Automated method for simultaneous lead and strontium isotopic analysis applied to rainwater samples and airborne particulate filters (PM10)

An overview of automated flow systems for total and isotopic analysis of strontium and yttrium in samples of environmental interest

Due to the different uses of radioactivity during the last decades, there has been an increase in the concentration of natural and artificial radionuclides in the environment. This, along with some accidents with a high affect public opinion (for example, Chernobyl and Fukushima), have led to the growth and establishment of environmental radioactivity monitoring programs. Currently, trends in legislation and research are focused on the development of accurate, precise, reliable and fast analytical methods with low limits of detection (LOD) for radionuclides determination, such as strontium and yttrium, in environmental samples. In this paper, two comprehensive reviews and four automated analytical systems for total and isotopic determination of yttrium and strontium are presented. The developed methods have been applied in the analysis of environmental samples with low concentrations of these analytes. These methodologies have been automated by exploiting flow analysis techniques, such as multi-syringe flow injection analysis (MSFIA), Sequential injection analysis (SIA) and laboratory-on-valve (LOV) systems, achieving a minimal handling and low consumption of samples and reagents, a significant reduction in waste generation and a high frequency of analysis. In the developed methodologies, some spectrometric methods such as ICP-OES and ICP-MS have been implemented as detection techniques instead of radiometric detectors obtaining a fully automated, low-cost and fast yttrium and strontium determinations.

An automated parallel multi-channel chromatographic system for isotopic analysis - Demonstration considering Sr

A fully automated, closed-column chromatographic system with parallel multi-channel has been developed. This system is established with seven reagent reservoirs, one multi-channel syringe pump, eight 10-port valves, forty sample tubes, 40 columns, and a fraction collection tray. Four samples can be purified simultaneously at a time, and 40 samples can be purified in one batch. Each sample can be purified by an independent channel, avoiding cross-contamination. The sample tubes can be flipped upside down for automatic cleaning, which eliminates the residue of samples. Moreover, the fraction collection tray can collect up to 104 different target components. The key performance of the system has been investigated. The results show that the sample tubes are well-cleaned, the bubble does not affect the chemical behavior of columns, the consistency of the parallel channels is excellent and the blank of the system is negligible. The system was demonstrated by the purification of Sr from reference materials (BCR-2, JB-2, JB-3, and NIST SRM 987). The recoveries of Sr are better than 89.4% and the blank of the whole procedure is less than 200 pg. The Sr isotope values agree well with the reference values.

Flow-Injection Methods in Water Analysis-Recent Developments

Widespread demand for the analysis and control of water quality and supply for human activity and ecosystem sustainability has necessitated the continuous improvement of water analysis methods in terms of their reliability, efficiency, and costs. To satisfy these requirements, flow-injection analysis using different detection methods has successfully been developed in recent decades. This review, based on about 100 original research papers, presents the achievements in this field over the past ten years. Various methodologies for establishing flow-injection measurements are reviewed, together with microfluidics and portable systems. The developed applications mostly concern not only the determination of inorganic analytes but also the speciation analysis of different elements, and the determination of several total indices of water quality. Examples of the determination of organic residues (e.g., pesticides, phenolic compounds, and surfactants) in natural surface waters, seawater, groundwater, and drinking water have also been identified. Usually, changes in the format of manual procedures for flow-injection determination results in the improvement of various operational parameters, such as the limits of detection, the sampling rate, or selectivity in different matrices.

3D printed device including disk-based solid-phase extraction for the automated speciation of iron using the multisyringe flow injection analysis technique

The development of advanced manufacturing techniques is crucial for the design of novel analytical tools with unprecedented features. Advanced manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, has been explored for the first time to fabricate modular devices with integrated features for disk-based automated solid-phase extraction (SPE). A modular device integrating analyte oxidation, disk-based SPE and analyte complexation has been fabricated using stereolithographic 3D printing. The 3D printed device is directly connected to flow-based analytical instrumentation, replacing typical flow networks based on discrete elements. As proof of concept, the 3D printed device was implemented in a multisyringe flow injection analysis (MSFIA) system, and applied to the fully automated speciation, SPE and spectrophotometric quantification of Fe in water samples. The obtained limit of detection for total Fe determination was 7ng, with a dynamic linear range from 22ng to 2400ng Fe (3mL sample). An intra-day RSD of 4% (n = 12) and an inter-day RSD of 4.3% (n = 5, 3mL sample, different day with a different disk), were obtained. Incorporation of integrated 3D printed devices with automated flow-based techniques showed improved sensitivity (85% increase on the measured peak height for the determination of total Fe) in comparison with analogous flow manifolds built from conventional tubing and connectors. Our work represents a step forward towards the improved reproducibility in the fabrication of manifolds for flow-based automated methods of analysis, which is especially relevant in the implementation of interlaboratory analysis.

Automation of sample processing for ICP-MS determination of 90Sr radionuclide at ppq level for nuclear technology and environmental purposes

⁹⁰Sr is a widely determined radionuclide for environmental purposes, nuclear waste control, and can be also monitored in coolants in nuclear reactor plants. In the developed method, the ICP-MS detection was employed together with sample processing in sequential injection analysis (SIA) setup, equipped with a lab-on-valve with mechanized renewal of sorbent bed for solid-phase extraction. The optimized conditions of determination included preconcentration of ⁹⁰Sr on cation-exchange column and removal of different type of interferences using extraction Sr-resin. The limit of detection of the developed procedure depends essentially on the configuration of the employed ICP-MS spectrometer and on the available volume of the sample to be analyzed. For 1L initial sample volume, the method detection limit (MDL) value was evaluated as 2.9ppq (14.5BqL^-1). The developed method was applied to analyze spiked river water samples, water reference materials, and also simulated and real samples of the nuclear reactor coolant.

Recent advances in flow injection analysis

A dynamic development of methodologies of analytical flow injection measurements during four decades since their invention has reinforced the solid position of flow analysis in the arsenal of techniques and instrumentation of contemporary chemical analysis.