Experimental studies for the characterization of analytical performance in axially-observed inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry

Investigations were carried out on the optimization of excitation and projection conditions of the axially-observed inductively coupled plasma (ICP) concerning simultaneous measurements. For minimized background equivalent concentration (BEC) it can be shown that the optimal excitation conditions of the atomic and ionic lines also vary in the case of axial plasma observation. A relationship was confirmed between the high frequency power and the excitation energy of the analytical lines. The main contribution of this work is the displacement of the axial viewing inductively coupled plasma by means of an x,y,z sliding carriage.The displacement showed that under the selected experimental conditions the point of observation is spatially identical for all analytical lines. Received: 30 May 1997 / Revised: 20 November 1997 / Accepted: 25 November 1997     

Experimental studies for the characterization of analytical performance in axially-observed inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry

Investigations were carried out on the optimization of excitation and projection conditions of the axially-observed inductively coupled plasma (ICP) concerning simultaneous measurements. For minimized background equivalent concentration (BEC) it can be shown that the optimal excitation conditions of the atomic and ionic lines also vary in the case of axial plasma observation. A relationship was confirmed between the high frequency power and the excitation energy of the analytical lines. The main contribution of this work is the displacement of the axial viewing inductively coupled plasma by means of an x,y,z sliding carriage.The displacement showed that under the selected experimental conditions the point of observation is spatially identical for all analytical lines. Received: 30 May 1997 / Revised: 20 November 1997 / Accepted: 25 November 1997     

New test tools for determination of trace metals using polydentate cellulose

New test tools have been developed for the rapid determination of trace metals: Ag, Cd, Co, Cu(II), Fe(II,III), Hg(II), Pd and Zn, using polydentate irregular α-celluloses, containing in the 6 position the fragments heterylformazane or heterylhydrazone, with a pocket device for preconcentration. Received: 17 June 1997 / Revised: 1 November 1997 / Accepted: 6 November 1997     

New test tools for determination of trace metals using polydentate cellulose

New test tools have been developed for the rapid determination of trace metals: Ag, Cd, Co, Cu(II), Fe(II,III), Hg(II), Pd and Zn, using polydentate irregular α-celluloses, containing in the 6 position the fragments heterylformazane or heterylhydrazone, with a pocket device for preconcentration. Received: 17 June 1997 / Revised: 1 November 1997 / Accepted: 6 November 1997     

Determination of small quantities of nitrogen oxides in air by ion chromatography using a chromatomembrane cell for preconcentration

Chromatomembrane (CM) cells operate in computer-aided FIA systems as unique manifolds for extraction and preconcentration procedures. By coupling with ion chromatography an instrumentation was obtained allowing sample preparation and detection of nitrogen oxides in air in a quick and automated way. The aim of this paper is to study the absorption of acid components from air inside the new devices. Received: 11 September 1997 / Revised: 12 November 1997 / Accepted: 16 November 1997     

Use of four-factorial design in ion-selective potentiometry for analysis of multi-ionic solutions

Even with small selectivity of electrodes the application of multi-factorial design produces good results for complex ion mixtures. Carrying out serial analyses with this method, the time for the preparation of specimens is shortened and the accuracy of the determination is increased. The electrode selectivity is characterized using regression equations and an interference level diagram. A graphical representation of data is suggested taking into account the dependence of response on the number of interfering cations. Received: 17 June 1997 / Revised: 3 November 1997 / Accepted: 8 November 1997     

Determination of trace amounts of Galaxolide? (HHCB) by HPLC

An analytical method for the determination of trace amounts of Galaxolide^? (HHCB) by HPLC is presented. It is based on the separation of HHCB in different samples by a C18-column and a gradient elution by water and acetonitrile, both containing some acetic acid. The detection is carried out with a combination of a fast scanning UV detector and a fast scanning fluorescence detector. The fluorescence detection limit is 5 μg/L HHCB without sample pretreatment. HHCB adsorbed on solids or suspended solids can be extracted by ethanol. Received: 17 October 1997 / Revised: 24 November 1997 / Accepted: 24 November 1997     

Capabilities of double focussing magnetic sector-ICP-MS for the determination of trace elements in body fluids (blood, blood serum, urine) at the example of control materials

The capability of double focussing magnetic sector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS) for the determination of trace elements in different body fluids was investigated in commercially available control materials. The elements included in this study were: Al, As, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Tl and Zn. Sample preparation, instrument stability and the results, which are in very good agreement to the given values, are presented and discussed. Received: 27 August 1997 / Revised: 19 November 1997 / Accepted: 23 November 1997     

Capabilities of double focussing magnetic sector-ICP-MS for the determination of trace elements in body fluids (blood, blood serum, urine) at the example of control materials

