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Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry (v.369, #1)
Determination of elements by nuclear analytical methods by H.-P. Weise; W. Görner; M. Hedrich (pp. 8-14).
The working principle of nuclear analytical methods (NAMs) is not influenced by the chemical bond. Consequently, they are independent counterparts to the well-known chemical procedures. NAMs obey fundamental laws or can be described and understood thoroughly. This qualifies them as candidates for reference methods. Although following similar nuclear reaction schemes, they comprise bulk analyzing capability (neutron and photon activation analysis) as well as detection power in surface near regions of solids (ion beam techniques). Prominent features of NAMs are sensitivity, selectivity, multielement determination and linearity of the calibration function covering a concentration range of several orders of magnitude. Moreover, ion beam techniques allow depth profiling with nm-resolution in several cases while the ion microprobe additionally offers a lateral resolution in the μm-scale. As NAMs require expensive apparatus (nuclear reactor, accelerator in radioactive control areas) their availability is restricted to a small number of suitably equipped institutes. However, they are able to solve complex analytical tasks, take part in key comparisons and play an essential role in the certification of reference materials.
DNA electrochemical biosensors by M. Mascini; I. Palchetti; G. Marrazza (pp. 15-22).
Disposable electrochemical DNA-based biosensors are reviewed; they have been used for the determination of low-molecular weight compounds with affinity for nucleic acids and for the detection of the hybridisation reaction. The first application is related to the molecular interaction between surface-linked DNA and the target pollutants or drugs, in order to develop a simple device for rapid screening of toxic or similar compounds. The determination of such compounds was measured by their effect on the oxidation signal of the guanine peak of calf thymus DNA immobilised on the electrode surface and investigated by chronopotentiometric analysis. The DNA biosensor is able to detect known intercalating compounds, such as daunomycin, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), aflatoxin B1, and aromatic amines. Applicability to river and waste water samples is also demonstrated. Disposable electrochemical sensors for the detection of a specific sequence of DNA were realised by immobilising synthetic single-stranded oligonucleotides onto a graphite screen-printed electrode. The probes became hybridised with different concentrations of complementary sequences present in the sample. The hybrids formed on the electrode surface were evaluated by chronopotentiometric analysis using daunomycin as indicator of the hybridisation reaction. The hybridisation was also performed using real samples. Application to apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is described, in this case samples have to be amplified by PCR and then analysed by DNA biosensor. The extension of such procedures to samples of environmental interest or to contamination of food is discussed.
Biohybrid microarrays – Impedimetric biosensors with 3D in vitro tissues for toxicological and biomedical screening by H. Thielecke; A. Mack; A. Robitzki (pp. 23-29).
To investigate the effectiveness of potential anti-cancer therapeutics or therapies, efficient screening methods are required. On the one hand, multicellular 3D aggregates (spheroids) are a powerful in vitro model for simulating the in vivo situation and on the other hand, planar electrode structures are generally highly suitable for automation and parallel testing. Here, the detection of the effect of active substances on spheroids positioned on electrodes of substrate integrated electrode arrays is exemplarily investigated. As a 3D tissue model a reaggregation system of T47D clone 11 tumor cells is used. The effect of cytotoxins (DMSO, Triton X-100) on spheroids can be detected by recording the effective impedance of planar electrodes covered by spheroids. The equivalent circuit model parameter of electrodes covered by cytotoxin treated spheroids are determined from recorded impedance spectra and compared to the parameter of electrodes covered by control spheroids as well as not covered electrodes. Spheroids on electrodes mainly influence the electrode impedance in the frequency range of 10 kHz to 1 MHz. The results are discussed in view of an optimal electrode/spheroid-interface for sensing the effects of therapeutics with high sensitivity.
Multiparametric microsensor chips for screening applications by R. Ehret; W. Baumann; M. Brischwein; M. Lehmann; T. Henning; I. Freund; S. Drechsler; U. Friedrich; M.-L. Hubert; E. Motrescu; A. Kob; H. Palzer; H. Grothe; B. Wolf (pp. 30-35).
