Analysis of mussel standard reference material by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

A method for the analysis of mussel standard reference material by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry( ICP-AES) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS) was developed. K, Na, Ca, Mg, P, Al, Fe, Zn, Mn and Sr were determined by ICP-AES and As, B, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ga, Ge, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, Sr, U and V by ICP-MS, The interference coefficients at the Mn-55, Se-78, Cu-63, Co-59, Ni-58, Ni-60, As-75, Se-77, V-51, Cr-53 and Cr-52 originating from polyatomic ion of the matrix elements (KO)-K-39-O-16, K-39(2), (ArNa)-Ar-40-Na-23, (CaO)-Ca-43-O-16, (CaO)-Ca-42-O-16, (CaO)-Ca-44-O-16, (PO2)-P-31-O-16, (ArCl)-Ar-40-Cl-35, (ArCl)-Ar-40-Cl-37, (ClO)-Cl-35-O-16, (ClO)-Cl-37-O-16 and (ArC)-Ar-40-C-12 were determined under the selected operation parameters. The major matrix elements, such as K, Na and Ca, result in the suppression of analytes signals. The apparent concentration at the significant biological element which was produced by the different digestion methods, (.) HNO3 + H2O2 (3 + 2), HNO3 + HClO4 (3 + 0.5) and HNO3 + H2SO4 (3 + 0.5),was determined. The sample digested by HNO3 + H2O2 did not give rise to interfere on the analyte, and the backgrounds of Se-77, Ga-69, Zn-67, As-75, V-51, Cr-53 and Cr-52 were increased by HNO3 + HClO4 digestion method, that affected the determination of these elements, especially the monoisotope As and V. Sample digested by HNO3 + H2SO4 increased the backgrounds at Cu-65, Zn-64 and Zn-67. Detection limits of ICP-AES are 0.001 similar to 0.75 mg/L and those of ICP-MS are 0.005 similar to 1.01 mu g/L. The relative standard derivations of ICP-AES and ICP-MS are 2.7% similar to 12.8%, 3.4% similar to 24.8%, respectively.

Interference effects in the extraction of trace metals from estuarine waters

We have found that a commonly used complexation and solvent extraction technique (using mixed dithiocarbamates/Freon/HNO3) does not always extract Cd, Co, Cu and Ni from estuarine samples with the same efficiency as from Milli-Q water. For samples collected from the Derwent Estuary (Australia), the reduced extraction efficiency only occurred for unfiltered samples, but low extraction efficiencies were also observed for a (filtered) riverine certified reference material (SLRS-3) suggesting that the effect may be widespread. We have not been able to identify the reason for the low extraction efficiency and, although it is strongly correlated with the presence of high concentrations of suspended solids, dissolved organic matter and particulate iron, we have no experimental evidence to directly link any of these parameters to the effect. It is possible that similar effects may occur in other techniques which rely on a preconcentration step prior to analysis and that some literature values of heavy metals in estuarine waters may be low. We propose a modification of the standard complexation/solvent extraction method which overcomes these difficulties without adding significantly to the time taken for analyses.

A settlement inhibition assay with cyprid larvae of the barnacle Balanus amphitrite

A settlement inhibition assay using barnacle cyprid larvae, Balanus amphitrite, was developed with Cd2+ and phenol as standard reference toxicants. Mean percentage settlement of cyprid larvae showed a progressive reduction with increasing concentrations of Cd2+ and phenol. A significant reduction in settlement was found when cyprids were exposed to 0.1 mgL(-1) Cd2+ or 10 mgL(-1) phenol. The assay was used to assess the sublethal toxicity of three oil dispersants (Vecom B-1425 GL, Norchem OSD-570 and Corexit 9905) commonly used in Hong Kong waters. Results of this investigation show that the barnacle settlement inhibition assay can be incorporated into the battery of tests currently available for ecotoxicological assessment of marine contaminants. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Determination of mercury in biological samples using organic compounds as matrix modifiers by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

