Microcalorimetric measurements of the metabolic activity by bacteria and fungi in some Brazilian soils amended with different organic matter

The effect of bacterial and fungal activities on organic matter degradation in Brazilian soils was studied by a microcalorimetric method. Bacteria and fungi isolated from tropical soils and added to: Rhodic eutrudox (R), Typic eutrudox (V) and Quartzipsamment (Q) soils amended separately with moisture (control) (A) and 25% of cattle manure (E), municipal refuse compost (L), earthworm casts (H) or 23 μg of trifluralin (T) were investigated. The number of colony forming units in soil suspension was quantified by microscopy and inoculated in respective soil. All processes were measured at intervals of 7 days over a period of 35 days. The exothermic thermal effect (μJ) per cm³ of bacteria or fungi per gram of dry soil, respectively, for each substrate was: [(9±1), (4±1)] RA; [(478±24), (105±5)] RE; [(121±6), (71±4)] RL; [(121±6), (71±4)] RH; [(8±1); (3±1)] RT; [(10±1), (9±1] VA; [(347±17), (261±13)] VE; [(71±4), (28±1)] VL; [(22±1), (33±2)] VH; [(7±1), (10±1)] VT; [(19±1), (12±1)] QA; [(1301±65), (46±2)] QE; [(89±4), (9±1)] QL; [(130±7), (11±1)] QH; [(32±2), (8±1)] QT. The calorimetric values are higher for bacteria than for fungi. In general, the results showed higher activities in the soil amended with cattle manure than with other additives.     

Gas chromatographic trace analysis of underivatized nitrophenols

Summary A method for the gas chromatographic trace analysis of underivatized nitrophenols in ground-water is presented. Using a highly de-activated separation system a satisfactory precision for their quantitative GC analysis could be achieved by avoiding condensation of the solvent and by fast injection of the sample. The reproducibility of the peak areas of eleven nitrophenols in ethylacetate was <5 % RSD. Using a nitrogen-phosphorus detector detection limits were in a range from 10 to 30 pg. Within the concentration range from 0.1 to 10 ng μl⁻¹ the calibrations were linear with correlation coefficients >0.992. The approach described was applied to the analysis of nitrophenols in ground-water near a former ammunition plant, after preconcentration by continuous liquid/liquid extraction with ethylacetate. Using a GC-MS technique and retention times various nitrophenols were identified and then quantified in the μg/L-range by applying NPD.     

The measurement of radioactivity in Italian drinking waters

Drinking waters generally contain variable amounts of radioactivity. Many radionuclides, like ⁴⁰K and those belonging to the natural decay series of ²³⁸U, ²³⁵U and ²³²Th, are transferred to the water from the aquifer rocks by erosion and dissolution mechanisms.In recent years, a great interest arose towards the natural radioactivity in drinking water. The European Council Directive 98/83/EC, subsequently enforced in Italian law, pushed public authorities to organize tap water surveys. Parameter values for radioactivity levels in water are given, according to World Health Organization recommendations. Maximum concentration values for radon are separately proposed in a European Commission Recommendation.For this reason, during the latest years, the Regional Environment Protection Agency (ARPA) has been performing an extensive monitoring of tap waters in the Lombardia district of Italy. Natural radioactivity content was measured to check the compliance with recent European and Italian rules.Analyses were performed by an ultra-low level scintillation counter equipped with an alpha-beta discrimination device. Specifically arranged procedures, requiring quick and easy pre-treatments, allowed to measure gross alpha and beta activity, ²²²Rn, ²²⁶Ra, and uranium isotopes concentrations in a relatively short time. Subsequently, more complex procedures, involving radiochemical separation of radionuclides, are currently being studied for ²¹⁰Pb, ²¹⁰Po and ²²⁸Ra. Method performances were carefully tested by both internal validation procedures and international intercomparison exercises.These procedures have been employed for a wide range screening in the Lombardia district in Italy. Obtained results showed that in most cases gross alpha activity was lower than the parameter value given by the cited regulations. When these values were exceeded, a more detailed survey was planned: at present three of them, in the western and south-western part of Lombardia and in the city of Milan have been carried out.     

Validation of the thermodynamic model of inorganic arsenic in non polluted river waters of the Basque country (Spain)

The thermodynamic model of inorganic arsenic was validated by comparing the predicted As(III) concentration with the experimentally determined one in several river waters samples of the Basque Country (Spain) collected in two sampling campaigns: spring and autumn 2000. This model takes into account the acid-base equilibria of As(III) and As(V) together with the redox equilibria between the H₃AsO₃ and H₃AsO₄ species. A correct prediction of As(III) concentration requires the knowledge of the total concentration of arsenic, pH, redox potential (referred to hydrogen electrode), and ionic strength values of the solution. The estimation of the activity coefficients of the arsenic species was performed by means of the Modified Bromley’s Methodology (MBM).In order to perform the experimental As(III) determination, an analytical method was implemented by using an ion exchange separation of As(III)/As(V) on a continuous FIA-IE-HG-AAS system. The total arsenic concentration was determined together with total concentration of the main alkaline or alkaline-earth metals and anions in the natural waters. Temperature compensated measurements of the pH and redox potentials were made in-situ at the sampling sites.For both seasonal campaigns, the agreement between predicted and experimental As(III) is really high for those samples belonging to non polluted river waters.     

