Determination of calcium in water by flow injection analysis — inductively coupled plasma (FIA-ICP) emission spectrometry

Summary Using an 11 ml centrifugal type spray chamber, a rapid sample introduction rate of 320 injections per hour may be achieved when interfacing flow injection analysis and inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometric techniques. Calcium was determined in water samples with a relative standard deviation of better than 3.5% over the analytical range of 10 to 200 mg · l^–1 Ca. Mean recovery was 97%.

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Calciumbestimmung im Wasser mit dem Flow-injection-Prinzip kombiniert mit der Induktions-gekoppelten Plasma-Emissions-Spektrometrie (FIA-ICP)

     

Development and validation of a stability-indicating HPLC method for the determination of degradation products in dipyridamole injection

Summary The development and subsequent validation of an isocratic high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) procedure employing ultraviolet (UV) detection for the determination of degradation products in Dipyridamole Injection is reported. The development of this assay involved the evaluation of several factors including buffer type, ionic strength, pH, organic composition, and column type. The described method is simple, reproducible, accurate, and selective. The precision, relative standard deviation (RSD), amongst five sample preparations for total degradation products was not more than (NMT) 10.2 %, while the individual degradation products were NMT 12.1%. Intermediate precision, as determined from fifteen sample preparations, generated by two Analysts on different HPLC systems over three days, exhibited an RSD for total and individual degradation products of 8.2 % and NMT 27.5 %, respectively. The mean absolute recovery of dipyridamole using the described method is 102.1±1. 9%, (mean±SD, n=12) over the concentration range of 0.03 % to 5.0 % of its label claim of 5 mg mL⁻¹. The limit of detection and limit of quantitation were 0.1 and 0.3 μg mL⁻¹, respectively. The linearity of the peak response was verified with respect to dipyridamole concentration over a range of 0.3 and 50 μg mL⁻¹ (0.03 % to 5.0 % label claim). The Standard and Assay Preparations are stable for up to 48 hours at room temperature. The selectivity was evaluated by subjecting the finished product (Dipyridamole Injection) to thermal, acidic, basic, oxidative and fluorescent radiation stress conditions. No interference in the analysis of degradation products was observed, showing the method is stability-indicating.     

Sequential injection spectrophotometric determination of trace amounts of iodide by its catalytic effect on the 4,4'-methylenebis(N,N-dimethylaniline)-chloramine-T reaction

A simple and sensitive sequential injection spectrophotometric procedure is proposed for the determination of trace amounts of iodide in pharmaceutical preparations. The method is based on the catalytic effect of iodide on the (tetra base) 4,4′-methylenebis(N,N-dimethylaniline)-chloramine-T reaction in acidic solution. The method involves a sequential aspiration of 255 μl sample/standard followed by 170 μl tetra base and then 128 μl chloramine-T solutions into a carrier stream to be stacked inside a holding coil and flow reversed through a reaction coil towards a detector. The resulting colored compound is measured at 600 nm using an UV/Vis-spectrophotometer. All the parameters that affect the reaction were evaluated and the calibration curve is linear over a range of 0.1–6.0 μg l⁻¹ of iodide concentration with detection limit of 0.05 μg l⁻¹. A sample throughput of 80 samples per hour and relative standard deviation of less than 2.0% was achieved. The method is successfully applied for the determination of iodide in three different samples (tablets).     

Diamond paste-based electrodes for determination of Cr(III) in pharmaceutical compounds

A new class of monocrystalline diamond paste-based electrodes is proposed for the determination of chromium(III) at trace levels in vitamins. Three types of monocrystalline diamond—natural diamond 1 (natural diamond), synthetic diamond 50 (synthetic-1), and synthetic diamond 1 (synthetic-2)—were used for electrode construction. The linear concentration ranges are between 10^–10 and 10^–8; 10^–9 and 10^–7, and 10^–10 to 10^–8 mol L^–1, with limits of detection of 10^–12, 10^–12, and 10^–11 mol L^–1, when natural diamond, synthetic-1, and synthetic-2, respectively, are used as electrode materials. For electrodes based on natural diamond and synthetic-1 it was found that Cr(III) yields a peak at about +0.275±0.015 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) within a predetermined positive potential range situated between +0.4 and +0.2 V, while for the electrode based on synthetic-2 the peaks are found at +0.300±0.015 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). The proposed method is reliable for the determination of chromium(III) at trace levels in two vitamin tablets (RSD<0.2%).     

