Selective removal of dissolved uranium in drinking water by nanofiltration.

A procedure for the selective removal of uranium traces dissolved in drinking water has been studied. Plate module membrane filtration equipment was operated to evaluate the performance and selectivity of three different nanofiltration flat-sheet membranes. Experiments were carried out using various commercial mineral waters with distinct physicochemical compositions. The membranes were first discriminating by their ability to reject uranium in the presence of the main cations found in mineral waters, using a 2 mg L(-1) (2000 ppb) concentration of uranium. The rejection of U(VI) was dependent on the uranyl speciation and the ionic strength. Second, removal of uranium traces (0.02 mg L(-1), 20 ppb) was performed using the nanofiltration membrane showing the highest selectivity for uranium toward alkaline and alkaline-earth ions. The results showed a high performance of the nanofiltration membrane, Osmonics DL, for selective uranium rejection at low pressure (1 bar), illustrating the advantage of nanofiltration for the selective removal of uranium from drinking water.

Quantification of phenylbutazone in equine sera by use of high-performance liquid chromatography with a nonevaporative extraction technique.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a sensitive, rugged high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for the measurement of phenylbutazone (PBZ) in equine sera, using a rapid, nonevaporative extraction technique. SAMPLE POPULATION: Sera from 5 nonexercising adult horses. PROCEDURE: After addition of sodium chloride and acetonitrile to serum samples, reverse-phase HPLC analysis for PBZ and oxyphenbutazone (OXY) was performed directly on extracts, using diode array UV spectrophotometric detection. Probenecid was used as an internal standard. Data were evaluated by standard means of statistical analysis. RESULTS: Recoveries of PBZ, OXY, and probenecid from spiked samples were acceptable (ie, > or = 80%) and within run retention times were reproducible. Chromatograms were free of interfering substances, and linearity of calibration curves was observed throughout operational ranges. Coefficients of variation at each fortified PBZ concentration were in the 5 to 10% range. The method was applicable to analysis of PBZ and OXY in serum extracts from horses dosed with PBZ (4.4 mg/kg of body weight, IV) in a controlled environment. Track samples analyzed by use of this method and a conventional liquid/liquid extraction method gave comparable results (mean deviation, 1.6%) for PBZ concentrations. CONCLUSION: The HPLC protocol described is suitable for measuring PBZ and OXY in equine sera to regulate PBZ administration in horses involved in pari-mutuel racing.

Improved cleanup for liquid chromatographic analysis and fluorescence detection of aflatoxins M1 and M2 in fluid milk products.

A rapid method is described for extraction and cleanup of raw and processed milk for determination of aflatoxins M1 and M2 by using a C18 Sep-Pak/silica gel cleanup column combination. Aflatoxins are separated by normal phase liquid chromatography and their concentrations are determined by fluorescence detection in a silica gel-packed flow cell. Recoveries ranged from 99 to 103% with coefficients of variation less than 2% for M1 levels of 0.117-1.17 ng/mL added to raw milk. Similar recoveries were obtained for M2. The coefficient of variation for analysis of 5 subsamples of naturally contaminated milk was less than 1%. Agreement with the official method is satisfactory. Each sample requires less than 25 mL solvent and 10 min actual handling time. Sample chromatograms show no interferences in the M1-M2 elution region and no late-eluting peaks, which permits spacing injections at 13-20 min intervals. Aflatoxin levels as low as 0.03 ppb may be determined by this procedure. Extracts have also been analyzed by thin layer chromatography.