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A broad range of inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) and their dissolved ions possess a possible toxicological risk for human health and the environment. Reliable and robust measurements of dissolution effects may be influenced by the sample matrix, which challenges the analytical method of choice. In this study, CuO NPs were investigated in several dissolution experiments. Two analytical techniques (dynamic light scattering (DLS) and inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)) were used to characterize NPs (size distribution curves) time-dependently in different complex matrices (e.g., artificial lung lining fluids and cell culture media). The advantages and challenges of each analytical approach are evaluated and discussed. Additionally, a direct-injection single particle (DI sp)ICP-MS technique for assessing the size distribution curve of the dissolved particles was developed and evaluated. The DI technique provides a sensitive response even at low concentrations without any dilution of the complex sample matrix. These experiments were further enhanced with an automated data evaluation procedure to objectively distinguish between ionic and NP events.
With this approach, a fast and reproducible determination of inorganic NPs and ionic backgrounds can be achieved. This study can serve as guidance when choosing the optimal analytical method for NP characterization and for the determination of the origin of an adverse effect in NP toxicity.
An alternative method for lithium isotope amount ratio analysis based on a combination of high-resolution atomic absorption spectrometry and spectral data analysis by machine learning (ML) is proposed herein. It is based on the well-known isotope shift of approximately 15 pm for the electronic transition 22P←22S at around the wavelength of 670.8 nm, which can be measured by the state-of-the-art high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. For isotope amount ratio analysis, a scalable tree boosting ML algorithm (XGBoost) was employed and calibrated using a set of samples with 6Li isotope amount fractions, ranging from 0.06 to 0.99 mol mol–1, previously determined by a multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS). The calibration ML model was validated with two certified reference materials (LSVEC and IRMM-016). The procedure was applied toward the isotope amount ratio determination of a set of stock chemicals (Li2CO3, LiNO3, LiCl, and LiOH) and a BAM candidate reference material NMC111 (LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2), a Li-battery cathode material. The results of these determinations were compared with those obtained by MC-ICP-MS and found to be metrologically comparable and compatible. The residual bias was −1.8‰, and the precision obtained ranged from 1.9 to 6.2‰. This precision was sufficient to resolve naturally occurring variations, as demonstrated for samples ranging from approximately −3 to +15‰. To assess its suitability to technical applications, the NMC111 cathode candidate reference material was analyzed using high-resolution continuum source atomic absorption spectrometry with and without matrix purification. The results obtained were metrologically compatible with each other.
High-resolution continuum source graphite furnace molecular absorption spectrometry (HR-CS-GF-MAS) was employed for determining adsorbable organic chlorine (AOCl) in water. Organic chlorine was indirectly quantified by monitoring the molecular absorption of the transient aluminum monochloride molecule (AlCl) around a wavelength of 261.42 nm in a graphite furnace. An aluminum solution was used as the molecularforming modifier. A zirconium coated graphite furnace, as well as Sr and Ag solutions were applied as modifiers for a maximal enhancement of the absorption signal. The pyrolysis and vaporization temperatures were 600 °C and 2300 °C, respectively. Non-spectral interferences were observed with F, Br, and I at concentrations higher than 6 mg L-1, 50 mg L-1, and 100 mg L-1, respectively. Calibration curves with NaCl, 4-chlorophenol, and trichlorophenol present the same slope and dynamic range, which indicates the chlorine atom specificity of the method. This method was evaluated and validated using synthetic water samples, following the current standard DIN EN ISO 9562:2004 for the determination of the sum parameter adsorbable organic halides (AOX) for water quality. These samples contain 4-chlorophenol as the chlorinated organic standard in an inorganic chloride matrix. Prior to analysis, organic chlorine was extracted from the inorganic matrix via solid-phase extraction with a recovery rate >95%. There were no statistically significant differences observed between measured and known values and for a t-test a confidence level of 95% was achieved. The limits of detection and characteristic mass were found to be 48 and 22 pg, respectively. The calibration curve was linear in the range 0.1–2.5 ng with a correlation coefficient R2 = 0.9986.
The quantification of the sulphur mass fraction in pure copper and copper alloys by GDMS and LA-ICP-MS revealed a lack of traceability mainly due to a lack of suitable certified reference materials for calibrating the instruments. Within this study GDMS and LA-ICP-MS were applied as routine analytical tools to quantify sulphur in copper samples by applying reference materials as calibrators, which were characterized for their sulphur mass fraction by IDMS beforehand. Different external calibration strategies were applied including a matrix cross type calibration. Both techniques with all calibration strategies were validated by using certified reference materials (others than those used for calibration) and good agreement with the reference values was achieved except for the matrix cross type calibration, for which the agreement was slightly worse. All measurement results were accompanied by an uncertainty statement. For GDMS, the relative expanded (k = 2) measurement uncertainty ranged from 3% to 7%, while for LA-ICP-MS it ranged from 11% to 33% when applying matrix-matched calibration in the sulphur mass fraction range between 25 mg kg-1 and 1300 mg kg-1. For cross-type calibration the relative expanded (k = 2) measurement uncertainty need to be increased to at least 12% for GDMS and to at least 54% for LA-ICP-MS to yield metrological compatibility with the reference values. The so obtained measurement results are traceable to the international system of units (SI) via IDMS reference values, which is clearly illustrated by the unbroken chain of calibrations in the metrological traceability scheme.
The therapeutic dose of lithium (Li) compounds, which are widely used for the treatment of psychiatric and hematologic disorders, is close to its toxic level; therefore, drug monitoring protocols are mandatory. Herein, we propose a fast, simple, and low-cost analytical procedure for the traceable determination of Li concentration in human serum, based on the monitoring of the Li isotope dilution through the partially resolved isotope shift in its electronic transition around 670.80 nm using a commercially available high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer. With this technique, serum samples only require acidic digestion before analysis. The procedure requires three measurements—an enriched 6Li spike, a mixture of a certified standard solution and spike, and a mixture of the sample and spike with a nominal 7Li/6Li ratio of 0.82. Lanthanum has been used as an internal spectral standard for wavelength correction. The spectra are described as the linear superposition of the contributions of the respective isotopes, each consisting of a spin-orbit doublet, which can be expressed as Gaussian components with constant spectral position and width and different relative intensity, reflecting the isotope ratio in the sample. Both the spectral constants and the correlation between isotope ratio and relative band intensity have been experimentally obtained using commercially available materials enriched with Li isotopes. The Li characteristic mass (mc) obtained corresponds to 0.6 pg. The procedure has been validated using five human serum certified reference materials. The results are metrologically comparable and compatible to the certified values. The measurement uncertainties are comparable to those obtained by the more complex and expensive technique, isotope dilution mass spectrometry.
Metal-containing nanoparticles (NP) can be characterized with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometers (ICP-MS) in terms of their size and number concentration by using the single-particle mode of the instrument (spICP-MS). The accuracy of measurement depends on the setup, operational conditions of the instrument and specific parameters that are set by the user. The transport efficiency of the ICP-MS is crucial for the quantification of the NP and usually requires a reference material with homogenous size distribution and a known particle number concentration.
Currently, NP reference materials are available for only a few metals and in limited sizes. If particles are characterized without a reference standard, the results of both size and particle number may be biased. Therefore, a dual-inlet Setup for characterizing nanoparticles with spICP-MS was developed to overcome this problem. This setup is based on a conventional introduction system consisting of a pneumatic nebulizer (PN) for nanoparticle solutions and a microdroplet Generator (μDG) for ionic calibration solutions. A new and flexible interface was developed to facilitate the coupling of μDG, PN and the ICP-MS system. The interface consists of available laboratory components and allows for the calibration, nanoparticle (NP) characterization and cleaning of the arrangement, while the ICP-MS instrument is still running.
Three independent analysis modes are available for determining particle size and number concentration. Each mode is based on a different calibration principle.
While mode I (counting) and mode III (μDG) are known from the literature, mode II (sensitivity), is used to determine the transport efficiency by inorganic ionic Standard solutions only. It is independent of NP reference materials. The μDG based inlet system described here guarantees superior analyte sensitivities and, therefore, lower detection limits (LOD). The size dependent LODs achieved are less than 15 nm for all NP (Au, Ag, CeO2) investigated.
Two sets of polystyrene nanoparticles (PSNPs) with comparable core sizes but different carboxyl group densities were made and separated using asymmetric flow field flow fractionation (AF4), capillary electrophoresis (CE), and the off-line hyphenation of both methods. Our results revealed the significant potential of two-dimensional off-line AF4-CE hyphenation to improve the separation and demonstrated for the first time, the applicability of CE to determine the functional group density of nanoparticles (NPs). Compared to the result acquired with conductometric titration, the result obtained with synthesized 100 nm sized PSNPs revealed only a slight deviation of 1.7%. Commercial 100 nm sized PSNPs yielded a deviation of 4.6 %. For 60 nm sized PSNPs, a larger deviation of 10.6 % between both methods was observed, which is attributed to the lower separation resolution.
Nano-carrier systems such as liposomes have promising biomedical applications. Nevertheless, characterization of these complex samples is a challenging analytical task. In this study a coupled hydrodynamic chromatography-single particle-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HDC-spICP-MS) approach was validated based on the technical specification (TS) 19590:2017 of the international organization for standardization (ISO). The TS has been adapted to the hyphenated setup. The quality criteria (QC), e.g., linearity of the calibration, transport efficiency, were investigated. Furthermore, a cross calibration of the particle size was performed with values from dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Due to an additional Y-piece, an online-calibration routine was implemented. This approach allows the calibration of the ICP-MS during the dead time of the chromatography run, to reduce the required time and enhance the robustness of the results. The optimized method was tested with different gold nanoparticle (Au-NP) mixtures to investigate the characterization properties of HDC separations for samples with increasing complexity. Additionally, the technique was successfully applied to simultaneously determine both the hydrodynamic radius and the Au-NP content in liposomes. With the established hyphenated setup, it was possible to distinguish between different subpopulations with various NP loads and different hydrodynamic diameters inside the liposome carriers.
This study reports on the development of a single-particle (sp) inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) technique suitable for the multi-mode determination of nanoparticle (NP) metal mass fraction and number concentration. The described technique, which is based on a dual inlet System consisting of a pneumatic nebulizer (PN) and a microdroplet generator (MDG), allows for the sequential introduction of ionic metal calibrant solutions and nanoparticle suspensions via all combinations of the two inlets; thus allowing for a combination of three independent modes of analysis. A novel interface, assembled using standard analytical components (a demountable quartz ICP-MS torch, flexible nonconducting silicon tubing and various connectors), was used to interface the dual inlet system to an ICP-MS. The interface provided improved functionality, compared to a previous design. It is now possible to conveniently exchange and introduce standard solutions and samples via all inlet combinations, analyze them, and also wash the sample inlet systems while the whole setup is still connected to an operating ICP-MS. This setup provided seamless and robust operation in a total of three analysis modes, i.e. three ways to independently determine the metal mass fraction and NP number concentration. All three analyses modes could be carried out within a single analytical run lasting approximately 20 min.
The unique feature of the described approach is that each analysis mode is based on a different.
Well-absorbed iron-based nanoparticulated materials are a promise for the oral management of iron deficient anemia. In this work, a battery of in vitro and in situ experiments are combined for the evaluation of the uptake, distribution and toxicity of new synthesized ultrasmall (4 nm core) Fe2O3 nanoparticles coated with tartaric/adipic acid with potential to be used as oral Fe supplements. First, the in vitro simulated gastric acid solubility studies by TEM and HPLC-ICP-MS reveal a partial reduction of the core size of about 40% after 90 min at pH3. Such scenario confirms the arrival of the nanoparticulate material in the small intestine. In the next step, the in vivo absorption through the small intestine by intestinal perfusion experiments is conducted using the sought nanoparticles in Wistar rats. The quantification of Fe in the NPs Suspension before and after perfusion shows Fe absorption levels above 79%, never reported for other Fe treatments. Such high absorption levels do not seem to compromise cell viability, evaluated in enterocytes-like models (Caco-2 and HT-29) using cytotoxicity, ROS production, genotoxicity and lipid peroxidation tests. Moreover, regional differences in terms of Fe concentration are obtained among different parts of the small intestine as duodenum>jejunum>ileum. Complementary transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images show the presence of the intact particles around the intestinal microvilli without significant tissue damage. These studies show the high potential of these NP preparations for their use as oral management of anemia.
