AFM of adsorbed polyelectrolytes on cellulose I surfaces spin-coated on silicon wafers

Thin layers of cellulose I nanocrystals were spin-coated onto silicon wafers to give a flat model cellulose surface. A mild heat treatment was required to stabilize the cellulose layer. Interactions of this surface with polyelectrolyte layers and multilayers were probed by atomic force microscopy in water and dilute salt solutions. Deflection–distance curves for standard silicon nitride tips were measured for silicon, cellulose-coated silicon, and for polyelectrolytes adsorbed on the cellulose surface. Transfer of polymer to the tip was checked by running deflection–distance curves against clean silicon. Deflection–distance curves were relatively insensitive to adsorbed polyelectrolyte, but salt addition caused transfer of cationic polyelectrolyte to the tip, and swelling of the polyelectrolyte multilayers.     

Comparison of pre-reducing agents for antimony determination by hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry

A systematic study of antimony reduction prior to its determination by hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry (HG-AFS) was carried out. The efficiency of l-cysteine, potassium iodide and potassium iodide/ascorbic acid was studied for this purpose. The hydride generation step was optimised in the presence of those pre-reductors. From the results, l-cysteine was found to be the most suitable pre-reducing agent. Methodology was validated, obtaining detection limits lower than 90 ng l⁻¹ and repeatability and reproducibility better than 3% R.S.D. and 5% R.S.D., respectively, in all cases. In order to evaluate the methodology developed and the influence of the matrix, recovery from waters from different sources was tested by HG-AFS and also by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Accuracy was assessed by analysing three water reference materials at different antimony concentration levels. The high sensitivity of the developed methodology enables it to be applied for monitoring drinking waters according to the maximum admissible concentration of antimony established by the EU Directives.     

Trace elemental determination in alcohol automotive fuel by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

Suitable analytical methodologies were developed allowing direct determination of As, Cu, Fe, Pb, Sb and Sn in alcohol fuel samples by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. Different chemical modification approaches were tested and compared in terms of analytical performance and in practical terms. Experimental conditions were optimized allowing little sample dilution and use of calibration curves prepared with aqueous inorganic analyte standards. Methodologies were tested with analyte spiked alcohol samples. Good analyte recoveries from spiked alcohol samples, precision better than 10% and limits of detection in the sub μg l⁻¹ range were achieved.     

Thermal lens spectrometric determination of hexavalent chromium

The applicability of thermal lens spectrometry (TLS) for quantification and routine determination of hexavalent chromium was investigated by using a collinear dual beam thermal lens spectrometer. In aqueous solutions the LOD of 0.1 μg l⁻¹ was obtained for Cr(VI) by using 160 mW laser power. The performance of the technique was verified by the determination of hexavalent chromium in standard reference water samples (NIST SRM 1643a and NIST SRM 1643c) and comparing the results for Cr(VI) in CCA (Cr, Cu, As)-treated timber extracts to concentrations obtained by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Good agreement between the TLS results and reported values for Cr(VI) in SRMs as well as AAS results for Cr(VI) in CCA-treated timbers confirmed that TLS is a reliable and accurate analytical technique applicable for the determination of Cr(VI) in aqueous solutions at concentration levels 0.5–100 μg l⁻¹.     

Chiral separation of 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol and its analogue on molecular imprinting monolithic columns by HPLC

Two molecular imprinting polymer (MIP) monolithic columns with (S)-(-)-1,1'-bi-2-naphthol and (R)-(+)-5,5',6,6',7,7',8,8'-octahydro-1,1'-bi-2-naphthol as the templating molecules, respectively, have been prepared by in situ polymerization using 4-vinylpyridine and ethylene dimethacrylate as functional monomer and cross-linker, respectively. The columns with good flow-through properties were obtained by changing the molar ratio of the functional monomer and the template molecule. The effects of mobile-phase composition on separation of enantiomers were systematically investigated. The results indicate that hydrophobic interaction in aqueous solution and hydrogen-bonding interaction in ACN between the enantiomers and polymers could play important roles in the retention and resolution. The effects of chromatographic conditions, such as flow rate, column temperature, sample loading, on the enantioseparation were also studied. Further, these two MIP columns show a cross-reactivity.     

Comparison of the Hartree-Fock,Møller-Plesset,and Hartree-Fock-Slater method with respect to electrostatic properties of small molecules

Summary The results of various quantum chemical calculations, the Hartree-Fock (HF) method, the Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2), and the Hartree-Fock-Slater (HFS) method are compared. Atomic charges, dipole moments, topological properties of the electron density distribution and polarizabilities, and first hyperpolarizabilities are calculated. Atomic charges obtained with the HFS method are found to be very close to those calculated with the MP2 method, from which we conclude that the HFS method describes to some extent electron correlation effects. Performing an MP2 calculation after an HF calculation improves the molecular dipole moments considerably, yielding values close to the experimental ones. HFS calculations are computationally less demanding than MP2 and yield comparable results for the electron density distributions, dipole moments and polarizabilities.     

