Determining PCB desorption behaviour on sediments with SFE and investigating the dependency of selective fractions on sediment characteristics

A method for studying PCB desorption behaviour from sediments using supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) and pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) is presented. Four sediments were investigated and extracted with supercritical carbon dioxide employing increasingly harsher extraction conditions ranging from 40°C and 12?MPa to 100°C and 36.5?MPa. To ensure quantitative extractions, the remaining SFE residues were also extracted with PLE. Resulting profiles identified at least three different PCB fractions within the four sediments. Furthermore, a distinct fraction was obtained with extraction for 2?h at 40°C and 36.5?MPa. This fraction has previously been found to correlate well with bioavailable fractions. The dependency of this fraction on sediment total organic carbon (TOC) was investigated, both for sediments examined in this study as well as for previously reported values using the same extraction conditions. It was found that TOC does not correlate to selective SFE, which indicates that the use of TOC to predict bioavailability is questionable.     

Determination of Thallium in Soil

Abstract

A new spectrophotometric method is described for the determination of thallium in soil by extraction of Tl(III) with a toluene solution of N,N′-diphenylbenzamidine after acidification with 0.2–4.0 M HCl, and reaction of the extract with Crystal violet in the presence of 0.01–0.8 M HCl. The value of molar absorptivity of Tl(III)-X-CV complex (where X = Cl or Br; CV = Crystal violet) in toluene is 7.00 × 10⁴ 1 mole^?1 cm^?1 at the absorption maximum of 610 nm. The detection limit of the method is 20 ng ml^?1. The present method is free from interference of almost metal ions commonly associated with Tl. The method has been applied for analysis of the metal to soils.     

Cloud point extraction for the determination of cadmium and lead employing sequential multi-element flame atomic absorption spectrometry

A cloud point extraction procedure for pre-concentration and determination of cadmium and lead in drinking water using sequential multi-element flame atomic absorption spectrometry is described. 4-(2-thiazolylazo)-orcinol (TAO) has been used as complexing agent and the micellar phase was obtained using the non-ionic surfactant octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol (Triton X-114) and centrifugation. The conditions for reaction and extraction (surfactant concentration, reagent concentration, effect of incubation time, etc) were studied and the analytical characteristics of the method were determined. The method allows the determination of cadmium and lead with quantification limits of 0.30?µg?L^?1 and 2.6?µg?L^?1, respectively. A precision expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD, n?=?10) of 2.3% and 2.6% has been obtained for cadmium concentrations of 10?µg?L^?1 and 30?µg?L^?1, respectively, and RSD of 1.3% and 1.7% for lead concentrations of 10?µg?L^?1 and 30?µg?L^?1, respectively. The accuracy was confirmed by analysis of a natural water certified reference material. The method has been applied for the determination of cadmium and lead in drinking water samples collected in the cities of Ilhéus and Itabuna, Brazil. Recovery tests have also been performed for some samples, and results varied from 96 to 105% for cadmium and 97 to 106% for lead. The cadmium and lead concentrations found in these samples were always lower than the permissible maximum levels stipulated by World Health Organization and the Brazilian Government.     

Simultaneous extraction and determination of fluoroquinolones,tetracyclines and sulfonamides antibiotics in soils using optimised solid phase extraction chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

An analytical method was developed for the simultaneous extraction and determination of 18 fluoroquinolones (FQs), tetracyclines (TCs) and sulfonamides (SAs) antibiotics from soils using solid phase extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The soils were extracted by different solvents with the help of mechanical shaking and ultrasonic treatment at 59?kHz, followed by a strong anion exchange (SAX) cartridge to clean up soil samples and a hydrophilic lipophilic balance (HLB) cartridge as enrichment. The method was evaluated by testing the following variables: extraction solvents, the type of SPE cartridges, solvent volumes, initial spiking levels and soil types (silty clay loam and clay loam soils). The soil extraction method was validated using these two types of soils, representing two typical agricultural soils in northern China. For 2?g soil, the extraction steps with the mixture of potassium phosphate buffer and acetonitrile (ACN) (1/1, v/v, pH 3.2) provided satisfactory recoveries. In the clay loam soil, the recoveries of all the compounds were from 56% to 89% at the spiking level of 50?µg?kg^?1 soil, and from 69% to 97% at the spiking level of 200?µg?kg^?1 soil, respectively. Recoveries in silty clay loam soil were similar to that in clay loam. The method was successfully employed using soil samples collected from a farmland and afforestion area irrigated with sewage in northern China. The result indicates that trace antibiotics in sewage may accumulate in soil irrigated by river water containing sewage.     

