An Analytical Method for the Biomonitoring of Mercury in Bees and Beehive Products by Cold Vapor Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry

Bees and their products are useful bioindicators of anthropogenic activities and could overcome the deficiencies of air quality networks. Among the environmental contaminants, mercury (Hg) is a toxic metal that can accumulate in living organisms. The first aim of this study was to develop a simple analytical method to determine Hg in small mass samples of bees and beehive products by cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry. The proposed method was optimized for about 0.02 g bee, pollen, propolis, and royal jelly, 0.05 g beeswax and honey, or 0.1 g honeydew with 0.5 mL HCl, 0.2 mL HNO₃, and 0.1 mL H₂O₂ in a water bath (95 °C, 30 min); samples were made up to a final volume of 5 mL deionized water. The method limits sample manipulation and the reagent mixture volume used. Detection limits were lower than 3 µg kg⁻¹ for a sample mass of 0.02 g, and recoveries and precision were within 20% of the expected value and less than 10%, respectively, for many matrices. The second aim of the present study was to evaluate the proposed method’s performances on real samples collected in six areas of the Lazio region in Italy.     

Micro Salting-Out Assisted Matrix Solid-Phase Dispersion: A Simple and Fast Sample Preparation Method for the Analysis of Bisphenol Contaminants in Bee Pollen

In the present work, a novel sample preparation method, micro salting-out assisted matrix solid-phase dispersion (μ-SOA-MSPD), was developed for the determination of bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol B (BPB) contaminants in bee pollen. The proposed method was designed to combine two classical sample preparation methodologies, matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) and homogenous liquid-liquid extraction (HLLE), to simplify and speed-up the preparation process. Parameters of μ-SOA-MSPD were systematically investigated, and results indicated the significant effect of salt and ACN-H₂O extractant on the signal response of analytes. In addition, excellent clean-up ability in removing matrix components was observed when primary secondary amine (PSA) sorbent was introduced into the blending operation. The developed method was fully validated, and the limits of detection for BPA and BPB were 20 μg/kg and 30 μg/kg, respectively. Average recoveries and precisions were ranged from 83.03% to 94.64% and 1.76% to 5.45%, respectively. This is the first report on the analysis of bisphenol contaminants in bee pollen sample, and also on the combination of MSPD and HLLE. The present method might provide a new strategy for simple and fast sample preparation of solid and semi-solid samples.     

Nanomaterials for Biomedical Applications: Production,Characterisations, Recent Trends and Difficulties

Designing of nanomaterials has now become a top-priority research goal with a view to developing specific applications in the biomedical fields. In fact, the recent trends in the literature show that there is a lack of in-depth reviews that specifically highlight the current knowledge based on the design and production of nanomaterials. Considerations of size, shape, surface charge and microstructures are important factors in this regard as they affect the performance of nanoparticles (NPs). These parameters are also found to be dependent on their synthesis methods. The characterisation techniques that have been used for the investigation of these nanomaterials are relatively different in their concepts, sample preparation methods and obtained results. Consequently, this review article aims to carry out an in-depth discussion on the recent trends on nanomaterials for biomedical engineering, with a particular emphasis on the choices of the nanomaterials, preparation methods/instruments and characterisations techniques used for designing of nanomaterials. Key applications of these nanomaterials, such as tissue regeneration, medication delivery and wound healing, are also discussed briefly. Covering this knowledge gap will result in a better understanding of the role of nanomaterial design and subsequent larger-scale applications in terms of both its potential and difficulties.     

Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopic Analyses of Microbiological Samples and Biogenic Selenium Nanoparticles of Microbial Origin: Sample Preparation Effects

To demonstrate the importance of sample preparation used in Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy of microbiological materials, bacterial biomass samples with and without grinding and after different drying periods (1.5–23 h at 45 °C), as well as biogenic selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs; without washing and after one to three washing steps) were comparatively studied by transmission FTIR spectroscopy. For preparing bacterial biomass samples, Azospirillum brasilense Sp7 and A. baldaniorum Sp245 (earlier known as A. brasilense Sp245) were used. The SeNPs were obtained using A. brasilense Sp7 incubated with selenite. Grinding of the biomass samples was shown to result in slight downshifting of the bands related to cellular poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) present in the samples in small amounts (under ~10%), reflecting its partial crystallisation. Drying for 23 h was shown to give more reproducible FTIR spectra of bacterial samples. SeNPs were shown to contain capping layers of proteins, polysaccharides and lipids. The as-prepared SeNPs contained significant amounts of carboxylated components in their bioorganic capping, which appeared to be weakly bound and were largely removed after washing. Spectroscopic characteristics and changes induced by various sample preparation steps are discussed with regard to optimising sample treatment procedures for FTIR spectroscopic analyses of microbiological specimens.     

