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- 1 Analytische Chemie; Referenzmaterialien (408) (entfernen)
Die Vorgehensweise bei der Zertifizierung von Referenzmaterialien in der BAM entsprechend den Regeln des ISO-Guide 35 wird an Beispielen beschrieben. Darüber hinaus wird ein umfassender Überblick über Referenzmaterialien zur Analyse der Nichtmetalle Sauerstoff, Wasserstoff, Stickstoff, Kohle und Schwefel gegeben.
qNMR provides the most universally applicable form of direct concentration or purity determination without need for reference materials of impurities or the calculation of response factors but only exhibiting suitable NMR properties. The workshop presents basic terms of statistics and uncertainty analysis, which are the basis for qNMR spectroscopy and data analysis such as, e.g., standard deviations, linear regression, significance tests, etc. and gives typical examples of applications in qNMR spectroscopy.
Aging Mechanisms of Lithium Batteries: How can we make batteries more durable and more sustainable in the future?
Lithium batteries are particularly susceptible to ageing processes. During each charging and discharging process in an electric battery, lithium ions are deposited in the electrodes of the cell like in the pores of a sponge. Over time, however, fractures and cracks occur in the filigree structures. The result: more and more lithium ions no longer fit into the hollow spaces of the „sponge“, instead they accumulate in heaps around the electrodes and hinder the movement of other ions. The performance of the battery decreases.
We present our new project, in which we are developing a fast and cost-effective method with which companies that produce lithium batteries can already assess the ageing behaviour of their batteries in the laboratory.
What does GD-OES reveal about the aging and manufacturing processes of lithium-ion batteries?
(2024)
Glow-Discharge Optical Emission Spectroscopy (GD-OES), a powerful analytical technique, sheds light on the two critical aspects of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs): manufacturing and aging 1, 2. We optimized cell production in manufacturing by adjusting parameters, including cathode doping, electrolyte concentration, and pressing force. GD-OES provided in-depth elemental composition and homogeneity analysis, which is crucial for identifying optimal manufacturing conditions. These findings were validated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, confirming the quality of the manufactured batteries.
Shifting the focus to aging, we use GD-OES for fluorine depth profiling, a key element in understanding polymer and electrolyte degradation. However, fluorine presents analytical challenges. We addressed this by substituting argon with a neon:argon mixture, which significantly enhanced fluorine detection sensitivity. This advancement not only improves accuracy but also holds the potential to guide sustainable and cost-efficient manufacturing strategies.
Through its versatility, GD-OES has proven to be a powerful tool for not only optimizing LIB manufacturing processes but also gaining deeper insights into their aging mechanisms. This research extends beyond academic interest, offering tangible benefits for the industry by translating into improved battery quality, extended lifespan, and overall performance.
Die ehemals wegen komplexer Technik und vergleichsweise hohen Wartungskosten beim Anwender ungeliebte Prozessanalysentechnik (PAT) erfährt sich mittlerweile immer mehr als etablierender Bereich mit einem großen Zuwachs und Dynamik. Die Prozesskontrolle und -steuerung über physikalische Kenngrößen wie Druck und Temperatur lässt eine weitere Optimierung der Anlagen kaum mehr zu. Nur mittels stoffspezifischer Analysen lassen sich Rohstoffschwankungen, Ausbeuten und Energieeinsatz konsequent optimieren.
Der systematische Einsatz der Prozessanalysentechnik verändert Prozesse und Produktionsumgebungen und hat damit die Chance, Kernstück dezentral automatisierter Produktionseinheiten zu werden. Ein neuer Arbeitskreis der NAMUR AK 3.7 „Smarte Sensorik, Aktorik und Kommunikation“ wird diesem verstärkt Rechnung tragen. Es werden reale Anwendungsbeispiele aufgezeigt, die eine schnelle Amortisation von PAT im Prozess untermauern.
Um in einem veränderten Umfeld erfolgreich bestehen zu können, müssen Chemieunternehmen neue Pfade beschreiten. Dazu gehört insbesondere das Potential digitaler Technologien. Mit flexiblen, modularen chemischen Vielzweck-Produktionsanlagen lassen sich häufig wechselnde Produkte mit kürzeren Vorlauf- und Stillstandzeiten zwischen den Kampagnen und dennoch hoher Qualität realisieren. Intensivierte, kontinuierliche Produktionsanlagen erlauben auch den Umgang mit schwierig zu handhabenden Substanzen.
Grundvoraussetzung für solche Konzepte ist eine hochautomatisierte "chemische" Prozesskontrolle zusammen mit Echtzeit-Qualitätskotrolle, die "chemische" Informationen über den Prozess bereitstellt. In einem Anwendungsbeispiel wurde eine pharmazeutische Lithiierungsreaktion aus einer modularen Pilot-Anlage betrachtet und dabei die Vorzüge eines vollautomatischen NMR-Sensors untersucht. Dazu wurde ein kommerziell erhältliches Benchtop-NMR-Spektrometer mit Permanentmagnet auf die industriellen Anforderungen, wie Explosionsschutz, Feldkommunikation und vollautomatischer, robuster Datenauswertung angepasst. Der NMR-Sensor konnte schließlich erfolgreich im vollautomatischen Betrieb nach fortschrittlichen Regelkonzepten und für die Echtzeitoptimierung der Anlage getestet werden. Die NMR-Spektroskopie erwies sich als hervorragende Online-Methode und konnte zusammen mit einer modularen Datenauswertung sehr flexibel genutzt werden. Die Methode konnte überdies als zuverlässige Referenzmethode zur Kalibrierung konventioneller Online-Analytik eingesetzt werden.
Zukünftig werden voll integrierte und intelligent vernetzte "smarte" Sensoren und Prozesse eine kontinuierliche Produktion von Chemikalien und Pharmazeutika mit vertretbaren Qualitätskosten möglich machen.
Utilizing Aspergillus niger Fumonisin Amine Oxidase for the Electrochemical Detection of Fumonisin
(2023)
Fumonisins are a class of toxic secondary metabolites produced by various Fusarium species. The two most important producers of fumonisins are F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum but also Aspergillus niger is known to produce fumonisins. Most frequently they occur on maize, but also other grains can be contaminated with this group of mycotoxins. Exposure to fumonisins by dietary intake can have serious health effects on farm animals and also within humans. Thus, the European Commission sets legal limits for fumonisins in feed and foodstuffs. The detection of fumonisins is frequently performed in laboratories by chromatographic methods, which are costly and require trained personnel. Simplifying the analysis is therefore a major goal using portable detection systems. Electrochemical enzymatic biosensors offer great promise to meet this demand. Here we report for the first time an enzymatic fumonisin sensing approach with amperometric detection. For this purpose, an Aspergillus niger fumonisin amine oxidase (AnFAO) catalyzing the oxidative deamination of fumonisins, producing hydrogen peroxide, was recombinantly produced in E. coli. It was found that the specific activity of AnFAO using 20 μM Fumonisin B1 as substrate is higher than for 20 μM Fumonisin B2 with 0.122 U mg-1 and 0.058 U mg-1, respectively. It was possible to show a dependence of enzyme activity with enzyme – and substrate-concentration. For fumonisin B1 detection, the enzyme was coupled covalently to magnetic particles and the enzymatically produced H2O2 was detected amperometrically in a flow injection system using Prussian blue carbon electrodes. The developed method allows to quantify fumonisin B1 concentrations down to 1.5 µM and demonstrates that the recombinantly produced AnFAO was able to deaminate different concentrations of fumonisin even in immobilized form. Thus, this enzyme is well suited to develop an enzyme based electrochemical biosensor for fumonisin contaminated food and feed.
To keep up with emerging mycotoxins and their transformation products fast and reliable toxicity tests are needed. Toxicity testing of mycotoxins is carried out usually by performing in vitro assays or is evaluated by using laboratory animals like mice, rats or chicken in in vivo studies.
Settled between classical in vitro approaches and in vivo studies with higher animals are tests with the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Since Sydney Brenner described 1974 the cultivation and handling of C. elegans, this worm is widely used as model organism in developmental biology and neurology. Due to many benefits like easy and cheap cultivation, a completely sequenced genome and short generation time, it also plays an important role in toxicological research. Finally, the high number of conserved genes between human and C. elegans make the worm an ideal candidate for toxicological investigations.
In this study we used C. elegans to assess the toxic effects of the relevant food mycotoxin citrinin (CIT), the mycoestrogen zearalenone (ZEN) and the modified mycotoxin ZEN-14-sulfate (ZEN-14-S) on different lifetable parameters including reproduction, thermal and oxidative stress tolerance and lifespan. All tested mycotoxins significantly decreased the amount of offspring. In case of ZEN and CIT also significant negative effects on stress tolerance and lifespan were observed compared to the control group.
Moreover, metabolization of mycotoxins in the worms was investigated by using LC MS/MS. Extraction of the worms treated 5 days with mycotoxin-containing and UVC-killed bacteria showed metabolization of ZEN to α-ZEL and β-ZEL (ZEL = zearalenol, ratio about 3:2). ZEN 14-S was reduced to ZEL 14-S and CIT was metabolized to mono hydroxylated CIT.
Per- und polyfluorierte Alkylverbindungen (PFAS) sind eine Substanzklasse mit über 5200 Verbindungen. Aufgrund der Persistenz, Bioakkumulation in Nahrungsketten, Toxizität und der ubiquitären Verbreitung von PFAS zählen sie zu den „emerging pollutants“. Die PFAS-Analytik ist wegen den vielfältigen physikalisch-chemischen Eigenschaften und der sehr hohen Anzahl an PFAS eine große Herausforderung. Da es für viele Anwendungen noch ungewiss ist, welche PFAS verwendet werden, wie sie in die Umwelt gelangen und welche Transformations- bzw. Abbauprodukte entstehen, stoßen analytische Ansätze, die nur auf Einzelsubstanzen abzielen, hier an ihre Grenzen. Weiterhin wird die Analytik aufgrund der Substitution von bereits regulierten PFAS mit ständig steigenden Anzahlen an PFAS-Verbindungen in der Umwelt konfrontiert. PFAS-Summenparameter-Methoden, die ein nahezu vollständiges Abbild der PFAS-Belastungssituation wiedergeben, werden daher immer wichtiger. In unserer Studie haben wir die zwei meistverwendeten PFAS-Summenparameter, das adsorbierbare organisch gebundene Fluor (AOF) und das extrahierbare organisch gebundene Fluor (EOF), miteinander verglichen. Beide Summenparameter können zur Analyse mit entweder combustion-Ionenchromatographie (CIC) oder hochauflösender Molekülabsorptionsspektrometrie (HR-CS-GFMAS) gekoppelt werden. Hierbei diskutieren wir die Vor- und Nachteile sowohl von beiden Summenparameter- als auch beider Detektions-Methoden. Die Untersuchungen wurden mit Oberflächenwasserproben aus der Spree in Berlin durchgeführt. Neben AOF und EOF wurde auch der Gesamt-Fluorgehalt (TF) mit CIC sowie HR-CS-GFMAS bestimmt. Die Fluor-Massenbilanzierung zeigte, dass das Verhältnis AOF/TF höher als das Verhältnis EOF/TF war. Dabei machte der AOF 0.14–0.81% vom TF und der EOF 0.04–0.28% vom TF aus. Insgesamt war die neue EOF/HR-CS-GFMAS-Methode schneller, präziser und sensitiver als die bereits etablierte AOF/CIC-Methode. Beide Methoden sind vielversprechend für die zukünftige Überwachung von Umweltproben und bilden die Grundlage für mögliche Grenzwerte, die auf die Summe PFAS abzielen.
Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) is increasingly used to study the distribution of metal-containing drugs, imaging probes and nanomaterials in connection with disease related changes and therapy progress. Additionally, biomolecules can be detected indirectly by using metal-tagged antibodies.
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is, besides the cells, an important component of all body tissues. The macromolecular network of the ECM consists of structural proteins (e.g., collagen, elastin) and proteoglycans composed of highly negatively charged carbohydrates, the glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), which are covalently linked to a protein core. Many diseases, including inflammatory processes and tumors, are associated with characteristic ECM changes at an early stage. Recent studies have shown that contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which are based on gadolinium containing chelate complexes or iron oxide nanoparticles, can bind themselves to ECM components.
