Voltammetric Behavior of Arsenic(III) in the Presence of Sodium Diethyl Dithiocarbamate and Its Determination in Water and Highly Saline Samples by Adsorptive Stripping Voltammetry

This paper describes the voltammetric behavior of As(III) at the hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) in the presence of sodium diethyl dithiocarbamate (SDDC) and a new voltammetric method for the determination of As(III) at trace levels. The method is based on the adsorptive deposition of a As(III) complex with SDDC at ?0.45 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) on the HMDE in acidic medium of 0.01 mol L^?1 HCl (pH 2.0) and its cathodic stripping during the potential scan (100 mV s^?1). The linear range for the determination of As(III) in the presence of SDDC (4 μmol L^?1) in water samples was between 1 and 10 μg L^?1 for a deposition time of 300 s (r=0.994) and between 10 and 100 μg L^?1 for a deposition time of 60 s (r=0.999). For the determination of As(III) in dialysis concentrate samples, the linear range was between 5 and 25 μg L^?1 for a deposition time of 180 s (r=0.992) and between 10 and 100 μg L^?1 for a deposition time of 60 s (r=0.996). Detection limits of 0.3 and 2.2 μg L^?1 in water and dialysis concentrate samples were calculated for the method using a deposition time of 300 and 180 s, respectively. Recovery values between 93.0 and 110.0% for As(III) added to deionized, mineral, seawater (synthetic and real) and dialysis concentrate samples prove the satisfactory accuracy and applicability of the procedure.     

Monitoring nitrite with optical sensing films

A new, low-cost nitrite sensor was developed by immobilizing a direct indicator dye in an optical sensing film for food and environmental monitoring. This sensor was fabricated by binding Safranine O to a cellulose acetate film that had previously been subjected to an exhaustive base hydrolysis. The membrane has good durability (>12 months) and a short response time (<8 s). Nitrite can be determined for the range of 0.005-2.00 μg ml⁻¹ with 3δ detection limits of 0.001 μg ml⁻¹. The method is easy to perform and uses acetylcellulose as a carrier. The reagents used for the activity of the cellulose support are inexpensive, non-toxic and widely available.     

The European Eco-Management and Audit Scheme Accreditation – an overview

 Environmental quality is still deteriorating in the EU and worldwide despite all the Directives and Regulations in this field over the past 20 years. The European Community has devised a new approach to this problem with the introduction of the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme Regulation. This Regulation provides industry with an opportunity to demonstrate that it can achieve continuous improvement in its environmental performance through a voluntary scheme which is not based on the traditional command and control mechanisms of Directives. This paper gives an overview of the steps involved in implementing the European Eco-Management and Audit Scheme and the role of accreditation in supporting the scheme.     

Application of capillary electrophoresis with different sample stacking strategies for the determination of a group of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the low microg x L(-1) concentration range

Several on-column sample preconcentration modes--large-volume sample stacking using the EOF pump (LVSEP), LVSEP with anion-selective exhaustive injection (LVSEP-ASEI) and field-amplified sample injection with sample matrix removal using the electroosmotic flow (EOF) pump (FAEP)--were used to analyze some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) by capillary electrophoresis, and then compared. Methanol was the background electrolyte solvent to suppress the EOF. The effect of the type and length of the solvent plug, and the sample injection time were investigated in FAEP to determine the conditions that provided the best response. LVSEP, LVSEP-ASEI, and FAEP improved the sensitivity of the peak area by 100-, 1200-, and 1800-fold, respectively. The methodology developed, in combination with solid-phase extraction (SPE), was applied to the analysis of water samples.     

Determination of metoprolol enantiomers in human urine by GC-MS using (−)-α-methoxy-α-(trifluoromethyl)phenylacetyl chloride as a chiral derivatizing agent

Summary A method for the assay of R-(+)- and S-(−)- metoprolol in human urine has been developed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The method involved purification by liquid-liquid extraction and derivatization with N-methyl-N-(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide to form an O-silyl ether, followed by subsequent chiral derivatization with (−)-α-methoxy-α-(trifluoromethyl)phenylacetyl chloride to form diastereomeric amide. The reaction was rapid and the diastereomeric derivatives were well resolved. Quantitation was performed by selected-ion monitoring of fragment ions of the diastereomers in electron impact ionization mode. No racemization was found during the reaction. The detection limit was 0.5 ng·mL⁻¹. The intra-day variation ranged between 0.38 and 7.86% in relation to the measured concentration and inter-day variation was 2.26–8.06%. The method has been applied to the determination of R-(+)-and S-(−)- metoprolol in human urine from healthy volunteers dosed with racemic metoprolol tartrate.     

