Tom Huybrechts

Evaluation of purge-and-trap-high-resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the determination of 27 volatile organic compounds in marine water at the ng l(-1) concentration level.

Purge-and-trap combined with high-resolution gas chromatography and detection by mass spectrometry was evaluated for the analysis of 27 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in marine water samples down to ng l(-1) concentration levels. The target compounds included chlorinated alkanes and alkenes, monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and chlorinated monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and covered a wide range of VOCs of environmental interest. Limits of detection ranged from 0.15 ng l(-1) to 6.57 ng l(-1) for all VOCs, except for dichloromethane (41.07 ng l(-1)), chloroform (19.74 ng l(-1)), benzene (22.05 ng l(-1)) and 1,4-dichlorobenzene (20.43 ng l(-1)). Precision and accuracy were determined at a concentration level of 25.97 to 66.68 ng l(-1). Besides method validation, emphasis was put on quality control and assessment during routine determination of VOCs in marine water samples. Analytical quality control charts were plotted for all VOCs and a standard addition test was performed, as proposed by the QUASIMEME (Quality Assurance of Information in Marine Environmental Monitoring Programmes in Europe) working group. The analytical charts were incorporated in a working scheme containing guidelines to be applied during routine determinations, ensuring the long time reliability of the analytical method. Results yielded by the QUASIMEME interlaboratory exercise on organohalogen measurements in seawater are presented. The exercise was attended by seven out of eight laboratories who agreed to participate. Samples taken along the Scheldt estuary, from Breskens (The Netherlands) to Temse (Antwerp, Belgium) were analysed according to the developed technique. Concentrations as low as 0.33 ng l(-1) (1,2-dichloropropane) were detected near the mouth of the river Scheldt, while concentrations up to 326 ng l(-1) for tetrachloroethene and 461 ng l(-1) for cyclohexane were found in the vicinity of Antwerp.

How to estimate moments and quantiles of environmental data sets with non-detected observations? A case study on volatile organic compounds in marine water samples.

Concentrations of 27 priority volatile organic compounds were measured in water samples of the North Sea and Scheldt estuary during a 3-year monitoring study. Despite the use of a sensitive analytical method, a number of data were censored. That is, some concentrations were below the decision limit or critical level defined by IUPAC. To characterize the observed measurement results, an attempt was made to identify an appropriate procedure to compute summary statistics for the censored data sets. Several parametric and robust parametric approaches based on the maximum likelihood principle and probability-plot regression method were evaluated for the estimation of the mean, standard deviation, median and interquartile range using three uncensored analytes (1,1,2-trichloroethane, tetrachloroethene and o-xylene) from the monitoring survey. Performance was assessed by artificially censoring the observed concentrations and estimating moments and quantiles at each censoring level. Results showed that methods with the least distributional assumptions, such as the robust bias-corrected restricted maximum likelihood method, perform best for estimating the mean and standard deviation, while both parametric and robust parametric techniques can be used for quantiles. Hence, summary statistics could be estimated with little bias (5-10%) up to 80% of censoring for the data sets employed in this study.

State-of-the-art of gas chromatography-based methods for analysis of anthropogenic volatile organic compounds in estuarine waters, illustrated with the river Scheldt as an example

This review focuses on a number of key procedural steps in the analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in estuarine waters. The most critical step, from an analytical point of view, is sample preparation. So far, only purge-and-trap and, to some extent, membrane inlet mass spectrometry have successfully been applied in estuarine monitoring of VOCs. The advantages and disadvantages of both techniques are discussed and novel developments are reviewed. Other key elements in VOC analysis and assessment include quality assurance (QA), quality control (QC) and statistical data analysis. This paper gives a brief overview of QA/QC measures of interest in the estuarine monitoring exercise, and provides guidelines for adequate statistical treatment of environmental data. Finally, field measurements of VOCs in estuarine waters are reviewed. Concentrations are reported, and distribution patterns, sources and time-trends are discussed. In addition to data, results of a 3-year monitoring survey (May 1998-November 2000) in the Scheldt estuary are presented.

Synthesis of (1S)-1-amino-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid via PLE mediated hydrolysis of bis(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) 2,2-dimethylcyclopropane-1,1-dicarboxylate

Abstract Hydrolysis of bis(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl) 2,2-dimethylcyclopropane-1,1-dicarboxylate with pig liver esterase afforded (1 R )-2,2-dimethyl-1-(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxycarbonyl)-cyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid in high enantiomeric excess. This compound was rearranged to (1 S )-2,2,2-trifluoroethyl-2,2-dimethyl-1-[( N -ethoxycarbonyl)amino]-cyclopropane-1-carboxylate via a Curtius type reaction with DPPA. Final alkaline hydrolysis gave (1 S )-1-amino-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid.

