Inorganic Analysis Research Articles

Enrichment Mechanism of Polymetallic Elements at the Base of the Niutitang Formation in Southeast Chongqing

Polymetallic enrichment layers are commonly found at the base of the Lower Cambrian and extensively distributed across the Upper Yangtze Platform, yet their genetic models remain controversial. This study systematically collected samples from a typical section in the southeastern Chongqing region for mineral, organic, and inorganic analyses. It investigates the relationship between the abundance of various trace metal elements and organic matter at the base of the Niutitang Formation, as well as the vertical distribution characteristics of organic carbon isotopes and organic matter features. The results indicate that the Niutitang Formation shale exhibits a distinct three-part structure from bottom to top. Various metal elements are enriched in the lower interval, showing a close correlation between the abundance of polymetallic elements and the carbon isotopes of shale organic matter. The middle interval contains the highest TOC value and the lowest Ti/Al ratio, while the upper interval shows a significant decrease in organic matter abundance, with a clear positive correlation between the excess silicon content and Ti/Al ratio. Additionally, the mixing effect of deep-sea upwelling is the primary control on the formation of polymetallic enrichment layers in the lower interval, followed by the adsorption of organic matter under anoxic conditions. The sedimentary environment of the upper interval of the Niutitang Formation trends toward oxidation, with paleoclimate shifting toward colder and drier conditions, exhibiting aeolian sedimentary features that are unfavorable for the enrichment of trace metal elements. Consequently, upwelling is a key factor in the enrichment and mineralization of trace metal elements at the base of the Lower Cambrian in the Upper Yangtze region.

Inorganic Characterization of Feeds Based on Processed Animal Protein Feeds.

The potential of utilizing inorganic constituents in processed animal proteins (PAPs) for species identification in animal feeds was investigated, with the aim of using these constituents to ensure the quality and authenticity of the products. This study aimed to quantify the inorganic content across various PAP species and assess whether inorganic analysis could effectively differentiate between PAP species, ultimately aiding in the identification of PAP fractions in animal feeds. Four types of PAPs, namely bovine, swine, poultry, and fish-based, were analyzed and compared to others made up of feathers of vegetal-based feed. Also, three insect-based PAPs (Cricket, Silkworm, Flour Moth) were considered in this study to evaluate the differences in terms of the nutrients present in this type of feed. Ionic chromatography (IC) was used to reveal the concentrations of NO3-, NO2, Cl-, and SO42-, and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) to detect Al, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Si, Sr, Ti, and Zn. The application of multivariate chemometric techniques to the experimental results allowed us to determine the identification capability of the inorganic composition to identify correlations among the variables and to reveal similarities and differences among the different species. The results show the possibility of using this component for discriminating between different PAPS; in particular, fish PAPs are high in Cd, Sr, Na, and Mg content; swine PAPs have lower metal content due to high fat; feathers and vegetal feed have similar Al, Si, and Ni, but feathers are higher in Fe and Zn; and insect PATs have nutrient levels comparable to PAPs of other origins but are very high in Zn, Cu, and K.

Detection of Mercury in Skin Lightening Cosmetics Marketed in Katsina Metropolis, Katsina State, Nigeria

Deliberate use of metals as active cosmetic ingredients has been banned in many countries due to their persistent nature, toxicity and transdermal exposure over a certain period of time. Fifteen (15) samples were purposively sampled to cover the most frequently used brands as the samples for the study. The samples cover five (5) of each of the skin lightening creams, lotions and soaps from different cosmetics shops in Katsina central market and other outlets within the metropolis of Katsina. Qualitative inorganic analysis was conducted for the detection of the presence of mercury in the samples. Also quantitative analysis of the mercury was carried out using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS). The results for the qualitative inorganic analysis showed that all the samples were mercury (II) positive with 0.5N KI reagent through the formation of reddish orange precipitate, and no positive reaction of mercury was detected using 2.0N NaOH reagent. Quantitative analysis of the mercury revealed the presence of mercury in all the analyzed samples. The concentration of mercury ranged from 27.7 ± 0.0006 to 61.5 ±0. 0007 ppm. From the results obtained, it is thus evident that the analyzed samples were mercury (II) positive and above the recommended WHO permissible limit. Therefore, there may be a serious health hazard to the users of such products in Katsina metropolis. It is recommended that periodic analysis of such skin lightening products should be conducted by the regulatory bodies to ascertain their safety to the users.

