Flotation‐Spectrophotometric Determination of Trace Amounts of Thorium

A simple, sensitive and reproducible flotation‐spectrophotometric method for the determination of thorium is reported. The method is based on the ion‐associate formation between thorium, xylenol orange (XO) and cethyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) which is floated in the interface of the aqueous phase and n‐hexane by vigorous shaking. By discarding the aqueous solution and n‐hexane, the adsorbed ion‐associate (Th‐XO‐CTAB) on the wall of a separating funnel was dissolved in a small volume of ethanol solvent, and its absorbance was measured at 568 nm. The effects of different parameters such as pH, concentrations of HCl, XO, and CTAB, volume of n‐hexane, and standing and shaking time were studied. The calibration graph was linear in the concentration range of 2–200 ng mL^?1 of thorium(r = 0.9994). The limit of detection (LOD) is 1.4 ng mL^?1. The relative standard deviations (RSD) at 50 and 175 ng mL^?1 of thorium were 2.5% and 1.0% (n = 7), respectively. The method was successfully applied to the determination of thorium in gas mantel samples.     

铜（II）离子对脱镁叶绿素-a荧光猝灭的研究

本文介绍了一种利用荧光熄灭定量的测定铜（II）的新方法。从新鲜菠菜中提取叶绿素-a,用高氯酸溶液处理,制得脱镁叶绿素-a。测量脱镁叶绿素-a的紫外-可见吸收光谱,观测到505和535nm处有特征吸收峰。在60 ℃水浴中,脱镁叶绿素-a的丙酮溶液与铜（II）离子水溶液混合,5分钟后发现混合液颜色变绿,505和535 nm处吸收峰消失。铜（II）离子水溶液与脱镁叶绿素-a的丙酮溶液混合后发生荧光猝灭现象,而类似浓度的其它生理离子在相同反应条件下对脱镁叶绿素-a的荧光猝灭现象不明显。 研究了铜（II）离子与脱镁叶绿素-a的反应时间,反应温度对荧光强度衰减的影响。并通过阿累尼乌斯经验关系估算铜（II）离子与脱镁叶绿素-a反应的活化能约为10 ±1kJ·mol-1。研究了铜（II）离子的浓度对脱镁叶绿素-a的丙酮溶液荧光强度的影响,在8.0×10-5 ～8.0×10-7 mol·dm-3范围内,铜（II）离子的浓度与混合液的荧光强度成线性衰减关系,检测限可达8.0×10-7 mol·dm-3。利用脱镁叶绿素-a的丙酮溶液的荧光强度变化测量,有望发展成为一种检测铜（II）离子的新方法。     

Electrocatalytic and selective determination of d‐penicillamine in the presence of tryptophan using a benzoylferrocene‐modified carbon nanotube paste electrode

Two amino acids – d ‐penicillamine (D‐PA) and tryptophan (TRP) – could be simultaneously determined in an aqueous solution (pH 7.0) using a novel benzoylferrocene‐modified carbon nanotube paste electrode. The results indicate that the electrode is efficient in terms of its electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of D‐PA, leading to an overpotential reduction by more than 155 mV. Using square wave voltammetry, measurement of D‐PA and TRP in one mixture could be done independently from each other with a potential difference of about 205 mV. The proposed electrochemical sensor exhibited a linear calibration plot ranging from 1.0 × 10^?6 to 8.0 × 10^?4 m with a detection limit of 1.3 × 10^?7 m for D‐PA. Finally, the proposed method was applied to the determination of D‐PA in a D‐PA capsule. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Catalytic Adsorptive Stripping Voltammetry of Cobalt in the Presence of Dimethylglyoxime and Nitrite at In Situ Plated Lead–Copper Film Electrode

A lead‐copper film electrode was proposed for Co(II) determination by catalytic adsorptive stripping voltammetry. The electrode was plated in situ and hence the exchange of a solution after plating step was not required. At optimized conditions the calibration graph for Co(II) was linear from 5×10^?10 to 2×10^?8 mol L^?1 for accumulation time of 15 s. The relative standard deviation for Co(II) determination at concentration 5×10^?9 mol L^?1 was 4.1%. The detection limits for Co(II) were 1.2×10^?10 and 1.0×10^?11 mol L^?1 for an accumulation time of 15 and 180 s, respectively. The method was applied to Co(II) determination in certified reference material and other water samples.     

