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The overall interest in nanotoxicity, triggered by the increasing use of nanomaterials in the material and life sciences, and the synthesis of an ever increasing number of new functional nanoparticles calls for standardized test procedures1,2 and for efficient approaches to screen the potential genotoxicity of these materials. Aiming at the development of fast and easy to use, automated microscopic methods for the determination of the genotoxicity of different types of nanoparticles, we assess the potential of the fluorometric γH2AX assay for this purpose. This assay, which can be run on an automated microscopic detection system, relies on the detection of DNA double strand breaks as a sign for genotoxicity3. Here, we provide first results obtained with broadly used nanomaterials like CdSe/CdS and InP/ZnS quantum dots as well as iron oxide, gold, and polymer particles of different surface chemistry with previously tested colloidal stability and different cell lines like Hep-2 and 8E11 cells, which reveal a dependence of the genotoxicity on the chemical composition as well as the surface chemistry of these nanomaterials. These studies will be also used to establish nanomaterials as positive and negative genotoxicity controls or standards for assay performance validation for users of this fluorometric genotoxicity assay. In the future, after proper validation, this microscopic platform technology will be expanded to other typical toxicity assays.
A frequently studied environmental contaminant is the active substance diclofenac, which is removed insufficiently in sewage treatment plants. Since its inclusion in the watch list of the EU Water Framework Directive, the concentrations in surface waters will be determined throughout Europe. For this, still, more precise analytical methods are needed. As a reference, HPLC-MS is frequently employed. One of the major metabolites is 4’-hydroxydiclofenac (4’-OH-DCF). Also, diclofenac lactam is important for assessing degradation and transformation. Aceclofenac (ACF), the glycolic acid ester of diclofenac is used as a drug, too, and could potentially be cleaved to yield diclofenac again. In various sewage treatment plant influent samples, diclofenac, 4’-OH-DCF, DCF lactam and ACF could be determined with detection limits of 3 µg/L, 0.2 µg/L, 0.17 µg/L and 10 ng/L, respectively.
From simple molar mass disperse homopolymers over copolymers to functionalized, 3-dimensional structures containing various distributions, the complexity of polymeric materials has become more and more sophisticated in recent years. With applications in medicine, pharmacy, smart materials or for the semiconductor 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 isobaric heterogeneities in topology or microstructure can usually not be simply separated chromatographically or distinguished by any common detector. Instead of a complicated, time consuming and/or expensive 2d-chromatography or ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) method, that also has its limitations, here a simple approach using size exclusion chromatography (SEC) coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI) is proposed. We used SEC for the separation because unlike other separation modes the separation in this mode solely should occur due to the hydrodynamic volume with no interference of other interactions. This simplifies the interpretation and the above mentioned heterogeneities should show a slight difference in hydrodynamic volume. ESI mass spectrometry can offer more than an access to mass dependent information like MMD, end group masses or CCD in polymer analysis. The online coupling to SEC 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 in microstructure or topology, that are otherwise inaccessible or accessible only by time consuming or expensive methods. Because these heterogeneities might vary with the molar mass, analysis of the whole MMD-Peak (here the total ion current (TIC)) would not lead to the desired information. The broadening of the chromatographic peaks in this case does not origin from the already well known band broadening factors in chromatography from diffusion. This band broadening is attributed to the nature and composition of the analyte itself. Surprisingly there is very little investigation into the peak width or peak shape due to analyte structure itself found in literature. It is also shown, that with proper calibration even quantitative information could be obtained. This method is suitable to detect small differences in e. g. branching, topology, monomer sequence or tacticity and could potentially be used in production control of oligomeric products or other routinely done analyses to quickly indicate deviations from set parameters. Based on a variety of examples we demonstrate the possibilities and limitations of this approach.
