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This dissertation thesis is focused on UV-photochemical generation of volatile species of tellurium, ruthenium, rhenium and iridium coupled to methods of atomic spectrometry. In the first part, attention was paid to the optimization of parameters of UV-photochemical generation of volatile tellurium species and its application for speciation analysis of Te(IV) and Te(VI) in water samples. UV-photochemical generation was carried out in a UV-photoreactor, which consisted of a low-pressure mercury lamp wrapped with a polytetrafluoroethylene reaction coil that served as a reactor. Atomic absorption spectrometry with a continuum source of radiation and high resolution and atomization in a miniature diffusion flame were used to optimize the conditions of generation, which included the composition of the reaction medium, irradiation time and the addition of transition metals as modifiers. In order to achieve a higher sensitivity of determination, the generator was coupled to a triple quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. Since efficient UV-photochemical generation of volatile species was achieved only from Te(IV), with no response from Te(VI), the feasibility of this technique for simple "non-chromatographic" speciation analysis was tested and a method for determination of Te(IV) and...

Experimental conditions have been optimized for volatile species generation (VSG) of four mercury species and their subsequent atomization with detection by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The species investigated were mercury (+II), methylmercury (+I), ethylmercury (+I) and phenylmercury (+I). Flow injection construction of volatile species generator and externally heated quartz tube atomizer were employed. The optimized parameters were the concentration of hydrochloric acid and sodium borohydride, the length of the reaction coil, carrier gas flow rate, atomization temperature and the amount of oxygen present in the atomizer. Furthermore, the effect of the drying tube on the signal of Hg species as well as the applicability of tin chloride as an alternative reductant instead of sodium borohydride were studied. Calibration curves were measured and the basic analytical figures of merit were determined, under optimum experimental conditions, for all four mercury species investigated. Limits of detection for Hg species ranged from 0.12 to 0.25 ng cm-3 , while sensitivity reached ca 0.10 s ng-1 at atomization temperature of 500 řC. Experiments focused on atomization temperature optimization have revealed that volatile compounds generated from organic Hg species decompose significantly. Speciation...

The main aim of this thesis was the development of conjugation of existing methods for analysis of arsenic-glutathione complexes (As-GS complexes) together with simple arsenic species (iAs, MMAs, DMAs) during simple run. The basic technique for analysis of As-GS complexes was the HPLC-ICP-MS method with a reverse phase separation column (C18). The separation problem of simple species has been overcome by extending of system by postcolumn hydride generation with cryotrapping system (HG-CT). The resulting HPLC/HG-CT-ICP-MS system provides a complex analysis of all the above-mentioned analytes. According to the currently available resources, it is an innovative system, where for the first time all the simple arsenic species (iAs, MMAs, DMAs) and the As-GS complexes were separated. Under the given conditions, the detection limit for the As-GS complexes of 1.9 pg cm-3 in the RP-HPLC-ICP-MS system (a quantification limit of 6.5 pg cm-3 ) was achieved at a sensitivity of 468 CPS s pg-1 . The HG-CT-ICP-MS system provided a detection limit for iAs of 1.2 pg cm-3 at a sensitivity of 1121 CPS s pg-1 , for MMAs of 0.043 pg cm-3 at a sensitivity of 895 CPS s pg-1 and for DMAs of 0.076 pg.cm-3 at a sensitivity of 926 CPS s pg-1 . This method was applied to achieve another aim, studying the pathways of enzymatic...

Generation efficiency of four mercury species, namely elemental mercury and hydrides of methyl-, ethyl- and phenylmercury from liquid samples was quantified. The species chemically generated were quantitatively trapped on a gold-coated amalgamator to be subsequently determined by AMA-254 technique. Three types of construction of volatile species generators were compared. Generation effciciency among the species was comparable, fluctuating around 60% in the conventional flow injection generator equipped with a gas liquid separator with forced outlet. Better results were reached for elemental mercury and methylmercury hydride in an automated batch generator system. Generation efficiency was higher than 90% for these two species and between 60 to 80% for ethyl- and phenylmercury hydrides, respectively. Speciation analysis of elemental mercury and sublimate in gaseous samples was optimized. These two species dominate in flue gases produced during coal combustion or waste incineration. Combination of two sorbent tubes packed with alumina and gold-coated alumina enables selective and quantitative retention of both species. Sublimate is trapped on a column packed with alumina while elemental mercury is retained on gold-coated alumina. The capacity of both sorbents was investigated as well as the effect of...