PDF-5+: a comprehensive powder diffraction file™ for materials characterization

For more than 80 years, the scientific community has extensively used International Centre for Diffraction Data's (ICDD®) Powder Diffraction File (PDF®) for material characterization, including powder X-ray diffraction analysis. Historically, PDF was made available for two major material types: one for inorganic analysis and the other for organic analysis. In the early years of the PDF, this two-material approach was implemented due to limited computer capabilities. With Release 2024, ICDD provides a comprehensive database consisting of the entire PDF in one database called PDF-5+, comprised of more than one million entries (1,061,898). The PDF-5+ with a relational database (RDB) construct houses extensive chemical, physical, bibliographic, and crystallographic data, including atomic coordinates and raw data, enabling qualitative and quantitative phase analysis. This wealth of information in one database is advantageous for phase identification, materials characterization, and several data mining applications in materials science. A database of this size needs rigorous data curation and structural and chemical classifications to optimize pattern search/match and characterization methods. Each entry in the PDF has an editorially assigned quality mark. An editorial comment will describe the reason if an entry does not meet the top-quality mark. The editorial processes of ICDD's quality management system are unique in that they are ISO 9001:2015 certified. Among several classifications implemented in PDF-5+, subfiles (such as Bioactive, Pharmaceuticals, Minerals, etc.) directly impact the search/match in minimizing false positives. Scientists with specific field expertise continuously review these subfiles to maintain their quality. This paper describes the features of PDF with an emphasis on the newly released PDF-5+.

Thermodynamic studies on the formation of ion-pair cobalt complexes in acetone–water mixtures

Dicarboxylic acids are stronoger acids than moncraboxylic acids and more soluble in water due to the presence of two carboxylic (–COOH) groups which are industrially important in producing polyester, polyamides, and polyols and as a pioneer to pharmaceutical additives. Succinic acid is one of the most prosperous chemicals that can be generated from renewable resources which can be used in the industries of antiseptics, cosmetics, sutures, drugs, solvents, detergents, herbicides, fungicides, synthetic resins, and inks. The ion–pair formation is very important in diferent applications, used widely for inorganic analysis by liquid chromatography and used for the heavy metal removal from waste water, so studing the ion-pair association constant (KA) formed between chloropentamminecobalt(III) cation [CpX2+] and a different ligands of dicarboxylate anions (AC2-), have been determined by EMF technique in different compositions of acetone aqueous media (0–44.20 wt% acetone) for succinic acid and for the other dicarboxylic acids (Maleic, Malonic and Malic) in the same solvent composition (40 wt% acetone) with in temperature range (30 – 60 °C). The thermodynamic association properties (ΔGA°, ΔHA° and ΔSA°) have been estimated and discussed. Extra thermodynamic correlations like ΔHA°- ΔSA° and ΔGA°- ΔGI(orII)° (where I and II are mentioned for the first and second dissociation constant of the dicarboxylic acids) in different compositions of acetone aqueous media for succinic acid and in fixed solvent composition for the other dicarboxylic acids were examined in order to give more information about the behavior of solvent molecules and its effect on formation of the ion-pair molecules. In addition, The Gibbs free energy of transfer for the association process ΔGA°(t) from water to acetone mixed solvents were calculated for succinic acid in order to indicate the spontaneous nature and the stabilization of the ion-pair by increasing the acetone weight percent in the mixed acetone – aqueous media. The linear correlation between pKD values and the relative permittivity of acetone aqueous medium is in accordance to Born’s equation.

Potential Therapeutic Properties of Olea europaea Leaves from Selected Cultivars Based on Their Mineral and Organic Profiles.