Voltammetric Behavior of Mifepristone (RU‐486) Using Square‐Wave and Adsortive Stripping‐Wave Techniques. Determination in Urine Samples

The behavior of Mifepristone (RU‐486) was studied by square‐wave technique, leading to two methods for its determination in aqueous samples and urine samples at pH 2. The application of the square‐wave (SW) without the adsorptive accumulation and stripping voltammetric (AdSV) show the maximum response at ?0.896 V using an accumulation potential of ?0.5 V. The effect of experimental parameters that affect this determination are discussed. For the stripping technique, Mifepristone proved to be more sensitive, yielding signals four times larger than those obtained by applying a square‐wave scan without the previous accumulation. The calibration plot to determine Mifepristone was linear in the range 2.4×10^?8 and 5.4×10^?7 M by stripping mode with an accumulation time t_acc of 30 s. The relative standard deviation obtained for concentration levels of Mifepristone as low as 2.0×10^?7 M with square‐wave was 1.17% (n=10) and with stripping square‐wave 2.02% (n=10) in the same day. The two proposed methods (SW and SWAdSV) were applied to the determination of Mifepristone in urine.     

Ultrasound Assisted Emulsification Microextraction Based on dimetyl (E)‐2‐[(Z)‐1‐acetyl)‐2‐hydroxy‐1‐propenyl]‐2‐butenedioate for Determination of Total Amount of Iron in Water and Tea Samples

An ultrasound assisted emulsification microextraction (USAEME) is successfully used for extraction and determination of trace amount of iron in water and tea samples, followed by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS). In this approach, a new synthetic ligand dimetyl (E)‐2‐[(Z)‐1‐acetyl)‐2‐hydroxy‐1‐propenyl]‐2‐butenedioate (DAHPB) is used as chelating agent and chloroform is selected as an extraction solvent. The factors influencing the complex formation and extraction by USAEME method are optimized. These factors are extraction solvent type as well as extraction volume, time, temperature, pH, and the amount of chelating agent. Under optimum conditions, an enrichment factor of 202.9 is obtained from only 7.1 mL of aqueous phase. The calibration graph using the preconcentration system for iron is linear between 40.0 and 800.0 μg L^?1 with a detection limit of 7.4 μg L^?1. The relative standard deviation (R.S.D) for ten replicate measurements of 500.0 μg L^?1 of iron is 2.5%.     

Extraction Spectrophotometric Determination of Vanadium in Industrial Waste Water

A new and simple extraction spectrophotometric method for the determination of vanadium(V) with KIO₄, N‐phenylbenzohydroxamic acid (PBHA) and crystal violet (CV), in industrial waste water samples is described. It is based on the extraction of mixed‐ligand complex V(V)‐IO₄^? ‐PBHA‐CV⁺ into chloroform solution over 2‐7 MHC1. The molar absorptivity of the complex is (7.20) × 10³1 mol^?1 cm^?1 at λ_max 535 nm. The detection limit of the method is 44 μg 1^?1 V. The linearity of the calibration curve is followed up to 6 μgmL^?1 in the organic solution with slope, intercept and correlation coefficient of 1.34 × 10^?1, 6.7 × 10^?3 and +0.99, respectively. This method enhances the sensitivity of the conventional PBHA method for the determination of vanadium, and is free from interferences of other metal ions commonly associated with vanadium. The method has been successfully tested for the determination of V in the industrial waste water samples.     

New Methylene Blue (NMB) Encapsulated in Mesoporous AlMCM‐41 Material and Its Application for Amperometric Determination of Ascorbic Acid in Real Samples

New methylene blue (NMB) dye incorporated into AlMCM‐41 surfactant‐free and hybrid surfactant‐AlMCM‐41 mesophase. UV‐vis evidence shows that new methylene blue dye protonated in both cases of zeolites. New methylene blue is electroactive in zeolites and their electrochemical activity has been studied by cyclic voltammetry and compared to that of NMB in aqueous solutions. New methylene blue molecules are not released to the solution during CV measurements and are accessible to H₃O⁺ ions. The presence of surfactant affects the kinetics of the redox process through proton ions diffusion. The midpoint potentials (E_m) values show that new methylene blue dye incorporated into AlMCM‐41 can be reduced easily with respect to solution new methylene blue. New methylene blue interacting with surfactant polar heads and residual Br^? ions as a results, it shows a couple of peaks in high potential with respect to new methylene blue solution. The electrode made with methylene blue‐AlMCM‐41 without surfactant was used for the mediated oxidation of ascorbic acid. The anodic peak current observed in cyclic voltammetry was linearly dependent on the ascorbic acid concentration. The calibration plot was linear over the ascorbic acid concentration range 1.0×10^?5 to 5.0×10^?4 M. The detection limit of the method is 1.0×10^?5 M, low enough for trace ascorbic acid determination in various real samples.     

