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A new detection strategy was developed to improve the sensitivity of a lateral flow immunoassay platform utilizing a delayed hydrophobic barrier fabricated with trimethylsilyl cellulose (TMSC). The SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding domain (SARS-CoV-2 SP RBD) antigen was chosen as a model analyte to demonstrate the superior detectability of this scheme. The novel device consists of 2 separate layers, so-called delayed lateral flow immunoassay (d-LFIA). The upper layer is intended for the analyte or sample flow path, where the test solution flows freely straight to the detection zone to bind with the primary antibody. The lower layer, located just underneath, is designed for the SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding domain-conjugated gold nanoparticles (SARS-CoV-2 SP RBD-AuNPs) used for producing a colorimetric signal. This layer is fabricated with a TMSC barrier to time-delay the movement of SARS-CoV-2 SP RBD-AuNPs, thus allowing the antigen to bind with the primary antibody more efficiently. This platform exhibited a 2.6-fold enhancement in the sensitivity and 9.1-fold improvement in the limit of detection (LOD) as compared with the conventional LFIA. In addition, this d-LFIA device was satisfactorily applied to accurate screening of COVID-19 patients.

The electrochemical determination of five heavy metals is demonstrated using a wireless and card-sized potentiostat coupled with a smartphone through near-field communication (NFC) technology. A smartphone application was customized to command the NFC potentiostat, collect real-time signals, process the data, and ultimately display the quantities of the selected elements. The screen-printed graphene electrode (SPGE) was simply fabricated and modified using different nanomaterials for each heavy metal. Using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) mode on the smartphone, the signal peaks were presented at + 10 mV for As(III), + 350 mV for Cr(VI), 0 mV for Hg(II), - 900 mV for Cd(II), and - 680 mV vs. Ag/AgCl for Pb(II). The linear ranges were 25-500, 250-25,000, 100-1,500, 25-750, 25-750 ng mL

The selective quantitation of Cr(VI) was developed through colorimetric detection using starch-stabilized silver nanoparticles (starch-AgNPs). The detection of Cr(VI) was based on oxidative degradation of starch-AgNPs as the reduction of UV-Vis signal and the distinctive color change from yellow to colorless of starch-AgNPs were observed. To achieve the highest sensitivity by this method, pH 3, and only 1 min were required for the determination of Cr(VI). For analytical performances, two linear ranges of 0-6 µM and 10-80 µM with limit of detection of 0.93 µM (48 µg/L) and 11.57 µM (0.60 mg/L) were obtained, respectively. The developed colorimetric method was combined with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) for the speciation analysis of chromium. The concentration of Cr(III) was calculated by subtraction of Cr(VI) from the total chromium concentration determined by ICP-OES. A satisfactory accuracy and precision based on the AOAC guidelines also proved that this simple and rapid sensor was successfully applied for speciation of chromium in real water samples.

A microcapillary grooved paper-based analytical device capable of dual-mode sensing (colorimetric and electrochemical detection) was demonstrated for analysis of viscous samples (e.g., human saliva). Herein, a hollow capillary channel was constructed via laser engraved micropatterning functions as a micropump to facilitate viscous fluidic transport, which would otherwise impede analysis on paper devices. Using salivary thiocyanate as a model analyte, the proposed device was found to exhibit a promising sensing ability on paper devices without the need for sample pretreatment or bulky instrumentation, as normally required in conventional methods used for saliva analysis. An extensive linear dynamic range covering detection of salivary thiocyanate for both high and trace level regimes (5 orders of magnitude working range) was collectively achieved using the dual-sensing modes. Under optimal conditions, the limit of detection was 6 μmol L−1 with a RSD of less than 5%. An excellent stability for the μpumpPAD was also observed for over 30 days. Real sample analysis using the proposed device was found to be in line with the standard chromatographic method. Benefitting from simple fabrication and operation, portability, disposability, low sample volume (20 μL), and low cost (< 1 USD), the μpumpPAD is an exceptional alternative tool for the detection of various biomarkers in saliva specimens.

