Progress In Analytical Chemistry Research Articles

Wastewater monitoring in support of health surveillance of the COVID-19 pandemic

Surveillance of infectious disease pandemics is traditionally carried out by the inventory of individual clinical cases, mortality, and biological testing. Collective monitoring through the analysis of biomarkers in wastewater is a new complementary approach developed due to progress in analytical chemistry. It supports epidemiological studies for the estimation of the prevalence of viral infectious diseases within communities connected to the same wastewater sewage network. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, this type of approach has developed widely and rapidly around the world, due to its anticipated benefits. The article builds on early work published since January 2020 in a rapidly evolving literature. It shows that the method has limitations related in particular to the sampling strategy, analytical matrix effects, interlaboratory variability of results, and also uncertainties about individual viral excretion in feces. In almost all cases, it uses genomic detection of SARS-CoV-2 virus by quantitative PCR and is therefore unable to characterize its infectivity. The results showed a relatively good relation between genome concentrations in wastewater and numbers of confirmed cases. The virus detections seemed to appear a few days before the changes observed on the basis of the clinical and test screenings and can alert the health authorities to the geographical progression of an expected epidemic or to anticipate their reaction in the event of a new spike of the current epidemic. Knowledge of the evolutionary trends of wastewater virus contamination in cities, or even in city districts, also makes it possible to better target geographically and over time the public health management actions intended to prevent the circulation of the virus in the population served by their sewerage systems. In connection with health surveillance, the method is intended to contribute to the development of epidemiological models to predict the evolution of the pandemic at the local level. It is expected to develop into a permanent surveillance network over the territories, providing early, real-time epidemiological indications. Wastewater monitoring could also feed a pool of control samples to determine retrospectively when a new outbreak of viral infection has entered a territory.

Analytical Science in France

Analytical balance is at the heart of work by the famous French chemist Antoine Lavoisier, who relied on advanced instruments of the time that can still be discovered at the Arts et Metiers Museum in Paris. Analytical chemistry has been one of the fields of the Societe Chimique de France (SCF) since its creation in 1857. The SCF was the owner of the journal Analusis , which merged with other national analytical chemistry journals and led to the creation of the European journal Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry. The “Division deChimieAnalytique” (DCA), which took the initiative for this special issue on Analytical Chemistry in France, is part of the SCF and gathers together analytical chemists in France. Dedicated working parties, such as Analysis in the Chemical Industry, French Chemometrics, Electrochemistry, and Environmental Chemistry, inside the SCF are also related to the DCA. Other societies outside the SCF also gather specific scientific communities together, such as the French Association of Separative Sciences (AFSEP), the French Society for Mass Spectrometry (SFSM), the French Society for Electrophoresis and Proteomics (SFEAP), the French Group on Magnetic Resonance (GERM), the French Society of Stable Isotopes (SFIS), and the French Society for Analytical Toxicology (SFTA). Analytical chemistry is the link between the development of instrumentation and solving scientific problems. Any progress in analytical chemistry has a positive and unpredictable impact on other fields of science. This is clear for techniques that allow the observation of new objects (i.e., nano-objects), but it is also true for rapid, simple, and less-expensive techniques that allow the collection of data from a large set of samples (i.e., biological and environmental samples). Progress in instrument sensitivity also allows the observation of individual events (i.e., one single molecule) rather than that of an average of many events and affords new insights into system dynamics. In all of these aspects, data treatment, chemometrics, and informatics have an increasing role. This special issue comprises 33 contributions that cover a wide range of analytical expertise in France, existing both in universities and at research institutes. A large number of papers deal with the development of sampling, separation, and detection techniques in the fields of biology, medicine, and environmental science. Several papers present the development of chemical and biological (nano)sensors based on electrochemical and optical detection. Techniques for the characterization of biomolecules are also presented for proteins and metabolites in human fluids. All of these contributions represent a non-exhaustive snapshot of French competence in analytical chemistry. Analytical chemistry is a key science for improved quality of life and affords greater knowledge in fields strongly related to present and future problems for society, such as those related to human health, new energy sources, food resources, climate change, geological records, forensic science, and cultural heritage. The cross fertilization between disciplines (chemistry, physics, and biology) has led to the development of instruments that are adapted to these specific objectives. The best achievement for a discovery in analytical chemistry is reached when a wide range of applications become possible in many research fields, for example, magnetic resonance or mass spectrometry.We hope that some of the papers published in this issue reach this level of analytical development. Published in the special issue Analytical Science in France with guest editors Christian Rolando and Philippe Garrigues.