The identification of drug targets for pharmaceutical screening can be greatly accelerated by gene databases and expression studies. The identification of lead-ing compounds from growing libraries is realized by high throughput screening platforms.Subsequently, for optimization and validation of identified leading compounds studies of their functionality have to be carried out, and just these functionality tests are a limiting factor. A rigorous preselection of identified compounds by in vitro cellular screening is necessary prior to using the drug candidates for the further time consuming and expensive stage, e.g. in animal models.Our efforts are focused to the parallel development, adaptation and integration of different microelectronic sensors into miniaturized biochips for a multiparametric, functional on-line analysis of living cells in physiologically environments. Parallel and on-line acquisition of data related to different cellular targets is required for advanced stages of drug screening and for economizing animal tests.
Automatization for development of HPLC methods by M. Pfeffer; H. Windt (pp. 36-41).
Within the frame of inprocess analytics of the synthesis of pharmaceutical drugs a lot of HPLC methods are required for checking the quality of intermediates and drug substances. The methods have to be developed in terms of optimal selectivity and low limit of detection, minimum running time and chromatographic robustness. The goal was to shorten the method development process. Therefore, the screening of stationary phases was automated by means of switching modules equipped with 12 HPLC columns. Mobile phase and temperature could be optimized by using Drylab® after evaluating chromatograms of gradient elutions performed automatically. The column switching module was applied for more than three dozens of substances, e.g. steroidal intermediates. Resolution (especially of isomeres), peak shape and number of peaks turned out to be the criteria for selection of the appropriate stationary phase. On the basis of the “best” column the composition of the “best” eluent was usually defined rapidly and with less effort. This approach leads to savings in manpower by more than one third. Overnight, impurity profiles of the intermediates were obtained yielding robust HPLC methods with high selectivity and minimized elution time.
Detection of metal ions in aqueous solution by voltohmmetry by H. Emons; B. Hüllenkremer; M. J. Schöning (pp. 42-46).
A new electrochemical detection principle is described for the trace analysis of dissolved species which can be deposited at polycrystalline thin-film metal electrodes and which change the surface resistance of the electrode. Because the latter parameter is measured in dependence on the applied electrode potential this method is called voltohmmetry. The preparation of the required thin-film electrodes and the experimental set-up is introduced and discussed. Typical voltohmmetric experiments are illustrated by measurements of Tl+/Tl at polycrystalline gold electrodes with a thickness of 15 nm. The analytical capabilities of this new approach are discussed. It is already possible to determine heavy metals such as Tl+, Pb2+ or Cd2+ in the range of a few μg/L by surface resistance-potential measurements at thin-film electrodes with a simple cyclic technique. Further developments of voltohmmetry are envisaged.
Synthesis and application of 4-(N,N-dimethylaminosulfonyl)-7-N-methylhydrazino-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (MDBDH) as a new derivatizing agent for aldehydes by N. Jachmann; U. Karst (pp. 47-53).
In a five step synthesis, 4-(N,N-dimethylaminosulfonyl)-7-N-methylhydrazino-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (MDBDH) was prepared in high yields as a stable new derivatizing agent for carbonyl compounds. Reagent and derivatives have not been described in literature before. Major advantage of this substance compared with similar reagents is its improved solubility in polar solvents, e.g. methanol and ethanol. MDBDH reacts with aldehydes in the presence of an acidic catalyst under formation of the corresponding hydrazones. These are separated by means of reversed-phase liquid chromatography and detected UV/vis spectroscopically at wavelengths around 450 nm, depending on the individual hydrazone. MDBDH reacts with oxidizers as nitrogen dioxide and nitrite to only one product, 4-(N,N-dimethylaminosulfonyl)-7-methylamino-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (MDBDA), which can easily be separated from the hydrazones of lower aldehydes. Due to large molar absorptivities and absorption maxima at wavelengths > 430 nm, limits of detection range from 4 × 10–8 to 6 × 10–8 mol · L–1, and limits of quantification range from 1 × 10–7 to 2 × 10–7 mol · L–1 for the individual hydrazones. The method was applied to the determination of aldehydes in automobile exhaust.
