Low uncertainty reverse isotope dilution ICP-MS applied to certifying an isotopically enriched Cd candidate reference material: A case study

An analytical method is presented based on reverse isotope dilution single detector inductively coupled plasma magnetic sector mass spectrometry (ID-ICP-SMS) and applied to the specific case of the certification of a (111)Cd enriched candidate Cd spike calibration material (nominal mass fraction 10 mg kg(-1) in 5% HNO3 solution). Uncertainty propagation was used as a tool for both determining the analytical approach and validating it. The robustness of close to "exact matching" reverse IDMS to correction of measured isotope intensities for multiplicative (mass discrimination) and (semi)additive effects (dead time, instrumental background, and isobaric interference) is discussed. The very low experimental relative standard deviation of the mean (0.08%) of eight replicate determinations indicated that all significant sources of uncertainty had probably been taken into account for the estimation of the final combined uncertainty statement (U(c) = 0.17%, k = 1). IRMM-621 was used as comparator. Uncertainties on IUPAC isotopic abundances of 111Cd and 112Cd, for the natural Cd solution involved between the two enriched materials, formed nearly 60% of U(c). The repeatability of the isotope ratio measurements contributed less than 10%. Correction for procedural blank necessitated somewhat unusual calculations (potential contamination of an enriched material with natural Cd). The procedure also involved a quadrupole based ICP-MS judged to be appropriate for the characterization of the isotopic composition. For comparison purposes, direct IDMS results are simulated using identical experimental input data. Finally, a significant background signal in the 106-116 mass region, observed only with the magnetic sector instrument, was attributed to argon based isobaric interferences.     

On the capillary gas chromatographic separation of enantiomers of N-trifluoroacetyl-O-alkyl esters of selected amino acids on 2,3-di-O-pentyl-6-O-acyl cyclodextrins

In this work, the separation of enantiomers of N-TFA-O-alkyl amino acids on the 2,3-di-O-pentyl-6-O-acyl alpha-, beta- and gamma-cyclodextrin stationary phases has been studied. The influence of structure differences in the alkyl substituents bonded to the stereogenic carbon atom (R1), as well as in the ester group (R2) of the selected amino acid derivatives, and the selectivity of modified alpha-, beta- and gamma-cyclodextrin phases in gas chromatographic separation of derivatized amino acid enantiomers was studied in detail. A model set of N-TFA-alkyl esters of four amino acids was separated on five columns. The separation of enantiomers was evaluated in terms of the interactions of the alkyl substituents bonded to the stereogenic carbon (R1) and/or the ester group (R2) of the N-TFA-O-alkyl amino acid derivatives as well as the nature of the 3-O-acyl group in the 2,6-di-O-pentyl-3-O-acyl alpha-, beta- and gamma-cyclodextrins. It was shown that the variation in the enantiomeric separation with temperature and the retention order of enantiomers on a given cyclodextrin capillary column depends both on the nature of the bonded R1 and R2 alkyl groups. It was found that the temperature dependencies of selectivity factors, ln alpha on 1/T, were mostly non-linear. The thermodynamic data [delta(deltaS) and [delta(deltaH)] which characterize the chiral recognition were used to gain more insight into the mechanistic aspects of enantio separation of the N-TFA-O-alkyl amino acid derivatives on 2,6-di-O-pentyl-3-O-acyl-alpha-, beta- and gamma-cyclodextrins.     

Enzymatic formation of ions and their detection at a three-phase electrode

An electrochemical method for the detection of enzymatically created anions is described that uses a thin-film electrode with decamethylferrocene as an electroactive redox probe. The enzymatic oxidation of glucose with enzyme glucose oxidase produces gluconic acid as a final product. The oxidation of decamethylferrocene dissolved in the thin-nitrobenzene film, that is spread on the working graphite electrode and submerged in the aqueous solution containing glucose and glucose oxidase, is followed by the up-take of gluconate anions from the aqueous phase to nitrobenzene. The peak currents of the square-wave voltammetric responses of that system are a linear function of the glucose concentration in the milimolar range from 0.1 mmol/L to 0.7 mmol/L (R²=0.994).     