Acoustically levitated droplets have been suggested as compartmentalized, yet wall-less microreactors for high-throughput reaction optimization purposes. The absence of walls is envisioned to simplify up-scaling of the optimized reaction conditions found in the microliter volumes. A consequent pursuance of high-throughput chemistry calls for a fast, robust and sensitive analysis suited for online interrogation. For reaction optimization, targeted Analysis with relatively low sensitivity suffices, while a fast, robust and automated sampling is paramount. To follow this approach, in this contribution, a direct coupling of levitated droplets to a homebuilt ion mobility spectrometer (IMS) is presented. The sampling, Transfer to the gas phase, as well as the ionization are all performed by a single exposure of the sampling volume to the resonant output of a mid-IR laser. Once formed, the nascent spatially and temporally evolving analyte ion cloud needs to be guided out of the acoustically confined trap into the inlet of the ion mobility spectrometer. Since the IMS is operated at ambient pressure, no fluid dynamic along a pressure Gradient can be employed. Instead, the transfer is achieved by the electrostatic potential gradient inside a dual ring electrode ion optics, guiding the analyte ion cloud into the first stage of the IMS linear drift tube accelerator. The design of the appropriate atmospheric pressure ion optics is based on the original vacuum ion optics design of Wiley and McLaren. The obtained experimental results nicely coincide with ion trajectory calculations based on a collisional model.
A fast and simple method for sulfur quantification in crude oils was developed by using high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace molecular absorption spectrometry (HR-CS-GFMAS). For this, heavy crude oil samples were prepared as microemulsion (shake) and injected into a graphite furnace (shut). Finally, the concentration of sulfur was determined by monitoring in situ the transient molecular spectrum of GeS at wavelength 295.205nm after adding a germanium solution as molecular forming agent (and go). Zirconium dioxide in the form of nanoparticles (45–55nm) was employed as a permanent modifier of the graphite furnace. Calibration was done with an aqueous solution standard of ammonium sulfate, and a characteristic mass (m0) of 7.5ng was achieved. The effectiveness of the proposed method was evaluated analizing, ten heavy crude oil samples with Sulfur amounts ranging between 0.3 and 4.5% as well as two NIST standard reference materials, 1620c and 1622e. Results were compared with those obtained by routine ICP-OES analysis, and no statistical relevant differences were found.
Arraying of single cells for mass spectrometric analysis is a considerable bioanalytical challenge. In this study, we employ a novel single cell arraying technology for quantitative analysis and isotopic fingerprinting by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-TOF-MS). The single cell arraying approach is based on a piezo-acoustic microarrayer with software for automated optical detection of cells within the piezo dispense capillary (PDC) prior to arraying. Using optimized parameters, single cell occupancy of >99%, high throughput (up to 550 cells per hour), and a high cell recovery of >66% is achieved. LA-ICP-TOF-MS is employed to detect naturally occurring isotopes in the whole mass range as fingerprints of individual cells. Moreover, precise quantitative determination of metal-containing cell dyes is possible down to contents of ∼100 ag using calibration standards which were produced using the same arrayer.
Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) was used to monitor changes of the molecular masses of thermoplastic polyether – and polyester urethane (TPU) exposed to thermal, hydrolytic, and photo-oxidative (UV) Degradation conditions for several days. The thermal treatment was performed at elevated temperatures (100–200 °C) under oxidative (air) as well as non-oxidative (nitrogen) conditions to evaluate the specific influence of oxygen on the degradation. At higher temperatures (≥175 °C) a fast decrease of the molecular masses of both PU accompanied by a high degree of crosslinking was found. At lower temperatures (≤150 °C) the polymers remained widely unaffected by thermal degradation within the investigated degradation interval of up to two weeks. Surprisingly, the influence of oxygen (air) was found to be less distinct. In contrast to that, UV treatment at 25 °C at less than 10% rel. humidity (RH) resulted in a fast crosslinking, whereas the molecular masses of both PU decreased slower than for thermal treatments. The depth of penetration of the UV radiation was estimated using 3D printed PU samples with different thicknesses. Hydrolysis based degradation effects were less significant. Only slight molecular mass changes were detected at temperatures ≤80 °C within a time span of 14 days, while no crosslinking could be measured. Considering the degradation results at the investigated exposure parameters, it could be shown that esterbased PU in general exhibits a significant higher stability compared to ether-based materials.
The efficiency, relatively low cost and eco-friendly nature of hydrogen peroxide-assisted photocatalysis treatment procedures are significant advantages over conventional techniques for wastewater remediation. Herein, we evaluate the behaviour of g-cyclodextrin (g-CD) immobilised on either bare or chitosan (CS)–functionalised Fe3O4 nanoparticles, for photodegrading Bisphenol A (BPA) in ultrapure water and in real wastewater samples. The BPA removal efficiencies with Fe3O4/g-CD and Fe3O4/CS/g-CD were compared with those of Fe3O4/b-CD, and were monitored under UVA irradiation at near-neutral pH. The addition of H2O2 at low concentrations (15 mmol L-1) significantly increased BPA photodegradation in the presence of each nanocomposite. The highest catalytic activity was shown by both Fe3O4/g-CD and Fe3O4/CS/g-CD nanocomposites (,60 and 27%BPA removal in ultrapure water and real wastewater effluent, respectively). Our findings reveal the superior performance of g-CD-functionalised Fe3O4 relative to that of Fe3O4/b-CD. The use of CD-based nanocomposites as photocatalytic materials could be an attractive option in the pre- or post-treatment stage of wastewaters by advanced oxidation processes before or after biological treatment.
The successful off-line coupling of asymmetrical flow field flow fractionation (AF4) and capillary electrophoresis (CE) for separation of nanoparticles (NPs) with different surface coatings was shown. We could successfully demonstrate that, in a certain NP size range, hyphenation of both techniques significantly improved the separation of differently coated NPs. Three mixtures of polystyrene nanoparticles (PS-NPs) with comparable core sizes but different coatings (no coating/carboxyl-coated) were studied. Separation in either method resulted in non-baseline resolved or non-separated peaks. In contrast, two-dimensional off-line coupling of AF4 and CE resulted in clearly separated regions in their 2 D plots in case of 20 and 50 nm particle mixtures, whereas the 100 nm NP mixture could not be separated at all. Various factors affecting the separation like hydrodynamic diameter or SDS concentration were discussed.
Metal tags find application in a multitude of biomedical systems and the combination with laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) offers an opportunity for multiplexing. To lay the foundation for an increase of the signal intensities in such processes, we herein present a general approach for efficient functionalization of a well-defined metal oxido cluster [Bi6O4(OH)(4)(SO3CF3)(6)(CH3CN)(6)].2 CH3CN (1), which can be realized by selecting 7mer peptide sequences via combinatorial means from large one-bead one-compound peptide libraries. Selective cluster-binding peptide sequences (CBS) for 1 were discriminated from non-binders by treatment with H2S gas to form the reduction product Bi2S3, clearly visible to the naked eye. Interactions were further confirmed by NMR experiments. Extension of a binding peptide with a maleimide linker (Mal) introduces the possibility to covalently attach thiol-bearing moieties such as biological probes and for their analysis the presence of the cluster instead of mononuclear entities should lead to an increase of signal intensities in LA-ICP-MS measurements. To prove this, CBS-Mal was covalently bound onto thiol-presenting glass substrates, which then captured 1 effectively, so that LA-ICP-MS measurements demonstrated drastic signal amplification compared to single lanthanide tags.
Xenobiotics and their reactive metabolites are conjugated with native biomolecules such as glutathione and glucoside during phase II metabolism. Toxic metabolites are usually detoxified during this step. On the other hand, these reactive species have a potential health impact by disrupting many enzymatic functions. Thus, it is crucial to understand phase II conjugation reactions of xenobiotics in order to address their fate and possible toxicity mechanisms.
Additionally, conventional methods (in vivo and in vitro) have limitation due to matrix complexity and time-consuming. Hence, developing fast and matrix-free alternative method is highly demandable. In this work, oxidative phase I metabolites and reactive species of chlorpyrifos (insecticide) and fluopyram (fungicide) were electrochemically produced by using a boron-doped diamond electrode coupled online to electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Reactive species of the substrates were trapped by biomolecules (glutathione and glucoside) and phase II conjugative metabolites were identified using liquid chromatography (LC)-MS/MS, and/or Triple time of flight (TripleTOF)-MS. Glutathione conjugates and glucosylation of chlorpyrifos, trichloropyridinol, oxon, and monohydroxyl fluopyram were identified successfully. Glutathione and glucoside were conjugated with chlorpyrifos, trichloropyridinol, and oxon by losing a neutral HCl. In the case of fluopyram, its monohydroxyl metabolite was actively conjugated with both glutathione and glucoside. In summary, seven bioconjugates of CPF and its metabolites and two bioconjugates of fluopyram metabolites were identified using electrochemistry (EC)/MS for the first time in this work. The work could be used as an alternative approach to identify glutathione and glucosylation conjugation reactions of other organic compounds too. It is important, especially to predict phase II conjugation within a short time and matrix-free environment.
Cost-effective water cleaning approaches using improved Treatment technologies, for instance based on catalytic processes with high activity catalysts, are urgently needed. The aim of our study was to synthesize efficient Fenton-like photo-catalysts for rapid degradation of persistent organic micropollutants in aqueous medium. Iron-based nanomaterials were chemically synthesized through simple procedures by immobilization of either iron(II) oxalate (FeO) or iron(III) citrate (FeC) on magnetite (M) nanoparticles stabilized with polyethylene glycol (PEG). Various investigation techniques were performed in order to characterize the freshly prepared catalysts. By applying advanced oxidation processes, the effect of catalyst dosage, hydrogen peroxide concentration and UV-A light exposure were examined for Bisphenol A (BPA) conversion, at laboratory scale, in mild conditions. The obtained results revealed that BPA degradation was rapidly enhanced in the presence of low-concentration H2O2, as well as under UV-A light, and is highly dependent on the surface characteristics of the catalyst. Complete photo-degradation of BPA was achieved over the M/PEG/FeO catalyst in less than 15 minutes. Based on the catalytic performance, a hierarchy of the tested catalysts was established: M/PEG/FeO > M/PEG/FeC > M/PEG. The results of cytotoxicity assay using MCF-7 cells indicated that the aqueous samples after treatment are less cytotoxic.
From simple homopolymers to functionalized, 3-dimensional structured copolymers, the complexity of polymeric materials has become more and more sophisticated. With new applications for instance in the semiconductor or pharmaceutical industry, the requirements for the characterization have risen with the complexity of the used polymers. For each additional distribution, an additional dimension in analysis is needed. Small, often isomeric heterogeneities in topology or microstructure can usually not be simply separated chromatographically or distinguished by any common detector, but affect the properties of materials significantly. For a drug delivery system for example, the degree of branching and branching distribution is crucial for the formation of micelles. Instead of a complicated, time consuming and/or expensive 2d-chromatography or ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) method, that also has its limitations, in this work a simple approach using size exclusion chromatography (SEC) coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI) is proposed. The online coupling allows the analysis of reconstructed ion chromatograms (RIC) of each degree of polymerization. While a complete separation often cannot be achieved, the derived retention times and peak widths lead to information on the existence and dispersity of heterogeneities. Although some microstructural heterogeneities like short chain branching can for large polymers be characterized with methods such as light scattering, for oligomers where the heterogeneities just start to form and their influence is at the maximum, they are inaccessible with these methods. It is also shown, that with a proper calibration even quantitative information can be obtained. This method is suitable to detect small differences in e. g. branching, 3d-structure, monomer sequence or tacticity and could potentially be used in routine analysis to quickly determine deviations.
Biotransformation processes of fluopyram (FLP), a new succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor (SDHI) fungicide, were investigated by electrochemistry (EC) coupled online to liquid chromatography (LC) and electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Oxidative phase I metabolite production was achieved using an electrochemical flow-through cell equipped with a boron doped diamond (BDD) electrode. Structural elucidation and prediction of oxidative metabolism pathways were assured by retention time, isotopic patterns, fragmentation, and accurate mass measurements using EC/LC/MS, LC-MS/MS, and/or high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). The results obtained by EC were compared with conventional in vitro studies by incubating FLP with rat and human liver microsomes (RLM, HLM). Known phase I metabolites of FLP (benzamide, benzoic acid, 7-hydroxyl, 8-hydroxyl, 7,8-dihydroxyl FLP, lactam FLP, pyridyl acetic acid, and Z/E-olefin FLP) were successfully simulated by EC/LC/MS. New metabolites including an imide, hydroxyl lactam, and 7-hydroxyl pyridyl acetic acid oxidative metabolites were predicted for the first time in our study using EC/LC/MS and liver microsomes. We found oxidation by dechlorination to be one of the major metabolism mechanisms of FLP. Thus, our results revealed that EC/LC/MS-based metabolic elucidation was more advantageous on time and cost of analysis and enabled matrix-free detection with valuable information about the mechanisms and intermediates of metabolism processes.
