Some trends in the development of microplasmas for spectrochemical analysis

The development of microplasmas for spectrochemical analysis by optical methods is discussed. Recent achievements in miniaturization are highlighted, especially for three types of plasmas, namely high-frequency plasmas, dc-discharges and microwave plasmas. The potentials of each of these groups of plasmas as sources for atomic emission spectrometry are discussed. Literature citations and experiments indicate that the plasmas are also very useful as atom reservoirs for atomic absorption spectrometry. Methods of sampling, including feeding with gas chromatography effluents, the use of electrothermal vaporization, and the evolution of gaseous species (as shown for the case of Hg vapor), are discussed as prominent interfaces to make use of these sources for elemental analysis.     

Molecular beams and model catalysis: activity and selectivity of specific reaction centers on supported nanoparticles.

Reaction kinetics on nanometer-scale particles are different from those on extended surfaces of bulk materials. This fact has been utilized for a long time to empirically maximize the performance of heterogeneous catalysts, but the understanding of the underlying effects is poor at the microscopic level. Modern molecular beam-based methods, however, allow us to derive very detailed kinetic information on catalytically active surfaces. In combination with structurally highly controlled model catalysts, microscopic insights into the activity and selectivity of specific reaction centers on catalyst nanoparticles can be obtained. This combined approach is illustrated through simple model reactions.     

Modified determination of dihydrostreptomycin in kidney, muscle and milk by HPLC.

A method is presented for the determination of dihydrostreptomycin in milk, muscle and kidney by reversed-phase ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography and post-column derivatisation with beta-naphthoquinone-4-sulfonate prior to fluorescence detection. The new sample work-up procedures include acid precipitation of proteins and, in the case of muscle and kidney, removal of fats by solvent extraction followed by solid phase extraction on a cation exchanger. The fluorescence response was linear from 25 to 2000 micrograms l-1 of injected analyte. The detection limits were 10 micrograms kg-1 for milk and 15 micrograms kg-1 for muscle and kidney and the analyte recoveries were on average 93% for milk, 70% for kidney and 75% for muscle.     

Determination of zearalenone and ochratoxin A in soil

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites, formed by the action of fungi on agricultural crops in the field or during storage. These metabolites are highly toxic to animals and humans and high levels have been measured in agricultural crops. In order to evaluate human risks due to ingestion of mycotoxin-contaminated food different methods have been developed for analysis of mycotoxins in cereals and maize. In this project the focus was on mycotoxins in agricultural soil and the fate of these toxins in the soil-water-plant system. Two different mycotoxins were selected in the study: zearalenone (ZON) produced by species of Fusariumor Aspergillusand ochratoxin A (OTA) produced by species of Penicillium. We developed a method for analysis of these toxins in soil. Soil samples were extracted with methanol-water (9:1) and purified by solid-phase extraction (SPE, C8-columns). The final extract was analysed using high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection. A Phenyl Hexyl column was used to separate the toxins. The detection limits obtained were 0.1 and 1.0 microg kg(-1) dry weight (dw) for OTA and ZON, respectively. The developed method has been used for analysis of different soils in connection with growth chamber experiments. The soil types used in the growth chamber experiments were a sandy soil, a sandy clay soil, and a soil with high content of organic matter. The recovery was determined as 85.8 and 93.4% and the repeatability to 5.1 and 12.8% for OTA and ZON, respectively. The reproducibility obtained was 8.5 and 15.0% for soil samples, representing concentration levels from 0.2-30 microg kg(-1) dw (OTA) and from 1.0-100 microg kg(-1) dw (ZON).     

Synthesis, spectroscopic and thermal studies of the copper(II) aspartame chloride complex

Aspartame adduct of copper(II) chloride Cu(Asp)₂Cl₂·2H₂O (Asp=aspartame) is synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, FT IR, UV/vis, ESR spectroscopies, TG, DTG, DTA measurements and molecular mechanics calculations. Aqueous solution of the green solid absorbs strongly at 774 and 367 nm. According to the FT IR spectra, the aspartame moiety coordinates to the copper(II) ion via its carboxylate ends, whereas the ammonium terminal groups give rise to hydrogen bonding network with the water, the chloride ions or neighboring carboxylate groups. The results suggest tetragonally distorted octahedral environment of the copper ions.     

Equilibrium and NMR Studies of Noncovalent Interactions in Binary Systems: Uridine,Adenosine, Cytidine and Thymidine,and Adenosine (or Cytidine) 5′-Monophosphate in Aqueous Solution

The molecular complex formation reactions of uridine (Urd) with adenosine (Ado), cytidine (Cyd), thymidine (Thd), adenosine 5-monophosphate (AMP) and cytidine 5-monophosphate (CMP) have been studied at 20°C. It was found that the main positive noncovalent centers of ion–dipole and dipole–dipole type interactions are the protonated N(3) atoms of Urd, whereas the negative centers are the endocyclic atoms of the bases characterized by high electron density from the second molecule involved in the reaction. Moreover, NMR results indicate the occurrence of stacking in the complex (Urd)H(Cyd), whereas in the complex, (Urd)H₂(Thd), it is the only type of interaction. Deprotonation of the latter species brings about a change in the character of the reaction and ion–dipole interactions have been detected in the adduct, (Urd)H(Thd). Interestingly, no involvement of the phosphate groups in the formation of AMP and CMP adducts has been evidenced and the main centers of the reactions were found to be the N(7)and N(1) atoms of AMP, or the N(3) atoms of CMP and Urd. Moreover, in the Urd/CMP system the NMR results suggest stacking-type interactions.     

Irreversible deformation of macromolecular networks

Based upon a thermodynamical approach, the generalized Onsager type of relaxation of van der Waals networks is presented. By linearly and identically coupling the set hidden variables to the network, the memory function of the system can be related to the equilibrium strain-energy function. The relaxation behavior of real networks on stretching can quantitatively be described by means of a distribution of relaxation times known from small strain experiments. Some new and interesting conclusions are discussed as to how the macroscopically non-linear visco-elastic response might be interpreted.