Gadolinium-uptake by aquatic and terrestrial organisms-distribution determined by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

Gadolinium (Gd) based contrast agents (CA) are used to enhance magnetic resonance imaging. As a consequence of excretion by patients and insufficient elimination in wastewater treatment plants they are detected in high concentrations in surface water. At present, little is known about the uptake of these species by living organisms in aquatic systems.

Analysis of gadolinium-based contrast agents in tap water with a new hydrophilic interaction chromatography (ZIC-cHILIC) hyphenated with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

Hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) were optimised for the direct determination of gadolinium-based contrast agents in tap water. In comparison to our previous work, a new developed zwitterionic HILIC column (ZIC-cHILIC) was used for speciation of Gd-containing contrast agents. The limit of quantification (LOQ) for the five contrast agents Gd-BOPTA, Gd-DPTA-BMA, Gd-BT-DO3A, Gd-DOTA and Gd-DTPA are in the range of 5-12 ng Gd per litre.

Speciation of gadolinium in surface water samples and plants by hydrophilic interaction chromatography hyphenated with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

Hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was optimized for speciation analysis of gadolinium-based contrast agents in environmental samples, in particular surface river waters and plants. Surface water samples from the Teltow channel, near Berlin, were investigated over a distance of 5 km downstream from the influx of a wastewater treatment plant. The total concentration of gadolinium increased significantly from 50 to 990 ng L(-1) due to the influx of the contrast agents.

Determination of 14 monoalkyl phosphates, dialkyl phosphates and dialkyl thiophosphates by LC-MS/MS in human urinary samples.

Human urine was analyzed for nine dialkyl (DAP) and five monoalkyl phosphates (MAP) by LC-MS/MS. Some phosphoric acid esters are industrial chemicals and other hydrolysis products of trialkyl or triaryl phosphates, used as pesticides, flame retardants or plasticizers. Five MAP and two DAP were detected here for the first time in human urine.

Chemical characterization and classification of pollen.

We report on the in situ characterization of tree pollen molecular composition based on Raman spectroscopy. Different from purification-based analysis, the nondestructive approach allows (i) to analyze various classes of molecules simultaneously at microscopic resolution and (ii) to acquire fingerprint-like chemical information that was used for the classification of pollen from different species. Hierarchical cluster analysis of spectra from fresh pollen samples of 15 species partly related at the genus level and family level indicates separation of species based on the complete Raman spectral signature and yields classification in accord with biological systematics.