Simple, low-cost and portable microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) for determination of creatinine in urine samples were developed. The methodology was based on Jaffé reaction between the creatinine and picric acid in alkaline conditions, generating a colorimetric creatinine-alkaline picrate complex. The product exhibits an orange color that is clearly visible on the μPADs. The color intensity of the complex, which is indicative of the concentration of creatinine, is then quantitatively determined using ImageJ software. Various experimental parameters were optimized to achieve the best performance of the μPADs. Under the optimum conditions, a wide linear range was obtained in the range of 0.2 - 1 mM with a limit of detection and limit of quantitation of 0.08 and 0.26 mM, respectively. The accuracy of the proposed method was in good agreement with the standard Jaffé method. Finally, the developed devices were successfully applied for the determination of creatinine in urine samples.

This work aims to modify zein, a corn protein, to be a biocompatible adsorbent for the removal of As(V) from water. This adsorbent was prepared by the incorporation of iron(III) chloride into 50% (w/v) of zein in ethanol and water (70:30 (v/v)) and dropping into cold water (5 °C) to form adsorbent beads. In the batch operation, various parameters, i.e., pH of solution, iron loading concentration, competing ions and adsorption time, were studied. Under the optimum conditions, the As(V) adsorption appeared to follow the Langmuir isotherm model with the maximum adsorption capacity of 1.95 mg/g.

Due to similar properties in the electroanalysis of tin (Sn(II)) and lead (Pb(II)), the voltammograms of tin and lead overlap and it is difficult to simultaneously determine these two metals. Herein, we develop a simple fabricated sensor based on a bismuth nanoparticle-modified screen-printed graphene electrode (BiNP/SPGE) on a paper-based analytical device (PAD) for the simultaneous determination of Sn(II) and Pb(II) and combine it with a portable potentiostat. To overcome crossing interference, the use of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) can provide improved separation and enhanced sensitivity for Sn(II) and Pb(II) detection in oxalic acid as a supporting electrolyte while using square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry. Under optimal conditions, the linear range of both metals was determined to be 10–250 ng mL−1, and the calculated limit of detection (3SD/slope) was 0.26 ng mL−1 and 0.44 ng mL−1 for Sn(II) and Pb(II), respectively. This sensor was also applied to simultaneously determine Sn(II) and Pb(II) in canned food samples. The results obtained from the portable potentiostat were similar to the results obtained by a standard method. Therefore, the proposed device can be further improved for the realization of a rapid on-site detector for Sn(II) and Pb(II) detection in real samples.

An externally air-cooled low-flow torch has been constructed and successfully demonstrated for applications in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The torch is cooled by pressurized air flowing at {approximately}70 L/min through a quartz air jacket onto the exterior of the outer tube. The outer gas flow rate and operating RF forward power are reduced considerably. Although plasmas can be sustained at the operating power as low as 400 W with a 2 L/min of outer gas flow, somewhat higher power and outer gas flows are advisable. A stable and analytical useful plasma can be obtained at 850 W with an outer gas flow rate of {approximately}4 L/min. Under these conditions, the air-cooled plasma produces comparable sensitivities, doubly charged ion ratios, matrix effects and other analytical merits as those produced by a conventional torch while using significantly less argon and power requirements. Metal oxide ion ratios are slightly higher with the air-cooled plasma but can be mitigated by reducing the aerosol gas flow rate slightly with only minor sacrifice in analyte sensitivity. A methodology to alleviate the space charge and matrix effects in ICP-MS has been developed. A supplemental electron source adapted from a conventional electron impact ionizer is added to the base of the skimmer. Electrons supplied from this source downstream of the skimmer with suitable amount and energy can neutralize the positive ions in the beam extracted from the plasma and diminish the space charge repulsion between them. As a result, the overall ion transmission efficiency and consequent analyte ion sensitivities are significantly improved while other important analytical aspects, such as metal oxide ion ratio, doubly charged ion ratio and background ions remain relatively unchanged with the operation of this electron source. This technique not only improves the ion transmission efficiency but also minimizes the matrix effects drastically. The matrix-induced suppression of signal for even the most troublesome combination of light analyte and heavy matrix elements can be attenuated from 90-99% to only 2-10% for 2 mM matrix solutions with an ultrasonic nebulizer. The supplemental electron current can be adjusted to ''titrate'' out the matrix effects as desired.