To elucidate the role of GAGs like keratan sulfate (KS) and its modification state in disease, highly specific tools are necessary. As a complement to conventional immunohistochemistry LA-ICP-MS was applied to investigate the distribution of KS in tissue thin sections using a well characterized anti-KS antibody labelled with metal ions. Furthermore, LA-ICP-MS was used for the detection of MRI contrast agents and the identification of their target cells and molecules in tissue samples from animal models, e.g. for cardiovascular diseases. The results show the possibilities of LA-ICP-MS for the elucidation of pathological tissue changes.
Analysis of single cells via LA-ICP-MS is a technique with great potential, however manual targeting of single cells is laborious and therefore microarraying of cells looks promising. In this work, we investigate the potential of a commercial non-contact piezo dispenser arraying system (S3, Scienion AG, Berlin), equipped with a novel technology for single-cell isolation called CellenONE™ (Cellenion, Lyon). Usually if one aims to create a microarray of single cells via spotting a suitably diluted cell suspension, one will observe a Poisson-distributed cell number per spot. CellenONE™ overcomes this problem by controlling the number of cells optically in the piezo dispense capillary (PDC) via image recognition to obtain true single cell arrays. The figures of merit of the customized and optimized setup will be presented. In a proof of concept experiment we investigated the trace elemental fingerprint of THP-1 cells by LA-ICP-TOF-MS (Analyte G2, Teledyne Cetac; icpTOF, TOFWERK) and quantified two metal cell dyes, mDOTA-Ho (CheMatech, Dijon), and Ir-DNA intercalator (Fluidigm, San Francisco). For that, matrix matched calibration standards after Wang et al. were successfully prepared using the same arraying system. We believe that this novel approach opens new ways for automated quantitative single cell LA-ICP-MS.
Asymmetrical laser-induced plasmas were investigated by a tomography approach based on the inverse Radon transform. Two distinct sources of asymmetricity were investigated: double-pulsed laser-induced plasmas in the orthogonal configuration and single-pulsed laser-induced plasmas under an inclined incidence angle. Both cases were observed at various delay times. The optical thinness of the laser-induced plasmas was achieved by appropriately adjusting the pulse energies. High temporal resolution is achieved by a gated intensified charge-coupled-device camera. The asymmetrical laser-induced plasmas are investigated in terms of their total emissivity, spectrally resolved emissivity, and temperature. The latter is obtained by the Saha–Boltzmann plot method. The images required for the inverse Radon transform technique were obtained with a high angular accuracy and reproducibility provided by mounting the spectrometer on a high-precision nano-positioning rotary stage. The plasmas were induced in the center of rotation of the stage. This arrangement allows the reconstruction of emissivity, which is integrated over a full spectral range (200-800 nm) or over a desired spectral range selected by a bandpass filter (~10 nm). It also allows for the reconstruction of spectrally-resolved emissivity in each cross sectional plasma slice by scanning the plasma across a spectrometer slit. The 3D maps of temperature and electron density are thus obtained for different types of asymmetric plasmas.
Glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GD-OES) is a technique for the analysis of solids such as metals, semiconductors, and ceramics. A low-pressure glow discharge plasma is applied in this system, which ‘sputters’ and promotes the sample atoms to a higher energy state. When the atoms return to their ground state, they emit light with characteristic wavelengths, which a spectrometer can detect. Thus, GD-OES combines the advantages of ICP-OES with solid sampling techniques, which enables it to determine the bulk elemental composition and depth profiles. However, direct solid sampling methods such as glow-discharge spectroscopy require reference materials for calibration due to the strong matrix effect.
Reference materials are essential when the accuracy and reliability of measurement results need to be guaranteed to generate confidence in the analysis. These materials are frequently used to determine measurement uncertainty, validate methods, suitability testing, and quality assurance. In addition, they guarantee that measurement results can be compared to recognized reference values. Unfortunately, the availability of certified reference materials suited to calibrate all elements in different matrix materials is limited. Therefore various calibration strategies and the preparation of traceable matrix-matched calibration standards will be discussed.
Machine learning is an essential component of the growing field of data science. Through statistical methods, algorithms are trained to make classifications or predictions, uncovering key insights within data mining projects. Therefore, it was tried in our work to combine GD-OES with machine learning strategies to establish a new and robust calibration model, which can be used to identify the elemental composition and concentration of metals from a single spectrum. For this purpose, copper reference materials from different manufacturers, which contain various impurity elements, were investigated using GD-OES. The obtained spectra information are evaluated with different algorithms (e.g., gradient boosting and artificial neural networks), and the results are compared and discussed in detail.
Reference materials are essential, when the accuracy and reliability of measurement results need to be guaranteed in order to generate confidence in the analysis.
These materials are frequently used for determining measurement uncertainty, for validation of methods, suitability testing and quality assurance. Especially direct solid sampling methods require reference materials for calibration.
They guarantee that measurement results can be compared to recognized reference values.
This presentation gives an overview about the use of GDMS in various certification procedures. Because it represents a fast, sensitive, multielement analyses technique without extensive sample preparation it plays a special role for the purity determination of high purity standards. Various calibration strategies and the preparation of traceable matrix matched calibration standards will be discussed.
For the certification of analyte content in matrix materials mainly techniques with solvent sample preparation are used. Here GD-MS is used to identify possible loss or contamination with analytes during the sample preparation step. Typically used acids to dissolve matrices lead to interferences in the ICP- mass spectrometric detection of various analytes and their quantification. Here GD-MS as direct method can also add an important contribution in the certification process.
The calibration of isotope ratio measurements is an ongoing challenge since instrumental isotope fractionation (IIF) has been detected in mass spectrometry (MS). There is a variety of approaches which either bypass IIF such as delta measurements or refer to reference materials (RMs) and thus shifting the problem of calibration to somebody else: the RM producer. For certifying isotope RMs with absolute isotope ratios only a few approaches are available, namely the isotope mixture approach, the double spike approach, the mass bias regression model and total evaporation in TIMS. All of them require either enriched isotopes, isotope RMs of another element or an RM for correcting residual error. As the enriched isotopes required for the isotope mixture and the double spike approach need to be fully characterized beforehand, all mentioned calibration approaches require a standard.
Here, a new and standard-free calibration approach for obtaining absolute isotope ratios of multi-isotopic elements has been developed. The underlying principle is that each MS suffers from IIF and thus yields a specific isotope fractionation line in a three-isotope diagram. When applying a second MS featuring a different ionization mechanism, we obtain a second isotope fractionation line with a different slope in the same three-isotope diagram. In both cases the absolute isotope ratios range somewhere on the isotope fractionation line. Consequentially, the intersect of both lines yield the absolute isotope ratios of the measured sample. This theory has been tested by measuring Cd and Pb isotope ratios of suitable isotope RMs with a TIMS and an ICP-MS, both equipped with multi-collector array. During the measurements the ionization conditions were changed such that different extent of the isotope fractionation has been achieved. With the resulting data set the theory described above could be verified. The obtained absolute isotope ratios were metrologically compatible with the certified isotope ratios. The remaining average bias of -5 ‰ can be reduced with further improvements. The calibration approach is universal and can be applied to any multi-isotopic element and it is not limited by the type of the mass spectrometer.
What is the future of Analytical Sciences? The talk starts with a definition, comparing the current view with that from 1968. How do wie set trends? How do we get Analytics inside? Some examples of "Big Science" are given and discussed in relation to a definition of AS. How does AS face the current Grand Challenges?
As exaples for something significant, several exaples are presented, such as Climate Change of Hydrogen Storage. Another important trand are eScience and automation concepts for AS, which are highlighted.
But (Analytical) Science has to be politcal in our times to face Fake News and to breake barriers!
The Dark Side of Science
(2019)
The Joint Summer School of the two Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (ITN) “BioCapture” and “GlycoImaging”, funded by the EU within the Horizon 2020 framework programme, which are both devoted to the development of new methods for cancer biomarker and cancer cell detection, will take place at the Adlershof Campus of BAM. 19 Early stage researchers of both projects will convene, discuss their own science and plan future collaborative research. Training in scientific writing (instructor: Luita Spangler, Free University of Berlin), an employability workshop (Antti Kapanen, University of Applied Sciences Berlin) and first contacts with the “dark side of science” (Brian R. Pauw, BAM) will complement the programme of the summer school.
Gegenstand des Projekts ist die Prüfung der Umweltbeständigkeit und -verträglichkeit von Materialien und Produkten hinsichtlich der Emission von potenziellen Schadstoffen in die Umwelt. Hierzu werden chemisch-physikalische Einflüsse (Bewitterung) und mikrobielle Beanspruchungen an Modellmaterialien evaluiert. So werden die Freisetzungsraten von Schadstoffen in Abhängigkeit der Beanspruchung beschrieben. Als Modellmaterialien kommen die Polymere Polycarbonat, Polytetrafluorethylen, Polystyrol und Polypropylen zum Einsatz. Synergistische Effekte der Bewitterungsparameter und der mikrobiologischen Beanspruchung sollen dabei ebenso betrachtet werden, wie die gezielte Alterung. Auch findet eine Beschreibung des Verhaltens der ausgetragenen Schadstoffe in den Umweltkompartimenten Boden oder Wasser statt. Hier sind mit Hilfe der zu entwickelnden Screening- und non-Target-Analyseverfahren die Transformation und der Metabolismus durch Mikroorganismen zu beschreiben. Aus den Ergebnissen sollen Korrelationen zwischen den künstlichen Alterungsverfahren und realen Szenarien abgeleitet werden, die es gestatten, Schnellprüfverfahren zu etablieren, die die Simulation der realen Beanspruchungen im Zeitraffermodell anwendbar machen. Somit sollen standardisierbare Schnellbeanspruchungs-verfahren erarbeitet werden, die als Prüfeinrichtungen etabliert werden und von externen Auftraggebern zur Prüfung der Umweltbeständigkeit und -verträglichkeit von neuen Materialien genutzt werden können. Die Umweltwirkungen (chemisch-physikalisch und mikrobiologisch) sollen so definiert eingesetzt werden, dass eine reproduzierbare Prüfung möglich wird. Aus diesen Verfahren und Methoden sollen Normen abgeleitet werden, die eine standardisierte Materialprüfung ermöglichen.
Wie lässt sich die Herkunft von Rohstoffen, Lebensmitteln oder Umweltschadstoffen einfacher, schneller und kostengünstiger als mit bisherigen Methoden bestimmen?
Die Dissertation zeigt auf, dass man das grundlegende physikalische Prinzip einer Isotopverschiebung mit in Adlershof entwickelten Optik-Instrumenten für die Herkunftsbestimmung nutzen kann. Die entwickelte Methode ermöglicht es in Zukunft den Ursprung von Rohstoffen, Lebensmitteln oder Umweltschadstoffen kostengünstiger und wesentlich schneller bestimmen, als dies mit bisherigen Methoden möglich ist.
Kann man das grundlegende physikalische Prinzip einer Isotopieverschiebung mit einem Optik-Instrument für die Herkunftsbestimmung nutzen? Carlos Abad hat eine wegweisende Methode entwickelt, die es in Zukunft ermöglicht den Ursprung von Rohstoffen, Lebensmitteln oder Umweltschadstoffen kostengünstiger und wesentlich schneller bestimmen, als dies mit bisherigen Techniken möglich ist.
Science Café Adlershof is having its next edition in 2024 on February 20th '24! We will have one speaker next week: Alexander Winckelmann is a PhD student at Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -Prüfung and will give a talk about his stay abroad in Switzerland - there will be free chocolates! There will be enough time to ask questions or simply chat with the guests and participants.
In der klinischen Diagnostik werden für zytometrische Messverfahren bereits eine Reihe von Reagenzien eingesetzt zur Markierung von Antikörper eingesetzt, um die Detektion von Biomarkern mittels Fluoreszenz- oder Flugzeitmassenspektrometrie zu ermöglichen.
Seit kurzem ist auch eine Imaging Mass Cytometry Kombination direkt erhältlich, wodurch der Nachweis von Biomarkern in Gewebeschnitten erreicht werden kann. Dazu wird eine Kopplung von Laser Ablation und induktiv gekoppeltem Plasma Massenspektrometrie eingesetzt, wobei ähnlich der Massenzytometrie, zuvor Antikörper mit Metallen markiert, und im Anschluss mit dem Gewebeschnitt inkubiert werden. Durch die hohe Ortsauflösung können die Biomarker lokalisiert, und zukünftig vielleicht auch quantifiziert werden.