Single-cell analysis by ICP-MS/MS as a fast tool for cellular bioavailability studies of arsenite
(2018)
Single-cell inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SC-ICP-MS) has become a powerful and fast tool to evaluate the elemental composition at a single-cell level. In this study, the cellular bioavailability of arsenite (incubation of 25 and 50 μM for 0-48 h) has been successfully assessed by SC-ICP-MS/MS for the first time directly after re-suspending the cells in water. This procedure avoids the normally arising cell membrane permeabilization caused by cell fixation methods (e.g. methanol fixation). The reliability and feasibility of this SC-ICP-MS/MS approach with a limit of detection of 0.35 fg per cell was validated by conventional bulk ICP-MS/MS analysis after cell digestion and parallel measurement of sulfur and phosphorus.
Development and market introduction of new nanomaterials trigger the need for an adequate risk assessment of such products alongside suitable risk communication measures. Current application of classical and new nanomaterials is analyzed in context of regulatory requirements and standardization for chemicals, food and consumer products. The challenges of nanomaterial characterization as the main bottleneck of risk assessment and regulation are presented. In some areas, e.g., quantification of nanomaterials within complex matrices, the establishment and adaptation of analytical techniques such as laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and others are potentially suited to meet the requirements. As an example, we here provide an approach for the reliable characterization of human exposure to nanomaterials resulting from food packaging. Furthermore, results of nanomaterial toxicity and ecotoxicity testing are discussed, with concluding key criteria such as solubility and fiber rigidity as important parameters to be considered in material development and regulation. Although an analysis of the public opinion has revealed a distinguished rating depending on the particular field of application, a rather positive perception of nanotechnology could be ascertained for the German public in general. An improvement of material characterization in both toxicological testing as well as end-product control was concluded as being the main obstacle to ensure not only safe use of materials, but also wide acceptance of this and any novel technology in the general public.
Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) is gaining importance for bioimaging cytometry to answer analytical, biological and biomedical questions. High sensitivity and spatial resolution make it an excellent tool for imaging of metal and heteroelement distribution in single cells. Comparable to CyTOF imaging mass cytometry, metal coded antibodies can be used for multiparametric analysis as well as quantification.
In this project, nanocrystals are investigated as new highly sensitive metal tags for identification and quantification of biomarkers, like Alzheimer’s or breast cancer, in clinical cell assays and tissue samples. Of high significance is the simultaneous analysis of several biomarkers at once, which is possible by special coding of lanthanide tags on the biomarker associated antibody. Nanocrystals show potential for sensitive measurement in MS due to high stability and signal amplification compared to tags with fewer metal atoms. For proof of principle, synthesis and characterization of lanthanide doped nanocrystals was performed by a nanoPET pharma GmbH with great reproducibility and homogenous size. In A549 cell cultures, the uptake and distribution of these nanocrystals within the monolayered cells was investigated by LA-ICP-MS measurements using subcellular resolution. The nanocrystals showed high sensitivity and the possibility of multiparametric analysis by doting different lanthanides. Additionally, stability of the bioconjugation of the nanocrystals and target antibodies was investigated using Dot Blot experiments and LA-ICP-MS.
The recently reported luminescent chromium(III) complex 13+ ([Cr(ddpd)2]3+; ddpd=N,N’-dimethyl-N,N’-dipyridine-2-yl-pyridine-2,6-diamine) shows exceptionally strong near-IR emission at 775 nm in water under ambient conditions (F=11%) with a microsecond lifetime as the ligand design in 13+ effectively eliminates non-radiative decay pathways, such as photosubstitution, back-intersystem crossing, and trigonal twists. In the absence of energy acceptors, such as dioxygen, the remaining decay pathways are energy transfer to high energy solvent and ligand oscillators, namely OH and CH stretching vibrations. Selective deuteration of the solvents and the ddpd ligands probes the efficiency of these oscillators in the excited state deactivation. Addressing these energytransfer pathways in the first and second coordination sphere furnishes a record 30% quantum yield and a 2.3 millisecond lifetime for a metal complex with an earth-abundant metal ion in solution at room temperature.