Olive leaves are consumed as an extract or as a whole herbal powder with several potential therapeutic benefits attributed to polyphenols, tocopherol's isomers, and flavonoids, among others. This study assessed the potential variance in the functional features presented by olive leaves from three different Portuguese cultivars-Cobrançosa, Madural, and Verdeal-randomly mix-cultivated in the geographical area of Vale de Salgueiros. Inorganic analysis determined their mineral profiles while an organic analysis measured their total phenolic and flavonoid content, and scanned their phenolic and tocopherol and fatty acid composition. The extracts' biological activity was tested by determining their antimicrobial and antioxidant power as well as their ability to inhibit acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, MAO-A/B, and angiotensin-I-converting enzyme. The inorganic profiles showed them to be an inexpensive source able to address different mineral deficiencies. All cultivars appear to have potential for use as possible antioxidants and future alternative antibiotics against some multidrug-resistant microorganisms, with caution regarding the arsenic content in the Verdeal cultivar. Madural's extract displayed properties to be considered a natural multitarget treatment for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, depression, and cardiometabolic and dual activity for blood pressure modulation. This work indicates that randomly cultivating different cultivars significantly modifies the leaves' composition while keeping their multifaceted therapeutic value.

CCQM-K161 "Anions in Seawater"

Main textAnions or nutrients in seawater are very important targets for oceanographic research and environmental monitoring of contaminations. Quantification of minor and trace anions in seawater has always been a challenge for the extremely high salinity, disparate levels of analyte and matrix ions, and even need to be measured at levels close to the detection limits of the method performance. Evidence of successful participation in formal, relevant international comparisons is needed to support calibration and measurement capability claims (CMCs) made by the national metrology institutes (NMIs) and designated institutes (DIs).The CCQM-K161 Anions in Seawater was organized by the Inorganic Analysis Working Group (IAWG) of the Consultative Committee for Amount of Substance: Metrology in Chemistry and Biology (CCQM) to assess the abilities of the NMIs and DIs for the accurate determination of minor and trace anions in seawater. The measurands covered chloride (16 mg/g-25 mg/g), sulfate (1 mg/g-4 mg/g), bromide (30 mg/kg-100 mg/kg), nitrate (1 mg/kg-5 mg/kg) and phosphate (60 µg/kg-300 µg/kg). Twelve national metrology institutes and designated institutes participated in this key comparison. Participants were requested to evaluate the mass fractions, expressed in mg/g for chloride and sulfate, mg/kg for bromide and nitrate, and µg/kg for phosphate (as phosphorus) in a mixed natural seawater that was spiked with the phosphate. A variety of techniques including isotope dilution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (IDMS), isotope dilution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (ID-GC-MS), ion chromatography (IC), UV visible spectrophotometry (UV-Vis), flow injection analysis (FIA) was used by the participants for the determination.The NIST Decision Tree was used to assign the KCRV estimate and to calculate the degrees of equivalence of each participants following the IAWG Guidance on Using NIST Decision Tree for Comparison Reporting from 30 June 2023.Successful participation in CCQM-K161 demonstrates measurement capabilities for determination of anions in seawater. Considering the IAWG Core Capability Matrix, this material falls into the matrix challenge called 'High salts content', which corresponds to the CCQM amount-of-substance category sea water, and so will support CMCs for the anions in a mass fraction range from 60 µg/kg to 25 mg/g.To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database https://www.bipm.org/kcdb/.The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCQM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).

A convective heated digestion system with closed vessels: a new digestor for elemental inorganic analysis

A CHDS with closed vessels is now available as a simple, fast and safe alternative for sample preparation for trace element determination. The analytical performance in terms of residual carbon, accuracy, precision and LODs was demonstrated.

Bio-oil Inorganic Analysis: A Minireview of Current Trends, Challenges, and Future Perspectives

Bio-oil Inorganic Analysis: A Minireview of Current Trends, Challenges, and Future Perspectives

Analysis of Drinking Water Quality Directly Related to Health at Refill Depots in the South Bekasi Area, Indonesia

Water is a source of life for living things for daily needs. The dense population and limited water sources result in an increase in drinking water that is suitable for consumption. It has encouraged many people to look for alternative sources of drinking water, one of which consumes drinking water from refill depots. The research aims to analyze microbiological and inorganic chemical parameters in several drinking water sources from water depots in the South Bekasi area, Indonesia. Microbiological analysis of drinking water was carried out by identifying types of germs and inorganic chemical analysis using a spectrophotometer. Based on the study's results, three samples of drinking water were detected containing E.coli bacteria, and five samples of drinking water containing Pseudomonas sp. Inorganic chemical analysis shows that all samples contain inorganic chemical compounds (Ar, F, Cr, Cd, NO2, NO3, CN, Se) with concentrations below the maximum levels allowed by Minister of Health Regulation Indonesia.

