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McIntyre DB, Dawson BM, Long BM, Barton PS. A review of multi-disciplinary decomposition research and key drivers of variation in decay. Int J Legal Med 2024:10.1007/s00414-024-03222-2. [PMID: 38622312 DOI: 10.1007/s00414-024-03222-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
The decomposition of animal remains is a multifaceted process, involving ecological, biological, and chemical interactions. While the complexity is acknowledged through concepts like the necrobiome, it's unclear if this complexity is reflected in research. Appreciation of the complexity of decomposition is crucial for identifying sources of variation in estimations of time since death in medico-legal science, as well as building broader ecological knowledge of the decomposition process. To gain insights into the extent of multidisciplinary research in the field of decomposition science, we conducted an examination of peer-reviewed literature on four key drivers of variation: volatile organic compounds, microbes, drugs/toxins, and insects. Among 650 articles, we identified their scientific discipline, driver/s of variation investigated, and year of publication. We found that 19% explored relationships between two drivers, while only 4% investigated interactions between three. None considered all four drivers. Over the past three decades, there has been a steady increase in decomposition research publications, signifying its growing importance. Most research (79%) was linked to forensic science, highlighting opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration in decomposition science. Overall, our review underscores the need to incorporate multidisciplinary approaches and theory into contemporary decomposition research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donna B McIntyre
- Future Regions Research Centre, Federation University, Mount Helen, VIC, 3350, Australia.
- Graduate Research School, Federation University, Mount Helen, VIC, 3350, Australia.
| | - Blake M Dawson
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2350, Australia
| | - Benjamin M Long
- Future Regions Research Centre, Federation University, Mount Helen, VIC, 3350, Australia
| | - Philip S Barton
- Future Regions Research Centre, Federation University, Mount Helen, VIC, 3350, Australia
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3216, Australia
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2
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S K, Saquib M, Poojary H, Illanad G, Valavan D, M S, Nayak R, Mazumder N, Ghosh C. Skin emitted volatiles analysis for noninvasive diagnosis: the current advances in sample preparation techniques for biomedical application. RSC Adv 2024; 14:12009-12020. [PMID: 38623290 PMCID: PMC11017966 DOI: 10.1039/d4ra01579g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Human skin emits a series of volatile compounds from the skin due to various metabolic processes, microbial activity, and several external factors. Changes in the concentration of skin volatile metabolites indicate many diseases, including diabetes, cancer, and infectious diseases. Researchers focused on skin-emitted compounds to gain insight into the pathophysiology of various diseases. In the case of skin volatolomics research, it is noteworthy that sample preparation, sampling protocol, analytical techniques, and comprehensive validation are important for the successful integration of skin metabolic profiles into regular clinical settings. Solid-phase microextraction techniques and polymer-based active sorbent traps were developed to capture the skin-emitted volatile compounds. The primary advantage of these sample preparation techniques is the ability to efficiently and targetedly capture skin metabolites, thus improving the detection of the biomarkers associated with various diseases. In further research, polydimethyl-based patches were utilized for skin research due to their biocompatibility and thermal stability properties. The microextraction sampling tools coupled with high sensitive Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer provided a potential platform for skin volatolomes, thus emerging as a state-of-the-art analytical technique. Later, technological advancements, including the design of wearable sensors, have enriched skin-based research as it can integrate the information from skin-emitted volatile profiles into a portable platform. However, individual-specific hydration, temperature, and skin conditions can influence variations in skin volatile concentration. Considering the subject-specific skin depth, sampling time standardization, and suitable techniques may improve the skin sampling techniques for the potential discovery of various skin-based marker compounds associated with diseases. Here, we have summarised the current research progress, limitations, and technological advances in skin-based sample preparation techniques for disease diagnosis, monitoring, and personalized healthcare applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keerthana S
- Department of Biotechnology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education Manipal Karnataka 576104 India
| | - Mohammad Saquib
- Department of Chemistry, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education Manipal Karnataka 576104 India
| | - Harshika Poojary
- Department of Biotechnology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education Manipal Karnataka 576104 India
| | - Gouri Illanad
- Department of Biotechnology, KLE Technological University Hubballi Karnataka 580021 India
| | - Divyadarshini Valavan
- Department of Biotechnology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education Manipal Karnataka 576104 India
| | - Selvakumar M
- Department of Chemistry, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education Manipal Karnataka 576104 India
| | - Ramakrishna Nayak
- Department of Humanities and Management, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education Manipal Karnataka 576104 India
| | - Nirmal Mazumder
