Separation and preconcentration of cadmium by biological organisms and analysis by graphite furnace atomic absorption

A pure strain of algae (Stichococcus bacillaris) is utilized to preconcentrate Cd ions from dilute solutions. Cd uptake curves for several concentrations of Cd and algae mass are presented. To assess the analytical utility of this algae, the concentrations of Cd in two dilute solutions (0.288 and 0.576 μg/l) are determined using preconcentration techniques. The calculated results are within 5% of the nominal concentrations. Stichococcus bacillaris is most useful at low concentrations of analyte with nearly quantitative uptake. At higher concentrations changes in either the analyte amount, or volume of the solution drastically affect the Cd uptake by this organism     

Anomalous curving of Arrhenius plots for data obtained from electro-thermal vaporization at atmospheric pressure

Arrhenius plots are often used in electrothermal atomization atomic absorption spectroscopy (ETA-AAS) to obtain activation energies (E_a) of vaporization processes. However, these plots are often nonlinear, and the exact cause of the curvature is not clear. This phenomenon has been attributed to multiple generation functions, diffusion of atoms through the graphite walls, changes in the size of the generating particles, changes in the surface coverage and interferences of the removal function with the supply function. This paper examines several other possibilities using computer simulations on a micro-computer. These possibilities include the effects of diffusion, errors in the assumed order of the reaction and small systematic errors. These can create curving very similar to that observed in typical ETA-AAS and should be considered before assigning the curvature to other chemical or physical properties of the system.     

Simultaneous electrothermal vaporization and nebulizer sample introduction system for inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

The novel analytical application of the combination of an inline electrothermal vaporization (ETV) and nebulization source for inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has been studied. Wet plasma conditions are sustained during ETV introduction by 200 mL/min gas flow through the nebulizer, which is merged with the ETV transport line at the torch. The use of a wet plasma with ETV introduction avoided the need to change power settings and torch positions that normally accompany a change from wet to dry plasma operating conditions. This inline-ETV source is shown to have good detection limits for a variety of elements in both HNO₃ and HCl matrices. Using the inline-ETV source, improved limits of detection (LOD) were obtained for elements typically suppressed by polyatomic interferences using a nebulizer. Specifically, improved LODs for ⁵¹V and ⁵³Cr suffering from Cl interferences (⁵¹ClO⁺ and ⁵³ClO⁺ respectively) in a 1% HCl matrix were obtained using the inline-ETV source. LODs were improved by factors of 65 and 22 for ⁵¹V and ⁵³Cr, respectively, using the inline-ETV source compared to a conventional concentric glass nebulizer. For elements without polyatomic interferences, LODs from the inline-ETV were comparable to conventional dry plasma ETV-ICP time-of-flight mass spectrometry results. Lastly, the inline-ETV source offers a simple means of changing from nebulizer introduction to inline-ETV introduction without extinguishing the plasma. This permits, for example, the use of the time-resolved ETV-ICP-MS signals to distinguish between an analyte ion and polyatomic isobar.     

Development of a fluorescence model for the determination of constants associated with binding,quenching, and Förster resonance energy transfer efficiency

Determining accurate dissociation constants for equilibrium processes involving a fluorescent mechanism can prove to be quite challenging. Typically, titration curves and nonlinear least squares fitting of the data using computer programs are employed to obtain such constants. However, these approaches only consider the total fluorescence signal and often ignore other energy transfer processes within the system. The current model considers the impact on fluorescence from equilibrium binding (viz., metal-ligand, ligand-substrate, etc.), quenching, and resonance energy transfer. This model should provide more accurate binding constant as well as insights into other photonic processes. The equations developed for this model are discussed and are applied to experimental data from titrimetric experiments. Since the experimental data are generally in excess of the number of parameters that are needed to define the system, fitting is operated in an overdetermined mode and employs error minimization (either absolute or relative) to define goodness of fit. Examples of how changes in certain parameters affect the shape of the titrimetric curve are also presented. The current model does not consider chelation-enhanced fluorescence.     

Surface reactions and the effects of oxygen on Pb atomization in graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

Summary Previous papers have shown a pronounced shift in appearance temperatures of Pb as a result of O₂ in the system. This paper briefly summarizes the surface chemistry occurring on graphite as a result of exposure to O₂. Chemisorbed oxygen and an altered surface are suggested as the cause for the pulse shift of the Pb absorbance signal. A significant shift with an oxygenated surface but no gas phase O₂ present supports this conclusion. Time and spatially resolved absorbance traces suggest multiple release processes and readsorption of Pb on the surface. Pb/O₂ gas phase reactions do not appear to significantly alter the atomization efficiency and cannot explain the observed shifts. Similarly, O₂/Pb _x O _y(s) reactions cannot account for the first shot back and may play only a secondary role in the presence of O₂ in the gas phase. It was also observed that a significant (> 30%) amount of Pb remained on the surface after the solution was deposited and withdrawn 10 s later. This is attributed to binding of Pb to surface functionalities before the sample is desolvated.