Insbesondere Lanthanide eignen sich als Markierungsmetalle, da sie einen niedrigen Untergrund und chemisch ähnliches Verhalten zueinander aufweisen. Allein durch diese Elemente können bereits etwa 15 Parameter unterschieden werden, was durch isotopenreine Standards weiter gesteigert werden kann.
Vom Markierungsgrad abhängig werden unterschiedlich viele Metalle am Antikörper gebunden, und beeinflussen so die Sichtbarkeit im ICP-MS. Nanopartikel könnten daher eine deutliche Steigerung der Sensitivität bewirken. GdVO4 Nanokristalle scheinen bisher sehr vielversprechend und bieten neben multiparametrischen Anwendungen auch Multimodalität.
Die Synthese der Nanokristalle zeigte hohe Homogenität und Reproduzierbarkeit in Partikelgröße in der Zusammensetzung. Ein erstes Experiment mit einer Zellkultur konnte bereits die effiziente Markierung der Zellen unter Beweis stellen, wobei durch hohe Signalstärke auch subzelluläre Auflösung in der LA-ICP-MS erreicht werden konnte.
The departure from the current automation landscape to next generation automation concepts for the process industry has already begun. Smart functions of sensors simplify their use and enable plug-and-play integration, even though they may appear to be more complex at first sight. Monitoring specific information (i.e., “chemical” such as physico-chemical properties, chemical reactions, etc.) is the key to “chemical” process control.
The talk introduces a smart online NMR sensor module provided in an explosion proof housing as example. This sensor was developed for an intensified industrial process (pharmaceutical lithiation reaction step) funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (www.consens-spire.eu). Due to NMR spectroscopy as an “absolute analytical comparison method”, independent of the matrix, it runs with extremely short set-up times in combination with “modular” spectral models. Such models can simply be built upon pure component NMR spectra within a few hours (i.e., assignment of the NMR signals to the components) instead of tedious calibrations runs.
The talk also generally covers current aspects of high-field and low-field online NMR spectroscopy for reaction monitoring and process control and gives also an overview on direct dissolution studies of API cocrystals.
Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is a powerful method for the matrix-independent quantitative analysis of target elements. Developed for the use in inorganic trace analysis, ICP-MS is nowadays a valuable tool for bioanalytical questions. Especially the use of ICP-MS for quantitative proteomics by measuring heteroatoms has gained recognition in the last decade, considering that established quantification methods like organic mass spectrometry depend on labelling of the target protein or the existence of matched protein and peptide standards. The need for reliable quantification of proteins is continuously growing, but only a limited number of well-characterized and quantified protein standards are available so far. Accurately quantified, traceable protein standards are necessary to ensure comparability of measurements between laboratories, not only in basic research but also in a clinical context. One example of this is the Alzheimer’s disease biomarker tau protein. However, existing tau standards lack comparability, emphasizing the need for a well-quantified protein standard.
Therefore, we developed a method for the quantification of pure proteins via sulfur isotope dilution ICP-MS (IDMS). As sulfur is present in two amino acids, cysteine and methionine, it exists in nearly all proteins and can be used for the quantification of proteins of known stoichiometry. We employed simple offline strategies for the separation of non-protein bound sulfur species. Quantification of these contaminations by IDMS allows for correction of the protein content and enables reliable protein quantification. We report the protein mass fractions of a standard reference material and commercially available proteins determined by sulfur IDMS, including the expanded uncertainties. The developed method can be applied for the reliable and traceable quantification of pure proteins for use as in-house standards. Here, we successfully used this method for the quantification of the tau protein.
The interaction of nanoparticles (NPs) with cells has become a major field of interest, ranging from medical applications to nanotoxicology. Size, shape and surface modification of the NPs determine the uptake rate and pathway into the cells, and therefore impact specific cell components and processes.
Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) is an established quantitative multi-elemental analysis and mapping technique. In recent years, it was shown that LA-ICP-MS can provide quantitative as well as distribution information of NPs in cell samples.
Here LA-ICP-MS was applied for the imaging of individual cells to study the uptake and intracellular processing of metal-containing nanostructures. Additionally, the local distribution of naturally occurring elements in cells like P was measured to indicate cell morphology. The cells were incubated with different types of NPs under varying experimental conditions. For LA analysis, the cells were fixed and dried.
Our findings show, that LA-ICP-MS is suitable for the localisation of nanoparticle aggregates within cellular compartments. The studied NPs accumulate in the perinuclear region in the course of intracellular processing, but do not enter the cell nucleus. The uptake efficiency depends strongly on the physicochemical properties of the nanostructures as well as on the incubation conditions like concentration and incubation time.
The results demonstrate the potential of LA-ICP-MS providing insight into NP uptake, intracellular distribution and cell-to-cell variation dependent on experimental parameters.
Laser-induced XUV spectroscopy (LIXS) is an emerging technique for elemental mapping. In comparison to conventional laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy in UV-vis (LIBS), it has a higher precision and wider dynamic range, and it is well suited for the quantification light elements like lithium and fluorine. Further it can spot oxidation states. The XUV spectra are produced at a very early stage of the plasma formation. Therefore, effects from plasma evolution on the reproducibility can be neglected. It has been shown, that high-precision elemental quantification in precursor materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) can be performed using LIXS. Based on these results, LIXS mapping was used to investigate aging processes in LIBs. Different cathode materials with varying compositions of fluorine containing polymer binders were compared at different stages of aging. Due to effects comparable to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy but in reverse, monitoring of changes in the oxidation state is envisioned, which makes information about the chemical environment of the observed elements accessible. The combination of elemental distribution and structural information leads to a better understanding of aging processes in LIBs, and the development of more sustainable and safe batteries.
Photoluminescence techniques are amongst the most widely used tools in the life sciences, with new and exciting applications in medical diagnostics and molecular imaging continuously emerging. Advantages include their comparative ease of use, unique sensitivity, non-invasive character, and potential for multiplexing, remote sensing, and miniaturization. General drawbacks are, however, signals, that contain unwanted wavelength- and polarization contributions from instrument-dependent effects, which are also time-dependent due to aging of instrument-components, and difficulties to measure absolute fluorescence intensities. Moreover, scattering systems require special measurement geometries and the interest in new optical reporters with emission > 1000 nm strategies for reliable measurements in the second diagnostic for the comparison of material performance and the rational design of new fluorophores with improved properties.
Here, we present strategies to versatile method-adaptable liquid and solid fluorescence standards for different fluorescence parameters. Examples are multi-emitter glasses, spectral fluorescence standards, and quantum yield standards for the UV/vis/NIR.
Standardisation of concentration measurements of extracellular vesicles for medical diagnoses
(2020)
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cell-derived particles in body fluids, which have excellent potential as next generation biomarkers for the early diagnosis of common diseases, such as cancer and thrombosis. This project aims to tap into the clinical potential of EVs by developing traceable measurements of number concentration, size distribution, refractive index (RI) and fluorescence intensity of cell-specific EVs in human blood and urine.
To realise our aims, we will develop synthetic reference materials with physical properties resembling EVs (WP1), instrumentation and procedures to standardise EV measurements in clinical laboratories (WP2), and ready-to-use biological test samples (WP3). These will then be evaluated in an inter-laboratory comparison study across a range (>20) of standard flow cytometers in clinical labs (WP4).
Small variations in the isotopic composition of some elements have been used as proof of provenance of mineral and biological samples, to describe geological processes, and to estimate a contamination source. Routinely, isotope compositions are measured by mass spectrometry; the working horse of the isotope analysis. However, mass spectrometric methods are expensive, time-consuming and they require a high qualified analyst.
Here, an alternative faster and low-cost optical method for isotope ratio determination is investigated: high-resolution continuum source molecular absorption spectrometry (HR-CS-MAS). Stable isotope amount composition of X = Li, B, Mg, Ca and Sr have been determined by monitoring the absorption spectra of their in situ generated hydrides (XH) in graphite furnace HR-CS-MAS. For example, the system of two stable isotopes of boron (10B and 11B) was studied via its hydride for the electronic transition X1Σ+ → A1Π (Fig. 1a). The spectrum of a given sample is a linear combination of the 10BH molecule and its isotopologue 11BH. Therefore, isotopic composition of samples and reference materials are calculated by a partial least square regression (PLS). For this, a spectral library is built by using samples with known isotope composition. Results are metrologically compatible with those reported by mass spectrometric methods. [1] Similar results are obtained for n isotope systems like Mg (24Mg, 25Mg, and 26Mg), where isotope shift of their isotopologues can be resolved as shown in Fig.1 b. The extension of this methodology to other elements like Li, Ca and Sr is discussed [2].
References:
[1] C. Abad, S. Florek, H. Becker-Ross, M.-D. Huang, H.-J. Heinrich, S. Recknagel, J. Vogl, N. Jakubowski, U. Panne, Determination of boron isotope ratios by high-resolution continuum source molecular absorption spectrometry using graphite furnace vaporizers, Spectrochim. Acta, Part B, 136 (2017) 116-122.
[2] C. Abad et al., unpublished results, 2018.
Magnesium (Mg) is a major element in a range of silicate and carbonate minerals, the hydrosphere and biosphere and plays important roles in (bio-) geochemical and physiological cycles. Mg has three stable isotopes, 24Mg, 25Mg and 26Mg with natural abundances of 79 %, 10 %, and 11 %, respectively. It is due to their relatively large mass difference (~8% between 24Mg and 26Mg) that isotope fractionation leads to slight variations of isotope amount ratios n(26Mg)/n(24Mg) in biological, environmental and geological samples. Traditionally, isotope ratios are measured by mass spectrometric methods and isotope ratios are expressed as deviation from an internationally agreed upon material, i.e. the zero-point of the δ-value scale. Drawbacks of this method include the high costs for instruments and their operation, experienced operators and elaborate, time-consuming chromatographic sample preparation.
Recently, optical spectrometric methods have been proposed as faster and low-cost alternative for the analysis of isotope ratios of selected elements by means of high- resolution continuum source graphite furnace molecular absorption spectrometry (HR- CS-GFMAS) and laser ablation molecular isotopic spectrometry (LAMIS).
For the determination of Mg isotope amount ratios, the molecular spectrum of the in-situ generated MgF and MgO molecules were studied. In the case of HR-CS-GFMAS, the absorption spectrum was recorded for MgF for the electronic transitions X2Σ → A2Πi and X 2Σ → B2Σ+ around wavelengths 358 nm and 268 nm, respectively. In the case of LAMIS, we investigated the MgF molecule for the electronic transition A2Πi → X2Σ as well as the MgO molecule for the electronic transition A1Π+ → X1Σ around 500 nm. The MgF and MgO spectra are described by the linear combination of their isotopic components or isotopologues: 24MgF, 25MgF, and 26MgF for the MgF and 24MgO, 25MgO, and 26MgO for the MgO (F is monoisotopic, and the isotope composition of O is assumed as constant). By HR-CS-GFMAS the analysis of Mg was done by deconvolution of the MgF spectrum by partial least square regression (PLS) calibrated with enriched isotope spikes. Isotope amount ratios in rock samples with and without matrix separation were analyzed. Calculated δ-values were accurate and obtained with precisions ranging between 0.2 ‰ and 0.5 ‰ (1 SD, n = 10). On the other hand, LAMIS allows the direct analysis of solid samples with the extended possibility of in-situ analysis. Main advantages, limitations, and scopes of both optical techniques are going to be discussed and compared to MC-ICP-MS.
