Multi-residue method for rapid screening and confirmation of pesticides in crude extracts of fruits and vegetables using isocratic liquid chromatography with electrospray tandem mass spectrometry

A LC-MS-MS method capable of the quantitative determination of a range of pesticide residues present in crude extracts from a variety of fruit and vegetables has been developed. Isocratic LC conditions have been used in conjunction with electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry to detect and identify up to 38 pesticides presented as various mixtures in different matrices. The utility of the method is demonstrated by the analysis of crude extracts, with no sample clean up, from grape, kiwi fruit, strawberry, spinach, lemon, peach and nectarine. Mean recoveries ranging from 63 to 96% with relative standard deviations < 20% were obtained for 30 of the 38 pesticides following analysis of organic produce fortified at concentrations between 0.01 and 0.8 mg/kg. Detected residues were quantified from interpolation against calibration data generated using matrix-matched standards that covered analyte concentration ranges between 0.005 and 0.8 microg/ml. Conditions suitable for the qualitative and quantitative confirmation of residues detected in samples are specified.     

Applications of thermoelectrometry to metal-ion modified polyimide films

As part of a research program to decrease the electrical resistivity of polyimide films with ionic additives a variable temperature three probe electrical resistivity measurement system has been designed and constructed. Sample temperature, electrification time, atmosphere, and measurement mode are computer controlled. As a data interpretation aid, temperature cycled analysis can be routinely performed. Surface resistivities in the range 10³–10¹⁵ ohm and volume resistivities in the range 10⁵–10¹⁸ ohm-cm are theoretically measurable under well controlled experimental conditions from room temperature to 250°. The electrical resistivity measurement system is useful for the evaluation of polymer films or films in general. Application of the system for analysis of cobalt, lithium and tin ion-modified polyimide films and some experimental considerations are presented. Correlation of the electrical measurements with differential scanning calorimetry, thermomechanical analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis is demonstrated.

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Zusammenfassung Als Teil eines Forschungsprogramms zur Herabsetzung des elektrischen Widerstandes von Polyimidfilmen mit ionischen Additiven wurde ein 3-Proben-Meßsystem zur Ermittlung des elektrischen Widerstandes in Abhängigkeit von der Temperatur entworfen und konstruiert. Probentemperatur, Elektrisierungszeit, Atmosphäre und Meßmethoden waren computergesteuert. Als Dateninterpretationshilfe kann eine hinsichtlich der Temperatur zyklische Analyse routinemäßig ausgeführt werden. Die Oberflächenwiderstände sind im Bereich von 10³–10¹⁵ Ohm und die Volumenwiderstände im Bereich von 10⁵–10¹⁸ Ohm-cm unter gut kontrollierten experimentellen Bedingungen von Raumtemperatur bis 250° theoretisch meßbar. Das elektrische Widerstandmeßsystem ist nützlich für die Bewertung von Polymerfilmen oder Filmen im allgemeinen. Die Anwendung des Systems zur Analyse von mit Co-, Li- und Sn-Ionen modifizierten Polyimidfilmen und einige experimentelle Hinweise werden angegeben. Es wird gezeigt, daß die mit dem beschriebenen System erhaltenen Resultate mit durch DSC, thermomechanische Analyse und TG erhaltenen Werten korrelieren.

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The financial support of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration is gratefully appreciated. The assistance of John Swartzentruber in performing many of the measurements is recognized.     

Spectroscopic studies of lewis acid—base complexes: IV. An infrared study of oriented single crystals and normal coordinate analyses of trimethylamine—boron halide adducts

A total of 19 isotopic species of various (CH₃)₃NBX₃ complexes have been prepared and their IR spectra studied in the solid state in the region 40–4000 cm^?1. The isotopes involved are deuterium, boron-10, boron-11, and nitrogen-15 with X = F, CI, Br and I. C_3v symmetry has been preserved in all cases. Symmetry classifications of the fundamental molecular frequencies have been derived from polarized IR measurements on oriented single crystals in the range 250–4000 cm^?1. Errors and inconsistencies in previous studies have been resolved and revised vibrational assignments are proposed on the basis of the new data. Normal coordinate analyses have been carried out utilizing symmetry compliance constants without the assumption of point mass methyl groups. A common potential function containing 22 parameters for the A₁ class and 26 for the E class was utilized. The results support the proposed frequency assignments. B-N force constants obtained by inversion of the compliance matrices vary systematically from the chloro to the iodo complex. However, the B-N force constant for the fluoro complex falls between that for the chloro and bromo species; no systematic trend appears for the B-N compliance constants.     

Practical aspects of the uncertainty and traceability of spectrochemical measurement results by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

The determination of trace elements concentration in water by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) is a common and well established technique in many chemical testing laboratories. However, the evaluation of measurement uncertainty results is not systematically implemented. The paper presents an easy step-by-step example leading to the evaluation of the combined standard uncertainty of copper determination in water using ETAAS. The major contributors to the overall measurement uncertainty are identified due to amount of copper in water sample that mainly depends on the absorbance measurements, due to certified reference material and due to auto-sampler volume measurements. The practical aspects how the traceability of copper concentration in water can be established and demonstrated are also pointed out.     

Self-assembled nanoparticle probes for recognition and detection of biomolecules

Colloidal gold nanocrystals have been used to develop a new class of nanobiosensors that is able to recognize and detect specific DNA sequences and single-base mutations in a homogeneous format. At the core of this biosensor is a 2.5-nm gold nanoparticle that functions as both a nano-scaffold and a nano-quencher (efficient energy acceptor). Attached to this core are oligonucleotide molecules labeled with a thiol group at one end and a fluorophore at the other. This hybrid bio/inorganic construct is found to spontaneously assemble into a constrained arch-like conformation on the particle surface. Binding of target molecules results in a conformational change, which restores the fluorescence of the quenched fluorophore. Unlike conventional molecular beacons with a stem-and-loop structure, the nanoparticle probes do not require a stem, and their background fluorescence increases little with temperature. In comparison with the organic quencher Dabcyl (4,4'-dimethylaminophenyl azo benzoic acid), metal nanoparticles have unique structural and optical properties for new applications in biosensing and molecular engineering.     

Synthesis of alpha-fluorosulfonamides by electrophilic fluorination

Alpha-fluorosulfonamides were prepared by electrophilic fluorination of tertiary sulfonamides using N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide as fluorinating agent and utilizing the dimethoxybenzyl group (DMB) as a new sulfonamide protecting group. Removal of the DMB group with TFA/CH(2)Cl(2) gave primary and secondary alpha-fluorosulfonamides.