The removal of anti-inflammatory drugs ibuprofen, diclofenac, and naproxen from aqueous solutions was investigated by a novel adsorbent which was prepared by the assembly of polymeric chitosan onto waste tire crumb rubber. The modified adsorbent demonstrated a capacity of 70.0, 17.7 and 2.3 mg/g for ibuprofen, diclofenac and naproxen, respectively. Various parameters affecting the removal efficiency of these drugs were optimized. pH 6 is optimal for the simultaneous removal of all three drugs. The adsorption of each of these anti-inflammatory drugs was found to follow the Freundlich isotherm model. In all, the chitosan-modified rubber has been demonstrated as an effective and economical adsorbent for removal of these compounds from water.

A Fire assay is method to verify the fineness of gold with use lead in its process. In this research, Bi-Ag sandwich sheets for a lead-free fire assay method were developed. Bi-Ag sandwich sheets were produced by a hot-dipping method at temperature 300 °C and 400 °C. Samples were characterized the microstructure by SEM along the process. A fire assay method was used to verify and correlate the results of gold fineness to various kinds of wrapping sheets which are Bi-Ag sandwich sheets and lead. The Bi-Ag sandwich sheets shows the layer of 14-20 µm at 300 °C and 8.5-10.5 µm at 400 °C. After cupellation process, the metal beads were observed by SEM and mapping techniques to analyze the remained copper. XRF characterization was confirmed the results of compositions showing an increasing amount of copper as increasing temperature dipping on Bi-Ag sandwich of 0 wt%, 1.58 wt% and 1.34 wt% at S1, S2 and S3, respectively. Higher amounts of copper left on bead buttons consisted with the accuracy of fire assay results which were S1, S2 and S3 obtaining 99.99 wt%, 99.87 wt% and 100 wt% of gold, respectively.

A novel colorimetric assay based on silver nanoplates (AgNPls) for detecting nickel ions (Ni(2+)) has been developed. Glutathione (GSH) and l-cysteine (Cys) were used to modify the AgNPls surface, exhibiting extremely high selectivity towards Ni(2+) over other metal ions under specific conditions. Upon addition of Ni(2+) to the modified AgNPls solution, a distinctive color change can be clearly observed by naked eyes as a result of the aggregation of AgNPls induced by the binding between Ni(2+) and the modified ligands. To verify a complete self-assembly of the GSH and Cys onto AgNPls surface, the modified AgNPls were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. Moreover, various parameters affecting the Ni(2+) quantification including the modifier ratio, pH, reaction time, and interferences were investigated. With UV-vis spectrophotometric measurement under optimal conditions, a quantitative linearity was established in the range of 10-150 ppb (R(2)=0.9971) with the detection limit of 7.02 ppb or 120 nM (S/N=3). In addition, the developed sensor was applied to the determination of Ni(2+) in waste samples from a jewelry factory and a car manufacturer with satisfactory results. Overall, this alternative approach presents a simple, rapid, sensitive and selective detection of Ni(2+).

