Comparison of direct solid sampling and slurry sampling for the determination of cadmium in wheat flour by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

Two analytical methods for the determination of cadmium in wheat flour by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry without prior sample digestion have been compared: direct solid sampling analysis (SS) and slurry sampling (SlS). Besides the conventional modifier mixture of palladium and magnesium nitrates (10 μg Pd + 3 μg Mg), 0.05% (v/v) Triton X-100 has been added to improve the penetration of the modifier solution into the solid sample, and 0.1% H₂O₂ in order to promote an in situ digestion for SS. For SlS, 30 μg Pd, 12 μg Mg and 0.05% (v/v) Triton X-100 have been used as the modifier mixture. Under these conditions, and using a pyrolysis temperature of 800 °C, essentially no background absorption was observed with an atomization temperature of 1600 °C. About 2 mg of sample have been typically used for SS, although as much as 3-5 mg could have been introduced. In the case of SlS multiple injections had to be used to achieve the sensitivity required for this determination. Calibration against aqueous standards was feasible for both methods. The characteristic mass obtained with SS was 0.6 pg, and that with SlS was 1.0 pg. The limits of detection were 0.4 and 0.7 ng g⁻¹, the limits of quantification were 1.3 and 2.3 ng g⁻¹ and the relative standard deviation (n = 5) was 6-16% and 9-23% for SS and SlS, respectively. The accuracy was confirmed by the analysis of certified reference materials. The two methods were applied for the determination of cadmium in six wheat flour samples acquired in supermarkets of different Brazilian cities. The cadmium content varied between 8.9 ± 0.5 and 13 ± 2 ng g⁻¹ (n = 5). Direct SS gave results similar to those obtained with SlS using multi-injections; the values of both techniques showed no statistically significant difference at the 95% confidence level. Direct SS was finally adopted as the method of choice, due to its greater simplicity, the faster speed of analysis and the better figures of merit.     

Binding sites of the viral RNA element TAR and of TAR mutants for various peptide ligands, probed with LILBID: A new laser mass spectrometry

A new laser-based mass spectrometry method, called laser induced liquid bead ion desorption (LILBID), was applied to investigate RNA:ligand interactions. As model system the HIV Tat:TAR transactivation complex and its binding behavior were analyzed. TARwt of HIV Type 1 and Type 2 and different artificial mutants were compared regarding their binding to Tat and different peptide ligands. Specific and nonspecific association to TAR was deduced, with the bulge being the well known specific binding site of TAR. In the case of triple arginine (RRR) as a nonspecific ligand, multiple electrostatic binding to TAR was found at higher concentration of RRR. This contrasted with the formation of only ternary complexes in competitive binding studies with TAR, Tat, and potential inhibitors. The fact that the stoichiometries of the complexes can be determined is a major advantage of MS methods over the widely applied fluorimetric methods. A quantitative evaluation of the spectra by a numeric model for ternary complex formation allows conclusions about the role and strength of the binding sites of the RNAs, the specificity and affinity of different ligands, the determination of apparent IC50 and KD values, and a comparison of the binding efficiencies of potential inhibitors.     

Binding of hairpin polyamides to DNA studied by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy for DNA nanoarchitectures

We have recently constructed a “DNA strut” consisting of two DNA-binding hairpin polyamides of Dervan-type connected via a long flexible linker and were able to show that this strut can be used to sequence-selectively connect DNA helices. This approach provides a second structural element (besides the Watson–Crick base pairing) for the assembly of higher-order DNA nanoarchitectures from smaller DNA building blocks. Since none of the existing analytical techniques for studying this kind of system were found suitable for detection and quantification of the formation of the resulting complexes, we chose fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS). In the present study we show that FCS allowed us in a versatile and fast way to investigate the binding of Dervan polyamides to DNA. In particular it also shows its power in the quantitative detection of the formation of multimeric complexes and the in investigation of binding under nonphysiological conditions. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Carbon incorporation in Pd(111) by adsorption and dehydrogenation of ethene

The decomposition of ethene on the Pd(111) surface was studied at effective pressures in the 10(-8) to 10(-7) mbar range and at sample temperatures between 300 and 700 K, using an effusive capillary array beam doser for directional adsorption, LEED, AES, temperature programmed reaction, and TDS. In the temperature range of 350-440 K increasingly stronger dehydrogenation of the ethene molecule is observed. Whereas at 350 K an ethylidyne adlayer is still present after adsorption, already at temperatures around 440 K complete coverage of the surface by carbon is attained, while the bulk still retains the properties of pure Pd. Beyond 440 K a steady-state surface C coverage is established, which decreases with temperature and is determined by detailed balancing between the ethene gas-phase adsorption rate and the migration rate of carbon into the Pd bulk. This process gives rise to the formation of a "partially carbon-covered Pd(x)C(y) surface". Above 540 K the surface-bulk diffusion of adsorbed carbon becomes fast, and in the UHV experiment the ethene adsorption rate becomes limited by the ethene gas-phase supply. The carbon bulk migration rate and the steady-state carbon surface coverage were determined as a function of the sample temperature and the ethene flux. An activation energy of 107 kJ mol(-1) for the process of C diffusion from surface adsorption sites into the subsurface region was derived in the temperature range of 400-650 K by modeling the C surface coverage as a function of temperature on the basis of steady-state reaction kinetics, assuming a first-order process for C surface-subsurface diffusion and a second-order process for C(ads) formation by dissociative C2H4 adsorption.     

