Analytical Methods Blog

In this Minireview, Ana Gonzalvez and colleagues highlight the brilliant research and advances achieved in the area of trace level analysis by IR spectroscopy during the past two decades.

Minireview: The ways to the trace level analysis in infrared spectroscopy
Ana Gonzalvez, Salvador Garrigues, Miguel de la Guardia and Sergio Armenta
Anal. Methods, 2010, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C0AY00437E

Calcium chloride and ammonium hydroxide precipitation removes the inorganic phosphate

Enhancing determination of organophosphate species in high inorganic phosphate matrices: application to nerve agent degradation products
Yaofang Zhang, Kevin M. Kubachka and Joseph A. Caruso
Analytical Methods, 2010, DOI: 10.1039/c0ay00230e

Joseph Caruso and colleagues at the University of Cincinnati have developed a precipitation method for the removal of inorganic phosphates from samples to allow more effective identification of organophosphates by ICP-MS.

High concentrations of inorganic phosphates were successfully removed from apple juice and cola drink, leaving the organophosphates intact.  In this study, nerve agent degradation products were analysed, as they have the potential to contaminate food and environmental systems after their initial formation.

Caruso’s results indicate that this method could be suitable for more complex matrices containing relatively high levels of inorganic phosphate.

Access the article for free via the Analytical Methods homepage.

Continuous flowing inlets deliver essential nutrients to the tissue in the microfluidic device

A microfluidic device for tissue biopsy culture and interrogation
Abigail Webster, Charlotte E. Dyer, Stephen J. Haswell and John Greenman, Anal. Methods, 2010
DOI: 10.1039/c0ay00293c

Charlotte Dyer and colleagues at the University of Hull have designed a microfluidic device that can maintain tissue cultures for at least three days – much longer than previous designs, and long enough to perform drug testing.  This has the potential to reduce the need for animal testing and improve personalised medicine.

“The tissue is maintained in the device with continuous flow systems delivering essential nutrients and removing waste products in a highly controllable manner and with highly sensitive monitoring,” explains Dyer.

Her team tested the system using both normal and cancerous colon tissue, showing for the first time that a tumour biopsy sample can be maintained and responds to external stimuli, such as drugs.  They now intend to test other tissue types, and use the device to test the response of individual patient biopsy tissue samples to chemotherapeutic drugs.

To read Harriet Brewerton’s full news article, go to Highlights in Chemical Biology.