Evaluation of measurement uncertainty for analytical procedures using a linear calibration function

In the EURACHEM/CITAC draft ”Quantifying uncertainty in analytical measurement” estimations of measurement uncertainty in analytical results for linear calibration are given. In this work these estimations are compared, i.e. the uncertainty deduced from repeated observations of the sample vs. the uncertainty deduced from the standard residual deviation of the regression. As a result of this study it is shown that an uncertainty estimation based on repeated observations can give more realistic values if the condition of variance homogeneity is not correctly fulfilled in the calibration range. The complete calculation of measurement uncertainty including assessment of trueness is represented by an example concerning the determination of zinc in sediment samples using ICP-atomic emission spectrometry. Received: 9 February 2002 Accepted: 17 April 2002     

The fluoride ion-selective electrode in flow injection analysis: Part 1. General Methodology

A simple flow-injection system for determination of traces of fluoride by means of the fluoride-selective electrode is presented. A comparison of several flow-cell arrangements confirmed the advantages of a well-jet design. Systematic investigations of the parameters affecting response times (i.e., polishing procedure, flow rate, carrier composition) established the optimal experimental conditions for measurements down to 1 μg l^?1 fluoride. Calibration plots in the lower μg l^?1 range were neither Nernstein nor linear, but good precision (0.5–5%) was obtained even when the potential differences for concentration steps of one decade were as small as 3 mV.     

Validation steps for traceability of linear calibrated chemical measurements

Based on the new draft of the EURACHEM/CITAC Guide Traceability in Chemical Measurement, this publication describes how traceability can be achieved for chemical measurements using a linear calibration function. Traceability can be accomplished without larger expenditure, if the measurement is calibrated on the basis of appropriate reference standards and the linear regression employed is selected and validated statistically in a suitable form. The determination of nickel in aqua regia eluates of sediment samples, employed for an ICP-OES measurement, is used as a practical illustration of this approach.     

Spectrophotometric and direct-reading methods for the analysis of gas phase peroxyacetic acid

A new method for the determination of peroxyacetic acid (PAA) in gas phase samples is described. It is based on the oxidation of ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonate) by PAA with formation of a radical cation which is characterized by four strong absorption maxima between 405 nm and 810 nm. These allow for sensitive spectrophotometric determination of the peracid. The selectivity of the method towards hydrogen peroxide is strongly dependent on the sampling method used. Impinger sampling and sampling based on the use of coated solid sorbents (test tubes) was performed. Limits of detection are 10(-8) mol, limits of quantification are 5 x 10(-8) mol, the linear range consists of 1.5 concentration decades in both cases. Using ABTS-coated test tubes above 1 x 10(-7) mol, direct reading of the results is possible and may be used as rapid screening method for the PAA concentration.     

Mössbauer study of the spatial distribution of the active species in Cs doped Fe2O3-V2O5 catalysts

From a Cs doped Fe₂O₃-V₂O₅ (Fe:V=1.4) catalyst exhibiting an inhomogeneous composition after calcination, three different fractions have been separated by visual inspection. One fraction has been found to consist of mainly α-Fe₂O₃, another one of mainly FeVO₄. The third fraction (S1 in the text) is the catalytically most active fraction containing besides both of the former components an amorphous phase of Fe_xV_yO_z and also the dopant. By combining the results from transmission and conversion electron Mössbauer spectra it has been concluded that the amorphous component is enriched in the surface region of the crystallites of the catalyst. In addition, the formation of a thin surface layer of iron sulfide (Fe_1?xS) on the third fraction has been identified. This sulfide is assumed to be formed during calcination from Cs₂SO₄ used for the preparation of the catalyst.     

Simultaneous differential pulse-polarographic determination of CS2 and COS gases and its application in the analysis of dithiocarbamate fungicide residues in foods

The differential pulse-polarographic (DPP) determination of both CS₂ and COS gases, after their absorption in a methanolic piperidine reagent and the subsequent application of this technique to the residue analysis of dithiocarbamate fungicides is described. Rectilinear calibration curves for both CS₂ and COS in the respective regions of 1.5–9.2 and 2.1–12.6 μmol/l were obtained. The DPP method has been successfully applied to the determination of thiram residues on apples after a hot acid hydrolysis of the fruits.     

Loss of metallicity in metal rich lithium oxide clusters

Mixed lithium-lithium oxide aggregates are experimentally obtained from unimolecular evaporative cascades starting at metal rich Li _p ⁺ (Li₂O)_n species and ending with the stoichiometric limit Li⁺(Li₂O)_n, for several sizes of the oxide part (Li₂O)_n with 0 ≤ n ≤ 8. The results show evidence of the vanishing of the properties of the quantum metallic droplet i.e. shell closing and odd-even alternation, portrayed in the dissociation energy, with increasing size of the oxide component. The competition between monomer and dimer lithium evaporation from the heated metal rich Li _p ⁺ (Li₂O)_n species points out the influence of the perturbation induced by the oxide component on the mixed metal oxide clusters.     

On the characterization of relativistic quantum field theories in terms of finitely many vacuum expectation values. II

The problem of uniqueness of monotone continuous linear extensions of $$T_{(2N)} = \{ 1,T_1 ,...,T_{2N} \} \in E'_{(2N)} = \prod\limits_{n = 0}^{2N} {E'_n } $$ is solved. A characterization of a relativistic QFT in terms of finitely many VEV's is derived. All results are illustrated by an explicit discussion of the extension problem for special cases ofT ₍₄₎={1,0,T ₂,T ₃,T ₄}. This discussion contains explicitly necessary and sufficient conditions onT ₍₄₎ for the existence of minimal extensions and some convenient sufficient conditions.     

Adsorption of the Ternary Liquid Mixture Ethanol/n-Octane/n-Hexadecane onto Activated Carbon: I. The Adsorption Excess of the Ternary Mixture and of Its Binary Combinations

The adsorption isotherms of the binary mixtures of ethanol/n-Octane, ethanol/n-hexadecane and n-octane/n-hexadecane onto the activated carbon TA 95 were measured at 278 K, 288 K, 298 K and 308 K and described with mathematical functions. About 300 experimental values of the adsorption excess of the ternary mixture ethanol/n-octane/n-hexadecane onto activated carbon TA 95 at 298 K were measured by gas chromatography inside the ternary triangle. The ternary miscibility gap was determined at three temperatures. A good representation of the ternary data and the calculated activity coefficients (using the UNIFAC model) in three-dimensional space was possible with the help of transformation of coordinates. It was possible, too, by utilization of the conception of the quasi two-component representation of the mole fractions with and without miscibility gap. Several influencing factors on ternary adsorption isotherms were discussed for the system ethanol/n-octane/n-hexadecane/TA 95.