Solid phase extraction and preconcentration of uranium(VI) and thorium(IV) on Duolite XAD761 prior to their inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric determination

A simple and effective method is presented for the separation and preconcentration of thorium(IV) and uranium(VI) by solid phase extraction on Duolite XAD761 adsorption resin. Thorium(IV) and uranium(VI) 9-phenyl-3-fluorone chelates are formed and adsorbed onto the Duolite XAD761. Thorium(IV) and uranium(VI) are quantitatively eluted with 2 mol L⁻¹ HCl and determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The influences of analytical parameters including pH, amount of reagents, amount of Duolite XAD761 and sample volume, etc. were investigated on the recovery of analyte ions. The interference of a large number of anions and cations has been studied and the optimized conditions developed have been utilized for the trace determination of uranium and thorium. A preconcentration factor of 30 for uranium and thorium was achieved. The relative standard deviation (N = 10) was 2.3% for uranium and 4.5% for thorium ions for 10 replicate determinations in the solution containing 0.5 μg of uranium and thorium. The three sigma detection limits (N = 15) for thorium(IV) and uranium(VI) ions were found to be 4.5 and 6.3 ng L⁻¹, respectively. The developed solid phase extraction method was successively utilized for the determination of traces thorium(IV) and uranium(VI) in environmental samples by ICP-MS.     

Quadrupole mass spectrometric study of positive ions from RF plasmas of pure CH4, CH4/H2, and CH4/Ar systems

Quadrupole mass spectrometry has been employed to characterize the ionic species in the discharges of pure CH₄, CH₄/H₂, and CH₄/Ar systems. For pure methane, the major positive ions in the discharge at low pressure (e.g., 0.15 torr) are CH ₃ ⁺ , C₂H ₃ ⁺ , CH ₂ ⁺ , C₂H ₂ ⁺ , CH ₄ ⁺ , C₂H ₄ ⁺ , and C₂H ₅ ⁺ at high pressure (e.g., 0.5 torr) the major ions are CH ₃ ⁺ , C₂H ₃ ⁺ , C₂H ₅ ⁺ , C₃H ₃ ⁺ , C H₃H ₇ ⁺ , C₄H ₇ ⁺ , C₅H ₇ ⁺ , C₆H ₅ ⁺ , and C₇H ₇ ⁺ . The relative abundances of C₁ ions decrease with increasing pressure, whereas those of higher-order ions increase with pressure. For 5% CH₄ + 95% H₂ mixture, in addition to those sampling from the pure methane plasma at the lower pressure, H _n ⁺ ions have also been detected. For 5% CH₄ +95% Ar mixture, the principal ions are CH ₃ ⁺ , CH ₂ ⁺ , CH⁺, CH ₅ ⁺ , Ar⁺, and ArH⁺; the ions containing more than two carbon atoms are negligible. In these discharges, the CH ₃ ⁺ and C₂H ₃ ⁺ are the most important positive ions in C₁ and C₂ ions, respectively. The ions detected are believed to come from the sheath between the electrode and the luminous plasma, and have high kinetic energy. An ion-molecule reaction mechanism is proposed which can well explain the observed main features of ionic products.Died June 1, 1991.     

Comparative study of the instrumental couplings of high performance liquid chromatography with microwave-assisted digestion hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for chiral speciation of selenomethionine in breast and formula milk

A comparison of chiral separation and analysis of selenomethionine in breast and formula milk, using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on a glycopeptide teicoplanin-based chiral stationary phase (Chirobiotic T), coupled to atomic fluorescence spectrometry (AFS) and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) MS detectors has been performed. The coupling HPLC-microwave-assisted digestion hydride generation requires on-line post-column analytes treatment, and a severe sample clean-up for fat and proteins elimination using centrifugation and ultrafiltration. Underivatized -selenomethionine enantiomers were completely resolved in 10 min using unbuffered water mobile phase at 1 ml min⁻¹ flow. Good selectivity and sensitivities (detection limits 3.1 and 3.5 ng ml⁻¹ as Se for - and -selenomethionine, respectively) were obtained, and method robustness and simplicity, together to the low cost of AFS detector, makes it suitable for infant milk routine analysis. HPLC–ICP-MS coupling exhibits very low detection limits (0.9 ng ml⁻¹, as Se) for each -selenomethionine enantiomers, but the method suffers from matrix influence, that produces a poor S/N ratio and low reliability.

The methods were applied to breast and formula milk samples with recoveries of 80% of the total selenium presence, which is attributable to the existence of other unknown species. -Selenomethionine was the only isomer present in breast milk, but a 30% of -selenomethionine was also detected in formula milk.     

Determination of long-lived radionuclides in concrete matrix by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

A laser ablation system using a Nd:YAG laser was coupled both to a quadrupole inductively coupled plasma (ICP) mass spectrometer and to a double-focusing sector field ICP mass spectrometer. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was applied for the determination of long-lived radionuclides in a concrete matrix. The investigated samples were two laboratory standards with a concrete matrix, which we doped with different long-lived radionuclides (e.g. ⁹⁹Tc, ²³²Th, ²³³U, ²³⁷Np) from the ng g⁻¹ to μ g⁻¹ concentration range and an undoped concrete material (blank). Detection limits for long-lived radionuclides in the 10 ng g⁻¹ range are reached for LA-ICP-MS using the quadrupole mass spectrometer. With double-focusing sector field ICP-MS, the limits of detection are in general one order of magnitude lower and reach the sub ng g⁻¹ range for ²³³U and ²³⁷Np. A comparison of mass spectrometric results with those of neutron activation analysis on undoped concrete sample indicates that a semiquantitative determination of the concentrations of the minor and trace elements in the concrete matrix is possible with LA-ICP-MS without using a standard reference material.     

