Application of stripping voltammetry method for the analysis of available copper,zinc and manganese contents in soil samples

Determination of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn) micronutrients in soil samples have been studied for an efficient fertiliser application. Plant-available micronutrients of soils were extracted with DTPA extraction procedure, then differential pulse stripping voltammetry (DPSV) and square wave stripping voltammetry (SWSV) methods were performed with inexpensive and disposable pencil graphite electrode for determination of Cu(II), Zn(II) and Mn(II). Parameters such as deposition potential, deposition time, pH and concentration of the supporting electrolyte were optimised for these ions. Under optimised conditions, the limits of detection were found as 0.01 mg L^?1 for Cu(II) and 0.02 mg L^?1 for Zn(II) and 0.25 mg L^?1 for Mn(II). Relative standard deviation (%RSD) was 6.80, 8.86 and 3.29 for Cu(II), Zn(II) and Mn(II), respectively. The experimental study was conducted using a flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. The described stripping voltammetry methods were successfully applied for the determination of Mn(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) in soil samples.     

Assessment of pesticide contamination in soil samples from an intensive horticulture area, using ultrasonic extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

In order to reduce the amount of sample to be collected and the time consumed in the analytical process, a broad range of analytes should be preferably considered in the same analytical procedure. A suitable methodology for pesticide residue analysis in soil samples was developed based on ultrasonic extraction (USE) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). For this study, different classes of pesticides were selected, both recent and old persistent molecules: parent compounds and degradation products, namely organochlorine, organophosphorous and pyrethroid insecticides, triazine and acetanilide herbicides and other miscellaneous pesticides. Pesticide residues could be detected in the low- to sub-ppb range (0.05–7.0 μg kg⁻¹) with good precision (7.5–20.5%, average 13.7% R.S.D.) and extraction efficiency (69–118%, average 88%) for the great majority of analytes. This methodology has been applied in a monitoring program of soil samples from an intensive horticulture area in Póvoa de Varzim, North of Portugal. The pesticides detected in four sampling programs (2001/2002) were the following: lindane, dieldrin, endosulfan, endosulfan sulfate, 4,4′-DDE, 4,4′-DDD, atrazine, desethylatrazine, alachlor, dimethoate, chlorpyrifos, pendimethalin, procymidone and chlorfenvinphos. Pesticide contamination was investigated at three depths and in different soil and crop types to assess the influence of soil characteristics and trends over time.     

Enhanced extraction of polychlorinated organic compounds from soil samples by fluidized-bed extraction (FBE)

Summary The extraction and determination of polychlorinated organic compounds, like hexachlorobenzene, pentachlorobenzene, octachlorostyrene and polychlorinated biphenyls in soils and solid wastes continues to be a subject for study. In this work Soxhlet extraction and a new extraction technique, fluidized-bed extraction, have been compared. The extraction of polychlorinated organic compounds by this technique has been optimized using experiemental design procedures. The variation of the number of extraction cycles, composition of extraction solvent (mixtures ofn-hexane-acetone) and the holding time after reaching the heating temperature were considering as experimental variables to generate a surface response design. Gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection was used to determine levels of the analytes in the extracts. Extraction and analysis of a certified reference material (BCR CRM 392) showed the applicability of the method.     

Ultrasonic solvent extraction of organochlorine pesticides from soil

Ultrasonic solvent extraction of the organochlorine pesticides (OCP) including α-, β-, γ- and Δ-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), heptachlor, aldrin, o,p′-DDE, dieldrin, p,p′-DDE, p,p′-DDT, methoxychlor, mirex from soil is reported. The extraction procedure was optimized with regard to the solvent type, amount of solvent, duration of sonication and number of extraction steps. Determination of pesticides was carried out by gas chromatography (GC) equipped with electron capture detection (ECD). Twice ultrasonic extraction using 25 mL of a mixture of petroleum ether and acetone (1/1 v/v) for 20 min of sonication showed satisfactory extraction efficiency. Recoveries of pesticides from fortified soil samples are over 88% for three different fortification levels between 15 and 200 μg kg⁻¹, and relative standard deviations of the recoveries are generally below 6%. Real soil samples were analyzed for OCP residues by optimized ultrasonic solvent extraction and shake-flask as well as soxhlet extraction technique. Investigated all extraction methods showed comparable extraction efficiencies. Optimized ultrasonic solvent extraction is the most rapid procedure because the use of time in ultrasonic extraction was considerably reduced compared to shake-flask and soxhlet extraction.     