A method was developed for the determination of total mercury in biological samples. The effects of aqueous ammonia, ethylenediamine and triethanolamine on Hg signal intensity by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry has been evaluated and the possible mechanisms discussed. It has been proved that the signal intensity of Hg significantly increases with adding, in the presence of small amounts of aqueous ammonia, ethylenediamine or triethanolamine. The normalized intensity (the signal intensity ratio with amine and without amine) of Hg increases as the concentration of aqueous ammonia, ethylenediamine or triethanolamine increases, but the degree of enhancement of aqueous ammonia was smaller than that of ethylenediamine and triethanolamine. The normalized intensity of Hg with aqueous ammonia, ethylenediamine and triethanolamine decreases as the nebulizer flow rate increases, but decreasing degree of aqueous ammonia was smaller than that of ethylenediamine and triethanolamine. The higher the RF powers the higher the normalized intensity of Hg at the same nebulizer flow rate. The addition of aqueous ammonia, ethylenediamine and triethanolamine into analytical solutions significantly improved the transport efficiency of Hg. The detection limit of Hg is improved about ten times by the addition of ethylenediamine or triethanolamine under the optimum experimental parameters. The method has been used to determine mercury in biological standard reference materials (SRM). The analytical results are very close to the certified values and the determined values for similar samples.

Lu-Hf同位素的MC-ICP-MS实验方法及其在华北克拉通典型火山岩研究中的应用

Over past ten years, a great development has been made in the Lu-Hf isotopic system with the advent of MC-ICP-MS. Based on a comprehensive review of available references in the related field, a novel analytical protocol of three exchange chromatographies after one mixed acid attacking geological samples was developed in this work, which not only avoids common multiple sample treatments for natural inhomegeneous samples, but also is useful for Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd and Lu-Hf isotopic system simultaneously, especially for the garnet- and apatite-bearing rocks for the Sm-Nd and Lu-Hf geochronology. An analytical procedure for the Lu and Hf concentration in geological samples determined by by ID-MC-ICP-MS was detailedly investigated. The Hf yield is > 90 % and total procedural blank is less than. 50 pg for Hf and 10 pg for Lu, respectively. The developed method was successfully applied to the determination of Lu and Hf concentrations for USGS geological materials. A one-column procedure for Hf purification in geological samples using common anion exchange chromatography and its isotopic analyses by MC-ICP-MS were also established. Multiple analyses of Standard Reference Materials demonstrate that this method was simple, time-saving, cheap and efficient, especially suitable for the Hf isotopic compositions of young samples. Finally, the measurements of Sr and Nd isotopic compositions using Neptune MC-ICP-MS were described briefly, which indicates that Neptune MC-ICP-MS can precisely measure Sr and Nd isotopic compositions as the TIMS does, even more efficient and less time-consuming than the TIMS method. The Hf isotopic characteristics of typical volcanic rocks (Cenozoic Changle-Linqu basalts, Mesozoic Fangcheng basalts, Mesozoic Jianguo basalts, Mesozoic Wulahada high-Mg andesite, Cenozoic Fanshi, Zuoquan and Xiyang-Pingding basalts of the Taihang Mountains, Paleozoic diamondiferous Menyin and Fuxian Kimblites) from the North China Craton were firstly studied in this work. Coupled with Nd isotopic compositions, it shows that the Hf isotopes could be a better tracer for mantle sources than the Nd isotopes. Individual kimberlite fields from both the Mengyin and Fuxian regions have quite uniform Hf isotopic compositions, similar to the situation for the Nd isotopes.

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Representative Methods for Determining Young's Modulus and Hardness from Instrumented Indentation Data

The effectiveness of Oliver & Pharr's (O&P's) method, Cheng & Cheng's (C&C's) method, and a new method developed by our group for estimating Young's modulus and hardness based on instrumented indentation was evaluated for the case of yield stress to reduced Young's modulus ratio (sigma(y)/E-r) >= 4.55 x 10(-4) and hardening coefficient (n) <= 0.45. Dimensional theorem and finite element simulations were applied to produce reference results for this purpose. Both O&P's and C&C's methods overestimated the Young's modulus under some conditions, whereas the error can be controlled within +/- 16% if the formulation was modified with appropriate correction functions. Similar modification was not introduced to our method for determining Young's modulus, while the maximum error of results was around +/- 13%. The errors of hardness values obtained from all the three methods could be even larger and were irreducible with any correction scheme. It is therefore suggested that when hardness values of different materials are concerned, relative comparison of the data obtained from a single standard measurement technique would be more practically useful. It is noted that the ranges of error derived from the analysis could be different if different ranges of material parameters sigma(y)/E-r and n are considered.

