A Modulated Tyrosinase Enzyme‐Based Biosensor for Application to the Detection of Dichlorvos and Atrazine Pesticides

A study was been made of tyrosinase amperometric biosensors for the determination of organophosphorus (dichlorvos) and triazine (atrazine) pesticides. The biosensors are based on the competitive inhibition of tyrosinase (Tyr) by the pesticides. Tyr becomes active when the reduced form of the charge‐transfer mediator (1,2‐naphthoquinone‐4‐sulfonic acid (NQS), 1,2‐naphthoquinone (NQ) and 3,5‐di‐tert‐butyl‐1,2‐benzoquinone (t‐BQ) were tested) are electrochemically generated onto the working electrode surface, which permits modulation of the enzymatic activity. The inhibition is reversible as there is a complete recovery of the current due to enzyme activity without the studied pesticides. The charge‐transfer mediators (the quinonic molecules) and the enzyme were co‐immobilized on the working electrode to obtain reagentless biosensors. Kinetic studies in solution were carried out to compare the efficiency of the measurement mechanism.     

Determination of N-methylcarbamate pesticides in water and vegetable samples by HPLC with post-column chemiluminescence detection using the luminol reaction

In this paper we proposed a reverse high performance liquid chromatography method for the simultaneous determination of three N-methylcarbamates (NMCs) named carbofuran, carbaryl and methiocarb, using the post-column chemiluminescence (CL) detection with the luminol reaction. This method is based on the enhancing effect of these analytes on the CL emission generated by the oxidation of luminol with potassium permanganate in alkaline medium. The separation was reached in less than 14 min using a C18 column and an isocratic binary mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile:water (50:50, v/v) pumped at a flow rate of 1 mL min⁻¹. CL reagents (luminol and KMnO₄) were incorporated by means of a peristaltic pump and were firstly mixed using a three-way connector. Then this stream was mixed with the eluate using another three-way connector just before reaching the detection cell. The optimization of variables affecting the CL reaction (reaction medium, concentration, flow rate of reagents and distance between both connectors) were optimized by means of experimental designs. Ethiofencarb, a NMC which has nowadays fallen into disuse was used as internal standard. For the analysis of theses pesticides in real water samples a pre-treatment step consisting of solid phase extraction (SPE) was conducted in order to reach sensitivity levels below the legal maximum concentration permitted. In the case of vegetable sample, SPE was used for matrix cleaning purpose.     

Spectrofluorimetric determination of benzoimidazolic pesticides: effect of p-sulfonatocalix[6]arene and cyclodextrins

The effect of the addition of a macrocyclic host (H) such as p-sulfonatocalix[6]arene (C6S), native and modified cyclodextrins (CDs), on the fluorescence of benzoimidazolic fungicides (P), like Benomyl (BY) and Carbendazim (CZ), has been studied. The fluorescence of BY in water at pH 1.000 and 25.0 degrees C was increased in the presence of C6S, alphaCD and hydroxypropyl-beta-CD (HPCD). The association constants determined by fluorescence enhancement showed weak interactions (K(A) approximately 10(1) to 10(2) M(-1)) between the fungicide with both CDs, whereas they were stronger with C6S (K(A) approximately 10(5) M(-1)). Molecular recognition of BY for C6S was mainly attributed to electrostatic interactions, and for CDs to the hydrophobic effect and hydrogen bond formation. On the other hand, the fluorescent behaviour of CZ in the presence of C6S at pH 6.994 was interpreted as the formation of two complexes with 1:1 (P:H) and 1:2 (P:H(2)) stoichiometry, the latter being less fluorescent than the free analyte. Relative fluorescence quantum yield ratios between the complexed and free BY (phi(P:H)/phi(P)) were 2.00+/-0.05, 1.40+/-0.03 and 2.8+/-0.4 for C6S, alphaCD and HPCD, respectively. The analytical parameters improved in the presence of C6S and CDs. The best limit of detection (L(D), ng mL(-1)) was 17.4+/-0.8 with HPCD. The proposed method with C6S and HPCD was successfully applied to fortified samples of tap water and orange flesh extract with good recoveries (91-106%) and R.S.D. (< or = 2%) by triplicate analysis. The method is rapid, direct and simple and needs no previous degradation or derivatization reaction.     