Fast enantioselective separation of clevidipine and a dihydropyridine substituted acid by SFC on Chiralpak AD by O. Gyllenhaal (pp. 54-56).
Conditions for the fast separation of the enantiomers of a dihydropyridine substituted acid on a 50 × 4.6 mm ID short Chiralpak AD column with 2-propanol modified carbon dioxide as the mobile phase are presented. A high throughput of samples can be accomplished through the continuous sample loading of the loop of the injector. If a continuous data collection was used 10 separations could be performed in about 5 min with a precision of 0.6% RSD for the area ratio (n = 10). The parent drug clevidipine can also be analyzed and its enantiomeric composition determined after alkaline hydrolysis into its acid, either through hydrolysis followed by extraction to dichloromethane or by direct analysis of the hydrolysis media. About 1 min is required for each run. Using 0.1 M of methanolic sodium hydroxide 2 min are sufficient for the hydrolysis, and, including weighing, only 5 min are required to analyze clevidipine.
Automated solid phase dynamic extraction – Extraction of organics using a wall coated syringe needle by J. Lipinski (pp. 57-62).
Extractions of liquid samples were carried out using wall coated needles prepared from stainless steel capillary columns instead of syringe needles. This micro extraction technique was applied to the analysis of pesticides in water. Important parameters influencing the extraction such as sample velocity, extraction time and also the desorption parameters were investigated and optimized. Automation of this technique was realized using a conventional automatic sampler. Limits of detection were improved using the multiple extraction / desorption technique. Chromatographic data and limits of detection were compared with those obtained by solid phase micro extraction (SPME). Using a needle with a 7 μm film yielded limits of detection varying from 0.001–0.1 μg/L and were in the same range as those resulting from the extraction using a 100 μm polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) SPME fiber. The main advantages of the needle extraction technique were the significantly higher extraction speed and the practical aspects of a stable steel needle compared to those of a fragile fiber. The extraction speed using a needle with a ¶7 μm film was up to five times higher than the speed of SPME using a 100 μm PDMS fiber. The steel needle could be stressed mechanically in a higher extent than a SPME fiber. Sample volumes and aliquots of liquid media could be handled and moved from one bottle to another using the automatic sampler.
Microwave assisted digestion of atmospheric aerosol samples followed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry determination of trace elements by K. Swami; C. D. Judd; J. Orsini; K. X. Yang; L. Husain (pp. 63-70).
A microwave digestion method in a closed vessel was developed for the determination of trace metals in atmospheric aerosols using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). A recovery study for the elements V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Cd, Sb, and Pb was conducted using multi-elemental standard solutions, NIST 1633b Trace Elements in Coal Fly Ash, and NIST 1648 Urban Particulate Matter. A simple digestion method using only HNO3/H2O2 gave good recoveries (90%–108%) for all elements except Cr in SRM 1648, but yielded low recoveries for SRM 1633b. A more robust method using HNO3/H2O2/HF/H3BO3 yielded higher recoveries (82%–¶103%) for the lighter elements (V – Zn) in SRM 1633b, and improved the Cr recovery in SRM 1648, but decreased the Se recovery in both SRMs. A comparative analysis of aerosol samples obtained at a remote mountain location Nathiagali, Pakistan (2.5 km above mean sea level), and Mayville, New York, downwind from the highly industrialized Midwestern United States, was carried out using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) for the elements Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Zn, As, Se, and Sb. The simple digestion method yielded excellent agreement for Cr, Fe, Zn, As, Se, and Sb, with slopes of the ICP-MS vs. INAA regressions of 0.90–1.00 and R2 values of 0.96–1.00. The regressions for Mn and Co had slopes of 0.82 and 0.84 with R2 values of 0.83 and 0.82, respectively. Addition of HF/H3BO3 did not improve the correlation for any of the elements and degraded the precision somewhat. The technique provides sensitivity and accuracy for trace elements in relatively small aerosol samples used in atmospheric chemistry studies related to SO2 oxidation in cloud droplets. The ability to determine concentrations of a very large number of elements from a single analysis will permit source apportionment of various trace pollutants and hence strategies to control the sources of air pollution. This is particularly important as the health effects of particulate matter are increasingly recognized.
