Comparative study of analytical inductively-coupled argon-plasma discharges using different outer gases.

The analytical capabilities of high power (2-4 kW) ICPs with argon as inner and intermediate gas and different outer gases (argon, nitrogen, oxygen and air) were studied under optimum and compromise operating conditions. Under the optimum conditions, the lowest detection limits for elements with sensitive atom lines (C, B, Zn) or ion lines (Mg, Mn, Fe, Cr, Ti, V) were achieved with argon as outer gas and an observation height of 13 mm. Under compromise conditions (3 kW, aerosol gas gauge-pressure 3 bar) the lowest detection limits for the atom lines were also found with a pure argon plasma at an observation height of 13 mm. For ion lines, however, the argon/oxygen and argon/nitrogen plasmas and an observation height of 8 mm were better. The detection limits were poorer in the presence of an aluminium matrix; under the optimum operating conditions, the relative increase in detection limit was smaller with the argon/oxygen and argon/air ICPs than with the pure argon or argon/nitrogen ICPs. It was found that the interferences arising from an easily ionizable matrix are lower with a diatomic gas than with argon as outer gas. The interferences when the argon/nitrogen, argon/oxygen and argon/air plasmas are used are similar and practically independent of the nebulizer-gas pressure applied.

The influence of thiourea on the cation-exchange behaviour of various elements in dilute nitric and hydrochloric acids.

Cation-exchange distribution coefficients for 21 elements between the cation-exchange resin AG50W-X4 and dilute nitric and hydrochloric acid containing up to 2.0M concentration of thiourea are presented. The ion-exchange behaviour of the elements and some possible separations are discussed. Four multi-element elution curves are presented, demonstrating the separation of the combinations Ga(Ag, Cu)Zn(Cd, Pb, In, Sn[IV]), CoPbSbTe, ZnCdBiHg, and AgCdInAu.

The interaction between calcium and the activation of Na+, K+-ATPase by noradrenaline.

The interaction of noradrenaline, various cation chelators and calcium on Na+, K+-ATPase from rat cerebral cortex plasma membranes was studied. It was shown that chelation of inhibitory cations by EGTA, EDTA and dipyridyl activated Na+, K+-ATPase to the same extent as noradrenaline but at higher concentrations; increasing concentrations of EGTA depressed the activation by noradrenaline; calcium in the form of a calcium-EGTA buffer depressed Na+, K+-ATPase at physiological concentrations; the inhibition of Na+, K+-ATPase by calcium is dependent on the magnesium concentration in the assay and the inhibition by calcium was partially reversed by noradrenaline.

Cation-exchange in thiourea-hydrochloric acid solutions.

Ion-exchange distribution coefficients are reported for several transition and post-transition elements in solutions of hydrochloric acid (0.1-3.0M) and thiourea on AG50W resins. Some typical elution curves illustrate use of the systems with special reference to the separation of small amounts of gold, palladium, platinum, rhodium and iridium from large amounts of numerous base metals by using 1.5M hydrochloric acid-0.1M thiourea as eluent. Also illustrated is the use of a bromine-containing solution to strip thiourea complexes from a cation-exchange column.

Determination of thallium in rock and soil samples.

The fluorescence of the chloro-complexes of thallium(I) is made the basis of a method for determination of traces of thallium. The procedure is applied to the determination of thallium in rocks or soils.

Radiochemical separations by the ring-oven technique-IV The system (144)Ce/(144)Pr.

By using filter papers impregnated with a manganese oxide hydrate having an average oxidation number of + 3, it is possible to separate (144)Pr from (144)Ce rapidly by the ring-oven technique. With 0.06-0.07M trichloracetic acid as wash-solution, the daughter nuclide can be concentrated in the ring zone with 80-90% yield and decontamination factors > 10(3). The half-life of the separated (144)Pr was found to be 17.60 +/- 0.05 min. The behaviour of other fission nuclides under the same conditions was also investigated.