Chemical contamination assessment of the Hudson–Raritan Estuary as a result of the attacks on the World Trade Center: Analysis of trace elements

Chemical contamination of the Hudson-Raritan Estuary as a result of the attack on the World Trade Center: Analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls in mussels and sediment

Colour variations within the same type of gemstone are caused by different abundances of trace elements. But apart from producing pretty colours, the analysis of the trace elements in gemstones is frequently used to distinguish between synthetic and natural specimen, for provenance determination, and treatment detection [1]. Every gemstone element composition is closely tied to its geological origin; thus, it is possible to determine the provenance according to those unique ‘fingerprints’. However, for some gemstones, such as sapphires, provenance determination remains challenging due to geologically similar deposits, consequently often leading to similar trace element abundances [2, 3].This contribution presents the capabilities of a Laser Ablation and Ionization Mass Spectrometer (LIMS) instrument, called the Laser Mass Spectrometer – Gran Turismo (LMS-GT) [4, 5], in trace element analysis for gemstones. The study examined two samples (provided by the Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF): a yellow sapphire, treated with beryllium diffusion to create the colour, and a synthetic dark blue spinel, produced via the Verneuil method. A gold coating was applied to mitigate surface charging effects, and peak-blanking was used to enhance the instrument’s limit of detection [6, 7].The study focused on elements critical for provenance determination, including Mg, Ti, Fe, Ga, and other measured trace elements. The obtained data were compared to measurements performed with other instruments on the same gemstone varieties. This contribution will highlight the current progress of the study and discuss the advantages of the LMS-GT instrument in relation to other methodologies, emphasizing its potential to improve trace element detection and provenance determination in gemological research.[1] S. Karampelas, et al., 2020, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35449-7_3.[2] Lee A. Groat, et al., 2019, http://dx.doi.org/10.5741/GEMS.55.4.512.[3] M. Y. Krebs, et al., 2020, https://doi.org/10.3390/min10050447.[4] M. Tulej, et al., 2021, https://doi.org/10.3390/app11062562.[5] C. P. de Koning, et al., 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijms.2021.116662.[6] S. Gruchola, et al., 2022, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijms.2022.116803.[7] S. Gruchola, et al., 2023, https://doi.org/10.1039/D3JA00078H.

Trace element equilibrium in acute heart failure and the effect of empagliflozin.

BackgroundTrace elements exhibit essential functions in many physiological processes. Thus, for research focusing on trace element homeostasis and metabolism analytical methods allowing for multi-element analyses are fundamental. Small sample amounts may be a big challenge in trace element analyses especially if also other end points want to be addressed in the same sample. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine trace elements (iron, copper, zinc, and selenium) in murine liver tissue prepared by a RIPA buffer-based lyses method. Methods and resultsAfter centrifugation, lysates and pellets were obtained and trace elements were analyzed with TXRF in liver lysates. The results were compared to that obtained by a standard microwave-assisted acidic digestion with subsequent ICP-MS/MS analysis of the same liver tissue, liver lysates, and remaining pellets. In addition, trace element concentrations, determined in murine serum with both methods, were compared. For serum samples, both TXRF and ICP-MS/MS provide similar and highly correlating results. Furthermore, in liver lysate samples prepared with RIPA buffer, comparable trace element concentrations were measured by TXRF as with the standard digestion technique and ICP-MS/MS. Only marginal amounts of trace elements were detected in the pellets. ConclusionTaken together, the results obtained by the present study indicate that the RIPA buffer-based method is suitable for sample preparation for trace element analyses via TXRF, at least for the here investigated murine liver samples.

Dust: The Inside Story of Its Role in the September 11th Aftermath <i>By Paul J. Lioy</i> . New York: Rowman &amp; Littlefield, 2010. 245 pp. ISBN: 978-1-4422-0148-4, $34.95