“Turn-off” fluorescent data array sensor based on double quantum dots coupled with chemometrics for highly sensitive and selective detection of multicomponent pesticides

As a popular detection model, the fluorescence “turn-off” sensor based on quantum dots (QDs) has already been successfully employed in the detections of many materials, especially in the researches on the interactions between pesticides. However, the previous studies are mainly focused on simple single track or the comparison based on similar concentration of drugs. In this work, a new detection method based on the fluorescence “turn-off” model with water-soluble ZnCdSe and CdSe QDs simultaneously as the fluorescent probes is established to detect various pesticides. The fluorescence of the two QDs can be quenched by different pesticides with varying degrees, which leads to the differences in positions and intensities of two peaks. By combining with chemometrics methods, all the pesticides can be qualitative and quantitative respectively even in real samples with the limit of detection was 2 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹ and a recognition rate of 100%. This work is, to the best of our knowledge, the first report on the detection of pesticides based on the fluorescence quenching phenomenon of double quantum dots combined with chemometrics methods. What's more, the excellent selectivity of the system has been verified in different mediums such as mixed ion disruption, waste water, tea and water extraction liquid drugs.     

羟基化多壁碳纳米管分散固相萃取/气相色谱-质谱测定茶叶中有机氯农药和拟除虫菊酯类农药残留

建立了羟基化多壁碳纳米管作为吸附剂的改进Qu ECh ERS方法,联合气相色谱-质谱联用法快速检测茶叶中24种有机氯农药和拟除虫菊酯类农药残留量。茶叶样品中的农药残留经正己烷-丙酮(2∶1)提取,以羟基化多壁碳纳米管(MWCNTs-OH)和N-丙基乙二胺键合固相吸附剂(PSA)吸附提取液中的杂质,提取液离心后过滤,经气相色谱-电子轰击源质谱法测定,外标法定量。研究了不同吸附剂种类、提取溶剂、吸附剂用量对提取净化效率的影响。在优化实验条件下,目标物质在0.01~0.50 mg/kg范围内线性关系良好。空白茶叶样品在低、中、高3个加标水平下的平均回收率为78.6%~109.6%,相对标准偏差(n=5)为2.1%~9.3%;方法的定量下限为0.002~0.050 mg/kg。该方法操作简单、快速、灵敏、成本低,能满足茶叶中常见有机氯和拟除虫菊酯类农药残留的检测要求,特别适合在小型实验室和企业中推广使用。     

Simultaneous preconcentration of polar and non‐polar organophosphorus pesticides from water samples by using a new sorbent based on mesoporous silica

A new mesoporous silica based on the sol–gel material cyanopropyltriethoxysilane (CNPrTEOS) was successfully synthesized by the hydrolysis and condensation of CNPrTEOS in the presence of ammonium solution as catalyst and methanol as solvent. It was used as a solid‐phase extraction sorbent for the simultaneous extraction of three organophosphorus pesticides, namely, polar dicrotophos and non‐polar diazinon and chlorpyrifos. Analysis was performed using high‐performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. CNPrTEOS was characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, field‐emission scanning electron microscopy and nitrogen gas adsorption. The surface area and average pore diameter of the optimum sol–gel CNPrTEOS are 379 m²/g and 4.7 nm (mesoporous), respectively. The proposed solid‐phase extraction based on CNPrTEOS exhibited good linearity in the range of 0.8–100 μg/L, satisfactory precision (1.15–3.82%), high enrichment factor (800) and low limit of detection (0.072–0.091 μg/L). The limits of detection obtained using the proposed solid‐phase extraction method are well below the maximum residue limit set by European Union and are also lower (13.6–48.5×) than that obtained by using a commercial CN‐SPE cartridge (0.98–4.41 μg/L). The new mesoporous sol–gel CNPrTEOS showed promising alternative as SPE sorbent material for the simultaneous extraction of polar and non‐polar organophosphorus pesticides.     