Low-temperature heat capacities and standard molar enthalpy of formation of aspirin

Molar heat capacities (C-p,C-m) of aspirin were precisely measured with a small sample precision automated adiabatic calorimeter over the temperature range from 78 to 383 K. No phase transition was observed in this temperature region. The polynomial function of Cp, vs. T was established in the light of the low-temperature heat capacity measurements and least square fitting method. The corresponding function is as follows: for 78 Kless than or equal toTless than or equal to383 K, C-p,C-m/J mol(-1) K-1=19.086X(4)+15.951X(3)-5.2548X(2)+90.192X+176.65, [X=(T-230.50/152.5)]. The thermodynamic functions on the base of the reference temperature of 298.15 K, {DeltaH(T)-DeltaH(298.15)} and {S-T-S-298.15}, were derived.

Bienzymatic amperometric biosensor for glucose based on polypyrrole/ceramic carbon as electrode material

A novel amperometric biosensor utilizing two enzymes, glucose oxidase (GOD) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP), was developed for the cathodic detection of glucose. The glucose biosensor was constructed by electrochemical formation of a polypyrrole (PPy) membrane in the presence of GOD on the surface of a HRP-modified sol-gel derived-mediated ceramic carbon electrode. Ferrocenecarboxylic acid (FCA) was used as mediator to transfer electron between enzyme and electrode. In the hetero-bilayer configuration of electrode, all enzymes were well immobilized in electrode matrices and showed favorable enzymatic activities. The amperometric detection of glucose was carried out at +0.16 V (versus saturated calomel reference electrode (SCE)) in 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution (pH 6.9) with a linear response range between 8.0 x 10(-5) and 1.3 x 10(-3) M glucose. The biosensor showed a good suppression of interference in the amperometric detection.

The fabrication and performance of an Ag/AgCl reference electrode in human serum

A simple set of electric circuits was used to assemble a pulse generator. With pulse potentials and under galvanostatical control, a clean silver wire was anodized electrochemically for 0.2-0.5 min in 1.0 moll(-1) HCl with a pulse current density of 20 mA cm(-2), and the pulse wave parameters of t(a)/t(c) = 1 and a cycle of 4 s forming an Ag/AgCl reference electrode. Even though the AgCl layer was consumed during the working period when the Ag/AgCl electrode was used as a cathode, the AgCl layer could be in situ recovered electrochemically in serum used when a reversed potential was applied to the electrode system immediately after the measuring program was finished. The current response curve of the anode indicated that an AgCl layer in high density was basically accomplished during the first 6 pulse cycles in human serum. In order to keep a stable and uniform AgCl layer on the reference electrode after each measuring cycle, the ratio of the recovery time (t(r)) to the working time (t(w)) was measured and the smallest value was obtained at 0.03. The open-circuit potential of the Ag/AgCl electrode with respect to a SCE in 0.1 moll(-1) KCl was monitored over a period of 14 days and the mean value was 40.09 mV vs SCE with a standard deviation of 2.55 mV. The potential of the Ag/AgCl reference electrode did remain constant when the measurements were repeated more than 600 times in undiluted human serum with a standard deviation of 1.89 mV. This study indicated that the Ag/AgCl reference electrode could been rapidly fabricated with a pulse potential and could be used as a reference electrode with long-term stable properties in human serum samples.