Determination trace amounts of thallium after separation and preconcentration onto nanoclay loaded with 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol as a new sorbent

A procedure has been proposed for the separation and preconcentration of trace amounts of thallium. It is based on the adsorption of thallium ions onto organo nanoclay loaded with 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN). Thallium ions were quantitatively retained on the column in the pH range of 3.5–6.0, whereas quantitative desorption occurs with 5.0?mL of 5% ascorbic acid and thallium was determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Linearity was maintained between 0.66?ng?mL^?1–15.0?µg?mL^?1?in initial solution. Detection limit was 0.2?ng?mL^?1?in initial solution and preconcentration factor was 150. Eight replicate determinations of 2.0?µg?mL^?1 of thallium in final solution gave a relative standard deviation of ±1.48%. Various parameters have been studied, such as the effect of pH, breakthrough volume and interference of a large number of anions and cations and the proposed method was used to determine thallium ions in water and standard samples. Determination of thallium ions in standard sample showed that the proposed method has good accuracy.     

Cloud point extraction of aluminum (III) in water samples and determination by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry,flame atomic absorption spectrometry and UV-visible spectrophotometry

Cloud point extraction was applied as a preconcentration step for the determination of trace level of Al(III) in water samples with electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS), flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) and UV-visible spectrophotometry. The aluminum was extracted as aluminum-Eriochrome Cyanine R (ECR) complex, at pH 6 by micelles of the non-ionic surfactant octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol (Triton X-114). The investigations showed that the same CPE procedure can be used for different detection techniques. The results obtained from these techniques were evaluated. Under the optimal conditions, limit of detection obtained with ETAAS, FAAS and UV-visible spectrophotometry were 0.03 ng mL^?1, 0.06 µg mL^?1 and 0.01 µg mL^?1, respectively. The accuracy of the procedure was tested by analysing certified reference material. The method was successfully applied to determination of aluminum in water samples and dialysis fluid.     

Solid-phase extraction using multiwalled carbon nanotubes and quinalizarin for preconcentration and determination of trace amounts of some heavy metals in food,water and environmental samples

A solid phase extraction procedure has been developed using multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as a solid sorbent and quinalizarin [1,2,5,8-tetrahydroxyanthracene-9,10-dione] as a chelating agent for separation and preconcentration of trace amounts of some heavy metal ions, Cd(II), Cu(II), Ni(II), Pb(II) and Zn(II) before their determination by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS). The influences of the analytical parameters, including pH, amounts of quinalizarin and adsorbent, sample volume, elution conditions such as volume and concentration of eluent, flow rates of solution and matrix ions, were investigated for the optimum recoveries of the analyte ions. No interference effects were observed from the foreign metal ions. The preconcentration factor was 100. The detection limit (LOD) for the investigated metals at the optimal conditions were observed in the range of 0.30–0.65 μg L^?1. The relative standard deviation (RSDs), and the recoveries of standard addition for this method were lower than 5.0% and 96–102%, respectively. The new procedure was successfully applied to the determination of analytes in food, water and environmental samples with satisfactory results.     