- Department of Biophysics, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education Manipal Karnataka 576104 India
| | - Chiranjit Ghosh
- Department of Biotechnology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education Manipal Karnataka 576104 India
- Harvard Medical School 25 Shattuck Street Boston 02115 MA USA
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3
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Mazzatenta A, Pietrangelo T, Demontis R, D’Ovidio C. Volabolomic Fingerprinting for Post-Mortem Interval Estimation: A Novel Physiological Approach. Biomolecules 2024; 14:286. [PMID: 38540706 PMCID: PMC10968422 DOI: 10.3390/biom14030286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2024] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Death is a multifaceted process wherein each individual cell and tissue has a metabolic homeostasis and a time of functional cessation defined by the dying process as well as by intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Decomposition is physiologically associated with the release of different types of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and these form volaboloma mortis. The main purpose of this study was to record the volabolomic fingerprint produced by volatile molecules during the physiological decomposition process of human tissue and muscle cells. The volatile chemical signature has important implications for an open issue in forensics and pathology, namely the estimation of the postmortem interval (PMI), which decreases in accuracy with the passage of time. Volatile metabolites emitted from human tissues and muscle cells at 0, 24, 48, and 72 h were recorded in real time with an electronic nose sensor device. The key findings were the continuous sampling of VOCs emitted from tissues and cells. These showed a common behavior as time progressed; particularly, after 48 h the distributions became dispersed, and after 72 h they became more variable. Volabolomic fingerprinting associated with time progression relevant to the study of PMIs was reconstructed. Additionally, there may be broader applications, such as in dog training procedures for detecting human remains, and perhaps even for studying scavenger and insect attractants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Mazzatenta
- Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Science Department, “G. d’Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy;
| | - Tiziana Pietrangelo
- Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Science Department, “G. d’Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy;
| | - Roberto Demontis
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Sanità Pubblica, Università degli Studi di Cagliari and Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Cagliari, 09123 Cagliari, Italy;
| | - Cristian D’Ovidio
- Medicine and Aging Sciences Department, “G. d’Annunzio” University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy;
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4
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Tukhmetova D, Lisec J, Vogl J, Meermann B. Development of an Online Isotope Dilution CE/ICP-MS Method for the Quantification of Sulfur in Biological Compounds. Anal Chem 2024; 96:3276-3283. [PMID: 38294348 PMCID: PMC10902813 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c03553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
We report an analytical methodology for the quantification of sulfur in biological molecules via a species-unspecific postcolumn isotope dilution (online ID) approach using capillary electrophoresis (CE) coupled online with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (online ID CE/ICP-MS). The method was optimized using a mixture of standard compounds including sulfate, methionine, cysteine, cystine, and albumin, yielding compound recoveries between 98 and 105%. The quantity of sulfur is further converted to the quantity of the compounds owing to the prior knowledge of the sulfur content in the molecules. The limit of detection and limit of quantification of sulfur in the compounds were 1.3-2.6 and 4.1-8.4 mg L-1, respectively, with a correlation coefficient of 0.99 within the concentration range of sulfur of 5-100 mg L-1. The capability of the method was extended to quantify albumin in its native matrix (i.e., in serum) using experimentally prepared serum spiked with a pure albumin standard for validation. The relative expanded uncertainty of the method for the quantification of albumin was 6.7% (k = 2). Finally, we tested the applicability of the method on real samples by the analysis of albumin in bovine and human sera. For automated data assessment, a software application (IsoCor)─which was developed by us in a previous work─was developed further for handling of online ID data. The method has several improvements compared to previously published setups: (i) reduced adsorption of proteins onto the capillary wall owing to a special capillary-coating procedure, (ii) baseline separation of the compounds in less than 30 min via CE, (iii) quantification of several sulfur species within one run by means of the online setup, (iv) SI traceability of the quantification results through online ID, and (v) facilitated data processing of the transient signals using the IsoCor application. Our method can be used as an accurate approach for quantification of proteins and other biological molecules via sulfur analysis in complex matrices for various fields, such as environmental, biological, and pharmaceutical studies as well as clinical diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dariya Tukhmetova
- Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Division 1.1─Inorganic Trace Analysis, Richard-Willstätter-Str. 11, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jan Lisec
- Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Division 1.7─Organic Trace and Food Analysis, Richard-Willstätter-Str. 11, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jochen Vogl
- Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Division 1.1─Inorganic Trace Analysis, Richard-Willstätter-Str. 11, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Björn Meermann
- Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Division 1.1─Inorganic Trace Analysis, Richard-Willstätter-Str. 11, 12489 Berlin, Germany
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5
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Cieśla J, Skrobisz J, Niciński B, Kloc M, Mazur K, Pałasz A, Javan GT, Tomsia M. The smell of death. State-of-the-art and future research directions. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1260869. [PMID: 37779703 PMCID: PMC10538644 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1260869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The decomposition of a body is inseparably associated with the release of several types of odors. This phenomenon has been used in the training of sniffer dogs for decades. The odor profile associated with decomposition consists of a range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), chemical composition of which varies over time, temperature, environmental conditions, and the type of microorganisms, and insects colonizing the carcass. Mercaptans are responsible for the bad smell associated with corpses; however, there are no unified recommendations for conducting forensic analysis based on the detectable odor of revealed corpses and previous research on VOCs shows differing results. The aim of this review is to systematize the current knowledge on the type of volatile organic compounds related to the decomposition process, depending on a few variables. This knowledge will improve the methods of VOCs detection and analysis to be used in modern forensic diagnostics and improve the methods of training dogs for forensic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Cieśla
- Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
| | - Julia Skrobisz
- Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
| | - Bartosz Niciński
- Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
| | - Magdalena Kloc
- Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Mazur
- Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
| | - Artur Pałasz
- Department of Histology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
| | - Gulnaz T. Javan
- Department of Physical and Forensic Science Programs, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL, United States
| | - Marcin Tomsia
- Department of Forensic Medicine and Forensic Toxicology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Katowice, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
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6
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Taylor LS, Gonzalez A, Essington ME, Lenaghan SC, Stewart CN, Mundorff AZ, Steadman DW, DeBruyn JM. Soil elemental changes during human decomposition. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287094. [PMID: 37310961 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammalian decomposition provides pulses of organic matter to the local ecosystem creating ephemeral hotspots of nutrient cycling. While changes to soil biogeochemistry in these hotspots have been described for C and N, patterns associated with deposition and cycling of other elements have not received the same attention. The goal of our study was to evaluate temporal changes to a broad suite of dissolved elements in soils impacted by human decomposition on the soil surface including: 1) abundant mineral elements in the human body (K, Na, S, P, Ca, and Mg), 2) trace elements in the human body (Fe, Mn, Se, Zn, Cu, Co, and B), and 3) Al which is transient in the human body but common in soils. We performed a four-month human decomposition trial at the University of Tennessee Anthropology Research Facility and quantified elemental concentrations dissolved in the soil solution, targeting the mobile and bioavailable fraction. We identified three groups of elements based on their temporal patterns. Group 1 elements appeared to be cadaver-derived (Na, K, P, S) and their persistence in soil varied based upon soluble organic forms (P), the dynamics of the soil exchange complex (Na, K), and gradual releases attributable to microbial degradation (S). Group 2 elements (Ca, Mg, Mn, Se, B) included three elements that have greater concentrations in soil than would be expected based on cadaver inputs alone, suggesting that these elements partially originate from the soil exchange (Ca, Mg), or are solubilized as a result of soil acidification (Mn). Group 3 elements (Fe, Cu, Zn, Co, Al) increased late in the decomposition process, suggesting a gradual solubilization from soil minerals under acidic pH conditions. This work presents a detailed longitudinal characterization of changes in dissolved soil elements during human decomposition furthering our understanding of elemental deposition and cycling in these environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lois S Taylor
- Department of Biosystems Engineering & Soil Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
| | - Adrian Gonzalez
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
| | - Michael E Essington
- Department of Biosystems Engineering & Soil Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
| | - Scott C Lenaghan
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
| | - C Neal Stewart
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
| | - Amy Z Mundorff
- Department of Anthropology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
| | - Dawnie W Steadman
- Department of Anthropology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
| | - Jennifer M DeBruyn
- Department of Biosystems Engineering & Soil Science, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States of America
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7
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Potential of direct immersion solid-phase microextraction to characterize dissolved volatile organic compounds released by submerged decaying rat cadavers. Forensic Chem 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.forc.2023.100488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
