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Hot Articles in JAAS!

New synthesis of silica nanoparticles

New synthesis of silica nanoparticles

Silica nanoparticles can now be easily developed and efficiently used in bioassays. This study just published in JAAS by Jung Aa Ko and H. B. Lim shows the design and optimisation of a new method for synthesis of core-shell nanoparticles doped with metal ions and dye together for particle tagging and monitoring.

Metal/dye-doped core-shell silica nanoparticles for potential use in bioassay
Jung Aa Ko and H. B. Lim
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C3JA30373J

Precise measurements of platinum stable isotopes

Measuring platinum stable isotopes

Researchers at the Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, present the precise measurement of platinum (Pt) stable isotopes by multiple collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICPMS) using two diffrerent double spikes. The authors explain that the 196Pt-198Pt spike is preferable for application to both natural terrestrial and extraterrestrial samples.

Platinum stable isotope ratio measurements by double-spike multiple collector ICPMS
John Creech ,  Joel Baker ,  Monica Handler ,  Martin Schiller and Martin Bizzarro
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C3JA50022E

Both papers will be free to read until April 25th. Have a read now!

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Spectral interferences using Inorganic Mass Spectrometry

Analysis of Human urine after administration of Gd-based MRI contrast agents

Administration of Gd-based MRI contrast agents causes major spectral interferences during analysis of selenium (Se) and platinum (Pt) in urine.

The finding was reported in a new study led by Amy Steuerwald who carried out an epidemiological study on 619 urine specimens to determine Se and Pt using quadruple-based inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (Q-ICP-MS). Both Se and Pt were several orders of magnitude greater than the upper limit of the population reference ranges.

To read the full article, please access the link below. This paper will be free to read until April 12th.

Trace element analysis of human urine collected after administration of Gd-based MRI contrast agents: characterizing spectral interferences using inorganic mass spectrometry
Amy J. Steuerwald ,  Patrick J. Parsons ,  John G. Arnason ,  Zhen Chen ,  C. Matthew Peterson and Germaine M. Buck Louis
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C3JA30331D

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Web Collection: Analytical Atomic Spectrometry in Biomedical Science

Check out the new JAAS web collection on Analytical Atomic Spectrometry in Biomedical Sciences!

All the JAAS papers included in this collection highlight the latest achievements in analytical atomic spectrometry and the applications of spectroscopy-based bioanalytical technology in clinics and biology.

To view the full list of articles, take a look at our Web Collection now!

Here are some interesting selected papers free for you to enjoy for the next four weeks. To read the full articles, please click on the links below:

Isotopic analysis of Cu for diagnosis of Wilson's disease

Isotopic analysis of Cu in serum samples for diagnosis of Wilson’s disease: a pilot study
Maite Aramendía ,  Luis Rello ,  Martín Resano and Frank Vanhaecke
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C3JA30349G

Comparison of different chelates for lanthanide labeling of antibodies and application in a Western blot immunoassay combined with detection by laser ablation (LA-)ICP-MS
Larissa Waentig ,  Norbert Jakubowski ,  Simone Hardt ,  Christian Scheler ,  Peter H. Roos and Michael W. Linscheid
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2012,27, 1311-1320
DOI: 10.1039/C2JA30068K

A pilot study on the use of laser ablation-ICP-mass spectrometry for assessing/mapping the distribution of a drug and its metabolites across the body compartments of rats
Andrei Izmer ,  Deepti Gholap ,  Kathleen De Houwer ,  Filip Cuyckens and Frank Vanhaecke
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2012,27, 413-418
DOI: 10.1039/C2JA10343E

GFAAS for direct determination of gold in mice exposed to gold nanoparticles

Solid sampling high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry to monitor the biodistribution of gold nanoparticles in mice tissue after intravenous administration
M. Resano ,  E. Mozas ,  C. Crespo ,  J. Briceño ,  J. del Campo Menoyo and M. A. Belarra
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2010,25, 1864-1873
DOI: 10.1039/C0JA00086H

Quantitative imaging of element spatial distribution in the brain section of a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease using synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence analysis
Hua-Jian Wang ,  Meng Wang ,  Bing Wang ,  Xiang-Yu Meng ,  Yun Wang ,  Ming Li ,  Wei-Yue Feng ,  Yu-Liang Zhao and Zhi-Fang Chai
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2010,25, 328-333
DOI: 10.1039/B921201A

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JAAS Issue 4 now online

Kim et al., J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, 28, 460-467

The fourth issue of JAAS is now available online! Take a look at our two new covers and read all about the innovative research behind them. The outside front cover showcases the work of Sungho Jeong and his group from the Gwangju Institute of Technology in Korea.  The researchers report the enhanced performance of LIBS measurement by using an air and argon (Ar) jet for the analysis of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin films.