Magnetic solid-phase extraction of Zineb by C18-functionalised paramagnetic nanoparticles and determination by first-derivative spectrophotometry

Fe₃O₄-SiO₂-C₁₈ paramagnetic nanoparticles have been synthesised and used as magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) sorbent for the extraction of Zineb from agricultural aqueous samples under ultrasonic condition and quantified through a first-derivative spectrophotometric method. The produced magnetic nanoparticles were characterised by using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and zeta potential reader. The Fe₃O₄-SiO₂-C₁₈ paramagnetic nanoparticles had spherical structures with diameters in the range of 198–201 nm. Further, MSPE was performed by dispersion of Fe₃O₄-SiO₂-C₁₈ paramagnetic nanoparticles in a buffered aqueous solution accompanied by sonication. Next, the sorbents were accumulated by applying an external magnetic field and were washed with 4-(2-pyridylazo) resorcinol-dimethyl sulfoxide solution, for the purpose of desorbing the analyte. The extraction conditions (sample pH, washing and elution solutions, amount of sorbents, time of extraction, sample volume and effect of diverse ions), as well as Zineb-PAR first-order derivative spectra, were also evaluated. The calibration curve of the method was linear in the concentration range of 0.055–24.3 mg L^?1 with a correlation coefficient of 0.991. The limit of detection and limit of quantification values were 0.022 and 0.055 mg L^?1, respectively. The precision of the method for 0.27 mg L^?1 solution of the analyte was found to be less than 3.2%. The recoveries of three different concentrations (0.27, 1.37 and 13.7 mg L^?1) obtained 98.3%, 98.5% and 96.0%, respectively. The proposed Fe₃O₄-SiO₂-C₁₈ paramagnetic nanoparticles were found to have the capability of reusing for 7.0 times.     

Ultrasound-assisted emulsification microextraction using low density solvent for analysis of toxic nitrophenols in natural waters

An ultrasound-assisted emulsification microextraction (USAEME) based on low-density solvents was successfully applied for the extraction and pre-concentration of four toxic nitrophenols in water samples. The extracted analytes were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography-UV detection. The important parameters influencing the extraction efficiency were studied and optimized utilizing two different optimization methods: one variable at a time (OVAT) and central composite design (CCD). The results showed that the emulsification process can be completed in a few seconds using low-density solvents, but almost 10–20?min is necessary for high-density solvents. Under the optimum conditions (extraction solvent, 1-octanol; extraction solvent volume, 40?µL; sample pH, 3.0; salt concentration, 20% (w/v) NaCl; extraction temperature, 40 (±3)°C), limits of detection of the method were in the range of 0.25 to 1?µg?L^?1 and the repeatability and reproducibility of the proposed method, expressed as relative deviation, varied in the range of 2.2–4.2% and 4.7–6.9%, respectively. Linearity was found to be in the range of 1 to 200?µg?L^?1 and the preconcentration factors (PFs) were between 77 and 175. The relative recoveries of the four nitrophenols from water samples at spiking level of 10.0?µg?L^?1 were in the range of 92.0 to 115.0%.     

Synthesis and characterisation of a silicon oxide film solid-phase extraction system for lead traces determination: an all the way green analytical method

In this work, an all the way green analytical procedure based on a silicon oxide film-solid phase extraction system is proposed for lead traces determination. From the synthesis of a solid phase extraction (SPE) system and throughout the metal preconcentration and determination only aqueous media were employed. Characterisation of the film was carried out by Scanning Electron Microscopy and Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. Preconcentration conditions, prior to Pb(II) Electrothermal Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (ETAAS) determination, such as adsorption and desorption time, pH and temperature, were optimised. Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm models were analysed along with the evaluation of adsorption energy and standard free energy (ΔG ⁰). The greatest adsorption was obtained with incubation at pH 7 and 37°C. By using a small volume of 0.5?mol?L^?1 HNO₃ (0.5?mL) lead was desorbed from the silicon oxide film after 2?h incubation, generating low amount of waste. The films showed better adjustment for the Langmuir model (R^{2 ?}=?0.989). The detection limit (3.29σ) for Pb(II) was 0.228?µg?L^?1. The developed procedure is 10-fold more sensitive in comparison to direct ETAAS determination. Recovery values from soft tap-water and soft well-water were above 95%. When hard water was analysed, Pb(II) adsorption was found to be interfered by Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺. After five preconcentration cycles relative recovery was found not to decay below 90%, indicating that the silicon oxide film could be used for multiple lead determinations.