Influence of the primary structure of enzymes on the formation of CaCO2 polymorphs: a comparison of plant (Canavalia ensiformis) and bacterial (Bacillus pasteurii) ureases

The influence of the primary structures of plant (Canavalia ensiformis) and bacterial (Bacillus pasteurii) ureases on the precipitation of calcium carbonate polymorphs in solutions of calcium salts and urea at room temperature was investigated. Despite a similar catalytic function in the decomposition of urea, these ureases exerted different influences on the crystal phase formation and on the development of unusual morphologies of calcium carbonate polymorphs. Spherical and uniform vaterite particles were precipitated rather than calcite in the presence of Bacillus urease, while the presence of Canavalia urease resulted in the precipitation of calcite only. Vaterite particles were shown to be built up of nanosized crystallites, proving the importance of nanoscale aggregation processes on the formation of colloidal carbonates. Reduction of the concentration of Bacillus urease in the reacting solution results in the formation of calcite crystals with a more complex surface morphology than the ones obtained by Canavalia urease. These differences may be explained by dissimilarities in the amino acid sequences of the two examined ureases and their different roles in nucleation and physicochemical interactions with the surface of the growing crystals, during the precipitation processes. This study exemplifies the diversity of proteins produced by different organisms for the same function, and the drastic effects of subtle differences in their primary structures on crystal phase formation and growth morphology of calcium carbonate precipitates, which occur as inorganic components in a large number of biogenic structures.     

The first synthesis and cytostatic activity of novel 6-(fluoromethyl)purine bases and nucleosides

Two alternative approaches to the synthesis of novel 6-(fluoromethyl)purine bases and nucleosides are described either by direct deoxyfluorination or by multistep functional group transformations starting from 6-(hydroxymethyl)purines. 6-(fluoromethyl)purine ribonucleoside displayed significant cytostatic effects.     

Applications of synchrotron radiation in forensic trace evidence analysis

Synchrotron radiation sources have proven to be highly beneficial in many fields of research for the characterization of materials. However, only a very limited proportion of studies have been conducted by the forensic science community. This is an area in which the analytical benefits provided by synchrotron sources could prove to be very important. This review summarises the applications found for synchrotron radiation in a forensic trace evidence context as well as other areas of research that strive for similar analytical scrutiny and/or are applied to similar sample materials. The benefits of synchrotron radiation are discussed in relation to common infrared, X-ray fluorescence, tomographic and briefly, X-ray diffraction and scattering techniques. In addition, X-ray absorption fine structure analysis (incorporating XANES and EXAFS) is highlighted as an area in which significant contributions into the characterization of materials can be obtained. The implications of increased spatial resolution on microheterogeneity are also considered and discussed.     

Investigation of Sr uptake by birnessite-type sorbents from seawater

Sorption of micro- and microamounts of Sr from seawater has been studied using granulated Na-birnessite. Distribution coefficients of ⁹⁰Sr in the natural seawater are 0.8–1.2?×?10³ ml g^?1, in the model seawater they are 1.6–1.8?×?10³ ml g^?1. Application of Na-birnessite was shown to be prospective in sorption–desorption–regeneration regime. In dynamic sorption conditions, over 150 bed volumes of seawater can be purified till 5% breakthrough occurs at feed rate 10 BV h^?1. Na-birnessite can be used for ⁹⁰Sr radionuclide removal from liquid radioactive wastes containing seawater.

     

Comparative instrumental investigations of some bile acids

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - In this work, solifenacin succinate (SOLS), flavoxate HCl (FLXHC) and tolterodine tartrate (TOLT) drugs were investigated using thermal analysis (TA)...     

X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer spectroscopy studies of LiFe0.5Ti1.5O4 – A new primitive cubic ordered spinel

LiFe_0.5Ti_1.5O₄ was synthesized by solid-state reaction carried out at 900 °C in flowing argon atmosphere, followed by rapid quenching of the reaction product to room temperature. The compound has been characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer effect spectroscopy (MES). It crystallizes in the space group P4₃32, a = 8.4048(1) Å. Results from Rietveld structural refinement indicated 1:3 cation ordering on the octahedral sites: Li occupies the octahedral (4b) sites, Ti occupies the octahedral (12d) sites, while the tetrahedral (8c) sites have mixed (Fe/Li) occupancy. A small, about 5%, inversion of Fe on the (4b) sites has been detected. The MES data is consistent with cation distribution and oxidation state of Fe, determined from the structural data.The title compound is thermally unstable in air atmosphere. At 800 °C it transforms to a mixture of two Fe³⁺ containing phases – a face centred cubic spinel Li_(1+y)/2Fe_(5−3y)/2Ti_yO₄ and a Li_(z−1)/2Fe_(7−3z)/2Ti_zO₅ – pseudobrookite. The major product of thermal treatment at 1000 °C is a ramsdellite type lithium titanium iron(III) oxide, accompanied by traces of rutile and pseudobrookite.