Spot test exploiting smartphone-based digital images for determination of biodiesel in diesel blends

A novel in situ method for linear alkylbenzene sulfonate quantification in environmental samples using a digital image-based method

Surfactants from detergents, when inadequately treated in sewage treatment plants, are carried away into estuaries, resulting in the contamination of aquatic environments. It is thus necessary to develop rapid and efficient techniques that are capable of effectively monitoring these pollutants. In this context, for the first time in the literature, this study reports the development and application of a digital image-based (DIB) method for the in situ quantification of the anionic surfactant linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) in water bodies using a smartphone. The DIB method is a highly effective modern detection method based on methylene blue, which is employed as a modified alternative technique to the spectrophotometric method and commonly used in environmental studies; in the DIB method, the images of interest are obtained using a smartphone and the analyses are carried out using free software Color grab. The results obtained from the application of the DIB method showed that the method possesses high precision and accuracy, with a linear calibration curve in the range of 0.15 to 4.5 mg L-1, R2 = 0.993, a limit of detection of 6.0 μg L-1, and recovery rates ranging from 82.7% to 114%. The efficacy of the proposed method was evaluated by comparing its results with those of spectrophotometry (used as a reference method) through the analysis of environmental samples obtained from the Capibaribe River Estuary using methylene blue. No statistically significant differences were observed between the results obtained from the DIB and the spectrophotometric method. The innovative method proposed in this study is fast, economical and environmentally friendly; the technique involves the use of only a few microliters of samples and generates little waste compared to spectrophotometry. In addition, the proposed method is applicable for in situ analyses, allowing real-time monitoring of LAS in different types of aquatic environments.

Novel approaches for colorimetric measurements in analytical chemistry - A review

Colorimetric techniques have been developed and used in routine analyses for over a century and apparently all their potentialities have been exhaustively explored. However, colorimetric techniques have gained high visibility in the last two decades mainly because of the development of the miniaturization concept, for example, paper-based analytical devices that mostly employ colorimetric reactions, and by the advances and popularity of image capture instruments. The impressive increase in the use of these devices was followed by the development and enhancement of different modes of color detection to meet the demands of making qualitative, semi-quantitative, and fully quantitative analyses of multiple analytes. Cameras, scanners, and smartphones are now being used for this purpose and have become suitable alternatives for different approaches to colorimetric analysis; this, in addition to advancements in miniaturized devices. On the other hand, recent developments in optoelectronics technologies have launched more powerful, more stable and cheaper light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which once again have become an interesting tool for the design of portable and miniaturized devices based on colored reactions. Here, we present a critical review of recent developments and challenges of colorimetric detection in modern analytical chemistry in the last five years, and present thoughts and insights towards future perspectives in the area to improve the use of colorimetric detection in different application approaches.

A spot test for total esters determination in sugarcane spirits exploiting smartphone-based digital images

Cachaça is an alcoholic beverage produced from sugarcane, whose flavor and taste are related to the esters content, usually expressed as equivalent to ethyl acetate. The official method for the determination of specific esters in cachaça is based on gas chromatography with a flame ionization detector, whereas a volumetric procedure is recommended for determining the total content. Because of the high analytical demand, faster and more practical analytical procedures are required for quality control of the product. The aim of this work was to develop a spot test exploiting smartphone-based digital images for in situ determination of total esters in cachaça. The procedure was based on the reaction of the analytes with hydroxylamine, generating the corresponding hydroxamate ions, which form violet complexes with Fe(iii) in an acidic medium. Digital images were acquired under controlled illumination and converted to RGB values using the PhotoMetrix® 1.8 application. The values of channel B were taken as the analytical response because of the complementarity with the color of the reaction product. A linear response was obtained within 100-500 mg L^-1 ethyl acetate, with the coefficient of variation (n = 10) and limit of detection (99.7% confidence level) estimated at 1.1% and 30 mg L^-1 ethyl acetate, respectively. The procedure consumes only 1.4 mg NH₂OH·HCl and 115 μg Fe(iii) and generates only 900 μL of waste per determination. The results of the proposed procedure agreed with those obtained by the reference volumetric method at the 95% confidence level.