The capability of double focussing magnetic sector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS) for the determination of trace elements in different body fluids was investigated in commercially available control materials. The elements included in this study were: Al, As, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Tl and Zn. Sample preparation, instrument stability and the results, which are in very good agreement to the given values, are presented and discussed. Received: 27 August 1997 / Revised: 19 November 1997 / Accepted: 23 November 1997     

Assessing the deposition and remobilisation behaviour of metals between river water and river sediment using partial least squares regression

Partial least squares regression (PLS) as a method for multivariate data analysis has been applied to environmental data of the German rivers Saale, Ilm and Unstrut. Main aspects of the study are to describe the relationships of the distribution of metals between river water and river sediment using PLS. A simulation of the distribution of metals between the liquid and solid phase by variation of some parameters (e.g. conductivity, DOC, dissolved oxygen, pH, phosphate and suspended matter) is presented and compared with experimental results. Received: 15 July 1997 / Revised: 6 November 1997 / Accepted: 7 November 1997     

Calibration model of simultaneous multielement atomic-emission analysis using analytical line groups of each determined element

A calibration model of multielement methods for simultaneous determination of micro- and macro-concentrations of elements by computing the arc atomic-emission spectra has been developed. A calibration procedure for the analytical line group of the elements to be determined is offered. It allows the lower and upper limits of the concentration range for each line of the determined element to be calculated by means of the least-square method (LSM) and the Weibull distribution law is used to extend the concentration region. The calibration model was successfully tested for different arc optical emission spectroscopy (OES) methods. Received: 17 June 1997 / Revised: 3 November 1997 / Accepted: 7 November 1997     

Study on the systematic optimization of capillary electrophoresis using a controlled weighted centroid variable size simplex algorithm

The systematic optimization of capillary electrophoretic separations using a dynamic scouting optimum method-controlled weighted centroid variable size simplex algorithm is described. The factors affecting the efficiency of the separation are simultaneously considered during the optimization procedures. The established optimization method is applied to amino acid separation by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) with on-column indirect UV detection and to the separation of local anesthetics by micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MECC) with on-column UV detection. The optimization procedures include the pH and the background absorption electrolyte (BGAE) concentrations together with the applied voltage in the CZE separation of amino acids. The pH, the SDS concentrations together with the percentage of methanol are considered in the MECC separation of local anesthetics. Two methods, i.e., the Long Coefficient and Uniform Design Table, are used to define the start vertexes during the optimization procedure and similar final experimental conditions for the separations are achieved. Thirteen native amino acids are baseline separated by CZE and 4 local anesthetics are satisfactorily separated by MECC. Received: 10 November 1997 / Revised: 19 January 1998 / Accepted: 24 January 1998     

Calibration model of simultaneous multielement atomic-emission analysis using analytical line groups of each determined element

A calibration model of multielement methods for simultaneous determination of micro- and macro-concentrations of elements by computing the arc atomic-emission spectra has been developed. A calibration procedure for the analytical line group of the elements to be determined is offered. It allows the lower and upper limits of the concentration range for each line of the determined element to be calculated by means of the least-square method (LSM) and the Weibull distribution law is used to extend the concentration region. The calibration model was successfully tested for different arc optical emission spectroscopy (OES) methods. Received: 17 June 1997 / Revised: 3 November 1997 / Accepted: 7 November 1997     

Investigations on the applicability of two ELISA types for the determination of chlorpyrifos in soil samples compared with a gas chromatographic method

Two commercially available ELISA kits for water analysis, a microtiter plate-ELISA based on polyclonal antibodies (p-ELISA) and a magnetic particle tube-ELISA based on monoclonal antibodies (t-ELISA), were used to determine chlorpyrifos residues in soils. Comparison with a gas chromatographic method frequently applied was carried out by fortification experiments and by analyses of real soil samples. At concentration levels of 1.0, 0.1, 0.05 and 0.01 mg/kg, chlorpyrifos was reliably determined by the GC method. Application of the p-ELISA did not permit a reliable quantitation, while the t-ELISA was applicable in a concentration range of 0.05–1.0 mg chlorpyrifos/kg dry soil. Received: 23 July 1997 / Revised: 10 November 1997 / Accepted: 14 November 1997     

Automation of a heterogeneous enzyme immunoassay for atrazine. Comparison of three immobilization supports

Intensive agriculture associated with the use of large amounts of different pesticides, together with the growing concern about the potential contamination of ground water, have brought about the need for developing fast screening methods. This work presents the automation of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for atrazine by means of a flow-through system. Three different solid supports for antibody immobilization were compared in a direct competitive assay format. Sensitivity reached in all cases was below the maximum level allowed in the EU (100 ng L^–1). Cross-reactivity of atrazine-related compounds was also studied. The performance of the different supports is discussed regarding sensitivity and immunosurface regeneration. Received: 21 July 1997 / Revised: 7 November 1997 / Accepted: 11 November 1997     

