Determination of seven arsenic species in seafood by ion exchange chromatography coupled to inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry following microwave assisted extraction: method validation and occurrence data

The determination of seven arsenic species in seafood was performed using ion exchange chromatography on an IonPac AS7 column with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry detection after microwave assisted extraction. The effect of five parameters on arsenic extraction recoveries was evaluated in certified reference materials. The recoveries of total arsenic and of arsenic species with the two best extraction media (100% H₂O and 80% aqueous MeOH) were generally similar in the five seafood certified reference materials considered. However, because MeOH co-elutes with arsenite, which would result in a positively biased arsenite concentration, the 100% H₂O extraction conditions were selected for validation of the method. Figures of merit (linearity, LOQs (0.019-0.075 mg As kg⁻¹), specificity, trueness (with recoveries between 82% (As(III)) and 104% (As(V) based on spikes or certified concentrations), repeatability (3-14%), and intermediate precision reproducibility (9-16%) of the proposed method were satisfactory for the determination of arsenite, monomethylarsonic acid, dimethylarsinic acid, arsenate, arsenobetaine and arsenocholine in fish and shellfish. The performance criteria for trimethylarsine oxide, however, were less satisfactory. The method was then applied to 65 different seafood samples. Arsenobetaine was the main species in all samples. The percentage of inorganic arsenic varied between 0.4-15.8% in shellfish and 0.5-1.9% at the utmost in fish. The main advantage of this method that uses only H₂O as an extractant and nitric acid as gradient eluent is its great compatibility with the long-term stability of both IEC separation and ICP-MS detection.     

Study of the effects of operational parameters on multiresidue pesticide analysis by LC-MS/MS

In this paper, the influence of several operational parameters on a well established multiresidue LC-MS/MS method has been studied in relation to the analysis of 150 pesticides commonly present in vegetable samples. The operational parameters investigated are: (i) the influence of different modifiers (0.1% formic acid; 5 mM ammonium formiate; 5 mM ammonium acetate in aqueous phase) - both on the retention time and on the analytical response of the studied compounds; (ii) the effect of the analytical column's temperature on the retention time and on the analytical response of the pesticides investigated; (iii) the effects of co-elution in mixture containing 150 pesticides and, additionally, (iv) the carrying out of a study about the common transitions obtained by LC-MS/MS. Various common transitions were found among the 150 pesticides, but there were only two problematic cases, the pairs diuron-fluometuron and prometryn-terbutryn, which have common scanned transitions and have very close retention times. The use of ammonium salts as modifier instead of formic acid reports enhancement or suppression of the response depending on the pesticides. No great influence on the retention time or on the response of the pesticides and commodities studied was observed with relation to the column temperature. Two different columns: an HPLC (5 μm particle size) and an UHPLC analytical column (1.8 μm particle size) have been used. As was expected, shorter run times and lower peak width was achieved with the UHPLC column.In this paper, the effect of the compounds on each other in the MS analysis when the number of co-eluting compounds is quite high is also described. Mainly small suppression or enhancement co-elution effect was observed, but some particular pesticides presented high sensitivity (>±60% effect) when they elute together with others. This is an important factor and it has to be taken into account when performing multiresidue pesticide analysis.     

Studies of modification of HDPE and interfacial interaction of its composites with sericite

Ultraviolet irradiation, which is environment friendly and without any chemical pollution, was used to functionalize high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) and to improve the interfacial interaction of its composites with sericite in this study. The oxygen‐containing groups of C?O, C‐O, and C(?O)O were quickly introduced onto molecular chains of HDPE by ultraviolet irradiation in ozone atmosphere and the contents of the introduced oxygen‐containing groups increased with increasing the modification time. It is important to note that the irradiation time greatly decreased compared to that in air or oxygen atmosphere. After modification, the molecular weight of the irradiated HDPE decreased and its distribution became wider. The irradiated HDPE in ozone was not crosslinked, which is an advantage over the same reaction in air or oxygen atmosphere. With increasing the irradiation time, the melting temperature of the irradiated HDPE lightly decreased, while its crystallinity, hydrophilicity, and fluidity increased. The composites of HDPE/sericite were prepared. The results showed that the dispersion of sericite in the matrix and the interfacial interaction of sericite with the matrix were markedly improved for the irradiated HDPE/sericite composites. As a result, the irradiated HDPE/sericite composites showed significantly increased tensile yield strength and notched impact strength. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ab initio Study on Ionization Energies of 3-Amino-1-propanol

Fourteen conformers of 3-amino-1-propanol as the minima on the potential energy surface are examined at the MP2/6-311++G** level. Their relative energies calculated at B3LYP, MP3 and MP4 levels of theory indicated that two most stable conformers display the in-tramolecular OH…N hydrogen bonds. The vertical ionization energies of these conformers calculated with ab initio electron propagator theory in the P3/aug-cc-pVTZ approximation are in agreement with experimental data from photoelectron spectroscopy. Natural bond orbital analyses were used to explain the differences of IEs of the highest occupied molec-ular ortibal of conformers. Combined with statistical mechanics principles, conformational distributions at various temperatures are obtained and the temperature dependence of pho-toelectron spectra is interpreted.     