Direct Determination of Copper in Biodiesel Using Stripping Analysis

A simple, effective, and low‐cost protocol for copper determination in biodiesel, with no sample decomposition, is reported. Samples were diluted in an ethanol‐water solution (with HCl as supporting electrolyte) generating a homogeneous mixture at which copper was directly detected using stripping chronopotentiometry using a gold working‐electrode. The optimized mixture was 100 µL (0.088 g) of biodiesel, 15 mL of ethanol, and 5 mL of 0.1 mol L^?1 HCl aqueous solution. The estimated detection limit was 200 ng g^?1 (300‐s deposition time). The elimination of the sample treatment step offers the possibility of on‐site measurements in association with commercially‐available portable potentiostats.     

Electrochemical Behavior of Chloranil Chemically Modified Carbon Paste Electrode. Application to the Electrocatalytic Determination of Ascorbic Acid

A p‐chloranil modified carbon paste electrode was constructed and the electrochemical behavior of this electrode was studied in the aqueous solution with different pH. From the E_1/2–pH diagram for this compound the values of formal potential E^0' and pK_a of some different redox and acid‐base couples depending on the solution pH were estimated. The diffusion coefficient, D, value for p‐chloranil was estimated 1.5×10^?7 cm² s^?1. It has been shown by direct current cyclic voltammetry and double potential step chronoamperometry, that this p‐chloranil incorporated carbon paste electrode, can catalyze the oxidation of ascorbic acid in the aqueous buffered solution. Under the optimum condition (pH 7.00), the oxidation of ascorbic acid at the surface of such an electrode occurs at a potential about 325 mV less positive than that at an unmodified carbon past electrode. The catalytic oxidation peak currents was linearly dependent on the ascorbic acid concentration and a linear calibration curve was obtained in the range of 7×10^?5 M–4×10^?3 M of ascorbic acid with a correlation coefficient of 0.9998. The limit of detection (3σ) was determined as 3.5×10 ^?5 M. This method was used as simple, selective and precise voltammetric method for determination of ascorbic acid in pharmaceutical preparations.     

A Selective Film Based on Poly(3‐octylthiophene) Doped with Dihydroxyanthraquinone Sulfonate

A stable film of poly(3‐octylthiophene)–dihydroxyanthraquinone sulfonate has been synthesized electrochemically in non‐aqueous solution. The incorporation of dihydroxyanthraquinone sulfonate as an anionic complexing ligand into poly(3‐octylthiophene) film during electropolymerization was achieved and copper ions were accumulated by reduction on the electrode surface. The presence of dihydroxyanthraquinone sulfonate during the electrochemical polymerization of 3‐octylthiophene is shown to impact the sensitivity and the stability of the organic conducting film electrode response. The electroanalysis of copper(II) ions using conducting polymer electrode was achieved by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry with remarkable selectivity. The analytical performance was evaluated and linear calibration graphs were obtained in the concentration range of 50–400 ng mL^?1 copper(II) ion for 240 seconds accumulation time and the limit of detection was found to be 7.8 ng mL^?1. To check the selectivity of the proposed stripping voltammetric method for copper(II) ion, various metal ions as potential interferents were tested. The developed method was applied to copper(II) determination in certified reference material, NWRI‐TMDA‐61, trace elements in fortified water.     

Extraction-spectrophotometric determination of nickel in steels and aluminium metal with 3-(2-pyridyl)-5,6-diphenyl-1,2,4-triazine and ethyl tetrabromophenolphthalein

Nickel ions react with 3-(2-pyridyl)-5,6-diphenyl-1,2,4-triazine in aqueous solution at pH 6.8 to form a red 1:3 complex cation which can be extracted at pH 6.3 into 1,2-dichloroethane with ethyl tetrabromophenolphthalein anion as an ion association compound having an absorption maximum at 610 nm. The apparent molar absorptivity is 2.21 × 10⁵ l mol^?1 cm^?1 and a linear calibration graph is obtained in the range 0–0.05 μg ml^?1 (0?8.52 × 10^?7 M) nickel in aqueous solution. The r.s.d, is 1.5%. This method can be applied to the determination of traces of nickel in steels and aluminium chips.     