Grand challenges in analytical chemistry: towards more bright eyes for scientific research, social events and human health.

SPECIALTY GRAND CHALLENGE article Front. Chem., 26 March 2013Sec. Analytical Chemistry https://doi.org/10.3389/fchem.2013.00005

Metallomics: an emerging interdisciplinary science

For many years, the function and fate of metals and their species in biological systems has been of increasing interest to the scientific community, because of their important physiological effects and toxic properties. Although different groups of scientists, including biologists, inorganic chemists, physicians, and analytical chemists, have all attempted to answer questions related to metal species in the body by use of their established scientific methods and instrumentation, it has become clear that much more intense interdisciplinary cooperation between scientists of all these disciplines is required to successfully address the highly complex questions arising from their research. The subject “metallomics” has emerged with the objective of providing a deep understanding of the kind, concentration, and function of metal species in biology. Although “omics” is typically understood to mean a comprehensive approach to the target analytes, it is more realistic to include all methods leading toward this objective in metallomics. However, it is obvious that progress in this field is crucially dependent on progress in analytical chemistry and, in particular, in speciation analysis. Furthermore, interdisciplinary cooperation between analytical chemists on the one side and biologists or physicians on the other must be raised to another level. The classical picture of the analytical chemist who receives samples from a colleague from the life sciences, determines the concentration of one or more previously assigned analytes, and returns concentration data to the colleague, definitely needs refinement to enable successful cooperation in the highly complex world of metallomics. Involvement of analytical chemists will be required from the earliest stages of project planning to ensure that all possibilities of the most recent (hyphenated) analytical techniques will be exploited and that analytical challenges are addressed appropriately throughout the project. To facilitate communication between both sides, a dedicated conference series was established a few years ago and, after three conferences in Kyoto, Japan, in 2007, Cincinnati, USA, in 2009, and Munster, Germany, in 2011, a fourth will be held in Oviedo, Spain, in the summer of 2013. In addition to this, dedicated literature, e.g. special issues of broadly oriented analytical journals, is particularly helpful in promoting the subject and involving other colleagues from academia and industry. The purpose of this special issue is to cover the broad range of topics from the life sciences related to the new field of metallomics. A two-digit number of high-quality articles discusses such questions as the metabolism of metals, the involvement of metal species in dysfunction and diseases, the development of metallodrugs and characterization of their activity, and the involvement of metal species in gene expression and regulation. An equally broad range of analytical techniques has been used to determine the interactions of metal species and biomolecules to provide the respective answers. These techniques include spectroscopic methods (Mossbauer spectroscopy, NMR, FTIR, EPR), techniques hyphenated with mass spectrometric detection (LC–ICP– MS, CE–ICP–MS, LC–ESI–MS), imaging techniques (μXRF, SR-XRF, XANES, X-ray tomography, SIMS, LAICP-MS, fluorescence microscopy), separation techniques (HPLC, PAGE), and, last but not least, bioanalytical techniques, for example PCR and gene-expression analysis. We would like to thank all the authors who responded to our invitation and submitted their exciting contributions. We hope this special issue will be a valuable source of information for all colleagues with an interest in this highly interdisciplinary research field. Let us wish the readers an interesting, pleasant, and rewarding experience with this special issue on metallomics. Published in the topical collection Metallomics with guest editors Uwe Karst and Michael Sperling.

Importance and difficulties of research on metal speciation in the aquatic ecosystem: an ecologist's viewpoint.