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Oberflächenreaktionen und Wirkungen von Sauerstoff auf die Blei-Atomisierung in der Graphitofen-AAS

Zusammenfassung Vorangegangene Untersuchungen haben eine deutliche Verschiebung der Erscheinungstemperatur von Blei unter dem Einfluß von Sauerstoff im System gezeigt. In dieser Arbeit werden die Oberflächenreaktionen am Graphit unter Sauerstoffeinwirkung zusammenfassend diskutiert. Als Ursachen für die Pulsverschiebung des Bleisignals wurden der chemisorbierte Sauerstoff sowie Veränderungen der Oberfläche gefunden. Eine signifikante Verschiebung bei oxygenierter Oberfläche aber ohne gasförmigen Sauerstoff unterstützt diesen Schluß. Zeitlich und räumlich aufgelöste Absorptionsspuren deuten auf multiple Freisetzungsprozesse und Re-adsorption von Blei an der Oberfläche. Pb/O₂-Reaktionen in der Gasphase scheinen die Atomisierungswirkung nicht signifikant zu beeinflussen und können die beobachteten Verschiebungen nicht erklären. Ebenso können auch die O₂/Pb _x O _y(s)-Reaktionen nicht den first shot back erklären und spielen vielleicht nur eine sekundäre Rolle in Gegenwart von O₂ in der Gasphase. Es wurde ebenfalls beobachtet, daß ein beträchtlicher Anteil des Bleis (> 30%) an der Oberfläche zurückblieb, wenn die Lösung eingebracht und nach 10 s wieder entfernt wurde. Dies wird der Bindung von Blei an Oberflächenfunktionen vor der Desolvatation der Probe zugeschrieben.

     

Tin atom formation in a graphite furnace atomizer

Absorbance measurements resolved in time and space are presented for tin vaporized under various conditions in a graphite furnace. Mass spectroscopie studies coupled with temporal and spatial absorbance measurements indicate that oxygen entrained in the inert sheath gas significantly attenuates the free atomic tin population through the rapid formation of SnO. Addition of 10% hydrogen to the sheath gas and enclosure of the atomizer, substantially reduce the effect of entrained oxygen. Similar release mechanisms are postulated with and without hydrogen, but it is suggested that the concentration of elemental tin on the surface at the time of vaporization is greater when hydrogen is included. The effects of added sulfate salts were also studied and it was concluded that the formation and prevolatilization of SnS is responsible for the extreme depressions reported in the literature.     

Efficient Blue‐Colored Solid‐State Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells: Enhanced Charge Collection by Using an in Situ Photoelectrochemically Generated Conducting Polymer Hole Conductor

A high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.5 % was achieved by efficiently incorporating a diketopyrrolopyrrole‐based dye with a conducting polymer poly(3,4‐ethylenediothiophene) (PEDOT) hole‐transporting material (HTM) that was formed in situ, compared with a PCE of 2.9 % for small molecular spiro‐OMeTAD‐based solid‐state dye solar cells (sDSCs). The high PCE for PEDOT‐based sDSCs is mainly attributed to the significantly enhanced charge‐collection efficiency, as a result of the three‐order‐of‐magnitude higher hole conductivity (0.53 S cm^?1) compared with that of the widely used low molecular weight HTM spiro‐OMeTAD (3.5×10^?4 S cm^?1).     

Exploding wire excitation for trace analysis of Hg, Cd, Pb and Ni using electrodeposition for preconcentration

The use of exploding silver wires for spectrochemical excitation is described. The apparatus used in these studies is discussed along with the electrical and radiative properties of exploding silver wires. The use of controlled-potential electrodeposition onto silver wires for sample introduction is considered. Experimental parameters for electrodeposition and exploding-wire excitation are presented. Cd, Ni, Hg and Pb are considered for analysis and show absolute detection limits of 10 ng, 10 ng, 30 ng and 15 ng, respectively. These amounts of material on the wire represent relative detection limits of 0.001 ppm, 0.002 ppm, 0.003 ppm and 0.001 ppm respectively in the analytical solutions. The exploding wire excitation method exhibits minimal matrix dependency and good reproducibility. Percent relative standard deviations for Cd, Ni, Hg and Pb are ±17.3%, ±16.6%, ±26.5% and ±12.4%, respectively. Sample introduction by controlled-potential electrodeposition offers not only a convenient means of preconcentrating trace metals from solution but also the possibility of selectively plating one element in the presence of a large excess of other elements in solution.     

Fluorescent peptide sensor for the selective detection of Cu

A new fluorescent peptidyl chemosensor for Cu²⁺ ions with fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) capabilities has been synthesized via Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis. The metal chelating unit, which is flanked by the fluorophores tryptophan (donor) and dansyl chloride (acceptor), consists of the amino acids glycine and aspartic acid (Gly-Gly-Asp-Gly-Gly-Asp-Gly-Gly-Asp-Gly-Gly-Asp-Gly-Gly). Coordination of the Cu²⁺ ions to the metal chelating unit results in fluorescent quenching of both the donor and acceptor fluorophores. Although it was determined that Cu²⁺ binding causes no change in FRET efficiency, emission and Cu²⁺-induced quenching of the acceptor dye can be used to monitor the concentration of the copper ions, with a detection limit of 32 μg L⁻¹. The sensor also demonstrated sensitivity, reversibility and selectivity towards Cu²⁺ in a transition metal matrix at pH 7.0.