Sample records for selective ion monitoring

  1. Multiple products monitoring as a robust approach for peptide quantification.

    PubMed

    Baek, Je-Hyun; Kim, Hokeun; Shin, Byunghee; Yu, Myeong-Hee

    2009-07-01

    Quantification of target peptides and proteins is crucial for biomarker discovery. Approaches such as selected reaction monitoring (SRM) and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) rely on liquid chromatography and mass spectrometric analysis of defined peptide product ions. These methods are not very widespread because the determination of quantifiable product ion using either SRM or MRM is a very time-consuming process. We developed a novel approach for quantifying target peptides without such an arduous process of ion selection. This method is based on monitoring multiple product ions (multiple products monitoring: MpM) from full-range MS2 spectra of a target precursor. The MpM method uses a scoring system that considers both the absolute intensities of product ions and the similarities between the query MS2 spectrum and the reference MS2 spectrum of the target peptide. Compared with conventional approaches, MpM greatly improves sensitivity and selectivity of peptide quantification using an ion-trap mass spectrometer.

  2. Monitoring Ion Activities In and Around Cells Using Ion-Selective Liquid-Membrane Microelectrodes

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Seong-Ki; Boron, Walter F.; Parker, Mark D.

    2013-01-01

    Determining the effective concentration (i.e., activity) of ions in and around living cells is important to our understanding of the contribution of those ions to cellular function. Moreover, monitoring changes in ion activities in and around cells is informative about the actions of the transporters and/or channels operating in the cell membrane. The activity of an ion can be measured using a glass microelectrode that includes in its tip a liquid-membrane doped with an ion-selective ionophore. Because these electrodes can be fabricated with tip diameters that are less than 1 μm, they can be used to impale single cells in order to monitor the activities of intracellular ions. This review summarizes the history, theory, and practice of ion-selective microelectrode use and brings together a number of classic and recent examples of their usefulness in the realm of physiological study. PMID:23322102

  3. The Assessment of Selectivity in Different Quadrupole-Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry Acquisition Modes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Berendsen, Bjorn J. A.; Wegh, Robin S.; Meijer, Thijs; Nielen, Michel W. F.

    2015-02-01

    Selectivity of the confirmation of identity in liquid chromatography (tandem) mass spectrometry using Q-Orbitrap instrumentation was assessed using different acquisition modes based on a representative experimental data set constructed from 108 samples, including six different matrix extracts and containing over 100 analytes each. Single stage full scan, all ion fragmentation, and product ion scanning were applied. By generating reconstructed ion chromatograms using unit mass window in targeted MS2, selected reaction monitoring (SRM), regularly applied using triple-quadrupole instruments, was mimicked. This facilitated the comparison of single stage full scan, all ion fragmentation, (mimicked) SRM, and product ion scanning applying a mass window down to 1 ppm. Single factor Analysis of Variance was carried out on the variance (s2) of the mass error to determine which factors and interactions are significant parameters with respect to selectivity. We conclude that selectivity is related to the target compound (mainly the mass defect), the matrix, sample clean-up, concentration, and mass resolution. Selectivity of the different instrumental configurations was quantified by counting the number of interfering peaks observed in the chromatograms. We conclude that precursor ion selection significantly contributes to selectivity: monitoring of a single product ion at high mass accuracy with a 1 Da precursor ion window proved to be equally selective or better to monitoring two transition products in mimicked SRM. In contrast, monitoring a single fragment in all ion fragmentation mode results in significantly lower selectivity versus mimicked SRM. After a thorough inter-laboratory evaluation study, the results of this study can be used for a critical reassessment of the current identification points system and contribute to the next generation of evidence-based and robust performance criteria in residue analysis and sports doping.

  4. Environmental Technology Verification Report for Instrumentation Northwest, Inc., Aquistar® TempHion Smart Sensor and Datalogger Nitrate-specific Ion-selective Electrode for Groundwater Remediation Monitoring

    EPA Science Inventory

    Environmental Technology Verification Report for Instrumentation Northwest, Inc., Aquistar® TempHion Smart Sensor and Datalogger Nitrate-specific Ion-selective Electrode for Groundwater Remediation Monitoring

  5. Ion-Specific Nutrient Management in Closed Systems: The Necessity for Ion-Selective Sensors in Terrestrial and Space-Based Agriculture and Water Management Systems

    PubMed Central

    Bamsey, Matthew; Graham, Thomas; Thompson, Cody; Berinstain, Alain; Scott, Alan; Dixon, Michael

    2012-01-01

    The ability to monitor and control plant nutrient ions in fertigation solutions, on an ion-specific basis, is critical to the future of controlled environment agriculture crop production, be it in traditional terrestrial settings (e.g., greenhouse crop production) or as a component of bioregenerative life support systems for long duration space exploration. Several technologies are currently available that can provide the required measurement of ion-specific activities in solution. The greenhouse sector has invested in research examining the potential of a number of these technologies to meet the industry's demanding requirements, and although no ideal solution yet exists for on-line measurement, growers do utilize technologies such as high-performance liquid chromatography to provide off-line measurements. An analogous situation exists on the International Space Station where, technological solutions are sought, but currently on-orbit water quality monitoring is considerably restricted. This paper examines the specific advantages that on-line ion-selective sensors could provide to plant production systems both terrestrially and when utilized in space-based biological life support systems and how similar technologies could be applied to nominal on-orbit water quality monitoring. A historical development and technical review of the various ion-selective monitoring technologies is provided. PMID:23201999

  6. Ion-specific nutrient management in closed systems: the necessity for ion-selective sensors in terrestrial and space-based agriculture and water management systems.

    PubMed

    Bamsey, Matthew; Graham, Thomas; Thompson, Cody; Berinstain, Alain; Scott, Alan; Dixon, Michael

    2012-10-01

    The ability to monitor and control plant nutrient ions in fertigation solutions, on an ion-specific basis, is critical to the future of controlled environment agriculture crop production, be it in traditional terrestrial settings (e.g., greenhouse crop production) or as a component of bioregenerative life support systems for long duration space exploration. Several technologies are currently available that can provide the required measurement of ion-specific activities in solution. The greenhouse sector has invested in research examining the potential of a number of these technologies to meet the industry's demanding requirements, and although no ideal solution yet exists for on-line measurement, growers do utilize technologies such as high-performance liquid chromatography to provide off-line measurements. An analogous situation exists on the International Space Station where, technological solutions are sought, but currently on-orbit water quality monitoring is considerably restricted. This paper examines the specific advantages that on-line ion-selective sensors could provide to plant production systems both terrestrially and when utilized in space-based biological life support systems and how similar technologies could be applied to nominal on-orbit water quality monitoring. A historical development and technical review of the various ion-selective monitoring technologies is provided.

  7. DETERMINATION OF A BOUND MUSK XYLENE METABOLITE IN CARP HEMOGLOBIN AS A BIOMARKER OF EXPOSURE BY GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY MASS SPECTROMETRY USING SELECTED ION MONITORING

    EPA Science Inventory

    Musk xylene (MX) is widely used as a fragrance ingredient in commercial toiletries. Identification and quantification of a bound 4-amino-MX (AMX) metabolite was carried out by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS), with selected ion monitoring (SIM). Detection of AMX occur...

  8. Strategy to improve the quantitative LC-MS analysis of molecular ions resistant to gas-phase collision induced dissociation: application to disulfide-rich cyclic peptides.

    PubMed

    Ciccimaro, Eugene; Ranasinghe, Asoka; D'Arienzo, Celia; Xu, Carrie; Onorato, Joelle; Drexler, Dieter M; Josephs, Jonathan L; Poss, Michael; Olah, Timothy

    2014-12-02

    Due to observed collision induced dissociation (CID) fragmentation inefficiency, developing sensitive liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) assays for CID resistant compounds is especially challenging. As an alternative to traditional LC-MS/MS, we present here a methodology that preserves the intact analyte ion for quantification by selectively filtering ions while reducing chemical noise. Utilizing a quadrupole-Orbitrap MS, the target ion is selectively isolated while interfering matrix components undergo MS/MS fragmentation by CID, allowing noise-free detection of the analyte's surviving molecular ion. In this manner, CID affords additional selectivity during high resolution accurate mass analysis by elimination of isobaric interferences, a fundamentally different concept than the traditional approach of monitoring a target analyte's unique fragment following CID. This survivor-selected ion monitoring (survivor-SIM) approach has allowed sensitive and specific detection of disulfide-rich cyclic peptides extracted from plasma.

  9. Application of wide selected-ion monitoring data-independent acquisition to identify tomato fruit proteins regulated by the CUTIN DEFICIENT2 transcription factor

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    We describe here the use of label-free wide selected-ion monitoring data-independent acquisition (WiSIM-DIA) to identify proteins that are involved in the formation of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit cuticles and that are regulated by the transcription factor CUTIN DEFICIENT2 (CD2). A spectral l...

  10. Selective detection of underivatized 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid in soil by supercritical fluid chromatography with ion mobility detection.

    PubMed

    Morrissey, M A; Hill, H H

    1989-09-01

    A simplified procedure was developed for the determination of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in soils. Soil samples were separated by supercritical fluid chromatography after extraction without derivatization and without the use of column chromatography for cleanup. Interferences in the chromatographic separation were eliminated by using a tunably selective ion mobility detector. An atmospheric pressure ion formed by the free acid was selectively monitored so the detector could monitor 2,4-D in the presence of other electron-capturing compounds. For a randomly chosen soil sample, the level of 2,4-D detected was estimated at 500 ppb.

  11. Quantitative Mass Spectrometry by Isotope Dilution and Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM).

    PubMed

    Russo, Paul; Hood, Brian L; Bateman, Nicholas W; Conrads, Thomas P

    2017-01-01

    Selected reaction monitoring (SRM) is used in molecular profiling to detect and quantify specific known proteins in complex mixtures. Using isotope dilution (Barnidge et al., Anal Chem 75(3):445-451, 2003) methodologies, peptides can be quantified without the need for an antibody-based method. Selected reaction monitoring assays employ electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) followed by two stages of mass selection: a first stage where the mass of the peptide ion is selected and, after fragmentation by collision-induced dissociation (CID), a second stage (tandem MS) where either a single (e.g., SRM) or multiple (multiple reaction monitoring, MRM) specific peptide fragment ions are transmitted for detection. The MRM experiment is accomplished by specifying the parent masses of the selected endogenous and isotope-labeled peptides for MS/MS fragmentation and then monitoring fragment ions of interest, using their intensities/abundances and relative ratios to quantify the parent protein of interest. In this example protocol, we will utilize isotope dilution MRM-MS to quantify in absolute terms the total levels of the protein of interest, ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) serine/threonine protein kinase. Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) phosphorylates several key proteins that initiate activation of the DNA damage checkpoint leading to cell cycle arrest.

  12. Method for Continuous Monitoring of Electrospray Ion Formation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Metzler, Guille; Crathern, Susan; Bachmann, Lorin; Fernández-Metzler, Carmen; King, Richard

    2017-10-01

    A method for continuously monitoring the performance of electrospray ionization without the addition of hardware or chemistry to the system is demonstrated. In the method, which we refer to as SprayDx, cluster ions with solvent vapor natively formed by electrospray are followed throughout the collection of liquid chromatography-selected reaction monitoring data. The cluster ion extracted ion chromatograms report on the consistency of the ion formation and detection system. The data collected by the SprayDx method resemble the data collected for postcolumn infusion of analyte. The response of the cluster ions monitored reports on changes in the physical parameters of the ion source such as voltage and gas flow. SprayDx is also observed to report on ion suppression in a fashion very similar to a postcolumn infusion of analyte. We anticipate the method finding utility as a continuous readout on the performance of electrospray and other atmospheric pressure ionization processes. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  13. The measurement of acetanilide in plasma by spectrophotometric and selected ion monitoring methods.

    PubMed

    Baty, J D; Playfer, J; Evans, D A; Lamb, J

    1977-08-01

    Plasma samples from volunteers who had received an oral dose of acetanilide have been analysed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry and ultraviolet absorption techniques. The gas chromatography mass spectrometry method involved extraction of the plasma and analysis of the acetanilide using selected ion monitoring with a deuterated internal standard. In the ultraviolet method the plasma was hydrolysed with acid to convert the acetanilide to aniline, and this compound was diazotized and coupled with N-1-naphthylethylene-diamine. The absorbance of the resulting complex was read at 550 nm. Acetanilide levels in plasma determined by the selected ion monitoring method were significantly lower than those measured by spectrophotometry. Pharmacokinetic data calculated from the results obtained using these two assays are very different and illustrate the need for an accurate and specific method of analysis. The major metabolites of acetanilide are shown not to interfere with these assays and the results suggest the possible presence of a new metabolite of acetanilide.

  14. Ion mobility spectrometer using frequency-domain separation

    DOEpatents

    Martin, Stephen J.; Butler, Michael A.; Frye, Gregory C.; Schubert, W. Kent

    1998-01-01

    An apparatus and method is provided for separating and analyzing chemical species in an ion mobility spectrometer using a frequency-domain technique wherein the ions generated from the chemical species are selectively transported through an ion flow channel having a moving electrical potential therein. The moving electrical potential allows the ions to be selected according to ion mobility, with certain of the ions being transported to an ion detector and other of the ions being effectively discriminated against. The apparatus and method have applications for sensitive chemical detection and analysis for monitoring of exhaust gases, hazardous waste sites, industrial processes, aerospace systems, non-proliferation, and treaty verification. The apparatus can be formed as a microelectromechanical device (i.e. a micromachine).

  15. Methods of analysis by the U. S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory - determination of organonitrogen herbicides in water by solid-phase extraction and capillary-column gas chromatography/mass spectrometry with selected-ion monitoring

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sandstrom, Mark W.; Wydoski, Duane S.; Schroeder, Michael P.; Zamboni, Jana L.; Foreman, William T.

    1992-01-01

    A method for the isolation of organonitrogen herbicides from natural water samples using solid-phase extraction and analysis by capillary-column gas chromatography/mass spectrometry with selected-ion monitoring is described. Water samples are filtered to remove suspended particulate matter and then are pumped through disposable solid-phase extraction cartridges containing octadecyl-bonded porous silica to remove the herbicides. The cartridges are dried using carbon dioxide, and adsorbed herbicides are removed from the cartridges by elution with 1.8 milliliters of hexaneisopropanol (3:1). Extracts of the eluants are analyzed by capillary-column gas chromatography/mass spectrometry with selected-ion monitoring of at least three characteristic ions. The method detection limits are dependent on sample matrix and each particular herbicide. The method detection limits, based on a 100-milliliter sample size, range from 0.02 to 0.25 microgram per liter. Recoveries averaged 80 to 115 percent for the 23 herbicides and 2 metabolites in 1 reagent-water and 2 natural-water samples fortified at levels of 0.2 and 2.0 micrograms per liter.

  16. Sensitive and selective detection of Cu(II) ion: A new effective 1,8-naphthalimide-based fluorescence 'turn off' sensor.

    PubMed

    Huang, Guozhen; Li, Chuang; Han, Xintong; Aderinto, Stephen Opeyemi; Shen, Kesheng; Mao, Shanshan; Wu, Huilu

    2018-06-01

    The present study reports the development of a new 1,8-naphthalimide-based fluorescent sensor V for monitoring Cu(II) ions. The sensor exhibited pH independence over a wide pH range 2.52-9.58, and indicated its possible use for monitoring Cu(II) ions in a competitive pH medium. The sensor also showed high selectivity and sensitivity towards the Cu(II) ions over other competitive metal ions in DMSO-HEPES buffer (v/v, 1:1; pH 7.4) with a fluorescence 'turn off' mode of 79.79% observed. A Job plot indicated the formation of a 1:1 binding mode of the sensor with Cu(II) ions. The association constant and detection limit were 1.14 × 10 6  M -1 and 4.67 × 10 -8 M, respectively. The fluorescence spectrum of the sensor was quenched due to the powerful paramagnetic nature of the Cu(II) ions. Potential application of this sensor was also demonstrated when determining Cu(II) ion levels in two different water samples. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  17. Ion mobility spectrometer using frequency-domain separation

    DOEpatents

    Martin, S.J.; Butler, M.A.; Frye, G.C.; Schubert, W.K.

    1998-08-04

    An apparatus and method are provided for separating and analyzing chemical species in an ion mobility spectrometer using a frequency-domain technique wherein the ions generated from the chemical species are selectively transported through an ion flow channel having a moving electrical potential therein. The moving electrical potential allows the ions to be selected according to ion mobility, with certain of the ions being transported to an ion detector and other of the ions being effectively discriminated against. The apparatus and method have applications for sensitive chemical detection and analysis for monitoring of exhaust gases, hazardous waste sites, industrial processes, aerospace systems, non-proliferation, and treaty verification. The apparatus can be formed as a microelectromechanical device (i.e. a micromachine). 6 figs.

  18. Selective determination of pyridine alkaloids in tobacco by PFTBA ions/analyte molecule reaction ionization ion trap mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jianxun; Ji, Houwei; Sun, Shihao; Mao, Duobin; Liu, Huwei; Guo, Yinlong

    2007-10-01

    The application of perfluorotributylamine (PFTBA) ions/analyte molecule reaction ionization for the selective determination of tobacco pyridine alkaloids by ion trap mass spectrometry (IT-MS) is reported. The main three PFTBA ions (CF(3)(+), C(3)F(5)(+), and C(5)F(10)N(+)) are generated in the external source and then introduced into ion trap for reaction with analytes. Because the existence of the tertiary nitrogen atom in the pyridine makes it possible for PFTBA ions to react smoothly with pyridine and forms adduct ions, pyridine alkaloids in tobacco were selectively ionized and formed quasi-molecular ion [M + H](+)and adduct ions, including [M + 69](+), [M + 131](+), and [M + 264](+), in IT-MS. These ions had distinct abundances and were regarded as the diagnostic ions of each tobacco pyridine alkaloid for quantitative analysis in selected-ion monitoring mode. Results show that the limit of detection is 0.2 microg/mL, and the relative standard deviations for the seven alkaloids are in the range of 0.71% to 6.8%, and good recovery of 95.6% and 97.2%. The proposed method provides substantially greater selectivity and sensitivity compared with the conventional approach and offers an alternative approach for analysis of tobacco alkaloids.

  19. Polymer-grafted QCM chemical sensor and application to heavy metalions real time detection.

    PubMed

    Sartore, Luciana; Barbaglio, Marzia; Borgese, Laura; Bontempi, Elza

    2011-07-20

    A flow type quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) chemical sensor was developed for monitoring of heavy metal ions in aqueous solutions (that is suitable for environmental monitoring). The sensor is based upon surface chelation of the metal ions at multifunctional polymer modified gold electrodes on 9 MHz AT-cut quartz resonators, functioning as a QCM. New processes have been developed which enable to obtain surface-modified gold electrodes with high heavy metal ions complexing ability. These polymer grafted QCM sensors can selectively adsorb heavy metal ions, such as copper lead chrome and cadmium, from solution over a wide range from 0.01 to 1000 ppm concentration by complexation with functional groups in the polymers. Cations typically present in natural water did not interfere with the detection of heavy metals. X-Ray Reflectivity (XRR) and Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence (TXRF) were carried out to characterise the unmodified and modified gold surfaces as well as to verify the possibility to selectively bond and remove metal ions.

  20. DNAzyme sensors for detection of metal ions in the environment and imaging them in living cells

    PubMed Central

    McGhee, Claire E.; Loh, Kang Yong

    2017-01-01

    The on-site and real-time detection of metal ions is important for environmental monitoring and for understanding the impact of metal ions on human health. However, developing sensors selective for a wide range of metal ions that can work in the complex matrices of untreated samples and cells presents significant challenges. To meet these challenges, DNAzymes, an emerging class of metal ion-dependent enzymes selective for almost any metal ion, have been functionalized with fluorophores, nanoparticles and other imaging agents and incorporated into sensors for the detection of metal ions in environmental samples and for imaging the metal ions in living cells. Herein, we highlight the recent developments of DNAzyme-based fluorescent, colorimetric, SERS, electrochemical and electrochemiluminscent sensors for metal ions for these applications. PMID:28458112

  1. Ion-selective optical sensor for continuous on-line monitoring of dialysate sodium during dialysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sharma, Manoj K.; Frijns, Arjan J. H.; Mandamparambil, Rajesh; Kooman, Jeroen P.; Smeulders, David M. J.

    2017-02-01

    Patients with end stage renal disease are dependent on dialysis. In most outpatient centers, the dialysate is prepared with a fixed electrolyte concentration without taking into account the inter-individual differences of essential electrolytes (sodium, potassium and calcium). This one-size fits all approach can lead to acute and chronic cardiovascular complications in dialysis patients. On-line monitoring of these essential electrolytes is an important physiological step towards patient specific dialysate leading to individualized treatment. Currently, changes in electrolyte concentrations are indirectly measured by conductivity measurements, which are not ion- specific. In this paper, we present a novel optical sensor for on-line monitoring of sodium concentrations in dialysate. This sensor is ion-specific and can detect up to a single ion. The working principle is based on the selective fluorescence quenching of photo-induced electron transfer (PET) molecules. The PET molecules when complexed with sodium ions start fluorescing upon laser excitation. The emission intensity is directly correlated to the sodium concentration. To prove the working principle, a micro-optofluidic device has been fabricated in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with integrated optical fibers for fluorescence light collection. The PET molecules are covalently grafted in the PDMS microchannel for continuous monitoring of the sodium dialysate concentrations. The experimental setup consists of a laser module (λ=450nm) operating at 4.5mW, a syringe pump to precisely control the sample flow and a spectrometer for fluorescence collection. The performance of the sensor has been evaluated for sodium ions ranging from 0-50mM. A clear signal and good response time was observed.

  2. Orthogonal Injection Ion Funnel Interface Providing Enhanced Performance for Selected Reaction Monitoring-Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Tsung-Chi; Fillmore, Thomas L.; Prost, Spencer A.; Moore, Ronald J.; Ibrahim, Yehia M.; Smith, Richard D.

    2016-01-01

    The electrodynamic ion funnel facilitates efficient focusing and transfer of charged particles in the higher-pressure regions (e.g., ion source interfaces) of mass spectrometers, thus providing increased sensitivity. An “off-axis” ion funnel design has been developed to reduce the source contamination and interferences from, e.g. ESI droplet residue and other poorly focused neutral or charged particles with very high mass-to-charge ratios. In this study, a dual ion funnel interface consisting of an orthogonal higher pressure electrodynamic ion funnel (HPIF) and an ion funnel trap combined with a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer was developed and characterized. An orthogonal ion injection inlet and a repeller plate electrode was used to direct ions to an ion funnel HPIF at a pressure of 9–10 Torr. Key factors for the HPIF performance characterized included the effects of RF amplitude, the DC gradient, and operating pressure. Compared to the triple quadrupole standard interface more than 4-fold improvement in the limit of detection for the direct quantitative MS analysis of low abundance peptides was observed. The sensitivity enhancement in liquid chromatography selected reaction monitoring (LC-SRM) analyses of low-abundance peptides spiked into a highly complex mixture was also compared with that obtained using both a commercial S-lens interface and an in-line dual-ion funnel interface. PMID:26107611

  3. Multiple reaction monitoring-ion pair finder: a systematic approach to transform nontargeted mode to pseudotargeted mode for metabolomics study based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Luo, Ping; Dai, Weidong; Yin, Peiyuan; Zeng, Zhongda; Kong, Hongwei; Zhou, Lina; Wang, Xiaolin; Chen, Shili; Lu, Xin; Xu, Guowang

    2015-01-01

    Pseudotargeted metabolic profiling is a novel strategy combining the advantages of both targeted and untargeted methods. The strategy obtains metabolites and their product ions from quadrupole time-of-flight (Q-TOF) MS by information-dependent acquisition (IDA) and then picks targeted ion pairs and measures them on a triple-quadrupole MS by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). The picking of ion pairs from thousands of candidates is the most time-consuming step of the pseudotargeted strategy. Herein, a systematic and automated approach and software (MRM-Ion Pair Finder) were developed to acquire characteristic MRM ion pairs by precursor ions alignment, MS(2) spectrum extraction and reduction, characteristic product ion selection, and ion fusion. To test the reliability of the approach, a mixture of 15 metabolite standards was first analyzed; the representative ion pairs were correctly picked out. Then, pooled serum samples were further studied, and the results were confirmed by the manual selection. Finally, a comparison with a commercial peak alignment software was performed, and a good characteristic ion coverage of metabolites was obtained. As a proof of concept, the proposed approach was applied to a metabolomics study of liver cancer; 854 metabolite ion pairs were defined in the positive ion mode from serum. Our approach provides a high throughput method which is reliable to acquire MRM ion pairs for pseudotargeted metabolomics with improved metabolite coverage and facilitate more reliable biomarkers discoveries.

  4. Orthogonal Injection Ion Funnel Interface Providing Enhanced Performance for Selected Reaction Monitoring-Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry

    DOE PAGES

    Chen, Tsung-Chi; Fillmore, Thomas L.; Prost, Spencer A.; ...

    2015-06-24

    The electrodynamic ion funnel facilitates efficient focusing and transfer of charged particles in the higher pressure regions (e.g. ion source interfaces) of mass spectrometers, and thus providing increased sensitivity. An “off-axis” ion funnel design has been developed to reduce the source contamination and interferences from, e.g. ESI droplet residue and other poorly focused neutral or charged particles with very high mass-to charge ratios. In this study a dual ion funnel interface consisting of an orthogonal higher pressure electrodynamic ion funnel (HPIF) and an ion funnel trap combined with a triple quadruple mass spectrometer was developed and characterized. An orthogonal ionmore » injection inlet and a repeller plate electrode was used to direct ions to an ion funnel HPIF at 9-10 Torr pressure. Several critical factors for the HPIF were characterized, including the effects of RF amplitude, DC gradient and operating pressure. Compared to the triple quadrupole standard interface more than 4-fold improvement in the limit of detection for the direct quantitative MS analysis of low abundance peptides was observed. Lastly, the sensitivity enhancement in liquid chromatography selected reaction monitoring (SRM) analyses of low abundance peptides spiked into a highly complex mixture was also compared with that obtained using a both commercial s-lens interface and a in-line dual ion funnel interface.« less

  5. DNA as Sensors and Imaging Agents for Metal Ions

    PubMed Central

    Xiang, Yu

    2014-01-01

    Increasing interests in detecting metal ions in many chemical and biomedical fields have created demands for developing sensors and imaging agents for metal ions with high sensitivity and selectivity. This review covers recent progress in DNA-based sensors and imaging agents for metal ions. Through both combinatorial selection and rational design, a number of metal ion-dependent DNAzymes and metal ion-binding DNA structures that can selectively recognize specific metal ions have been obtained. By attaching these DNA molecules with signal reporters such as fluorophores, chromophores, electrochemical tags, and Raman tags, a number of DNA-based sensors for both diamagnetic and paramagnetic metal ions have been developed for fluorescent, colorimetric, electrochemical, and surface Raman detections. These sensors are highly sensitive (with detection limit down to 11 ppt) and selective (with selectivity up to millions-fold) toward specific metal ions. In addition, through further development to simplify the operation, such as the use of “dipstick tests”, portable fluorometers, computer-readable discs, and widely available glucose meters, these sensors have been applied for on-site and real-time environmental monitoring and point-of-care medical diagnostics. The use of these sensors for in situ cellular imaging has also been reported. The generality of the combinatorial selection to obtain DNAzymes for almost any metal ion in any oxidation state, and the ease of modification of the DNA with different signal reporters make DNA an emerging and promising class of molecules for metal ion sensing and imaging in many fields of applications. PMID:24359450

  6. Highly selective visual monitoring of hazardous fluoride ion in aqueous media using thiobarbituric-capped gold nanoparticles.

    PubMed

    Boken, Jyoti; Thatai, Sheenam; Khurana, Parul; Prasad, Surendra; Kumar, Dinesh

    2015-01-01

    The rapid, selective and sensitive measurement and monitoring of hazardous materials as analytes are the central themes in the development of any successful analytical technique. With this aim, we have synthesized the thiobarbituric-capped gold nanoparticles (TBA-capped Au NPs) involving chemical reduction of HAuCl4 using 2-thiobarbituric acid (TBA) as a reducing and capping agent. The morphology of the TBA-capped Au NPs was confirmed using transmission electron microscope images. For the first time this article reports that the developed TAB-capped Au NPs displays selective, ultrafast and sensitive colorimetric detection of fluoride ion in aqueous samples. The detection of fluoride ion was confirmed by the disappearance of the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) band at 554 nm using UV-vis spectroscopy. The interaction of F(-) with TBA-capped Au NPs in aqueous solution has also been confirmed by Raman and FTIR spectroscopy. One of the most exciting accomplishments is the visual detection limit for fluoride ion has been found to be 10 mM at commonly acceptable water pH range 7-8. The whole detection procedure takes not more than 40s with excellent selectivity providing sample throughput of more than 60 per hour. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. 30 s Response Time of K+ Ion-Selective Hydrogels Functionalized with 18-Crown-6 Ether Based on QCM Sensor.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Zhenxiao; Dou, Qian; Gao, Hongkai; Bai, Bing; Zhang, Yongmei; Hu, Debo; Yetisen, Ali K; Butt, Haider; Yang, Xiaoxia; Li, Congju; Dai, Qing

    2018-03-01

    Potassium detection is critical in monitoring imbalances in electrolytes and physiological status. The development of rapid and robust potassium sensors is desirable in clinical chemistry and point-of-care applications. In this study, composite supramolecular hydrogels are investigated: polyethylene glycol methacrylate and acrylamide copolymer (P(PEGMA-co-AM)) are functionalized with 18-crown-6 ether by employing surface initiated polymerization. Real-time potassium ion monitoring is realized by combining these compounds with quartz crystal microbalance. The device demonstrates a rapid response time of ≈30 s and a concentration detection range from 0.5 to 7.0 × 10 -3 m. These hydrogels also exhibit high reusability and K + ion selectivity relative to other cations in biofluids such as Na + , NH 4 + , Mg 2+ , and Ca 2+ . These results provide a new approach for sensing alkali metal ions using P(PEGMA-co-AM) hydrogels. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Rapid determination of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls, using selected ion monitoring mass spectrometry

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hargesheimer, E.E.

    Methane chemical ionization (CI)-selected ion monitoring (SIM) mass spectrometry was used to identify and conclusively distinguish 19 organochlorine pesticides from polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at parts-per-trillion to parts-per-billion levels in environmental water sample extracts with minimal sample cleanup. Two CI-SIM screens were developed. One set of ions scanned specifically for the presence of 4 classes of pesticides; diphenylmethane derivatives, bridged polycyclic chlorinated benzenes, and acetanilide pesticides. The second set of ions responded exclusively to PCBs with biphenyl moieties containing from 1 to 8 chlorine atoms. Eight commercial Aroclor mixtures were analyzed and distinguished from the pesticides groups. The detection limit formore » pesticides and PCBs by CI-SIM screening was 0.005 and 0.1 ppB, respectively. CI-SIM can be used as an alternative method for the analysis of biological or environmental samples containing interferences that complicate the detection of PCBs and chlorinated pesticides. 8 references, 6 figures, 6 tables.« less

  9. Quartz crystal microbalance sensor using ionophore for ammonium ion detection.

    PubMed

    Kosaki, Yasuhiro; Takano, Kosuke; Citterio, Daniel; Suzuki, Koji; Shiratori, Seimei

    2012-01-01

    Ionophore-based quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) ammonium ion sensors with a detection limit for ammonium ion concentrations as low as 2.2 microM were fabricated. Ionophores are molecules, which selectively bind a particular ion. In this study, one of the known ionophores for ammonium, nonactin, was used to detect ammonium ions for environmental in-situ monitoring of aquarium water for the first time. To fabricate the sensing films, poly(vinyl chloride) was used as the matrix for the immobilization of nonactin. Furthermore, the anionic additive, tetrakis (4-chlorophenyl) borate potassium salt and the plasticizer dioctyl sebacate were used to enhance the sensor properties. The sensor allowed detecting ammonium ions not only in static solution, but also in flowing water. The sensor showed a nearly linear response with the increase of the ammonium ion concentration. The QCM resonance frequency increased with the increase of ammonium ion concentration, suggesting a decreasing weight of the sensing film. The detailed response mechanism could not be verified yet. However, from the results obtained when using a different plasticizer, nitrophenyl octyl ether, it is considered that this effect is caused by the release of water molecules. Consequently, the newly fabricated sensor detects ammonium ions by discharge of water. It shows high selectivity over potassium and sodium ions. We conclude that the newly fabricated sensor can be applied for detecting ammonium ions in aquarium water, since it allows measuring low ammonium ion concentrations. This sensor will be usable for water quality monitoring and controlling.

  10. Quantitation of lysergic acid diethylamide in urine using atmospheric pressure matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization ion trap mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Cui, Meng; McCooeye, Margaret A; Fraser, Catharine; Mester, Zoltán

    2004-12-01

    A quantitative method was developed for analysis of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in urine using atmospheric pressure matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization ion trap mass spectrometry (AP MALDI-ITMS). Following solid-phase extraction of LSD from urine samples, extracts were analyzed by AP MALDI-ITMS. The identity of LSD was confirmed by fragmentation of the [M + H](+) ion using tandem mass spectrometry. The quantification of LSD was achieved using stable-isotope-labeled LSD (LSD-d(3)) as the internal standard. The [M + H](+) ion fragmented to produce a dominant fragment ion, which was used for a selected reaction monitoring (SRM) method for quantitative analysis of LSD. SRM was compared with selected ion monitoring and produced a wider linear range and lower limit of quantification. For SRM analysis of samples of LSD spiked in urine, the calibration curve was linear in the range of 1-100 ng/mL with a coefficient of determination, r(2), of 0.9917. This assay was used to determine LSD in urine samples and the AP MALDI-MS results were comparable to the HPLC/ ESI-MS results.

  11. Application of selected ion monitoring to the analysis of triacylglycerols in olive oil by high temperature-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Ruiz-Samblás, C; González-Casado, A; Cuadros-Rodríguez, L; García, F P Rodríguez

    2010-06-30

    The analysis of the triacylglycerol (TAG) composition of oils is a very challenging task, since the TAGs have very similar physico-chemical properties. In this work, a high temperature-gas chromatographic method coupled to electron ionization-mass spectrometry (HT-GC/EI-MS), in the Selected Ion Monitoring (SIM) mode, method was developed for the analysis of TAGs in the olive oil; this is a method suitable for routine analysis. This method was developed using commercially available standard TAGs. The TAGs studied were separated according to their equivalent carbon number and degree of unsaturation. The peak assignment was carried out by locating the characteristic fragment ions having the same retention time on the SIM profile such as [RCO+74](+) and [RCO+128](+) ions, due to the fatty acyl residues on sn-1, sn-2 and sn-3 positions of the TAG molecule and the [M-OCOR](+) ions corresponding to the acyl ions. The developed method was very useful to eliminate the interferences that appeared in the mass spectrum since electron ionization can prevent satisfactory interpretation of spectra. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Prototyping of beam position monitor for medium energy beam transport section of RAON heavy ion accelerator

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jang, Hyojae, E-mail: lkcom@ibs.re.kr; Jin, Hyunchang; Jang, Ji-Ho

    2016-02-15

    A heavy ion accelerator, RAON is going to be built by Rare Isotope Science Project in Korea. Its target is to accelerate various stable ions such as uranium, proton, and xenon from electron cyclotron resonance ion source and some rare isotopes from isotope separation on-line. The beam shaping, charge selection, and modulation should be applied to the ions from these ion sources because RAON adopts a superconducting linear accelerator structure for beam acceleration. For such treatment, low energy beam transport, radio frequency quadrupole, and medium energy beam transport (MEBT) will be installed in injector part of RAON accelerator. Recently, developmentmore » of a prototype of stripline beam position monitor (BPM) to measure the position of ion beams in MEBT section is under way. In this presentation, design of stripline, electromagnetic (EM) simulation results, and RF measurement test results obtained from the prototyped BPM will be described.« less

  13. A selective colorimetric and fluorescent sensor for Al3+ ion and its application to cellular imaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Manjunath, Rangasamy; Hrishikesan, Elango; Kannan, Palaninathan

    2015-04-01

    A new rhodamine-based fluorescent turn-on chemosensor (L) for selective detection of Al3+ ion has been developed and characterized. The fluorescent chemosensor L was synthesized by the reaction of intermediate (4) with 2,5-bis (4-phenylacyl chloride)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (3). The chemosensor L displays an excellent selective and sensitive response to Al3+ ion over other metal ions, in which the spirocyclic (non-fluorescent) to ring opened amide (fluorescent) process was utilized and a 1:2 stoichiometry for L-Al3+ complex was formed with an association constant of 2.03 × 103 M-1. Furthermore, chemosensor L can be applied as a fluorescent probe for monitoring Al3+ in living cells by performing cell imaging studies.

  14. Ruthenium oxide ion selective thin-film electrodes for engine oil acidity monitoring

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maurya, D. K.; Sardarinejad, A.; Alameh, K.

    2015-06-01

    We demonstrate the concept of a low-cost, rugged, miniaturized ion selective electrode (ISE) comprising a thin film RuO2 on platinum sensing electrode deposited using RF magnetron sputtered in conjunction with an integrated Ag/AgCl and Ag reference electrodes for engine oil acidity monitoring. Model oil samples are produced by adding nitric acid into fresh fully synthetic engine oil and used for sensor evaluation. Experimental results show a linear potential-versus-acid-concentration response for nitric acid concentration between 0 (fresh oil) to 400 ppm, which demonstrate the accuracy of the RuO2 sensor in real-time operation, making it attractive for use in cars and industrial engines.

  15. OXIDIZED NITROGEN DEPOSITION IN THE EASTERN UNITED STATES

    EPA Science Inventory


    Air quality and selected meteorological parameters have been monitored at rural sites in the United States (US) by EPA's Clean Air Status and Trends Network, (CASTNet) sites. The National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) monitors wet deposition of numerous ions in precip...

  16. Chemical sensors for space applications

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bonting, Sjoerd L.

    1992-01-01

    The payload of the Space Station Freedom will include sensors for frequent monitoring of the water recycling process and for measuring the many biochemical parameters related to onboard experiments. This paper describes the sensor technologies and the types of transducers and selectors considered for these sensors. Particular attention is given to such aspects of monitoring of the water recycling process as the types of water use, the sources of water and their hazards, the sensor systems for monitoring, microbial monitoring, and monitoring toxic metals and organics. An approach for monitoring water recycling is suggested, which includes microbial testing with a potentiometric device (which should be in first line of tests), the use of an ion-selective electrode for inorganic ion determinations, and the use of optic fiber techniques for the determination of total organic carbon.

  17. A novel, highly sensitive, selective, reversible and turn-on chemi-sensor based on Schiff base for rapid detection of Cu(II)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saleh, Sayed M.; Ali, Reham; Ali, Ibrahim A. I.

    2017-08-01

    In this work, a novel optical fluoro-chemisensor was designed and synthesized for copper (II) ions detection. The sensor film is created by embedded N,N-Bis(2-hydroxo-5-bromobenzyl)ethylenediamine in poly vinyl chloride (PVC) film in presence of dioctyl phthalate (DOP) as plasticizer. The receptor Schiff base reveals "off-on" mode with high selectivity, significant sensitivity to Cu(II) ions. The selectivity of optical sensor for Cu(II) ions is the result of chelation enhanced fluorescence (CHEF). The optimal conditions of pH and response time at which higher efficiency of sensor film is performed was found to be 6.8 and 2.48 min. The possible interference of other metal ions in solution was examined in presence of different types of metal ions. This film shows high selectivity and ultra-sensitivity with low detection limit LOD (1.1 × 10- 8 M). Thus, these considerable properties make it viable to monitor copper metal ions within very low concentration range (0-15 × 10- 6 M Cu(II)) and highly selective even in the presence of different types of metal ions. The sensor reversibility was achieved by utilizing EDTA solution with concentration of 0.1 M solution.

  18. Selective gas-chromatographic detection using an ion-selective electrode-II Selective detection of fluorine compounds.

    PubMed

    Kojima, T; Ichise, M; Seo, Y

    1972-04-01

    Components in samples are separated on a gas chromatography column using hydrogen as carrier gas. The individual components from the column are passed through a platinum tube heated at 1000 degrees , where they undergo hydrogenolysis, and fluorine compounds are converted into hydrogen fluoride. The hydrogen fluoride is dissolved in a slow stream of an absorption solution, and the fluoride ion concentration in the resulting solution is monitored in a flow-cell with a fluoride ion electrode. The potentiometric output of the cell is converted into a signal, which is proportional to the concentration of fluoride ion, by an antilogarithmic converter, and recorded. The response of the detector to fluorine compounds was about 10,000 times that to an equal quantity of other organic compounds, and 5 x 10(-11) mole of fluorobenzene could be detected.

  19. Tattoo-based potentiometric ion-selective sensors for epidermal pH monitoring.

    PubMed

    Bandodkar, Amay J; Hung, Vinci W S; Jia, Wenzhao; Valdés-Ramírez, Gabriela; Windmiller, Joshua R; Martinez, Alexandra G; Ramírez, Julian; Chan, Garrett; Kerman, Kagan; Wang, Joseph

    2013-01-07

    This article presents the fabrication and characterization of novel tattoo-based solid-contact ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) for non-invasive potentiometric monitoring of epidermal pH levels. The new fabrication approach combines commercially available temporary transfer tattoo paper with conventional screen printing and solid-contact polymer ISE methodologies. The resulting tattoo-based potentiometric sensors exhibit rapid and sensitive response to a wide range of pH changes with no carry-over effects. Furthermore, the tattoo ISE sensors endure repetitive mechanical deformation, which is a key requirement of wearable and epidermal sensors. The flexible and conformal nature of the tattoo sensors enable them to be mounted on nearly any exposed skin surface for real-time pH monitoring of the human perspiration, as illustrated from the response during a strenuous physical activity. The resulting tattoo-based ISE sensors offer considerable promise as wearable potentiometric sensors suitable for diverse applications.

  20. Correlation between y-type ions observed in ion trap and triple quadrupole mass spectrometers.

    PubMed

    Sherwood, Carly A; Eastham, Ashley; Lee, Lik Wee; Risler, Jenni; Vitek, Olga; Martin, Daniel B

    2009-09-01

    Multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry (MRM-MS) is a technique for high-sensitivity targeted analysis. In proteomics, MRM-MS can be used to monitor and quantify a peptide based on the production of expected fragment peaks from the selected peptide precursor ion. The choice of which fragment ions to monitor in order to achieve maximum sensitivity in MRM-MS can potentially be guided by existing MS/MS spectra. However, because the majority of discovery experiments are performed on ion trap platforms, there is concern in the field regarding the generalizability of these spectra to MRM-MS on a triple quadrupole instrument. In light of this concern, many operators perform an optimization step to determine the most intense fragments for a target peptide on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. We have addressed this issue by targeting, on a triple quadrupole, the top six y-ion peaks from ion trap-derived consensus library spectra for 258 doubly charged peptides from three different sample sets and quantifying the observed elution curves. This analysis revealed a strong correlation between the y-ion peak rank order and relative intensity across platforms. This suggests that y-type ions obtained from ion trap-based library spectra are well-suited for generating MRM-MS assays for triple quadrupoles and that optimization is not required for each target peptide.

  1. Quantitative determination of major active components in Ginkgo biloba dietary supplements by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Ding, Shujing; Dudley, Ed; Plummer, Sue; Tang, Jiandong; Newton, Russell P; Brenton, A Gareth

    2006-01-01

    A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (RP-HPLC/ESI-MS) method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of ten major active components in Ginkgo biloba extract (bilobalide, ginkgolides A, B, C, quercetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, rutin hydrate, quercetin-3-beta-D-glucoside and quercitrin hydrate) which have not been previously reported to be quantified in a single analysis. The ten components exhibit baseline separation in 50 min by C18 chromatography using a water/1:1 (v/v) methanol/acetonitrile gradient. Quantitation was performed using negative ESI-MS in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. Good reproducibility and recovery were obtained by this method. The sensitivity of both UV and different mass spectrometry modes (full scan, selected ion monitoring (SIM), and selected reaction monitoring (SRM)) were compared and both quantitation with and without internal standard were evaluated. The analysis of Ginkgo biloba commercial products showed remarkable variations in the rutin and quercetin content as well as the terpene lactone contents although all the products satisfy the conventional quality control method. Copyright 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. Estrogens in seminal plasma of human and animal species: identification and quantitative estimation by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry associated with stable isotope dilution.

    PubMed

    Reiffsteck, A; Dehennin, L; Scholler, R

    1982-11-01

    Estrone, 2-methoxyestrone and estradiol-17 beta have been definitely identified in seminal plasma of man, bull, boar and stallion by high resolution gas chromatography associated with selective monitoring of characteristic ions of suitable derivatives. Quantitative estimations were performed by isotope dilution with deuterated analogues and by monitoring molecular ions of trimethylsilyl ethers of labelled and unlabelled compounds. Concentrations of unconjugated and total estrogens are reported together with the statistical evaluation of accuracy and precision.

  3. Potential-dependent, switchable ion selectivity in aqueous media using titanium disulfide.

    PubMed

    Srimuk, Pattarachai; Lee, Juhan; Fleischmann, Simon; Aslan, Mesut; Kim, Choonsoo; Presser, Volker

    2018-05-01

    Selective removal of ions by electrochemical processes is a promising approach to enable various water treatment applications such as water softening or heavy metal removal. Ion intercalation materials have been investigated for their intrinsic ability to prefer one specific ion over others, showing a preference for (small) monovalent ions over multivalent species. In this work, we present for the first time a fundamentally different approach: tunable ion selectivity not by modifying the electrode material, but by changing the operational voltage. We used titanium disulfide which shows distinctly different potentials for the intercalation of different cations and formed thereof binder-free composite electrodes with carbon nanotubes. Capitalizing on this potential difference, we demonstrate controllable cation selectivity by online monitoring the effluent stream during electrochemical operation by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry for aqueous 50 mM CsCl and MgCl2. We obtained a molar selectivity of Mg2+ over Cs+ of 31 (strong Mg preference) in the potential range between -396 mV and -220 mV vs. Ag/AgCl. By adjusting the operational potential window to -219 mV to +26 mV vs. Ag/AgCl, Cs+ is preferred over Mg2+ by 1.7-times (Cs preference). © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Biomimetic supercontainers for size-selective electrochemical sensing of molecular ions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Netzer, Nathan L.; Must, Indrek; Qiao, Yupu; Zhang, Shi-Li; Wang, Zhenqiang; Zhang, Zhen

    2017-04-01

    New ionophores are essential for advancing the art of selective ion sensing. Metal-organic supercontainers (MOSCs), a new family of biomimetic coordination capsules designed using sulfonylcalix[4]arenes as container precursors, are known for their tunable molecular recognition capabilities towards an array of guests. Herein, we demonstrate the use of MOSCs as a new class of size-selective ionophores dedicated to electrochemical sensing of molecular ions. Specifically, a MOSC molecule with its cavities matching the size of methylene blue (MB+), a versatile organic molecule used for bio-recognition, was incorporated into a polymeric mixed-matrix membrane and used as an ion-selective electrode. This MOSC-incorporated electrode showed a near-Nernstian potentiometric response to MB+ in the nano- to micro-molar range. The exceptional size-selectivity was also evident through contrast studies. To demonstrate the practical utility of our approach, a simulated wastewater experiment was conducted using water from the Fyris River (Sweden). It not only showed a near-Nernstian response to MB+ but also revealed a possible method for potentiometric titration of the redox indicator. Our study thus represents a new paradigm for the rational design of ionophores that can rapidly and precisely monitor molecular ions relevant to environmental, biomedical, and other related areas.

  5. A coated-wire ion-selective electrode for ionic calcium measurements

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hines, John W.; Arnaud, Sara; Madou, Marc; Joseph, Jose; Jina, Arvind

    1991-01-01

    A coated-wire ion-selective electrode for measuring ionic calcium was developed, in collaboration with Teknektron Sensor Development Corporation (TSDC). This coated wire electrode sensor makes use of advanced, ion-responsive polyvinyl chloride (PVC) membrane technology, whereby the electroactive agent is incorporated into a polymeric film. The technology greatly simplifies conventional ion-selective electrode measurement technology, and is envisioned to be used for real-time measurement of physiological and environment ionic constituents, initially calcium. A primary target biomedical application is the real-time measurement of urinary and blood calcium changes during extended exposure to microgravity, during prolonged hospital or fracture immobilization, and for osteoporosis research. Potential advanced life support applications include monitoring of calcium and other ions, heavy metals, and related parameters in closed-loop water processing and management systems. This technology provides a much simplified ionic calcium measurement capability, suitable for both automated in-vitro, in-vivo, and in-situ measurement applications, which should be of great interest to the medical, scientific, chemical, and space life sciences communities.

  6. Fiber optic based multiprobe system for intraoperative monitoring of brain functions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mayevsky, Avraham; Flamm, E. S.; Pennie, William; Chance, Britton

    1991-05-01

    Monitoring of brain functions during neurosurgical conditions have been made by various groups of investigators. Attempts were made to monitor EEG or evoked potentials, cerebral blood flow, mitochondrial redox state during various neurosurgical procedures. In order to monitor various functions of the brain we have developed a new multiprobe (MPA) assembly, based on fiber optic probes and ion selective electrodes, enabling the assessment of relative CBF, mitochondrial redox state (NADH fluorescence) and ion homeostasis in real-time, intraoperatively. The base features of the multiprobe assembly were described previously (A. Mayevsky, J. Appl. Physiol. 54, 740-748, 1983). The multiprobe holder (made of Delarin) contained a bundle of fibers transmitting light to and from the brain as well as 3 ion selective electrodes (K+%/, Ca(superscript 2+, Na+) combined with DC steady potential electrodes (Ag/AgCl). The common part of the light guide contained 2 groups of fibers. For the Laser Doppler flowmetry one input fiber and two output fibers were glued in a triangular shape and connected to the standard commercial plug of the Laser Doppler flowmeter. For the monitoring of NADH redox state 10 excitation and 10 emission fibers were randomly mixed between and around the fibers used for the Laser Doppler flowmetry. This configuration of the fibers enabled us to monitor CBF and NADH redox state from about the same tissue volume. The ion selective electrodes were connected to an Ag/AgCl electrode holders and the entire MPA was protected by a Plexiglass sleeve. Animal experiments were used for the verification of the methods and recording of typical responses to various pathological situations. The entire multiprobe assembly was sterilized by the standard gas sterilization routine and was checked for electrodes integrity and calibration inside the operation room 24 hours later. The MPA was located on the exposed human cortex using a micromanipulator and data collection started immediately after, using a micro computer based data acquisition system. After recording of baseline levels of CBF, NADH redox state and extracellular ion levels, the responses to CBF decrease (occlusions of a blood vessel) were recorded followed by the recovery period. A significant correlation between the CBF and NADH redox state changes was recorded. This approach enabled us to correlate this change in energy supply, to those of extracellular ion concentration. The preliminary results obtained suggest that the usage of the MPA in the operating room may have a significant contribution to the neurosurgeon as a routine diagnostic tool. It seems to us that a simplified MPA which will enable to monitor only the relative CBF, NADH redox state as well as extracellular K+ is more appropriate for future usage.

  7. Real-time two-dimensional imaging of potassium ion distribution using an ion semiconductor sensor with charged coupled device technology.

    PubMed

    Hattori, Toshiaki; Masaki, Yoshitomo; Atsumi, Kazuya; Kato, Ryo; Sawada, Kazuaki

    2010-01-01

    Two-dimensional real-time observation of potassium ion distributions was achieved using an ion imaging device based on charge-coupled device (CCD) and metal-oxide semiconductor technologies, and an ion selective membrane. The CCD potassium ion image sensor was equipped with an array of 32 × 32 pixels (1024 pixels). It could record five frames per second with an area of 4.16 × 4.16 mm(2). Potassium ion images were produced instantly. The leaching of potassium ion from a 3.3 M KCl Ag/AgCl reference electrode was dynamically monitored in aqueous solution. The potassium ion selective membrane on the semiconductor consisted of plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) with bis(benzo-15-crown-5). The addition of a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane to the plasticized PVC membrane greatly improved adhesion of the membrane onto Si(3)N(4) of the semiconductor surface, and the potential response was stabilized. The potential response was linear from 10(-2) to 10(-5) M logarithmic concentration of potassium ion. The selectivity coefficients were K(K(+),Li(+))(pot) = 10(-2.85), K(K(+),Na(+))(pot) = 10(-2.30), K(K(+),Rb(+))(pot) =10(-1.16), and K(K(+),Cs(+))(pot) = 10(-2.05).

  8. Integration of reconfigurable potentiometric electrochemical sensors into a digital microfluidic platform.

    PubMed

    Farzbod, Ali; Moon, Hyejin

    2018-05-30

    This paper presents the demonstration of on-chip fabrication of a potassium-selective sensor array enabled by electrowetting on dielectric digital microfluidics for the first time. This demonstration proves the concept that electrochemical sensors can be seamlessly integrated with sample preparation units in a digital microfluidic platform. More significantly, the successful on-chip fabrication of a sensor array indicates that sensors become reconfigurable and have longer lifetime in a digital microfluidic platform. The on-chip fabrication of ion-selective electrodes includes electroplating Ag followed by forming AgCl layer by chemical oxidation and depositing a thin layer of desired polymer-based ion selective membrane on one of the sensor electrodes. In this study, potassium ionophores work as potassium ion channels and make the membrane selective to potassium ions. This selectiveness results in the voltage difference across the membrane layer, which is correlated with potassium ion concentration. The calibration curve of the fabricated potassium-selective electrode demonstrates the slope of 58 mV/dec for potassium concentration in KCl sample solutions and shows good agreement with the ideal Nernstian response. The proposed sensor platform is an outstanding candidate for a portable home-use for continuous monitoring of ions thanks to its advantages such as easy automation of sample preparation and detection processes, elongated sensor lifetime, minimal membrane and sample consumption, and user-definable/reconfigurable sensor array. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Measurement of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Airborne Particulate Matter at Low Concentrations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-03-01

    Soil & Water Colorimetric (diphenylcarbazide) 7199 Hexavalent Chromium by Ion Chromatography 218.6 Low level chelation & extraction NATTS...Hexane:Dichloromethane:Methanol Dionex ASE 200 Sample Concentration Evaporation in Ultrapure Nitrogen Stream Zymark Turbovap Solid Phase Extraction Supelco Custom...Glass Silica SPE Cartridge 1% Dichloromethane + 1% Acetone in Hexane GCMS Analysis Conventional Splitless Injection Selective Ion Monitoring

  10. Forced-flow chromatographic determination of calcium and magnesium with continuous spectrophotometric detection

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Arguello, M.D.

    1977-12-01

    Modifications to the forced-flow chromatograph include a flow-through pH monitor to continuously monitor the pH of the final effluent and an active low-pass filter to eliminate noise in the spectrophotometric detector. All separations are performed using partially sulfonated XAD-2 as the ion exchanger. Elution of calcium and magnesium is accomplished using ammonium chloride and ethylenediammonium chloride solutions. Calcium and magnesium are detected by means of Arsenazo I and PAR-ZnEDTA color-forming reagents. Other metal ions are detected by means of PAR and Chromazurol S color-forming reagents. Calcium and magnesium distribution coefficients on partially sulfonated XAD-2 as functions of ammonium chloride andmore » ethylenediammonium chloride concentration are given together with distribution coefficients of other metal ions. Methods for the selective elution of interfering metal ions prior to the elution of calcium and magnesium are described. Beryllium and aluminum are selectively eluted with sulfosalicylic acid. Those elements forming anionic chloride complexes are selectively eluted with HCl-acetone. Nickel is selectively eluted with HCl-acetone-dimethylglyoxime. Synthetic samples containing calcium and magnesium, both alone and in combination with alkali metals, strontium, barium, beryllium, aluminum, transition metals, and rare earths, are analyzed. Hard water samples are analyzed for calcium and magnesium and the results compared to those obtained by EDTA titration, atomic absorption spectroscopy, and plasma emission spectroscopy. Several clinical serum samples are analyzed for calcium and magnesium and the results compared to those obtained by atomic absorption spectroscopy.« less

  11. Chromium removal from ground water by Ion exchange resins

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Skiadas, P.

    1994-05-06

    The ground water at several monitoring wells at LLNL has been found to exceed the Surface Water Discharge Limits for Cr(VI). Ion exchange resins have been selected for its removal. A research study is underway to determine which commercial resin is preferred for LLNL`s ground water. The choice of an appropriate resin will be based on Cr(VI) exchange capacity, regeneration efficiency, and pH stabilization. A sequestering agent must also be selected to be used for the elimination of scaling at the treatment facilities. The chemistry of ion exchange resins, and instrumentation and procedures are explained and described in the followingmore » paper. Comparison of the different resins tested lead us to the selection of the most effective one to be used in the treatment facilities.« less

  12. Ion Fluxes in Giant Excised Cardiac Membrane Patches Detected and Quantified with Ion-selective Microelectrodes

    PubMed Central

    Kang, Tong Mook; Markin, Vladislav S.; Hilgemann, Donald W.

    2003-01-01

    We have used ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) to quantify ion fluxes across giant membrane patches by measuring and simulating ion gradients on both membrane sides. Experimental conditions are selected with low concentrations of the ions detected on the membrane side being monitored. For detection from the cytoplasmic (bath) side, the patch pipette is oscillated laterally in front of an ISE. For detection on the extracellular (pipette) side, ISEs are fabricated from flexible quartz capillary tubing (tip diameters, 2–3 microns), and an ISE is positioned carefully within the patch pipette with the tip at a controlled distance from the mouth of the patch pipette. Transport activity is then manipulated by solution changes on the cytoplasmic side. Ion fluxes can be quantified by simulating the ion gradients with appropriate diffusion models. For extracellular (intrapatch pipette) recordings, ion diffusion coefficients can be determined from the time courses of concentration changes. The sensitivity and utility of the methods are demonstrated with cardiac membrane patches by measuring (a) potassium fluxes via ion channels, valinomycin, and Na/K pumps; (b) calcium fluxes mediated by Na/Ca exchangers; (c) sodium fluxes mediated by gramicidin and Na/K pumps; and (d) proton fluxes mediated by an unknown electrogenic mechanism. The potassium flux-to-current ratio for the Na/K pump is approximately twice that determined for potassium channels and valinomycin, as expected for a 3Na/2K pump stoichiometery (i.e., 2K/charge moved). For valinomycin-mediated potassium currents and gramicidin-mediated sodium currents, the ion fluxes calculated from diffusion models are typically 10–15% smaller than expected from the membrane currents. As presently implemented, the ISE methods allow reliable detection of calcium and proton fluxes equivalent to monovalent cation currents <1 pA in magnitude, and they allow detection of sodium and potassium fluxes equivalent to <5 pA currents. The capability to monitor ion fluxes, independent of membrane currents, should facilitate studies of both electrogenic and electroneutral ion–coupled transporters in giant patches. PMID:12668735

  13. Analytical application of solid contact ion-selective electrodes for determination of copper and nitrate in various food products and drinking water.

    PubMed

    Wardak, Cecylia; Grabarczyk, Malgorzata

    2016-08-02

    A simple, fast and cheap method for monitoring copper and nitrate in drinking water and food products using newly developed solid contact ion-selective electrodes is proposed. Determination of copper and nitrate was performed by application of multiple standard additions technique. The reliability of the obtained results was assessed by comparing them using the anodic stripping voltammetry or spectrophotometry for the same samples. In each case, satisfactory agreement of the results was obtained, which confirms the analytical usefulness of the constructed electrodes.

  14. Highly selective rhodamine-based fluorescence turn-on chemosensor for Al3+ ion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Manjunath, Rangasamy; Kannan, Palaninathan

    2018-05-01

    A new rhodamine-based colorimetric and fluorescent turn-on chemosensor (L) has been designed and synthesized for selective and sensitive detection of Al3+ ion. The sensing behavior toward metal ion was investigated by UV/Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. Upon addition of Al3+ ion to solution of L provided a visual color change as well as significantly fluorescent enhancement, while other metal ions including Na+, Mg2+, K+, Mn2+, Fe3+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Pb2+, Cd2+ and Hg2+ ions fails to generate a distinct color and spectral changes, the distinct color change and rapid switch-on fluorescence also provide naked eye detection for Al3+ ion. The mechanism involved equilibrium between non-fluorescent spirocyclic form and highly fluorescent ring open form process was utilized and 1:2 stoichiometry for L-Al3+ complex formed with an association constant of 1.42 × 103 M-1. Moreover, chemosensor L was applied for living cell imaging and confirmed that can be used as a fluorescent probe for monitoring Al3+ ion in living cells.

  15. Simultaneous screening for 238 drugs in blood by liquid chromatography-ion spray tandem mass spectrometry with multiple-reaction monitoring.

    PubMed

    Gergov, M; Ojanperä, I; Vuori, E

    2003-09-25

    A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) method is presented for the qualitative screening for 238 drugs in blood samples, which is considerably more than in previous methods. After a two-step liquid-liquid extraction and C(18) chromatography, the compounds were introduced into a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer equipped with a turbo ion spray ion source operating in the positive ionization mode. Identification was based on the compound's absolute retention time, protonated molecular ion, and one representative fragment ion obtained by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) at an individually selected collision energy of 20, 35, or 50 eV. The limit of detection (LOD) for the majority of the compounds (80%) was < or = 0.05 mg/l, ranging from 0.002 mg/l (e.g., antihistamines) to 5 mg/l (acidic compounds), and for malathion it was 10 mg/l. The LOD values were sufficiently low to allow the majority of compounds to be detected at therapeutic concentrations in the blood.

  16. Identification of 11-Nor-delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid in urine by ion trap GC-MS-MS in the context of doping analysis.

    PubMed

    Caballero, Gerardo M; D'Angelo, Carlos; Fraguío, Mariá Sol; Centurión, Osvaldo Teme

    2004-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to develop a sensitive and specific alternative to current gas chromatography (GC)-mass spectrometry (MS) selected ion monitoring confirmation methods of 11-nor-delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid (cTHC) in human urine samples, in the context of doping analysis. An identification procedure based on the comparison, among suspicious and control samples, of the relative abundances of cTHC selected product ions obtained by GC-tandem MS in an ion trap is presented. The method complies with the identification criteria for qualitative assays established by sports authorities; the comparison procedure is precise, reproducible, specific, and sensitive, thus indicating that it is fit for the purpose of identification accordingly to World Antidoping Agency requirements.

  17. New highly sensitive and selective fluorescent terbium complex for the detection of aluminium ions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anwar, Zeinab M.; Ibrahim, Ibrahim A.; Kamel, Rasha M.; Abdel-Salam, Enas T.; El-Asfoury, Mahmoud H.

    2018-02-01

    A highly sensitive and selective spectrofluorimetric method has been developed for the rapid determination of aluminium ions. The method is based on the fluorescence enhancement of Tb complex with 3,4-dimetyl-thieno[2,3 b] thiophene-2,5-dicarboxylic acid (LN) after addition trace amount of aluminium ions. The fluorescence of the probe is monitored at the characteristic an emission wavelength of Tb3+ at 545 nm with excitation at 300 nm. Optimum detection was obtained in DMSO-H2O (2:8, v/v) and at pH 6.0 using MOPSO buffer. Under the optimum conditions linear calibration curves were obtained from 0.5 μ mol L-1 to 20 μ mol L-1 with detection limit of 0.1 μ mol L-1. Effect of interference of other ions was studied.

  18. San Francisco Deep Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site (SF-DODS) Monitoring Program. Physical, Chemical, and Benthic Community Monitoring

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2003-08-29

    analyzed for total volatile solids, total organic carbon, oil and grease/total petroleum hydrocarbons , grain size distribution, metals, polycyclic...TBT Tri-Butyltin TOC Total Organic Carbon TPCB Total Polychlorinated Biphenyls TPH Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons USACE U.S. Army Corps of Engineers U.S...Health PQL Practical Quantitation Limit RCRA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act SIM Selected Ion Monitoring TPH Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons tr Trace

  19. Ion sensors based on novel fiber organic electrochemical transistors for lead ion detection.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yuedan; Zhou, Zhou; Qing, Xing; Zhong, Weibing; Liu, Qiongzhen; Wang, Wenwen; Li, Mufang; Liu, Ke; Wang, Dong

    2016-08-01

    Fiber organic electrochemical transistors (FECTs) based on polypyrrole and nanofibers have been prepared for the first time. FECTs exhibited excellent electrical performances, on/off ratios up to 10(4) and low applied voltages below 2 V. The ion sensitivity behavior of the fiber organic electrochemical transistors was investigated. It exhibited that the transfer curve of FECTs shifted to lower gate voltage with increasing cations concentration, the sensitivity reached to 446 μA/dec in the 10(-5)-10(-2) M Pb(2+) concentration range. The ion selective properties of the FECTs have also been systematically studied for the detection of potassium, calcium, aluminum, and lead ions. The devices with different cations showed great difference in response curves. It was suitable for selectively monitoring Pb(2+) with respect to other cations. The results indicated FECTs were very effective for electrochemical sensing of lead ion, which opened a promising perspective for wearable electronics in healthcare and biological application. Graphical Abstract The schematic diagram of fiber organic electrochemical transistors based on polypyrrole and nanofibers for ion sensing.

  20. Residual water bactericide monitor development program

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1973-01-01

    A silver-ion bactericidal monitor is considered for the Space Shuttle Potable Water System. Potentiometric measurement using an ion-selective electrode is concluded to be the most feasible of available techniques. Four commercially available electrodes and a specially designed, solid-state, silver-sulfide electrode were evaluated for their response characteristics and suitability for space use. The configuration of the solid-state electrode with its Nernstian response of 10 to 10,000 ppb silver shows promise for use in space. A pressurized double-junction reference electrode with a quartz-fiber junction and a replaceable bellows electrolyte reservoir was designed verification-tested, and paired with a solid-state silver-sulfide electrode in a test fixture.

  1. Direct chemical-analysis of uv laser-ablation products of organic polymers by using selective ion monitoring mode in gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Cho, Yirang; Lee, H.W.; Fountain, S.T.; Lubman, D.M.

    1994-01-01

    Trace quantities of laser ablated organic polymers were analyzed by using commercial capillary column gas chromatography/mass spectrometry; the instrument was modified so that the laser ablation products could be introduced into the capillary column directly and the constituents of each peak in the chromatogram were identified by using a mass spectrometer. The present study takes advantage of the selective ion monitoring mode for significantly improving the sensitivity of the mass spectrometer as a detector, which is critical in analyzing the trace quantities and confirming the presence or absence of the species of interest in laser ablated polymers. The initial composition of the laser ablated polymers was obtained by using an electron impact reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer and the possible structure of the fragments observed in the spectra was proposed based on the structure of the polymers.

  2. Evaluation of capillary electrophoresis for in-flight ionic contaminant monitoring of SSF potable water

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mudgett, Paul D.; Schultz, John R.; Sauer, Richard L.

    1992-01-01

    Until 1989, ion chromatography (IC) was the baseline technology selected for the Specific Ion Analyzer, an in-flight inorganic water quality monitor being designed for Space Station Freedom. Recent developments in capillary electrophoresis (CE) may offer significant savings of consumables, power consumption, and weight/volume allocation, relative to IC technology. A thorough evaluation of CE's analytical capability, however, is necessary before one of the two techniques is chosen. Unfortunately, analytical methods currently available for inorganic CE are unproven for NASA's target list of anions and cations. Thus, CE electrolyte chemistry and methods to measure the target contaminants must be first identified and optimized. This paper reports the status of a study to evaluate CE's capability with regard to inorganic and carboxylate anions, alkali and alkaline earth cations, and transition metal cations. Preliminary results indicate that CE has an impressive selectivity and trace sensitivity, although considerable methods development remains to be performed.

  3. Quantitation of flavor-related alkenylbenzenes in tobacco smoke particulate by selected ion monitoring gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Stanfill, S B; Ashley, D L

    2000-04-01

    Little is known about the possible health effects associated with inhaling alkenylbenzenes through cigarette smoking, even though these flavor-related compounds have known toxic effects in animals. We developed a rapid and sensitive solid-phase extraction (SPE) method to quantify seven alkenylbenzenes and piperonal in mainstream cigarette smoke particulate. The smoke particulate fraction of a single cigarette was collected on Cambridge filter pads, solvent extracted, concentrated, purified with SPE, and analyzed by selected ion monitoring gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. We positively identified and quantified five alkenylbenzenes compounds (eugenol, isoeugenol, methyleugenol myristicin, and elemicin) and piperonal in the smoke particulate from eight U.S. brands with mean levels (measured in triplicate) ranging from 6.6 to 4210 ng per cigarette. Additionally, complete blocking of nearly invisible ventilation holes in the cigarette filter increased 2- to 7-fold the percent transfer of alkenylbenzenes from tobacco to the particulate fraction of mainstream smoke.

  4. CdS quantum dots as fluorescence probes for the sensitive and selective detection of highly reactive HSe- ions in aqueous solution.

    PubMed

    Wu, Chuan-Liu; Zhao, Yi-Bing

    2007-06-01

    Water-soluble cadmium sulfide (CdS) quantum dots (QDs) capped by mercaptoacetic acid were synthesized by aqueous-phase arrested precipitation, and characterized by transmission electron microscopy, spectrofluorometry, and UV-Vis spectrophotometry. The prepared luminescent water-soluble CdS QDs were evaluated as fluorescence probes for the detection of highly reactive hydrogen selenide ions (HSe(-) ions). The quenching of the fluorescence emission of CdS QDs with the addition of HSe(-) ions is due to the elimination of the S(2-) vacancies which are luminescence centers. Quantitative analysis based on chemical interaction between HSe(-) ions and the surface of CdS QDs is very simple, easy to develop, and has demonstrated very high sensitivity and selectivity features. The effect of foreign ions (common anions and biologically relevant cations) on the fluorescence of the CdS QDs was examined to evaluate the selectivity. Only Cu(2+) and S(2-) ions exhibit significant effects on the fluorescence of CdS QDs. With the developed method, we are able to determine the concentration of HSe(-) ions in the range from 0.10 to 4.80 micromol L(-1), and the limit of detection is 0.087 micromol L(-1). The proposed method was successfully applied to monitor the obtained HSe(-) ions from the reaction of glutathione with selenite. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on fluorescence analysis of HSe(-) ions in aqueous solution.

  5. Inorganic-organic Ag-rhodamine 6G hybrid nanorods: "turn on" fluorescent sensors for highly selective detection of Pb2+ ions in aqueous solution.

    PubMed

    Tyagi, A K; Ramkumar, Jayshree; Jayakumar, O D

    2012-02-07

    Lead metal ions are of great concern and the monitoring of their concentration in the environment has become extremely important. In the present study, a new inorganic-organic hybrid assay of Ag nanorods (AgNR)-Rhodamine 6G (R6G) was developed for the sensitive and selective determination of Pb(2+) ions in aqueous solutions. To the best of our knowledge there is almost no literature on the use of silver nanorod sensors for determination of lead ions in aqueous solutions. The sensor is developed by the coating of R6G on the surface of AgNRs. The sensing is based on the photoluminescence of R6G. The sensor was rapid as the measurements were carried out within 3 min of addition of the test solution to the AgNR-R6G hybrid. Moreover, the system showed excellent stability at tested concentration levels of Pb(2+) ions. The naked eye detection of the colour was possible with 1 mg L(-1) of Pb(2+) ions. The present method has a detection limit of 50 μg L(-1) of Pb(2+) (for a signal/noise (S/N) ratio > 3). The selectivity toward Pb(2+) ions against other metal ions was improved using chelating agents. The proposed method was validated by analysis using different techniques.

  6. Adduct ion-targeted qualitative and quantitative analysis of polyoxypregnanes by ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Wu, Xu; Zhu, Lin; Ma, Jiang; Ye, Yang; Lin, Ge

    2017-10-25

    Polyoxypregnane and its glycosides (POPs) are frequently present in plants of Asclepiadaceae family, and have a variety of biological activities. There is a great need to comprehensively profile these phytochemicals and to quantify them for monitoring their contents in the herbs and the biological samples. However, POPs undergo extensive adduct ion formation in ESI-MS, which has posed a challenge for qualitative and quantitative analysis of POPs. In the present study, we took the advantage of such extensive adduct ion formation to investigate the suitability of adduct ion-targeted analysis of POPs. For the qualitative analysis, we firstly demonstrated that the sodium and ammonium adduct ion-targeted product ion scans (PIS) provided adequate MS/MS fragmentations for structural characterization of POPs. Aided with precursor ion (PI) scans, which showed high selectivity and sensitivity and improved peak assignment confidence in conjunction with full scan (FS), the informative adduct ion-targeted PIS enabled rapid POPs profiling. For the quantification, we used formic acid rather than ammonium acetate as an additive in the mobile phase to avoid simultaneous formation of sodium and ammonium adduct ions, and greatly improved reproducibility of MS response of POPs. By monitoring the solely formed sodium adduct ions [M+Na] + , a method for simultaneous quantification of 25 POPs in the dynamic multiple reaction monitoring mode was then developed and validated. Finally, the aforementioned methods were applied to qualitative and quantitative analysis of POPs in the extract of a traditional Chinses medicinal herb, Marsdenia tenacissima (Roxb.) Wight et Arn., and in the plasma obtained from the rats treated with this herb. The results demonstrated that adduct ion formation could be optimized for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of POPs, and our developed PI/FS-PIS scanning and sole [M+Na] + ion monitoring significantly improved the analysis of POPs in both herbal and biological samples. This study also provides implications for the analysis of other compounds which undergo extensive adduct ion formation in ESI-MS. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Metal cation detection in positive ion mode electrospray ionization mass spectrometry using a tetracationic salt as a gas-phase ion-pairing agent: evaluation of the effect of chelating agents on detection sensitivity.

    PubMed

    Xu, Chengdong; Dodbiba, Edra; Padivitage, Nilusha L T; Breitbach, Zachary S; Armstrong, Daniel W

    2012-12-30

    The detection of metal cations continues to be essential in many scientific and industrial areas of interest. The most common electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) approach involves chelating the metal ions and detecting the organometallic complex in the negative ion mode. However, it is well known that negative ion mode ESI-MS is generally less sensitive than the positive ion mode. To achieve greater sensitivity, it is necessary to examine the feasibility of detecting the chelated metal cations in positive ion mode ESI-MS. Since highly solvated native metal cations have relatively low ionization efficiency in ESI-MS, and can be difficult to detect in the positive ion mode, a tetracationic ion-pairing agent was added to form a complex with the negatively charged metal chelate. The use of the ion-pairing agent leads to the generation of an overall positively charged complex, which can be detected at higher m/z values in the positive ion mode by electrospray ionization linear quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometry. Thirteen chelating agents with diverse structures were evaluated in this study. The nature of the chelating agent played as important a role as was previously determined for cationic pairing agents. The detection limits of six metal cations reached sub-picogram levels and significant improvements were observed when compared to negative ion mode detection where the metal-chelates were monitored without adding the ion-pairing reagent (IPR). Also, selective reaction monitoring (SRM) analyses were performed on the ternary complexes, which improved detection limits by one to three orders of magnitude. With this method it was possible to analyze the metal cations in the positive ion mode ESI-MS with the advantage of speed, sensitivity and selectivity. The optimum solution pH for this type of analysis is 5-7. Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) further increases the sensitivity. Speciation is straightforward making this a broadly useful approach for the analysis of metal ions. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  8. Determination of boldenone sulfoconjugate and related steroid sulfates in equine urine by high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Weidolf, L O; Lee, E D; Henion, J D

    1988-03-01

    Sulfoconjugated anabolic steroids were separated by micro-bore high-performance liquid chromatography. The eluent was introduced into the atmospheric pressure ion source of the triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer via an ion spray liquid chromatograph/mass spectrometer interface operated in the negative ion mode. The limit of detection was 10 pg on-column by selected ion monitoring of the molecular ion and the response increased linearly over a concentration range of 2.4 orders of magnitude. Following work-up by a liquid-solid extraction procedure of equine urine samples, full-scan daughter ion spectra of boldenone sulfate could be obtained up to 17 days after a therapeutic dose of boldenone undecylenate to a horse.