We designed and synthesized triphenylamine based and coumarin fused rhodamine hybrid dyes and characterized using 1H, 13C NMR and HR-LCMS analysis. Both the newly synthesized hybrid dyes were found to show red shifted absorption as well as emissions and large Stokes shift (40e68 nm) as compared to the small Stokes shift (25e30 nm) of reported dyes Rhodamine B and 101. Photophysical properties of these dyes were studied in different solvents and according to the solvents acidity or basicity they preferred to remain in their spirocyclic or open form in different ratio. We studied the spirocyclic as well as open form derivatives of these dyes for their viscosity sensitivity in three different mixture of solvents i.e. polar-protic [EtOH-PEG 400], polar-aprotic [toluene-PEG 400] and non-polaraprotic [toluene-paraffin]. They are found to show very high viscosity sensitivity in polar-protic mixture of solvents [EtOH-PEG 400] and hence concluded that both polarity as well as viscosity factor worked together for the higher emission enhancement rather than only viscosity factor. As these dyes showed very high viscosity sensitivity in their spirocyclic as well as open form, they can be utilized as viscosity sensors in visible as well as deep red region. We also correlated our experimental finding theoretically by using Density Functional theory computations.
Industrial Radiology is used for volumetric inspection of industrial objects. By penetration of these objects (typically weldments, pipes or castings) with X-ray or Gamma radiation the 3D-volume is projected onto a 2D image detector. The X-ray film is the oldest radiographic image detector and still in wide use in industry. The industrial X-ray film systems used today differ from these used in medicine. Medical film systems are described well in the literature, but industrial film systems not. So we start with a description of the properties and standards for industrial film systems. The requirements on image quality are defined by several standards and can be verified with different image quality indicators (IQIs). They describe the ability of the human being to detect small and low contrast indications in a noisy image background. The essential parameters for digital industrial radiology are described.
Since about 30 years electronic image detectors are gradually replacing the industrial film. These detectors are based on storage phosphor imaging plates in combination with Laser scanners (“Computed Radiography”, CR) or a variety of different digital detector arrays (DDA). Typical applications of CR and DDAs are discussed as well as new possibilities by digital image processing, which is enabled by the computer based image handling, processing and analysis.
A non-invasivemethod has been carried out to show the capabilities and limitations of Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS) for identifying of colourants and binders in modern reverse glass paintings. For this purpose, the reverse glass paintings “Zwei Frauen am Tisch” (1920–22), “Bäume” (1946) (both by Heinrich Campendonk), “Lofoten” (1933) (Edith Campendonk-van Leckwyck) and “Ohne Titel” (1954) (Marianne Uhlenhuth), were measured. In contrast to other techniques (e.g. panel and mural painting), the paint layers are applied in reverse succession. In multi-layered paint systems, the front paint layer may no longer be accessible. The work points out the different spectral appearance of a given substance (gypsum, basic lead white) in reverse glass paintings. However, inverted bands, band overlapping and derivative-shaped spectral features can be interpreted by comparing the spectra fromthe paintingswith spectra frompure powders and pigment/linseed oil mock-ups. Moreover, the work focuses on this method's capabilities in identifying synthetic organic pigments (SOP). Reference spectra of three common SOP (PG7, PY1, PR83) were obtained from powders and historical colour charts.We identified PR83 and PY1 in two reverse glass paintings, using the measured reference spectra. The recorded DRIFTS spectra of pure linseed oil, gum Arabic, mastic, polyvinyl acetate resin and bees wax can be used to classify the binding media of the measured paintings.
We show both theoretically and experimentally how the encapsulation of the active region by additional guard layers can be used to achieve a significant reduction of the built-in electric fields in polar nitride heterostructures. This reduction of the QCSE results in a strongly enhanced emission intensity and faster recombination dynamics in the active region. In particular we are able to shift the emission energy of 4-nm-thick GaN nano-discs up to 3.32 eV, which is just 150 meV below the bulk GaN bandgap as compared to a red-shift of about 1 eV in a conventional heterostructure with the same thickness.