Magnesium is a naturally occurring element that can be found in several mineral forms in the earth crust. This element presents three stable isotopes 24Mg, 25Mg and 26Mg with a natural abundance of 79%, 10%, and 11% respectively. It is due to their relatively large mass difference (~8% between 24Mg and 26Mg) that isotope fractionation leads to slight isotope amount ratio variations n(26Mg)/n(24Mg) in biological and geological samples. Traditionally, isotope amount ratios have been measured by mass spectrometric methods. However, drawbacks of these methods include the high costs for instruments and their operation, experienced operators and elaborate chromatographic sample preparation which are time-consuming. Recently, optical spectrometric methods have been proposed as faster and low-cost alternative for the analysis of isotope ratios of selected elements by means of high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace molecular absorption spectrometry (HR-CS-GFMAS) and laser ablation molecular isotopic spectrometry (LAMIS). For the determination of Mg isotope amount ratios, the molecular spectrum of the in-situ generated MgF and MgO molecules were studied. In the case of HR-CS-GFMAS, the absorption spectrum was recorded for MgF for the electronic transitions X 2Σ → A 2 Πi and X 2Σ → B 2Σ+ around wavelengths 358 nm and 268 nm respectively. In the case of LAMIS, it was studied the MgF molecule for the electronic transitions A 2Πi → X 2Σ as well as the MgO molecule for the electronic transition A 1Π+ → X 1Σ around 500 nm. The MgF and MgO spectra are composed by the linear combination of their isotopic components or isotopologues: 24MgF, 25MgF, and 26MgF for the MgF and 24MgO, 25MgO, and 26MgO for the MgO (F is monoisotopic, and the isotope composition of O is assumed as constant). By HR-CS-GFMAS the analysis of Mg was done by deconvolution of the MgF spectrum by a partial least square regression (PLS) calibrated with enriched isotope spikes. The isotope amount ratios in rock samples with and without matrix separation were analyzed. Resulting delta values were obtained with precisions ranging between 0.2-0.5 ‰. On the other hand, LAMIS allows the direct analysis of solid samples with the extended possibility of in-situ analysis. Main advantages, limitations, and scopes of both optical techniques are going to be discussed and compared with MC-ICP-MS.
Sr isotope ratio analysis
(2023)
Common approaches to improve the optical properties of semiconductor quantum dots and lanthanide doped nanophosphors present core/shell structures as radiationless deactivation at the particle surface is usually the main energy loss mechanism. This has led to increasingly sophisticated particle architectures using multishell systems with shells of different chemical composition and thickness and initiated an increasing number of quantitative spectroscopic studies focusing on the key performance parameter photoluminescence quantum yield to identify optimum particle structures. This is particularly challenging in the long wavelength region > 1000 nm and for nonlinear emitters like upconversion nanocrystals. Here, we present suitable absolute methods to quantify the photoluminescence of these different emitters in the vis/NIR/IR and as function of excitation power density and underline the impact of such measurements on a profound mechanistic understanding of the nonradiative deactivation pathways in semiconductor and upconversion nanocrystals of different size and particle architecture in different environments.
Simultaneous multielemental analysis of crude oils by high-resolutions absorption spectrometry
(2019)
When crude oil arrives at a refinery it needs a lot of processing before it is suitable for cracking into lighter fractions. Sulfur has to be extracted to meet ultra-low sulfur legislation for most of the fuel grades, and desalination is a crucial process as chlorine within salts is corrosive to refinery equipment. Measuring the amounts of sulfur and chlorine within crude oil is the first step in a complex clean-up process.
Heavy metals, such as vanadium, nickel and iron need to be removed too. These metals can poison the catalyst used to crack the oil into lighter fractions. This is costly as it reduces the useful life of the catalyst. Like chlorine, heavy metals also have a corrosive effect on the plant. There is some evidence that the presence of some metals in the final product can reduce performance.
A fast determination of elements and size of suspended particles is vital for diagnosis and safeguard of refinery equipment. However, sample preparation for current analytical methods consumes precious time and lost particle size information.
High-resolution continuum source graphite furnace absorption spectrometry (HR-CS-GFAS) is proposed as a fast analytical method for elemental determination in crude oils and potentially for simultaneous multielement and particle size analysis. This HR-CS-GFAS instrumentation is coupled to a modular simultaneous echelle spectrometer (MOSES) and provides a full optical window with high resolution (from 180 to 900 nm with bandwidth λ/170,000). By using this set-up, it is possible to generate a multiparameter 3D spectral image (atomic and molecular lines, isotopic shift, atomization delay, and intensities). The generated spectral images can be analyzed by multivariate regressions for the elemental and particle size analysis. Additionally, if several atomic and molecular lines are simultaneously measured, they may be used in multi-energy calibration (MEC), a method based on the use of many wavelengths of the same absorbing/emitting entity to improve the accuracy in analytical atomic spectrometry. This MEC approach combined with multivariate image analysis allows the quantification of selected elements (Si, Al, Ni, Fe, V, S, and Cl) and overcomes matrix effects.
Many applications of nanomaterials in the life sciences require the controlled functionalization of these materials with ligands like polyethylene glycol (PEG) and/or biomolecules such as peptides, proteins, and DNA. This enables to tune their hydrophilicity and biocompatibility, minimize unspecific interactions, improve biofunction-nalization efficiencies, and enhance blood circulation times and is the ultimate prerequisite for their use as reporters in assays or the design of targeted optial probes for bioimaging.
At the core of these functionalization strategies are reliable and validated methods for surface group and ligand quantification that can be preferably performed with routine laboratory instrumentation, require only small amounts of substances, and are suitable for many different types of nanomaterials.
We present here versatile and simple concepts for the quantification of common functional groups, ligands, and biomolecules on different types of organic and inorganic nano-materials, using different types of optical reporters and method validation with the aid of multimodal reporters and mass balances.
Shortly after founding the CCQM in 1993, the first key comparison (CCQM-K2) about the determination of Cd and Pb content in river water was hosted by IRMM. It has been clear from the beginning that for the determination of an element mass fraction in a matrix, accurate reference solutions would be the key point for a metrologically sound analysis. Triggered by the not entirely satisfactory results it was decided to investigate the basis of all measurements: the reference solutions. Thus in 1999, CCQM-K8, hosted by EMPA/LNE, started the tedious but indispensable work on elemental solutions standards.
Additionally, PTB, BAM and Merck KGaA initiated a project to establish a traceability system for inorganic analysis based on accurate monoelemental solutions. Within this unique approach ten high purity reference materials were fully characterized, and solutions were prepared gravimetrically thereof. These materials (forming the primary standards of elemental analysis) are available for NMIs/DIs from BAM.
CCQM-P46 (Cu, Mg, Rh) demonstrated the actuality of the topic and the challenges to prepare elemental solutions for every element. The accurate preparation and use of monoelemental solutions is consequently reflected in the recurrent conduct of (key) comparisons: CCQM-P149 (purity of zinc), CCQM-K87 (Co, Cr, Pb), and the current CCQM-K143/P181 (Cu solutions), to name only a few in a long series.
Is it necessary to put so much effort into the preparation of reference solutions? It clearly is! An example outside the world of academia: Recently, EDQM*, PTB, BAM and JRC have developed monoelemental reference standards traceable to the SI for toxic elements in support of the chapters of the European Pharmacopoeia, related to the analysis of elemental impurities in medicinal products. A new ICP OES method has been established allowing the comparison of two 1 g/kg mercury solutions with an outstandingly small uncertainty of Urel(w(Hg)) = 0.16 %. However, this technical progress would not have been possible without the ongoing effort of the metrological community within 25 years of research in the field of high accuracy monoelemental solutions.
* EDQM: European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and HealthCare
Si isotope fractionation during BIF formation – inferences from a modern Archean ocean analogue
(2019)
Silica-rich sedimentary rocks like cherts and BIFS, typical for the Archean, have been used to reconstruct temperatures and other properties of the early oceans through the study of their Si isotope variations. Precambrian cherts and BIFS span a δ30Si range of ~7‰, with BIFs being about 2‰ lower in δ30Si than cherts. These lower δ30Si signatures have been attributed to represent contributions from different input sources such as hydrothermal fluids, variable continental weathering regimes or sorption onto Fe oxides/hydroxides [e.g. 2 and references therein]. In this study, fluids and BIF-like sediments have been investigated for their Si isotope compositions in Paulina Lake (PL), a hydrothermally-influenced crater lake in the Newberry Caldera, Oregon, USA. PL lake sediments are rich in silica (~65wt% SiO2) and are composed of up to 22.5wt% Fe2O3, which is comparable to Archean BIFs and thus serve as a modern Archean ocean analogue. We compared our analyses with East Lake (EL), the twin Newberry crater lake without hydrothermal input. Dissolved Si in EL has an average δ30Si signature of +1.55±0.16‰ (1sd) and sediments an average δ30Si signature of +0.18±0.28‰ (1sd). Dissolved Si in PL has an average δ30Si signature of +2.02±0.15‰ (1sd), whereas the sediments show a large range in δ30Si values between +0.59‰ and -1.24‰. PL sediments show a trend towards more negative δ30Si with increasing Fe2O3 contents. The magnitude of Si isotope fractionation thus appears to depend on the presence of Fe. This fractionation induced by interaction with Fe precipitation is defined here as the offset in δ30Si between PL and EL sediments at comparable depths (Δ30SiPL-EL). The resulting Δ30SiPL-EL values range between +0.69 and -1.42‰ and increase with increasing Fe2O3 content in the sediments. Our results are the first to quantify the magnitude of Fe-induced δ30Si fractionation observed in a natural analogue of the Archean ocean and can explain the lighter δ30Si signatures found in BIFs.
The prerequisites for a successful energy transition and the economic use of hydrogen as a clean green energy carrier and for H2 readiness are a rapid market ramp-up and the establishment of the required value chains. Reliable quality and safety standards for innovative technologies are the prerequisite for ensuring supply security, for environmental compatibility and sustainable climate protection, for building trust in these technologies and thus enable product and process innovations.
With the Competence Centre "H2Safety@BAM", BAM is creating the safety-related prere-quisites for the successful implementation of hydrogen technologies at national as well as European level. BAM uses decades of experience in dealing with hydrogen technologies to develop the necessary quality and safety standards.
The presentation will draw a bow from the typical basic tasks of BAM in the field of competence "Sensors, analytics and certified reference materials", such as maintenance and dissemination of the national gas composition standards for calorific value determination as Designated Institute for Metrology in Chemistry within the framework of the Metre Convention, to the further development of measurement and sensor technology for these tasks. For the certification of reference materials, a mostly slow and time-consuming but solid reference analysis is common. With hydrogen and its special properties, completely new requirements are added. In addition, fast and simple online analysis is required for process control, for example to register quality changes, e.g., during load changes or refuelling processes.
Inorganic nanocrystals with linear and nonlinear luminescence in the ultraviolet, visible, near infrared and shortwave infrared like semiconductor quantum dots and spectrally shifting lanthanide-based nanophosphors have meanwhile found applications in the life and material sciences ranging from optical reporters for bioimaging and sensing over security barcodes to solid state lighting and photovoltaics. These nanomaterials commonly have increasingly sophisticated core/shell particle architectures with shells of different chemical composition and thickness to minimize radiationless deactivation at the particle surface that is usually the main energy loss mechanism [1]. For lanthanide-based spectral shifters, particularly for very small nanoparticles, also surface coatings are needed which protect near-surface lanthanide ions from luminescence quenching by high energy vibrators like O-H groups and prevent the disintegration of these nanoparticles under high dilution conditions. [2,3,4]. The identification of optimum particle structures requires quantitative spectroscopic studies focusing on the key performance parameter photoluminescence quantum yield [5,6], ideally flanked by single particle studies to assess spectroscopic inhomogeneities on a particle-to-particle level for typical preparation methods [7], Moreover, in the case of upconversion nanoparticles with a multi-photonic and hence, excitation power density (P)-dependent luminescence, quantitative luminescence studies over a broad P range are required to identify particle architectures that are best suited for applications in fluorescence assays up to fluorescence microscopy. Here, we present methods to quantify the photoluminescence of these different types of emitters in the vis/NIR/SWIR and as function of Pand demonstrate the importance of such measurements for a profound mechanistic understanding of the nonradiative deactivation pathways in semiconductor and upconversion nanocrystals of different size and particle architecture in different environments.
Processes of laser induced oxidation of metals are typically studied in the framework of heterogeneous chemical reactions occurring on the irradiated surface, which lead to the formation of dense oxide films deposited on it. Such technology has many applications like color-laser marking technology and laser recording on thin metal films for creation of diffractive optical elements . Under the conditions of strong laser ablation, another oxidation mechanism becomes possible: evaporated atoms react with oxygen in a surrounding atmosphere and the products of such reaction are redeposited back onto the substrate. The chemical and phase composition of such deposited layer, its density, morphology and structure depend on the conditions of laser ablation. By varying these conditions, the main properties of such coating can be controlled that is important for some potential application (for example in biomedicine).
