Enhancing chemical analysis with signal derivatization using simple available software packages

Derivative techniques for analytical signal processing are useful for solving some noise and signal resolution problems in various fields of study such as titrimetry, spectrophotometry, chromatography and electrochemistry. The broad use of these techniques, however, is often limited by costly inflexible built-in software packages in commercial analytical instruments. We propose here the application of commercial simple software packages such as Microsoft® Excel and Microcal Origin for signal smoothing and fitting, and for obtaining derivative analytical signals in batch and flow-based analyses, including potentiometric titration, spectrophotometry, chromatography, voltammetry and sequential injection analysis (SIA). The worldwide (especially Excel) software packages are easy-to-use for less experienced users and have also capabilities for advanced users, and therefore employing such packages can result in expansion of useful derivative techniques. We demonstrate application of the available package-aided derivative capabilities for enhancing some chemical analyses, including potentiometric acid–base titration, Bradford assay of protein, chromatographic separation of ajmaline and reserpine and anodic stripping voltammetry of copper. The derivative signals from smoothed and fitted curves offer better accuracy and precision, even for non-resolving peaks and tailing peaks. In some cases, the optimization of experimental conditions is not further required, which can lead to fast method development.     

Partial transfer of enantioselective chiralities from α-methylated amino acids, known to be of meteoritic origin, into normal amino acids

There is overwhelming evidence that meteorites bring α-methylated amino acids to earth with some l(S) enantiomeric excess. How does that get transferred into normal biological molecules? In this brief account, we show that an α-methylated amino acid, d(R)-α-methylvaline, can react with pyruvate and phenylpyruvate salts in dry mixtures to form alanine and phenylalanine with l enantiomeric excesses, under sensible prebiotic conditions. Thus the meteoritic l(S) excesses of this compound would produce excess d-alanine and d-phenylalanine, which are found in some organisms.     

气相滴定在臭氧计量标准溯源中的应用

利用臭氧和一氧化氮发生快速反应生成二氧化氮的原理,设计气相滴定反应系统,通过对参加反应的一氧化氮标准气体浓度变化的准确测定,计算出组分臭氧混合气体的浓度。利用设计的气相滴定系统（GPT）,对基于紫外分光原理的臭氧测量标准装置SRP41产生的空气中臭氧标准气体进行了比对及相互验证。比对结果表明：二者偏差不大于2．6％,均在分析不确定度范围内等效。这为臭氧测量计量溯源问题提供了解决方案。     

1H-NMR Profiling Shows as Specific Constituents Strongly Affect the International EVOO Blends Characteristics: The Case of the Italian Oil

Considering the growing number of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) producers in the world, knowing the influence of olive oils with different geographical origins on the characteristics of the final blend becomes an interesting goal. The present work is focused on commercial organic EVOO blends obtained by mixing multiple oils from different geographical origins. These blends have been studied by ¹H-NMR spectroscopy supported by multivariate statistical analysis. Specific characteristics of commercial organic EVOO blends originated by mixing oils from Italy, Tunisia, Portugal, Spain, and Greece were found to be associated with the increasing content of the Italian component. A linear progression of the metabolic profile defined characteristics for the analysed samples—up to a plateau level—was found in relation to the content of the main constituent of the Italian oil, the monocultivar Coratina. The Italian constituent percentage appears to be correlated with the fatty acids (oleic) and the polyphenols (tyrosol, hydroxytyrosol, and derivatives) content as major and minor components respectively. These results, which highlight important economic aspects, also show the utility of ¹H-NMR associated with chemometric analysis as a powerful tool in this field. Mixing oils of different national origins, to obtain blends with specific characteristics, could be profitably controlled by this methodology.     

Inorganic Elements in Mytilus galloprovincialis Shells: Geographic Traceability by Multivariate Analysis of ICP-MS Data

The international seafood trade is based on food safety, quality, sustainability, and traceability. Mussels are bio-accumulative sessile organisms that need regular control to guarantee their safe consumption. However, no well-established and validated methods exist to trace mussel origin, even if several attempts have been made over the years. Recently, an inorganic multi-elemental fingerprint coupled to multivariate statistics has increasingly been applied in food quality control. The mussel shell can be an excellent reservoir of foreign inorganic chemical species, allowing recording long-term environmental changes. The present work investigates the multi-elemental composition of mussel shells, including Al, Cu, Cr, Zn, Mn, Cd, Co, U, Ba, Ni, Pb, Mg, Sr, and Ca, determined by inductively-coupled plasma mass-spectrometry in Mytilus galloprovincialis collected along the Central Adriatic Coast (Marche Region, Italy) at 25 different sampling sites (18 farms and 7 natural banks) located in seven areas. The experimental data, coupled with chemometric approaches (principal components analysis and linear discriminant analysis), were used to create a statistical model able to discriminate samples as a function of their production site. The LDA model is suitable for achieving a correct assignment of >90% of individuals sampled to their respective harvesting locations and for being applied to counteract fraud.     