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8
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Clases D, Gonzalez de Vega R. Facets of ICP-MS and their potential in the medical sciences-Part 1: fundamentals, stand-alone and hyphenated techniques. Anal Bioanal Chem 2022; 414:7337-7361. [PMID: 36028724 PMCID: PMC9482897 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-022-04259-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Since its inception in the early 80s, inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry has developed to the method of choice for the analysis of elements in complex biological systems. High sensitivity paired with isotopic selectivity and a vast dynamic range endorsed ICP-MS for the inquiry of metals in the context of biomedical questions. In a stand-alone configuration, it has optimal qualities for the biomonitoring of major, trace and toxicologically relevant elements and may further be employed for the characterisation of disrupted metabolic pathways in the context of diverse pathologies. The on-line coupling to laser ablation (LA) and chromatography expanded the scope and application range of ICP-MS and set benchmarks for accurate and quantitative speciation analysis and element bioimaging. Furthermore, isotopic analysis provided new avenues to reveal an altered metabolism, for the application of tracers and for calibration approaches. In the last two decades, the scope of ICP-MS was further expanded and inspired by the introduction of new instrumentation and methodologies including novel and improved hardware as well as immunochemical methods. These additions caused a paradigm shift for the biomedical application of ICP-MS and its impact in the medical sciences and enabled the analysis of individual cells, their microenvironment, nanomaterials considered for medical applications, analysis of biomolecules and the design of novel bioassays. These new facets are gradually recognised in the medical communities and several clinical trials are underway. Altogether, ICP-MS emerged as an extremely versatile technique with a vast potential to provide novel insights and complementary perspectives and to push the limits in the medical disciplines. This review will introduce the different facets of ICP-MS and will be divided into two parts. The first part will cover instrumental basics, technological advances, and fundamental considerations as well as traditional and current applications of ICP-MS and its hyphenated techniques in the context of biomonitoring, bioimaging and elemental speciation. The second part will build on this fundament and describe more recent directions with an emphasis on nanomedicine, immunochemistry, mass cytometry and novel bioassays.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Clases
- Nano Mirco LAB, Institute of Chemistry, University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
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9
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Zhong Y, Ji M, Hu Y, Li G, Xiao X. Progress of Environmental Sample Preparation for Elemental Analysis. J Chromatogr A 2022; 1681:463458. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2022.463458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
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10
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Kusenberg M, Eschenbacher A, Djokic MR, Zayoud A, Ragaert K, De Meester S, Van Geem KM. Opportunities and challenges for the application of post-consumer plastic waste pyrolysis oils as steam cracker feedstocks: To decontaminate or not to decontaminate? WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2022; 138:83-115. [PMID: 34871884 PMCID: PMC8769047 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2021.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Thermochemical recycling of plastic waste to base chemicals via pyrolysis followed by a minimal amount of upgrading and steam cracking is expected to be the dominant chemical recycling technology in the coming decade. However, there are substantial safety and operational risks when using plastic waste pyrolysis oils instead of conventional fossil-based feedstocks. This is due to the fact that plastic waste pyrolysis oils contain a vast amount of contaminants which are the main drivers for corrosion, fouling and downstream catalyst poisoning in industrial steam cracking plants. Contaminants are therefore crucial to evaluate the steam cracking feasibility of these alternative feedstocks. Indeed, current plastic waste pyrolysis oils exceed typical feedstock specifications for numerous known contaminants, e.g. nitrogen (∼1650 vs. 100 ppm max.), oxygen (∼1250 vs. 100 ppm max.), chlorine (∼1460vs. 3 ppm max.), iron (∼33 vs. 0.001 ppm max.), sodium (∼0.8 vs. 0.125 ppm max.)and calcium (∼17vs. 0.5 ppm max.). Pyrolysis oils produced from post-consumer plastic waste can only meet the current specifications set for industrial steam cracker feedstocks if they are upgraded, with hydrogen based technologies being the most effective, in combination with an effective pre-treatment of the plastic waste such as dehalogenation. Moreover, steam crackers are reliant on a stable and predictable feedstock quality and quantity representing a challenge with plastic waste being largely influenced by consumer behavior, seasonal changes and local sorting efficiencies. Nevertheless, with standardization of sorting plants this is expected to become less problematic in the coming decade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marvin Kusenberg
- Laboratory for Chemical Technology (LCT), Department of Materials, Textiles and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Architecture, Ghent University, B-9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium
| | - Andreas Eschenbacher
- Laboratory for Chemical Technology (LCT), Department of Materials, Textiles and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Architecture, Ghent University, B-9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium
| | - Marko R Djokic