In our report we present the study of the processes of redeposition of oxides structure under the conditions of multipulse nanosecond laser ablation of titanium (Grade 2) in air atmosphere at normal conditions. Our experiments show that titanium-implants with such deposited oxide layer have increased biocompatibility.
Modelling of chemical reaction in laser-induced plasma coupled with experimental methods of plasma optical emission spectroscopy allows us to determine the types of main chemical reactions in laser plasma as well as it influences on the plume dynamics and vapor condensation kinetics. As a result, we propose the general physical picture of reverse deposition of oxides structure under the condition of strong nanosecond laser ablation. The formation of the titanium oxide precipitate is explained not only by collisions in the plasma, but also by the chemical interaction of titanium and oxygen, which leads to the formation of а low pressure area near the substrate and additionally stimulates the reverse deposition of oxides. We expect, similar processes are valid not only for titanium but also for other metals and, possibly, semiconductors.
The combination of non-target analysis (NTA) based on HPLC-ESI-MS with elemental fluorine speciation analysis based on HPLC-PARCI-MS for the identification and quantification of (unknown) organofluorines in environmental samples is associated with several advantages e.g., reduced non-target data treatment workflow and quantification.
PFASs compromise persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic properties and are hence, environmental contaminants of emerging concern. Thus, procedures for identifying potential sources of the entrance of these compounds into the environment, identification of new organofluorine species, and closing mass balances need urgent development. The intrinsic fluorine tag appears in a sizable fraction of these and other xenobiotics, making elemental speciation desirable for quantitative NTA in these areas. Current non-target approaches based on ESI-HRMS suffer from a lack of data mining algorithms for identification of PFASs with low fluorine mass percentages. Furthermore, low ionization efficiencies of the compounds hamper detection limits.
Hence, the proposed combination of simultaneous HPLC-ESI-MS and HPLC-PARCI-MS via split-stream coupling is a promising approach for environmental PFAS monitoring. Furthermore, it could serve as an important analytical procedure to set up limiting values in compliance with the desired PFAS ban of the European Union.
Research in the SALSA Application Lab – Shedding light onto high-fired medieval gypsum mortars
(2019)
After an introduction into the SALSA lab building and the ideas and sources of inspiration for building up the Application Lab as a spectroscopy lab with a strong focus on imaging and microspectroscopy, a very successful example of an interdisciplinary collaboration between the fields of art technology and analytical sciences is presented.
In Deutschland werden jährlich rund 20 Millionen Tonnen künstliche Mineralwolle für die Dämmung von Dächern und Fassaden sowie für Brandschutzprodukte verwendet. Um künstliche Mineralwolle aus Rückbaumaßnahmen in den Produktionsprozess zurückführen zu können, ist eine Trennung in Glas- und Steinwolle erforderlich, um eine Vermischung der beiden Produkte, die unterschiedliche Schmelztemperaturen aufweisen, zu vermeiden. Anstatt die Mineralwolle in spezielle Labors zu schicken, was zeitaufwendig und teuer ist, wurde das Potenzial eines tragbaren Nahinfrarot-Spektrometers (NIR) für den Einsatz vor Ort getestet. 140 verschiedene Mineralwolleproben wurden untersucht, um eine NIR-basierte Methode für die Vor-Ort-Unterscheidung zwischen Glas- und Steinwolle zu etablieren. Die Validierung der Methode mit Testproben und die Anwendung auf Materialien, die aus BigBags für Deponien entnommen wurden, haben gezeigt, dass die Methode präzise und robust ist. Als Referenzmethode wurde die Röntgenfluoreszenzspektroskopie (RFA) mit einer Kalibrierung auf der Grundlage der VDI 3492 verwendet.
Introduction. Comparing different emitter classes and rationally designing the next generation of molecular and nanoscale probes for bioimaging applications require accurate and quantitative methods for the measurement of the key parameter photoluminescence quantum yield f.1 f equals the number of emitted per number of absorbed photons. This is particularly relevant for increasingly used fluorescence imaging in the short wave-infrared region (SWIR) ≥ 900 nm providing deeper penetration depths, a better image resolution, and an improved signal-to-noise or tumor-to-background ratio.2, 3 However, spectroscopic measurements in the SWIR are more challenging and require specific calibrations and standards.
Relative and Absolute Methods for Measuring Photoluminescence Quantum Yields of UV/vis/NIR Emitters
(2019)
One of the key spectroscopic performance parameters of molecular and particulate emitters is the photoluminescence quantum yield (PL QY) that provides a direct measure for the number of emitted per absorbed photons. This triggered the interest in methods suitable for measuring this property for emitters in various environments in the UV/vis/NIR and above 1000 nm as well as on the ensemble and single emitter level. Moreover, for nonlinear emitters like lanthanide-based upconversion nanocrystals methods including instrumentation for power density-dependent PL QY studies are required.
An overview of the research activities in Division Biophotonics of BAM is given and suitable relative and absolute methods for the deter-mination of PL QY of organic dyes and different types of application-relevant nanomaterials in dispersion and in the solid state are presen-ted. This covers also the design and calibration of integrating sphere setups, achievable uncertainties, and candidates for PL QY reference materials.
Lithium exists in two stable isotopes, 6Li and 7Li. The ratio of these in every ore varies depending on the geological history of the sample, thus providing a tool for fingerprinting the distinct origin of Li containing samples. Determination of the exact isotope ratio for e.g. designation of provenance today relies on expensive and bulky instrumentation such as multi `collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry` (MC-ICP-MS). These instruments, however, are known to bear pitfalls in the characterization of particular elements including Lithium. BAM recently developed two alternative analytical devices for this task, solely relying on inexpensive optical spectroscopy in combination with state-of-the-art multivariate data analysis such as Machine learning algorithms. Both techniques have been comprehensively studied using certified reference materials and comparing the results to MC-ICP-MS results and could be shown to result in comparable figures of merit, paving the way for a more general accessibility to provenance determination instrumentation. The results also pave the way towards even further simplification of the laboratory infrastructure demands and to further include additional elements into the isotopic fingerprinting methodology.
Climate change and related energy policies, exacerbated by unforeseen geopolitical developments, pose new challenges for gas analytics, such as the use of hydrogen, hydrogen-containing alternative gaseous fuels (NH3, etc.), the use of alternative methane-based energy gases (LNG, LPG, etc.) or decarbonisation via CCSU. In all topics, the quality, i.e. the actual chemical composition of the gases, naturally plays a decisive role. BAM is meeting this strategic importance with the further development of hydrogen analytics and is continuing to develop the methods used in order to support the German economy and research landscape with traceability, reference materials and analytical procedures as quickly as possible.
Mass spectrometry plays an important role for trace analysis in hydrogen matrix. The presentation shows first experimental results from the application of PTR-TOF-MS (Proton Transfer Reaction Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry).
Raman spectroscopy for online monitoring of a homogeneous hydroformylation process in microemulsion
(2021)
An important industrial reaction is hydro¬formylation for the production of aldehydes from alkenes and syngas on the basis of homogeneous catalysis. The main cost factors of the processes currently used are product selectivity and the loss of the catalysts used. Therefore, various concepts for the hydroformylation of long-chain olefins have been developed, including hydroformylation in microemulsions, which is being investigated on a mini-plant scale at the Technical University of Berlin [1]. In this study, online Raman spectroscopy of the reaction of 1-dodecene to 1-tri¬decanal in a microemulsion was performed [2]. First, an experimental design was used to obtain a good representation of the operating range in the mini plant with respect to the concentrations of five reactants in a laboratory setup [3]. Based on the Raman spectra, Partial Least Squares (PLS) models for the prediction of 1-dodecene and 1-tride-decanal were calibrated and with these the reactions were predicted on a laboratory scale. In the next step, the PLS models were applied to online spectra from a mini-plant. This resulted in promising estimates of 1-tridecanal and acceptable predictions of 1-dodecene mass fractions. The predictive power of PLS models in this particular case was limited by unexpected by-product formation which, however, can easily be compensated by an extended calibration. Hence, Raman spectroscopy is a promising technique for process analysis in microemulsions.
Raman microspectroscopy enables imaging of the distributions of mineral phases as well as physical properties of materials, such as crystal orientations and crystallinities, with down to sub-micrometre resolution. In a combination with other spectroscopic and microscopic techniques, this approach was applied to the analysis and elucidation of ancient production technologies of stucco fragments made of high-fired gypsum mortar and Egyptian blue pigment discovered on a monochrome wall painting fragment originating from the Early Medieval (5th/6th century AD) construction phase of the church St. Peter above Gratsch in South Tyrol (Northern Italy).
Raman band widths of anhydrite II reveal the burning history of high‐fired medieval gypsum mortars
(2019)
An interdisciplinary collaboration between art technology and analytical sciences yielded an approach based on Raman microspectroscopy for the determination of the burning temperatures applied during the production process of high-fired medieval gypsum mortars. Analytical challenges and applications of the approach to examples from the cultural heritage of South Tyrol are presented.
Accurate and quantitative photoluminescence measurements are mandatory for the comparison of different emitter classes and the rational design of the next generation of molecular and nanoscale reporters as well as for most applications relying on their luminescence features in the life and material sciences and nanobiophotonics. In the following, procedures for the determination of the spectroscopic key parameter photoluminescence quantum yield, i.e., the number of emitted per absorbed photons, in the UV/vis/NIR/SWIR are presented including pitfalls and achievable uncertainties and material-specific effects related to certain emitter classes are addressed. Special emphasis is dedicated to luminescent nanocrystals.
Die NMR-Spektroskopie stellt heutzutage eine der wichtigsten Analysenmethoden in der organischen Chemie dar. Während der Großteil aller Untersuchungen qualitativ mit dem Ziel der Stoffidentifikation und Strukturaufklärung erfolgt, erlangt die quantitative NMR-Spektroskopie (qNMR) zunehmend an Bedeutung in Forschung und Industrie. Der entscheidende Vorteil gegenüber anderen Analysenmethoden liegt in der direkten Proportionalität der Signalfläche zur Anzahl Kernspins im Messvolumen. Dies erlaubt eine kalibrationsfreie Relativquantifizierung. Zur Absolutquantifizierung reicht die Zugabe einer definierten Menge eines vom Analyten unabhängigen NMR-Standards aus.
Trotz dieser Vorteile findet sich die qNMR bislang nur vereinzelt in Normen und Standardverfahren wieder. Zahlreiche Ringversuche in Metrologie und Industrie demonstrieren die Leistungsfähigkeit moderner NMR-Spektrometer und stärken das Vertrauen in die Methode. Die Entwicklung von Validierungskonzepten, sowie die kommerzielle Verfügbarkeit geeigneter zertifizierter Referenzmaterialien erleichtern die Anwendung, insbesondere im zumeist stark regulierten industriellen Umfeld.
Neben etablierten Hochfeld-NMR Spektrometern hat sich in den letzten Jahren ein stark wachsender Markt für kompakte Benchtop-NMR Geräte auf Permanentmagnetbasis entwickelt. Die geringeren Anschaffungs- und Betriebskosten, sowie die einfache Bedienbarkeit erlaubt es auch kleineren Unternehmen in diese Analysenmethode einzusteigen. Weiterhin besteht die Möglichkeit diese mobilen Systeme näher an die Produktion zu bringen, welches von der klassischen Qualitätskontrolle bis hin zur Online-Prozesskontrolle als vollautomatisierter Analysator reicht. Die geringere Feldstärke der Systeme erfordert hier oft den Einsatz modellbasierter Ansätze zur Spektrenauswertung (z.B. Indirect Hard Modeling).
Dieser Beitrag gibt eine Übersicht über aktuelle Anwendungen und Entwicklungen der qNMR von der universellen, hochgenauen Labormethode bis hin zur robusten Anwendung als Online-Analysator im Feld.
qNMR provides the most universally applicable form of direct concentration or purity determination without need for reference materials of impurities or the calculation of response factors but only exhibiting suitable NMR properties.
The workshop presents basic terms of statistics and uncertainty analysis, which are the basis for qNMR spectroscopy and data analysis such as, e.g., standard deviations, linear regression, significance tests, etc. and gives typical examples of applications in qNMR spectroscopy.
