Elemental speciation by capillary electrophoresis with inductively coupled plasma spectrometry: A new approach by flow focusing® nebulization

A novel system for Capillary Electrophoresis (CE) and Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) sample introduction that incorporates a dedicated Flow-Focusing® based nebulizer as aerosol generation unit is presented, aiming to provide high signal sensitivity and low detection limits for element speciation at short analysis times. To prove its viability, the system prototype constructed has been coupled to an inductively coupled plasma - optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) and an inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) for Cr(III) and Cr(VI) speciation. Separation - nebulization system and operation parameters (i.e., capillary length, nebulizer geometry, carrier flow, carrier ionic strength, separation potential and sample injection volume) have been considered and studied, and the analytical figures of merit obtained for model samples in ICP-MS are presented. The results obtained show that the developed instrumental system permits Cr speciation in less than two minutes with detection limits of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.03 μg/L for Cr(III), Cr(VI) and total Cr, respectively.The authors are grateful to the Spanish Government (project CTQ2008-06730-C02-01), the Valencian Government (project ACOMP/2010/047), the NSF of Bulgaria (project DO 02-07 GAMMA) and the European Commission (EC FP7 24588 BioSupport project) for the financial support

Ionic liquids used as a green approach in headspace single drop microextraction and GCMS determination of organotin compounds

Gas chromatography with MS detection was applied for simultaneous determination of six of the most toxic organotin compounds (OTs): monobutyltin, dibutyltin, tributyltin, monophenyltin, diphenyltin, triphenyltin. Headspace single drop microextraction (HS-SDME) in Ionic liquids (ILs) was proposed as Green alternative to the traditional one. Three different ILs ([C8MIM][PF6]; [C6MIM][PF6]) and [C4MIM][PF6]) were evaluated as a collector phase. The first one was found as the most appropriate for a group microextraction of the tested OTs. Analytes were evaporated from the IL microdrop by means of thermal desorption. ILs possess some advantages as an extraction phase in comparison with traditionally used organic solvents. They are more stable during the analytical process and are considered as environmentally friendly compounds. Moreover HS-SDME procedure was performed in a single drop of only 5μl IL. The time needed for the extraction was proved to be only 20 min. Therefore the proposed method could be related to the Green chemistry methods.The current study has been financially supported by: NSF of Bulgaria (Project DO 02-70 (GAMA)); EC 7FP Project 245588 (BioSupport); MICINN of Spain (Project CTQ2008-06730-C02-01) and Regional Government of Valencia (Project ACOMP2010/047). LG thanks Erasmus program and Ministry of Education for her fellowship. IPR also thanks “Caja de Ahorros del Mediterraneo (CAM)” for his Ph.D fellowship

A MODEL STUDY OF PH EFFECT ON ENAMINONE COMPLEXATION ACTIVITY TOWARDS SOME METALS

Enaminones were tested as potential complexation agents towards a group of metal ions (Al, Na, Ba, Ca, Mg, Fe, Ti, Cr, Mn, V, Cu, Zn, Pb, La, Ce, Eu, Gd, Er) and the effect of sample solution pH on extraction degrees was studied. Residual concentrations of metals in the water phase were determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry and Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission spectrometry after classical liquid-liquid extraction. Ligand selectivity towards all analytes was studied. Enaminones showed promising results as lanthanide-selective reagents

Frequency of family meals and food consumption in families at high risk of type 2 diabetes : the Feel4Diabetes-study

A family meal is defined as a meal consumed together by the members of a family or by having> 1 parent present during a meal. The frequency of family meals has been associated with healthier food intake patterns in both children and parents. This study aimed to investigate in families at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes across Europe the association (i) between family meals' frequency and food consumption and diet quality among parents and (ii) between family meals' frequency and children's food consumption. Moreover, the study aimed to elucidate the mediating effect of parental diet quality on the association between family meals' frequency and children's food consumption. Food consumption frequency and anthropometric were collected cross-sectionally from a representative sample of 1964 families from the European Feel4Diabetes-study. Regression and mediation analyses were applied by gender of children. Positive and significant associations were found between the frequency of family meals and parental food consumption (beta = 0.84; 95% CI 0.57, 1.45) and diet quality (beta = 0.30; 95% CI 0.19, 0.42). For children, more frequent family meals were significantly associated with healthier food consumption (boys, beta = 0.172, p < 0.05; girls, beta = 0.114, p< 0.01). A partial mediation effect of the parental diet quality was shown on the association between the frequency of family meals and the consumption of some selected food items (i.e., milk products and salty snacks) among boys and girls. The strongest mediation effect of parental diet quality was found on the association between the frequency of family breakfast and the consumption of salty snacks and milk and milk products (62.5% and 37.5%, respectively) among girls. Conclusions: The frequency of family meals is positively associated with improved food consumption patterns (i.e., higher intake of fruits and vegetables and reduced consumption of sweets) in both parents and children. However, the association in children is partially mediated by parents' diet quality. The promotion of consuming meals together in the family could be a potentially effective strategy for interventions aiming to establish and maintain healthy food consumption patterns among children