Quantification of imatinib and related compounds using capillary electrophoresis-tandem mass spectrometry with field-amplified sample stacking

A quantification method for imatinib (IM), its major metabolite N-desmethyl imatinib (NDI), and a degradation by-product was developed using CE–MS combined with an online concentration technique. The use of multiple reaction monitoring (MRM)–MS/MS further improved the sensitivity of this technology. Liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) using tertiary butyl methyl ether yielded high recovery and reproducibility for the pretreatment of serum samples. The recovery rate exceeded 83% for all three analytes, and was 90% for IM. To improve quantification results, a conductivity-induced online analyte concentration technique, field-amplified sample stacking (FASS), was used. The S/N ratios were improved at least 10-fold when compared with conventional capillary zone electrophoresis. The detection limits were 0.2 ng/mL for IM, 0.4 ng/mL for NDI, and 4 ng/mL for the degradation by-product. These results are superior to those previously obtained by other reported methods. The new method was validated in terms of its selectivity, intra- and interday repeatability and accuracy, and sample storage stability, following the guidelines issued by the European Medicines Agency. Considering the convenient pretreatment procedure (LLE), superior sensitivity, and fast analysis speed (<15 min), this method can be useful in the determination of imatinib levels in blood.     

Improving signal-to-noise ratio for the forensic analysis of glass using micro X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

Micro X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (μXRF) is a standard technique used for the elemental analysis of glass fragments in forensic casework. The glass specimens encountered in casework are usually small (<1 mm), thin fragments that are partially transparent to the exciting X-ray beam. In addition to providing fluorescence from the small glass fragments, the primary beam X-rays can scatter within the chamber and provide noise in the measurements. To reduce scatter from the sample stage, the fragments are typically mounted on a thin plastic film and raised on an XRF sample cup (≤3 cm in height). However, at these heights, there may still be significant scatter from the sample stage, which adversely affects the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the limit of detection (LOD). A plastic mount was designed and 3D-printed in-house to allow fragments to be raised as high as possible from the sample stage, thereby minimizing stage scatter. Most elements detected in glass showed an improvement in the SNR when using the 3D-printed mount for analyses. The greatest improvement (>30%) was observed for lower atomic number elements (Na and Mg) and higher atomic number elements (Sr and Zr). Another simple method to improve SNR is the use of primary beam filters; when using primary beam filters during analyses, elements with characteristic lines in the high-energy range (Rb, Sr, and Zr) showed the greatest improvement (>70%) in SNR. The impact of both strategies for the improvement of SNR is presented here.     

Sample Entropy as a Tool to Assess Lumbo-Pelvic Movements in a Clinical Test for Low-Back-Pain Patients

Low back pain (LBP) obviously reduces the quality of life but is also the world’s leading cause of years lived with disability. Alterations in motor response and changes in movement patterns are expected in LBP patients when compared to healthy people. Such changes in dynamics may be assessed by the nonlinear analysis of kinematical time series recorded from one patient’s motion. Since sample entropy (SampEn) has emerged as a relevant index measuring the complexity of a given time series, we propose the development of a clinical test based on SampEn of a time series recorded by a wearable inertial measurement unit for repeated bending and returns (b and r) of the trunk. Twenty-three healthy participants were asked to perform, in random order, 50 repetitions of this movement by touching a stool and another 50 repetitions by touching a box on the floor. The angular amplitude of the b and r movement and the sample entropy of the three components of the angular velocity and acceleration were computed. We showed that the repetitive b and r “touch the stool” test could indeed be the basis of a clinical test for the evaluation of low-back-pain patients, with an optimal duration of 70 s, acceptable in daily clinical practice.     

浊点萃取光度法测定水样中亚硝酸根

A new method for the determination of trace nitrite by spectrophotometric after cloud point extraction was proposed.The effects of experimental conditions such as acidity,concentration of chromogenic reagent and surfactant,equilibration temperature and time on cloud point extraction were discussed.Under the optimum conditions,a good linear relationship was obtained in the range of 4.0～200 μg/L of the nitrite(r=0.9998),the detection limits of 0.43 μg/L.The recoveries fell in the range from 97.7% to 102.4% an...     

体内和体外生物测定在环境监测中的应用

生物测定在环境毒物学研究中普遍用于检测人为污染物对个别生物体和生态系统的影响.这些测定适用于个别化学品或复杂的混合物(如废水)对有代表性的生物系统或整个生物体所引起的影响,并普遍应用于环境监测项目.生物测定可在生物体外或生物体内进行,前者是在实验室内利用细胞培养技术,后者除可在实验室内进行还可应用在真实的环境中.体外生物测定往往是用来研究环境样品中的污染物对生物机制的具体影响,如受体结合特性.而体内活性生物测定则提供了一个更加具体化的综合生物反应.然而,这两种类型的生物测定法可以测量许多不同的生物指标,如对生物生长及发育的影响、内分泌功能和DNA损伤.无论是在体内和体外生物测定都分别有其特有的优点和缺点,其中一些测定法可以使用于毒性鉴定和评价程序.本文简要介绍了体内和体外生物测定方法的基本特点及其在环境监测中的应用实例,指出化学物质如何影响有机体及生态系统的结构和功能,认为广泛发展更能充分反映生态系统生物多样性的生物测定方法,将有助于更准确地了解环境污染物对环境的潜在影响.     

