Reference materials for marine science

Summary The second edition of the catalog of reference materials suited for use in marine science, originally compiled in 1986 for NOAA, IOC and UNEP, has been recently completed. The catalog lists more than 900 reference materials from thirteen producers and contains information about their proper use, sources, availability, and analyte concentrations. The reference material matrices include ashes, airborne particulate matter, gases, oils, rocks and sediments, sludges, tissues and waters. Reference materials used for the evaluation of instruments and the determination of sample physical properties are also included. Indices are available for elements, isotopes and organic compounds, as are cross references to CAS registry numbers, and alternate names and chemical structures of selected organic compounds.     

Combined cysteine and homocysteine quantitation in plasma by trap and release membrane introduction mass spectrometry

Recently, a new and efficient method for total homocysteine (tHcy) quantitation in plasma using trap and release membrane introduction mass spectrometry (T&R-MIMS) with a versatile removable direct introduction membrane probe (DIMP) was described [R. Haddad, M. A. Mendes, N. F. Hoehr and M. N. Eberlin, Analyst, 2001, 126, 1212]. Herein we report on the use of the DIMP-T&R-MIMS technique for total cysteine (tCys) quantitation; hence combined tCys and tHcy quantitation in plasma or serum can be achieved. The method employs Cys and Hcy derivatization with ethyl chloroformate (after disulfide bond reduction with dithiothreitol and protein precipitation with trichloroacetic acid), preconcentration in a capillary silicone membrane, and their thermal desorption to the gas phase inside the ion source region of a mass spectrometer, at a point exactly between the two ionization filaments. Thermal desorption uses the uniform heat radiation provided by the two ionization filaments. The analytes are then ionized by electron ionization and both Cys and Hcy are quantitated by mass spectrometry using selected ion monitoring. For tCys quantitation, good linearity and reproducibility was observed for concentrations ranging from 5 to 350 microM, recovery was near 95%, and the limit of detection (LOD) was of 2 microM. This LOD is well below the mean Cys concentration in plasma, and serum samples from a large group of healthy people showed a mean tCys concentration of 132 +/- 45 microM.     

Determination of Trace Molybdenum in Biological Matrices by Neutron Activation Analysis

Based on consecutive extractions using bismuth diethyldithiocarbamate and thallium diethyldithiocarbamate as reagents, molybdenum was selectively and highly enriched from biological matrices, and then subjected to neutron activation analysis. Most of interfering elements, e.g., Na, K, Br, P, Fe, U, etc. were simultaneouly removed and the preconcentrated samples always showed only the r rays from molybdenum after neutron bombardment. Thus, molybdenum in the biological matrices could be accurately determined.     

A new ruthenium-catalyzed hydrogen-transfer reaction: transformation of 3-benzyl but-1-ynyl ethers into 1,3-dienes and benzaldehyde

We report a ruthenium-catalyzed reaction for various 3-benzyl but-1-ynyl ethers with suitable functionalities. Treatment of these substrates with TpRu(PPh3)(CH3CN)2PF6 (8.0 mol %) catalyst in 1,2-dichloroethane (80 degrees C, 12 h) afforded functionalized 1,3-dienes and benzyl aldehyde in good yields. This process is considered to be a tandem dealkoxylation and transfer hydrogenation. Deuterium-labeling experiments reveal that the migration of different hydrogen atoms proceeds regiospecifically. A plausible mechanism is proposed on the basis of the results of isotope experiment.     

Diastereoselective synthesis of 2-phenylselenenyl-1,3-anti-diols and 2-phenylselenenyl-1,3-anti-azido-alcohols via hydroxy and azido-selenenylation reactions

A method to synthesize 2-phenylselenenyl-1,3-anti-diols and 2-phenyl- selenenyl-1,3-anti-azidoalcohols via hydroxy- or azido-selenenylation of trans-allylic alcohols is reported. Moreover, the first example of hydroxyl-selenenylation of an allylic azide is presented. Yields ranging from moderate to good and diastereomeric ratios up to 95:5 are achieved.     