Photolytic oxidation of As species for determination of total As (including the ‘hidden’ As fraction) in coastal seawater by hydride generation-atomic fluorescence spectrometry

Ultraviolet irradiation (photolysis) in alkaline medium was applied for pretreatment of seawater samples so as to accurately determine total As by continuous-flow hydride generation-atomic fluorescence spectrometry. This sample pretreatment is meant to convert non-reducible As forms into inorganic As, which easily forms arsine. The optimised parameters were the treatment time and the pH of the medium. The behaviour of four hydride-reactive As species [As(III), As(V), MMA, DMA], and AsB, i.e. a typical non-hydride-reactive As species, when subjected to UV irradiation was studied. UV irradiation at pH 1 lead to conversion of all species into As(V) with the exception of AsB and DMA. Conversions of DMA and AsB into As(V) at pH 11 in less than 30 min were observed under UV irradiation. The limit of detection of As (measured as As(V)) by hydride generation-atomic fluorescence spectrometry was 0.1 μg/L and the repeatability of the oxidation procedure was about 10%. The method was applied to determination of total and directly reducible As at 11 sampling points of the Galician Coast (Atlantic Ocean, Spain). Total As concentrations were in the range 1.4-4.8 μg/L. A significant As fraction, between 20 and 44%, depending on the sampling point, corresponded to non-reducible As which was converted by UV irradiation into hydride-reactive As. This fraction should represent the sum of DMA, which yields a low sensitivity in the continuous flow-AFS system, and the hidden As fraction.     

Hydrogen peroxide in basic media for whole blood sample dissolution for determination of its lead content by electrothermal atomization atomic absorption spectrometry

Hydrogen peroxide in basic media is proposed as a means for dissolving whole blood samples to be analyzed by electrothermal atomization atomic absorption spectrometry, ET AAS. Approximately 2 g of the whole blood sample were directly weighed in a 150 mL volumetric flask; 3 mL of a NaOH 0.2 mol L⁻¹ solution, two drops of 1-octanol, as an antifoaming agent, and 1 mL of 30% volume hydrogen peroxide were added to the flask to promote oxidation. The solution was then manually shaken and after approximately three minutes of shaking, a clear solution, with no apparent suspended solids or greasy layers, was obtained. Distilled-deionized water was used to complete the volume. Ten μL of the resulting solution along with 10 μL of a solution containing 5000 mg L⁻¹ of NH₄H₂PO₄ and 300 mg L⁻¹ of Mg(NO₃)₂ as a modifier, were injected into transversely heated graphite tubes for lead determination. Both aqueous standards and standard addition calibration curves produced results not significantly different at a 95% confidence limit level. Accuracy of the measurements was assessed by analysis of the IAEA A-13 (concentration of trace and minor elements in freeze dried animal blood) standard reference material containing 0.18 mg L⁻¹ lead on a dry basis and by means of recovery tests. Analysis of the IAEA A-13 standard produced 0.17 ± 0.02 mg L⁻¹ lead on a dry basis; recovery tests afforded values from 95 to 105%. Ten consecutive measurements of a 5 ppb lead solution gave a characteristic mass of 47.2 pg and a (3S) detection limit of 1.77 μg L⁻¹ Pb. Results obtained from analysis of whole blood samples of volunteer donors covered a lead concentration range between 8 and 21 μg L⁻¹ with a mean value of 11.9 ± 4.7 μg L⁻¹.     

Hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometric determination of As, Bi, Sb, Se(IV) and Te(IV) in aqua regia extracts from atmospheric particulate matter using multivariate optimization

A highly sensitive and simple method, based on hydride generation and atomic fluorescence detection, has been developed for the determination of As, Bi, Sb, Se(IV) and Te(IV) in aqua regia extracts from atmospheric particulate matter samples. Atmospheric particulates matter was collected on glass fiber filters using a medium volume sampler (PM1 particulate matter). Two-level factorial designs have been used to optimise the hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry (HG-AFS) procedure. The effects of several parameters affecting the hydride generation efficiency (hydrochloric acid, sodium tetrahydroborate and potassium iodide concentrations and flow rates) have been evaluated using a Plackett-Burman experimental design. In addition, parameters affecting the hydride measurement (delay, analysis and memory times) have been also investigated. The significant parameters obtained (sodium tetrahydroborate concentration, sodium tetrahydroborate flow rate and analysis time for As; hydrochloric acid concentration and sodium tetrahydroborate flow rate for Se(IV); and sodium tetrahydroborate concentration and sodium tetrahydroborate flow rate for Te(IV)) have been optimized by using 2ⁿ + star central composite design. Hydrochloric acid concentration and sodium tetrahydroborate flow rate were the significant parameters obtained for Sb and Bi determination, respectively. Using a univariate approach these parameters were optimized. The accuracy of methods have been verified by using several certified reference materials: SRM 1648 (urban particulate matter) and SRM 1649a (urban dust). Detection limits in the range of 6 × 10⁻³ to 0.2 ng m⁻³ have been achieved. The developed methods were applied to several atmospheric particulate matter samples corresponding to A Coruña city (NW Spain).     

流动注射在线萃取-火焰原子吸收法测定食用盐中的锌

基于锌与 1 (2 吡啶偶氮 ) 2 萘酚 (简称PAN)形成的配合物可被氯仿萃取 ,从高盐基体样品中分离富集锌 ,利用自行设计的分相器 ,实验确定了最佳的流动注射在线萃取 火焰原子吸收光度法测定锌的流路系统和化学反应条件。在选定的工作条件下 ,其RSD和检出限分别为 4 3 % (c=0 6 μg/mL ,n =1 1 )和0 0 3 μg/mL ,测定速度为 2 5样 /h。用于实际样品的测定 ,加标回收率为 97%～1 0 6 %。