化学计量研究进展

叙述了化学计量的特点、作用和重要性及其研究内容,探讨了标准物质量值传递系统及实现标准物质量值溯源性的途径,阐述了建立化学测量溯源性的重要性、困难性、复杂性及基本设想和途径,并对化学计量中物质的量“摩尔”进行了简要论述。     

采用液相色谱-串联质谱同时检测动物源性食品中胺苯醇类药物及其代谢产物

建立了采用液相色谱-串联质谱(LC-MS/MS)同时测定动物源食品中氯霉素、甲砜霉素、氟苯尼考以及氟苯尼考胺残留量的方法。三类胺苯醇类药物及其代谢物用氨化乙酸乙酯(97+3v/v)提取,C18小柱净化;其中氯霉素、甲砜霉素、氟苯尼考用内标法定量,氟苯尼考与氟苯尼考胺用外表法定量。方法的定量测定低限氯霉素为0.1μg/kg,甲氟霉素、氟苯尼考胺为1.00g/kg,各基质的加标平均回收率在73.8%～120.5%之间,相对标准偏差≤25%。     

汾渭盆地地裂缝成因研究中的若干关键问题

汾渭盆地是我国地裂缝发育最强烈的地区,地裂缝类型多样,成因复杂。本文概述了汾渭盆地地裂缝的分布规律,分析了目前汾渭盆地地裂缝成因研究中存在的主要问题,重点围绕构造型地裂缝的成因问题,提出如下研究思路:通过多学科联合手段,重点研究汾渭盆地地裂缝灾害的分布规律及其与活动构造的分布关系与成生联系,建立构造地裂缝的地质结构模型;将现代物理数值模拟技术与高精度观测技术相结合,分析研究构造活动启动地裂缝灾害的力学机理以及构造作用与抽水作用耦合致裂机理;以GPS观测资料为约束,将汾渭盆地地裂缝的成生与青藏、华北大陆变形的动力学过程联系起来,研究该区地裂缝与现今中国大陆动力学的内在联系,揭示大陆驱动力产生地质灾害的动力学机制与模式。     

Elemental Chemometrics as Tools to Depict Stalked Barnacle (Pollicipes pollicipes) Harvest Locations and Food Safety

The stalked barnacle Pollicipes pollicipes is an abundant species on the very exposed rocky shore habitats of the Spanish and Portuguese coasts, constituting also an important economical resource, as a seafood item with high commercial value. Twenty-four elements were measured by untargeted total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (TXRF) in the edible peduncle of stalked barnacles sampled in six sites along the Portuguese western coast, comprising a total of 90 individuals. The elemental profile of 90 individuals originated from several geographical sites (N = 15 per site), were analysed using several chemometric multivariate approaches (variable in importance partial least square discriminant analysis (VIP-PLS-DA), stepwise linear discriminant analysis (S-LDA), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), random forests (RF) and canonical analysis of principal components (CAP)), to evaluate the ability of each approach to trace the geographical origin of the animals collected. As a suspension feeder, this species introduces a high degree of background noise, leading to a comparatively lower classification of the chemometric approaches based on the complete elemental profile of the peduncle (canonical analysis of principal components and linear discriminant analysis). The application of variable selection approaches such as the VIP-PLS-DA and S-LDA significantly increased the classification accuracy (77.8% and 84.4%, respectively) of the samples according to their harvesting area, while reducing the number of elements needed for this classification, and thus the background noise. Moreover, the selected elements are similar to those selected by other random and non-random approaches, reinforcing the reliability of this selection. This untargeted analytical procedure also allowed to depict the degree of risk, in terms of human consumption of these animals, highlighting the geographical areas where these delicacies presented lower values for critical elements compared to the standard thresholds for human consumption.     

Nanometer Calibration Particles: What is Available and What is Needed?

Information on available polystyrene calibration spheres is presented regarding the particle diameter, uncertainty in the size, and the width of the size distribution for particles in a size range between 20 and 100nm. The use of differential mobility analysis for measuring the single primary calibration standard in this size range, 100nm NIST Standard Reference Material®1963, is described along with the key factors in the uncertainty assessment. The issues of differences between international standards and traceability to the NIST Standard are presented. The lack of suitable polystyrene spheres in the 20–40nm size range will be discussed in terms of measurement uncertainty and width of the size distributions. Results on characterizing a new class of molecular particles known as dendrimers will be described and the possibilities of using these as size calibration standards for the size range from 3 to 15nm will be discussed.