  9. A new and highly selective turn-on fluorescent sensor with fast response time for the monitoring of cadmium ions in cosmetic, and health product samples

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khani, Rouhollah; Ghiamati, Ebrahim; Boroujerdi, Ramin; Rezaeifard, Abdolreza; Zaryabi, Mohadeseh Hosseinpour

    2016-06-01

    Cadmium (Cd) which is an extremely toxic could be found in many products like plastics, fossil fuel combustion, cosmetics, water resources, and wastewaters. It is capable of causing serious environmental and health problems such as lung, prostate, renal cancers and the other disorders. So, the development of a sensor to continually monitor cadmium is considerably demanding. Tetrakis(4-nitrophenyl)porphyrin, T(4-NO2-P)P, was synthesized and used as a new and highly selective fluorescent probe for monitoring cadmium ions in the "turn-on" mode. There was a linear relationship between fluorescence intensity and the concentration of Cd(II) in the range of 1.0 × 10- 6 to 1.0 × 10- 5 mol L- 1 with a detection limit of 0.276 μM. To examine the most important parameters involved and their interactions in the sensor optimization procedure, a four-factor central composite design (CCD) combined with response surface modeling (RSM) was implemented. The practical applicability of the developed sensor was investigated using real cosmetic, and personal care samples.

  10. A newly developed highly selective Zn2+-AcO- ion-pair sensor through partner preference: equal efficiency under solitary and colonial situation.

    PubMed

    Karar, Monaj; Paul, Suvendu; Biswas, Bhaskar; Majumdar, Tapas; Mallick, Arabinda

    2018-05-10

    Unusual self-sorting of an ion-pair under highly crowded conditions driven by a synthesized intelligent molecule 2-((E)-(3-((E)-2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylideneamino)-2-hydroxypropyl imino)methyl)-6-methoxyphenol, hereafter HBP, is described. When a mixture of various metal salts was allowed to react with HBP, only a specific ion-pair ZnII/AcO- in the solution simultaneously reacted, resulting in high-fidelity ion-pair recognition of HBP. This phenomenon was evidenced by significant changes in the absorption spectra and huge enhancement in emission intensity of HBP. The property that one molecule preferring one particular cation-anion pair over others is a rare but interesting phenomenon. Thus, the potential to interact selectively with the targeted ion-pair resulting in the formation of a specific complex recognized HBP as a new class of molecule that might find future applications in real time and on-site monitoring and separation of new molecules.

  11. A highly Selective Fluorescent Sensor for Monitoring Cu2+ Ion: Synthesis, Characterization and Photophysical Properties.

    PubMed

    Aderinto, Stephen Opeyemi; Xu, Yuling; Peng, Hongping; Wang, Fei; Wu, Huilu; Fan, Xuyang

    2017-01-01

    A new fluorescent sensor, 4-allylamine-N-(N-salicylidene)-1,8-naphthalimide (1), anchoring a naphthalimide moiety as fluorophore and a Schiff base group as receptor, was synthesized and characterized. The photophysical properties of sensor 1 were conducted in organic solvents of different polarities. Our study revealed that, depending on the solvent polarity, the fluorescence quantum yields varied from 0.59 to 0.89. The fluorescent activity of the sensor was monitored and the sensor was consequently applied for the detection of Cu 2+ with high selectivity over various metal ions by fluorescence quenching in Tris-HCl (pH = 7.2) buffer/DMF (1:1, v/v) solution. From the binding stoichiometry, it was indicated that a 1:1 complex was formed between Cu 2+ and the sensor 1. The fluorescence intensity was linear with Cu 2+ in the concentration range 0.5-5 μM. Moreso, the detection limit was calculated to be 0.32 μM, which is sufficiently low for good sensitivity of Cu 2+ ion. The binding mode was due to the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) and the coordination of Cu 2+ with C = N and hydroxyl oxygen groups of the sensor 1. The sensor proved effective for Cu 2+ monitoring in real water samples with recovery rates of 95-112.6 % obtained.

  12. Simultaneous Proteomic Discovery and Targeted Monitoring using Liquid Chromatography, Ion Mobility Spectrometry, and Mass Spectrometry

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Burnum-Johnson, Kristin E.; Nie, Song; Casey, Cameron P.

    Current proteomics approaches are comprised of both broad discovery measurements as well as more quantitative targeted measurements. These two different measurement types are used to initially identify potentially important proteins (e.g., candidate biomarkers) and then enable improved quantification for a limited number of selected proteins. However, both approaches suffer from limitations, particularly the lower sensitivity, accuracy, and quantitation precision for discovery approaches compared to targeted approaches, and the limited proteome coverage provided by targeted approaches. Herein, we describe a new proteomics approach that allows both discovery and targeted monitoring (DTM) in a single analysis using liquid chromatography, ion mobility spectrometrymore » and mass spectrometry (LC-IMS-MS). In DTM, heavy labeled peptides for target ions are spiked into tryptic digests and both the labeled and unlabeled peptides are broadly detected using LC-IMS-MS instrumentation, allowing the benefits of discovery and targeted approaches. To understand the possible improvement of the DTM approach, it was compared to LC-MS broad measurements using an accurate mass and time tag database and selected reaction monitoring (SRM) targeted measurements. The DTM results yielded greater peptide/protein coverage and a significant improvement in the detection of lower abundance species compared to LC-MS discovery measurements. DTM was also observed to have similar detection limits as SRM for the targeted measurements indicating its potential for combining the discovery and targeted approaches.« less

  13. Fast detection of toxic industrial compounds by laser ion mobility spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oberhuettinger, Carola; Langmeier, Andreas; Oberpriller, Helmut; Kessler, Matthias; Goebel, Johann; Mueller, Gerhard

    2009-05-01

    Trace detection of toxic industrial compounds has been investigated with the help of a laser ion mobility spectrometer (LIMS). The LIMS was equipped with a tuneable UV laser source for enabling two-photon ionization of the analyte gases and an ion drift tube for the measurement of the ion mobility. Different aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons as well as amines were investigated. We find that the first class of molecules can be well ionized due to the delocalization of their valence electron shells and the second due to the presence of non-bonding electrons in lone-pair orbitals. Selectivity of detection is attained on the basis of molecule-specific photo-ionization and drift time spectra. Ion currents were found to scale linearly with the substance concentration over several orders of magnitude down to the detection limits in the ppt range. As besides toxic industrial compounds, similar electron configurations also occur in illicit drugs, toxins and pharmaceutical substances, LIMS can be applied in a variety of fields ranging from environmental analysis, air pollution monitoring, drug detection and chemical process monitoring.

  14. Evaluation of the Botanical Authenticity and Phytochemical Profile of Black Cohosh Products by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Selected Ion Monitoring Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry

    PubMed Central

    Jiang, Bei; Kronenberg, Fredi; Nuntanakorn, Paiboon; Qiu, Ming-Hua; Kennelly, Edward J.

    2011-01-01

    Black cohosh (Actaea racemosa L., syn. Cimicifuga racemosa L.) has become increasingly popular as a dietary supplement in the United States for the treatment of symptoms related to menopause, but the botanical authenticity of most products containing black cohosh has not been evaluated, nor is manufacturing highly regulated in the United States. In this study, 11 black cohosh products were analyzed for triterpene glycosides, phenolic constituents, and formononetin by high-performance liquid chromatography–photodiode array detection and a new selected ion monitoring liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry method. Three of the 11 products were found to contain the marker compound cimifugin and not cimiracemoside C, thereby indicating that these plants contain Asian Actaea instead of black cohosh. One product contained both black cohosh and an Asian Actaea species. For the products containing only black cohosh, there was significant product-to-product variability in the amounts of the selected triterpene glycosides and phenolic constituents, and as expected, no formononetin was detected. PMID:16637680

  15. Electronic tongue

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kuhlman, Kimberly (Inventor); Buehler, Martin G. (Inventor)

    2004-01-01

    An ion selective electrode (ISE) array is described, as well as methods for producing the same. The array can contain multiple ISE which are individually electronically addressed. The addressing allows simplified preparation of the array. The array can be used for water quality monitoring, for example.

  16. Magnetic Graphene Nanosheet-Based Microfluidic Device for Homogeneous Real-Time Electronic Monitoring of Pyrophosphatase Activity Using Enzymatic Hydrolysate-Induced Release of Copper Ion.

    PubMed

    Lin, Youxiu; Zhou, Qian; Li, Juan; Shu, Jian; Qiu, Zhenli; Lin, Yuping; Tang, Dianping

    2016-01-05

    A novel flow-through microfluidic device based on a magneto-controlled graphene sensing platform was designed for homogeneous electronic monitoring of pyrophosphatase (PPase) activity; enzymatic hydrolysate-induced release of inorganic copper ion (Cu(2+)) from the Cu(2+)-coordinated pyrophosphate ions (Cu(2+)-PPi) complex was assessed to determine enzyme activity. Magnetic graphene nanosheets (MGNS) functionalized with negatively charged Nafion were synthesized by using the wet-chemistry method. The Cu(2+)-PPi complexes were prepared on the basis of the coordination reaction between copper ion and inorganic pyrophosphate ions. Upon target PPase introduction into the detection system, the analyte initially hydrolyzed pyrophosphate ions into phosphate ions and released the electroactive copper ions from Cu(2+)-PPi complexes. The released copper ions could be readily captured through the negatively charged Nafion on the magnetic graphene nanosheets, which could be quantitatively monitored by using the stripping voltammetry on the flow-through detection cell with an external magnet. Under optimal conditions, the obtained electrochemical signal exhibited a high dependence on PPase activity within a dynamic range from 0.1 to 20 mU mL(-1) and allowed the detection at a concentration as low as 0.05 mU mL(-1). Coefficients of variation for reproducibility of the intra-assay and interassay were below 7.6 and 9.8%, respectively. The inhibition efficiency of sodium fluoride (NaF) also received good results in pyrophosphatase inhibitor screening research. In addition, the methodology afforded good specificity and selectivity, simplification, and low cost without the need of sample separations and multiple washing steps, thus representing a user-friendly protocol for practical utilization in a quantitative PPase activity.

  17. Evaluation of coal-related model compounds using a tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Li, Guo-Sheng; Dong, Xueming; Fan, Xing; You, Chun-Yan; Wu, Ge; Zhao, Yun-Peng; Lu, Yao; Wei, Xian-Yong; Ma, Feng-Yun

    2018-05-08

    Gas chromotography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) is a routine and basic instrumental method for the analysis of complex coal conversion products in chemical industry. To further enhance practical potentials of GC/MS in chemical industry, a tandem MS method for the selection of ion pair applied in monitoring coal conversions was established by using GC/quadrupole time-of-flight MS (GC/Q-TOF MS). The corresponding fragmentation pathways were explored and suitable ion pairs were screened. Fourteen coal-related model compounds (CRMCs) were analyzed using a GC/Q-TOF MS with different collision induced dissociation (CID) energies (5-20 eV). The fragmentation pathways can offer a better understanding of chemical bond breaking, hydrogen transfer, rearrangement reactions and elimination of neutral fragments for CRMCs during the CID process. The precursor ions of aromatic hydrocarbons without alkyl chain were hard to fragment with a CID energy of 20 eV. But aromatic hydrocarbons with branched chains were prone to fragment via the loss of alkyl chains and further fragmented through ring-open reactions. Compared to C alk -C ar bond, C ar -C ar bond was hard to fragment duo to its high bond dissociation energy. The existence of heteroatoms facilitated fragmentation that was conducive to screening ion pair. The CID technique of GC/Q-TOF MS will contribute to the studies on the organic composition of coals and building monitoring methods for coal conversions via fragmentation and ion pair selection. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  18. Methods of analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey National Water Quality Laboratory; determination of pesticides in water by C-18 solid-phase extraction and capillary-column gas chromatography/mass spectrometry with selected-ion monitoring

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Zaugg, Steven D.; Sandstrom, Mark W.; Smith, Steven G.; Fehlberg, Kevin M.

    1995-01-01

    A method for the isolation of 41 pesticides and pesticide metabolites in natural-water samples using C-18 solid-phase extraction and determination by capillary-column gas chromatography/mass spectrometry with selected-ion monitoring is described. Water samples are filtered to remove suspended particulate matter and then are pumped through disposable solid-phase extraction columns containing octadecyl-bonded porous silica to extract the pesticides. The columns are dried using carbon dioxide or nitrogen gas, and adsorbed pesticides are removed from the columns by elution with 3.0 milliliters of hexane-isopropanol (3:1). Extracted pesticides are determined by capillary- column gas chromatography/mass spectrometry with selected-ion monitoring of three characteristic ions. The upper concentration limit is 4 micrograms per liter (g/L) for most pesticides, with the exception of widely used corn herbicides--atrazine, alachlor, cyanazine, and metolachlor--which have upper concentration limits of 20 g/L. Single- operator method detection limits in reagent-water samples range from 0.001 to 0.018 g/L. Average short-term single-operator precision in reagent- water samples is 7 percent at the 0.1- and 1.0-g/L levels and 8 percent at the 0.01-g/L level. Mean recoveries in reagent-water samples are 73 percent at the 0.1- and 1.0-g/L levels and 83 percent at the 0.01-g/L level. The estimated holding time for pesticides after extraction on the solid-phase extraction columns was 7 days. An optional on-site extraction procedure allows for samples to be collected and processed at remote sites where it is difficult to ship samples to the laboratory within the recommended pre-extraction holding time.

  19. Monitoring volatilization products using Residual Gas Analyzers during MeV ion beam irradiations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wetteland, C. J.; Kriewaldt, K.; Taylor, L. A.; McSween, H. Y.; Sickafus, K. E.

    2018-03-01

    The use of Residual Gas Analyzers (RGAs) during irradiation experiments can provide valuable information when incorporated into experimental end-stations. The instruments can track the volatilization products of beam-sensitive materials, which may ultimately aid researchers in selecting appropriate flux values for conducting experiments. Furthermore, the type of gaseous species released during an irradiation can be monitored directly, which may lead to new insights into the radiolysis and/or heating mechanisms responsible for gas evolution. A survey of several classes of materials exposed to extremes in particle flux is presented to show how RGA instrumentation can be incorporated to qualitatively assess ion-solid interactions in a variety of fields.

  20. Infrared Spectroscopy of Mobility-Selected H+-Gly-Pro-Gly-Gly (GPGG)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Masson, Antoine; Kamrath, Michael Z.; Perez, Marta A. S.; Glover, Matthew S.; Rothlisberger, U.; Clemmer, David E.; Rizzo, Thomas R.

    2015-09-01

    We report the first results from a new instrument capable of acquiring infrared spectra of mobility-selected ions. This demonstration involves using ion mobility to first separate the protonated peptide Gly-Pro-Gly-Gly (GPGG) into two conformational families with collisional cross-sections of 93.8 and 96.8 Å2. After separation, each family is independently analyzed by acquiring the infrared predissociation spectrum of the H2-tagged molecules. The ion mobility and spectroscopic data combined with density functional theory (DFT) based molecular dynamics simulations confirm the presence of one major conformer per family, which arises from cis/ trans isomerization about the proline residue. We induce isomerization between the two conformers by using collisional activation in the drift tube and monitor the evolution of the ion distribution with ion mobility and infrared spectroscopy. While the cis-proline species is the preferred gas-phase structure, its relative population is smaller than that of the trans-proline species in the initial ion mobility drift distribution. This suggests that a portion of the trans-proline ion population is kinetically trapped as a higher energy conformer and may retain structural elements from solution.

  1. Isotope-dilution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method for the analysis of hydroxyurea.

    PubMed

    Garg, Uttam; Scott, David; Frazee, Clint; Kearns, Gregory; Neville, Kathleen

    2015-06-01

    Hydroxyurea is used in the treatment of various malignancies and sickle cell disease. There are limited studies on the pharmacokinetics of hydroxyurea, particularly in pediatric patients. An accurate, precise, and sensitive method is needed to support such studies and to monitor therapeutic adherence. We describe a novel gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method for the determination of hydroxyurea concentration in plasma using stable labeled hydroxyurea C N2 as an internal standard. The method involved an organic extraction followed by the preparation of trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivatives of hydroxyurea for GC-MS selected ion-monitoring analysis. The following mass-to-charge (m/z) ratio ions for silated hydroxyurea and hydroxyurea C N2 were monitored: hydroxyurea-quantitative ion 277, qualifier ions 292 and 249; hydroxyurea C N2-quantitative ion 280, qualifier ion 295. This method was evaluated for reportable range, accuracy, within-run and between-run imprecisions, and limits of quantification. The reportable range for the method was 0.1-100 mcg/mL. All results were accurate within an allowable error of 15%. Within-run and between-run imprecisions were <15%. Samples were stable for at least 4 hours at room temperature, 2 months at -20°C, and 6 months at -70°C, and after 3 freeze/thaw cycles. Extraction efficiency for 1-, 5-, 10-, and 50-mcg/mL samples averaged 2.2%, 1.8%, 1.6%, and 1.4%, respectively. The isotope-dilution GC-MS method for analysis of hydroxyurea described here is accurate, sensitive, precise, and robust. Its characteristics make the method suitable for supporting pharmacokinetic studies and/or clinical therapeutic monitoring.

  2. Identification and quantification of cardiac glycosides in blood and urine samples by HPLC/MS/MS.

    PubMed

    Guan, F; Ishii, A; Seno, H; Watanabe-Suzuki, K; Kumazawa, T; Suzuki, O

    1999-09-15

    Cardiac glycosides (CG) are of forensic importance because of their toxicity and the fact that very limited methods are available for identification of CG in biological samples. In this study, we have developed an identification and quantification method for digoxin, digitoxin, deslanoside, digoxigenin, and digitoxigenin by high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS/MS). CG formed abundant [M + NH4]+ ions and much less abundant [M + H]+ ions as observed with electrospray ionization (ESI) source and ammonium formate buffer. Under mild conditions for collision-induced dissociation (CID), each [M + NH4]+ ion fragmented to produce a dominant daughter ion, which was essential to the sensitive method of selected reaction monitoring (SRM) quantification of CG achieved in this study. SRM was compared with selected ion monitoring (SIM) regarding the effects of sample matrixes on the methodology. SRM produced lower detection limits with biological samples than SIM, while both methods produced equal detection limits with CG standards. On the basis of the HPLC/MS/MS results for CG, we have proposed some generalized points for conducting sensitive SRM measurements, in view of the property of analytes as well as instrumental conditions such as the type of HPLC/MS interface and CID parameters. Analytes of which the molecular ion can produce one abundant daughter ion with high yield under CID conditions may be sensitively measured by SRM. ESI is the most soft ionization source developed so far and can afford formation of the fragile molecular ions that are necessary for sensitive SRM detection. Mild CID conditions such as low collision energy and low pressure of collision gas favor production of an abundant daughter ion that is essential to sensitive SRM detection. This knowledge may provide some guidelines for conducting sensitive SRM measurements of very low concentrations of drugs or toxicants in biological samples.

  3. Exploration research on synthesis and application of a new dye containing di-2-picolyamine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Huihui; Wei, Zeyue; Xia, Ying; Fang, Min; Zhu, Weiju; Yang, Xingyuan; Li, Fei; Tian, Yupeng; Zhang, Xuanjun; Zhou, Hongping

    2018-05-01

    A newly designed fluorescence dye L based on di-2-picolyamine (DPA) moiety as a chelator was obtained under the protection of N2 at 120 °C, and KI as catalyst with relatively better yield. More interestingly, L not only could selectively and sensitively detect Cu2+ ions in aqueous medium but also examine the Cu2+ ions of the actual water samples. Nevertheless, L could be visual in Hela cells with excellent cell permeability, viz, monitoring exogenous Cu2+ ions as well as realizing an "on-off-on" process.

  4. Selected reaction monitoring mass spectrometry: a methodology overview.

    PubMed

    Ebhardt, H Alexander

    2014-01-01

    Moving past the discovery phase of proteomics, the term targeted proteomics combines multiple approaches investigating a certain set of proteins in more detail. One such targeted proteomics approach is the combination of liquid chromatography and selected or multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry (SRM, MRM). SRM-MS requires prior knowledge of the fragmentation pattern of peptides, as the presence of the analyte in a sample is determined by measuring the m/z values of predefined precursor and fragment ions. Using scheduled SRM-MS, many analytes can robustly be monitored allowing for high-throughput sample analysis of the same set of proteins over many conditions. In this chapter, fundaments of SRM-MS are explained as well as an optimized SRM pipeline from assay generation to data analyzed.

  5. UPLC-MS/MS determination of ephedrine, methylephedrine, amygdalin and glycyrrhizic acid in Beagle plasma and its application to a pharmacokinetic study after oral administration of Ma Huang Tang.

    PubMed

    Yan, Tianhua; Fu, Qiang; Wang, Jing; Ma, Shiping

    2015-02-01

    An ultra performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric (UPLC-MS) method was developed to investigate the pharmacokinetic properties of ephedrine, methylephedrine, amygdalin, and glycyrrhizic acid after oral gavage of Ma Huang Tang (MHT) in Beagles. Beagle plasma samples were pretreated using liquid-liquid extraction, and chromatographic separation was performed on a C18 column using a linear gradient of water-formic acid mixture (0.1%). The pharmacokinetic parameters of ephedrine, methylephedrine, amygdalin, and glycyrrhizic acid from MHT in Beagles were quantitatively determined by UPLC with tandem mass detector. The qualitative detection of the four compounds was accomplished by selected ion monitoring in negative/positive ion modes electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Detection was based on multiple reaction monitoring with the precursor-to-product ion transitions m/z 166.096-116.983 (ephedrine), m/z 179.034-146.087 (methylephedrine), m/z 456.351-323.074 (amygdalin), and m/z 821.606-351.062 (glycyrrhizic acid). The selectivity, sensitivity, linearity, accuracy, precision, extraction recovery, ion suppression, and stability were within the acceptable ranges. The method described was successfully applied to reveal the pharmacokinetic properties of ephedrine, methylephedrine, amygdalin, and glycyrrhizic acid after oral gavage of MHT in Beagles. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  6. The monitoring of pesticides and alkylphenols in selected rivers in the State of Selangor, Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Tan, B L L; Mustafa, A M

    2004-01-01

    Alkylphenols and most pesticides, especially organochlorine pesticides are endocrine-disrupting chemicals and they usually mimic the female hormone, estrogen. Using these chemicals in our environment would eventually lead us to consume them somehow in the food web. Several rivers in the State of Selangor, Malaysia were selected to monitor the level of alkylphenols and pesticides contamination for several months. The compounds were extracted from the water samples using liquid-liquid extraction method with dichloromethane and ethyl acetate as the extracting solvents. The alkylphenols and pesticides were analyzed by selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode using the quadrapole detector in Shimadzu QP-5000 gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GCMS). Recovery of most alkylphenols and pesticides were in the range of 50% to 120%. Trace amounts of the compounds were detected in the river water samples, mainly in the range of parts per trillion. This technique of monitoring the levels of endocrine-disruptors in river water is consistent and cost effective.

  7. Monitoring of Diisopropyl Fluorophosphate Hydrolysis by Fluoride-Selective Polymeric Films Using Absorbance Spectroscopy

    PubMed Central

    Ramanathan, Madhumati; Wang, Lin; Wild, James R.; Meyeroff, Mark E.; Simonian, Aleksandr L.

    2012-01-01

    In this study, a novel system for the detection and quantification of organofluorophosphonates (OFP) has been developed by using an optical sensing polymeric membrane to detect the fluoride ions produced upon OFP hydrolysis. Diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP), a structural analogue of Type G Chemical Warfare Agents such as Sarin (GB) and Soman (GD), is used as the surrogate target analyte. An optical sensing fluoride-ion-selective polymeric film was formulated from plasticized PVC containing aluminum(III) octaethylporphyrin and ETH 7075 chromoionophore (Al[OEP]-ETH 7075). Selected formulations were used to detect the fluoride ions produced by the catalytic hydrolysis of DFP by the enzyme organophosphate hydrolase (OPH, EC 3.1.8.1). The changes in absorbance that corresponded to the deprotonated state of chromoionophore within the film results from simultaneous co-extraction of fluoride and protons as DFP hydrolysis takes place in the solution phase in contact with the film. The developed sensing system demonstrates excellent sensitivity for concentrations as low as 0.1 µM DFP. PMID:20441875

  8. Determination of the molecular weight of poly(ethylene glycol) in biological samples by reversed-phase LC-MS with in-source fragmentation.

    PubMed

    Warrack, Bethanne M; Redding, Brian P; Chen, Guodong; Bolgar, Mark S

    2013-05-01

    PEGylation has been widely used to improve the biopharmaceutical properties of therapeutic proteins and peptides. Previous studies have used multiple analytical techniques to determine the fate of both the therapeutic molecule and unconjugated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) after drug administration. A straightforward strategy utilizing liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to characterize high-molecular weight PEG in biologic matrices without a need for complex sample preparation is presented. The method is capable of determining whether high-MW PEG is cleaved in vivo to lower-molecular weight PEG species. Reversed-phase chromatographic separation is used to take advantage of the retention principles of polymeric materials whereby elution order correlates with PEG molecular weight. In-source collision-induced dissociation (CID) combined with selected reaction monitoring (SRM) or selected ion monitoring (SIM) mass spectrometry (MS) is then used to monitor characteristic PEG fragment ions in biological samples. MS provides high sensitivity and specificity for PEG and the observed retention times in reversed-phase LC enable estimation of molecular weight. This method was successfully used to characterize PEG molecular weight in mouse serum samples. No change in molecular weight was observed for 48 h after dosing.

  9. A new and highly selective turn-on fluorescent sensor with fast response time for the monitoring of cadmium ions in cosmetic, and health product samples.

    PubMed

    Khani, Rouhollah; Ghiamati, Ebrahim; Boroujerdi, Ramin; Rezaeifard, Abdolreza; Zaryabi, Mohadeseh Hosseinpour

    2016-06-15

    Cadmium (Cd) which is an extremely toxic could be found in many products like plastics, fossil fuel combustion, cosmetics, water resources, and wastewaters. It is capable of causing serious environmental and health problems such as lung, prostate, renal cancers and the other disorders. So, the development of a sensor to continually monitor cadmium is considerably demanding. Tetrakis(4-nitrophenyl)porphyrin, T(4-NO2-P)P, was synthesized and used as a new and highly selective fluorescent probe for monitoring cadmium ions in the "turn-on" mode. There was a linear relationship between fluorescence intensity and the concentration of Cd(II) in the range of 1.0×10(-6) to 1.0×10(-5)molL(-1) with a detection limit of 0.276μM. To examine the most important parameters involved and their interactions in the sensor optimization procedure, a four-factor central composite design (CCD) combined with response surface modeling (RSM) was implemented. The practical applicability of the developed sensor was investigated using real cosmetic, and personal care samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Simultaneous Proteomic Discovery and Targeted Monitoring using Liquid Chromatography, Ion Mobility Spectrometry, and Mass Spectrometry*

    PubMed Central

    Burnum-Johnson, Kristin E.; Nie, Song; Casey, Cameron P.; Monroe, Matthew E.; Orton, Daniel J.; Ibrahim, Yehia M.; Gritsenko, Marina A.; Clauss, Therese R. W.; Shukla, Anil K.; Moore, Ronald J.; Purvine, Samuel O.; Shi, Tujin; Qian, Weijun; Liu, Tao; Baker, Erin S.; Smith, Richard D.

    2016-01-01

    Current proteomic approaches include both broad discovery measurements and quantitative targeted analyses. In many cases, discovery measurements are initially used to identify potentially important proteins (e.g. candidate biomarkers) and then targeted studies are employed to quantify a limited number of selected proteins. Both approaches, however, suffer from limitations. Discovery measurements aim to sample the whole proteome but have lower sensitivity, accuracy, and quantitation precision than targeted approaches, whereas targeted measurements are significantly more sensitive but only sample a limited portion of the proteome. Herein, we describe a new approach that performs both discovery and targeted monitoring (DTM) in a single analysis by combining liquid chromatography, ion mobility spectrometry and mass spectrometry (LC-IMS-MS). In DTM, heavy labeled target peptides are spiked into tryptic digests and both the labeled and unlabeled peptides are detected using LC-IMS-MS instrumentation. Compared with the broad LC-MS discovery measurements, DTM yields greater peptide/protein coverage and detects lower abundance species. DTM also achieved detection limits similar to selected reaction monitoring (SRM) indicating its potential for combined high quality discovery and targeted analyses, which is a significant step toward the convergence of discovery and targeted approaches. PMID:27670688

  11. Accuracy of genetic code translation and its orthogonal corruption by aminoglycosides and Mg2+ ions.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jingji; Pavlov, Michael Y; Ehrenberg, Måns

    2018-02-16

    We studied the effects of aminoglycosides and changing Mg2+ ion concentration on the accuracy of initial codon selection by aminoacyl-tRNA in ternary complex with elongation factor Tu and GTP (T3) on mRNA programmed ribosomes. Aminoglycosides decrease the accuracy by changing the equilibrium constants of 'monitoring bases' A1492, A1493 and G530 in 16S rRNA in favor of their 'activated' state by large, aminoglycoside-specific factors, which are the same for cognate and near-cognate codons. Increasing Mg2+ concentration decreases the accuracy by slowing dissociation of T3 from its initial codon- and aminoglycoside-independent binding state on the ribosome. The distinct accuracy-corrupting mechanisms for aminoglycosides and Mg2+ ions prompted us to re-interpret previous biochemical experiments and functional implications of existing high resolution ribosome structures. We estimate the upper thermodynamic limit to the accuracy, the 'intrinsic selectivity' of the ribosome. We conclude that aminoglycosides do not alter the intrinsic selectivity but reduce the fraction of it that is expressed as the accuracy of initial selection. We suggest that induced fit increases the accuracy and speed of codon reading at unaltered intrinsic selectivity of the ribosome.

  12. Measurement of stable isotopic enrichment and concentration of long-chain fatty acyl-carnitines in tissue by HPLC-MS.

    PubMed

    Sun, Dayong; Cree, Melanie G; Zhang, Xiao-Jun; Bøersheim, Elisabet; Wolfe, Robert R

    2006-02-01

    We have developed a new method for the simultaneous measurements of stable isotopic tracer enrichments and concentrations of individual long-chain fatty acyl-carnitines in muscle tissue using ion-pairing high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization quadrupole mass spectrometry in the selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. Long-chain fatty acyl-carnitines were extracted from frozen muscle tissue samples by acetonitrile/methanol. Baseline separation was achieved by reverse-phase HPLC in the presence of the volatile ion-pairing reagent heptafluorobutyric acid. The SIM capability of a single quadrupole mass analyzer allows further separation of the ions of interest from the sample matrixes, providing very clean total and selected ion chromatograms that can be used to calculate the stable isotopic tracer enrichment and concentration of long-chain fatty acyl-carnitines in a single analysis. The combination of these two separation techniques greatly simplifies the sample preparation procedure and increases the detection sensitivity. Applying this protocol to biological muscle samples proves it to be a very sensitive, accurate, and precise analytical tool.

  13. Aqueous nitrite ion determination by selective reduction and gas phase nitric oxide chemiluminescence

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dunham, A. J.; Barkley, R. M.; Sievers, R. E.; Clarkson, T. W. (Principal Investigator)

    1995-01-01

    An improved method of flow injection analysis for aqueous nitrite ion exploits the sensitivity and selectivity of the nitric oxide (NO) chemilluminescence detector. Trace analysis of nitrite ion in a small sample (5-160 microL) is accomplished by conversion of nitrite ion to NO by aqueous iodide in acid. The resulting NO is transported to the gas phase through a semipermeable membrane and subsequently detected by monitoring the photoemission of the reaction between NO and ozone (O3). Chemiluminescence detection is selective for measurement of NO, and, since the detection occurs in the gas-phase, neither sample coloration nor turbidity interfere. The detection limit for a 100-microL sample is 0.04 ppb of nitrite ion. The precision at the 10 ppb level is 2% relative standard deviation, and 60-180 samples can be analyzed per hour. Samples of human saliva and food extracts were analyzed; the results from a standard colorimetric measurement are compared with those from the new chemiluminescence method in order to further validate the latter method. A high degree of selectivity is obtained due to the three discriminating steps in the process: (1) the nitrite ion to NO conversion conditions are virtually specific for nitrite ion, (2) only volatile products of the conversion will be swept to the gas phase (avoiding turbidity or color in spectrophotometric methods), and (3) the NO chemiluminescence detector selectively detects the emission from the NO + O3 reaction. The method is free of interferences, offers detection limits of low parts per billion of nitrite ion, and allows the analysis of up to 180 microL-sized samples per hour, with little sample preparation and no chromatographic separation. Much smaller samples can be analyzed by this method than in previously reported batch analysis methods, which typically require 5 mL or more of sample and often need chromatographic separations as well.

  14. Using ion chromatography to monitor haloacetic acids in drinking water: a review of current technologies.

    PubMed

    Paull, Brett; Barron, Leon

    2004-08-13

    A review of the application of ion chromatography to the determination of haloacetic acids in drinking water is given. As it requires no sample derivatisation, ion chromatography in its various modes, such as ion-exchange, ion-interaction and ion-exclusion chromatography, is increasingly being investigated as a simpler alternative to gas chromatographic methods for the determination of polar disinfection by-products (DBPs) in drinking waters. Detection limits quoted for the regulated haloacetic acids (HAA5), are commonly in the mid to low microg/L range, however, in most cases analyte preconcentration is still necessary for detection at concentrations commonly found in actual drinking water samples. The coupling of ion chromatography to electrospray mass spectrometry provides a potential future direction, with improved sensitivity and selectivity compared to conductivity based detection, however associated cost and complexity for routine analysis is currently relatively high.

  15. ISFET Based Microsensors for Environmental Monitoring

    PubMed Central

    Jimenez-Jorquera, Cecilia; Orozco, Jahir; Baldi, Antoni

    2010-01-01

    The use of microsensors for in-field monitoring of environmental parameters is gaining interest due to their advantages over conventional sensors. Among them microsensors based on semiconductor technology offer additional advantages such as small size, robustness, low output impedance and rapid response. Besides, the technology used allows integration of circuitry and multiple sensors in the same substrate and accordingly they can be implemented in compact probes for particular applications e.g., in situ monitoring and/or on-line measurements. In the field of microsensors for environmental applications, Ion Selective Field Effect Transistors (ISFETs) have a special interest. They are particularly helpful for measuring pH and other ions in small volumes and they can be integrated in compact flow cells for continuous measurements. In this paper the technologies used to fabricate ISFETs and a review of the role of ISFETs in the environmental field are presented. PMID:22315527

  16. Novel Cu(I)-selective chelators based on a bis(phosphorothioyl)amide scaffold.

    PubMed

    Amir, Aviran; Ezra, Alon; Shimon, Linda J W; Fischer, Bilha

    2014-08-04

    Bis(dialkyl/aryl-phosphorothioyl)amide (BPA) derivatives are versatile ligands known by their high metal-ion affinity and selectivity. Here, we synthesized related chelators based on bis(1,3,2-dithia/dioxaphospholane-2-sulfide)amide (BTPA/BOPA) scaffolds targeting the chelation of soft metal ions. Crystal structures of BTPA compounds 6 (N(-)R3NH(+)) and 8 (NEt) revealed a gauche geometry, while BOPA compound 7 (N(-)R3NH(+)) exhibited an anti-geometry. Solid-state (31)P magic-angle spinning NMR spectra of BTPA 6-Hg(II) and 6-Zn(II) complexes imply a square planar or tetrahedral geometry of the former and a distorted tetrahedral geometry of the latter, while both BTPA 6-Ni(II) and BOPA 7-Ni(II) complexes possibly form a polymeric structure. In Cu(I)-H2O2 system (Fenton reaction conditions) BTPA compounds 6, 8, and 10 (NCH2Ph) were identified as most potent antioxidants (IC50 32, 56, and 29 μM, respectively), whereas BOPA analogues 7, 9 (NEt), and 11 (NCH2Ph) were found to be poor antioxidants. In Fe(II)-H2O2 system, IC50 values for both BTPA and BOPA compounds exceeded 500 μM indicating high selectivity to Cu(I) versus the borderline Fe(II)-ion. Neither BTPA nor BOPA derivatives showed radical scavenging properties in H2O2 photolysis, implying that inhibition of the Cu(I)-induced Fenton reaction by both BTPA and BOPA analogues occurred predominantly through Cu(I)-chelation. In addition, NMR-monitored Cu(I)- and Zn(II)-titration of BTPA compounds 8 and 10 showed their high selectivity to a soft metal ion, Cu(I), as compared to a borderline metal ion, Zn(II). In summary, lipophilic BTPA analogues are promising highly selective Cu(I) ion chelators.

  17. Ultrasensitive and selective gold film-based detection of mercury (II) in tap water using a laser scanning confocal imaging-surface plasmon resonance system in real time.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Hongyan; Yang, Liquan; Zhou, Bingjiang; Liu, Weimin; Ge, Jiechao; Wu, Jiasheng; Wang, Ying; Wang, Pengfei

    2013-09-15

    An ultrasensitive and selective detection of mercury (II) was investigated using a laser scanning confocal imaging-surface plasmon resonance system (LSCI-SPR). The detection limit was as low as 0.01ng/ml for Hg(2+) ions in ultrapure and tap water based on a T-rich, single-stranded DNA (ssDNA)-modified gold film, which can be individually manipulated using specific T-Hg(2+)-T complex formation. The quenching intensity of the fluorescence images for rhodamine-labeled ssDNA fitted well with the changes in SPR. The changes varied with the Hg(2+) ion concentration, which is unaffected by the presence of other metal ions. The coefficients obtained for ultrapure and tap water were 0.99902 and 0.99512, respectively, for the linear part over a range of 0.01-100ng/ml. The results show that the double-effect sensor has potential for practical applications with ultra sensitivity and selectivity, especially in online or real-time monitoring of Hg(2+) ions pollution in tap water with the further improvement of portable LSCI-SPR instrument. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Comprehensive Gas-Phase Peptide Ion Structure Studies Using Ion Mobility Techniques: Part 2. Gas-Phase Hydrogen/Deuterium Exchange for Ion Population Estimation.

    PubMed

    Khakinejad, Mahdiar; Ghassabi Kondalaji, Samaneh; Tafreshian, Amirmahdi; Valentine, Stephen J

    2017-05-01

    Gas-phase hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX) using D 2 O reagent and collision cross-section (CCS) measurements are utilized to monitor the ion conformers of the model peptide acetyl-PAAAAKAAAAKAAAAKAAAAK. The measurements are carried out on a home-built ion mobility instrument coupled to a linear ion trap mass spectrometer containing electron transfer dissociation (ETD) capabilities. ETD is utilized to obtain per-residue deuterium uptake data for select ion conformers, and a new algorithm is presented for interpreting the HDX data. Using molecular dynamics (MD) production data and a hydrogen accessibility scoring (HAS)-number of effective collisions (NEC) model, hypothetical HDX behavior is attributed to various in-silico candidate (CCS match) structures. The HAS-NEC model is applied to all candidate structures, and non-negative linear regression is employed to determine structure contributions resulting in the best match to deuterium uptake. The accuracy of the HAS-NEC model is tested with the comparison of predicted and experimental isotopic envelopes for several of the observed c-ions. It is proposed that gas-phase HDX can be utilized effectively as a second criterion (after CCS matching) for filtering suitable MD candidate structures. In this study, the second step of structure elucidation, 13 nominal structures were selected (from a pool of 300 candidate structures) and each with a population contribution proposed for these ions. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

  19. On- and off-line monitoring of ion beam treatment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Parodi, Katia

    2016-02-01

    Ion beam therapy is an emerging modality for high precision radiation treatment of cancer. In comparison to conventional radiation sources (photons, electrons), ion beams feature major dosimetric advantages due to their finite range with a localized dose deposition maximum, the Bragg peak, which can be selectively adjusted in depth. However, due to several sources of treatment uncertainties, full exploitation of these dosimetric advantages in clinical practice would require the possibility to visualize the stopping position of the ions in vivo, ideally in real-time. To this aim, different imaging methods have been proposed and investigated, either pre-clinically or even clinically, based on the detection of prompt or delayed radiation following nuclear interaction of the beam with the irradiated tissue. However, the chosen or ad-hoc developed instrumentation has often relied on technologies originally conceived for different applications, thus compromising on the achievable performances for the sake of cost-effectiveness. This contribution will review major examples of used instrumentation and related performances, identifying the most promising detector developments for next generation devices especially dedicated to on-line monitoring of ion beam treatment. Moreover, it will propose an original combination of different techniques in a hybrid detection scheme, aiming to make the most of complementary imaging methods and open new perspectives of image guidance for improved precision of ion beam therapy.

  20. Integrated multi-ISE arrays with improved sensitivity, accuracy and precision

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Chunling; Yuan, Hongyan; Duan, Zhijuan; Xiao, Dan

    2017-03-01

    Increasing use of ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) in the biological and environmental fields has generated demand for high-sensitivity ISEs. However, improving the sensitivities of ISEs remains a challenge because of the limit of the Nernstian slope (59.2/n mV). Here, we present a universal ion detection method using an electronic integrated multi-electrode system (EIMES) that bypasses the Nernstian slope limit of 59.2/n mV, thereby enabling substantial enhancement of the sensitivity of ISEs. The results reveal that the response slope is greatly increased from 57.2 to 1711.3 mV, 57.3 to 564.7 mV and 57.7 to 576.2 mV by electronic integrated 30 Cl- electrodes, 10 F- electrodes and 10 glass pH electrodes, respectively. Thus, a tiny change in the ion concentration can be monitored, and correspondingly, the accuracy and precision are substantially improved. The EIMES is suited for all types of potentiometric sensors and may pave the way for monitoring of various ions with high accuracy and precision because of its high sensitivity.

  1. Polymer-based lanthanide luminescent sensor for detection of the hydrolysis product of the nerve agent Soman in water.

    PubMed

    Jenkins, A L; Uy, O M; Murray, G M

    1999-01-15

    The techniques of molecular imprinting and sensitized lanthanide luminescence have been combined to create the basis for a sensor that can selectively measure the hydrolysis product of the nerve agent Soman in water. The sensor functions by selectively and reversibly binding the phosphonate hydrolysis product of this agent to a functionality-imprinted copolymer possessing a coordinatively bound luminescent lanthanide ion, Eu3+. Instrumental support for this device is designed to monitor the appearance of a narrow luminescence band in the 610-nm region of the Eu3+ spectrum that results when the analyte is coordinated to the copolymer. The ligand field shifted luminescence was excited using 1 mW of the 465.8-nm line of an argon ion laser and monitored via an optical fiber using a miniature spectrometer. For this configuration, the limit of detection for the hydrolysis product is 7 parts per trillion (ppt) in solution with a linear range from 10 ppt to 10 ppm. Chemical and spectroscopic selectivities have been combined to reduce the likelihood of false positive analyses. Chemically analogous organophosphorus pesticides tested against the sensor have been shown to not interfere with determination.

  2. Isolation and recovery of selected polybrominated diphenyl ethers from human serum and sheep serum: coupling reversed-phase solid-phase disk extraction and liquid-liquid extraction techniques with a capillary gas chromatographic electron capture negative ion mass spectrometric determinative technique.

    PubMed

    Loconto, Paul R; Isenga, David; O'Keefe, Michael; Knottnerus, Mark

    2008-01-01

    Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are isolated and recovered with acceptable percent recoveries from human serum via liquid-liquid extraction and column chromatographic cleanup and fractionation with quantitation using capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with electron capture negative ion and selected ion monitoring. PBDEs are found in unspiked serum. An alternative sample preparation approach is developed using sheep serum that utilizes a formic acid pre-treatment followed by reversed-phase solid-phase disk extraction and normal-phase solid-phase cleanup using acidified silica gel that yields>50% recoveries. When these percent recoveries are combined with a minimized phase ratio for human serum and very low instrument detection limits, method detection limits below 500 parts-per-trillion are realized.

  3. Target-induced formation of gold amalgamation on DNA-based sensing platform for electrochemical monitoring of mercury ion coupling with cycling signal amplification strategy.

    PubMed

    Chen, Jinfeng; Tang, Juan; Zhou, Jun; Zhang, Lan; Chen, Guonan; Tang, Dianping

    2014-01-31

    Heavy metal ion pollution poses severe risks in human health and environmental pollutant, because of the likelihood of bioaccumulation and toxicity. Driven by the requirement to monitor trace-level mercury ion (Hg(2+)), herein we construct a new DNA-based sensor for sensitive electrochemical monitoring of Hg(2+) by coupling target-induced formation of gold amalgamation on DNA-based sensing platform with gold amalgamation-catalyzed cycling signal amplification strategy. The sensor was simply prepared by covalent conjugation of aminated poly-T(25) oligonucleotide onto the glassy carbon electrode by typical carbodiimide coupling. Upon introduction of target analyte, Hg(2+) ion was intercalated into the DNA polyion complex membrane based on T-Hg(2+)-T coordination chemistry. The chelated Hg(2+) ion could induce the formation of gold amalgamation, which could catalyze the p-nitrophenol with the aid of NaBH4 and Ru(NH3)6(3+) for cycling signal amplification. Experimental results indicated that the electronic signal of our system increased with the increasing Hg(2+) level in the sample, and has a detection limit of 0.02nM with a dynamic range of up to 1000nM Hg(2+). The strategy afforded exquisite selectivity for Hg(2+) against other environmentally related metal ions. In addition, the methodology was evaluated for the analysis of Hg(2+) in spiked tap-water samples, and the recovery was 87.9-113.8%. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Determination of clebopride in plasma by capillary gas chromatography-negative-ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Robinson, P R; Jones, M D; Maddock, J

    1988-11-18

    A procedure for the analysis of clebopride in plasma using capillary gas chromatography-negative-ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry has been developed. Employing an ethoxy analogue as internal standard, the two compounds were extracted from basified plasma using dichloromethane. Subsequent reaction with heptafluorobutyryl imidazole produced volatile monoheptafluorobutyryl derivatives whose ammonia negative-ion mass spectra proved ideal for selected-ion monitoring. The recovery of clebopride from plasma at 0.536 nmol/l was found to be 85.5 +/- 0.9% (n = 3) whilst measurement down to 0.268 nmol/l was possible with a coefficient of variation of 7.9%. Plasma levels of the compound are reported in two volunteers following ingestion of 1 mg of clebopride as the malate salt.

  5. Hierarchical inorganic-organic multi-shell nanospheres for intervention and treatment of lead-contaminated blood

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khairy, Mohamed; El-Safty, Sherif A.; Shenashen, Mohamed. A.; Elshehy, Emad A.

    2013-08-01

    The highly toxic properties, bioavailability, and adverse effects of Pb2+ species on the environment and living organisms necessitate periodic monitoring and removal whenever possible of Pb2+ concentrations in the environment. In this study, we designed a novel optical multi-shell nanosphere sensor that enables selective recognition, unrestrained accessibility, continuous monitoring, and efficient removal (on the order of minutes) of Pb2+ ions from water and human blood, i.e., red blood cells (RBCs). The consequent decoration of the mesoporous core/double-shell silica nanospheres through a chemically responsive azo-chromophore with a long hydrophobic tail enabled us to create a unique hierarchical multi-shell sensor. We examined the efficiency of the multi-shell sensor in removing lead ions from the blood to ascertain the potential use of the sensor in medical applications. The lead-induced hemolysis of RBCs in the sensing/capture assay was inhibited by the ability of the hierarchical sensor to remove lead ions from blood. The results suggest the higher flux and diffusion of Pb2+ ions into the mesopores of the core/multi-shell sensor than into the RBC membranes. These findings indicate that the sensor could be used in the prevention of health risks associated with elevated blood lead levels such as anemia.The highly toxic properties, bioavailability, and adverse effects of Pb2+ species on the environment and living organisms necessitate periodic monitoring and removal whenever possible of Pb2+ concentrations in the environment. In this study, we designed a novel optical multi-shell nanosphere sensor that enables selective recognition, unrestrained accessibility, continuous monitoring, and efficient removal (on the order of minutes) of Pb2+ ions from water and human blood, i.e., red blood cells (RBCs). The consequent decoration of the mesoporous core/double-shell silica nanospheres through a chemically responsive azo-chromophore with a long hydrophobic tail enabled us to create a unique hierarchical multi-shell sensor. We examined the efficiency of the multi-shell sensor in removing lead ions from the blood to ascertain the potential use of the sensor in medical applications. The lead-induced hemolysis of RBCs in the sensing/capture assay was inhibited by the ability of the hierarchical sensor to remove lead ions from blood. The results suggest the higher flux and diffusion of Pb2+ ions into the mesopores of the core/multi-shell sensor than into the RBC membranes. These findings indicate that the sensor could be used in the prevention of health risks associated with elevated blood lead levels such as anemia. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: The experimental procedures for synthesis of AC-LHT, mesoporous core/double shell silica, and optical core/multi-shell sensors. The adsorption capacity, optical recognition of Pb ions, colorimetric response of Pb ions in ethanol medium, Langmuir adsorption isotherm and reusability of captor are addressed. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr02403b

  6. Characterization of limonin glucoside metabolites from human prostate cell culture medium using high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Tian, Qingguo; Kent, Kyle D; Bomser, Joshua A; Schwartz, Steven J

    2004-01-01

    The metabolism of limonin 17-beta-D-glucopyranoside (LG) by non-cancerous (RWPE-1) and cancerous (PC-3) human prostate epithelial cells was investigated using high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS) with in-source fragmentation and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). During positive ion LC/ESI-MS, LG formed an abundant sodiated species ([M+Na]+) while the protonated molecule was barely observable. [M+Na]+ further fragmented into the less abundant [LARL+H]+ and a predominantly protonated aglycone molecule (limonin) due to in-source fragmentation. The major metabolite, limonin A-ring lactone (LARL), formed an abundant protonated molecule that was fragmented into a protonated molecule of limonin by loss of one molecule of water. In MS/MS by collisionally activated dissociation (CAD), LG produced the sodiated aglycone, [aglycone+Na]+, while LARL fragmented into [M+H]+ of limonin and fragment ions resulted by further loss of water, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, indicating the presence of oxygenated-ring structures. The limits of detection of LG were 0.4 and 20 fmol in selected-ion monitoring (SIM) and selected-reaction monitoring (SRM) detection, respectively. Copyright 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  7. A New Approach To Selectively Identify And Quantify Perfluorochemicals In Complex Matrices Using Ion Trap Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

    EPA Science Inventory

    Most of the published studies focusing on the environmental and biological distribution of perfluorinated alkyl compounds (PFCs) have used triple quadrupole mass spectrometers for compound identification and quantitation. Multiple-reaction-monitoring (MRM) is a sensitive mass sp...

  8. Methylenediphosphonotetrathioate: synthesis, characterization, and chemical properties.

    PubMed

    Amir, Aviran; Sayer, Alon Haim; Ezra, Alon; Fischer, Bilha

    2013-03-18

    Metal chelators are potential therapeutic agents for treating diseases such as Wilson's and Alzheimer's where the pathology involves an excess of metal-ions (Cu(II) and Zn(II)/Cu(II)/Fe(II/III), respectively). In addition to the high affinity of the metal-ion to the chelators, metal selectivity of the chelators is essential to achieve the therapeutic goal, that is, the successful removal of excess of harmful metal-ions in a physiological extracellular medium rich in alkali and alkali earth metal-ions. For this purpose, we synthesized a novel chelator, methylenediphosphonotetrathioate (MDPT) which is the tetrathio analogue of methylenediphosphonic acid (MDP). MDPT was synthesized from bis-methylene(phosphonicdichloride) in a 3-step synthesis and a 31% overall yield. MDPT formed a stable complex with Zn(II) (log K = 10.84), which is 10(7) times more stable than the corresponding Ca(II) complex. Moreover, the MDPT-Zn(II) complex was 50-fold more stable than the MDP-Zn(II) complex. In addition, MDPT was found to inhibit the Cu(I)-catalyzed Fenton reaction (IC50 26 μM) 2.5 times more potently than a Fe(II)-catalyzed Fenton reaction, and 2.5 times more potently than EDTA (IC50 64 μM) in the Cu(I)/H2O2 system, as monitored by electron spin resonance (ESR). Furthermore, MDPT was found to be relatively stable in both acidic (pD 1.9, t(½) = 71.5 h) and basic media (pD 12.4, t(½) = 81 h) as monitored by (31)P/(1)H NMR. However, MDPT was not stable in air because of intramolecular oxidation and disulfide formation (33% oxidation after 27 h). In conclusion, MDPT was found to be a water-soluble chelator showing a clear preference to soft/borderline metal-ions and a remarkable selectivity to those metal-ions vs Ca(II) ions. The relative sensitivity of MDPT to oxidation may limit its use; however, the application of MDPT in acidic or basic media will increase its lifetime.

  9. Biparametric potentiometric analytical microsystem for nitrate and potassium monitoring in water recycling processes for manned space missions.

    PubMed

    Calvo-López, Antonio; Arasa-Puig, Eva; Puyol, Mar; Casalta, Joan Manel; Alonso-Chamarro, Julián

    2013-12-04

    The construction and evaluation of a Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics (LTCC)-based continuous flow potentiometric microanalyzer prototype to simultaneously monitor the presence of two ions (potassium and nitrate) in samples from the water recycling process for future manned space missions is presented. The microsystem integrates microfluidics and the detection system in a single substrate and it is smaller than a credit card. The detection system is based on two ion-selective electrodes (ISEs), which are built using all-solid state nitrate and potassium polymeric membranes, and a screen-printed Ag/AgCl reference electrode. The obtained analytical features after the optimization of the microfluidic design and hydrodynamics are a linear range from 10 to 1000 mg L(-1) and from 1.9 to 155 mg L(-1) and a detection limit of 9.56 mg L(-1) and 0.81 mg L(-1) for nitrate and potassium ions respectively. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Corona discharge ion mobility spectrometry with orthogonal acceleration time of flight mass spectrometry for monitoring of volatile organic compounds.

    PubMed

    Sabo, Martin; Matejčík, Štefan

    2012-06-19

    We demonstrate the application of corona discharge ion mobility spectrometry with orthogonal acceleration time of flight mass spectrometry (CD IMS-oaTOF) for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) monitoring. Two-dimensional (2D) IMS-oaTOF spectra of VOCs were recorded in nearly real time. The corona discharge atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) source was operated in positive mode in nitrogen and air. The CD ion source generates in air H(3)O(+)(H(2)O)(n) and NO(+). The NO(+) offers additional possibility for selective ionization and for an increase of the sensitivity of monoaromatic compounds. In addition to H(3)O(+)(H(2)O)(n) and NO(+), we have carried out ionization of VOCs using acetone as dopant gas ((CH(3))(2)COH(+)). Sixteen model VOCs (tetrahydrofuran, butanol, n-propanol, iso-propano, acetone, methanol, ethanol, toluene, benzene, amomnia, dioxan, triethylamine, acetonitrile, formaldehyde, m-xylene, 2,2,2-trifluoroethylamine) were tested using these ionization techniques.

  11. New Fluorescent and Colorimetric Chemosensor for Detection of Cyanide with High Selectivity and Sensitivity in Aqueous Media.

    PubMed

    Zali-Boeini, Hassan; Zareh Jonaghani, Mohammad

    2017-05-01

    A fluorescent and colorimetric chemosensor for detection of cyanide ion based on a styryl quinoline derivative has been designed and synthesized. The chemosensor (E)-2-(4-mercaptostyryl)quinolin-8-ol L showed high selectivity for detection of cyanide over other anions such as F¯, Cl¯, Br¯, I¯, NO 3 ¯, SCN¯, N 3 ¯, ClO 4 ¯, H 2 PO 4 ¯, AcO¯, HCO 3 ¯, SO 4 2 ¯ and HSO 4 ¯in aqueous solution. The chemosensor L displayed an immediate visible and fluorescence changes from nearly colorless to orange and greenish-blue to brick-red upon addition of cyanide ion respectively. It is more likely, these distinct changes can be attributed to hydrogen bonding interaction between phenol group and cyanide anion leading to a 1:1 binding stoichiometry following with deprotonation of phenol group. The detection limit for chemosensor L toward CN¯ was 2.73× 10 -8  M. Thus, the chemosensor can be used efficiently and selectively for detection and monitoring of small amounts of cyanide ion in aqueous media.

  12. Generic DART-MS platform for monitoring the on-demand continuous-flow production of pharmaceuticals: Advancing the quantitative protocol for caffeates in microfluidic biocatalysis.

    PubMed

    Xu, Yan; Zhang, Dong-Yang; Meng, Xiang-Yun; Liu, Xi; Sheng, Sheng; Wu, Guo-Hua; Wang, Jun; Wu, Fu-An

    2017-04-15

    Today, continuous processing is regarded as an effective on-demand production technique of pharmaceuticals. Homemade microreactors packed with immobilized lipase under continuous-flow conditions were first applied to tailor the production of high-value caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) from methyl caffeate (MC) and 2-phenylethanol (PE) in cyclohexane via transesterification; however, this method is challenging due to the lack of a rapid platform for monitoring caffeates in microfluidic biocatalysis. The reactants were directly analyzed using Direct Analysis in Real Time Mass Spectrometry (DART-MS), and the corresponding ionization parameters were investigated. Special ions produced from MC (parent ion m/z 192.87 and product ion m/z 133.44) and CAPE (parent ion m/z 282.93 and product ion m/z 178.87) were determined using DART-MS 2 in the negative ion mode. The peak areas of the select reaction monitoring (SRM) signals were calculated to develop the standard curves for quantitative analyses of the concentration. Reasonable linear regression equations of MC and CAPE were obtained in the range of 3.125-50.000mg/L, with linear coefficients (R 2 ) of 0.9515 and 0.9973, limits of detection (LOD) of 0.005 and 0.003mg/L, limits of quantification (LOQ) of 0.02 and 0.01mg/L, and recovery ranges of 92.50-97.11% and 90.11-97.60%, respectively. The results using DART-MS 2 were in good agreement with those using conventional High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with a UV detector (HPLC-UV) and were successfully applied to monitor the kinetics constants and mass transfer coefficients in a continuous-flow packed bed microreactor. Thus, the DART-MS 2 method is an efficient tool for analyzing caffeates in microfluidic biocatalysis with limited sample preparation and short operating time. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Development of MRM-based assays for the absolute quantitation of plasma proteins.

    PubMed

    Kuzyk, Michael A; Parker, Carol E; Domanski, Dominik; Borchers, Christoph H

    2013-01-01

    Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM), sometimes called selected reaction monitoring (SRM), is a directed tandem mass spectrometric technique performed on to triple quadrupole mass spectrometers. MRM assays can be used to sensitively and specifically quantify proteins based on peptides that are specific to the target protein. Stable-isotope-labeled standard peptide analogues (SIS peptides) of target peptides are added to enzymatic digests of samples, and quantified along with the native peptides during MRM analysis. Monitoring of the intact peptide and a collision-induced fragment of this peptide (an ion pair) can be used to provide information on the absolute peptide concentration of the peptide in the sample and, by inference, the concentration of the intact protein. This technique provides high specificity by selecting for biophysical parameters that are unique to the target peptides: (1) the molecular weight of the peptide, (2) the generation of a specific fragment from the peptide, and (3) the HPLC retention time during LC/MRM-MS analysis. MRM is a highly sensitive technique that has been shown to be capable of detecting attomole levels of target peptides in complex samples such as tryptic digests of human plasma. This chapter provides a detailed description of how to develop and use an MRM protein assay. It includes sections on the critical "first step" of selecting the target peptides, as well as optimization of MRM acquisition parameters for maximum sensitivity of the ion pairs that will be used in the final method, and characterization of the final MRM assay.

  14. In house validation of a high resolution mass spectrometry Orbitrap-based method for multiple allergen detection in a processed model food.

    PubMed

    Pilolli, Rosa; De Angelis, Elisabetta; Monaci, Linda

    2018-02-13

    In recent years, mass spectrometry (MS) has been establishing its role in the development of analytical methods for multiple allergen detection, but most analyses are being carried out on low-resolution mass spectrometers such as triple quadrupole or ion traps. In this investigation, performance provided by a high resolution (HR) hybrid quadrupole-Orbitrap™ MS platform for the multiple allergens detection in processed food matrix is presented. In particular, three different acquisition modes were compared: full-MS, targeted-selected ion monitoring with data-dependent fragmentation (t-SIM/dd2), and parallel reaction monitoring. In order to challenge the HR-MS platform, the sample preparation was kept as simple as possible, limited to a 30-min ultrasound-aided protein extraction followed by clean-up with disposable size exclusion cartridges. Selected peptide markers tracing for five allergenic ingredients namely skim milk, whole egg, soy flour, ground hazelnut, and ground peanut were monitored in home-made cookies chosen as model processed matrix. Timed t-SIM/dd2 was found the best choice as a good compromise between sensitivity and accuracy, accomplishing the detection of 17 peptides originating from the five allergens in the same run. The optimized method was validated in-house through the evaluation of matrix and processing effects, recoveries, and precision. The selected quantitative markers for each allergenic ingredient provided quantification of 60-100 μg ingred /g allergenic ingredient/matrix in incurred cookies.

  15. Simultaneous Proteomic Discovery and Targeted Monitoring using Liquid Chromatography, Ion Mobility Spectrometry, and Mass Spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Burnum-Johnson, Kristin E; Nie, Song; Casey, Cameron P; Monroe, Matthew E; Orton, Daniel J; Ibrahim, Yehia M; Gritsenko, Marina A; Clauss, Therese R W; Shukla, Anil K; Moore, Ronald J; Purvine, Samuel O; Shi, Tujin; Qian, Weijun; Liu, Tao; Baker, Erin S; Smith, Richard D

    2016-12-01

    Current proteomic approaches include both broad discovery measurements and quantitative targeted analyses. In many cases, discovery measurements are initially used to identify potentially important proteins (e.g. candidate biomarkers) and then targeted studies are employed to quantify a limited number of selected proteins. Both approaches, however, suffer from limitations. Discovery measurements aim to sample the whole proteome but have lower sensitivity, accuracy, and quantitation precision than targeted approaches, whereas targeted measurements are significantly more sensitive but only sample a limited portion of the proteome. Herein, we describe a new approach that performs both discovery and targeted monitoring (DTM) in a single analysis by combining liquid chromatography, ion mobility spectrometry and mass spectrometry (LC-IMS-MS). In DTM, heavy labeled target peptides are spiked into tryptic digests and both the labeled and unlabeled peptides are detected using LC-IMS-MS instrumentation. Compared with the broad LC-MS discovery measurements, DTM yields greater peptide/protein coverage and detects lower abundance species. DTM also achieved detection limits similar to selected reaction monitoring (SRM) indicating its potential for combined high quality discovery and targeted analyses, which is a significant step toward the convergence of discovery and targeted approaches. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  16. Selective flow path alpha particle detector and method of use

    DOEpatents

    Orr, Christopher Henry; Luff, Craig Janson; Dockray, Thomas; Macarthur, Duncan Whittemore

    2002-01-01

    A method and apparatus for monitoring alpha contamination are provided in which ions generated in the air surrounding the item, by the passage of alpha particles, are moved to a distant detector location. The parts of the item from which ions are withdrawn can be controlled by restricting the air flow over different portions of the apparatus. In this way, detection of internal and external surfaces separately, for instance, can be provided. The apparatus and method are particularly suited for use in undertaking alpha contamination measurements during the commissioning operations.

  17. Separation and identification of corticosterone metabolites by liquid chromatography--electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Miksík, I; Vylitová, M; Pácha, J; Deyl, Z

    1999-04-16

    High-performance liquid chromatography coupled to atmospheric pressure ionization-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (API-ESI-MS) was investigated for the analysis of corticosterone metabolites; their characterization was obtained by combining the separation on Zorbax Eclipse XDB C18 column (eluted with a methanol-water-acetic acid gradient) with identification using positive ion mode API-ESI-MS and selected ion analysis. The applicability of this method was verified by monitoring the activity of steroid converting enzymes (20beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase) in avian intestines.

  18. Relationships between structure, ionization profile and sensitivity of exogenous anabolic steroids under electrospray ionization and analysis in human urine using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Cha, Eunju; Kim, Sohee; Kim, Hee Won; Lee, Kang Mi; Kim, Ho Jun; Kwon, Oh-Seung; Lee, Jaeick

    2016-04-01

    The relationships between the ionization profile, sensitivity, and structures of 64 exogenous anabolic steroids (groups I-IV) was investigated under electrospray ionization (ESI) conditions. The target analytes were ionized as [M + H](+) or [M + H-nH2 O](+) in the positive mode, and these ions were used as precursor ions for selected reaction monitoring analysis. The collision energy and Q3 ions were optimized based on the sensitivity and selectivity. The limits of detection (LODs) were 0.05-20 ng/mL for the 64 steroids. The LODs for 38 compounds, 14 compounds and 12 compounds were in the range of 0.05-1, 2-5 and 10-20 ng/mL, respectively. Steroids including the conjugated keto-functional group at C3 showed good proton affinity and stability, and generated the [M + H](+) ion as the most abundant precursor ion. In addition, the LODs of steroids using the [M + H](+) ion as the precursor ion were mostly distributed at low concentrations. In contrast, steroids containing conjugated/unconjugated hydroxyl functional groups at C3 generated [M + H - H2 O](+) or [M + H - 2H2 O](+) ions, and these steroids showed relatively high LODs owing to poor stability and multiple ion formation. An LC-MS/MS method based on the present ionization profile was developed and validated for the determination of 78 steroids (groups I-V) in human urine. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  19. Critical comparison of mass analyzers for forensic hair analysis by ambient ionization mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Duvivier, Wilco F; van Beek, Teris A; Nielen, Michel W F

    2016-11-15

    Recently, several direct and/or ambient mass spectrometry (MS) approaches have been suggested for drugs of abuse imaging in hair. The use of mass spectrometers with insufficient selectivity could result in false-positive measurements due to isobaric interferences. Different mass analyzers have been evaluated regarding their selectivity and sensitivity for the detection of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) from intact hair samples using direct analysis in real time (DART) ionization. Four different mass analyzers, namely (1) an orbitrap, (2) a quadrupole orbitrap, (3) a triple quadrupole, and (4) a quadrupole time-of-flight (QTOF), were evaluated. Selectivity and sensitivity were assessed by analyzing secondary THC standard dilutions on stainless steel mesh screens and blank hair samples, and by the analysis of authentic cannabis user hair samples. Additionally, separation of isobaric ions by use of travelling wave ion mobility (TWIM) was investigated. The use of a triple quadrupole instrument resulted in the highest sensitivity; however, transitions used for multiple reaction monitoring were only found to be specific when using high mass resolution product ion measurements. A mass resolution of at least 30,000 FWHM at m/z 315 was necessary to avoid overlap of THC with isobaric ions originating from the hair matrix. Even though selectivity was enhanced by use of TWIM, the QTOF instrument in resolution mode could not indisputably differentiate THC from endogenous isobaric ions in drug user hair samples. Only the high resolution of the (quadrupole) orbitrap instruments and the QTOF instrument in high-resolution mode distinguished THC in hair samples from endogenous isobaric interferences. As expected, enhanced selectivity compromises sensitivity and THC was only detectable in hair from heavy users. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. Calibration and performance of synchronous SIM/scan mode for simultaneous targeted and discovery (non-targeted) analysis of exhaled breath samples from firefighters

    EPA Science Inventory

    Traditionally, gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis has used a targeted approach called selected ion monitoring (SIM) to quantify specific compounds that may have adverse health effects. Due to method limitations and the constraints of preparing duplicat...

  1. Vitamin D levels in fish and shellfish determined by liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection and mass spectrometry

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) levels were determined in finfish and shellfish using UV detection at 265nm (combined with auxiliary full scan UV detection) and selected ion monitoring (SIM) mass spectrometry (MS), using vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) as an internal standard. Analysis of standard referen...

  2. Piezoelectric sensor for sensitive determination of metal ions based on the phosphate-modified dendrimer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, S. H.; Shen, C. Y.; Lin, Y. M.; Du, J. C.

    2016-08-01

    Heavy metal ions arising from human activities are retained strongly in water; therefore public water supplies must be monitored regularly to ensure the timely detection of potential problems. A phosphate-modified dendrimer film was investigated on a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) for sensing metal ions in water at room temperature in this study. The chemical structures and sensing properties were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and QCM measurement, respectively. This phosphate-modified dendrimer sensor can directly detect metal ions in aqueous solutions. This novel sensor was evaluated for its capacity to sense various metal ions. The sensor exhibited a higher sensitivity level and shorter response time to copper(II) ions than other sensors. The linear detection range of the prepared QCM based on the phosphate-modified dendrimer was 0.0001 ∼ 1 μM Cu(II) ions (R2 = 0.98). The detection properties, including sensitivity, response time, selectivity, reusability, maximum adsorption capacity, and adsorption equilibrium constants, were also investigated.

  3. Pulse-Driven Capacitive Lead Ion Detection with Reduced Graphene Oxide Field-Effect Transistor Integrated with an Analyzing Device for Rapid Water Quality Monitoring.

    PubMed

    Maity, Arnab; Sui, Xiaoyu; Tarman, Chad R; Pu, Haihui; Chang, Jingbo; Zhou, Guihua; Ren, Ren; Mao, Shun; Chen, Junhong

    2017-11-22

    Rapid and real-time detection of heavy metals in water with a portable microsystem is a growing demand in the field of environmental monitoring, food safety, and future cyber-physical infrastructure. Here, we report a novel ultrasensitive pulse-driven capacitance-based lead ion sensor using self-assembled graphene oxide (GO) monolayer deposition strategy to recognize the heavy metal ions in water. The overall field-effect transistor (FET) structure consists of a thermally reduced graphene oxide (rGO) channel with a thin layer of Al 2 O 3 passivation as a top gate combined with sputtered gold nanoparticles that link with the glutathione (GSH) probe to attract Pb 2+ ions in water. Using a preprogrammed microcontroller, chemo-capacitance based detection of lead ions has been demonstrated with this FET sensor. With a rapid response (∼1-2 s) and negligible signal drift, a limit of detection (LOD) < 1 ppb and excellent selectivity (with a sensitivity to lead ions 1 order of magnitude higher than that of interfering ions) can be achieved for Pb 2+ measurements. The overall assay time (∼10 s) for background water stabilization followed by lead ion testing and calculation is much shorter than common FET resistance/current measurements (∼minutes) and other conventional methods, such as optical and inductively coupled plasma methods (∼hours). An approximate linear operational range (5-20 ppb) around 15 ppb (the maximum contaminant limit by US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for lead in drinking water) makes it especially suitable for drinking water quality monitoring. The validity of the pulse method is confirmed by quantifying Pb 2+ in various real water samples such as tap, lake, and river water with an accuracy ∼75%. This capacitance measurement strategy is promising and can be readily extended to various FET-based sensor devices for other targets.

  4. Application of oxybutynin selective sensors for monitoring the dissolution profile and assay of pharmaceutical dosage forms.

    PubMed

    El Hamshary, Marwa S; Salem, Omar H; El Nashar, Rasha M

    2010-01-01

    Two ion-selective sensors of the plastic membrane type were prepared for the determination of oxybutynin hydrochloride (OxCl). They depend on the incorporation of the ion-associates with phosphotungestic acid or phosphomolybdic acid in a PVC matrix. A comparative study is made between their performance characteristics in batch and FIA conditions. The sensors have nearly the same usable concentration, temperature and pH range. They have a wide range of selectivity and can be applied for the determination of the relevant drug with nearly the same precision and accuracy in vitro. Dissolution testing was applied using the sensors; this offers a simple, rapid, cheap way out of sophisticated and high cost instruments used in the pharmacopeial method using HPLC. The investigated drug was determined in its pure and pharmaceutical preparations. The results were accurate and precise, as indicated by the recovery values and coefficients of variation.

  5. Targeted Proteomic Quantification on Quadrupole-Orbitrap Mass Spectrometer*

    PubMed Central

    Gallien, Sebastien; Duriez, Elodie; Crone, Catharina; Kellmann, Markus; Moehring, Thomas; Domon, Bruno

    2012-01-01

    There is an immediate need for improved methods to systematically and precisely quantify large sets of peptides in complex biological samples. To date protein quantification in biological samples has been routinely performed on triple quadrupole instruments operated in selected reaction monitoring mode (SRM), and two major challenges remain. Firstly, the number of peptides to be included in one survey experiment needs to be increased to routinely reach several hundreds, and secondly, the degree of selectivity should be improved so as to reliably discriminate the targeted analytes from background interferences. High resolution and accurate mass (HR/AM) analysis on the recently developed Q-Exactive mass spectrometer can potentially address these issues. This instrument presents a unique configuration: it is constituted of an orbitrap mass analyzer equipped with a quadrupole mass filter as the front-end for precursor ion mass selection. This configuration enables new quantitative methods based on HR/AM measurements, including targeted analysis in MS mode (single ion monitoring) and in MS/MS mode (parallel reaction monitoring). The ability of the quadrupole to select a restricted m/z range allows one to overcome the dynamic range limitations associated with trapping devices, and the MS/MS mode provides an additional stage of selectivity. When applied to targeted protein quantification in urine samples and benchmarked with the reference SRM technique, the quadrupole-orbitrap instrument exhibits similar or better performance in terms of selectivity, dynamic range, and sensitivity. This high performance is further enhanced by leveraging the multiplexing capability of the instrument to design novel acquisition methods and apply them to large targeted proteomic studies for the first time, as demonstrated on 770 tryptic yeast peptides analyzed in one 60-min experiment. The increased quality of quadrupole-orbitrap data has the potential to improve existing protein quantification methods in complex samples and address the pressing demand of systems biology or biomarker evaluation studies. PMID:22962056

  6. Low-cost and highly efficient DNA biosensor for heavy metal ion using specific DNAzyme-modified microplate and portable glucometer-based detection mode.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jin; Tang, Ying; Teng, Liumei; Lu, Minghua; Tang, Dianping

    2015-06-15

    A simple and low-cost DNA sensing platform based on Pb(2+)-specific DNAzyme-modified microplate was successfully developed for highly sensitive monitoring of lead ion (Pb(2+), one kind of toxic heavy metal ion) in the environmental samples coupling with a portable personal glucometer (PGM)-based detection mode. The detection cell was first prepared simply by means of immobilizing the DNAzyme on the streptavidin-modified microplate. Gold nanoparticle labeled with single-stranded DNA and invertase (Enz-AuNP-DNA) was utilized as the signal-transduction tag to produce PGM substrate (glucose). Upon addition of lead ion into the microplate, the substrate strand of the immobilized DNAzyme was catalytically cleaved by target Pb(2+), and the newly generated single-strand DNA in the microplate could hybridize again with the single-stranded DNA on the Enz-AuNP-DNA. Accompanying with the Enz-AuNP-DNA, the carried invertase could convert sucrose into glucose. The as-produced glucose could be monitored by using a widely accessible PGM for in situ amplified digital readout. Based on Enz-AuNP-DNA amplification strategy, as low as 1.0 pM Pb(2+) could be detected under the optimal conditions. Moreover, the methodology also showed good reproducibility and high selectivity toward target Pb(2+) against other metal ions because of highly specific Pb(2+)-dependent DNAzyme, and was applicable for monitoring Pb(2+) in the naturally contaminated sewage and spiked drinking water samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Pulsed Multiple Reaction Monitoring Approach to Enhancing Sensitivity of a Tandem Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Belov, Mikhail E.; Prasad, Satendra; Prior, David C.

    2011-02-23

    Liquid chromatography (LC)-triple quadrupole mass spectrometers operating in a Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) mode are increasingly used for quantitative analysis of low abundance analytes in highly complex biochemical matrices. After development and selection of optimum MRM transition, sensitivity and data quality limitations are largely related to mass spectral peak interferences from sample or matrix constituents and statistical limitations at low number of ions reaching the detector. Herein, we report a new approach to enhancing MRM sensitivity by converting the continuous stream of ions from the ion source into a pulsed ion beam through the use of an Ion Funnel Trapmore » (IFT). Evaluation of the pulsed MRM approach was performed with a tryptic digest of Shewanella oneidensis strain MR-1 spiked with several reference peptides. The sensitivity improvement observed with the IFT coupled to the triple quadrupole instrument is based on several unique features. First, ion accumulation in the radio frequency (RF) ion trap facilitates improved droplet desolvation, which is manifested in the reduced background ion noise at the detector. Second, signal amplitude for a given transition is enhanced because of an order-of-magnitude increase in the ion charge density per unit time compared to a continuous mode of operation. Third, signal detection at the full duty cycle is obtained, as the trap use eliminates dead times between transitions, which are inevitable with continuous ion streams. In comparison with the conventional approach, the pulsed MRM signals showed up to 5-fold enhanced peak amplitude and 2-3 fold reduced chemical background, resulting in an improvement in the limit of detection (LOD) by a factor of ~ 4 to ~ 8.« less

  8. Highly sensitive and selective liquid crystal optical sensor for detection of ammonia.

    PubMed

    Niu, Xiaofang; Zhong, Yuanbo; Chen, Rui; Wang, Fei; Luo, Dan

    2017-06-12

    Ammonia detection technologies are very important in environment monitoring. However, most existing technologies are complex and expensive, which limit the useful range of real-time application. Here, we propose a highly sensitive and selective optical sensor for detection of ammonia (NH 3 ) based on liquid crystals (LCs). This optical sensor is realized through the competitive binding between ammonia and liquid crystals on chitosan-Cu 2+ that decorated on glass substrate. We achieve a broad detection range of ammonia from 50 ppm to 1250 ppm, with a low detection limit of 16.6 ppm. This sensor is low-cost, simple, fast, and highly sensitive and selective for detection of ammonia. The proposal LC sensing method can be a sensitive detection platform for other molecule monitors such as proteins, DNAs and other heavy metal ions by modifying sensing molecules.