Charge transfer during H/H− collisions with Cu(100) and Cu(111) surfaces

We study the H and H⁻ survival probabilities during collisions with Cu(100) and Cu(111) surfaces, at energies ranging from 0.5 to 5 keV and exit angles ranging from 20° to 90°. Calculations are performed with the Wave‐Packet Propagation method adapted to ion‐surface interactions. The projectile survival probability depends on the perpendicular velocity and the copper face being investigated. Projectile's interaction time with the surface and the distance of closest approach are important factors that influence the survival. The H⁻ survival on Cu(100) is much smaller than on Cu(111) but only at low velocities, while becoming higher or comparable to Cu(111) for higher velocities. For very fast collisions, the copper surface behaves like a jellium, and the electron involved in charge transfer does not “feel” the particularities of the surface band structure anymore. While the H survival on Cu(100) seems to not depend on energy and exit angle, the H survival on Cu(111) is both energy and angle dependent, and it is smaller. The study of partial density of states indicates that strong atom‐surface interactions at short distances and the role played by surface states are important factors in determining the neutral fractions obtained after scattering.     

Non-empirical LCAO-MO-SCF calculations of the electronic structure of SiF2

Non-empirical LCAO-MO-SCF calculations on SiF₂ using two Gaussian basis sets are reported. The larger basis set gives a calculated geometry in good agreement with experiment. The effect on the energy and population analysis of optimization of the Si 3d exponent was investigated. 3d orbitals are found to be much less important in the bonding than in the isoelectronic molecule SO₂.     

Electron delocalization in cross-conjugated p-phenylenevinylidene oligomers

The synthesis, structure, and electronic properties of a series of cross-conjugated p-phenylenevinylidene oligomers with one to four double bonds are reported. The X-ray crystal structure of the compound with two double bonds reveals a nonplanar conformation with torsion angles about the C(phenylene)-C(vinylidene) and C(phenyl)-C(vinylidene) formal single bonds of 39.5(2) degrees and 30.5(2) degrees, respectively. Admixture of quinoid character in the ground state is observed. Infrared and Raman spectroscopy do not provide a clear picture of the degree of electron delocalization in the series, since the C=C stretching mode does not adequately reflect the C=C bond order and has a local nature. In contrast, electronic spectra and electrochemical data, as well as AM1 and PPP/SCF calculations, reveal that the cross-conjugated compounds basically behave as linearly pi-conjugated systems in the sense that molecular orbitals are delocalized over the entire structure and systematically change in energy. The electronic interaction between the repeating units is, however, not very strong, which has the consequence that spatial extension of the molecular orbitals does not lead to a red shift of the highest occupied molecular orbital-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (HOMO-LUMO) electronic transition. This is related to the feature that the modest narrowing of the HOMO-LUMO gap with the chain length is accompanied by a relatively large reduction of electron repulsion. This finding implies that care should be taken in the use of electronic spectra for the evaluation of conjugation phenomena.     

Optimal estimation of intensity of noisy peaks by matched filtering with application to chromatography : Part 1. General introduction and theoretical evaluations

The digital filter described provides optimal enhancement of the signal-to-noise ratio by using prior information about peak shape and type of noise. The filter, based onthe matched-filter principle, is applied to chromatographic data, but is also suitable for optimal processing of similar noisy signals. The current implementation of the filter permits the specific reduction of different types of noise. Several theoretical aspects concerning the interpretation and use of this advanced filter are discussed. Some calculations on peaks with Gaussian and Gamma distribution shape are given.     

高取向顺式聚乙炔导电性能的各向异性

用ＥＨＭＯ／ＣＯ方法计算了高取向顺式聚乙炔及其碘掺杂物的二维能带结构，并据此讨论了它们导电性能的各向异性问题，结果表明平行于分子链方向的导电率与垂直于该方向的电导率之比（σ‖／σ⊥）取决于这两个方向上的价带宽和导带宽。碘掺杂后σ‖／σ⊥下降的原因是链间耦合增加。碘掺杂后的顺式聚乙炔是一个链间相互作用微弱的的二维或三维体系。计算结果与实验较好地吻合。     

Schnelle Photometrie komplizierter biochemischer Mehrkomponentensysteme

Zusammenfassung Eine Übersicht über die schnelle photometrische Analyse komplizierter biochemischer Mehrkomponentensysteme wird gegeben. Zunächst werden apparative Probleme und Meßbedingungen behandelt. Anschließend werden die Auswertverfahren für Mehrstoffsysteme in homogener Lösung (multiplikative Farbmischung) und für solche mit inhomogener Verteilung (additive Farbmischung) beschrieben. Als praktische Anwendungsbeispiele dienen die Analyse von Nucleotidsummenspektren und Meerschweinchengehirnreflexionspektren sowie die Bestimmung des Oxigenierungsgrades von Hämoglobin.

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Rapid photometry of complicated biochemical multi-component systems

After discussing general problems concerning apparatus and measuring conditions the analysis of multi-component systems in homogeneous solutions (multiplicative colour mixture) and of those with inhomogeneous distribution (additive colour mixture) is described. Analysis of nucleotides and guinea pig brain and determination of the degree of oxygenation of haemoglobin are presented as examples.