Atomic Spectroscopy

Two simple but effective turn-on benzothiazole-based fluorescent probes for detecting hydrogen sulfide in real water samples and HeLa cells

Two simple turn-on fluorescent probes, containing a benzothiazole and the 2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfonyl group, were designed for detecting H₂S. Two probes exhibited good selectivity and high sensitivity, which were applied to detect the H₂S in real water samples. Probe P2 with a positive charge had better solubility than probe P1 in water; therefore, probe P2 was successfully applied to detect both the endogenous and exogenous H₂S in lysosomes of living HeLa cells.

Photochemical Vapor Generation of Halides in Organic-Acid-Free Media: Mechanism Study and Analysis of Water Samples

Herein, we report a discovery that photochemical vapor generation (PCVG) of halides (bromide, chloride, and fluoride) can be realized in organic-acid-free media, with figures of merit comparable to those in classical scenarios employing acetic acid. Metal acetates, copper salts, and mixtures of different acetates and copper salts were evaluated for their performance in facilitating PCVG of halides; the formation of copper acetate complexes turned out to play a crucial role. Methyl halides (CH₃X, X = Br, Cl, F) were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) as principal volatile compounds. Several important intermediate species, including cuprous ions (Cu⁺), methyl (^•CH₃), and hydroxyl (^•OH) free radicals, were confirmed using cuproine, 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-oxyl (TEMPO), and coumarin as a chromogenic agent, radical tracer, and fluorescence probe based on UV-vis, GC-MS, and fluorescence spectroscopy, respectively. The ligand to metal charge transfer (LMCT) between acetate and copper and the charge transfer to solvent (CTTS) excitation of halides were considered to account for the generation of methyl halides in organic-acid-free media. The presence of 100 and 200 μg mL^-1 of CuAc₂, as well as sample delivery rates of 10.7 and 3.3 mL min^-1, yielded limits of detection of 0.03 and 3 μg L^-1 for Br^- and Cl^-, respectively, by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS). The method was applied to the analysis of bottled water and seawater, achieving spike recoveries between 92 and 101%.

Examination of the Mass Transfer of Additive Elements in Barium Titanate Ceramics during Sintering Process by Laser Ablation ICP-MS

The mass transfer of additive elements during the sintering of barium titanate (BaTiO₃) ceramic was examined by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) in the present study. An analytical sample consisting of two pellets of BaTiO₃ with different concentrations of additive elements of manganese (Mn) and holmium (Ho) as well as silicon (Si) as a sintering reagent was prepared and measured by LA-ICP-MS with small laser irradiated diameter of 10 μm to evaluate the distributions and concentrations of additive elements in order to examine their mass transfers. As results, enrichments of Mn and Si as an additive element and a sintering reagent, respectively, were observed on the adhesive surface between two BaTiO₃ pellets, even though Ho did not show a similar phenomenon. The mass transfers of additive elements of Mn and Ho were also examined, and Mn seemed to show a larger mass transfer than that of Ho during the sintering process for BaTiO₃ ceramics. The results obtained in this study shows the effectives of LA-ICP-MS for the future improvement of MLCCs.

Detection and Analytical Capabilities for Trace Level of Carbon in High-Purity Metals by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy with a Frequency Quintupled 213 nm Nd:YAG Laser

The laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) with a frequency quintupled 213 nm Nd:YAG laser was examined to the analysis of trace level of carbon (C) in high-purity metals and its detection and analytical capabilities were evaluated. Though C signal in a wavelength of 247.9 nm, which showed the highest sensitivity of C, could be obtained from Cd, Ti, and Zn ca. 7000 mg kg−1 C in Fe could not be detected due to the interferences from a lot of Fe spectra. Alternative C signal in a wavelength of 193.1 nm could not be also detected from Fe due to the insufficient laser output energy of the frequency quintupled 213 nm Nd:YAG laser. The depth analysis of C by LIBS was also demonstrated and the C in Cd and Zn was found to be contaminated in only surface area whereas the C in Ti was distributed in bulk. From these results, the frequency quintupled 213 nm Nd:YAG laser, which was adopted widely as a commercial laser ablation (LA) system coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) for trace element analysis in solid materials, could be used for C analysis to achieve simultaneous measurements for both C and trace elements in metals by LIBS and LA-ICPMS, respectively.

Europium(iii) β-diketone complex as portable luminescent chemosensor for naked eye Cu2+ detection and recyclable on–off–on vapor response

A novel Eu³⁺ complex coordinated by polymers with β-diketone pendant groups (Eu³⁺–PDKMA) has been synthesized for Cu²⁺ cation and acid–base vapor detections.

Europium(III) complex-functionalized magnetic nanoparticle as a chemosensor for ultrasensitive detection and removal of copper(II) from aqueous solution

Ultrasensitive, accurate detection and separation of heavy metal ions is very important in environmental monitoring and biological detection. In this paper, a highly sensitive and specific detection method for Cu(2+) based on the fluorescence quenching of a europium(III) hybrid magnetic nanoprobe is presented. This nanoprobe can detect Cu(2+) over a wide pH range (5.0-10.0) with a detection limit as low as 0.1 nM and it can be used for detecting Cu(2+) in living cells. After the magnetic separation, the Cu(2+) concentration decreased to 1.18 ppm, which is less than the US EPA drinking water standard (1.3 ppm), and more than 70% Cu(2+) could be removed when the amount of nanocomposite 1 reached 1 mg.

