Isotopic Analysis of 28Si-Enriched Silicon Using Laser Mass Spectrometry

A procedure for the isotopic analysis of ²⁸Si-enriched silicon by laser mass spectrometry is described. The procedure is based on the analysis of a dry concentrate or a film obtained by the pneumatic nebulization of an analyte and an internal standard solution or by the laser sputtering of a solid phase onto a support of a high-purity substance. The range of determinable isotope concentrations is (100–n× 10^–6) at %; the total error in determining the major isotope is n× 10^–2at % at an enrichment factor higher than 99%. The procedure provides the simultaneous control of 70 impurity elements in the sample.     

Determination of Rare-Earth Elements in Sulfide Minerals by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry with Ion-Exchange Preconcentration

A procedure was developed for determining ultratrace rare-earth elements in sulfide minerals by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with ion-exchange preconcentration. The concentration factor was 200. The found concentrations of rare-earth elements were 6–30 times lower than those in chondrites. For lanthanum and praseodymium, RSD < 10%; for other rare-earth elements, RSD < 6%. The accuracy of the results was verified by the addition of known amounts of Eu, Tb, Tm, and Lu to a chalcopyrite sample at the stage of decomposition with HCl and HNO₃. The calculated yield of rare-earth elements was 94–96%. The detection limit was from 0.06 ng/g (6 × 10^–9%) for lutetium to 5 ng/g (5 × 10^–7%) for cerium. The procedure was used for the determination of rare-earth elements in chalcopyrites, pyrites, and sphalerites.     

Micro-pumping flow system for spectrophotometric determination of anionic surfactants in water

A novel procedure has been developed for spectrophotometric determination of anionic surfactants in water using a solenoid micro-pump as fluid-propulsion device. The proposed method is based on substitution of methyl orange (MO) by anionic surfactants in the formation of an ion-pair with the cetyl pyridine ion (CPC⁺) at pH 5.0. The flow network comprised four solenoid micro-pumps which, under microcomputer control, enabled sample and reagent introduction, and homogenisation in the reaction zone. The system is flexible and simple to operate and control, and sensitive and precise. The analytical plot for the anionic surfactant was linear between 1.43×10^–6 and 1.43×10^–5 mol L^–1 (0.5 to 5.0 mg L^–1; R=0.997, n=5). The relative standard deviation was 0.8% (n=11) for a sample containing 5.74×10^–6 mol L^–1 (2 mg L^–1) surfactant. The limit of detection was 9.76×10^–8 mol L^–1 (0.034 mg L^–1) and the sampling throughput was 60 determinations per hour. The results obtained for washing-water samples were comparable with those obtained by use of the reference method, and no significant differences at the 95% confidence level were observed.     

Determination of subnanomolar concentrations of cobalt by adsorptive stripping voltammetry at a bismuth film electrode

Procedures for trace cobalt determinations by adsorptive stripping voltammetry at in situ and ex situ plated bismuth film electrodes are presented. These exploit the enhancement of the cobalt peak obtained by using the Co(II)–dimethylglyoxime–cetyltrimethylammonium bromide–piperazine-N,N-bis(2-ethanesulfonic acid) system. The calibration graph for an accumulation time of 120 s was linear from 2 × 10^–10 to 2 × 10^–8 mol L^–1. The relative standard deviation from five determinations of cobalt at a concentration of 5 × 10^–9 mol L^–1 was 5.2%. The detection limit for an accumulation time of 300 s was 1.8 × 10^–11 mol L^–1. The proposed procedure was applied to cobalt determination in certified reference materials and in tap and river water samples.     

An integrated electrochemical fructose biosensor based on tetrathiafulvalene-modified self-assembled monolayers on gold electrodes

An integrated amperometric fructose biosensor based on a gold electrode (AuE) modified with a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) on which fructose dehydrogenase (FDH) and the mediator tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) are co-immobilized by cross-linking with glutaraldehyde is reported. Variables concerning the behavior of the biosensor were optimized by taking the slope value obtained for the fructose calibration plot in the 0.1–1.0 mM concentration range as a criterion of selection. At an applied potential of +0.20 V, a good repeatability of such slope values (RSD=6.7%, n=10) was obtained with no need to apply a cleaning or pretreatment procedure to the modified electrode. Moreover, results from five different TTF-FDH-MPA-AuEs yielded a RSD of 5.8%. The useful lifetime of one single biosensor was approximately 30 days, exhibiting a 93% of the original response on the 33rd day. A linear calibration graph was obtained for fructose over the 1.0×10^–5–1.0×10^–3 M range, with a limit of detection of 2.4×10^–6 M. The effect of potential interferents was evaluated. The TTF-FDH-MPA-AuE also performed well in the flow-injection mode. The biosensor was used for the determination of fructose in real samples, and the results compared with those provided by using a commercial enzyme test kit.     

