Archive for the ‘Hot Article 2013’ Category

Measuring Osmium in Small Biological Samples

Determination of osmium in small biological samples

The high concentrations of osmium (Os) in sediments and the highly toxic nature of OsO4(a gaseous osmium oxide) have been the main interest of a number of studies. Isotope abundance ratio measurements of  187Os/188Os can provide valuable information about the source of Os, and concentration measurements can help define future toxicity effects. However, studies of biological samples are impeded by low accuracy and long measurement time of the available methods.

Nicola Pallavicini and colleagues at the Lulea University of Technology, Sweden, developed a methodology for the analysis of biological samples using double-focusing, sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to measure the concentration of Os and also Os isotope ratio. The samples were prepared with microwave assisted acid digestion and spiked with Os of known isotope ratio. The method proved to be reproducible, relatively rapid and allowed high through-put of samples. The samples included different tissues from herbivore rodents and reference materials of biological and plant origin, allowing the method to provide information about Os metabolism and toxicity and also potential use of the Os isotope system in applications such as food authentication.

To read more about this article, please access the link below. This paper will be free to read October 18th.

A high-throughput method for the determination of Os concentrations and isotope ratio measurements in small-size biological samples
Nicola Pallavicini, Frauke Ecke, Emma Engström, Douglas C. Baxter and   Ilia Rodushkin
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013,28, 1591-1599
DOI: 10.1039/C3JA50201E

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

HOT Articles in JAAS

Take a look at these new HOT articles just published in JAAS. These papers will be free to read for the next 4 weeks. Enjoy!

Determination of ultra-low 236U/238U isotope ratios by tandem quadrupole ICP-MS/MS
Masaharu Tanimizu, Naoki Sugiyama, Emmanuel Ponzevera and Germain Bayon  
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013,28, 1372-1376
DOI: 10.1039/C3JA50145K

First inductively coupled plasma-distance-of-flight mass spectrometer: instrument performance with a microchannel plate/phosphor imaging detector
Alexander Gundlach-Graham, Elise A. Dennis, Steven J. Ray, Christie G. Enke, Charles J. Barinaga, David W. Koppenaal  and Gary M. Hieftje  
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013,28, 1385-1395
DOI: 10.1039/C3JA50122A

A high-throughput method for the determination of Os concentrations and isotope ratio measurements in small-size biological samples
Nicola Pallavicini, Frauke Ecke, Emma Engström, Douglas C. Baxter and Ilia Rodushkin  
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013,28, 1591-1599
DOI: 10.1039/C3JA50201E

Influence of chemical environment on the analysis of X-ray spectra of thick pellet samples containing 3d transition metal compounds
Stjepko Fazinić, Iva Božičević Mihalić and Luka Mandić 
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C3JA50230A

The key role of atomic spectrometry in radiation protection
Jian Zheng, Keiko Tagami, Shino Homma-Takeda and Wenting Bua  
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C3JA50217A

Selenium isotope analysis of organic-rich shales: advances in sample preparation and isobaric interference correction
E. E. Stüeken, J. Foriel, B. K. Nelson, R. Buick and D. C. Catling  
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C3JA50186H

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

HOT Articles in JAAS!

Take a look at our selected HOT articles just published in JAAS! These papers will be free to read until June 28th. Have a read now!

Trapping and laser cooling of trace Ca+ isotopes injected from an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer
Masanori Kitaoka,   Takuma Yoshida, Yuta Yamamoto, Kyunghun Junga and Shuichi Hasegawa  
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C3JA00004D  

Coal property analysis using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy
Tingbi Yuan, Zhe Wang, Siu-Lung Lui, Yangting Fu,  Zheng Li, Jianming Liu and Weidou Nia  
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C3JA50097G

Aerosol entrainment and a large-capacity gas exchange device (Q-GED) for laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in atmospheric pressure air
Daniel Tabersky, Kohei Nishiguchi, Keisuke Utani, Masaki Ohata, Rolf Dietiker, Mattias B. Fricker, Ivo M. de Maddalena, Joachim Kocha and Detlef Günther 
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013,28, 831-842
DOI: 10.1039/C3JA50044F

Elemental mapping of microstructures by scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDS): extraordinary advances with the silicon drift detector (SDD)
Dale E. Newbury and  Nicholas W. M. Ritchie   
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C3JA50026H 
 
LA-ICPMS elemental imaging of complex discontinuous carbonates: An example using large benthic foraminifera
David Evans and Wolfgang Müller   
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C3JA50053E

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

Analysing historical artifacts in a non-destructive manner

Isotope determination by portable laser ablation sampling

A portable laser ablation sampling device can help analyse valuable historical artifacts.

The study is shown in a paper just published in JAAS by Advisory Board member Detlef Günther and colleagues at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH, Zürich, Switzerland.

The researchers used laser ablation coupled to a multicollector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) to determine lead isotopes in Chinese ceramics, and applied a portable device to enable remote analysis. Laser generated aerosol samples were collected on membrane filters and consequently analysed in the laboratory by LA-ICPMS. With the new device, sampling of objects is independent of their location, size and shape.

This new method showed an analytical performance similar to a laboratory-based analysis and enabled simultaneous isotopic and elemental analysis without invasive sampling such as scraping or drilling of the objects.