The aim of this work was to determine chemical species of arsenic in sea originating certified reference materials. Measurements were done using method of hydride generation. Hydrides were preconcentrated in liquid nitrogen cooled tube and detected using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. During the testing of the method, mutual conversion of arsenic species was observed for inorganic arsenic, monomethyl arsenic and dimethylarsenic. Further study revealed that with presence of matrix and hydrogen peroxide, demethylation occured only in hydride generation phase, not during extraction. Dissociation of hydrogen peroxide in extracts was verified using catalase. End of the demethylation process was proved using measurement with addition of arsenic species standards. The newly invented procedure was used to determine arsenic species in reference materials with sufficient accuracy. Final results are compatible with results from different method, and already published results as well. Key words: speciation analysis, arsenic, hydride generation, seafood, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

The presented dissertation thesis deals with the use of UV-photochemical generation of volatile compounds (UV-PVG) as a derivatization technique for the combination of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) detection. Two model elements arsenic and mercury and their compounds were selected for the speciation analysis. The work was divided into several parts that follow. In the first part of the research, the apparatus for the UV-photochemical generation of the volatile mercury compounds and their detection with a new continuum source and high-resolution atomic absorption spectrometer (HR-CS AAS) with an externally heated detection tube was constructed. The analytical method was adapted for use with atomic fluorescence detection with the aim to improve sensitivity of the determination. Furthermore, apparatus for the electrochemical generation of cold mercury vapor with AAS detection was built. The construction of the apparatus was followed by optimization of the reaction conditions (concentration and flow of electrochemical reagents: sulfuric and hydrochloric acid, mobile phase, carrier medium, flow rate of the carrier gas and localization of its introduction), determination of the analytical figures of merit, and comparation of the methods. Both...

The presented thesis deals with UV-photochemical generation of volatile compounds of Se and Te from various species. The aim of the project was to expand the current state of knowledge by the application of photocatalytic reduction of higher oxidation states of Se and Te for the speciation analysis based on UV-photochemical generation of volatile compounds. The first step of the study was the assembly of the apparatus for the photocatalysed UV-photochemical generation of volatile compounds. The material of reactor and the whole experimental set-up were based on literature survey and previous research done in our research group. Experiments were directed towards finding the optimum conditions for generation of volatile compounds of selected model elements Se and Te. Se was studied as the element most commonly determined by the UV-photochemical generation of volatile compounds. Conversely, Te was selected as a model analyte representing elements forming less stable volatile compounds. The second part was the application of the optimised method of photocatalysed UV- photochemical generation of volatile Se compound to the determination of Se in water matrices, liquid certified reference materials and also samples of dietary supplements. TiO2/UV-photochemical generation was also successfully modified to...

Polypores can serve as long-term bioindicators of air pollution by heavy metals. The aim of this work was to investigate their potential to monitor concentration of mercury species in the air.

Polypores can serve as long-term bioindicators of air pollution by heavy metals. The aim of this work was to investigate their potential to monitor concentration of mercury species in the air.

This thesis was focused on extraction of individual arsenic species from reference materials of fish protein DORM-3 and DORM-4. Extracts were then analyzed by a hydride generation method with detection by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Materials were extracted in two ways - in a microwave device and in a heating block. It was found that extraction with 2% nitric acid is not efficient. Extraction performed in 2% nitric acid with addition of hydrogen peroxide at various concentrations increased the extraction yield, but it caused conversion of arsenic species. This conversion would mean the overestimation of inorganic arsenic content.