Discrimination between Korean and Chinese Kimchi using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy and mass spectrometry: A multivariate analysis of Kimchi

Kimchi has been designated as one of the world’s five healthiest foods, and it is a traditional Korean fermented food. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the origin of Kimchi can be discriminated against by using inorganic elements to develop a more accurate method. The OPLS-DA showed that the R2 and Q2 values were 0.908 and 0.81, a high-quality model. We selected 24 elements (133Cs, 238U, 88Sr, K, 157Gd, Na, Mg, 139La, P, 141Pr, 72Ge, 146Nd, 147Sm, 153Eu, 55Mn, 165Ho, 163Dy, 166Er, Fe, 172Yb, 169Tm, 185Re, 175Lu, and 118Sn) with VIP 1 or higher in the OPLS-DA model. In ROC, the selected elements had an accuracy of 100%. The heatmap confirmed the contents of rare earth elements (REEs) in Korean and Chinese Kimchi, the accuracy of distinguishing classification in CDA is 100%. Such results will help to distinguish the origin of agricultural products through inorganic analysis.

On the way to SI traceable primary transfer standards for amount of substance measurements in inorganic chemical analysis

During its 25 years of existence, the Inorganic Analysis Working Group of the Consultative Committee for Amount of Substance: Metrology in Chemistry and Biology (CCQM IAWG) has achieved much in establishing comparability of measurement results. Impressive work has been done on comparison exercises related to real-world problems in fields such as ecology, food, or health. In more recent attempts, measurements and comparisons were focused on calibration solutions which are the basis of most inorganic chemical measurements. This contribution deals with the question of how to achieve full and transparent SI traceability for the values carried by such solutions. Within this framework, the use of classical primary methods (CPMs) is compared to the use of a primary difference method (PDM). PDM is a method with a dual character, namely a metrological method with a primary character, based on the bundling of many measurement methods for individual impurities, which lead to materials with certified content of the main component. As in classical methods, where small corrections for interferences are accepted, in PDM, many small corrections are bundled. In contrast to classical methods, the PDM is universally applicable to all elements in principle. Both approaches can be used to certify the purity (expressed as mass fraction of the main element) of a high-purity material. This is where the metrological need of National Metrology Institutes (NMIs) for analytical methods meet the challenges of analytical methods. In terms of methods, glow discharge mass spectrometry (GMDS) with sufficient uncertainties for sufficiently small impurity contents is particularly noteworthy for the certification of primary transfer standards (PTS), and isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS), which particularly benefits from PTS (back-spikes) with small uncertainties, is particularly noteworthy for the application. The corresponding relative uncertainty which can be achieved using the PDM is very low (< 10−4). Acting as PTS, they represent the link between the material aspect of the primary calibration solutions and the immaterial world of the International System of Units (SI). The underlying concepts are discussed, the current status of implementation is summarised, and a roadmap of the necessary future activities in inorganic analytical chemistry is sketched. It has to be noted that smaller measurement uncertainties of the purity of high-purity materials not only have a positive effect on chemical measurements, but also trigger new developments and findings in other disciplines such as thermometry or materials science.Graphical Primary Transfer Standards (PTSs) are the link between the immaterial world of the International System of Units (SI) and the material aspects of the primary calibration solutions.

Updated Mineral Composition and Potential Therapeutic Properties of Different Varieties of Olive Leaves from Olea europaea.

Olea europaea L. folium has been studied for its potential nutraceutical properties. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted on samples of Madural, Verdeal, and Cobrançosa elementary leaves and leave sprouts (mamões) collected in the region of Valpaços, Portugal. Mineral analysis determined the measurements of the levels of several macro- and micro-elements based on ICP-MS techniques. The inorganic analysis in this work allowed us to propose olive leaf extract (OLE) from different cultivars as a viable and affordable source of mineral substrates to address disorders related to essential elements such as Na, K, Mg, Ca, Mn, Fe, and Cu deficiencies. Given the importance of the research on novel therapies, finding a suitable substrate for extracting quality amounts of mineral is a priority. The physiological influence of enzymes dependent on minerals with regard to neuroinflammatory and neurobehavioral, metabolic, cardiovascular, osteodegenerative, anti-aging, pulmonary, and immunological defense disorders might dictate the importance of further research for designing supplementation based on the nutraceutical potential of OLE of these cultivars predominant in the northern region of Portugal.