Kinetic Spectrophotometric Determination of Metoprolol Tartrate in Commercial Dosage Forms

A kinetic spectrophotometric method has been described for the determination of metoprolol tartrate in commercial dosage forms. The procedure is based on the reaction of the drug with 1‐chloro‐2, 4‐dinitrobenzene (CDNB) in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) at 100 ± 1 °C. The reaction is investigated by measuring the change in absorbance with time at 420 nm. Fixed‐time (ΔA) and equilibrium methods are chosen for obtaining the calibration curves. Both calibration curves were found to be linear over the concentration range of 5‐60 μg mL^?1. The regression analysis of calibration data resulted in the linear regression equations of ΔA = ?1.608 × 10^?4 + 3.96 × 10^?3 C and A = 7.31 × 10^?4 + 1.90 × 10^?2 C for fixed time (ΔA) and equilibrium methods, respectively. The limit of detection (LOD) for fixed time and equilibrium methods are 1.16 and 0.415 μg mL^?1, respectively. The method has been successfully applied to the quantitation of metoprolol tartrate in commercial dosage forms. Statistical comparison of the results shows that there is no significant difference between the proposed methods and El‐Ries's spectrophotometric method.     

Squaraine Rotaxane as a Reversible Optical Chloride Sensor

A mechanically interlocked squaraine rotaxane is comprised of a deep‐red fluorescent squaraine dye inside a tetralactam macrocycle. NMR studies show that Cl^? binding to the rotaxane induces macrocycle translocation away from the central squaraine station, a process that is completely reversed when the Cl^? is removed from the solution. Steady‐state fluorescence and excited‐state lifetime measurements show that this reversible machine‐like motion modulates several technically useful optical properties, including a three‐fold increase in deep‐red fluorescence emission that is observable to the naked eye. The excited states were characterized quantitatively by time‐correlated single photon counting, femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy, and nanosecond laser flash photolysis. Cl^? binding to the rotaxane increases the squaraine excited singlet state lifetime from 1.5 to 3.1 ns, and decreases the excited triplet state lifetime from >200 to 44 μs. Apparently, the surrounding macrocycle quenches the excited singlet state of the encapsulated squaraine dye and stabilizes the excited triplet state. Prototype dipsticks were prepared by adsorbing the lipophilic rotaxane onto the ends of narrow, C18‐coated, reverse‐phase silica gel plates. The fluorescence intensity of a dipstick increased eighteen‐fold upon dipping in an aqueous solution of tetrabutylammonium chloride (300 mM ) and was subsequently reversed by washing with pure water. It is possible to develop the dipsticks for colorimetric determination of Cl^? levels by the naked eye. After dipping into aqueous tetrabutylammonium chloride, a dipstick’s color slowly fades at a rate that depends on the amount of Cl^? in the aqueous solution. The fading process is due primarily to hydrolytic bleaching of the squaraine chromophore within the rotaxane. That is, association of Cl^? to immobilized rotaxane induces macrocycle translocation and exposure of the electrophilic C₄O₂ core of the squaraine station, which is in turn attacked by the ambient moisture to produce a bleached product.     

Hollow fiber liquid‐phase microextraction and determination of nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatories by capillary electrophoresis and sulfonamides by HPLC in human urine

In this paper two applications of three‐phase HF‐LPME for the determination of pharmaceuticals in human urine are proposed: a capillary electrophoresis with a photodiode array detection method for the analysis of seven nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and a high‐performance liquid chromatographic with photo diode array and fluorescence detection method for the determination of four sulfonamides and their corresponding N⁴‐acetyl‐metabolites. Q3/2 Accurel® polypropylene hollow fibers were used for both procedures. Dihexyl ether was used as the supported liquid membrane for the determination of anti‐inflammatories and 1‐octanol for sulfonamides. An aqueous solution (pH 12) was used in both procedures as the acceptor phase and as the donor phase an aqueous solution (pH 2), and a 2 m Na₂SO₄ aqueous solution (pH 4) was used for the determination of the anti‐inflammatories and sulfonamides. The detection limits obtained were between 0.25 (naproxen) and 0.86 ng/mL (aceclofenac) for the determination of anti‐inflammatories and 7 × 10^?4 (sulfamethoxazole) and 0.048 ng/mL (N⁴‐acetyl‐sulfamethazine) for sulfonamides. The method was successfully applied to the determination of the analytes in human urine. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Adsorptive stripping voltammetry of nickel at a bare glassy carbon electrode

A bare glassy carbon electrode is applied to nickel determination by adsorptive stripping voltammetry in the presence of dimethylglyoxime as a complexing agent. A procedure of nickel determination and electrode regeneration was proposed. The calibration graph for Ni(II) for an accumulation time of 120?s was linear from 2?×?10^?9 to 1?×?10^?7?mol?L^?1. The detection limit was 8.2?×?10^?10?mol?L^?1. The relative standard deviation for a solution containing 2?×?10^?8?mol?L^?1 of Ni(II) was 4.1%. The proposed procedure was applied for Ni(II) determination in certified water reference materials.     