Singlet oxygen generation potential of two novel free-base-porphyrin photocatalysts was investigated. The freebase-porphyrin-sensitized Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were tested for the degradation of the model pollutant Bisphenol A (BPA) in aqueous solution, for the first time. MNPs with either cubic or spherical shape were synthesized using the sonochemical approach, followed by sensitizing with photoactive 4,4′,4′′,4′′′- (Porphine-5,10,15,20-tetrayl)tetrakis(benzoic acid) (TCPP). The resulted photocatalysts were characterized in detail by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis, spectral techniques and vibrating sample magnetometry. The electron spin resonance experiments have confirmed the high activity of the photocatalysts through the efficient formation of singlet oxygen in solution. The optimum operational parameters for BPA degradation were established as follows: 1.0 μmol L−1 BPA, 1.0 g L−1 of photocatalyst, 100 μmol L−1 H2O2, under UVA irradiation. In these conditions, the results for both photocatalysts revealed that after only 10 min of reaction, over 64% and ca. 90% of BPA have been removed from solution in the absence and presence of H2O2, respectively. Whereas after 60 minutes of treatment, only 24% of BPA in real wastewater effluent samples were removed under UVA irradiation in the absence of H2O2, showing the high complexity of real wastewater. Moreover, both photocatalysts were successfully used for BPA removal in three consecutive runs, without significant loss of catalytic features.
Previously applied methods for the quantification of sulphur in copper and other pure metals revealed a lack of SI-traceability and additionally showed inconsistent results, when different methods were compared.
Therefore, a reference procedure is required which allows SI-traceable values accompanied by a Sound uncertainty budget. In this study a procedure was developed for the quantification of total sulphur in copper at low concentration levels using inductively coupled plasma-isotope dilution mass spectrometry (ICP-IDMS). The major part of the copper matrix was separated by adding ammonia which forms a complex with the copper while releasing the sulphur followed by chromatographic separation using a weak cation resin. After that the sulphur fraction was further purified by chromatographic means using first an anion exchange method and second a chelating resin. The developed procedure shows high performance, especially concerning high efficiency in matrix removal (>99.999%) while keeping the recovery of sulphur above 80%. Procedure blanks are in the order of 3–53 ng resulting in LOD and LOQ values of 0.2 mg g1 and 0.54 mg g1, respectively. The procedure is sufficient to facilitate value assignment of the total sulphur mass fraction in reference materials. Additionally, relative measurement uncertainties were calculated to be below 1% and the measurement results were traceable to the SI. The procedure reported in this study is a new reference procedure for sulphur measurement in copper, being fit for two major purposes, certification of reference materials and assignment of reference values for inter-laboratory comparison.
Optical elemental analysis in the gas phase typically relies on electrically driven plasmas. As an alternative approach, laser-induced plasmas (LIPs) have been suggested but have so far been only scarcely used.
Here, a novel signal enhancement strategy for laser-based airborne plasma optical Emission spectroscopy for gas phase analytics is presented. In contrast to an electrically driven plasma, in the laser-induced analogue dynamic matter transport equilibrium builds up. The latter results in a rarefied density regime in the plasma core itself, surrounded by an area of compressed matter. The central rarefaction leads to a decrease in plasma intensity and analyte number density, both of which are detrimental for analytical purposes. Since the repetitive ignition of LIPs is a transient process, a restoration of the former gaseous medium by other dynamically equilibrated diffusion processes would be favourable. The presented combination of an airborne LIP and an ultrasonic acoustic resonator yields a fourfold signal enhancement while the Background contribution of ubiquitous air is at the same time effectively suppressed. Since the entire enhancement effect occurs without contact, no additional sources for abrasive sample contamination are introduced.
Identifying the fate of agrochemicals is important to understand their potential risk for living organisms. We report here new photodegradation products (PPs) of the fungicide fluopyram. The PPs were produced by irradiating a fluopyram standard in 0.1% acetonitrile aqueous media by a 150-W medium pressure Hg-lamp that emits wavelengths between 200–280 nm. The structural elucidation of PPs was achieved by combining the retention time, isotopic pattern, targeted fragmentation, and accurate mass measurements using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and high resolution-MS (HRMS). In addition to previously known PPs, seven new PPs of fluopyram were identified in this work: mainly dihydroxyl and hydroxylimide fluopyram as well as mono, di, and trihydroxyl lactam. Additionally, two PPs were found to be formed by rearrangement after the loss of H2C=CH2. Hence, the results of the work contribute to extending the current knowledge regarding the photoinduced fate of agrochemicals, and fluopyram in particular.
The meeting was organised by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre and held at the JRC-Geel site on 22–23 February 2018. It was a follow-up of a similar meeting held in 2009. The objective of the meeting was to exchange information about ongoing publicly funded reference material (RM) production, identify areas of interest for future specific RMs, including certified reference material (CRM) developments, investigate potential areas of collaboration, and to identify areas which may be of a lower importance in the future for a specific RM producer. The benefit of exchanging such information is to avoid duplication of efforts in RM production, make better use of public funds by potentially matching competencies, and to address problems that are common to publicly funded RM producers.
Polyethylene (PE) frits were used to quantify sulphur in copper and its alloys by isotope dilution combined with LA-ICP-MS as an alternative approach to conventional sample preparation: the copper samples were spiked, the spiked samples were dissolved, the resulting solutions were absorbed in the PE frits and finally the PE frits were analysed by LA-ICP-MS. A prerequisite for such a support material is a low sulphur blank and thus PE was selected for this purpose. The absorption efficiency of the PE frits was studied for varying sulphur amounts ranging from 2 mg S to 80 mg S showing that more than 99.5% of the loaded sulphur was absorbed by the frit. The so prepared PE frits were measured by LA-ICP-MS and yielded a good linearity (R2 ¼ 0.999) for the sulphur ion intensities corresponding to sulphur amounts up to 40 mg S; the associated sensitivity is approximately 3.4 x 10⁴ cps μg⁻¹ for ³²S. For the validation of the developed procedure the reference materials BAM-M376a, BAM-228 and BAM-227 were applied such that 2 μg S, 5 μg S and 11 μg S were absorbed in the PE frits, respectively. These samples were pre-quantified for the adsorbed sulphur amount by external calibration LA-ICP-MS yielding sulphur amounts of 0.9 μg, 5.1 μg and 8.5 μg (quantified for ³²S only), respectively. Relative Standard deviations of the isotope ratios were below 5% in average (n ¼ 3 lines) in all cases (except for the pure spike solution). These samples were then analysed by LA-ICP-IDMS and the measurement results were validated by comparing them with the results obtained by conventional ICP-IDMS. The obtained relative expanded measurement uncertainties ranged between 10% and 26%. Pearson's coefficient was used to express the correlation between both techniques; the obtained value was 0.999 demonstrating a strong correlation. Contrary to most published LA-ICP-IDMS procedures, the developed procedure enables SI-traceability for the measurement results. The metrological traceability to the SI for the sulphur mass fractions in copper was established by an unbroken chain of comparisons, each accompanied by an uncertainty budget. Thus, the measurement results are considered reliable, acceptable and comparable within the stated measurement uncertainty. The metrological traceability chain from the kg down to mass fraction in the samples obtained by LA-ICP-IDMS is presented as well.
Quantification of metals in single cells by LA-ICP-MS comparison of single spot analysis and imaging
(2018)
LA-ICP-MS is increasingly used for single cell analysis in two different detection modes using either the imaging mode with subcellular resolution or alternatively single spot analysis of cells with a larger laser spot size. This study compares the analytical figures of merit of both detection modes (signal to noise, precision, accuracy, throughput), as well as ease of operation and data evaluation. Adherent 3T3 fibroblast cells were stained with two metal dyes (mDOTA-Ho, Ir-DNA-intercalator) and several dozen cells were measured using both modes. We found a ten times higher throughput for single spot analysis, which has as well a straightforward data analysis, shortening the total analysis time further. The signal to noise ratio for single spot analysis was found to be slightly better compared to the signal to noise of pixels in imaging. The mean metal intensity per single cell differed by only 10% between both modes and obtained distributions were found to show no statistically significant differences. Using matrix matched calibration based on standards spotted onto nitrocellulose membrane, we achieved detection limits (10 σ) of 12 fg for Ir and 30 fg for Ho and quantified 57 ± 35 fg Ir and 1,192 ± 707 fg Ho per single cell. Compared to a conventional ICP-MS measurement of a digest of ~60,000 cells, 54 % of Ir content and 358 % Ho content was found using quantitative LA-ICP-MS. The difference might be a consequence of the two metal dyes binding to different structures of the cell and therefore might behave differently in sample preparation for conventional and LA-ICP-MS.
The identification of transformation products (TPs) of pesticides in food is a crucial task difficult to tackle, due to the lack of standards. In this work, we present a novel methodology to synthesize five main TP standards of the insecticide chlorpyrifos (CPF) and to investigate their occurrence in selected fruits and spices. TPs were electrochemically (EC) synthesized using a boron-doped diamond electrode (BDD) and identified by EC coupled online to mass spectrometry, LC-MS/MS, and high-resolution mass spectrometry. CPF and its TPs were analyzed in the food samples by LC-MS/MS on multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) after dispersive solid-phase extraction. A good recovery of 83–103% for CPF and 65–85% for TPs was obtained. Matrix effects, which cause signal suppression, ranged between 81 to 95% for all targeted analytes. The limit of detection and quantification for CPF were 1.6–1.9 and 4.9–5.7 μg/kg, respectively. Among investigated samples, CPF was determined in fresh lemon (104 μg/kg), fenugreek seed (40 μg/kg), and black pepper (31 μg/kg). CPF content in all samples was lower than the EU maximum residue level (MRL). The most frequently detected TPs were diethylthiophosphate and diethylphosphate. Other TPs, CPF oxon and trichloropyridinol, were also detected. Hence, EC is a versatile tool to synthesize TP standards which enables the determination of contaminants and residues in foodstuffs even if no commercial standards are available.
Estrone (E1), a metabolite of the estrogenic hormones 17β-estradiol (β-E2) and 17α-estradiol (α-E2), is itself a potent estrogen which can have a significant impact on the hormonal balance. Due to ist high potential for adverse effects on human health and aquatic life even at pg/L to ng/L levels, its appearance in water should be monitored. E1 has also been considered a marker substance for the presence of other estrogens. This study presents a newly developed direct competitive enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for quantification of E1 in environmental water samples using new monoclonal antibodies.
The quantification range of the ELISA is 0.15 μg/L to 8.7 μg/L E1, and the limit of detection is around 60 ng/L for not pre-concentrated water samples. A pre-concentration step after careful selection of suitable phases for SPE was developed, too. The influence of organic solvents and natural organic matter on the ELISA was assessed. The high selectivity of the monoclonal antibody was demonstrated by determining the cross-reactivity against 20 structurally related compounds.
For the assessment of matrix effects, a concept (“LC–ELISA”) is thoroughly exploited, i.e., separating complex samples by HPLC into 0.3 min fractions and determination of the apparent E1 concentration. Furthermore, fractions with interferences for nontarget/suspected-target analysis can be assigned. A dilution approach was applied to distinguish between specific interferences (cross-reactants) and non-specific interferences (matrix effects). In the determination of 18 environmental samples, a good agreement of the E1 concentration in the respective fractions was obtained with mean recoveries of 103 % to 132 % comparing ELISA to LC–MS/MS.
Iron nanoparticles (NPs) metabolism is directly associated to human health due to their use as anemia treatment and should be studied in detail in cells. Here we present a speciation strategy for the determination of the metabolic products of iron oxide nanoparticles coated by tartaric and adipic acids in enterocytes-like cell models (Caco-2 and HT-29). Such methodology is based on the use of SDS-modified reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) separation using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) as Fe selective detector. Post-column isotope dilution analysis is used as quantification tool by adding Fe-57 as isotopically enriched standard. To assess the separation capability of the method, two different iron nanostructures: iron sucrose nanoparticles -Venofer®- used as model suspension and iron tartrate/adipate-modified nanoparticles, both of about 4 nm (core size) were evaluated. The two nanostructures were injected into the system showing good peak profiles and quantitative elution recoveries (>80%) in both cases. In addition, both nanoparticulate fractions could be based-line separated from ionic iron species, which needed to be complexed with 1mM citrate to elute from the column. Exposed cells up to 0.5mM of iron tartrate/adipate-modified nanoparticles were specifically treated to extract the internalized NPs and the extracts examined using the proposed strategy. The obtained results revealed the presence of three different fractions corresponding to nanoparticle aggregates, dispersed nanoparticles and soluble iron respectively in a single chromatographic run. Quantitative experiments (column recoveries ranging from 60 to 80%) revealed the presence of the majority of the Fe in the nanoparticulated form (>75%) by summing up the dispersed and aggregate particles. Such experiments point out the high uptake and low solubilization rate of the tartrate/adipate NPs making these structures highly suitable as Fe supplements in oral anemia treatments.
Biomedical applications, including functional biomaterials, carbohydrate-arrays, and glycan-based biosensors.
