Gas chromatography–triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry: a powerful tool for the (ultra)trace analysis of multiclass environmental contaminants in fish and fish feed

A new method for rapid determination of 73 target organic environmental contaminants including 18 polychlorinated biphenyls, 16 organochlorinated pesticides, 14 brominated flame retardants and 25 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in fish and fish feed using gas chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (GC–MS/MS) was developed and validated. GC–MS/MS in electron ionization mode was shown to be a powerful tool for the (ultra)trace analysis of multiclass environmental contaminants in complex matrices, providing measurements with high selectivity and sensitivity. Another positive aspect characterizing the newly developed method is a substantial simplification of the sample preparation, which was achieved by an ethyl acetate QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe) based extraction followed by silica minicolumn clean-up. With use of this sample preparation approach the sample laboratory throughput was increased not only because six samples may be prepared in approximately 1 h, but also because all the above-mentioned groups of contaminants can be determined in a single GC–MS/MS run. Under the optimized conditions, the recoveries of all target analytes in both matrices were within the range from 70 to 120 % and the repeatabilities were 20 % or less. The method quantification limits were in the range from 0.005 to 1 μg kg^–1 and from 0.05 to 10 μg kg^–1 for fish muscle tissue and fish feed, respectively. The developed method was successfully applied to the determination of halogenated persistent organic pollutants and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in fish and fish feed samples.     

Detection and characterization of silver nanoparticles in chicken meat by asymmetric flow field flow fractionation with detection by conventional or single particle ICP-MS

A method of analysis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in chicken meat was developed. The homogenized chicken meat sample, which was spiked with AgNPs, was subjected to enzymolysis by Proteinase K for 40 min at 37 °C. Transmission electron microscopy and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in single particle mode were used to characterize the number-based size distribution of AgNPs in the meat digestate. Because similar size distributions were found in the meat digestate and in the aqueous suspension of AgNPs used for spiking the meat, it was shown that no detectable dissolution of the AgNPs took place during the sample preparation stage. The digestate was injected into the asymmetric flow field flow fractionation (AF⁴) -ICP-MS system, which enabled fractionation of nanoparticles from the remaining meat matrix, and resulted in one large peak in the fractograms as well as two smaller peaks eluting close to the void volume. The recovery of silver contained in the large AgNP peak was around 80 %. Size determination of AgNPs in the meat matrix, based on external size calibration of the AF⁴ channel, was hampered by non-ideal (early elution) behavior of the AgNPs. Single particle ICP-MS was applied for determination of the number-based particle size distribution of AgNPs in collected fractions. The presented work describes for the first time the coupling of AF⁴ and ICP-MS for AgNP separation in a food matrix.     

Speciation of gadolinium in surface water samples and plants by hydrophilic interaction chromatography hyphenated with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was optimized for speciation analysis of gadolinium-based contrast agents in environmental samples, in particular surface river waters and plants. Surface water samples from the Teltow channel, near Berlin, were investigated over a distance of 5 km downstream from the influx of a wastewater treatment plant. The total concentration of gadolinium increased significantly from 50 to 990 ng?L^?1 due to the influx of the contrast agents. After complete mixing with the river water, the concentration remained constant over a distance of at least 4 km. Two main substances [Dotarem® (Gd-DOTA) and Gadovist® (Gd-BT-DO3A)] have been identified in the river water using standards. A gadolinium-based contrast agent, possibly Gd-DOTA (Dotarem®), was also detected in water plant samples taken from the Teltow channel. Therefore, uptake of contrast agents [Gadovist® (Gd-BTDO3A), Magnevist® (Gd-DTPA), Omniscan® (Gd-DTPA-BMA), Dotarem® (Gd-DOTA), and Multihance® (Gd-BOPTA)] by plants was investigated in a model experiment using Lepidium sativum (cress plants). HILIC–ICP-MS was used for identification of different contrast agents, and a first approach for quantification using aqueous standard solutions was tested. For speciation analysis, all investigated contrast agents could be extracted from the plant tissues with a recovery of about 54 % for Multihance® (Gd-BOPTA) up to 106 % for Gadovist® (Gd-BT-DO3A). These experiments demonstrate that all contrast agents investigated are transported from the roots to the leaves where the highest content was measured.     

Studies in Competitive [3,3] Sigmatropic Rearrangement: Synthesis of Oxygen Heterocycles

[3,3] Sigmatropic rearrangement of unsymmetrically substituted 1,4-but-2-ynes exhibit preference for rearrangement on the aryloxy prop-2-ynyl moiety to N-methyl-N-pyrimidinyl amino prop-2-ynyl moiety in case of 5-substituted uracils (la-f).     

One-Step Protection-Free Synthesis of 3-Aryl-5-hydroxyalkyl-1,2,4-oxadiazoles as Building Blocks

A simple and straightforward synthesis of 3-aryl-5-hydroxyalkyl-1,2,4-oxadiazoles is described. The reaction among arylamidoximes, ethyl glycolate or ethyl lactate, and potassium carbonate in refluxing toluene afforded the desired 1,2,4-oxadiazoles in moderate to good yields. The synthesis has been accomplished in a single step, avoiding protection–deprotection protocols.

Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Synthetic Communications® to view the free supplemental file.     

The unambiguous synthesis and NMR assignment of 4-alkoxy and 3-alkylquinazolines

Contrary to a number of reports, alkylations of the privileged 3,4-dihydroquinazoline scaffold provide N3-alkylated products, and not 4-alkoxyquinazolines. To correctly assign the structure, ¹³C NMR shifts of the –Z–CH_n– (Z=O, N) fragment are necessary; resonances in the 45–55 ppm range are indicative of N3-alkylation. Treatment of 3,4-dihydroquinazoline-4-one with p-TsCl afforded the N3-tosylated compound, whose reaction with an amine yielded the corresponding N3-alkyl derivative. A mechanism corroborated by ¹⁵N-labeling involving pyrimidine ring opening and recyclisation is proposed. Finally, the unambiguous preparation of 4-alkoxyquinazolines is described via treatment of 3,4-dihydroquinazoline-4-ones with PCl₅ followed by an alkoxide.     

The preparation of the 239Np tracer from 243Am and the purification of the stock solution

The present work describes preparation of ²³⁹Np tracer from ²⁴³Am stock solution and the purification of this solution from ferric cation. The method of the preparation of tracer involves stabilization of Np(IV) by ascorbic acid and ferric nitrate, separation of ²³⁹Np from ²⁴³Am by extraction chromatography and determination of recoveries of ²³⁹Np by means of gamma spectroscopy. We used the commercially available sorbents TEVA^®Resin for the ²³⁹Np preparation and DGA Resin for ²⁴³Am purification. All sorbents were purchased from Eichrom Industries, Inc. The first eluate from the column can be stored for a future preparation of the tracer and fraction with ²³⁹Np will be used to monitor radiochemical yield of ²³⁷Np.     

Magnetic hollow poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide-co-glycidyl acrylate) particles prepared by inverse emulsion polymerization

To prepare functionalized magnetic polymer particles that are thermally responsive, inverse emulsion copolymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide, N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide and glycidyl acrylate (GA) was investigated in paraffin oil in the presence of γ-Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles dispersed in a water/glycerol mixture. The resulting polymer particles were characterized regarding the morphology, size, polydispersity, iron content, and the temperature-dependent phase transition using optical microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic absorption spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. Magnetic properties were examined using hysteresis loop measurements and by analyzing the magnetic susceptibility with respect to temperature. We have also investigated the influence of the concentration of γ-Fe₂O₃ and GA in monomers on properties of the particles (morphology, size, and presence of oxirane groups). The particles possessed a hollow structure as a result of phase separation between water/glycerol hydrophilic solvents in the polymerization feed and the forming polymer. Depending on the concentration of γ-Fe₂O₃ in the monomer phase, the magnetic hollow particles contained 5–24 wt% iron. In water, the particles gradually collapsed when the temperature was raised to 40 °C because the elevated temperature weakened hydration and the PNIPAAm chains gradually became more hydrophobic.     

Stereoselective total synthesis of protected sulfamisterin and its analogues

The stereoselective synthesis of sulfamisterin I and its unnatural analogues II and V in their protected form was achieved through a common strategy. The Wittig reaction of aldehydes VIII and IX with the C₁₄ hydrophobic side-chain X served as the key C-C connecting transformation. Subsequent functional group inter-conversions in the coupling products XI and XX completed the total synthesis.     

Synthesis of Some Unusual (1,2,4‐Oxadiazole)‐Linked Hexenopyranosides and Mannopyranosides

A copper‐catalyzed reaction of propargyl 4,6‐di‐O‐acetyl‐2,3‐dideoxy‐α‐D‐erythro‐hex‐2‐enopyranoside with 3‐(4‐azidophenyl)‐1,2,4‐oxadiazoles gave the corresponding hexenopyranosides bearing an 1,2,4‐oxadiazole subunit in the aglyconic part of the molecule. The same reaction between ethyl 4‐azido‐2,3,4‐trideoxy‐α‐D‐erythro‐hex‐2‐enopyranoside and acetylenic 1,2,4‐oxadiazoles afforded the corresponding hexenopyranosides carrying a triazole and a 1,2,4‐oxadiazole ring at C‐4 of the carbohydrate. Combination of the two sequences gave hexenopyranosides displaying two 1,2,4‐oxadiazole subunits, each one being embedded in the C‐1 and C‐4 frameworks, of the carbohydrate moiety. A simple dihydroxylation reaction of these unsaturated carbohydrates yielded a series of mannopyranosides bearing one or two 1,2,4‐oxadiazole subunits at C‐1 or C‐4. These new compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against two cell strains: NCI‐H₂₉₂ (lung carcinoma) and Hep‐2 (larynx carcinoma), some of them presenting impressive cell growth inhibitions.