Due to the dearth of rock records during the Hadean, little is known about early crustal chemistry and geodynamics. Here, we present zircon trace and rare earth element and Lu-Hf measurements of zircons ~ 3.3 Ga to ~ 4.2 Ga from the Older Metamorphic Tonalitic Gneiss in the Singhbhum Craton to better understand geodynamic changes during the Hadean and Archean. We find decreasing, subchondritic zircon εHfT among zircons &amp;gt; 3.8 Ga and no indication of addition of new crustal material during the Hadean after initial formation of this protocrust. Trace and rare earth element analyses of &amp;gt;3.8 Ga grains indicate derivation from a source heavily influenced by the enriched mantle with little evidence for flux melting, and no clear evidence for deep melting. At ~ 3.8 Ga, we observe an average εHfT increase indicating new additions of juvenile material. These zircons still show predominantly mantle-like trace elements, but with the appearance of some arc-like trace element zircon signatures and evidence for crustal thickening. This period of crustal reorganization speaks towards a shift in geodynamic regime characterized by the onset of communication between the mantle and the crust from which the zircons formed at this location. The presence of long-lived, mantle-derived protocrust in both India and South Africa appears to suggest the possibility of a stagnant lid, albeit more data is necessary to confirm this. The presence of a transition of εHfT data globally may point towards an important period of crustal reorganization 3.9 – 3.6 Ga ago.

In situ trace element analysis of melt inclusions by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) provides important geochemistry information. However, the precision and accuracy of this technique are affected by many factors, such as matrix effect, laser conditions, and calibration method. In addition, many previous LA-ICP-MS studies ablated entire melt inclusions along with their host minerals and obtained trace element composition by deconvoluting the mixed ablation signal, which may induce much uncertainty. A 193 nm ArF laser ablation system combined with inductively coupled plasma sector field mass spectrometry (ICP-SF-MS) was used to investigate matrix effect, laser conditions, choice of external calibration standards, and data reduction strategy for in situ analysis of 36 major and trace elements in six common silicate reference glasses. The validity of the protocol presented here was demonstrated by measuring trace elements in olivine-hosted melt inclusions. Instead of ablating entire melt inclusions along with their host minerals, melt inclusions were polished to the surface to avoid laser ablating the mineral host. The calibration lines calculated from the calibration standards should cross the coordinate origin, especially for low-concentration elements (<10 ppm). As the laser crater size increased from 17 to 33 μm, the precision was improved from <20% to <8% (2RSD), and accuracy was improved from ±20% to better than ±10%. Most measured trace elements in Dali melt inclusions are consistent with those in their host rocks. For mobile elements (Ba, Sr, Pb), melt inclusions display much smaller variations than their host rocks. A simple but accurate approach for in situ analysis of trace elements in melt inclusions by LA-ICP-SF-MS has been established, which should greatly facilitate the wider application of in situ trace element geochemistry to melt inclusion studies.

Electron microprobe trace element analysis is a significant challenge. Due to the low net intensity of peak measurements, the accuracy and precision of such analyses relies critically on background measurements, and on the accuracy of any pertinent peak interference corrections. A linear regression between two points selected at appropriate background positions is a classical approach for electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). However, this approach neglects the accurate assessment of background curvature (exponential or polynomial), and the presence of background interferences, a hole in the background, or an absorption edge can dramatically affect the results if underestimated or ignored. The acquisition of a quantitative wavelength-dispersive spectrometry (WDS) scan over the spectral region of interest remains a reasonable option to determine the background intensity and curvature from a fitted regression of background portions of the scan, but this technique can be time consuming and retains an element of subjectivity, as the analyst has to select areas in the scan which appear to represent background. This paper presents a new multi-point background (MPB) method whereby the background intensity is determined from up to 24 background measurements from wavelength positions on either side of analytical lines. This method improves the accuracy and precision of trace element analysis in a complex matrix through careful regression of the background shape, and can be used to characterize the background over a large spectral region covering several elements to be analyzed. The overall efficiency improves as systematic WDS scanning is not required to assess background interferences. The method is less subjective compared to methods that rely on WDS scanning, including selection of two interpolation points based on WDS scans, because "true" backgrounds are selected through an exclusion method of possible erroneous backgrounds. The first validation of the MPB method involves blank testing to ensure the method can accurately measure the absence of an element. The second validation involves the analysis of U-Th-Pb in several monazite reference materials of known isotopic age. The impetus for the MPB method came from efforts to refine EPMA monazite U-Th-Pb dating, where it was recognized that background errors resulting from interference or strong background curvature could result in errors of several tens of millions of years on the calculated date. Results obtained on monazite reference materials using two different microprobes, a Cameca SX-100 Ultrachron and a JEOL JXA-8230, yield excellent agreement with ages obtained by isotopic methods (Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry [TIMS], Sensitive High-Resolution Ion MicroProbe [SHRIMP], or Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry [SIMS]). Finally, the MPB method can be used to model the background over a large spectrometer range to improve the accuracy of background measurement of minor and trace elements acquired on a same spectrometer, a method called the shared background measurement. This latter significantly improves the accuracy of minor and trace element analysis in complex matrices, as demonstrated by the analysis of Rare Earth Elements (REE) in REE-silicates and phosphates and of trace elements in scheelite.