The chemistry of glycan immobilization plays an essential role in the bioavailability and function of surface bound carbohydrate moieties. For biomedical applications the stability over time (shelf life) of glycan arrays is a crucial factor. Herein we report on approaches for surface and interface characterization relevant to the needs of production of glycan microarrays which were tested using model carbohydrate surfaces. For detailed characterization of glycan model surfaces we used a combination of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), near edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS) and ToF SIMS which are complementary techniques of surface chemical analysis. Links to fluorescence spectroscopy often used for characterization in the microarray community were established as well. In detail, amine-reactive silicon oxide and glass surfaces were used for anchoring oligosaccharides with an amino linker. The amount of surface bound carbohydrates was estimated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Glycan immobilization was investigated using lectins, which are glycan-binding molecules. A shelf life study of model glycan microarrays on epoxy-coated glass surfaces was done over a period of 160 days under different storage conditions utilizing fluorescence, ToF-SIMS and XPS analysis. It was shown that glycan activity of the models used can be maintained at least for half a year of storage at 4 °C.
The mechanism of action of zirconium permanent modifiers on graphite surfaces was investigated in order to understand its influence on the analytical signal in atomic and molecular absorption spectrometry (AAS/MAS). For this, the molecule formation of CaF was studied, which is used for the indirect analytical determination of fluorine in high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace molecular absorption spectrometry (HR-CS-GFMAS). The kinetics of this reaction was established by monitoring its molecular spectrum at different atomisation temperatures. An Arrhenius plot showed a pseudo-first order reaction with respect to fluorine (n = 1). An intermediate state was isolated, and its structure was elucidated by spectroscopic methods: scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEMEDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XANES and EXAFS), and Raman microspectroscopy. We propose here a mechanism, where ZrO2 acts as a heterogeneous catalyst: after a pyrolytic step, an intermediate state of ZrO(OCaF) is activated, and at higher temperatures, CaF(g) is released from the zirconium-coated graphite surface. No evidence of the formation of zirconium carbide was found. Consequently, as the CaF formation is catalysed by a heterogeneous catalyst, surface modifications with ZrO2 nanoparticles and ZrO xerogels were investigated in order to increase the surface area. Their influence was evaluated in the molecule formation of CaF, CaCl, CaBr, and CaI. Graphite furnace modification with zirconium oxide nanoparticles proves to be the best choice for fluorine analysis with a signal enhancement of more than eleven times with respect a non-coated graphite furnace. However, the influence of zirconium modifications in the analytical signals of Cl, and I is lower than the F signals or even negative in case of the Br. Understanding zirconium modifiers as heterogeneous catalysts offers a new perspective to AAS and MAS, and reveals the potential of surface analytical methods for development of improved permanent modifiers and graphite furnace coatings.
In many laser based ionization techniques with a subsequent drift time separation, the laser pulse generating the ions is considered as the start time t0. Therefore, an accurate temporal definition of this event is crucial for the resolution of the experiments. In this contribution, the laser induced plume dynamics of liquids evaporating into atmospheric pressure are visualized for two distinctively different laser pulse widths, Δt = 6 nanoseconds and Δτ = 280 microseconds. For ns-pulses the expansion of the generated vapour against atmospheric pressure is found to lead to turbulences inside the gas phase. This results in spatial and temporal broadening of the nascent clouds. A more equilibrated expansion, without artificial smearing of the temporal resolution can, in contrast, be observed to follow μs-pulse excitation. This leads to the counterintuitive finding that longer laser pulses results in an increased temporal vapour formation definition. To examine if this fume expansion also eventually results in a better definition of ion formation, the nascent vapour plumes were expanded into a linear drift tube ion mobility spectrometer (IMS). This time resolved detection of ion formation corroborates the temporal broadening caused by collisional impeding of the supersonic expansion at atmospheric pressure and the overall better defined ion formation by evaporation with long laser pulses. A direct comparison of the observed results strongly suggests the coexistence of two individual ion formation mechanisms that can be specifically addressed by the use of appropriate laser sources.
This study focused on quantitative detection of cocaine on Euro banknotes in Germany. A sensitive direct competitive immunoassay was developed and optimized with a limit of detection (LOD) of 5.6 ng/L. Exhaustive cocaine extraction by solvent was tested using different methanol concentrations and buffered solutions. Crossreactivity studies were performed to determine the degree of interference of cocaine metabolites with the immunoassay. Sixty-five Euro banknotes obtained from different districts in Berlin were evaluated. A 100% contamination frequency with cocaine was detected. A comparison between the amount of cocaine extracted by cotton swabbing of one square centimeter of the banknote showed a good correlation for lower contamination levels. This assay showed high sensitivity of detecting pg of cocaine per 1 cm2 of one banknote by swabbing 1 cm2: 0, 14, and 21 pg/cm2. Moreover, three notes of different denominations revealed high cocaine concentration; 1.1 mg/note, and twice 55 μg/note.
An automated method is presented for fast simulation of (bio)transformation products (TPs) of the organophosphate insecticide chlorpyrifos CPF)based on electrochemistry coupled online to liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (EC-LC-MS). Oxidative TPs were produced by a boron doped diamond (BDD) electrode, separated by reversed phase HPLC and online detected by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Furthermore, EC oxidative TPs were investigated by HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and FT-ICR high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and compared to in-vitro assay metabolites (rat and human liver microsomes). Main phase I metabolites of CPF: chlorpyrifos oxon (CPF oxon), trichloropyridinol (TCP), diethylthiophosphate (DETP), diethylphosphate (DEP), desethyl chlorpyrifos (De-CPF), and desethyl chlorpyrifos oxon (De-CPF oxon), were successfully identified by the developed EC-LC-MS method. The EC-LC-MS method showed similar metabolites compared to the in-vitro assay with possibilities of determining reactive species. Our results reveal that online EC-(LC)-MS brings an advantage on time of analysis by eliminating sample preparation steps and Matrix complexity compared to conventional in-vivo or in-vitro methods.
A simple metal staining procedure for identification and visualization of single cells by LA-ICP-MS
(2017)
High lateral resolution of metal detection in single cells by use of laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) demands powerful staining methods. In this work different staining procedures for the single cell analysis with LA-ICP-MS were optimized. An iridium intercalator was utilized to stain the cell nuclei whereas the whole cell was stained by the use of maleimido-mono-amide-DOTA (mDOTA) complexing lanthanide(III) ions. The content of the artificially introduced metals per cell was quantified using a matrix matched calibration approach based on cellulose membranes onto which standards were spotted by a microarray spotter. Absolute metal stain amounts in the range of 2.34 to 9.81 femtomole per cell were determined. The metal staining procedures allow direct identification and visualization of single cells and their cell compartments by element microscopy without the use of bright field images of the sample.
The release of iron from iron nanoparticles (NPs) used as parenteral formulations appears to be influenced by the size and surface properties of the colloidal iron complex and the matrix. A clinically applied product Venofer® has been used as a model formulation to establish adequate analytical strategies to evaluate the fate of iron nanoparticles (NPs) in blood. First, the preparation was characterized by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. This revealed the presence of monodisperse iron NPs with a hydrodynamic diameter of ∼15 nm and an iron core of ∼4 nm. Venofer® was then incubated with serum and whole blood in a quantitative study on the iron bioavailability from these NPs. Iron was speciated and quantified by using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Iron solubilization levels of up to 42% were found in both fluids using isotope dilution of iron for quantification within the first hour of incubation even in the absence of the reticuloendothelial system. The monitoring of the iron-containing proteins present in serum was conducted by highperformance liquid chromatography with ICP-MS detection. It indicated that the dissolved iron ions are bound to transferrin. Quantitative speciation studies using isotope pattern deconvolution experiments concluded that the released iron saturated almost completely (up to 90%) the metal binding sites of transferrin. The remaining iron appeared also associated to albumin and, to a lesser extent, forming smaller sized particles. Thus, the methods presented here provide new insights into the fate of Venofer® nanoparticles and may be applied to other formulations.
Actual research demonstrates that LA-ICP-MS is capable of being used as an imaging tool with cellular resolution. The aim of this investigation was the method development for LA-ICP-MS to extend the versatility to quantitative and multiplexing imaging of single eukaryotic cells. For visualization of individual cells selected, lanthanide-labeled antibodies were optimized for immuno-imaging of single cells with LA-ICP-MS. The molar content of the artificial introduced labels per cell was quantified using self-made nitrocellulose-coated slides for matrix-matched calibration and calculated amounts were in the range of 3.1 to 17.8 atmol per cell. Furthermore, the quantification strategy allows a conversion of 2D intensity profiles based on counts per second (cps) to quantitative 2D profiles representing the molar amount of the artificial introduced elemental probes per pixel for each individual cell.
An airborne laser plasma is suggested as an ambient ion source for mass spectrometry. Its fundamental physical properties, such as an excellent spatial and temporal definition, high electron and ion densities and a high effective cross section in maintaining the plasma, make it a promising candidate for future applications. For deeper insights into the plasma properties, the optical plasma emission is examined and compared to mass spectra. The results show a seemingly contradictory behavior, since the emitted light reports the plasma to almost entirely consist of hot elemental ions, while the corresponding mass spectra exhibit the formation of intact molecular species. Further experiments, including time- resolved shadowgraphy, spatially resolved mass spectrometry, as well as flow-dependent emission spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, suggest the analyte molecules to be formed in the cold plasma vicinity upon interaction with reactive species formed inside the hot plasma center. Spatial separation is maintained by concentrically expanding pressure waves, inducing a strong unidirectional diffusion. The accompanying rarefaction inside the plasma center can be compensated by a gas stream application. This replenishing results in a strong increase in emission brightness, in local reactive species concentration, and eventually in direct mass spectrometric sensitivity. To determine the analytical performance of the new technique, a comparison with an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) source was conducted. Two kitchen herbs, namely, spearmint and basil, were analyzed without any sample pretreatment. The presented results demonstrate a considerably higher sensitivity of the presented laser-spark ionization technique.
Statistical ethylene oxide (EO) and propylene oxide (PO) copolymers of different monomer compositions and different average molar masses additionally containing two kinds of end groups (FTD) were investigated by ultra high pressure liquid chromatography under critical conditions (UP-LCCC) combined with electrospray ionization time-of flight mass spectrometry (ESI-TOFMS).
Theoretical predictions of the existence of a critical adsorption point (CPA) for statistical copolymers with a given chemical and sequence distribution1 could be studied and confirmed. A fundamentally new approach to determine these critical conditions in a copolymer, alongside the inevitable chemical composition distribution (CCD), with mass spectrometric detection, is described. The shift of the critical eluent composition with the monomer composition of the polymers was determined. Due to the broad molar mass distribution (MMD) and the presumed existence of different end group functionalities as well as monomer sequence distribution (MSD), Gradient separation only by CCD was not possible. Therefore, isocratic separation conditions at the CPA of definite CCD fractions were developed. Although the various present distributions partly superimposed the separation process, the goal of separation by end group functionality was still achieved on the basis of the additional dimension of ESI-TOF-MS. The existence of HO-H besides the desired allylO-H end group functionalities was confirmed and their amount estimated. Furthermore, indications for a MSD were found by UPLC/MS/MS measurements. This approach offers for the first time the possibility to obtain a fingerprint of a broad distributed statistical copolymer including MMD, FTD, CCD, and MSD.
Boron isotope amount ratios n(10B)/n(11B) have been determined by monitoring the absorption spectrum of boron monohydride (BH) in a graphite furnace using high-resolution continuum source molecular absorption spectrometry (HR-CS-MAS). Bands (0→0) and (1→1) for the electronic transition X1Σ+ → A1Π were evaluated around wavelengths 433.1 nm and 437.1 nm respectively. Clean and free of memory effect molecular spectra of BH were recorded. In order to eliminate the memory effect of boron, a combination of 2% (v/v) hydrogen gas in argon and 1% trifluoromethane in argon, an acid solution of calcium chloride and mannitol as chemical modifiers was used. Partial least square regression (PLS) for analysis of samples and reference materials were applied. For this, a spectral library with different isotopes ratios for PLS regression was built. Results obtained around the 433.1 nm and 437.1 nm spectral regions are metrologically compatible with those reported by mass spectrometric methods. Moreover, for the evaluated region of 437 nm, an accuracy of 0.15‰ is obtained as the average deviation from the isotope reference materials. Expanded uncertainties with a coverage factor of k = 2 range between 0.15 and 0.44‰. This accuracy and precision are compatible with those obtained by mass spectrometry for boron isotope ratio measurements.
Driven mostly by the search for chemical syntheses under biocompatible conditions, so called "click" chemistry rapidly became a growing field of research. The resulting simple one-pot reactions are so far only scarcely accompanied by an adequate optimization via comparably straightforward and robust analysis techniques possessing short set-up times. Here, we report on a fast and reliable calibration-free online NMR monitoring approach for technical mixtures. It combines a versatile fluidic system, continuous-flow measurement of 1H spectra with a time interval of 20 s per spectrum, and a robust, fully automated algorithm to interpret the obtained data. As a proof-of-concept, the thiol-ene coupling between N-boc cysteine methyl ester and allyl alcohol was conducted in a variety of non-deuterated solvents while its time-resolved behaviour was characterized with step tracer experiments. Overlapping signals in online spectra during thiol-ene coupling could be deconvoluted with a spectral model using indirect hard modeling and were subsequently converted to either molar ratios (using a calibrationfree approach) or absolute concentrations (using 1-point calibration). For various solvents the kinetic constant k for pseudo-first order reaction was estimated to be 3.9 h-1 at 25 °C. The obtained results were compared with direct integration of non-overlapping signals and showed good agreement with the implemented mass balance.
