Danuta Barałkiewicz

Accumulation and detoxification of lead ions in legumes.

This study focuses on lead accumulation in roots, stems and leaves of three plant species of the Fabacea family: Vicia faba, Pisum sativum and Phaseolus vulgaris grown hydroponically in a medium supplemented with 1 mM concentration of lead. The largest amount of lead, up to 75 mg Pb/g dry weight, was accumulated in roots of P. vulgaris. The highest rate of Pb ions uptake from the medium took place during the first 10 h of incubation with lead and after 96 h of incubation lead content in the medium decreased by half. Thus, it was suggested that P. vulgaris could be used in rhizofiltration--the use of plant roots to absorb pollutants from water contaminated with lead. At the same time we studied the influence of lead on acid soluble thiol, glutathione, homoglutathione contents and the synthesis of phyto- and homophytochelatins in roots of V. faba, P. sativum and P. vulgaris grown hydroponically. Activation of the detoxicative-phytochelatin system was observed in the cytosol of root cells of the tested plants. This system was composed of phytochelatins (PCs) in roots of V. faba, homophytochelatins (hPCs) in P. vulgaris roots and both PCs and hPCs in P. sativum roots. The total content of PCs and hPCs in roots of P. sativum was very high and reached around 4800 (expressed in nmol SH x g(-1)FW) and induction of their synthesis occurred after only 2 h of treatment with 1 mM Pb.

Characterization of Polish rape and honeydew honey according to their mineral contents using ICP-MS and F-AAS/AES

In this work twelve elements (Al, B, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni and Zn) were determined in 30 honey samples from various locations within Poland and in two different types of honey--rape and honeydew. Trace elements (Al, B, Cr, Mn and Ni) were determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), however, major elements (Ca, K, Mg, Na) and Cu, Fe, Zn were determined by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (F-AAS). Cluster analysis of honey data revealed that the origin of honey samples correlated with their chemical composition. It was shown that rape honey includes lower amounts of manganese than honeydew honeys. Also honeydew honey includes much higher concentrations of Al, Cu, K, Fe and Ni in comparison with rape honey. Moreover honeydew honey was found to have a higher mineral content, which reflects sources from which the honey is composed. Trace element analysis showed that the differences in the values found in honey samples could be used as evidence of the quality of honey samples.

Enhancing phytoremediative ability of Pisum sativum by EDTA application

The aim of our research was to demonstrate how the presence of EDTA affects resistance of pea plants to Pb and Pb-EDTA presence, and to show the effectivity of lead ions accumulation and translocation. It was determined that EDTA not only increased the amount of Pb taken up by plants but also Pb ion transport through the xylem and metal translocation from roots to stems and leaves. It can be seen in the presented research results that addition of the chelator with Pb limited metal phytotoxicity. We also demonstrated a significant effect of EDTA not only on Pb accumulation and metal transport to the aboveground parts but also on the profile and amount of thiol compounds: glutathione (GSH), homoglutathione (hGSH) or phytochelatins (PCs), synthesized by the plants. We observed a significant effect of the synthetic chelator on increasing the level of Pb accumulation in roots of plants treated with Pb including EDTA (0.5 and 1 mM). Pisum sativum plants treated only with 1 mM Pb(NO3)2 accumulated over 50 mg Pb x g(-1) dry wt during 4 days of cultivation. Whereas in roots of pea plants exposed to Pb+0.5 mM EDTA 35% more Pb was observed. When 1 mM EDTA was applied roots of pea accumulated over 67% more metal. The presence of EDTA also increased metal uptake and transport to the aboveground parts. In pea plants treated only with 1 mM lead nitrate less than 3 mg Pb x g(-1) dry wt was transported, whereas in P. sativum treated with Pb-EDTA doubled amount of Pb was observed in stems and leaves.

Arsenic and its speciation in water samples by high performance liquid chromatography inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry—Last decade review

Arsenic composes a danger for human health all over the world as it is responsible for water resources contamination. The toxicity of arsenic depends on its chemical form. However, occurrence of particular arsenic species is dependent on processes occurring in water. Nowadays, more arsenic species is detected and analyzed in different kind of water (mineral, tap, waste), mainly owing to great possibilities resulting from coupling high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). This review mainly describes arsenic speciation analysis by HPLC-ICP-MS technique on the basis of articles that have been published since 2000. Arsenic chemistry, occurrence in different kind of water, total arsenic determination with interferences elimination and its validation and analytical performance are also reviewed.

Estimation of honey authenticity by multielements characteristics using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) combined with chemometrics.