  9. Improving methodological aspects of the analysis of five regulated haloacetic acids in water samples by solid-phase extraction, ion-pair liquid chromatography and electrospray tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Prieto-Blanco, M C; Alpendurada, M F; López-Mahía, P; Muniategui-Lorenzo, S; Prada-Rodríguez, D; Machado, S; Gonçalves, C

    2012-05-30

    Haloacetic acids (HAAs) are organic pollutants originated from the drinking water disinfection process, which ought to be controlled and minimized. In this work a method for monitoring haloacetic acids (HAAs) in water samples is proposed, which can be used in quality control laboratories using the techniques most frequently available. Among its main advantages we may highlight its automated character, including minimal steps of sample preparation, and above all, its improved selectivity and sensitivity in the analysis of real samples. Five haloacetic acids (HAA5) were analyzed using solid-phase extraction (SPE) combined with ion-pair liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. For the optimization of the chromatographic separation, two amines (triethylamine, TEA and dibutylamine, DBA) as ion pair reagents were compared, and a better selectivity and sensitivity was obtained using DBA, especially for monohaloacetic acids. SPE conditions were optimized using different polymeric adsorbents. The electrospray source parameters were studied for maximum precursor ion accumulation, while the collision cell energy of the triple quadrupole mass spectrometer was adjusted for optimum fragmentation. Precursor ions detected were deprotonated, dimeric and decarboxylated ions. The major product ions formed were: ionized halogen atom (chloride and bromide) and decarboxylated ions. After enrichment of the HAAs in Lichrolut EN adsorbent, the limits of detection obtained by LC-MS/MS analysis (between 0.04 and 0.3 ng mL(-1)) were comparable to those obtained by GC-MS after derivatization. Linearity with good correlation coefficients was obtained over two orders of magnitude irrespective of the compound. Adequate recoveries were achieved (60-102%), and the repeatability and intermediate precision were in the range of 2.4-6.6% and 3.8-14.8%, respectively. In order to demonstrate the usefulness of the method for routine HAAs monitoring, different types of water samples were analyzed. In swimming pool water samples the ∑HAAs were determined between 76 and 154 ng mL(-1). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Multiresidue determination of pesticides in malt beverages by capillary gas chromatography with mass spectrometry and selected ion monitoring.

    PubMed

    Wong, Jon W; Webster, Michael G; Bezabeh, Dawit Z; Hengel, Mathew J; Ngim, Kenley K; Krynitsky, Alexander J; Ebeler, Susan E

    2004-10-20

    A method was developed to determine pesticides in malt beverages using solid phase extraction on a polymeric cartridge and sample cleanup with a MgSO4-topped aminopropyl cartridge, followed by capillary gas chromatography with electron impact mass spectrometry in the selected ion monitoring mode [GC-MS(SIM)]. Three GC injections were required to analyze and identify organophosphate, organohalogen, and organonitrogen pesticides. The pesticides were identified by the retention times of peaks of the target ion and qualifier-to-target ion ratios. GC detection limits for most of the pesticides were 5-10 ng/mL, and linearity was determined from 50 to 5000 ng/mL. Fortification studies were performed at 10 ng/mL for three malt beverages that differ in properties such as alcohol content, solids, and appearance. The recoveries from the three malt beverages were greater than 70% for 85 of the 142 pesticides (including isomers) studied. The data showed that the different malt beverage matrixes had no significant effect on the recoveries. This method was then applied to the screening and analysis of malt beverages for pesticides, resulting in the detection of the insectide carbaryl and the fungicide dimethomorph in real samples. The study indicates that pesticide levels in malt beverages are significantly lower than the tolerance levels set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency for malt beverage starting ingredients. The use of the extraction/cleanup procedure and analysis by GC-MS(SIM) proved effective in screening malt beverages for a wide variety of pesticides. Copyright 2004 American Chemical Society

  11. A critical assessment of the performance criteria in confirmatory analysis for veterinary drug residue analysis using mass spectrometric detection in selected reaction monitoring mode.

    PubMed

    Berendsen, Bjorn J A; Meijer, Thijs; Wegh, Robin; Mol, Hans G J; Smyth, Wesley G; Armstrong Hewitt, S; van Ginkel, Leen; Nielen, Michel W F

    2016-05-01

    Besides the identification point system to assure adequate set-up of instrumentation, European Commission Decision 2002/657/EC includes performance criteria regarding relative ion abundances in mass spectrometry and chromatographic retention time. In confirmatory analysis, the relative abundance of two product ions, acquired in selected reaction monitoring mode, the ion ratio should be within certain ranges for confirmation of the identity of a substance. The acceptable tolerance of the ion ratio varies with the relative abundance of the two product ions and for retention time, CD 2002/657/EC allows a tolerance of 5%. Because of rapid technical advances in analytical instruments and new approaches applied in the field of contaminant testing in food products (multi-compound and multi-class methods) a critical assessment of these criteria is justified. In this study a large number of representative, though challenging sample extracts were prepared, including muscle, urine, milk and liver, spiked with 100 registered and banned veterinary drugs at levels ranging from 0.5 to 100 µg/kg. These extracts were analysed using SRM mode using different chromatographic conditions and mass spectrometers from different vendors. In the initial study, robust data was collected using four different instrumental set-ups. Based on a unique and highly relevant data set, consisting of over 39 000 data points, the ion ratio and retention time criteria for applicability in confirmatory analysis were assessed. The outcomes were verified based on a collaborative trial including laboratories from all over the world. It was concluded that the ion ratio deviation is not related to the value of the ion ratio, but rather to the intensity of the lowest product ion. Therefore a fixed ion ratio deviation tolerance of 50% (relative) is proposed, which also is applicable for compounds present at sub-ppb levels or having poor ionisation efficiency. Furthermore, it was observed that retention time shifts, when using gradient elution, as is common practice nowadays, are mainly observed for early eluting compounds. Therefore a maximum retention time deviation of 0.2 min (absolute) is proposed. These findings should serve as input for discussions on the revision of currently applied criteria and the establishment of a new, globally accepted, criterion document for confirmatory analysis. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  12. Ionophore-based optical nanosensors incorporating hydrophobic carbon dots and a pH-sensitive quencher dye for sodium detection.

    PubMed

    Galyean, A A; Behr, M R; Cash, K J

    2018-01-21

    Nanosensors present a biological monitoring method that is biocompatible, reversible, and nano-scale, and they offer many advantages over traditional organic indicators. Typical ionophore-based nanosensors incorporate nile-blue derivative pH indicators but suffer from photobleaching while quantum dot alternatives pose a potential toxicity risk. In order to address this challenge, sodium selective nanosensors containing carbon dots and a pH-sensitive quencher molecule were developed based on an ion-exchange theory and a decoupled recognition element from the pH indicator. Carbon dots were synthesized and integrated into nanosensors containing a pH-indicator, an analyte-binding ligand (ionophore), and a charge-balancing additive. These nanosensors are ion-selective against potassium (selectivity coefficient of 0.4) and lithium (selectivity coefficient of 0.9). Reversible nanosensor response to sodium is also demonstrated. The carbon dot nanosensors are resistant to changes in optical properties for at least 12 h and display stable selectivity to physiologically-relevant sodium (alpha = 0.5 of 200 mM NaCl) for a minimum of 6 days.

  13. CLOSED-LOOP STRIPPING ANALYSIS (CLSA) OF SYNTHETIC MUSK COMPOUNDS FROM FISH TISSUES WITH MEASUREMENT BY GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY-MASS SPECTROMETRY WITH SELECTED-ION MONITORING

    EPA Science Inventory

    Synthetic musk compounds have been found in surface water, fish tissues, and human breast milk. Current techniques for separating these compounds from fish tissues require tedious sample clean-upprocedures A simple method for the deterrnination of these compounds in fish tissues ...

  14. ON SITE SOLID-PHASE EXTRACTION AND LABORATORY ANALYSIS OF ULTRA-TRACE SYNTHETIC MUSKS IN MUNICIPAL SEWAGE EFFLUENT USING GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY-MASS SPECTROMETRY. FULL-SCAN MODE

    EPA Science Inventory

    Fragrance materials such as synthetic musks in aqueous samples, are normally determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry in the selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode to provide maximum sensitivity after liquid-liquid extraction of I -L samples. Full-scan mass spectra are requ...

  15. Quantitation of Phenol Levels in Oil of Wintergreen Using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry with Selected Ion Monitoring

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sobel, Robert M.; Ballantine, David S.; Ryzhov, Victor

    2005-01-01

    Industrial application of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis is a powerful technique that could be used to elucidate components of a complex mixture while offering the benefits of high-precision quantitative analysis. The natural wintergreen oil is examined for its phenol concentration to determine the level of refining…

  16. DETERMINATION OF PESTICIDES IN COMPOSITE DIETARY SAMPLES BY GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY/MASS SPECTROMETRY IN THE SELECTED ION MONITORING MODE USING A TEMPERATURE PROGRAMMABLE LARGE VOLUME INJECTOR WITH PRE-SEPARATION COLUMN

    EPA Science Inventory

    Use of a temperature-programmable pre-separation column in the gas chromatographic injection port permits determination of a wide range of semi-volatile pesticides including organochlorines, organophosphates, triazines, and anilines in fatty composite dietary samples while reduci...

  17. A novel cyanide ion sensing approach based on Raman scattering for the detection of environmental cyanides.

    PubMed

    Yan, Fei; Gopal Reddy, C V; Zhang, Yan; Vo-Dinh, Tuan

    2010-09-01

    This paper describes a direct optical approach based on Raman scattering for selective and sensitive detection of cyanide ions in aqueous environment without requiring time-consuming sample pretreatment and the formation of hydrogen cyanide. Due to the strong affinity between copper (I) and cyanide ion, evaporated copper (I) iodide (CuI) thin films are shown to be excellent substrates for selective recognition of free cyanide ions in aqueous matrices. The amount of cyanide ion retained by the copper (I) in the CuI thin films reflects its actual concentration in tested samples, and the subsequent Raman measurements of the substrate are shown to be capable of detecting toxic cyanide content at levels under international drinking water standard and environmental regulatory concentrations. Measurements obtained from the same batch of evaporated CuI thin films (approximately 100-nm thickness) show excellent linearity over a variety of cyanide concentrations ranging from 1.5 microM to 0.15 mM. This detection method offers the advantage of selectively detecting cyanides causing a health hazard while avoiding detection of other common interfering anions such as Cl-, Br-, PO4(3-), SO4(2-), NO2-, S2- and SCN-. Coupled with portable Raman systems that are commercially available, our detection approach will provide on-site monitoring capability with little sample preparation or instrument supervision, which will greatly expedite the assessment of potential environmental cyanide risks. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Accuracy of genetic code translation and its orthogonal corruption by aminoglycosides and Mg2+ ions

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Jingji

    2018-01-01

    Abstract We studied the effects of aminoglycosides and changing Mg2+ ion concentration on the accuracy of initial codon selection by aminoacyl-tRNA in ternary complex with elongation factor Tu and GTP (T3) on mRNA programmed ribosomes. Aminoglycosides decrease the accuracy by changing the equilibrium constants of ‘monitoring bases’ A1492, A1493 and G530 in 16S rRNA in favor of their ‘activated’ state by large, aminoglycoside-specific factors, which are the same for cognate and near-cognate codons. Increasing Mg2+ concentration decreases the accuracy by slowing dissociation of T3 from its initial codon- and aminoglycoside-independent binding state on the ribosome. The distinct accuracy-corrupting mechanisms for aminoglycosides and Mg2+ ions prompted us to re-interpret previous biochemical experiments and functional implications of existing high resolution ribosome structures. We estimate the upper thermodynamic limit to the accuracy, the ‘intrinsic selectivity’ of the ribosome. We conclude that aminoglycosides do not alter the intrinsic selectivity but reduce the fraction of it that is expressed as the accuracy of initial selection. We suggest that induced fit increases the accuracy and speed of codon reading at unaltered intrinsic selectivity of the ribosome. PMID:29267976

  19. Ultrasensitive sliver nanorods array SERS sensor for mercury ions.

    PubMed

    Song, Chunyuan; Yang, Boyue; Zhu, Yu; Yang, Yanjun; Wang, Lianhui

    2017-01-15

    With years of outrageous mercury emissions, there is an urgent need to develop convenient and sensitive methods for detecting mercury ions in response to increasingly serious mercury pollution in water. In the present work, a portable, ultrasensitive SERS sensor is proposed and utilized for detecting trace mercury ions in water. The SERS sensor is prepared on an excellent sliver nanorods array SERS substrate by immobilizing T-component oligonucleotide probes labeled with dye on the 3'-end and -SH on the 5'-end. The SERS sensor responses to the specific chemical bonding between thymine and mercury ions, which causes the previous flexible single strand of oligonucleotide probe changing into rigid and upright double chain structure. Such change in the structure drives the dyes far away from the excellent SERS substrate and results in a SERS signal attenuation of the dye. Therefore, by monitoring the decay of SERS signal of the dye, mercury ions in water can be detected qualitatively and quantitatively. The experimental results indicate that the proposed optimal SERS sensor owns a linear response with wide detecting range from 1pM to 1μM, and a detection limit of 0.16pM is obtained. In addition, the SERS sensor demonstrates good specificity for Hg 2+ , which can accurately identify trace mercury ions from a mixture of ten kinds of other ions. The SERS sensor has been further executed to analyze the trace mercury ions in tap water and lake water respectively, and good recovery rates are obtained for sensing both kinds of water. With its high selectivity and good portability, the ultrasensitive SERS sensor is expected to be a promising candidate for discriminating mercury ions in the fields of environmental monitoring and food safety. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Appraisal of ground-water quality near wastewater-treatment facilities, Glacier National Park, Montana

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Moreland, Joe A.; Wood, Wayne A.

    1982-01-01

    Water-level and water-quality data were collected from monitoring wells at wastewater-treatment facilities in Glacier National Park. Five additional shallow observation wells were installed at the Glacier Park Headquarters facility to monitor water quality in the shallow ground-water system.Water-level, water-quality, and geologic information indicate that some of the initial monitoring wells are not ideally located to sample ground water most likely to be affected by waste disposal at the sites. Small differences in chemical characteristics between samples from monitor wells indicate that effluent may be affecting ground-water quality but that impacts are not significant.Future monitoring of ground-water quality could be limited to selected wells most likely to be impacted by percolating effluent. Laboratory analyses for common ions could detect future impacts.

  1. Mass spectrometry. [review of techniques

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Burlingame, A. L.; Kimble, B. J.; Derrick, P. J.

    1976-01-01

    Advances in mass spectrometry (MS) and its applications over the past decade are reviewed in depth, with annotated literature references. New instrumentation and techniques surveyed include: modulated-beam MS, chromatographic MS on-line computer techniques, digital computer-compatible quadrupole MS, selected ion monitoring (mass fragmentography), and computer-aided management of MS data and interpretation. Areas of application surveyed include: organic MS and electron impact MS, field ionization kinetics, appearance potentials, translational energy release, studies of metastable species, photoionization, calculations of molecular orbitals, chemical kinetics, field desorption MS, high pressure MS, ion cyclotron resonance, biochemistry, medical/clinical chemistry, pharmacology, and environmental chemistry and pollution studies.

  2. A novel sensor for monitoring of iron(III) ions based on porphyrins.

    PubMed

    Vlascici, Dana; Fagadar-Cosma, Eugenia; Popa, Iuliana; Chiriac, Vlad; Gil-Agusti, Mayte

    2012-01-01

    Three A(3)B porphyrins with mixed carboxy-, phenoxy-, pyridyl-, and dimethoxy-substituent functionalization on the meso-phenyl groups were obtained by multicomponent synthesis, fully characterized and used as ionophores for preparing PVC-based membrane sensors selective to iron(III). The membranes have an ionophore:PVC:plasticizer composition ratio of 1:33:66. Sodium tetraphenylborate was used as additive (20 mol% relative to ionophore). The performance characteristics (linear concentration range, slope and selectivity) of the sensors were investigated. The best results were obtained for the membrane based on 5-(4-carboxyphenyl)-10,15,20-tris(4-phenoxyphenyl)-porphyrin plasticized with bis(2-ethylhexyl)sebacate, in a linear range from 1 × 10(-7)-1 × 10(-1) M with a slope of 21.6 mV/decade. The electrode showed high selectivity with respect to alkaline and heavy metal ions and a response time of 20 s. The influence of pH on the sensor response was studied. The sensor was used for a period of six weeks and the utility has been tested for the quantitative determination of Fe(III) in recovered solutions from spent lithium ion batteries and for the quantitative determination of Fe(III) in tap water samples.

  3. Characterization of nucleosides and nucleobases in natural Cordyceps by HILIC-ESI/TOF/MS and HILIC-ESI/MS.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Heng-Qiang; Wang, Xiao; Li, Hong-Mei; Yang, Bin; Yang, Hong-Jun; Huang, Luqi

    2013-08-15

    A method combining hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) was developed for the characterization and determination of natural Cordyceps. Separation was achieved on a Waters Xbridge Amide column with gradient elution. Identification of 15 target nucleosides and nucleobases was based on retention time, UV spectra and mass measurements of the protonated molecules ([M+H]⁺) and main fragment ions (ESI-TOF/MS). Eight non-target compounds were tentatively identified by ESI-TOF/MS. The 15 target compounds were quantified by HILIC-ESI-MS/MS using time-programmed selective ion monitoring or multiple reaction monitoring in positive-ion mode under optimized mass conditions. This technique showed good linearity, repeatability and recovery. This approach was also successfully implemented in the analysis of nucleosides and nucleobases in 12 batches of natural Cordyceps samples that were collected from different regions in China. The developed HILIC-ESI-MS method exhibited clear advantages in identifying and determining highly polar bioactive components in Cordyceps, as well as their quality control.

  4. Use of a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) model to selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) analysis of exhaled breath to predict the efficacy of dialysis: a pilot study.

    PubMed

    Wang, Maggie Haitian; Chong, Ka Chun; Storer, Malina; Pickering, John W; Endre, Zoltan H; Lau, Steven Yf; Kwok, Chloe; Lai, Maria; Chung, Hau Yin; Ying Zee, Benny Chung

    2016-09-28

    Selected ion flow tube-mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) provides rapid, non-invasive measurements of a full-mass scan of volatile compounds in exhaled breath. Although various studies have suggested that breath metabolites may be indicators of human disease status, many of these studies have included few breath samples and large numbers of compounds, limiting their power to detect significant metabolites. This study employed a least absolute shrinkage and selective operator (LASSO) approach to SIFT-MS data of breath samples to preliminarily evaluate the ability of exhaled breath findings to monitor the efficacy of dialysis in hemodialysis patients. A process of model building and validation showed that blood creatinine and urea concentrations could be accurately predicted by LASSO-selected masses. Using various precursors, the LASSO models were able to predict creatinine and urea concentrations with high adjusted R-square (>80%) values. The correlation between actual concentrations and concentrations predicted by the LASSO model (using precursor H 3 O + ) was high (Pearson correlation coefficient  =  0.96). Moreover, use of full mass scan data provided a better prediction than compounds from selected ion mode. These findings warrant further investigations in larger patient cohorts. By employing a more powerful statistical approach to predict disease outcomes, breath analysis using SIFT-MS technology could be applicable in future to daily medical diagnoses.

  5. Spectroscopic and TDDFT investigation on highly selective fluorogenic chemosensor and construction of molecular logic gates.

    PubMed

    Basheer, Sabeel M; Kumar, Saravana Loganathan Ashok; Kumar, Moorthy Saravana; Sreekanth, Anandaram

    2017-03-01

    1,5-Bis(2-fluorene)thiocarbohydrazone (FBTC) was designed and synthesized for selective sensing of fluoride and copper ions. The binding constants of FBTC towards fluoride and copper ions have been calculated using the Benesi-Hildebrand equation, and FBTC has more binding affinity towards copper ion than fluoride ion. The 1 H NMR and 13 C NMR titration studies strongly support the deprotonation was taken from the N-H protons followed by the formation of hydrogen bond via N-H … F. To understand the fluoride ion sensing mechanism, theoretical investigation had been carried out using the density functional theory and time-dependent density functional theory. The theoretical data well reproduced the experimental results. The deprotonation process has a moderate transition barrier (481.55kcal/mol). The calculated ΔE and ΔG values (-253.92 and -192.41kcal/mol respectively) suggest the feasibility of sensing process. The potential energy curves give the optimized structures of FBTC-F complex in the ground state and excited state, which states the proton transition occurs at the excited state. The excited state proton transition mechanism was further confirmed with natural bond orbital analysis. The reversibility of the sensor was monitored by the alternate addition of F - and Cu 2+ ions, which was explained with "Read-Erase-Write-Read" behaviour. The multi-ion detection of sensor used to construct the molecular logic gate, such as AND, OR, NOR and INHIBITION logic gates. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. New Catalytic DNA Biosensors for Radionuclides and Metal ion

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yi Lu

    2008-03-01

    We aim to develop new DNA biosensors for simultaneous detection and quantification of bioavailable radionuclides, such as uranium, technetium, and plutonium, and metal contaminants, such as lead, chromium, and mercury. The sensors will be highly sensitive and selective. They will be applied to on-site, real-time assessment of concentration, speciation, and stability of the individual contaminants before and during bioremediation, and for long-term monitoring of DOE contaminated sites. To achieve this goal, we have employed a combinatorial method called “in vitro selection” to search from a large DNA library (~ 1015 different molecules) for catalytic DNA molecules that are highly specificmore » for radionuclides or other metal ions through intricate 3-dimensional interactions as in metalloproteins. Comprehensive biochemical and biophysical studies have been performed on the selected DNA molecules. The findings from these studies have helped to elucidate fundamental principles for designing effective sensors for radionuclides and metal ions. Based on the study, the DNA have been converted to fluorescent or colorimetric sensors by attaching to it fluorescent donor/acceptor pairs or gold nanoparticles, with 11 part-per-trillion detection limit (for uranium) and over million fold selectivity (over other radionuclides and metal ions tested). Practical application of the biosensors for samples from the Environmental Remediation Sciences Program (ERSP) Field Research Center (FRC) at Oak Ridge has also been demonstrated.« less

  7. Direct real-time detection of vapors from explosive compounds.

    PubMed

    Ewing, Robert G; Clowers, Brian H; Atkinson, David A

    2013-11-19

    The real-time detection of vapors from low volatility explosives including PETN, tetryl, RDX, and nitroglycerine along with various compositions containing these substances was demonstrated. This was accomplished with an atmospheric flow tube (AFT) using a nonradioactive ionization source coupled to a mass spectrometer. Direct vapor detection was accomplished in less than 5 s at ambient temperature without sample preconcentration. The several seconds of residence time of analytes in the AFT provided a significant opportunity for reactant ions to interact with analyte vapors to achieve ionization. This extended reaction time, combined with the selective ionization using the nitrate reactant ions (NO3(-) and NO3(-)·HNO3), enabled highly sensitive explosives detection from explosive vapors present in ambient laboratory air. Observed signals from diluted explosive vapors indicated detection limits below 10 ppqv using selected ion monitoring (SIM) of the explosive-nitrate adduct at m/z 349, 378, 284, and 289 for tetryl, PETN, RDX, and NG, respectively. Also provided is a demonstration of the vapor detection from 10 different energetic formulations sampled in ambient laboratory air, including double base propellants, plastic explosives, and commercial blasting explosives using SIM for the NG, PETN, and RDX product ions.

  8. Charged Particle Detection: Potential of Love Wave Acoustic Devices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pedrick, Michael; Tittmann, Bernhard

    2006-03-01

    An investigation of the dependence of film density on group and phase velocities in a Love Wave Device shows potential for acoustic-based charged particle detection (CPD). Exposure of an ion sensitive photoresist to charged particles causes localized changes in density through either scission or cross-linking. A theoretical model was developed to study ion fluence effects on Love Wave sensitivity based on: ion energy, effective density changes, layer thickness and mode selection. The model is based on a Poly(Methyl Methacralate) (PMMA) film deposited on a Quartz substrate. The effect of Helium ion fluence on the properties of PMMA has previously been studied. These guidelines were used as an initial basis for the prediction of helium ion detection in a PMMA layer. Procedures for experimental characterization of ion effects on the material properties of PMMA are reviewed. Techniques for experimental validation of the predicted velocity shifts are discussed. A Love Wave Device for CPD could potentially provide a cost-effective alternative to semiconductor or photo-based counterparts. The potential for monitoring ion implantation effects on material properties is also discussed.

  9. Magnetic detection of mercuric ion using giant magnetoresistance-based biosensing system.

    PubMed

    Wang, Wei; Wang, Yi; Tu, Liang; Klein, Todd; Feng, Yinglong; Li, Qin; Wang, Jian-Ping

    2014-04-15

    We have demonstrated a novel sensing strategy employing a giant magnetoresistance (GMR) biosensor and DNA chemistry for the detection of mercuric ion (Hg(2+)). This assay takes advantages of high sensitivity and real-time signal readout of GMR biosensor and high selectivity of thymine-thymine (T-T) pair for Hg(2+). The assay has a detection limit of 10 nM in both buffer and natural water, which is the maximum mercury level in drinking water regulated by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The magnitude of the dynamic range for Hg(2+) detection is up to three orders (10 nM to 10 μM). Herein, GMR sensing technology is first introduced into a pollutant monitoring area. It can be foreseen that the GMR biosensor could become a robust contender in the areas of environmental monitoring and food safety testing.

  10. Method for characterization of low molecular weight organic acids in atmospheric aerosols using ion chromatography mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Brent, Lacey C; Reiner, Jessica L; Dickerson, Russell R; Sander, Lane C

    2014-08-05

    The structural composition of PM2.5 monitored in the atmosphere is usually divided by the analysis of organic carbon, black (also called elemental) carbon, and inorganic salts. The characterization of the chemical composition of aerosols represents a significant challenge to analysts, and studies are frequently limited to determination of aerosol bulk properties. To better understand the potential health effects and combined interactions of components in aerosols, a variety of measurement techniques for individual analytes in PM2.5 need to be implemented. The method developed here for the measurement of organic acids achieves class separation of aliphatic monoacids, aliphatic diacids, aromatic acids, and polyacids. The selective ion monitoring capability of a triple quadropole mass analyzer was frequently capable of overcoming instances of incomplete separations. Standard Reference Material (SRM) 1649b Urban Dust was characterized; 34 organic acids were qualitatively identified, and 6 organic acids were quantified.

  11. Application of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy to the analysis of algal biomass for industrial biotechnology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pořízka, P.; Prochazka, D.; Pilát, Z.; Krajcarová, L.; Kaiser, J.; Malina, R.; Novotný, J.; Zemánek, P.; Ježek, J.; Šerý, M.; Bernatová, S.; Krzyžánek, V.; Dobranská, K.; Novotný, K.; Trtílek, M.; Samek, O.

    2012-08-01

    We report on the application of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) to the determination of elements distinctive in terms of their biological significance (such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, and sodium) and to the monitoring of accumulation of potentially toxic heavy metal ions in living microorganisms (algae), in order to trace e.g. the influence of environmental exposure and other cultivation and biological factors having an impact on them. Algae cells were suspended in liquid media or presented in a form of adherent cell mass on a surface (biofilm) and, consequently, characterized using their spectra. In our feasibility study we used three different experimental arrangements employing double-pulse LIBS technique in order to improve on analytical selectivity and sensitivity for potential industrial biotechnology applications, e.g. for monitoring of mass production of commercial biofuels, utilization in the food industry and control of the removal of heavy metal ions from industrial waste waters.

  12. IN SITU SOLID-PHASE EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS OF ULTRA-TRACE SYNTHETIC MUSKS IN MUNICIPAL SEWAGE EFFLUENT USING GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY-MASS SPECTROMETRY, FULL-SCAN MODE

    EPA Science Inventory



    Fragrance materials, such as synthetic musks in aqueous samples, are normally analyzed by GC/MS in the selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode to provide maximum sensitivity after liquid-liquid extraction of 1-L samples. A 1-L sample, however, usually provides too little ana...

  13. ON-SITE SOLID PHRASE EXTRACTION AND LABORATORY ANALYSIS OF ULTRA-TRACE SYNTHETIC MUSKS IN MUNICIPAL SEWAGE EFFLUENT USING GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY-MASS SPECTROMETRY, FULL-SCAN MODE

    EPA Science Inventory



    Fragrance materials, such as synthetic musks in aqueous samples, are normally analyzed by GC/MS in the selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode to provide maximum sensitivity after liquid-liquid extraction of I -L samples. A I -L sample, however, usually provides too little ana...

  14. High-resolution gas chromatography/mas spectrometry method for characterization and quantitative analysis of ginkgolic acids in ginkgo biloba plants, extracts, and dietary supplements

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    A high resolution GC/MS with Selected Ion Monitor (SIM) method focusing on the characterization and quantitative analysis of ginkgolic acids (GAs) in Ginkgo biloba L. plant materials, extracts and commercial products was developed and validated. The method involved sample extraction with (1:1) meth...

  15. ON-SITE SOLID-PHASE EXTRACTION AND LABORATORY ANALYSIS OF ULTRA-TRACE SYNTHETIC MUSKS IN MUNICIPAL SEWAGE EFFLUENT USING GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY-MASS SPECTROMETRY IN THE FULL-SCAN MODE

    EPA Science Inventory

    Fragrance materials such as synthetic musks in aqueous samples, are normally determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry in the selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode to provide maximum sensitivity after liquid-liquid extraction of I -L samples. Full-scan mass spectra are requ...

  16. Authentication of pineapple (Ananas comosus [L.] Merr.) fruit maturity stages by quantitative analysis of γ- and δ-lactones using headspace solid-phase microextraction and chirospecific gas chromatography-selected ion monitoring mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-SIM-MS).

    PubMed

    Steingass, Christof B; Langen, Johannes; Carle, Reinhold; Schmarr, Hans-Georg

    2015-02-01

    Headspace solid phase microextraction and chirospecific gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in selected ion monitoring mode (HS-SPME-GC-SIM-MS) allowed quantitative determination of δ-lactones (δ-C8, δ-C10) and γ-lactones (γ-C6, γ-C8, γ-C10). A stable isotope dilution assay (SIDA) with d7-γ-decalactone as internal standard was used for quantitative analysis of pineapple lactones that was performed at three progressing post-harvest stages of fully ripe air-freighted and green-ripe sea-freighted fruits, covering the relevant shelf-life of the fruits. Fresh pineapples harvested at full maturity were characterised by γ-C6 of high enantiomeric purity remaining stable during the whole post-harvest period. In contrast, the enantiomeric purity of γ-C6 significantly decreased during post-harvest storage of sea-freighted pineapples. The biogenetical background and the potential of chirospecific analysis of lactones for authentication and quality evaluation of fresh pineapple fruits are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Determination of Low Concentrations of Acetochlor in Water by Automated Solid-Phase Extraction and Gas Chromatography with Mass-Selective Detection

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Lindley, C.E.; Stewart, J.T.; Sandstrom, M.W.

    1996-01-01

    A sensitive and reliable gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric (GC/MS) method for determining acetochlor in environmental water samples was developed. The method involves automated extraction of the herbicide from a filtered 1 L water sample through a C18 solid-phase extraction column, elution from the column with hexane-isopropyl alcohol (3 + 1), and concentration of the extract with nitrogen gas. The herbicide is quantitated by capillary/column GC/MS with selected-ion monitoring of 3 characteristic ions. The single-operator method detection limit for reagent water samples is 0.0015 ??g/L. Mean recoveries ranged from about 92 to 115% for 3 water matrixes fortified at 0.05 and 0.5 ??g/L. Average single-operator precision, over the course of 1 week, was better than 5%.

  18. Development of mercury (II) ion biosensors based on mercury-specific oligonucleotide probes.

    PubMed

    Li, Lanying; Wen, Yanli; Xu, Li; Xu, Qin; Song, Shiping; Zuo, Xiaolei; Yan, Juan; Zhang, Weijia; Liu, Gang

    2016-01-15

    Mercury (II) ion (Hg(2+)) contamination can be accumulated along the food chain and cause serious threat to the public health. Plenty of research effort thus has been devoted to the development of fast, sensitive and selective biosensors for monitoring Hg(2+). Thymine was demonstrated to specifically combine with Hg(2+) and form a thymine-Hg(2+)-thymine (T-Hg(2+)-T) structure, with binding constant even higher than T-A Watson-Crick pair in DNA duplex. Recently, various novel Hg(2+) biosensors have been developed based on T-rich Mercury-Specific Oligonucleotide (MSO) probes, and exhibited advanced selectivity and excellent sensitivity for Hg(2+) detection. In this review, we explained recent development of MSO-based Hg(2+) biosensors mainly in 3 groups: fluorescent biosensors, colorimetric biosensors and electrochemical biosensors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Rapid quantification of free cholesterol in tears using direct insertion/electron ionization-mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Wei, Xiaojia Eric; Korth, John; Brown, Simon H J; Mitchell, Todd W; Truscott, Roger J W; Blanksby, Stephen J; Willcox, Mark D P; Zhao, Zhenjun

    2013-12-09

    To establish a simple and rapid analytical method, based on direct insertion/electron ionization-mass spectrometry (DI/EI-MS), for measuring free cholesterol in tears from humans and rabbits. A stable-isotope dilution protocol employing DI/EI-MS in selected ion monitoring mode was developed and validated. It was used to quantify the free cholesterol content in human and rabbit tear extracts. Tears were collected from adult humans (n = 15) and rabbits (n = 10) and lipids extracted. Screening, full-scan (m/z 40-600) DI/EI-MS analysis of crude tear extracts showed that diagnostic ions located in the mass range m/z 350 to 400 were those derived from free cholesterol, with no contribution from cholesterol esters. DI/EI-MS data acquired using selected ion monitoring (SIM) were analyzed for the abundance ratios of diagnostic ions with their stable isotope-labeled analogues arising from the D6-cholesterol internal standard. Standard curves of good linearity were produced and an on-probe limit of detection of 3 ng (at 3:1 signal to noise) and limit of quantification of 8 ng (at 10:1 signal to noise). The concentration of free cholesterol in human tears was 15 ± 6 μg/g, which was higher than in rabbit tears (10 ± 5 μg/g). A stable-isotope dilution DI/EI-SIM method for free cholesterol quantification without prior chromatographic separation was established. Using this method demonstrated that humans have higher free cholesterol levels in their tears than rabbits. This is in agreement with previous reports. This paper provides a rapid and reliable method to measure free cholesterol in small-volume clinical samples.

  20. Highly selectively monitoring heavy and transition metal ions by a fluorescent sensor based on dipeptide.

    PubMed

    Neupane, Lok Nath; Thirupathi, Ponnaboina; Jang, Sujung; Jang, Min Jung; Kim, Jung Hwa; Lee, Keun-Hyeung

    2011-09-15

    Fluorescent sensor (DMH) based on dipeptide was efficiently synthesized in solid phase synthesis. The dipeptide sensor shows sensitive response to Ag(I), Hg(II), and Cu(II) among 14 metal ions in 100% aqueous solution. The fluorescent sensor differentiates three heavy metal ions by response type; turn on response to Ag(I), ratiometric response to Hg(II), and turn off detection of Cu(II). The detection limits of the sensor for Ag(I) and Cu(II) were much lower than the EPA's drinking water maximum contaminant levels (MCL). Specially, DMH penetrated live cells and detected intracellular Ag(+) by turn on response. We described the fluorescent change, binding affinity, detection limit for the metal ions. The study of a heavy metal-responsive sensor based on dipeptide demonstrates its potential utility in the environment field. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Application of wide selected-ion monitoring data-independent acquisition to identify tomato fruit proteins regulated by the CUTIN DEFICIENT2 transcription factor

    PubMed Central

    Martin, Laetitia B. B.; Sherwood, Robert W.; Nicklay, Joshua J.; Yang, Yong; Muratore-Schroeder, Tara L.; Anderson, Elizabeth T.; Thannhauser, Theodore W.; Rose, Jocelyn K. C.; Zhang, Sheng

    2017-01-01

    We describe here the use of label-free wide selected-ion monitoring data-independent acquisition (WiSIM-DIA) to identify proteins that are involved in the formation of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit cuticles and that are regulated by the transcription factor CUTIN DEFICIENT2 (CD2). A spectral library consisting of 11 753 unique peptides, corresponding to 2338 tomato protein groups, was used and the DIA analysis was performed at the MS1 level utilizing narrow mass windows for extraction with Skyline 2.6 software. We identified a total of 1140 proteins, 67 of which had expression levels that differed significantly between the cd2 tomato mutant and the wild-type cultivar M82. Differentially expressed proteins including a key protein involved in cutin biosynthesis, were selected for validation by target SRM/MRM and by Western blot analysis. In addition to confirming a role for CD2 in regulating cuticle formation, the results also revealed that CD2 influences pathways associated with cell wall biology, anthocyanin biosynthesis, plant development, and responses to stress, which complements findings of earlier RNA-Seq experiments. Our results provide new insights into molecular processes and aspects of fruit biology associated with CD2 function, and demonstrate that the WiSIM-DIA is an effective quantitative approach for global protein identifications. PMID:27089858

  2. Selective and sensitive detection of chromium(VI) in waters using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Weldy, Effie; Wolff, Chloe; Miao, Zhixin; Chen, Hao

    2013-09-01

    From 2000 through 2011, there were 14 criminal cases of violations of the Clean Water Act involving the discharge of chromium, a toxic heavy metal, into drinking and surface water sources. As chromium(VI), a potential carcinogen present in the environment, represents a significant safety concern, it is currently the subject of an EPA health risk assessment. Therefore, sensitive and selective detection of this species is highly desired. This study reports the analysis of chromium(VI) in water samples by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) following its reduction and complexation with ammonium pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (APDC). The reduction and subsequent complexation produce a characteristic [Cr(III)O]-PDC complex which can be detected as a protonated ion of m/z 507 in the positive ion mode. The detection is selective to chromium(VI) under acidic pH, even in the presence of chromium(III) and other metal ions, providing high specificity. Different water samples were examined, including deionized, tap, and river waters, and sensitive detection was achieved. In the case of deionized water, quantification over the concentration range of 3.7 to 148ppb gave an excellent correlation coefficient of 0.9904 using the enhanced MS mode scan. Using the single-reaction monitoring (SRM) mode (monitoring the characteristic fragmentation of m/z 507 to m/z 360), the limit of detection (LOD) was found to be 0.25ppb. The LOD of chromium(VI) for both tap and river water samples was determined to be 2.0ppb. A preconcentration strategy using simple vacuum evaporation of the aqueous sample was shown to further improve the ESI signal by 15 fold. This method, with high sensitivity and selectivity, should provide a timely solution for the real-world analysis of toxic chromium(VI). Copyright © 2012 Forensic Science Society. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Glutathione-Capped Gold Nanoparticles-Based Photoacoustic Sensor for Label-Free Detection of Lead Ions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shi, R.; Liu, X.-J.; Ying, Y.

    2017-07-01

    The photoacoustic signal generated by laser-induced nanobubbles (PA-LINB) proved to be a sensitive tool to monitor the aggregation of gold nanoparticles. Here, a simple and label-free photoacoustic method for the rapid detection of Pb2+ in the aqueous phase was developed. Due to the high affinity of Pb2+ ions to glutathione, the presence of Pb2+ led to the aggregation of glutathione-conjugated gold nanoparticles (GSH-GNPs). Hence, by measuring the variation of the PA-LINB signal after the aggregation of GSH-GNPs, Pb2+ can be quantified. A low detection limit for Pb2+ (42 nM) and a wide linear working range ( 42-1000 nM) were achieved. Furthermore, the proposed method showed good selectivity against other metal ions.

  4. Multiparametric monitoring of tissue vitality in clinical situations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mayevsky, Avraham; Manor, Tamar; Meilin, Sigal; Razon, Nisim; Ouknine, George E.; Ornstein, Eugene

    2001-05-01

    The monitoring of various tissue's physiological and biochemical parameters is one of the tools used by the clinicians to improve diagnosis capacity. As of today, the very few devices developed for real time clinical monitoring of tissue vitality are based on a single parameter measurement. Tissue energy balance could be defined as the ratio between oxygen or energy supply and demand. In order to determine the vitality of the brain, for example, it is necessary to measure at least the following 3 parameters: Energy Demand--potassium ion homeostasis; Energy Supply-- cerebral blood flow; Energy Balance--mitochondrial NADH redox state. For other tissues one can measure various energy demand processes specific to the tested organ. We have developed a unique multiparametric monitoring system tested in various experimental and clinical applications. The multiprobe assembly (MPA) consists of a fiber optic probe for measurement of tissue blood flow and mitochondrial NADH redox state, ion selective electrodes (K+, Ca2+, H+), electrodes for electrical activities (ECoG or ECG and DC potential), temperature probe and for monitoring the brain - Intra Cranial Pressure probe (ICP). The computerized monitoring system was used in the neurological intensive care unit to monitor comatose patients for a period of 24-48 hours. Also, a simplified MPA was used in the neurosurgical operating room or during organ transplantation procedure. It was found that the MPA could be used in clinical situations and that the data collected has a significant diagnosis value for the medical team.

  5. A Computational Tool to Detect and Avoid Redundancy in Selected Reaction Monitoring

    PubMed Central

    Röst, Hannes; Malmström, Lars; Aebersold, Ruedi

    2012-01-01

    Selected reaction monitoring (SRM), also called multiple reaction monitoring, has become an invaluable tool for targeted quantitative proteomic analyses, but its application can be compromised by nonoptimal selection of transitions. In particular, complex backgrounds may cause ambiguities in SRM measurement results because peptides with interfering transitions similar to those of the target peptide may be present in the sample. Here, we developed a computer program, the SRMCollider, that calculates nonredundant theoretical SRM assays, also known as unique ion signatures (UIS), for a given proteomic background. We show theoretically that UIS of three transitions suffice to conclusively identify 90% of all yeast peptides and 85% of all human peptides. Using predicted retention times, the SRMCollider also simulates time-scheduled SRM acquisition, which reduces the number of interferences to consider and leads to fewer transitions necessary to construct an assay. By integrating experimental fragment ion intensities from large scale proteome synthesis efforts (SRMAtlas) with the information content-based UIS, we combine two orthogonal approaches to create high quality SRM assays ready to be deployed. We provide a user friendly, open source implementation of an algorithm to calculate UIS of any order that can be accessed online at http://www.srmcollider.org to find interfering transitions. Finally, our tool can also simulate the specificity of novel data-independent MS acquisition methods in Q1–Q3 space. This allows us to predict parameters for these methods that deliver a specificity comparable with that of SRM. Using SRM interference information in addition to other sources of information can increase the confidence in an SRM measurement. We expect that the consideration of information content will become a standard step in SRM assay design and analysis, facilitated by the SRMCollider. PMID:22535207

  6. Quantification of 4 antidepressants and a metabolite by LC-MS for therapeutic drug monitoring.

    PubMed

    Choong, Eva; Rudaz, Serge; Kottelat, Astrid; Haldemann, Sophie; Guillarme, Davy; Veuthey, Jean-Luc; Eap, Chin B

    2011-06-01

    A liquid chromatography method coupled to mass spectrometry was developed for the quantification of bupropion, its metabolite hydroxy-bupropion, moclobemide, reboxetine and trazodone in human plasma. The validation of the analytical procedure was assessed according to Société Française des Sciences et Techniques Pharmaceutiques and the latest Food and Drug Administration guidelines. The sample preparation was performed with 0.5 mL of plasma extracted on a cation-exchange solid phase 96-well plate. The separation was achieved in 14 min on a C18 XBridge column (2.1 mm×100 mm, 3.5 μm) using a 50 mM ammonium acetate pH 9/acetonitrile mobile phase in gradient mode. The compounds of interest were analysed in the single ion monitoring mode on a single quadrupole mass spectrometer working in positive electrospray ionisation mode. Two ions were selected per molecule to increase the number of identification points and to avoid as much as possible any false positives. Since selectivity is always a critical point for routine therapeutic drug monitoring, more than sixty common comedications for the psychiatric population were tested. For each analyte, the analytical procedure was validated to cover the common range of concentrations measured in plasma samples: 1-400 ng/mL for reboxetine and bupropion, 2-2000 ng/mL for hydroxy-bupropion, moclobemide, and trazodone. For all investigated compounds, reliable performance in terms of accuracy, precision, trueness, recovery, selectivity and stability was obtained. One year after its implementation in a routine process, this method demonstrated a high robustness with accurate values over the wide concentration range commonly observed among a psychiatric population. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Channeling STIM analysis of radiation damage in single crystal diamond membrane

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sudić, I.; Cosic, D.; Ditalia Tchernij, S.; Olivero, P.; Pomorski, M.; Skukan, N.; Jakšić, M.

    2017-08-01

    The use of focused ion beam transmission channeling patterns to monitor the damage creation process in thin diamond single crystal membrane is described. A 0.8 MeV proton beam from the Ruđer Bošković Institute nuclear microprobe was used to perform Channeling Scanning Transmission Ion Microscopy (CSTIM) measurements. CSTIM was used instead of RBS channeling because of (several orders of magnitude) lower damage done to the sample during the measurements. Damage was introduced in selected areas by 15 MeV carbon beam in range of fluences 3·1015-2·1017 ions/cm2. Contrary to Ion Beam Induced Charge (IBIC), CSTIM is shown to be sensitive to the large fluences of ion beam radiation. Complementary studies of both IBIC and CSTIM are presented to show that very high fluence range can be covered by these two microprobe techniques, providing much wider information about the diamond radiation hardness. In addition micro Raman measurements were performed and the height of the GR 1 peak was correlated to the ion beam fluence.

  8. Simultaneous determination of clebopride and a major metabolite N-desbenzylclebopride in plasma by capillary gas chromatography-negative-ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Robinson, P R; Jones, M D; Maddock, J; Rees, L W

    1991-03-08

    A procedure for the simultaneous assay of clebopride and its major metabolite N-desbenzylclebopride in plasma has been developed. The method utilizes capillary gas chromatography-negative-ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry with selected-ion monitoring of characteristic ions. Employing 2-ethoxy analogues as internal standards, the benzamides were extracted from basified plasma using dichloromethane. Subsequent reaction with heptafluorobutyric anhydride produced volatile mono- and diheptafluorobutyryl derivatives of clebopride and N-desbenzylclebopride, respectively. The methane negative-ion mass spectra of these derivatives exhibited intense high-mass ions ideal for specific quantitation of low levels in biological fluids. Using this procedure the recovery of the drug and metabolite from human plasma was found to be 84.4 +/- 1.5% (n = 3) and 77.4 +/- 4.7% (n = 3), respectively, at 0.5 ng/ml. Measurement of both compounds down to 0.10 ng/ml with a coefficient of variation of less than 10.5% is described. Plasma levels are reported in four volunteers up to 24 h following oral administration of 1 mg of clebopride malate salt.

  9. Fabrication of an electrochemical sensor based on spiropyran for sensitive and selective detection of fluoride ion.

    PubMed

    Tao, Jia; Zhao, Peng; Li, Yinhui; Zhao, Wenjie; Xiao, Yue; Yang, Ronghua

    2016-04-28

    In the past decades, numerous electrochemical sensors based on exogenous electroactive substance have been reported. Due to non-specific interaction between the redox mediator and the target, the instability caused by false signal may not be avoided. To address this issue, in this paper, a new electrochemical sensor based on spiropyran skeleton, namely SPOSi, was designed for specific electrochemical response to fluoride ions (F(-)). The breakage of Si-O induced by F(-) based on the specific nucleophilic substitution reaction between F(-) and silica would directly produce a hydroquinone structure for electrochemical signal generation. To improve the sensitivity, SPOSi probe was assembled on the single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) through the π-π conjugating interaction. This electrode was successfully applied to monitor F(-) with a detection limit of 8.3 × 10(-8) M. Compared with the conventional F(-) ion selected electrode (ISE) which utilized noncovalent interaction, this method displays higher stability and a comparable sensitivity in the urine samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Geologic, hydrologic, and water-quality data from multiple-well monitoring sites in the Central and West Coast basins, Los Angeles County, California, 1995-2000

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Land, Michael; Everett, R.R.; Crawford, S.M.

    2002-01-01

    In 1995, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the HYPERLINK 'http://wrd.org' Water Replenishment District of Southern California (WRDSC), began a study to examine ground-water resources in the Central and West Coast Basins in Los Angeles County, California. The study characterizes the geohydrology and geochemistry of the regional ground-water flow system and provides extensive data for evaluating ground-water management issues. This report is a compilation of geologic, hydrologic, and water-quality data collected from 24 recently constructed multiple-well monitoring sites for the period 1995?2000. Descriptions of the collected drill cuttings were compiled into lithologic logs, which are summarized along with geophysical logs?including gamma-ray, spontaneous potential, resistivity, electromagnetic induction, and temperature tool logs?for each monitoring site. At selected sites, cores were analyzed for magnetic orientation, physical and thermal properties, and mineralogy. Field and laboratory estimates of hydraulic conductivity are presented for most multiple-well monitoring sites. Periodic water-level measurements are also reported. Water-quality information for major ions, nutrients, trace elements, deuterium and oxygen-18, and tritium is presented for the multiple-well monitoring locations, and for selected existing production and observation wells. In addition, boron-11, carbon-13, carbon-14, sulfur-34, and strontium-87/86 data are presented for selected wells.

  11. Method 522 - Determination of 1,4-Dioxane in Drinking Water by Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) and Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) with Selected Ion Monitoring (SIM)

    EPA Science Inventory

    1,4-Dioxane has been identified as a probable human carcinogen and an emerging contaminant in drinking water. The National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL) has developed a method for the analysis of 1,4-dioxane in drinking water at ng/L concentrations. The method consists of...

  12. Fatty acid analysis of saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) and pygeum (Prunus africanum) in dietary supplements by mass spectrometry in the selected ion monitoring mode

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Saw palmetto and pygeum are natural products commonly used in dietary supplements for the treatment of enlarged prostate glands. These plant materials are rich in fatty acids, and the fatty acid compositions of both plants are similar. The goal of this study was to develop a gas chromatography-mass ...

  13. Confinement of a β-barrel protein in nanoperforated free-standing nanomembranes for ion transport.

    PubMed

    Puiggalí-Jou, Anna; Pérez-Madrigal, Maria M; Del Valle, Luis J; Armelin, Elaine; Casas, María T; Michaux, Catherine; Perpète, Eric A; Estrany, Francesc; Alemán, Carlos

    2016-09-29

    Bioinspired free-standing nanomembranes (FSNMs) for selective ion transport have been tailored by immobilizing the Omp2a β-barrel membrane protein inside nanoperforations created in flexible poly(lactic acid) (PLA) nanomembranes. Perforated PLA FSNMs have been prepared by spin-coating a 99 : 1 PLA : poly(vinyl alcohol) mixture, and through a phase segregation process nanofeatures with dimensions similar to the entire nanomembrane thickness (∼110 nm) were induced. These nanofeatures have subsequently been transformed into nanoperforations (diameter: ∼51 nm) by selective solvent etching. The protein confined inside the nanopores of PLA FSNMs preserves the β-barrel structure and organizes in ovoid aggregates. The transport properties of Na + , K + , and Ca 2+ across non-perforated PLA, nanoperforated PLA, and Omp2a-filled nanoperforated PLA have been monitored by measuring the nanomembrane resistance with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The incorporation of nanoperforations enhances the transport of ions across PLA nanomembranes, whereas the functionality of immobilized Omp2a is essential to exhibit effects similar to those observed in biological nanomembranes. Indeed, Omp2a-filled nanoperforated PLA nanomembranes exhibit stronger affinity towards Na + and Ca 2+ ions than towards K + . In summary, this work provides a novel bioinspired strategy to develop mechanically stable and flexible FSNMs with channels for ion transport, which are precisely located inside artificial nanoperforations, thus holding great potential for applications in biofiltration and biosensing.

  14. L-cysteine protected copper nanoparticles as colorimetric sensor for mercuric ions.

    PubMed

    Soomro, Razium A; Nafady, Ayman; Sirajuddin; Memon, Najma; Sherazi, Tufail H; Kalwar, Nazar H

    2014-12-01

    This report demonstrates a novel, simple and efficient protocol for the synthesis of copper nanoparticles in aqueous solution using L-cysteine as capping or protecting agent. UV-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy was employed to monitor the LSPR band of L-cysteine functionalized copper nanoparticles (Cyst-Cu NPs) based on optimizing various reaction parameters. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy provided information about the surface interaction between L-cysteine and Cu NPs. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) confirmed the formation of fine spherical, uniformly distributed Cyst-Cu NPs with average size of 34 ± 2.1 nm. X-ray diffractometry (XRD) illustrated the formation of pure metallic phase crystalline Cyst-Cu NPs. As prepared Cyst-Cu NPs were tested as colorimetric sensor for determining mercuric (Hg(2+)) ions in an aqueous system. Cyst-Cu NPs demonstrated very sensitive and selective colorimetric detection of Hg(2+) ions in the range of 0.5 × 10(-6)-3.5 × 10(-6) mol L(-1) based on decrease in LSPR intensity as monitored by a UV-vis spectrophotometer. The developed sensor is simple, economic compared to those based on precious metal nanoparticles and sensitive to detect Hg(2+) ions with detection limit down to 4.3 × 10(-8) mol L(-1). The sensor developed in this work has a high potential for rapid and on-site detection of Hg(2+) ions. The sensor was successfully applied for assessment of Hg(2+) ions in real water samples collected from various locations of the Sindh River. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. High sensitivity charge amplifier for ion beam uniformity monitor

    DOEpatents

    Johnson, Gary W.

    2001-01-01

    An ion beam uniformity monitor for very low beam currents using a high-sensitivity charge amplifier with bias compensation. The ion beam monitor is used to assess the uniformity of a raster-scanned ion beam, such as used in an ion implanter, and utilizes four Faraday cups placed in the geometric corners of the target area. Current from each cup is integrated with respect to time, thus measuring accumulated dose, or charge, in Coulombs. By comparing the dose at each corner, a qualitative assessment of ion beam uniformity is made possible. With knowledge of the relative area of the Faraday cups, the ion flux and areal dose can also be obtained.

  16. Monitoring

    DOEpatents

    Orr, Christopher Henry; Luff, Craig Janson; Dockray, Thomas; Macarthur, Duncan Whittemore

    2004-11-23

    The invention provides apparatus and methods which facilitate movement of an instrument relative to an item or location being monitored and/or the item or location relative to the instrument, whilst successfully excluding extraneous ions from the detection location. Thus, ions generated by emissions from the item or location can successfully be monitored during movement. The technique employs sealing to exclude such ions, for instance, through an electro-field which attracts and discharges the ions prior to their entering the detecting location and/or using a magnetic field configured to repel the ions away from the detecting location.

  17. Determination of active components of Ginkgo biloba in human urine by capillary high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry with on-line column-switching purification.

    PubMed

    Ding, Shujing; Dudley, Ed; Chen, Lijuan; Plummer, Sue; Tang, Jiandong; Newton, Russell P; Brenton, A Gareth

    2006-01-01

    Ginkgo biloba is one of the most popular herbal nutritional supplements, with terpene lactones and flavonoids being the two major active components. An on-line purification high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) method was successfully developed for the quantitative determination of flavonoids and terpene lactones excreted in human urine after ingesting the herbal supplement. Satisfactory separation was obtained using a C18 capillary column made in-house with sample clean-up and pre-concentration achieved using a C18 pre-column with column switching. High selectivity and limits of detection of 1-18 ng/mL were achieved using a selected ion monitoring (SIM) scan in negative ion mode; the on-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) recovery of the active components in Ginkgo biloba determined in this study was greater than 75%. Copyright 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  18. A Novel Sensor for Monitoring of Iron(III) Ions Based on Porphyrins

    PubMed Central

    Vlascici, Dana; Fagadar-Cosma, Eugenia; Popa, Iuliana; Chiriac, Vlad; Gil-Agusti, Mayte

    2012-01-01

    Three A3B porphyrins with mixed carboxy-, phenoxy-, pyridyl-, and dimethoxy-substituent functionalization on the meso-phenyl groups were obtained by multicomponent synthesis, fully characterized and used as ionophores for preparing PVC-based membrane sensors selective to iron(III). The membranes have an ionophore:PVC:plasticizer composition ratio of 1:33:66. Sodium tetraphenylborate was used as additive (20 mol% relative to ionophore). The performance characteristics (linear concentration range, slope and selectivity) of the sensors were investigated. The best results were obtained for the membrane based on 5-(4-carboxyphenyl)-10,15,20-tris(4-phenoxyphenyl)-porphyrin plasticized with bis(2-ethylhexyl)sebacate, in a linear range from 1 × 10−7–1 × 10−1 M with a slope of 21.6 mV/decade. The electrode showed high selectivity with respect to alkaline and heavy metal ions and a response time of 20 s. The influence of pH on the sensor response was studied. The sensor was used for a period of six weeks and the utility has been tested for the quantitative determination of Fe(III) in recovered solutions from spent lithium ion batteries and for the quantitative determination of Fe(III) in tap water samples. PMID:22969395

  19. Application of a taste evaluation system to the monitoring of Kimchi fermentation.

    PubMed

    Kim, Namsoo; Park, Kyung-Rim; Park, In-Seon; Cho, Yong-Jin; Bae, Young Min

    2005-05-15

    As an objective method, taste evaluation with an instrument is able to supplement the subjective sensory evaluation and to be applied to the optimization of food processing. Kimchi, a Korean traditional pickle fermented with lactic acid bacteria, is expanding its consumption worldwide. The fermentation control of it has been routinely done by measuring titratable acidity and pH. In this study, an eight-channel taste evaluation system was prepared, followed by an application to the monitoring of Kimchi fermentation. Eight polymer membranes which individually responded to cationic or anionic substances were prepared by mixing electroactive materials such as tri-n-octylmethylammonium chloride, bis(2-ethylhexyl)sebacate as the plasticizer and polyvinyl chloride in the ratio of 1:66:33. Each membrane prepared was separately installed onto the sensitive area of an ion-selective electrode to produce the respective taste sensor. The eight-channel sensor array and a double junction reference electrode were connected to a 16-channel high input impedance amplifier. The amplified sensor signals were stored to a personal computer via a multi-channel A/D converter. Two sensor groups composed of the cation-selective and anion-selective polymer membrane electrodes showed characteristic concentration-dependency to various artificial taste substances. As a whole, the response potentials of the sensor array increased during the fermentation period at 4, 10 and 25 degrees C. Even the response potentials of the anion-selective taste sensors slightly increased possibly due to the protonation of anions by liberated H+ ions, thereby leading to a decrease in the anion concentration. When the signal data were interpreted by principal component analysis (PCA), the first PC at 4 degrees C explained most of the total data variance. A close correlation was found between the values of titratable acidity and the first PC, which indicated a possible applicability of the multi-channel taste sensor of this study to the process monitoring of various pickle.

  20. Simultaneous determination of triptolide, tripdiolide and tripterine in human urine by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with ion trap atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Jin, Mi-cong; Chen, Xiao-hong; OuYang, Xiao-kun

    2009-03-01

    An accurate and selective method for the simultaneous determination of triptolide, tripdiolide and tripterine in human urine using hydrocortisone as an internal standard (IS) by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry in negative ion mode has been developed. After triptolide, tripdiolide and tripterine in human urine were extracted with ethyl acetate and cleaned by solid-phase extraction with C(18) cartridges, a satisfactory separation was achieved on an XDB C(18) short column (30 x 2.1 mm i.d., 3 microm) using the mobile phase of acetic acid-ammonium acetate (5 mmol/L, pH = 4.5)-acetonitrile-methanol in gradient elution. Detection was operated by APCI in selected ion monitoring mode. The target ions m/z 359, m/z 375, m/z 449 and m/z 419 were selected for the quantification of triptolide, tripdiolide, tripterine and IS, respectively. The linear range was 1.0-100.0 ng mL(-1), and the limits of quantification in human urine were found to be 0.1-0.5 ng mL(-1) for the three compounds. The precisions (CV%) and accuracies were 6.6-12.9 and 85.1-97.0%, respectively. The developed method could be applied to the determination of triptolide, tripdiolide and tripterine in human urine for diagnosis of the intoxication and for forensic purposes. 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  1. Injection port derivatization following ion-pair hollow fiber-protected liquid-phase microextraction for determining acidic herbicides by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Wu, Jingming; Lee, Hian Kee

    2006-10-15

    Injection port derivatization following ion-pair hollow fiber-protected liquid-phase microextraction (LPME) for the trace determination of acidic herbicides (2,4-dichlorobenzoic acid, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)propionic acid, 3,5-dichlorobenzoic acid, 2-(2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy)propionic acid) in aqueous samples by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was developed. Prior to GC injection port derivatization, acidic herbicides were converted into their ion-pair complexes with tetrabutylammonium chloride in aqueous samples and then extracted by 1-octanol impregnated in the hollow fiber. Upon injection, ion pairs of acidic herbicides were quantitatively derivatized to their butyl esters in the GC injection port. Thus, several parameters related to the derivatization process (i.e., injection temperature, purge-off time) were evaluated, and main parameters affecting the hollow fiber-protected LPME procedure such as extraction organic solvent, ion-pair reagent type, pH of aqueous medium, concentration of ion-pair reagent, sodium chloride concentration added to the aqueous medium, stirring speed, and extraction time profile, optimized. At the selected extraction and derivatization conditions, no matrix effects were observed. This method proved good repeatability (RSDs <12.3%, n = 6) and good linearity (r2 > or = 0.9939) for spiked deionized water samples for five analytes. The limits of detection were in the range of 0.51-13.7 ng x L(-1) (S/N =3) under GC/MS selected ion monitoring mode. The results demonstrated that injection port derivatization following ion-pair hollow fiber-protected LPME was a simple, rapid, and accurate method for the determination of trace acidic herbicides from aqueous samples. In addition, this method proved to be environmentally friendly since it completely avoided open derivatization with potentially hazardous reagents.

  2. Measuring Light Air Ions in a Speleotherapeutic Cave

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Roubal, Z.; Bartušek, K.; Szabó, Z.; Drexler, P.; Überhuberová, J.

    2017-02-01

    The paper deals with a methodology proposed for measuring the concentration of air ions in the environment of speleotherapeutic caves, and with the implementation of the AK-UTEE-v2 ionmeter. Speleotherapy, in the context of its general definition, is the medical therapy that utilizes the climate of selected caves to treat patients with health problems such as asthma. These spaces are characterized by the presence of high air humidity and they make extreme demands on the execution of the measuring device, the Gerdien tube (GT in the following) in particular, and on the amplifier electronics. The result is an automated measuring system using a GT with low-volume air flow, enabling long-term measuring of air ion concentration and determination of spectral ion characteristics. Interesting from the instrumentation viewpoint are the GT design, active shielding, and execution of the electrometric amplifier. A specific method for the calculation of spectral ion characteristics and the mode of automatic calibration were proposed and a procedure of automatic measurement in the absence of attendants was set up. The measuring system is designed for studying and long-term monitoring of the concentration of light negative ions in dependence on climatic conditions and on the mobility of ions occurring in the cave.

  3. Forming Rb(+) snowballs in the center of He nanodroplets.

    PubMed

    Theisen, Moritz; Lackner, Florian; Ernst, Wolfgang E

    2010-12-07

    Helium nanodroplets doped with rubidium atoms are ionized by applying a resonant two-step ionization scheme. Subsequent immersion of rubidium ions is observed in time-of-flight mass spectra. While alkali-metal atoms usually desorb from the surface of a helium nanodroplet upon electronic excitation, rubidium in its excited 5(2)P(1/2) state provides an exception from this rule (Auböck et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 2008, 101, 35301). In our new experiment, Rb atoms are selectively excited either to the 5(2)P(1/2) or to the 5(2)P(3/2) state. From there they are ionized by a laser pulse. Time-of-flight mass spectra of the ionization products reveal that the intermediate population of the 5(2)P(1/2) state does not only make the ionization process Rb-monomer selective, but also gives rise to a very high yield of Rb(+)-He(N) complexes. Ions with masses of up to several thousand amu have been monitored, which can be explained by an immersion of the single Rb ion into the He nanodroplet, where most likely a snowball is formed in the center of the He nanodroplet. As the most stable position for an ion is in the center of a He nanodroplet, our results agree well with theory.

  4. Architecture of optical sensor for recognition of multiple toxic metal ions from water.

    PubMed

    Shenashen, M A; El-Safty, S A; Elshehy, E A

    2013-09-15

    Here, we designed novel optical sensor based on the wormhole hexagonal mesoporous core/multi-shell silica nanoparticles that enabled the selective recognition and removal of these extremely toxic metals from drinking water. The surface-coating process of a mesoporous core/double-shell silica platforms by several consequence decorations using a cationic surfactant with double alkyl tails (CS-DAT) and then a synthesized dicarboxylate 1,5-diphenyl-3-thiocarbazone (III) signaling probe enabled us to create a unique hierarchical multi-shell sensor. In this design, the high loading capacity and wrapping of the CS-DAT and III organic moieties could be achieved, leading to the formation of silica core with multi-shells that formed from double-silica, CS-DAT, and III dressing layers. In this sensing system, notable changes in color and reflectance intensity of the multi-shelled sensor for Cu(2+), Co(2+), Cd(2+), and Hg(2+) ions, were observed at pH 2, 8, 9.5 and 11.5, respectively. The multi-shelled sensor is added to enable accessibility for continuous monitoring of several different toxic metal ions and efficient multi-ion sensing and removal capabilities with respect to reversibility, selectivity, and signal stability. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Monitoring of the fermentation media of citric acid by the trimethylsilyl derivatives of the organic acids formed.

    PubMed

    Ghassempour, Alireza; Nojavan, Saeed; Talebpour, Zahra; Amiri, Ali Asghar; Najafi, Nahid Mashkouri

    2004-10-20

    In this approach, a derivatization method is described for monitoring of organic acids in fermentation media without any separation step. The aqueous phase of fermentation media was evaporated and heated in a silylation reagent to form trimethylsilyl (TMS) derivatives. The silylated compounds are analyzed by 29Si nuclear magnetic resonance (29Si NMR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). 29Si NMR can qualitatively monitor the components produced in the Krebs cycle. Quantification of these compounds is investigated by using selected ion monitoring mode of mass spectrometry. In this mode, mass to charge (m/z) values of their [M - 15]+ ions, which are 465, 275, 247, 221, 335, 251, and 313 of TMS derivatives of citric, alpha-ketoglutaric, succinic, fumaric, l-malic, oxaloacetic, and palmitic (as an internal standard), acids, respectively, are used. The limit of detection and the linear working range for derivatized citric acid were found to be 0.1 mg L(-1) and 10-3 x 10(4) mg L(-1). The relative standard deviation of the method for five replicates was 2.1%. The average recovery efficiency for citric acid added to culture media was approximately 97.2%. Quantitative results of GC-MS are compared with those obtained by an ultraviolet-visible method. Copyright 2004 American Chemical Society

  6. A survey of analytical methods employed for monitoring of Advanced Oxidation/Reduction Processes for decomposition of selected perfluorinated environmental pollutants.

    PubMed

    Trojanowicz, Marek; Bobrowski, Krzysztof; Szostek, Bogdan; Bojanowska-Czajka, Anna; Szreder, Tomasz; Bartoszewicz, Iwona; Kulisa, Krzysztof

    2018-01-15

    The monitoring of Advanced Oxidation/Reduction Processes (AO/RPs) for the evaluation of the yield and mechanisms of decomposition of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) is often a more difficult task than their determination in the environmental, biological or food samples with complex matrices. This is mostly due to the formation of hundreds, or even thousands, of both intermediate and final products. The considered AO/RPs, involving free radical reactions, include photolytic and photocatalytic processes, Fenton reactions, sonolysis, ozonation, application of ionizing radiation and several wet oxidation processes. The main attention is paid to the most commonly occurring PFCs in the environment, namely PFOA and PFOS. The most powerful and widely exploited method for this purpose is without a doubt LC/MS/MS, which allows the identification and trace quantitation of all species with detectability and resolution power depending on the particular instrumental configurations. The GC/MS is often employed for the monitoring of volatile fluorocarbons, confirming the formation of radicals in the processes of C‒C and C‒S bonds cleavage. For the direct monitoring of radicals participating in the reactions of PFCs decomposition, the molecular spectrophotometry is employed, especially electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The UV/Vis spectrophotometry as a detection method is of special importance in the evaluation of kinetics of radical reactions with the use of pulse radiolysis methods. The most commonly employed for the determination of the yield of mineralization of PFCs is ion-chromatography, but there is also potentiometry with ion-selective electrode and the measurements of general parameters such as Total Organic Carbon and Total Organic Fluoride. The presented review is based on about 100 original papers published in both analytical and environmental journals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Technical Note: Experimental carbon ion range verification in inhomogeneous phantoms using prompt gammas

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pinto, M.; Dauvergne, D.; Dedes, G.

    2015-05-15

    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to experimentally assess the possibility to monitor carbon ion range variations—due to tumor shift and/or elongation or shrinking—using prompt-gamma (PG) emission with inhomogeneous phantoms. Such a study is related to the development of PG monitoring techniques to be used in a carbon ion therapy context. Methods: A 95 MeV/u carbon ion beam was used to irradiate phantoms with a variable density along the ion path to mimic the presence of bone and lung in homogeneous humanlike tissue. PG profiles were obtained after a longitudinal scan of the phantoms. A setup comprising a narrowmore » single-slit collimator and two detectors placed at 90° with respect to the beam axis was used. The time of flight technique was applied to allow the selection between PG and background events. Results: Using the positions at 50% entrance and 50% falloff of the PG profiles, a quantity called prompt-gamma profile length (PGPL) is defined. It is possible to observe shifts in the PGPL when there are absolute ion range shifts as small as 1–2 mm. Quantitatively, for an ion range shift of −1.33 ± 0.46 mm (insertion of a Teflon slab), a PGPL difference of −1.93 ± 0.58 mm and −1.84 ± 1.27 mm is obtained using a BaF{sub 2} and a NaI(Tl) detector, respectively. In turn, when an ion range shift of 4.59 ± 0.42 mm (insertion of a lung-equivalent material slab) is considered, the difference is of 4.10 ± 0.54 and 4.39 ± 0.80 mm for the same detectors. Conclusions: Herein, experimental evidence of the usefulness of employing PG to monitor carbon ion range using inhomogeneous phantoms is presented. Considering the homogeneous phantom as reference, the results show that the information provided by the PG emission allows for detecting ion range shifts as small as 1–2 mm. When considering the expected PG emission from an energy slice in a carbon ion therapy scenario, the experimental setup would allow to retrieve the same PGPL as the high statistics of the full experimental dataset in 58% of the times. However, this success rate increases to 93% when using a better optimized setup by means of Monte Carlo simulations.« less

  8. Non-Equilibrium Dynamics Contribute to Ion Selectivity in the KcsA Channel

    PubMed Central

    Haas, Stephan; Farley, Robert A.

    2014-01-01

    The ability of biological ion channels to conduct selected ions across cell membranes is critical for the survival of both animal and bacterial cells. Numerous investigations of ion selectivity have been conducted over more than 50 years, yet the mechanisms whereby the channels select certain ions and reject others are not well understood. Here we report a new application of Jarzynski’s Equality to investigate the mechanism of ion selectivity using non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations of Na+ and K+ ions moving through the KcsA channel. The simulations show that the selectivity filter of KcsA adapts and responds to the presence of the ions with structural rearrangements that are different for Na+ and K+. These structural rearrangements facilitate entry of K+ ions into the selectivity filter and permeation through the channel, and rejection of Na+ ions. A mechanistic model of ion selectivity by this channel based on the results of the simulations relates the structural rearrangement of the selectivity filter to the differential dehydration of ions and multiple-ion occupancy and describes a mechanism to efficiently select and conduct K+. Estimates of the K+/Na+ selectivity ratio and steady state ion conductance for KcsA from the simulations are in good quantitative agreement with experimental measurements. This model also accurately describes experimental observations of channel block by cytoplasmic Na+ ions, the “punch through” relief of channel block by cytoplasmic positive voltages, and is consistent with the knock-on mechanism of ion permeation. PMID:24465882

  9. Synthesis of the 3-sulfates of S-acyl glutathione conjugated bile acids and their biotransformation by a rat liver cytosolic fraction.

    PubMed

    Mitamura, Kuniko; Hori, Naohiro; Mino, Shiori; Iida, Takashi; Hofmann, Alan F; Ikegawa, Shigeo

    2012-04-01

    The 3-sulfates of the S-acyl glutathione (GSH) conjugates of five natural bile acids (cholic, chenodeoxycholic, deoxycholic, ursodeoxycholic, and lithocholic) were synthesized as reference standards in order to investigate their possible formation by a rat liver cytosolic fraction. Their structures were confirmed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance, as well as by means of electrospray ionization-linear ion-trap mass spectrometry with negative-ion detection. Upon collision-induced dissociation, structurally informative product ions were observed. Using a triple-stage quadrupole instrument, selected reaction monitoring analyses by monitoring characteristic transition ions allowed the achievement of a highly sensitive and specific assay. This method was used to determine whether the 3-sulfates of the bile acid-GSH conjugates (BA-GSH) were formed when BA-GSH were incubated with a rat liver cytosolic fraction to which 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate had been added. The S-acyl linkage was rapidly hydrolyzed to form the unconjugated bile acid. A little sulfation of the GSH conjugates occurred, but greater sulfation at C-3 of the liberated bile acid occurred. Sulfation was proportional to the hydrophobicity of the unconjugated bile acid. Thus GSH conjugates of bile acids as well as their C-3 sulfates if formed in vivo are rapidly hydrolyzed by cytosolic enzymes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Understanding the Biosynthesis SF2575: A Potent Antitumor Compound With Novel Modes of Action

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-09-01

    analyzed on HPLC and LCMS to try to identify any potential stable intermediates that may be present (Figure 3). Using selected ion monitoring, the... polyketides . One known example is that of thermorubin, in which the salicylate moiety is Figure 6: Proposed biosynthetic pathways for the pendants 30...DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT: (Check one ) X Approved for public release; distribution unlimited Distribution limited to U.S

  11. Identification of Bound Nitro Musk-Protein Adduct in Fish Liver By Gas Chromatography-Mass Sectrometry: Biotransformation, Dose-Response and Toxicokinetics of Nitro Musk Metabolites Protein Adducts in Trout Liver as Biomarker of Exposure

    EPA Science Inventory

    Ubiquitous occurrences of synthetic nitro musks are evident in the literature. The In vivo analysis of musk xylene (MX) and musk ketone (MK) - protein adducts in trout liver have been performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry using selected ion monitoring (GC-SIM-MS). Bio...

  12. Determination of pesticides in composite dietary samples by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry in the selected ion monitoring mode by using a temperature-programmable large volume injector with preseparation column.

    PubMed

    Rosenblum, L; Hieber, T; Morgan, J

    2001-01-01

    Use of a temperature-programmable preseparation column in the gas chromatographic (GC) injection port permits determination of a wide range of semi-volatile pesticides including organochlorines, organophosphates, triazines, and anilines in fatty composite dietary samples while reducing sample preparation time and solvent consumption. Dietary samples are mixed with diatomaceous earth and are Soxhlet-extracted with an azeotropic solution of hexane and acetone. Sample preparation uses liquid-liquid partitioning over diatomaceous earth followed by normal phase chromatography over partially deactivated alumina. The final cleanup step occurs in a preseparation column in the GC injector, which is able to perform splitless transfer of the analytes to the analytical column and purge 99% of the high molecular weight residue. Detection is performed by GC/mass spectrometry (MS) in the selected ion monitoring mode. Method detection limits were at or below 2 ng/g for 24 of 35 pesticides studied, with recovery between 70 and 125% for 27 pesticides in samples fortified at 10 ng/g. Recovery was not dependent on fat content when measured in laboratory fortified samples containing 1, 5, and 10% fat by weight. Precision over multiple injections was acceptable, with a relative standard deviation of 2.6-15% for 25 analytes.

  13. Validated semiquantitative/quantitative screening of 51 drugs in whole blood as silylated derivatives by gas chromatography-selected ion monitoring mass spectrometry and gas chromatography electron capture detection.