Quantitative NMR spectroscopy for gas analysis for production of primary reference gas mixtures
(2017)
Due to its direct correlation to the number of spins within a sample quantitative NMR spectroscopy (qNMR) is a promising method with absolute comparison abilities in complex systems in technical, as well as metrological applications. Most of the samples studied with qNMR are in liquid state in diluted solutions, while gas-phase applications represent a rarely applied case. Commercially available NMR equipment was used for purity assessment of liquid and liquefied hydrocarbons serving as raw materials for production of primary reference gas standards. Additionally, gas-phase studies were performed within an online NMR flow probe, as well as in a high-pressure NMR setup to check feasibility as verification method for the composition of gas mixtures.
Research on carbohydrate based interactions with proteins, nucleic acids or antibodies has gained increased interest in the last years especially in clinical diagnosis or drug development. The efficiency of diagnostic interfaces depends upon the number of probe molecules, e.g. carbohydrates. The control of surface parameters as density and distribution of immobilized carbohydrates is essential for a reliable interaction with protein analytes. A controlled production of biomolecular interfaces can be reached by a stepwise quality control during buildup of these biointerfaces.
Here, ß-amino-cyclodextrin molecules were attached to amine-reactive silicon oxide surfaces via click chemistry to construct a model biosensor surface. The amount of surface bound carbohydrates was determined indirectly after chemical derivatization with 4-(trifluoromethyl)-benzylamine (TFMBA). Moreover, these surfaces were used to form host-guest complexes of ferrocene (guest) and β-cyclodextrin (host) moieties to mimic the target binding (sensing) of the model biosensor. Surface chemical analysis of all steps during biosensor construction was performed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS). Our approach widens the possibilities to generate switchable surfaces based on ß-Cyclodextrin surfaces for biosensor applications.
Three types of hybrid modified magnetite (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles, functionalized with either chitosan, chitosan/iron (II) oxalate or chitosan/iron (III) citrate, were synthesized by chemical precipitation method.
The obtained nanomaterials were characterized by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis, scanning and Transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometry. The prepared composites were further tested as magnetic catalysts for the removal of bisphenol A (BPA) in aqueous media. The kinetic Degradation experiments were performed at laboratory scale, while the best operational parameters for all three materials were established: 1.00 g L⁻¹ of catalyst, 10 mmol L⁻¹ H₂O₂, under simulated solar light irradiation.
After 15 min of UVA irradiation under the experimental conditions mentioned above, it was possible to decompose up to 99% of the micropollutant over all catalysts. Fe₃O₄/chitosan/iron oxalate catalyst showed the highest and fastest catalytic activity in BPA removal. Catalytic wet peroxide oxidation of non-biodegradable micropollutants on such iron-based hybrid nanoparticles can be a suitable pre-treatment method for wastewater decontamination, as an environment-friendly simplified Approach for water clean-up.
Sulfamethoxazol (SMX),a sulfonamide, is a widely used bacteriostatic antibiotic and therefore a promising marker for the entry of anthropogenic Pollution in the environment. SMX is frequently found in wastewater and surface water. This study presents the production of high affinity and selective polyclonal antibodies for SMX and the development and Evaluation of a direct competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)for the quantification of SMX in environmental watersamples. The crystal structures of the cross-reacting compounds sulfamethizole, N4-acetyl-SMX andsuccinimidyl-SMX were determined by x-ray diffraction aiming to explain their high cross-reactivity. These crystal structures are described for the first time. The quantification range of the ELISA is 0.82–63 µg/L. To verify our results, the SMX concentration in 20 environmental samples,including wastewater and surfacewater,was determined by ELISA and tandem mass spectrometry(MS/MS).A good Agreement of the measured SMX concentrations was found with average recoveries of 97–113%for the results of ELISA compared to LC-MS/MS.
Determination of tributyltin in whole water matrices under the European water framework directive
(2016)
Monitoring of water quality is important to control water pollution. Contamination of the aquatic systemhas a large effect on human health and the environment. Under the European Water Framework Directive(WFD) 2000/60/EC and the related directive on environmental quality standards (EQS) in the field of waterpolicy 2008/105/EC, the need for sensitive reference methods was highlighted. Since tributyltin (TBT) isone of the WFD listed priority substances a method was developed which is capable to qualify and quantifythe pollutant at the required low WFD EQS of 0.2 ng L⁻¹ in whole water bodies, i.e. in non-filtered watersamples with dissolved organic carbon and suspended particulate matter. Therefore special attention waspaid on the interaction of TBT with the suspended particulate matter and humic substances to obtain acomplete representation of the pollution in surface waters. Different water samples were investigatedvarying the content of organic dissolved and suspended matter. Quantification was performed usingspecies-specific isotope dilution (SSID) and gas chromatography with inductively coupled plasma massspectrometry (GC-ICP-MS). Different sample treatment strategies were evaluated and compared. Theprocess of internal standard addition was investigated and optimized, hence the equilibrium betweeninternal standards and matrix is of primary importance to perform accurate SSID. Samples spiked at EQSlevel were analyzed with a recovery between 95 and 105 %. Additionally real surface water samples wereinvestigated and the TBT concentration for the whole water body was determined and compared withconventional routine analysis method.
A reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography coupled to an inductively coupled Plasma mass spectrometer (HPLC–ICP-MS) approach in combination with isotope dilution analysis (IDA) for the separation and parallel quantification of nanostructured and ionic silver (Ag) is presented. The main Focus of this work was the determination of the ionic Ag concentration. For a sufficient stabilization of the Ions without dissolving the nanoparticles (NPs), the eluent had to be initially optimized. The determined Ag ion concentration was in a good agreement with results obtained using ultrafiltration. Further, the mechanism of the NP separation in the HPLC column was investigated. Typical size exclusion effects were found by comparing results from columns with different pore sizes. Since the recovery rates decreased with increasing Ag NP size and large Ag NPs did not elute from the column, additional interactions of the particles with the stationary phase were assumed. Our results reveal that the presented method is not only applicable to Ag NPs, but also to gold and polystyrene NPs. Finally, IDA-HPLC-ICP-MS experiments in single particle mode were performed to determine the particle cut-off size. The comparison with conventional spICP-MS experiments resulted in a similar diameter and particle size distribution.
Single particle ICP-MS (spICP-MS) has gained great influence in the analysis of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) due to its simplicity, speed and ability to obtain a particle number size distribution. Despite its many advantages, the method is hampered by matrix effects affecting the sensitivity of the instruments.
Consequently, over- or underestimated particle sizes might be obtained. To overcome these challenges, we present in this work the detection of both Ag isotopes with a quadrupole mass spectrometer for the application of isotopic dilution analysis (IDA) in combination with spICP-MS. Here, the isotopes are measured sequentially using the conventional spICP-MS integration time of 10 ms. Citrate stabilized Ag NPs of a spherical shape with the nominal diameters of 30, 40, 50 and 80 nm have been investigated.
The experimental concept of adding ¹⁰⁹Ag+ solutions to the NP suspensions resulted in the NP Spikes being only visible in the ¹⁰⁷Ag trace. Therefore, a maximum of 45% of the particles was detected compared to that by conventional spICP-MS. A modified mass flow equation was applied to determine the particle sizes, particle size distributions and particle number concentrations of various Ag NPs. The addition of different spike concentrations between 0.5 and 4 mg L⁻¹ ¹⁰⁹Ag resulted in similar particle diameters, suggesting that the calculated diameter might be independent of the spike concentration.
This would have the advantage that no size information would be needed before the analysis. By analyzing Ag NP suspensions in a simulated seawater matrix, we demonstrate its significant influence on the particle size determination using conventional spICP-MS. A lower transport efficiency of 6.1% was found in the matrix compared to 7.3% without the matrix. In our approach, the addition of the Matrix influenced the NP intensity stronger than the spike signal, resulting in slightly smaller diameters using IDA–spICP-MS with the matrix compared to the results without the matrix. On the other hand, the IDA–spICP-MS approach with the matrix can result in equivalent results for the particle sizes compared with
conventional spICP-MS using suspensions without the matrix. Due to the lower instrument sensitivity in the matrix, a diameter of 30 nm was found to be close to the detection limit of the instrument.
The improved Monte-Carlo (MC) method for standard-less analysis in laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is presented. Concentrations in MC LIBS are found by fitting model-generated synthetic spectra to experimental spectra. The current version of MC LIBS is based on the graphic processing unit (GPU) computation and reduces the analysis time down to several seconds per spectrum/sample. The previous version of MC LIBS which was based on the central processing unit (CPU) computation requested unacceptably long analysis times of 10's minutes per spectrum/sample. The reduction of the computational time is achieved through the massively parallel computing on the GPU which embeds thousands of co-processors. It is shown that the number of iterations on the GPU exceeds that on the CPU by a factor > 1000 for the 5-dimentional parameter space and yet requires > 10-fold shorter computational time. The improved GPU-MC LIBS outperforms the CPU-MS LIBS in terms of accuracy, precision, and analysis time. The performance is tested on LIBS-spectra obtained from pelletized powders of metal oxides consisting of CaO, Fe2O3, MgO, and TiO2 that simulated by-products of steel industry, steel slags. It is demonstrated that GPU-based MC LIBS is capable of rapid multi-element analysis with relative error between 1 and 10's percent that is sufficient for industrial applications (e.g. steel slag analysis). The results of the improved GPU-based MC LIBS are positively compared to that of the CPU-based MC LIBS as well as to the results of the standard calibration-free (CF) LIBS based on the Boltzmann plot method.
Tomography of a laser-induced plasma in air is performed by inverse Radon transform of angle-resolved plasma images. Plasmas were induced by single laser pulses (SP), double pulses (DP) in collinear geometry, and by a combination of single laser pulses with pulsed arc discharges (SP-AD). Images of plasmas on metallurgical steel slags were taken at delay times suitable for calibration-free laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (CFLIBS). Delays ranged from few microseconds for SP and DP up to tens of microseconds for SP-AD excitation. The white-light and the spectrally resolved emissivity ε(x,y,z) was reconstructed for the three plasma excitation schemes. The electron number density Ne(x,y,z) and plasma temperature Te(x,y,z) were determined from Mg and Mn emission lines in reconstructed spectra employing the Saha-Boltzmann plot method. The SP plasma revealed strongly inhomogeneous emissivity and plasma temperature. Re-excitation of plasma by a second laser pulse (DP) and by an arc discharge (SP-AD) homogenized the plasma and reduced the spatial variation of ε and Te. The homogenization of a plasma is a promising approach to increase the accuracy of calibration-free LIBS analysis of complex materials.
We present paper-based test strips for chemical sensing with surface enhanced Raman scattering as detection method. The test strips are prepared on glass fibre paper with silver nanoparticles and a spray method with an airbrush spray setup as a low cost fabrication approach. The properties of the test strips are investigated with three classical Raman analytes rhodamine 6G, 4-aminothiophenol and adenine and optimized for a good reproducibility of the intensity measurements. All test analytes can be identified at low concentrations. For adenine, a concentration series from 10⁻⁴ M to 10⁻⁸ M is measured and the calibration data can be fitted and evaluated with a Langmuir isotherm model. The optimized test strips are applied for the identification of two antibiotics enoxacin and enrofloxacin.
Two iron-based molten salts comprising an imidazolium and Schiff base were evaluated as catalysts for removal of carbamazepine (CBZ) from water. The catalysts were fully characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), electrospray ionisation–mass spectrometry (ESI–MS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms (BET). Additionally, the formation of photo-sensitized oxygen was investigated by spin-trapping using electron spin resonance (ESR). The catalytic activity in heterogeneous oxidation of the micropollutant (CBZ) was also evaluated. The effects of catalyst loading, pH, H2O2 dosage and UV light on the oxidation of the selected compound were investigated. After 15 min of UVA irradiation in the presence of 200 μM H2O2, CBZ was completely removed over both catalysts.
