Comparison of some newly synthesized chemically modified Amberlite XAD-4 resins for the preconcentration and determination of trace elements by flow injection inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)

Surface-Initiated, Catechol-Containing Polymer Films for Effective Chelation of Aluminum Ions

We present a new route for obtaining surface-tethered polymer films containing pendant catechol functional groups via surface-initiated activators regenerated by electron-transfer atom-transfer radical polymerization (SI-ARGET ATRP) of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) and post-polymerization modification of the resulting poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (pGMA) films with dopamine. This method enables a high degree of functionalization of pGMA films with catechol groups at a controlled level, depending on the duration of the post-polymerization modification reaction. The dopamine-pGMA films readily absorbs Al³⁺ and Zn²⁺ ions, as verified by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) under continuous flow conditions, and demonstrates a four-fold molar selectivity to Al³⁺ over Zn²⁺. The ions desorb from the films upon rinsing with pure deionized (DI) water, which regenerates the catechol sites in the dopamine-pGMA film. Subsequent exposure to metal ions after rinsing steps yields reproducible levels of loading.

Solid Phase Extraction of Trace Elements in Waterand Tissue Samples on a Mini Column with Diphenylcarbazone Impregnated Nano-TiO2 and Their Determination by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry

This study presents a simple, robust and environmentally friendly solid phase preconcentration procedure for multielement determination by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) using diphenylcarbazone (DPC) impregnated TiO₂ nanopowder (n-TiO₂). DPC was successfully impregnated onto n-TiO₂ in colloidal solution. A number of elements, including Co(II), Cr(III), Cu(II), Fe(III), Mn(II) and Zn(II) were quantitatively preconcentrated from aqueous solutions between pH 8 and 8.5 at a flow rate of 2 mL min^-1, and then eluted with 2 mL of 5% (v/v) HNO₃. A mini-column packed with 0.12 g DPC impregnated n-TiO₂ retained all elements quantitatively from up to 250 mL multielement solution (2.5 μg per analyte) affording an enrichment factor of 125. The limits of detection (LOD) for preconcentration of 50 mL blank solutions (n = 12) were 0.28, 0.15, 0.25, 0.22, 0.12, and 0.10 μg L^-1 for Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn, respectively. The relative standard deviation (RSD) for five replicate determinations was 0.8, 3.4, 2.6, 2.2, 1.2 and 3.3% for Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn, respectively, at 5 μg L^-1 level. The method was validated with analysis of Freshwater (SRM 1643e) and Lobster hepatopancreas (TORT-2) certified reference materials, and then applied to the determination of the elements from tap water and lake water samples by ICP-OES.

Efficacy of dihydroxy-mercaptopyrimidine functionalized polymeric resin for the trace determination of Cd by SPE coupled flame atomic absorption spectrometry

The efficacy and applicability of a cadmium extractor prepared by functionalizing polystyrene resin with 2-thiobarbituric acid is studied. This is the first time that 2-thiobarbituric acid is reported in solid phase extraction as a chelating resin.

MULTIELEMENT SOLID PHASE PRECONCENTRATION USING A CHELATING RESIN OF STYRENE DIVINYLBENZENE COPOLYMER AND APPLICATION TO ANALYSIS OF SEAWATER AND FISH OTOLITHS BY INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA MASS SPECTROMETRY (ICP�MS)

A new chelating resin has been synthesized by immobilizing 4-(2-thiazolylazo) resorcinol (TAR) onto styrene divinlybenzene copolymer and examined for on-line solid phase extraction/preconcentration of Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in seawater and fish otoliths for determination by inductively plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). A volume of 5.0 mL sample solution was loaded onto the mini column of TAR immobilized resin at 2.0 mL min-1 via a sequential injection system. The optimum pH for multielement preconcentration was around pH 5.5. Recoveries were better than 96% in artificial seawater. Elution was achieved with 1.0 mL of 0.75 mol L-1 HNO3. The resin possesses large sorption capacity ranging from 82.0 µmol g-1 for Pb to 319 µmol g-1 for Cu. The detection limits (3s) varied between 0.0016 µg L-1 (Cd) and to 0.015 µg L-1 (Zn) for preconcentration of 5.0 mL blank solutions (pH 5.5). Relative standard deviation (RSD)for three replicate runs was between 0.3% (Cd) and 6% (Zn) at 1.0 µg L-1 level. The procedure was validated by analysis of Nearshore Seawater certified reference material (CASS-4), and then successfully applied to the determination of the trace elements in fish otoliths (CRM 22) and in coastal seawater and estuarine water samples.

