Hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometric determination of As, Bi, Sb, Se(IV) and Te(IV) in aqua regia extracts from atmospheric particulate matter using multivariate optimization

A highly sensitive and simple method, based on hydride generation and atomic fluorescence detection, has been developed for the determination of As, Bi, Sb, Se(IV) and Te(IV) in aqua regia extracts from atmospheric particulate matter samples. Atmospheric particulates matter was collected on glass fiber filters using a medium volume sampler (PM1 particulate matter). Two-level factorial designs have been used to optimise the hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry (HG-AFS) procedure. The effects of several parameters affecting the hydride generation efficiency (hydrochloric acid, sodium tetrahydroborate and potassium iodide concentrations and flow rates) have been evaluated using a Plackett-Burman experimental design. In addition, parameters affecting the hydride measurement (delay, analysis and memory times) have been also investigated. The significant parameters obtained (sodium tetrahydroborate concentration, sodium tetrahydroborate flow rate and analysis time for As; hydrochloric acid concentration and sodium tetrahydroborate flow rate for Se(IV); and sodium tetrahydroborate concentration and sodium tetrahydroborate flow rate for Te(IV)) have been optimized by using 2ⁿ + star central composite design. Hydrochloric acid concentration and sodium tetrahydroborate flow rate were the significant parameters obtained for Sb and Bi determination, respectively. Using a univariate approach these parameters were optimized. The accuracy of methods have been verified by using several certified reference materials: SRM 1648 (urban particulate matter) and SRM 1649a (urban dust). Detection limits in the range of 6 × 10⁻³ to 0.2 ng m⁻³ have been achieved. The developed methods were applied to several atmospheric particulate matter samples corresponding to A Coruña city (NW Spain).     

Estimation of precision and efficiency mass transfer steps for the determination of pesticides in vegetables aiming at the expression of results with reliable uncertainty

A 'bottom-up' approach for the expression of results obtained from analytical methods that include analytical steps with recovery inherently different from 100% [mass transfer steps (MTS): extraction, evaporation, clean-up procedures, digestion, etc.] is presented. The estimation of the combination of all MTS uncertainty involves the comparison of the experimental dispersion of replicated analyses of spiked samples with the estimation of the uncertainty obtained for the combination of all uncertainty sources except MTS ones ('incomplete' estimation). The estimation of MTS uncertainty by difference is performed after evaluating the statistical difference between the 'incomplete' estimation and the experimental dispersion (F-test). When the two estimations are statistically equivalent, the MTS uncertainty is considered to be negligible in relation to the other sources budget. The assumption of constancy of MTS performance within the analytical range is tested through single analyses at several concentration levels and is evaluated by the inclusion of the expected values at the intervals resulting from the combination of the MTS uncertainty estimation performed at one concentration level and the 'incomplete' estimation. The developed methodology can also be useful for method optimisation and validation and for the detection of small trends in results. The determination of pesticides in sweet peppers by GC-NPD was used to explore the above concepts.     

Chemometric interpretation of pesticide occurence in soil samples from an intensive horticulture area in north Portugal

An extensive monitoring programme of pesticides was carried out in soil samples from an intensive horticulture area in north of Portugal, putting into practice the needs for increased control of soil quality as far as organic pollution is concerned. The area under investigation was additionally defined as vulnerable to nitrates due to local soil and aquifer characteristics, which might be extended to pesticides contamination. Five sampling sites were selected and soils analysed at three depths in eight sampling campaigns, for the period of 2 years. A stepwise multivariate statistical approach was selected to uncover most relevant patterns inside a complex environmental data matrix. Cluster analysis was applied both to group pesticides and samples, giving a primary and unsupervised overlook of privileged relationships. Clusters of persistent pesticides and selected herbicides were identified, whereas sample classes were also formed and disposed geographically. Thirty eight percent of analysed soils samples fell into one class characterized by low contamination (class 1 in cluster analysis), which is entirely representative of the sampling site no. 1. Afterwards, linear discriminant analysis was applied to identify those pesticides, which had a higher impact in the definition of classes. Finally, factor analysis using a five component model was implemented in order to bring to light the constitution and data variance explained by each of the five main principal components, as well as, their relation to pest management practices. A factor was identified (PC1 – 22% variance) composed of chlorinated pesticides, which was representative of one of the investigated sites indicating its high contamination status. Qualitative main findings and class average concentration values were obtained through this multivariate statistical approach.     