A follow-up study of mucociliary clearance and trace element and mineral status in children with chronic rhinosinusitis before and three months after endoscopic sinus surgery

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at high risk for nutritional deficiencies because of long-term inflammation in the gut mucosa and decreased oral intake. Because inflammation responses affect serum micronutrient concentrations, serum levels are limited in reflecting body nutrient status in acute and chronic illness. We investigated the usefulness of measuring trace elements in hair as reliable markers of nutritional status compared to serum levels in children with IBD. We retrospectively analyzed pediatric patients newly diagnosed with Crohn's disease (n = 49) and ulcerative colitis (n = 16) and controls (n = 29) from 2012 to 2016. Serum micronutrient levels, inflammatory markers, and hair trace element content were evaluated and compared at the time of diagnosis and before initiating treatment. Serum calcium (p < 0.001), iron (p < 0.001), zinc (p = 0.013), selenium (p = 0.008), albumin (p < 0.001), prealbumin (p < 0.001), hemoglobin and hematocrit (p < 0.001), and WBC (p = 0.001) and lymphocytes (p < 0.001) differed significantly between the groups. After adjustment for the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, serum zinc and selenium levels were no longer significantly different between the groups (p < 0.062 and p < 0.057, respectively). Following hair analysis for mineral and trace elements, iron (p = 0.033), selenium (p = 0.017), and manganese (p = 0.009) differed significantly between the groups. Serum micronutrient levels need cautious interpretation in conjunction with inflammatory markers. Hair mineral and trace element measurement may support understanding micronutrient status in children with IBD.

Analysis of essential and non-essential trace elements in urine has emerged as a valuable tool for assessing occupational and environmental exposures, diagnosing nutritional status and guiding public health and health care intervention. Our study focused on the analysis of trace elements in urine samples from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), a precious resource for health research with limited sample volumes. Here we provide a comprehensive and sensitive method for the analysis of 18 elements using only 100 μL of urine. Method sensitivity, accuracy, and precision were assessed. The analysis by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) included the measurement of antimony (Sb), arsenic (As), barium (Ba), cadmium (Cd), cesium (Cs), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), gadolinium (Gd), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), strontium (Sr), thallium (Tl), tungsten (W), uranium (U), and zinc (Zn). Further, we reported urinary trace element concentrations by covariates including gender, ethnicity/race, smoking and location. The results showed good accuracy and sensitivity of the ICP-MS method with the limit of detections rangings between 0.001 μg L-1 for U to 6.2 μg L-1 for Zn. Intra-day precision for MESA urine analysis varied between 1.4% for Mo and 26% for Mn (average 6.4% for all elements). The average inter-day precision for most elements was <8.5% except for Gd (20%), U (16%) and Mn (19%) due to very low urinary concentrations. Urinary mean concentrations of non-essential elements followed the order of Sr > As > Cs > Ni > Ba > Pb > Cd > Gd > Tl > W > U. The order of urinary mean concentrations for essential trace elements was Zn > Se > Mo > Cu > Co > Mn. Non-adjusted mean concentration of non-essential trace elements in urine from MESA participants follow the order Sr > As > Cs > Ni > Ba > Pb > Cd > Gd > Tl > W > U. The unadjusted urinary mean concentrations of essential trace elements decrease from Zn > Se > Mo > Cu > Co > Mn.