Assay of sodium carbonate

Main textThe CCQM-K173 Assay of Sodium Carbonate key comparison was jointly organized by the Inorganic Analysis (IAWG) and Electrochemical Analysis and Classical Chemical Methods (EAWG) working groups of CCQM to test the abilities of the national metrology institutes (NMIs) to measure the purity or amount content of solid bases. They are important challenges for reference material producers, providers of other measurement services, such as proficiency testing schemes. Evidence of successful participation in formal, relevant international comparisons are needed to support calibration and measurement capability claims (CMCs) made by NMIs and designated institutes (DIs).Nine NMIs participated in this key comparison CCQM-K173. National Institute of Metrology P. R. China (NIM) and Ural Research Institute for Metrology - Affiliated Branch of the D.I. Mendeleyev Institute for Metrology (VNIIM-UNIIM), Russian Federation, acted as the coordinating laboratories of the comparison.The measurement methods used by the participants for measuring the amount content of bases expressed as sodium carbonate were coulometry and titrimetry.In general, good overlap of results was observed, the suitability of coulometry and titrimetry for assay of high purity materials was demonstrated. The majority of results were split in two groups differing from each. This bias was however covered by the stated uncertainty estimates. Various effects have been evaluated that may cause it. However, the reason for the bias has not been identified clearly.To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database https://www.bipm.org/kcdb/.The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCQM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).

The Impact of Different Irrigation Regimens on the Chemical Structure and Cleanliness of Root Canal Dentin.

This in vitro study aimed to evaluate the effect of different irrigation regimens on the chemical composition and cleanliness of root canal dentin. Forty-eight extracted single-rooted permanent human teeth were collected. Root canals were instrumented using step-back technique up to master apical file size 60. Samples were divided into 3 groups (n=16) based on the type of the irrigant used. The irrigation solutions were 5.25% sodium hypochlorite, 2% chlorhexidine gluconate, and saline solution as a control. Root canal cleanliness was assessed using stereomicroscope and scanning electron microscope. Scanning electron microscope energy dispersive X-ray was used for the inorganic analysis. Fourier transform infrared spectrometer was used for the organic analysis. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multiple comparison post hoc test were used for comparison between the three groups. The highest mean percentage of remaining debris was in saline group followed by chlorhexidine gluconate group. Sodium hypochlorite group showed the lowest mean value of remaining debris. Furthermore, our results showed that canal irrigation with sodium hypochlorite affected the chemical structure of root canal dentin more than chlorhexidine gluconate. Based on the results, 5.25% sodium hypochlorite emerges as the preferred irrigant for root canal treatment. This research sheds light on the significance of irrigation regimens in endodontics and emphasizes the need for careful consideration of irrigant selection in clinical practice.

Coal seam in-situ inorganic analysis based on least angle regression and competitive adaptive reweighted sampling algorithm by XRF–visNIR fusion

The fusion of X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) and visible near infrared spectroscopy (visNIR) has been widely used in geological exploration. The outer product analysis (OPA) has a good effect in the fusion. The dimension of the spectral matrix obtained by OPA is large, and the Competitive Adaptive Reweighted Sampling (CARS) cannot cover the whole spectrum. As a result, the selected variables by the method are inconsistent each time. In this paper, a new feature variable screening method is proposed, which uses the Least Angle Regression (LAR) to select the high dimensional spectral matrix first, and then uses CARS to complete the secondary selection of the spectral matrix, forming the LAR-CARS algorithm. The purpose is to make the sampling method cover all the spectral data. XRF and visNIR tests were carried out on three cores in two boreholes, and a cross-validation set, validation set and a test set were established by combining the results of wavelength dispersion X-ray fluorescence spectrometer and ITRAX Core scanner in the laboratory. The quantitative model was established with the Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) and LAR-CARS was compared to these other algorithms (LAR, Successive Projections Algorithm, Monte Carlo uninformative variables elimination and CARS). The results showed that the RMSEP values of the models established by the LAR-CARS for six rock-forming elements (Si, Al, K, Ca, Fe, Ti) were relatively small, and the RPD ranges from 1.424 to 2.514. All these results show that the high-dimensional matrix formed by XRF and visNIR integration combined with LAR-CARS can be used for quantitative analysis of rock forming elements in in-situ coal seam cores, and the analysis results can be used as the basis for judging lithology. The research will provide necessary technical support for digital mine construction.