Influence of Ar buffer gas on the LIBS signal of thin CIGS films
Chan-Kyu Kim ,  Jung-Hwan In ,  Seok-Hee Lee and Sungho Jeong
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013,28, 460-467
DOI: 10.1039/C2JA30297G

Cho and Lim, J. Anal. At. Spetrom., 2013, 28, 468-472

Our colourful inside front cover gives a snapshot of a study from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. David Balslev-Clausen and colleagues propose a high performance alternative to routine laboratory mass spectrometry for isotopic geochemical analyses. In this work, they use a flash combustion Cavity Ring Down Spectrometer system to investigate 13C/12C of organic carbon in geological material, suggesting that laser based isotope techniques can be efficiently used in geochemistry.

Precise and accurate δ13C analysis of rock samples using Flash Combustion–Cavity Ring Down Laser Spectroscopy
David Balslev-Clausen ,  Tais W. Dahl ,  Nabil Saad and Minik T. Rosing
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, 28, 516-523
DOI: 10.1039/C2JA30240C

In addition, this new issue features work presented at the 2012 Asia Pacific Winter Conference on Plasma Spectrochemistry, held in Jeju Island, South Korea:

The selected papers listed below show the latest developments in spectrochemical analysis including inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and laser-assisted analytical techniques. To know more, please click on the links below. These papers will be free to read until April 4th.

Determination of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tagged with TiO2 nanoparticles using ICP-MS
H. K. Cho and H. B. Lim
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, 28, 468-472
DOI: 10.1039/C3JA30299G

Reproducibility of CIGS thin film analysis by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy
Jung-Hwan In ,  Chan-Kyu Kim ,  Seok-Hee Lee and Sungho Jeong
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, 28, 473-481
DOI: 10.1039/C3JA30298A

Precise determination of the lithium isotope ratio in geological samples using MC-ICP-MS with cool plasma
Min Seok Choi ,  Jong-Sik Ryu ,  Ha Yan Park ,  Kwang-Sik Lee ,  Youngwoo Kil and Hyung Seon Shin
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, 28, 505-509
DOI: 10.1039/C2JA30293D

UV-induced atomization of gaseous mercury hydrides for atomic fluorescence spectrometric detection of inorganic and organic mercury after high performance liquid chromatographic separation
Ke Huang ,  Kailai Xu ,  Xiandeng Hou ,  Yun Jia ,  Chengbin Zheng and Lu Yang
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, 28, 510-515
DOI: 10.1039/C3JA30363B

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Elemental Imaging Themed Issue: submissions still open

Soon we will be publishing a themed issue on Elemental Imaging in the field of analytical atomic spectrometry. The aim is to highlight imaging techniques and methods, including a mixture of both fundamental advances and exciting new applications.

Guest edited by:
Jorge Pisonero, University of Oviedo
Vincent Smentkowski, General Electric Global Research
Nerea Bordel, University of Oviedo

The submission deadline for the forthcoming themed issue of JAAS on Elemental Imaging was February 8th. We are still currently accepting submissions for this issue.

If you work in the field of elemental imaging submit your work today!

All articles will be peer-reviewed, and to be suitable for publication, must meet the usual quality and significance standards of the journal.  Please indicate in your covering letter that your article is to be considered for the Elemental Imaging theme. Email jaas-rsc@rsc.org for more information.

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Detecting lead at ultratrace levels

Determination of lead at ultratrace levels

Lead is a toxic heavy metal harmful to our digestive, immune and nervous systems following ingestion or inhalation. Therefore, the development of new methodologies to detect lead even at ultratrace levels is necessary.
A compact trap and atomizer device to pre-concentrate lead and determine ultratrace levels has been developed in the past. However, a strong interference of bismuth during the lead pre-concentration procedure is observed. To explain the bismuth interference, Jan Kratzer and colleagues from the Institute of Analytical Chemistry of the ASCR, Czech Republic, quantify the trapping and volatilization efficiency of lead with a new radiotracer employing a Pb radioactive indicator. This recent study improves the understandings of the currently developed quarz trap atomizer device and demonstrates that the radiotracer approach is a powerful tool in method development.

To know more about this work, please access the link below. This paper will be free to read until February 28th.

Hydride generation – in-atomizer collection of Pb in quartz tube atomizers for atomic absorption spectrometry – a 212Pb radiotracer study
Jan Kratzer ,  Stanislav Musil ,  Miloslav Vobecký and Jiří Dědina
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2JA30263B

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Speciation of selenium in yeast cells

Integrated microfluidic chip for selenium speciation

In this paper, researchers from the Whuan University in China present a new method for speciation of selenium in yeast cells.

Using on-chip magnetic solid phase extraction and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-inductively plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), Bin Hu and colleagues revealed that the amount of selenocysteine and selenomethionine in a single-enriched cell are in the order of picograms.
According to the authors, this new analytical method is sensitive, fast, low cost and easy to use.