Introduction
NMR spectroscopy is one of the most important analytical methods in organic chemistry. While most analyses are carried out qualitatively with the aim of substance identification and structure elucidation, quantitative NMR spectroscopy (qNMR) is increasingly gaining importance in research and industry. qNMR provides the most universally applicable form of direct purity determination without need for reference materials of impurities or the calculation of response factors but only exhibiting suitable NMR properties.
Methods
One of the most attractive features of quantitative NMR spectroscopy is that the NMR peak areas can be used directly for concentration quantification without further calibration. Another advantage of NMR spectroscopy is that the method has a high linearity between absolute signal area and sample concentration, which makes it an absolute analytical comparison method that is independent of the matrix. This enables automated robust data evaluation strategies that can be used for online applications of qNMR spectroscopy.
Jancke et al. proposed NMR spectroscopy as a relative primary analytical method because it can be fully described by mathematical equations from which a complete uncertainty budget can be derived, allowing it to be used at the highest metrological level. Weber et al. discussed in detail important aspects of the procedure that enable the realisation of low measurement uncertainties in qNMR measurements. Since certification of CRM requires expanded mea¬sure¬ment uncertainties of less than 0.5 % (relative), the work of Weber et al. demonstrated for the first time that qNMR can fulfil this criterion.
Results
To date, further comparative studies have been carried out in metrology and industry, demonstrating the performance of quantitative NMR spectroscopy and further reducing measurement uncertainties. The development of validation concepts and the commercial availability of suitable certified reference materials facilitate the application, especially in the usually highly regulated industrial environment. Users can thus accelerate the development of analytical methods. The talk will cover a wide range of topics from current metrological activities to new challenges for qNMR spectroscopy and also deals with aspects such as validation and accreditation.
Innovative aspects
• qNMR provides the most universally applicable form of direct purity determination
• Expanded measurement uncertainties lower than 0.15 % (relative) possible
• Benchtop NMR instruments increasingly used for qNMR spectroscopy
Quantification of the Total and Accessible Number of Functional Groups and Ligands on Nanomaterials
(2022)
Surface-functionalized organic and inorganic nanoparticles (NP) are of great interest in the life and material sciences, as they can be used e.g. as drug carriers, fluorescent sensors, and multimodal labels in bioanalytical assays and imaging applications. NP performance in such applications depends not only on particle size, size distribution, and morphology, but also on surface chemistry, i.e. the total number of surface functional groups (FG) and the number of FG accessible for subsequent functionalization with ligands or biomolecules, which in turn determines surface charge, colloidal stability, biocompatibility, and toxicity. Methods for FG quantification should be simple, robust, reliable, fast, and inexpensive, and allow for the characteriza-tion of a broad variety of nanomaterials differing in size, chemical composition, and optical properties.
Aiming at the development of simple, versatile, and multimodal tools for the quantification of many bioanalytically relevant FG such as amine, carboxy, thiol and aldehyde functionalities, we investigated and compared various analytical methods commonly used for functional group quantification. This includes electrochemical titration methods, dye-based optical assays, and other instrumental analytical techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, and thermal analysis methods.
Surface functionalization of nanomaterials is nowadays at the core of many applications of functional materials in the life and material sciences. Examples range from membranes and microarrays over bead-based assays, and next generation sequencing to nanometer-sized optical reporters, nanosensors, and magnetic and optical contrast agents. Typical function-nalization steps include silanization and grafting reactions with reactive monomers to introduce functional groups like amino or carboxylic acid groups or the attachment of ligands like polyethylene glycol (PEG) molecules and biomolecules. [1-3] This enables to tune e.g., dis-persibility, hydrophilicity and biocompatibility, minimize unspecific interactions, improve biofunctionalization efficiencies, and enhance blood circulation times and allows for the use of nanomaterials as reporters in assays or the design of targeted probes for bioimaging.
At the core of all functionalization strategies are reliable and validated methods for surface group and ligand quantification that can be preferably performed with routine laboratory instrumentation, require only small amounts of substances, and are suitable for many different types of nanomaterials. [3] There is meanwhile a considerable need to make these methods traceable. We present here versatile and simple concepts for the quantification of common functional groups, ligands, and biomolecules on different types of organic and inorganic nanomaterials, using conventional and newly developed cleavable and multimodal reporters, that can be detected with optical spectroscopy. [4-7] These reporters are chosen to enable method validation with the aid of method comparisons and mass balances. Also, strategies how to make these simple assays traceable to SI units using quantitative nuclear resonance spectroscopy (qNMR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) are derived.
Engineered nanomaterials (NM) with their unique size-dependent properties are of increasing relevance for current and future developments in various fields such as medical and pharmaceutical industry, computing and electronics or food and consumer products. The performance and safety of NM are determined by the sum of their intrinsic physicochemical properties. Especially, the particle surface chemistry, which is largely controlled by the chemical nature and density of functional groups and ligands, is an important key driver for the performance, stability, and processibility of NM, as well as their interaction with the environment. Thus, methods for functional group quantification can foster the sustainable development of functional and safe(r) NM.
Aiming at the development of simple, versatile and multimodal tools for the quantification of common bioanalytically relevant functional groups, we designed a catch-and-release assay based on cleavable probes that enable the quantification of the cleaved-off reporters in the supernatant after particle separation. Thus, the approach circumvents interferences resulting from particle light scattering and sample-inherent absorption or emission. To study the potential of the assay, commercially available and in-house synthesized aminated and carboxylated polymer and silica nanoparticles of different functional group densities were tested.
Our cleavable probe strategy can be easily adapted to other analytical techniques requiring different reporters, or to different types of linkers that can be cleaved thermally, photochemically, or by variation of pH, utilizing well-established chemistry. In addition, it can contribute to the development of multi-method characterization strategies to provide a more detailed picture of the intrinsic physicochemical property - performance/safety relationships and thus can support the design of tailored nanomaterials with better controlled properties.
Lanthanide-based upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) like hexagonal Beta-NaYF4 UCNPs doped with Yb3+ and Er3+, which efficiently convert 976 nm light to ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared photons, offer new strategies for luminescence-based sensing, barcoding, and imaging. The properties of their upconversion (UC) luminescence (UCL) are, however, strongly influenced by particle size, the concentration and spatial arrangement of the dopant ions, surface chemistry including presence and thickness of surface passivation and shielding shells, microenvironment/presence of quenchers with high energy vibrations, and excitation power density (P). We present here a comprehensive study of the influence of UCNP size and particle architecture for Yb3+ and Er3+ co-doped NaYF4 core-only and core-shell nanostructures in the size range of about 5 nm to 50 nm, which underlines the importance of particle synthesis, surface chemistry, and quantitative luminescence measurements for mechanistic insights and the determination of application-relevant matrix- and P-dependent optimum dopand concentrations.
Mycotoxins (toxins formed by fungi) in food and have caused problems for mankind since the beginning of time. The group of ergot alkaloids plays a special role in human history. Several tens of thousands of deaths during the middle ages caused by to ergotism (the disease caused by continuous intake of ergot alkaloid contaminated food) underscore the importance of reliable analytical methods to ensure food safety.
More than 50 compounds belong to the group of ergot alkaloids. The 12 most found structures – the major ergot alkaloids – are typically measured, when it comes to ergot alkaloid quantification. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a fluorescence detector (FLD) is typically used to quantify the ergot alkaloid content. The main disadvantage of this method are the high costs for calibration standards (12 different calibration substances are required). But also the time and effort required for the analysis of 12 peaks and overlapping signals that occur in complex food samples such as bread. As all ergot alkaloids share the ergoline structure and just differ in the substituents attached to this backbone, measurement of all ergot alkaloids in one sum parameter presents a time and cost saving alternative. The most important step for the development of such a sum parameter method is the reaction used to transfer all ergot alkaloids to one uniform structure. In the talk two promising reactions, the acidic esterification to lysergic acid methyl ester and hydrazinolysis to lysergic acid hydrazide, are examined for possible use in a routine analysis method. In addition to yield and reaction rate, factor such as the handling of the reaction and the possibility of parallelization play a role. Next to the current status of the ongoing research project, in this talk, current approaches to ergot alkaloid quantitation will be discussed.
Die Junganalytiker der Fachgruppe „Analytische Chemie“ der Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (GDCh) veranstalteten in Zusammenarbeit mit der BAM eine Herbstschule zum Thema „Qualitätssicherung in der Analytischen Chemie“.
Schulung v.a. für Doktoranden, um den Umgang mit qualitätssichernden Aspekte bei der Entwicklung analytischer Methoden zu erlernen.
Die wichtigsten Grundbegriffe der Genauigkeitskenngrößen von Messgrößen werden in diesem Vortrag vermittelt.
Der Vortrag gibt eine Übersicht über aktuelle qNMR-Aktivitäten im Fachbereich 1.4. Dies umfasst beispielsweise die Online-Anwendung zur Prozessüberwachung, aber auch die Reinheitsuntersuchung von Reinstoffkomponenten für die Herstellung von Referenzgasgemischen. Zusätzlich wird ein Ausblick in die aktuelle Strategie hinsichtlich der Rückführung von qNMR-Ergebnissen mittels primärer Referenzmaterialien gegeben.
In 2018, BAM (Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing) and the young analysts of the department Analytical Chemistry at the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (German Chemical Society, GDCh) jointly organized the second summer school on quality assurance in analytical chemistry in Berlin, Germany. Over fifty doctoral students that are still in the initial stages of work participated in the week-long event and the participants were confronted with the most important basic concepts of internal and external systems of quality assurance in analytical chemistry.
Especially young scientists and scholars deal with the development of analysis methods and often generate an increasingly growing wealth of data. Results are mostly evaluated under quantitative aspects and need to be assessed subject-specifically. In addition to the purely scientific requirements these results also should meet the requirements of analytical quality assurance. For this purpose, the development of analytical methods is accompanied by a process of validation – the documented proof that a method is suitable for the intended purpose and the defined requirements.
This talk summarizes the didactic concept, which was used by the organizers to span an arc from the handling of process characteristics, such as accuracy, precision, linearity, recovery, up to measurement uncertainty and modern multivariate analysis techniques. In an open space workshop, the participants discussed their idea of quality management and worked out requirements after common sense. Interestingly, many participants had already implemented important quality assurance without professionally knowing it.
Der Vortrag zum Mess- und Prüfverfahren mit verschiedenen Sensortechnologien und Ultraschallwellen beinhaltet die Themen:
Metrologie zur Wasserstoffspeicherung - Euramet-Vorhaben "MefHySto",
Erkennung von freigesetztem Wasserstoff sowie die Bestimmung des Wasserstoff-Luftverhälntisses mit Gassensoren, zerstörungsfreie Fehlstellenerkennung mit integriertem Zustandsüberwachungssystem basierend auf geführten Ultraschallwellen zur Lebensdauerüberwachung von Composite-Behältern (Wasserstoffspeicher) sowie faseroptische Sensorik zur Schadenfrüherkennung von Wasserstoffspeichern aufgrund erkennbarer Dehnungsänderungen an Druckbehältern.
Prozessindustrie Gemeinsam Digital – Forschungsbedarf für die Digitalisierung der Prozessindustrie
(2019)
Die Digitale Transformation durchdringt weite Teile der Industrie mit einer zunehmenden Vernetzung und Digitalisierung entlang der Wertschöpfungskette.
Basierend auf dem Whitepaper der DECHEMA „Digitalisierung in der Chemieindustrie“ entsteht die Vision eines gläsernen Apparates mit einem zeitlich, räumlich und methodisch dichtem Monitoring der Betriebszustände, das eine daten- und modellbasierte Optimierung transienter oder instationärer Prozesse (das heißt An-/Abfahren, Laständerungen, etc.) erlaubt. Auch der nicht bestimmungsmäßige Betrieb von Apparaten oder Modulen wird zuverlässig erkannt. Basis ist hier die Implementierung von innovativer Messtechnik und neuartigen Sensoren in Kombination mit der Anwendung datengetriebener oder rigoroser Modelle zur Prozesssimulation und -kontrolle.