An immunohistochemical method is described to visualize the distribution of metallothioneins 1/2 (MT 1/2) and metallothionein 3 (MT 3) in human ocular tissue. It is making use of (a) antibodies conjugated to gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) acting as labels, and (b) laser ablation (LA) coupled to inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).Water-soluble fluorescent AuNCs (with an average size of 2.7 nm) were synthesized and then conjugated to antibody by carbodiimide coupling. The surface of the modified AuNCs was then blocked with hydroxylamine to avoid nonspecific interactions with biological tissue. Immunoassays for MT 1/2 and MT 3 in ocular tissue sections (5 μm thick) from two post mortem human donors were performed. Imaging studies were then performed by fluorescence using confocal microscopy, and LA-ICP-MS was performed in the retina to measure the signal for gold. Signal amplification by the >500 gold atoms in each nanocluster allowed the antigens (MT 1/2 and MT 3) to be imaged by LA-ICP-MS using a laser spot size as small as 4 μm. The image patterns found in retina are in good agreement with those obtained by conventional fluorescence immunohistochemistry which was used as an established reference method.
The aim of this study was to identify specific chemical bonds and characteristic structures in melanoidins formed from D-glucose and L-alanine between 130 and 200 °C. The results might be used to control the type and amount of melanoidin produced during food processing. For this purpose, complementary techniques, such as FTIR, NMR, EPR, and MALDI-ToF, were employed. At 160 °C color, solubility and UV/Vis absorption change characteristically and consequently, structural transformations could be observed in FTIR and NMR spectra. For example, sharp signals of N-H, C-N, and C-H oscillations in the L-alanine spectrum are prone to inhomogeneous broadening in melanoidins prepared above 150 °C. These changes are caused due to formation of heterogeneous macromolecular structures and occur during condensation reactions that lead to an increasing loss of water from the melanoidins with increasing temperatures. Additionally, MALDI-ToF-MS indicates the polymerization of glyoxal/glyoxylic acid and EPR shows the formation of radical structures.
Pulse thermography (PT) has proven to be a valuable non-destructive testing method to identify and quantify defects in fiber-reinforced polymers. To perform a quantitative defect characterization, the heat diffusion within the material as well as the material parameters must be known. The heterogeneous material structure of glass fiber-reinforced polymers (GFRP) as well as the semitransparency of the material for optical excitation sources of PT is still challenging. For homogeneous semitransparent materials, 1D analytical models describing the temperature distribution are available.
Here, we present an analytical approach to model PT for laterally inhomogeneous semitransparent materials.We show the validity of the model by considering different configurations of the optical heating source, the IR camera, and the differently coated GFRP sample. The model considers the lateral inhomogeneity of the semitransparency by an additional absorption coefficient. It includes additional effects such as thermal losses at the samples surfaces, multilayer systems with thermal contact resistance, and a finite duration of the heating pulse. By using a sufficient complexity of the analytical model, similar values of the material parameters were found for all six investigated configurations by numerical fitting.
Quantitative analysis of complex proteins is a challenging task in modern bioanalytical chemistry. Commonly available isotope labels are still suffering from limitations and drawbacks, whereas new metal labels open numerous possibilities in mass spectrometric analyses. In this work, we have developed a newmetal labeling strategy to tag glycan structures of proteins, more particularly antibodies. The oligosaccharide glycans were selectively trimmed to the last N-acetylglucosamine to which an artificial azide containing galactose residue was bound. This azide can be used for subsequent cycloaddition of an alkyne. Therefore, we developed a lanthanide-containing macrocyclic reagent to selectively connect to this azido galactose. In summary, the glycan structures of an antibody can be labeled with a metal functionality using this approach. Furthermore, the functionality of the antibodies can be fully maintained by labeling the Fc glycans instead of using labeling reagents that target amino or thiol groups. This approach enables the possibility of using elemental, besides molecular mass spectrometry, for quantitative analyses or imaging experiments of antibodies in complex biological samples.
This is the first time that PE frits were used to quantify sulfur in copper and its alloys by isotope dilution combined with LA-ICP-MS: an alternative approach for sample preparation. The following properties of the PE frit meet the requirements for isotope dilution LA-ICPMS: porous material, thermo plastic (melting point >100°C), chemical resistance (nitric acid >70%) and high adsorption efficiency. The breakthrough, however, as a support material, especially when comparing the PE frit with other materials such gelatin or sodium silicate is the low blank, which is only two times of the gas flow blank (2.3-4.0 x 10⁴ cps). Additionally, the porosity of the frit was considered, as it directly affects the adsorption efficiency for the sample solution, which is present in the cavities of the frit.