The Cradle-to-Cradle Life Cycle Assessment of Polyethylene terephthalate: Environmental Perspective

Over the last several years, the number of concepts and technologies enabling the production of environmentally friendly products (including materials, consumables, and services) has expanded. One of these ways is cradle-to-cradle (C2C) certified^TM. Life cycle assessment (LCA) technique is used to highlight the advantages of C2C and recycling as a method for reducing plastic pollution and fossil depletion by indicating the research limitations and gaps from an environmental perspective. Also, it estimates the resources requirements and focuses on sound products and processes. The C2C life cycle measurements for petroleum-based poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) bottles, with an emphasis on different end-of-life options for recycling, were taken for mainland China, in brief. It is considered that the product is manufactured through the extraction of crude oil into ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid. The CML analysis method was used in the LCIA for the selected midpoint impact categories. LCA of the product has shown a drastic aftermath in terms of environmental impacts and energy use. But the estimation of these consequences is always dependent on the system and boundary conditions that were evaluated throughout the study. The impacts that burden the environment are with the extraction of raw material, resin, and final product production. Minor influences occurred due to the waste recycling process. This suggests that waste degradation is the key process to reduce the environmental impacts of the production systems. Lowering a product’s environmental impact can be accomplished in a number of ways, including reducing the amount of materials used or choosing materials with a minimal environmental impact during manufacture processes.     

Analytical Methods for the Determination of 90Sr and 239,240Pu in Environmental Samples

Artificial long-lived radionuclides such as ⁹⁰Sr and ^239,240Pu have been long released into the environment by human nuclear activities, which have a profound impact on the ecological environment. It is of great significance to monitor the concentration of these radionuclides for environmental safety. This paper summarizes and critically discusses the separation and measurement methods for ultra-trace determination of ⁹⁰Sr, ²³⁹Pu, and ²⁴⁰Pu in the environment. After selecting the measurement method, it is necessary to consider the decontamination of the interference from matrix elements and the key elements, and this involves the choice of the separation method. Measurement methods include both radiometric methods and non-radiometric methods. Radiometric methods, including alpha spectroscopy, liquid scintillation spectrometry, etc., are commonly used methods for measuring ^239+240Pu and ⁹⁰Sr. Mass spectrometry, as the representative of non-radiometric measurement methods, has been regarded as the most promising analytical method due to its high absolute sensitivity, low detection limit, and relatively short sample-analysis time. Through the comparison of various measurement methods, the future development trend of radionuclide measurement is prospected in this review. The fully automatic and rapid analysis method is a highlight. The new mass spectrometer with ultra-high sensitivity shows strong analytical capabilities for extremely low concentrations of ⁹⁰Sr, ²³⁹Pu, and ²⁴⁰Pu, and it is expected to develop determination methods with higher sensitivity and lower detection limit.     

Probing Ag nanoparticle surface oxidation in contact with (in)organics: an X‐ray scattering and fluorescence yield approach

Characterizing interfacial reactions is a crucial part of understanding the behavior of nanoparticles in nature and for unlocking their functional potential. Here, an advanced nanostructure characterization approach to study the corrosion processes of silver nanoparticles (Ag‐Nps), currently the most highly produced nanoparticle for nanotechnology, is presented. Corrosion of Ag‐Nps under aqueous conditions, in particular in the presence of organic matter and halide species common to many natural environments, is of particular importance because the release of toxic Ag⁺ from oxidation/dissolution of Ag‐Nps may strongly impact ecosystems. In this context, Ag‐Nps capped with polyvinolpyrrolidone (PVP) in contact with a simple proxy of organic matter in natural waters [polyacrylic acid (PAA) and Cl^? in solution] has been investigated. A combination of synchrotron‐based X‐ray standing‐wave fluorescence yield‐ and X‐ray diffraction‐based experiments on a sample consisting of an approximately single‐particle layer of Ag‐Nps deposited on a silicon substrate and coated by a thin film of PAA containing Cl revealed the formation of a stable AgCl corrosion product despite the presence of potential surface stabilizers (PVP and PAA). Diffusion and precipitation processes at the Ag‐Nps–PAA interface were characterized with a high spatial resolution using this new approach.     

A compact permanent‐magnet system for measuring magnetic circular dichroism in resonant inelastic soft X‐ray scattering

A compact and portable magnet system for measuring magnetic dichroism in resonant inelastic soft X‐ray scattering (SX‐RIXS) has been developed at the beamline BL07LSU in SPring‐8. A magnetic circuit composed of Nd–Fe–B permanent magnets, which realised ～0.25 T at the center of an 11 mm gap, was rotatable around the axis perpendicular to the X‐ray scattering plane. Using the system, a SX‐RIXS spectrum was obtained under the application of the magnetic field at an angle parallel, nearly 45° or perpendicular to the incident X‐rays. A dedicated sample stage was also designed to be as compact as possible, making it possible to perform SX‐RIXS measurements at arbitrary incident angles by rotating the sample stage in the gap between the magnetic poles. This system enables facile studies of magnetic dichroism in SX‐RIXS for various experimental geometries of the sample and the magnetic field. A brief demonstration of the application is presented.     

Preparing molecularly imprinted nanoparticles of saponins via cooperative imprinting strategy

Saponin is an important class of natural products with various pharmacological activities. The selective separation of saponins is an essential step before further analysis. Molecular imprinting has been an effective strategy for preparing antibody mimics. However, a facile and efficient imprinting strategy for saponins is still lacking owing to their amphiphilic nature. Herein, we have prepared the saponins imprinted nanoparticles via cooperative imprinting strategy. This new strategy relies on the combination of various non‐covalent interactions (hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding) and covalent boronate affinity interactions. The obtained imprinted nanoparticles could rebind specific saponins from complex matrices with good selectivity, superb tolerance to interference, and fast binding equilibrium. This method was verified to be versatile and facile. Thus, this strategy could greatly facilitate the preparation of imprinted nanoparticles for the specific recognition of saponins.