    PubMed

    Gunnar, Teemu; Mykkänen, Sirpa; Ariniemi, Kari; Lillsunde, Pirjo

    2004-07-05

    A comprehensively validated procedure is presented for simultaneous semiquantitative/quantitative screening of 51 drugs of abuse or drugs potentially hazardous for traffic safety in serum, plasma or whole blood. Benzodiazepines (12), cannabinoids (3), opioids (8), cocaine, antidepressants (13), antipsychotics (5) and antiepileptics (2) as well as zolpidem, zaleplon, zopiclone, meprobamate, carisoprodol, tizanidine and orphenadrine and internal standard flurazepam, were isolated by high-yield liquid-liquid extraction (LLE). The dried extracts were derivatized by two-step silylation and analyzed by the combination of two different gas chromatographic (GC) separations with both electron capture detection (ECD) and mass spectrometry (MS) operating in a selected ion-monitoring (SIM) mode. Quantitative or semiquantitative results were obtained for each substance based on four-point calibration. In the validation tests, accuracy, reproducibility, linearity, limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ), selectivity, as well as extraction efficiency and stability of standard stock solutions were tested, and derivatization was optimized in detail. Intra- and inter-day precisions were within 2.5-21.8 and 6.0-22.5%, and square of correlation coefficients of linearity ranged from 0.9896 to 0.9999. The limit of quantitation (LOQ) varied from 2 to 2000 ng/ml due to a variety of the relevant concentrations of the analyzed substances in blood. The method is feasible for highly sensitive, reliable and possibly routinely performed clinical and forensic toxicological analyses.

  14. Application of wide selected-ion monitoring data-independent acquisition to identify tomato fruit proteins regulated by the CUTIN DEFICIENT2 transcription factor.

    PubMed

    Martin, Laetitia B B; Sherwood, Robert W; Nicklay, Joshua J; Yang, Yong; Muratore-Schroeder, Tara L; Anderson, Elizabeth T; Thannhauser, Theodore W; Rose, Jocelyn K C; Zhang, Sheng

    2016-08-01

    We describe here the use of label-free wide selected-ion monitoring data-independent acquisition (WiSIM-DIA) to identify proteins that are involved in the formation of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit cuticles and that are regulated by the transcription factor CUTIN DEFICIENT2 (CD2). A spectral library consisting of 11 753 unique peptides, corresponding to 2338 tomato protein groups, was used and the DIA analysis was performed at the MS1 level utilizing narrow mass windows for extraction with Skyline 2.6 software. We identified a total of 1140 proteins, 67 of which had expression levels that differed significantly between the cd2 tomato mutant and the wild-type cultivar M82. Differentially expressed proteins including a key protein involved in cutin biosynthesis, were selected for validation by target SRM/MRM and by Western blot analysis. In addition to confirming a role for CD2 in regulating cuticle formation, the results also revealed that CD2 influences pathways associated with cell wall biology, anthocyanin biosynthesis, plant development, and responses to stress, which complements findings of earlier RNA-Seq experiments. Our results provide new insights into molecular processes and aspects of fruit biology associated with CD2 function, and demonstrate that the WiSIM-DIA is an effective quantitative approach for global protein identifications. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. New method to determine the total carbonyl functional group content in extractable particulate organic matter by tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Dron, J; Zheng, W; Marchand, N; Wortham, H

    2008-08-01

    A functional group analysis method was developed to determine the quantitative content of carbonyl functional groups in atmospheric particulate organic matter (POM) using constant neutral loss scanning-tandem mass spectrometry (CNLS-MS/MS). The neutral loss method consists in monitoring the loss of a neutral fragment produced by the fragmentation of a precursor ion in a collision cell. The only ions detected are the daughter ions resulting from the loss of the neutral fragment under study. Then, scanning the loss of a neutral fragment characteristic of a functional group enables the selective detection of the compounds bearing the chemical function under study within a complex mixture. The selective detection of carbonyl functional groups was achieved after derivatization with pentafluorophenylhydrazine (PFPH) by monitoring the neutral loss of C(6)F(5)N (181 amu), which was characteristic of a large panel of derivatized carbonyl compounds. The method was tested on 25 reference mixtures of different composition, all containing 24 carbonyl compounds at randomly determined concentrations. The repeatability and calibration tests were satisfying as they resulted in a relative standard deviation below 5% and a linear range between 0.01 and 0.65 mM with a calculated detection limit of 0.0035 mM. Also, the relative deviation induced by changing the composition of the mixture while keeping the total concentration of carbonyl functional groups constant was less than 20%. These reliability experiments demonstrate the high robustness of the developed procedure for accurate carbonyl functional group measurement, which was applied to atmospheric POM samples. Copyright (c) 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  16. Resolution and Assignment of Differential Ion Mobility Spectra of Sarcosine and Isomers.

    PubMed

    Berthias, Francis; Maatoug, Belkis; Glish, Gary L; Moussa, Fathi; Maitre, Philippe

    2018-04-01

    Due to their central role in biochemical processes, fast separation and identification of amino acids (AA) is of importance in many areas of the biomedical field including the diagnosis and monitoring of inborn errors of metabolism and biomarker discovery. Due to the large number of AA together with their isomers and isobars, common methods of AA analysis are tedious and time-consuming because they include a chromatographic separation step requiring pre- or post-column derivatization. Here, we propose a rapid method of separation and identification of sarcosine, a biomarker candidate of prostate cancer, from isomers using differential ion mobility spectrometry (DIMS) interfaced with a tandem mass spectrometer (MS/MS) instrument. Baseline separation of protonated sarcosine from α- and β-alanine isomers can be easily achieved. Identification of DIMS peak is performed using an isomer-specific activation mode where DIMS- and mass-selected ions are irradiated at selected wavenumbers allowing for the specific fragmentation via an infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) process. Two orthogonal methods to MS/MS are thus added, where the MS/MS(IRMPD) is nothing but an isomer-specific multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) method. The identification relies on the comparison of DIMS-MS/MS(IRMPD) chromatograms recorded at different wavenumbers. Based on the comparison of IR spectra of the three isomers, it is shown that specific depletion of the two protonated α- and β-alanine can be achieved, thus allowing for clear identification of the sarcosine peak. It is also demonstrated that DIMS-MS/MS(IRMPD) spectra in the carboxylic C=O stretching region allow for the resolution of overlapping DIMS peaks. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

  17. Biocompatible Poly(catecholamine)-Film Electrode for Potentiometric Cell Sensing.

    PubMed

    Kajisa, Taira; Yanagimoto, Yoshiyuki; Saito, Akiko; Sakata, Toshiya

    2018-02-23

    Surface-coated poly(catecholamine) (pCA) films have attracted attention as biomaterial interfaces owing to their biocompatible and physicochemical characteristics. In this paper, we report that pCA-film-coated electrodes are useful for potentiometric biosensing devices. Four different types of pCA film, l-dopa, dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine, with thicknesses in the range of 7-27 nm were electropolymerized by oxidation on Au electrodes by using cyclic voltammetry. By using the pCA-film electrodes, the pH responsivities were found to be 39.3-47.7 mV/pH within the pH range of 1.68 to 10.01 on the basis of the equilibrium reaction with hydrogen ions and the functional groups of the pCAs. The pCA films suppressed nonspecific signals generated by other ions (Na + , K + , Ca 2+ ) and proteins such as albumin. Thus, the pCA-film electrodes can be used in pH-sensitive and pH-selective biosensors. HeLa cells were cultivated on the surface of the pCA-film electrodes to monitor cellular activities. The surface potential of the pCA-film electrodes changed markedly because of cellular activity; therefore, the change in the hydrogen ion concentration around the cell/pCA-film interface could be monitored in real time. This was caused by carbon dioxide or lactic acid that is generated by cellular respiration and dissolves in the culture medium, resulting in the change of hydrogen concentration. pCA-film electrodes are suitable for use in biocompatible and pH-responsive biosensors, enabling the more selective detection of biological phenomena.

  18. Rapid LC-MS/MS profiling of protein amino acids and metabolically related compounds for large-scale assessment of metabolic phenotypes.

    PubMed

    Gu, Liping; Jones, A Daniel; Last, Robert L

    2012-01-01

    Amino acids extracted from a biological matrix can be resolved and measured using a 6-min per sample method through high-performance liquid chromatography with a short C18 column and rapid gradient using the ion-pairing reagent perfluoroheptanoic acid. LC-tandem mass spectrometry with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) transitions selective for each compound allows simultaneous quantification of the 20 proteinogenic amino acids and 5 metabolically related compounds. Distinct MRM transitions were also established for selective detection of the isomers leucine/isoleucine and threonine/homoserine.

  19. Direct Sensing of Total Acidity by Chronopotentiometric Flash Titrations at Polymer Membrane Ion-Selective Electrodes

    PubMed Central

    Gemene, Kebede L.; Bakker, Eric

    2008-01-01

    Polymer membrane ion-selective electrodes containing lipophilic ionophores are traditionally interrogated by zero current potentiometry, which, ideally, gives information on the sample activity of ionic species. It is shown here that a discrete cathodic current pulse across an H+-selective polymeric membrane doped with the ionophore ETH 5294 may be used for the chronopotentiometric detection of pH in well buffered samples. However, a reduction in the buffer capacity leads to large deviations from the expected Nernstian response slope. This is explained by the local depletion of hydrogen ions at the sample-membrane interface as a result of the galvanostatically imposed ion flux in direction of the membrane. This depletion is found to be a function of the total acidity of the sample and can be directly monitored chronopotentiometrically in a flash titration experiment. The subsequent application of a baseline potential pulse reverses the extraction process of the current pulse, allowing one to interrogate the sample with minimal perturbation. In one protocol, total acidity is found to be proportional to the magnitude of applied current at the flash titration endpoint. More conveniently, the square root of the flash titration endpoint time observed at a fixed applied current is a linear function of the total acid concentration. This suggests that it is possible to perform rapid localized pH titrations at ion-selective electrodes without the need for volumetric titrimetry. The technique is explored here for acetic acid, MES and citric acid with promising results. Polymeric membrane electrodes on the basis of poly(vinyl chloride) plasticized with o-nitrophenyloctylether in a 1:2 mass ratio may be used for the detection of acids of up to ca. 1 mM concentration, with flash titration times on the order of a few seconds. Possible limitations of the technique are discussed, including variations of the acid diffusion coefficients and influence of electrical migration. PMID:18370399

  20. Secondary radiation measurements for particle therapy applications: prompt photons produced by 4He, 12C and 16O ion beams in a PMMA target.

    PubMed

    Mattei, I; Bini, F; Collamati, F; De Lucia, E; Frallicciardi, P M; Iarocci, E; Mancini-Terracciano, C; Marafini, M; Muraro, S; Paramatti, R; Patera, V; Piersanti, L; Pinci, D; Rucinski, A; Russomando, A; Sarti, A; Sciubba, A; Solfaroli Camillocci, E; Toppi, M; Traini, G; Voena, C; Battistoni, G

    2017-02-21

    Charged particle beams are used in particle therapy (PT) to treat oncological patients due to their selective dose deposition in tissues with respect to the photons and electrons used in conventional radiotherapy. Heavy (Z  >  1) PT beams can additionally be exploited for their high biological effectiveness in killing cancer cells. Nowadays, protons and carbon ions are used in PT clinical routines. Recently, interest in the potential application of helium and oxygen beams has been growing. With respect to protons, such beams are characterized by their reduced multiple scattering inside the body, increased linear energy transfer, relative biological effectiveness and oxygen enhancement ratio. The precision of PT demands online dose monitoring techniques, crucial to improving the quality assurance of any treatment: possible patient mis-positioning and biological tissue changes with respect to the planning CT scan could negatively affect the outcome of the therapy. The beam range confined in the irradiated target can be monitored thanks to the neutral or charged secondary radiation emitted by the interactions of hadron beams with matter. Among these secondary products, prompt photons are produced by nuclear de-excitation processes, and at present, different dose monitoring and beam range verification techniques based on prompt-γ detection are being proposed. It is hence of importance to perform γ yield measurement in therapeutic-like conditions. In this paper we report on the yields of prompt photons produced by the interaction of helium, carbon and oxygen ion beams with a poly-methyl methacrylate (PMMA) beam stopping target. The measurements were performed at the Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center (HIT) with beams of different energies. An LYSO scintillator, placed at [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] with respect to the beam direction, was used as the photon detector. The obtained γ yields for the carbon ion beams are compared with results from the literature, while no other results from helium and oxygen beams have been published yet. A discussion on the expected resolution of a slit camera detector is presented, demonstrating the feasibility of a prompt-γ-based monitoring technique for PT treatments using helium, carbon and oxygen ion beams.

  1. Secondary radiation measurements for particle therapy applications: prompt photons produced by 4He, 12C and 16O ion beams in a PMMA target

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mattei, I.; Bini, F.; Collamati, F.; De Lucia, E.; Frallicciardi, P. M.; Iarocci, E.; Mancini-Terracciano, C.; Marafini, M.; Muraro, S.; Paramatti, R.; Patera, V.; Piersanti, L.; Pinci, D.; Rucinski, A.; Russomando, A.; Sarti, A.; Sciubba, A.; Solfaroli Camillocci, E.; Toppi, M.; Traini, G.; Voena, C.; Battistoni, G.

    2017-02-01

    Charged particle beams are used in particle therapy (PT) to treat oncological patients due to their selective dose deposition in tissues with respect to the photons and electrons used in conventional radiotherapy. Heavy (Z  >  1) PT beams can additionally be exploited for their high biological effectiveness in killing cancer cells. Nowadays, protons and carbon ions are used in PT clinical routines. Recently, interest in the potential application of helium and oxygen beams has been growing. With respect to protons, such beams are characterized by their reduced multiple scattering inside the body, increased linear energy transfer, relative biological effectiveness and oxygen enhancement ratio. The precision of PT demands online dose monitoring techniques, crucial to improving the quality assurance of any treatment: possible patient mis-positioning and biological tissue changes with respect to the planning CT scan could negatively affect the outcome of the therapy. The beam range confined in the irradiated target can be monitored thanks to the neutral or charged secondary radiation emitted by the interactions of hadron beams with matter. Among these secondary products, prompt photons are produced by nuclear de-excitation processes, and at present, different dose monitoring and beam range verification techniques based on prompt-γ detection are being proposed. It is hence of importance to perform γ yield measurement in therapeutic-like conditions. In this paper we report on the yields of prompt photons produced by the interaction of helium, carbon and oxygen ion beams with a poly-methyl methacrylate (PMMA) beam stopping target. The measurements were performed at the Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center (HIT) with beams of different energies. An LYSO scintillator, placed at {{60}\\circ} and {{90}\\circ} with respect to the beam direction, was used as the photon detector. The obtained γ yields for the carbon ion beams are compared with results from the literature, while no other results from helium and oxygen beams have been published yet. A discussion on the expected resolution of a slit camera detector is presented, demonstrating the feasibility of a prompt-γ-based monitoring technique for PT treatments using helium, carbon and oxygen ion beams.

  2. Use of phenyl/tetrazolyl-functionalized magnetic microspheres and stable isotope labeled internal standards for significant reduction of matrix effect in determination of nine fluoroquinolones by liquid chromatography-quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Xu, Fei; Liu, Feng; Wang, Chaozhan; Wei, Yinmao

    2018-02-01

    In this study, the strategy of unique adsorbent combined with isotope labeled internal standards was used to significantly reduce the matrix effect for the enrichment and analysis of nine fluoroquinolones in a complex sample by liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometry (LC-QqQ LIT -MS/MS). The adsorbent was prepared conveniently by functionalizing Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 microspheres with phenyl and tetrazolyl groups, which could adsorb fluoroquinolones selectively via hydrophobic, electrostatic, and π-π interactions. The established magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) method as well as using stable isotope labeled internal standards in the next MS/MS detection was able to reduce the matrix effect significantly. In the process of LC-QqQ LIT -MS/MS analysis, the precursor and product ions of the analytes were monitored quantitatively and qualitatively on a QTrap system equipped simultaneously with the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) and enhanced product ion (EPI) scan. Subsequently, the enrichment method combined with LC-QqQ LIT -MS/MS demonstrated good analytical features in terms of linearity (7.5-100.0 ng mL -1 , r > 0.9960), satisfactory recoveries (88.6%-118.3%) with RSDs < 12.0%, LODs = 0.5 μg kg -1 and LOQs = 1.5 μg kg -1 for all tested analytes. Finally, the developed MSPE-LC-QqQ LIT -MS/MS method had been successfully applied to real pork samples for food-safety risk monitoring in Ningxia Province, China. Graphical abstract Mechanism of reducing matrix effect through the as-prepared adsorbent.

  3. Time of Flight based diagnostics for high energy laser driven ion beams

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Scuderi, V.; Milluzzo, G.; Alejo, A.; Amico, A. G.; Booth, N.; Cirrone, G. A. P.; Doria, D.; Green, J.; Kar, S.; Larosa, G.; Leanza, R.; Margarone, D.; McKenna, P.; Padda, H.; Petringa, G.; Pipek, J.; Romagnani, L.; Romano, F.; Schillaci, F.; Borghesi, M.; Cuttone, G.; Korn, G.

    2017-03-01

    Nowadays the innovative high power laser-based ion acceleration technique is one of the most interesting challenges in particle acceleration field, showing attractive characteristics for future multidisciplinary applications, including medical ones. Nevertheless, peculiarities of optically accelerated ion beams make mandatory the development of proper transport, selection and diagnostics devices in order to deliver stable and controlled ion beams for multidisciplinary applications. This is the main purpose of the ELIMAIA (ELI Multidisciplinary Applications of laser-Ion Acceleration) beamline that will be realized and installed within 2018 at the ELI-Beamlines research center in the Czech Republic, where laser driven high energy ions, up to 60 MeV/n, will be available for users. In particular, a crucial role will be played by the on-line diagnostics system, recently developed in collaboration with INFN-LNS (Italy), consisting of TOF detectors, placed along the beamline (at different detection distances) to provide online monitoring of key characteristics of delivered beams, such as energy, fluence and ion species. In this contribution an overview on the ELIMAIA available ion diagnostics will be briefly given along with the preliminary results obtained during a test performed with high energy laser-driven proton beams accelerated at the VULCAN PW-laser available at RAL facility (U.K.).

  4. Studying ion exchange in solution and at biological membranes by FCS.

    PubMed

    Widengren, Jerker

    2013-01-01

    By FCS, a wide range of processes can be studied, covering time ranges from subnanoseconds to seconds. In principle, any process at equilibrium conditions can be measured, which reflects itself by a change in the detected fluorescence intensity. In this review, it is described how FCS and variants thereof can be used to monitor ion exchange, in solution and along biological membranes. Analyzing fluorescence fluctuations of ion-sensitive fluorophores by FCS offers selective advantages over other techniques for measuring local ion concentrations, and, in particular, for studying exchange kinetics of ions on a very local scale. This opens for several areas of application. The FCS approach was used to investigate fundamental aspects of proton exchange at and along biological membranes. The protonation relaxation rate, as measured by FCS for a pH-sensitive dye, can also provide information about local accessibility/interaction of a particular labeling site and conformational states of biomolecules, in a similar fashion as in a fluorescence quenching experiment. The same FCS concept can also be applied to ion exchange studies using other ion-sensitive fluorophores, and by use of dyes sensitive to other ambient conditions the concept can be extended also beyond ion exchange studies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Sensitive naked eye detection and quantification assay for nitrite by a fluorescence probe in various water resources

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Fengyuan; Zhu, Xinyue; Jiao, Zhijuan; Liu, Xiaoyan; Zhang, Haixia

    2018-07-01

    An uncontrolled increase of nitrite concentration in groundwater, rivers and lakes is a growing threat to public health and environment. It is important to monitor the nitrite levels in water and clinical diagnosis. Herein, we developed a switch-off fluorescence probe (PyI) for the sensitive detection of nitrite ions in the aqueous media. This probe selectively recognizes nitrite ions through a distinct visual color change from colorless to pink with a detection limit of 0.1 μM. This method has been successfully applied to the determination of nitrites in tap water, lake water and Yellow River water with recoveries in the range of 94.8%-105.4%.

  6. NICA project management information system

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bashashin, M. V.; Kekelidze, D. V.; Kostromin, S. A.; Korenkov, V. V.; Kuniaev, S. V.; Morozov, V. V.; Potrebenikov, Yu. K.; Trubnikov, G. V.; Philippov, A. V.

    2016-09-01

    The science projects growth, changing of the efficiency criteria during the project implementation require not only increasing of the management specialization level but also pose the problem of selecting the effective planning methods, monitoring of deadlines and interaction of participants involved in research projects. This paper is devoted to choosing the project management information system for the new heavy-ion collider NICA (Nuclotron based Ion Collider fAcility). We formulate the requirements for the project management information system with taking into account the specifics of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (JINR, Dubna, Russia) as an international intergovernmental research organization, which is developed on the basis of a flexible and effective information system for the NICA project management.

  7. Parametric fate and transport profiling for selective groundwater monitoring at closed landfills: a case study.

    PubMed

    Sizirici, Banu; Tansel, Berrin

    2015-04-01

    Monitoring contaminant concentrations in groundwater near closed municipal solid waste landfills requires long term monitoring program which can require significant investment for monitoring efforts. The groundwater monitoring data from a closed landfill in Florida was analyzed to reduce the monitoring efforts. The available groundwater monitoring data (collected over 20 years) were analyzed (i.e., type, concentration and detection level) to identify the trends in concentrations of contaminants and spatial mobility characteristics of groundwater (i.e., groundwater direction, retardation characteristics of contaminants, groundwater well depth, subsoil characteristics), to identify critical monitoring locations. Among the 7 groundwater monitoring well clusters (totaling 22 wells) in landfill, the data from two monitoring well clusters (totaling 7 wells) located along direction of groundwater flow showed similarities (the highest concentrations and same contaminants). These wells were used to assess the transport characteristics of the contaminants. Some parameters (e.g., iron, sodium, ammonia as N, chlorobenzene, 1,4-dichlorobenzene) showed decreasing trends in the groundwater due to soil absorption and retardation. Metals were retarded by ion exchange and their concentration increased by depth indicating soil reached breakthrough over time. Soil depth did not have a significant effect on the concentrations of volatile organic contaminants. Based on the analyses, selective groundwater monitoring modifications were developed for effective monitoring to acquire data from the most critical locations which may be impacted by leachate mobility. The adjustments in the sampling strategy reduced the amount of data collected by as much as 97.7% (i.e., total number of parameters monitored). Effective groundwater sampling strategies can save time, effort and monitoring costs while improving the quality of sample handling and data analyses for better utilization of post closure monitoring funds. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Poly(acrylic acid)-templated silver nanoclusters as a platform for dual fluorometric turn-on and colorimetric detection of mercury (II) ions.

    PubMed

    Tao, Yu; Lin, Youhui; Huang, Zhenzhen; Ren, Jinsong; Qu, Xiaogang

    2012-01-15

    An easy prepared fluorescence turn-on and colorimetric dual channel probe was developed for rapid assay of Hg(2+) ions with high sensitivity and selectivity by using poly(acrylic acid)-templated silver nanoclusters (PAA-AgNCs). The PAA-AgNCs exhibited weak fluorescence, while upon the addition of Hg(2+) ions, AgNCs gives a dramatic increase in fluorescence as a result of the changes of the AgNCs states. The detection limit was estimated to be 2 nM, which is much lower than the Hg(2+) detection requirement for drinking water of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the turn-on sensing mode offers additional advantage to efficiently reduce background noise. Also, a colorimetric assay of Hg(2+) ions can be realized due to the observed absorbance changes of the AgNCs. More importantly, the method was successfully applied to the determination of Hg(2+) ions in real water samples, which suggests our proposed method has a great potential of application in environmental monitoring. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. A liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric method for the determination of oak moss allergens atranol and chloroatranol in perfumes.

    PubMed

    Bossi, Rossana; Rastogi, Suresh C; Bernard, Guillaume; Gimenez-Arnau, Elena; Johansen, Jeanne D; Lepoittevin, Jean-Pierre; Menné, Torkil

    2004-05-01

    This paper describes a validated liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric method for quantitative analysis of the potential oak moss allergens atranol and chloroatranol in perfumes and similar products. The method employs LC-MS-MS with electrospray ionization (ESI) in negative mode. The compounds are analysed by selective reaction monitoring (SRM) of 2 or 3 ions for each compound in order to obtain high selectivity and sensitivity. The method has been validated for the following parameters: linearity; repeatability; recovery; limit of detection; and limit of quantification. The limits of detection, 5.0 ng/mL and 2.4 ng/mL, respectively, for atranol and chloroatranol, achieved by this method allowed identification of these compounds at concentrations below those causing allergic skin reactions in oak-moss-sensitive patients. The recovery of chloratranol from spiked perfumes was 96+/-4%. Low recoveries (49+/-5%) were observed for atranol in spiked perfumes, indicating ion suppression caused by matrix components. The method has been applied to the analysis of 10 randomly selected perfumes and similar products.

  10. In situ studies of ion irradiated inverse spinel compound magnesium stannate (Mg 2SnO 4)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, P.; Tang, M.; Nino, J. C.

    2009-06-01

    Magnesium stannate spinel (Mg 2SnO 4) was synthesized through conventional solid state processing and then irradiated with 1.0 MeV Kr 2+ ions at low temperatures 50 and 150 K. Structural evolutions during irradiation were monitored and recorded through bright field images and selected-area electron diffraction patterns using in situ transmission electron microscopy. The amorphization of Mg 2SnO 4 was achieved at an ion dose of 5 × 10 19 Kr ions/m 2 at 50 K and 10 20 Kr ions/m 2 at 150 K, which is equivalent to an atomic displacement damage of 5.5 and 11.0 dpa, respectively. The spinel crystal structure was thermally recovered at room temperature from the amorphous phase caused by irradiation at 50 K. The calculated electronic and nuclear stopping powers suggest that the radiation damage caused by 1 MeV Kr 2+ ions in Mg 2SnO 4 is mainly due to atomic displacement induced defect accumulation. The radiation tolerance of Mg 2SnO 4 was finally compared with normal spinel MgAl 2O 4.

  11. Mass Spectrometer Containing Multiple Fixed Collectors

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Moskala, Robert; Celo, Alan; Voss, Guenter; Shaffer, Tom

    2008-01-01

    A miniature mass spectrometer that incorporates features not typically found in prior mass spectrometers is undergoing development. This mass spectrometer is designed to simultaneously measure the relative concentrations of five gases (H2, He, N2, O2, and Ar) in air, over the relative-concentration range from 10(exp -6) to 1, during a sampling time as short as 1 second. It is intended to serve as a prototype of a product line of easy-to-use, portable, lightweight, highspeed, relatively inexpensive instruments for measuring concentrations of multiple chemical species in such diverse applications as detecting explosive or toxic chemicals in air, monitoring and controlling industrial processes, measuring concentrations of deliberately introduced isotopes in medical and biological investigations, and general environmental monitoring. The heart of this mass spectrometer is an integral combination of a circular cycloidal mass analyzer, multiple fixed ion collectors, and two mass-selective ion sources. By circular cycloidal mass analyzer is meant an analyzer that includes (1) two concentric circular cylindrical electrodes for applying a radial electric field and (2) a magnet arranged to impose a magnetic flux aligned predominantly along the cylindrical axis, so that ions, once accelerated into the annulus between the electrodes, move along circular cycloidal trajectories. As in other mass analyzers, trajectory of each ion is determined by its mass-to-charge ratio, and so ions of different species can be collected simultaneously by collectors (Faraday cups) at different locations intersected by the corresponding trajectories (see figure). Unlike in other mass analyzers, the installation of additional collectors to detect additional species does not necessitate increasing the overall size of the analyzer assembly.

  12. Internal corrosion monitoring of subsea oil and gas production equipment

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Joosten, M.W.; Fischer, K.P.; Strommen, R.

    1995-04-01

    Nonintrusive techniques will dominate subsea corrosion monitoring compared with the intrusive methods because such methods do not interfere with pipeline operations. The long-term reliability of the nonintrusive techniques in general is considered to be much better than that of intrusive-type probes. The nonintrusive techniques based on radioactive tracers (TLA, NA) and FSM and UT are expected to be the main types of subsea corrosion monitoring equipment in the coming years. Available techniques that could be developed specifically for subsea applications are: electrochemical noise, corrosion potentials (using new types of reference electrodes), multiprobe system for electrochemical measurements, and video camera inspectionmore » (mini-video camera with light source). The following innovative techniques have potential but need further development: ion selective electrodes, radioactive tracers, and Raman spectroscopy.« less

  13. Direct Real-Time Detection of Vapors from Explosive Compounds

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ewing, Robert G.; Clowers, Brian H.; Atkinson, David A.

    2013-10-03

    The real-time detection of vapors from low volatility explosives including PETN, tetryl, RDX and nitroglycerine along with various compositions containing these substances is demonstrated. This was accomplished with an atmospheric flow tube (AFT) using a non-radioactive ionization source and coupled to a mass spectrometer. Direct vapor detection was demonstrated in less than 5 seconds at ambient temperature without sample pre-concentration. The several seconds of residence time of analytes in the AFT provides a significant opportunity for reactant ions to interact with analyte vapors to achieve ionization. This extended reaction time, combined with the selective ionization using the nitrate reactant ionsmore » (NO3- and NO3-•HNO3), enables highly sensitive explosives detection. Observed signals from diluted explosive vapors indicate detection limits below 10 ppqv using selected ion monitoring (SIM) of the explosive-nitrate adduct at m/z 349, 378, 284 and 289 for tetryl, PETN, RDX and NG respectively. Also provided is a demonstration of the vapor detection from 10 different energetic formulations, including double base propellants, plastic explosives and commercial blasting explosives using SIM for the NG, PETN and RDX product ions.« less

  14. Using Passive Polyethylene Samplers to Evaluate Chemical Activities Controlling Fluxes and Bioaccumulation of Organic Contaminants in Bed Sediments

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-11-01

    carbon flipid fraction lipid foc fraction organic carbon fprotein fraction protein GCMS Gas Chromatography -Mass Spectrometry HP Hunter’s...Internal standards were added to the extracts before gas chromatography -mass spectrometry (GCMS) analysis. GCMS was done using a JEOL GCmate...min. The MS was operated in selected ion monitoring (SIM) and EI+ modes. Calibration standards 6 containing at least 25 aromatic compounds

  15. Trace level determination of selected organophosphorus pesticides and their degradation products in environmental air samples by liquid chromatography-positive ion electrospray tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Raina, Renata; Sun, Lina

    2008-05-01

    This paper describes a new analytical method for determination of organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) along with their degradation products involving liquid chromatography (LC) positive ion electrospray (ESI+) tandem mass spectrometry (MS-MS) with selective reaction monitoring (SRM). Chromatography was performed on a Gemini C6-Phenyl (150 mmx2.0 mm, 3 microm) with a gradient elution using water-methanol with 0.1% formic acid, 2 mM ammonium acetate mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.2 mL min(-1). The LC separation and MS/MS operating conditions were optimized with a total analysis time less than 40 minutes. Method detection limits of 0.1-5 microg L(-1) for selected organophosphorus pesticides (OP), OP oxon degradation products, and other degradation products: 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCP); 2-isopropyl-6-methyl-4-pyrimidol (IMP); and diethyl phosphate (DEP). Some OPs such as fenchlorphos are less sensitive (MDL 30 microg L(-1)). Calibration curves were linear with coefficients of correlation better than 0.995. A three-point identification approach was adopted with area from first selective reaction monitoring (SRM) transition used for quantitative analysis, while a second SRM transition along with the ratio of areas obtained from the first to second transition are used for confirmation with sample tolerance established by the relative standard deviation of the ratio obtained from standards. This new method permitted the first known detection of OP oxon degradation products including chlorpyrifos oxon at Bratt's Lake, SK and diazinon oxon and malathion oxon at Abbotsford, BC in atmospheric samples. Atmospheric detection limits typically ranged from 0.2-10 pg m(-3).

  16. Assessment of the ion-trap mass spectrometer for routine qualitative and quantitative analysis of drugs of abuse extracted from urine.

    PubMed

    Vorce, S P; Sklerov, J H; Kalasinsky, K S

    2000-10-01

    The ion-trap mass spectrometer (MS) has been available as a detector for gas chromatography (GC) for nearly two decades. However, it still occupies a minor role in forensic toxicology drug-testing laboratories. Quadrupole MS instruments make up the majority of GC detectors used in drug confirmation. This work addresses the use of these two MS detectors, comparing the ion ratio precision and quantitative accuracy for the analysis of different classes of abused drugs extracted from urine. Urine specimens were prepared at five concentrations each for amphetamine (AMP), methamphetamine (METH), benzoylecgonine (BZE), delta9-carboxy-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta9-THCCOOH), phencyclidine (PCP), morphine (MOR), codeine (COD), and 6-acetylmorphine (6-AM). Concentration ranges for AMP, METH, BZE, delta9-THCCOOH, PCP, MOR, COD, and 6-AM were 50-2500, 50-5000, 15-800, 1.5-65, 1-250, 500-32000, 250-21000, and 1.5-118 ng/mL, respectively. Sample extracts were injected into a GC-quadrupole MS operating in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode and a GC-ion-trap MS operating in either selected ion storage (SIS) or full scan (FS) mode. Precision was assessed by the evaluation of five ion ratios for n = 15 injections at each concentration using a single-point calibration. Precision measurements for SIM ion ratios provided coefficients of variation (CV) between 2.6 and 9.8% for all drugs. By comparison, the SIS and FS data yielded CV ranges of 4.0-12.8% and 4.0-11.2%, respectively. The total ion ratio failure rates were 0.2% (SIM), 0.7% (SIS), and 1.2% (FS) for the eight drugs analyzed. Overall, the SIS mode produced stable, comparable mean ratios over the concentration ranges examined, but had greater variance within batch runs. Examination of postmortem and quality-control samples produced forensically accurate quantitation by SIS when compared to SIM. Furthermore, sensitivity of FS was equivalent to SIM for all compounds examined except for 6-AM.

  17. Simultaneous spectrophotometric determination of paracetamol and salicylamide in human serum and pharmaceutical formulations by a differential kinetic method.

    PubMed

    Zarei, Ali Reza; Afkhami, Abbas; Sarlak, Nahid

    2005-01-01

    A rapid, simple, and sensitive differential kinetic method is presented for the determinations of acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol) and salicylamide. The method is based on their oxidation reaction by Fe3+ ion in the presence of 1, 10-phenanthroline as indicator. The reactions can be monitored spectrophotometrically by measuring the increase in the absorbance of the solution at 510 nm. Two times were selected one in which only paracetamol is oxidized by Fe3+ ion and the other in which both drugs are oxidized by Fe3+ ion. The data were evaluated by the proportional equations method. The method allowed the simultaneous determination of paracetamol and salicylamide at concentrations between 0.5-20 and 1-40 microg/mL with relative standard deviations of 3.47 and 2.58%, respectively. The method was applied to the simultaneous determination of paracetamol and salicylamide in human serum and pharmaceutical formulations.

  18. Determination of nandrolone and metabolites in urine samples from sedentary persons and sportsmen.

    PubMed

    Galán Martín, A M; Mariño, J I; García de Tiedra, M P; Marabé, J J; Caballero Loscos, M J; Mariño, M M

    2001-09-25

    Metabolites of nandrolone were determined in the urine of several sportsmen, sedentary and post-menopausal women by capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry quadrupole (GC-MS) and capillary gas chromatography mass-mass spectrometry ion trap (GC-MS-MS) methods. The method employed was GC-EI-MS with 17alpha-methyltestosterone as internal standard with ethyl ether extraction prior to selected ion monitoring of the bis(trimethylsilyl) ethers at ion masses m/z 405 and 420 for the nandrolone metabolites, and 418 and 403 for nandrolone derivative. Recovery for nandrolone, 19-norandrosterone (19-NA) and 19-noretiocholanolone (19-NE) was 97.20, 94.17 and 95.54%, respectively. Detection limits for nandrolone, 19-NA and 19-NE were 0.03, 0.01 and 0.06 ng/ml. Metabolites of nandrolone (19-NA and 19-NE) were found in 12.5% (n = 40) of sportsmen and 40% (n = 10) of post-menopausal women.

  19. Ultrafast selective transport of alkali metal ions in metal organic frameworks with subnanometer pores

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Huacheng; Hou, Jue; Hu, Yaoxin; Wang, Peiyao; Ou, Ranwen; Jiang, Lei; Liu, Jefferson Zhe; Freeman, Benny D.; Hill, Anita J.; Wang, Huanting

    2018-01-01

    Porous membranes with ultrafast ion permeation and high ion selectivity are highly desirable for efficient mineral separation, water purification, and energy conversion, but it is still a huge challenge to efficiently separate monatomic ions of the same valence and similar sizes using synthetic membranes. We report metal organic framework (MOF) membranes, including ZIF-8 and UiO-66 membranes with uniform subnanometer pores consisting of angstrom-sized windows and nanometer-sized cavities for ultrafast selective transport of alkali metal ions. The angstrom-sized windows acted as ion selectivity filters for selection of alkali metal ions, whereas the nanometer-sized cavities functioned as ion conductive pores for ultrafast ion transport. The ZIF-8 and UiO-66 membranes showed a LiCl/RbCl selectivity of ~4.6 and ~1.8, respectively, which are much greater than the LiCl/RbCl selectivity of 0.6 to 0.8 measured in traditional porous membranes. Molecular dynamics simulations suggested that ultrafast and selective ion transport in ZIF-8 was associated with partial dehydration effects. This study reveals ultrafast and selective transport of monovalent ions in subnanometer MOF pores and opens up a new avenue to develop unique MOF platforms for efficient ion separations in the future. PMID:29487910

  20. Ultrafast selective transport of alkali metal ions in metal organic frameworks with subnanometer pores.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Huacheng; Hou, Jue; Hu, Yaoxin; Wang, Peiyao; Ou, Ranwen; Jiang, Lei; Liu, Jefferson Zhe; Freeman, Benny D; Hill, Anita J; Wang, Huanting

    2018-02-01

    Porous membranes with ultrafast ion permeation and high ion selectivity are highly desirable for efficient mineral separation, water purification, and energy conversion, but it is still a huge challenge to efficiently separate monatomic ions of the same valence and similar sizes using synthetic membranes. We report metal organic framework (MOF) membranes, including ZIF-8 and UiO-66 membranes with uniform subnanometer pores consisting of angstrom-sized windows and nanometer-sized cavities for ultrafast selective transport of alkali metal ions. The angstrom-sized windows acted as ion selectivity filters for selection of alkali metal ions, whereas the nanometer-sized cavities functioned as ion conductive pores for ultrafast ion transport. The ZIF-8 and UiO-66 membranes showed a LiCl/RbCl selectivity of ~4.6 and ~1.8, respectively, which are much greater than the LiCl/RbCl selectivity of 0.6 to 0.8 measured in traditional porous membranes. Molecular dynamics simulations suggested that ultrafast and selective ion transport in ZIF-8 was associated with partial dehydration effects. This study reveals ultrafast and selective transport of monovalent ions in subnanometer MOF pores and opens up a new avenue to develop unique MOF platforms for efficient ion separations in the future.

  1. A novel approach to transforming a non-targeted metabolic profiling method to a pseudo-targeted method using the retention time locking gas chromatography/mass spectrometry-selected ions monitoring.

    PubMed

    Li, Yong; Ruan, Qiang; Li, Yanli; Ye, Guozhu; Lu, Xin; Lin, Xiaohui; Xu, Guowang

    2012-09-14

    Non-targeted metabolic profiling is the most widely used method for metabolomics. In this paper, a novel approach was established to transform a non-targeted metabolic profiling method to a pseudo-targeted method using the retention time locking gas chromatography/mass spectrometry-selected ion monitoring (RTL-GC/MS-SIM). To achieve this transformation, an algorithm based on the automated mass spectral deconvolution and identification system (AMDIS), GC/MS raw data and a bi-Gaussian chromatographic peak model was developed. The established GC/MS-SIM method was compared with GC/MS-full scan (the total ion current and extracted ion current, TIC and EIC) methods, it was found that for a typical tobacco leaf extract, 93% components had their relative standard deviations (RSDs) of relative peak areas less than 20% by the SIM method, while 88% by the EIC method and 81% by the TIC method. 47.3% components had their linear correlation coefficient higher than 0.99, compared with 5.0% by the EIC and 6.2% by TIC methods. Multivariate analysis showed the pooled quality control samples clustered more tightly using the developed method than using GC/MS-full scan methods, indicating a better data quality. With the analysis of the variance of the tobacco samples from three different planting regions, 167 differential components (p<0.05) were screened out using the RTL-GC/MS-SIM method, but 151 and 131 by the EIC and TIC methods, respectively. The results show that the developed method not only has a higher sensitivity, better linearity and data quality, but also does not need complicated peak alignment among different samples. It is especially suitable for the screening of differential components in the metabolic profiling investigation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Lithium Ion Recognition with Nanofluidic Diodes through Host-Guest Complexation in Confined Geometries.

    PubMed

    Ali, Mubarak; Ahmed, Ishtiaq; Ramirez, Patricio; Nasir, Saima; Mafe, Salvador; Niemeyer, Christof M; Ensinger, Wolfgang

    2018-05-15

    The lithium ion recognition is receiving significant attention because of its application in pharmaceuticals, lubricants and, especially, in energy technology. We present a nanofluidic device for specific lithium ion recognition via host-guest complexation in a confined environment. A lithium-selective receptor molecule, the aminoethyl-benzo-12-crown-4 (BC12C4-NH 2 ), is designed and functionalized on single conical nanopores in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) membranes. The native carboxylic acid groups on the pore walls are covalently linked with the crown ether moieties and the process is monitored from the changes in the current-voltage ( I- V) curves. The B12-crown-4 moieties are known to specifically bind with lithium ions and when the modified pore is exposed to different alkali metal chloride solutions separately, significant changes in the ion current and rectification are only observed for lithium chloride. This fact suggests the generation of positively charged B12C4-Li + complexes on the pore surface. Furthermore, the nanofluidic diode is able to recognize the lithium ion even in the presence of high concentrations of potassium ions in the external electrolyte solution. Thus, this nanodevice suggests a strategy to miniaturize nanofluidic porous systems for efficient recognition, extraction, and separation of lithium from raw materials.

  3. In-situ luminescence monitoring of ion-induced damage evolution in SiO 2 and Al 2O 3

    DOE PAGES

    Crespillo, Miguel L.; Graham, Joseph T.; Zhang, Yanwen; ...

    2015-12-17

    Real-time, in-situ ionoluminescence measurements provide information of evolution of emission bands with ion fluence, and thereby establish a correlation between point defect kinetics and phase stability. Using fast light ions (2 MeV H and 3.5 He MeV) and medium mass-high energy ions (8 MeV O, E=0.5 MeV/amu), scintillation materials of a-SiO 2, crystalline quartz, and Al 2O 3 are comparatively investigated at room temperature with the aim of obtaining a further insight on the structural defects induced by ion irradiation and understand the role of electronic energy loss on the damage processes. For more energetic heavy ions, the electronic energymore » deposition pattern offers higher rates of excitation deeper into the material and allows to evaluate the competing mechanisms between the radiative and non-radiative de-excitation processes. Irradiations with 8 MeV O ions have been selected corresponding to the electronic stopping regime, where the electronic stopping power is dominant, and above the critical amorphization threshold for quartz. Lastly, the usefulness of IBIL and its specific capabilities as a sensitive tool to investigate the material characterization and evaluation of radiation effects are demonstrated.« less

  4. In Situ Monitoring of Temperature inside Lithium-Ion Batteries by Flexible Micro Temperature Sensors

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Chi-Yuan; Lee, Shuo-Jen; Tang, Ming-Shao; Chen, Pei-Chi

    2011-01-01

    Lithium-ion secondary batteries are commonly used in electric vehicles, smart phones, personal digital assistants (PDA), notebooks and electric cars. These lithium-ion secondary batteries must charge and discharge rapidly, causing the interior temperature to rise quickly, raising a safety issue. Over-charging results in an unstable voltage and current, causing potential safety problems, such as thermal runaways and explosions. Thus, a micro flexible temperature sensor for the in in-situ monitoring of temperature inside a lithium-ion secondary battery must be developed. In this work, flexible micro temperature sensors were integrated into a lithium-ion secondary battery using the micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) process for monitoring temperature in situ. PMID:22163735

  5. In situ monitoring of temperature inside lithium-ion batteries by flexible micro temperature sensors.

    PubMed

    Lee, Chi-Yuan; Lee, Shuo-Jen; Tang, Ming-Shao; Chen, Pei-Chi

    2011-01-01

    Lithium-ion secondary batteries are commonly used in electric vehicles, smart phones, personal digital assistants (PDA), notebooks and electric cars. These lithium-ion secondary batteries must charge and discharge rapidly, causing the interior temperature to rise quickly, raising a safety issue. Over-charging results in an unstable voltage and current, causing potential safety problems, such as thermal runaways and explosions. Thus, a micro flexible temperature sensor for the in in-situ monitoring of temperature inside a lithium-ion secondary battery must be developed. In this work, flexible micro temperature sensors were integrated into a lithium-ion secondary battery using the micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) process for monitoring temperature in situ.

  6. Monitoring Ion Track Formation Using In Situ RBS/c, ToF-ERDA, and HR-PIXE

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karlušić, Marko; Fazinić, Stjepko; Siketić, Zdravko; Tadić, Tonči; Cosic, Donny; Božičević-Mihalić, Iva; Zamboni, Ivana; Jakšić, Milko; Schleberger, Marika

    2017-09-01

    The aim of this work is to investigate feasibility of the ion beam analysis techniques for monitoring swift heavy ion track formation. First, use of the in situ Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy in channeling mode to observe damage build-up in quartz SiO2 after MeV heavy ion irradiation is demonstrated. Second, new results of the in situ grazing incidence time-of-flight elastic recoil detection analysis used for monitoring the surface elemental composition during ion tracks formation in various materials are presented. Ion tracks were found on SrTiO3, quartz SiO2, a-SiO2 and muscovite mica surfaces by atomic force microscopy, but in contrast to our previous studies on GaN and TiO2, surface stoichiometry remained unchanged.

  7. Distinguishing sympathomimetic amines from amphetamine and methamphetamine in urine by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Thurman, E M; Pedersen, M J; Stout, R L; Martin, T

    1992-01-01

    Derivatives of seven commonly used sympathomimetic amines and two "designer amines" were isolated from urine, separated chromatographically from amphetamine and methamphetamine, and determined by mass spectrometry with selected ion monitoring. The drugs included ephedrine, propylhexedrine, pseudoephedrine, phenylpropanolamine, hydroxynorephedrine, phenylephrine, phentermine, methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), and methylenedioxy methamphetamine (MDMA). The drugs were liquid extracted from urine and derivatized by either heptafluorobutyric anhydride (HFBA) or 4-carbethoxyhexafluorobutyryl chloride (4-CB). Because the base peak ions for ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, propylhexedrine, MDMA, and phentermine are identical to methamphetamine (e.g. 254 amu for HFBA) and those for phenylephrine, hydroxynorephedrine, phenylpropanolamine, and MDA are identical to amphetamine (e.g. 240 amu for HFBA), a table of selected ions was developed for all 11 drugs that distinguished amphetamine and methamphetamine from the sympathomimetic amines with either HFBA or 4-CB. The distinguishing ions rely on the ring structure of the different drugs and fragmentation associated with that structure. The 4-CB reagent partially derivatized the hydroxy-containing sympathomimetic amines, while the HFBA completely derivatized all the sympathomimetic amines. Furthermore, false positive results for the 4-CB reagent were found only for methamphetamine (20-2250 ng/mL of methamphetamine) when high concentrations (greater than 5 micrograms) of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine were present in the specimen. These results are related to a combination of injection port temperature and cleanliness of the injection port sleeve.

  8. Electrodialytic extraction of anionic pharmaceutical compounds from a single drop of whole blood using a supported liquid membrane.

    PubMed

    Imoto, Yurika; Nishiyama, Hiroka; Nakamura, Yukihide; Ohira, Shin-Ichi; Toda, Kei

    2018-05-01

    A method to introduce target analytes to a chromatograph from a single drop of whole blood was investigated for minimally invasive monitoring of anionic pharmaceuticals. In this work, salicylate and loxoprofen were examined as organic anions. A micro ion extractor (MIE) has been developed for extraction of inorganic trace anions from whole blood, but this device is not suitable for extraction of pharmaceuticals. In the present study, we improved and optimized the MIE device for organic anion extraction. Various supported liquid membranes were evaluated for use as the ion transfer membrane, with each membrane placed between a droplet sample (donor) and an acceptor solution. A supported liquid membrane of porous polypropylene impregnated with 1-butanol was selected. In addition, the methods for electric field creation and electrode contact were examined to improve the characteristics of the MIE device. The current and extraction time were also optimized. With the optimized method, salicylate and loxoprofen were successfully extracted from a single drop of whole blood. Changes in the concentrations of these pharmaceuticals in blood over time were monitored after administration. As only 25μL of whole blood was required for analysis, repeat measurements could be conducted to monitor changes in the concentrations. This MIE will be useful for monitoring pharmaceutical concentrations in blood. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Carbohydrate profiling of bacteria by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and their trace detection in complex matrices by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Fox, A

    1999-05-28

    Bacterial cellular polysaccharides are composed of a variety of sugar monomers. These sugars serve as chemical markers to identify specific species or genera or to determine their physiological status. Some of these markers can also be used for trace detection of bacteria or their constituents in complex clinical or environmental matrices. Analyses are performed, in our hands, employing hydrolysis followed by the alditol acetate derivatization procedure. Substantial improvements have been made to sample preparation including simplification and computer-controlled automation. For characterization of whole cell bacterial hydrolysates, sugars are analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Simple chromatograms are generated using selected ion monitoring (SIM). Using total ion GC-MS, sugars can be readily identified. In more complex clinical and environmental samples, markers for bacteria are present at sufficiently low concentrations that more advanced instrumentation, gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS-MS), is preferred for optimal analysis. Using multiple reaction monitoring, MS-MS is used (replacing more conventional SIM) to ignore extraneous chromatographic peaks. Triple quadrupole and ion trap GC-MS-MS instruments have both been used successfully. Absolute chemical identification of sugar markers at trace levels is achieved, using MS-MS, by the product spectrum.

  10. Determination of acrylamide in drinking water by large-volume direct injection and ion-exclusion chromatography-mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Cavalli, S; Polesello, S; Saccani, G

    2004-06-11

    Acrylamide, a known neurotoxin and putative human carcinogen, has been included among the substances to be monitored in drinking water according to the European Union Directive 98/83 on potable water. This paper reports a new method based on the combination of ion-exclusion chromatographic separation and MS detection. Samples of drinking water have been directly injected in the microbore ICE-AS1 column and detected in the selected-ion monitoring mode by a single quadrupole system with electrospray ionization. Chromatographic conditions, such as eluent composition and flow rate, have been optimized by a central composite design experiment. Statistical analysis of data showed that the amount of acetonitrile fraction in the eluent mixture, composed by acetonitrile and formic acid solution, is the variable that most influences retention of the acrylamide peak. After optimization of MS detection parameters, this method has been validated for spiked drinking water samples. The effect of large-volume injection (up to 500 microl) has been also explored. Linearity was evaluated from 0.5 to 5 microg l(-1). Repeatability, expressed as R.S.D., was 16 and 12% at 0.5 and 1 microg l(-1) respectively. The limit of detection was 0.20 ppb with 500 microl injection volume.

  11. Real-time quantitative analysis of H2, He, O2, and Ar by quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Ottens, Andrew K; Harrison, W W; Griffin, Timothy P; Helms, William R

    2002-09-01

    The use of a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer (QITMS) for quantitative analysis of hydrogen and helium as well as of other permanent gases is demonstrated. Like commercial instruments, the customized QITMS uses mass selective instability; however, this instrument operates at a greater trapping frequency and without a buffer gas. Thus, a useable mass range from 2 to over 50 daltons (Da) is achieved. The performance of the ion trap is evaluated using part-per-million (ppm) concentrations of hydrogen, helium, oxygen, and argon mixed into a nitrogen gas stream, as outlined by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which is interested in monitoring for cryogenic fuel leaks within the Space Shuttle during launch preparations. When quantitating the four analytes, relative accuracy and precision were better than the NASA-required minimum of 10% error and 5% deviation, respectively. Limits of detection were below the NASA requirement of 25-ppm hydrogen and 100-ppm helium; those for oxygen and argon were within the same order of magnitude as the requirements. These results were achieved at a fast data recording rate, and demonstrate the utility of the QITMS as a real-time quantitative monitoring device for permanent gas analysis. c. 2002 American Society for Mass Spectrometry.

  12. Picomolar detection limits with current-polarized Pb2+ ion-selective membranes.

    PubMed

    Pergel, E; Gyurcsányi, R E; Tóth, K; Lindner, E

    2001-09-01

    Minor ion fluxes across ion-selective membranes bias submicromolar activity measurements with conventional ion-selective electrodes. When ion fluxes are balanced, the lower limit of detection is expected to be dramatically improved. As proof of principle, the flux of lead ions across an ETH 5435 ionophore-based lead-selective membrane was gradually compensated by applying a few nanoamperes of galvanostatic current. When the opposite ion fluxes were matched, and the undesirable leaching of primary ions was eliminated, Nernstian response down to 3 x 10(-12) M was achieved.

  13. Thiazole derivative-modified upconversion nanoparticles for Hg2+ detection in living cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gu, Bin; Zhou, Yi; Zhang, Xiao; Liu, Xiaowang; Zhang, Yuhai; Marks, Robert; Zhang, Hua; Liu, Xiaogang; Zhang, Qichun

    2015-12-01

    Mercury ion (Hg2+) is an extremely toxic ion, which will accumulate in human bodies and cause severe nervous system damage. Therefore, the sensitive and efficient monitoring of Hg2+ in human bodies is of great importance. Upconversion nanoparticle (UCNPs) based nano probes exhibit no autofluorescence, deep penetration depth and chemical stability in biological samples, as well as a large anti-stokes shift. In this study, we have developed thiazole-derivative-functionalized UCNPs, and employed an upconversion emission intensity ratio of 540 nm to 803 nm (I540/I803) as a ratiometric signal to detect Hg2+ in living cells showing excellent photo stability and high selectivity. Our nano probe was characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). The low cytotoxicity of our probe was confirmed by an MTT assay and the UCL test in HeLa cells was carried out by confocal microscopy. Our results demonstrated that organic-dye-functionalized UCNPs should be a good strategy for detecting toxic metal ions when studying cellular biosystems.Mercury ion (Hg2+) is an extremely toxic ion, which will accumulate in human bodies and cause severe nervous system damage. Therefore, the sensitive and efficient monitoring of Hg2+ in human bodies is of great importance. Upconversion nanoparticle (UCNPs) based nano probes exhibit no autofluorescence, deep penetration depth and chemical stability in biological samples, as well as a large anti-stokes shift. In this study, we have developed thiazole-derivative-functionalized UCNPs, and employed an upconversion emission intensity ratio of 540 nm to 803 nm (I540/I803) as a ratiometric signal to detect Hg2+ in living cells showing excellent photo stability and high selectivity. Our nano probe was characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). The low cytotoxicity of our probe was confirmed by an MTT assay and the UCL test in HeLa cells was carried out by confocal microscopy. Our results demonstrated that organic-dye-functionalized UCNPs should be a good strategy for detecting toxic metal ions when studying cellular biosystems. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: NMR, MALDI-TOF MS spectra, etc. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr05286f

  14. Separation and characterization of silybin, isosilybin, silydianin and silychristin in milk thistle extract by liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Lee, James I; Hsu, Bih H; Wu, Di; Barrett, Jeffrey S

    2006-05-26

    A selective and sensitive liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method has been developed for the characterization of silymarin in commercially available milk thistle extract. In this study, six main active constituents, including silydianin, silychristin, diastereomers of silybin (silybin A and B) and diastereomers of isosilybin (isosilybin A and B) in silymarin, were completely separated on a YMC ODS-AQ HPLC column using a gradient mobile phase system comprised of ammonium acetate and methanol/water/formic acid. Identification and characterization of the major constituents were based not only on the product ion scan, which provided unique fragmentation information of a selected molecular ion, but also on the specific fragmentation of multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) data, which confirmed the retention times of LC chromatographic peaks. The method was applied in the analysis of human plasma samples in the presence of silymarin and appeared to be suitable for the pharmacokinetic studies in which the discrimination of silymarin constituents is essential.

  15. Multiple applications of ion chromatography oligosaccharide fingerprint profiles to solve a variety of sugar and sugar-biofuel industry problems.

    PubMed

    Eggleston, Gillian; Borges, Eduardo

    2015-03-25

    Sugar crops contain a broad variety of carbohydrates used for human consumption and the production of biofuels and bioproducts. Ion chromatography with integrated pulsed amperometric detection (IC-IPAD) can be used to simultaneously detect mono-, di-, and oligosaccharides, oligosaccharide isomers, mannitol, and ethanol in complex matrices from sugar crops. By utilizing a strong NaOH/NaOAc gradient method over 45 min, oligosaccharides of at least 2-12 dp can be detected. Fingerprint IC oligosaccharide profiles are extremely selective, sensitive, and reliable and can detect deterioration product metabolites from as low as 100 colony-forming units/mL lactic acid bacteria. The IC fingerprints can also be used to (i) monitor freeze deterioration, (ii) optimize harvesting methods and cut-to-crush times, (iii) differentiate between white refined sugar from sugar cane and from sugar beets, (iv) verify the activities of carbohydrate enzymes, (v) select yeasts for ethanol fermentations, and (vi) isolate and diagnose infections and processing problems in sugar factories.

  16. [Determination of azoxystrobin residues in fruits and vegetables by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry with solid-phase extraction].

    PubMed

    Bo, Haibo

    2007-11-01

    A method was developed for the determination of azoxystrobin residues in fruits and vegetables by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Azoxystrobin residues were extracted with ethyl acetate-cyclohexane (1 : 1, v/v) by ultrasonication and then they were cleaned up on a silica solid-phase extraction (SPE) column to obtain an extract suitable for analysis by GC/MS in the selective ion monitoring (SIM) mode (the selected ion: m/z 344, 372, 388 and 403). The calibration curves were linear between area and concentration of azoxystrobin from 0.01 to 1.0 mg/kg with the correlation coefficient greater than 0.99. The average recoveries from spiked fruit and vegetable matrixes at three concentrations of 0.01, 0.1, 1.0 mg/kg ranged from 85.2% to 98.2% with relative standard deviation less than 21.5%. The limit of detection was 0.01 mg/kg and the limit of quantity was 0.05 mg/kg in fruit and vegetable matrixes, respectively.

  17. UPLC/Q-TOFMS/MS as a powerful technique for rapid identification of polymethoxylated flavones in Fructus aurantii.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Da-Yong; Zhang, Xiu-Li; Xu, Qing; Xue, Xing-Ya; Zhang, Fei-Fang; Liang, Xin-Miao

    2009-08-15

    Polymethoxylated flavones (PMFs), as potential cancer chemopreventive agents, are widely distributed in Citrus genus. In this study, a selected ion monitoring-tandem mass (SIM-MS/MS) method for the rapid identification of PMFs in Fructus aurantii (F. aurantii) with ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled to quadrupole, hybrid orthogonal acceleration time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometer (Q-TOFMS/MS) was proposed. The MS data for candidates, containing accurate mass and isotopic patterns for both precursors and their fragment ions, were acquired selectively. Based on the MS data, the mass spectrometric fingerprint (MSFP) for candidates, consisting of chemical formula and dissociation pattern, was determined. Comparing the MSFPs of the observed compounds with the diagnostic MSFP of the species, 44 PMFs were tentatively identified. The method was validated by tangeretin and sinensetin, two representative compounds of PMFs, and was considered to be suitable for the rapid screening of PMFs in crude and partially purified samples.

  18. Resolution and Assignment of Differential Ion Mobility Spectra of Sarcosine and Isomers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Berthias, Francis; Maatoug, Belkis; Glish, Gary L.; Moussa, Fathi; Maitre, Philippe

    2018-02-01

    Due to their central role in biochemical processes, fast separation and identification of amino acids (AA) is of importance in many areas of the biomedical field including the diagnosis and monitoring of inborn errors of metabolism and biomarker discovery. Due to the large number of AA together with their isomers and isobars, common methods of AA analysis are tedious and time-consuming because they include a chromatographic separation step requiring pre- or post-column derivatization. Here, we propose a rapid method of separation and identification of sarcosine, a biomarker candidate of prostate cancer, from isomers using differential ion mobility spectrometry (DIMS) interfaced with a tandem mass spectrometer (MS/MS) instrument. Baseline separation of protonated sarcosine from α- and β-alanine isomers can be easily achieved. Identification of DIMS peak is performed using an isomer-specific activation mode where DIMS- and mass-selected ions are irradiated at selected wavenumbers allowing for the specific fragmentation via an infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) process. Two orthogonal methods to MS/MS are thus added, where the MS/MS(IRMPD) is nothing but an isomer-specific multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) method. The identification relies on the comparison of DIMS-MS/MS(IRMPD) chromatograms recorded at different wavenumbers. Based on the comparison of IR spectra of the three isomers, it is shown that specific depletion of the two protonated α- and β-alanine can be achieved, thus allowing for clear identification of the sarcosine peak. It is also demonstrated that DIMS-MS/MS(IRMPD) spectra in the carboxylic C=O stretching region allow for the resolution of overlapping DIMS peaks. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  19. Studies on Molecular and Ion Transport in Silicalite Membranes and Applications as Ion Separator for Redox Flow Battery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Ruidong

    Microporous zeolite membranes have been widely studied for molecular separations based on size exclusion or preferential adsorption-diffusion mechanisms. The MFI-type zeolite membranes were also demonstrated for brine water desalination by molecular sieving effect. In this research, the pure silica MFI-type zeolite (i.e. silicalite) membrane has been for the first time demonstrated for selective permeation of hydrated proton (i.e. H3O+) in acidic electrolyte solutions. The silicalite membrane allows for permeation of H 3O+ ions, but is inaccessible to the large hydrated multivalent vanadium ions due to steric effect. The silicalite membrane has been further demonstrated as an effective ion separator in the all-vanadium redox flow battery (RFB).The silicalite is nonionic and its proton conductivity relies on the electric field-driven H3O+ transport through the sub nanometer-sized pores under the RFB operation conditions. The silicalite membrane displayed a significantly reduced self-discharge rate because of its high proton-to-vanadium ion transport selectivity. However, the nonionic nature of the silicalite membrane and very small diffusion channel size render low proton conductivity and is therefore inefficient as ion exchange membranes (IEMs) for practical applications. The proton transport efficiency may be improved by reducing the membrane thickness. However, the zeolite thin films are extremely fragile and must be supported on mechanically strong and rigid porous substrates. In this work, silicalite-Nafion composite membranes were synthesized to achieve a colloidal silicalite skin on the Nafion thin film base. The "colloidal zeolite-ionic polymer" layered composite membrane combines the advantages of high proton-selectivity of the zeolite layer and the mechanical flexibility and low proton transport resistance of the ionic polymer membrane. The composite membrane exhibited higher proton/vanadium ion separation selectivity and lower electrical resistance than the commercial Nafion 117 membrane. The high proton transport selectivity is a result of the molecular sieving effect between the H3O+ and multivalent vanadium ions by the zeolitic pores; thus the zeolite particles significantly reduced the effective membrane surface area for vanadium ion permeation. The low resistance of the composite membrane can be attributed to the reduced thickness of the Nafion base film and the thinness of the colloidal silicalite top layer. The composite membrane outperformed the Nafion 117 membrane in the vanadium RFB operation in terms of the overall charge-discharge energy efficiency. Efforts have been made in further investigation of ion and molecular transport diffusivity in the polycrystalline silicalite film using zeolite-coated optical fiber interferometers. A physical model has been established for analyzing the molecular diffusivity in the zeolite layer based on the temporal responses of the optical interferometric signals during the transient process of molecular sorption. Experiments were first carried out to study the diffusivity of isobutane to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed optical method. The isobutane diffusivities in silicalite measured by this method were in good agreement with the values reported in literature. The zeolite coated fiber optic interferometer was however ineffective in monitoring ion sorption or ion exchange in the silicalite films. It is suggested that more sensitive fiber optic devices are needed for studying the ion diffusion.

  20. Filtration of water-sediment samples for the determination of organic compounds

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sandstrom, Mark W.

    1995-01-01

    This report describes the equipment and procedures used for on-site filtration of surface-water and ground-water samples for determination of organic compounds. Glass-fiber filters and a positive displacement pumping system are suitable for processing most samples for organic analyses. An optional system that uses disposable in-line membrane filters is suitable for a specific gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, selected-ion monitoring analytical method for determination of organonitrogen herbicides. General procedures to minimize contamination of the samples include preparing a clean workspace at the site, selecting appropriate sample-collection materials, and cleaning of the equipment with detergent, tap water, and methanol.

  1. Ion current detector for high pressure ion sources for monitoring separations

    DOEpatents

    Smith, R.D.; Wahl, J.H.; Hofstadler, S.A.

    1996-08-13

    The present invention relates generally to any application involving the monitoring of signal arising from ions produced by electrospray or other high pressure (>100 torr) ion sources. The present invention relates specifically to an apparatus and method for the detection of ions emitted from a capillary electrophoresis (CE) system, liquid chromatography, or other small-scale separation methods. And further, the invention provides a very simple diagnostic as to the quality of the separation and the operation of an electrospray source. 7 figs.

  2. Ion current detector for high pressure ion sources for monitoring separations

    DOEpatents

    Smith, Richard D.; Wahl, Jon H.; Hofstadler, Steven A.

    1996-01-01

    The present invention relates generally to any application involving the monitoring of signal arising from ions produced by electrospray or other high pressure (>100 torr) ion sources. The present invention relates specifically to an apparatus and method for the detection of ions emitted from a capillary electrophoresis (CE) system, liquid chromatography, or other small-scale separation methods. And further, the invention provides a very simple diagnostic as to the quality of the separation and the operation of an electrospray source.

  3. On-line miniaturized asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry with selected reaction monitoring for quantitative analysis of phospholipids in plasma lipoproteins.

    PubMed

    Yang, Iseul; Kim, Ki Hun; Lee, Ju Yong; Moon, Myeong Hee

    2014-01-10

    A direct analytical method for high speed quantitative analysis of lipids in human blood plasma using on-line chip-type asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (cAF4-ESI-MS/MS) with selected reaction monitoring (SRM) is described in this study. Utilizing a miniaturized cAF4 channel, high speed size separation of high density lipoproteins (HDL) and low density lipoproteins (LDL) from plasma samples can be accomplished at a microflow rate along with simultaneous desalting of lipoproteins, both of which are conducive to direct ESI of lipids in lipoproteins. This study demonstrates that the SRM method to monitor phospholipids during cAF4-ESI-MS/MS can be successfully applied to the quantitation of lipid molecules in plasma lipoproteins without the need of a separate lipid extraction process. For quantitation of lipids in HDL and LDL during cAF4-ESI-MS/MS runs, a protein standard (carbonic anhydrase, 29 kDa) was added to each plasma sample as an internal standard such that a peak intensity of y67(+5) ions, which are high abundant SRM product ions of CA, could be utilized to calculate the relative intensity of each lipid molecule. The developed method was applied to plasma samples from 10 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and 10 healthy control samples, and quantitative analysis of 39 lipid molecules including phosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylethanolamines, sphingomyelins, phosphatidylglycerols, and phosphatidylinositols, resulted in the selection of 13 PL species showing more than 2.5 fold difference in relative abundance (p<0.01) between the groups. The present study demonstrates a high speed analytical method for determining plasma lipid content and distribution without an organic solvent extraction of lipids from plasma. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Ion-selective detection by plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) membrane in glass nanopipette with alternating voltage modulation.

    PubMed

    Deng, Xiao Long; Takami, Tomohide; Son, Jong Wan; Kang, Eun Ji; Kawai, Tomoji; Park, Bae Ho

    2013-08-01

    An alternating current (AC) voltage modulation was applied to ion-selective observations with plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) membranes in glass nanopipettes. The liquid confronting the membranes in the nanopipettes, the conditioning process, and AC voltage modulation play important roles in the ion-selective detection. In the AC detection system developed by us, where distilled water was used as the liquid within the nanopipettes, potassium ions were selectively detected in the sample solution of sodium and potassium ions because sodium ions were captured at the membrane containing bis(12-crown-4) ionophores, before the saturation of the ionophores. The membrane lost the selectivity after the saturation. On using sodium chloride as the liquid within the nanopipette, the membrane selectively detected potassium and sodium ions before and after the saturation of ionophores, respectively. The ion-selective detection of our system can be explained by the ion extraction-diffusion-dissolution mechanism through the bis(12-crown-4) ionophores with AC voltage modulation.

  5. Neutral beam monitoring

    DOEpatents

    Fink, Joel H.

    1981-08-18

    Method and apparatus for monitoring characteristics of a high energy neutral beam. A neutral beam is generated by passing accelerated ions through a walled cell containing a low energy neutral gas, such that charge exchange neutralizes the high energy ion beam. The neutral beam is monitored by detecting the current flowing through the cell wall produced by low energy ions which drift to the wall after the charge exchange. By segmenting the wall into radial and longitudinal segments various beam conditions are further identified.

  6. Sympathetic Cooling of Molecular Ions in Selected Rotational and Vibrational States Produced by Threshold Photoionization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tong, Xin; Winney, Alexander H.; Willitsch, Stefan

    2010-10-01

    We present a new method for the generation of rotationally and vibrationally state-selected, translationally cold molecular ions in ion traps. Our technique is based on the state-selective threshold photoionization of neutral molecules followed by sympathetic cooling of the resulting ions with laser-cooled calcium ions. Using N2+ ions as a test system, we achieve >90% selectivity in the preparation of the ground rovibrational level and state lifetimes on the order of 15 minutes limited by collisions with background-gas molecules. The technique can be employed to produce a wide range of apolar and polar molecular ions in the ground and excited rovibrational states. Our approach opens up new perspectives for cold quantum-controlled ion-molecule-collision studies, frequency-metrology experiments with state-selected molecular ions and molecular-ion qubits.

  7. In situ continuous monitoring of nitrogen with ion-selective electrodes in a constructed wetland receiving treated wastewater: an operating protocol to obtain reliable data.

    PubMed

    Papias, Sandrine; Masson, Matthieu; Pelletant, Sébastien; Prost-Boucle, Stéphanie; Boutin, Catherine

    2018-03-01

    Constructed wetlands receiving treated wastewater (CWtw) are placed between wastewater treatment plants and receiving water bodies, under the perception that they increase water quality. A better understanding of the CWtw functioning is required to evaluate their real performance. To achieve this, in situ continuous monitoring of nitrate and ammonium concentrations with ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) can provide valuable information. However, this measurement needs precautions to be taken to produce good data quality, especially in areas with high effluent quality requirements. In order to study the functioning of a CWtw instrumented with six ISE probes, we have developed an appropriate methodology for probe management and data processing. It is based on an evaluation of performance in the laboratory and an adapted field protocol for calibration, data treatment and validation. The result is an operating protocol concerning an acceptable cleaning frequency of 2 weeks, a complementary calibration using CWtw water, a drift evaluation and the determination of limits of quantification (1 mgN/L for ammonium and 0.5 mgN/L for nitrate). An example of a 9-month validated dataset confirms that it is fundamental to include the technical limitations of the measuring equipment and set appropriate maintenance and calibration methodologies in order to ensure an accurate interpretation of data.

  8. Engineering of Surface Chemistry for Enhanced Sensitivity in Nanoporous Interferometric Sensing Platforms.

    PubMed

    Law, Cheryl Suwen; Sylvia, Georgina M; Nemati, Madieh; Yu, Jingxian; Losic, Dusan; Abell, Andrew D; Santos, Abel

    2017-03-15

    We explore new approaches to engineering the surface chemistry of interferometric sensing platforms based on nanoporous anodic alumina (NAA) and reflectometric interference spectroscopy (RIfS). Two surface engineering strategies are presented, namely (i) selective chemical functionalization of the inner surface of NAA pores with amine-terminated thiol molecules and (ii) selective chemical functionalization of the top surface of NAA with dithiol molecules. The strong molecular interaction of Au 3+ ions with thiol-containing functional molecules of alkane chain or peptide character provides a model sensing system with which to assess the sensitivity of these NAA platforms by both molecular feature and surface engineering. Changes in the effective optical thickness of the functionalized NAA photonic films (i.e., sensing principle), in response to gold ions, are monitored in real-time by RIfS. 6-Amino-1-hexanethiol (inner surface) and 1,6-hexanedithiol (top surface), the most sensitive functional molecules from approaches i and ii, respectively, were combined into a third sensing strategy whereby the NAA platforms are functionalized on both the top and inner surfaces concurrently. Engineering of the surface according to this approach resulted in an additive enhancement in sensitivity of up to 5-fold compared to previously reported systems. This study advances the rational engineering of surface chemistry for interferometric sensing on nanoporous platforms with potential applications for real-time monitoring of multiple analytes in dynamic environments.

  9. An Application of Specific Sensors For The Monitoring of NaCl in Soft Cheeses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lvova, Larisa; Mielle, Patrick; Salles, Christian; Denis, Sylvain; Vergoignan, Catherine; Barra, Aurélien; Di Natale, Corrado; Paolesse, Roberto; Temple-Boyer, Pierre; Feron, Gilles

    2011-09-01

    The commercial sensors and prototype ISEs array (Ion Selective Electrodes array) were utilized for NaCl concentration measurements in soft cheeses, in particular in vitro gut process and in commercial Italian mozzarella cheeses. The values obtained from the sensors were compared with HPLC analysis. The results showed the feasibility of the ISE array application to monitor NaCl in soft cheese during the breakdown in the digester. The best results were obtained with the use of ISEs array combining, in particular, Cl- and Na+ detections. The salinity of commercial mozzarella cheese samples and the originally utilized milk type (cow or buffalo) were also satisfactory determined with the developed ISE array.

  10. Tuning the ion selectivity of tetrameric cation channels by changing the number of ion binding sites

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Derebe, Mehabaw G.; Sauer, David B.; Zeng, Weizhong

    2015-11-30

    Selective ion conduction across ion channel pores is central to cellular physiology. To understand the underlying principles of ion selectivity in tetrameric cation channels, we engineered a set of cation channel pores based on the nonselective NaK channel and determined their structures to high resolution. These structures showcase an ensemble of selectivity filters with a various number of contiguous ion binding sites ranging from 2 to 4, with each individual site maintaining a geometry and ligand environment virtually identical to that of equivalent sites in K{sup +} channel selectivity filters. Combined with single channel electrophysiology, we show that only themore » channel with four ion binding sites is K{sup +} selective, whereas those with two or three are nonselective and permeate Na{sup +} and K{sup +} equally well. These observations strongly suggest that the number of contiguous ion binding sites in a single file is the key determinant of the channel's selectivity properties and the presence of four sites in K{sup +} channels is essential for highly selective and efficient permeation of K{sup +} ions.« less

  11. Selective sodium intercalation into sodium nickel-manganese sulfate for dual Na-Li-ion batteries.

    PubMed

    Marinova, Delyana M; Kukeva, Rosica R; Zhecheva, Ekaterina N; Stoyanova, Radostina K

    2018-05-09

    Double sodium transition metal sulfates combine in themselves unique intercalation properties with eco-compatible compositions - a specific feature that makes them attractive electrode materials for lithium and sodium ion batteries. Herein, we examine the intercalation properties of novel double sodium nickel-manganese sulfate, Na2Ni1/2Mn1/2(SO4)2, having a large monoclinic unit cell, through electrochemical and ex situ diffraction and spectroscopic methods. The sulfate salt Na2Ni1/2Mn1/2(SO4)2 is prepared by thermal dehydration of the corresponding hydrate salt Na2Ni1/2Mn1/2(SO4)2·4H2O having a blödite structure. The intercalation reactions on Na2Ni1-xMnx(SO4)2 are studied in two model cells: half-ion cell versus Li metal anode and full-ion cell versus Li4Ti5O12 anode by using lithium (LiPF6 dissolved in EC/DMC) and sodium electrolytes (NaPF6 dissolved in EC:DEC). Based on ex situ XRD and TEM analysis, it is found that sodium intercalation into Na2Ni1/2Mn1/2(SO4)2 takes place via phase separation into the Ni-rich monoclinic phase and Mn-rich alluaudite phase. The redox reactions involving participation of manganese and titanium ions are monitored by ex situ EPR spectroscopy. It has been demonstrated that manganese ions from the sulfate salt are participating in the electrochemical reaction, while the nickel ions remain intact. As a result, a reversible capacity of about 65 mA h g-1 is reached. The selective intercalation properties determine sodium nickel-manganese sulfate as a new electrode material for hybrid lithium-sodium ion batteries that is thought to combine the advantages of individual lithium and sodium batteries.