Application of Thermal-Lens Spectrometry to a Study of the Interaction of Trace Nickel(II) with Dimethylglyoxime

Thermal-lens spectrometry was applied to a study of the properties of a nickel(II) complex with dimethylglyoxime at a concentration level of n × 10^–8–n × 10^–6 mol/L. The possibility of determining the solubility of the complex and the characteristics of its adsorption on the glass surface of laboratory ware was demonstrated. The stability constants of the complex in water–ethanol mixtures (9 : 1) were determined. The found data made it possible to optimize the conditions for the photometric determination of nanomolar concentrations of nickel. The optimized procedure was used for a thermal-lens determination of nickel(II) traces in heteropoly compounds and high-purity water.     

Simultaneous Spectrophotometric Determination of Rare-Earth and Transition Elements Using Partial Least-Squares (PLS) Multivariate Calibration

A spectrophotometric method for the simultaneous determination of rare-earth and transition elements in synthetic superconductors, [(La_{1 – x} Eu _x )_1.82Sr_0.18CuO₄], by the use of 2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-diethylaminophenol (5-Br-PADAP) as chelating agent was developed. The influence of chemical variables affecting the reaction was studied. A partial least-squares (PLS) multivariate calibration procedure was used to assess the data obtained from several calibration solutions measured over the wavelengths range 400–700 nm. The concentration range for Cu was (1–12) × 10^–6 mol/L, while the range for the rare-earth elements La and Eu was (2–8) × 10^–6 mol/L. The relative errors in the determinations were less than 5% in most cases.     

Adsorptive stripping voltammetric determination of cobalt in the presence of dimethylglyoxime and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide

A sensitive procedure for determination of micro-traces of Co(II) by adsorptive stripping voltammetry is proposed. The procedure exploits the enhancement of the cobalt peak obtained by use of the system Co(II)–dimethylglyoxime–piperazine-1,4-bis(2-ethanesulfonic acid)–cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. Using the optimized conditions, a detection limit (based on the 3 criterion) for Co(II) of 1.2×10^–11 mol L^–1 (0.7 ng L^–1) was achieved. The calibration plot for an accumulation time of 30 s was linear from 5×10^–11 to 4×10^–9 mol L^–1. The procedure was validated by analysis of certified reference materials and natural water samples.     

Determination of Selenium(IV) by Stripping Voltammetry at a Mercury-Film Electrode

A procedure was proposed for the determination of selenium(IV) by stripping voltammetry on a mercury-film electrode at an electrolysis potential of +0.4 V versus the saturated silver–silver chloride reference electrode in a 1 M H₂SO₄ solution. The current of the cathodic peak is a linear function of the selenium(IV) concentration in the range from 5 × 10^–3 to 3 × 10^–1 mg/L (6.3 × 10^–8 to 3.8 × 10^–6 M) at a time of electrolysis of 30 s (t _el). The detection limit for selenium is 1 × 10^–4 mg/L (1.3 × 10^–9 M) at t _el = 300 s. It was shown that selenium(IV) can be determined in the presence of 10 mg/L Zn(II), 1 mg/L Cd(II), 0.5 mg/L Pb(II), and 0.2 mg/L Cu(II). A procedure for the determination of selenium in natural, mineral, and potable water was proposed.     

Enhancing effect of DNA on chemiluminescence from the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by copper(II)

In the absence of any special luminescence reagent, emission of weak chemiluminescence has been observed during the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by copper(II) in basic aqueous solution. The intensity of the chemiluminescence was greatly enhanced by addition of DNA and was strongly dependent on DNA concentration. Based on these phenomena, a flow-injection chemiluminescence method was established for determination of DNA. The chemiluminescence intensity was linear with DNA concentration in the range 2×10^–7–1×10^–5 g L^–1 and the detection limit was 4.1×10^–8 g L^–1 (S/N=3). The relative standard deviation was less than 3.0% for 4×10^–7 g L^–1 DNA (n=11). The proposed method was satisfactorily applied for determination of DNA in synthetic samples. The possible mechanism of the CL reaction is discussed.     