To read the full article, please access the link below. The paper will be free to read until February 18th.

Speciation of selenium in cells by HPLC-ICP-MS after (on-chip) magnetic solid phase extraction
Beibei Chen ,  Bin Hu ,  Man He ,  Qian Huang ,  Yuan Zhang and Xing Zhang
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2JA30280B

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Where does gold come from?

Direct analysis of geological and artefact gold is now possible thanks to a study published in JAAS.

Analysis of alluvial gold deposits from Ireland

Researchers from the University of Bristol in UK used solution and laser ablation mass spectrometry techniques to analyse lead isotopes in gold. They demonstrated the applicability of these techniques to archaeological samples by studying natural gold grains from two Irish alluvial gold deposits and two artefact samples from Early Bronze Age.

Currently, lead isotope analysis is the preferred method to establish the geographical origin of ore deposits, but when the study concerns the origin of gold mineralisation, analyses are performed on gold derived from the host rocks where it was originally formed. According to Christopher Standish and co-workers, this new approach allows direct analysis of both geological and artefact gold and improves the studies on archaeological provenance of gold used in antiquity.

To know more about this work, click on the link below. This paper will be free to read until January 24th.

Solution and laser ablation MC-ICP-MS lead isotope analysis of gold
Christopher Standish ,  Bruno Dhuime ,  Robert Chapman ,  Christopher Coath ,  Chris Hawkesworth and Alistair Pike
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C2JA30277B

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Call for nominations YAS 2014 open now!

Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 2010, Issue 3

YAS Cover 2010

We are pleased to announce the Call for nominations for the upcoming Young Analytical Scientists (YAS) themed issue of JAAS.

YAS is a special issue devoted to publishing the work of outstanding young analytical scientists within five years of their first academic or industrial appointment, working  in the area of atomic spectrometry and highlighting potentially high-impact research.

To know more about YAS 2014 please email us on JAAS-RSC@rsc.org.

Call for nominations are open until January 7th, 2013. Successful nominations will hear from the Guest Editor and Editorial Office the second week of January.

To view the last YAS issue, visit our website.

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Welcome to issue 1 of JAAS 2013!

The first issue of JAAS for 2013 is finally online!

To start with, our editorial from the JAAS Editor May Copsey and the Chair of JAAS Editorial Board Frank Vanhaecke, summaries the great success of JAAS in promoting the most recent advances in the field of atomic and elemental analytical techniques in a wide range of applications.

JAAS Issue 1

Alfeld et al., J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, 28, 40-51

Then we have these new interesting covers for you to enjoy the beginning of the year.

The Rembrandt painting “An old man in military costume”, from the collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum, features the outside front cover of this issue.  Matthias Wilhelm Alfeld and his group from the University of Antwerp created a “free impression” of a previously discovered hidden portrait, by using a mobile X-ray tube based system and two synchrotron-based setups. The full-scale mock-up of the painting obtained reproduces as closely as possible the pigments and the stratigraphy of the original painting.

Revealing hidden paint layers in oil paintings by means of scanning macro-XRF: a mock-up study based on Rembrandt’s “An old man in military costume”
Matthias Alfeld, Wout De Nolf, Simone Cagno, Karen Appel, D. Peter Siddons, Anthony Kuczewski, Koen Janssens, Joris Dik, Karen Trentelman, Marc Walton and Andrea Sartorius
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, 28, 40-51
DOI: 10.1039/C2JA30119A

JAAS Issue 1

Luu et al., J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, 28, 67-76

Our inside front cover comes from the work of Tu-Hann Luu end co-workers, from the Sorbonne University, Paris. This study reports a detailed analytical method for high precision in situ Mg isotopic measurements, which can be applied to meteoritic samples to precisely define their period of formation.

High precision Mg isotope measurements of meteoritic samples by secondary ion mass spectrometry
Tu-Han Luu, Marc Chaussidon, Ritesh Kumar Mishra, Claire Rollion-Bard, Johan Villeneuve, Gopalan Srinivasan and Jean-Louis Birck
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, 28, 67-76
DOI: 10.1039/C2JA30187C

And now, take a look at these selected HOT articles for you, free to read until December 21st:

Accurate determination of S in organic matrices using isotope dilution ICP-MS/MS
Lieve Balcaen, Glenn Woods, Martín Resano and Frank Vanhaecke
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, 28, 33-39
DOI: 10.1039/C2JA30265A

Statistical bias in isotope ratios
Christopher D. Coath, Robert C. J. Steele and W. Fred Lunnon
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, 28, 52-58
DOI: 10.1039/C2JA10205F

Investigation at the nanometre scale on the corrosion mechanisms of archaeological ferrous artefacts by STXM
A. Michelin, E. Drouet, E. Foy, J. J. Dynes, D. Neff and P. Dillmann
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, 28, 59-66
DOI: 10.1039/C2JA30250K

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