and spiking levels. Ethyl derivatives were made by Grignard reaction for determination by gas chromatography–atomic absorption spectrometry (GC–AAS). Static and repetitive extraction studies were conducted at 24 and 65°C. Butyltins rapidly leached into drinking water kept in chlorinated poly(vinyl chloride) (CVPC) pipe samples. Monobutyltin and dibutyltin levels reached 19.8 (13.4 as Sn) and 197 (100.4 as Sn) ng g⁻¹ respectively in water samples collected from CPVC pipe heated to 65°C. Butyltins were still leached from CPVC pipe after 20 repetitive extractions, suggesting that new CPVC water systems would contaminate water with organotins for some time after installation. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Arsenic speciation in some environmental samples: a comparative study of HG–GC–QFAAS and HPLC–ICP–MS methods

Some water and soil extracts polluted with arsenic, and a sewage sludge certified for total arsenic have been analysed by high‐performance liquid chromatography–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (HPLC–ICP–MS) and hydride generation–gas chromatography– quartz furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (HG–GC–QFAAS techniques.) Detection limits in the range of 200–400 and 2–10 ng l⁻¹ respectively allowed the determination of inorganic [As(III), As(V)] and methylated (DMA, MMA, TMAO) arsenic species present in these samples. Results obtained by both methods are well correlated overall, whatever the arsenic chemical form and concentration range (8–10 000 μg l⁻¹). Comparison of these results enabled us to point out features and disadvantages of each analytical method and to reach a conclusion that they are suitable for arsenic speciation in these environmental matrices. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characterization of fluvalinate residues in honey by gas chromatography–atomic emission detection and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Two hyphenated techniques, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and gas chromatography–atomic emission detection, have been used to identify the degradation products of the acaricide fluvalinate in a methanol solution of the commercially available formulation Mavrick, as well as in honey from beehives treated with this product. The major degradation products were 2-chloro-4-trifluoromethylaniline (I), methyl 2-[2-chloro-4-trifluoromethylaniline]-3-methylbutanoate (II), N-(2-chloro-4-trifluoromethyl-phenyl)valine (III), and 3-phenoxybenzaldehyde (IV). Fluvalinate in honey is gradually degraded, 3-phenoxybenzaldehyde being the most abundant residue.     

Preconcentration of inorganic antimony(III) in environmental samples by PSTH-Dowex microcolumn and determination by FI-ETAAS

A flow injection on-line sorption preconcentration system has been synchronously coupled to an electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) system for the selective determination of trace amounts of Sb(III) in water, soil and plant. The determination was achieved by selective complexation and sorption of Sb(III) with [1,5-bis(2-pyridyl)-3-sulphophenyl methylene thiocarbonohydarzide (PSTH) immobilized on an anion-exchange resin (Dowex 1× 8-200)] at a wide range of pH, quantitative elution with 50 μl of 2 M HNO₃ and subsequent ETAAS detection. ETAAS determination of the analyte was performed in parallel with the preconcentration of the next sample. Using a preconcentration time of 60 s and a sample loading flow rate of 2.8 ml min⁻¹, an enhancement factor of 12 was obtained in comparison with direct injection of 50 μl aqueous solution, resulting in a sampling frequency of 31 samples h⁻¹. The detection limit (3 s) was 2 μg l⁻¹ and the precision was 3.1% (R.S.D.) for 11 replicate determinations at 10 μg l⁻¹. The accuracy of the proposed method was demonstrated by analyzing one certified sample and different spiked samples.     

微波消解-冷原子吸收法定量测定人参中汞的研究

应用微波消解仪和原子吸收光谱仪 ,采用氢化物 冷原子吸收光谱法对人参中的汞的定量测定方法进行了研究。对微波消解仪的消解条件、氢化物 冷原子吸收方法的测定条件进行了探讨。在本法选择的条件下 ,回收率为 90 98%～ 1 0 8 96 % ,相对标准偏差为 8 0 4 %～ 1 5 77%。与国家标准方法的对比实验证明 ,两者无显著差异。     

Identification of differential metabolic characteristics between tumor and normal tissue from colorectal cancer patients by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common human malignancies and encompasses cancers of the colon and rectum. Although the gold‐standard colonoscopy screening method is effective in detecting CRC, this method is invasive and can result in severe complications for patients. The purpose of this study was to determine differences in metabolites between CRC and matched adjacent nontumor tissues from CRC patients, to identify potential biomarkers that may be informative and developed screening methods. Metabolomic analysis was performed on clinically localized CRC tissue and matched adjacent nontumor tissue from 20 CRC patients. Unsupervised analysis, supervised analysis, univariate analysis and pathway analysis were used to identify potential metabolic biomarkers of CRC. The levels of 25 metabolites in CRC tissues were significantly altered compared with the matched adjacent nontumor tissues. Four metabolites (lactic acid, alanine, phosphate and aspartic acid) demonstrated good area under the curve of receiver‐operator characteristic with acceptable sensitivities and specificities, indicating their potential as important biomarkers for CRC. Alterations of amino acid metabolism and enhanced glycolysis may be major factors in the development and progression of CRC. Lactic acid, alanine, phosphate, and aspartic acid could be effective diagnostic indicators for CRC.     

冷原子吸收光谱法测定饲料添加剂硫酸锰中的汞

采用冷原子吸收光谱法测定饲料添加剂硫酸锰中的汞含量,研究了测定介质及其浓度、重铬酸钾用量、还原剂用量、共存元素干扰等因素对测定的影响,方法的加标回收率为96%~103%,样品测定相对标准偏差10%,能满足日常检验的要求。     

Determination of mercury in environmental and biological samples by cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry

A continuously operating monitoring method for total mercury at sub-ng/ml level in environmental and biological samples by cold vapour atomic-absorption spectrometry with NaBH₄ as a reductant was developed. The mercury vapour generator and absorption cell closed-end by quartz were used in this study. The detection limit (S/N = 3) and relative standard deviation of 12 determinations of 10 ng/ml Hg(II) were 0.11 ng/ml and 1.1%, respectively. The range of standard calibration curve was 0–50 ng/ml Hg, The proposed method was successfully applied to the completely continuous monitoring of total mercury in waste water, sediments and pork liver.     

Speciation of alkyllead compounds by GC-AAS: A state of affairs

A synopsis of the organolead studies performed at our University is given. The different environmental applications such as air, wet atmospheric deposition and dust are summarized and the analytical characteristics of the extraction/derivatization/gas chromatography—atomic absorption spectrometry methodology for the species specific determination of ionic alkyllead species are described.