Adsorption efficiency was studied by depositing sulfur standards with varying sulfur amounts (0, 2, 5, 10, 20, 40 and 80 µg S) on the frits. The remaining sulfur which was not absorbed by the frit was rinsed off and was measured by ICP-MS. This indirect method shows that more than 99.5 % of the loaded sulfur was absorbed by the frit. Such high absorption efficiency is completely sufficient for a support material to be used in LA-ICP-IDMS. The so prepared frits with increasing sulfur amount were measured by LA-ICP-MS showing a good linearity between 0 µg S and 40 µg S with a correlation coefficient r2 of 0.9987 and sensitivity of 3.4x10⁴ cps µgˉ¹ for 32S.
Three copper reference materials produced by BAM were selected to develop and validate the LA-ICP-IDMS procedure. The IDMS technique was applied to these samples as follows: the samples were spiked, dissolved, digested and then the digest was adsorbed on the frits.
High-Amplitude Surge of a Pitching Airfoil: Complementary Wind- and Water-Tunnel Measurements
(2018)
RECENT interest in gust response, rotorcraft forward flight and wind energy, among other applications, has focused on streamwise oscillations of nominally two-dimensional airfoils in attached and separated flows. The airfoil may be simultaneously held at constant incidence or execute some maneuver, such as pitch.
The relative freestream is spatially uniform but temporally unsteady, and this can be accomplished in a ground-test facility in two ways. The first method is to vary the output of the prime mover, such as the rotational speed of the impeller or the blower driving a wind tunnel, or (alternatively) to vary the pressure drop in the tunnel, thereby varying the flow speed in the test section, despite nominally constant primemover revolutions per minute. The second method is used to keep the tunnel’s operating speed constant, as well as to move the test article in the streamwise direction, fore and aft (for example, via an electric linear motor), such that the relative freestream speed felt by the test article varies according to some waveform. Typically, the latter approach is chosen in water tunnels, where there is too much tunnel-circuit inertia to vary the flow speed directly but where the usually low tunnel test section flow speeds enable large excursions in the relative freestream by oscillation of the test article. In fact, outright reverse flow is possible by moving the test article in the laboratory frame at a higher speed than the water-tunnel flow speed. In either case, a sinusoidal relative-speed waveform is the most intuitively realizable, and this can be combined with similar oscillations in the airfoil incidence angle or other kinematics. Although the two methods of realizing streamwise oscillations are mechanically distinct, experimental comparisons between an oscillating test article in a water tunnel and a stationary test article in a wind tunnel with a louvermechanismhave demonstrated agreement in themeasured lift and drag histories. Such experimentswere performed by Granlund et al. for a 10% freestream amplitude oscillation and fixed airfoil incidence, comparing a free-surface water tunnel and a closed-circuit wind tunnel. After buoyancy was subtracted from the wind-tunnel data (resulting from the louver pressure drop) and the model inertia subtracted from the water-tunnel data (resulting from acceleration of the test article), the remaining lift and drag histories matched well at the low freestream oscillation amplitude regime. The work of Granlund et al. was later extended to high-advance-ratio streamwise oscillations of 50% amplitude by Greenblatt et al., where the aerodynamic histories of the water-tunnel and wind-tunnel facilities were compared in combined pitch and freestreamoscillations (governed by relative pitch phase), pure pitch oscillations, and purely freestream oscillations. Agreement between the two facilities’ data for fixed-incidence streamwise oscillations was reasonably good, and in fact, better than agreement in just the static lift and drag, evidently owing to differences in blockage and model-support systems. Additionally, Greenblatt et al. determined there was no strong coupling between simultaneous freestream oscillations and pitch oscillations on resultant lift and moment coefficients.
