Determination of cadmium and lead in mussels by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry using an ultrasound-assisted extraction method optimized by factorial design

A simple and rapid method is described for the quantitative extraction and determination of Cd and Pb in mussel tissue (Mytilus edulis). The method is based on the quantitative ultrasound-assisted extraction (i.e. sample mass at mg level) of the two metals using diluted nitric acid as extractant. The extraction procedure is carried out in autosampler cups of the graphite furnace (typically, less than 20 mg). A two-level full factorial design (2⁴) was applied to optimize the variables influencing the ultrasound extraction process. These variables were: extraction time, ultrasound amplitude, nitric acid concentration and particle size. Optimization results showed that acid concentration and particle size were the more significant variables. Determination of Cd and Pb in extracts obtained after ultrasound treatment was carried out by Electrothermal Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. The method was validated by statistically comparing the metal contents found with the certified ones corresponding to the BCR 278 mussel tissue. No significant differences were observed for P = 0.05. LODs for Cd and Pb in mussel tissue were 0.019 and 0.37 μg g^–1. RSDs values (corresponding to between-batch precision for n = 5) were 2.2 and 6.7% for Cd and Pb, respectively. The method was applied to measure the contents of Cd and Pb in mussels used as pollution bioindicators from the Galician coast (Ria de Vigo, Spain).     

Dynamic versus static ultrasonic sample treatment for the solid-liquid pre-concentration of mercury from human urine

Dynamic and static ultrasonic procedures involving ultrasonic bath and tandem focused ultrasound (i.e. two probes were used in the same sample treatment) have been assessed in order to implement a reliable solid-liquid back extraction of mercury from commercial resins (dowex and chelex-100), previously used to concentrate Hg(II) from treated urine. The urine had been previously treated with an advanced oxidation process provided by the conjunction of potassium permanganate, hydrochloric acid and high intensity focused ultrasound, which allowed that organic matter degradation was achieved in less than 3 min. 95 ± 10% of mercury in the certified urine and 97 ± 6% of the spiked methyl-mercury was recovered with the dowex resin plus the static ultrasonic procedure, whilst 96 ± 11% of the spiked mercury was recovered with the dowex resin plus the dynamic procedure, for which ultrasonication was not necessary. The Hg pre-concentration factor used in this work was 8 (20 mL of urine to 2.5 mL of acid), but different volume ratios can be used in order to increase this factor.     

Synthesis and Spectroscopic Characterization of Dinuclear Calcium Complexes with Oxa‐Aza Macrocyclic Ligands

The syntheses of dinuclear calcium perchlorate and/or nitrate complexes by template and direct methods, employing macrocyclic ligands with 18, 20, 22, and 26 membered rings are reported. The presence of pendant arms provide with coordinative NxOy donor atoms in the smaller macrocycles, the high number of donor atoms between 7 and 10, and the dinuclear composition obtained in all the systems examined, point out that in the formed solid complexes both Ca²⁺ ions could be located inside of the macrocycle cavities. Transmetallation reaction of a lanthanide(III) complex, [L⁵Sm](ClO₄)₃·9H₂O, with Ca(ClO₄)₂·xH₂O leads the formation of the new dinuclear orange [L⁵Ca₂](ClO₄)₄·3H₂O complex, manifesting the versatility of this macrocyclic cavity. All complexes have been characterized by microanalysis, IR, UV‐vis, ¹H NMR spectroscopy, FAB mass spectrometry, FAAS spectroscopy, and conductivity measurements.     

Synthesis and Diels-Alder Reactions of a New Kind of Chiral Dienophiles: Cyclic Vinyl-p-tolylsulfilimines

A new kind of chiral dienophiles, cyclic vinyl-p-tolylsulfilimines (2a and 2b), were obtained from the corresponding (Z)-sulfinylacrylonitriles with HBF(4) and methanol. The asymmetric Diels-Alder reaction of optically pure 2a with cyclopentadiene under mild thermal or catalyzed conditions afforded only the endo-4a adduct with complete endo and pi-facial selectivities. The ability of the sulfilimine moiety to enhance the dienophilic reactivity of the double bond is similar to that of the sulfinyl group.     