Utilization of maltodextrin based enantioselective, potentiometric membrane electrodes for the enantioselective assay of S-perindopril

Enantioselective, potentiometric membrane electrodes (EPMEs) based on carbon paste impregnated with different maltodextrins {dextrose equivalent (DE) 4.0-7.0 (I), 13.0-17.0 (II) and 16.5-19.5 (III)} as chiral selectors for the assay of S-perindopril is described. The proposed electrodes could be reliably employed in the assay of S-perindopril raw material and from its pharmaceutical formulation, Coversyl^® tablets. The electrode based on maltodextrin (I) showed the best enantioselectivity and time-stability. The surfaces of the electrodes are easily renewable by simply polishing on an alumina paper.     

Sequential injection spectrophotometric determination of phenylephrine hydrochloride in pharmaceutical preparations

A fully automated sequential injection spectrophotometric method for the determination of phenylephrine hydrochloride in pharmaceutical preparations is reported. The method is based on the condensation reaction of the analyte with 4-aminoantipyrine in the presence of potassium ferricyanide. The absorbance of the condensation product was monitored at 503 nm. A linear relationship between the relative peak height and concentration was obtained in the range 0.5-17.5 mg l⁻¹. The detection limit (as 3σ value) was 0.09 mg l⁻¹ and repeatability was 0.8 and 0.6% at 2.5 and 5 mg l⁻¹, respectively. Results obtained by this method agreed very well with those obtained by the AOAC official method.     

Simultaneous flow injection determination of ammoniacal nitrogen and chloride in industrial effluent water with a combined on-line gas diffusion/dialyser unit

An on-line gas diffusion/dialyser unit has been designed and incorporated into the manifold of a flow injection system for the simultaneous determination of two different species in a single sample injected into the FIA system. A fast and reliable fully automated two-component flow injection procedure has been carried out where a single sample (50 l industrial effluent water) is injected into a carrier stream and simultaneously gas diffused and dialysed in a single on-line gas diffusion/dialyser unit for the determination of ammonia and chloride, respectively. The results obtained for the ammoniacal nitrogen and chloride in industrial effluent water compared well with data obtained by standard methods. The relative standard deviation for industrial effluent water samples with concentrations of ammoniacal nitrogen in the range between 0.050 and 1 g/l and chloride from 0.127 to 2.531 g/l have been better than 1.0% for ammoniacal nitrogen and 0.5% for chloride, respectively. The proposed system could be attractive for routine analyses of industrial effluent water.     

Tandem on-line dialysis with a double and single dialyser in flow injection dialysis — Simultaneous determination of calcium and high chloride in industrial effluents

The on-line double membrane dialyser described previously was coupled in series to a single dialyser in the manifold of a flow injection system to include the determination of samples with a high chloride content simultaneously with calcium in industrial effluents from a single sample injection. 50 μl of industrial effluent samples are injected into a carrier stream and are simultaneously dialysed in the double on-line dialyser for chloride and calcium. The dialysed chloride sample zones are further directed to a second dialyser that is incorporated in series with the first dialyser. This enables laboratories to determine samples with a very high chloride content up to 60 g/l simultaneously with calcium by using an automated tandem on-line dialysis technique. The fast and reliable fully automated two-component flow injection procedure operated at a sampling frequency of 90 samples per hour and the results obtained for chloride and calcium in industrial effluents compared well with those obtained by standard methods.     

Composite Polybenzimidazole Membrane with High Capacity Retention for Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries

Currently, energy storage technologies are becoming essential in the transition of replacing fossil fuels with more renewable electricity production means. Among storage technologies, redox flow batteries (RFBs) can represent a valid option due to their unique characteristic of decoupling energy storage from power output. To push RFBs further into the market, it is essential to include low-cost materials such as new generation membranes with low ohmic resistance, high transport selectivity, and long durability. This work proposes a composite membrane for vanadium RFBs and a method of preparation. The membrane was prepared starting from two polymers, meta-polybenzimidazole (6 μm) and porous polypropylene (30 μm), through a gluing approach by hot-pressing. In a vanadium RFB, the composite membrane exhibited a high energy efficiency (~84%) and discharge capacity (~90%) with a 99% capacity retention over 90 cycles at 120 mA·cm⁻², exceeding commercial Nafion^® NR212 (~82% efficiency, capacity drop from 90% to 40%) and Fumasep^® FAP-450 (~76% efficiency, capacity drop from 80 to 65%).