Among the large number of new ambient ionization schemes in the last few years, dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) has witnessed special attention. In this contribution a versatile dual mode DBD is introduced and characterized by means of optical emission spectroscopy and time-of-flight mass spectrometry. A direct comparison of the individual results from spectroscopy, spectrometry and transient current/voltage consumption gives evidence for the existence of two individual operational mechanisms. The first is driven by rapid transient changes in the potential difference between the two electrodes over time (usually denoted as the homogeneous mode), while the second is caused at high static potential differences (leading to filamentary discharges). The transient versus steady-state characteristics of the individual discharge origin suggest the driving force for the current flow to be inductive and capacitive, respectively. In most cases of dielectric barrier plasmas both discharge types coexist as competitive ion formation channels, however, detailed plasma characteristics of DBDs operated under different conditions allow for a clear distinction of the individual contributions. In this way, two characteristic product channels for the ionization of ambient water could be observed resulting in the generation of either preferentially protonated water clusters or ammonium water clusters. Careful tuning of the operation parameters of the discharge device allows an operation predominated by either of the two modes. As a consequence, facile switching into the desired operational mode results in either protonated molecules or ammoniated molecules of the analyte. Plasma characteristics for both moieties were evaluated and cross-correlated on the basis of several factors including: the production of reagent ions, the individual appearance of current/voltage profiles, UV/Vis spectroscopy, voltage and flux dependence and the individual response to test compounds. Although the filamentary mode has been already discussed in the literature to induce fragmentation processes, no experimental evidence for analyte dissociation could be found in the case of the test compounds used
Pathway of a damaging mechanism - Analyzing chloride attack by synchrotron based X-ray diffraction
(2015)
Typically, the changes of the phase compositions due to the chemical attack are studied in-situ only by chemical analysis or microscopy. In this study, the chloride transport and binding in the cement matrix in different cementitious materials was analyzed by synchrotron based X-ray diffraction (SyXRD) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Sample materials consisting of cement paste were embedded in high concentrated sodium chloride solution over different time spans. Afterwards, the phase and chemical compositions were determined. The high spatial resolution and the information about the chloride distribution offer a detailed view of chloride binding in the cement matrix and allow the conclusions about the degradation mechanisms. The results are discussed related to the influence of different supplementary cementitious materials on the damaging mechanism.
Rationale
The ionization of polystyrenes in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) is typically achieved by the use of silver salts. Since silver salts can cause severe problems, such as cluster formation, fragmentation of polymer chains and end group cleavage, their substitution by alkali salts is highly desirable.
Methods
The influence of various cations (Ag+, Cs+ and Rb+) on the MALDI process of polystyrene (PS) mixtures and high mass polystyrenes was examined. The sample preparation was kept as straightforward as possible. Consequently, no recrystallization or other cleaning procedures were applied.
Results
The investigation of a polystyrene mixture showed that higher molecular polystyrenes could be more easily ionized using caesium, rather than rubidium or silver salts. In combination with the use of DCTB as matrix a high-mass polymer analysis could be achieved, which was demonstrated by the detection of a 1.1 MDa PS.
Conclusions
A fast, simple and robust MALDI sample preparation method for the analysis of ultra-high molecular weight polystyrenes based on the use of DCTB and caesium salts has been presented. The suitability of the presented method has been validated by using different mass spectrometers and detectors.
In this work, sample losses of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) in asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) have been systematically investigated with the main focus on instrumental conditions like focusing and cross-flow parameters as well as sample concentration and buffer composition. Special attention was drawn to the AF4 membrane. For monitoring possible silver depositions on the membrane, imaging laser ablation coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was used. Our results show that the sample residue on the membrane was below 0.6% of the total injected amount and therefore could be almost completely avoided at low sample concentrations and optimized conditions. By investigation of the AF4 flows using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), we found the recovery rate in the detector flow under optimized conditions to be nearly 90%, while the cross-flow, slot-outlet flow and purge flow showed negligible amounts of under 0.5%. The analysis of an aqueous ionic Ag standard solution resulted in recovery rates of over 6% and the ionic Ag content in the sample was found to be nearly 8%. Therefore, we were able to indicate the ionic Ag content as the most important source of sample loss in this study.
Green Fenton-like magnetic nanocatalysts: Synthesis, characterization and catalytic application
(2015)
Five iron oxalate core–shell magnetite nanoparticles catalysts are evaluated as magnetic heterogeneous materials. Simple and efficient procedures for the preparation of magnetic iron oxalate coated nanoparticles are presented. The catalysts are fully characterized using various investigation techniques. Additionally, the formation of photo-sensitized oxygen by spin-trapping using electron spin resonance is investigated. The catalytic activity of two model substrates (carbamazepine and bisphenol A) is also evaluated. The effect of operational parameters (catalyst and H2O2 concentration, UVA light) on the degradation performance of the oxidation process is investigated. The obtained reaction rates depend on the nature of the compound and increase with iron oxide shell thickness of the catalyst. Moreover, these materials show a significant activity during two consecutive tests. The optimum experimental parameters are found to be 1.0 g L-1 of catalysts, 10 mM H2O2, under UVA irradiation. More than 99% of both substrates are removed after 30 min of reaction time under the experimental conditions given above. The results obtained show that the catalysts are suitable candidates for the removal of pollutants in wastewaters by means of the Fenton heterogeneous reaction.
The use of magnetic materials as heterogeneous catalysts has attracted increasing attention in the last years since they proved to be promising candidates for water treatment. In the present study, two types of surface-modified magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles, coated with non-hazardous naturally occurring agents—either tannic acid (TA) or dissolved natural organic matter—were evaluated as magnetic heterogeneous catalysts. Chemical synthesis (co-precipitation) was chosen to yield the nanocatalysts due to its well-established simplicity and efficiency. Subsequently, the properties of the final products were fully assessed by various characterization techniques. The catalytic activity in heterogeneous oxidation of aqueous solutions containing a model pollutant, Bisphenol A (BPA), was comparatively studied. The effect of operational parameters (catalyst loading, H2O2 dosage, and UV light irradiation) on the Degradation performance of the oxidation process was investigated. The optimum experimental parameters were found to be 1.0 g/L of catalysts and 10 mM H2O2, under UV irradiation. The highest mineralization rates were observed for Fe3O4-TA catalyst. More than 80 % of BPA was removed after 30 min of reaction time under the specified experimental conditions. The obtained results showed that the two catalysts studied here are suitable candidates for the removal of pollutants in wastewaters by means of heterogeneous reaction using a green sustainable treatment method.
The catalytic efficiency of two magnetically responsive nanocatalysts was evaluated for the Degradation of Reactive Black 5 (RB5) and Reactive Yellow 84 (RY84) azo dyes using hydrogen peroxide as oxidant undervery mild conditions (atmospheric pressure, room temperature). In order to obtain the nanocatalysts, thesurface of magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles, prepared by a co-precipitation method, was further modified with ferrous oxalate, a highly sensitive non-hazardous reducing agent. The sensitized nanomaterials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometry, and used in the catalytic wet hydrogen peroxideoxidation (CWHPO) of RB5 and RY84, in laboratory-scale experiments. The effect of important variables such as catalyst dosage, H2O2 concentration, and contact time was studied in the dye Degradation kinetics. The results showed that it was possible to remove up to 99.7% dye in the presence of 20 mM H2O2 after 240 min of oxidation for a catalyst concentration of 10 g L−1at 25◦C and initial pH value of 9.0.CWHPO of reactive dyes using sensitized magnetic nanocatalysts can be a suitable pre-treatment methodfor complete decolorization of effluents from textile dyeing and finishing processes, once the Optimum operating conditions are established.
Hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) were optimised for the direct determination of gadolinium-based contrast agents in tap water. In comparison to our previous work, a new developed zwitterionic HILIC column (ZIC-cHILIC) was used for speciation of Gd-containing contrast agents. The limit of quantification (LOQ) for the five contrast agents Gd-BOPTA, Gd-DPTA-BMA, Gd-BT-DO3A, Gd-DOTA and Gd-DTPA are in the range of 512 ng Gd per litre. Additionally, a new internal standard, Pr-DOTA, was investigated to correct intensity drifts, minor and major changes in the sample volumes and possible matrix effects. With the speciation method described, tap water samples from the area of Berlin were analysed and for the first time, three Gd species, Gd-BT-DO3A, Gd-DOTA and Gd-BOPTA, were found in tap water samples at concentrations of about 10–20 ng Gd per litre. These are the same Gd species which have been previously detected predominantly in surface waters of the Berlin area.
In this work the determination of Cd, Cu, Cr, Fe and Sb as organic and inorganic additives in in-house plastic materials (ABS, LDPE) using electrothermal vaporization combined with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy is described. The influence of CCl2F2 as gaseous halogenation modifier was investigated. Especially for the carbide forming elements the sensitivity was improved and the memory effects were significantly reduced. Calibration was performed by external calibration and standard addition with aqueous standard solutions added directly into the sample boats. Absolute limits of detection (3s-criterion) range between 0.1 ng (Cd) and 9 ng (Fe) which corresponds to relative values of 0.1 mg kg-1 and 1.6 mg kg-1, respectively, taking 5 mg as typical sample mass. The detection limits are sufficient to monitor the element contents of plastic materials according to European directives such as European directive on the safety of toys. The developed ETV-ICP-OES method allows a fast analysis with a high sample throughput (3 minutes per analysis), low sample consumption and good trueness and precision for the analyzed elements. Sample preparation is reduced to ashing the samples in a muffle furnace. Furthermore, measurements are possible regardless of the chemical form in the additives. For verification the results obtained with the developed method were compared with measurement results of independent methods ICP-MS/OES after digestion. In addition Cd, Cr and Pb were determined in a solid plastic reference material BAM-H010 to confirm the applicability and accuracy of the method.
An ionization scheme for fast online mass spectrometric interrogation of levitated droplets is presented. That renewed method comprises the output of an a Er:YAG laser at λ = 2.94 µm which is in resonance with the OH stretch vibration band of solvents like water and alcohols. A temporal pulse width larger than the time needed for pressure redistribution and also above the temperature redistribution time constant was found to lead to soft evaporation/ionization. Despite these mild desorption conditions, no additional postionization is found to be needed. Accordingly, the ionization is found to be very soft resulting in entirely intact analyte ions and concentration dependent cluster ions. Resulting mass spectra of small amino acids and large antibiotics are presented showing the versatility of the introduced technique. Above a critical mass of m ≈ 1 kDa, the formed ions carry multiple charges as it is typical for thermospray or electrospray ionization. The detection technique enables fast contactless analysis of the chemical composition of levitated microreactors and, thus, paves the way for future contactless reaction monitoring.
Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) has been suggested as a promising tool for the investigation of pollen, but the usefulness of this approach for classification and identification of pollen species has to be proven by an application to samples of varying taxonomic relations.
Green Fenton-like magnetic nanocatalysts: Synthesis, characterization and catalytic application
(2015)
Five iron oxalate core–shell magnetite nanoparticles catalysts are evaluated as magnetic heterogeneous materials. Simple and efficient procedures for the preparation of magnetic iron oxalate coated nanoparticles are presented. The catalysts are fully characterized using various investigation techniques. Additionally, the formation of photo-sensitized oxygen by spin-trapping using electron spin resonance is investigated. The catalytic activity of two model substrates (carbamazepine and bisphenol A) is also evaluated. The effect of operational parameters (catalyst and H2O2 concentration, UVA light) on the degradation performance of the oxidation process is investigated. The obtained reaction rates depend on the nature of the compound and increase with iron oxide shell thickness of the catalyst. Moreover, these materials show a significant activity during two consecutive tests. The optimum experimental parameters are found to be 1.0 g L−1 of catalysts, 10 mM H2O2, under UVA irradiation. More than 99% of both substrates are removed after 30 min of reaction time under the experimental conditions given above. The results obtained show that the catalysts are suitable candidates for the removal of pollutants in wastewaters by means of the Fenton heterogeneous reaction.
A method for the determination of 22 trace impurities in solar grade silicon after dissolution in a mixture of HF and HNO3 and subsequent matrix evaporation is reported. The presented method involves a simple, inexpensive, one-vessel sample preparation apparatus design. The recoveries of B, Na, Mg, Al, P, K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, As, Mo, Sb, W, and Tl at 250 µg kg-1 level are in the range of 93 to 108%. After careful selection of monitored isotopes and their respective resolutions, a sector field mass spectrometer has been used to carry out the measurements. Limits of determination down to 120 ng kg-1 have been obtained using a calibration by three-point standard addition. The method was tested on diluted NIST SRM 57b silicon powder as well as on synthetic test samples and also applied successfully on raw solar grade silicon samples in an interlaboratory comparison including NAA.
High repetition rate laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy using acousto-optically gated detection
(2014)
This contribution introduces a new type of setup for fast sample analysis using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). The novel design combines a high repetition rate laser (up to 50 kHz) as excitation source and an acousto-optical modulator (AOM) as a fast switch for temporally gating the detection of the emitted light. The plasma radiation is led through the active medium of the AOM where it is diffracted on the transient ultrasonic Bragg grid. The diffracted radiation is detected by a compact Czerny-Turner spectrometer equipped with a CCD line detector. Utilizing the new combination of high repetition rate lasers and AOM gated detection, rapid measurements with total integration times of only 10 ms resulted in a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.13 wt.% for magnesium in aluminum alloys. This short integration time corresponds to 100 analyses/s. Temporal gating of LIP radiation results in improved LODs and consecutively higher sensitivity of the LIBS setup. Therefore, an AOM could be beneficially utilized to temporally detect plasmas induced by high repetition rate lasers. The AOM in combination with miniaturized Czerny-Turner spectrometers equipped with CCD line detectors and small footprint diode pumped solid state lasers results in temporally gateable compact LIBS setups.