A spraying method with lacquer was developed for the fabrication of paper-based devices. A patterned iron mask was initially placed on a filter paper and held tightly attached by a magnetic plate placed on the opposite side. After that, acrylic lacquer was sprayed on the filter paper to create a hydrophobic area while the hydrophilic area was protected with the iron mask. The optimal conditions for the fabrication of this device were studied including lacquer type and particle retention efficiency of filter paper. Gloss spray lacquer and filter paper No. 4 were chosen as optimal lacquer type and particle retention efficiency of filter paper, respectively. To evaluate its efficiency, the paper-based devices were used to determine nickel using electrochemical detection. Cu-enhancer solution was employed to increase sensitivity of nickel determination with the optimal concentration of 4.5 ppm. Under the optimal conditions, linear range was observed in the range of 1-50 ppm with a coefficient of determination of 0.9971. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantitation (LOQ) were found to be 0.5 and 1.97 ppm, respectively. Moreover, these paper-based devices coupled with electrochemical detection were applied to determine nickel in waste water of a jewelry factory and compared to those obtained with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The results indicated that there were no significant variations between this proposed method (4.15±0.043 ppm) and the ICP-OES method (4.06±0.013 ppm). Therefore, this spraying method was found to be an excellent alternative for the fabrication of paper-based devices due to its ease of use, affordability and simplicity.

Lung cancer is one of the most of cancer type founds and a leading cause of death worldwide. Through the development of new candidate compound (3,4,5-tribenzyloxybenzoic acid (GAOBn)) and a drug delivery system of our design of quaternized chitosan-gallic acid-folic acid stabilized gold nanoparticles (Au@QCS-GA-FA) as the targeted nanocarrier for treatment of lung cancer, we have found that GAOBn not only showed high cytotoxicity against lung cancer cells (CHAGO) with more than tenfold than cisplatin, but also showed low toxicity against normal cells (CRL-1947). The combination Au@QCS-GA-FA/GAOBn showed highly efficient cellular uptake and localization of gold nanoparticles via the active targeting of cancer cells. This established the potential of Au@QCS-GA-FA as a nanocarrier for anticancer agent-targeted delivery for treatment of lung cancer.

A gas diffusion sequential injection system with amperometric detection using aboron-doped diamond electrode was developed for the determination of sulfite. A gasdiffusion unit (GDU) was used to prevent interference from sample matrices for theelectrochemical measurement. The sample was mixed with an acid solution to generategaseous sulfur dioxide prior to its passage through the donor channel of the GDU. Thesulfur dioxide diffused through the PTFE hydrophobic membrane into a carrier solution of 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 8)/0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate in the acceptor channel of theGDU and turned to sulfite. Then the sulfite was carried to the electrochemical flow cell anddetected directly by amperometry using the boron-doped diamond electrode at 0.95 V(versus Ag/AgCl). Sodium dodecyl sulfate was added to the carrier solution to preventelectrode fouling. This method was applicable in the concentration range of 0.2-20 mgSO32−/L and a detection limit (S/N = 3) of 0.05 mg SO32−/L was achieved. This method wassuccessfully applied to the determination of sulfite in wines and the analytical resultsagreed well with those obtained by iodimetric titration. The relative standard deviations forthe analysis of sulfite in wines were in the range of 1.0-4.1 %. The sampling frequency was65 h−1.

Polystyrene-divinylbenzene resin (PS-DVB) was functionalized with a benzothiazole group. PS-DVB with amino group was initially prepared by nitration and reduction reactions and subsequently treated with ethyl 2-benzothiazolylacetate (BA) to obtain the chelating resin with an amide linkage (BA-PS-DVB). Meanwhile, the amino-PS-DVB was diazotized and coupled with BA to obtain the chelating resin with an azo linkage (azo-BA-PS-DVB). The resins were characterized by elemental analysis and infrared spectroscopy and evaluated for their extraction of Cd(II), Cu(II) and Pb(II) ions in water before their determinations by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). Extraction conditions were optimized for batch method such as the pH of the solution, the extraction time and the adsorption isotherm. The optimum pH for the extraction of Cd(II), Cu(II) and Pb(II) are 8.0, 7.0 and 6.0, respectively, while the equilibrium time of all ions was reached within 10–20 min. The adsorption behavior of all the metal ions followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. In the column method, the optimum flow rates of metal sorption onto BA-PS-DVB and azo-BA-PS-DVB columns were 2.5 and 4.0 mL min− 1. Metal ions sorbed onto columns were eluted by 0.5 to 2.0 M HNO3. The preconcentration factors of Cd(II) and Cu(II) on azo-BA-PS-DVB and Cu(II) on BA-PS-DVB were 50, 50, and 20, respectively. The present column method gave acceptable validation results: 71.2 and 74.0% recovery for Cd(II) and Cu(II) and an overall relative standard deviation (R.S.D) less than 10% (n = 15). The proposed method was applicable for determining Cu(II) in drinking water.