Anlagen, die auf diesem Konzept basieren, lassen sich sicher an Stabilitäts- bzw. Kapazitätsgrenzen und mit höherem Durchsatz betreiben. Trotz schwankender Rohstoffqualitäten kann eine gleichbleibende Zielqualität der Produkte mit rentablen Qualitätssicherungskosten garantiert werden. Dazu ist eine Vernetzung über weitere Branchen (Softwareingenieure, MSR-Technik, Betreiber, Hersteller) notwendig. Sie ergänzt komplementär die ENPRO-Initiative mit Themen der modularen Anlagenplanung und -konstruktion und modular verteilter Intelligenz. Ein Digitalisierungsbedarf besteht auch für bereits vorhandenen Anlagenbestand bzw. zukünftig nicht modular gestalteter Produktionsapparate der chemischen Industrie, um auch dort einen wesentlichen Beitrag zur Ressourcen- und Energieeffizienz zu leisten.
Der Vortrag zeigt aktuelle Entwicklungen und Betätigungsfelder des Fachbereichs Prozessanalytik zum Thema Automation in der Analytik. Dies Umfasst die Laborautomation am Beispiel der Probenpräparation für die Röntgenfluoreszenzanalyse und moderne Synthesekonzepte in der organischen Chemie. Außerdem wird die Rolle der Prozessanalytik in der kontinuierlichen Produktion thematisier. Als Anschauungsgegenstand dienen die Überwachung einer Hydroformylierung mittels Raman- und NMR-Spektroskopie und der Einsatz eines NMR-Sensors in einer modularen Produktionsanlage im Pilotmaßstab.
Neurodegenerative diseases are one of the major problems for our ageing society. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) as the most common neurodegenerative disorder affects over 46.8 million people worldwide and the number will increase as the population ages. The diagnosis of AD is challenging and only half of the patients are identified yet and often only in late stages. One reason is that existing assays for identification and quantification of AD biomarkers lack accuracy and are poorly comparable.
This study is part of the EU project “ReMiND” aiming to develop accurate, reliable and traceable methods for the detection and quantification of known and suspected AD biomarkers. Our target is the tau protein, as brain load and distribution of tau is highly correlated with the clinical progression of AD. We intend to develop a measurement method for the accurate quantification of tau by means of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).
ICP-MS is a powerful method for the matrix independent quantitative analysis of target elements. Developed for the use in inorganic trace analysis, ICP-MS is nowadays emerging as a valuable tool for bioanalytical questions. Especially the use of ICP-MS for quantitative proteomics by measuring heteroatoms is highly promising, considering that established quantification methods like organic mass spectrometry depend on the existence of matched protein and peptide standards or labelling of the target protein. In this work, we applied isotope dilution analysis (IDA) using ICP-MS to quantify proteins of known stoichiometry via their sulphur content. Sulphur is present in two amino acids, cysteine and methionine, and hence is omnipresent in nearly all proteins. A NIST standard bovine serum albumin (BSA) was quantified using sulfur IDA to optimize sample preparation and method parameters. Our goal is to employ the developed method in a proof of concept study for the quantification of the AD biomarker tau extracted from brains of a mouse model for AD.
Analytical glow discharges with optical (GD-OES) and mass spectrometric (GD-MS) detection are able to obtain depth resolved information about the light elements hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen in solid samples, where most of the other analytical techniques fail. However, the interpretation or even quantification of the measured signals is still very challenging. Problems arise due to physical effects (plasma processes such as the ‘Hydrogen effect’, the Doppler effect, self absorption or diffusion of hydrogen in the sample during sputtering) chemical effects(e.g. formation of compounds with argon or the matrix, poisoning of the sample or gettering) as well as instrumental difficulties (e.g. of the sensitivity, calibration and vacuum quality)..
The GD techniques are direct solid sampling methods and require reference materials for calibration. Unfortunately the list of available certified reference materials (CRM) suited for calibration of light elements in different matrix is relatively short Therefore, sintered materials doped with the analytes H2, O2 and N2 were produced at IFW Dresden and applied as calibration standards for hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. Due to the high analyte concentration added, it is very likely that the real concentration agree well with the added amount of light elements in the corresponding phases. The validation of the determination of the light element concentration in the sintered samples was possible in some cases only due to the lack of suitable techniques. This fact proves the need for the development of a reliable quantification of light elements by GDS.
A systematic dependence of the sputtering rate on the composition was found and can be explained by basic principles.
Using mixtures of TiH2 and ZrH2 with Cu the ratio of hydrogen and Cu lines has a good correlation with the corresponding concentration ratio. The hydrogen emission yield however decreases over 0.3 m% hydrogen and finally the hydrogen intensity may even decrease. This behaviour can be explained by a very similar quenching of the hydrogen and copper intensity caused by the hydrogen effect. First experiments with GD-MS show no saturation of the hydrogen ion current and thus confirm the quenching of the emission yield in GD-OES.
Sintered material for the oxygen calibration (Al2O3, CuO, Cu2O and MgO mixed with Cu, Al and Mg) confirmed the blue line shift effect at O I 130.22 nm, first time reported by Köster 2009 [1]. The effect is more pronounced at Mg than in Al and Cu, which due to line interference leads to a matrix dependent EY. This effect is negligible at O I 777.19 nm and the EY is matrix independent. Using GD-MS first promising results for the calibration of oxygen with these sintered samples could be obtained, when the sputtering rate was included in the evaluation.
More recently also sintered material for nitrogen calibration (AlN mixed with Al and Si3N4 mixed with Cu) was produced and points to a matrix independent emission yield of nitrogen
Produzieren Sie schon oder kalibrieren Sie noch? – Online-NMR-Spektrometer als Smarte Feldgeräte
(2018)
Der Übergang von der aktuellen Automatisierungslandschaft zur nächsten Generation von Automatisierungskonzepten für die Prozessindustrie hat bereits begonnen. Intelligente Funktionen der Sensoren vereinfachen ihre Anwendung und ermöglichen eine Plug-and-Play-Integration, auch wenn sie auf den ersten Blick komplexer erscheinen mögen. Dies ist die Basis für die Digitalisierung der Prozessindustrie und hilft uns, komplexere Prozesse schneller umzusetzen.
Der Vortrag fasst die derzeit diskutierten allgemeinen Anforderungen an „Smarte Feldgeräte“ zusammen und diskutiert dieses am Beispiel eines smarten Online-NMR-Sensors. NMR-Spektroskopie bietet sich durch den Vorteil der direkten Vergleichsmethode (ohne Kalibrierung) für die Prozess-Steuerung an und verringert somit die Rüstzeiten. Zudem basiert der Sensor auf physikalisch motivierten Modellen (Indirect Hard Modeling, IHM), die sich modular kombinieren lassen. Die Methoden wurden anhand eines vorgegebenen pharmazeutischen Reaktionsschrittes im Rahmen des „Horizon 2020“-Projekts CONSENS der Europäischen Union demonstriert und validiert.
Zuletzt werden Anforderungen an die Weiterentwicklung der Datenauswertemethoden diskutiert, um letztlich die semantische Information aus den Messdaten herauszulesen oder das in der Industrie 4.0 geforderte „durchgehende Engineering“ für die Automatisierungskomponenten zu ermöglichen.
Mycotoxigenic fungal pathogens Fusarium and Alternaria are a leading cause of loss in cereal production. On wheat-ears, they are confronted by bacterial antagonists such as pseudomonads.
Studies on these groups’ interactions often neglect the infection process’s temporal aspects and the associated priority effects. In the present study, the focus was on how the first colonizer affects the subsequent ones. In a climate chamber experiment, wheat-ears were successively inoculated with two different strains (Alternaria tenuissima At625, Fusarium graminearum Fg23, or Pseudomonas simiae Ps9).
Over three weeks, microbial abundances and mycotoxin concentrations were analyzed and visualized via Self Organizing Maps with Sammon Mapping (SOM-SM). All three strains revealed different characteristics and strategies to deal with co-inoculation: Fg23, as the first colonizer, suppressed the establishment of At625 and Ps9. Nevertheless, primary inoculation of At625 reduced all of the Fusarium toxins and stopped Ps9 from establishing. Ps9 showed priority effects in delaying and blocking the production of the fungal mycotoxins. The SOM-SM analysis visualized the competitive strengths: Fg23 ranked first, At625 second, Ps9 third. Our findings of species-specific priority effects in a natural environment and the role of the mycotoxins involved are relevant for developing biocontrol strategies.
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by furniture and
building materials can cause health issues. For an
improvement of indoor air quality low emitting materials
should be used. Quality assurance and –control (QA/QC)
measures require an emission reference material (ERM) with a
predictable emission rate of VOCs. The idea is to use porous
materials as ERM, which store the VOCs inside their pores and
emit them constantly.
Die Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) ist eine Ressortforschungseinrichtung, die zum Schutz von Mensch, Umwelt und Sachgüter, forscht, prüft und berät. Im Fokus aller Tätigkeiten in der Materialwissenschaft, der Werkstofftechnik und der Chemie steht dabei die technische Sicherheit von Produkten und Prozessen. Dazu werden Substanzen, Werkstoffe, Bauteile, Komponenten und Anlagen sowie natürliche und technische Systeme erforscht und auf sicheren Umgang oder Betrieb geprüft und bewertet. Schwerpunkt des Vortrages sind multimodale Polymeranalytik, nanoskalige Sensormaterialien und die Charakterisierung von technischen Eigenschaften von Polymeren sowie ihre Alterung und Umweltrelevanz.
This course will provide an introduction to plasma diagnostic techniques. The major focus of the course will be on the discussions of the practical procedures as well as the underlying physical principles for the measurements of plasma fundamental characteristics (e.g., temperatures and electron number density). Particular emphasis will be placed on laser induced plasma–atomic emission spectrometry, but other analytical plasmas will also be used as examples when appropriate. Selected examples on how one can manipulate the operating conditions of the plasma source, based on the results of plasma diagnostic measurements, to improve its performance used for spectrochemical analysis will also be covered. Topics to be covered include thermal equilibrium, line profiles, temperatures, electron densities, excitation processes, temporal and spatial resolution.
This course will provide an introduction to plasma diagnostic techniques. The major focus of the course will be on the discussions of the practical procedures as well as the underlying physical principles for the measurements of plasma fundamental characteristics (e.g., temperatures, thermodynamic properties, and electron number density). Particular emphasis will be placed on inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectrometry, but other analytical plasmas will also be used as examples when appropriate. Selected examples on how one can manipulate the operating conditions of the plasma source, based on the results of plasma diagnostic measurements, to improve its performance used for spectrochemical analysis will also be covered. Topics to be covered include thermal equilibrium, line profiles, temperatures, electron densities, excitation processes, microreactions, pump and probe diagnostics, tomography, temporal and spatial resolution. Basis of plasma computer modeling will be presented.
This course will provide an introduction to plasma diagnostic techniques. The major focus of the course will be on the discussions of the practical procedures as well as the underlying physical principles for the measurements of plasma fundamental characteristics (e.g., temperatures, thermodynamic properties, and electron number density). Particular emphasis will be placed on inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectrometry, but other analytical plasmas will also be used as examples when appropriate. Selected examples on how one can manipulate the operating conditions of the plasma source, based on the results of plasma diagnostic measurements, to improve its performance used for spectrochemical analysis will also be covered. Topics to be covered include thermal equilibrium, line profiles, temperatures, electron densities, excitation processes, microreactions, pump and probe diagnostics, tomography, temporal and spatial resolution. Basis of plasma computer modeling will be presented.
This course will provide an introduction to plasma diagnostic techniques. The major focus of the course will be on the discussions of the practical procedures as well as the underlying physical principles for the measurements of plasma fundamental characteristics (e.g., temperatures, thermodynamic properties, and electron number density). Particular emphasis will be placed on inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectrometry, but other analytical plasmas will also be used as examples when appropriate. Selected examples on how one can manipulate the operating conditions of the plasma source, based on the results of plasma diagnostic measurements, to improve its performance used for spectrochemical analysis will also be covered. Topics to be covered include thermal equilibrium, line profiles, temperatures, electron densities, excitation processes, microreactions, pump and probe diagnostics, tomography, temporal and spatial resolution. Basics of plasma computer modeling will be presented.