The aim of this bachelor thesis was to determine the toxicologically important arsenic species in beverages (beer, wine and apple juice) with minimal sample preparation. Determination of arsenic species was performed by selective hydride generation of arsenic hydrides with cryogenic collection under liquid nitrogen and detection by atomic absorption spectrometry. In all the samples only inorganic arsenic was found, methyl substituted species were below the limit of detection. The method is suitable for speciation analysis of arsenic in beverages. Detection limits are low enough, the determination is not influenced by the sample matrix. The results were also in good agreement with the determination of total arsenic after mineralization by ICP-MS. Since there is no specified maximum arsenic content in beverages, measured concentrations were compared with the limit for drinking water (10 μg l−1 ). All samples were under this limit, except for one sample of apple juice, which arsenic content was about twice higher. Key words speciation analysis, atomic absorption spektrometry, hydride generation, arsenic, beverages

The extraction of mercury species (methylmercury, ethylmercury, phenylmercury and inorganic mercury(II)) from fish tissue, its determination by reverse phase HPLC, UV-photochemical generation of cold vapour, and detection by atomic absorption spectrometry is described in this work. Various extraction agents and digestion methods were compared in order to find the best alternative. The mixture of 6.25% tetramethylammonium hydroxide and 0.05 mol·l-1 hydrochloride acid was chosen as the best extraction agent. In addition to the high extraction efficiency, the solution involved positively not only UV-photochemical generation, but also separation of observed species. On the contrary, the poor repeatability was achieved with the microwave-assisted digestion due to the proved sorption of mercury species on the Teflon vessels. Therefore, the extraction by high temperature (50-60 řC) in glass bottles was preferred. The results of the determination of the mercury species after the extraction from the real samples were compared to the outcomes obtained by AMA 254. The proposed extraction technique together with the RP-HPLC-UV-CVG-QTAAS is suitable for the speciation analysis of mercury.

The aim of this diploma thesis was to verify the usability of the chemical generation of mercury cold vapor for speciation analysis of selected mercury compounds using high - performance liquid chromatography coupled within atomic absorption spectrometry in the determination of mercury in real tap water samples. In this work, mercuric chloride, methylmercury, ethylmercury and phenylmercury were selected as model analytes. In the first part, the working conditions of chemical generation of mercury cold vapor for each of the selected specie of mercury were optimized. Optimized equipment was used to measure the calibration dependence for each specie and the basic characteristics of the method were established. After optimization of the chemical generation, HPLC column was connected prior this derivatization step and in resulted combined apparatus HPLC - CVG - QTAAS, the separation step was optimized . At optimized conditions, the calibration dependence was measured for each specie and the basic characteristics of the developed method including HPLC separation were established. In conclusion, the proposed analytical method was tested on real flowing tap water samples. Because of low content of mercury species in these samples, the recovery of the method was established when comparing the signal of...

The thesis has focused on the separation of arsenic-glutathione species using ion-pairing high performance liquid chromatography with detection by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Species were separated on chromatographic column Prodigy ODS (3) using an aqueous mobile phase containing 4.7mM tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAH), 2mM malonic acid and 4% methanol at pH 5.85 in the isocratic mode. Simple arsenic species - arsenite (iAsIII), arsenate (iAsV) monomethylarsenic acid (MAsIII), monomethylarsenous acid (MAsV), dimethylarsenic acid (DMAsIII) and dimethylarsenous acid (DMAsV), which served as arsenic standards to determine retention times, were successfully separated under these conditions. Arsenic-glutathione complexes As(GS)3, MAs(GS)2 and DMAs (GS) were not successfully separated. These complexes provided peaks of simple arsenic species. Peak broadening was observed in the first analysis of As(GS)3 and MAs(GS)2 complexes, which disappeared in subsequent analyses. This broadening probably represents a residual of glutathion complex which disintegrated to single species. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

