Evaluation of sorption and desorption characteristics of cadmium, lead and zinc on Amberlite IRC-718 iminodiacetate chelating ion exchanger.

A chelating type ion exchange resin (Amberlite IRC-718), containing iminodiacetate groups as active sites, has been characterized regarding the sorption and subsequent elution of Cd, Zn and Pb, aiming to metal preconcentration from solution samples of different origins. The methodology developed is based on off-line operation employing mini columns made of the sorbent. The eluted metals were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry.

Simplified determination of lipophilic metabolites of nonylphenol ethoxylates: method development and application in aqueous samples from Buenos Aires, Argentina.

In the present work we have developed an analytical methodology for the determination of nonylphenol (NP) and nonylphenol mono- and di-ethoxylates (NP1EO and NP2EO) in water samples. The applicability of this methodology was proved by means of the analysis of environmentally relevant aqueous samples from Buenos Aires. This constitutes a starting point for a rigorous assessment of the incidence of NPnEO surfactants in Argentina, as only very few, qualitative or semi-quantitative data on the occurrence of these compounds in local systems were available up to this time.

Column temperature as an active variable in the isocratic, normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography separation of lipophilic metabolites of nonylphenol ethoxylates.

Normal-phase separation of technical grade nonylphenol (t-NP, about 90% 4-nonylphenol), 4-nonylphenol mono-ethoxylate (4-NP1EO) and 4-nonylphenol di-ethoxylate (4-NP2EO) was assessed, with the inclusion of column temperature as an active variable. The compound 2,4,6-trimethylphenol was evaluated for use as internal standard. Isocratic elution with 2-propanol/hexanes mixtures from an amino-silica column and spectrometric UV detection at 277 nm were employed.

Assessment of chemical purity of 10B-enriched p-boronophenylalanine by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled on-line with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry.

A dual-detection technique, consisting of a combination of reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and on-line detection of elemental boron in the column effluents by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, was tested for drug analysis. The method was applied to assessing the chemical purity of p-boronophenylalanine (BPA), isotopically enriched in 10B. This compound is employed as a fructose complex solution for biodistribution studies in laboratory and clinical trials of boron neutron capture therapy.

Homogeneous boron targeting of heterogeneous tumors for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT): chemical analyses in the hamster cheek pouch oral cancer model.

Objective: BNCT is a tumour cell targeted radiation therapy. Uniform targeting of heterogeneous tumours with therapeutically effective boron carriers would contribute to a therapeutic effect on all tumour cell populations and avoid radioresistant fractions. This remains an unresolved challenge.

Separation of nonylphenol ethoxylates and nonylphenol by non-aqueous capillary electrophoresis.

Capillary electrophoresis based on non-aqueous solvent background electrolytes was employed, with single and multiple wavelength UV detection, to evaluate discrimination among oligomer components of mixtures of non-ionic, long chain nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPnEO, with n = number of ethoxy units) and their lipophilic degradation products. The tested organic solvents included acetonitrile, methanol, ethanol, 1- and 2-propanol, 1-butanol and tetrahydrofurane in the presence of sodium acetate. A rational variation of composition of background electrolyte solvent mixtures allowed to modify the mobility of electroosmotic flow and the type and degree of interactions between the ionic additive (sodium acetate) and the components of the analyte mixtures.

Biodistribution of boron compounds in an animal model of human undifferentiated thyroid cancer for boron neutron capture therapy.

Undifferentiated thyroid carcinoma (UTC) is a rapidly growing, highly invasive malignant tumor that currently lacks any effective treatment. Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) has been investigated recently for some types of tumors including glioblastoma multiforme and malignant melanoma. In previous studies we have shown the selective uptake of p-boronophenylalanine (BPA) by undifferentiated thyroid cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, as well as the histologic cure of 50% of the nude mice transplanted with human UTC cells when treated with BPA and an appropriate neutron beam.

First BNCT treatment of a skin melanoma in Argentina: dosimetric analysis and clinical outcome.

A Phase I/II protocol for treating cutaneuos melanomas with BNCT was designed in Argentina by the Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica and the medical center Instituto Roffo. The first of a cohort of thirty planned patients was treated on October 9, 2003. This article depicts the protocol-based procedure and describes the first clinical case, treatment regime and planning, patient irradiation, retrospective dosimetric analysis and clinical outcome.

Biodistribution studies of boronophenylalanine-fructose in melanoma and brain tumor patients in Argentina.

A study of the (10)B-enriched p-boronophenylalanine-fructose complex ((10)BPA-F) infusion procedure in potential BNCT patients, including four melanoma of extremities and two high-grade gliomas (glioblastoma and ganglioglioma) was performed. T/B and S/B ratios for (10)B concentrations in tumor (T), blood (B) and skin (S) were determined. The T/B ratio for the glioblastoma was in the 1.

BNCT of 3 cases of spontaneous head and neck cancer in feline patients.

Having demonstrated BPA-BNCT induced control of experimental squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) of the hamster cheek pouch mucosa with no damage to normal tissue we explored the feasibility and safety of treating spontaneous head and neck tumors, with particular focus on SCC, of terminal feline patients with low dose BPA-BNCT employing the thermal beam of the RA-1 Reactor within a preclinical context. The biodistribution studies showed that, in all three cases evaluated, BPA delivered absolute boron values to tumor in the range that proved therapeutically useful in the experimental model of SCC. BPA-BNCT studies showed no radiotoxic effects, partial tumor control in terms of impaired growth and partial necrosis, an improvement in clinical condition and prolonged survival beyond the terminal condition of the feline patients at the time of recruitment.