Dynamics of GDOES-induced surface roughening in metal interfaces

The roughness induced during glow-discharge optical-emission spectroscopy (GDOES) measurements has been reported to cause a loss of resolution during GDOES depth-profiling analysis. In this paper, we undertake for the first time a study of the dynamics of the surface morphology of chromium and titanium thin films (designed in mono and multilayer structures) under the impinging of GDOES incoming ions. We performed this study under the theoretical framework of the dynamic scaling theory, by analysing surface morphology changes, as measured ex-situ by AFM, with irradiation time. For single metal layers it was found that, after an initial surface smoothening, the surface undergoes a rapid steep roughening for both systems, with quite similar quantitative dynamics. Once this roughening ends a second temporal scaling regime arises, operating for long length scales with dynamics depending on the sputtering rate of the material. For the chromium layer, with a very high sputtering rate of 5.5 μm min(-1), this regime is consistent with the KPZ model, whereas for the titanium layer an EW scaling regime is indicated. These different scaling regimes are consistent with the development of larger surface slopes for the Cr system. In the multilayer systems, the initial roughness induced on the top Cr layer by GDOES has similar dynamics to that for single-layer Cr. However, a clear decrease in the roughness was observed once the underlying Ti layer, with a lower sputtering rate, was reached. This decrease in the induced roughness is maintained while the Ti layer is eroded. Therefore, choice of appropriate material (i.e. sputtering yield values) combinations and of their depth of location can enable tuning of GDOES-induced roughness and achieve substantial control over the depth profiling process.

Highly portable fluorescent turn-on sensor for sulfide anions based on silicon nanowires

A portable fluorescent sensor for S²⁻ based on SiNW arrays was realized and used to monitor S²⁻ in running water.

Colorimetric detection of copper ions in sub-micromolar concentrations using a triarylamine-linked resin bead

The triarylamine derivative ETPA reacts with Cu(2+) to give deeply colored, stable radical cations in acetonitrile solution. ETPA was immobilized on to a tentagel resin bead which was then used for the fabrication of a simple device capable of the colorimetric detection of submicromolar concentrations of Cu(2+) ions in water. The naked eye detection limit reported here for Cu(2+) is one of the lowest ever reported for small molecule sensors.

Experimental study of the asymmetric charge transfer reaction between Ar+ ions and Fe atoms

We investigate the Ar(+)-Fe asymmetric charge transfer (ACT) reaction using a combination of plasma diagnostics methods and a kinetic model of the afterglow plasma, which allow monitoring of the temporal evolution of the densities of different species. The iron vapor is created inside a discharge cell by cathode sputtering; its density is measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The rate coefficient of the reaction is evaluated from the emission intensity decay of Fe(+)∗ lines pumped by the ACT process in the He-Ar-Fe and Ar-Fe afterglow plasmas. The measurements yield a rate coefficient k = 7.6( ± 3.0) × 10(-9) cm(3) s(-1) at T = 300 K.

Quantitative measurements of loss on ignition in iron ore using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and partial least squares regression analysis

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and partial least squares regression (PLSR) have been applied to perform quantitative measurements of a multiple-species parameter known as loss on ignition (LOI), in a combined set of run-of-mine (ROM) iron ore samples originating from five different iron ore deposits. Global calibration models based on 65 samples and their duplicates from all the deposits with LOI ranging from 0.5 to 10 wt% are shown to be successful for prediction of LOI content in pressed pellets as well as bulk ore samples. A global independent dataset comprising a further 60 samples was used to validate the model resulting in the best validation R(2) of 0.87 and root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 1.1 wt% for bulk samples. A validation R(2) of 0.90 and an RMSEP of 1.0 wt% were demonstrated for pressed pellets. Data preprocessing is shown to improve the quality of the analysis. Spectra normalization options, automatic outlier removal and automatic continuum background correction, which were used to improve the performance of the PLSR method, are discussed in detail.

A novel cytotoxic cerium complex: aquatrichloridobis(1,10-phenanthroline)cerium(III) (KP776). Synthesis, characterization, behavior in H2O, binding towards biomolecules, and antiproliferative activity

The lanthanide complex aquatrichloridobis(1,10-phenanthroline)cerium(III) [Ce(phen)2(H2O)Cl3] (KP776) was fully characterized by elemental analysis, IR-, and 1H- and 13C-NMR spectroscopy, as well as TG/DTA measurements, and its behavior in H2O, important for the application as a chemotherapeutic, was studied. In addition, the binding of KP776 to nucleotides and single serum proteins was investigated by capillary electrophoresis, whereas binding to proteins in human plasma was observed by ICP-MS. The compound shows promising anticancer properties in vitro: proliferation of human cancer cell lines is strongly inhibited with IC(50) values in the very low micromolar range.