Automated at-line solid-phase extraction-gas chromatographic analysis of micropollutants in water using the PrepStation

A fully automated at-line solid-phase extraction-gas chromatography procedure has been developed for the analysis of aqueous samples using the PrepStation. The sample extract is transferred from the sample preparation module to the gas chromatograph via an autosampler vial. With flame-ionization detection, limits of determination (S/N=10) of 0.05–0.13 μg/l were obtained for the analysis of HPLC-grade water when modifying the PrepStation by: (i) increasing the sample volume to 50 ml, (ii) increasing the injection volume up to 50 μl, and (iii) decreasing the desorption volume to 300 μl. The HP autosampler had to be modified to enable the automated “at-once” on-column injection of up to 50 μl of sample extract. The amount of packing material in the original cartridge had to be reduced to effect the decrease of the desorption volume. The total set-up did not require any further optimization after having set up the method once. The analytical characteristics of the organonitrogen and organophosphorus test analytes, i.e. recoveries (typically 75–105%), repeatability (2–8%) and linearity (0.09–3.0 μg/l) were satisfactory. The potential of the system was demonstrated by determining triazines and organophosphorus pesticides in river Rhine water at the 0.6 μg/l level using flame-ionization and mass-selective detection. No practical problems were observed during the analysis of more than 100 river water samples.     

Combination of three analytical techniques for speciation of Al in environmental samples

An analytical scheme is proposed which combines three speciation techniques for determination of particular Al species in soil extracts and percolating waters. A cation-exchange fast protein liquid chromatography — inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (FPLC-ICP-AES) procedure, a microcolumn chelating ion-exchange chromatography- atomic absorption spectrometry (MCC-ETAAS) technique and the 8-hydroxyquinoline spectrophotometric method (8HQ-spectrophotometry) were employed. The FPLC-ICP-AES procedure offers determination of Al³⁺ (retention time 4.5 min) and Al(OH)²⁺ species (retention time 4.0 min) which are separated from Al(OH)⁺ ₂ (retention time 1.5min). AlF²⁺ coelutes with Al(OH)²⁺ species, while Al(SO₄)⁺, AlF⁺ ₂ and negatively charged Al organic complexes coelute with Al(OH)⁺ ₂ species. The MCC-ETAAS technique enables determination of the sum of positively charged monomeric aqua- and hydroxy-Al species plus sulphate- and fluoro-Al complexes. Employing the 8HQ-spectrophotometry the sum of positively charged monomeric aqua- and hydroxy-Al species plus sulphato- and most of the labile organic Al species are determined. The sensitivities of these selected techniques were adequate for speciation of Al in the samples analyzed. On the basis of the specific selectivity of a particular technique various groups of Al species may be determined. Thus, the comparison of analytical data from complementary procedures provides more comprehensive information on Al species present in soil extracts and percolating waters.     

Electron microprobe analysis of micro amount powder samples: A case study on high purity coal

For the major, minor and trace element analysis of the inorganic compounds of a Ruhr-Saar coal different preparation techniques are investigated with X-ray fluorescence analysis, electron microprobe and classical wet chemical methods minimizing sample weight at standard preparation times and analytical accuracies. Considering accuracy as well as preparation efforts, determinations by electron microprobe on small sample amounts (<50 mg) proved to be superior to the other methods.Abbreviations AAS atomic absorbtion spectrometry - EMA electron microprobe analysis - IC ion chromatography - ISE ion sensitive electrode - PHOT photometry - WCA wet chemical analysis - XRF X-ray fluorescence analysis - LTA low temperature plasma ashing - HTA high temperature ashing - l.o.i. loss on ignition     

Flow-injection spectrofluorometric determination of trace amounts of formaldehyde in water after derivatization with acetoacetanilide

A novel fluorophotometric method for formaldehyde determination in environmental waters was developed: the method does not require any enrichment procedures. A flow-injection analysis method for the spectrofluorometric determination of formaldehyde in waters, which is based on the reaction of formaldehyde with acetoacetanilide and ammonia, is proposed. The proposed method shows a good linearity from 0.50 to 40 × 10⁻⁷ M, and the limit of detection (LOD) of 3 × 10⁻⁹ M (0.09 ppb) is achievable. The sample throughput is 15 h⁻¹. One of the main advantages in the proposed method is that the reaction can be carried out at room temperature without any heating system. The effect of various interferences possibly present in the real water samples was investigated. Most cations and anions, as well as organic compounds, do not interfere with the determination of formaldehyde in environmental water samples. The proposed method is very simple, rapid, less expensive, and highly sensitive, and can be applied to the environmental water samples, such as rain, tap water and river water, at low concentration levels without any enrichment procedure.     

Trace Spectrophotometric Determination of Dichlorvos using Diphenyl Semicarbazide (DPC) in Environmental and Agricultural Samples

A new and highly sensitive spectrophotometric method is developed for the determination of sub ppm levels of the widely used organophosphorus insecticide dichlorvos. The method is based on alkaline hydrolysis of dichlorvos to dichloroacetaldehyde followed by coupling with diphenyl semicarbazide (DPC) in alkaline medium. The absorption maxima of the wine red dye compound formed is measured at 490 nm. Beer's law is obeyed over the concentration range of 4.3 to 34 μg in a final solution volume of 25 mL (0.18–1.36 ppm). The molar absorptivity, Sandell's sensitivity and correlation coefficient were found to be 2.9 × 10⁵ l mole^?1 cm^?1, 0.013 μg cm^?2 and 0.9999, respectively. The standard deviation and relative standard deviation were found to be ± 0.007 and 1.90%, respectively. The lower limit of detection is 0.04 μg. The method is simple, sensitive and free from interferences of other pesticides and diverse ions. Other organophosphorous pesticides do not interfere with the proposed method. The method has been satisfactorily applied to the determination of dichlorvos in environmental and agricultural samples.