New tools: Expert systems for uncertainty budgets

An important part of quality assurance in any analytical laboratory is the production of comprehensive results integrating uncertainty measurements. Many testing laboratories face the problem that the expenditure required to evaluate small uncertainties (high precision and high accuracy) is often uneconomic. In most cases an uncertainty of high reliability has to be calculated from only a few data (one calibration, few replications, etc.). This problem can be solved by an expert system. To achieve this the analytical procedure has to be structured into a dialouge and divided into parts. The uncertainty has to be calculated for each part of the procedure. Addition of the individual uncertainties results in the combined and expanded uncertainty. During the dialouge the system should advise the analyst how to get an efficient and effective calculation of uncertainty. All calculations, mathematical and statistical procedures have to be surveyable but running the system should not be too time consuming for economic reasons. Within the scope of the EURECA-project initiated by the Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt (EMPA), St. Gallen, Switzerland, expert system software is being developed in cooperation with other research institutes and manufacturers of analytical instruments. Using this software it will be possible to calculate the uncertainty for analytical procedures such as titration, atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and gas- and liquid chromatography (GC, HPLC).     

Traceable measurements in clinical laboratories

 Reliable, traceable and comparable measurements provide the rational basis for evaluation of the quality of a result and the starting point for recognized laboratory accreditation in any national area. Modern medical diagnostics and treatment involve rapidly rising numbers and types of clinical laboratory measurements, that are reliable. Therefore, the basic principles to be followed to assure the traceability of clinical measurements as required by the Romanian Laws of Metrology are reviewed. Main sources affecting the quality of the unbroken chain of calibrations that relate the measurements back to appropriate measurement standards are discussed. Examples of how to achieve traceable measurements in clinical laboratories are presented. Details of specific uses of reference materials, measuring instruments and standard measurement methods are also discussed. Received: 8 January 1998 · Accepted: 21 April 1998     

以短链季铵盐/脂肪酸盐为模板合成超微孔二氧化硅

超微孔材料具有1~2 nm的孔径,在分离、催化应用中有望展现出择形催化的能力。 寻找经济、简便的合成超微孔材料的表面活性剂体系是一项有意义的工作。 本研究以短链季铵盐(十烷基三甲基溴化铵,记为C₁₀TAB)和不同链长脂肪酸酸盐混合胶束为模板剂,硅酸钠为硅源,成功制备出高度有序超微孔SiO₂。 通过小角X射线衍射、N₂吸附-脱附、傅里叶变换红外光谱、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)和透射电子显微镜(TEM)等技术手段对产品的结构和性能进行了表征。 结果表明,合成体系中脂肪酸盐碳链长、加入量、晶化温度等对产物孔道有序性有很大影响。 当选择正辛酸钠(SO)为助表面活性剂,当n(C₁₀TAB):n(Na₂SiO₃):n(SO):n(H₂O)=1:1.5:0.3:800,晶化温度为80 ℃时,可以得到高度有序超微孔SiO₂。 煅烧后样品比表面积为1300 m²/g,孔体积0.49 cm³/g,孔径分布在1.90 nm。     

用质谱技术对钾、钙同位素体系特征参数测定的初探

报道了用FinniganMAT 2 62质谱技术和同位素稀释法测定了光谱纯CaO和国际二级标准Tahiti(CaCO3)的同位素40 Ca 42 Ca比值以及后者的40 Ca含量 ,RSD分别为 0 .0 2 %和 0 .1 %。对国家钾标样的测定表明 :39K、40 K和41 K同位素丰度分别为 0 .93 2 60± 0 .0 0 1 2、0 0 0 0 1 1 2 0± 0 .0 0 0 0 1 2 9和 0 .0 672 86± 0 .0 0 0 1 2 5。其中39K含量为 0 .1 2 1 72± 0 .0 0 0 2 9,与标准值在误差范围内一致。实验测定结果为在我国开展40 K 40 Ca同位素体系的定年和环境的示踪研究打下了基础     

Mercury extraction by ionic liquids: temperature and alkyl chain length effect

The preliminary results described here show the complete transfer of Hg(II) ions, in the absence of a chelating agent in 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ionic liquids; the lag time required to gain the quantitative metal ion partition turned out to be strongly dependent both on alkyl chain length on the imidazolium ring and on the working temperature.     

全自动QuEChERS样品制备系统结合高效液相色谱-串联质谱法检测植物源性食品中34种农药残留

建立了全自动QuEChERS样品制备系统结合高效液相色谱-串联质谱（HPLC-MS/MS）同时检测植物源性食品中34种农药残留的分析方法。方法利用全自动QuEChERS样品制备系统涡旋振动和离心功能，将手动QuEChERS方法中样品提取和分散固相萃取相结合；优化了操作参数及前处理步骤，在多反应监测（MRM）模式下检测，基质匹配外标法定量。从方法学验证角度对全自动QuEChERS法与手动QuEChERS法进行了比较。结果表明：该方法中大多数农药在一定范围内呈现良好的线性关系，相关系数（R²）均大于0.99，检出限为0.76~3.60 μg/kg，定量限为2.28~10.80 μg/kg，加标回收率为53.0%~125.2%，相对标准偏差（RSD）<15.9%（n=5）。该方法与手动QuEChERS法的方法验证比对结果显示差异不明显，用于植物源性食品中多农药残留检测可有效降低劳动强度和出错概率。     