Flow injection analysis of gallic acid with inhibited electrochemiluminescence detection

A flow injection (FI)–electrochemiluminescent (ECL) method has been developed for the determination of gallic acid, based on an inhibition effect on the Ru(bpy)₃²⁺/tri-n-propylamine (TPrA) ECL system in pH 8.0 phosphate buffer solution. The method is simple and convenient with a determination limit of 9.0×10^–9 mol/L and a dynamic concentration range of 2×10^–8–2×10^–5 mol/L. The relative standard deviation (RSD) was 1.0% for 1.0×10^–6 mol/L gallic acid (n=11). It was successfully applied to the determination of gallic acid in Chinese proprietary medicine—Jianming Yanhou Pian. The inhibition mechanism proposed for the quenching effect of the gallic acid on the Ru(bpy)₃²⁺/TPrA ECL system was the interaction of electrogenerated Ru(bpy)₃^2+* and o-benzoquinone derivative at the electrode surface. The ECL emission spectra and UV-visible absorption spectra were applied to confirm the mechanism.     

Examination of the modified monostandard method in neutron activation analysis

The reproducibility, the small scale as well as the large scale variability of¹³⁷Cs extracted sequentially from the soil by using a modified Tessier procedure was investigated at several grassland sites in Bavaria/Germany and in the Chemobyl area. Because undisturbed grassland soils are never homogeneous with respect to their soil properties, all sequential extractions at the German sites were carried out at each plot separately for different soil layers (e.g., 0–2, 2–5, 5–10, 10–15, 15–20 and 20–30 cm). The results show that the coefficients of variation (CV) for the reproducibility of the extraction procedure for¹³⁷Cs was (with some exceptions) around 10–20% for all fractions. For the small scale variability of¹³⁷Cs (samples within an area of 10×10m²) the values for theCV were (again with a few exceptions) in the same range. Compared to that, the large scale variability of extractable¹³⁷Cs (random soil samples within an area of 100×200 km²) was higher for all fractions, even though only moderately. The implications of these results with respect to a sampling design are discussed.     

Untersuchungen zum polarographischen Verhalten des Rheniums in perchlorsauren L?sungen

Zusammenfassung Das polarographische Verhalten des Rheniums(VII) wurde in konzentrierteren PerchlorsäureLösungen untersucht. Zur Bestimmung kleiner Rhenium(VII)-Konzentrationen ist eine 10 M Perchlorsäure geeignet. Die Bestimmung kann mit der Gleichstrom-, Wechselstrom- und differentiellen Pulse-Polarographie durchgeführt werden. Mit der Gleichstrompolarographie lassen sich noch 2·10^–8 M Re(VII) erfassen. Die Eichkurven sind im Bereich von 5·10^–8 bis 6·10^–5M linear. Die Temperatur- und Tropfzeitabhängigkeit der polarographischen Ströme macht ihren katalytisch/kinetischen Ursprung wahrscheinlich.

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Investigations on the polarographic behaviour of rhenium in perchloric acid solutions

Summary The polarographic behaviour of rhenium(VII) was investigated in perchloric acid solutions of higher concentrations. For the polarographic determination of small concentrations of rhenium(VII) a 10 M perchloric acid is properly suited. The determination can be performed by DC-, AC- and DP-polarography. With DC-polarography 2×10^–8 M Re(VII) can be detected. The calibration curves are linear in the range from 5×10^–8 to 6×10^–5M Re(VII). From investigations of the temperature- and droptime dependence the catalytic/kinetic origin of the polarographic currents is made probable.

     

A Chemometric Approach to the Indirect Potentiometric Determination of the Components of a Redox Couple

A chemometric approach to the determination of the components of a redox couple without their preseparation was proposed. The approach is based on the transformation of a potentiometric curve obtained by the multiple addition method to a direct regression line with a cotangent numerically equal to the analyte concentration. The approach was tested on simulated and experimental data for the reversible Fe(III)–Fe(II) system and applied to the determination of Cr(VI) in model solutions using excess solution of the Mohr's salt as an auxiliary reducing agent. In real determinations of Fe(III, II) and Cr(VI) in concentration ranges from 1 × 10^–3to n× 10^–5and from 2 × 10^–3to 5 × 10^–4M, RSD varied from 0.2 to 8% and from 3 to 12%, respectively.     