Extraction and detection of arsenicals in seaweed via accelerated solvent extraction with ion chromatographic separation and ICP-MS detection by P. A. Gallagher; J. A. Shoemaker; Xinyi Wei; C. A. Brockhoff-Schwegel; J. T. Creed (pp. 71-80).
An accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) device was evaluated as a semi-automated means of extracting arsenicals from ribbon kelp. The effect of the experimentally controllable ASE parameters (pressure, temperature, static time, and solvent composition) on the extraction efficiencies of arsenicals from seaweed was investigated. The extraction efficiencies for ribbon kelp (approximately 72.6%) using the ASE were fairly independent ¶(< 7%) of pressure, static time and particle size after 3 ASE extraction cycles. The optimum extraction conditions for the ribbon kelp were obtained by using a 3 mL ASE cell, 30/70 (w/w) MeOH/H2O, 500 psi (1 psi = 7 KPa), ambient temperature, 1 min heat step, 1 min static step, 90% vol. flush, and a 120 s purge. Using these conditions, two other seaweed products produced extraction efficiencies of 25.6% and 50.5%. The inorganic species present in the extract represented 62.5% and 27.8% of the extracted arsenic. The speciation results indicated that both seaweed products contained 4 different arsenosugars, DMA (dimethylarsinic acid), and As(V). One seaweed product also contained As(III). Both of these seaweed products contained an arsenosugar whose molecular weight was determined to be 408 and its structure was tentatively identified using ion chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (IC-ESI-MS/MS).
Comparative assessment of two sequential chemical extraction schemes for the fractionation of cadmium, chromium, lead and zinc in surface coastal sediments by M. B. Alvarez; M. E. Malla; D. A. Batistoni (pp. 81-90).
Two existing sequential chemical extraction schemes, involving respectively five and six leaching steps with solutions of increasing dissolving power, were compared. The methods have been applied to surface sediment samples collected in a marine estuary zone potentially exposed to contamination arising from nearby industrial activities. A certified reference material (MURST-ISS-A1) consisting of an Antarctic bottom sediment for which no information regarding phase dependent concentration is available, was also analyzed. In order to evaluate the partition of metals among different geochemical forms, the concentrations of cadmium, chromium, lead and zinc were measured in the liquid extracts by Zeeman-corrected flame atomic absorption and by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The total metal concentrations were determined after strong acid attack, and the adequacy of this total digestion/dissolution technique was verified by its application to the reference material. Comparison of total metal concentrations with the sum of concentrations associated with the individual phases was employed to assess possible analyte losses or contaminations. Precisions for both sequential procedures were comparable, but some inconsistencies in mass balances were found in one of the samples for the distribution of Zn in the soluble/exchangeable fractions and for Cd in the bound to carbonates form. In addition, the six steps procedure produced lower concentration values in the case of elements associated to the residual fraction. For the five steps method mass balances showed acceptable agreement, with average recoveries in the 87 to 106% range. On the whole, differences in metal distributions were observed, being more marked for the bottom sediment. Significant proportions of the studied elements, with the exception of Cr, were found as easily extractable forms. X-ray diffraction and petrographic observation of the surface sediments allowed qualitative correlation between the leaching results obtained and the presence of defined geochemical phases.
