José Ruiz-Jiménez

Particle-into-liquid sampler on-line coupled with solid-phase extraction-liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry for the determination of organic acids in atmospheric aerosols

In the present study, sample collection and preparation were directly integrated with a chromatographic system by coupling a particle-into-liquid sampler for the first time on-line with solid-phase extraction-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Several organic acids, such as adipic, hydroxyglutaric, mandelic, vanillic, cis-pinonic, pinic, azelaic and sebacic, were used in the research. For sample pretreatment and concentration, strong anion exchange material was used in the extraction. Sampling, extraction and analysis conditions were optimized to obtain reliable information about aerosol chemical composition. To evaluate the performance of the on-line coupled system, half of each sample was analysed on-line and the other half was derivatized and analysed off-line by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Comparison of the two techniques with use of t-test showed the results to be in an excellent agreement. Limits of detection of studied acids in on-line system were between 0.1 and 0.9 ng. The on-line coupled system is fast and reliable and a promising tool for the real time analysis of organic acids in atmospheric aerosols.

Aliphatic and aromatic amines in atmospheric aerosol particles: comparison of three ionization techniques in liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and method development.

A complete methodology was developed for the determination of ten aliphatic and nine aromatic amines in atmospheric aerosol particles. Before the liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometric separation and determination, the derivatization reaction of the analytes using dansyl chloride was accelerated by ultrasounds. From three different ionization techniques studied electrospray ionization was superior in terms of sensitivity, linearity, repeatability and reproducibility over atmospheric pressure chemical ionization and photoionization for the target analytes. The method developed was validated for the gas phase, 30 nm and total suspended atmospheric aerosol particles. The method quantification limits ranged between 1.8 and 71.7 pg. The accuracy and the potential matrix effects were evaluated using a standard addition methodology. Recoveries from 92.1% to 109.1%, the repeatability from 0.6% to 8.4% and the reproducibility from 2.3% to 9.8% were obtained. The reliability of the methodology was proved by the statistical evaluation. Finally, the developed methodology was applied to the determination of the target analytes in eight size separated ultrafine particulate (Dp=30±4 nm) samples and in eight total suspended particulate samples collected at the SMEAR II station. The mean concentrations for aliphatic amines were between 0.01 and 42.67 ng m(-3) and for aromatic amines between 0.02 and 1.70 ng m(-3). Thirteen amines were quantified for the first time in 30 nm aerosol particles.

A complete methodology for the reliable collection, sample preparation, separation and determination of organic compounds in ultrafine 30 nm, 40 nm and 50 nm atmospheric aerosol particles

A complete reliable methodology including several extraction and chromatographic techniques has been developed for the determination of selected organic compounds in atmospheric aerosol particles. Size separated ultrafine particles (Dp ≤ 50nm) and total suspended particles (TSP) were collected in a urban and forest environment. One third of the samples contained TS particles and the rest of the samples were size-separated (30, 40 or 50 nm particles) with a differential mobility analyzer (DMA). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometric and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric methods were developed for the analysis of the target compounds and the sample pretreatment was shortened by exploiting ultrasonic energy. The investigated compounds included seven amines (average concentrations ranged between 0.1 and 10.9 ng m−3), eight aldehydes (0.1–11.9 ng m−3), two polyols (0.1–81.5 ng m−3) and sixteen acids (0.1–47.2 ng m−3). The whole methodology including sample preparation and analysis methods was carefully validated by comparison of the results obtained with those provided by a conventional extraction method, non-assisted by ultrasound and by standard addition methodology, respectively. There were clear differences, up to two orders of magnitude, in the concentrations of the target compounds in aerosol samples with different sizes collected from an urban and forest environment.

New way to quantify multiple steroidal compounds in wastewater by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry

The applicability of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry to the screening of steroidal compounds in wastewater is demonstrated. Advanced software was utilized to identify unknown compounds in complex two-dimensional chromatograms exploiting retention indices and two different mass spectral databases. Response factors calculated as a function of the individual mass spectra of six commercial standards at different concentrations were used to develop a model allowing the quantitation of all steroidal compounds identified in the sample. The model, based on partial least squares regression equations, provided good accuracy (prediction error < 16%) in the quantitation of steroidal compounds, so offering a valuable alternative to conventional quantitation methods where reference compounds are required for the verification of analytical measurements. Special attention was paid to the development of an exhaustive sample preparation method for the separate analysis of conjugated and free steroids in both water phase and suspended solid particles. The method, including the exploitation of chemometrics, was successfully applied to the determination of steroidal compounds in effluent and influent waters collected at a local wastewater treatment plant.

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography, a valuable technique for screening and semiquantitation of different chemical compounds in ultrafine 30 nm and 50 nm aerosol particles

Comprehensive two dimensional gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOF-MS) was used for screening and semiquantitation of semivolatile organic compounds in aerosol particles. As the volatility was a prerequisite parameter for the analysis, some compounds were transformed via derivatization such as silylation into more volatile ones. The identification of the analytes was made by comparing the GC retention indices and the TOF mass spectra with the NIST and the Golm metabolome database reference libraries. The data treatment was simplified by exploiting an additional classification of the identified compounds, namely the main functional group or specific element present in the molecule leading to different groups of compounds. This methodology was applied to identify compounds in 30 ± 4 nm, 50 ± 5 nm and total suspended particles (TSP) collected during spring and autumn of 2009 and summer of 2010 at the Station for Measuring Forest Ecosystem Atmosphere Relations (SMEAR II) at Hyytiälä (Finland). The number of identified compounds was higher than 400, which were the most relevant compounds present in the samples, in terms of concentrations. The analysis of aerosol particles of different sizes, collected simultaneously, revealed that the number of compounds increased with the particle size whereas the normalized response factor decreased in most of the cases, aldehydes being an exception. This decrease could be associated with the formation or aggregation of new compounds onto the particles when they grow in the atmosphere.

