On-line separation and determination of bromate in drinking waters using flow injection ICP mass spectrometry

Real-time imaging of intracellular cysteine level fluctuations during Cu2+ or H2O2 induced redox imbalance using a turn-on fluorescence sensor

Redox balance is a necessary guarantee to maintain the normal physiological activities of organisms. Cysteine (Cys), a critical biological thiol, has the effect of maintaining redox balance in the body. The concentration of intracellular Cys is abnormal under redox imbalance, thereby resulting in multiple diseases. Additionally, studies have revealed that Cu²⁺ can stimulate the body to produce excess reactive oxygen species (ROS, similar to H₂O₂), and the generated ROS will consume reducing substances (such as Cys) in the body, leading to redox imbalance. Thus, finding a simple and effective method to monitor Cys under redox imbalance is pressing. Here, a turn on probe (DDNO) was proposed by connecting SBD-Cl to a red dye (HDM). The probe can specifically recognize Cys with rapid response (180 s) and low detection limit (0.61 μM) through substitution-rearrangement reaction between sulfhydryl and chlorine atom. Bioimaging experiments indicated that the probe has good biocompatibility and cell membrane permeability, which can be applied to monitor the fluctuation of Cys levels in live cells and zebrafish under the redox imbalance induced by Cu²⁺ or H₂O₂.

Sensitive and robotic determination of bromate in sea water and drinking deep-sea water by headspace solid-phase micro extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A robotic method has been established for the determination of bromate in sea water and drinking deep-sea water. Bromate in water was converted into volatile derivative, which was measured with headspace solid-phase micro extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME GC-MS). Derivatization reagent and the HS-SPME parameters (selection of fibre, extraction/derivatization temperature, heating time and; the morality of HCl) were optimized and selected. Under the established conditions, the detection and the quantification limits were 0.016 μg L(-1) and 0.051 μg L(-1), respectively, and the intra- and inter-day relative standard deviation was less than 7% at concentrations of 1.0 and 10.0 μg L(-1). The calibration curve showed good linearity with r(2)=0.9998. The common ions Cl(-), NO(3)(-), SO(4)(2-), HPO(4)(2-), H(2)PO(4)(-), K(+), Na(+), NH(4)(+), Ca(2+), Mg(2+), Ba(2+), Mn(4+), Mn(2+), Fe(3+) and Fe(2+) did not interfere even when present in 1000-fold excess over the active species. The method was successfully applied to the determination of bromate in sea water and drinking deep-sea water.

Ultra trace determination of bromate in mineral water and table salt by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method (LC-MS/MS) was developed in order to determine the bromate in mineral water and table salt. The following optimum conditions for the LC-MS/MS detection were established: derivatization reagent (300 mg/L of 2,6-dimethylaniline), acidity (0.2M HCl), reaction temperature (30 °C) and heating time (20 min). The formed derivative was directly injected in the LC system without extraction or purification procedures. In the established conditions, the method was used to detect bromate in mineral water and table salt. The limit of detection and limit of quantification of bromate in mineral water were 0.02 μg/L and 0.07 μg/L, respectively, and those of table salt were 0.07 μg/kg and 0.23 μg/kg, respectively. The 17 common ions did not interfere even when present in 1,000-fold excess over the bromated ion of 10.0 μg/L. The accuracy was in a range of 92-104% and the assay precision was less than 9% in the table salt. The method was successfully applied to determine bromate in mineral water and table salt.

Determination of bromate ion in drinking water by capillary zone electrophoresis with direct photometric detection

Bromate ion in drinking water was determined by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) with direct photometric detection. Bromate ion in the sample solution was introduced and concentrated into the capillary by electrokinetic injection for 50s at -10 kV. Electrophoretic separation was made at an applied voltage of -25 kV and bromate ion was detected at wavelength 193 nm, at which the baseline was stabilized with less UV-absorbing acidic phosphate buffer. Bromate ion was detected within 5 min in the electropherogram. By increasing the electric conductivity in the migrating solution with 10 mM Na2SO4, a limit of detection (LOD) of 9 x 10(-10)M (0.1 microg/L BrO3-) was achieved. The proposed method was applied to the analysis of tap water and river water samples, but bromate ion was not detected. Because the practical samples contain relatively large amount of foreign ionic substances, the tap water sample was diluted to avoid the matrix ions. Bromate ion added in a tap water at the concentration of 8 x 10(-8)M was quantitatively recovered by diluting it 1/10.

Bromate analysis in groundwater and wastewater samples

Bromate (BrO(3)(-)) is a disinfection by-product formed during ozonation of potable water supplies containing bromide (Br(-)). Bromate has been classed by the World Health Organisation as a 'possible human carcinogen', leading to implementation of 10-25 microg L(-1)(as BrO(3)(-)) drinking water limits in legislative areas including the United States and European Union. Techniques have been developed for bromate analysis at and below regulatory limits, with Ion Chromatography (IC) coupled with conductivity detection (IC-CD), post-column reaction and ultra-violet (UV) detection (IC-PCR), or inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry detection (IC-ICPMS) in widespread use. The recent discovery of bromate groundwater contamination in a UK aquifer has led to a requirement for analysis of bromate in a groundwater matrix, for environmental monitoring and development of remediation strategies. The possibility of bromate-contaminated water discharge into sewage treatment processes, whether accidental or as a pump-and-treat strategy, also required bromate analysis of wastewater sources. This paper summarises techniques currently available for trace bromate analysis in potable water systems and details studies to identify a methodology for routine analysis of groundwater and wastewater samples. Strategies compared were high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with direct UV or PCR/UV detection, IC-CD, IC-PCR, and a simple spectrophotometric technique. IC-CD was the most cost-effective solution for simultaneous analysis of bromate and bromide within groundwater samples, having a 5 microg L(-1) detection limit of both anions with limited interference from closely-eluting species. Wastewater samples were successfully analysed for bromate only using HPLC with PCR/UV detection, with detection limits below 20 microg L(-1)(as BrO(3)(-)) and low interference. HPLC with direct UV detection was unsuitable for bromate analysis within the concentration range 50-5000 microg L(-1) which was required for this project, but column choice was shown to be a major factor in determining limits of detection. Spectrophotometry could not reproducibly determine bromate concentration, although the technique showed promise as a quick field method for high-level groundwater bromate analysis.