Evaluation of extraction/digestion techniques used to determine lead isotopic composition in forest soils

Lead isotopic studies in soils provide an efficient tool for tracing the sources of lead pollution. Five different extraction/digestion techniques (0.05 M EDTA, 0.5 M HNO₃, 2 M HNO₃, aqua regia, total digestion) were used for lead isotopic composition (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb) determination in three forest soil profiles with different kinds of prevailing Pb contamination (unpolluted area, smelting area and vicinity of a motorway). The results obtained showed that all extraction/digestion methods used for the determination of ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb ratios in surface horizons containing high organic matter contents gave statistically identical values (according to the Tukey test). In mineral soil horizons, differences between the individual extraction/digestion methods could be observed (the lowest ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb ratios were obtained from EDTA extracts, corresponding to weakly bound anthropogenic lead, and the highest ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb ratios were obtained from total digestion). The combination of total digestion and EDTA extraction (labile lead fraction) seems to be the optimal combination for ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb ratio determination and optimal result interpretation.     

Analysis of 51 persistent organic pollutants in soil by means of ultrasonic solvent extraction and stir bar sorptive extraction GC-MS

A novel method based on ultrasonic solvent extraction and stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) for the analysis of 51 persistent organic pollutants including organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) in soil samples was developed. The different parameters that affect both the extraction of analytes from the soil samples, such as solvent selection, solvent volume, mass of soil, and extraction time, and the partitioning from the solvent/water mixture to the PDMS were studied. The final selected conditions consisted of the extraction of 1 g of soil with 15 mL methanol by sonication for 30 min. The methanol extract was mixed with 85 mL of Milli-Q water and extracted by means of SBSE for 14 h at 900 rpm. The stir bars were analyzed by thermal desorption-GC-mass spectometry (TD-GC-MS). The effects of the matrix on the recovery of the various pollutants under the developed method were studied using two soils with very different physicochemical properties. Method sensitivity, linearity, repeatability, and reproducibility were also studied. Validation and accuracy of the method were conducted by analyzing two commercial certified reference materials (CRMs). The main advantage of this method resides in the fact that a small amount of a nontoxic solvent (methanol) is needed for the extraction of only 1 g of solid sample allowing LODs ranging from 0.01 to 2.0 microg/kg. Repeatability and reproducibility variations were lower than 20% for all investigated compounds. Results of the CRMs verify the high accuracy of this method.     

Modified superheated water extraction of pesticides from spiked sediment and soil

In this study a laboratory-made superheated water system was applied in order to extract some pesticides from sand, sediment and soil samples. Extraction efficiencies were investigated at different time intervals with regard to temperature, type and amount of organic modifier. Pesticides were removed from the aqueous extract using dichloromethane as a trapping solvent. The optimal extraction temperature from sand specimens for malathion, heptachlor, aldrin, dieldrin, butachlor, metalaxyl and propiconazole was found to be 160 °C, while those for chlordane and thiobencarb were 120 °C and 180 °C, respectively. The static extraction time for heptachlor, aldrin, dieldrin, butachlor and metalaxyl was found to be 15 min, whereas for malathion and thiobencarb it was 5 min, and for chlordane and propiconazole it was 10 and 20 min, respectively. Recoveries for the extractions of the pesticides from sand under optimized extraction conditions ranged between 96 and 101%. Those obtained from sediment under such conditions were unsatisfactory, and were consequently improved by adding an organic modifier to the superheated water, and sodium chloride to the extract during liquid-liquid extraction. These procedures were optimized further for the parameters described and recoveries exceeded 91%, with the exception of butachlor. The extraction technique was also applied to soil samples at a reduced water flow rate of 0.5 mL min⁻¹, yielding recoveries of 82–105%, and 76% for dieldrin. The reproducibilities, expressed as relative standard deviations (RSDs), ranged between 2 and 13%.     