Selective enzyme amplification of NAD/NADH using coimmobilized glycerol dehydrogenase and diaphorase with amperometric detection

A flow system for substrate recycling of NAD⁺/NADH was set up with an enzyme reactor containing coimmobilized glycerol dehydrogenase (GDH) and diaphorase. The product from the diaphorase catalysis, hexacyanoferrate(II), aws detected amperometrically at a glassy carbon electrode. The amplification factor was 150 for a reactor volume of 100 μ l at a flow-rate of 0.5 ml/min. With a stopped flow of four minutes, the signal increased another 88 times, resulting in a signal amplification of 13 300 times. Equations are derived for the amplification factor and used for a discussion of the optimization of amplification systems. The K_m for GDH with glycerol as a substrate was found to be 5 × 10⁻³ M at pH 8.0. GDH from Cellulomonas sp. was purified on a gel filtration column and the purified enzyme showed a specificity toward NAD⁺, compared to NADP⁺, that was higher than 99.9%. Due to the NAD⁺ specificity of the purified GDH, the enzyme amplification system reported here could be used in detection systems for enzyme immunoassays when using alkaline phosphatase as a label and NADP⁺ as a substrate. The stability of immobilized GDH and diaphorase is several orders of magnitude better than that of alcohol dehydrogenase, which is the enzyme commonly used for NAD⁺-specific detection in these applications.     

Migration behavior and enantioseparation of hydrobenzoin and structurally related compounds in capillary zone electrophoresis with a dual cyclodextrin system consisting of heptakis-(2,3-dihydroxy-6-O-sulfo)-beta-cyclodextrin and beta-cyclodextrin

Migration behavior and enantioseparation of racemic hydrobenzoin and structurally related compounds, including benzoin and benzoin methyl ether, in CZE with a dual CD system consisting of heptakis-(2,3-dihydroxy-6-O-sulfo)-beta-CD (SI-S-beta-CD) and beta-CD as chiral selectors in the presence and absence of borate complexation at pH 9.0 were investigated. The results indicate that enantioseparation of hydrobenzoin is mainly governed by CD complexation of hydrobenzoin-borate complexes with SI-S-beta-CD when SI-S-beta-CD concentration is relatively high. Whereas CD complexation of hydrobenzoin-borate complexes with beta-CD plays a significant role in enantioseparation when SI-S-beta-CD concentration is comparatively low. The (S,S)-enantiomer of the hydrobenzoin-borate complex was found to interact more strongly than the corresponding (R,R)-enantiomer with both SI-S-beta-CD and beta-CD. These two types of CD show the same chiral recognition pattern, but they exhibit opposite effects on the mobility of the enantiomers of hydrobenzoin-borate complexes. Enantiomer migration reversal of hydrobenzoin occurred in the presence of borate complexation when varying the concentration of beta-CD, while keeping SI-S-beta-CD at a relatively low concentration. Binding constants of the enantiomers of benzoin-related compounds to beta-CD and those of hydrobenzoin-borate complexes to SI-beta-CD were evaluated; the mobility contributions of all complex species to the effective mobility of the enantiomers of hydrobenzoin as a function of beta-CD concentration in a borate buffer were analyzed. In addition, comparative studies on the enantioseparation of benzoin-related compounds with SI-S-beta-CD and with randomly sulfate-substituted beta-CD were made.     

Synthesis and Cytotoxic Activity of 4-Substituted 3-Cyano-6,6-dimethyl-5,6-dihydro-2-pyranones

The respective 4-(arylvinyl)lactones and compounds of the Michael adduct type were synthesized by the condensation of substituted benzaldehydes with 3-cyano-4,6,6-trimethyl-5,6-dihydro-2-pyranone in the presence of catalytic amounts of sodium hydroxide. It was shown by the semiempirical AM1 method that the indicated products can be formed through one and the same intermediate compound. Some of the synthesized phenylvinyl-5,6-dihydro-2-pyranones have a cytotoxic effect, and this corresponds to the prognosis of the OREX expert system.     

Reagentless system for sulphite determination based on polyaniline

A new reagentless system for sulphite (or sulphur dioxide) determination is reported based on the use of an organic conducting polymer, polyaniline, and its absorbance variation at 550 nm, depending on the sulphite concentration. After chemical polymerisation of aniline a very thin film of polyaniline is obtained. Although the response is not fully reversible, each film can be used for at least 10 measurements for low analyte concentrations (up to 0.5 mg l⁻¹) and five measurements for higher sulphite concentrations. Moreover, the reproducibility, ease of preparation and low cost of the films, permit the use of a new disposable system for each measurement. When the change in absorbance at 550 nm was measured for 210 s (stabilisation time), the system showed a linear response, which ranged from 0.025 to 1.50 mg l⁻¹ of sulphite. A theory with regard to the reaction mechanism between the polyaniline films and sulphite is also proposed. The system was applied to sulphite determination in wine samples and the results were in agreement with those obtained by the Official Method of Analysis (iodometric titration).