Determination of vitamins A and E in milk samples by fluorescence in micellar media by P. Ramos-Lledó; S. Vera; M. P. San Andrés (pp. 91-95).
The fat-soluble vitamins A and E in milk samples were determined by fluorescence at room temperature in an aqueous media of micellar solutions. Different types of surfactants were studied; the cationic hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), the anionic sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) and the non-ionic polyoxyethylene(23)laurylether (Brij 35). The detection limits ranged between 50 and 90 ng · L–1 for both vitamins in CTAB and Brij 35. The method has been applied to the determination of vitamins A and E in milk samples.
Determination of phosphate in urine by sequential injection analysis by B. M. Simonet; F. Grases; J. G. March (pp. 96-102).
Two simple turbidimetric methods for the determination of phosphate in urine are presented and compared. One method is based on the calcium phosphate crystallisation, and the other one on the inhibitory action of phosphate on the calcium carbonate crystallisation. The analytical features of both methods were: linear range = 0.2–1.5 g L–1, LOD = 14 mg L–1 and RSD 1.1–2.0% for the calcium phosphate method, linear range = 0.1–1.8 mg L–1, LOD = 0.01 mg L–1 and RSD 0.97–1.90% for the ¶inhibitory method. Urines with high calcium content ¶(≥ 400 mg L–1) can interfere the method based on the crystallisation of calcium phosphate. This interference was solved using a cation exchange resin as a part of the manifold. Considering the low toxicity of used reagents, these methods can be considered as a contribution to Green Analytical Chemistry.
Determination of exchangeable protons in natural organic matter using a home-made hydrogen/carbon analyser by S. Haiber; U. Barth (pp. 103-106).
A home made hydrogen/carbon analyser was used to determine the portion of exchangeable protons in aquatic humic substances. For this purpose, equal sample amounts were dissolved in H2O and D2O, respectively, dried and combusted in a stream of oxygen. The amount of water resulting from combustion was measured by an infrared detector which recorded the OH bending vibration of H2O. The bands stemming from HOD or D2O were not registered by the detection unit. Thus, combustion of organic samples containing exchangeable protons dissolved in D2O resulted in a significantly smaller signal compared to the signal observed for the same sample dissolved in H2O. The relative intensity loss of the H2O signal observed after combustion was used to derive the portion of exchangeable protons in a standard reference material, a humic substance isolated by the International Humic Substances Society (Suwannee River fulvic acid). According to this method about 20% of the sample protons could be identified as exchangeable protons. With regard to titration data the portion of protons bound to non acidic hydroxy functions could be estimated. The validity of this procedure was proved by combustion experiments using commercially available deuterated substances as well as organic model compounds dissolved in D2O and H2O, respectively.
Microwave heated vapor-phase digestion method for biological sample materials by K. Eilola; P. Perämäki (pp. 107-112).
A microwave heated, vapor-phase nitric acid-hydrogen peroxide digestion method for pulverized, biological sample materials was developed. Sample masses up to 200 mg were digested using calibrated quartz inserts inside first generation type, low-pressure, Teflon-PFA microwave vessels. In the first step, samples were digested in the vapor-phase for 80 min using a progressive heating pattern. Three mL of 70% nitric acid and 0.5 mL of 30% hydrogen peroxide were used as digestion reagents. In the second step, the small residue left after first step digestion was dissolved in 1.4% nitric acid or additionally with 0.5% hydrofluoric acid by heating for 15 min. The digestion method was optimized using pike (Esox lucius) muscle as a test material. The method was further optimized using three certified reference materials. Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg and ¶Zn were determined from NIST-SRM 1577a bovine liver by ICP-AES. Cr and Ni were determined from NIST-SRM 8433 corn bran and NRCC DOLT-2 dogfish liver by GFAAS. For all elements the values obtained were close or within certified limits. Spike recoveries were between 96 to 107%. Digestion efficiency ranged from 91 to 99%.