Possibilities and limitations of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of 1-nitropyrene in air particulate matter

ELISAs (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays) are generally used in environmental analytical chemistry for screening purposes. In this work the applicability of a polyclonal-based 1-nitropyrene-ELISA for the quantification of the target analyte in air particulate matter was investigated. Validation was performed using an HPLC method with fluorescence detection of the reduced form of 1-nitropyrene. It was found that the immunoassay is not only sensitive for the target analyte but to a certain extent also for other cross-reacting molecules present in the sample, such as 2-nitropyrene and 2-nitrofluoranthene, which were identified by GC-HRMS and are considered to be products of photochemically induced reactions of pyrene or fluoranthene, respectively. The degree of correlation between ELISA and HPLC results for collected samples of air particulate matter was inversely dependent on the distance between the sampling location and the source. Received: 20 August 1997 / Revised: 25 November 1997 / Accepted: 27 November 1997     

The methodology of knowledge acquisition from the collection of IR and UV spectra

An expert system for identification of parts of chemical molecules from IR and UV spectra is described. To develop the system, the intelligent knowledge engineering program environment SCANKEE¹ (elaborated at the Department of Computer Chemistry) was applied. The expert systems for identification of a chemical compound described in the literature use hand-crafted knowledge bases. To eliminate the time-consuming writing of the rules, a module for the automatic creation of rule knowledge bases was developed. The knowledge derives from the collection of molecular spectra of organic compounds and their structural formulae. The algorithm for the automatic generation of the production rules (in the rule knowledge base) is realized in two steps: (i) the creation of the correlation tables and (ii) the generation of the production rules base. Received: 1 July 1997 / Revised: 3 November 1997 / Accepted: 7 November 1997     

A chemometric survey of three sites in Muggia Bay (Northern Adriatic Sea): meteorological effects on heavy metal patterns in surface coastal waters

Within research on the quality of the waters of the Gulf of Trieste, this study on patterns of trace metal contents in the inner part of the gulf (Muggia Bay) discusses data of Cu, Pb, Cd and Zn, determined voltammetrically (DPASV), and collected in three sites with a 10-day frequency over the period of one year. Two of the sites lie inside the dam system which protects the harbour of Trieste, while the third one is situated outside for comparison purposes. Principal component analysis pointed out different metal patterns inside and outside the dam system; PC scores were related to meteorological information: rain plays a major role in conditioning the estuarine inner site: wind stirring action was detectable for the outer site. Both univariate graphics and canonical correlation analysis suggest a diffuse source for Pb, probably atmospheric deposition. Received: 1 August 1997 / Revised: 20 November 1997 / Accepted: 23 November 1997     

Determination of the cadmium and copper content inherent to metallothionein

The reliability of the voltammetric determination of the cadmium and copper content (at pH 1.0), inherent to metallothionein (MT) isolated from the digestive gland of Mytilus galloprovincialis, was investigated. An artifact signal enhancement of copper, caused by the cupric-thionein complex adsorption at the mercury electrode, was established. This artifact was removed by UV-digestion of the sample for 15–20 h prior to analysis. A similar artifact was not detected for cadmium, because at this pH the cadmium-thionein complex has dissociated, and cadmium exists in the ionic form. Therefore, the voltammetric analysis of the cadmium content can be performed directly at pH 1.0, without prior UV-digestion of the sample. Received: 4 August 1997 / Revised: 12 November 1997 / Accepted: 16 November 1997     

Speciation of metal complexes with biomolecules by reversed-phase HPLC with ion-spray and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric detection

Complementarity of ion-spray MS and ICP-MS as detection techniques in reversed-phase HPLC for the characterization of metals complexed by biomacromolecules is discussed by the example of the speciation of metallothionein-bound cadmium. The commercially purified rabbit liver MT-2 isoform is eluted from a microbore C₈ column with a gradient of up to 50% methanol in acetate buffer (pH 6.0) to give one major and three minor peaks detected at 254 nm. The preparation is further characterized by using an ICP mass spectrometer interfaced with HPLC via a direct injection nebulizer which allows for the specific detection of cadmium down to the 10 ng mL^–1 level. On-line detection by mass spectrometry with an ion-spray (pneumatically-assisted electrospray) ion source further allows the determination of the molecular masses of the eluted compounds. Received: 30 July 1997 / Revised: 7 November 1997 /Accepted: 11 November 1997