Determination of selected polychlorinated biphenyls in soil by miniaturised ultrasonic solvent extraction and gas chromatography-mass-selective detection

Miniaturised ultrasonic solvent extraction procedure was developed for the determination of selected polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in soil samples by gas chromatography-mass-selective detection by using 2³ factorial experimental design. Recoveries of PCBs from fortified soil samples are over 90% for three different fortification levels between 40 and 120 μg kg⁻¹, and relative standard deviations of the recoveries are below 7%. The limits of detection (LODs) ranged from 0.003 to 0.006 μg kg⁻¹. The performance of the proposed method was compared to traditional shake flask extraction method on the spiked real soil sample and extraction methods showed comparable efficiencies. Proposed miniaturised ultrasonic solvent extraction offers several advantages, i.e., reducing sample requirement for measurement of target compound, less solvent consumption and reducing the costs associated with solvent purchase and waste disposal.     

Determination of heavy metals in soil, mushroom and plant samples by atomic absorption spectrometry

The concentrations of heavy metals in the soil, mushroom and plant samples collected from Tokat, Turkey have been determined by flame and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry after dry ashing, wet ashing and microwave digestion. The study of sample preparation procedures showed that the microwave digestion method was the best. Good accuracy was assured by the analysis of standard reference materials. The relative standard deviations for all measured metal concentrations were lower than 10%. In all cases, quantitative analytical recoveries ranging from 95 to 103% were obtained. Metal accumulation factors were calculated for mushroom and plant samples. High ratio of plants to soil cadmium, zinc and copper concentrations indicate that these elements are accumulated by mushrooms. Results obtained are in agreement with data reported in the literature.     

A modified acid digestion procedure for extraction of tungsten from soil

Interest in tungsten occurrence and geochemistry is increasing due to increased use of tungsten compounds and its unknown biochemical effects. Tungsten has a complex geochemistry, existing in most environmental matrices as the soluble and mobile tungstate anion, as well as poly- and heteropolytungstates. Because the geochemistry of tungsten is substantially different than most trace metals, including the formation of insoluble species under acidic conditions, it is not extracted from soil matrices using standard acid digestion procedures. Therefore, the current work describes a modification to a commonly used acid digestion procedure to facilitate quantification of tungsten in soil matrices. Traditional soil digestion procedures, using nitric and hydrochloric acids with hydrogen peroxide yield <1 up to 50% recovery on soil matrix spike samples, whereas the modified method reported here, which includes the addition of phosphoric acid, yields spike recoveries in the 76-98% range. Comparison of the standard and modified digestion procedures on National Institute of Standards and Technology Standard Reference Materials yielded significantly improved tungsten recoveries for the phosphoric acid modified method. The modified method also produces comparable results for other acid extractable metals as the standard methods, and therefore can be used simultaneously for tungsten and other metals of interest.     

Extraction and determination of hexavalent chromium in soil samples

A procedure for the extraction of Cr(VI) from solid soil-like samples was presented in which the complexing properties of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) were exploited to extract insoluble compounds of Cr(VI). A concentration of DTPA in an ammonium sulphate/ammonium hydroxide buffer equal to 0.02 mol l⁻¹ was chosen. The conditions of extraction of insoluble Cr(VI) from solid samples were optimised using soil certified reference material spiked with known concentration of insoluble Cr(VI) added as PbCrO₄. The extracts were analysed by adsorptive stripping voltammetry. Validation of the proposed procedure of extraction was carried out by analysis of certified reference material (CRM) 545 and comparison of the results obtained using the proposed and other methods of extraction in the course of analysis of natural soil samples.     

Determination of cadmium, copper, lead and zinc in water samples by flame atomic absorption spectrometry after cloud point extraction

Cloud point extraction (CPE) has been used for the simultaneous pre-concentration of cadmium, copper, lead and zinc after the formation of a complex with 1-(2-thiazolylazo)-2-naphthol (TAN), and later analysis by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) using octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol (Triton X-114) as surfactant. The chemical variables affecting the separation phase and the viscosity affecting the detection process were optimized. At pH 8.6, pre-concentration of only 50 ml of sample in the presence of 0.05% Triton X-114 and 2×10⁻⁵ mol l⁻¹ TAN permitted the detection of 0.099, 0.27, 1.1 and 0.095 ng ml⁻¹ cadmium, copper, lead and zinc, respectively. The enhancement factors were 57.7, 64.3, 55.6 and 63.7 for cadmium, copper, lead and zinc, respectively. The proposed method has been applied to the determination of cadmium, copper, lead and zinc in water samples and a standard reference material (SRM).     