Trace analysis of trichlorobenzenes in fish by microwave-assisted extraction and gas chromatography-electron-capture detection

An analytical method consisting of extraction, clean-up, and analysis by gas chromatography-electron-capture detection (GC-ECD) was developed for the determination of trichlorobenzenes (TCBs) in fish samples. Two extraction methods, saponification and liquid-liquid extraction (S-LLE), and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), were evaluated. In both cases, n-pentane was used as the extraction solvent. For S-LLE, the recoveries ranged from 66.6+/-9.1% for 1-bromo-4-chlorobenzene (4-BCB) to 93.5+/-4.9% for 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (1,2,4-TCB). The recoveries were significantly lower, between 31.0+/-3.9% for 1,2,3-trichlorobenzene (1,2,3-TCB) and 52.3+/-3.0% for 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene (1,3,5-TCB), in the absence of fish. Proteins and glycerides of the fish tissue seemed to compete with TCBs for the base, and hence decreased their decomposition rate. In the case of MAE, the recoveries were highly dependent on the pressure applied during extraction. At 5 bar, much higher recoveries were obtained, from 66.7+/-15.6% for 4-BCB to 79.9+/-13.6% for 1,2,4-TCB, than at 1 bar. Sulfur formation was, however, observed at 5 bar, and interfered with the GC-ECD analysis of TCBs. Sulfur was adequately removed by copper powder treatment, which was shown not to affect the recovery of analytes. The recoveries of target analytes by S-LLE and MAE did not differ statistically (t-test, alpha = 0.01). Both methods were appropriate for the detection of TCBs at concentration levels typically observed in marine biota, i.e. approximately 1 ng/g. S-LLE was, however, more time consuming, and required larger volumes of high-purity organic solvents than MAE.

Synthesis of 2,2-Dichloro-1-Alkanols

Abstract 2,2-Dichloro-1-alkanols were prepared conveniently by sodium borohydride reduction of 2,2-dichloroaldehydes.

Syntheses and reactions of 1-amino-2,2-dialkylcyclopropane-1-carbonitriles and -carboxamides - Potential precursors of ACC derivatives

The direct cyclization of 2-amino-4-chloro-3,3-dimethylbutanenitrile with potassium tert-butoxide in THF afforded 1-amino-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane-1-carbonitrile and a dimerization product. Various new cis- and trans-1-(teri-butylamino)-2-benzyl- 2-methylcyclopropane-carbonitriles and the corresponding cyclopropanecarboxamides have been synthesized, with focus on the isolation of the pure stereoisomeric cyclopropanecarboxamides. The relative configuration of the stereoisomers was established by X-ray crystallographic analysis of one of the model compounds. A new route to the latter functionalized cyclopropanes was developed by reaction of 1-methoxycyclopropylamines with potassium cyanide. Some remarkable rearrangements of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carbonitriles into azetidine and oxazine derivatives via Favorskii-derived intermediates are reported. Various aspects of the chemistry of geminally functionalized cyclopropanes are discussed.

DETERMINATION OF THE HENRY'S CONSTANT OF VOLATILE AND SEMI-VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPONUDS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN BY THE BAS (BATCH AIR STRIPPING) TECHNIQUE: A NEW MATHEMATICAL APPROACH

Chemical transfer between environmental compartments plays a key role in an adequate command and control of pollutants. The gas-liquid partitioning equilibrium constant, better known as the Henrys constant (KH) represents a crucial parameter in order to determine the environmental fate of chemicals and therefore, an accurate determination at ambient conditions is extremely important to assess the mentioned process. Within the experimental dynamic methods, the batch air stripping technique (BAS) has as major drawback the equilibrium condition among phases, which is hardly achieved in open natural systems. The present work, based on previously published mathematical models (4, 22), centers in the development of a new mathematical approach to determine KH by means of the BAS in non-equilibrium conditions through experimental and theoretical determinations of volumetric mass transfer coefficients (KLa) for volatile (1,1-DCE, ethylbenzene, p-xylene and toluene) and semivolatile (1,1,2-TCE, 1,2-DCP, penhylmethylether (anisole) and naphthalene) organic compounds of environmental concern. In order to validate the approach, values obtained were compared to the KH determined through the static EPICS (Equilibrium Partitioning in Closed Systems) method, confirming the calculated KH and ratifying the new approach

Evaluation of tetraglyme for the enrichment and analysis of volatile organic compounds in air

A recently developed method for the sampling and analysis of volatile organic compounds in air has been evaluated. The system is based on the enrichment of analytes in tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether or tetraglyme, a water-soluble organic liquid. The subsequent analysis consists of dispersion of a sample aliquot in water followed by purge-and-trap and gas chromatographic separation. Physico-chemical data were investigated for 10 volatile organic compounds, providing information on the possibilities and limitations of the tetraglyme method. The target analytes included chlorinated alkanes and alkenes, and monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Air/tetraglyme partition coefficients Kat were determined over an environmental relevant temperature range of 2-25 degrees C to evaluate sorption efficiencies and estimate breakthrough volumes at the sampling stage. At 2 degrees C breakthrough volumes (allowing 5% of breakthrough) ranged from 5.8 (1,1-dichloroethane) to 312 l (1,1,2-trichloroethane) for 20 ml of tetraglyme. With regard to the desorption stage, the effect of tetraglyme on the air/water partition of organic compounds was investigated through the measurement of air/tetraglyme-water partition coefficients Kat-w for 2-31% (v/v) tetraglyme in water. Finally a clean-up procedure for tetraglyme was evaluated. Analysis of a blank tetraglyme-water (17:83, v:v) mixture by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection/mass spectrometry showed minor background signals. None of the target compounds were detected.

European Pharma Oligonucleotide Consortium: A Move to Consolidate Oligonucleotide Knowledge and Share Experience Within the Community

A consortium of seven pharma companies has been formed with the aim of sharing knowledge on and harmonizing approaches to oligonucleotide development. This letter aims to raise awareness of this new group and to set expectations for future publications.