This course will provide an introduction to plasma diagnostic techniques. The major focus of the course will be on the discussions of the practical procedures as well as the underlying physical principles for the measurements of plasma fundamental characteristics (e.g., temperatures, thermodynamic properties, and electron number density). Particular emphasis will be placed on inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectrometry, but other analytical plasmas will also be used as examples when appropriate. Selected examples on how one can manipulate the operating conditions of the plasma source, based on the results of plasma diagnostic measurements, to improve its performance used for spectrochemical analysis will also be covered. Topics to be covered include thermal equilibrium, line profiles, temperatures, electron densities, excitation processes, micro reactions, pump and probe diagnostics, tomography,
temporal and spatial resolution. Basis of plasma computer modeling will be presented.
The reference method for obtaining absolute isotope ratios still is the isotope mixture approach. Due the huge efforts required the full isotope mixture approach is applied only by a few institutes worldwide. To enable an IRWG key comparison with a sufficiently large number of participants a proposal for absolute cu isotope ratios is presented where participants will be provided with the enriched isotopes, the isotope mixtures and the samples. In parallel a pilot study will be organized where alternative approaches for obtaining absolute Cu isotope ratios can be applied.
Correlating the photoluminescence (PL) properties of nanomaterials like semiconductor nanocrystals (QDs) and upconversion nanocrystals (UCNPs) assessed in ensemble studies and at the single particle level is increasingly relevant for applications of these nanomaterials in the life sciences like bioimaging studies or their use as reporters in microfluidic assays. Here we present a comparison of the spectroscopic properties of ensembles and single emitters for QDs like II/VI QDs and cadmium-free AIS/ZnS QDs as well as different UCNPs. The overall goal of this study was to derive particle architectures well suited for spectroscopic and microscopic applications.
Photoluminescence applications in the life and material sciences require bright molecular and nanocrystalline emitters, stimuli-responsive optical probes, signal enhancement, multiplexing, and barcoding strategies and traceable methods to quantify the signal-relevant optical properties of luminescent materials at the ensemble and single molecule/particle level. In this context, current research at Division Biophotonics of BAM is presented ranging from dye and nanocrystal photophysics, absolute measurements of photoluminescence quantum yields in the UV/vis/NIR/SWIR, lifetime multiplexing, and the development of different types of fluorescence standards for validating optical-spectroscopic measurements.
Neuartige Materialien, die bekannte (Werk-)Stoffe mit neuen Funktionalitäten ausstatten, spielen eine zunehmend wichtige Rolle im Bereich der Materialforschung und -prüfung. Das Spektrum neuartiger Materialien reicht von der gezielten Oberflächenfunktionalisierung und -strukturierung makroskopischer Materialien, dünnen Beschichtungen bis hin zu mikro- und nanoskaligen Kompositmaterialien und funktionalen Materialien an der Schnittstelle zur Biologie, Biotechnologie, nachhaltige Energiespeicherung und Sensorik. Dabei bieten neuartige Materialien die Chance, Werkstoffe und Produkte mit erweiterter oder verbesserter Funktionalität zu erhalten und Sicherheit bereits im Designprozess zu berücksichtigen. Durch dieses breite Anwendungsspektrum und die Herausforderungen, die solche Materialien für die Sicherheit in Chemie und Technik mit sich bringen, sind diese in allen Themenfeldern der BAM repräsentiert (Material, Analytical Sciences, Energie, Infrastruktur und Umwelt).
Die Aufgaben der BAM erstrecken sich dabei von der Herstellung von Referenzmaterialien für Industrie, Forschung und Regulation, über die Erstellung von standardisierten Referenzverfahren für nachhaltige Messungen im Umwelt- und Lebenswissenschaftsbereich bis hin zur Bereitstellung von belastbaren und zitierbaren Referenzdaten. Durch die genaue Charakterisierung neuartiger Materialien können potentiell problematische Substanzen identifiziert und deren Risiken besser abgeschätzt werden. In diesem Beitrag werden einige aktuelle Beispiele aus diesen Bereichen vorgestellt.
A brief perspective of BAM on advanced materials is presented including examples for nanomaterials and other systems presenting advanced materials with special emphasis on characterization methods used in different division of BAM for the determination of functional or safety parameters of such materials. In this respect, also ongoing activities of the capacity building project nanoplatform of BAM aiming at the development of nanometer-sized reference materials are briefly summarized.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are chemicals which were developed to improve humanity’s quality of life. Due to their high chemical stability and resistance to degradation by heat or acids, PFAS were used in a variety of consumer products. The continuous use of PFAS in household products and the discharge of PFAS from industrial plants into the sewer system resulted in the contamination of effluents and sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) (Roesch et al. 2022). Since sewage sludge is often used as fertilizer, its application on agricultural soils has been observed as a significant entry path for PFAS into the environment, specifically in our food chain. In Germany the sewage sludge/biosolid application on agricultural land was banned with the amendment of the German Sewage Sludge Ordinance and by 2029 sewage sludge application will be totally prohibited. However, phosphorus (P) from sewage sludge should still be recycled in WWTPs of cities with a population larger than 50,000 residents. To produce high-quality P-fertilizers for a circular economy, PFAS and other pollutants (e.g. pesticides and pharmaceuticals) must be separated from sewage sludge. Due to the strong diversity of industrial PFAS usage it is not clear if a safe application of novel recycled P-fertilizers from WWTPs can be guaranteed. Therefore, we analyzed various sewage sludges and wastewater-based fertilizers. Sewage sludge (SL) samples from various WWTPs in Germany and Switzerland, six sewage sludge ashes (SSA) from Germany, six thermally treated SL and SSA samples with different additives (temperatures: 700-1050 °C), two pyrolyzed SL samples (temperature: 400 °C) and two struvite samples from Germany and Canada were analyzed. The goal was to quantify PFAS in sewage sludges and wastewater-based P-fertilizers with the sum parameter extractable organic fluorine (EOF) by combustion ion chromatography (CIC). The results were compared with data from classical LC-MS/MS target analysis as well as selected samples by HR-MS suspect screening. The EOF values of the SLs mainly range between 154 and 538 µg/kg except for one SL which showed an elevated EOF value of 7209 µg/kg due to high organofluorine contamination. For the SSA samples the EOF values were lower and values between LOQ (approx. 60 µg/kg) and 121 µg/kg could be detected. For the pyrolyzed SLs no EOF values above the LOQ were detected. Moreover, the two wastewater-based struvite fertilizers contain 96 and 112 µg/kg EOF, respectively. In contrast to the EOF values, the sum of PFAS target values were relatively low for all SLs. Additional applied PFAS HR-MS suspect screening aimed to tentatively identify PFAS that could contribute to the hitherto unknown part of the EOF value. The majority of the detected fluorinated compounds are legacy PFAS such as short- and long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCA), perfluorosulfonic acids (PFSA), polyfluoroalkyl phosphate esters (PAPs) and perfluorophosphonic acids (PFPA). Moreover, fluorinated pesticides, pharmaceutical as well as aromatic compounds were also identified, which are all included in the EOF parameter. Our research revealed that the current PFAS limit of 100 µg/kg for the sum of PFOS + PFOA in the German Fertilizer Ordinance is no longer up to date. Since the number of known PFAS already exceeds 10,000, the ordinance limit should be updated accordingly. Recent regulations and restrictions on using long-chain PFAS (≥C8) have resulted in a significant shift in the industry towards (ultra-)short-chain alternatives, and other, partly unknown, emerging PFAS. Ultimately, also fluorinated pesticides and pharmaceuticals, which end up as ultrashort PFAS in the WWTPs, have to be considered as possible pollutants in fertilizers from wastewater, too.
Polyethylene glycols (PEGs) are widely used in everyday items such as food additives and in personal care products. In addition, they have multiple medical applications: as laxatives, excipients, and covalently coupled to drug molecules leading to improved pharmacokinetics (PEGylation). While generally regarded as biologically inert, the human body is known to produce antibodies against PEGylated molecules. In addition, PEGs have been shown to be part of a biomarker signature to predict colon cancer outcome, suggesting a more complex and yet unknown behavior of PEGs in the human body.
Here, we introduce PEGomics, a retrospective screening approach of publicly available LC-MS data. Using a custom R script to process entire studies, the presence of PEGs was reveled in most human plasma, serum and whole blood samples investigated. Several PEG species and adducts were identified and their correlation with different diseases and health conditions was investigated further.
Blood PEG levels significantly differed between patient groups in multiple clinical studies related to e.g. pregnancy duration, fasting and smoking. We discuss possible causes for these effects in the light of recent reports of allergies against PEGs and outline our further strategies to identify the source of PEGs in the human body as well as possible metabolic transformations.
Pb isotope ratio analysis
(2023)
Generell ist es Ziel der Prozessführung, Reaktions- und Trennprozesse wirtschaftlich optimal zu betreiben. Hierzu werden in großen Anlagen modellbasiere Echtzeitoptimierungsverfahren (Real-time Optimization, RTO) eingesetzt. Die Qualität der Ergebnisse der Optimierung hängt dabei entscheidend von der Güte des verwendeten Modells ab. Die Entwicklung hochgenauer Modelle ist allerdings aufwändig, was für kleine Produktionsvolumina ein wesentliches Hindernis zur Nutzung solcher Methoden darstellt. Mit Hilfe der sogenannten Modifier-Adaptation ist eine iterative Betriebspunktoptimierung auch mit ungenauen Modellen möglich, wenn Messungen der für die Bewertung relevanten Größen (beispielsweise Produktkonzentrationen im Ausgangsstrom) verfügbar sein. Für eine Lithiierungsreaktion in einem bei INVITE kontinuierlich betriebenen Reaktor wurde im Rahmen des EU-Projekts CONSENS eine solche iterative Optimierung auf der Grundlage einer Messung der Zusammensetzung des Ausgangsstroms des Reaktors mit einem Online-NMR-Spektrometer realisiert. Das Spektrometer wurde an den Betrieb in einer explosionsgefährdeten Umgebung angepasst. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass die Messdaten genau genug sind, um darauf eine Optimierung der Produktausbeute aufzubauen. Die iterative Optimierung führt den Prozess ausgehend vom mit dem Modell berechneten Betriebspunkt schrittweise zum wirtschaftlichen Optimum für die reale Anlage. Dabei reagiert die Optimierung auch auf unbekannte Abweichungen im Prozess (wie die Zusammensetzung des Feeds) und fährt iterativ den jeweils optimalen Betriebspunkt an.
Die Arbeiten wurden im Rahmen des EU-SPIRE-Projekts CONSENS, Förderkennzeichen 636942, durchgeführt.
Is it a parmesan cheese from Italy? Who painted the Mona Lisa? The determination of the place of origin is essential for consumer protection, detection of falsifications, and also to bring justice.
All the tangible possess an isotopic fingerprint. However, current technologies are too expensive. We work on the development of fast and low-cost optical instruments and methods for isotope analysis.
Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies are the fastest-growing group of biological agents which generated a yearly turnover of USD 210 billion in 2022 and whose sales are expected to grow by 10% annually over the next 10 years. With steadily increasing market importance, analytical methods for reliable quantification of therapeutic antibodies also become more and more relevant. Liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) has become the main technology for antibody quantification. This approach, however, requires enzymatic digestion of the intact protein into peptides, for which a wide range of different protocols exists that often lead to different results depending on the digestion procedure or trypsin variants used. In particular, the amount and type of detergents added for protein unfolding prior to digestion is known to create significant bias in measurement results. The overall goal of the presented project is the application of novel thermostable and surface-functionalized trypsin particles for improved antibody digestion. Specifically, a trypsin-variant described in the literature exhibiting increased activity and thermal stability above 80°C, will be examined. The application of this enzyme should allow to perform digestion at elevated temperatures where the protein is naturally unfolding thereby increasing enzyme accessibility without the need for detergents. Furthermore, we will immobilize the thermostable trypsin onto the surface to further enhance enzyme stability, prevent self-digestion, and enable separation of trypsin from target peptides before LC–MS/MS analysis. As an immobilization platform, cheap and non-porous corundum particles will be used as these show high chemical stability and low levels of interaction of matrix proteins with the functionalized surface. adsorption. In a multidisciplinary collaboration with the SALSA Photonics Lab, we will investigate the characteristics of covalent enzyme binding and unspecific peptide binding using an interface-sensitive analytical tool, vibrational sum-frequency generation (VSFG) spectroscopy. The insights gained will not only lead to new competencies in peptide and enzyme surface analysis using VSFG spectroscopy in SALSA but will also significantly contribute to optimizing antibody quantification.