Reactivity of benzoyl chlorides in nonionic microemulsions: potential application as indicators of system properties

The solvolysis reactivity of benzoyl chlorides entails a high sensitivity on medium properties. A systematic study of the reaction of a series of these substrates, varying the electron-withdrawing character of the substituent, has been performed in nonionic microemulsions. The kinetic effects due to variation of microemulsion compositions can be assigned to modifications in system properties, to be precise, to modifications in interface properties. Microemulsion properties that are obtained from kinetic analysis of solvolysis show a good agreement with the characterization of the microemulsion that was made via 1H NMR and solvatochromic fluorescence probes. Benzoyl chlorides with electron-donating groups react through a dissociative mechanism, whereas electron-withdrawing groups favor an associative mechanism. A comparative analysis of reactivity between the different substrates at the interface shows a variation in the contributions of both reaction pathways, associative and dissociative, to the whole reaction mechanism. The confined media shift the point where the mechanism changes from an associative to a dissociative pathway, far away from the turning point in water. Furthermore, the change in mechanism can be modulated by modification of the microemulsion composition.     

Production of recombinant bleaching enzymes from thermophilic microorganisms in fungal hosts

Cost-effective production of enzymes for industrial processes makes the appropriate selection of the host-vector expression system critical. We have developed two systems for the bulk production of bleaching enzymes from thermophiles. Kluyveromyces lactis has been developed as a secretion host employing expression vectors based on the 2μ-like plasmid pKD1 of Kluyveromyces drosophilarium. Our second system involves the filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei. Fusion and nonfusion vectors have been constructed using the strong cellobiohydrolase 1 (cbh1) promoter. The KEX2 protease cleavage site and a 6 × HIS-tag have been incorporated to facilitate both cleavage and purification of the mature foreign proteins.     

Palladium-arene interactions in catalytic intermediates: an experimental and theoretical investigation of the soft rearrangement between eta1 and eta2 coordination modes

A series of dichloro-bridged arylbicycloheptylpalladium complexes have been synthesized and characterized by means of NMR spectroscopy. The compound [(C16H19)PdCl]2*CH2Cl2 with ortho and para methyl substituents at the arene has been characterized by means of X-ray diffraction techniques. The C(ipso) atom of the arene lies almost at the fourth planar coordination site of the metal [Pd-C(ipso) = 2.22(1) A (average)], and due to the arene's tilting, the substituted C(ortho) atom is relatively close to the metal atom [2.54(1) A (average)]. The coordinated C(ipso)-C(ortho) linkage, in a seemingly dihapto coordination, is anti with respect to the CH2 bridge of the bicycloheptyl unit. Variable-temperature NMR experiments for the para-substituted dimer 9 reveal restricted rotation of the two aryl groups about the corresponding C-C(ipso) bonds (DeltaE < or =17 kcal x mol(-1)). DFT-B3LYP calculations have been carried out on the known and similar monomer (phenylbicycloheptenyl)Pd(PPh3)I (4) and its related substituted derivatives. The essential results are as follows: (i) The potential energy surface for twisting the phenyl ring away from the symmetric eta(1) coordination in 4 is very flat (DeltaE < or = 1 kcal x mol(-1)) whereas an Atoms in Molecules analysis excludes the existence of an actual Pd-C(ortho) bond in the seemingly eta2-type conformer. (ii) Complete rotation of the unsubstituted phenyl ring is not facile but feasible. A significant strain affects the transition-state structure featuring a Pd-HC(aryl) agostic-type bond. The calculated destabilization of 10.3 kcal x mol(-1), with respect to the ground state, can be compared to the experimental barrier of the dimer 9. (iii) Various methyl-substituted derivatives of 4 have been optimized, and their structural and energetic trends are discussed. An almost ideal eta1 coordination is shown by the anti conformer of the C(ortho)-substituted complex due steric effects. For all of the other cases, a slipped eta2 coordination may be described. As a general conclusion, the unsaturated metal center receives pi electron density of the arene mainly through its C(ipso) atom. The effect may be slightly improved if the C(ortho) atom also gets closer to the metal, but in no case, does the slipped eta2 coordination seem to be crucial for the stability of the system.     