  12. Septonex-tetraphenylborate screen-printed ion selective electrode for the potentiometric determination of Septonex in pharmaceutical preparations.

    PubMed

    Mohamed, Gehad G; El-Shahat, M F; Al-Sabagh, A M; Migahed, M A; Ali, Tamer Awad

    2011-04-07

    A screen-printed electrode (SPE) was fabricated for the determination of 1-(ethoxycarbonyl)pentadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (Septonex) based on the use of Septonex-tetraphenylborate as the electroactive substance, and o-nitrophenyloctylether (o-NPOE) as the plasticizing agent. The electrode passes a near-Nernstian cationic slope of 59.33 ± 0.85 mV from activity between pH values of 2 to 9 with a lower detection limit of 9×10(-7) M and response time of about 5 s and exhibits an adequate shelf-life of 6 months. The method was applied for the determination of Septonex in pharmaceutical preparations. A percentage recovery of 99.88% was obtained with RSD=1.24%. The electrode was successfully applied in the determination of Septonex in laboratory-prepared samples by direct potentiometric, calibration curve and standard addition methods. Potentiometric titration of Septonex with sodium tetraphenylborate and phosphotungstic acid as a titrant was monitored with the modified screen-printed electrode as an end-point indicator electrode. Selectivity coefficients for Septonex relative to a number of potential interfering substances were determined. The sensor was highly selective for Septonex over a large number of compounds. Selectivity coefficient data for some common ions show negligible interference; however, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and iodide ions interfere significantly. The analytical usefulness of the proposed electrode was evaluated by its application in the determination of Septonex in laboratory-prepared pharmaceutical samples with satisfactory results. The results obtained with the fabricated sensor are comparable with those obtained by the British Pharmacopeia method. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011

  13. Ion distribution and selectivity of ionic liquids in microporous electrodes.

    PubMed

    Neal, Justin N; Wesolowski, David J; Henderson, Douglas; Wu, Jianzhong

    2017-05-07

    The energy density of an electric double layer capacitor, also known as supercapacitor, depends on ion distributions in the micropores of its electrodes. Herein we study ion selectivity and partitioning of symmetric, asymmetric, and mixed ionic liquids among different pores using the classical density functional theory. We find that a charged micropore in contact with mixed ions of the same valence is always selective to the smaller ions, and the ion selectivity, which is strongest when the pore size is comparable to the ion diameters, drastically falls as the pore size increases. The partitioning behavior in ionic liquids is fundamentally different from those corresponding to ion distributions in aqueous systems whereby the ion selectivity is dominated by the surface energy and entropic effects insensitive to the degree of confinement.

  14. Establishing Ion Ratio Thresholds Based on Absolute Peak Area for Absolute Protein Quantification using Protein Cleavage Isotope Dilution Mass Spectrometry

    PubMed Central

    Loziuk, Philip L.; Sederoff, Ronald R.; Chiang, Vincent L.; Muddiman, David C.

    2014-01-01

    Quantitative mass spectrometry has become central to the field of proteomics and metabolomics. Selected reaction monitoring is a widely used method for the absolute quantification of proteins and metabolites. This method renders high specificity using several product ions measured simultaneously. With growing interest in quantification of molecular species in complex biological samples, confident identification and quantitation has been of particular concern. A method to confirm purity or contamination of product ion spectra has become necessary for achieving accurate and precise quantification. Ion abundance ratio assessments were introduced to alleviate some of these issues. Ion abundance ratios are based on the consistent relative abundance (RA) of specific product ions with respect to the total abundance of all product ions. To date, no standardized method of implementing ion abundance ratios has been established. Thresholds by which product ion contamination is confirmed vary widely and are often arbitrary. This study sought to establish criteria by which the relative abundance of product ions can be evaluated in an absolute quantification experiment. These findings suggest that evaluation of the absolute ion abundance for any given transition is necessary in order to effectively implement RA thresholds. Overall, the variation of the RA value was observed to be relatively constant beyond an absolute threshold ion abundance. Finally, these RA values were observed to fluctuate significantly over a 3 year period, suggesting that these values should be assessed as close as possible to the time at which data is collected for quantification. PMID:25154770

  15. Method for selective detection of explosives in mass spectrometer or ion mobility spectrometer at parts-per-quadrillion level

    DOEpatents

    Ewing, Robert G.; Atkinson, David A.; Clowers, Brian H.

    2015-09-01

    A method for selective detection of volatile and non-volatile explosives in a mass spectrometer or ion mobility spectrometer at a parts-per-quadrillion level without preconcentration is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of ionizing a carrier gas with an ionization source to form reactant ions or reactant adduct ions comprising nitrate ions (NO.sub.3.sup.-); selectively reacting the reactant ions or reactant adduct ions with at least one volatile or non-volatile explosive analyte at a carrier gas pressure of at least about 100 Ton in a reaction region disposed between the ionization source and an ion detector, the reaction region having a length which provides a residence time (tr) for reactant ions therein of at least about 0.10 seconds, wherein the selective reaction yields product ions comprising reactant ions or reactant adduct ions that are selectively bound to the at least one explosive analyte when present therein; and detecting product ions with the ion detector to determine presence or absence of the at least one explosive analyte.

  16. Monitoring of selected skin- and breath-borne volatile organic compounds emitted from the human body using gas chromatography ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS).

    PubMed

    Mochalski, Paweł; Wiesenhofer, Helmut; Allers, Maria; Zimmermann, Stefan; Güntner, Andreas T; Pineau, Nicolay J; Lederer, Wolfgang; Agapiou, Agapios; Mayhew, Christopher A; Ruzsanyi, Veronika

    2018-02-15

    Human smuggling and associated cross-border crimes have evolved as a major challenge for the European Union in recent years. Of particular concern is the increasing trend of smuggling migrants hidden inside shipping containers or trucks. Therefore, there is a growing demand for portable security devices for the non-intrusive and rapid monitoring of containers to detect people hiding inside. In this context, chemical analysis of volatiles organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from the human body is proposed as a locating tool. In the present study, an in-house made ion mobility spectrometer coupled with gas chromatography (GC-IMS) was used to monitor the volatile moieties released from the human body under conditions that mimic entrapment. A total of 17 omnipresent volatile compounds were identified and quantified from 35 ion mobility peaks corresponding to human presence. These are 7 aldehydes (acrolein, 2-methylpropanal, 3-methylbutanal, 2-ethacrolein, n-hexanal, n-heptanal, benzaldehyde), 3 ketones (acetone, 2-pentanone, 4-methyl-2-pentanone), 5 esters (ethyl formate, ethyl propionate, vinyl butyrate, butyl acetate, ethyl isovalerate), one alcohol (2-methyl-1-propanol) and one organic acid (acetic acid). The limits of detection (0.05-7.2 ppb) and relative standard deviations (0.6-11%) should be sufficient for detecting these markers of human presence in field conditions. This study shows that GC-IMS can be used as a portable field detector of hidden or entrapped people. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Using Data Independent Acquisition (DIA) to Model High-responding Peptides for Targeted Proteomics Experiments*

    PubMed Central

    Searle, Brian C.; Egertson, Jarrett D.; Bollinger, James G.; Stergachis, Andrew B.; MacCoss, Michael J.

    2015-01-01

    Targeted mass spectrometry is an essential tool for detecting quantitative changes in low abundant proteins throughout the proteome. Although selected reaction monitoring (SRM) is the preferred method for quantifying peptides in complex samples, the process of designing SRM assays is laborious. Peptides have widely varying signal responses dictated by sequence-specific physiochemical properties; one major challenge is in selecting representative peptides to target as a proxy for protein abundance. Here we present PREGO, a software tool that predicts high-responding peptides for SRM experiments. PREGO predicts peptide responses with an artificial neural network trained using 11 minimally redundant, maximally relevant properties. Crucial to its success, PREGO is trained using fragment ion intensities of equimolar synthetic peptides extracted from data independent acquisition experiments. Because of similarities in instrumentation and the nature of data collection, relative peptide responses from data independent acquisition experiments are a suitable substitute for SRM experiments because they both make quantitative measurements from integrated fragment ion chromatograms. Using an SRM experiment containing 12,973 peptides from 724 synthetic proteins, PREGO exhibits a 40–85% improvement over previously published approaches at selecting high-responding peptides. These results also represent a dramatic improvement over the rules-based peptide selection approaches commonly used in the literature. PMID:26100116

  18. A chemosensor for micro- to nano-molar detection of Ag+ and Hg2+ ions in pure aqueous media and its applications in cell imaging.

    PubMed

    Nandre, Jitendra P; Patil, Samadhan R; Sahoo, Suban K; Pradeep, Chullikkattil P; Churakov, Andrei; Yu, Fabiao; Chen, Lingxin; Redshaw, Carl; Patil, Ashok A; Patil, Umesh D

    2017-10-24

    The pyridine substituted thiourea derivative PTB-1 was synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic techniques as well as by single crystal X-ray crystallography. The metal ion sensing ability of PTB-1 was explored by various experimental (naked-eye, UV-Vis, fluorescence, mass spectrometry and 1 H NMR spectroscopy) and theoretical (B3LYP/6-31G**/LANL2DZ) methods. PTB-1 exhibited a highly selective naked-eye detectable color change from colorless to dark brown and UV-Vis spectral changes for the detection of Ag + with a detection limit of 3.67 μM in aqueous medium. The detection of Ag + ions was achieved by test paper strip and supported silica methods. In contrast, PTB-1 exhibited a 23-fold enhanced emission at 420 nm in the presence of Hg 2+ ions with a nano-molar detection limit of 0.69 nM. Finally, the sensor PTB-1 was applied successfully for the intracellular detection of Hg 2+ ions in a HepG2 liver cell line, which was monitored by the use of confocal imaging techniques.

  19. Stimulus responsive hydrogel-coated etched fiber Bragg grating for carcinogenic chromium (VI) sensing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kishore, Pabbisetti Vayu Nandana; Madhuvarasu, Sai Shankar; Moru, Satyanarayana

    2018-01-01

    This paper proposes a chemo-mechanical-optical sensing approach for the detection of carcinogenic chromium (VI) metal ion using an etched fiber Bragg grating (FBG) coated with stimulus responsive hydrogel. Hydrogel synthesized from the blends of (3-acrylamidopropyl)-trimethylammonium chloride, which is highly responsive to chromium ions suffers a volume change when placed in Cr solution. When the proposed sensor system is exposed to various concentrations of Cr (VI) ion solution, FBG peak shifts due to the mechanical strain induced by the swelling of the hydrogel. The peak shift is correlated with the concentration of the Cr (VI) metal ion. Due to the reduction in the cladding diameter of FBG, wastage of swelling force due to hydrogel on FBG is lowered and utilized for more wavelength peak shift of FBG resulting in the increase in the sensitivity. The resolution of the sensor system is found to be 0.072 ppb. Trace amounts of chromium (VI) ion as low as 10 ppb can be sensed by this method. The sensor has shown good sensitivity, selectivity, and repeatability. The salient features of the sensors are its compact size, light weight, and adoptability for remote monitoring.

  20. Relating to monitoring ion sources

    DOEpatents

    Orr, Christopher Henry; Luff, Craig Janson; Dockray, Thomas; Macarthur, Duncan Whittemore; Bounds, John Alan

    2002-01-01

    The apparatus and method provide techniques for monitoring the position on alpha contamination in or on items or locations. The technique is particularly applicable to pipes, conduits and other locations to which access is difficult. The technique uses indirect monitoring of alpha emissions by detecting ions generated by the alpha emissions. The medium containing the ions is moved in a controlled manner frog in proximity with the item or location to the detecting unit and the signals achieved over time are used to generate alpha source position information.

  1. Simultaneous determination of 18 tetrahydrocorticosteroid sulfates in human urine by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Mitamura, Kuniko; Satoh née Okihara, Rika; Kamibayashi, Mami; Sato, Kanta; Iida, Takashi; Ikegawa, Shigeo

    2014-07-01

    A liquid chromatography (LC)/electrospray ionization (ESI)-mass spectrometry (MS) method for the direct determination of eighteen tetrahydrocorticosteroid sulfates in human urine has been developed. The analytes were 3- and 21-monosulfates and 3,21-disulfates of tetrahydrocortisol (THF), tetrahydrocortisone (THE), tetrahydro-11-deoxycortisol (THS), and their corresponding 5α-H stereoisomers. The mass spectrometric behavior of these sulfates in negative-ion ESI-MS/MS revealed the production of intense structure specific product ions within the same group of sulfates and permitted distinction between regioisomeric sulfates by collision-induced fragmentation with the MS/MS technique using a linear ion-trap instrument. For the quantitative analysis, selected reaction monitoring analysis in the negative-ion detection mode using triple-stage quadrupole mass spectrometer was performed by monitoring transitions from [M-H](-) to the most abundant product ion of each tetrahydrocorticosteroid sulfate. After addition of 3- and 21-monosulfates of [2,2,3β,4,4-d5]-THF, -THE, and -THS as internal standards, urine sample was applied to a solid phase extraction using a lipophilic-weak anion exchange cartridge column, and then analyzed by LC/ESI-MS/MS. The method had satisfactory performance in terms of intra- and inter-assay precision (less than 9.7% and 9.6%, respectively), and accuracy (91.2-108.2%). The limit of quantification was lower than 2.5 ng/mL for all sulfates examined. We applied this method to determine the concentration of eighteen tetrahydrocorticosteroid sulfates in the urine of healthy subjects. Thus, we have developed a sensitive, precise and accurate assay for urinary tetrahydrocorticosteroid sulfates that should be useful for clinical and biological studies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Data acquisition, remote control and equipment monitoring for ISOLDE RILIS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rossel, R. E.; Fedosseev, V. N.; Marsh, B. A.; Richter, D.; Rothe, S.; Wendt, K. D. A.

    2013-12-01

    With a steadily increasing on-line operation time up to a record 3000 h in the year 2012, the Resonance Ionization Laser Ion Source (RILIS) is one of the key components of the ISOLDE on-line isotope user facility at CERN. Ion beam production using the RILIS is essential for many experiments due to the unmatched combination of ionization efficiency and selectivity. To meet the reliability requirements the RILIS is currently operated in shift duty for continuous maintenance of crucial laser parameters such as wavelength, power, beam position and timing, as well as ensuring swift intervention in case of an equipment malfunction. A recent overhaul of the RILIS included the installation of new pump lasers, commercial dye lasers and a complementary, fully solid-state titanium:sapphire laser system. The framework of the upgrade also required the setup of a network-extended, LabVIEW-based system for data acquisition, remote control and equipment monitoring, to support RILIS operators as well as ISOLDE users. The system contributes to four key aspects of RILIS operation: equipment monitoring, machine protection, automated self-reliance, and collaborative data acquisition. The overall concept, technologies used, implementation status and recent applications during the 2012 on-line operation period will be presented along with a summary of future developments.

  3. Carbonic acid buffer species measured in real time with an intracellular microelectrode array

    PubMed Central

    Wietasch, Kristina; Kraig, Richard P.

    2009-01-01

    Carbonic acid buffer anions, HCO3−andCO32−, play an instrumental role in a host of vital processes in animal cells and tissues. Yet study of carbonic acid buffer species is hampered because no means are available to simultaneously monitor them at a cellular level in a rapid and dynamic fashion. An ion-selective cocktail, previously reported to measure changes in bicarbonate activity (αHCO3−), was instead shown to be principally selective for αCO32−. Ion-selective micropipettes (ISMs) based on this exchanger and consisting of a 3:1:6 (volume) mixture of tri-n-octylpropylammonium chloride, 1-octanol, and trifluoroacetyl-p-butylbenzene showed no significant interference from bicarbonate, chloride, phosphate, ascorbate, lactate, glutamate, acetate, or hydroxyl ions at concentrations expected in vivo. Intracellular and triple-barrel ISMs, consisting of a CO32−-sensitive, pH-sensitive, and reference barrel, were fabricated. Skeletal muscle cells (n = 17) were penetrated in vivo and showed values of 74 ± 7 mV for membrane potential, 6.94 ± 0.09 pHi, and 11 ± 5 µM intracellular αCO32−, from which intracellular αHCO3− of 25 ± 10 mM and CO2 tension of 120 ± 55 Torr were calculated. All ion measurements reached a new steady state in 9 ± 2 s after cell penetration. Thus measurements of intracellular αCO32− and pH and associated levels of αHCO3 and CO2 tension can be determined in biological tissues and cells with a spatial and temporal resolution previously unattainable. PMID:1653544

  4. A review on prognostics and health monitoring of Li-ion battery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Jingliang; Lee, Jay

    2011-08-01

    The functionality and reliability of Li-ion batteries as major energy storage devices have received more and more attention from a wide spectrum of stakeholders, including federal/state policymakers, business leaders, technical researchers, environmental groups and the general public. Failures of Li-ion battery not only result in serious inconvenience and enormous replacement/repair costs, but also risk catastrophic consequences such as explosion due to overheating and short circuiting. In order to prevent severe failures from occurring, and to optimize Li-ion battery maintenance schedules, breakthroughs in prognostics and health monitoring of Li-ion batteries, with an emphasis on fault detection, correction and remaining-useful-life prediction, must be achieved. This paper reviews various aspects of recent research and developments in Li-ion battery prognostics and health monitoring, and summarizes the techniques, algorithms and models used for state-of-charge (SOC) estimation, current/voltage estimation, capacity estimation and remaining-useful-life (RUL) prediction.

  5. Fluorescent and Magnetic Mesoporous Hybrid Material: A Chemical and Biological Nanosensor for Hg2+ Ions

    PubMed Central

    Suresh, Moorthy; Anand, Chokkalingam; Frith, Jessica E.; Dhawale, Dattatray S.; Subramaniam, Vishnu P.; Strounina, Ekaterina; Sathish, Clastinrusselraj I.; Yamaura, Kazunari; Cooper-White, Justin J.; Vinu, Ajayan

    2016-01-01

    We introduce “sense, track and separate” approach for the removal of Hg2+ ion from aqueous media using highly ordered and magnetic mesoporous ferrosilicate nanocages functionalised with rhodamine fluorophore derivative. These functionalised materials offer both fluorescent and magnetic properties in a single system which help not only to selectively sense the Hg2+ ions with a high precision but also adsorb and separate a significant amount of Hg2+ ion in aqueous media. We demonstrate that the magnetic affinity of these materials, generated from the ultrafine γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles present inside the nanochannels of the support, can efficiently be used as a fluorescent tag to sense the Hg2+ ions present in NIH3T3 fibroblasts live cells and to track the movement of the cells by external magnetic field monitored using confocal fluorescence microscopy. This simple approach of introducing multiple functions in the magnetic mesoporous materials raise the prospect of creating new advanced functional materials by fusing organic, inorganic and biomolecules to create advanced hybrid nanoporous materials which have a potential use not only for sensing and the separation of toxic metal ions but also for cell tracking in bio-separation and the drug delivery. PMID:26911660

  6. Dopant titrating ion mobility spectrometry for trace exhaled nitric oxide detection.

    PubMed

    Peng, Liying; Hua, Lei; Li, Enyou; Wang, Weiguo; Zhou, Qinghua; Wang, Xin; Wang, Changsong; Li, Jinghua; Li, Haiyang

    2015-01-05

    Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) is a promising non-invasive tool for the analysis of exhaled gas and exhaled nitric oxide (NO), a biomarker for diagnosis of respiratory diseases. However, the high moisture in exhaled gas always brings about extra overlapping ion peaks and results in poor identification ability. In this paper, p-benzoquinone (PBQ) was introduced into IMS to eliminate the interference of overlapping ion peaks and realize the selective identification of NO. The overlapping ions caused by moisture were titrated by PBQ and then converted to hydrated PBQ anions (C6H4[Formula: see text](H2O)n). The NO concentration could be determined by quantifying gas phase hydrated nitrite anions (N[Formula: see text](H2O)n), product ions of NO. Under optimized conditions, a limit of detection (LOD) of about 1.4 ppbv and a linear range of 10-200 ppbv were obtained for NO even in 100% relative humidity (RH) purified air. Furthermore, this established method was applied to measure hourly the exhaled NO of eight healthy volunteers, and real-time monitoring the exhaled NO of an esophageal carcinoma patient during radical surgery. These results revealed the potential of the current dopant titrating IMS method in the measurement of exhaled NO for medical disease diagnosis.

  7. Process for separation of zirconium-88, rubidium-83 and yttrium-88

    DOEpatents

    Heaton, Richard C.; Jamriska, Sr., David J.; Taylor, Wayne A.

    1994-01-01

    A process for selective separation of strontium-82 and strontium-85 from proton irradiated molybdenum targets is provided and includes dissolving the molybdenum target in a hydrogen peroxide solution to form a first ion-containing solution, passing the first ion-containing solution through a first cationic resin whereby ions selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, niobium, technetium, selenium, vanadium, arsenic, germanium, zirconium and rubidium remain in the first ion-containing solution while ions selected from the group consisting of rubidium, zinc, beryllium, cobalt, iron, manganese, chromium, strontium, yttrium and zirconium are selectively adsorbed by the first resin, contacting the first resin with an acid solution capable of stripping adsorbed ions from the first cationic exchange resin whereby the adsorbed ions are removed from the first resin to form a second ion-containing solution, evaporating the second ion-containing solution for time sufficient to remove substantially all of the acid and water from the second ion-containing solution whereby a residue remains, dissolving the residue from the evaporated second-ion containing solution in a dilute acid to form a third ion-containing solution, said third ion-containing solution having an acid molarity adapted to permit said ions to be adsorbed by a cationic exchange resin, passing the third ion-containing solution through a second cationic resin whereby the ions are adsorbed by the second resin, contacting the second resin with a dilute sulfuric acid solution whereby the adsorbed ions selected from the group consisting of rubidium, zinc, beryllium, cobalt, iron, manganese, chromium, and zirconium are selectively removed from the second resin, and contacting the second resin with a dilute acid solution whereby the adsorbed strontium ions are selectively removed. Zirconium, rubidium, and yttrium radioisotopes can also be recovered with additional steps.

  8. Review of Software Tools for Design and Analysis of Large scale MRM Proteomic Datasets

    PubMed Central

    Colangelo, Christopher M.; Chung, Lisa; Bruce, Can; Cheung, Kei-Hoi

    2013-01-01

    Selective or Multiple Reaction monitoring (SRM/MRM) is a liquid-chromatography (LC)/tandem-mass spectrometry (MS/MS) method that enables the quantitation of specific proteins in a sample by analyzing precursor ions and the fragment ions of their selected tryptic peptides. Instrumentation software has advanced to the point that thousands of transitions (pairs of primary and secondary m/z values) can be measured in a triple quadrupole instrument coupled to an LC, by a well-designed scheduling and selection of m/z windows. The design of a good MRM assay relies on the availability of peptide spectra from previous discovery-phase LC-MS/MS studies. The tedious aspect of manually developing and processing MRM assays involving thousands of transitions has spurred to development of software tools to automate this process. Software packages have been developed for project management, assay development, assay validation, data export, peak integration, quality assessment, and biostatistical analysis. No single tool provides a complete end-to-end solution, thus this article reviews the current state and discusses future directions of these software tools in order to enable researchers to combine these tools for a comprehensive targeted proteomics workflow. PMID:23702368

  9. Application of internal quality control to the analysis of quaternary ammonium compounds in surface and groundwater from Andalusia (Spain) by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Vidal, J L Martínez; Vega, A Belmonte; López, F J Sánchez; Frenich, A Garrido

    2004-10-01

    A method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of paraquat (PQ), deiquat (DQ), chlormequat (CQ) and mepiquat (MQ) in water samples by liquid chromatography (LC) coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (MS). The LC separations of the target compounds, as well as their MS parameters, were optimized in order to improve selectivity and sensitivity. Separation was carried out in a Xterra C8 column, using as mobile phase methanol-heptafluorobutyric acid (HFBA) in isocratic mode. The molecular ion was selected for the quantitation in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. Off-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) was applied with silica cartridges in order to preconcentrate the compounds from waters. Detection limits were in the range 0.02-0.40 microg l(-1). Recovery range varied between 89 and 99.5% with precision values lower than 6%. The method has been applied successfully to the analysis of both surface and groundwater samples from agricultural areas of Andalusia (Spain), using well defined internal quality control (IQC) criteria. The results revealed the presence of deiquat and paraquat in some samples.

  10. Steroids in porcine follicular fluid: analysis by HPLC, capillary CG and capillary CG/MS after purification on SEP-PAK C18 and ion exchange chromatography.

    PubMed

    Khalil, M W; Lawson, V

    1983-04-01

    Steroids in porcine follicular fluid have been concentrated by reverse phase chromatography in SEP-PAK C18 and purified further on the cation exchanger SP-Sephadex C-25. Fractionation into unconjugated neutral and phenolic steroids, glucuronides and sulfates was carried out on triethylaminohydroxypropyl Sephadex LH-20 (TEAP-LH-20). The unconjugated neutral fraction was analysed by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) on a C18 radial cartridge 5 mm I.D.; 10 mu, or on a C18 5 mu RESOLVE column, and by capillary gas chromatography (GC) on a 12 M OV-1 cross linked fused silica column. Testosterone, progesterone and androstenedione were the major steroids detected by HPLC monitored at 254 nm, although 17- hydroxy-, 20 alpha-dihydro- and 20 beta-dihydroprogesterone were also present. Pregnenolone, pregnanediol, dehydroepiandrosterone, 17-hydroxypregnenolone and androsterone were detected by capillary CG as their 0-methyloxime trimethylsilyether derivatives. Further confirmation of structure was provided by complete mass spectral data or by selective ion monitoring (SIM).

  11. Monitoring Ion Track Formation Using In Situ RBS/c, ToF-ERDA, and HR-PIXE.

    PubMed

    Karlušić, Marko; Fazinić, Stjepko; Siketić, Zdravko; Tadić, Tonči; Cosic, Donny Domagoj; Božičević-Mihalić, Iva; Zamboni, Ivana; Jakšić, Milko; Schleberger, Marika

    2017-09-06

    The aim of this work is to investigate the feasibility of ion beam analysis techniques for monitoring swift heavy ion track formation. First, the use of the in situ Rutherford backscattering spectrometry in channeling mode to observe damage build-up in quartz SiO₂ after MeV heavy ion irradiation is demonstrated. Second, new results of the in situ grazing incidence time-of-flight elastic recoil detection analysis used for monitoring the surface elemental composition during ion tracks formation in various materials are presented. Ion tracks were found on SrTiO₃, quartz SiO₂, a-SiO₂, and muscovite mica surfaces by atomic force microscopy, but in contrast to our previous studies on GaN and TiO₂, surface stoichiometry remained unchanged. Third, the usability of high resolution particle induced X-ray spectroscopy for observation of electronic dynamics during early stages of ion track formation is shown.

  12. Monitoring Ion Track Formation Using In Situ RBS/c, ToF-ERDA, and HR-PIXE

    PubMed Central

    Karlušić, Marko; Fazinić, Stjepko; Siketić, Zdravko; Tadić, Tonči; Cosic, Donny Domagoj; Božičević-Mihalić, Iva; Zamboni, Ivana; Jakšić, Milko; Schleberger, Marika

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this work is to investigate the feasibility of ion beam analysis techniques for monitoring swift heavy ion track formation. First, the use of the in situ Rutherford backscattering spectrometry in channeling mode to observe damage build-up in quartz SiO2 after MeV heavy ion irradiation is demonstrated. Second, new results of the in situ grazing incidence time-of-flight elastic recoil detection analysis used for monitoring the surface elemental composition during ion tracks formation in various materials are presented. Ion tracks were found on SrTiO3, quartz SiO2, a-SiO2, and muscovite mica surfaces by atomic force microscopy, but in contrast to our previous studies on GaN and TiO2, surface stoichiometry remained unchanged. Third, the usability of high resolution particle induced X-ray spectroscopy for observation of electronic dynamics during early stages of ion track formation is shown. PMID:28878186

  13. Selective ion accumulation in an ICP/ITMS using a filtered noise field

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Eiden, G.C.; Barinaga, C.J.; Koppenaal, D.W.

    1995-12-31

    Selective accumulation of ions in an ion trap mass spectrometer (ITMS) has been characterized using both single frequency and broadband resonant excitation. The goal of this work is to enhance selective accumulation of ions from plasmas and other external ion sources. The charge capacity of the ITMS is 10{sup 6} to 10{sup 7} ions, although the mass spectrum is distorted at much lower space charge. Detection of trace ions necessitates selective detection schemes such as selective trapping or optical detection. The authors report results of selective trapping studies for Sr, Y, and Zr solutions (100 ppb Y and 1 ppbmore » each Sr, Zr). {open_quotes}Background{close_quotes} ions in mass channels adjacent to the channel of interest is a worst case situation with respect to selective ejection and abundance sensitivity. Real samples will often have matrix ion m/z values much further removed from the m/z of the ions of interest. Thus, the authors also give results for a multielement solution. Ions from an inductively coupled plasma ion source are endcap injected into the ITMS. Broadband waveforms were generated by an HST-1000 (Teledyne MEC) instrument, using the filtered noise field (FNF) method. The experiment is controlled by the ITMS electronics and ICMS software. The sequence of experimental events is: ion injection at q{sub z} = 0.4 (typical), collisionally cool ions, set trapping potential for resonant excitation (q{sub z} = 0.2 to 0.6), analysis rf ramp.« less

  14. Major-ion and selected trace-metal chemistry of the Biscayne Aquifer, Southeast Florida

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Radell, M.J.; Katz, B.G.

    1991-01-01

    The major-ion and selected trace-metal chemistry of the Biscayne aquifer was characterized as part of the Florida Ground-Water Quality Monitoring Network Program, a multiagency cooperative effort concerned with delineating baseline water quality for major aquifer systems in the State. The Biscayne aquifer is unconfined and serves as the sole source of drinking water for more than 3 million people in southeast Florida. The Biscayne aquifer consists of highly permeable interbedded limestone and sandstone of Pleistocene and Pliocene age underlying most of Dade and Broward Counties and parts of Palm Beach and Monroe Counties. The high permeability is largely caused by extensive carbonate dissolution. Water sampled from 189 wells tapping the Biscayne aquifer was predominantly a calcium bicarbonate type with some mixed types occurring in coastal areas and near major canals. Major - ion is areally uniform throughout the aquifer. According to nonparametric statistical tests of major ions and dissolved solids, the concentrations of calcium, sodium, bicarbonate, and dissolved solids increased significantly with well depth ( 0.05 significance level ), probably a result of less circulation at depth. Potassium and nitrate concentrations decreased significantly with depth. Although the source of recharge to the aquifer varies seasonally, there was no statistical difference in the concentration of major ions in pared water samples from 27 shallow wells collected during wet and dry seasons. Median concentrations for barium, chromium, copper, lead, and manganese were below maximum or secondary maximum contaminant levels set by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The median iron concentration only slightly exceeded the secondary maximum contaminant level. The concentration of barium was significantly related (0.05 significance level) to calcium and bicarbonate concentration. No distinct areal pattern or vertical distribution of the selected trace metals was evident in water from the Biscayne aquifer. Sources for trace metals found in water from the Biscayne aquifer may include local contamination, well-construction techniques, canal - aquifer interactions, and natural occurrence in area soils and rock.

  15. Thermospray ionization liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and chemical ionization gas chromatography- mass spectrometry of hexazinone metabolites in soil and vegetation extracts

    Treesearch

    Joseph B. Fischer; Jerry L. Michael

    1995-01-01

    We have used thermospray LC-MS to confirm three highly polar metabolites (A, B. and G) of the herbicide hexazinone [3-cyclohexyl-6-(dimethylamino)-l-methyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione]. and chemical ionization GC-MS to confirm two other metabolites (D and E) in extracts of soil and vegetation from a forest in the Central Alabama Piedmont. Selected-ion monitoring (...

  16. Label-free liquid crystal biosensor based on specific oligonucleotide probes for heavy metal ions.

    PubMed

    Yang, Shengyuan; Wu, Chao; Tan, Hui; Wu, Yan; Liao, Shuzhen; Wu, Zhaoyang; Shen, Guoli; Yu, Ruqin

    2013-01-02

    In this study, to enhance the capability of metal ions disturbing the orientation of liquid crystals (LCs), we designed a new label-free LC biosensor for the highly selective and sensitive detection of heavy metal ions. This strategy makes use of the target-induced DNA conformational change to enhance the disruption of target molecules for the orientation of LC leading to an amplified optical signal. The Hg(2+) ion, which possesses a unique property to bind specifically to two DNA thymine (T) bases, is used as a model heavy metal ion. In the presence of Hg(2+), the specific oligonucleotide probes form a conformational reorganization of the oligonucleotide probes from hairpin structure to duplex-like complexes. The duplex-like complexes are then bound on the triethoxysilylbutyraldehyde/N,N-dimethyl-N-octadecyl (3-aminopropyl) trimethoxysilyl chloride (TEA/DMOAP)-coated substrate modified with capture probes, which can greatly distort the orientational profile of LC, making the optical image of LC cell birefringent as a result. The optical signal of LC sensor has a visible change at the Hg(2+) concentration of low to 0.1 nM, showing good detection sensitivity. The cost-effective LC sensing method can translate the concentration signal of heavy metal ions in solution into the presence of DNA duplexes and is expected to be a sensitive detection platform for heavy metal ions and other small molecule monitors.

  17. Catalytic determination of molybdenum(VI) by means of an iodide ion-selective electrode and a landolt-type hydrogen peroxide-iodide reaction.

    PubMed

    Kataoka, M; Nishimura, K; Kambara, T

    1983-12-01

    A trace amount of molybdenum(VI) can be determined by using its catalytic effect on the oxidation of iodide to iodine by hydrogen peroxide in acidic medium. Addition of ascorbic acid added to the reaction mixture produces the Landolt effect, i.e., the iodine produced by the indicator reaction is reduced immediately by the ascorbic add. Hence the concentration of iodide begins to decrease once all the ascorbic acid has been consumed. The induction period is measured by monitoring the concentration of iodide ion with an iodide ion-selective electrode. The reciprocal of the induction period varies linearly with the concentration of molybdenum(VI). The most suitable pH and concentrations of hydrogen peroxide and potassium iodide are found to be 1.5, 5 and 10mM, respectively. An appropriate amount of ascorbic acid is added to the reaction mixture according to the concentration of molybdenum(VI) in the sample solution. A calibration graph with good proportionality is obtained for the molybdenum(VI) concentration range from 0.1 to 160 muM. Iron(III), vanadium(IV), zirconium(IV), tungsten(VI), copper(II) and chromium(VI) interfere, but iron(III) and copper(II) can be masked with EDTA.

  18. Charge amplifier with bias compensation

    DOEpatents

    Johnson, Gary W.

    2002-01-01

    An ion beam uniformity monitor for very low beam currents using a high-sensitivity charge amplifier with bias compensation. The ion beam monitor is used to assess the uniformity of a raster-scanned ion beam, such as used in an ion implanter, and utilizes four Faraday cups placed in the geometric corners of the target area. Current from each cup is integrated with respect to time, thus measuring accumulated dose, or charge, in Coulombs. By comparing the dose at each corner, a qualitative assessment of ion beam uniformity is made possible. With knowledge of the relative area of the Faraday cups, the ion flux and areal dose can also be obtained.

  19. Highly selective apo-arginase based method for sensitive enzymatic assay of manganese (II) and cobalt (II) ions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stasyuk, Nataliya; Gayda, Galina; Zakalskiy, Andriy; Zakalska, Oksana; Errachid, Abdelhamid; Gonchar, Mykhailo

    2018-03-01

    A novel enzymatic method of manganese (II) and cobalt (II) ions assay, based on using apo-enzyme of Mn2 +-dependent recombinant arginase I (arginase) and 2,3-butanedione monoxime (DMO) as a chemical reagent is proposed. The principle of the method is the evaluation of the activity of L-arginine-hydrolyzing of arginase holoenzyme after the specific binding of Mn2 + or Co2 + with apo-arginase. Urea, which is the product of enzymatic hydrolysis of L-arginine (Arg), reacts with DMO and the resulted compound is detected by both fluorometry and visual spectrophotometry. Thus, the content of metal ions in the tested samples can be determined by measuring the level of urea generated after enzymatic hydrolysis of Arg by reconstructed arginase holoenzyme in the presence of tested metal ions. The linearity range of the fluorometric apo-arginase-DMO method in the case of Mn2 + assay is from 4 pM to 1.10 nM with a limit of detection of 1 pM Mn2 +, whereas the linearity range of the present method in the case of Co2 + assay is from 8 pM to 45 nM with a limit of detection of 2.5 pM Co2 +. The proposed method being highly sensitive, selective, valid and low-cost, may be useful to monitor Mn2 + and Co2 + content in clinical laboratories, food industry and environmental control service.

  20. Carbon-dot-based fluorescent turn-on sensor for selectively detecting sulfide anions in totally aqueous media and imaging inside live cells.

    PubMed

    Hou, Xianfeng; Zeng, Fang; Du, Fangkai; Wu, Shuizhu

    2013-08-23

    Sulfide anions are generated not only as a byproduct from industrial processes but also in biosystems. Hence, robust fluorescent sensors for detecting sulfide anions which are fast-responding, water soluble and biocompatible are highly desirable. Herein, we report a carbon-dot-based fluorescent sensor, which features excellent water solubility, low cytotoxicity and a short response time. This sensor is based on the ligand/Cu(II) approach so as to achieve fast sensing of sulfide anions. The carbon dot (CD) serves as the fluorophore as well as the anchoring site for the ligands which bind with copper ions. For this CD-based system, as copper ions bind with the ligands which reside on the surface of the CD, the paramagnetic copper ions efficiently quench the fluorescence of the CD, affording the system a turn-off sensor for copper ions. More importantly, the subsequently added sulfide anions can extract Cu(2+) from the system and form very stable CuS with Cu(2+), resulting in fluorescence enhancement and affording the system a turn-on sensor for sulfide anions. This fast-responding and selective sensor can operate in totally aqueous solution or in physiological milieu with a low detection limit of 0.78 μM. It displays good biocompatibility, and excellent cell membrane permeability, and can be used to monitor S(2-) levels in running water and living cells.

  1. Optimized separation and determination of methyl sulfone metabolites of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and p,p'-DDE in biota samples.

    PubMed

    Chu, Shaogang; Covaci, Adrian; Haraguchi, Koichi; Schepens, Paul

    2002-12-01

    An optimised method is described for the determination of 27 methyl sulfone polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) and DDE in biota samples. Initially, the samples were extracted by hot Soxhlet and the methyl sulfones were separated by liquid/liquid extraction with concentrated sulfuric acid and back-extracted with hexane. The parameters of the back-extraction were studied and it was found that for a quantitative extraction of the methyl sulfones from the concentrated acid layer, a 50% dilution with cold water should be done. The hexane layer containing the methyl sulfones was further cleaned-up on basic silica (33% KOH) and Florisil. After concentration, the extract was analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) with electron capture negative ionisation (ECNI) in selected ion monitoring mode (SIM). It was shown that, for methyl sulfones, the ion formation was dependent on the chlorine substitution, position of the MeSO2-group and the ion source temperature. If the ion source temperature was higher than 200 degrees C, [M-CH3]- was the predominant ion for most methyl sulfones. Therefore, for increased sensitivity, quantitation of most congeners was done using [M-CH3]- ions instead of the molecular ion as used in previously reported methods. The method was validated for the determination of 26 tri- to hepta- 3- and 4-substituted MeSO2-PCBs and 3-MeSO2-DDE in animal and human tissues. Good sensitivity and selectivity of the method were obtained. Limits of detection (LODs) ranged from 0.06 to 0.10 ng g(-1) lipid weight. Average recoveries of individual congeners from vegetable oil spiked with individual standards (3.33 ng g(-1)) ranged from 73 to 112% with a mean value of 89%. The coefficients of variation ranged from 5.2 to 12.2%, which is within the acceptable range for environmental analyses.

  2. Radiation monitor for liquids

    DOEpatents

    Koster, J.E.; Bolton, R.D.

    1999-03-02

    A radiation monitor for use with liquids that utilizes air ions created by alpha radiation emitted by the liquids as its detectable element. A signal plane, held at an electrical potential with respect to ground, collects these air ions. A guard plane or guard rings is used to limit leakage currents. In one embodiment, the monitor is used for monitoring liquids retained in a tank. Other embodiments monitor liquids flowing through a tank, and bodies of liquids, such as ponds, lakes, rivers and oceans. 4 figs.

  3. Radiation monitor for liquids

    DOEpatents

    Koster, James E.; Bolton, Richard D.

    1999-01-01

    A radiation monitor for use with liquids that utilizes air ions created by alpha radiation emitted by the liquids as its detectable element. A signal plane, held at an electrical potential with respect to ground, collects these air ions. A guard plane or guard rings is used to limit leakage currents. In one embodiment, the monitor is used for monitoring liquids retained in a tank. Other embodiments monitor liquids flowing through a tank, and bodies of liquids, such as ponds, lakes, rivers and oceans.

  4. The simultaneous quantitation of ten amino acids in soil extracts by mass fragmentography

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pereira, W. E.; Hoyano, Y.; Reynolds, W. E.; Summons, R. E.; Duffield, A. M.

    1972-01-01

    A specific and sensitive method for the identification and simultaneous quantitation by mass fragmentography of ten of the amino acids present in soil was developed. The technique uses a computer driven quadrupole mass spectrometer and a commercial preparation of deuterated amino acids is used as internal standards for purposes of quantitation. The results obtained are comparable with those from an amino acid analyzer. In the quadrupole mass spectrometer-computer system up to 25 pre-selected ions may be monitored sequentially. This allows a maximum of 12 different amino acids (one specific ion in each of the undeuterated and deuterated amino acid spectra) to be quantitated. The method is relatively rapid (analysis time of approximately one hour) and is capable of the quantitation of nanogram quantities of amino acids.

  5. Survivability and Abiotic Reactions of Selected Amino Acids in Different Hydrothermal System Simulators

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chandru, Kuhan; Imai, Eiichi; Kaneko, Takeo; Obayashi, Yumiko; Kobayashi, Kensei

    2013-04-01

    We tested the stability and reaction of several amino acids using hydrothermal system simulators: an autoclave and two kinds of flow reactors at 200-250 °C. This study generally showed that there is a variation in the individual amino acids survivability in the simulators. This is mainly attributed to the following factors; heat time, cold quenching exposure, metal ions and also silica. We observed that, in a rapid heating flow reactor, high aggregation and/or condensation of amino acids could occur even during a heat exposure of 2 min. We also monitored their stability in a reflow-type of simulator for 120 min at 20 min intervals. The non-hydrolyzed and hydrolyzed samples for this system showed a similar degradation only in the absence of metal ions.

  6. Sensitive naked eye detection and quantification assay for nitrite by a fluorescence probe in various water resources.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Fengyuan; Zhu, Xinyue; Jiao, Zhijuan; Liu, Xiaoyan; Zhang, Haixia

    2018-07-05

    An uncontrolled increase of nitrite concentration in groundwater, rivers and lakes is a growing threat to public health and environment. It is important to monitor the nitrite levels in water and clinical diagnosis. Herein, we developed a switch-off fluorescence probe (PyI) for the sensitive detection of nitrite ions in the aqueous media. This probe selectively recognizes nitrite ions through a distinct visual color change from colorless to pink with a detection limit of 0.1 μM. This method has been successfully applied to the determination of nitrites in tap water, lake water and Yellow River water with recoveries in the range of 94.8%-105.4%. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Laser-Induced Fluorescence Helps Diagnose Plasma Processes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Beattie, J. R.; Mattosian, J. N.; Gaeta, C. J.; Turley, R. S.; Williams, J. D.; Williamson, W. S.

    1994-01-01

    Technique developed to provide in situ monitoring of rates of ion sputter erosion of accelerator electrodes in ion thrusters also used for ground-based applications to monitor, calibrate, and otherwise diagnose plasma processes in fabrication of electronic and optical devices. Involves use of laser-induced-fluorescence measurements, which provide information on rates of ion etching, inferred rates of sputter deposition, and concentrations of contaminants.

  8. Ion transport and selectivity in biomimetic nanopores with pH-tunable zwitterionic polyelectrolyte brushes.

    PubMed

    Zeng, Zhenping; Yeh, Li-Hsien; Zhang, Mingkan; Qian, Shizhi

    2015-10-28

    Inspired by nature, functionalized nanopores with biomimetic structures have attracted growing interests in using them as novel platforms for applications of regulating ion and nanoparticle transport. To improve these emerging applications, we study theoretically for the first time the ion transport and selectivity in short nanopores functionalized with pH tunable, zwitterionic polyelectrolyte (PE) brushes. In addition to background salt ions, the study takes into account the presence of H(+) and OH(-) ions along with the chemistry reactions between functional groups on PE chains and protons. Due to ion concentration polarization, the charge density of PE layers is not homogeneously distributed and depends significantly on the background salt concentration, pH, grafting density of PE chains, and applied voltage bias, thereby resulting in many interesting and unexpected ion transport phenomena in the nanopore. For example, the ion selectivity of the biomimetic nanopore can be regulated from anion-selective (cation-selective) to cation-selective (anion-selective) by diminishing (raising) the solution pH when a sufficiently small grafting density of PE chains, large voltage bias, and low background salt concentration are applied.

  9. Ion-Selective Electrodes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arnold, Mark A.; Meyerhoff, Mark E.

    1984-01-01

    Literature on ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) is reviewed in seven sections: books, conferences, reviews; potentiometric membrane electrodes; glass and solid-state membrane electrodes; liquid and polymer membrane ISEs; coated wire electrodes, ion-selective field effect transistors, and microelectrodes; gas sensors and selective bioelectrode…

  10. Application of ion-sensitive sensors in water quality monitoring.

    PubMed

    Winkler, S; Rieger, L; Saracevic, E; Pressl, A; Gruber, G

    2004-01-01

    Within the last years a trend towards in-situ monitoring can be observed, i.e. most new sensors for water quality monitoring are designed for direct installation in the medium, compact in size and use measurement principles which minimise maintenance demand. Ion-sensitive sensors (Ion-Sensitive-Electrode--ISE) are based on a well known measurement principle and recently some manufacturers have released probe types which are specially adapted for application in water quality monitoring. The function principle of ISE-sensors, their advantages, limitations and the different methods for sensor calibration are described. Experiences with ISE-sensors from applications in sewer networks, at different sampling points within wastewater treatment plants and for surface water monitoring are reported. An estimation of investment and operation costs in comparison to other sensor types is given.

  11. Identification of fentanyl metabolites in rat urine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with stable-isotope tracers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Goromaru, T.; Matsuura, H.; Furuta, T.

    The metabolites of fentanyl (l), which has been widely used as a neuroleptic analgesic agent, were identified in urine of rats by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry combined with a stable-isotope tracer technique. After the oral administration of an equimolar mixture of l and deuterium-labeled l (l/l-d5), the urinary metabolites were extracted with chloroform at pH 9.0. Extracts were derivatized and analyzed by GC/MS. Metabolites were identified by the presence of doublet ion peaks separated by 5 amu, and chemical structures were established from analyses of fragmentation pathways. The metabolites were identified as 4-N-(N-propionylanilino)-piperidine, 4-N-(N-hydroxypropionylanilino)piperidine, 4-N-(N-propionylanilino) hydroxypiperidine, 1-(2-phenethyl)-4-N-(N-hydroxypropionylanilino)piperidine and 1-(2-phenethyl)-4-N-(N-propionylanilino)hydroxypiperidine. These metabolites,more » together with unchanged l, were also detected in urine of rats receiving l/l-d5 intravenously, by selected-ion monitoring of the specific cluster ions.« less

  12. Use of carbon paste electrodes for the voltammetric detection of silver leached from the oxidative dissolution of silver nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mullaugh, Katherine M.; Pearce, Olivia M.

    2017-04-01

    The widespread use of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) in consumer goods has raised concerns about the release of silver in environmental waters. Of particular concern is the oxidative dissolution of Ag NPs to release Ag+ ions, which are highly toxic to many aquatic organisms. Here, we have investigated the application of differential pulse stripping voltammetry (DPSV) with carbon paste electrodes (CPEs) in monitoring the oxidation of Ag NPs. Using a commercially available, unmodified carbon paste and 60-s deposition times, a detection limit of 3 nM Ag+ could be achieved. We demonstrate its selectivity for free Ag+ ions over Ag nanoparticles, allowing for analysis of the oxidation of Ag NPs without the need for separation of ions and nanoparticles prior to analysis. We applied this approach to investigate the effect of pH in the oxidative dissolution of Ag NPs, demonstrating the usefulness of CPEs in studies of this type.

  13. SU-D-BRB-02: Investigations of Secondary Ion Distributions in Carbon Ion Therapy Using the Timepix Detector.

    PubMed

    Gwosch, K; Hartmann, B; Jakubek, J; Granja, C; Soukup, P; Jaekel, O; Martisikova, M

    2012-06-01

    Due to the high conformity of carbon ion therapy, unpredictable changes in the patient's geometry or deviations from the planned beam properties can result in changes of the dose distribution. PET has been used successfully to monitor the actual dose distribution in the patient. However, it suffers from biological washout processes and low detection efficiency. The purpose of this contribution is to investigate the potential of beam monitoring by detection of prompt secondary ions emerging from a homogeneous phantom, simulating a patient's head. Measurements were performed at the Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center (Germany) using a carbon ion pencil beam irradiated on a cylindrical PMMA phantom (16cm diameter). For registration of the secondary ions, the Timepix detector was used. This pixelated silicon detector allows position-resolved measurements of individual ions (256×256 pixels, 55μm pitch). To track the secondary ions we used several parallel detectors (3D voxel detector). For monitoring of the beam in the phantom, we analyzed the directional distribution of the registered ions. This distribution shows a clear dependence on the initial beam energy, width and position. Detectable were range differences of 1.7mm, as well as vertical and horizontal shifts of the beam position by 1mm. To estimate the clinical potential of this method, we measured the yield of secondary ions emerging from the phantom for a beam energy of 226MeV/u. The differential distribution of secondary ions as a function of the angle from the beam axis for angles between 0 and 90° will be presented. In this setup the total yield in the forward hemisphere was found to be in the order of 10 -1 secondary ions per primary carbon ion. The presented measurements show that tracking of secondary ions provides a promising method for non-invasive monitoring of ion beam parameters for clinical relevant carbon ion fluences. Research with the pixel detectors was carried out in frame of the Medipix Collaboration. © 2012 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

  14. Study directed at development of an implantable biotelemetry ion detector

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hanley, L. D.; Kress, D.

    1971-01-01

    A literature search was conducted to currently update known information in the field of ion-selective electrodes. The review attempts to identify present trends in cation and anions selective electrodes pertinent to the area of bioimplantable units. An electronic circuit was designed to provide the high impedance interface between the ion-selective sensors and signal-processing equipment. The resulting design emphasized the need for low power and miniaturization. Many of the circuits were constructed and used to evaluate the ion-selective electrodes. A cuvette capable of holding the ion-selective and the reference electrodes was designed and constructed. This equipment was used to evaluate commercially available ion-selective electrodes and the electrodes designed and constructed in the study. The results of the electrode tests are included.

  15. Selective complexation of K+ and Na+ in simple polarizable ion-ligating systems.

    PubMed

    Bostick, David L; Brooks, Charles L

    2010-09-29

    An influx of experimental and theoretical studies of ion transport protein structure has inspired efforts to understand underlying determinants of ionic selectivity. Design principles for selective ion binding can be effectively isolated and interrogated using simplified models composed of a single ion surrounded by a set of ion-ligating molecular species. While quantum mechanical treatments of such systems naturally incorporate electronic degrees of freedom, their computational overhead typically prohibits thorough dynamic sampling of configurational space and, thus, requires approximations when determining ion-selective free energy. As an alternative, we employ dynamical simulations with a polarizable force field to probe the structure and K(+)/Na(+) selectivity in simple models composed of one central K(+)/Na(+) ion surrounded by 0-8 identical model compounds: N-methylacetamide, formamide, or water. In the absence of external restraints, these models represent gas-phase clusters displaying relaxed coordination structures with low coordination number. Such systems display Na(+) selectivity when composed of more than ∼3 organic carbonyl-containing compounds and always display K(+) selectivity when composed of water molecules. Upon imposing restraints that solely enforce specific coordination numbers, we find all models are K(+)-selective when ∼7-8-fold ion coordination is achieved. However, when models composed of the organic compounds provide ∼4-6-fold coordination, they retain their Na(+) selectivity. From these trends, design principles emerge that are of basic importance in the behavior of K(+) channel selectivity filters and suggest a basis not only for K(+) selectivity but also for modulation of block and closure by smaller ions.

  16. Production of sodium-22 from proton irradiated aluminum

    DOEpatents

    Taylor, Wayne A.; Heaton, Richard C.; Jamriska, David J.

    1996-01-01

    A process for selective separation of sodium-22 from a proton irradiated minum target including dissolving a proton irradiated aluminum target in hydrochloric acid to form a first solution including aluminum ions and sodium ions, separating a portion of the aluminum ions from the first solution by crystallization of an aluminum salt, contacting the remaining first solution with an anion exchange resin whereby ions selected from the group consisting of iron and copper are selectively absorbed by the anion exchange resin while aluminum ions and sodium ions remain in solution, contacting the solution with an cation exchange resin whereby aluminum ions and sodium ions are adsorbed by the cation exchange resin, and, contacting the cation exchange resin with an acid solution capable of selectively separating the adsorbed sodium ions from the cation exchange resin while aluminum ions remain adsorbed on the cation exchange resin is disclosed.

  17. Biofilm as a bioindicator of Cr VI pollution in the Lotic Ecosystems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kurniawan, A.; Sukandar; Satriya, C.; Guntur

    2018-04-01

    Biofilm is ubiquitous in aquatic ecosystems such as river. Biofilm have been reported to have high sorption capacities that promote the accumulation of nutrient ions inside biofilm matrix. The ion that can be accumulated inside the biofilm is not only nutrient ions but also other ions such as heavy metal ions. The pollution of heavy metal ions emerge as one of the biggest aquatic ecosystem problems. Thus, the effort to monitor the heavy metal pollution in the aquatic ecosystem in the aquatic ecosystems is needed. The difficulty to monitor the water pollution particularly in the lotic ecosystems is mainly related to the water flow. Therefore, the utilization of indicator of pollution in such ecosystem is fundamentally important. The present study investigated the accumulation of Cr VI inside biofilm matrices in the river ecosystems in order to develop biofilm as a bioindicator for pollution in the lotic ecosystems. The result indicates that biofilm can accumulate Cr VI from the surrounding water and reserve the ion. According to the result of this study, biofilm is a promising bioindicator to monitor the Cr VI pollution in the lotic ecosystems.

  18. Modified graphene oxide sensors for ultra-sensitive detection of nitrate ions in water.

    PubMed

    Ren, Wen; Mura, Stefania; Irudayaraj, Joseph M K

    2015-10-01

    Nitrate ions is a very common contaminant in drinking water and has a significant impact on the environment, necessitating routine monitoring. Due to its chemical and physical properties, it is hard to directly detect nitrate ions with high sensitivity in a simple and inexpensive manner. Herein with amino group modified graphene oxide (GO) as a sensing element, we show a direct and ultra-sensitive method to detect nitrate ions, at a lowest detected concentration of 5 nM in river water samples, much lower than the reported methods based on absorption spectroscopy. Furthermore, unlike the reported strategies based on absorption spectroscopy wherein the nitrate concentration is determined by monitoring an increase in aggregation of gold nanoparticles (GNPs), our method evaluates the concentration of nitrate ions based on reduction in aggregation of GNPs for monitoring in real samples. To improve sensitivity, several optimizations were performed, including the assessment of the amount of modified GO required, concentration of GNPs and incubation time. The detection methodology was characterized by zeta potential, TEM and SEM. Our results indicate that an enrichment of modified GO with nitrate ions contributed to excellent sensitivity and the entire detection procedure could be completed within 75 min with only 20 μl of sample. This simple and rapid methodology was applied to monitor nitrate ions in real samples with excellent sensitivity and minimum pretreatment. The proposed approach paves the way for a novel means to detect anions in real samples and highlights the potential of GO based detection strategy for water quality monitoring. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. The Deep Impact Network Experiment Operations Center Monitor and Control System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wang, Shin-Ywan (Cindy); Torgerson, J. Leigh; Schoolcraft, Joshua; Brenman, Yan

    2009-01-01

    The Interplanetary Overlay Network (ION) software at JPL is an implementation of Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN) which has been proposed as an interplanetary protocol to support space communication. The JPL Deep Impact Network (DINET) is a technology development experiment intended to increase the technical readiness of the JPL implemented ION suite. The DINET Experiment Operations Center (EOC) developed by JPL's Protocol Technology Lab (PTL) was critical in accomplishing the experiment. EOC, containing all end nodes of simulated spaces and one administrative node, exercised publish and subscribe functions for payload data among all end nodes to verify the effectiveness of data exchange over ION protocol stacks. A Monitor and Control System was created and installed on the administrative node as a multi-tiered internet-based Web application to support the Deep Impact Network Experiment by allowing monitoring and analysis of the data delivery and statistics from ION. This Monitor and Control System includes the capability of receiving protocol status messages, classifying and storing status messages into a database from the ION simulation network, and providing web interfaces for viewing the live results in addition to interactive database queries.

  20. Application of cation-exchange solid-phase extraction for the analysis of amino alcohols from water and human plasma for verification of Chemical Weapons Convention.

    PubMed

    Kanaujia, Pankaj K; Tak, Vijay; Pardasani, Deepak; Gupta, A K; Dubey, D K

    2008-03-28

    The analysis of nitrogen containing amino alcohols, which are the precursors and degradation products of nitrogen mustards and nerve agent VX, constitutes an important aspect for verifying the compliance to the CWC (Chemical Weapons Convention). This work devotes on the development of solid-phase extraction method using silica- and polymer-based SCX (strong cation-exchange) and MCX (mixed-mode strong cation-exchange) cartridges for N,N-dialkylaminoethane-2-ols and alkyl N,N-diethanolamines, from water. The extracted analytes were analyzed by GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) in the full scan and selected ion monitoring modes. The extraction efficiencies of SCX and MCX cartridges were compared, and results revealed that SCX performed better. Extraction parameters, such as loading capacity, extraction solvent, its volume, and washing solvent were optimized. Best recoveries were obtained using 2 mL methanol containing 10% NH(4)OH and limits of detection could be achieved up to 5 x 10(-3) microg mL(-1) in the selected ion monitoring mode and 0.01 microg mL(-1) in full scan mode. The method was successfully employed for the detection and identification of amino alcohol present in water sample sent by Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in the official proficiency tests. The method was also applied to extract the analytes from human plasma. The SCX cartridge showed good recoveries of amino alcohols from human plasma after protein precipitation.

  1. Extract-filter-shoot liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry for the analysis of vitamin D2 in a powdered supplement capsule and standard reference material 3280.

    PubMed

    Byrdwell, William Craig

    2014-08-01

    An "extract-filter-shoot" method for the analysis of vitamin D2, ergocalciferol, in a dry powdered dietary supplement capsule containing rice flour excipient and in a National Institute of Standards and Technology standard reference material 3280 is reported. Quantification of vitamin D2 was done by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry using selected ion monitoring, two transitions of selected reaction monitoring, and extracted ion chromatograms from full scans. UV detection was used for the quantification of Vitamin D2 in the dry powder capsule, whereas interfering species rendered UV detection unreliable for standard reference material 3280. Average values for standard reference material 3280 ranged from 8.27 ± 0.58 to 8.33 ± 0.57 μg/g using internal standard calibration and response factor approaches, compared to the previous National Institute of Standards and Technology internal value for vitamin D2 of 8.78 ± 0.11 μg/g, and the recently updated reference value of 8.6 ± 2.6 μg/g. The powdered supplement capsule was found to contain 28.19 ± 0.35 to 28.67 ± 0.90 μg/capsule for a capsule labeled to contain 25.00 μg. The triacylglycerol composition of the rice flour excipient in the powdered supplement capsule determined by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry is also reported. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  2. Optimization by infusion of multiple reaction monitoring transitions for sensitive quantification of peptides by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Alghanem, Bandar; Nikitin, Frédéric; Stricker, Thomas; Duchoslav, Eva; Luban, Jeremy; Strambio-De-Castillia, Caterina; Muller, Markus; Lisacek, Frédérique; Varesio, Emmanuel; Hopfgartner, Gérard

    2017-05-15

    In peptide quantification by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS), the optimization of multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) parameters is essential for sensitive detection. We have compared different approaches to build MRM assays, based either on flow injection analysis (FIA) of isotopically labelled peptides, or on the knowledge and the prediction of the best settings for MRM transitions and collision energies (CE). In this context, we introduce MRMOptimizer, an open-source software tool that processes spectra and assists the user in selecting transitions in the FIA workflow. MS/MS spectral libraries with CE voltages from 10 to 70 V are automatically acquired in FIA mode for isotopically labelled peptides. Then MRMOptimizer determines the optimal MRM settings for each peptide. To assess the quantitative performance of our approach, 155 peptides, representing 84 proteins, were analysed by LC/MRM-MS and the peak areas were compared between: (A) the MRMOptimizer-based workflow, (B1) the SRMAtlas transitions set used 'as-is'; (B2) the same SRMAtlas set with CE parameters optimized by Skyline. 51% of the three most intense transitions per peptide were shown to be common to both A and B1/B2 methods, and displayed similar sensitivity and peak area distributions. The peak areas obtained with MRMOptimizer for transitions sharing either the precursor ion charge state or the fragment ions with the SRMAtlas set at unique transitions were increased 1.8- to 2.3-fold. The gain in sensitivity using MRMOptimizer for transitions with different precursor ion charge state and fragment ions (8% of the total), reaches a ~ 11-fold increase. Isotopically labelled peptides can be used to optimize MRM transitions more efficiently in FIA than by searching databases. The MRMOptimizer software is MS independent and enables the post-acquisition selection of MRM parameters. Coefficients of variation for optimal CE values are lower than those obtained with the SRMAtlas approach (B2) and one additional peptide was detected. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  3. Development of a ceramic membrane from a lithian spinel, Li1+xMyMn2-yO4 (M=trivalent or tetravalent cations) for a Li ion-selective electrode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yoon, H.; Venugopal, N.; Rim, T.; Yang, B.; Chung, K.; Ko, T.

    2010-12-01

    Recently a few lithium containing ceramics are reported as promising cathodes for application in lithium batteries. Among them, a spinel-type lithium manganate (LM) exhibits an exceptionally high ion selectivity at room temperature. Thus, LM could have a great potential as an ion selective membrane material for screening interfering ions from lithium ion for the determination of lithium ion in salt solution. In this study, we developed an ion-selective electrode based on LM as a membrane material and investigated its lithium ion selectivity by varying the content of M in composition. A sol-gel process was successfully applied for preparing LM films without resorting to calcination at a high temperature. The LM thin film-type membranes exhibit a high selectivity for Li ion over other cations, a wide operation detection range of 10-5 ~ 10-2 M, and a fast response time less than 60 s. Furthermore, our result demonstrates a linear potentiometric response over a wide range of lithium concentration, which is compared to that of a lithium ion-selective electrode based on an ionophore. Acknowledgements: This research was supported by a grant from the Development of Technology for Extraction of Resources Dissolved in Sea Water Program funded by Ministry of Land Transport and Maritime Affairs in Korean Government (2010).

  4. Kinetic Modulation of Pulsed Chrono-potentiometric Polymeric Membrane Ion Sensors by Polyelectrolyte Multilayers

    PubMed Central

    Xu, Yida; Xu, Chao; Shvarev, Alexey; Becker, Thomas; De Marco, Roland

    2010-01-01

    Polymeric membrane ion selective electrodes are normally interrogated by zero current potentiometry, and their selectivity is understood to be primarily dependent on an extraction/ion-exchange equilibrium between the aqueous sample and polymeric membrane. If concentration gradients in the contacting diffusion layers are insubstantial, the membrane response is thought to be rather independent of kinetic processes such as surface blocking effects. In this work, the surface of calcium-selective polymeric ion-selective electrodes is coated with polyelectrolyte multilayers as evidenced by zeta potential measurements, atomic force microscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Indeed, such multilayers have no effect on their potentiometric response if the membranes are formulated in a traditional manner, containing a lipophilic ion-exchanger and a calcium-selective ionophore. However, drastic changes in the potential response are observed if the membranes are operated in a recently introduced kinetic mode using pulsed chronopotentiometry. The results suggest that the assembled nanostructured multilayers drastically alter the kinetics of ion transport to the sensing membrane, making use of the effect that polyelectrolyte multilayers have different permeabilities toward ions with different valences. The results have implications to the design of chemically selective ion sensors since surface localized kinetic limitations can now be used as an additional dimension to tune the operational ion selectivity. PMID:17711298

  5. Statistical Determinants of Selective Ionic Complexation: Ions in Solvent, Transport Proteins, and Other “Hosts”

    PubMed Central

    Bostick, David L.; Brooks, Charles L.

    2009-01-01

    To provide utility in understanding the molecular evolution of ion-selective biomembrane channels/transporters, globular proteins, and ionophoric compounds, as well as in guiding their modification and design, we present a statistical mechanical basis for deconstructing the impact of the coordination structure and chemistry of selective multidentate ionic complexes. The deconstruction augments familiar ideas in liquid structure theory to realize the ionic complex as an open ion-ligated system acting under the influence of an “external field” provided by the host (or surrounding medium). Using considerations derived from this basis, we show that selective complexation arises from exploitation of a particular ion's coordination preferences. These preferences derive from a balance of interactions much like that which dictates the Hofmeister effect. By analyzing the coordination-state space of small family IA and VIIA ions in simulated fluid media, we derive domains of coordinated states that confer selectivity for a given ion upon isolating and constraining particular attributes (order parameters) of a complex comprised of a given type of ligand. We demonstrate that such domains may be used to rationalize the ion-coordinated environments provided by selective ionophores and biological ion channels/transporters of known structure, and that they can serve as a means toward deriving rational design principles for ion-selective hosts. PMID:19486671

  6. A novel acidic pH fluorescent probe based on a benzothiazole derivative

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ma, Qiujuan; Li, Xian; Feng, Suxiang; Liang, Beibei; Zhou, Tiqiang; Xu, Min; Ma, Zhuoyi

    2017-04-01

    A novel acidic pH fluorescent probe 1 based on a benzothiazole derivative has been designed, synthesized and developed. The linear response range covers the acidic pH range from 3.44 to 6.46, which is valuable for pH researches in acidic environment. The evaluated pKa value of the probe 1 is 4.23. The fluorescence enhancement of the studied probe 1 with an increase in hydrogen ions concentration is based on the hindering of enhanced photo-induced electron transfer (PET) process. Moreover, the pH sensor possesses a highly selective response to H+ in the presence of metal ions, anions and other bioactive small molecules which would be interfere with its fluorescent pH response. Furthermore, the probe 1 responds to acidic pH with short response time that was less than 1 min. The probe 1 has been successfully applied to confocal fluorescence imaging in live HeLa cells and can selectively stain lysosomes. All of such good properties prove it can be used to monitoring pH fluctuations in acidic environment with high sensitivity, pH dependence and short response time.

  7. Determination of chlorpyrifos and its metabolites in cells and culture media by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Yang, Xiangkun; Wu, Xian; Brown, Kyle A; Le, Thao; Stice, Steven L; Bartlett, Michael G

    2017-09-15

    A sensitive method to simultaneously quantitate chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos oxon and the detoxified product 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCP) was developed using either liquid-liquid extraction for culture media samples, or protein precipitation for cell samples. Multiple reaction monitoring in positive ion mode was applied for the detection of chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos oxon, and selected ion recording in negative mode was applied to detect TCP. The method provided linear ranges from 5 to 500, 0.2-20 and 20-2000ng/mL for media samples and from 0.5-50, 0.02-2 and 2-200ng/million cells for CPF, CPO and TCP, respectively. The method was validated using selectivity, linearity, precision, accuracy, recovery, stability and dilution tests. All relative standard deviations (RSDs) and relative errors (REs) for QC samples were within 15% (except for LLOQ, within 20%). This method has been successfully applied to study the neurotoxicity and metabolism of chlorpyrifos in a human neuronal model. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. The development of sensors and techniques for in situ water quality monitoring

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Liu, C. C.

    1976-01-01

    Enzyme electrodes and chloride ion electrodes were investigated for in situ monitoring of water quality. Preliminary results show that miniature chloride ion electrodes and a phenol sensor are most promising in determining trace contaminants in water.

  9. Unraveling the mechanism of selective ion transport in hydrophobic subnanometer channels.

    PubMed

    Li, Hui; Francisco, Joseph S; Zeng, Xiao Cheng

    2015-09-01

    Recently reported synthetic organic nanopore (SONP) can mimic a key feature of natural ion channels, i.e., selective ion transport. However, the physical mechanism underlying the K(+)/Na(+) selectivity for the SONPs is dramatically different from that of natural ion channels. To achieve a better understanding of the selective ion transport in hydrophobic subnanometer channels in general and SONPs in particular, we perform a series of ab initio molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the diffusivity of aqua Na(+) and K(+) ions in two prototype hydrophobic nanochannels: (i) an SONP with radius of 3.2 Å, and (ii) single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with radii of 3-5 Å (these radii are comparable to those of the biological potassium K(+) channels). We find that the hydration shell of aqua Na(+) ion is smaller than that of aqua K(+) ion but notably more structured and less yielding. The aqua ions do not lower the diffusivity of water molecules in CNTs, but in SONP the diffusivity of aqua ions (Na(+) in particular) is strongly suppressed due to the rugged inner surface. Moreover, the aqua Na(+) ion requires higher formation energy than aqua K(+) ion in the hydrophobic nanochannels. As such, we find that the ion (K(+) vs. Na(+)) selectivity of the (8, 8) CNT is ∼20× higher than that of SONP. Hence, the (8, 8) CNT is likely the most efficient artificial K(+) channel due in part to its special interior environment in which Na(+) can be fully solvated, whereas K(+) cannot. This work provides deeper insights into the physical chemistry behind selective ion transport in nanochannels.

  10. Redox Active Transition Metal ions Make Melanin Susceptible to Chemical Degradation Induced by Organic Peroxide.

    PubMed

    Zadlo, Andrzej; Pilat, Anna; Sarna, Michal; Pawlak, Anna; Sarna, Tadeusz

    2017-12-01

    With aging, retinal pigment epithelium melanosomes, by fusion with the age pigment lipofuscin, form complex granules called melanolipofuscin. Lipofuscin granules may contain oxidized proteins and lipid hydroperoxides, which in melanolipofuscin could chemically modify melanin polymer, while transition metal ions present in melanin can accelerate such oxidative modifications. The aim of this research was to examine the effect of selected transition metal ions on melanin susceptibility to chemical modification induced by the water-soluble tert-butyl hydroperoxide used as an oxidizing agent. Synthetic melanin obtained by DOPA autooxidation and melanosomes isolated from bovine retinal pigment epithelium were analyzed. To monitor tert-butyl hydroperoxide-induced oxidative changes of DMa and BMs, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, atomic force microscopy and electron paramagnetic resonance oximetry were employed. These measurements revealed that both copper and iron ions accelerated chemical degradation induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide, while zinc ions had no effect. Strong prooxidant action was detected only in the case of melanosomes and melanin degraded in the presence of iron. It can be postulated that similar chemical processes, if they occur in situ in melanolipofuscin granules of the human retinal pigment epithelium, would modify antioxidant properties of melanin and its reactivity.

  11. Target Plate Material Influence on Fullerene-C60 Laser Desorption/Ionization Efficiency

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zeegers, Guido P.; Günthardt, Barbara F.; Zenobi, Renato

    2016-04-01

    Systematic laser desorption/ionization (LDI) experiments of fullerene-C60 on a wide range of target plate materials were conducted to gain insight into the initial ion formation in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry. The positive and negative ion signal intensities of precursor, fragment, and cluster ions were monitored, varying both the laser fluence (0-3.53 Jcm-2) and the ion extraction delay time (0-950 ns). The resulting species-specific ion signal intensities are an indication for the ionization mechanisms that contribute to LDI and the time frames in which they operate, providing insight in the (MA)LDI primary ionization. An increasing electrical resistivity of the target plate material increases the fullerene-C60 precursor and fragment anion signal intensity. Inconel 625 and Ti90/Al6/V4, both highly electrically resistive, provide the highest anion signal intensities, exceeding the cation signal intensity by a factor ~1.4 for the latter. We present a mechanism based on transient electrical field strength reduction to explain this trend. Fullerene-C60 cluster anion formation is negligible, which could be due to the high extraction potential. Cluster cations, however, are readily formed, although for high laser fluences, the preferred channel is formation of precursor and fragment cations. Ion signal intensity depends greatly on the choice of substrate material, and careful substrate selection could, therefore, allow for more sensitive (MA)LDI measurements.

  12. Ionization enhancement in atmospheric pressure chemical ionization and suppression in electrospray ionization between target drugs and stable-isotope-labeled internal standards in quantitative liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Liang, H R; Foltz, R L; Meng, M; Bennett, P

    2003-01-01

    The phenomena of ionization suppression in electrospray ionization (ESI) and enhancement in atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) were investigated in selected-ion monitoring and selected-reaction monitoring modes for nine drugs and their corresponding stable-isotope-labeled internal standards (IS). The results showed that all investigated target drugs and their co-eluting isotope-labeled IS suppress each other's ionization responses in ESI. The factors affecting the extent of suppression in ESI were investigated, including structures and concentrations of drugs, matrix effects, and flow rate. In contrast to the ESI results, APCI caused seven of the nine investigated target drugs and their co-eluting isotope-labeled IS to enhance each other's ionization responses. The mutual ionization suppression or enhancement between drugs and their isotope-labeled IS could possibly influence assay sensitivity, reproducibility, accuracy and linearity in quantitative liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). However, calibration curves were linear if an appropriate IS concentration was selected for a desired calibration range to keep the response factors constant. Copyright 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  13. Contaminant treatment method

    DOEpatents

    Shapiro, Andrew Philip; Thornton, Roy Fred; Salvo, Joseph James

    2003-01-01

    The present invention provides a method for treating contaminated media. The method comprises introducing remediating ions consisting essentially of ferrous ions, and being peroxide-free, in the contaminated media; applying a potential difference across the contaminated media to cause the remediating ions to migrate into contact with contaminants in the contaminated media; chemically degrading contaminants in the contaminated media by contact with the remediating ions; monitoring the contaminated media for degradation products of the contaminants; and controlling the step of applying the potential difference across the contaminated media in response to the step of monitoring.

  14. Preliminary flight prototype silver ion monitoring system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Brady, J.

    1974-01-01

    The design, fabrication, and testing of a preliminary flight prototype silver ion monitoring system based on potentiometric principles and utilizing a solid-state silver sulfide electrode paired with a pressurized double-junction reference electrode housing a replaceable electrolyte reservoir is described. The design provides automatic electronic calibration utilizing saturated silver bromide solution as a silver ion standard. The problem of loss of silver ion from recirculating fluid, its cause, and corrective procedures are reported. The instability of the silver sulfide electrode is discussed as well as difficulties met in implementing the autocalibration procedure.

  15. System and process for pulsed multiple reaction monitoring

    DOEpatents

    Belov, Mikhail E

    2013-05-17

    A new pulsed multiple reaction monitoring process and system are disclosed that uses a pulsed ion injection mode for use in conjunction with triple-quadrupole instruments. The pulsed injection mode approach reduces background ion noise at the detector, increases amplitude of the ion signal, and includes a unity duty cycle that provides a significant sensitivity increase for reliable quantitation of proteins/peptides present at attomole levels in highly complex biological mixtures.

  16. Recovery of niobium from irradiated targets

    DOEpatents

    Phillips, Dennis R.; Jamriska, Sr., David J.; Hamilton, Virginia T.

    1994-01-01

    A process for selective separation of niobium from proton irradiated molybdenum targets is provided and includes dissolving the molybdenum target in a hydrogen peroxide solution to form a first ion-containing solution, contacting the first ion-containing solution with a cationic resin whereby ions selected form the group consisting of molybdenum, biobium, technetium, selenium, vanadium, arsenic, germanium, zirconium and rubidium remain in a second ion-containing solution while ions selected from the group consisting of rubidium, zinc, beryllium, cobalt, iron, manganese, chromium, strontium, yttrium and zirconium are selectively adsorbed by the cationic resin; adjusting the pH of the second ion-containing solution to within a range of from about 5.0 to about 6.0; contacting the pH adjusting second ion-containing solution with a dextran-based material for a time to selectively separate niobium from the solution and recovering the niobium from the dextran-based material.