In our study the mineral content of 55 honey samples, which represented three different types of honey: honeydew, buckwheat and rape honey from different areas in Poland, was evaluated. Determination of 13 elements (Al, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cu, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Zn) was performed using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. We tried to prove that the analysis of quality and quantity of honey elements could be used to define honey origin by using ICP-MS as a technique for simultaneous determination of elements. Chemometric methods, such as CA and PCA, were applied to classify honey according to mineral content. CA showed three clusters corresponding to the three botanical origins of honey. PCA permitted the reduction of 13 variables to four principal components explaining 77.19% of the total variance. The first most important principal component was strongly associated with the value of K, Al, Ni and Cd. This study revealed that CA and PCA analysis appear useful tools for differentiation of honey samples authenticity using the profile of mineral content and they highlighted the relationship between the elements distribution and honey type.

Application of ICP-MS method of determination of 15 elements in honey with chemometric approach for the verification of their authenticity.

In this study the mineral content of 140 honey samples, which represent three different types of honey, namely: honeydew, buckwheat and rape honey from 16 areas of Poland, were evaluated. The method is described for determination of 15 elements (Al, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Sr, and Zn) in honey from Poland using ICP-MS. The data were subjected to chemometric assessment to understand the association between the elements and classify honey samples. Mainly supervised pattern recognition techniques, such as LDA and C&RT were performed for the whole data set in order to discriminate and classify honey samples according to their origin and detect corresponding markers. Analyzes revealed an excellent separation between honey samples according to their type with the efficiency of LDA model as 100%. On the other hand, a variable classification for rape, buckwheat and honeydew honeys in regards to their geographical origin could be achieved.

Chromium and its speciation in water samples by HPLC/ICP-MS - technique establishing metrological traceability: A review since 2000

Chromium holds a special position among living organisms because depending on its species it can be either essential or toxic. Cr(VI) even at very low concentrations is harmful and carcinogenic, while Cr(III) is a necessary microelement for cellular metabolism. Therefore, a simple analysis of Cr concentration in collected samples will not be able to distinguish these differences effectively: for a proper chemical analysis we need to perform a reliable detection and quantification of Cr species. Separation and detection of chromium can be accomplished with high performance liquid chromatography hyphenated to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC/ICP-MS) in a one-step. Our review assembles articles published since 2000 regarding chromium speciation in water samples with the use of HPLC/ICP-MS. It addresses the following issues: chromium chemistry, the possibilities of dealing with interferences, metrological aspects, analytical performance and speciated isotope dilution mass spectrometry (SIDMS) which is a definitive measurement method. The authors would like to advocate this hyphenated advanced technique as well as the metrological approach in speciation analysis of chromium.

Over a century of detection and quantification capabilities in analytical chemistry – Historical overview and trends

The detection limit (LD) and the quantification limit (LQ) are important parameters in the validation process. Estimation of these parameters is especially important when trace and ultra-trace quantities of analyte are to be detected. When the apparatus response from the analyte is below the detection limit, it does not necessarily mean that the analyte is not present in the sample. It may be a message that the analyte concentration could be below the detection capabilities of the instrument or analytical method. By using a more sensitive detector or a different analytical method it is possible to quantitatively determine the analyte in a given sample. The terms associated with detection capabilities have been present in the scientific literature for at least the past 100 years. Numerous terms, definitions and approaches to calculations have been presented during that time period. This paper is an attempt to collect and summarize the principal approaches to the definition and calculation of detection and quantification abilities published from the beginning of 20th century up until the present. Some of the most important methods are described in detail. Furthermore, the authors would like to popularize the knowledge of metrology in chemistry, particularly that part of it which concerns validation of the analytical procedure.

Determination of cadmium and lead species and phytochelatins in pea (Pisum sativum) by HPLC-ICP-MS and HPLC-ESI-MSn.

An analytical approach based on hyphenated techniques was used for studying the speciation of cadmium and lead in Pisum sativum. Proper preservation conditions were employed to avoid the oxidation of -SH groups and corresponding decomposition of metal-binding complexes. SEC column was washed with 5 mM beta-mercaptoethanol and then samples were analysed using ICP-MS as a detector. Results showed that cadmium is the inhibitor of lead uptake. HPLC-ESI-MS(n) assays revealed fragmentation pathways of phytochelatins.

Application of spectroscopic techniques: ICP-OES, LA-ICP-MS and chemometric methods for studying the relationships between trace elements in clinical samples from patients with atherosclerosis obliterans

AbstractThe study was aimed to evaluate the influence of the vascular disease, atherosclerotic obliterans (AO), on the location and concentration of elements in the arterial wall and serum. Use of a modern method for studying element’s concentration and distribution in samples of clinical material, i.e. laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, is presented. Elements are not equally distributed between the inner (intima) and the outer (media + adventitia) layer of the arterial wall. Among the studied elements, calcium was found to have an unquestionable role in the calcification of the wall. Increased concentration of calcium found in the inner part of the atherosclerotic arterial wall and in the plaque, as compared to the control arterial wall samples, demonstrates the unquestionable role of this element in the calcification of the wall observed in AO. Applied chemometric methods were useful for demonstrating the differences in the element’s concentration in blood serum and the arterial wall samples between AO and the control group. FigureImage of the ruptured atherosclerotic plaque done while surgery