The mercury occurs in the environment in a variety of forms. Mercury compounds can be found in the soil, atmosphere, water and living organisms. Although some of the mercury substances are very toxic, they are often used in various sectors of industry, agriculture and medicine. Mercury compounds differ in their toxicity, so it is necessary to do speciation analysis. The aim of this diploma thesis was to develop and validate a new analytical method for the determination of mercury compounds in different samples. This method involves the combination of high performance liquid chromatography, UV-photochemical cold vapor mercury generation and atomic absorption spectrometry. Effective separation of mercury(II), methylmercury(I), ethylmercury(I) and phenylmercury(I) ions and subsequent comparable efficient of mercury cold vapor generation from all of forms was achieved using these techniques. The reached detection limits were 8 µg l-1 , 31 µg l-1 , 16 µg l-1 and 38 µg l-1 . At the end of experimental work, the proposed method of RP-HPLC-UV-CVG- QTAAS was used for the determination of mercury compounds in real samples (fish tissue and water samples: Labe, Vltava and tap water) and in certified reference materials (DORM-3 and DOLT-4). Several methods for extraction of mercury species from solid samples...

Speciation analysis of arsenic based on selective hydride generation and detection by atomic fluorescence spectrometry have been studied in this work. It was found that under optimum conditions of atomization in the flame in gas shield atomizer, sensitivity was approximately twice higher and detection limit was about four times lower compared to miniature diffusion flame, which is a standard atomizer for atomic fluorescence spectrometry. The conditions to generate hydrides from both inorganic forms of the arsenic, i.e. from arsenite and arsenate, with the same efficiency have been found in the batch arrangement, by using 1 mol dm-3 hydrochlorid acid and 1% solution of tetrahydridoborate. To determine only trivalent form, TRIS buffer at pH 6.00 was used together with 1% sodium tetrahydridoborate. The detection limits found for inorganic arsenic, i.e. for arsenite and arsenate, respectively, were 15 ng dm-3 and 9 ng dm-3 . It was found that in the batch arrangement under these conditions it is possible to generate corresponding hydrides methylarsonate and dimethylarsonate with the same efficiency as from the inorganic form. Finally, it was found when slightly changing the gas-liquid separator design in order to introduce the mixture of tetrahydridoborate with hydrochloric acid to the bottom of the...

The presented thesis deals with optimization of parameters speciation analysis based on a selective hydride generation in a direct transfer mode of hydrides and on-line atomization in an atomic absorption spectrometer. In the first part of the thesis processes during generation were investigated. Important indicator of a reactions taking place in a generator is volume of hydrogen (created by decomposition of NaBH4) which is subsequently introduced to the atomizer. In this part of the thesis a new approach to determine a flow rate of hydrogen delivered to the atomizator was developed. An influence of relevant paremeters of the atomizers and atomic absorption spectrometers on basic analytical characteristics of arsenic determination based on hydride generation was performed in the second part. Three atomic absorption spectrometers were used and three sources of radiation were compared. The most important analytic characteristic was the limit of detection which is influenced by standard deviation of measurement values of blank samples and by sensitivity. The best values of the limit of detection were achieved with electrodeless discharge lamps. Key words: hydride generation, arsenic, speciation analysis, atomic absorption spectrometry

The topic of this diploma thesis was the speciation analysis of the toxicological important forms of the arsenic in urban particulate matter samples. The detection technique used in this work was atomic absorption spectrometry with quartz atomizer. Acetic acid, ammonium acetate, hydroxylamine, potassium hydroxide and sodium carbonate are recommended leaching agents for extraction of metals from urban particulate matter samples. Results of the presenting work are following: Acidic extraction reagents can be not recommended for the speciation analysis of the arsenic, because these reagents lower sensitivity of the determination of As3+ and As5+ too and destroy the quartz atomizer. Alkaline extraction reagents don't lower sensitivity of the determination of As3+ and these reagents don't destroy the atomizer, but lower sensitivity of the determination of As5+ was obtained. Recommended reagents aren't useful for extraction of the metals from urban particulate matter samples for the speciation analysis.