  17. Laboratory Evaluation of Ion-Selective Electrodes for Simultaneous Analysis of Macronutrients in Hydroponic Solution

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Automated sensing of macronutrients in hydroponic solution would allow more efficient management of nutrients for crop growth in closed hydroponic systems. Ion-selective microelectrode technology requires an ion-selective membrane or a solid metal material that responds selectively to one analyte in...

  18. Mobility-Resolved Ion Selection in Uniform Drift Field Ion Mobility Spectrometry/Mass Spectrometry: Dynamic Switching in Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations

    DOE PAGES

    Webb, Ian K.; Garimella, Sandilya V. B.; Tolmachev, Aleksey V.; ...

    2014-09-15

    A Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations (SLIM) module that allows ion mobility separations and the switching of ions between alternative drift paths is described. The SLIM switch component has a “Tee” configuration and allows switching of ions between a linear path and a 90-degree bend. By controlling switching times, ions can be deflected to an alternative channel as a function of their mobilities. In the initial evaluation the switch is used in a static mode and shown compatible with high performance ion mobility separations at 4 torr. In the “dynamic mode” we show that mobility-selected ions can be switched intomore » the alternative channel, and that various ion species can be independently selected based on their mobilities for time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF MS) IMS detection and mass analysis. Ultimately, this development also provides the basis for e.g. the selection of specific mobilities for storage and accumulation, and key modules for the assembly of SLIM devices enabling much more complex sequences of ion manipulations.« less

  19. Coated-Wire Ion Selective Electrodes and Their Application to the Teaching Laboratory.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martin, Charles R.; Freiser, Henry

    1980-01-01

    Describes the procedures for construction of a nitrate coated-wire ion selective electrode and suggests experiments for evaluation of electrode response and illustration of typical analytical applications of ion selective electrodes. (CS)

  20. Investigation of the silicon ion density during molecular beam epitaxy growth

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Eifler, G.; Kasper, E.; Ashurov, Kh.; Morozov, S.

    2002-05-01

    Ions impinging on a surface during molecular beam epitaxy influence the growth and the properties of the growing layer, for example, suppression of dopant segregation and the generation of crystal defects. The silicon electron gun in the molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) equipment is used as a source for silicon ions. To use the effect of ion bombardment the mechanism of generation and distribution of ions was investigated. A monitoring system was developed and attached at the substrate position in the MBE growth chamber to measure the ion and electron densities towards the substrate. A negative voltage was applied to the substrate to modify the ion energy and density. Furthermore the current caused by charge carriers impinging on the substrate was measured and compared with the results of the monitoring system. The electron and ion densities were measured by varying the emission current of the e-gun achieving silicon growth rates between 0.07 and 0.45 nm/s and by changing the voltage applied to the substrate between 0 to -1000 V. The dependencies of ion and electron densities were shown and discussed within the framework of a simple model. The charged carrier densities measured with the monitoring system enable to separate the ion part of the substrate current and show its correlation to the generation rate. Comparing the ion density on the whole substrate and in the center gives a hint to the ion beam focusing effect. The maximum ion and electron current densities obtained were 0.40 and 0.61 μA/cm2, respectively.

  1. Structural Characterization of Laboratory Made Tholins by IRMPD Action Spectroscopy and Ultrahigh Resolution Mass Spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thissen, R.; Somogyi, A.; Vuitton, V.; Bégué, D.; Lemaire, J.; Steinmetz, V.

    2011-10-01

    The complex organic material that is found on the surface and within the haze layer of Titan is attributed to chemistry occurring in its thick N2/CH4 atmosphere. Although several groups are producing in various laboratory setting the socalled tholins which have been investigated by using analytical methods including UV/Vis, fluorescence, IR, and MS1-5, these very complex organic mixtures still hold many unanswered questions, especially related to the potentiality for their prebiotic chemistry. In addition to tholins characterization and analysis, we recently investigated quantitatively the hydrolysis kinetics of tholins in pure and NH3 containing water at different temperatures.7-8 Our groups at UJF (Grenoble) and at U of Arizona (Tucson) have been collaborating on mass spectral analyses of tholins samples for several years.9 Here, we report our most recent results on the structural characterization of tholins by infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD) action spectroscopy10 and ultrahigh resolution MS. IRMPD action spectroscopy is a recently developed technique that uses IR photons of variable wavelengths to activate ions trapped inside an ion trap. When photons are absorbed at a given wavelength, the selected ion fragments and this fragmentation is monitored as a function of wavelength, analog to an absorption spectrum (impossible to record otherwise because of the much reduced density). This technique can, therefore, be used to determine IR spectra of ions in the gas phase, and provides with very acute structural information. IRMPD action spectroscopy is often used to distinguish between structural isomers of isobaric ions. The drawback is that it requests for high power lasers. Only two Free Electron Lasers (FEL) are available in the world and allow to record spectra with reasonable resolution (20-25 cm-1). IRMPD action spectra of selected ions from tholins will be presented and discussed together with observed fragmentation processes that reveal structural features of the ions. We have studied ions in the mass range from 60 to 160 u, corresponding to particularly interesting species already characterized by other (e.g. tandem MS/MS) methods.

  2. Implementation of a Battery Health Monitor and Vertical Lift Aircraft Testbed for the Application of an Electrochemisty-Based State of Charge Estimator

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Potteiger, Timothy R.; Eure, Kenneth W.; Levenstein, David

    2017-01-01

    Prediction methods concerning remaining charge in lithium-ion batteries that power unmanned aerial vehicles are of critical concern for the safe fulfillment of mission objectives. In recent years, lithium-ion batteries have been the power source for both fixed wing and vertical lift electric vehicles. The purpose of this document is to describe in detail the implementation of a battery health monitor for estimating the state of charge of a lithium-ion battery and a lithium-ion polymer battery that is used to power a vertical lift aircraft test-bed. It will be demonstrated that an electro-chemistry based state of charge estimator effectively tracks battery discharge characteristics and may be employed as a useful tool in monitoring battery health.

  3. Ultrasensitive colorimetric detection of Cu2+ ion based on catalytic oxidation of L-cysteine.

    PubMed

    Yin, Kun; Li, Bowei; Wang, Xiaochun; Zhang, Weiwei; Chen, Lingxin

    2015-02-15

    As an essential element, copper ion (Cu(2+)) plays important roles in human beings for its participation in diverse metabolic processes as a cofactor and/or a structural component of enzymes. However, excessive uptake of Cu(2+) ion gives rise to the risk of certain diseases. So, it is important to develop simple ways to monitor and detect Cu(2+) ion. In this study, a simple, facile colorimetric sensor for the ultrasensitive determination of Cu(2+) ion was developed based on the following principle: L-cysteine and 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) could be conjugated to form the yellow product 2,4-dinitrophenylcysteine (DNPC), which was measurable at 355nm; however, upon addition of Cu(2+) ion, the absorbance of DNPC would be decreased owing to the Cu(2+) ion catalytic oxidation of L-cysteine to L-cystine in the presence of O2. Thus, the colorimetric detection of Cu(2+) ion could be achieved. The optimal pH, buffer, temperature and incubation time for the colorimetric sensor were obtained of pH 6.8 in 0.1M HEPES solution, 90 °C and 50 min, respectively. A good linearity within the range of 0.8-10 nM (r = 0.996) was attained, with a high detectability up to 0.5nM. Analyses of Cu(2+) ion in drinking water, lake water, seawater and biological samples were carried out and the method performances were found to agree well with that obtained by ICP-MS. The developed simple colorimetric sensor proved applicable for Cu(2+) ion determination in real samples with high sensitivity and selectivity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Review of software tools for design and analysis of large scale MRM proteomic datasets.

    PubMed

    Colangelo, Christopher M; Chung, Lisa; Bruce, Can; Cheung, Kei-Hoi

    2013-06-15

    Selective or Multiple Reaction monitoring (SRM/MRM) is a liquid-chromatography (LC)/tandem-mass spectrometry (MS/MS) method that enables the quantitation of specific proteins in a sample by analyzing precursor ions and the fragment ions of their selected tryptic peptides. Instrumentation software has advanced to the point that thousands of transitions (pairs of primary and secondary m/z values) can be measured in a triple quadrupole instrument coupled to an LC, by a well-designed scheduling and selection of m/z windows. The design of a good MRM assay relies on the availability of peptide spectra from previous discovery-phase LC-MS/MS studies. The tedious aspect of manually developing and processing MRM assays involving thousands of transitions has spurred to development of software tools to automate this process. Software packages have been developed for project management, assay development, assay validation, data export, peak integration, quality assessment, and biostatistical analysis. No single tool provides a complete end-to-end solution, thus this article reviews the current state and discusses future directions of these software tools in order to enable researchers to combine these tools for a comprehensive targeted proteomics workflow. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Development of sensitive holographic devices for physiological metal ion detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sabad-e.-Gul; Martin, Suzanne; Cassidy, John; Naydenova, Izabela

    2017-08-01

    The development of selective alkali metal ions sensors in particular is a subject of significant interest. In this respect, the level of blood electrolytes, particularly H+, Na+, K+ and Cl- , is widely used to monitor aberrant physiologies associated with pulmonary emphysema, acute and chronic renal failure, heart failure, diabetes. The sensors reported in this paper are created by holographic recording of surface relief structures in a self-processing photopolymer material. The structures are functionalized by ionophores dibenzo-18-crown-6 (DC) and tetraethyl 4-tert-butylcalix[4]arene (TBC) in plasticised polyvinyl chloride (PVC) matrix. Interrogation of these structures by light allows indirect measurements of chemical analytes' concentration in real time. We present results on the optimisation and testing of the holographic sensor. A self-processing acrylamide-based photopolymer was used to fabricate the required photonic structures. The performance of the sensors for detection of K+ and Na+ was investigated. It was observed that the functionalisation with DC provides a selective response of the devices to K+ over Na+ and TBC coated surface structures are selectively sensitive to Na+. The sensor responds to Na+ within the physiological ranges. Normal levels of Na+ and K+ in human serum lie within the ranges 135-148mM and 3.5-5.3 mM respectively.

  6. Formation of bisphenol A by thermal degradation of poly(bisphenol A carbonate).

    PubMed

    Kitahara, Yuki; Takahashi, Seiji; Tsukagoshi, Masamichi; Fujii, Toshihiro

    2010-09-01

    The thermal decomposition of poly(bisphenol A carbonate) (PoC) results in the formation of the endocrine disruptor bisphenol A (BPA). In the present work, we investigated the kinetics of the thermal decomposition of PoC, and the subsequent decomposition of BPA, under pyrolysis conditions and in the presence of oxygen by using infrared image furnace-ion attachment mass spectrometry. The decomposition of PoC obeyed Arrhenius kinetics, which allowed us to determine the activation energy (E(a)) for thermal decomposition to BPA from Arrhenius plots. From the selected ion monitoring curves for BPA, E(a) for thermal decomposition in a nitrogen atmosphere was calculated to be 133.2 kcal mol(-1), whereas E(a) for oxidative thermal decomposition was calculated to be approximately 35% lower (86.5 kcal mol(-1)). Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Analysis of acylcarnitines as their N-demethylated ester derivatives by gas chromatography-chemical ionization mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Huang, Z H; Gage, D A; Bieber, L L; Sweeley, C C

    1991-11-15

    A novel approach to the analysis of acylcarnitines has been developed. It involves a direct esterification using propyl chloroformate in aqueous propanol followed by ion-pair extraction with potassium iodide into chloroform and subsequent on-column N-demethylation of the resulting acylcarnitine propyl ester iodides. The products, acyl N-demethylcarnitine propyl esters, are volatile and are easily analyzed by gas chromatography-chemical ionization mass spectrometry. For medium-chain-length (C4-C12) acylcarnitine standards, detection limits are demonstrated to be well below 1 ng starting material using selected ion monitoring. Well-separated gas chromatographic peaks and structure-specific mass spectra are obtained with samples of synthetic and biological origin. Seven acylcarnitines have been characterized in the urine of a patient suffering from medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency.

  8. Ion-exchange chromatography purification of extracellular vesicles.

    PubMed

    Kosanović, Maja; Milutinović, Bojana; Goč, Sanja; Mitić, Ninoslav; Janković, Miroslava

    2017-08-01

    Despite numerous studies, isolating pure preparations of extracellular vesicles (EVs) has proven challenging. Here, we compared ion-exchange chromatography (IEC) to the widely used sucrose density gradient (SDG) centrifugation method for the purification of EVs. EVs in bulk were isolated from pooled normal human amniotic fluid (AF) by differential centrifugation followed by IEC or sucrose density gradient separation. The purity of the isolated EVs was evaluated by electrophoresis and lectin blotting/immuno blotting to monitor the distribution of total proteins, different EVs markers, and selected N-glycans. Our data showed efficient separation of negatively charged EVs from other differently charged molecules, while comparative profiling of EVs using SDG centrifugation confirmed anion-exchange chromatography is advantageous for EV purification. Finally, although this IEC-based method was validated using AF, the approach should be readily applicable to isolation of EVs from other sources as well.

  9. Unraveling the mechanism of selective ion transport in hydrophobic subnanometer channels

    PubMed Central

    Li, Hui; Francisco, Joseph S.; Zeng, Xiao Cheng

    2015-01-01

    Recently reported synthetic organic nanopore (SONP) can mimic a key feature of natural ion channels, i.e., selective ion transport. However, the physical mechanism underlying the K+/Na+ selectivity for the SONPs is dramatically different from that of natural ion channels. To achieve a better understanding of the selective ion transport in hydrophobic subnanometer channels in general and SONPs in particular, we perform a series of ab initio molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the diffusivity of aqua Na+ and K+ ions in two prototype hydrophobic nanochannels: (i) an SONP with radius of 3.2 Å, and (ii) single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with radii of 3–5 Å (these radii are comparable to those of the biological potassium K+ channels). We find that the hydration shell of aqua Na+ ion is smaller than that of aqua K+ ion but notably more structured and less yielding. The aqua ions do not lower the diffusivity of water molecules in CNTs, but in SONP the diffusivity of aqua ions (Na+ in particular) is strongly suppressed due to the rugged inner surface. Moreover, the aqua Na+ ion requires higher formation energy than aqua K+ ion in the hydrophobic nanochannels. As such, we find that the ion (K+ vs. Na+) selectivity of the (8, 8) CNT is ∼20× higher than that of SONP. Hence, the (8, 8) CNT is likely the most efficient artificial K+ channel due in part to its special interior environment in which Na+ can be fully solvated, whereas K+ cannot. This work provides deeper insights into the physical chemistry behind selective ion transport in nanochannels. PMID:26283377

  10. Ion Monitoring

    DOEpatents

    Orr, Christopher Henry; Luff, Craig Janson; Dockray, Thomas; Macarthur, Duncan Whittemore

    2003-11-18

    The apparatus and method provide a technique for significantly reducing capacitance effects in detector electrodes arising due to movement of the instrument relative to the item/location being monitored in ion detection based techniques. The capacitance variations are rendered less significant by placing an electrically conducting element between the detector electrodes and the monitored location/item. Improved sensitivity and reduced noise signals arise as a result. The technique also provides apparatus and method suitable for monitoring elongate items which are unsuited to complete enclosure in one go within a chamber. The items are monitored part by part as the pass through the instrument, so increasing the range of items or locations which can be successfully monitored.

  11. Photodissociation Spectroscopy of Anionic Transition Metal Complexes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kaufman, Sydney Hamilton

    Transition metal complexes play an important role in many aspects of chemistry; whether in supporting biological functions, as catalysts for organic reactions, in the environment, or in industry. This thesis is comprised of gas-phase spectroscopic studies of four transition metal species with implications for many different chemical applications. Most knowledge of the target molecules in this thesis are derived from studies in the condensed phase, where the chemical environment can change molecular properties. As a result, it is difficult to gain an understanding of the intrinsic properties in solution as well as a molecular-level picture of chemical reactions that take place where many oxidation states, molecular species, and solvent interactions occur. By isolating one particular species in the gas phase, we are able to observe how each species interacts with light independent of perturbing effects of solvent and counter ions. In this thesis, we perform spectroscopic experiments on mass-selected ions in the gas phase, where we are able to gain information on intrinsic molecular properties without the influence of a condensed phase chemical environment. We employ photodissociation spectroscopy, where we mass-select a particular ionic species from solution and irradiate that molecular ion with the output of a tunable laser in the ultraviolet and visible regions. By monitoring the fragments produced, we can obtain an electronic absorption spectrum of the isolated species as well as gain insight into the photochemistry of the ions under study from the fragmentation pathways observed. We combine this method with solution absorption spectra as well as electronic structure calculations.

  12. A label-free and portable graphene FET aptasensor for children blood lead detection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Chenyu; Cui, Xinyi; Li, Ying; Li, Hongbo; Huang, Lei; Bi, Jun; Luo, Jun; Ma, Lena Q.; Zhou, Wei; Cao, Yi; Wang, Baigeng; Miao, Feng

    2016-02-01

    Lead is a cumulative toxicant, which can induce severe health issues, especially in children’s case due to their immature nervous system. While realizing large-scale monitoring of children blood lead remains challenging by utilizing traditional methods, it is highly desirable to search for alternative techniques or novel sensing materials. Here we report a label-free and portable aptasensor based on graphene field effect transistor (FET) for effective children blood lead detection. With standard solutions of different Pb2+ concentrations, we obtained a dose-response curve and a detection limitation below 37.5 ng/L, which is three orders lower than the safe blood lead level (100 μg/L). The devices also showed excellent selectivity over other metal cations such as, Na+, K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+, suggesting the capability of working in a complex sample matrix. We further successfully demonstrated the detection of Pb2+ ions in real blood samples from children by using our aptasensors, and explored their potential applications for quantification. Our results underscore such graphene FET aptasensors for future applications on fast detection of heavy metal ions for health monitoring and disease diagnostics.

  13. Thin-layer chromatography and mass spectrometry coupled using proximal probe thermal desorption with electrospray or atmospheric pressure chemical ionization.

    PubMed

    Ovchinnikova, Olga S; Van Berkel, Gary J

    2010-06-30

    An atmospheric pressure proximal probe thermal desorption sampling method coupled with secondary ionization by electrospray or atmospheric pressure chemical ionization was demonstrated for the mass spectrometric analysis of a diverse set of compounds (dyestuffs, pharmaceuticals, explosives and pesticides) separated on various high-performance thin-layer chromatography plates. Line scans along or through development lanes on the plates were carried out by moving the plate relative to a stationary heated probe positioned close to or just touching the stationary phase surface. Vapors of the compounds thermally desorbed from the surface were drawn into the ionization region of a combined electrospray ionization/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization source where they merged with reagent ions and/or charged droplets from a corona discharge or an electrospray emitter and were ionized. The ionized components were then drawn through the atmospheric pressure sampling orifice into the vacuum region of a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer and detected using full scan, single ion monitoring, or selected reaction monitoring mode. Studies of variable parameters and performance metrics including the proximal probe temperature, gas flow rate into the ionization region, surface scan speed, read-out resolution, detection limits, and surface type are discussed.

  14. Zinc Oxide-Based Self-Powered Potentiometric Chemical Sensors for Biomolecules and Metal Ions.

    PubMed

    Israr-Qadir, Muhammad; Jamil-Rana, Sadaf; Nur, Omer; Willander, Magnus

    2017-07-19

    Advances in the miniaturization and portability of the chemical sensing devices have always been hindered by the external power supply problem, which has focused new interest in the fabrication of self-powered sensing devices for disease diagnosis and the monitoring of analytes. This review describes the fabrication of ZnO nanomaterial-based sensors synthesized on different conducting substrates for extracellular detection, and the use of a sharp borosilicate glass capillary (diameter, d = 700 nm) to grow ZnO nanostructures for intracellular detection purposes in individual human and frog cells. The electrocatalytic activity and fast electron transfer properties of the ZnO materials provide the necessary energy to operate as well as a quick sensing device output response, where the role of the nanomorphology utilized for the fabrication of the sensor is crucial for the production of the operational energy. Simplicity, design, cost, sensitivity, selectivity and a quick and stable response are the most important features of a reliable sensor for routine applications. The review details the extra- and intra-cellular applications of the biosensors for the detection and monitoring of different metallic ions present in biological matrices, along with the biomolecules glucose and cholesterol.

  15. Zinc Oxide-Based Self-Powered Potentiometric Chemical Sensors for Biomolecules and Metal Ions

    PubMed Central

    Israr-Qadir, Muhammad; Jamil-Rana, Sadaf; Nur, Omer; Willander, Magnus

    2017-01-01

    Advances in the miniaturization and portability of the chemical sensing devices have always been hindered by the external power supply problem, which has focused new interest in the fabrication of self-powered sensing devices for disease diagnosis and the monitoring of analytes. This review describes the fabrication of ZnO nanomaterial-based sensors synthesized on different conducting substrates for extracellular detection, and the use of a sharp borosilicate glass capillary (diameter, d = 700 nm) to grow ZnO nanostructures for intracellular detection purposes in individual human and frog cells. The electrocatalytic activity and fast electron transfer properties of the ZnO materials provide the necessary energy to operate as well as a quick sensing device output response, where the role of the nanomorphology utilized for the fabrication of the sensor is crucial for the production of the operational energy. Simplicity, design, cost, sensitivity, selectivity and a quick and stable response are the most important features of a reliable sensor for routine applications. The review details the extra- and intra-cellular applications of the biosensors for the detection and monitoring of different metallic ions present in biological matrices, along with the biomolecules glucose and cholesterol. PMID:28753916

  16. Measurement of ion species in high current ECR H⁺/D⁺ ion source for IFMIF (International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility).

    PubMed

    Shinto, K; Senée, F; Ayala, J-M; Bolzon, B; Chauvin, N; Gobin, R; Ichimiya, R; Ihara, A; Ikeda, Y; Kasugai, A; Kitano, T; Kondo, K; Marqueta, A; Okumura, Y; Takahashi, H; Valette, M

    2016-02-01

    Ion species ratio of high current positive hydrogen/deuterium ion beams extracted from an electron-cyclotron-resonance ion source for International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility accelerator was measured by the Doppler shift Balmer-α line spectroscopy. The proton (H(+)) ratio at the middle of the low energy beam transport reached 80% at the hydrogen ion beam extraction of 100 keV/160 mA and the deuteron (D(+)) ratio reached 75% at the deuterium ion beam extraction of 100 keV/113 mA. It is found that the H(+) ratio measured by the spectroscopy gives lower than that derived from the phase-space diagram measured by an Allison scanner type emittance monitor. The H(+)/D(+) ratio estimated by the emittance monitor was more than 90% at those extraction currents.

  17. Electrochemical ion separation in molten salts

    DOEpatents

    Spoerke, Erik David; Ihlefeld, Jon; Waldrip, Karen; Wheeler, Jill S.; Brown-Shaklee, Harlan James; Small, Leo J.; Wheeler, David R.

    2017-12-19

    A purification method that uses ion-selective ceramics to electrochemically filter waste products from a molten salt. The electrochemical method uses ion-conducting ceramics that are selective for the molten salt cations desired in the final purified melt, and selective against any contaminant ions. The method can be integrated into a slightly modified version of the electrochemical framework currently used in pyroprocessing of nuclear wastes.

  18. TVDG LET Calculator

    Science.gov Websites

    Sodium Iodide Water Select your Ion from the list 1 Hydrogen 1 2 Helium 4 3 Lithium 7 4 Beryllium 9 5 . It works reasonably well for ion energies larger than ~1 MeV/amu and for ions heavier than lithium the Specified Ion in the Specified Target. Select the Target Material from the dropdown list. Select

  19. Fabrication of novel coated pyrolytic graphite electrodes for the selective nano-level monitoring of Cd²⁺ ions in biological and environmental samples using polymeric membrane of newly synthesized macrocycle.

    PubMed

    Sahani, Manoj Kumar; Singh, A K; Jain, A K; Upadhyay, Anjali; Kumar, Amit; Singh, Udai P; Narang, Shikha

    2015-02-20

    Novel 5-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thiol unit based macrocyclic ionophore 5,11,17-trithia-1,3,7,9,13,15,19,20,21-nonaazatetracyclo[14.2.1.1(4,7).1(10,13)]henicosa-4(20),10(21),16(19)-triene-6,12,18-trithione (M1), was synthesized and characterized. Preliminary studies on M1 have showed that it has more the affinity toward Cd(2+) ion. Thus, the macrocyclic ionophore (M1) was used as electroactive material in the fabrication of PVC-membrane electrodes such as polymeric membrane electrode (PME), coated graphite electrode (CGE) and coated pyrolytic graphite electrode (CPGE) were prepared and its performance characteristic were compared with. The electroanalytical studies performed on PME, CGE and CPGE revealed that CPGE having membrane composition M1:PVC:1-CN:NaTPB in the ratio of 7:37:54:2 exhibits the best potentiometric characteristics in terms of detection limit of 7.58×10(-9) mol L(-1), Nernstian slope of 29.6 mV decade(-1) of activity. The sensor was found to be independent of pH in the range 2.5-8.5. The sensor showed a fast response time of 10s and could be used over a period of 4 months without any significant divergence in its potentiometric characteristics. The sensor has been employed for monitoring of the Cd(2+) ion in real samples and also used as an indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration of Cd(2+) ion with EDTA. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  20. [Ion mobility spectrometer (IMS): a novel online monitor of trace volatile organic compounds].

    PubMed

    Li, Fang; Xie, Zhi-yong; Schmidt, H; Sielemann, S; Baumbach, J I

    2002-12-01

    The principle, character and developments of the instrument of ion mobility spectrometry are introduced, the applications of IMS to chemical warfare agents, explosives, drugs, environments monitoring and on-site industrial sensing are discussed, and some work on IMS in ISAS is represented.

  1. Control of Ion Selectivity in LeuT: Two Na+ Binding Sites with two different mechanisms

    PubMed Central

    Noskov, Sergei Y.; Roux, Benoît

    2016-01-01

    The x-ray structure of LeuT, a bacterial homologue of Na+/Cl−-dependent neurotransmitter transporter, provides a great opportunity to better understand the molecular basis of monovalent cation selectivity in ion-coupled transporters. LeuT possesses two ion-binding sites, NA1 and NA2, which are highly selective for Na+. Extensive all-atom free energy molecular dynamics simulations of LeuT embedded in an explicit membrane are performed at different temperatures and various occupancy states of the binding sites to dissect the molecular mechanism of ion selectivity. The results show that the two binding sites display robust selectivity for Na+ over K+ or Li+, the competing ions of most similar radii. Of particular interest, the mechanism primarily responsible for selectivity for each of the two binding sites appears to be different. In site NA1, selectivity for Na+ over K+ arises predominantly from the strong electrostatic field arising from the negatively charged carboxylate group of the leucine substrate coordinating the ion directly. In site NA2, which comprises only neutral ligands, selectivity for Na+ is enforced by the local structural restraints arising from the hydrogen-bonding network and the covalent connectivity of the poly-peptide chain surrounding the ion according to a snug-fit mechanism. PMID:18280500

  2. Synthesis and Ion-Exchange Properties of Graphene Th(IV) Phosphate Composite Cation Exchanger: Its Applications in the Selective Separation of Lead Metal Ions

    PubMed Central

    Rangreez, Tauseef Ahmad; Alhogbi, Basma G.; Naushad, Mu.

    2017-01-01

    In this study, graphene Th(IV) phosphate was prepared by sol–gel precipitation method. The ion-exchange behavior of this cation-exchanger was studied by investigating properties like ion-exchange capacity for various metal ions, the effect of eluent concentration, elution behavior, and thermal effect on ion-exchange capacity (IEC). Several physicochemical properties as Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) study, thermal studies, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies were also carried out. The material possessed an IEC of 1.56 meq·dry·g−1 of the exchanger and was found to be nano-composite. The selectivity studies showed that the material is selective towards Pb(II) ions. The selectivity of this cation-exchanger was demonstrated in the binary separation of Pb(II) ions from mixture with other metal ions. The recovery was found to be both quantitative and reproducible. PMID:28737717

  3. Apparatus for reduction of selected ion intensities in confined ion beams

    DOEpatents

    Eiden, Gregory C.; Barinaga, Charles J.; Koppenaal, David W.

    2001-01-01

    An apparatus for producing an ion beam having an increased proportion of analyte ions compared to carrier gas ions is disclosed. Specifically, the apparatus has an ion trap or a collision cell containing a reagent gas wherein the reagent gas accepts charge from the analyte ions thereby selectively neutralizing the carrier gas ions. Also disclosed is the collision cell as employed in various locations within analytical instruments including an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer.

  4. Ion-imprinted nanoparticles for the concurrent estimation of Pb(II) and Cu(II) ions over a two channel surface plasmon resonance-based fiber optic platform

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shrivastav, Anand Mohan; Gupta, Banshi D.

    2018-01-01

    We report the design, fabrication, and characterization of an optical fiber sensor based on the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technique for the simultaneous determination of lead (Pb) and copper (Cu) metal ions in aqueous samples. Two cascade channels over a single optical fiber are fabricated by removing cladding from two well-separated regions of the fiber. SPR working as a transducing mechanism for the sensor is realized by coating thin films of copper and silver over unclad cores of channel I and channel II, respectively. Ion-imprinted nanoparticles for both ions are separately synthesized and coated over the metal-coated unclad cores of the fiber as the recognition layers for sensor fabrication. A first channel having layer of Pb(II) ion-imprinted nanoparticles detects Pb(II) ions and a second channel having layer of Cu(II) ion-imprinted nanoparticles are used for the detection of Cu(II) ions. Both channels are characterized using the wavelength interrogation method. The sensor operates in the range between 0 to 1000 μg/L and 0 to 1000 mg/L for Pb(II) and Cu(II) ions, respectively. These ranges cover water resources and the human body for these ions. The sensitivities of channel I and channel II are found to be 8.19×104 nm/(μg/L) and 4.07×105 nm/(mg/L) near the lowest concentration of Pb(II) and Cu(II) ions, respectively. The sensor can detect concentrations of Pb(II) and Cu(II) ions as low as 4.06 × 10-12 g/L and 8.18 × 10-10 g/L, respectively, which are the least among the reported values in the literature. Further, the probe is simple, cost effective, highly selective, and applicable for online monitoring and remote sensing.

  5. Chemically differentiating ascorbate-mediated dissolution of quantum dots in cell culture media

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Su, Cheng-Kuan; Sun, Yuh-Chang

    2013-02-01

    To investigate the dynamic dissolution of quantum dots (QDs) in cell culture media, in this study we constructed an online automatic analytical system comprising a sequential in-tube solid phase extraction (SPE) device and an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) mass spectrometer. By means of selectively extracting QDs and cadmium ions (Cd2+) onto the interior surface of the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tube, this novel SPE device could be used to determine the degree of QD dissolution through a simple adjustment of sample acidity. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to exploit PTFE tubing as a selective SPE adsorbent for the online chemical differentiation of QDs and Cd2+ ions with the goal of monitoring the phenomenon of QD dissolution in complicated biological matrices. We confirmed the analytical reliability of this system through comparison of the measured Cd-to-QD ratios to the expected values. When analyzing QDs and Cd2+ ions at picomolar levels, a temporal resolution of 8 min was required to load sufficient amounts of the analytes to meet the sensitivity requirements of the ICP mass spectrometer. To demonstrate the practicability of this developed method, we measured the dynamic variations in the Cd-to-QD705 ratio in the presence of ascorbate as a physiological stimulant to generate reactive oxygen species in cell culture media and trigger the dissolution of QDs; our results suggest that the ascorbate-induced QD dissolution was dependent on the time, treatment concentration, and nature of the biomolecule.To investigate the dynamic dissolution of quantum dots (QDs) in cell culture media, in this study we constructed an online automatic analytical system comprising a sequential in-tube solid phase extraction (SPE) device and an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) mass spectrometer. By means of selectively extracting QDs and cadmium ions (Cd2+) onto the interior surface of the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tube, this novel SPE device could be used to determine the degree of QD dissolution through a simple adjustment of sample acidity. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to exploit PTFE tubing as a selective SPE adsorbent for the online chemical differentiation of QDs and Cd2+ ions with the goal of monitoring the phenomenon of QD dissolution in complicated biological matrices. We confirmed the analytical reliability of this system through comparison of the measured Cd-to-QD ratios to the expected values. When analyzing QDs and Cd2+ ions at picomolar levels, a temporal resolution of 8 min was required to load sufficient amounts of the analytes to meet the sensitivity requirements of the ICP mass spectrometer. To demonstrate the practicability of this developed method, we measured the dynamic variations in the Cd-to-QD705 ratio in the presence of ascorbate as a physiological stimulant to generate reactive oxygen species in cell culture media and trigger the dissolution of QDs; our results suggest that the ascorbate-induced QD dissolution was dependent on the time, treatment concentration, and nature of the biomolecule. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: The operation sequence, optimized parameters, instrumental operation conditions, and schematic representations for the proposed sequential in-tube PTFE SPE-ICP-MS hyphenated system are provided. See DOI: 10.1039/c2nr33365a

  6. Stress and physiological, behavioral and performance patterns of children under varied air ion levels

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fornof, K. T.; Gilbert, G. O.

    1988-12-01

    The possibility that individual differences in reactivity to stressors are a major factor underlying discordant results reported for air ion studies prompted an investigation of response patterns in school children under both normal indoor air ion levels and moderately increased negative air ion levels (4000±500/cm3). It was hypothesized that the impact of stressors is reduced with high negative air ionization, and that resultant changes in stress effects would be differentially exhibited according to the children's normal degree of stimulus reactivity. A counter-balanced, replicative, withinssubject design was selected, and the subjects were 12 environmentally sensitive, 1st 4th grade school children. In addition to monitoring stress effects on activity level, attention span, concentration to task and conceptual performance, measures were also made of urinary 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid levels and skin resistance response (SRR) to determine if changes extended to the physiological state. The cold water test was used to add physical stress and enable calculations of Lacey's autonomic lability scores (ALS) as indicators of individual reactivity. The results show main effects for air ions on both physiological parameters, with 48% less change in %SRR ( P<0.01) and 46% less change in urinary 5-HIAA levels ( P<0.055) during negative air ions, indicating increased stress tolerance. Strong interactive effects for ALS x air ion condition appeared, with high and low ALS children reacting oppositely to negative air ions in measures of skin resistance level ( P<0.01), wrist activity ( P<0.01) and digit span backwards ( P<0.004). Thus individual differences in autonomic reactivity and the presence or absence of stressors appear as critical elements for internal validity, and in preventing consequent skewed results from obscuring progress in air ion research.

  7. Method of precisely modifying predetermined surface layers of a workpiece by cluster ion impact therewith

    DOEpatents

    Friedman, L.; Beuhler, R.J.; Matthew, M.W.; Ledbetter, M.

    1984-06-25

    A method of precisely modifying a selected area of a workpiece by producing a beam of charged cluster ions that is narrowly mass selected to a predetermined mean size of cluster ions within a range of 25 to 10/sup 6/ atoms per cluster ion, and accelerated in a beam to a critical velocity. The accelerated beam is used to impact a selected area of an outer surface of the workpiece at a preselected rate of impacts of cluster ions/cm/sup 2//sec in order to effect a precise modification in that selected area of the workpiece.

  8. Method of precisely modifying predetermined surface layers of a workpiece by cluster ion impact therewith

    DOEpatents

    Friedman, Lewis; Buehler, Robert J.; Matthew, Michael W.; Ledbetter, Myron

    1985-01-01

    A method of precisely modifying a selected area of a workpiece by producing a beam of charged cluster ions that is narrowly mass selected to a predetermined mean size of cluster ions within a range of 25 to 10.sup.6 atoms per cluster ion, and accelerated in a beam to a critical velocity. The accelerated beam is used to impact a selected area of an outer surface of the workpiece at a preselected rate of impacts of cluster ions/cm.sup.2 /sec. in order to effect a precise modification in that selected area of the workpiece.

  9. Power supply system for negative ion source at IPR

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gahlaut, Agrajit; Sonara, Jashwant; Parmar, K. G.; Soni, Jignesh; Bandyopadhyay, M.; Singh, Mahendrajit; Bansal, Gourab; Pandya, Kaushal; Chakraborty, Arun

    2010-02-01

    The first step in the Indian program on negative ion beams is the setting up of Negative ion Experimental Assembly - RF based, where 100 kW of RF power shall be coupled to a plasma source producing plasma of density ~5 × 1012 cm-3, from which ~ 10 A of negative ion beam shall be produced and accelerated to 35 kV, through an electrostatic ion accelerator. The experimental system is modelled similar to the RF based negative ion source, BATMAN presently operating at IPP, Garching, Germany. The mechanical system for Negative Ion Source Assembly is close to the IPP source, remaining systems are designed and procured principally from indigenous sources, keeping the IPP configuration as a base line. High voltage (HV) and low voltage (LV) power supplies are two key constituents of the experimental setup. The HV power supplies for extraction and acceleration are rated for high voltage (~15 to 35kV), and high current (~ 15 to 35A). Other attributes are, fast rate of voltage rise (< 5ms), good regulation (< ±1%), low ripple (< ±2%), isolation (~50kV), low energy content (< 10J) and fast cut-off (< 100μs). The low voltage (LV) supplies required for biasing and providing heating power to the Cesium oven and the plasma grids; have attributes of low ripple, high stability, fast and precise regulation, programmability and remote operation. These power supplies are also equipped with over-voltage, over-current and current limit (CC Mode) protections. Fault diagnostics, to distinguish abnormal rise in currents (breakdown faults) with over-currents is enabled using fast response breakdown and over-current protection scheme. To restrict the fault energy deposited on the ion source, specially designed snubbers are implemented in each (extraction and acceleration) high voltage path to swap the surge energy. Moreover, the monitoring status and control signals from these power supplies are required to be electrically (~ 50kV) isolated from the system. The paper shall present the design basis, topology selection, manufacturing, testing, commissioning, integration and control strategy of these HVPS. A complete power interconnection scheme, which includes all protective devices and measuring devices, low & high voltage power supplies, monitoring and control signals etc. shall also be discussed. The paper also discusses the protocols involved in grounding and shielding, particularly in operating the system in RF environment.

  10. Synthesis and Characterization of Templated Ion Exchange Resins for the Selective Complexion of Actinide Ions

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Murrray, George M.; Uy, O. Manuel

    The purpose of this research is to develop polymeric extractants for the selective complexation of uranyl ions (and subsequently other actinyl and actinide ions) from aqueous solutions. Selectivity for a specific actinide ion is obtained by providing the polymers with cavities lined with complexing ligands so arranged as to match the charge, coordination number, coordination geometry, and size of the actinide ion. These cavity-containing polymers are produced by using a specific actinide ion (or surrogate) as a template around which monomeric complexing ligands are polymerized. The polymers provide useful sequestering agents for removing actinide ions from wastes and will formmore » the basis for a variety of analytical techniques for actinide determination.« less

  11. Electrostatic monitoring

    DOEpatents

    Orr, Christopher Henry; Luff, Craig Janson; Dockray, Thomas; Macarthur, Duncan Whittemore

    2001-01-01

    The apparatus and method provide a technique for more simply measuring alpha and/or beta emissions arising from items or locations. The technique uses indirect monitoring of the emissions by detecting ions generated by the emissions, the ions being attracted electrostatically to electrodes for discharge of collection. The apparatus and method employ a chamber which is sealed around the item or location during monitoring with no air being drawn into or expelled from the chamber during the monitoring process. A simplified structure and operations arises as a result, but without impairing the efficiency and accuracy of the detection technique.

  12. All-Solid-State Sodium-Selective Electrode with a Solid Contact of Chitosan/Prussian Blue Nanocomposite

    PubMed Central

    Ghosh, Tanushree; Rieger, Jana

    2017-01-01

    Conventional ion-selective electrodes with a liquid junction have the disadvantage of potential drift. All-solid-state ion-selective electrodes with solid contact in between the metal electrode and the ion-selective membrane offer high capacitance or conductance to enhance potential stability. Solution-casted chitosan/Prussian blue nanocomposite (ChPBN) was employed as the solid contact layer for an all-solid-state sodium ion-selective electrode in a potentiometric sodium ion sensor. Morphological and chemical analyses confirmed that the ChPBN is a macroporous network of chitosan that contains abundant Prussian blue nanoparticles. Situated between a screen-printed carbon electrode and a sodium-ionophore-filled polyvinylchloride ion-selective membrane, the ChPBN layer exhibited high redox capacitance and fast charge transfer capability, which significantly enhanced the performance of the sodium ion-selective electrode. A good Nernstian response with a slope of 52.4 mV/decade in the linear range from 10−4–1 M of NaCl was observed. The stability of the electrical potential of the new solid contact was tested by chronopotentiometry, and the capacitance of the electrode was 154 ± 4 µF. The response stability in terms of potential drift was excellent (1.3 µV/h) for 20 h of continuous measurement. The ChPBN proved to be an efficient solid contact to enhance the potential stability of the all-solid-state ion-selective electrode. PMID:29099804

  13. Method for reduction of selected ion intensities in confined ion beams

    DOEpatents

    Eiden, Gregory C.; Barinaga, Charles J.; Koppenaal, David W.

    1998-01-01

    A method for producing an ion beam having an increased proportion of analyte ions compared to carrier gas ions is disclosed. Specifically, the method has the step of addition of a charge transfer gas to the carrier analyte combination that accepts charge from the carrier gas ions yet minimally accepts charge from the analyte ions thereby selectively neutralizing the carrier gas ions. Also disclosed is the method as employed in various analytical instruments including an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer.

  14. Method for reduction of selected ion intensities in confined ion beams

    DOEpatents

    Eiden, G.C.; Barinaga, C.J.; Koppenaal, D.W.

    1998-06-16

    A method for producing an ion beam having an increased proportion of analyte ions compared to carrier gas ions is disclosed. Specifically, the method has the step of addition of a charge transfer gas to the carrier analyte combination that accepts charge from the carrier gas ions yet minimally accepts charge from the analyte ions thereby selectively neutralizing the carrier gas ions. Also disclosed is the method as employed in various analytical instruments including an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. 7 figs.

  15. A New Thiosemicarbazone-Based Fluorescence "Turn-on" Sensor for Zn(2+) Recognition with a Large Stokes Shift and its Application in Live Cell Imaging.

    PubMed

    Tang, Lijun; Huang, Zhenlong; Zheng, Zhuxuan; Zhong, Keli; Bian, Yanjiang

    2016-09-01

    Selective fluorescence turn on Zn(2+) sensor with long-wavelength emission and a large Stokes shift is highly desirable in Zn(2+) sensing area. We reported herein the synthesis and Zn(2+) recognition properties of a new thiosemicarbazone-based fluorescent sensor L. L displays high selectivity and sensitivity toward Zn(2+) over other metal ions in DMSO-H2O (1:1, v/v, HEPES 10 mM, pH = 7.4) solution with a long-wavelength emission at 572 nm and a large Stokes shift of 222 nm. Confocal fluorescence microscopy experiments demonstrate that L is cell-permeable and capable of monitoring intracellular Zn(2+). Graphical Abstract We report a new thiosemicarbazone-based fluorescent sensor (L) for selective recognition of Zn(2+) with a long wavelength emission and a large Stokes shift.

  16. Simultaneous Determination of Celecoxib, Erlotinib, and its Metabolite Desmethyl-Erlotinib (OSI-420) in Rat Plasma by Liquid chromatography/Tandem Mass Spectrometry with Positive/Negative Ion-Switching Electrospray Ionisation

    PubMed Central

    Thappali, Satheeshmanikandan R. S.; Varanasi, Kanthikiran; Veeraraghavan, Sridhar; Arla, Rambabu; Chennupati, Sandhya; Rajamanickam, Madheswaran; Vakkalanka, Swaroop; Khagga, Mukkanti

    2012-01-01

    A new method for the simultaneous determination of celecoxib, erlotinib, and its active metabolite desmethyl-erlotinib (OSI-420) in rat plasma, by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry with positive/negative ion-switching electrospray ionization mode, was developed and validated. Protein precipitation with methanol was selected as the method for preparing the samples. The analytes were separated on a reverse-phase C18 column (50mm×4.6mm i.d., 3μ) using methanol: 2 mM ammonium acetate buffer, and pH 4.0 as the mobile phase at a flow rate 0.8 mL/min. Sitagliptin and Efervirenz were used as the internal standards for quantification. The determination was carried out on a Theremo Finnigan Quantam ultra triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer, operated in selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode using the following transitions monitored simultaneously: positive m/z 394.5→278.1 for erlotinib, m/z 380.3→278.1 for desmethyl erlotinib (OSI-420), and negative m/z −380.1→ −316.3 for celecoxib. The limits of quantification (LOQs) were 1.5 ng/mL for Celecoxib, erlotinib, and OSI-420. Within- and between-day accuracy and precision of the validated method were within the acceptable limits of < 15% at all concentrations. The quantitation method was successfully applied for the simultaneous estimation of celecoxib, erlotinib, and desmethyl erlotinib in a pharmacokinetic study in Wistar rats. PMID:23008811

  17. A liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry study of ethanolamines in high salinity industrial wastewaters.

    PubMed

    Campo, Pablo; Suidan, Makram T; Chai, Yunzhou; Davis, John

    2010-01-15

    The detection and quantitation of four ethanolamines, tris(2-hydroxyethyl)amine (triethanolamine, TEA), N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)methylamine (methyldiethanolamine, MDEA), N-(2-aminoethyl)ethanolamine (AEA), and N,N-diethylethanolamine (DEA), were achieved in wastewaters from two aerobic activated sludge bioreactors located in an industrial wastewater treatment plant. The streams had salt concentrations of approximately 3% and 7% by weight in Reactor 1 and Reactor 2, respectively. The use of liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry avoided the need for some sample preparation steps such as extraction, concentration, and derivatization. Ion suppression in the electrospray, attributable to the presence of sodium clusters, was attenuated by a 10-fold dilution of the wastewaters with acetonitrile. A matrix-matched calibration model averted other potential interferences. For the compounds analyzed in selected reaction monitoring mode (TEA, MDEA, and DEA), the calibration curves presented linearity in a range of 10-1000microg/L with corresponding detection limits ranging from 2 to 11microg/L, depending upon the specific analyte and aqueous matrix. AEA was calibrated in selected ion monitoring mode (100-1000microg/L), with corresponding detection limits in the two wastewaters of 74.6 and 85.3microg/L, respectively. Overall good precision (<10%) and accuracy (97-110%) were achieved for both matrices, which fell within-laboratory reproducibility. Finally, the amines were introduced into six mixed liquor samples from both reactors and quantified following the reported protocol. Again, recoveries were close to 100% with a relative standard deviation of less than 10% in all cases.

  18. A volatile organic analyzer for Space Station: Description and evaluation of a gas chromatography/ ion mobility

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Limero, Thomas F.; James, John T.

    1994-01-01

    A Volatile Organic Analyzer (VOA) is being developed as an essential component of the Space Station's Environmental Health System (EHS) air quality monitoring strategy to provide warning to the crew and ground personnel if volatile organic compounds exceed established exposure limits. The short duration of most Shuttle flights and the relative simplicity of the contaminant removal mechanism have lessened the concern about crew exposure to air contaminants on the Shuttle. However, the longer missions associated with the Space Station, the complex air revitalization system and the proposed number of experiments have led to a desire for real-time monitoring of the contaminants in the Space Station atmosphere. Achieving the performance requirements established for the VOA within the Space Station resource (e.g., power, weight) allocations led to a novel approach that joined a gas chromatograph (GC) to an ion mobility spectrometer (IMS). The authors of this paper will discuss the rational for selecting the GC/IMS technology as opposed to the more established gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for the foundation of the VOA. The data presented from preliminary evaluations will demonstrate the versatile capability of the GC/IMS to analyze the major contaminants expected in the Space Station atmosphere. The favorable GC/IMS characteristics illustrated in this paper included excellent sensitivity, dual-mode operation for selective detection, and mobility drift times to distinguish co-eluting GC peaks. Preliminary studies have shown that the GC/IMS technology can meet surpass the performance requirements of the Space Station VOA.

  19. Analyzing the components of the free-energy landscape in a calcium selective ion channel by Widom's particle insertion method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boda, Dezső; Giri, Janhavi; Henderson, Douglas; Eisenberg, Bob; Gillespie, Dirk

    2011-02-01

    The selectivity filter of the L-type calcium channel works as a Ca2 + binding site with a very large affinity for Ca2 + versus Na+. Ca2 + replaces half of the Na+ ions in the filter even when these ions are present in 1 μM and 30 mM concentrations in the bath, respectively. The energetics of this strong selectivity is analyzed in this paper. We use Widom's particle insertion method to compute the space-dependent profiles of excess chemical potential in our grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations. These profiles define the free-energy landscape for the various ions. Following Gillespie [Biophys. J. 94, 1169 (2008)], the difference of the excess chemical potentials for the two competing ions defines the advantage that one of the ions has over the other in the competition for space in the crowded selectivity filter. These advantages depend on ionic bath concentrations: the ion that is present in the bath in larger quantity (Na+) has the "number" advantage which is balanced by the free-energy advantage of the other ion (Ca2 +). The excess chemical potentials are decomposed into hard sphere exclusion and electrostatic components. The electrostatic terms correspond to interactions with the mean electric field produced by ions and induced charges as well to ionic correlations beyond the mean field description. Dielectrics are needed to produce micromolar Ca2 + versus Na+ selectivity in the L-type channel. We study the behavior of these terms with changes in bath concentrations of ions, charges, and diameters of ions, as well as geometrical parameters such as radius of the pore and the dielectric constant of the protein. Ion selectivity in calcium binding proteins probably has a similar mechanism.

  20. Analyzing the components of the free-energy landscape in a calcium selective ion channel by Widom's particle insertion method.

    PubMed

    Boda, Dezso; Giri, Janhavi; Henderson, Douglas; Eisenberg, Bob; Gillespie, Dirk

    2011-02-07

    The selectivity filter of the L-type calcium channel works as a Ca(2+) binding site with a very large affinity for Ca(2+) versus Na(+). Ca(2+) replaces half of the Na(+) ions in the filter even when these ions are present in 1 μM and 30 mM concentrations in the bath, respectively. The energetics of this strong selectivity is analyzed in this paper. We use Widom's particle insertion method to compute the space-dependent profiles of excess chemical potential in our grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations. These profiles define the free-energy landscape for the various ions. Following Gillespie [Biophys. J. 94, 1169 (2008)], the difference of the excess chemical potentials for the two competing ions defines the advantage that one of the ions has over the other in the competition for space in the crowded selectivity filter. These advantages depend on ionic bath concentrations: the ion that is present in the bath in larger quantity (Na(+)) has the "number" advantage which is balanced by the free-energy advantage of the other ion (Ca(2+)). The excess chemical potentials are decomposed into hard sphere exclusion and electrostatic components. The electrostatic terms correspond to interactions with the mean electric field produced by ions and induced charges as well to ionic correlations beyond the mean field description. Dielectrics are needed to produce micromolar Ca(2+) versus Na(+) selectivity in the L-type channel. We study the behavior of these terms with changes in bath concentrations of ions, charges, and diameters of ions, as well as geometrical parameters such as radius of the pore and the dielectric constant of the protein. Ion selectivity in calcium binding proteins probably has a similar mechanism.

  1. Polymer-supported sulfonated catechol and linear catechol amide ligands and their use in selective metal ion removal recovery from aqueous solutions

    DOEpatents

    Fish, Richard H.

    1998-01-01

    The present invention concerns the synthesis of several biomimetically important polymer-supported, sulfonated catechol (PS-CATS), sulfonated bis-catechol linear amide (PS-2-6-LICAMS) and sulfonated 3,3-linear tris-catechol amide (PS-3,3-LICAMS) ligands, which chemically bond to modified 6% crosslinked macroporous polystyrene-divinylbenzene beads (PS-DVB). These polymers are useful for the for selective removal and recovery of environmentally and economically important metal ions from aqueous solution, as a function of pH. The Fe.sup.3+ ion selectivity shown for PS-CATS, PS-2-6-LICAMS, and PS-3,3-LICAMS polymer beads in competition with a similar concentration of Cu.sup.2+, Zn.sup.2+, Mn.sup.2+, Ni.sup.2+, Mg.sup.2+, Al.sup.3+, and Cr.sup.3+ ions at pH 1-3. Further, the metal ion selectivity is changed at higher pH values in the absence of Fe.sup.3+ (for example, Hg.sup.2+ at pH 3). The rates of selective removal and recovery of the trivalent metal ions, e.g. Fe.sup.3+ Al.sup.3+ ion etc. with the PS-CATS, PS-2-6-LICAMS, and PS-3,3-LICAMS polymer beads used determined are useful as well as equilibrium selectivity coefficient (K.sub.m) values for all metal competition studies. The chelate effect for the predisposed octahedral PS-3,3-LICAMS polymer pendant ligand is the reason that this ligand has a more pronounced selectivity for Fe.sup.3+ ion in comparison to the PS-CATS polymer beads. The predisposed square planar PS-2,6-LICAMS series of polymer pendant ligands are more selective to divalent metal ions Cu.sup.2+, Zn.sup.2+, Mn.sup.2+, Ni.sup.2+, and Mg.sup.2+, than either PS-CATS or PS-3,3-LICAMS. However, Fe.sup.3+ ion still dominates in competition with other divalent and trivalent metal ions. In the absence of Fe.sup.3+, the polymer ligand is selective for Al.sup.3+, Cu.sup.2+ or Hg.sup.2+. The changing of the cavity size from two CH.sub.2 groups to six CH.sub.2 groups in the PS-2-6-LICAMS polymer pendant ligand series does not effect the order of metal ion selectivity.

  2. Polymer-supported sulfonated catechol and linear catechol amide ligands and their use in selective metal ion removal recovery from aqueous solutions

    DOEpatents

    Fish, R.H.

    1998-11-10

    The present invention concerns the synthesis of several biomimetically important polymer-supported, sulfonated catechol (PS-CATS), sulfonated bis-catechol linear amide (PS-2-6-LICAMS) and sulfonated 3,3-linear tris-catechol amide (PS-3,3-LICAMS) ligands, which chemically bond to modified 6% crosslinked macroporous polystyrene-divinylbenzene beads (PS-DVB). These polymers are useful for the for selective removal and recovery of environmentally and economically important metal ions from aqueous solution, as a function of pH. The Fe{sup 3+} ion selectivity shown for PS-CATS, PS-2-6-LICAMS, and PS-3,3-LICAMS polymer beads in competition with a similar concentration of Cu{sup 2+}, Zn{sup 2+}, Mn{sup 2+}, Ni{sup 2+}, Mg{sup 2+}, Al{sup 3+}, and Cr{sup 3+} ions at pH 1--3. Further, the metal ion selectivity is changed at higher pH values in the absence of Fe{sup 3+} (for example, Hg{sup 2+} at pH 3). The rates of selective removal and recovery of the trivalent metal ions, e.g. Fe{sup 3+}, Al{sup 3+} ion etc. with the PS-CATS, PS-2-6-LICAMS, and PS-3,3-LICAMS polymer beads used determined are useful as well as equilibrium selectivity coefficient (K{sub m}) values for all metal competition studies. The chelate effect for the predisposed octahedral PS-3,3-LICAMS polymer pendant ligand is the reason that this ligand has a more pronounced selectivity for Fe{sup 3+} ion in comparison to the PS-CATS polymer beads. The predisposed square planar PS-2,6-LICAMS series of polymer pendant ligands are more selective to divalent metal ions Cu{sup 2+}, Zn{sup 2+}, Mn{sup 2+}, Ni{sup 2+}, and Mg{sup 2+}, than either PS-CATS or PS-3,3-LICAMS. However, Fe{sup 3+} ion still dominates in competition with other divalent and trivalent metal ions. In the absence of Fe{sup 3+}, the polymer ligand is selective for Al{sup 3+}, Cu{sup 2+} or Hg{sup 2+}. The changing of the cavity size from two CH{sub 2} groups to six CH{sub 2} groups in the PS-2-6-LICAMS polymer pendant ligand series does not effect the order of metal ion selectivity. 9 figs.

  3. A low cost ion beam profile monitor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Godfrey, L.; Hoyes, G. G.; Pairsuwan, W.

    1990-09-01

    An intercepting multiwire ion beam profile monitor, of thickness 0.9 cm and active area 5 × 5 cm, has been developed for use with the low-intensity deuteron beamline at the Fast Neutron Research Facility (FNRF), Chiang Mai University. It has been used to optimise the transport of a continuous ion beam of current up to 200 μA and kinetic energy up to 140 keV. The monitor enables the determination of the two-dimensional beam profile using closely-spaced samples at 1.5 mm, and the measurement of relative beam current. The design incorporates low material and labour costs, elimination of the need for commercial vacuum feedthroughs, a minimal amount of devoted electronics with no need for preamplifiers, and permits quick insertion of the monitors, wherever needed along the beamline, with minimum disruption to neighbouring elements.

  4. Combination of QuEChERS and DLLME for GC-MS determination of pesticide residues in orange samples.

    PubMed

    Andraščíková, Mária; Hrouzková, Svetlana; Cunha, Sara C

    2013-01-01

    A new method combining QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe) and DLLME (dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction) followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with selected ion monitoring (SIM) was developed for the simultaneous determination of 19 pesticides from nine chemical groups exhibiting or suspected to exhibit endocrine-disrupting properties in orange samples. Acetonitrile extract obtained from QuEChERS extraction was used for DLLME as dispersive solvent and carbon tetrachloride as extractive solvent to increase the enrichment factor of the extraction procedure. The effect of several extraction parameters, such as volume extract achieved by the QuEChERS method and subsequently used for DLLME, selection of extractive solvent and its volume, was tested. Under optimum conditions, good linearity, satisfactory recoveries and repeatability were obtained. Limits of quantification (LOQs) achieved (ranging from 0.02 to 47 ng/g) were below the maximum residue limits established by the European Union. The proposed method was applied to the monitoring of pesticide residue levels in oranges commercialised in Portugal.

  5. The production of ultra-high purity single isotopes or tailored isotope mixtures by ICP-MS

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Liezers, Martin; Farmer, Orville T.; Dion, Michael P.

    2015-01-01

    We report the development and testing of a simple collector arrangement for a commercial quadrupole ICP-MS that for the first time has been used to produce small quantities of highly enriched (>99.99%) single isotopes, with deposition rates >10 ng/hour. The collector assembly replaces the standard instrument detector allowing for implantation with simultaneous monitoring of the incident ion current. Even under zero bias implant conditions, low energy (<10 eV), ion collection efficiency was observed to be very high ~99%. 151Eu ion currents of 0.1-0.5 nA were collected on a simple, planar foil without resorting to any type of cup configuration. Recoverymore » of the enriched isotope from such foils is much simpler than from a more complex cup configuration. High rejection of adjacent mass isotopes was demonstrated by selectively implanting 167Er without any discernible co-implantation of 166Er and 168Er. The important analytical possibilities of the new approach to isotope ratio measurement, tracer purification and radiation measurements are discussed.« less

  6. Physicochemical characterisation of natural K-clinoptilolite and heavy-metal forms from Gördes (Manisa, western Turkey)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ünaldı, Tevfik; Mızrak, İbrahim; Kadir, Selahattin

    2013-12-01

    Physicochemical characterisation of natural K-clinoptilolite and heavy-metal (Ag+, Cd2+, Cr3+ and Co3+) forms was accomplished through ion exchange by batch, X-ray diffractometric (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), infrared-spectral (FT-IR), differential thermal analysis-thermal gravimetric (DTA-TG) and scanning-electron microscopic (SEM) methods. Increasing the normality in the cases of heavy-metal forms resulted in decrease in crystallinity and increases in unit-cell volume, rate of ion exchange, and percentage of ion selectivity. In this study, the order of ion-selectivity percentages (rather than ion selectivity) of heavy-metal forms was determined to be Ag+ > Cd2+ > Cr3+ > Co3+. This finding is consistent with the results of worldwide research on the order of ion selectivity in modified clinoptilolite.

  7. Ion exchange selectivity for cross-linked polyacrylic acid

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    May, C. E.; Philipp, W. H.

    1983-01-01

    The ion separation factors for 21 common metal ions with cross-linked polyacrylic acid were determined as a function of pH and the percent of the cross-linked polyacrylic acid neutralized. The calcium ion was used as a reference. At a pH of 5 the decreasing order of affinity of the ions for the cross-linked polyacrylic acid was found to be: Hg++, Fe+++, Pb++, Cr+++, Cu++, Cd++, Al+++, Ag+, Zn++, Ni++, Mn++, Co++, Ca++, Sr++, Ba++, Mg++, K+, Rb+, Cs+, Na+, and Li+. Members of a chemical family exhibited similar selectivities. The Hg++ ion appeared to be about a million times more strongly bound than the alkali metal ions. The relative binding of most of the metal ions varied with pH; the very tightly and very weakly bound ions showed the largest variations with pH. The calcium ion-hydrogen ion equilibrium was perturbed very little by the presence of the other ions. The separation factors and selectivity coefficients are discussed in terms of equilibrium and thermodynamic significance.

  8. SU-C-204-04: Irradiation of Human Cell Lines Using Various Ions

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lin, Y; McMahon, S; Kaminuma, T

    2016-06-15

    Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate and quantify the biological effects of ion radiation using several human cell lines. We aim to answer the question of whether carbon ion the most ideal ion species for heavy ion radiotherapy. Methods: The cells were irradiated at different positions along the pristine Bragg peak of several ions with different atomic number. The biological effectiveness was evaluated using the clonogenic cell survival assay. Irradiation of three human lung cancer cell lines and a fibroblast cell line were undertaken using the charged particle beam at the NASA Space Radiation Laboratory at Brookhavenmore » National Lab. Four mono-energetic ion beams (carbon, oxygen, helium and lithium) were used to irradiate the cells. Water or media-filled T25 flasks were lined up along the beam line so that the cell-containing surfaces of the flasks were placed at a specific depth along the pristine Bragg curve. Four depths along the curve, representing entrance point, rising peak, peak and distal fall off, were selected to determine biological effectiveness. Gaf-chromic films were placed between the flasks to monitor the irradiation as soon as it was finished. Results: For all ion radiations, the maximum cell killing effect occurs at either peak or distal fall off, depending on the cell lines. For instance, for the fibroblast cell line AGO1522, RBEs of 1.4, 1.2, 1.4 and 1.9 were observed at the Bragg peak for Helium, Lithium, Carbon and Oxygen ions. Comparing positions, RBEs of 0.9, 1.2, 1.4 and 1.8 were observed for carbon irradiation of AGO-1522 cells positions corresponding to entrance, rising peak, peak and distal fall off. Conclusion: RBE values differ with position in the Bragg peak, ion species and cell line. Ions other than carbon may prove more effective in certain irradiation conditions and may contribute to optimized heavy ion therapy.« less

  9. Target Plate Material Influence on Fullerene-C60 Laser Desorption/Ionization Efficiency.

    PubMed

    Zeegers, Guido P; Günthardt, Barbara F; Zenobi, Renato

    2016-04-01

    Systematic laser desorption/ionization (LDI) experiments of fullerene-C60 on a wide range of target plate materials were conducted to gain insight into the initial ion formation in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry. The positive and negative ion signal intensities of precursor, fragment, and cluster ions were monitored, varying both the laser fluence (0-3.53 Jcm(-2)) and the ion extraction delay time (0-950 ns). The resulting species-specific ion signal intensities are an indication for the ionization mechanisms that contribute to LDI and the time frames in which they operate, providing insight in the (MA)LDI primary ionization. An increasing electrical resistivity of the target plate material increases the fullerene-C60 precursor and fragment anion signal intensity. Inconel 625 and Ti90/Al6/V4, both highly electrically resistive, provide the highest anion signal intensities, exceeding the cation signal intensity by a factor ~1.4 for the latter. We present a mechanism based on transient electrical field strength reduction to explain this trend. Fullerene-C60 cluster anion formation is negligible, which could be due to the high extraction potential. Cluster cations, however, are readily formed, although for high laser fluences, the preferred channel is formation of precursor and fragment cations. Ion signal intensity depends greatly on the choice of substrate material, and careful substrate selection could, therefore, allow for more sensitive (MA)LDI measurements. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

  10. The SupraThermal Ion Monitor for space weather predictions.

    PubMed

    Allegrini, F; Desai, M I; Livi, S; McComas, D J; Ho, G C

    2014-05-01

    Measurement of suprathermal energy ions in the heliosphere has always been challenging because (1) these ions are situated in the energy regime only a few times higher than the solar wind plasma, where intensities are orders of magnitude higher and (2) ion energies are below or close to the threshold of state-of-art solid-state detectors. Suprathermal ions accelerated at coronal mass ejection-driven shocks propagate out ahead of the shocks. These shocks can cause geomagnetic storms in the Earth's magnetosphere that can affect spacecraft and ground-based power and communication systems. An instrument with sufficient sensitivity to measure these ions can be used to predict the arrival of the shocks and provide an advance warning for potentially geo-effective space weather. In this paper, we present a novel energy analyzer concept, the Suprathermal Ion Monitor (STIM) that is designed to measure suprathermal ions with high sensitivity. We show results from a laboratory prototype and demonstrate the feasibility of the concept. A list of key performances is given, as well as a discussion of various possible detectors at the back end. STIM is an ideal candidate for a future space weather monitor in orbit upstream of the near-earth environment, for example, around L1. A scaled-down version is suitable for a CubeSat mission. Such a platform allows proofing the concept and demonstrating its performance in the space environment.

  11. Use of oil shale ash in road construction: results of follow-up environmental monitoring.

    PubMed

    Reinik, Janek; Irha, Natalya; Koroljova, Arina; Meriste, Tõnis

    2018-01-05

    Oil shale ash (OSA) was used for road construction in a pristine swamp area in East-Estonia during 2013-2014. OSA was used as a binder both in mass stabilization of soft peat soil and in the upper layer. Use of OSA in civil engineering always raises questions about the environmental safety of such activities. Post-construction environmental monitoring of the pilot section was carried out in 2014 and 2015. The monitoring program involved surface water and soil sampling campaigns. Samples were analyzed for selected constituents and parameters of environmental concern. The paper gives data for assessing the environmental impact and evaluation of potential risks associated with construction of roads using OSA. Leaching of hazardous compounds from the pilot section to surrounding aqueous environment was not observed during the monitoring program. Still, the road construction affected the concentration of sulfates in surrounding surface water. Also, the water-soluble content of barium in surface water correlated significantly with the concentrations of chloride and sulfate ion and electric conductivity of the surface water. Therefore, it is recommended to monitor the electric conductivity, concentrations of sulfates, chlorides, and barium in nearby surface water when OSA is used in road construction.

  12. Investigations of chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial compounds with proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry for a real-time threat monitoring scenario.

    PubMed

    Kassebacher, Thomas; Sulzer, Philipp; Jürschik, Simone; Hartungen, Eugen; Jordan, Alfons; Edtbauer, Achim; Feil, Stefan; Hanel, Gernot; Jaksch, Stefan; Märk, Lukas; Mayhew, Chris A; Märk, Tilmann D

    2013-01-30

    Security and protection against terrorist attacks are major issues in modern society. One especially challenging task is the monitoring and protection of air conditioning and heating systems of buildings against terrorist attacks with toxic chemicals. As existing technologies have low selectivity, long response times or insufficient sensitivity, there is a need for a novel approach such as we present here. We have analyzed various chemical warfare agents (CWAs) and/or toxic industrial compounds (TICs) and related compounds, namely phosgene, diphosgene, chloroacetone, chloroacetophenone, diisopropylaminoethanol, and triethyl phosphate, utilizing a high-resolution proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PTR-TOFMS) instrument with the objective of finding key product ions and their intensities, which will allow a low-resolution quadrupole mass spectrometry based PTR-MS system to be used with high confidence in the assignment of threat agents in the atmosphere. We obtained high accuracy PTR-TOFMS mass spectra of the six compounds under study at two different values for the reduced electric field in the drift tube (E/N). From these data we have compiled a table containing product ions, and isotopic and E/N ratios for highly selective threat compound detection with a compact and cost-effective quadrupole-based PTR-MS instrument. Furthermore, using chloroacetophenone (tear gas), we demonstrated that this instrument's response is highly linear in the concentration range of typical Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGLs). On the basis of the presented results it is possible to develop a compact and cost-effective PTR-QMS instrument that monitors air supply systems and triggers an alarm as soon as the presence of a threat agent is detected. We hope that this real-time surveillance device will help to seriously improve safety and security in environments vulnerable to terrorist attacks with toxic chemicals. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  13. MASS SPECTROMETER

    DOEpatents

    White, F.A.

    1960-08-23

    A mass spectrometer is designed with a first adjustable magnetic field for resolving an ion beam into beams of selected masses, a second adjustable magnetic field for further resolving the ion beam from the first field into beams of selected masses, a thin foil disposed in the path of the beam between the first and second magnets to dissociate molecular ions incident thereon, an electrostatic field for further resolving the ion beam from the second field into beams of selected masses, and a detector disposed adjacent to the electrostatic field to receive the ion beam.

  14. Continuous and discrete water-quality data collected at five sites on Lake Houston near Houston, Texas, 2006-08

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Beussink, Amy M.; Burnich, Michael R.

    2009-01-01

    Lake Houston, a reservoir impounded in 1954 by the City of Houston, Texas, is a primary source of drinking water for Houston and surrounding areas. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the City of Houston, developed a continuous water-quality monitoring network to track daily changes in water quality in the southwestern quadrant of Lake Houston beginning in 2006. Continuous water-quality data (the physiochemical properties water temperature, specific conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen concentration, and turbidity) were collected from Lake Houston to characterize the in-lake processes that affect water quality. Continuous data were collected hourly from mobile, multi-depth monitoring stations developed and constructed by the U.S. Geological Survey. Multi-depth monitoring stations were installed at five sites in three general locations in the southwestern quadrant of the lake. Discrete water-quality data (samples) were collected routinely (once or twice each month) at all sites to characterize the chemical and biological (phytoplankton and bacteria) response to changes in the continuous water-quality properties. Physiochemical properties (the five continuously monitored plus transparency) were measured in the field when samples were collected. In addition to the routine samples, discrete water-quality samples were collected synoptically (one or two times during the study period) at all sites to determine the presence and levels of selected constituents not analyzed in routine samples. Routine samples were measured or analyzed for acid neutralizing capacity; selected major ions and trace elements (calcium, silica, and manganese); nutrients (filtered and total ammonia nitrogen, filtered nitrate plus nitrite nitrogen, total nitrate nitrogen, filtered and total nitrite nitrogen, filtered and total orthophosphate phosphorus, total phosphorus, total nitrogen, total organic carbon); fecal indicator bacteria (total coliform and Escherichia coli); sediment (suspended-sediment concentration and loss-on-ignition); actinomycetes bacteria; taste-and-odor-causing compounds (2-methylisoborneol and geosmin); cyanobacterial toxins (total microcystins); and phytoplankton abundance, biovolume, and community composition (taxonomic identification to genus). Synoptic samples were analyzed for major ions, trace elements, wastewater indicators, pesticides, volatile organic compounds, and carbon. The analytical data are presented in tables by type (continuous, discrete routine, discrete synoptic) and listed by station number. Continuously monitored properties (except pH) also are displayed graphically.

  15. Actinide ion sensor for pyroprocess monitoring

    DOEpatents

    Jue, Jan-fong; Li, Shelly X.

    2014-06-03

    An apparatus for real-time, in-situ monitoring of actinide ion concentrations which comprises a working electrode, a reference electrode, a container, a working electrolyte, a separator, a reference electrolyte, and a voltmeter. The container holds the working electrolyte. The voltmeter is electrically connected to the working electrode and the reference electrode and measures the voltage between those electrodes. The working electrode contacts the working electrolyte. The working electrolyte comprises an actinide ion of interest. The reference electrode contacts the reference electrolyte. The reference electrolyte is separated from the working electrolyte by the separator. The separator contacts both the working electrolyte and the reference electrolyte. The separator is ionically conductive to the actinide ion of interest. The reference electrolyte comprises a known concentration of the actinide ion of interest. The separator comprises a beta double prime alumina exchanged with the actinide ion of interest.

  16. Movement of Potassium Ions inside KcsA in the High Concentration Regime using a Molecular Dynamics Simulation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Myojeong; Jo, Byeong Chul; Yoon, Hyun Jung; Wu, Sangwook; Thangappan, Jayaraman; Eun, Changsun

    2018-05-01

    The selectivity and conduction specificity of the KcsA channel toward potassium ions is crucial to the activity of this protein and this channel is intricately associated with several osmotic regulation and neuronal signaling processes. Despite multi-ion characteristics, the selective conduction behavior of KcsA is controlled by the size and distance specific electrostatic interaction between the selected residues and the potassium ions. The mechanism describing the movement of potassium ions in the channel and the conformational changes to KcsA that facilitate ion movement were investigated by a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. In this study, we analyze the movement of potassium ions and water molecules at various time intervals during a 90 ns molecular dynamics simulation in the high potassium ion concentration regime and in the absence of the voltage. Examination of specific (3.6, 17.3, 43.38 and 43.44 ns) simulation periods revealed that key residues in the selectivity filter of KcsA influence the movement of potassium ions in the channel.

  17. Recovery of germanium-68 from irradiated targets

    DOEpatents

    Phillips, Dennis R.; Jamriska, Sr., David J.; Hamilton, Virginia T.

    1993-01-01

    A process for selective separation of germanium-68 from proton irradiated molybdenum targets is provided and includes dissolving the molybdenum target in a hydrogen peroxide solution to form a first ion-containing solution, contacting the first ion-containing solution with a cationic resin whereby ions selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, niobium, technetium, selenium, vanadium, arsenic, germanium, zirconium and rubidium remain in a second ion-containing solution while ions selected from the group consisting of rubidium, zinc, beryllium, cobalt, iron, manganese, chromium, strontium, yttrium and zirconium are selectively adsorbed by the first resin, adjusting the pH of the second ion-containing solution to within a range of from about 0.7 to about 3.0, adjusting the soluble metal halide concentration in the second ion-containing solution to a level adapted for subsequent separation of germanium, contacting the pH-adjusted, soluble metal halide-containing second ion-containing solution with a dextran-based material whereby germanium ions are separated by the dextran-based material, and recovering the germanium from the dextran-based material, preferably by distillation.

  18. Selective ion source

    DOEpatents

    Leung, K.N.

    1996-05-14

    A ion source is described wherein selected ions maybe extracted to the exclusion of unwanted ion species of higher ionization potential. Also described is a method of producing selected ions from a compound, such as P{sup +} from PH{sub 3}. The invention comprises a plasma chamber, an electron source, a means for introducing a gas to be ionized by electrons from the electron source, means for limiting electron energy from the electron source to a value between the ionization energy of the selected ion species and the greater ionization energy of an unwanted ion specie, and means for extracting the target ion specie from the plasma chamber. In one embodiment, the electrons are generated in a plasma cathode chamber immediately adjacent to the plasma chamber. A small extractor draws the electrons from the plasma cathode chamber into the relatively positive plasma chamber. The energy of the electrons extracted in this manner is easily controlled. The invention is particularly useful for doping silicon with P{sup +}, As{sup +}, and B{sup +} without the problematic presence of hydrogen, helium, water, or carbon oxide ions. Doped silicon is important for manufacture of semiconductors and semiconductor devices. 6 figs.

  19. Selective ion source

    DOEpatents

    Leung, Ka-Ngo

    1996-01-01

    A ion source is described wherein selected ions maybe extracted to the exclusion of unwanted ion species of higher ionization potential. Also described is a method of producing selected ions from a compound, such as P.sup.+ from PH.sub.3. The invention comprises a plasma chamber, an electron source, a means for introducing a gas to be ionized by electrons from the electron source, means for limiting electron energy from the electron source to a value between the ionization energy of the selected ion species and the greater ionization energy of an unwanted ion specie, and means for extracting the target ion specie from the plasma chamber. In one embodiment, the electrons are generated in a plasma cathode chamber immediately adjacent to the plasma chamber. A small extractor draws the electrons from the plasma cathode chamber into the relatively positive plasma chamber. The energy of the electrons extracted in this manner is easily controlled. The invention is particularly useful for doping silicon with P.sup.+, AS.sup.+, and B.sup.+ without the problematic presence of hydrogen, helium, water, or carbon oxide ions. Doped silicon is important for manufacture of semiconductors and semiconductor devices.