- Laboratory for Chemical Technology (LCT), Department of Materials, Textiles and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Architecture, Ghent University, B-9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium
| | - Azd Zayoud
- Laboratory for Chemical Technology (LCT), Department of Materials, Textiles and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Architecture, Ghent University, B-9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium
| | - Kim Ragaert
- Center for Polymer and Material Technologies (CPMT), Department of Materials, Textiles and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Ghent University, B-9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium
| | - Steven De Meester
- Laboratory for Circular Process Engineering (LCPE), Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, B-8500 Kortrijk, Belgium
| | - Kevin M Van Geem
- Laboratory for Chemical Technology (LCT), Department of Materials, Textiles and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Architecture, Ghent University, B-9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium
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11
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Gonzalez de Vega R, Goyen S, Lockwood TE, Doble PA, Camp EF, Clases D. Characterisation of microplastics and unicellular algae in seawater by targeting carbon via single particle and single cell ICP-MS. Anal Chim Acta 2021; 1174:338737. [PMID: 34247735 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2021.338737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The discharge of plastic waste and subsequent formation and global distribution of microplastics (MPs) has caused great concern and highlighted the need for dedicated methods to characterise MPs in complex environmental matrices like seawater. Single particle inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometry (SP ICP-MS) is an elegant method for the rapid analysis of nano- and microparticles and to characterise number concentrations, mass, and size distributions. However, the analysis of carbon (C)-based microstructures such as MPs by SP ICP-MS is at an early stage. This paper investigates various strategies to improve figures of merit to detect and characterise MPs in complex matrices, such as seawater. Ten methods operating distinct acquisition modes with various collision/reaction gases, tandem MS (ICP-MS/MS) and targeting 12C or 13C were developed and compared for the analysis of polystyrene-based MPs standards in ultra-pure water and seawater. The robust analysis of MPs in seawater was accomplished by on-line aerosol dilution enabling repeatable size calibration while minimising drift effects. However, the direct analysis of seawater decreased ion transmission and required matrix-matching for accurate size calibration. Analysis of the 12C isotope instead of 13C improved the size detection limits (sDL) to 0.62 μm in ultra-pure water and to 0.96 μm in seawater. ICP-MS/MS methods decreased ion transmission but also reduced background signal and increased selectivity, particularly in the presence of spectral interferences. In the second part of this study, it was demonstrated that the developed methods were applicable for the analysis of C in unicellular organisms and allowed calibration of physical dimensions. This is relevant for the investigation and understanding of phenotypical traits associated, for example, with climate change resilience as well as oceanic C storage. SP/SC ICP-MS was employed to target five different intact Symbiodiniaceae algae strains with diverse life-histories in seawater and polystyrene-based MPs were used to calibrate cellular C masses, which were between 51 and 83 pg. The C mass distribution across the analysed unicellular cells was used for modelling cell sizes, which were in the range of 7.6 and 10.1 μm. Determined values were in line with values obtained with complementary techniques (Coulter-counting, total organic C analysis and microscopic analysis).
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Gonzalez de Vega
- The Atomic Medicine Initiative, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Samantha Goyen
- Faculty of Science, Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Thomas E Lockwood
- The Atomic Medicine Initiative, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Philip A Doble
- The Atomic Medicine Initiative, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo NSW, 2007, Australia
| | - Emma F Camp
- Faculty of Science, Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - David Clases
- The Atomic Medicine Initiative, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo NSW, 2007, Australia.
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12
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Meyer S, Gonzalez de Vega R, Xu X, Du Z, Doble PA, Clases D. Characterization of Upconversion Nanoparticles by Single-Particle ICP-MS Employing a Quadrupole Mass Filter with Increased Bandpass. Anal Chem 2020; 92:15007-15016. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c02925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Meyer
- The Atomic Medicine Initiative, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, 2007 Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Raquel Gonzalez de Vega
- The Atomic Medicine Initiative, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, 2007 Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Xiaoxue Xu
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, 2007 Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Ziqing Du
- Institute for Biomedical Materials and Devices, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, 2007 Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Philip A. Doble
- The Atomic Medicine Initiative, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, 2007 Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - David Clases
- The Atomic Medicine Initiative, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, 2007 Ultimo, NSW, Australia
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