On-Line Thermally Induced Evolved Gas Analysis: An Update-Part 2: EGA-FTIR

The on-line thermally induced evolved gas analysis (OLTI-EGA) is widely applied in many different fields. Aimed to update the applications, our group has systematically collected and published examples of EGA characterizations. Following the recently published review on EGA-MS applications, this second part reviews the latest applications of Evolved Gas Analysis performed by on-line coupling heating devices to infrared spectrometers (EGA-FTIR). The selected 2019, 2020, 2021 and early 2022 references are collected and briefly described in this review; these are useful to help researchers to easily find applications that are sometimes difficult to locate.

On-Line Thermally Induced Evolved Gas Analysis: An Update-Part 1: EGA-MS

Advances in on-line thermally induced evolved gas analysis (OLTI-EGA) have been systematically reported by our group to update their applications in several different fields and to provide useful starting references. The importance of an accurate interpretation of the thermally-induced reaction mechanism which involves the formation of gaseous species is necessary to obtain the characterization of the evolved products. In this review, applications of Evolved Gas Analysis (EGA) performed by on-line coupling heating devices to mass spectrometry (EGA-MS), are reported. Reported references clearly demonstrate that the characterization of the nature of volatile products released by a substance subjected to a controlled temperature program allows us to prove a supposed reaction or composition, either under isothermal or under heating conditions. Selected 2019, 2020, and 2021 references are collected and briefly described in this review.

Fully automated process for histamine detection based on magnetic separation and fluorescence detection

To ensure food safety and to prevent unnecessary foodborne complications this study reports fast, fully automated process for histamine determination. This method is based on magnetic separation of histamine with magnetic particles and quantification by the fluorescence intensity change of MSA modified CdSe Quantum dots. Formation of Fe₂O₃ particles was followed by adsorption of TiO₂ on their surface. Magnetism of developed probe enabled rapid histamine isolation prior to its fluorescence detection. Quantum dots (QDs) of approx. 3 nm were prepared via facile UV irradiation. The fluorescence intensity of CdSe QDs was enhanced upon mixing with magnetically separated histamine, in concentration-dependent manner, with a detection limit of 1.6 μM. The linear calibration curve ranged between 0.07 and 4.5 mM histamine with a low LOD and LOQ of 1.6 μM and 6 μM. The detection efficiency of the method was confirmed by ion exchange chromatography. Moreover, the specificity of the sensor was evaluated and no cross-reactivity from nontarget analytes was observed. This method was successfully applied for the direct analysis of histamine in white wine providing detection limit much lower than the histamine maximum levels established by EU regulation in food samples. The recovery rate was excellent, ranging from 84 to 100% with an RSD of less than 4.0%. The main advantage of the proposed method is full automation of the analytical procedure that reduces the time and cost of the analysis, solvent consumption and sample manipulation, enabling routine analysis of large numbers of samples for histamine and highly accurate and precise results.

A Method of FPGA-Based Extraction of High-Precision Time-Difference Information and Implementation of Its Hardware Circuit

The positioning technology to find shallow underground vibration sources based on a wireless sensor network is receiving great interest in the field of underground position measurements. The slow peaking and strong multi-waveform aliasing typical of the underground vibration signal result in a low extraction accuracy of the time difference and a poor source-positioning accuracy. At the same time, the transmission of large amounts of sensor data and the host computer’s slow data processing speed make locating a source a slow process. To address the above problems, this paper proposes a method for high-precision time-difference measurements in near-field blasting and a method for its hardware implementation. First, based on the broadband that is typical of blast waves, the peak frequency of the P-wave was obtained in the time–frequency domain, taking advantage of the difference in the propagation speed of the P-wave, S-wave, and the surface wave. Second, the phase difference between two sensor nodes was found by means of a spectral decomposition and a correlation measurement. Third, the phase ambiguity was eliminated using the time interval of the first break and the dynamic characteristics of the sensors. Finally, following a top-down design idea, the hardware system was designed using Field Programmable Gate Array(FPGA). Verification, using both numerical simulations and experiments, suggested that compared with generalized cross-correlation-based time-difference measurement methods, the proposed method produced a higher time-difference resolution and accuracy. Compared with the traditional host computer post-position positioning method, the proposed method was significantly quicker. It can be seen that the proposed method provides a new solution for solving high-precision and quick source-location problems, and affords a technical means for developing high-speed, real-time source-location instruments.

Modeling Solid State Stability for Speciation: A Ten-Year Long Study

Speciation studies are based on fundamental models that relate the properties of biomimetic coordination compounds to the stability of the complexes. In addition to the classic approach based on solution studies, solid state properties have been recently proposed as supporting tools to understand the bioavailability of the involved metal. A ten-year long systematic study of several different complexes of imidazole substituted ligands with transition metal ions led our group to the definition of a model based on experimental evidences. This model revealed to be a useful tool to predict the stability of such coordination complexes and is based on the induced behavior under thermal stress. Several different solid state complexes were characterized by Thermally Induced Evolved Gas Analysis by Mass Spectrometry (TI-EGA-MS). This hyphenated technique provides fundamental information to determine the solid state properties and to create a model that relates stability to coordination. In this research, the model resulting from our ten-year long systematic study of complexes of transition metal ions with imidazole substituted ligands is described. In view of a systematic addition of information, new complexes of Cu(II), Zn(II), or Cd(II) with 2-propyl-4,5-imidazoledicarboxylic acid were precipitated, characterized, and studied by means of Thermally Induced Evolved Gas Analysis performed by mass spectrometry (TI-EGA-MS). The hyphenated approach was applied to enrich the information related to thermally induced steps, to confirm the supposed decomposition mechanism, and to determine the thermal stability of the studied complexes. Results, again, allowed supporting the theory that only two main characteristic and common thermally induced decomposition behaviors join the imidazole substituted complexes studied by our group. These two behaviors could be considered as typical trends and the model allowed to predict coordination behavior and to provide speciation information.