Post-war research on the role of heavy metals in the environment was stimulated by a new sensitivity towards nature, the increasing impact of human activities on the environment, continuous progress in analytical chemistry and the development of radioecology. Nowadays, very low concentrations of total metal can be quantified in the various compartments of the ecosystem (e.g. water, sediment, suspended particles, plants and animals), and the physical and chemical forms of the metal identified. A current difficulty is how to evaluate the role of the various metal forms in the natural ecosystem. The major issues to be tackled are: variations over time of metal species in relation to the influence of environmental variables; the fact that the availability of the metal varies with the plant and animal species; the ability of the organism to select the metals and their forms; the influence of suspended particles and chelating substances on metal uptake, detoxification strategies and synergic and antagonistic effects. The advantages and disadvantages of monitoring using bioaccumulator organisms are discussed.

Challenges in the relation between analysis and biotechnology

Analytical methods and systems for biotechnological applications are becoming increasingly important. The development of these methods and systems ask for an interdisciplinary approach. The use of analytical methods and systems in daily practice in biotechnological research, development, application and industrial production is essential for progress in biotechnology. Analytical methods and systems are not solely used for monitoring of research, development and production of biotechnological products but also goal in itself being used in many applications like medical, environmental, etc. This lecture presents an overview of current progress in Analytical Chemistry in relation to biotechnology. Special selected items have been treated into more detail.

Is analytical chemistry a self-generating science or depending upon problems and ideas from other scientific areas?

Some aspects on the situation of analytical chemistry as science are presented. Two examples can illustrate the influence of other sciences on the progress of analytical chemistry.

Analytical Chemistry in Exobiology

Recent and scheduled chemical analysis in space missions are reviewed. Recent progress in analytical chemistry have made it possible to analyze chemical cpmposition of extraterrestrial samples in space. VEGA-1 and Giotto utilized mass spectrometers to analyze cometary dust particles. Phobos I and II are flying toward Mars and its moons. They carry various instruments to analyze Martian atmosphere and surface material of Phobos. NASA is planning to launch unmanned spacecrafts with mass spectrometers on board to comets and Jupiter. Various kinds of organic compounds were/are being detected in extraterrestrial matters. These facts promote the study of chemical evolution toward origins of life in space.

Recent chinese research on analytical chemistry of the rare earths

The People's Republic of China has the world's largest reserves of rare earths. Recently, the rare earths have been found various applications in different fields of science and technology. The extensive research on analytical chemistry of rare earths has been made by Chinese analysts. The third Chinese Conference on the Analytical Chemistry of Rare Earths was held in 1982. A 2 volume treatise entitled “Analytical Chemistry of the Rare Earths” has been written by Cheng Jai-kai, Tseng Yung-ao, Luo Quing-yao et al. [1]. The following is a short review of Chinese progress in analytical chemistry of the rare earths. Only developments of the past five years (1978–1983) will be described.

Analytical chemistry in Japan

Abstract

REPORT ON THE PROGRESS OF ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, APRIL TO JUNE, 1879.

ADVERTISEMENT RETURN TO ISSUEPREVArticleNEXTREPORT ON THE PROGRESS OF ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, APRIL TO JUNE, 1879.Gideon E. MooreCite this: J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1879, 1, 8, 320–380Publication Date (Print):August 1, 1879Publication History Published online1 May 2002Published inissue 1 August 1879https://doi.org/10.1021/ja02148a002RIGHTS & PERMISSIONSArticle Views226Altmetric-Citations2LEARN ABOUT THESE METRICSArticle Views are the COUNTER-compliant sum of full text article downloads since November 2008 (both PDF and HTML) across all institutions and individuals. These metrics are regularly updated to reflect usage leading up to the last few days.Citations are the number of other articles citing this article, calculated by Crossref and updated daily. Find more information about Crossref citation counts.The Altmetric Attention Score is a quantitative measure of the attention that a research article has received online. Clicking on the donut icon will load a page at altmetric.com with additional details about the score and the social media presence for the given article. Find more information on the Altmetric Attention Score and how the score is calculated. Share Add toView InAdd Full Text with ReferenceAdd Description ExportRISCitationCitation and abstractCitation and referencesMore Options Share onFacebookTwitterWechatLinked InReddit PDF (3 MB) Get e-Alerts Get e-Alerts