Uncertainty evaluation in reference material characterization by double isotope dilution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ID-ICP-MS)

Double isotope dilution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ID-ICP-MS) is one of the most important measurement methods in the establishment of measurement standards for inorganic analysis. However, there is still no good consensus on approaches for uncertainty evaluation in double ID-ICP-MS. Particularly, approaches to treating the instrumental isotopic fractionation (IIF) phenomenon and correlation between uncertainty sources are diverse and often unclear in the literature. Here, an approach for uncertainty evaluation in double ID-ICP-MS measurements is described. Using three certified reference materials (CRMs), it is shown that the IIF effects cancel out and should not be included in the uncertainty budget. Further, a consistent way of considering correlated sources of uncertainty to prevent double counting of uncertainties is described in detail along with an example of measuring the mass fraction of magnesium in an oyster powder CRM.

Potential Therapeutic Properties of the Leaf of Cydonia Oblonga Mill. Based on Mineral and Organic Profiles.

Leaf extract of Cydonia Oblonga Mill. is interesting for further exploration of the potential of its substrates for therapeutic supplements. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted on samples of green (October), yellow (November), and brown (December) quince leaves collected in the region of Pinhel, Portugal. Mineral analysis determined the measurements of the levels of several macro- and micro-elements. Organic analysis assessed the moisture content, total phenolic content (TPC), vitamin E, and fatty acid (FA) profiles. Mineral analysis was based on ICP-MS techniques, while the profiles of vitamin E and FA relied on HPLC-DAD-FLD and GC-FID techniques, respectively. Moisture content was determined through infrared hygrometry and TPC was determined by spectrophotometric methods. Regarding the mineral content, calcium, magnesium, and iron were the most abundant minerals. Concerning organic analysis, all leaf samples showed similar moisture content, while the TPC of gallic acid equivalents (GAE) and total vitamin E content, the most predominant of which was the α-tocopherol isomer, showed significant variations between green-brown and yellow leaves. FA composition in all leaf samples exhibited higher contents of SFA and PUFA than MUFA, with a predominance of palmitic and linolenic acids. Organic and inorganic analysis of quince leaves allow for the prediction of adequate physiological properties, mainly cardiovascular, pulmonary, and immunological defenses, which with our preliminary in silico studies suggest an excellent supplement to complementary therapy, including drastic pandemic situations.

Analysis of Bismuth (III) Iodide and Dendrimers in Drug Applications

Dendrimers are spherical three-dimensional molecules with a repetitively branching core. They are normally symmetric around the core. Bismuth (III) iodide has the formula B i I 3 and is an inorganic chemical. The reaction between bismuth and iodine produces this gray-black solid, which was of great interest in qualitative inorganic analysis. Mathematical chemistry is an area of mathematics that employs mathematical methods to tackle chemical-related problems. One of these tools is a graphical representation of chemical molecules, known as the molecular graph of a chemical substance. A topological index (TI) is a mathematical function that assigns a numerical value to a (molecular) graph and predicts many physical, chemical, biological, thermodynamical, and structural features of that network. In this work, we will calculate a new topological index, namely, Sombor index, multiplicative Sombor index, and its reduced version for bismuth (III) iodide and dendrimers. We also plot our computed results of Sombor index, multiplicative Sombor index, and reduced Sombor index to examine how they were affected by the parameters involved.

A Look at Inorganic Analyses, Proficiency Tests, and Best Practices, Part II

The use of proficiency tests (PTs) in an analytical inorganics laboratory is an essential part of assuring clients the laboratory is producing accurate results. In the first part of this two-part series, we examined the ways in which contaminants can alter the results in a detrimental fashion in regard to proficiency testing and laboratory audits. In Part II, we examine the actual planning, running, and reporting of a PT scheme and the possible impact of error and contamination.