Determination of pipemidic acid based on flow-injection chemiluminescence due to energy transfer from peroxynitrous acid synthesized on-line

A flow-injection chemiluminescence (CL) method for the determination of pipemidic acid is described. It is based on energy transfer from excited state peroxynitrous acid to pipemidic acid, in which the excited state peroxynitrous acid is synthesized on-line by the mixing of acid hydrogen peroxide with nitrite in a flow system and the CL is from two excited states of pipemidic acid. The proposed method allows the measurement of pipemidic acid over the range of 2.0×10^–7–2.0×10^–5 mol l^–1 . The detection limit is 6.3×10^–8 mol l^–1, and the relative standard deviation for 2.0×10^–6 mol l^–1 pipemidic acid (n= 9) is 0.9%. This method was evaluated by the analysis of pipemidic acid in pharmaceutical preparations.     

Determination of cerium in rare earth ores by fluorescence quenching of rhodamine 6G

A fluorescence quenching method has been developed to determine cerium with rhodamine 6G. The method is based on the oxidation of rhodamine 6G by cerium(IV) in sulfuric acid solution. The linear calibration range is 4.0 × 10^–7 -1.6 × 10^–6mol/L. The detection limit is 1.0 × 10^–7 mol/L. The relative standard deviation was 1.0% (n = 5). The method has been used to determine cerium in rare earth ores, with satisfactory results. The method offers the advantages of simplisity, sensitivity and selectivity.     

Determination of Silver by Stripping Voltammetry at Composite Pyrocarbon–Glass Ceramic Electrodes

Characteristic features of the process of Ag(I) discharge and ionization at a composite pyrocarbon–glass ceramic electrode were studied by stripping voltammetry. The optimal measurement conditions were selected, and n× 10^–6g/L Ag(I) was determined in drinking water (n= 4, RSD = 4%).     

Determination of thorium by adsorptive type chemically modified electrode with a polycomplex system

A preconcentration and determination method for thorium in aqueous solution with a tri-n-octylphosphine oxide modified glassy carbon electrode is proposed. In the presence of 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone, thorium in NaAc-HAc supporting electrolyte is preconcentrated on a modified rotating disk electrode, and a highly sensitive reduction peak is obtained by cathodic stripping voltammetry at –1.10 V versus Ag/AgCl. A linear response of reduction peak height and concentration is observed for 1.15×10^–9–1.44×10^–8 mol·1^–1 of thorium and the detection limit is 1.0×10^–9mol·1^–1. It is very selective and sensitive, with a standard deviation of 3.4% and a recovery of 90–110%.     

Stripping Voltammetry of Thallium at a Film Mercury Electrode

The electrochemical dissolution of thallium from the surface of a mercury film electrode was studied in different supporting electrolytes. The effects of the concentration of thallium(I), electrolysis potential and time, and the potential sweep rate on anodic voltammograms were studied. The electrode process in solutions containing EDTA, HCl, and ascorbic acid at a potential sweep rate of 0.020 V/s is reversible. A stripping voltammetric procedure was developed for determining thallium(I) in the concentration range 1 × 10^–9 to 5 × 10^–7 M. The detection limit (3, n = 3) is 5 × 10^–10 M.     

Preconcentration and voltammetric determination of the herbicide metamitron with a silica-modified carbon paste electrode

A carbon paste electrode incorporating silica (Si-MCPE) was fabricated to accumulate Metamitron at the electrode surface. Several electroanalytical techniques were used to explore its reductive behaviour. The results indicate that the system is irreversible and fundamentally controlled by adsorption. The adsorptive stripping response has been evaluated with respect to accumulation time, deposition potential, scan rate, pH and other variables, using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV) as redissolution techniques. In both cases a voltammetric peak is obtained, at –0.542 V (DPV) and –0.421 V (SWV) in Britton-Robinson buffer (pH 1.9). The detection limits were 3.66 × 10^–1 M and 4.22 × 10^–9 M for AdS-DPV and AdS-SWV, respectively. Under optimum conditions the Metamitron reduction peak gave two linear regions in the range from 4.0 × 10^–9 M to 8.0 × 10^–8 M by means of AdS-DPV, with a coefficient of variation of 2.19% (n = 10) for 1 × 10^–8 M herbicide solution. A method was developed for determination of Metamitron in soils, with a recovery of 98.8% and a coefficient of variation of 5.26% (0.01 g/g of soil).