Synthesis of novel chitosan resin derivatized with serine moiety for the column collection/concentration of uranium and the determination of uranium by ICP-MS

A chitosan resin derivatized with serine moiety (serine-type chitosan) was newly developed by using the cross-linked chitosan as a base material. The adsorption behavior of trace amounts of metal ions on the serine-type chitosan resin was systematically examined by packing it in a mini-column, passing a metal solution through it and measuring metal ions in the effluent by ICP-MS. The resin could adsorb a number of metal cations at pH from neutral to alkaline region, and several oxoanionic metals at acidic pH region by an anion exchange mechanism. Uranium and Cu could be adsorbed selectively at pH from acidic to alkaline region by a chelating mechanism; U could be adsorbed quantitatively even at pH 3–4. Uranium adsorbed on the resin was easily eluted with 1 M nitric acid: the preconcentration (5-, 10-, 50- and 100-fold) of U was possible. The column treatment method was used prior to the ICP-MS measurement of U in natural river, sea and tap waters; R.S.D. were 2.63, 1.13 and 1.37%, respectively. Uranium in tap water could be determined by 10-fold preconcentration: analytical result was 1.46±0.02 ppt. The resin also was applied to the recovery of U in sea water: the recovery tests for artificial and natural sea water were 97.1 and 93.0%, respectively.     

Preparation of trout liver microsomes for iron speciation in P-450 enzymes by AE–FPLC with ICP–(ORS)MS detection

Cytochromes P-450 are members of a superfamily of hemoproteins involved in the oxidative metabolism of various physiological and xenobiotic compounds in eukaryotes and prokaryotes. The multiplicity of this group of enzymes has been widely studied by chromatographic techniques, mainly high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Because these enzymes are membrane-bound proteins, sample preparation for chromatographic separation of P-450 enzymes requires a solubilization step. The sample-preparation procedures are critical, because detergents affect not only the efficiency of protein solubilization but also their further chromatographic resolution. Trout liver microsomes have been taken here as a model sample to investigate iron speciation in cytochrome P-450. Trouts were treated intraperitoneally with -naphthoflavone, a potent inducer of some P-450 enzymes, and a microsomal suspension containing 7.4±0.1 nmol mL^–1 P-450 enzymes was obtained by ultracentrifugation. Lubrol PX was selected as detergent for solubilization, resulting in about 90% solubilization recovery. The solubilized cytochromes P-450 were further separated by AE–FPLC, with UV detection, or coupled to ICP–MS with an octapole reaction system, ICP–(ORS)MS (monitoring Fe signals at masses 54, 56, and 57). A sampling procedure and chromatographic conditions are developed and were successfully applied to iron speciation in trout liver P-450 enzymes. ICP–(ORS)MS detection of P-450 enzymes is Fe-specific and so will give accurate information on the prosthetic group of the protein, which can constitute an advantageous alternative to classical methods for detection of these hemoproteins.     

Spectral and non-spectral interferences in inductively coupled plasma mass-spectrometry

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry of environmental and biological samples is often hampered by spectral and non-spectral interferences. Spectral interferences, caused by the limited resolution of the quadrupole mass spectrometer, can be eliminated in a variety of ways. For their identification inspection of a signal versus carrier gas flowrate is useful. Anion exchange allows the removal of most S and Cl containing compounds, which are at the origin of the majority of spectral interferences. Matrix modification, for example the addition of ethanol and subsequent optimization of the gas flow rates in a number of cases enables the reduction of the interferences to insignificant values. Often a mathematical correction based on isotopic signal ratios can be applied. Non-spectral interferences can be divided in reversible, that is occurring while the sample is being measured, and irreversible matrix effects, that is clogging of the nebulizer and sampling orifices or deposition on the torch or in the ion lens stack. The errors associated with non-spectral interferences can be eliminated by appropriate calibration procedures, adapted sample preparation or limitation of the amount of sample delivered to nebulizer, plasma and sampling devices, for example by the application of flow injection. Applications of all the elimination procedures are described for the analysis of sea-water, estuarine water, soil and sewage extracts, percolate water, urine, serum and wine.     

Topical Problems in Elemental Analysis of Advanced Ceramic Materials

Selected prominent problems in the analysis of advanced ceramic materials are surveyed. The importance of reliability of results is discussed in the field of elemental trace- and microanalysis in view of its interaction with economy, power of detection, local resolution and speciation selectivity. Particular problems in the analysis of major constituents, trace components and microlocal distributions are based on the striking propertics of ceramics; they are exemplified. Analytical assistance must start from the beginning of the production processing, in the preparation of the powdered base materials. Determination of the stoichiometry requires high accuracy and differentiation of chemical species in bulk and surface analysis of ceramic base powders. Element trace determination by direct instrumental methods requires standard reference materials for calibration; these are currently inavailable in a sufficient variety. For optimum reliability and power of detection, element traces must be prepared in isolated form in a small excitation volume for analysis. A review on the state-of-the-art of wet-chemical combined procedures is presented. Decomposition position procedures are emphasized, due to their risk of contributing severe systematic error. Combustion in elementary fluorine is presented for decomposition of refractory materials. The performance of some direct procedures is discussed. Very efficient methods are available for element trace determinations in ceramic materials, offering high detection power. Several approaches for high-resolution local microanalysis in non-conductive ceramic materials are identified as the most promising development in the analysis of sintered compact ceramic products and devices.     

Multi-element characterization of silicon nitride powders by atomic and mass spectrometric solution methods

A sample pretreatment technique for silicon nitride involving digestion and matrix/traces separation was developed by means of radiotracers and applied to analysis of this material by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The results obtained for a high purity silicon nitride material by these methods are compared each with the other and with those obtained by neutron activation analysis. The limits of detection and the capabilities of the methods are compared and discussed.