SPE and LC-MS/MS determination of 14 illicit drugs in surface waters from the Natural Park of L’Albufera (València, Spain)

A simple and robust method using solid-phase extraction (SPE) and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for the simultaneous determination of 14 drugs of abuse and their metabolites (cocainics, amphetamine-like compounds, cannabinoids, and opiates) in surface waters has been developed. Seven SPE adsorbents (Oasis HLB, Oasis MCX, Oasis Wax, Supelselect HLB, Strata-X, Strata-XCW), amount of sorbent bed, water volume, and pH were investigated. The highest recoveries, as well as the simplest protocol, were obtained for Oasis HLB cartridges (6 mL/200 mg) using 250 mL of water. The proposed method was linear in a concentration range from 0.03–6 to 300–60,000 ng/L depending on the compound, with correlation coefficients higher than 0.998. Matrix effects have been studied in surface water samples, and several isotope-labeled internal standards have been evaluated as a way to compensate the signal suppression observed. Limits of detection (LODs) and quantification (LOQs) ranged from 0.01 to 1.54 ng/L and from 0.03 to 5.13 ng/L, respectively. Recoveries were 71–102% at the LOQ level and 77–104 at 50 ng/L. The intra-day and intermediate precisions were from 1% to 8% and from 2% to 11%, respectively. The present work reports for the first time the occurrence of drugs of abuse residues in surface water samples from the Natural Park of L’Albufera (Valencia, Spain). Codeine, cocaine, benzoylecgonine, ecgonine methylester, amphetamine, 3,4-methylendioxy methamphetamine, morphine, and methadone were quantified with median values of 11.10, 0.02, 5.59, 0.08, 0.21, 0.75 and 0.14 ng/L respectively, and 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol was detected in one sample at levels <LOQ.     

Development of a new reference material for the validation of molecular detection methods for microbiological analysis

The standard methodology used for the detection of bacteria in environmental samples and food is primarily based on bacterial growth on specific culture media and confirmation by biochemical and/or immunological tests of all presumptive colonies. However, this methodology presents a number of drawbacks, such as low sensitivity and specificity, and the long time needed to obtain results. For this reason, the implementation of molecular methods in diagnostic laboratories has increased over the past several years. Nevertheless, most of these newer methods have not been included in current legislation, and, in most of cases, they have not yet been normalized. In this sense, the availability of appropriate reference materials (RMs) can help to overcome these deficiencies. The aim of this study was to develop and validate, following ISO Guide 34, a new RM, in a tablet format, for the quantification of Legionella pneumophila and Salmonella spp. by quantitative PCR (qPCR). This new RM can be used as a work reference sample in internal quality control, in the organization of proficiency testing schemes (PTS), as well as for the validation of molecular methods based on qPCR.     

Pt(hkl) surface charge and reactivity

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Structure of {Pb[S2CN(C2H5)2]2(1,10-phenanthroline)}2

Lead (II) nitrate reacts with 1,10-phenanthroline and sodium diethyldithiocarbamate in water to produce yellow bisdiethyldithiocarbamata 1,10-phenanthroline lead(II). Crystals from water are triclinic, space group $P\bar 1$ (#2),a=10.53(2) Å,b=11.050(12)Å,c=24.74 (3) Å, α=94.71 (9)⁰, β=98.15(11)^o, γ=114.11(9)^o,V=2569(6) ų,Z=2. Each lead atom has approximate pentagonal pyramid coordination geometry through the nitrogens of a phenathroline and sulfurs of two dithiocarbamates. Additionally, complexes form loose dimers in which lead atoms are weakly coordinated to a sulfur in an adjacent complex. IR and proton nmr spectrum of the complex are consistent with the solid state structure.     

Shape-dependent electrocatalysis: formic acid electrooxidation on cubic Pd nanoparticles

The electrocatalytic properties of palladium nanocubes towards the electrochemical oxidation of formic acid were studied in H(2)SO(4) and HClO(4) solutions and compared with those of spherical Pd nanoparticles. The spherical and cubic Pd nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The intrinsic electrocatalytic properties of both nanoparticles were shown to be strongly dependent on the amount of metal deposited on the gold substrate. Thus, to properly compare the activity of both systems (spheres and nanocubes), the amount of sample has to be optimized to avoid problems due to a lower diffusion flux of reactants in the internal parts of the catalyst layer resulting in a lower apparent activity. Under the optimized conditions, the activity of the spheres and nanocubes was very similar between 0.1 and 0.35 V. From this potential value, the activity of the Pd nanocubes was remarkably higher. This enhanced electrocatalytic activity was attributed to the prevalence of Pd(100) facets in agreement with previous studies with Pd single crystal electrodes. The effect of HSO(4)(-)/SO(4)(2-) desorption-adsorption was also evaluated. The activity found in HClO(4) was significantly higher than that obtained in H(2)SO(4) in the whole potential range.     

Topological ferrimagnetic behavior of two new [Mn(L)2(N3)2]n chains with the new AF/AF/F alternating sequence (L = 3-methylpyridine or 3,4-dimethylpyridine)

The reaction of manganese(II) and pyridine derivatives such as 3-methylpyridine (3-Mepy) and 3,4-dimethylpyridine (3,4-Dmepy) led to the new one-dimensional systems trans-[Mn(3-Mepy)2(N3)2]n (1) and trans-[Mn(3,4-Dmepy)2(N3)2]n (2). Compound 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P2(1)/n, a = 11.201(3) A, b = 14.499(4) A, c = 14.308(4) A, Z = 6, and compound 2 crystallizes in the triclinic system, space group P1, a = 11.502(4) A, b = 14.246(5) A, c = 16.200(8) A, Z = 6. The two compounds show the same general one-dimensional arrangement of double azido bridges between neighboring manganese atoms with the unprecedented -Mn-(mu(1,3)-N3)2-Mn-(mu(1,3)-N3)2-Mn-(mu(1,1)-N3)2-Mn- sequence. Susceptibility and magnetization measurements reveal a ferrimagnetic-like behavior derived from the topology of the chain. A model of the Heisenberg chain, comprising classical spins coupled through alternating exchange interactions J1J1J2... is proposed to describe the magnetic behavior.     

Mechanism of nitrate electroreduction on Pt(100)

Kinetics and mechanism of nitrate anion reduction on the Pt(100) electrode in perchloric and sulfuric acid solutions are studied. Analysis of the results of electrochemical measurements (combination of potentiostatic treatment and cyclic voltammetry) and the data of in situ IR spectroscopy allow suggesting the following scheme of the nitrate reduction process on Pt(100) differing from that in the literature. If the potential of 0.85 V is chosen as the starting potential for a clean flame-annealed electrode surface and negativegoing (cathodic) potential sweep is applied, then an NO adlayer with the coverage of about 0.5 monolayer is formed on Pt(100) in the nitrate solution already at 0.6 V. The further decrease in the potential results in NO reduction to hydroxylamine or/and ammonia, desorbing products vacate the adsorption sites for nitrate and hydrogen adatoms. At E < 0.1 V, adsorbed hydrogen is mostly present on the surface. During positive-going (anodic) potential sweep, the process of nitrate reduction starts after partial hydrogen desorption, the cathodic peak of nitrate reduction to hydroxylamine or ammonia is observed at 0.32 V on cyclic voltammograms. The process of nitrate anion reduction continues up to 0.7 V; at higher potentials, the surface redox process with participation of hydroxylamine or ammonia (the anodic peak at 0.78 V) and nitrate (the cathodic peak at 0.74 V is due to nitrate reduction to NO on the vacant adsorption sites) occurs.