Fluidized-bed extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from contaminated soil samples

Summary Due to the carcinogenity and ubiquity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the environment they are of ongoing interest to analytical chemistry. In this study, a comparison of the classic Soxhlet extraction and, fluidized-bed extraction, has been conducted. The extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by this technique has been optimized considering as experimental variables the variation of the number of extraction cycles and the holding time after reaching the heating temperature by means of a surface response design. The significance of the operational parameters of the fluidized-bed extraction on the performance characteristics has been investigated. For the determination of the analytes a selective clean-up of the extracts followed by a fast gas chromatography method with mass spectrometric detection was used, resulting in low limits of detection (0.2 pg μL⁻¹). The accuracy of the complete analytical method was established by extraction and analysis of reference materials.     

Determination of chlorophenols in soil samples by microwave-assisted extraction coupled to headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-electron-capture detection

Microwave-assisted extraction coupled to headspace solid-phase microextraction was studied and applied for one-step in-situ sample preparation prior to analysis of chlorophenols (CPs) in soil samples. The CPs in soil sample were extracted into the aqueous solution and then directly onto the solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fiber in headspace under the aid of microwave irradiation. After being desorbed from SPME fiber in the GC injection port, CPs were analyzed with a GC-electron-capture detection system. Parameters affecting the extraction efficiency such as the extraction solutions, the pH in the slurry, the humic acid content in the soil, the power and the irradiation time of microwave as well as the desorption parameters were investigated. Experimental results indicated that the extraction of a 1.0 g soil sample with a 6-ml aqueous solution (pH 2) and a polyacrylate fiber under the medium-power irradiation (132 W) for 9 min achieved the best extraction efficiency of about 90% recovery and less than 10% RSD. Desorption was optimal at 300 degrees C for 3 min. Detection limits were obtained at around 0.1-2.0 microg/kg levels. The proposed method provided a simple, fast, and organic solvent-free procedure to analyze CPs from soil sample matrix.     

Cation-exchange separation of copper from zinc, nickel and lead

Summary Copper is separated from zinc, nickel and lead on the cation-exchange resin Dowex 50 W X-16 by selective elution. 0.5 M ammonium acetate solution is used for the elution of copper, 1.0 M ammonium chloride solution for zinc, 1.2 M hydrochloric acid for nickel and 0.25 M ammonium acetate solution for lead. The method is applied to the separation of copper from brass and gun metal. The errors are about ± 2.5%.

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Zusammenfassung Ein Verfahren zur Trennung des Kupfers von Zink, Nickel und Blei durch selektive Elution am Kationenaustauscher Dowex 50 W X-16 wird beschrieben. Zur Elution von Kupfer dient 0,5 M Ammoniumacetatlösung, für Zink wird 1,0 M Ammoniumchloridlösung benutzt, für Nickel 1,2 M Salzsäure und für Blei 0,25 M Ammoniumacetatlösung. Die Fehler liegen bei ± 2,5%. Die Methode wird zur Abtrennung von Kupfer aus Messing und Bronze benutzt.

     

Approach for rapid extraction and speciation of mercury using a microtip ultrasonic probe followed by LC-ICP-MS