Feasibility of using solid sampling graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry for speciation analysis of volatile and non-volatile compounds of nickel and vanadium in crude oil

A method for the direct determination of volatile and non-volatile nickel and vanadium compounds in crude oil without previous treatment using direct solid sampling graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry is proposed. The crude oil samples were weighed directly onto solid sampling platforms using a microbalance and introduced into a transversely heated solid sampling graphite tube. In previous work of our group losses of volatile nickel and vanadium compounds have been detected, whereas other nickel and vanadium compounds were thermally stable up to 1300 and 1600 °C, respectively. In order to avoid this problem different chemical modifiers (conventional and permanent) have been investigated. With 400 μg of iridium as permanent modifier, the signal started to drop already after two atomization cycles, possibly because of an interaction of nickel (which is a catalyst poison) with iridium. Twenty micrograms of palladium applied in each determination was found to be optimum for both elements. The palladium was deposited on the platform and submitted to a drying step at 150 °C for 75 s. After that the sample was added onto the platform and submitted to the furnace program. The influence of sample mass on the linearity of the response and on potential measurement errors was also investigated using four samples with different nickel content. For the sample with the lowest nickel concentration the relationship between mass and integrated absorbance was found to be non-linear when a high sample mass was introduced. It was suspected that the modifier had not covered the entire platform surface, which resulted in analyte losses. This problem could be avoided by using 40 μL of 0.5 g L⁻¹ Pd with 0.05% Triton X-100. Calibration curves were established with and without modifier, with aqueous standards, oil-in-water emulsions and the certified reference material NIST SRM 1634c (trace metals in residual fuel oil). The sensitivity for aqueous standards and emulsions was close to that for SRM 1634c, making possible the use of aqueous standards for calibration. The limits of detection and quantification obtained for nickel and vanadium under this condition were found to be 0.02 and 0.06 μg g⁻¹, respectively, for both elements, based on 10 mg of sample. Nickel and vanadium were determined in the samples with (total Ni and V) and without the use of Pd (thermally stable compounds), and the concentration of volatile compounds was calculated by difference. The results were compared with those obtained by high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry by emulsion technique; no significant differences were found for total Ni and V at the 95% confidence level according to a Student's t-test.     

Preventive doping control analysis: liquid and gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry for detection of designer steroids

A new combined doping control screening method for the analysis of anabolic steroids in human urine using liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization orthogonal acceleration time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LCoaTOFMS) and gas chromatography/electron ionization orthogonal acceleration time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GCoaTOFMS) has been developed in order to acquire accurate full scan MS data to be used to detect designer steroids. The developed method allowed the detection of representative prohibited substances, in addition to steroids, at concentrations of 10 ng/mL for anabolic agents and metabolites, 30 ng/mL for corticosteroids, 500 ng/mL for stimulants and beta-blockers, 250 ng/mL for diuretics, and 200 ng/mL for narcotics. Sample preparation was based on liquid-liquid extraction of hydrolyzed human urine, and the final extract was analyzed as trimethylsilylated derivatives in GCoaTOFMS and underivatized in LCoaTOFMS in positive ion mode. The sensitivity, mass accuracy, advantages and limitations of the developed method are presented.     

Delayed fluorescence from the lowest 1B+3u state of anthracene,due to hetero-triplet—triplet annihilation of 3anthracene* and 3xanthone*

The P-type delayed fluorescence (DF) S_i→S_o of aromatic compounds results from the population of excited singlet states S_i by triplet—triplet annihillation (TTA) of molecules in their lowest and metastable triplet state T₁ : T₁ + T₁

S_i + S_o; S_i may be any excited singlet state whose excitation energy E(S_i ? 2 E(T₁). TTA of unlike molecules A and B (hetero-TTA) may lead to excited singlet states either of A or of B. In particular, if E(T_A¹) < E(T₁^B), hetero-TTA may lead to excited singlet states S_k^A which are not accessible by TTA of 2 T₁^A. In the present paper we report the first example of the detection of the DF from a very short-lived upper excited singlet state S_k^A which has been populated by hetero-TTA. The systems investigated are liquid solutions of A = anthracene-h₁₀ or anthracene-d₁₀ or 9,10-dimethylanthracene and B = xanthone in 1,1,2-trichlorotrifluoroethane at 243 K. S_k^A is the lowest ¹B_3U⁺ state (B_b state) of anthracene.     