Response surface methodology for the microwave-assisted extraction of insecticides from soil samples

The extraction of two pyrethroid insecticides (deltamethrin and α-cypermethrin) together with three organophosphorus insecticides (dimethoate, diazinon and malathion) from soil samples was carried out with microwave-assisted technology. Experimental designs showed that extraction temperature, addition of water to the extractant and solvent/soil ratio were the variables that affected the recoveries of the pesticide the most. Response surface methodology was applied to find the optimum values of the variables involved in the extractions of the analytes. In addition, in order to achieve near-optimal extraction conditions, a desirability function was used to optimize the five pesticides simultaneously. The optimized conditions were applied to different types of soils.     

Determination of poorly fluorescent carbamate pesticides in water, bendiocarb and promecarb, using cyclodextrin nanocavities and related media

The effect of native cyclodextrins (alpha, beta, or gammaCD with six, seven and eight glucose units, respectively), hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HPCD), chitosan (CHT) and glucose in water solution or water with n-propylamine (PA) as co-solvent upon the UV-vis and fluorescence properties of poorly fluorescent N-methyl carbamates pesticides (C) as bendiocarb (2,2-dimethyl-1,3-benzodioxol-4-ol methylcarbamate, BC) and promecarb (3-methyl-5-(1-methylethyl)phenol methylcarbame, PC) was examined. Fluorescent enhancement was found for both substrates with all CDs in water or PA-water except from PC with alphaCD. The addition of CHT increases the fluorescence of BC but decreases the fluorescence of PC, and glucose addition gives in both cases no spectral changes. Host-guest interaction was clearly determined by fluorescence enhancement with betaCD and HPCD with a 1:1 stoichiometry for the complexes (C:CD). The values obtained for the association constants (K(A), M(-1)) were (6+/-2)x10(2) and (2.3+/-0.3)x10(2) for BC:betaCD and BC:HPCD complexes, respectively. For PC:betaCD and PC:HPCD the values of K(A) were (19+/-2)x10(2) and (21+/-2)x10(2), respectively. The ratio of the fluorescence quantum yields for the bound and free substrates (phi(CCD)/phi(C)) was in the range 1.74-3.8. The limits of detection (L(D), microg mL(-1)) for the best conditions were (0.57+/-0.02) for BC with HPCD and (0.091+/-0.002) for PC with betaCD in water. Application to the analysis in pesticide spiked samples of tap water and fruit yields satisfactory apparent recoveries (84-114%), and for the extraction procedure in fruits and a commercial formulation, recoveries were of 81-98% and 104%, respectively. The method is rapid, simple, direct, sensitive and useful for pesticide analysis.     

Retention system, thermodynamic properties and structure correlations of environmental analytes

Summary A composite chromatographic retention index system has been developed for identifying polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated pesticides. When retention indices and thermodynamic data of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on 5% phenylmethylsiloxane stationary phase were compared with those obtained on polydimethylsiloxane a correlation was found between retention and electronic properties. Determination and quantitation of individual contaminants in water and sediment samples from Lake Mecoacán were achieved by capillary gas chromatography with flame ionization and electrocapture detection.     

全自动凝胶净化-浓缩-固相萃取/气相色谱-质谱法测定紫皮石斛中有机磷农药残留

建立了以凝胶渗透色谱(GPC)和固相萃取(SPE)净化、气相色谱-质谱(GC-MS)法同时测定紫皮石斛中10种有机磷农药残留的方法。样品用乙腈超声提取,提取液经GPC去除类脂杂质和大分子物质,后经Envi-Carb/NH2固相萃取柱净化,选择离子(SIM)监测模式检测,外标法定量。在26min内10种农药得到很好的分离,农药残留量在0.02~0.5μg/mL,方法的线性良好,相关系数为0.997 3~0.999 9,农药加标浓度为0.05mg/kg和0.2mg/kg时,加标回收率在70.4%~115.8%,相对标准偏差在2.8%~9.6%,满足国家标准要求,检出限为0.005 2~0.011mg/kg。方法简便、快速、灵敏、准确,能够运用于石斛中多组分有机磷农药残留的定性和定量分析。