Interpretation of the Metabolic Enthalpy Change, ΔHmet,Calculated for Microbial Growth Reactions in Soils

The microcalorimetric method was used to calculate the metabolic enthalpy change per mol of glucose degraded by soil microorganisms, ΔH _met. This parameter has been calculated by microcalorimetry for many organic, inorganic and biochemical reactions, but there is only some information about its quantification for microbial growth reactions in soils. Values of ΔH _met were calculated for different soil samples collected in Galicia (Spain) and Campinas (Săo Paolo, Brazil). Exponential microbial growth was stimulated in all soil samples by the addition of glucose and power-time curves were recorded. Results showed changes in the values of ΔH _met calculated for all the soil samples, suggesting a dependence of this value with the microbial growth rate constant, with the percentage of growth, with the initial number of microorganisms of soil samples, with the quantity of glucose added and with the strain of bacteria growing in soil. The interpretation of variations of ΔH _met provides important qualitative and quantitative information. It reports data that allow to interpret from a qualitative point of view, the increase in biomass as a consequence of the degradation of the organic matter in soil, to understand changes in the percentages of soil organic matter and to know if the microbial population growing in differential soil samples is homogeneous. Therefore, to report that value would be very important in ecological studies, but beforehand, it is necessary to solve some problems that can appear in the experiments done to make the quantification . This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Carbon fiber cylindrical microelectrode-based detector for the determination of antithyroid drugs

An amperometric flow-injection method for the determination of antithyroid drugs such as 6-methyl-2-thiouracil (MTU) using a carbon fiber cylindrical microelectrode-based detector is reported. A home-made flow-cell specially adapted for working with cylindrical microelectrodes ranging between 4 and 10 mm in length was used for this purpose. Methanol containing 0.05 mol l(-1) tetrabutylammonium perchlorate as the supporting electrolyte was employed, and a potential of +1.6 V was selected for the amperometric detection of MTU. No cleaning or electrode surface regeneration of the fiber was necessary during the whole working day. A limit of detection of 2.6x10(-7) mol l(-1) (37 mug MTU l(-1)) was achieved. The method was applied to the determination of MTU in spiked feed samples (peas and corn flour), at the 142 mug g(-1) level. The procedure involved the extraction of the drug in methanol, a clean-up step using Florisil cartridges and the use of the standard additions method. Recoveries of 81+/-6 and 85+/-8% were obtained for peas and corn flour, respectively.     

Influence of the pyridine methyl substituent position on the chemical changes of the NCS groups in the thermal decomposition of coordination compounds of the type Cu(NCS)2L2

The influence of the position of the CH₃ group in picoline and lutidine ligands on the degree of chemical change of the NCS groups in coordination compounds of the type Cu(NCS)₂L₂ (whereL=2-, 3- and 4-picoline, and 2,3-, 2,4-, 2,5-, 2,6-, 3,4- and 3,5-lutidine) is dealt with. The most marked effect of the CH₃ group is found to be exerted in position 4. This effect of the methyl group on the degree of chemical change points to the mutual influence of the ligands in coordination compounds of Cu(II).

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Zusammenfassung Der Artikel befaßt sich mit dem Einfluß der Lage der CH₃ Gruppe in Pikolinen und Lutidinen als Liganden auf den Grad der chemischen Änderungen der Gruppen NSC in Koordinationsverbindungen des Typs Cu(NCS)₂L₂ (L=2-, 3- und 4-Pikoline, 2,3-, 2,4-, 2,5-, 2,6-, 3,4- und 3,5-Lutidine). Der ausgeprägteste Effekt der CH₃ Gruppe wurde in der Position 4 beobachtet. Dieser Einfluß der Methylgruppe auf das Ausmaß der chemischen Änderungen deutet auch auf die gegenseitige Wirkung der Liganden in Koordinationsverbindungen von Cu(II).

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Résumé L'article a trait à l'influence de la position du groupe CH₂ dans les picolines et lutidines, en tant que ligands, sur le degré des changements chimiques des groupes SCN dans les composés de coordination du type Cu(SCN)₂L₂ (L=2-, 3 et 4-picoline, 2,3-, 2,4-,2,5-, 2,6-, 3,4- et 3,6-lutidine). L'effet le plus prononcé du groupe CH₃ s'observe en position 4. Cette influence du groupe méthyle sur le degré des changements chimiques indique aussi l'influence mutuelle des ligands dans les composés de coordination du Cu(II).

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- , , NCS Cu(NCS)₂,L₂, L=2-, 3- 4- , 2.3-, 2.4-, 2.5-, 2.6-, 3.4- 3.5-. , 4. Cu(II).