Determination of terazosin by cloud point extraction-fluorimetric combined methodology

A new sensitive and selective preconcentration-fluorimetric method for determination of terazosin based on its native fluorescence was developed. The analyte, initially present in aqueous matrix, was treated with an extractive non-ionic surfactant solution and separated by the clouding phenomenon. The optimum analytical conditions for terazosin assay were established. Under these conditions, linear calibration curves were obtained over the range of 1 × 10⁻⁵ to 7.0 μg mL⁻¹ with detection and quantification limits of 1.11 × 10⁻⁵ and 3.7 × 10⁻⁵ μg mL⁻¹, respectively. Additionally, the binding constant (K_B) for the terazosin-PONPE 7.5 system was determined given a value of 1028 L mol⁻¹. The developed coupled methodology, which thoroughly satisfies the typical requirements for pharmaceutical control processes, was proved to be appropriate for monitoring terazosin in actual pharmaceutical formulations and biological fluid sample. The results were validated by recovery test and by comparison with other reported methods, being highly satisfactory.     

Relativistic calculations on the ground and excited states of AgH and AuH in cylindrical harmonic confinement

The relativistic ground and low-lying excited state potential energy curves of AgH and AuH in the presence of a cylindrical harmonic confining potential were calculated using the multi-state multi-reference perturbation theory with the spin-free no-pair Hamiltonian obtained via the third-order Douglas–Kroll transformation, incorporated with the full two-electron Breit–Pauli spin–orbit operator. The spectroscopic parameters were obtained for both the scalar- and quasi-relativistic potentials. The spin–orbit coupling constants were calculated for several strengths of the confining potential, and the effects of the applied potential on the coupling constants were analyzed using configuration interaction. This paper is dedicated to Serafín Fraga—colleague, mentor, and friend.     

A convenient preparative method for anionic tris(substituted pyrazolyl)methane ligands

The synthesis of tris[3-(6-carboxypyridin-2-yl)pyrazol-1-yl]methane is described in a linear multi-step protocol. The pyridyl-pyrazolyl arms are first constructed before being condensed with chloroform. Careful study of the condensation reaction shows the presence of an isomeric form of the tris(pyrazolyl)methane derivative in which one of the pyrazolyl substituents is linked through the nitrogen atom at the 2 position of the pyrazol. After acid-catalysed isomerisation to the desired isomer, the intermediate compound was subjected to a carboalkoxylation reaction and a subsequent hydrolysis. These are some rare examples of reactions directly occurring on the tris(pyrazolyl)methane platforms.     

Metabolic profiling of normal and hypertensive rat kidney tissues by hrMAS-NMR spectroscopy

Intact kidney tissue samples of normal and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were analyzed by hrMAS-NMR spectroscopy and principal component analysis (PCA). Radial components (cortex, outer stripe of the outer medulla, inner stripe of the outer medulla, and papilla) were sampled from various regions across the kidney from multiple animals in order to establish inter- and intra-animal variability. The effects of temperature were also measured. Papilla was differentiated from the other tissue types, and this variation by tissue type was greater than the effect of temperature on the samples (spectra were compared from samples at 2 and 30 °C). This study also revealed long term stability issues of tissue storage at -80 °C. The PCA showed that the greatest differentiation between normal rats and SHRs was found in the cortex and the regions in the NMR spectra that were correlated with this variation were identified.Abbreviations hrMAS High-resolution magic angle spinning - NMR Nuclear magnetic resonance - PCA Principal component analysis - CSA Chemical shift anisotropy - DD Dipolar coupling - SHR Spontaneously hypertensive rat     

Compositional and 2H NMR studies of bis(benzene)chromium composites of mesoporous vanadium-niobium mixed oxides

New mesoporous niobium oxides with 5, 10, and 15 mol% vanadium(V) doped into the walls of the structure were synthesized by the ligand-assisted templating method with an octadecylamine template. These materials were characterized by XRD, XPS, EPR, elemental analysis, and nitrogen adsorption before being treated with excess bis(benzene)chromium to give new composites with an organometallic phase in the walls. All materials were also characterized by EPR, XRD, nitrogen adsorption, XPS, SQUID magnetometry, and elemental analysis. The materials with higher percentages of vanadium absorbed more bis(benzene)chromium, because this process depends largely on the electron transfer between the organometallic and the walls of the mesostructure and vanadium(V) is a stronger oxidant than niobium(V). Conductivity studies on these materials revealed that the ratio of Cr(0) to Cr(l) in the pores was more important than the absolute Cr loading level in governing electron transport properties but that increasing the V content led to more insulating behavior regardless of the Cr concentration. Solid-state 2H NMR studies on perdeuteriobenzene analogues of these composites showed the presence of the neutral and cationic Cr species in different ratios depending on the loading. Tumbling of these species was also slow on the NMR time scale, indicating that the charge-carrying Cr species are not rapidly moving through the pore channels of the mesostructure. This suggests that the walls of the structure may play a key role in charge transfer in these composites, contrary to what was previously believed.