Using species-specific enriched stable isotopes to study the effect of fresh mercury inputs in soil-earthworm systems.

The fate of mercury (Hg) in the soil-earthworm system is still far from being fully understood, especially regarding recurrent and challenging questions about the importance of the reactivity of exogenous Hg species. Thus, to predict the potential effect of Hg inputs in terrestrial ecosystems, it is necessary to evaluate separately the reactivity of the endogenous and exogenous Hg species and, for this purpose, the use of enriched stable isotope tracers is a promising tool. In the present work, earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris) were exposed to historically Hg contaminated soils from the Almadén mining district, Spain. The soils were either non-spiked, which contain only endogenous or native Hg naturally occurring in the soil, or spiked with isotopically enriched inorganic Hg (199IHg), representing exogenous or spiked Hg apart from the native one. The differential reactivity of endogenous and exogenous Hg in the soil conditioned the processes of methylation, mobilization, and assimilation of inorganic Hg by earthworms. Both endogenous and exogenous Hg species also behave distinctly regarding their bioaccumulation in earthworms, as suggested by the bioaccumulation factors, being the endogenous methylmercury (MeHg) the species more readily bioaccumulated by earthworms and in a higher extent. To the best of our knowledge, this work demonstrates for the first time the potential of enriched stable isotopes to study the effects of fresh Hg inputs in soil-earthworm systems. The findings of this work can be taken as a case study on the dynamics of Hg species in complex terrestrial systems and open a new door for future experiments.

Mercury speciation in fish tissues from a Mediterranean River basin: the Tagus River (central Spain) as a case study.

An assessment of mercury (Hg) accumulation in fish from the Tagus River aquatic system (central Spain), which has been influenced by pollution from industrial and urban development, was performed. Total Hg (THg), inorganic Hg (IHg), and monomethylmercury (MMHg) were determined in muscle and liver of different fish species, including Cyprinus carpio, Ameiurus melas, and Chondrostoma miegii, sampled from three locations. Although concentrations of THg and Hg species showed wide variability among the fish species, they were also found to be considerably dependent on location and fish tissue. Relative contents of MMHg to THg in muscle varied from 60 to 88%, whereas those found in liver ranged from 7 to 59%. Mean THg concentrations ranged from 126 to 810 ng/g (dry weight [dw]) in liver and from 159 to 1057 ng/g dw in muscle. Therefore, the mean THg concentration in all fish muscle samples was far lower than the maximum residue level recommended by the European Union for fishery products. Nevertheless, the concentrations of Hg in fish muscle reported in this study were somewhat increased compared with other areas geographically distant from most major anthropogenic Hg sources and, in some cases, even greater than those previously reported elsewhere in more polluted areas. In contrast, Hg contents in liver were lower than those found in Hg-contaminated areas, but they were within the range found in other areas exposed to diffuse sources of pollution by Hg. Thus, this article provides an overview of the concentration and distribution of Hg species in fish muscle and liver tissues samples taken from a freshwater system in the Mediterranean River basin.

Integrated pollution evaluation of the Tagus River in Central Spain.

The aim of this study was to integrate hydrochemical and sediment data in order to obtain a picture of the pollution state of the Tagus River along central Spain. This area is of special interest because tributaries from the Madrid region are discharged and no previous data were available. Waters and sediments were sampled between 2002 and 2004 from selected sites before and after Jarama River confluence (Madrid city input). The samples were analysed for more than 50 parameters, including those of physico-chemical nature and those reporting the pollution caused by both metals and organic compounds. The quality of waters for different uses has been tested and statistical quality indexes of both global and partial type has also been established. Sediments pollution state was evaluated by comparison with general quality standards. A high degree of pollution and general degradation was observed in the Tagus River downstream the Jarama River input. The pollution of waters is mainly related to parameters indicators of organic pollution from urban sewage. In sediments, a dramatic increase in the concentration of trace metals was found in different points, exceeding toxicological threshold. Further studies would be necessary for organic pollutants and also to evaluate the remobilization potential.

Screening of citalopram, fluoxetine and their metabolites in human urine samples by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. A global robustness/ruggedness study.

Capillary gas chromatography with mass spectrometry detection in SIM mode (GC-MS-SIM) has been used for the analysis of citalopram (CIT), fluoxetine (FLX), and all of their metabolites in urine samples. The instrumental parameters affecting GC separation and MS-SIM detection were investigated. A validation procedure was performed on urine matrix and a simultaneous robustness/ruggedness evaluation is also presented in this paper. An optimized solid-phase extraction (SPE) has been applied, reaching in this way to limits of detection (LODs) between 0.7 ng L(-1) (CIT) and 33.6 microg L(-1) (CIT-PA). A pharmacokinetic screening in clinical urine samples has been also carried out.

