Róbert Kubinec

Gas chromatography analysis of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes using newly designed needle trap device in aqueous samples

A newly designed needle trap device with Carbopack X as a sorbent material is used for sampling, preconcentration and injection of volatile analytes benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX) into gas chromatograph. The closed system of stripping the analytes from water samples was used. An injection port with a modified metal liner was used to desorb analytes trapped in needle trap device. The main advantage of needle trap device consists in the simple methodology and easiness and rapidity of the analysis. Needle trap device is suitable for sampling in field. The experimental parameters as breakthrough volume of stripping gas, linearity, repeatability and limit of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were investigated. LOD ranges from 0.05 to 0.07 microgL(-1) and relative standard deviation ranges from 0.5% to 11.6% at concentrations 5 and 0.1 microgL(-1), respectively.

Ultrasound effects on photochemical reactions, Part 1: photochemical reactions of ketones with alkenes

Ultrasound considerably enhances and simplifies photochemical reaction of cyclohexanone with cyclohexene. The Paterno-Büchi reaction of acetone with ethyl vinyl ether is enhanced by ultrasound and yields a different ratio of cis/trans oxetanes under sonication by comparison with the silent reaction. Sonication appears to affect the first reaction by homogenization of excited intermediates and by quenching the excited triplet state at the second reaction.

Interlaboratory study of identification and quantitation of multiresidue pyrethroids in agricultural products by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

This paper deals with the different GC-MS analytical conditions adopted by four laboratories in an attempt to confirm the accuracy of the GC-electron-capture detection (ECD) analytical results during the international collaborative study for the establishment of the AOAC Official Method 998. 01. What is especially noted is that two laboratories have conducted comparative analysis of the respective 12 blind samples with both methods of GC-ECD and GC-MS, and the analytical results of the two methods turn out to be basically identical. This fully demonstrates that GC-MS is not only an effective confirmation tool in the analysis of the pyrethroid residues but also of sufficient sensitivity regarding the maximum residue limit of determination prescribed by FAO/WHO. Moreover, its selectivity is better than GC-ECD.

Ergosterol depletion and 4-methyl sterols accumulation in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae treated with an antifungal, 6-amino-2-n-pentylthiobenzothiazole

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae treated with an antifungal agent, 6-amino-2-n-pentylthiobenzothiazole, levels of ergosterol and other 4-desmethylsterols were found to be significantly reduced. Major sterols in treated yeast were lanosterol, 4,4-dimethylzymosterol, 4-methylzymosterol and 4-methylfecosterol. A hypothesis is stated that the antifungal agent inhibits sterol demethylation at C-4 and forces the biosynthesis to a blind pathway ending by 4-methylfecosterol.

Ultrasound effects on photochemical reactions. 2. A study of ultrasound effects on some monomolecular and bimolecular photochemical reactions

Abstract The ultrasound effect on two well-described photochemical reaction was studied. Ultrasound does not affect the initiated photoisomerization of 2-phenylindan-1,3-dione to 3-benzylidenephthalide in the case when any additive is present, which is a monomolecular process, but enhances the effect of quenchers on its photoisomerization, which is a bimolecular process. The photodimerization of acenaphthylene is considerably affected by simultaneous sonication, which results in different ratios of the stereoisomers in comparison with the silent process Sonication appears to affect the first reaction by homogeneous distribution of the excited states, or intermediates and possibly by quenching the excited triplet state of the second reaction. Two new reactors were designed allowing simultaneous irradiation of the reaction mixture by UV light and ultrasonic waves.

Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry of oils and oil binders in paintings

A GC/MS procedure has been developed, optimized, and applied to characterization of oil binders in paintings. The procedure involves hydrolysis of lipids to fatty acids (FAs) and derivatization of FAs to fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) by a solution of sodium methanolate in methanol at an elevated temperature. FAMEs are analyzed by temperature-programed GC followed by full-scan MS. Old and dried samples are subjected to extraction of nonpolymerized FAMEs into dichloromethane prior to hydrolysis. The method provides a good repeatability of results and has been applied to the characterization of common plant oils used in paintings, to commercial oil and tempera paints, to model painting samples, and to samples taken from real paintings. The fresh oils and binders can readily be identified and characterized. The ratio of the methyl esters of palmitic and stearic acids can be used to characterize oil binders in old works of art.

Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric characterization of all acyclic C5-C7 alkenes from fluid catalytic cracked gasoline using polydimethylsiloxane and squalane stationary phases.

Published retention indices of acyclic alkenes C5-C7 on squalane and polydimethylsiloxane as stationary phases were investigated, and reliable retention indices of alkenes from various sources were converted to separation systems used in a laboratory. Retention indices measured on available authentic commercial alkenes and on alkenic fraction of gasoline, published retention indices as well as means of GC-MS were used for verification of calculated retention indices. Retention of some gas chromatographic unseparated isomer pairs was obtained by mass spectrometric deconvolution using a specific single-ion monitoring. On the basis of these retention data, C5-C7 alkenes were identified and analyzed in the gasoline from fluid catalytic cracking. In the gasoline all 59 acyclic C5-C7 isomeric alkenes were determined at significantly different concentration levels.

Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from bitumen concrete roads in drainage water by microextraction, large-volume sampling and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with selected ion monitoring

Abstract A method for the determination of ppt levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in drinking and drainage water based on microextraction, large-volume injection of a toluene extract into a split-splitless injector and gas chromatography—mass spectrometry with selected ion monitoring is described. The elimination of solvent from the target analytes by controlling the temperature of the injector equipped with a liner packed with Chromosorb W coated with OV-1 was achieved.

Direct silylation of Trypanosoma brucei metabolites in aqueous samples and their GC-MS/MS analysis.

A simple two-step method for the derivatization of polar compounds (lactate, alanine, glycerol, succinate and glucose) using hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) and N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA) was developed. This method allows direct derivatization of aqueous samples wihout sample pretreatment. The method was used for the analysis of the metabolites of the unicellular organism Trypanosoma brucei. The limits of detection by GC-MS/MS analysis were in the range of 0.02 mg L(-1) for glucose to 0.85 mg L(-1) for lactate.

Considerations on the determination of the limit of detection and the limit of quantification in one-dimensional and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography

Methods based on the blank signal as proposed by IUPAC procedure and on the signal to noise ratio (S/N) as listed in the ISO-11843-1 norm for determination of the limit of detection (LOD) and quantitation (LOQ) in one-dimensional capillary gas chromatography (1D-GC) and comprehensive two-dimensional capillary gas chromatography (CG×GC) are described in detail and compared for both techniques. Flame ionization detection was applied and variables were the data acquisition frequency and, for CG×GC, also the modulation time. It has been stated that LOD and LOQ estimated according to IUPAC might be successfully used for 1D-GC-FID method. Moreover, LOD and LOQ decrease with decrease of data acquisition frequency (DAF). For GC×GC-FID, estimation of LOD by IUPAC gave poor reproducibility of results while for LOQ reproducibility was acceptable (within ±10% rel.). The LOD and LOQ determined by the S/N concept both for 1D-GC-FID and GC×GC-FID methods are ca. three times higher than those values estimated by the standard deviation of the blank. Since the distribution pattern of modulated peaks for any analyte separated by GC×GC is random and cannot be predicted, LOQ and LOD may vary within 30% for 3s modulation time. Concerning sensitivity, 1D-GC-FID at 2Hz and of GC×GC-FID at 50Hz shows a ca. 5 times enhancement of sensitivity in the modulated signal output.