  20. Novel approach in LC-MS/MS using MRM to generate a full profile of acyl-CoAs: discovery of acyl-dephospho-CoAs.

    PubMed

    Li, Qingling; Zhang, Shenghui; Berthiaume, Jessica M; Simons, Brigitte; Zhang, Guo-Fang

    2014-03-01

    A metabolomic approach to selectively profile all acyl-CoAs was developed using a programmed multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) method in LC-MS/MS and was employed in the analysis of various rat organs. The programmed MRM method possessed 300 mass ion transitions with the mass difference of 507 between precursor ion (Q1) and product ion (Q3), and the precursor ion started from m/z 768 and progressively increased one mass unit at each step. Acyl-dephospho-CoAs resulting from the dephosphorylation of acyl-CoAs were identified by accurate MS and fragmentation. Acyl-dephospho-CoAs were also quantitatively scanned by the MRM method with the mass difference of 427 between Q1 and Q3 mass ions. Acyl-CoAs and dephospho-CoAs were assayed with limits of detection ranging from 2 to 133 nM. The accuracy of the method was demonstrated by assaying a range of concentrations of spiked acyl-CoAs with the results of 80-114%. The distribution of acyl-CoAs reflects the metabolic status of each organ. The physiological role of dephosphorylation of acyl-CoAs remains to be further characterized. The methodology described herein provides a novel strategy in metabolomic studies to quantitatively and qualitatively profile all potential acyl-CoAs and acyl-dephospho-CoAs.

  1. Determination of ambroxol in human plasma using LC-MS/MS.

    PubMed

    Kim, Hohyun; Yoo, Jeong-Yeon; Han, Sang Beom; Lee, Hee Joo; Lee, Kyung Ryul

    2003-06-01

    A sensitive and selective liquid chromatographic method coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed for the quantification of ambroxol in human plasma. Domperidone was used as internal standard, with plasma samples extracted using diethyl ether under basic condition. A centrifuged upper layer was then evaporated and reconstituted with 200 microl methanol. The reconstituted samples were injected into a C(18) XTerra MS column (2.1 x 30 mm) with 3.5 microm particle size. The analytical column lasted for at least 600 injections. The mobile phase was composed of 20 mM ammonium acetate in 90% acetonitrile (pH 8.8), with flow rate at 250 microl/min. The mass spectrometer was operated in positive ion mode using turbo electrospray ionization. Nitrogen was used as the nebulizer, curtain, collision, and auxiliary gases. Using MS/MS with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode, ambroxol was detected without severe interferences from plasma matrix. Ambroxol produced a protonated precursor ion ([M+H](+)) at m/z 379 and a corresponding product ion at m/z 264. And internal standard (domperidone) produced a protonated precursor ion ([M+H](+)) at m/z 426 and a corresponding product ion at m/z 174. Detection of ambroxol in human plasma was accurate and precise, with quantification limit at 0.2 ng/ml. This method has been successfully applied to a study of ambroxol in human specimens.

  2. Location and site characteristics of the ambient ground-water-quality-monitoring network in West Virginia

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kozar, M.D.; Brown, D.P.

    1995-01-01

    Ground-water-quality-monitoring sites have been established in compliance with the 1991 West Virginia "Groundwater Protection Act." One of the provisions of the "Groundwater Protection Act" is to conduct ground-water sampling, data collection, analyses, and evaluation with sufficient frequency so as to ascertain the characteristics and quality of ground water and the sufficiency of the ground- water protection programs established pursuant to the act (Chapter 20 of the code of West Virginia, 1991, Article 5-M). Information for 26 monitoring sites (wells and springs) which comprise the Statewide ambient ground-water-quality-monitoring network is presented. Areas in which monitoring sites were needed were determined by the West Virginia Division of Environmental Protection, Office of Water Resources in consultation with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Initial sites were chosen on the basis of recent hydrogeologic investigations conducted by the USGS and from data stored in the USGS Ground Water Site Inventory database. Land use, aquifer setting, and areal coverage of the State are three of the more important criteria used in site selection. A field reconnaissance was conducted to locate and evaluate the adequacy of selected wells and springs. Descriptive information consisting of site, geologic, well construction, and aquifer-test data has been compiled. The 26 sites will be sampled periodically for iron, manganese, most common ions (for example, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, sulfate, chloride, bicarbonate), volatile and semivolatile organic compounds (for example, pesticides and industrial solvents), and fecal coliform and fecal streptococcus bacteria. Background information explaining ground-water systems and water quality within the State has been included.

  3. XANES study of Fe-implanted strontium titanate

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lobacheva, O.; Goncharova, L. V.; Chavarha, M.; Sham, T. K.

    2014-03-01

    Properties of strontium titanate SrTiO3 (STO) depend to a great extent on the substitutional dopants and defects of crystal structure. The ion beam implantation method was used for doping STO (001) crystals with Fe at different doses. Implanted samples were then annealed at 350°C in oxygen to induce recrystallization and remove oxygen vacancies produced during ion implantation process. The effect of Fe doping and post-implantation annealing was studied by X-ray Absorption Near Edge Spectroscopy (XANES) method and Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID). XANES allowed to monitor the change in structure of STO crystals and in the local environment of Fe following the implantation and annealing steps. SQUID measurements revealed correlation between magnetic moment and Fe implantation dose. Ferromagnetic hysteresis was observed on selected Fe-implanted STO at 5 K. The observed magnetic properties can be correlated with the several Fe oxide phases in addition to the presence of O/Ti vacancies.

  4. Rapid determination of ions by combined solid-phase extraction--diffuse reflectance spectroscopy

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fritz, James S.; Arena, Matteo P.; Steiner, Steven A.; Porter, Marc D.

    2003-01-01

    We introduce colorimetric solid-phase extraction (C-SPE) for the rapid determination of selected ions. This new technique links the exhaustive concentration of an analyte by SPE onto a membrane disk surface for quantitative measurement with a hand-held diffuse reflectance spectrometer. The concentration/measurement procedure is complete in approximately 1 min and can be performed almost anywhere. This method has been used to monitor iodine and iodide in spacecraft water in the 0.1-5.0 ppm range and silver(I) in the range of 5.0-1000 microg/l. Applications to the trace analysis of copper(II), nickel(II), iron(III) and chromium(VI) are described. Studies on the mechanism of extraction showed that impregnation of the disk with a surfactant as well as a complexing reagent results in uptake of additional water, which markedly improves the extraction efficiency.

  5. Multivariable Sensors for Ubiquitous Monitoring of Gases in the Era of Internet of Things and Industrial Internet.

    PubMed

    Potyrailo, Radislav A

    2016-10-12

    Modern gas monitoring scenarios for medical diagnostics, environmental surveillance, industrial safety, and other applications demand new sensing capabilities. This Review provides analysis of development of new generation of gas sensors based on the multivariable response principles. Design criteria of these individual sensors involve a sensing material with multiresponse mechanisms to different gases and a multivariable transducer with independent outputs to recognize these different gas responses. These new sensors quantify individual components in mixtures, reject interferences, and offer more stable response over sensor arrays. Such performance is attractive when selectivity advantages of classic gas chromatography, ion mobility, and mass spectrometry instruments are canceled by requirements for no consumables, low power, low cost, and unobtrusive form factors for Internet of Things, Industrial Internet, and other applications. This Review is concluded with a perspective for future needs in fundamental and applied aspects of gas sensing and with the 2025 roadmap for ubiquitous gas monitoring.

  6. Real-time dual-loop electric current measurement for label-free nanofluidic preconcentration chip.

    PubMed

    Chung, Pei-Shan; Fan, Yu-Jui; Sheen, Horn-Jiunn; Tian, Wei-Cheng

    2015-01-07

    An electrokinetic trapping (EKT)-based nanofluidic preconcentration device with the capability of label-free monitoring trapped biomolecules through real-time dual-loop electric current measurement was demonstrated. Universal current-voltage (I-V) curves of EKT-based preconcentration devices, consisting of two microchannels connected by ion-selective channels, are presented for functional validation and optimal operation; universal onset current curves indicating the appearance of the EKT mechanism serve as a confirmation of the concentrating action. The EKT mechanism and the dissimilarity in the current curves related to the volume flow rate (Q), diffusion coefficient (D), and diffusion layer (DL) thickness were explained by a control volume model with a five-stage preconcentration process. Different behaviors of the trapped molecular plug were categorized based on four modes associated with different degrees of electroosmotic instability (EOI). A label-free approach to preconcentrating (bio)molecules and monitoring the multibehavior molecular plug was demonstrated through real-time electric current monitoring, rather than through the use of microscope images.

  7. MOF-Based Membrane Encapsulated ZnO Nanowires for Enhanced Gas Sensor Selectivity.

    PubMed

    Drobek, Martin; Kim, Jae-Hun; Bechelany, Mikhael; Vallicari, Cyril; Julbe, Anne; Kim, Sang Sub

    2016-04-06

    Gas sensors are of a great interest for applications including toxic or explosive gases detection in both in-house and industrial environments, air quality monitoring, medical diagnostics, or control of food/cosmetic properties. In the area of semiconductor metal oxides (SMOs)-based sensors, a lot of effort has been devoted to improve the sensing characteristics. In this work, we report on a general methodology for improving the selectivity of SMOx nanowires sensors, based on the coverage of ZnO nanowires with a thin ZIF-8 molecular sieve membrane. The optimized ZnO@ZIF-8-based nanocomposite sensor shows markedly selective response to H2 in comparison with the pristine ZnO nanowires sensor, while showing the negligible sensing response to C7H8 and C6H6. This original MOF-membrane encapsulation strategy applied to nanowires sensor architecture pave the way for other complex 3D architectures and various types of applications requiring either gas or ion selectivity, such as biosensors, photo(catalysts), and electrodes.

  8. Shot-noise-limited monitoring and phase locking of the motion of a single trapped ion.

    PubMed

    Bushev, P; Hétet, G; Slodička, L; Rotter, D; Wilson, M A; Schmidt-Kaler, F; Eschner, J; Blatt, R

    2013-03-29

    We perform a high-resolution real-time readout of the motion of a single trapped and laser-cooled Ba+ ion. By using an interferometric setup, we demonstrate a shot-noise-limited measurement of thermal oscillations with a resolution of 4 times the standard quantum limit. We apply the real-time monitoring for phase control of the ion motion through a feedback loop, suppressing the photon recoil-induced phase diffusion. Because of the spectral narrowing in the phase-locked mode, the coherent ion oscillation is measured with a resolution of about 0.3 times the standard quantum limit.

  9. Non-invasive monitoring of therapeutic carbon ion beams in a homogeneous phantom by tracking of secondary ions.

    PubMed

    Gwosch, K; Hartmann, B; Jakubek, J; Granja, C; Soukup, P; Jäkel, O; Martišíková, M

    2013-06-07

    Radiotherapy with narrow scanned carbon ion beams enables a highly accurate treatment of tumours while sparing the surrounding healthy tissue. Changes in the patient's geometry can alter the actual ion range in tissue and result in unfavourable changes in the dose distribution. Consequently, it is desired to verify the actual beam delivery within the patient. Real-time and non-invasive measurement methods are preferable. Currently, the only technically feasible method to monitor the delivered dose distribution within the patient is based on tissue activation measurements by means of positron emission tomography (PET). An alternative monitoring method based on tracking of prompt secondary ions leaving a patient irradiated with carbon ion beams has been previously suggested. It is expected to help in overcoming the limitations of the PET-based technique like physiological washout of the beam induced activity, low signal and to allow for real-time measurements. In this paper, measurements of secondary charged particle tracks around a head-sized homogeneous PMMA phantom irradiated with pencil-like carbon ion beams are presented. The investigated energies and beam widths are within the therapeutically used range. The aim of the study is to deduce properties of the primary beam from the distribution of the secondary charged particles. Experiments were performed at the Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Center, Germany. The directions of secondary charged particles emerging from the PMMA phantom were measured using an arrangement of two parallel pixelated silicon detectors (Timepix). The distribution of the registered particle tracks was analysed to deduce its dependence on clinically important beam parameters: beam range, width and position. Distinct dependencies of the secondary particle tracks on the properties of the primary carbon ion beam were observed. In the particular experimental set-up used, beam range differences of 1.3 mm were detectable. In addition, variations in the beam width could be measured with a precision of 0.9 mm. Furthermore, shifts of the lateral beam position could be monitored with a sub-millimetre precision. The presented investigations demonstrate experimentally that the non-invasive measurement and analysis of secondary ion distributions around head-sized homogeneous objects provide information on the actual beam delivery. Beam range, width and position could be monitored with a precision attractive for therapeutic situations.

  10. Ion Selectivity Mechanism in a Bacterial Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channel

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Fritsch, Sebastian M; Ivanov, Ivaylo N; Wang, Hailong

    2011-01-01

    The proton-gated ion channel from Gloeobacter violaceus (GLIC) is a prokaryotic homolog of the eukaryotic nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) that responds to the binding of neurotransmitter acetylcholine and mediates fast signal transmission. Recent emergence of a high resolution crystal structure of GLIC captured in a potentially open state allowed detailed, atomic-level insight into ion conduction and selectivity mechanisms in these channels. Herein, we have examined the barriers to ion conduction and origins of ion selectivity in the GLIC channel by the construction of potential of mean force (PMF) profiles for sodium and chloride ions inside the transmembrane region. Our calculationsmore » reveal that the GLIC channel is open for a sodium ion to transport, but presents a ~10 kcal/mol free energy barrier for a chloride ion, which arises primarily from the unfavorable interactions with a ring of negatively charged glutamate residues (E-2 ) at the intracellular end and a ring of hydrophobic residues (I9 ) in the middle of the transmembrane domain. Our collective findings further suggest that the charge selection mechanism can, to a large extent, be attributed to the narrow intracellular end and a ring of glutamate residues in this position their strong negative electrostatics and ability to bind cations. By contrast, E19 at the extracellular entrance only plays a minor role in ion selectivity of GLIC. In addition to electrostatics, both ion hydration and protein dynamics are found to be crucial for ion conduction as well, which explains why a chloride ion experiences a much greater barrier than a sodium ion in the hydrophobic region of the pore.« less

  11. Micro Electrochemical pH Sensor Applicable for Real-Time Ratiometric Monitoring of pH Values in Rat Brains.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Jie; Zhang, Limin; Tian, Yang

    2016-02-16

    To develop in vivo monitoring meter for pH measurements is still the bottleneck for understanding the role of pH plays in the brain diseases. In this work, a selective and sensitive electrochemical pH meter was developed for real-time ratiometric monitoring of pH in different regions of rat brains upon ischemia. First, 1,2-naphthoquinone (1,2-NQ) was employed and optimized as a selective pH recognition element to establish a 2H(+)/2e(-) approach over a wide range of pH from 5.8 to 8.0. The pH meter demonstrated remarkable selectivity toward pH detection against metal ions, amino acids, reactive oxygen species, and other biological species in the brain. Meanwhile, an inner reference, 6-(ferrocenyl)hexanethiol (FcHT), was selected as a built-in correction to avoid the environmental effect through coimmobilization with 1,2-NQ. In addition, three-dimensional gold nanoleaves were electrodeposited onto the electrode surface to amplify the signal by ∼4.0-fold and the measurement was achieved down to 0.07 pH. Finally, combined with the microelectrode technique, the microelectrochemical pH meter was directly implanted into brain regions including the striatum, hippocampus, and cortex and successfully applied in real-time monitoring of pH values in these regions of brain followed by global cerebral ischemia. The results demonstrated that pH values were estimated to 7.21 ± 0.05, 7.13 ± 0.09, and 7.27 ± 0.06 in the striatum, hippocampus, and cortex in the rat brains, respectively, in normal conditions. However, pH decreased to 6.75 ± 0.07 and 6.52 ± 0.03 in the striatum and hippocampus, upon global cerebral ischemia, while a negligible pH change was obtained in the cortex.

  12. A Wearable Microfluidic Sensing Patch for Dynamic Sweat Secretion Analysis.

    PubMed

    Nyein, Hnin Yin Yin; Tai, Li-Chia; Ngo, Quynh Phuong; Chao, Minghan; Zhang, George B; Gao, Wei; Bariya, Mallika; Bullock, James; Kim, Hyungjin; Fahad, Hossain M; Javey, Ali

    2018-05-25

    Wearable sweat sensing is a rapidly rising research area driven by its promising potential in health, fitness, and diagnostic applications. Despite the growth in the field, major challenges in relation to sweat metrics remain to be addressed. These challenges include sweat rate monitoring for its complex relation with sweat compositions and sweat sampling for sweat dynamics studies. In this work, we present a flexible microfluidic sweat sensing patch that enhances real-time electrochemical sensing and sweat rate analysis via sweat sampling. The device contains a spiral-patterned microfluidic component that is embedded with ion-selective sensors and an electrical impedance-based sweat rate sensor on a flexible plastic substrate. The patch is enabled to autonomously perform sweat analysis by interfacing the sensing component with a printed circuit board that is capable of on-site signal conditioning, analysis, and transmission. Progressive sweat flow in the microfluidic device, governed by the pressure induced by the secreted sweat, enhances sweat sampling and electrochemical detection via a defined sweat collection chamber and a directed sweat route. The characteristic of the sweat rate sensor is validated through a theoretical simulation, and the precision and accuracy of the flow rate is verified with a commercial syringe pump and a Macroduct sweat collector. On-body simultaneous monitoring of ion (H + , Na + , K + , Cl - ) concentration and sweat rate is also demonstrated for sensor functionality. This sweat sensing patch provides an integrated platform for a comprehensive sweat secretion analysis and facilitates physiological and clinical investigations by closely monitoring interrelated sweat parameters.

  13. Streaming potentials in gramicidin channels measured with ion-selective microelectrodes.

    PubMed Central

    Tripathi, S; Hladky, S B

    1998-01-01

    Streaming potentials have been measured for gramicidin channels with a new method employing ion-selective microelectrodes. It is shown that ideally ion-selective electrodes placed at the membrane surface record the true streaming potential. Using this method for ion concentrations below 100 mM, approximately seven water molecules are transported whenever a sodium, potassium, or cesium ion, passes through the channel. This new method confirms earlier measurements (Rosenberg, P.A., and A. Finkelstein. 1978. Interaction of ions and water in gramicidin A channels. J. Gen. Physiol. 72:327-340) in which the streaming potentials were calculated as the difference between electrical potentials measured in the presence of gramicidin and in the presence of the ion carriers valinomycin and nonactin. PMID:9635745

  14. CALUTRON RECEIVERS

    DOEpatents

    Schmidt, F.H.; Stone, K.F.

    1958-09-01

    S>This patent relates to improvements in calutron devices and, more specifically, describes a receiver fer collecting the ion curreot after it is formed into a beam of non-homogeneous isotropic cross-section. The invention embodies a calutron receiver having an ion receiving pocket for separately collecting and retaining ions traveling in a selected portion of the ion beam and anelectrode for intercepting ions traveling in another selected pontion of the ion beam. The electrode is disposed so as to fix the limit of one side of the pontion of the ion beam admitted iato the ion receiving pocket.

  15. Tuning the Solid Electrolyte Interphase for Selective Li- and Na-Ion Storage in Hard Carbon

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Soto, Fernando A.; Yan, Pengfei; Engelhard, Mark H.

    Solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) with controllable properties are highly desirable to improve battery performance. In this paper, we use a combined experimental and simulation approach to study the SEI formation on hard carbon in Li and Na-ion batteries. We show that with proper additives, stable SEI can be formed on hard carbon by pre-cycling the electrode materials in Li or Na-ion electrolyte. Detailed mechanistic studies suggest that the ion transport in the SEI layer is kinetically controlled and can be tuned by the applied voltage. Selective Na and Li-ion SEI membranes are produced using the Na or Li-ion based electrolytes respectively.more » The large Na ion SEI allows easy transport of Li ions, while the small Li ion SEI shuts off the Na-ion transport. Na-ion storage can be manipulated by tuning the SEI with film-forming electrolyte additives or preforming a SEI on the electrodes’ surface. The Na specific capacity can be controlled to <25 mAh/g, ~1/10 of the normal capacity (250 mAh/g). Unusual selective/preferential transport of Li-ion is demonstrated by preforming a SEI on the electrode’s surface and corroborated with a mixed electrolyte. This work may provide new guidance for preparing good ion selective conductors using electrochemical approaches in the future.« less

  16. Graphene/TiO2 nanocomposite based solid-phase extraction and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry for lipidomic profiling of avocado (Persea americana Mill.).

    PubMed

    Shen, Qing; Yang, Mei; Li, Linqiu; Cheung, Hon-Yeung

    2014-12-10

    Phospholipids possess important physiological, structural and nutritional functions in biological systems. This study described a solid-phase extraction (SPE) method, employing graphene and titanium dioxide (G/TiO2) nanocomposite as sorbent, for the selective isolation and enrichment of phospholipids from avocado (Persea americana Mill.). Based on the principal that the phosphoryl group in the phospholipid can interact with TiO2 via a bridging bidentate mode, an optimum condition was established for SPE, and was successfully applied to prepare avocado samples. The extracts were monitored by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight/tandem mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS) in both positive-ion and negative-ion modes. Results showed that phospholipids could be efficiently extracted in a clean manner by G/TiO2 based SPE. In addition, the signals of phospholipids were enhanced while the noise was reduced. Some minor peaks became more obvious. In conclusion, the nanocomposite material of G/TiO2 was proved to be a promising sorbent for selective separation of phospholipids from crude lipid extract. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Spirolactone and spirothiolactone rhodamine-pyrene probes for detection of Hg2 + with different sensing properties and its application in living cells

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rui, Qing-Qing; Zhou, Yi; Fang, Yuan; Yao, Cheng

    2016-04-01

    Two new rhodamine B-based fluorescent probes PyRbS and PyRbO containing pyrene moiety were designed and synthesized. Both of the probes showed colorimetric and fluorometric sensing abilities for Hg2 + with high selectivity over other metal ions. The binding analysis using Job's plot suggested 1:1 stoichiometry for the complexes formed for Hg2 +. Compared with PyRbO, the PyRbS showed higher selectivity and sensitivity due to the thiophilic property of Hg2 + ion. The PyRbS exhibited the linear fluorescence quenching to Hg2 + in the range of 0.3 to 4.8 μM (λex = 365 nm) and 0.3 to 5.4 μM (λex = 515 nm), and the detection limit was 0.72 μM. Moreover, ratiometric changes of PyRbS with Hg2 + in absorption spectrum were observed, which could not be obtained in the combination of PyRbO with Hg2 +. In addition, the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay demonstrated that RbPyS had low cytotoxicity and was successfully used to monitor intracellular Hg2 + levels in living cells.

  18. Protein-Coupled Fluorescent Probe To Visualize Potassium Ion Transition on Cellular Membranes.

    PubMed

    Hirata, Tomoya; Terai, Takuya; Yamamura, Hisao; Shimonishi, Manabu; Komatsu, Toru; Hanaoka, Kenjiro; Ueno, Tasuku; Imaizumi, Yuji; Nagano, Tetsuo; Urano, Yasuteru

    2016-03-01

    K(+) is the most abundant metal ion in cells, and changes of [K(+)] around cell membranes play important roles in physiological events. However, there is no practical method to selectively visualize [K(+)] at the surface of cells. To address this issue, we have developed a protein-coupled fluorescent probe for K(+), TLSHalo. TLSHalo is responsive to [K(+)] in the physiological range, with good selectivity over Na(+) and retains its K(+)-sensing properties after covalent conjugation with HaloTag protein. By using cells expressing HaloTag on the plasma membrane, we successfully directed TLSHalo specifically to the outer surface of target cells. This enabled us to visualize localized extracellular [K(+)] change with TLSHalo under a fluorescence microscope in real time. To confirm the experimental value of this system, we used TLSHalo to monitor extracellular [K(+)] change induced by K(+) ionophores or by activation of a native Ca(2+)-dependent K(+) channel (BK channel). Further, we show that K(+) efflux via BK channel induced by electrical stimulation at the bottom surface of the cells can be visualized with TLSHalo by means of total internal reflection fluorescence microscope (TIRFM) imaging. Our methodology should be useful to analyze physiological K(+) dynamics with high spatiotemporal resolution.

  19. A simple and selective method for the measurement of azadirachtin and related azadirachtoid levels in fruits and vegetables using liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Sarais, Giorgia; Caboni, Pierluigi; Sarritzu, Erika; Russo, Mariateresa; Cabras, Paolo

    2008-05-14

    Neem-based insecticides containing azadirachtin and related azadirachtoids are widely used in agriculture. Here, we report an analytical method for the rapid and accurate quantification of the insecticide azadirachtin A and B and other azadirachtoids such as salannin, nimbin, and their deacetylated analogues on tomatoes and peaches. Azadirachtoids were extracted from fruits and vegetables with acetonitrile. Using high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometer, azadirachtoids were selectively detected monitoring the multiple reaction transitions of sodium adduct precursor ions. For azadirachtin A, calibration was linear over a working range of 1-1000 microg/L with r > 0.996. The limit of detection and limit of quantification for azadirachtin A were 0.4 and 0.8 microg/kg, respectively. The presence of interfering compounds in the peach and tomato extracts was evaluated and found to be minimal. Because of the linear behavior, it was concluded that the multiple reaction transitions of sodium adduct ions can be used for analytical purposes, that is, for the identification and quantification of azadirachtin A and B and related azadirachtoids in fruit and vegetable extracts at trace levels.

  20. Isolation of site-specific anharmonicities of individual water molecules in the I-·(H2O)2 complex using tag-free, isotopomer selective IR-IR double resonance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yang, Nan; Duong, Chinh H.; Kelleher, Patrick J.; Johnson, Mark A.; McCoy, Anne B.

    2017-12-01

    We reveal the microscopic mechanics of iodide ion microhydration by recording the isotopomer-selective vibrational spectra of the I-·(H2O)·(D2O), I-·(HOD)·(D2O), and I-·(DOH)·(H2O) isotopologues using a new class of ion spectrometer that is optimized to carry out two-color, IR-IR photodissociation in a variety of pump-probe schemes. Using one of these, we record the linear absorption spectrum of a cryogenically cooled cluster without the use of a messenger ;tag;. In another protocol, we reveal the spectra of individual H2O and D2O molecules embedded in each of the two possible binding sites in the iodide dihydrate, as well as the bands due to individual OH and OD groups in each of the four local binding environments. Finally, we demonstrate how temperature dependent isotopic scrambling among the spectral features can be used to monitor the onset of large amplitude motion, heretofore inferred from changes in the envelope of the OH stretching vibrational manifold.

  1. Development of LC-MS determination method and back-propagation ANN pharmacokinetic model of corynoxeine in rat.

    PubMed

    Ma, Jianshe; Cai, Jinzhang; Lin, Guanyang; Chen, Huilin; Wang, Xianqin; Wang, Xianchuan; Hu, Lufeng

    2014-05-15

    Corynoxeine(CX), isolated from the extract of Uncaria rhynchophylla, is a useful and prospective compound in the prevention and treatment for vascular diseases. A simple and selective liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method was developed to determine the concentration of CX in rat plasma. The chromatographic separation was achieved on a Zorbax SB-C18 (2.1 mm × 150 mm, 5 μm) column with acetonitrile-0.1% formic acid in water as mobile phase. Selective ion monitoring (SIM) mode was used for quantification using target ions m/z 383 for CX and m/z 237 for the carbamazepine (IS). After the LC-MS method was validated, it was applied to a back-propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN) pharmacokinetic model study of CX in rats. The results showed that after intravenous administration of CX, it was mainly distributed in blood and eliminated quickly, t1/2 was less than 1h. The predicted concentrations generated by BP-ANN model had a high correlation coefficient (R>0.99) with experimental values. The developed BP-ANN pharmacokinetic model can be used to predict the concentration of CX in rats. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Production of intense negative hydrogen beams with polarized nuclei by selective neutralization of cold negative ions

    DOEpatents

    Hershcovitch, A.

    1984-02-13

    A process for selectively neutralizing H/sup -/ ions in a magnetic field to produce an intense negative hydrogen ion beam with spin polarized protons. Characteristic features of the process include providing a multi-ampere beam of H/sup -/ ions that are

  3. Simultaneous determination of three major lignans in rat plasma by LC-MS/MS and its application to a pharmacokinetic study after oral administration of Diphylleia sinensis extract.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Chengliang; Zhang, Nan; He, Weiyan; Li, Rui; Shi, Dan; Pang, Li; Dong, Ning; Xu, Hong; Ji, Honglei

    2014-04-01

    A sensitive and selective liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of three major lignans (podophyllotoxin, epipodophyllotoxin, and 4'-demethylpodophyllotoxin) in rat plasma using diphenhydramine as the internal standard. The analytes were detected using a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer that was equipped with an electrospray ionization source in the positive ion and selected reaction monitoring modes. The linearity of the calibration curve was good, with coefficients of determination (r(2) ) >0.9914 for all of the analytes. The developed method was successfully applied for the simultaneous determination of the three lignans in rat plasma following oral administration of Diphylleia sinensis extract to rats. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  4. A rhodamine chromene-based turn-on fluorescence probe for selectively imaging Cu2+ in living cell

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Wei-Yong; Li, Hai-Ying; Lv, Hong-Shui; Zhao, Bao-Xiang; Miao, Jun-Ying

    We describe the development of a rhodamine chromene-based turn-on fluorescence probe to monitor the intracellular Cu2+ level in living cells. The new fluorescent probe with a chlorine group in chromene moiety exhibits good membrane-permeable property than previous reported because the predicted lipophilicity of present probe 4 is stronger than that of methoxyl substituted probe in our previous work (CLogP of 4: 8.313, CLogP of methoxyl substituted probe: 7.706), and a fluorescence response toward Cu2+ under physiological conditions with high sensitivity and selectivity, and facilitates naked-eye detection of Cu2+. The fluorescence intensity was remarkably increased upon the addition of Cu2+ within 1 or 2 min, while the other sixteen metal ions caused no significant effect.

  5. Biona-C Cell Culture pH Monitoring System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Friedericks, C.

    1999-01-01

    Sensors 2000! is developing a system to demonstrate the ability to perform accurate, real-time measurements of pH and CO2 in a cell culture media in Space. The BIONA-C Cell Culture pH Monitoring System consists of S2K! developed ion selective sensors and control electronics integrated with the fluidics of a cell culture system. The integrated system comprises a "rail" in the Cell Culture Module (CCM) of WRAIR (Space Biosciences of Walter Read Army Institute of Research). The CCM is a Space Shuttle mid-deck locker experiment payload. The BIONA-C is displayed along with associated graphics and text explanations. The presentation will stimulate interest in development of sensor technology for real-time cell culture measurements. The transfer of this technology to other applications will also be of interest. Additional information is contained in the original document.

  6. Protein turnover measurement using selected reaction monitoring-mass spectrometry (SRM-MS)

    PubMed Central

    Holman, Stephen W.; Hammond, Dean E.; Simpson, Deborah M.; Waters, John; Hurst, Jane L.

    2016-01-01

    Protein turnover represents an important mechanism in the functioning of cells, with deregulated synthesis and degradation of proteins implicated in many diseased states. Therefore, proteomics strategies to measure turnover rates with high confidence are of vital importance to understanding many biological processes. In this study, the more widely used approach of non-targeted precursor ion signal intensity (MS1) quantification is compared with selected reaction monitoring (SRM), a data acquisition strategy that records data for specific peptides, to determine if improved quantitative data would be obtained using a targeted quantification approach. Using mouse liver as a model system, turnover measurement of four tricarboxylic acid cycle proteins was performed using both MS1 and SRM quantification strategies. SRM outperformed MS1 in terms of sensitivity and selectivity of measurement, allowing more confident determination of protein turnover rates. SRM data are acquired using cheaper and more widely available tandem quadrupole mass spectrometers, making the approach accessible to a larger number of researchers than MS1 quantification, which is best performed on high mass resolution instruments. SRM acquisition is ideally suited to focused studies where the turnover of tens of proteins is measured, making it applicable in determining the dynamics of proteins complexes and complete metabolic pathways. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Quantitative mass spectrometry’. PMID:27644981

  7. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry comprehensive analysis of organophosphorus, brominated flame retardants, by-products and formulation intermediates in water.

    PubMed

    Cristale, Joyce; Quintana, Jordi; Chaler, Roser; Ventura, Francesc; Lacorte, Silvia

    2012-06-08

    A multiresidue method based on gas chromatography coupled to quadrupole mass spectrometry was developed to determine organophosphorus flame retardants, polybromodiphenyl ethers (BDEs 28, 47, 99, 100, 153, 154, 183 and 209), new brominated flame retardants, bromophenols, bromoanilines, bromotoluenes and bromoanisoles in water. Two ionization techniques (electron ionization--EI, and electron capture negative ionization--ECNI) and two acquisition modes (selected ion monitoring--SIM, and selected reaction monitoring--SRM) were compared as regards to mass spectral characterization, sensitivity and quantification capabilities. The highest sensitivity, at expenses of identification capacity, was obtained by GC-ECNI-MS/SIM for most of the compounds analyzed, mainly for PBDEs and decabromodiphenyl ethane while GC-EI-MS/MS in SRM was the most selective technique and permitted the identification of target compounds at the pg level, and identification capabilities increased when real samples were analyzed. This method was further used to evaluate the presence and behavior of flame retardants within a drinking water treatment facility. Organophosphorus flame retardants were the only compounds detected in influent waters at levels of 0.32-0.03 μg L⁻¹, and their elimination throughout the different treatment stages was evaluated. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Online monitoring of chemical reactions by polarization-induced electrospray ionization.

    PubMed

    Meher, Anil Kumar; Chen, Yu-Chie

    2016-09-21

    Polarization-induced electrospray ionization (PI-ESI) is a simple technique for instant generation of gas-phase ions directly from a microliter-sized droplet for mass spectrometric analysis. A sample droplet was placed over a dielectric substrate and in proximity (2-3 mm) to the inlet of a mass spectrometer. Owing to the polarization effect induced by the high electric field provided by the mass spectrometer, the droplet was polarized and the electrospray was generated from the apex of the droplet. The polarization-induced electrospray could last for tens of seconds, which was sufficiently long to monitor fast reactions occurring within few seconds. Thus, we demonstrated the feasibility of using the droplet-based PI-ESI MS for the online monitoring of fast reactions by simply mixing two droplets (5-10 μL) containing reactants on a dielectric substrate placed in front of a mass spectrometer applied with a high voltage (-4500 V). Schiff base reactions and oxidation reactions that can generate intermediates/products within a few seconds were selected as the model reactions. The ionic reaction species generated from intermediates and products can be simultaneously monitored by PI-ESI MS in real time. We also used this approach to selectively detect acetone from a urine sample, in which acetone was derivatized in situ. In addition, the possibility of using this approach for quantitative analysis of acetone from urine samples was examined. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. [Biological monitoring of occupational exposure to sevoflurane].

    PubMed

    Imbriani, M; Zadra, P; Negri, S; Alessio, A; Maestri, L; Ghittori, S

    2001-01-01

    Sevoflurane has been used in the last few years in brief surgical operations, either alone or in combination with nitrous oxide. Occupationally exposed groups include anesthesiologists, surgeons and operating room nurses. In 1977 the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommended that occupational exposure to halogenated anesthetic agents (halothane, enflurane, and isoflurane), when used as the sole anesthetic, should be controlled so that no worker would be exposed to time-weighted average concentrations greater than 2 ppm during anesthetic administration. When halogenated anesthetics are associated with nitrous oxide, NIOSH recommends that the limit value should not exceed 0.5 ppm. We think these recommendations can be extended to sevoflurane. Metabolism of sevoflurane is catalyzed by cytochrome P-450; this involves oxidation of the fluoromethyl side chain of the molecule, followed by glucuronidation. Two urinary metabolites of sevoflurane have been identified: inorganic fluoride (which, however, is not specific) and a non-volatile compound that yields hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP) when digested with the enzyme beta-glucuronidase. In order to investigate the role of urinary HFIP as an indicator of occupational exposure to sevoflurane (CI, ppm), CI was measured in 145 members of 18 operating room staffs. The measurements of the time-weighted average of CI in the breathing zone were made by means of diffusive personal samplers. Each sampler was exposed during the whole working period. Sevoflurane was desorbed with CS2 from charcoal and the concentrations were measured on a gas chromatograph (GC) equipped with a mass selective detector (MSD). The GC was equipped with a 25 meter cross-linked phenylmethylsilicon column (internal diameter 0.2 mm). GC conditions were as follows: injector column temperature = 200 degrees C; column temperature = 30 degrees C; carrier gas = helium; injection technique of samples = splitless. The analytical conditions for the MSD were the following: ion mass monitored = 131 m/e; dwell time = 50 msec; selected ion monitoring window time = 0.1 amu; electromultiplier = 400 V. Urine samples were collected near the end of the shift and were analyzed for HFIP by head-space gas chromatography after glucuronide hydrolysis. 0.5 ml of urine and 1.5 ml of 10 M sulfuric acid were added to 21.8 ml headspace vials. The vials were immediately capped, vortexed, and loaded into the headspace autosampler. Samples were maintained at 100 degrees C for 30 min, after which glucuronide hydrolysis was 99% complete. Analyses were performed on a GC equipped with a MSD. The analytical conditions for urine analysis were as follows: cross-linked 5% phenylmethylsilicon column (internal diameter 0.2 mm, length 25 m); column temperature = 35 degrees C; carrier gas = helium. The analytical conditions for the MSD were: monitored ions = 51.05 and 99; dwell time = 100 ms; selected ion monitoring window time = 0.1 amu; electromultiplier voltage = 2000 Volt. With our analytical procedure, the detection limit of HFIP in urine was 20 micrograms/L. The variation coefficient (CV) for HFIP measurement in urine was 8.7% (on 10 determinations; mean value = 1000 micrograms/L). The median value of CI was 0.77 ppm (Geometric Standard Deviation = 4.08; range = 0.05-27.9 ppm). The correlation between CI and HFIP (Cu, microgram/L) was: Log Cu (microgram/L) = 0.813 x Log CI (ppm) + 2.517 (r = 0.79, n = 145, p < 0.0001). On the basis of the equation it was possible to establish tentatively the biological limit values corresponding to the respective occupational exposure limit values proposed for sevoflurane. According to our experimental results, HFIP values of 488 micrograms/L and 160 micrograms/L correspond to airborne sevoflurane concentrations of 2 and 0.5 ppm respectively.

  10. Fragmentation of DNA components by hyperthermal heavy ion (Ar+ and Xe+) impact in the condensed phase

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sarabipour, Sarvenaz; Sarvenaz Sarabipour, Ms; Michaud, Marc; Deng, Zongwu; Huels, Michael A.

    The overriding environmental factor that presently limits human endeavors in space is exposure to heavy ion radiation. While knowledge of its damage to living tissue is essential for radiation protection and risk estimates for astronauts, very little data exists at the molecular level regarding the nascent DNA damage by the primary particle track, or by secondary species during subsequent reaction cascades. This persistent lack of a basic understanding of nascent damage induced by such low dose, high LET radiation, introduces unacceptable errors in radiation risk estimates (based mainly on extrapolation from high dose, low LET radiation), particularly for long term exposure. Mutagenic effects induced by heavy ion radiation to cells are largely due to DNA damage by secondary transient species, i.e. secondary ballistic ions, electrons and radicals generated along the ion tracks; the secondary ions have hyperthermal energies up to several 100 eV, which they will deposit within a few nm in the surrounding medium; thus their LET is very high, and yields lethal clustered DNA lesions. We present measurements of molecular damage induced in films of DNA components by ions with precisely such low energies (1-100 eV) and compare results to conventional electron impact measurements. Experiments are conducted in UHV using a mass selected low energy ion source, and a high-resolution quadrupole MS to monitor ion yields desorbing from molecular films. Among the major fragments, NH4 + is identified in the desorption mass spectra of irradiated films of Adenine, Guanine, Cytosine, indicating efficient deamination; in cells this results in pre-mutagenic lesions. Experiments with 5-amino-Uracil, and comparison to previous results on uracil and thymine show that deamination is a key step in the NH4 + fragment formation. For Adenine, we also observe formation of amine aducts in the films, viz. amination of Adenine, and global fragmentation in all ion impact mass spectra, attributed mainly to kinetic & potential ion scattering.[Funded by NSERC and the Canadian Space Agency].

  11. The last large pelletron accelerator of the Herb era

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chopra, S.; Narayanan, M. M.; Joshi, R.

    1999-04-26

    Prof. Ray Herb pioneered the concept and design of the tandem Pelletron accelerator in the late sixties at NEC. The 15UD Pelletron at Nuclear Science Centre (NSC), upgraded for 16MV operation using compressed geometry accelerating tubes is the last such large Pelletron. It has unique features like offset and matching quadrupoles after the stripper for charge state selection inside the high voltage terminal and consequently the option of further stripping the ion species of the selected charge states at high energy dead section, and elaborate pulsing system in the pre-acceleration region consisting of a beam chopper, a travelling wave deflector,more » a light ion buncher (1-80 amu) and a heavy ion buncher (>80 amu). NSC was established as a heavy ion accelerator based inter university centre in 1985. It became operational in July 1991 to cater to the research requirements of a large user community which at present includes about fifty universities, twenty-eight colleges and a dozen other academic institutes and research laboratories. The number of users in Materials and allied sciences is about 500. Various important modifications have been made to improve the performance of the accelerator in the last seven years. These include replacement of the corona voltage grading system by a resistor based one, a pick-up loop to monitor charging system performance, conversion from basic double unit structure to singlet, installation of a spiral cavity based phase detector system with post-accelerator stripper after the analyzing magnet, and a high efficiency multi harmonic buncher. Installation of a turbo pump based stripper gas recirculation system in the terminal is also planned. A brief description of utilization of the machine will be given.« less

  12. A selective potentiometric copper (II) ion sensor based on the functionalized ZnO nanorods.

    PubMed

    Khun, K; Ibupoto, Z H; Liu, X; Nur, O; Willander, M; Danielsson, B

    2014-09-01

    In this work, ZnO nanorods were hydrothermally grown on the gold-coated glass substrate and characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The ZnO nanorods were functionalized by two different approaches and performance of the sensor electrode was monitored. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was carried out for the confirmation of interaction between the ionophore molecules and ZnO nanorods. In addition to this, the surface of the electrode was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showing the chemical and electronic state of the ionophore and ZnO nanorod components. The ionophore solution was prepared in the stabilizer, poly vinyl chloride (PVC) and additives, and then functionalized on the ZnO nanorods that have shown the Nernstian response with the slope of 31 mV/decade. However, the Cu2+ ion sensor was fabricated only by immobilizing the selective copper ion ionophore membrane without the use of PVC, plasticizers, additives and stabilizers and the sensor electrode showed a linear potentiometric response with a slope of 56.4 mV/decade within a large dynamic concentration range (from 1.0 x 10(-6) to 1.0 x 10(-1) M) of copper (II) nitrate solutions. The sensor showed excellent repeatability and reproducibility with response time of less than 10 s. The negligible response to potentially interfering metal ions such as calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), potassium (K+), iron (Fe3+), zinc (Zn2+), and sodium (Na+) allows this sensor to be used in biological studies. It may also be used as an indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration.

  13. Detection of Ketones by a Novel Technology: Dipolar Proton Transfer Reaction Mass Spectrometry (DP-PTR-MS)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pan, Yue; Zhang, Qiangling; Zhou, Wenzhao; Zou, Xue; Wang, Hongmei; Huang, Chaoqun; Shen, Chengyin; Chu, Yannan

    2017-05-01

    Proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) has played an important role in the field of real-time monitoring of trace volatile organic compounds (VOCs) due to its advantages such as low limit of detection (LOD) and fast time response. Recently, a new technology of proton extraction reaction mass spectrometry (PER-MS) with negative ions OH- as the reagent ions has also been presented, which can be applied to the detection of VOCs and even inorganic compounds. In this work, we combined the functions of PTR-MS and PER-MS in one instrument, thereby developing a novel technology called dipolar proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (DP-PTR-MS). The selection of PTR-MS mode and PER-MS mode was achieved in DP-PTR-MS using only water vapor in the ion source and switching the polarity. In this experiment, ketones (denoted by M) were selected as analytes. The ketone (molecular weight denoted by m) was ionized as protonated ketone [M + H]+ [mass-to-charge ratio ( m/z) m + 1] in PTR-MS mode and deprotonated ketone [M - H]- ( m/z m - 1) in PER-MS mode. By comparing the m/z value of the product ions in the two modes, the molecular weight of the ketone can be positively identified as m. Results showed that whether it is a single ketone sample or a mixed sample of eight kinds of ketones, the molecular weights can be detected with DP-PTR-MS. The newly developed DP-PTR-MS not only maintains the original advantages of PTR-MS and PER-MS in sensitive and rapid detection of ketones, but also can estimate molecular weight of ketones.

  14. A high flux source of swift oxygen atoms

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fink, M.; Kohl, D. A.; Keto, J. W.; Antoniewicz, P.

    1987-01-01

    A source of swift oxygen atoms is described which has several unique features. A high current ion beam is produced by a microwave discharge, accelerated to 10 keV and the mass selected by a modified Du Pont 21-110 mass spectrometer. The O(+) beam exciting the mass spectrometer is focused into a rectangular shape with an energy spread of less than 1 eV. The next section of the machine decelerates the ion beam into a counterpropagating electron beam in order to minimize space charge effects. After deceleration, the ion beam intersects at 90 deg, a neutral oxygen atom beam, which via resonant charge exchange produces a mixture of O(+) and O. Any remaining O(+) are swept out of the beam by an electric field and differentially pumped away while the desired O beam, collimated by slits, impinges on the target. In situ monitoring of the target surface is done by X-ray photoelectron or Auger spectroscopy. Faraday cups provide flux measurements in the ion sections while the neutral flux is determined by a special torsion balance or by a quadrupole mass spectrometer specially adapted for swift atoms. While the vacuum from the source through the mass spectrometer is maintained by diffusion pumps, the rest of the machine is UHV.

  15. Paper Spray Mass Spectrometry for the Forensic Analysis of Black Ballpoint Pen Inks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Amador, Victoria Silva; Pereira, Hebert Vinicius; Sena, Marcelo Martins; Augusti, Rodinei; Piccin, Evandro

    2017-09-01

    This article describes the use of paper spray mass spectrometry (PS-MS) for the direct analysis of black ink writings made with ballpoint pens. The novel approach was developed in a forensic context by first performing the classification of commercially available ballpoint pens according to their brands. Six of the most commonly worldwide utilized brands (Bic, Paper Mate, Faber Castell, Pentel, Compactor, and Pilot) were differentiated according to their characteristic chemical patterns obtained by PS-MS. MS on the negative ion mode at a mass range of m/ z 100-1000 allowed prompt discrimination just by visual inspection. On the other hand, the concept of relative ion intensity (RII) and the analysis at other mass ranges were necessary for the differentiation using the positive ion mode. PS-MS combined with partial least squares (PLS) was utilized to monitor changes on the ink chemical composition after light exposure (artificial aging studies). The PLS model was optimized by variable selection, which allowed the identification of the most influencing ions on the degradation process. The feasibility of the method on forensic investigations was also demonstrated in three different applications: (1) analysis of overlapped fresh ink lines, (2) analysis of old inks from archived documents, and (3) detection of alterations (simulated forgeries) performed on archived documents. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  16. Lipid bilayers suspended on microfabricated supports

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ogier, Simon D.; Bushby, Richard J.; Cheng, Yaling; Cox, Tim I.; Evans, Stephen D.; Knowles, Peter F.; Miles, Robert E.; Pattison, Ian

    2001-03-01

    The plasma membrane, that exists as part of many animal and plant cells, is a regulator for the transport of ions and small molecules across cell boundaries. Two main components involved are the phospholipid bilayer and the transport proteins. This paper details the construction of a micromachined support for bilayers (MSB) as a first step towards the development of highly selective and highly sensitive ion-channel based biosensors. The device consists of a ~100 micrometer hole in a polymeric support above a cavity that can hold ~25 nL of electrolyte. Electrodes attached to the structure allow the resistance of the membranes to be measured using d.c. conductivity. The MSB is made in two halves, using SU8 ultra-thick resist, which are subsequently bonded together to make the final structure. A layer of gold, surrounding the aperture, enables self-assembled monolayers of alkanethiols to be used to make the polymeric structure biocompatible. Lipid membranes have been formed over these holes with resistances comparable with those of natural membranes >10 MOhmcm^2. The ion-channel gramicidin has successfully been incorporated into the bilayer and its activity monitored. It is proposed that this type of device could be used not only for studying membrane transport phenomena but also as part of an ion-channel based biosensor.

  17. Diagnostic ion filtering to characterize ginseng saponins by rapid liquid chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Qi, Lian-Wen; Wang, Huai-You; Zhang, Hui; Wang, Chong-Zhi; Li, Ping; Yuan, Chun-Su

    2012-03-23

    As one of the most commonly used medicinal plants, ginseng has been an attractive model herb for study. A wide range of analytical methods has been used to characterize its constituents. However, less effort has been devoted to the rare ginseng saponins, especially their isomers and sugar linkages. In this study, we used segmental monitoring and diagnostic ion filtering to characterize ginseng saponins by rapid liquid chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-TOF-MS). By using selected diagnostic ions, specific groups of ginseng saponins were readily extracted from the complicated matrix. 20(R) and 20(S) stereo-saponins were differentiated using the peak abundance ratio of [M-H(2)O+H](+) to [M-2H(2)O+H](+). The fragmentation behavior of ginsenosides was first reported in negative ion mode by MS/MS with high-energy collision-induced dissociation, producing rules to determine sugar numbers, positions and linkages. Using the rules, we identified and compared the nontarget ginseng saponin profiling of raw and steamed American ginseng roots and berries. We characterized 70 saponins in the samples. Our strategy can be extended to screen and characterize other rare ginseng saponins and their metabolites. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Establishment of a Charge Reversal Derivatization Strategy to Improve the Ionization Efficiency of Limaprost and Investigation of the Fragmentation Patterns of Limaprost Derivatives Via Exclusive Neutral Loss and Survival Yield Method

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, Dong; Meng, Xiangjun; Ren, Tianming; Fawcett, John Paul; Wang, Hualu; Gu, Jingkai

    2018-04-01

    Sensitivity is generally an issue in bioassays of prostaglandins and their synthetic analogs due to their extremely low concentration in vivo. To improve the ionization efficiency of limaprost, an oral prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) synthetic analog, we investigated a charge reversal derivatization strategy in electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). We established that the cholamine derivative exhibits much greater signal intensity in the positive-ion mode compared with limaprost in the negative ion mode. Collision-induced dissociation (CID) involved exclusive neutral mass loss and positive charge migration to form stable cationic product ions with the positive charge on the limaprost residue rather than on the modifying group. This has the effect of maintaining the efficiency and specificity of multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) and avoiding cross talk. CID fragmentation patterns of other limaprost derivatives allowed us to relate the dissociation tendency of different neutral leaving groups to an internal energy distribution scale based on the survival yield method. Knowledge of the energy involved in the production of stabilized positive ions will potentially assist the selection of suitable derivatization reagents for the analysis of a wide variety of lipid acids. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  19. Apparatus and method for automated monitoring of airborne bacterial spores

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ponce, Adrian (Inventor)

    2009-01-01

    An apparatus and method for automated monitoring of airborne bacterial spores. The apparatus is provided with an air sampler, a surface for capturing airborne spores, a thermal lysis unit to release DPA from bacterial spores, a source of lanthanide ions, and a spectrometer for excitation and detection of the characteristic fluorescence of the aromatic molecules in bacterial spores complexed with lanthanide ions. In accordance with the method: computer-programmed steps allow for automation of the apparatus for the monitoring of airborne bacterial spores.

  20. Electric current density imaging of tablet dissolution.

    PubMed

    Mikac, Ursa; Demsar, Alojz; Sersa, Igor; Demsar, Franci

    2002-01-01

    The Electric current density imaging technique (CDI) was used to monitor the dissolution of and ion migration from tablets of different acids in agar-agar gel. Conventional MRI cannot monitor these processes, since it can only show changes in the size of the tablet during the dissolving process. CDI traces the dissolved ions thanks to changes in conductivity.

  1. Perchlorate Removal, Destruction, and Field Monitoring Demonstration

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-10-02

    ion exchange unit. A pulsation dampener minimized pressure and flow fluctuations in the ion exchange system and a flow totalizer monitored total...instrumentation and controls, piping , electrical services, site work, service facilities, engineering, construction expenses, and other indirect costs were... Piping 113,750 157,500 Electrical services 48,750 67,500 Site work 65,000 90,000

  2. Ratiometric and turn-on monitoring for heavy and transition metal ions in aqueous solution with a fluorescent peptide sensor.

    PubMed

    Joshi, Bishnu Prasad; Park, Junwon; Lee, Wan In; Lee, Keun-Hyeung

    2009-05-15

    A novel fluorescent peptide sensor containing tryptophan (donor) and dansyl fluorophore (acceptor) was synthesized for monitoring heavy and transition metal (HTM) ions on the basis of metal ion binding motif (Cys-X-X-X-Cys). The peptide probe successfully exhibited a turn on and ratiometric response for several heavy metal ions such as Hg(2+), Cd(2+), Pb(2+), Zn(2+), and Ag(+) in aqueous solution. The enhancements of emission intensity were achieved in the presence of the HTM ions by fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET) and chelation enhanced fluorescence (CHEF) effects. The detection limits of the sensor for Cd(2+), Pb(2+), Zn(2+), and Ag(+) were lower than the EPA's drinking water maximum contaminant levels (MCL). We described the fluorescent enhancement, binding affinity, and detection limit of the peptide probe for HTM ions.

  3. Kinetic Studies with Ion Selective Electrodes: Determination of Creatinine in Urine with a Picrate Ion Selective Electrode: A Laboratory Experiment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Diamandis, E. P.; And Others

    1983-01-01

    The kinetic of the Jaffe reaction with picrate ion selective electrode (ISE) and a kinetic method for determining creatinine in urine is presented. The experiment could be used to familarize students with the application of ISE in kinetic studies and chemical analysis. (Author/JN)

  4. An Easily Constructed Salicylate-Ion-Selective Electrode for Use in the Instructional Laboratory.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Creager, Stephen E.; And Others

    1995-01-01

    Describes an electrode, selective for the salicylate ion, that can be prepared and used by undergraduate students. Discusses the preparation of the electrode, typical response characteristics obtained, and results of a limited study using the electrode to estimate the selectivity coefficient for an interfering ion and to determine the amount of…

  5. Multiresidue method for the determination of 77 pesticides in wine using QuEChERS sample preparation and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Y; Li, X; Xu, J; Pan, C; Zhang, J; Niu, W

    2009-06-01

    A method based on a QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, safe) sample preparation method and gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection by selected ion monitoring (GC/MS-SIM) was developed for simultaneous determination of 77 pesticide residues in wine. An extraction of 10 ml of sample with acetonitrile followed by liquid-liquid partition formed by the addition of 4 g MgSO(4) and 3 g NaCl was applied in the sample preparation. The clean-up was carried out by applying dispersive solid-phase with 150 mg MgSO(4) as well as 50 mg primary secondary amine (PSA). One quantitation ion and at least two identification ions were selected in the analytical method for each pesticide compound by GC/MS. The recovery data were obtained by spiking blank samples at two concentration levels (0.05 and 0.2 mg l(-1)). The recoveries of all pesticides were in the range 70-110%, with intra-day precision of less than 15%, and the inter-day precision of less than 22% and 15% for 0.05 and 0.2 mg l(-1) fortification levels, respectively. Linearity was between 0.02 and 2 mg l(-1) with determination coefficients (R(2)) greater than 0.98 for all compounds. The limits of quantification (LOQs) for the 77 pesticides ranged from 0.003 to 0.05 mg l(-1). This method was applied for routine analysis in market products.

  6. Characterization of Rhodamine Self-Assembled Films Using Desorption Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shi, Ruixia; Na, Na; Jiang, Fubin; Ouyang, Jin

    2013-06-01

    Growth process information and molecular structure identification are very important for characterization of self-assembled films. Here, we explore the possible application of desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) that provides the assembled information of rhodamine B (Rh B) and rhodamine 123 (Rh 123) films. With the help of lab-made DESI source, two characteristic ions [Rh B]+ and [Rh 123]+ are observed directly in the open environment. To evaluate the reliability of this technique, a comparative study of ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy and our method is carried out, and the result shows good correlation. According to the signal intensity of characteristic ions, the layer-by-layer adsorption process of dyes can be monitored, and the thicknesses of multilayer films can also be comparatively determined. Combining the high sensitivity, selectivity, and speed of mass spectrometry, the selective adsorption of similar structure molecules under different pH is recognized easily from extracted ion chronograms. The variation trend of dyes signalling intensity with concentration of polyelectrolyte is studied as well, which reflects the effect of surface charge on dyes deposition. Additionally, the desorption area, surface morphology, and thicknesses of multilayer films are investigated using fluorescence microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM), respectively. Because the desorption area was approximately as small as 2 mm2, the distribution situation of organic dyes in an arbitrary position could be gained rapidly, which means DESI-MS has advantages on in situ analysis.

  7. [Determination of acetanilide herbicide residues in tea by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with two different ionization techniques].

    PubMed

    Shen, Weijian; Xu, Jinzhong; Yang, Wenquan; Shen, Chongyu; Zhao, Zengyun; Ding, Tao; Wu, Bin

    2007-09-01

    An analytical method of solid phase extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with two different ionization techniques was established for simultaneous determination of 12 acetanilide herbicide residues in tea-leaves. Herbicides were extracted from tea-leaf samples with ethyl acetate. The extract was cleaned-up on an active carbon SPE column connected to a Florisil SPE column. Analytical screening was determined by the technique of gas chromatography (GC)-mass spectrometry (MS) in the selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode with either electron impact ionization (EI) or negative chemical ionization (NCI). It is reliable and stable that the recoveries of all herbicides were in the range from 50% to 110% at three spiked levels, 10 microg/kg, 20 microg/kg and 40 microg/kg, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) were no more than 10.9%. The two different ionization techniques are complementary as more ion fragmentation information can be obtained from the EI mode while more molecular ion information from the NCI mode. By comparison of the two techniques, the selectivity of NCI-SIM was much better than that of EI-SIM method. The sensitivities of the both techniques were high, the limit of quantitative (LOQ) for each herbicide was no more than 2.0 microg/kg, and the limit of detection (LOD) with NCI-SIM technique was much lower than that of EI-SIM when analyzing herbicides with several halogen atoms in the molecule.

  8. Ion leaching and soil solution acidification in a vadose zone under soil treated with sewage sludge for agriculture.

    PubMed

    Borba, Ricardo Perobelli; Ribeirinho, Victor Sanches; de Camargo, Otávio Antonio; de Andrade, Cristiano Alberto; Kira, Carmen Silvia; Coscione, Aline Reneé

    2018-02-01

    In this study, we performed monitoring of the soil solution (SS) over 10 years on a loamy/clayey-textured Dark Red Dystroferric Oxisol that received sewage sludge for agricultural purposes. The SS was obtained by lysimeters installed along the walls of a well at 1 m, 2 m, 3 m, 4 m and 5 m in depth. The major ions found in the SS were NO 3 - , SO 4 2- , Cl - , Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , Al 3+ , Pb 2+ , Cd 2+ and Zn 2+ , and the pH level ranged from 4 to 6.5 along the profile. Throughout the first three years of monitoring, the pH to a 3-m depth became more acidic, and in the last year, this trend reached 5 m. At the 5-m depth, the pH decreased from 6.5 to 4.5 from the first to the last monitoring. The SS acidification was provoked by both nitrite oxidation and ion leaching. The leaching of H + or the possible ion exchange/desorption of H + due to the leached cations (Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ ) at the 4-m and 5-m depth caused the pH decrease. The ionic strength (IS) of the solution controlled the ion leaching. The sludge application increased the IS to 3 m, increasing the density of the soil charges and its ability to absorb ions. After the sludge application was completed, there was a decrease in IS of the SS as well as a decrease in ion absorption and retention abilities, which promoted leaching to greater depths. During the entire monitoring process, NO 3 - , Cd and Pb remained above the potability limit. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Method for discriminative particle selection

    DOEpatents

    Post, Richard F.

    1992-01-01

    The invention is a method and means for separating ions or providing an ion beam. The invention generates ions of the isotopes to be separated, and then provides a traveling electric potential hill created by a sequential series of quasi static electric potential hills. By regulating the velocity and potential amplitude of the traveling electric potential hill ionized isotopes are selectively positively or negatively accelerated. Since the ionized isotopes have differing final velocities, the isotopes may be collected separately or used to produce an ion beam of a selected isotope.

  10. Imaging and characterization of primary and secondary radiation in ion beam therapy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Granja, Carlos; Martisikova, Maria; Jakubek, Jan; Opalka, Lukas; Gwosch, Klaus

    2016-07-01

    Imaging in ion beam therapy is an essential and increasingly significant tool for treatment planning and radiation and dose deposition verification. Efforts aim at providing precise radiation field characterization and online monitoring of radiation dose distribution. A review is given of the research and methodology of quantum-imaging, composition, spectral and directional characterization of the mixed-radiation fields in proton and light ion beam therapy developed by the IEAP CTU Prague and HIT Heidelberg group. Results include non-invasive imaging of dose deposition and primary beam online monitoring.

  11. Portable, universal, and visual ion sensing platform based on the light emitting diode-based self-referencing-ion selective field-effect transistor.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Xiaowei; Han, Yanchao; Li, Jing; Zhang, Libing; Jia, Xiaofang; Wang, Erkang

    2014-02-04

    In this work, a novel and universal ion sensing platform was presented, which enables the visual detection of various ions with high sensitivity and selectivity. Coaxial potential signals (millivolt-scale) of the sample from the self-referencing (SR) ion selective chip can be transferred into the ad620-based amplifier with an output of volt-scale potentials. The amplified voltage is high enough to drive a light emitting diode (LED), which can be used as an amplifier and indicator to report the sample information. With this double amplification device (light emitting diode-based self-referencing-ion selective field-effect transistor, LED-SR-ISFET), a tiny change of the sample concentration can be observed with a distinguishable variation of LED brightness by visual inspection. This LED-based luminescent platform provided a facile, low-cost, and rapid sensing strategy without the need of additional expensive chemiluminescence reagent and instruments. Moreover, the SR mode also endows this device excellent stability and reliability. With this innovative design, sensitive determination of K(+), H(+), and Cl(-) by the naked eye was achieved. It should also be noticed that this sensing strategy can easily be extended to other ions (or molecules) by simply integrating the corresponding ion (or molecule) selective electrode.

  12. Boric-Acid-Functional Lanthanide Metal-Organic Frameworks for Selective Ratiometric Fluorescence Detection of Fluoride Ions.

    PubMed

    Yang, Zhong-Rui; Wang, Man-Man; Wang, Xue-Sheng; Yin, Xue-Bo

    2017-02-07

    Here, we report that boric acid is used to tune the optical properties of lanthanide metal-organic frameworks (LMOFs) for dual-fluorescence emission and improves the selectivity of LMOFs for the determination of F - ions. The LMOFs are prepared with 5-boronoisophthalic acid (5-bop) and Eu 3+ ions as the precursors. Emission mechanism study indicates that 5-bop is excited with UV photons to produce its triplet state, which then excites Eu 3+ ions for their red emission. This is the general story of the antenna effect, but electron-deficient boric acid decreases the energy transfer efficiency from the triplet state of 5-bop to Eu 3+ ions, so dual emission from both 5-bop and Eu 3+ ions is efficiently excited at the single excitation of 275 nm. Moreover, boric acid is used to identify fluoride specifically as a free accessible site. The ratiometric fluorescent detection of F - ions is validated with the dual emission at single excitation. The LMOFs are very monodisperse, so the determination of aqueous F - ions is easily achieved with high selectivity and a low detection limit (2 μM). For the first time, we reveal that rational selection of functional ligands can improve the sensing efficiency of LMOFs through tuning their optical property and enhancing the selectivity toward targets.

  13. International Space Station Major Constituent Analyzer On-Orbit Performance

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gardner, Ben D.; Erwin, Phillip M.; Thoresen, Souzan; Wiedemann, Rachel; Matty, Chris

    2015-01-01

    The Major Constituent Analyzer is a mass spectrometer based system that measures the major atmospheric constituents on the International Space Station. A number of limited-life components require periodic change-out, including the ORU 02 analyzer and the ORU 08 Verification Gas Assembly. Improvements to ion pump operation and ion source tuning have improved lifetime performance of the current ORU 02 design. The most recent ORU 02 analyzer assemblies, as well as ORU 08, have operated nominally. For ORU 02, the ion source filaments and ion pump lifetime continue to be key determinants of MCA performance and logistical support. Monitoring several key parameters provides the capacity to monitor ORU health and properly anticipate end of life.

  14. A new tritium monitor design based on plasma source ion implantation technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nassar, Rafat Mohammad

    Tritium is an important isotope of hydrogen. The availability of tritium in our environment is manifest through both natural and artificial sources. Consequently, the requirement for tritium handling and usage will continue to increase in the future. An important future contributor is nuclear fusion power plants and facilities. Essential safety regulations and procedures require effective monitoring and measurements of tritium concentrations in workplaces. The unique characteristics of tritium impose an important role on the criteria for its detection and measurement. As tritium decays by the emission of soft beta particles, maximum 18 keV, it cannot be readily detected by commonly used detectors. Specially built monitors are required. Additional complications occur due to the presence of other radioactive isotopes or ambient radiation fields and because of the high diffusivity of tritium. When it is in oxidized form it is 25000 times more hazardous biologically than when in elemental form. Therefore, contamination of the monitor is expected and compound specific monitors are important. A summary is given of the various well known methods of detecting tritium-in-air. This covers the direct as well as the indirect measuring techniques, although each has been continually improved and further developed, nevertheless, each has its own limitations. Ionization chambers cannot discriminate against airborne P emitters. Proportional counters have a narrow operating range, 3-4 decades, and have poor performance in relatively high humid environments and require a dry counting gas. Liquid scintillation counters are sensitive, but inspection of the sample is slow and they produce chemical liquid waste. A new way to improve the sensitivity of detecting tritium with plastic scintillators has been developed. The technique is based on a non-line-of-sight implantation of tritium ions into a 20 mum plastic scintillator using a plasma source ion implantation (PSII) technique, This type of source is different, superior to the line-of-sight implantation and requires no additional beam handling. It is capable of implanting ion species in a broad beam configuration into the entire surface of a target. The technique requires a special ion source with special characteristics of the type obtained from a surfatron plasma source. This ion source has a large high ion density plasma with minimum contamination and produces ions of low temperature. It was constructed to ionize the sampled air and to produce a plasma over a wide range of pressure, 4-0.1 mTorr. A plasma source ion implantation cell was designed and constructed using mathematical modeling with personal computer, to optimize the essential variables of the design and to estimate the implantation rate under different operation conditions. Also, a high voltage pulse modulator was designed and constructed to produce a series of 10 musec pulses (up to 2 MHz) with a maximum magnitude of -60 kV. The developed device was capable of ionizing air samples and implanting the resulting ions into a plastic scintillator. Two different methods to enhance the collection and deposition of the tritium ions, have been proposed and assessed. A movable prototype device for monitoring environmental tritium in air has been designed and constructed. Although this prototype was not fully tested, the primary calculations have shown that measurable concentrations of tritium ions can be collected from an air sample, with tritium activity ranging from 0.3 Bq/cm3 down to 0.03 mBq/cm3, in a short time, to the order of seconds, on-line. This sensitivity fulfills the requirement for environmental monitoring.

  15. Detection of Amines and Ammonia with an Ambient Pressure Mass Spectrometer using a Corona Discharge Ion Source, in an Urban Atmosphere and in a Teflon Film Chamber

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alves, M.; Hanson, D. R.; Grieves, C.; Ortega, J. V.

    2015-12-01

    Amines and ammonia are an important group of molecules that can greatly affect atmospheric particle formation that can go on to impact cloud formation and their scattering of thermal and solar radiation, and as a result human health and ecosystems. In this study, an Ambient Pressure Mass Spectrometer (AmPMS) that is selective and sensitive to molecules with a high proton affinity, such as amines, was coupled with a newly built corona discharge ion source. AmPMS was used to monitor many different nitrogenous compound that are found in an urban atmosphere (July 2015, Minneapolis), down to the single digit pmol/mol level. Simultaneous to this, a proton transfer mass spectrometer also sampled the atmosphere through an inlet within 20 m of the AmPMS inlet. In another set of studies, a similar AmPMS was attached to a large Teflon film chamber at the Atmospheric Chemistry Division at NCAR (August 2015, Boulder). Exploratory studies are planned on the sticking of amines to the chamber walls as well as oxidizing the amine and monitoring products. Depending on the success of these studies, results will be presented on the reversability of amine partitioning and mass balance for these species in the chamber.

  16. Identification and determination of fat-soluble vitamins and metabolites in human serum by liquid chromatography/triple quadrupole mass spectrometry with multiple reaction monitoring.

    PubMed

    Priego Capote, Feliciano; Jiménez, José Ruiz; Granados, José María Mata; de Castro, María Dolores Luque

    2007-01-01

    A method for determination of fat-soluble vitamins K(1), K(3), A, D(2), D(3) and E (as alpha- and delta-tocopherol) and metabolites 25-hydroxyvitamin D(2) and D(3) and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) in human serum by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS/MS) in positive mode is proposed. Highly selective identification of the target compounds in serum was confirmed by the most representative transitions from precursor ion to product ion. Quantitative MS/MS analysis was carried out by multiple reaction monitoring optimizing the most sensitive transition for each analyte in order to achieve low detection limits (from 0.012 to 0.3 ng/mL estimated with serum). The analysis was performed with 1 mL of serum, which was subjected to protein precipitation, liquid-liquid extraction to an organic phase, evaporation to dryness and reconstitution with methanol. The precision of the overall method ranged from 3.17-6.76% as intra-day variability and from 5.07-11.53% as inter-day variability. The method, validated by the standard addition method, provides complete information on the fat-soluble vitamins profile, which is of interest in clinical and metabolomics studies.

  17. MMS Observatory TV Results Contamination Summary

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rosecrans, Glenn; Brieda, Lubos; Errigo, Therese

    2014-01-01

    The Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission is a constellation of 4 observatories designed to investigate the fundamental plasma physics of reconnection in the Earth's magnetosphere. The various instrument suites measure electric and magnetic fields, energetic particles, and plasma composition. Each spacecraft has undergone extensive environmental testing to prepare it for its minimum 2 year mission. In this paper, we report on the extensive thermal vacuum testing campaign. The testing was performed at the Naval Research Laboratory utilizing the "Big Blue" vacuum chamber. A total of ten thermal vacuum tests were performed, including two chamber certifications, three dry runs, and five tests of the individual MMS observatories. During the test, the observatories were enclosed in a thermal enclosure known as the "hamster cage". The enclosure allowed for a detailed thermal control of various observatory zone, but at the same time, imposed additional contamination and system performance requirements. The environment inside the enclosure and the vacuum chamber was actively monitored by several QCMs, RGA, and up to 18 ion gauges. Each spacecraft underwent a bakeout phase, which was followed by 4 thermal cycles. Unique aspects of the TV campaign included slow pump downs with a partial represses, thruster firings, Helium identification, and monitoring pressure spikes with ion gauges. Selected data from these TV tests is presented along with lessons learned.

  18. A novel approach to water polution monitoring by combining ion exchange resin and XRF-scanning technique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huang, J. J.; Lin, S. C.; Löwemark, L.; Liou, Y. H.; Chang, Q. M.; Chang, T. K.; Wei, K. Y.; Croudace, I. W. C.

    2017-12-01

    Due to the rapid industrial expansion, environments are subject to irregular fluctuations and spatial distributions in pollutant concentrations. This study proposes to use ion exchange resin accompanied with the XRF-scanning technique to monitor environmental pollution. As a passive sampling sorbent, the use of ion exchange resin provides a rapid, low cost and simple method to detect episodic pollution signals with a high spatial sampling density. In order to digest large quantities of samples, the fast and non-destructive Itrax-XRF core scanner has been introduced to assess elemental concentrations in the resin samples. Although the XRF scanning results are often considered as a semi-quantitative measurement due to possible absorption or scattering caused by the physical variabilities of scanned materials, the use of resin can minimize such influences owing to the standarization of the sample matrix. In this study, 17 lab-prepared standard resin samples were scanned with the Itrax-XRF core scanner (at 100 s exposure time with the Mo-tube) and compared with the absolute elemental concentrations. Six elements generally used in pollution studies (Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb) were selected, and their regression lines and correlation coefficients were determined. In addition, 5 standard resin samples were scanned at different exposure time settings (1 s, 5 s, 15 s, 30 s, 100 s) to address the influence of exposure time on the accuracy of the measurements. The results show that within the test range (from few ppm to thousands ppm), the correlation coefficients are higher than 0.97, even at the shortest exposure time (1 s). Furthermore, a pilot field survey with 30 resin samples has been conducted in a potentially polluted farm area in central Taiwan to demonstrate the feasibility of this novel approach. The polluted hot zones could be identified and the properties and sources of wastewater pollution can therefore be traced over large areas for the purposes of environmental monitoring and environmental forensics.

  19. In-situ imaging of chloride ions at the metal/solution interface by scanning combination microelectrodes

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lin, C.J.; Du, R.G.; Nguyen, T.

    2000-01-01

    Combination solid silver-silver chloride (Ag-AgCl) and liquid membrane Cl{sup {minus}} ion-selective microelectrodes were designed and constructed. These microelectrodes, which had a micrometer-sized tip, contained two compartments: one served as the reference electrode and the other as the Cl{sup {minus}} ion-selective electrode. The microelectrodes were used to map in-situ Cl{sup {minus}} ion distribution in several localized corrosion systems. When used with a computerized scanning stage, the microelectrodes provided information on the distribution of Cl{sup {minus}} ions near the metal/electrolyte interface. Cl{sup {minus}} ions were observed migrating toward and accumulating near the anodic region forming a Cl{sup {minus}}ion-rich island on the metalmore » surface. Scanning combination Cl{sup {minus}} ion-selective microelectrodes may provide a useful tool for mechanistic studies of localized corrosion.« less

  20. Polymer-supported sulfonated catechol and linear catechol amide ligands and their use in selective metal ion removal and recovery from aqueous solutions

    DOEpatents

    Fish, Richard H.

    1997-01-01

    The present invention concerns the synthesis of several biomimetically important polymer-supported, sulfonated catechol (PS-CATS), sulfonated bis-catechol linear amide (PS-2-6-LICAMS) and sulfonated 3,3-linear tris-catechol amide (PS-3,3-LICAMS) ligands, which chemically bond to modified 6% crosslinked macroporous polystyrene-divinylbenzene beads (PS-DVB). These polymers are useful for the for selective removal and recovery of environmentally and economically important metal ions from aqueous solution, as a function of pH. The Fe.sup.3+ ion selectivity shown for PS-CATS, PS-2-6-LICAMS, and PS-3,3-LICAMS polymer beads in competition with a similar concentration of Cu.sup.2+, Zn.sup.2+, Mn.sup.2+, Ni.sup.2+,Mg.sup.2+, Al.sup.3+, and Cr.sup.3+ ions at pH 1-3. Further, the metal ion selectivity is changed at higher pH values in the absence of Fe.sup.3+ (for example, Hg.sup.2+ at pH 3). The rates of selective removal and recovery of the trivalent metal ions, e.g. Fe.sup.3+ Al.sup.3+ ion etc. with the PS-CATS, PS-2-6-LICAMS, and PS-3,3-LICAMS polymer beads use determined are useful as well as equilibrium selectivity coefficient (K.sub.m) values for all metal competition studies. The chelate effect for the predisposed octahedral PS-3,3-LICAMS polymer pendant ligand is the reason that this ligand has a more pronounced selectivity for Fe.sup.3+ ion in comparison to the PS-CATS polymer beads. The predisposed square planar PS-2-6-Mn.sup.2+, Ni.sup.2+, and Mg.sup.2+, than either PS-CATS or PS-3,3-LICAMS. However, Fe.sup.3+ ion still dominates in competition with other divalent and trivalent metal ions. In the absence of Fe.sup.3+, the polymer ligand is selective for Al.sup.3+, Cu.sup.2+ or Hg.sup.2+. The changing of the cavity size from two CH.sub.2 groups to six CH.sub.2 groups in the PS-2-6-LICAMS polymer pendant ligand series does not effect the order of metal ion selectivity.

  1. Polymer-supported sulfonated catechol and linear catechol amide ligands and their use in selective metal ion removal and recovery from aqueous solutions

    DOEpatents

    Fish, R.H.