RATIONALE
Polymer sample spots for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) prepared by the dried-droplet method often reveal ring formation accompanied by possible segregation of matrix and sample molecules as well as of the polymer homologs itself. Since the majority of sample spots are prepared by this simple and fast method, a matrix or sample preparation method that excludes such segregation has to be found.
METHODS
Three different ionic liquid matrices based on conventionally used aromatic compounds for MALDI-TOF MS were prepared. The formation of ionic liquids was proven by 1H NMR spectroscopy. MALDI-Imaging mass spectrometry was applied to monitor the homogeneity.
RESULTS
Our results show a superior sample spot homogeneity using ionic liquid matrices. Spots could be sampled several times without visible differences in the mass spectra. A frequently observed loss of matrix in the mass spectrometer vacuum was not observed. The necessary laser irradiance was reduced, which resulted in less polymer fragmentation.
CONCLUSIONS
Ionic liquid matrices can be used to overcome segregation, a typical drawback of conventional MALDI dried-droplet preparations. Homogeneous sample spots are easy to prepare, stable in the MS vacuum and, thereby, improve the reproducibility of MALDI.
Methods for the determination of boron in various matrices described in the literature usually employ complexing agents like mannitol to retain the volatile boron species during matrix evaporation steps. However, also relatively high boron recoveries from silicon containing samples have been reported when no complexing agents were added to the digestion acids. The mechanism behind this matrix-dependant recovery has been investigated by studying the boron recovery in the analysis of solar grade silicon. It was found that the NH4+ ion formed by the reduction of nitric acid during sample digestion is responsible for the higher recovery of boron, which leads to a possible analysis method without the use of complexing agents if the sample preparation procedure is carefully optimized.
A spatial heterodyne spectrometer (SHS) is tested for the first time in combination with laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). The spectrometer is a modified version of the Michelson interferometer in which mirrors are replaced by diffraction gratings. The SHS contains no moving parts and the gratings are fixed at equal distances from the beam splitter. The main advantage is high throughput, about 200 times higher than that of dispersive spectrometers used in LIBS. This makes LIBS-SHS a promising technique for low-light standoff applications. The output signal of the SHS is an interferogram that is Fourier-transformed to retrieve the original plasma spectrum. In this proof-of-principle study, we investigate the potential of LIBS-SHS for material classification and quantitative analysis. Brass standards with broadly varying concentrations of Cu and Zn were tested. Classification via principal component analysis (PCA) shows distinct groupings of materials according to their origin. The quantification via partial least squares regression (PLS) shows good precision (relative standard deviation , 10%) and accuracy (within 6 5% of nominal concentrations). It is possible that LIBS-SHS can be developed into a portable, inexpensive, rugged instrument for field applications.
One major drawback of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) is still the relatively poor pulse-to-pulse reproducibility of the signal intensity. This problem, caused by insufficient homogeneity in the matrix/analyte co-crystallization, is usually circumvented by averaging the detected ion intensity over several shots. However, during the consecutive laser pulses, the applied matrix gets depleted and only a number of subsequent experiments can be done on the same sample spot. In order to achieve the desired long-term stability in combination with a sufficient pulse-to-pulse reproducibility, recently liquid MALDI matrices have been introduced. This contribution demonstrates the promising combination of liquid matrices with high repetition rate lasers for atmospheric pressure MALDI (AP-MALDI). To demonstrate the robustness of the new approach, two different kinds of liquid matrices were used in combination with both a typical flashlamp pumped 15 Hz laser and a diode pumped solid state laser operated at 5 kHz. The latter showed a stable ion signal over more than 3,500,000 consecutive laser pulses.
The segregation in dried droplet MALDI sample spots was analyzed with regard to the matrix-to-sample ratio using optical microscopy, MALDI imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI MSI) and IR imaging spectroscopy. In this context, different polymer/matrix/solvent systems usually applied in the analysis of synthetic polymers were investigated. The use of typical matrix concentrations (10 mg mL-1) in almost every case resulted in ring patterns, whereas higher concentrated matrix solutions always led to homogeneous sample spot layers. The data revealed that segregation is predominantly caused by matrix transport in the drying droplet, whereas polymer segregation seems to be only secondary.
In this work, the potential of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for discrimination and analysis of geological materials was examined. The research was focused on classification of mineral ores using their LIBS spectra prior to quantitative determination of copper. Quantitative analysis is not a trivial task in LIBS measurement because intensities of emission lines in laser-induced plasmas (LIP) are strongly affected by the sample matrix (matrix effect). To circumvent this effect, typically matrix-matched standards are used to obtain matrix-dependent calibration curves. If the sample set consists of a mixture of different matrices, even in this approach, the corresponding matrix has to be known prior to the downstream data analysis. For this categorization, the multielemental character of LIBS spectra can be of help. In this contribution, a principal component analysis (PCA) was employed on the measured data set to discriminate individual rocks as individual matrices against each other according to their overall elemental composition. Twenty-seven igneous rock samples were analyzed in the form of fine dust, classified and subsequently quantitatively analyzed. Two different LIBS setups in two laboratories were used to prove the reproducibility of classification and quantification. A superposition of partial calibration plots constructed from the individual clustered data displayed a large improvement in precision and accuracy compared to the calibration plot constructed from all ore samples. The classification of mineral samples with complex matrices can thus be recommended prior to LIBS system calibration and quantitative analysis.
A commercially available airbrush gun as a new source for spray ionization is presented. It is best operated employing moderate stagnation pressures, resulting in a sonic gas flow. A mass spectrometric investigation on the amino acid lysine and several peptides reveals that this inexpensive approach results in reproducible mass spectra. The ion patterns strongly resemble the results from other studies obtained with custom made sonic spray vaporizers. The patterns as well resemble the mass spectra recorded with electrospray devices. For a better understanding of the vaporization process, the mass spectrometry experiments are accompanied by laser induced fluorescence experiments. Inverse Abel transform of the obtained fluorescence maps allows the determination of the full 3D distribution of the spray cone. Furthermore, via exploitation of the solvatochromism of the used dye the solvation state distribution can be visualized. In addition, expansion parameters like droplet size and velocity are obtained by laser stroboscopy. The experiments demonstrate that the analyte is hardly desolvated throughout the expansion. This indicates a subsequent vaporization of the residual solvent in the intermediate pressure region of the mass spectrometer.
A novel method for predictions of the sound pressure distribution in acoustic levitators is based on a matrix representation of the Rayleigh integral. This method allows for a fast calculation of the acoustic field within the resonator. To make sure that the underlying assumptions and simplifications are justified, this approach was tested by a direct comparison to experimental data. The experimental sound pressure distributions were recorded by high spatially resolved frequency selective microphone scanning. To emphasize the general applicability of the two approaches, the comparative studies were conducted for four different resonator geometries. In all cases, the results show an excellent agreement, demonstrating the accuracy of the matrix method.
Hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was optimized for speciation analysis of gadolinium-based contrast agents in environmental samples, in particular surface river waters and plants. Surface water samples from the Teltow channel, near Berlin, were investigated over a distance of 5 km downstream from the influx of a wastewater treatment plant. The total concentration of gadolinium increased significantly from 50 to 990 ngL-1 due to the influx of the contrast agents. After complete mixing with the river water, the concentration remained constant over a distance of at least 4 km. Two main substances [Dotarem® (Gd-DOTA) and Gadovist® (Gd-BT-DO3A)] have been identified in the river water using standards. A gadolinium-based contrast agent, possibly Gd-DOTA (Dotarem®), was also detected in water plant samples taken from the Teltow channel. Therefore, uptake of contrast agents [Gadovist® (Gd-BTDO3A), Magnevist® (Gd-DTPA), Omniscan® (Gd-DTPA-BMA), Dotarem® (Gd-DOTA), and Multihance® (Gd-BOPTA)] by plants was investigated in a model experiment using Lepidium sativum (cress plants). HILICICP-MS was used for identification of different contrast agents, and a first approach for quantification using aqueous standard solutions was tested. For speciation analysis, all investigated contrast agents could be extracted from the plant tissues with a recovery of about 54 % for Multihance® (Gd-BOPTA) up to 106 % for Gadovist® (Gd-BT-DO3A). These experiments demonstrate that all contrast agents investigated are transported from the roots to the leaves where the highest content was measured.
Particle-based assays are becoming versatile analytical tools due to their cost-effectiveness, speed, straightforward and diverse functionalization chemistries, especially when polystyrene particles are used. The introduction of functional groups (–COOH, –NH2, etc.) to the surface of such polystyrene particles promotes their application in bioanalytics. However, the traditional method to determine the amount of surface carboxylate groups is conductivity titration, which is usually time- and resources-consuming and discontinuous. Here, we synthesized polystyrene microparticles with different contents of carboxylate groups, and then investigated a simpler and potentially continuous approach to determine the amount of surface carboxylate groups by Zeta potential measurements. The results were compared to the traditional titration method and to actual coupling efficiencies of the functionalized particles with a model oligonucleotide probe as determined by flow cytometry. All quantification methods revealed good agreement.
For ten years µ-XRF (micro-focus X-ray fluorescence) analysis has been performed with SEM/EDS (scanning electron microscope with an energy dispersive X-ray detector) so that non-destructive analysis of elements at trace level concentrations below 100 µg g-1 becomes possible. This can be considered as a valuable completion of the classical electron probe microanalysis by EDS, an analytical method 'suffering' from rather poor limits of detection in the range of one to two orders of magnitude higher than those of µ-XRF. Based on a representative actual application, namely analysis of RoHS relevant elements at trace concentration levels, the performance of the rather new analytical method with respect to its limits of detection is systematically evaluated. CRMs (certified reference materials) specially prepared to support the quantitative XRF analysis of RoHS relevant elements were employed. On the other side, based on calculations of µ-XRF spectra according to a recently developed physical model the optimization of the analytical performance is also successfully undertaken.
Spatially resolved analysis of complex multi-phase systems can be validated through different analytical methods. This study compares investigations by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis and high resolution X-ray diffraction. The studied sulfate attacked cement paste containing fly ashes consists of different interacting crystalline and amorphous phases. The complementary methods revealed in detail changes in phase composition due to the chemical attack. The advantages and disadvantages of both methods are discussed and suggestions are given for combining them with additional methods to maximize the information content.
A micro-droplet generator (µDG) sample introduction system was coupled to a sector field ICP-MS instrument to investigate the analytical figures of merit with respect to single cell analysis. The sector field instrument was operated for the first time in a fast scanning mode (E-scan) with the shortest time resolution of 100 µs to measure the single droplet time resolved and using the original detector in a pulse counting mode without modification of the existing electronics. For reduction of the droplet diameter a triple pulse mode of the droplet generator was applied and a droplet diameter down to 23 µm has been achieved for this investigation with a 100% transport efficiency of droplets. Signal duration times of single droplets of less than 500 µs have been measured. Overall detection efficiencies in the range of 10-3 counts per atom have been achieved and absolute limits of detection range between 120 ag for Fe and 1.1 ag for Mg as a mean value from 1000 droplet events.
We have applied a micro droplet generator (µDG) for sample introduction of single selenized yeast cells into a sector field ICP-MS, which was operated in a fast scanning mode with sampling rates of up to 10 kHz, to measure single cells time resolved with 100 µs integration time. Selenized yeast cells have been used as a model system for preliminary investigation. The single cells to be measured have been embedded into droplets and it will be shown that the time duration of a single cell event always is about 400 to 500 µs, and thus comparable to the time duration of a droplet without a cell. A fixed droplet generation rate of 50 Hz produced equidistant signals in time of each droplet event and was advantageous to separate contribution from background and blank from the analytical signal. Open vessel digestion and a multielement analysis were performed with washed yeast cells and absolute amounts per single cell were determined for Na (0.91 fg), Mg (9.4 fg), Fe (5.9 fg), Cu (0.54 fg), Zn (1.2 fg) and Se (72 fg). Signal intensities from single cells have been measured for the elements Cu, Zn and Se, and histograms were calculated for about 1000 cell events. The mean elemental sensitivities measured here range from 0.7 counts per ag (Se) to 10 counts per ag (Zn) with RSD's from 49% (Zn) to 69% (Se) for about 1000 cell events.