Background: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a major complication of diabetes mellitus and a significant contributor to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). This study investigates the relationship between serum trace elements (Zn, Cu, Mg, Fe) and nephrotoxic elements (As, Pb, Cd, Hg) with renal function in diabetic patients with nephropathy, diabetic patients without nephropathy and non-diabetic chronic kidney disease patients, in addition to controls.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at King Abdulaziz Air Base Hospital, Dhahran, from December 2021 to May 2022, involving 123 participants divided into four groups: diabetic nephropathy, diabetes without nephropathy, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and healthy controls. Serum levels of trace and nephrotoxic elements were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Renal function tests and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels were also measured. Pearson's and Spearman's correlation analyses were performed to assess the relationships between these element levels and renal function.Results: The mean (SD) serum levels of Zn 85 (25) μg/dL and Cu 110 (35) μg/dL were significantly higher in the diabetic nephropathy group, while Fe 17.3 (6.9) μmol/L, As 0.33 (0.74) μg/dL, and Pb 7.7 (2.3) μg/dL were significantly higher in the diabetes without nephropathy group. Only serum magnesium levels were significantly higher in the chronic kidney disease group. Interestingly, mercury was highest in the control group at 1.14 (0.81) μg/dL. Serum creatinine showed direct correlations with trace elements Zn (r = 0.406) and Cu (r = 0.358), and with nephrotoxic elements As (r = 0.328), Pb (r = 0.384), and Hg (r = 0.287). HbA1c was positively correlated with Zn (r = 0.307), As (r = 0.309), and Pb (r = 0.365), while it was inversely correlated with Mg (r = -0.308) and Fe (r = -0.359).Conclusion: In this study, trace elements Zn and Cu, as well as toxic elements As and Pb, were positively correlated with serum creatinine and negatively impacted renal function. Glycated hemoglobin was positively correlated with Zn, As, and Pb, while it was inversely correlated with Mg and Fe. Both trace and toxic elements are associated with renal function and HbA1c, highlighting the need for further research.

Measurement of refractive index and trace element analysis by ICP-MS were applied to the forensic discrimination of bottle glass samples from different origins. Refractive index was calculated from the matching temperature at which glass fragments became invisible in the silicone oil. Sample solution for ICP-MS was prepared by dissolving approximately 10 mg of glass fragments into a mixture of 0.5 ml of HF and 0.5 ml of HClO4 and heating for 2 h using a microwave oven, followed by dilution to 25 ml after 2 ml of HNO3 was added. Thirteen elements (Co, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Zr, Ag, Sn, Sb, Ba, La, Ce and Pb) were found to be useful for the discrimination of bottle glasses. These elements in NIST SRM 612 (Trace Elements in Glass) could be determined with an RSD less than 3.2%, except for Sn and Pb. The proposed method was applied to 16 bottle glass samples. Of 120 pairs among 16 bottle samples, 13 pairs were indistinguishable by RI only. Combination of trace element analysis by ICP-MS and refractive index measurement made it possible to distinguish all the pairs.

Otolith microchemistry is a widely used tool in fish ecology and fisheries management. Cleaning‐protocol assessments are lacking, however, especially for larval fish otoliths, which are more fragile and difficult to manipulate than larger otoliths. Herein, we assess the value of cleaning larval fish otoliths with sonication, a commonly used technique that is time consuming and risks loss or breakage of small otoliths, as well as with a lesser‐known technique using a low‐power laser cleaning pulse (LPLCP). We measured trace elements in larval Walleye Sander vitreus reared in different water strontium concentrations. Strontium and Ba did not differ among any cleaning treatments, indicating that neither sonication nor a LPLCP is necessary. Likewise, Mn did not differ between sonicated and nonsonicated treatments; however, Mn was lower when a LPLCP was used. We suggest omitting the sonication step when preparing otoliths for trace element analysis of Sr, Ba, Mn, and other trace elements found in high abundances. The addition of a LPLCP is useful, although more research in this arena is warranted. Our findings should greatly reduce otolith processing time and the risk of losing and breaking larval otoliths during the cleaning process.

A method was developed for the rapid in situ analysis of major and trace elements and Pb isotopes in silicate glass samples that combines laser ablation quadrupole and multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-Q-ICP-MS/MC-ICP-MS). Major, trace elements, and Pb isotope ratio compositions were clearly affected by laser conditions. Using a laser spot size of 160 μm, a laser ablation frequency of 15 Hz, an energy density 18 J/cm2, and a 1: 9 ratio of laser ablation aerosol to the corresponding makeup gas, we obtained accurate major and trace element contents and Pb isotope ratios. Using Ca as the internal standard element, and GSE-1G and NIST 610 as the external standards for calibration, element contents generally matched the preferred values within 15%. Higher relative errors for some elements (e.g., Cr, Ga, Ge) may have been caused by lower than recommended values in some standards. The exponential law correction method for Tl normalization, with optimum adjusted Tl ratio, was utilized to obtain Pb isotopic data with good precision and accuracy. Pb isotopic ratios of the glass reference materials were in good agreement with the reference or published values to within 2 s measurement uncertainties, and the analytical precision was better than 0.17% (e.g., 208Pb/206Pb). The developed method is a simple, reliable, and accurate technique for determining major, trace elements, and Pb isotope compositions of silicate glasses and minerals within a single ablation event.