Singlet and triplet potential surfaces for the O2+C2H4 reaction

Electronic structure calculations at the CASSCF and UB3LYP levels of theory with the aug-cc-pVDZ basis set were used to characterize structures, vibrational frequencies, and energies for stationary points on the ground state triplet and singlet O(2)+C(2)H(4) potential energy surfaces (PESs). Spin-orbit couplings between the PESs were calculated using state averaged CASSCF wave functions. More accurate energies were obtained for the CASSCF structures with the MRMP2/aug-cc-pVDZ method. An important and necessary aspect of the calculations was the need to use different CASSCF active spaces for the different reaction paths on the investigated PESs. The CASSCF calculations focused on O(2)+C(2)H(4) addition to form the C(2)H(4)O(2) biradical on the triplet and singlet surfaces, and isomerization reaction paths ensuing from this biradical. The triplet and singlet C(2)H(4)O(2) biradicals are very similar in structure, primarily differing in their C-C-O-O dihedral angles. The MRMP2 values for the O(2)+C(2)H(4)→C(2)H(4)O(2) barrier to form the biradical are 33.8 and 6.1 kcal/mol, respectively, for the triplet and singlet surfaces. On the singlet surface, C(2)H(4)O(2) isomerizes to dioxetane and ethane-peroxide with MRMP2 barriers of 7.8 and 21.3 kcal/mol. A more exhaustive search of reaction paths was made for the singlet surface using the UB3LYP/aug-cc-pVDZ theory. The triplet and singlet surfaces cross between the structures for the O(2)+C(2)H(4) addition transition states and the biradical intermediates. Trapping in the triplet biradical intermediate, following (3)O(2)+C(2)H(4) addition, is expected to enhance triplet→singlet intersystem crossing.     

Fragmentation methods on the balance: unambiguous top–down mass spectrometric characterization of oxaliplatin–ubiquitin binding sites

The interaction between oxaliplatin and the model protein ubiquitin (Ub) was investigated in a top–down approach by means of high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) using diverse tandem mass spectrometric (MS/MS) techniques, including collision-induced dissociation (CID), higher-energy C-trap dissociation (HCD), and electron transfer dissociation (ETD). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that metallodrug–protein adducts were analyzed for the metal-binding site by ETD-MS/MS, which outperformed both CID and HCD in terms of number of identified metallated peptide fragments in the mass spectra and the localization of the binding sites. Only ETD allowed the simultaneous and exact determination of Met1 and His68 residues as binding partners for oxaliplatin. CID-MS/MS experiments were carried out on orbitrap and ion cyclotron resonance (ICR)-FT mass spectrometers and both instruments yielded similar results with respect to number of metallated fragments and the localization of the binding sites. A comparison of the protein secondary structure with the intensities of peptide fragments generated by collisional activation of the [Ub + Pt-(chxn)] adduct [chxn = (1R,2R)-cyclohexanediamine] revealed a correlation with cleavages in solution phase random coil areas, indicating that the N-terminal β-hairpin and α-helix structures are retained in the gas phase.     

Structural and redox properties of VOx and Pd/VOx thin film model catalysts studied by TEM and SAED

The oxidation of pure V(2)O(3) and Pd/V(2)O(3) films was studied by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED) in the temperature range 673-773 K. Thin films of V(2)O(3) were prepared by reactive deposition of V metal in 10(-2) Pa O(2) on NaCl(001) cleavage faces. Pd particles were epitaxially grown on NaCl(001) and subsequently embedded in V(2)O(3). Oxidation of both pure V(2)O(3) and Pd/V(2)O(3) at 673 K transforms V(2)O(3) into a platelet-like V(2)O(5) structure. At temperatures T>or= 773 K, a reconstruction of the platelet-like V(2)O(5) structure into an array of oblong and needle-type V(2)O(5) nanocrystals of different size occurs. Subsequent reduction of the so-prepared structures in 1 bar H(2) at 573-673 K results in the formation of the cubic VO phase, whereby the external shape of the original crystals is partially maintained. Upon oxidation at 723 K, Pd is transformed into PdO, but its formation is suppressed in comparison with Pd supported on Al(2)O(3) and occurs only at an about 100 K higher temperature than on Pd/Al(2)O(3). The Pd particles are stabilized against oxidation up to 673 K, PdO decomposes upon reduction in hydrogen between 573 and 673 K.