Metal Ion Interaction of Two New Tritopic N2O13 Macrobicycles with B15C5 Moieties in Acetonitrile Solution

The synthesis of two new tritopic crown ligands (L1 and L2) bearing two benzo-15-crown-5 lateral moieties linked through a dibenzo-trioxa chain together with their interaction with metal ions, in acetonitrile and acetonitrile–water (50%, v/v) solutions is reported. The influence of K⁺, Na⁺, Li⁺, Ca²⁺, Ba²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, Pb²⁺ and Al³⁺, on the spectroscopic properties of these diaza-polyoxa ligands was investigated by absorption spectrophotometry and in some cases by fluorescence emission spectroscopy. Coordination with alkaline (Na⁺, K⁺ and Li⁺) and alkaline earth (Ca²⁺and Ba²⁺) metal ions is assumed to be weak with both macrobicyclic ligands, while the interaction with both imine and amine derivatives causes a minor effect in the absorption spectra. Coordination with Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺ and Pb²⁺ in acetonitrile solution causes a major change in the absorption spectra of the chromophores. In the case of Cu²⁺, addition of the metal to L1 or L2 leads to a blue–violet complex in solution with an absorbance maximum centred at 590 nm. Interaction of the Schiff-base L1 with Pb²⁺ leads to a short wavelength shift in the absorption bands, comparable with the ZnL1 complex. Presence of transition metal ions such as Co²⁺, Ni²⁺and Cd²⁺ do not remarkably affect the absorption spectra of L1 and L2 in solution. Trivalent aluminium has a modest effect in the absorption bands of both N₂O₁₃ donor set bismacrocyclic ligands. The fluorescence study of L2 in the presence of Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Ba²⁺, Co²⁺, Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, Pb²⁺ and Al³⁺shows that Cu²⁺, Pb²⁺ and Al³⁺ complexes form non-fluorescent complexes.     

Structural, MALDI-TOF-MS, magnetic and spectroscopic studies of new dinuclear copper(II), cobalt(II) and zinc(II) complexes containing a biomimicking μ-OH bridge

The Py(2)N(4)S(2) octadentate coordinating ligand afforded dinuclear cobalt, copper and zinc complexes and the corresponding mixed metal compounds. The overall geometry and bonding modes have been deduced on the basis of elemental analysis data, MALDI-TOF-MS, IR, UV-vis and EPR spectroscopies, single-crystal X-Ray diffraction, conductivity and magnetic susceptibility measurements. In the copper and zinc complexes, a μ-hydroxo bridge links the two metal ions. In both cases, the coordination geometry is distorted octahedral. Magnetic and EPR data reveal weakly antiferromagnetic high spin Co(II) ions, compatible with a dinuclear structure. The magnetic characterization of the dinuclear Cu(II) compound indicates a ferromagnetically coupled dimer with weak antiferromagnetic intermolecular interactions. The intra-dimer ferromagnetic behaviour was unexpected for a Cu(II) dimer with such μ-hydroxo bridging topology. We discuss the influence on the magnetic properties of non-covalent interactions between the bridging moiety and the lattice free water molecules.     

Trends in selenium determination/speciation by hyphenated techniques based on AAS or AFS

The field of selenium speciation has been studied for decades and the growing interest in this field seems never to reach a plateau. Although powerful techniques based on mass spectrometry are nowadays used for selenium determination/speciation, few laboratories can support the high cost of such techniques. The hyphenation of chromatography to atomic absorption or atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AAS or AFS) is still a reliable and low-cost alternative for routine laboratories. In this work we present the most important parameters dealing with selenium speciation along with the latest trends in this subject, namely in the items related with sample treatment and hyphenation techniques with AAS and AFS detection.     

Determination of Cd and Pb in biological reference materials by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry: A comparison of three ultrasonic-based sample treatment procedures

Three different ultrasonic-based sample treatment approaches, the automated ultrasonic slurry sampling, the ultrasonic assisted acid solid-liquid extraction (ASLE) and the enzymatic probe sonication (EPS) were compared and discussed for the determination of Cd and Pb by ET-AAS in biological reference materials. The sample mass chosen to perform the analysis was 10 mg and the liquid volume was 1 ml of nitric acid 1 M. The best results were obtained with the slurry procedure with which it was possible accurate and precise determination of the Cd and Pb content in four of the five reference materials studied. Optimum performance (total metal extraction) of ASLE assisted by ultrasound for Cd was only achieved in two of the four materials assessed whereas total Pb recovery was only possible in three of the five samples. Total extraction with the enzymatic probe sonication was only obtained for Cd in oyster tissue. Neither ASLE nor EPS were able to extract Cd or Pb from spruce needles. Pb concentration obtained after EPS was found to be highly dependent from sample centrifugation speed and time.