Polyethylenimine-modified metal oxides for fabrication of packed capillary columns for capillary electrochromatography and capillary liquid chromatography.

The need for novel packing materials in both capillary electrochromatography (CEC) and capillary liquid chromatography (CLC) is apparent and the development towards more selective, application-oriented chromatographic phases is under progress world-wide. In this study we have synthesized new polyethyleneimine (PEI) functionalized Mn(2)O(3), SiO(2), SnO(2), and ZrO(2) particles for the fabrication of packed capillary columns for CEC and CLC. The nanocasting approach was successful for the preparation of functionalized metal oxide materials with a controlled porosity and morphology. PEI functionalization was done using ethyleneimine monomers to create particles which are positively charged in aqueous solution below pH 9. This functionalization allowed the possibility to have both hydrophobic (due to its alkyl chain) and ionic interactions (due to positively charged amino groups) with selected compounds. For comparison aminopropyl-functionalized silica was also synthesized and tested. Both slurry pressure and electrokinetic packing procedures used gave similar results, but fast sedimentation of the material caused some problems during the packing. The high stability and wide pH range of PEI-functionalized SiO(2) material, with potential for hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions, proved to be useful for the CEC and CLC separation of some model acidic and neutral compounds.

Nontargeted evaluation of the fate of steroids during wastewater treatment by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Emerging organic contaminants in wastewater are usually analyzed by targeted approaches, and especially estrogens have been the focus of environmental research due to their high hormonal activity. The selection of specific target compounds means, however, that most of the sample components, including transformation products and potential new contaminants, are neglected. In this study, the fate of steroidal compounds in wastewater treatment processes was evaluated by a nontargeted approach based on comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The potential of the nontargeted approach to generate comprehensive information about sample constituents was demonstrated with use of statistical tools. Transformation pathways of the tentatively identified compounds with steroidal four-ring structure were proposed. The purification efficiency of the wastewater treatment plants was studied, and the distribution of the compounds of interest in the suspended solids, effluent water, and sludge was measured. The results showed that, owing to strong adsorption of hydrophobic compounds onto the solid matter, the steroids were mostly bound to the suspended solids of the effluent water and the sewage sludge at the end of the treatment process. The most abundant steroid class was androstanes in the aqueous phase and cholestanes in the solid phase. 17β-estradiol was the most abundant estrogen in the aqueous phase, but it was only detected in the influent samples indicating efficient removal during the treatment process. In the sludge samples, however, high concentrations of an oxidation product of 17β-estradiol, estrone, were measured.

Liquid chromatography–dopant‐assisted atmospheric pressure photoionization–mass spectrometry: Application to the analysis of aldehydes in atmospheric aerosol particles

A complete methodology based on LC-anisole-toluene dopant-assisted atmospheric pressure photoionization-IT-MS was developed for the determination of aldehydes in atmospheric aerosol particles. For the derivatization, ultrasound was used to accelerate the reaction between the target analytes and 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine. The developed methodology was validated for three different samples, gas phase, ultrafine (Dp = 30 ± 4 nm; where Dp stands for particle diameter) and all-sized particles, collected on Teflon filters. The method quantitation limits ranged from 5 to 227 pg. The accuracy and the potential matrix effects were evaluated using standard addition methodology. Recoveries ranged between 91.7 and 109.9%, and the repeatability and the reproducibility of the method developed between 0.5 and 8.0% and between 2.9 and 11.1%, respectively. The results obtained by the developed methodology compared to those provided by the previously validated method revealed no statistical differences. The method developed was applied to the determination of aldehydes in 16 atmospheric aerosol samples (30 nm and all-sized samples) collected at the Station for Measuring Forest Ecosystem-Atmosphere Relations II during spring 2011. The mean concentrations of aldehydes, and oxidation products of terpenes were between 0.05 and 82.70 ng/m(3).

Characterization of fatty alcohol and sterol fractions in olive tree.

The determination of sterols and fatty alcohols is a part of the study of the metabolomic profile of the unsaponifiable fraction in olive tree. Leaves and drupes from three varieties of olive tree (Arbequina, Picual, and Manzanilla) were used. The content of the target compounds was studied in five ripeness stages and three harvesting periods for olive drupes and leaves, respectively. A method based on ultrasound-assisted extraction and derivatization for the individual identification and quantitation of sterols and fatty alcohols, involving chromatographic separation and mass spectrometry detection by selected ion monitoring, was used. The concentrations of alcohols and sterols in the drupes ranged between 0.1 and 1086.9 mug/g and between 0.1 and 5855.3 mug/g, respectively, which are higher than in leaves. Statistical studies were developed to show the relationship between the concentration of the target analytes and variety, ripeness stage, and harvesting period.