    1997-04-22

    The present invention concerns the synthesis of several biomimetically important polymer-supported, sulfonated catechol (PS-CATS), sulfonated bis-catechol linear amide (PS-2-6-LICAMS) and sulfonated 3,3-linear tris-catechol amide (PS-3,3-LICAMS) ligands, which chemically bond to modified 6% crosslinked macroporous polystyrene-divinylbenzene beads (PS-DVB). These polymers are useful for the for selective removal and recovery of environmentally and economically important metal ions from aqueous solution, as a function of pH. The Fe{sup 3+} ion selectivity shown for PS-CATS, PS-2-6-LICAMS, and PS-3,3-LICAMS polymer beads in competition with a similar concentration of Cu{sup 2+}, Zn{sup 2+}, Mn{sup 2+}, Ni{sup 2+}, Mg{sup 2+}, Al{sup 3+}, and Cr{sup 3+} ions at pH 1--3. Further, the metal ion selectivity is changed at higher pH values in the absence of Fe{sup 3+} (for example, Hg{sup 2+} at pH 3). The rates of selective removal and recovery of the trivalent metal ions, e.g. Fe{sup 3+}, Al{sup 3+} ion etc. with the PS-CATS, PS-2-6-LICAMS, and PS-3,3-LICAMS polymer beads use determined are useful as well as equilibrium selectivity coefficient (K{sub m}) values for all metal competition studies. The chelate effect for the predisposed octahedral PS-3,3-LICAMS polymer pendant ligand is the reason that this ligand has a more pronounced selectivity for Fe{sup 3+} ion in comparison to the PS-CATS polymer beads. The predisposed square planar PS-2-6-Mn{sup 2+}, Ni{sup 2+}, and Mg{sup 2+}, than either PS-CATS or PS-3,3-LICAMS. However, Fe{sup 3+} ion still dominates in competition with other divalent and trivalent metal ions. In the absence of Fe{sup 3+}, the polymer ligand is selective for Al{sup 3+}, Cu{sup 2+} or Hg{sup 2+}. The changing of the cavity size from two CH{sub 2} groups to six CH{sub 2} groups in the PS-2-6-LICAMS polymer pendant ligand series does not effect the order of metal ion selectivity. 9 figs.

  2. Fingerprinting Deepwater Horizon Oil in the northern Gulf of Mexico using biomarkers and Gas Chromatography-Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS/MS)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Adhikari, P. L.; Overton, E. B.; Maiti, K.; Wong, R. L.

    2016-02-01

    Petroleum biomarkers such as hopanes, steranes, and triaromatic steroids are more persistent than alkanes and aromatic compounds. Thus, they are often used to track spilled oil in the environments and as a proxy for weathering processes. The present study utilizes water samples, suspended and sinking particles, and seafloor sediments collected during 2011-2013 from various locations of the northern Gulf of Mexico with wide range of contaminated oil for Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil fingerprinting. The MC252 source oil along with the samples collected in this study were analyzed using a gas chromatography coupled with a triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC/MS/MS) in Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) mode and the results were compared with results from commonly used GC/MS selective ion monitoring (SIM) method. The results indicate that the MRM method separates interfering ions from interfering compounds and can be a powerful analytical strategy for a reliable identification and determination of trace levels of biomarkers in complex matrices. Source indicators such as the MRM fragment ion chromatograms of the biomarkers and their diagnostic ratios in samples were compared with the MC252 source oil. The preliminary results show that the biomarkers were below detection limits in dissolved samples. However, in few particulate and seafloor sediment samples, primarily from the immediate vicinity of the Macondo wellhead, contained their patterns. The results also illustrate that these biomarker compounds have been weathered within 1-3 years following the oil spill, and their DWH oil signature in some of these samples reflects this weathering.

  3. Water quality monitoring of Jialing-River in Chongqing using advanced ion chromatographic system.

    PubMed

    Tanaka, Kazuhiko; Shi, Chao-Hong; Nakagoshi, Nobukazu

    2012-04-01

    The water quality monitoring operation to evaluate the water quality of polluted river is an extremely important task for the river-watershed management/control based on the environmental policy. In this study, the novel, simple and convenient water quality monitoring of Jialing-River in Chongqing, China was carried out using an advanced ion chromatography (IC) consisting of ion-exclusion/cation-exchange chromatography (IEC/CEC) with conductivity detection for determining simultaneously the common anions such as SO4(2-), Cl(-), and NO3(-) and the cations such as Na+, NH4+, K+, Mg2+, and Ca2+, the ion-exclusion chromatography (IEC) with visible detection for determining simultaneously the nutrient components such as phosphate and silicate ions, and the IEC with the enhanced conductivity detection using a post column of K+-form cation-exchange resin for determining HCO3(-)-alkalinity as an inorganic-carbon source for biomass synthesis in biological reaction process under the aerobic conditions. According to the ionic balance theory between the total equivalent concentrations of anions and cations, the water quality evaluation of the Jialing-River waters taking at different sampling sites in Chongqing metropolitan area was carried out using the advanced IC system. As a result, the effectiveness of this novel water quality monitoring methodology using the IC system was demonstrated on the several practical applications to a typical biological sewage treatment plant on Jialing-River of Chongqing.

  4. Calixarene-based potentiometric ion-selective electrodes for silver.

    PubMed

    O'Connor, K M; Svehla, G; Harris, S J; McKervey, M A

    1992-11-01

    Four lipophilic sulphur and/or nitrogen containing calixarene derivatives have been tested as ionophores in Ag(I)-selective poly (vinyl chloride) membrane electrodes. All gave acceptable linear responses with one giving a response of 50 mV/dec in the Ag(I) ion activity range 10(-4)-10(-1)M and high selectivity towards other transition metals and sodium and potassium ions. This ionophore was also tested as a membrane coated glassy-carbon electrode where the sensitivity and selectivity of the conventional membrane electrode was found to be repeated. The latter electrode was then used in potentiometric titrations of halide ions with silver nitrate.

  5. Detection of trace heavy metal ions in water by nanostructured porous Si biosensors.

    PubMed

    Shtenberg, Giorgi; Massad-Ivanir, Naama; Segal, Ester

    2015-07-07

    A generic biosensing platform, based on nanostructured porous Si (PSi), Fabry-Pérot thin films, for label-free monitoring of heavy metal ions in aqueous solutions by enzymatic activity inhibition, is described. First, we show a general detection assay by immobilizing horseradish peroxidase (HRP) within the oxidized PSi nanostructure and monitor its catalytic activity in real time by reflective interferometric Fourier transform spectroscopy. Optical studies reveal the high specificity and sensitivity of the HRP-immobilized PSi towards three metal ions (Ag(+) > Pb(2+) > Cu(2+)), with a detection limit range of 60-120 ppb. Next, we demonstrate the concept of specific detection of Cu(2+) ions (as a model heavy metal) by immobilizing Laccase, a multi-copper oxidase, within the oxidized PSi. The resulting biosensor allows for specific detection and quantification of copper ions in real water samples by monitoring the Laccase relative activity. The optical biosensing results are found to be in excellent agreement with those obtained by the gold standard analytical technique (ICP-AES) for all water samples. The main advantage of the presented biosensing concept is the ability to detect heavy metal ions at environmentally relevant concentrations using a simple and portable experimental setup, while the specific biosensor design can be tailored by varying the enzyme type.

  6. Production of intense negative hydrogen beams with polarized nuclei by selective neutralization of negative ions

    DOEpatents

    Hershcovitch, Ady

    1987-01-01

    A process for selectively neutralizing H.sup.- ions in a magnetic field to produce an intense negative hydrogen ion beam with spin polarized protons. Characteristic features of the process include providing a multi-ampere beam of H.sup.- ions that are intersected by a beam of laser light. Photodetachment is effected in a uniform magnetic field that is provided around the beam of H.sup.- ions to spin polarize the H.sup.- ions and produce first and second populations or groups of ions, having their respective proton spin aligned either with the magnetic field or opposite to it. The intersecting beam of laser light is directed to selectively neutralize a majority of the ions in only one population, or given spin polarized group of H.sup.- ions, without neutralizing the ions in the other group thereby forming a population of H.sup.- ions each of which has its proton spin down, and a second group or population of H.sup.o atoms having proton spin up. Finally, the two groups of ions are separated from each other by magnetically bending the group of H.sup.- ions away from the group of neutralized ions, thereby to form an intense H.sup.- ion beam that is directed toward a predetermined objective.

  7. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Webb, Ian K.; Garimella, Sandilya V. B.; Tolmachev, Aleksey V.

    A Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations (SLIM) module that allows ion mobility separations and the switching of ions between alternative drift paths is described. The SLIM switch component has a “Tee” configuration and allows switching of ions between a linear path and a 90-degree bend. By controlling switching times, ions can be deflected to an alternative channel as a function of their mobilities. In the initial evaluation the switch is used in a static mode and shown compatible with high performance ion mobility separations at 4 torr. In the “dynamic mode” we show that mobility-selected ions can be switched intomore » the alternative channel, and that various ion species can be independently selected based on their mobilities for time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF MS) IMS detection and mass analysis. Ultimately, this development also provides the basis for e.g. the selection of specific mobilities for storage and accumulation, and key modules for the assembly of SLIM devices enabling much more complex sequences of ion manipulations.« less

  8. Low-energy mass-selected ion beam production of fragments produced from hexamethyldisilane for SiC film formation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yoshimura, Satoru, E-mail: yosimura@ppl.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp; Sugimoto, Satoshi; Kiuchi, Masato

    2016-03-14

    We have proposed an experimental methodology which makes it possible to deposit silicon carbide (SiC) films on Si substrates with a low-energy mass-selected ion beam system using hexamethyldisilane (HMD) as a gas source. In this study, one of the fragment ions produced from HMD, SiCH{sub 4}{sup +}, was mass-selected. The ion energy was approximately 100 eV. Then, the SiCH{sub 4}{sup +} ions were irradiated to a Si(100) substrate. When the temperature of the Si substrate was set at 800 °C during the ion irradiation, the X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy of the substrate following the completion of ion irradiation experiment demonstrated themore » occurrence of 3C-SiC deposition.« less

  9. Lithium-Ion Battery Program Status

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Surampudi, S.; Huang, C. K.; Smart, M.; Davies, E.; Perrone, D.; Distefano, S.; Halpert, G.

    1996-01-01

    The objective of this program is to develop rechargeable Li-ion cells for future NASA missions. Applications that would benefit from this project are: new millenium spacecraft; rovers; landers; astronaut equipment; and planetary orbiters. The approach of this program is: select electrode materials and electrolytes; identify failure modes and mechanisms and enhance cycle life; demonstrate Li-ion cell technology with liquid electrolyte; select candidate polymer electrolytes for Li-ion polymer cells; and develop Li-ion polymer cell technology.

  10. Structurally colored biopolymer thin films for detection of dissolved metal ions in aqueous solution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cathell, Matthew David

    Natural polymers, such as the polysaccharides alginate and chitosan, are noted sorbents of heavy metals. Their polymer backbone structures are rich in ligands that can interact with metal ions through chelation, electrostatics, ion exchange and nonspecific mechanisms. These water-soluble biopolymer materials can be processed into hydrogel thin films, creating high surface area interfaces ideal for binding and sequestering metal ions from solution. By virtue of their uniform nanoscale dimensions (with thicknesses smaller than wavelengths of visible light) polymer thin films exhibit structure-based coloration. This phenomenon, frequently observed in nature, causes the transparent and essentially colorless films to reflect light in a wide array of colors. The lamellar film structures act as one-dimensional photonic crystals, allowing selective reflection of certain wavelengths of light while minimizing other wavelengths by out-of-phase interference. The combination of metal-binding and reflective properties make alginate and chitosan thin films attractive candidates for analyte sensing. Interactions with metal ions can induce changes in film thicknesses and refractive indices, thus altering the path of light reflected through the film. Small changes in dimensional or optical properties can lead to shifts in film color that are perceivable by the unaided eye. These thin films offer the potential for optical sensing of toxic dissolved materials without the need for instrumentation, external power or scientific expertise. With the use of a spectroscopic ellipsometer and a fiber optic reflectance spectrometer, the physical and optical characteristics of biopolymer thin films have been characterized in response to 50 ppm metal ion solutions. It has been determined that metal interactions can lead to measurable changes in both film thicknesses and effective refractive indices. The intrinsic response behaviors of alginate and chitosan, as well as the responses of modified derivatives of these materials, have been investigated. It has been found that the natural metal selectivity of biopolymer films can be tuned and refined by adjusting the ligand environment through backbone modification. Other investigations have also been undertaken, including in situ monitoring of biopolymer---metal interactions and quantification of thin film metal-binding capacities.

  11. Determination of patulin in apple juice by high-performance liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Sewram, V; Nair, J J; Nieuwoudt, T W; Leggott, N L; Shephard, G S

    2000-11-03

    An HPLC-MS-MS method with selected reaction monitoring (SRM) for the determination of patulin in apple juice samples is described. Mass spectrometric detection was accomplished following atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) in both positive and negative ion modes. Collision induced dissociation (CID) of the protonated molecular ion led initially to the loss of H2O (fragment m/z 137). At higher energies CO is lost from both the protonated parent molecule (fragment m/z 127) and the dehydrated molecular ion (fragment m/z 109). In contrast, CID of the deprotonated molecular ion led initially to the fragment at m/z 109 corresponding to the loss of either CO2 or acetaldehyde, followed at higher CID energy by the loss of H2O (fragment m/z 135) and CO (fragment m/z 125) from the deprotonated molecular ion. Detection in the negative ion mode proved superior and a linear response was observed over the injected range from 6 to 200 ng patulin. Apple juice samples spiked with patulin between 10 and 135 microg/l were analyzed following liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate and clean up with sodium carbonate. Utilizing reversed-phase HPLC with acetonitrile-water (10:90) at 0.5 ml/min, levels down to 10 microg/l were readily quantified and a detection limit of 4 microg/l was attainable at a signal-to-noise (SIN) ratio of 4. The MS data for the spiked samples compared well to the UV data and when plotted against each other displayed a correlation coefficient (R) of 0.99.

  12. Colorimetric anion sensors based on positional effect of nitro group for recognition of biologically relevant anions in organic and aqueous medium, insight real-life application and DFT studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Singh, Archana; Sahoo, Suban K.; Trivedi, Darshak R.

    2018-01-01

    A new six colorimetric receptors A1-A6 were designed and synthesized, characterized by typical common spectroscopic techniques like FT-IR, UV-Visible, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and ESI-MS. The receptor A1 and A2 exhibit a significant naked-eye response towards F- and AcO- ions in DMSO. Due to presences of the NO2 group at para and ortho position with extended π-conjugation of naphthyl group carrying sbnd OH as a binding site. Compared to receptor A2, A1 is extremely capable of detecting F- and AcO- ions present in the form of sodium salts in an aqueous medium. This is owed to the occurrence of sbnd NO2 group at para position induced in increasing the acidity of sbnd OH proton. Consequently, it easily gets deprotonated in aqueous media. The detection limit of receptor A1 was turned out to be 0.40 and 0.35 ppm for F- and AcO- ions which is beneath WHO permission level (1.0 ppm). Receptor A1 shows a solitary property of solvatochromism in different aprotic solvents in presence of AcO- ion. Receptor A1 depicts high selectivity towards AcO- ion in DMSO: HEPES buffer (9:1, v/v). Receptor A1 proved itself for real life application by detecting anion in solution and solid state. The binding mechanism of receptor A1 with AcO- and F- ions was monitored from 1HNMR titration and DFT study.

  13. An integrated strategy to improve data acquisition and metabolite identification by time-staggered ion lists in UHPLC/Q-TOF MS-based metabolomics.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yang; Feng, Ruibing; He, Chengwei; Su, Huanxing; Ma, Huan; Wan, Jian-Bo

    2018-08-05

    The narrow linear range and the limited scan time of the given ion make the quantification of the features challenging in liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based untargeted metabolomics with the full-scan mode. And metabolite identification is another bottleneck of untargeted analysis owing to the difficulty of acquiring MS/MS information of most metabolites detected. In this study, an integrated workflow was proposed using the newly established multiple ion monitoring mode with time-staggered ion lists (tsMIM) and target-directed data-dependent acquisition with time-staggered ion lists (tsDDA) to improve data acquisition and metabolite identification in UHPLC/Q-TOF MS-based untargeted metabolomics. Compared to the conventional untargeted metabolomics, the proprosed workflow exhibited the better repeatability before and after data normalization. After selecting features with the significant change by statistical analysis, MS/MS information of all these features can be obtained by tsDDA analysis to facilitate metabolite identification. Using time-staggered ion lists, the workflow is more sensitive in data acquisition, especially for the low-abundant features. Moreover, the metabolites with low abundance tend to be wrongly integrated and triggered by full scan-based untargeted analysis with MS E acquisition mode, which can be greatly improved by the proposed workflow. The integrated workflow was also successfully applied to discover serum biosignatures for the genetic modification of fat-1 in mice, which indicated its practicability and great potential in future metabolomics studies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Recombination monitor

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Zhang, S. Y.; Blaskiewicz, M.

    This is a brief report on LEReC recombination monitor design considerations. The recombination produced Au 78+ ion rate is reviewed. Based on this two designs are discussed. One is to use the large dispersion lattice. It is shown that even with the large separation of the Au 78+ beam from the Au 79+ beam, the continued monitoring of the recombination is not possible. Accumulation of Au 78+ ions is needed, plus collimation of the Au79+ beam. In another design, it is shown that the recombination monitor can be built based on the proposed scheme with the nominal lattice. From machinemore » operation point of view, this design is preferable. Finally, possible studies and the alternative strategies with the basic goal of the monitor are discussed.« less

  15. Selected hydrologic data from the Cedar Rapids area, Linn County, Iowa, April 1996 through March 1999

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Boyd, R.A.; Kuzniar, R.L.; Schulmeyer, P.M.

    1999-01-01

    The City of Cedar Rapids, Iowa obtains its municipal water supply from four well fields along the Cedar River. The wells are completed at depths of about 60 to 80 feet in a shallow alluvial aquifer adjacent to the Cedar River. The City of Cedar Rapids and the U.S. Geological Survey have conducted a cooperative study of the groundwater flow system and water quality near the well fields since 1992. The purpose of this report is to document selected hydrologic data collected from April 1996 through March 1999. Data include the results of water-quality analyses, ground-waterlevels continuously measured with pressure transducers and data recorders, and physical properties continuously monitored using multiprobe instruments. Water-quality samples were collected from selected wells and the Cedar River to conduct periodic monitoring, to evaluate ground-water geochemistry, to assess the occurrence of pesticides and herbicide degradates in the alluvial aquifer, and to characterize water quality in shallow ground water near a wetland area in the Seminole Well Field. Types of water-quality analyses included common ions (calcium, chloride, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, silica, sodium, and sulfate), trace elements (boron, bromide, and fluoride), nutrients (ammonia as nitrogen, nitrite as nitrogen, nitrite plus nitrate as nitrogen, and orthophosphate as phosphorus), dissolved organic carbon, and selected pesticides and herbicide degradates. Ground-water levels in selected observation wells were continuously measured to assess temporal trends in groundwater levels in the alluvial aquifer and bedrock aquifer, to help calibrate a ground-water flow model being constructed to simulate local groundwater flow under transient conditions near the well fields, and to assess hydrologic conditions near a wetland area in the Seminole Well Field. Physical properties (specific conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen, and water temperature) were continuously monitored to assess temporal variation and to help evaluate the interaction between the Cedar River and ground water in the alluvial aquifer.

  16. Determination of parts per trillion levels of organophosphorus pesticides in groundwater by automated on-line liquid-solid extraction followed by liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry using positive and negative ion modes of operation.

    PubMed

    Lacorte, S; Barceló, D

    1996-08-01

    Liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry with positive and negative ion modes of operations was used for the trace determination of several organophosphorus pesticides, (E)- and (Z)-mevinphos, dichlorvos, azinphos-methyl, azinphosethyl, parathion-methyl, parathion-ethyl, malathion, fenitrothion, fenthion, chlorfenvinphos, and diazinon, in groundwater. This method required only 100 mL of water, and it was combined with a prior automated online liquid-solid extraction step using an OSP-2 autosampler containing C18 cartridges. The limit of quantitation (LOQ) varied between 5 and 37 ng/L in positive ion (PI) mode. Under negative ion (NI) mode of operation, only the parathion group (both parathions and fenitrothion) had a better sensitivity as compared to that in PI mode, with a LOQ of 5-15 ng/L, whereas the rest of pesticides had 2-4 times higher LOQs as compared to those in PI mode. Selected ion monitoring of the group-specific fragment of the organophosphorus pesticides, e.g., [(CH3O)2PO2]- or the [M + H]+ ions, under NI or PI mode, respectively, was used. Sample cone voltage varied from 10 to 130 V. This parameter influenced the transmission and fragmentation of quasi-molecular ions, and it was optimized to achieve identification capabilities with the highest sensitivity. At 20 V, good fragmentation was obtained for most of the studied analytes. The system was used for the certification of a groundwater sample spiked at the nanograms per liter level with organophosphorus pesticides provided by Aquachek.

  17. Photocatalysis-Based Nanoprobes Using Noble Metal-Semiconductor Heterostructure for Visible Light-Driven in Vivo Detection of Mercury.

    PubMed

    Zhi, Lihua; Zeng, Xiaofan; Wang, Hao; Hai, Jun; Yang, Xiangliang; Wang, Baodui; Zhu, Yanhong

    2017-07-18

    The development of sensitive and reliable methods to monitor the presence of mercuric ions in cells and organisms is of great importance to biological research and biomedical applications. In this work, we propose a strategy to construct a solar-driven nanoprobe using a 3D Au@MoS 2 heterostructure as a photocatalyst and rhodamine B (RB) as a fluorescent and color change reporter molecule for monitoring Hg 2+ in living cells and animals. The sensing mechanism is based on the photoinduced electron formation of gold amalgam in the 3D Au@MoS 2 heterostructure under visible light illumination. This formation is able to remarkably inhibit the photocatalytic activity of the heterostructure toward RB decomposition. As a result, "OFF-ON" fluorescence and color change are produced. Such characteristics enable this new sensing platform to sensitively and selectively detect Hg 2+ in water by fluorescence and colorimetric methods. The detection limits of the fluorescence assay and colorimetric assay are 0.22 and 0.038 nM for Hg 2+ , respectively; these values are well below the acceptable limits in drinking water standards (10 nM). For the first time, such photocatalysis-based sensing platform is successfully used to monitor Hg 2+ in live cells and mice. Our work therefore opens a promising photocatalysis-based analysis methodology for highly sensitive and selective in vivo Hg 2+ bioimaging studies.

  18. Mobilities of ground-state and metastable O/+/, O2/+/, O/2+/, and O2/2+/ ions in helium and neon

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Johnsen, R.; Biondi, M. A.; Hayashi, M.

    1982-09-01

    The ionic mobilities of O(+), O2(+), O(2+), and O2(2+) in helium and neon have been measured using a selected-ion drift apparatus (SIDA). It is found that the mobilities of both O(+) and O2(+) ions in the metastable states (2D or 4Pi u) are measurably smaller than those of the same ions carried out by using known, state-selective ion-molecule reactions. A similar mobility differentiation of ground-state and metastable ions was not observed for the O(2+) and O2(2+) ions.

  19. [Heavy charged particles radiotherapy--mainly carbon ion beams].

    PubMed

    Yanagi, Takeshi; Tsuji, Hiroshi; Tsujii, Hirohiko

    2003-12-01

    Carbon ion beams have superior dose distribution allowing selective irradiation to the tumor while minimizing irradiation to the surrounding normal tissues. Furthermore, carbon ions produce an increased density of local energy deposition with high-energy transfer (LET) components, resulting in radiobiological advantages. Stimulated by the favorable results in fast neutrons, helium ions, and neon ions, a clinical trial of carbon ion therapy was begun at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences in 1994. Carbon ions were generated by a medically dedicated accelerator (HIMAC, Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba, Japan), which was the world's first heavy ion accelerator complex dedicated to medical use in a hospital environment. In general, patients were selected for treatment when their tumors could not be expected to respond favorably to conventional forms of therapy. A total of 1601 patients were registered in this clinical trial so far. The normal tissue reactions were acceptable, and there were no carbon related deaths. Carbon ion radiotherapy seemed to be a clinically feasible curative treatment modality, and appears to offer improved results not only over conventional X-rays but also even over surgery in some selected carcinomas.

  20. Determination of a flame retardant hydrolysis product in human urine by SPE and LC-MS. Comparison of molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction with a mixed-mode anion exchanger.

    PubMed

    Möller, Kristina; Crescenzi, Carlo; Nilsson, Ulrika

    2004-01-01

    Diphenyl phosphate is a hydrolysis product and possible metabolite of the flame retardant and plasticiser additive triphenyl phosphate. A molecularly imprinted polymer solid-phase extraction (MISPE) method for extracting diphenyl phosphate from aqueous solutions has been developed and compared with SPE using a commercially available mixed-mode anion exchanger. The imprinted polymer was prepared using 2-vinylpyridine (2-Vpy) as the functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as the cross-linker, and a structural analogue of the analyte as the template molecule. The imprinted polymer was evaluated for use as a SPE sorbent, in tests with both aqueous standards and spiked urine samples, by comparing recovery and breakthrough data obtained using the imprinted form of the polymer and a non-imprinted form (NIP). Extraction from aqueous solutions resulted in more than 80% recovery. Adsorption by the molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was non-selective, but selectivity was achieved by selective desorption in the wash steps. Diphenyl phosphate could also be selectively extracted from urine samples, although the urine matrix reduced the capacity of the MISPE cartridges. Recoveries from urine extraction were higher than 70%. It was important to control pH during sample loading. The MISPE method was found to yield a less complex LC-ESI-MS chromatogram of the urine extracts compared with the mixed-mode anion-exchanger method. An LC-ESI-MS method using a Hypercarb LC column with a graphitised carbon stationary phase was also evaluated for organophosphate diesters. LC-ESI-MS using negative-ion detection in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode was shown to be linear for diphenyl phosphate in the range 0.08-20 ng microL(-1).

  1. A novel magnetic ion imprinted polymer as a selective magnetic solid phase for separation of trace lead(II) ions from agricultural products, and optimization using a Box-Behnken design.

    PubMed

    Dahaghin, Zohreh; Mousavi, Hassan Zavvar; Sajjadi, S Maryam

    2017-12-15

    In this work, a magnetic ion-imprinted polymer (Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 @IIP) as a novel and selective nanosorbent for selective extraction of Pb(II) ions from various agricultural products is presented. The novel lead magnetic ion-imprinted polymer was synthesized by imidazole as a new ligand and grafted onto the surface of Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 NPs. A Box-Behnken (BBD) design was used for optimization of the extraction and elution steps. In the selected conditions, the limit of detection was 0.48ngmL -1 , preconcentration factor was 300, the sorption capacity of this new magnetic ion-imprinted polymer was 105mgg -1 , and the precision of the method (RSD%) for six replicate measurements was found 3.2%. Finally, the feasibility of the new magnetic ion-imprinted polymer was evaluated by extraction and determination of trace Pb 2+ ions in different agricultural products including (orange, mango, apple, kiwi, lettuce, broccoli, carrot, squash, eggplant, radish, mushroom, cucumber, and tomato). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Ion-selective gold-thiol film on integrated screen-printed electrodes for analysis of Cu(II) ions.

    PubMed

    Li, Meng; Zhou, Hao; Shi, Lei; Li, Da-Wei; Long, Yi-Tao

    2014-02-07

    A novel type of ion-selective electrode (ISE) was manufactured for detecting trace amounts of Cu(II) ions. The basic substrates of ISE were fabricated using screen-printing technology, which could produce disposable electrodes on a large-scale with good repeatability. Moreover, the printed integrated three-electrode system of ISE could be directly used to read out the open-circuit potentials by a handheld device through a USB port. The ion-selective film was composed of gold nanorods (GNRs) and 6-(bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)amino)hexane-1-thiol (compound ), which were layer-by-layer modified on the electrode through an easily controlled self-assembly method. Compound contained the 2,2'-dipyridylamine (dpa) group that could coordinate with Cu(II) ions to form a 2 : 1 complex, therefore the screen-printed ISEs exhibited Nernstian potentiometric responses to Cu(II) ions with a detection limit of 6.3 × 10(-7) mol L(-1) over the range of 1.0 × 10(-6) to 1.0 × 10(-2) mol L(-1). The easily prepared screen-printed ion-selective electrode reported here was appropriate for in field analysis and pollutant detection in remote environments.

  3. A selective iodide ion sensor electrode based on functionalized ZnO nanotubes.

    PubMed

    Ibupoto, Zafar Hussain; Khun, Kimleang; Willander, Magnus

    2013-02-04

    In this research work, ZnO nanotubes were fabricated on a gold coated glass substrate through chemical etching by the aqueous chemical growth method. For the first time a nanostructure-based iodide ion selective electrode was developed. The ZnO nanotubes were functionalized with miconazole ion exchanger and the electromotive force (EMF) was measured by the potentiometric method. The iodide ion sensor exhibited a linear response over a wide range of concentrations (1 × 10-6 to 1 × 10-1 M) and excellent sensitivity of -62 ± 1 mV/decade. The detection limit of the proposed sensor was found to be 5 × 10-7 M. The effects of pH, temperature, additive, plasticizer and stabilizer on the potential response of iodide ion selective electrode were also studied. The proposed iodide ion sensor demonstrated a fast response time of less than 5 s and high selectivity against common organic and the inorganic anions. All the obtained results revealed that the iodide ion sensor based on functionalized ZnO nanotubes may be used for the detection of iodide ion in environmental water samples, pharmaceutical products and other real samples.

  4. A Selective Iodide Ion Sensor Electrode Based on Functionalized ZnO Nanotubes

    PubMed Central

    Ibupoto, Zafar Hussain; Khun, Kimleang; Willander, Magnus

    2013-01-01

    In this research work, ZnO nanotubes were fabricated on a gold coated glass substrate through chemical etching by the aqueous chemical growth method. For the first time a nanostructure-based iodide ion selective electrode was developed. The ZnO nanotubes were functionalized with miconazole ion exchanger and the electromotive force (EMF) was measured by the potentiometric method. The iodide ion sensor exhibited a linear response over a wide range of concentrations (1 × 10−6 to 1 × 10−1 M) and excellent sensitivity of −62 ± 1 mV/decade. The detection limit of the proposed sensor was found to be 5 × 10−7 M. The effects of pH, temperature, additive, plasticizer and stabilizer on the potential response of iodide ion selective electrode were also studied. The proposed iodide ion sensor demonstrated a fast response time of less than 5 s and high selectivity against common organic and the inorganic anions. All the obtained results revealed that the iodide ion sensor based on functionalized ZnO nanotubes may be used for the detection of iodide ion in environmental water samples, pharmaceutical products and other real samples. PMID:23385412

  5. Ion Selectivity in the KcsA Potassium Channel from the Perspective of the Ion Binding Site

    PubMed Central

    Dixit, Purushottam D.; Merchant, Safir; Asthagiri, D.

    2009-01-01

    To understand the thermodynamic exclusion of Na+ relative to K+ from the S2 site of the selectivity filter, the distribution PX(ɛ) (X = K+ or Na+) of the binding energy (ɛ) of the ion with the channel is analyzed using the potential distribution theorem. By expressing the excess chemical potential of the ion as a sum of mean-field 〈ɛ〉 and fluctuation μexflux,X contributions, we find that selectivity arises from a higher value of μflux,Na+ex relative to μflux,K+ex. To understand the role of site-site interactions on μexflux,X, we decompose PX(ɛ) into n-dependent distributions, where n is the number of ion-coordinating ligands within a distance λ from the ion. For λ comparable to typical ion-oxygen bond distances, investigations building on this multistate model reveal an inverse correlation between favorable ion-site and site-site interactions: the ion-coordination states that most influence the thermodynamics of the ion are also those for which the binding site is energetically less strained and vice versa. This correlation motivates understanding entropic effects in ion binding to the site and leads to the finding that μexflux,X is directly proportional to the average site-site interaction energy, a quantity that is sensitive to the chemical type of the ligand coordinating the ion. Increasing the coordination number around Na+ only partially accounts for the observed magnitude of selectivity; acknowledging the chemical type of the ion-coordinating ligand is essential. PMID:19289040

  6. An ion quencher operated lamp for multiplexed fluorescent bioassays.

    PubMed

    Qing, Taiping; Sun, Huanhuan; He, Xiaoxiao; Huang, Xiaoqin; He, Dinggeng; Bu, Hongchang; Qiao, Zhenzhen; Wang, Kemin

    2018-02-01

    A novel and adjustable lamp based on competitive interaction among dsDNA-SYBR Green I (SGI), ion quencher, and analyte was designed for bioanalysis. The "filament" and switch of the lamp could be customized by employing different dsDNA and ion quencher. The poly(AT/TA) dsDNA was successfully screened as the most effective filament of the lamp. Two common ions, Hg 2+ and Fe 3+ , were selected as the model switch, and the corresponding ligand molecules cysteine (Cys) and pyrophosphate ions (PPi) were selected as the targets. When the fluorescence-quenched dsDNA/SGI-ion complex was introduced into a target-containing system, ions could be bound by competitive molecules and separate from the complex, thereby lighting the lamp. However, no light was observed if the biomolecule could not snatch the metal ions from the complex. Under the optimal conditions, sensitive and selective detection of Cys and PPi was achieved by the lamp, with practical applications in fetal bovine serum and human urine. This ion quencher regulated lamp for fluorescent bioassays is simple in design, fast in operation, and is more convenient than other methods. Significantly, as many molecules could form stable complexes with metal ions selectively, this ion quencher operated lamp has potential for the detection of a wide spectrum of analytes. Graphical abstract A novel and adjustable lamp on the basis of competitive interaction among dsDNA-SYBR Green I, ions quencher and analyte was designed for bioanalysis. The filament and switch of lamp could be customized by employing different dsDNA and ions quencher.

  7. Selective Separation of Metal Ions via Monolayer Nanoporous Graphene with Carboxyl Groups.

    PubMed

    Li, Zhan; Liu, Yanqi; Zhao, Yang; Zhang, Xin; Qian, Lijuan; Tian, Longlong; Bai, Jing; Qi, Wei; Yao, Huijun; Gao, Bin; Liu, Jie; Wu, Wangsuo; Qiu, Hongdeng

    2016-10-18

    Graphene-coated plastic substrates, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), are regularly used in flexible electronic devices. Here we demonstrate a new application of the graphene-coated nanoporous PET membrane for the selective separation of metal ions in an ion exchange manner. Irradiation with swift heavy ions is used to perforate graphene and PET substrate. This process could create graphene nanopores with carboxyl groups, thus forming conical holes in the PET after chemical etching to support graphene nanopores. Therefore, a monolayer nanoporous graphene membrane with a PET substrate is constructed successfully to investigate its ionic selective separation. We find that the permeation ratio of ions strongly depends on the temperature and H + concentration in the driving solution. An electric field can increase the permeation ratio of ions through the graphene nanopores, but it inhibits the ion selective separation. Moreover, the structure of the graphene nanopore with carboxyl groups is resolved at the density functional theory level. The results show the asymmetric structure of the nanopore with carboxyl groups, and the analysis indicates that the ionic permeation can be attributed to the ion exchange between metal ions and protons on the two sides of graphene nanopores. These results would be beneficial to the design of membrane separation materials made from graphene with efficient online and offline bulk separation.

  8. Metal ion-dependent DNAzymes and their applications as biosensors.

    PubMed

    Lan, Tian; Lu, Yi

    2012-01-01

    Long considered to serve solely as the genetic information carrier, DNA has been shown in 1994 to be able to act as DNA catalysts capable of catalyzing a trans-esterification reaction similar to the action of ribozymes and protein enzymes. Although not yet found in nature, numerous DNAzymes have been isolated through in vitro selection for catalyzing many different types of reactions in the presence of different metal ions and thus become a new class of metalloenzymes. What remains unclear is how DNA can carry out catalysis with simpler building blocks and fewer functional groups than ribozymes and protein enzymes and how DNA can bind metal ions specifically to perform these functions. In the past two decades, many biochemical and biophysical studies have been carried out on DNAzymes, especially RNA-cleaving DNAzymes. Important insights have been gained regarding their metal-dependent activity, global folding, metal binding sites, and catalytic mechanisms for these DNAzymes. Because of their high metal ion selectivity, one of the most important practical applications for DNAzymes is metal ion detection, resulting in highly sensitive and selective fluorescent, colorimetric, and electrochemical sensors for a wide range of metal ions such as Pb(2+), UO2 2 +,[Formula: see text] including paramagnetic metal ions such as Cu(2+). This chapter summarizes recent progresses in in vitro selection of metal ion-selective DNAzymes, their biochemical and biophysical studies and sensing applications.

  9. Silver(I) ion-selective membrane based on Schiff base-p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene.

    PubMed

    Mahajan, R K; Kumar, M; Sharma, V; Kaur, I

    2001-04-01

    A PVC membrane electrode for silver(I) ion based on Schiff base-p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene is reported. The electrode works well over a wide range of concentration (1.0 x 10(-5)-1.0 x 10(-1) mol dm-3) with a Nernstian slope of 59.7 mV per decade. The electrode shows a fast response time of 20 s and operates in the pH range 1.0-5.6. The sensor can be used for more than 6 months without any divergence in the potential. The selectivity of the electrode was studied and it was found that the electrode exhibits good selectivity for silver ion over some alkali, alkaline earth and transition metal ions. The silver ion-selective electrode was used as an indicator electrode for the potentiometric titration of silver ion in solution using a standard solution of sodium chloride; a sharp potential change occurs at the end-point. The applicability of the sensor to silver(I) ion measurement in water samples spiked with silver nitrate is illustrated.

  10. Toward in situ monitoring of water contamination by nitroenergetic compounds.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Brandy J; Leska, Iwona A; Medina, Alejandro; Dyson, Norris F; Nasir, Mansoor; Melde, Brian J; Taft, Jenna R; Charles, Paul T

    2012-11-06

    We have previously described the application of novel porous organosilicate materials to the preconcentration of nitroenergetic targets from aqueous solution prior to HPLC analysis. The performance of the sorbents and the advantages of these types of materials over commercially available solid phase extraction sorbents have been demonstrated. Here, the development of systems for application of those sorbents to in situ monitoring is described. Considerations such as column pressure, particulate filtration, and component durability are discussed. The diameter of selected column housings, the sorbent bed depth, and the frits utilized significantly impact the utility of the sorbent columns in the prototype system. The impact of and necessity for improvements in the morphological characteristics of the sorbents as they relate to reduction in column pressure are detailed. The results of experiments utilizing a prototype system are presented. Data demonstrating feasibility for use of the sorbents in preconcentration prior to ion mobility spectrometry is also presented.

  11. Application of enhanced gas chromatography/triple quadrupole mass spectrometry for monitoring petroleum weathering and forensic source fingerprinting in samples impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

    PubMed

    Adhikari, Puspa L; Wong, Roberto L; Overton, Edward B

    2017-10-01

    Accurate characterization of petroleum hydrocarbons in complex and weathered oil residues is analytically challenging. This is primarily due to chemical compositional complexity of both the oil residues and environmental matrices, and the lack of instrumental selectivity due to co-elution of interferences with the target analytes. To overcome these analytical selectivity issues, we used an enhanced resolution gas chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry in Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) mode (GC/MS/MS-MRM) to eliminate interferences within the ion chromatograms of target analytes found in environmental samples. This new GC/MS/MS-MRM method was developed and used for forensic fingerprinting of deep-water and marsh sediment samples containing oily residues from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The results showed that the GC/MS/MS-MRM method increases selectivity, eliminates interferences, and provides more accurate quantitation and characterization of trace levels of alkyl-PAHs and biomarker compounds, from weathered oil residues in complex sample matrices. The higher selectivity of the new method, even at low detection limits, provides greater insights on isomer and homolog compositional patterns and the extent of oil weathering under various environmental conditions. The method also provides flat chromatographic baselines for accurate and unambiguous calculation of petroleum forensic biomarker compound ratios. Thus, this GC/MS/MS-MRM method can be a reliable analytical strategy for more accurate and selective trace level analyses in petroleum forensic studies, and for tacking continuous weathering of oil residues. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Imaging of dynamic ion signaling during root gravitropism.

    PubMed

    Monshausen, Gabriele B

    2015-01-01

    Gravitropic signaling is a complex process that requires the coordinated action of multiple cell types and tissues. Ca(2+) and pH signaling are key components of gravitropic signaling cascades and can serve as useful markers to dissect the molecular machinery mediating plant gravitropism. To monitor dynamic ion signaling, imaging approaches combining fluorescent ion sensors and confocal fluorescence microscopy are employed, which allow the visualization of pH and Ca(2+) changes at the level of entire tissues, while also providing high spatiotemporal resolution. Here, I describe procedures to prepare Arabidopsis seedlings for live cell imaging and to convert a microscope for vertical stage fluorescence microscopy. With this imaging system, ion signaling can be monitored during all phases of the root gravitropic response.

  13. A thiourea-appended rhodamine chemodosimeter for mercury(II) and its bioimaging application

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tantipanjaporn, Ajcharapan; Prabpai, Samran; Suksen, Kanoknetr; Kongsaeree, Palangpon

    2018-03-01

    A rhodamine-thiourea conjugate RTP with an o-phenylenediamine linker was developed as a fluorogenic chemodosimeter for Hg2+ detection. In the presence of Hg2+, a colorless solution of RTP turned pink with a maximum absorption band at 555 nm and with a 62-fold fluorescence enhancement at 578 nm (Φ = 0.34). RTP is highly selective to Hg2+ among other metal ions with a detection limit of 1.6 nM (0.3 ppb). A similar rhodamine analog with a flexible ethylenediamine spacer was less selective and less sensitive than RTP. Hg2+ induced cyclic guanylation to yield a benzimidazole moiety and a subsequent ring-opening of the spirolactam unit resulted in chromogenic and fluorogenic changes. The membrane-permeable RTP probe was successfully demonstrated in monitoring of Hg2+ in cultured HeLa cells.

  14. Molecular recognition of organic ammonium ions in solution using synthetic receptors

    PubMed Central

    Späth, Andreas

    2010-01-01

    Summary Ammonium ions are ubiquitous in chemistry and molecular biology. Considerable efforts have been undertaken to develop synthetic receptors for their selective molecular recognition. The type of host compounds for organic ammonium ion binding span a wide range from crown ethers to calixarenes to metal complexes. Typical intermolecular interactions are hydrogen bonds, electrostatic and cation–π interactions, hydrophobic interactions or reversible covalent bond formation. In this review we discuss the different classes of synthetic receptors for organic ammonium ion recognition and illustrate the scope and limitations of each class with selected examples from the recent literature. The molecular recognition of ammonium ions in amino acids is included and the enantioselective binding of chiral ammonium ions by synthetic receptors is also covered. In our conclusion we compare the strengths and weaknesses of the different types of ammonium ion receptors which may help to select the best approach for specific applications. PMID:20502608

  15. An improved method for constructing and selectively silanizing double-barreled, neutral liquid-carrier, ion-selective microelectrodes

    PubMed Central

    Deveau, Jason S.T.; Grodzinski, Bernard

    2005-01-01

    We describe an improved, efficient and reliable method for the vapour-phase silanization of multi-barreled, ion-selective microelectrodes of which the silanized barrel(s) are to be filled with neutral liquid ion-exchanger (LIX). The technique employs a metal manifold to exclusively and simultaneously deliver dimethyldichlorosilane to only the ion-selective barrels of several multi-barreled microelectrodes. Compared to previously published methods the technique requires fewer procedural steps, less handling of individual microelectrodes, improved reproducibility of silanization of the selected microelectrode barrels and employs standard borosilicate tubing rather than the less-conventional theta-type glass. The electrodes remain stable for up to 3 weeks after the silanization procedure. The efficacy of a double-barreled electrode containing a proton ionophore in the ion-selective barrel is demonstrated in situ in the leaf apoplasm of pea (Pisum) and sunflower (Helianthus). Individual leaves were penetrated to depth of ~150 μm through the abaxial surface. Microelectrode readings remained stable after multiple impalements without the need for a stabilizing PVC matrix. PMID:16136222

  16. An evolutionarily conserved gene family encodes proton-selective ion channels.

    PubMed

    Tu, Yu-Hsiang; Cooper, Alexander J; Teng, Bochuan; Chang, Rui B; Artiga, Daniel J; Turner, Heather N; Mulhall, Eric M; Ye, Wenlei; Smith, Andrew D; Liman, Emily R

    2018-03-02

    Ion channels form the basis for cellular electrical signaling. Despite the scores of genetically identified ion channels selective for other monatomic ions, only one type of proton-selective ion channel has been found in eukaryotic cells. By comparative transcriptome analysis of mouse taste receptor cells, we identified Otopetrin1 (OTOP1), a protein required for development of gravity-sensing otoconia in the vestibular system, as forming a proton-selective ion channel. We found that murine OTOP1 is enriched in acid-detecting taste receptor cells and is required for their zinc-sensitive proton conductance. Two related murine genes, Otop2 and Otop3 , and a Drosophila ortholog also encode proton channels. Evolutionary conservation of the gene family and its widespread tissue distribution suggest a broad role for proton channels in physiology and pathophysiology. Copyright © 2018 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

  17. The (Un)Certainty of Selectivity in Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Berendsen, Bjorn J. A.; Stolker, Linda A. M.; Nielen, Michel W. F.

    2013-01-01

    We developed a procedure to determine the "identification power" of an LC-MS/MS method operated in the MRM acquisition mode, which is related to its selectivity. The probability of any compound showing the same precursor ion, product ions, and retention time as the compound of interest is used as a measure of selectivity. This is calculated based upon empirical models constructed from three very large compound databases. Based upon the final probability estimation, additional measures to assure unambiguous identification can be taken, like the selection of different or additional product ions. The reported procedure in combination with criteria for relative ion abundances results in a powerful technique to determine the (un)certainty of the selectivity of any LC-MS/MS analysis and thus the risk of false positive results. Furthermore, the procedure is very useful as a tool to validate method selectivity.

  18. Coupling fiber optics to a permeation liquid membrane for heavy metal sensor development.

    PubMed

    Ueberfeld, Jörn; Parthasarathy, Nalini; Zbinden, Hugo; Gisin, Nicolas; Buffle, Jacques

    2002-02-01

    We present the first sensing system for metal ions based on the combination of separation/preconcentration by a permeation liquid membrane (PLM) and fluorescence detection with an optical fiber. As a model, a system for the detection of Cu(II) ions was developed. The wall of a polypropylene hollow fiber serves as support for the permeable liquid membrane. The lumen of the fiber contains the strip solution in which Cu(II) is accumulated. Calcein, a fluorochromic dye, acts as stripping agent and at the same time as metal indicator. The quenching of the calcein fluorescence upon metal accumulation in the strip phase is detected with a multimode optical fiber, which is incorporated into the lumen. Fluorescence is excited with a blue LED and detected with a photon counter. Taking advantage of the high selectivity and sensitivity of PLM preconcentration, a detection limit for Cu(II) of approximately 50 nM was achieved. Among five tested heavy metal ions, Pb(II) was the only major interfering species. The incorporation of small silica optical fibers into the polypropylene capillary allows for real-time monitoring of the Cu(II) accumulation process.

  19. Comparative Analyses of Data Independent Acquisition Mass Spectrometric Approaches: DIA, WiSIM‐DIA, and Untargeted DIA

    PubMed Central

    Ho, Jenny T. C.; Smit, August B.; Li, Ka Wan

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Data‐independent acquisition (DIA) is an emerging technology for quantitative proteomics. Current DIA focusses on the identification and quantitation of fragment ions that are generated from multiple peptides contained in the same selection window of several to tens of m/z. An alternative approach is WiSIM‐DIA, which combines conventional DIA with wide‐SIM (wide selected‐ion monitoring) windows to partition the precursor m/z space to produce high‐quality precursor ion chromatograms. However, WiSIM‐DIA has been underexplored; it remains unclear if it is a viable alternative to DIA. We demonstrate that WiSIM‐DIA quantified more than 24 000 unique peptides over five orders of magnitude in a single 2 h analysis of a neuronal synapse‐enriched fraction, compared to 31 000 in DIA. There is a strong correlation between abundance values of peptides quantified in both the DIA and WiSIM‐DIA datasets. Interestingly, the S/N ratio of these peptides is not correlated. We further show that peptide identification directly from DIA spectra identified >2000 proteins, which included unique peptides not found in spectral libraries generated by DDA. PMID:29134766

  20. Practical method for the confirmation of authentic flours of different types of cereals and pseudocereals.

    PubMed

    Ačanski, Marijana M; Vujić, Djura N; Psodorov, Djordje B

    2015-04-01

    Gas chromatography with mass spectrometry was used to perform a qualitative analysis of the liposoluble flour extract of different types of cereals (bread wheat and spelt) and pseudocereals (amaranth and buckwheat). In addition to major fatty acids, the liposoluble extract also contained minor fatty acids with more than 20 carbon atoms, higher hydrocarbons and phytosterols. TMSH (trimethylsulfonium hydroxide, 0.2 mol/l in methanol) was used as a trans-esterification reagent. In a trans-esterification reaction, triglycerides esterified from acilglycerols to methyl-esters. SIM (selected ion monitoring) was applied to isolate fatty acid methyl esters on TIC (total ion current) chromatograms, using the 74 Da fragment ion, which originated from McLafferty rearrangement, and is typical for methyl-esters. GC-MS system was used for the trans-esterification of triglycerides to fatty acid methyl esters in the gas chromatographic injector. This eliminated laboratory preparation for fatty acid methyl esters. Cluster analysis was applied to compare the liposoluble flour extract from different types of cereals and pseudocereals. Statistical data showed the liposoluble extract analysis enabled determination of flour origin and, because the results were unambiguous, this approach could be used for quality control. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Process for strontium-82 separation

    DOEpatents

    Heaton, Richard C.; Jamriska, Sr., David J.; Taylor, Wayne A.

    1992-01-01

    A process for selective separation of strontium-82 and strontium-85 from proton irradiated molybdenum targets comprises dissolving the molybdenum target in a hydrogen peroxide solution to form a first solution containing ions selected from a group consisting of molybdenum, niobium, technetium, selenium, vanadium, arsenic, germanium, zirconium, rubidium, zinc, beryllium, cobalt, iron, manganese, chromium, strontium, and yttrium; passing the solution through a first cationic resin whereby ions selected from a group consisting of zinc, beryllium, cobalt, iron, manganese, chromium, strontium, yttrium a portion of zirconium and a portion of rubidium are selectively absorbed by the first resin; contacting the first resin with an acid solution to strip and remove the absorbed ions from the first cationic exchange resin to form a second solution; evaporating the second solution for a time sufficient to remove substantially all of the acid and water from the solution whereby a residue remains; dissolving the residue in a dilute acid to form a third solution; passing the third solution through a second cationic resin whereby the ions are absorbed by the second resin; contacting the second resin with a dilute sulfuric acid solution whereby the absorbed ions selected from the group consisting of rubidium, zinc, beryllium, cobalt, iron, manganese, chromium and zirconium are selectively removed from the second resin; and contacting the second resin with a dilute acid solution whereby the absorbed strontium ions are selectively removed.

  2. Process for strontium-82 separation

    DOEpatents

    Heaton, R.C.; Jamriska, D.J. Sr.; Taylor, W.A.

    1992-12-01

    A process for selective separation of strontium-82 and strontium-85 from proton irradiated molybdenum targets comprises dissolving the molybdenum target in a hydrogen peroxide solution to form a first solution containing ions selected from a group consisting of molybdenum, niobium, technetium, selenium, vanadium, arsenic, germanium, zirconium, rubidium, zinc, beryllium, cobalt, iron, manganese, chromium, strontium, and yttrium; passing the solution through a first cationic resin whereby ions selected from a group consisting of zinc, beryllium, cobalt, iron, manganese, chromium, strontium, yttrium a portion of zirconium and a portion of rubidium are selectively absorbed by the first resin; contacting the first resin with an acid solution to strip and remove the absorbed ions from the first cationic exchange resin to form a second solution; evaporating the second solution for a time sufficient to remove substantially all of the acid and water from the solution whereby a residue remains; dissolving the residue in a dilute acid to form a third solution; passing the third solution through a second cationic resin whereby the ions are absorbed by the second resin; contacting the second resin with a dilute sulfuric acid solution whereby the absorbed ions selected from the group consisting of rubidium, zinc, beryllium, cobalt, iron, manganese, chromium and zirconium are selectively removed from the second resin; and contacting the second resin with a dilute acid solution whereby the absorbed strontium ions are selectively removed. 1 fig.

  3. Mass spectrometry in the U.S. space program: past, present, and future.

    PubMed

    Palmer, P T; Limero, T F

    2001-06-01

    Recent years have witnessed significant progress on the miniaturization of mass spectrometers for a variety of field applications. This article describes the development and application of mass spectrometry (MS) instrumentation to support of goals of the U.S. space program. Its main focus is on the two most common space-related applications of MS: studying the composition of planetary atmospheres and monitoring air quality on manned space missions. Both sets of applications present special requirements in terms of analytical performance (sensitivity, selectivity, speed, etc.), logistical considerations (space, weight, and power requirements), and deployment in perhaps the harshest of all possible environments (space). The MS instruments deployed on the Pioneer Venus and Mars Viking Lander missions are reviewed for the purposes of illustrating the unique features of the sample introduction systems, mass analyzers, and vacuum systems, and for presenting their specifications which are impressive even by today's standards. The various approaches for monitoring volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in cabin atmospheres are also reviewed. In the past, ground-based GC/MS instruments have been used to identify and quantify VOCs in archival samples collected during the Mercury, Apollo, Skylab, Space Shuttle, and Mir missions. Some of the data from the more recent missions are provided to illustrate the composition data obtained and to underscore the need for instrumentation to perform such monitoring in situ. Lastly, the development of two emerging technologies, Direct Sampling Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry (DSITMS) and GC/Ion Mobility Spectrometry (GC/IMS), will be discussed to illustrate their potential utility for future missions. c 2001 American Society for Mass Spectrometry.

  4. Mass spectrometry in the U.S. space program: past, present, and future

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Palmer, P. T.; Limero, T. F.

    2001-01-01

    Recent years have witnessed significant progress on the miniaturization of mass spectrometers for a variety of field applications. This article describes the development and application of mass spectrometry (MS) instrumentation to support of goals of the U.S. space program. Its main focus is on the two most common space-related applications of MS: studying the composition of planetary atmospheres and monitoring air quality on manned space missions. Both sets of applications present special requirements in terms of analytical performance (sensitivity, selectivity, speed, etc.), logistical considerations (space, weight, and power requirements), and deployment in perhaps the harshest of all possible environments (space). The MS instruments deployed on the Pioneer Venus and Mars Viking Lander missions are reviewed for the purposes of illustrating the unique features of the sample introduction systems, mass analyzers, and vacuum systems, and for presenting their specifications which are impressive even by today's standards. The various approaches for monitoring volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in cabin atmospheres are also reviewed. In the past, ground-based GC/MS instruments have been used to identify and quantify VOCs in archival samples collected during the Mercury, Apollo, Skylab, Space Shuttle, and Mir missions. Some of the data from the more recent missions are provided to illustrate the composition data obtained and to underscore the need for instrumentation to perform such monitoring in situ. Lastly, the development of two emerging technologies, Direct Sampling Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry (DSITMS) and GC/Ion Mobility Spectrometry (GC/IMS), will be discussed to illustrate their potential utility for future missions. c 2001 American Society for Mass Spectrometry.

  5. Novel LC-ESI/MS/MSn Method for the Characterization and Quantification of 2′-Deoxyguanosine Adducts of the Dietary Carcinogen 2-Amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine by 2-D Linear Quadrupole Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry

    PubMed Central

    Goodenough, Angela K.; Schut, Herman A. J.; Turesky, Robert J.

    2008-01-01

    An accurate and sensitive liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization/multi-stage mass spectrometry (LC-ESI/MS/MSn) technique has been developed for the characterization and quantification of 2′-deoxyguanosine (dG) adducts of the dietary mutagen, 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP). PhIP is an animal and potential human carcinogen that occurs in grilled meats. Following enzymatic digestion and adduct enrichment by solid-phase extraction (SPE), PhIP—DNA adducts were analyzed by MS/MS and MSn scan modes on a 2-D linear quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer (QIT/MS). The major DNA adduct, N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (dG-C8-PhIP), was detected in calf thymus (CT) DNA modified in vitro with a bioactivated form of PhIP and in the colon and liver of rats given PhIP as part of the diet. The lower limit of detection (LOD) was 1 adduct per 108 DNA bases, and the limit of quantification (LOQ) was 3 adducts per 108 DNA bases in both MS/MS and MS3 scan modes, using 27 μg of DNA for analysis. Measurements were based on isotope dilution with the internal standard, N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-2-amino-1-(trideutero)methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (dG-C8-[2H3C]-PhIP). The selected reaction monitoring (SRM) scan mode in MS/MS was employed to monitor the loss of deoxyribose (dR) from the protonated molecules of the adducts ([M + H - 116]+). The consecutive reaction monitoring (CRM) scan modes in MS3 and MS4 were used to measure and further characterize product ions of the aglycone ion (BH2+) (Guanyl-PhIP). The MS3 scan mode was effective in eliminating isobaric interferences observed in the MS/MS scan mode and resulted in an improved signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio. Moreover, the product ion spectra obtained by the MSn scan modes provided rich structural information about the adduct and were used to corroborate the identity of dG-C8-PhIP. In addition, an isomeric dG-PhIP adduct was detected in vivo. This LCESI/MS/MSn method is the first reported application on the use of the MS3 scan mode for the analysis of DNA adducts in vivo. PMID:17305409

  6. Ion-binding properties of the ClC chloride selectivity filter

    PubMed Central

    Lobet, Séverine; Dutzler, Raimund

    2006-01-01

    The ClC channels are members of a large protein family of chloride (Cl−) channels and secondary active Cl− transporters. Despite their diverse functions, the transmembrane architecture within the family is conserved. Here we present a crystallographic study on the ion-binding properties of the ClC selectivity filter in the close homolog from Escherichia coli (EcClC). The ClC selectivity filter contains three ion-binding sites that bridge the extra- and intracellular solutions. The sites bind Cl− ions with mM affinity. Despite their close proximity within the filter, the three sites can be occupied simultaneously. The ion-binding properties are found conserved from the bacterial transporter EcClC to the human Cl− channel ClC-1, suggesting a close functional link between ion permeation in the channels and active transport in the transporters. In resemblance to K+ channels, ions permeate the ClC channel in a single file, with mutual repulsion between the ions fostering rapid conduction. PMID:16341087

  7. Efficient and surface site-selective ion desorption by positron annihilation.

    PubMed

    Tachibana, Takayuki; Yamashita, Takashi; Nagira, Masaru; Yabuki, Hisakuni; Nagashima, Yasuyuki

    2018-05-08

    We compared positron- and electron-stimulated desorption (e + SD and ESD) of positive ions from a TiO 2 (110) surface. Although desorption of O + ions was observed in both experiments, the desorption efficiency caused by positron bombardment was larger by one order of magnitude than that caused by electron bombardment at an incident energy of 500 eV. e + SD of O + ions remained highly efficient with incident positron energies between 10 eV and 600 eV. The results indicate that e + SD of O + ions is predominantly caused by pair annihilation of surface-trapped positrons with inner-shell electrons. We also tested e + SD from water chemisorbed on the TiO 2 surface and found that the desorption of specific ions was enhanced by positron annihilation, above the ion yield with electron bombardment. This finding corroborates our conclusion that annihilation-site selectivity of positrons results in site-selective ion desorption from a bombarded surface.

  8. Selective and sensitive optical chemosensor for detection of Ag(I) ions based on 2(4-hydroxy pent-3-en-2-ylideneamine) phenol in aqueous samples

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mirzaei, Mohammad; Saeed, Jaber

    2011-11-01

    A selective and sensitive chemosensor, based on the 2(4-hydroxy pent-3-en-2-ylideneamine) phenol (HPYAP) as chromophore, has been developed for colorimetric and visual detection of Ag(I) ions. HPYAP shows a considerable chromogenic behavior toward Ag(I) ions by changing the color of the solution from pale-yellow to very chromatic-yellow, which can be easily detected with the naked-eye. The chemosensor exhibited selective absorbance enhancement to Ag(I) ions in water samples over other metal ions at 438 nm, with a linear range of 0.4-500 μM ( r2 = 0.999) and a limit of detection 0.07 μM of Ag(I) ions with UV-vis spectrophotometer detection. The relative standard deviation (RSD) for 100 μM Ag(I) ions was 2.05% ( n = 7). The proposed method was applied for the determination Ag(I) ions in water and waste water samples.

  9. Photochemical Study of Silver Nanoparticles Formed from the Reduction of Silver Ions by Humic Acid

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Leslie, Renee M.

    This study focuses on the ability of silver ions and humic acid to form silver nanoparticles in the presence of UV and visible light. Silver nanoparticles have a number of industrial applications due primarily to their antimicrobial properties, but these properties pose an environmental threat. Silver nanoparticles can directly disrupt sensitive ecosystems by harming bacteria. Consumption of silver nanoparticles results in silver ions and silver nanoparticles entering waterways; the presence of silver ions raises the question of whether nanoparticles can reform in environmental waters. As our data show, silver nanoparticles can form from the reduction of silver ions by humic acid after irradiation with UV and visible light. In order to better understand the mechanism of these naturally synthesized silver nanoparticles, we investigated the effects of reactant concentration, experimental conditions and presence of ions/reactive species. We monitored silver nanoparticle growth with UV-visible spectroscopy. The evolution in time of nanoparticle size was monitored by dynamic light scattering (DLS).

  10. Enrichment of rare earth metal ions by the highly selective adsorption of phytate intercalated layered double hydroxide.

    PubMed

    Jin, Cheng; Liu, Huimin; Kong, Xianggui; Yan, Hong; Lei, Xiaodong

    2018-02-27

    Phytate intercalated MgAl layered double hydroxide (MgAl-LDH) was prepared by an anion exchange method with the precursor NO 3 - containing MgAl-LDH. The final as-synthesized product [Mg 0.69 Al 0.31 (OH) 2 ] (phytateNa 6 ) 0.05 (NO 3 ) 0.01 ·mH 2 O (phytate-LDH) has highly selective adsorption ability for some metal ions and can be used to enrich rare earth metal ions in mixed solution, such as Pr 3+ and Ce 3+ from a mixed solution of them with Pb 2+ and Co 2+ . At first, phytate-LDH has good adsorption performance for these ions in single metal ion solutions. At low concentration (below 10 mg L -1 ), all the capture rates of the four metal ions were more than 97%, for highly toxic Pb 2+ it was even up to nearly 100%, and a high capture rate (99.87%) was maintained for Pb 2+ at a high concentration (100 mg L -1 ). When all the four metal ions are co-existing in aqueous solution, the selectivity order is Pb 2+ ≫ Pr 3+ ≈ Ce 3+ > Co 2+ . In a solution containing mixtures of the three metal ions of Pr 3+ , Ce 3+ , and Co 2+ , the selectivity order is Pr 3+ ≈ Ce 3+ ≫ Co 2+ , and in a solution containing mixtures of Pr 3+ with Co 2+ and Ce 3+ with Co 2+ , the selectivity orders are Pr 3+ ≫ Co 2+ and Ce 3+ ≫ Co 2+ , respectively. The high selectivity and adsorption capacities for Pb 2+ , Co 2+ , Pr 3+ , and Ce 3+ result in the efficient removal of Pb 2+ and enrichment of the rare earth metal ions Pr 3+ and Ce 3+ by phytate-LDH. Based on the elemental analysis, it is found that the difference of the adsorption capacities is mainly due to the different coordination number of them with phytate-LDH. With molecular simulation, we believe that the adsorption selectivity is due to the difference of the binding energy between the metal ion and phytate-LDH. Therefore, the phytate-LDH is promising for the enrichment and/or purification of the rare earth metal ions and removal of toxic metal ions from waste water.

  11. Synthesis of the 3-sulfates of N-acetylcysteine conjugated bile acids (BA-NACs) and their transient formation from BA-NACs and subsequent hydrolysis by a rat liver cytosolic fraction as shown by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Mitamura, Kuniko; Sakai, Toshihiro; Nakai, Risa; Wakamiya, Tateaki; Iida, Takashi; Hofmann, Alan F; Ikegawa, Shigeo

    2011-06-01

    Previous work from this laboratory has reported the chemical synthesis of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) conjugates of natural bile acids (BAs) and shown that such novel conjugates can be formed in vivo in rats to which NAC has been administered. The subsequent fate of such novel conjugates is not known. One possible biotransformation is sulfation, a major pathway for BAs N-acylamidates in patients with cholestatic liver disease. Here, we report the chemical synthesis of the 3-sulfates of the S-acyl NAC conjugates of five natural BAs (cholic, chenodeoxycholic, deoxycholic, ursodeoxycholic, and lithocholic). We also measured the sulfation of N-acetylcysteine-natural bile acid (BA-NAC) conjugates when they were incubated with a rat liver cytosolic fraction. The chemical structures of the BA-NAC 3-sulfates were confirmed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance, as well as by means of electrospray ionization-linear ion trap mass spectrometry with negative-ion detection. Upon collision-induced dissociation of singly and doubly charged deprotonated molecules, structurally informative product ions were observed. Using a triple-stage quadrupole instrument, selected reaction monitoring analyses by monitoring characteristic transition ions allowed the achievement of a highly sensitive and specific assay. When BA-NACs were incubated with a rat liver cytosolic fraction to which 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate was added, sulfation occurred, but the dominant reaction was hydrolysis of the S-acyl linkage to form the unconjugated BAs. Subsequent sulfation occurred at C-3 on the unconjugated BAs that had been formed from the BA-NACs. Such sulfation was proportional to the hydrophobicity of the unconjugated bile acid. Thus, NAC conjugates of BAs as well as their C-3 sulfates if formed in vivo are rapidly hydrolyzed by cytosolic enzymes.

  12. Multi-parametric polymer-based potentiometric analytical microsystem for future manned space missions.

    PubMed

    Calvo-López, Antonio; Puyol, Mar; Casalta, Joan Manel; Alonso-Chamarro, Julián

    2017-12-01

    The construction and evaluation of a Cyclic Olefin Copolymer (COC)-based continuous flow potentiometric microanalyzer to simultaneously monitor potassium, chloride and nitrate ions in samples from an on-board water recycling process expected to be installed in future manned space missions is presented. The main goals accomplished in this work address the specific required characteristics for a miniaturized on-line monitoring system to control water quality in such missions. To begin with, the integration of three ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) and a reference electrode in a compact microfluidic platform that incorporates a simple automatic autocalibration process allows obtaining information about the concentration of the three ions with optimal analytical response characteristics, but moreover with low reagents consumption and therefore with few waste generation, which is critical for this specific application. By a simple signal processing (signal removal) the chloride ion interference on the nitrate electrode response can be eliminated. Furthermore, all fluidics management is performed by computer-controlled microvalves and micropumps, so no manual intervention of the crew is necessary. The analytical features provided by the microsystem after the optimization process were a linear range from 6.3 to 630 mg L -1 and a detection limit of 0.51 mg L -1 for the potassium electrode, a linear range from 10 to 1000 mg L -1 and a detection limit of 1.58 mg L -1 for the chloride electrode and a linear range from 10 to 1000 mg L -1 and a detection limit of 3.37 mg L -1 for the nitrate electrode with a reproducibility (RSD) of 4%, 2% and 3% respectively. Sample throughput was 12 h -1 with a reagent consumptions lower than 2 mL per analysis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. SU-F-T-471: Simulated External Beam Delivery Errors Detection with a Large Area Ion Chamber Transmission Detector

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hoffman, D; Dyer, B; Kumaran Nair, C

    Purpose: The Integral Quality Monitor (IQM), developed by iRT Systems GmbH (Koblenz, Germany) is a large-area, linac-mounted ion chamber used to monitor photon fluence during patient treatment. Our previous work evaluated the change of the ion chamber’s response to deviations from static 1×1 cm2 and 10×10 cm2 photon beams and other characteristics integral to use in external beam detection. The aim of this work is to simulate two external beam radiation delivery errors, quantify the detection of simulated errors and evaluate the reduction in patient harm resulting from detection. Methods: Two well documented radiation oncology delivery errors were selected formore » simulation. The first error was recreated by modifying a wedged whole breast treatment, removing the physical wedge and calculating the planned dose with Pinnacle TPS (Philips Radiation Oncology Systems, Fitchburg, WI). The second error was recreated by modifying a static-gantry IMRT pharyngeal tonsil plan to be delivered in 3 unmodulated fractions. A radiation oncologist evaluated the dose for simulated errors and predicted morbidity and mortality commiserate with the original reported toxicity, indicating that reported errors were approximately simulated. The ion chamber signal of unmodified treatments was compared to the simulated error signal and evaluated in Pinnacle TPS again with radiation oncologist prediction of simulated patient harm. Results: Previous work established that transmission detector system measurements are stable within 0.5% standard deviation (SD). Errors causing signal change greater than 20 SD (10%) were considered detected. The whole breast and pharyngeal tonsil IMRT simulated error increased signal by 215% and 969%, respectively, indicating error detection after the first fraction and IMRT segment, respectively. Conclusion: The transmission detector system demonstrated utility in detecting clinically significant errors and reducing patient toxicity/harm in simulated external beam delivery. Future work will evaluate detection of other smaller magnitude delivery errors.« less

  14. Metabolism and bioactivation of the tricyclic antidepressant amitriptyline in human liver microsomes and human urine.

    PubMed

    Zhou, Xin; Chen, Chang; Zhang, Fangrong; Zhang, Yang; Feng, Yuling; Ouyang, Hui; Xu, Yong; Jiang, Hongliang

    2016-07-01

    Amitriptyline is a widely used tricyclic antidepressant, but the metabolic studies were conducted almost 20 years ago using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultraviolet detector or radiolabeled methods. First, multiple ion monitoring (MIM)- enhanced product ion (EPI) scan was used to obtain the diagnostic ions or neutral losses in human liver microsome incubations with amitriptyline. Subsequently, predicted multiple reaction monitoring (MRM)-EPI scan was used to identify the metabolites in human urine with the diagnostic ions or neutral losses. Finally, product ion filtering and neutral loss filtering were used as the data mining tools to screen metabolites. Consequently, a total of 28 metabolites were identified in human urine after an oral administration using LC-MS/MS. An integrated workflow using LC-MS/MS was developed to comprehensively profile the metabolites of amitriptyline in human urine, in which five N-acetyl-l-cysteine conjugates were characterized as tentative biomarkers for idiosyncratic toxicity.

  15. Electrochemical evidences and consequences of significant differences in ions diffusion rate in polyacrylate-based ion-selective membranes.

    PubMed

    Woźnica, Emilia; Mieczkowski, Józef; Michalska, Agata

    2011-11-21

    The origin and effect of surface accumulation of primary ions within the ion-selective poly(n-butyl acrylate)-based membrane, obtained by thermal polymerization, is discussed. Using a new method, based on the relation between the shape of a potentiometric plot and preconditioning time, the diffusion of copper ions in the membrane was found to be slow (the diffusion coefficient estimated to be close to 10(-11) cm(2) s(-1)), especially when compared to ion-exchanger counter ions--sodium cations diffusion (a diffusion coefficient above 10(-9) cm(2) s(-1)). The higher mobility of sodium ions than those of the copper-ionophore complex results in exposed ion-exchanger role leading to undesirably exposed sensitivity to sodium or potassium ions.

  16. Sensitive and selective liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the quantification of aniracetam in human plasma.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Jingjing; Liang, Jiabi; Tian, Yuan; Zhang, Zunjian; Chen, Yun

    2007-10-15

    A rapid, sensitive and selective LC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for the quantification of aniracetam in human plasma using estazolam as internal standard (IS). Following liquid-liquid extraction, the analytes were separated using a mobile phase of methanol-water (60:40, v/v) on a reverse phase C18 column and analyzed by a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer in the selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode using the respective [M+H]+ ions, m/z 220-->135 for aniracetam and m/z 295-->205 for the IS. The assay exhibited a linear dynamic range of 0.2-100 ng/mL for aniracetam in human plasma. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 0.2 ng/mL with a relative standard deviation of less than 15%. Acceptable precision and accuracy were obtained for concentrations over the standard curve range. The validated LC-MS/MS method has been successfully applied to study the pharmacokinetics of aniracetam in healthy male Chinese volunteers.

  17. The performance of atmospheric pressure gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry compared to gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry for the analysis of polychlorinated dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls in food and feed samples.

    PubMed

    Ten Dam, Guillaume; Pussente, Igor Cabreira; Scholl, Georges; Eppe, Gauthier; Schaechtele, Alexander; van Leeuwen, Stefan

    2016-12-16

    Recently, gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) has been added in European Union (EU) legislation as an alternative to magnetic sector high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) for the analysis of dioxins and dioxin like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCB) in food and feed. In this study the performance of APGC-MS/MS compared to GC-HRMS is investigated and compared with EU legislation. The study includes the legislative parameters, relative intermediate precision standard deviation (S Rw ,rel), trueness, sensitivity, linear range and ion ratio tolerance. In addition, over 200 real samples of large variety and spanning several orders of magnitude in concentration were analyzed by both techniques and the selectivity was evaluated by comparing chromatograms. The S Rw ,rel and trueness were evaluated using (in-house) reference samples and fulfill to EU legislation, though the S Rw ,rel was better with GC-HRMS. The sensitivity was considerably better than of GC-HRMS while the linear range was similar. Ion ratios were mostly within the tolerable range of ±15%. A (temporary unresolved) systematic deviation in ion ratio was observed for several congeners, yet this did not lead to exceeding of the maximum ion ratio limits. The APGC-MS/MS results for the non-dioxin-like-PCBs (ndl-PCBs) were negatively biased, particularly for PCB138 and 153 in contaminated samples. The selectivity of APGC-MS/MS was lower for several matrices. Particularly for contaminated samples, interfering peaks were observed in the APGC chromatograms of the native compounds (dioxins) and labeled internal standards (PCBs). These can lead to biased results and ultimately to false positive samples. It was concluded that the determination of dioxins and PCBs using APGC-MS/MS meets the requirements set by the European Commission. However, due to generally better selectivity and S Rw ,rel, GC-HRMS is the preferred method for monitoring purposes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Capillary-valve-based fabrication of ion-selective membrane junction for electrokinetic sample preconcentration in PDMS chip.

    PubMed

    Liu, Vincent; Song, Yong-Ak; Han, Jongyoon

    2010-06-07

    In this paper, we report a novel method for fabricating ion-selective membranes in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)/glass-based microfluidic preconcentrators. Based on the concept of capillary valves, this fabrication method involves filling a lithographically patterned junction between two microchannels with an ion-selective material such as Nafion resin; subsequent curing results in a high aspect-ratio membrane for use in electrokinetic sample preconcentration. To demonstrate the concentration performance of this high-aspect-ratio, ion-selective membrane, we integrated the preconcentrator with a surface-based immunoassay for R-Phycoerythrin (RPE). Using a 1x PBS buffer system, the preconcentrator-enhanced immunoassay showed an approximately 100x improvement in sensitivity within 30 min. This is the first time that an electrokinetic microfluidic preconcentrator based on ion concentration polarization (ICP) has been used in high ionic strength buffer solutions to enhance the sensitivity of a surface-based immunoassay.

  19. Selective demineralization of water by nanofiltration application to the defluorination of brackish water.

    PubMed

    Lhassani, A; Rumeau, M; Benjelloun, D; Pontie, M

    2001-09-01

    Nanofiltration is generally used to separate monovalent ions from divalent ions, but it is also possible to separate ions of the same valency by careful application of the transfer mechanisms involved. Analysis of the retention of halide salts reveals that small ions like fluoride are the best retained, and that this is even more marked under reduced pressure when selectivity is greatest. The selectivity desalination of fluorinated brackish water is hence feasible and drinking water can be produced directly at much lower cost than using reverse osmosis by optimizing the pressure for the type of water treated.

  20. Waste separation and pretreatment using crystalline silicotitanate ion exchangers

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tadros, M.E.; Miller, J.E.; Anthony, R.G.

    1997-10-01

    A new class of inorganic ion exchangers called crystalline silicotitanates (CSTs) has been developed jointly by Sandia National Laboratories and Texas A&M University to selectively remove Cs and other radionuclides from a wide spectrum of radioactive defense wastes. The CST exhibits high selectivity and affinity for Cs and Sr under a wide range of conditions. Tests show it can remove part-per-million concentrations of Cs{sup +} from highly alkaline, high-sodium simulated radioactive waste solutions modeled after those at Hanford, Oak Ridge, and Savannah River. The materials exhibit ion exchange properties based on ionic size selectivity. Specifically, crystalline lattice spacing is controlledmore » to be highly selective for Cs ions even in waste streams containing very high (5 to 10 M) concentrations of sodium. The CST technology is being demonstrated with actual waste at several DOE facilities. The use of inorganic ion exchangers. The inorganics are more resistant to chemical, thermal, and radiation degradation. Their high selectivities result in more efficient operations offering the possibility of a simple single-pass operation. In contrast, regenerable organic ion exchangers require additional processing equipment to handle the regeneration liquids and the eluant with the dissolved Cs.« less

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