Capabilities of double focussing magnetic sector-ICP-MS for the determination of trace elements in body fluids (blood, blood serum, urine) at the example of control materials

The capability of double focussing magnetic sector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS) for the determination of trace elements in different body fluids was investigated in commercially available control materials. The elements included in this study were: Al, As, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Tl and Zn. Sample preparation, instrument stability and the results, which are in very good agreement to the given values, are presented and discussed. Received: 27 August 1997 / Revised: 19 November 1997 / Accepted: 23 November 1997     

Field dependent critical fluctuations aboveT g in the ESR line width of the spin glassAgMn

The ESR of the spin glassAgMn (2.7 and 9.6 at %) has been investigated below and aboveT _g(0.1T _g<T<5T _g) at various microwave frequencies. The analysis yields:1) No explicit frequency dependence but strong magnetic field effects, inherent with ESR-experiments.2) Part of the excess line width is identified as critical spin fluctuations, following a power law. However, because of the presence of the applied field, the reduced temperaturet is not a good scaling variable. We choose the non-linear susceptibility X _s divided byH ², which scales as the order parameter susceptibility. The experiment yieldsW _ex(X _s /H ²) ^p ,p=0.42. From this we deduce z3.     

Method for the determination of thorium and uranium in urine by ICP-MS

ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) is shown as a very sensitive method for quantitative determination of Th and U concentration and excretion analysis in urine without any sample pretreatment. The current standard method for incorporation monitoring applies alpha-spectrometry, a very tedious and time consuming technique. ICP-MS offers an attractive alternative for monitoring of thorium and uranium body burdens in occupationally exposed subjects and also larger groups of the general population. A limit of determination of 0.5 ng/L in aqueous solutions and 1 ng/L in urine samples for both elements was achieved, with a precision of about ± 10% in the concentration range of appr. 10 ng/L. Due to the lack of a suitable reference material, the accuracy of the method was tested by comparing some of the results with those obtained by -spectrometry, especially for U. There was a sufficient agreement on both results.     

Total digestion of silicate containing matrices (plants,soil, sludges) using a pressure ashing device with PFA-vessels

A digestion procedure for silicate containing matrices like soil, sludge, etc. by using a commercially available pressure ashing device (Seif-Aufschlutechnik, Germany) with PFA (perfluoroalkoxy) sample vessels is described at the results for different matrix- and trace elements in different suitable certified standard reference materials. The advantages of this technique compared with the use of Teflon®-(PTFE, polytetrafluoroethylene) vessels and the open treatment in Pt-crucibles will be discussed.     

ENERGY TRANSFER IN TRIMERIC C-PHYCOCYANIN STUDIED BY PICOSECOND FLUORESCENCE KINETICS

Abstract— The excited state kinetics of trimeric C-phycocyanin from Mastigocladus laminosus has been measured as a function of the emission and excitation wavelength by the single-photon timing technique with picosecond resolution and simultaneous data analysis. A fast decay component of 22 ps (C-phycocyanin with linker peptides) and 36 ps (C-phycocyanin lacking linker peptides) is attributed to efficient energy transfer from sensitizing to fluorescing chromophores. At long detection wavelengths the fast decay components are found to turn into a rise term. This finding further corroborates the concept of intramolecular energy transfer. Previous reports on the conformational heterogeneity of the chromophores and/or proteins in C-phycocyanin are confirmed. Our data also provide indications for the importance of the uncoloured linker peptides for this heterogeneity.     

Synthesis of periphery-functionalized dendritic molecules using polylithiated dendrimers as starting material

A general method for the functionalization of Si-Cl terminated carbosilane dendritic molecules via organolithium or organomagnesium reagents is described. Quantitative exchange of the bromine atoms of 4-bromophenyl-functionalized dendrimers affords polylithiated species that are valuable starting materials for further functionalization, e.g., into pyridyl alcohols. The latter were successfully applied as catalyst precursors in a ruthenium-mediated ring-closure metathesis reaction.     

Capabilities of double focussing magnetic sector-ICP-MS for the determination of trace elements in body fluids (blood, blood serum, urine) at the example of control materials

The capability of double focussing magnetic sector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS) for the determination of trace elements in different body fluids was investigated in commercially available control materials. The elements included in this study were: Al, As, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Tl and Zn. Sample preparation, instrument stability and the results, which are in very good agreement to the given values, are presented and discussed. Received: 27 August 1997 / Revised: 19 November 1997 / Accepted: 23 November 1997     

Chain transfer reactions in emulsion polymerization of butadiene/styrene

Calculation of regulating index r from M̄_W values determined by experiments is proposed. The calculation is based on the assumption that the M̄_W values only depend on the conversion and the regulating index in emulsion polymerization. On this basis the calculation of regulator concentration in the latex particles was also possible. M̄_W values calculated in this way and experimental M̄_W values show good agreement.     

Persistent currents in a thin hollow cylinder: The role of virtual channels

We investigate analytically and numerically the energy bands, persistent currents and the magnetic moment in a thin hollow cylinder in the presence of a magnetic field including the spin. Two different cases are considered systematically, an Aharonov-Bohm flux threading the hole of a cylinder and a magnetic field penetrating the whole cylinder. It is shown that the halving of the fundamental period of the magnetic moment can be attributed to the coupling of the azimuthal and paraxial electron motions caused by the impurity scattering. The influence of the virtual channels, resulting from evanescent states, on the energy bands and persistent currents is examined in detail. The virtual channels assure a continuous reconstruction of the energy bands immediately under the thresholds of the channels.