Preparation of a miniaturised iodide ion selective sensor using polypyrrole and pencil lead: effect of double-coating, electropolymerisation time, and current density

Polypyrrole (PPy) is a conducting polymer which can be used for producing different ion-selective electrodes. An iodide-doped (PPy-iodide) was prepared electrochemically by anodic polymerisation of pyrrole in the presence of an iodide ion in an aqueous solution on the surface of a pencil lead. Polymerisation was investigated under galvanostatic conditions. The effects of electropolymerisation conditions on the characteristics of the potential response of the sensor were examined. Concentrations of pyrrole, iodide ions, and conditioning solution plus current density and the time of electropolymerisation were optimised in relation to the slope and linearity of calibration graphs. This electrode showed a Nernstian behaviour of 61.1 mV per decade for I^? ion over a wide concentration range from 1.0 × 10^?5 M to 1.0 × 10^?1 M, with the limit of detection of 9.3 × 10^?6 M. The response time of the electrode was from 3–5 s. The selectivity coefficients of the prepared sensors over a wide spectrum of interference anions were also evaluated, revealing that selectivity improves as a result of double-coating with PPy. A similar improvement was observed under lower current density and longer electropolymerisation time. This sensor was applied in the determination of iodide ions using titration potentiometry. This electrode can be used for the determination of iodide in drug preparations.     

Preparation,Characterization and Analytical Applications of a New and Novel Electrically Conducting Polymer

In this study, a glassy carbon electrode (GC) was modified with an electropolymerized film of 1‐naphthylamine (1‐NAP) with a subsequent overoxidation treatment in 0.2 M sodium hydroxide solution. This polymer p‐1‐NAPox film coated GC electrode was used for the selective determination of dopamine (DA) in the presence of a triple concentration of ascorbic acid (AA).These studies were performed using cyclic voltammetry and square‐wave voltammetry at physiological pH. p‐1‐NAPox shows an attractive permselectivity, a marked enhancement of the current response and antifouling properties when compared to a bare GC electrode activated in basic media. With a preconcentration time of 3 minutes at open circuit, linear calibration plots were obtained for DA in buffer solution (pH 7.4) over the concentration range from 1×10^?6–1×10^?4 M with a detection limit of 1.59×10^?7 M.     

Carbon Paste Electrode Incorporating 1‐[4‐(Ferrocenyl Ethynyl) Phenyl]‐1‐Ethanone for Electrocatalytic and Voltammetric Determination of Tryptophan

A carbon paste electrode spiked with 1‐[4‐ferrocenyl ethynyl) phenyl]‐1‐ethanone (4FEPE) was constructed by incorporation of 4FEPE in graphite powder‐paraffin oil matrix. It has been shown by direct current cyclic voltammetry and double step chronoamperometry that this electrode can catalyze the oxidation of tryptophan (Trp) in aqueous buffered solution. It has been found that under optimum condition (pH 7.00), the oxidation of Trp at the surface of such an electrode occurs at a potential about 200 mV less positive than at an unmodified carbon paste electrode. The kinetic parameters such as electron transfer coefficient, α and rate constant for the chemical reaction between Trp and redox sites in 4FEPE modified carbon paste electrode (4FEPEMCPE) were also determined using electrochemical approaches. The electrocatalytic oxidation peak current of Trp showed a linear dependent on the Trp concentrations and linear calibration curves were obtained in the ranges of 6.00×10^?6 M–3.35×10^?3 M and 8.50×10^?7 M–6.34×10^?5 M of Trp concentration with cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) methods, respectively. The detection limits (3σ) were determined as 1.80×10^?6 M and 5.60×10^?7 M by CV and DPV methods. This method was also examined as a selective, simple and precise new method for voltammetric determination of tryptophan in real sample.     

Indirect Atomic Absorption Determination of Cocaine via Formation and Liquid‐liquid Extraction of the Iron(III)‐cocaine Complex

The principles of metal‐alkaloid ion‐pair formation and liquid‐liquid extraction are applied to the development of a sensitive and convenient atomic absorption spectrophotometery (AAS) method for the indirect determination of cocaine. In an aqueous medium of 5 M hydrochloric acid, cocaine is protonated and is associated with tetrachloro ferrate (III) anion prior to its extraction into 1,2‐dichloroethane. The critical experimental variables were identified and optimized. The method is simple and reproducible with a detection limit (DL) of 0.1 ng cm^?3 cocaine in water, a relative standard deviation of 0.07 (n = 12), and the calibration graph was linear up to 50 ng cm^?3 cocaine.