问题情境引领下的进阶式探究教学实践——氯化铜和亚硫酸钠在水溶液中的反应

以氯化铜和亚硫酸钠在水溶液中反应先生成橙黄色沉淀后转化为白色沉淀的这个“异常”现象为线索,以培养学生形成解决问题的思路和科学探究思维为目标,巧设递进式问题情境引导学生探究两种沉淀成分并剖析反应原理,同时使手持技术赋能氯化亚铜制备方案的优化,发展基于证据推理得出结论和对实验结果的反思评价等关键能力。学生在探究与发现的过程中自主实现知识模型的建构与核心素养的发展,最终构建“问题-探究-结论-应用”的进阶式探究性教学模式。     

Analytical developments and applications of ionic liquids for environmental studies

Ionic liquids (ILs) are considered advanced solvents with interesting properties that have led to remarkable improvements in the performance of analytical methods and their practical application. Analytical chemistry has profited from the evolution of ILs in diverse contexts, ranging from their applications in microextractions to uses as matrices for mass spectrometric determinations. Their use in sample preparation has meant significant improvements in terms of miniaturization and analytical performance, and given place to new techniques based on liquid-liquid and solid-phase extractions; the latter greatly driven forward by the combination of ILs with nanomaterials. Furthermore, electrodes have been prepared by combining ILs with different modern materials, significantly improving the sensitivity and selectivity of electroanalytical methods. Moreover, the implementation of ILs as additives to mobile and stationary phases in separation techniques has been proved to improve liquid and gas chromatography, as well as capillary electrophoresis, in terms of the number of analytes that can be efficiently separated and of the useful life of columns, representing also a promising alternative to environmentally dangerous organic solvents. Additionally, their application as matrix modifiers and as ion-pairing additives has introduced their use in mass spectrometry. In this review, the design and implementation of innovative and highly efficient analytical methods based on ILs for the sensitive and selective determination of diverse analytes in environmental matrices is described. Critical issues that have arisen from their application and future challenges in electrochemical, separation and preconcentration techniques based on these solvents are also presented.     

L－苏糖酸钴的制备及标准生成焓

以L－苏糖酸钙与草酸的复分解反应得到的L－苏糖酸溶液，在80℃下与过量 CoO反应较长时间，滤液浓缩后加无水乙醇制得L－苏糖酸钴粉红色粉末。用化学分 析及元素分析确定其组成为Co(C4H7O5)·H2O,IR光谱分析结果表明新化合物中苏糖 酸以羧基氧原子与Co^+配位。TD－DTG结果说明，它在热分解中有一定稳定性，经 脱水生成Co-(C4H7O5)2,最后生成CoO。用转动弹热量计测得其恒容燃烧能ΔcE为（ －3504.47±1.64)kJ·mol^-1，计算得其标准燃烧焓和标准生成焓ΔfHm^θ分别为 （－3501．99±1．64）和（－2170．67±1.97)kJ·mol^-1。     

琼脂铸模法制备透射电镜样品

本文介绍用琼脂铸模法制备透射电镜样品，如悬浮培养细胞、细菌、蓝藻、原生动物和花粉等细小分散的生物样品。该技术不但能将这类样品高度浓缩在一个微小的空间内，而且可简化样品制备步骤，减少样品损失，提高可观察样品的信息量。     

Introduction of a cryosectioning-ToF-SIMS instrument for analysis of non-dehydrated biological samples

Tof-SIMS and laser-SNMS are becoming increasingly important tools for analysing the elemental and molecular distribution in biological samples. We have developed the prototype of an in-vacuum cryosectioning instrument directly attached to a ToF-SIMS/laser-SNMS instrument, which allows preparing and analyzing frozen non-dehydrated biological samples. Due to unavoidable effects during the handling, storing, and preparation of frozen samples, even inside the vacuum, it must be ensured that the analyzed surface is from the sample and not a preparation artefact. To this effect, a model structure, similar to the biological samples and with a defined chemical composition, was analyzed under varying thermal treatment before and during analysis, respectively, in order to identify a balance between evaporating and subliming adsorbed materials and the effect of freeze-drying on the measured signal.     

原生质体扫描电镜观察研究的一种新方法

常规方法制备原生质体扫描电镜样品容易造成原生质体变形和破裂,影响其电镜观测结果。本文工作中,通过选用适宜的固定剂对原生质体进行快速因定,然后将原生质体悬浮液滴在经过硅烷化处理而引入了胺基的玻片上,直接在玻片上进行原生质体洗涤、脱水、置换、临界点干燥、喷镀处理,避免了在制样过程中进行离心操作,从而有效地解决了原生质体变形和破裂的问题。