To know more about this study, please access the link below. This paper will be free to read until May 24th.

Isotope ratio determination of objects in the field by portable laser ablation sampling and subsequent multicollector ICPMS
Reto Glaus, Ladina Dorta, Zhiguo Zhang, Qinglin Ma, Heinz Berke and   Detlef Günther
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C3JA30379A

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

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!

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

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

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

JAAS issue 3 now online

JAAS Front Cover, Issue 3, 2013

Quétel et al., J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, 28, 320

We have two covers in this latest issue of JAAS and they will both be free to read for 6 weeks. On the outside front cover is work from Christophe Quetel and colleagues at the EC – Joint Research Centre – Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements in Belgium. They have been testing the limits of strontium isotope ration measurements using MC-ICPMS.

Isotope ratio measurements by MC-ICPMS below 10 μL min−1 under continuous sample flow conditions. Exploring the limits with strontium
E. Paredes, D. Goitom Asfaha and C. R. Quétel
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, 28, 320-326
DOI: 10.1039/C2JA30209H

JAAS Inside front cover, Issue 3, 2013

Hu et al., J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, 28, 334

On the inside front cover we have an image from Wuhan University, China, where Bin Hu and colleagues have been looking at the speciation of selenium in cells. This type of elemental speciation work is important for metallomics research.

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, 28, 334-343
DOI: 10.1039/C2JA30280B

We also have a couple of HOT articles for you to read. Both will be free to access until Feb 28th.

JAAS Editorial Board member Gary Hieftje and co-workers at Indiana University USA, have a paper where schlieren imaging and infrared (IR) thermography were utilized to visualize plasma-gas flow and heat transfer, respectively, from a pin-to-capillary geometry flowing atmospheric-pressure afterglow (FAPA) ambient ionization source.

Visualization of mass transport and heat transfer in the FAPA ambient ionization source
Kevin P. Pfeuffer, Jacob T. Shelley, Steven J. Ray and Gary M. Hieftje
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, 28, 379-387
DOI: 10.1039/C3JA30353E

And from Jan Kratzer, at the Institute of Analytical Chemistry of the ASCR, Czech Republic, has together with co-workers investigated plumbane generation and subsequent preconcentration of lead species on quartz surface using radiometry and autoradiography.

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, 28, 344-353
DOI: 10.1039/C2JA30263B

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

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

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

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

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)

JAAS Issue 2 now online!

For our second issue of 2013 we have an informative front cover, a couple of HOT articles, and an editorial on the achievements in analytical atomic spectrometry in Central and Eastern Europe for the readers of JAAS to enjoy.

Tungsten coil electrothermal matrix decomposition and sample vaporization to determine P and Si in biodiesel by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Donati et al., J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, 28, 280

The outside front cover comes from Brazil, where George L. Donati and colleagues from Federal University of São Carlos have been analyzing biodiesel for its levels of P and Si. This article will be free to read for 6 weeks.

Tungsten coil electrothermal matrix decomposition and sample vaporization to determine P and Si in biodiesel by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
George L. Donati, Renata S. Amais and Joaquim A. Nóbrega
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, 28, 280-287
DOI: 10.1039/C2JA30306J

Issue 2 also has an editorial from Advisory Board member Pawel Pohl and Jiri Dedina who talk about the recent web themed issue on the achievements in analytical atomic and mass spectrometry made by the researchers from Central and Eastern Europe. Click on the link below to read more.

A glance at achievements in analytical atomic spectrometry in Central and Eastern Europe
Paweł Pohl and Jiří Dědina
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, 28, 175-176
DOI: 10.1039/C2JA90059A

Solution and laser ablation MC-ICP-MS lead isotope analysis of gold

Standish et al., J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, 28, 217

We have a couple of HOT articles for you as well. In the first, direct analysis of geological and artefact gold by Christopher Standish and UK colleagues who used solution and laser ablation mass spectrometry techniques to analyse lead isotopes in gold. The second article, from Advisory Board member Detlef Gunther and colleagues, describes a prototype inductively coupled plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometer (ICP-TOF-MS) for time resolved measurements of transient signals in the microsecond regime. Both of these papers will be free to read until the end of January.

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, 28, 217-225
DOI: 10.1039/C2JA30277B

A prototype of a new inductively coupled plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometer providing temporally resolved, multi-element detection of short signals generated by single particles and droplets

A prototype of a new inductively coupled plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometer providing temporally resolved, multi-element detection of short signals generated by single particles and droplets

Gunther et al., J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, 28, 226

Olga Borovinskaya, Bodo Hattendorf, Martin Tanner, Sabrina Gschwind and Detlef Günther
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, 28, 226-233
DOI: 10.1039/C2JA30227F

The latest ASU on environmental analysis is also available to read here.

Atomic spectrometry update. Environmental analysis
Owen T. Butler, Warren R. L. Cairns, Jennifer M. Cook and Christine M. Davidson
J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, 28, 177-216
DOI: 10.1039/C2JA90077G

Digg This
Reddit This
Stumble Now!
Share on Facebook
Bookmark this on Delicious
Share on LinkedIn
Bookmark this on Technorati
Post on Twitter
Google Buzz (aka. Google Reader)