Sulfur is one of the major impurity elements in copper. Previously applied methods for the quantification of sulfur in copper and other pure metals revealed a lack of traceability and showed inconsistent result. Therefore, in this study a procedure was developed for the quantification of total sulfur in copper at low concentration levels using inductively coupled plasma-isotope dilution mass spectrometry (ICP-IDMS). A major challenge for the quantification of sulfur in copper (alloyed/unalloyed) by ICPMS is the copper matrix itself, causing matrix effects and making an extensive cleaning (cones, extraction lens) necessary after measurements. Matschat et al investigated the analysis of high-purity metals (including copper) by high resolution ICP-MS and found that the copper matrix shows strong matrix effects on the sensitivity resulting from Cu deposition on the cones. Therefore, the major part of the copper matrix has to be separated, which was accomplished by adding ammonia which forms a complex with the copper while releasing the sulfur. This was followed by a chromatographic separation using a weak cation resin. After that the sulfur fraction was further purified by chromatographic means using an anion exchange method followed by a chelating resin.
The anion exchange resin (AG1X8), however, is selective to sulfate and sulfite but less-selective to sulfide. Therefore, when quantifying total sulfur in copper, the different species of sulfur need to be oxidized to sulfate prior to the sulfur-matrix separation on the AG1X8 resin in order to avoid any measurement bias. When applying the HPA oxidation with concentrated HNO3 and H2O2 a complete conversion from sulfide and sulfite to sulfate could be achieved. The recovery of all investigated sulfur species is quantitative within measurement uncertainties. The copper samples investigated in this study contain copper in the range of 0.85-0.99 kg·kg-1 and zinc from <10 to 300 g·kg-1. Approximately 0.10-0.25 g of these samples were used to perform the sulfur-copper separation. After applying the complete three stage separation procedure the mass fractions of both elements were significantly reduced to below 400 ng·g-1 for copper and below 50 ng·g-1 for zinc, respectively. The developed procedure shows high performance, especially concerning high efficiency in matrix removal (> 99.999%) while keeping the recovery of sulfur above 80%.
The procedure blank was determined by IDMS as well and yielded values for the individual IDMS measurement sequences ranging from 3 ng to 53 ng. The average of these individual procedure blanks (n=22) was calculated and yielded a total procedure blank of 14 ng sulphur with standard deviation of 12 ng. The limit of detection (LOD, blank+3SD) calculated on this basis was 0.20 µg·g-1 while the limit of quantification (LOQ, blank+10SD) was 0.54 µg·g-1, when considering a sample weight of 0.25 g.
The quantification of low sulfur contents (< 15 µg/g) by conventional IDMS is hindered by the very high Cu/S ratio, which clearly affects the separation in a negative way: The recovery of sulfur dropped to about 30 % for four replicates, while two further replicates even showed recoveries below 10%. To enable measurement without completely changing the separation procedure, an exact amount of sulfur was added prior to spiking, such that the sulfur mass fraction was shifted to the optimum working range of the separation procedure. Thus exact amounts of sulfur were added to enhance the mass fraction of sulfur from 15 µg·g-1 to 40 µg·g-1, then the IDMS analysis was performed as usual and finally the added sulfur amount was subtracted. The so obtained measurement result agreed well with the certified value within the uncertainties. The relative expanded measurement uncertainties for conventional IDMS are below 1%. When applying the modified IDMS procedure, where back-spike is added to the sample before spiking, the relative expanded measurement uncertainties are larger and up to 5%. With the presented sulfur-matrix procedure a working range from approximately 15 µg·g-1 to 1500 µg·g-1 can be achieved.
The developed procedure for the quantification of low sulfur amounts in copper has been validated here via three different routes: first an inter-laboratory comparison at highest metrological level, second a step-by-step validation by checking each single step of the procedure and third the setup of a complete uncertainty budget.
The procedure is sufficient to facilitate value assignment of total sulfur mass fraction in reference materials. Additionally, relative measurement uncertainties were calculated below 1 % and the measurement results are traceable to the SI, which is clearly demonstrated in this work. The procedure reported in this study is a new reference procedure for sulfur measurement in copper, well meeting the requirements of the two major purposes: the certification of reference materials and the assignment of reference values for inter-laboratory comparison.