Mercury species accumulation and trophic transfer in biological systems using the Almadén mining district (Ciudad Real, Spain) as a case of study.

The impact of mercury (Hg) pollution in the terrestrial environments and the terrestrial food chains including the impact on human food consumption is still greatly under-investigated. In particular, studies including Hg speciation and detoxification strategies in terrestrial animals are almost non-existing, but these are key information with important implications for human beings. Therefore, in this work, we report on Hg species (inorganic mercury, iHg, and monomethylmercury, MeHg) distribution among terrestrial animal tissues obtained from a real-world Hg exposure scenario (Almadén mining district, Spain). Thus, we studied Hg species (iHg and MeHg) and total selenium (Se) content in liver and kidney of red deer (Cervus elaphus; n = 41) and wild boar (Sus scrofa; n = 16). Similar mercury species distribution was found for both red deer and wild boar. Major differences were found between tissues; thus, in kidney, iHg was clearly the predominant species (more than 81%), while in liver, the species distribution was less homogeneous with a percentage of MeHg up to 46% in some cases. Therefore, Hg accumulation and MeHg transfer were evident in terrestrial ecosystems. The interaction between total Se and Hg species has been evaluated by tissue and by animal species. Similar relationships were found in kidney for both Hg species in red deer and wild boar. However, in liver, there were differences between animals. The possible underlying mechanisms are discussed.

Mercury and selenium binding biomolecules in terrestrial mammals (Cervus elaphus and Sus scrofa) from a mercury exposed area.

Mercury (Hg) is likely bound to large biomolecules (e.g. proteins) in living organisms, and in order to assess Hg metabolic pathways and possible toxicological effects, it is essential to study these Hg containing biomolecules. However, the exact nature of most metal binding biomolecules is unknown. Such studies are still in their infancy and information on this topic is scarce because the analysis is challenging, mainly due to their lability upon digestion or extraction from the tissue. New analytical methods that allow complex Hg-biomolecules to be analysed intact are needed and only few very recent studies deal with this approach. Therefore, as an initial step towards the characterization of Hg containing biomolecules, an analytical procedure has been optimised using size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection. We applied this technique to elucidate the distribution and elution profile of Hg and Se, and some physiological important elements such as Fe, Ni, Zn and Cu, to assess metal binding profiles in liver and kidney samples of red deer (Cervus elaphus) and wild boar (Sus scrofa) who roam freely within the largest Hg mining district on Earth, Almadén in Spain. Elemental fractionation profiles of the extracts from different tissues were obtained using two different SEC columns (BioSep-SEC-S2000 GL 300-1kDa and Superdex 75 10/300 GL 70-3kDa). Similar profiles of Hg were observed in red deer and wild boar; however, significant differences were evident for liver and kidney. Moreover, the profiles of Se showed a single peak at high-medium molecular weight in all investigated tissues, while co-elution of Hg with Fe, Ni, Zn and Cu was observed.

Nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis method for the analysis of gleevec and its main metabolite in human urine.

The viability of nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis (NACE) was investigated for determination of gleevec and its main metabolite in human urine using a fused-silica capillary. Baseline separation of the studied solutes was obtained using a nonaqueous solution composed of 12 mM ammonium acetate and 87.6 mM acetic acid in methanol-acetonitrile (ACN) (80:20, v:v) providing analysis time shorter than 3 min. Different aspects including stability of the solutions, linearity, accuracy and precision were studied in order to validate the method in the urine matrix. Detection limits of 24 microg L(-1) for gleevec and its metabolite were obtained. A robustness test of the method was carried out using the Plackett-Burman fractional factorial model with a matrix of 15 experiments. The developed method is simple, rapid and sensitive and has been used to determine gleveec and its metabolite at clinically relevant levels in human urine. Before NACE determination, a solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedure with a C18 cartridge was necessary. Real determination of these analytes in two patient urines were done.

Assay validation for three antidepressants in pharmaceutical formulations: practical approach using capillary gas chromatography.

An easy and fast capillary gas chromatographic FID method, which was already described by the same authors for the simultaneous determination of fluoxetine, fluvoxamine and clomipramine without derivatization step, is now submitted to a validation procedure in several pharmaceutical formulations. Main aspects of the validation method are examined and discussed, since methods for regulatory submission in most cases must demonstrate: specificity in presence of all potential components, concentration range over which the response is lineal, accuracy, precision, acceptable detection and quantitation limits and stability of the procedure. The pharmaceutical preparations subject of validation were: 'Prozac' (capsules), 'Dumirox' (tablets) and 'Anafranil' (tablets) containing fluoxetine, fluvoxamine and clomipramine, respectively. The results presented in this report show the applied gas chromatographic method is acceptable for the determination of the three antidepressants in the pharmaceutical formulations above mentioned.