Biodistribution of p-borophenylalanine (BPA) in dogs with spontaneous undifferentiated thyroid carcinoma (UTC).

Human undifferentiated thyroid carcinoma (UTC) is a very aggressive tumor which lacks an adequate treatment. The UTC human cell line ARO has a selective uptake of BPA in vitro and after transplanting into nude mice. Applications of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) to mice showed a 100% control of growth and a 50% histological cure of tumors with an initial volume of 50 mm(3) or less.

Biodistribution of GB-10 (Na(2)(10)B10H10 compound for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) in an experimental model of oral cancer in the hamster cheek pouch.

Objective: We previously proposed the hamster cheek pouch model of oral cancer for BNCT studies. We herein present the biodistribution of a non-toxic boron compound, GB-10 (Na(2)(10)B10H10), in this model to assess its potential for BNCT or BNCT enhanced Fast Neutron Therapy.

Materials And Methods: We evaluated the uptake and retention of GB-10 in tumour and precancerous tissue and in potentially dose-limiting, clinically relevant normal tissues.

Performance evaluation of two chelating ion-exchange sorbents for the fractionation of labile and inert metal species from aquatic media.

The performance of two iminodiacetate chelating resins, applied in an element fractionation scheme, was investigated for the characterization of marine and stream water samples collected in potentially contaminated harbor and industrial zones. The comparison involved an evaluation of the sorption/desorption behavior of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn on Chelex-100, a sorbent extensively employed for metal speciation studies, and on Lewatit TP-207, a material with similar chelating characteristics for which no applications for fractionation studies are reported. A characterization of the latter resin in terms of the influence of sample pH on the uptake of metals from aqueous solutions and their subsequent acid elution was carried out.

Biodistribution of a carborane-containing porphyrin as a targeting agent for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy of oral cancer in the hamster cheek pouch.

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is a bimodal cancer treatment based on the selective accumulation of 10B in tumors and concurrent irradiation with thermalized neutrons. The short-range, high-LET radiation produced by the capture of neutrons by 10B could potentially control tumor while sparing normal tissue if the boron compound targets tumor selectively within the treatment volume. In previous studies, we proposed and validated the hamster cheek pouch model of oral cancer for BNCT studies, proved that absolute and relative uptake of the clinically employed boron compound boronophenylalanine (BPA) would be potentially therapeutic in this model and provided evidence of the efficacy of in vivo BPA-mediated BNCT to control hamster oral mucosa tumors with virtually no damage to normal tissue.

The hamster cheek pouch as a model of oral cancer for boron neutron capture therapy studies: selective delivery of boron by boronophenylalanine.

Herein we propose and validate the hamster cheek pouch model of oral cancer for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) studies. This model serves to explore new applications of the technique, study the biology and radiobiology of BNCT, and assess the uptake of boron compounds and response of tumor, precancerous tissue, and clinically relevant normal tissues. These issues are central to evaluating and improving the therapeutic gain of BNCT.

Evaluation of hydrogen line emission and argon plasma electron concentrations resulting from the gaseous sample injection involved in hydride generation-ICP-atomic emission spectrometric analysis.

The simultaneous injection of volatile hydride species and hydrogen gas, originating in reagent decomposition, was monitored during the operation of a continuous hydride generation manifold employed for the determination of trace arsenic by HG-ICP-AES. Line and background intensities as well as the FWHM of the hydrogen Hgamma and Hdelta lines were measured, and electron number densities (ne) estimated from Stark broadening of the line profiles. Results were compared with those obtained by conventional pneumatic injection of aqueous solutions.

Comparative assessment of two sequential chemical extraction schemes for the fractionation of cadmium, chromium, lead and zinc in surface coastal sediments.

Two existing sequential chemical extraction schemes, involving respectively five and six leaching steps with solutions of increasing dissolving power, were compared. The methods have been applied to surface sediment samples collected in a marine estuary zone potentially exposed to contamination arising from nearby industrial activities. A certified reference material (MURST-ISS-A1) consisting of an Antarctic bottom sediment for which no information regarding phase dependent concentration is available, was also analyzed.

Determination of inorganic and organic anionic arsenic species in water by ion chromatography coupled to hydride generation-inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry.

The development of an analytical methodology for the specific determination of arsenite, arsenate and the organic species monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), is described. The method is based on an ion chromatographic separation, coupled on-line to post-column generation of the gaseous hydrides by reaction with sodium tetrahydroborate in acidic medium. Detection and measurement were performed by inductively coupled plasma spectrometry operated in the atomic emission mode.

Eriochrome Black T as a post-column reagent for the ion chromatographic determination of rare earths.

The use of Eriochrome Black T in an alkaline, 40% methanol solution was found to be appropriate as post-column reagent for the determination of rare earths by ion chromatography. Detection of individual lanthanides and lanthanum was carried out at 512 nm and 650 nm after separation by dynamic cation exchange chromatography with gradient elution on C18 column and employing a solution containing alpha-hydroxyisobutiric acid/sodium octanesulfonate at pH 3.8 as eluent.

Atomic-absorption spectrometric determination of trace metals in zirconium and zircaloy by discrete sample nebulization.

A discrete sample nebulization technique was employed to determine trace metals in nuclear grade zirconium and Zircaloy by flame atomic-absorption spectrometry. With 10% (w v ) sample solutions, detection limits for Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, and Pb were 0.6, 2, 1,3, and 10 mug g .