潮波模型的优化开边界方法研究

数值模式是潮波研究的一种有利手段，但在研究中会面临各种具体问题，包括开边界条件的确定、底摩擦系数和耗散系数的选取等。数据同化是解决这些问题的一种途径，即利用有限数量的潮汐观测资料对潮波进行最优估计，其根本目的是迫使模型预报值逼近观测值，使模式不要偏离实际情况太远。本文采用了一种优化开边界方法，沿着数值模型的开边界优化潮汐水位信息，目的是设法使数值解在动力约束的意义下接近观测值，获得研究区域的潮汐结果。边界值由指定优化问题的解来定，以提高模拟区域的潮汐精度，最优问题的解是基于通过开边界的能量通量的变化，处理开边界处的观测值与计算值之差的最小化。这里提供了辐射型边界条件，由Reid 和Bodine（本文简称为RB）推导，我们将采用的优化后的RB方法（称为ORB）是优化开边界的特殊情况。 本文对理想矩形海域（ E- E， N- N， 分辨率 ）进行了潮波模拟，有东部开边界，模式采用ECOM3D模式。对数据结果的误差分析采用，振幅平均偏差，平均绝对偏差，平均相对误差和均方根偏差四个值来衡量模拟结果的好坏程度。 需要优化入开边界的解析潮汐值本文采用的解析解由方国洪《海湾的潮汐与潮流》（1966年）方法提供，为验证本文所做的解析解和方文的一致，本文做了其第一个例子的关键值a,b,z,结果与其结果吻合的相当好。但略有差别，分析的可能原因是两法在具体迭代方案和计算机保留小数上有区别造成微小误差。另外，我们取m=20，得到更精确的数值，我们发现对前十项的各项参数值，取m=10,m=20各项参数略有改进。当然我们可以获得m更大的各项参数值。 同时为了检验解析解的正确性讨论m和l变化对边界值的影响，结果指出，增大m，m=20时，u的模最大在本身u1或u2的模的6%；m=100时，u的模最大在本身u1或u2的模的4%；m再增大，m=1000时，u的模最大在本身u1或u2的模的4%，改变不大。当l<1时， =0处u的模最大为2。当l=1时， =0处u的模最大为0.1，当l>1时，l越大，u的模越小，当l=10时，u的模最大为0.001，可以认为为0。 为检验该优化方法的应用情况，我们对理想矩形区域进行模拟，首先将本文所采用的优化开边界方法应用于30m的情况，在开边界优化入开边界得出模式解，所得模拟结果与解析解吻合得相当好，该模式解和解析解在整个区域上，振幅平均绝对偏差为9.9cm,相位平均绝对偏差只有4.0 ，均方根偏差只有13.3cm，说明该优化方法在潮波模型中有效。 为验证该优化方法在各种条件下的模拟结果情况，在下面我们做了三类敏感性试验： 第一类试验：为证明在开边界上使用优化方法相比于没有采用优化方法的模拟解更接近于解析解，我们来比较ORB条件与RB条件的优劣，我们模拟用了两个不同的摩擦系数，k分别为：0,0.00006。 结果显示，针对不同摩擦系数，显示在开边界上使用ORB条件的解比使用RB条件的解无论是振幅还是相位都有显著改善，两个试验均方根偏差优化程度分别为84.3%，83.7%。说明在开边界上使用优化方法相比于没有采用优化方法的模拟解更接近于解析解，大大提高了模拟水平。上述的两个试验得出， k=0.00006优化结果比k=0的好。 第二类试验，使用ORB条件确定优化开边界情况下，在东西边界加入出入流的情况，流考虑线性和非线性情况，结果显示，加入流的情况，潮汐模拟的效果降低不少，流为1Sv的情况要比5Sv的情况均方根偏差相差20cm,而不加流的情况只有0.2cm。线性流和非线性流情况两者模式解相差不大，振幅，相位各项指数都相近, 说明流的线性与否对结果影响不大。 第三类试验，不仅在开边界使用ORB条件，在模式内部也使用ORB条件，比较了内部优化和不优化情况与解析解的偏差。结果显示，选用不同的k,振幅都能得到很好的模拟，而相位相对较差。另外，在内部优化的情况下，考虑不同的k的模式解， 我们选用了与解析解相近的6个模式解的k,结果显示，不同的k,振幅都能得到很好的模拟，而相位较差。 总之，在开边界使用ORB条件比使用RB条件好，振幅相位都有大幅度改进，在加入出入流情况下，流的大小对模拟结果有影响，但线形流和非线性流差别不大。内部优化的结果显示，模式采用不同的k都能很好模拟解析解的振幅。

Application of Neomysis awatschensis as a standard marine toxicity test organism in China

The small mysid crustacean Neomysis awatschensis was collected in the west coast of Jiaozhou Bay, Qingdao, China in 1992 and acclimated and cultured in laboratory conditions since then. Standard acute toxicity tests using 4-6 d juvenile mysids of this species were conducted and the results were compared with Mysidopsis bahia, a standard toxicity test organism used in the US in terms of their sensitivities to reference toxins, as well as their taxonomy, morphology and geographic distributions. Because of its wide distribution along the Chinese coast, similar sensitivity to pollutants as M. bahia, short life history, small size and the case of handling, this study intended to use N. awatschensis as one of the standard marine organisms for toxicity testing in China. The species were applied to acute toxicity evaluations of drilling fluid and its additives I organotin TPT and toxic algae, and to chronic ( life cycle) toxicity assays of organotin TPT and a toxic dinofalgellate Alexandrium tamarense, respectively. Using N, awatschensis as a standard toxicity testing organism in marine pollution assessment in China is suggested.