A fast method for mercury extraction from biological samples based on the use of HCl leaching plus different enzymatic hydrolysis (with and without mercury complexing agents), and the use of focussed ultrasounds (2-mm microtip) is here proposed. Total mercury content in several biological samples was determined by FI-ICP-MS using a carrier solution consisting of 0.1% (v/v) HCl, 0.1% (v/v) 2-mercaptoethanol, to avoid memory effect, and 0.15% (w/v) KCl. For mercury speciation a RP18 chromatographic column coupled to ICP-MS was used. A mobile phase consisting of 0.1% (v/v) formic acid, 0.1% (v/v) HFBA, 2% (v/v) methanol, and 0.02% (w/v) mM l-cysteine at pH 2.1 was used for chromatographic separation of the mercury species in the sample extracts. Extraction procedures were validated by using 50 mg of tuna fish tissue CRM-463 (2.85 ± 0.16 mg kg⁻¹ for methylmercury). The recoveries obtained were 99 ± 3% and 93 ± 1% after acid leaching (HCl 7 M) and enzymatic extraction (15 mg protease type XIV in 2.5% (v/v) 2-mercaptoethanol), respectively. The optimal sonication conditions (5 min of exposure time and 40% of ultrasound amplitude) were applied to 5 mg of CRM-463 (88 ± 5%), 5 mg of mussel tissue (81 ± 11%) and to 2 mg of zebra fish embryos (90 ± 10%) obtaining good recoveries in all cases. Methylmecury was found to be the most abundant Hg specie in all samples. The developed method is simple and rapid (5 min sample treatment); it is suitable for very small samples and does not alter the original form of the mercury species. Thus, it is of special interest in those cases in which validation of the results may often be hampered by lack of sample availability.     

Efficiency of Different Methods and Solvents for the Extraction of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons from Soils

The efficiencies of supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), accelerated solvent extraction (ASE), Soxhlet, and ultrasonic extraction in the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soils were evaluated. Solvents with different polarity were used to extract the PAHs from two soils, one with high and one with low contamination level. ASE showed good results with all solvents almost independent of the solvent polarity and the best results with acetone-toluene (1 : 1). Ultrasonic extraction with acetone-toluene for the uncontaminated soil and acetone-ethanolamine for the highly contaminated also showed good recoveries. The time-consuming Soxhlet extraction with pentane or dichloromethane was less effective. The PAH recovery from SFE was related to the soil matrix or the contamination level. The best extraction conditions (CO 2 /10% pentane) are successful for the soil with a low contamination level and a high humic acid content whereas the extractions of the highly contaminated soil gave poor results irrespective of the solvent used.     

火焰原子吸收法连续测定茶叶中铅、铜、锌、镉含量

采用火焰原子吸收方法连续测定了茶叶中铜，铜，锌，镉的含量，方法灵敏，准确。测定时无需富集，萃取，操作简便，回收率93．0％－98．1％，相对标准偏差不超过5．3％。     

Ultrasound-assisted treatment of palm oil samples for the determination of copper and lead by stripping chronopotentiometry

The concentration of trace metals in vegetable oils is an important criterion for the assessment of oil qualities with regard to freshness, keeping properties, storage and their influence on human nutrition and health. In this work, an effective and simple method for the determination of copper and lead in palm oil by stripping chronopotentiometry (SCP) is proposed. The metal ions were concentrated as their amalgams on the glassy carbon surface of a working electrode that was coated with a thin mercury film. An ultrasonic bath was used for the extraction of copper and lead from eleven oil samples using a 1:1 (v/v) mixture of concentrated hydrochloric acid and hydrogen peroxide. Efficient extraction of copper and lead (∼ 100%) was attained after 60 min of ultrasonic pre-treatment. A good correlation between the amount of sample and the time necessary for complete liberation of the metals was observed. The accuracy of the method was evaluated by means of a reference sample of skim milk powder containing trace elements (BCR 151). Quantitative analysis was carried out by the method of standard additions. Good linearity was obtained in the range of the concentrations examined. Detection limits of 13 and 50 ng g^− 1 were found for Cu and Pb, respectively, in the palm oil samples. The average values found for the palm oil samples analyzed were in the range of < 0.013-2.67 µg g^− 1 for copper and < 0.050-1.82 µg g^− 1 for lead. The palm oil samples were also analyzed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS), demonstrating a very good correlation between the results.     

Response surface methodology for the microwave-assisted extraction of insecticides from soil samples

The extraction of two pyrethroid insecticides (deltamethrin and α-cypermethrin) together with three organophosphorus insecticides (dimethoate, diazinon and malathion) from soil samples was carried out with microwave-assisted technology. Experimental designs showed that extraction temperature, addition of water to the extractant and solvent/soil ratio were the variables that affected the recoveries of the pesticide the most. Response surface methodology was applied to find the optimum values of the variables involved in the extractions of the analytes. In addition, in order to achieve near-optimal extraction conditions, a desirability function was used to optimize the five pesticides simultaneously. The optimized conditions were applied to different types of soils.