Determination of 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (amitrole) in environmental waters by capillary electrophoresis

3-Amino-1,2,4-triazole (amitrole) is a widely used pesticide, with many difficulties to be analyzed at the regulatory level in drinking water, because its high solubility in water. This paper describes a simple and fast method for the simultaneous determination of amitrole and atrazin-2-hydroxy, principal degradation product of s-triazines, by capillary zone electrophoresis. Separation and determination of these herbicides in water samples was performed in 0.02 mol l⁻¹ phosphate buffer at pH 3.2. The method allows determination of the amitrole and atrazin-2-hydroxy in water samples in concentration lower than 100 μg l⁻¹. The detection limits using a previous preconcentration step of amitrole in Alberche River (Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid, Spain) and drinking water spiked samples was of 4 μg l⁻¹.     

Determination of diethanolamine or <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-methyldiethanolamine in high ammonium concentration matrices by capillary electrophoresis with indirect UV detection: application to the analysis of refinery process waters

Alkanolamines such as diethanolamine (DEA) and N-methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) are used in desulfurization processes in crude oil refineries. These compounds may be found in process waters following an accidental contamination. The analysis of alkanolamines in refinery process waters is very difficult due to the high ammonium concentration of the samples. This paper describes a method for the determination of DEA in high ammonium concentration refinery process waters by using capillary electrophoresis (CE) with indirect UV detection. The same method can be used for the determination of MDEA. Best results were achieved with a background electrolyte (BGE) comprising 10 mM histidine adjusted to pH 5.0 with acetic acid. The development of this electrolyte and the analytical performances are discussed. The quantification was performed by using internal standardization, by which triethanolamine (TEA) was used as internal standard. A matrix effect due to the high ammonium content has been highlighted and standard addition was therefore used. The developed method was characterized in terms of repeatability of migration times and corrected peak areas, linearity, and accuracy. Limits of detection (LODs) and quantification (LOQs) obtained were 0.2 and 0.7 ppm, respectively. The CE method was applied to the determination of DEA or MDEA in refinery process waters spiked with known amounts of analytes and it gave excellent results, since uncertainties obtained were 8 and 5%, respectively.     

Determination of dissolved manganese in natural waters by differential pulse cathodic stripping voltammetry

A procedure based on differential pulse cathodic stripping voltammetry on the graphite electrode is described for the determination of dissolved manganese in natural waters buffered at pH about 6.5 with acetate solution. In order to avoid interference of iron(II) the addition of fluoride is used. The limit of detection is 3 g/l for a deposition time of 6 min. Acidification and UV-irradiation are recommended for samples containing dissolved organic matter. Results of manganese determination in table mineral waters are reported and the possibility of manganese speciation is discussed.     

Ion chromatographic determination of alkali and alkaline earth metals in mineral waters

Summary The rapid, simultaneous, suppressed ion chromatographic determination of alkali, alkaline earth metals and ammonium in highly mineralized waters has been examined using the novel cation exchange IonPac CS12 column. General ability for the determination of lithium, sodium, ammounium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and strontium in concentrations from a few g to several mg per liter was studied. The relative standard deviations of retention times of all seven cations were below 0.7% and the relative standard deviations of the measurements of peak areas and peak heights were mostly below 5%. Six natural mineral waters of different types were selected for evaluation of the method. It was not possible to determine lithium in the one run and ammonium usually partially coelutes with sodium precluding quantitative determination. Strontium was undetectable because of the necessary dilutions. All the reltionships between peak areas and concentrations or peak height and concentrations were linear and there was also no evidence of the effect of different matrices on the slope of regression lines.     

Ion interaction approach to calculations of volumetric properties of aqueous multiple-solute electrolyte solutions

The ion interaction approach developed by Pitzer was used for the prediction of volumetric properties of mixed electrolyte solutions at 25°C based on parameters calculated from experimental data for single-solute electrolyte solutions. Such an approach was shown to be especially effective for application to the calculation of volumetric properties of natural hypersaline brines and of industrial electrolyte solutions of large complexity. The use of the latest recommended sets of volumetric ion interaction parameters for single electrolyte solutions and symmetrical mixing parameters for Na–K–Cl ion combinations considerably improved the precision of the density calculations of highly concentrated mixed electrolyte solutions and of various natural waters.     

流动注射分光光度法测定水体总磷

提出了一种单通道紫外消解流动注射比色分析法，能快速测定水样中总磷。实验采用了微量恒流混合泵、新型的细长型高灵敏度流通池及紫外消解器、液流分配阀、恒流瓶等FIA装置，并使用工业编程控制器和智能触摸屏进行控制和计算，使操作更为方便。此法分析时间短，测量范围宽，精度高，适合于各种水体的测定。