Selective solid phase extraction of copper using a new Cu(II)-imprinted polymer and determination by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES)

This work reports the preparation of a novel Cu(II)-ion imprinted polymer using 2-thiozylmethacrylamide (TMA) for on-line preconcentration of Cu(II) prior to its determination by inductively coupled optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Cu(II)-TMA monomer (complex) was synthesized and copolymerized via bulk polymerization method in the presence of ethyleneglycoldimethacrylate cross-linker. The resulting polymer was washed with 5% (v/v) HNO₃ to remove Cu(II) ions and then with water until a neutral pH. The ion imprinted polymer was characterized by FT-IR and scanning electron microscopy. The experimental conditions were optimized for on-line preconcentration of Cu(II) using a minicolumn of ion imprinted polymer (IIP). Quantitative retention was achieved between pH 5.0 and 6.0, whereas the recoveries for the non-imprinted polymer (NIP) were about 61%. The IIP showed about 30 times higher selectivity to Cu(II) in comparison to NIP. The IIP also exhibited excellent selectivity for Cu(II) against the competing transition and heavy metal ions, including Cd, Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn. Computational calculations revealed that the selectivity of IIP was mediated by the stability of Cu(II)-TMA complex which was far more stable than those of Co(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II) that have similar charge and ionic radii to Cu(II). A volume of 10 mL sample solution was loaded onto the column at 4.0 mL min^-1 by using a sequential injection system (FIALab 3200) followed by elution with 1.0 mL of 2% (v/v) HNO₃. The relative standard deviation (RSD) and limit of detection (LOD, 3s) of the method were 3.2% and 0.4 μg L^-1, respectively. The method was successfully applied to determination of Cu(II) in fish otoliths (CRM 22), bone ash (SRM 1400) and coastal seawater and estuarine water samples.

Catechol-based biomimetic functional materials

Catechols are found in nature taking part in a remarkably broad scope of biochemical processes and functions. Though not exclusively, such versatility may be traced back to several properties uniquely found together in the o-dihydroxyaryl chemical function; namely, its ability to establish reversible equilibria at moderate redox potentials and pHs and to irreversibly cross-link through complex oxidation mechanisms; its excellent chelating properties, greatly exemplified by, but by no means exclusive, to the binding of Fe(3+); and the diverse modes of interaction of the vicinal hydroxyl groups with all kinds of surfaces of remarkably different chemical and physical nature. Thanks to this diversity, catechols can be found either as simple molecular systems, forming part of supramolacular structures, coordinated to different metal ions or as macromolecules mostly arising from polymerization mechanisms through covalent bonds. Such versatility has allowed catechols to participate in several natural processes and functions that range from the adhesive properties of marine organisms to the storage of some transition metal ions. As a result of such an astonishing range of functionalities, catechol-based systems have in recent years been subject to intense research, aimed at mimicking these natural systems in order to develop new functional materials and coatings. A comprehensive review of these studies is discussed in this paper.

Flow injection preconcentration system using a new functionalized resin for determination of cadmium and nickel in tobacco samples

A solid-phase extraction method combined with flow injection (FI) on-line flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) for the determination of cadmium and nickel in tobacco samples is presented. The 2-aminothiophenol functionalized Amberlite XAD-4 (AT-XAD) resin was synthesized by covalent coupling of the ligand with the copolymer through a methylene group. A minicolumn packed with AT-XAD was connected into the automated on-line preconcentration system. Elution of metal ions from minicolumn can be made with 0.50 mol L(-1) hydrochloric acid solution. With a consumption of 21.0 mL of sample solution, detection limits (3 s) of 0.3 (Cd) and 0.8 microg L(-1) (Ni) were achieved at a sample throughput of 18 h(-1). Enrichment factors (EF) of 99 (cadmium) and 43 (nickel) were obtained compared with the slope of the linear portion of the calibration curves before and after preconcentration. The contents of Cd and Ni in a certified reference material (NIST 1570a, spinach leaves) determined by the present method was in good agreement with the certified value. The developed procedure was also successfully applied to the determination of Cd and Ni in local tobacco samples.