Determination of sulfametoxazole, sulfadiazine and associated compounds in pharmaceutical preparations by capillary zone electrophoresis.

A capillary zone electrophoresis method is presented to separate sulfadiazine, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, bromhexine and guaiacol by using a fused-silica capillary (60.2 cm x 75 microm I.D.). The separation was carried out at 30 kV and 25 degrees C in a 15 mM phosphate buffer adjusted to pH 6.2 as electrolyte. Under these conditions, the run time was 6 min and the limits of quantification were about 1 mg/l for every component. The method was applied to pharmaceutical preparations and the results provided recoveries close to 100%.

Simultaneous determination of sulfaquinoxaline, sulfamethazine and pyrimethamine by liquid chromatography.

A liquid chromatography method is described to determine sulfaquinoxaline (SQX), sulfamethazine (SMT), and pyrimethamine (PMT), by using a Kromasil C18 column and a 40 mM NaH2PO4 buffer solution, containing 10 mM NaClO4 (pH 3.0)-acetonitrile (65:35) as mobile phase. The mobile phase flow-rate and sample volume injected were 1.5 ml/min and 20 microl, respectively and the samples were dissolved in the mobile phase. The limits of quantification were found to be about 180 microg/l (3.6 ng) for each compound. The method was applied in veterinary commercial formulations. Analyses were made by means of the standard addition method, whose results were compared with those obtained by preparing "tests" (from the stock solutions) and with those obtained by a capillary electrophoresis method. Both methods showed similar results, and then it was proved that some commercial claimed levels were not in agreement with the obtained results by using our analytical method, as they were in other cases.

Determination of sildenafil citrate and its main metabolite by sample stacking with polarity switching using micellar electrokinetic chromatography.

Micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MEKC) coupled with sample stacking and polarity switching was investigated for the determination of Viagra (sildenafil citrate, SC) and its metabolite (UK-103,320, UK) in human serum in the concentration range of clinical interest. Human serum samples spiked with SC and UK were eluted with methanol from a C18 cartridge, the extract was evaporated and regenerated in a solution that contained 1 mM phosphate buffer (pH 12.3) and 20% methanol. The MEKC separation was performed using an injection time of 275 s, a polarity switching time of 93 s, a phosphate buffer, (pH 12.3, 15 mM) containing 25 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate as separation electrolyte and a fused-silica capillary. The analysis takes about 6 min and gives satisfactory inter-day precision with respect to migration times and linear responses over the 80-900 ng/ml concentration range investigated for SC and UK. Intra-day RSDs (n=4 graphs) for the slopes of the calibration graphs were 4.86% for SC and 3.50% for UK. Inter-day RSDs for the slopes were 4.37% for SC and 5.39% for UK. Detection limits (S/N=3) were about 17 ng/ml for both compounds in human serum. A 1-ml volume of blood serum was necessary to do this determination.

Determination of lormetazepam and its main metabolite in serum using micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography with direct injection and ultraviolet absorbance detection.

The use of micellar electrokinetic chromatography for the determination of lormetazepam and its metabolite, lorazepam, in serum samples at a concentration range of therapeutic interest was investigated. The separation was carried out at 30 degrees C and 25 kV, using a 15 mM borate-phosphate buffer (pH 8) with 30 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate as the separation electrolyte and 15% methanol as organic modifier. The analyses were carried out in 20 min under these conditions. Detection limits of 0.5 mg l(-1) were achieved for both benzodiazepines in serum. This method was employed for the quantitative resolution of both drugs (at different concentration ratios) in serum with very good recoveries.

Development of a Micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography method for the determination of three drugs employed in the erectile dysfunction therapy.

A Micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography method is proposed for the determination of sildenafil, vardenafil and tadalafil, which are employed in oral therapy for erectile dysfunction. Optimum conditions for the separation were investigated. A background electrolyte solution consisting of 10 mM phosphate buffer adjusted to pH 12.0, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) 25 mM, hydrodynamic injection, and 25 kV as separation voltage were used. Relative standard deviations (R.S.D.s) were 1.0, 1.0, 0.4% and 2.9, 2.9, 1.9% for migration time and corrected peak area (CPA) (n = 9) for sildenafil, vardenafil and tadalafil, respectively. Detection limits obtained for the three drugs ranged from 0.19 to 0.61 mg L(-1). A linear concentration range between 1 and 20 mg L(-1) was obtained. A ruggedness test of this method was checked using the fractional factorial model of Plackett-Burman, in which the influence of six factors at three different levels was tested on different electrophoretic results: resolution and corrected peak area. The statistical evaluation of the electrophoretic results was achieved by Youden and Steiner method. The described method is rapid, sensitive and rugged and it was tested in the pharmaceutical formulations analysis obtaining recoveries between 98 and 107% respect to the nominal content.

Micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography for the determination of fluoxetine and its metabolite norfluoxetine in biological fluids.

A micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MEKC) for determining fluoxetine and its metabolite (norfluoxetine) is proposed. Optimal conditions for the quantitative separation were investigated. A background electrolyte solution consisting of 5 mM phosphate buffer adjusted to pH 12.3 and 40 mM of 1-decanesulfonic acid sodium salt (DSS), hydrodynamic injection and 25 kV of separation voltage were used. Good linearity and precision were obtained for both compounds. Detection limits of 0.2 mg/l for fluoxetine and norfluoxetine were obtained. The developed method is rapid and it has been applied to determine fluoxetine and its metabolite in human serum and urine. The samples were purified and enriched by means of extraction-preconcentration step with a preconditioned C18 cartridge and eluting the compounds with methanol.

Spectrophotometric determination of dopamine and methyldopa with metaperiodate by flow injection analysis.

A flow-injection spectrophotometric method for determining dopamine and methyldopa is described. It is based on the oxidation reaction with metaperiodate. Calibration graphs were linear up to 2 x 10(-4) mol/l catecholamines. The method allows the measurement of 130 samples per hour and was successfully applied to the analyis of pharmaceuticals.

Extractive-spectrophotometric determination of molybdenum as an ion-association complex with thiocyanate and adogen.

A selective and sensitive method is described for the determination of trace amounts of molybdenum, based on its reaction with thiocyanate and its extraction (into toluene) as an ion-association complex formed with adogen (methyltrioctylammonium chloride). The molar absorptivity is 2.13 x 10(4) l.mole(-1).cm(-1) at lambda(max) 467 nm. The method has been applied to molybdenum determination in steels.

A new spectrophotometric method for quantitative multicomponent analysis resolution of mixtures of salicylic and salicyluric acids.

A new spectrophotometric method for resolving binary mixtures is proposed. The method is based on use of the first derivative of the ratios of spectra. The absorption spectrum of the mixture is obtained and the amplitudes at appropriate wavelengths are divided by the corresponding amplitudes in the absorption spectrum of a standard solution of one of the components, and the first derivative of the ratio spectrum is obtained. The concentration of the other component is then determined from a calibration graph. The method has been applied for resolving binary mixtures of salicylic and salicyluric acids. Calibration graphs for 2.6-52 ppm salicylic acid and for 2.1-42 ppm salicyluric acid were established by measuring the analytical signals at the maximum at 241.5 nm (for salicylic acid) and from the peak at 258 nm to the trough at 247 nm (for salicyluric acid) in the first derivative ratio spectra.

Kinetic spectrophotometric determination of nanogram levels of manganese by use of the salicylaldehyde guanylhydrazone-hydrogen peroxide system.

A kinetic method is described for determining trace amounts of manganese(II), based on its catalytic effect on the oxidation of salicylaldehyde guanylhydrazone by hydrogen peroxide. The reaction is followed spectrophotometrically by measuring the rate of change of absorbance at 505 nm. The calibration graph is linear in the range 8-80 mug/l. with a relative error of +/- 1%. The method has been applied to the determination of manganese in various samples.

Analytical properties of 1,3-cyclohexanedione bisthiosemicarbazone monohydrochloride.

The synthesis and analytical properties of 1,3-cyclohexanedione bisthiosemicarbazone monohydrochloride are described for the first time. The solubility, spectral characteristics, pK values and reactions with 40 cations and 13 anions are reported.

Simultaneous determination of tartrazine and sunset yellow by derivative spectrophotometry and ratio spectra derivative.

Two methods for determining Tartrazine and Sunset Yellow in mixtures by first derivative spectrophotometry and by first derivative of the ratio spectra are described. The procedures do not require any separation step. By the first method, the measurements are obtained in the zero-crossing wavelengths and the calibration graphs are linear up to 20 microg/ml of Tartrazine and up to 40 microg/ml of Sunset Yellow. The determinations of Tartrazine and Sunset Yellow are also done by the first derivative of the ratio spectra. The methods are applied for determining both compounds in four commercial food products.