A method based on matching synthetic and experimental emissivity spectra was applied to spatially resolved measurements of a laser-induced plasma ignited in argon at atmospheric pressure. The experimental emissivity spectra were obtained by Abel inversion of intensity spectra measured from a thin plasma slice perpendicular to the plasma axis. The synthetic spectra were iteratively calculated from an equilibrium model of plasma radiation that included free free, free–bound, and bound–bound transitions. From both the experimental and synthetic emissivity spectra, spatial and temporal distributions of plasma temperature and number densities of plasma species (atoms, ions, and electrons) were obtained and compared. For the best-fit synthetic spectra, the temperature and number densities were read directly from the model; for experimental spectra, these parameters were obtained by traditional Boltzmann plot and Stark broadening methods. In both cases, the same spectroscopic data were used. Two approaches revealed a close agreement in electron number densities, but differences in plasma excitation temperatures and atom number densities. The trueness of the two methods was tested by the direct Abel transform that reconstructed the original intensity spectra for comparing them to the measured spectra. The comparison yielded a 9 and 13% difference between the reconstructed and experimental spectra for the numerical and traditional methods, respectively. It was thus demonstrated that the spectral fit method is capable of providing more accurate plasma diagnostics than the Boltzmann plot and Stark broadening methods.
Temperature is one of the most important physical parameters of plasmas induced by a focused laser beam on solid targets, and its experimental evaluation has received considerable attention. An intriguing approach, first proposed by Kunze (H.-J. Kunze, Experimental check of local thermodynamic equilibrium in discharges, Appl. Opt., 25 (1986) 13–13.) as a check of the existence of local thermodynamic equilibrium, is based upon the simultaneous measurement of the thermal emission and the optically saturated fluorescence of the same selected atomic transition. The approach, whose appealing feature is that neither the calibration of the set-up nor the spontaneous radiative probability of the transitions is needed, has not yet been applied, to our knowledge, to analytical flames and plasmas. A critical discussion of the basic requirements for the application of the method, its advantages, and its experimental limitations, is therefore presented here. For our study, Ba+ transitions in a plasma formed by focusing a pulsed Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm) on a glass sample containing BaO are selected. At various delay times from the plasma initiation, a pulsed, excimer-pumped dye laser tuned at the center of two Ba transitions (6s ²S1/2 → 6p ²P°3/2; 455.403 nm and 6p ²P°1/2 → 6d ²S1/2; 452.493 nm) is used to enhance the populations of the excited levels (6p ²P°3/2 and 6d ²S1/2) above their thermal values. The measured ratio of the emission and direct line fluorescence signals observed at 614.171 nm (6p ²P°3/2 → 5d ²D5/2) and 489.997 nm (6d ²S1/2 → 6p ²P°3/2) is then related to the excitation temperature of the plasma. Our conclusion is that the approach, despite being indeed attractive and clever, does not seem to be easily applicable to flames and plasmas, in particular to transient and inhomogeneous plasmas such as those induced by lasers on solids.
RATIONALE
A fast and reliable online identification of pollen is not yet available. The identification of pollen is based mainly on the evaluation of morphological data obtained by microscopic methods.
METHODS
Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was applied to the analysis of extracts and milled pollen samples. The obtained MALDI data were explored for characteristic peak patterns which could be subjected to a multivariate statistical analysis.
RESULTS
Two sample preparation methods are presented, which require only minimal or no chemical extraction of the pollen. MALDI pollen spectra could be recorded showing various peak patterns. A multivariate statistics approach allowed the classification of pollen into clusters indicating similarities and differences between various species.
CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrate the potential and the reliability of MALDI-TOF MS for the identification and, in combination with multivariate statistics, also for the classification of pollen.
To establish the methodical basis for the development and certification of fluorescence quantum yield standards, we determined the fluorescence quantum yield Φf of rhodamine 6G (R6G) with two absolute methods with complementary measurement principles, here optical spectroscopy using an integrating sphere setup and pulsed laser photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS). For the assessment of aggregation- and reabsorption-induced distortions of measured fluorescence quantum yields and procedures for the reliable consideration of such effects, this systematic comparison was performed in ethanol and in water employing different concentrations of R6G. In addition, the relative and absolute fluorescence quantum yields of these solutions were obtained with a calibrated spectrofluorometer and a commercialized integrating sphere setup. Based upon this systematic comparison, experimental advantages and systematic sources of variation were identified for both methods.
The formation and growth of hydroxylamine reduced silver nanoparticles were investigated by simultaneous Raman and UV/Vis spectroscopy coupled to an acoustic levitator as a sample holder. Based on the UV/Vis spectra, a two step particle formation mechanism with fast initial formation and adjacent coalescence can be proposed for the reduction of silver nitrate with hydroxylamine. The presence of the analyte adenine during particle formation resulted in differences in the adenine SERS signature compared to experiments, where adenine was added after particle synthesis. It was possible to monitor the adenine and sodium chloride induced aggregation of the nanoparticles and its dynamics based on both the extinction spectra and the SERS data. Correlating the information from the extinction spectra with the SERS intensity, the maximum SERS signals were observed at maximum extinction of the aggregated nanoparticle solution at the Raman excitation wavelength.
Carbamazepine (CBZ), caffeine and cetirizine were monitored by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) in surface and wastewaters from Berlin, Germany. This fast and cost-efficient method enabled to assess the spatial and temporal variation of these anthropogenic markers in a high-throughput screening. CBZ and cetirizine were detected by the same antibody, which selectively discriminates between both compounds depending on the pH value used in the incubation step. To our best knowledge, this is the first dual-analyte immunoassay working with a single antibody.
The frequent sampling with 487 samples being processed allowed for the repeated detection of unusually high concentrations of CBZ and caffeine. ELISA results correlate well with the ones obtained by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Caffeine concentrations found in surface waters were elevated by combined sewer overflows after stormwater events. During the hay fever season, the concentrations of the antihistamine drug cetirizine increased in both surface and wastewaters.
Caffeine was almost completely removed during wastewater treatment, while CBZ and cetirizine were found to be more persistent. The maximum concentrations of caffeine, CBZ and cetirizine found in influent wastewater by LCMS/MS were 470, 5.0 and 0.49 µg L-1, while in effluent wastewater the concentrations were 0.22, 4.5 and 0.51 µg L-1, respectively. For surface waters, concentrations up to 3.3, 4.5 and 0.72 µg L-1 were found, respectively.
A non-invasive method to monitor the humoral immune response in mice after immunization is described. From fecal pellets of an individual mouse, a sufficient amount of active immunoglobulins or their fragments can be extracted to perform a regular examination of the status of the immune response by immunoassay. Hapten-specific antibodies from the feces of mice from three immunization trials showed very similar characteristics to those obtained from serum at a given date. Therefore, it can be suspected that some serum IgG enters the intestinal lumen and ends up in the feces, where they appear to be considerably stable. Hapten-specific IgAs were not found in the feces. Being able to analyze antibody titers in feces could be an interesting animal welfare refinement to standard practice that does not entail repeated blood sampling.
The Radon transform tomography is used for reconstruction of the emissivity distribution in single- (SP) and double-pulse (DP) laser induced plasmas in orthogonal geometry. The orthogonal DP plasma is intrinsically asymmetric and thus suitable for the Radon reconstruction. The DP plasma consists of two plasmas separated by a short time interval of ~ 1 µs. The first plasma is created in air near the surface of a Si wafer and is followed (pre-ablation mode) or preceded (post-ablation mode) by the second plasma induced on this surface. A spectrometer moves in a semi-circular path around the plasma keeping the plasma in the rotation center. The optical detection is arranged so that a thin plasma layer parallel to the target surface is monitored. The axial symmetry of the SP plasma is investigated by comparing data from the Abel inversion taken at different angles and Radon reconstruction. The multi-angle measurements are used to estimate errors of the Abel reconstruction due to asymmetries of the plasma. Time-resolved Radon reconstruction in white light is performed for the DP plasma in both pre- and post-ablation modes. In the former case, the effect of ablated aerosol on the formation of the air plasma is monitored. In the latter case, a formation of an asymmetric compression shock created by the target plasma inside the air plasma is visualized. This observation is supported by computer simulations. An interaction of the two plasmas is studied by spectrally resolved Radon reconstruction revealing a complex distribution of target and ambient species inside the plasma at all studied delay times. Overall, it is demonstrated that Radon-based tomography is an informative tool to study transient asymmetric laser induced plasmas.
Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was utilized for spatially resolved bioimaging of the distribution of silver and gold nanoparticles in individual fibroblast cells upon different incubation experiments. High spatial resolution was achieved by optimization of scan speed, ablation frequency, and laser energy. Nanoparticles are visualized with respect to cellular substructures and are found to accumulate in the perinuclear region with increasing incubation time. On the basis of matrix-matched calibration, we developed a method for quantification of the number of metal nanoparticles at the single-cell level. The results provide insight into nanoparticle/cell interactions and have implications for the development of analytical methods in tissue diagnostics and therapeutics.
The influence of a humid or dry atmosphere on acoustically levitated ionic liquid droplets was studied by volumetric analysis and vibrational spectroscopy. Imidazolium-based ionic liquids with two types of anions, fluorinated (BF4 and PF6) and alkylsulfate anions, were investigated. The amount of absorbed water was correlated with structural differences of the ionic liquids and analyzed in terms of equilibrium mole fraction as well as absorption rate. The type of anion had the most significant influence on the amount of adsorbed water from the atmosphere. Furthermore, spectral changes in the in situ Raman spectra due to absorbed water were studied for all investigated ionic liquids. For 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethylsulfate, an exemplary detailed analysis of the intermolecular interactions between cations, anions and water was carried out based on the spectroscopic data. The observed band shifts were explained with a hydrogen bond between the anion and water.
For many analytical purposes, direct laser ionization of liquids is desirable. Several studies on supported droplets, free liquid jets, and ballistically dispensed microdroplets have been conducted, yet detailed knowledge of the underlying mechanistics in ion formation is still missing. This contribution introduces a simple combination of IR-MALDI mass spectrometry and an acoustical levitation device for contactless confinement of the liquid sample. The homebuilt ultrasonic levitator supports droplets of several millimeters in diameter. These droplets are vaporized by a carbon dioxide laser in the vicinity of the atmospheric pressure interface of a time of flight mass spectrometer. The evaporation process is studied by high repetition rate shadowgraphy experiments elucidating the ballistic evaporation of the sample and revealing strong confinement of the vapor by the ultrasonic field of the trap. Finally, typical mass spectra for pure glycerol/water matrix and lysine as an analyte are presented with and without the addition of trifluoracetic acid, and the ionization mechanism is briefly discussed. The technique is a promising candidate for a reproducible mass spectrometric detection scheme for the field of microfluidics.
The analysis of biomolecules requires highly sensitive and selective detection methods capable of tolerating a complex, biological matrix. First applications of biomolecule detection by ICP-MS relied on the use of heteroelements as a label for quantification. However, the combination of immunoassays and ICP-MS facilitates multiparametric analyses through elemental tagging, and provides a powerful alternative to common bioanalytical methods. This approach extends the detection of biomarkers in clinical diagnosis, and has the potential to provide a deeper understanding of the investigated biological system. The results might lead to the detection of diseases at an early stage, or guide treatment plans. Immunoassays are well accepted and established for diagnostic purposes, albeit ICP-MS is scarcely applied for the detection of immune-based assays. However, the screening of biomarkers demands high throughput and multiplex/multiparametric techniques, considering the variety of analytes to be queried. Finally, quantitative information on the expression level of biomarkers is highly desirable to identify abnormalities in a given organism. Thus, it is the aim of this review to introduce the fundamentals, and to discuss the enormous strength of ICP-MS for the detection of different immunoassays on the basis of selected applications, with a special focus on LA-ICP-MS.
A systematic crystal morphology study on the pharmaceutical model compound caffeine has been conducted on different surfaces: silicon, silver, soda lime glass, and silver subsurface ion-exchanged soda-lime silicate (SIMO) glasses. The morphology of the solid caffeine deposits has been investigated using environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Needle-shaped caffeine crystals have been observed by drop-casting and also by applying the rapid expansion of supercritical solutions (RESS) technique using supercritical carbon dioxide. The aspect ratio of the crystalline needles typically vary between 10 and 100, but have been observed as large as 500. The XRD data of the RESS products indicate unambiguously the presence of the thermodynamically most stable polymorph of caffeine known as the β-form. Under defined conditions we observe a unique, surface-mediated morphology for caffeine crystals with nearly perfect hexagonal shape. The relative fraction of the hexagons was seen to strongly increase especially when SIMO glasses were used. These hexagons have a distinct upper size limit depending on the solvent and substrate being used. The size distribution analysis of the hexagons yielded an average perimeter of typically 10 µm. The mechanism of the formation process of this new hexagonal motif is explained in terms of the spinodal dewetting of the thin film of caffeine solution on the surface.
Acoustic levitation represents the physical background of trapping a sample in a standing acoustic wave with no contact to the wave generating device. For the last three decades, sample holders based on this effect have been commonly used for contact free handling of samples coupled with a number of analytical techniques. In this study, a wall-free climate unit is presented, which allows the control of the environmental conditions of suspended samples. The insulation is based on a continuous cold/hot gas flow around the sample and thus does not require any additional isolation material. This provides a direct access to the levitated sample and circumvents any influence of the climate unit material to the running analyses.