A nanocomposite of graphene (G), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and polyaniline (PANI) modified onto screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) using an electrospraying technique was developed for simultaneous determination of five parabens in beverages and cosmetic products by high performance liquid chromatography. PVP and PANI were used as the dispersing agents of graphene, and also for the enhancement of electrochemical conductivity of the electrode. The electrochemical behavior of each paraben was investigated using the G/PVP/PANI nanocomposite-modified SPCE, compared to the unmodified SPCE. Using HPLC along with amperometric detection at a controlled potential of +1.2V vs Ag/AgCl, the chromatogram of five parabens obtained from the modified SPCE exhibits well defined peaks and higher current response than those of its unmodified counterpart. Under the optimal conditions, the calibration curves of five parabens similarly provide a linear range between 0.1 and 30 µg mL(-1) with the detection limits of 0.01 µg mL(-1) for methyl paraben (MP), ethyl paraben (EP) and propyl paraben (PP), 0.02 and 0.03 µg mL(-1) for isobutyl paraben (IBP) and butyl paraben (BP), respectively. Furthermore, this proposed method was applied for the simultaneous determination of five parabens in real samples including a soft drink and a cosmetic product with satisfactory results, yielding the recovery in the range of 90.4-105.0%.

The electrochemical analysis of tetracyclines was investigated using nickel-implanted boron-doped diamond thin film electrode (Ni-DIA) by cyclic voltammetry and high performance liquid chromatographic with amperometry. Cyclic voltammetry was used to study the electrochemical oxidation of tetracyclines. Comparison experiments were carried out utilizing as-deposited BDD and glassy carbon electrodes. Ni-DIA electrode provided well-resolved oxidative irreversible cyclic voltammograms and the highest current signals among the electrode studied. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with amperometric detection was also studied. The chromatography was performed using a commercially available Inertsil C18 column, with the mobile phase being: 80% phosphate buffer (pH 2.5)–20% acetonitrile and detected at 1.55 V. The methods were validated over the concentration range 0.05–100 ppm with the overall average recoveries from 83.3 to 102.5% and R.S.D. of less than 10%. The proposed method was further applied to analyse shrimp samples.

This work presents a new colorimetric method that is simple, rapid and cost effective for the determination of arsenic(III) in water samples. The method is based on changes in the absorbance of difluoroboron-curcumin (BF2-curcumin), prepared by the reaction of borontrifluoride diethyletherate ((C2H5)2OBF3) and curcumin. The BF2-curcumin was dissolved in 60% ethanol, which yielded an orange solution with the maximum absorbance at 509 nm. Upon the addition of arsenic(III), the color of the BF2-curcumin solution changed from orange to blue and the absorbance was measured by UV-visible spectrometry at 632 nm. The BF2-curcumin was applicable in both solution and coated resin. Under the optimal conditions, the detection limits achieved by means of UV-visible spectrometry, naked-eye detection with BF2-curcumin solution and naked-eye detection with BF2-curcumin-coated resin were found to be 0.26, 25 and 30 μM, respectively.

A general method for identifying the origin of a particular polyatomic ion is described. Based on a postulated dissociation reaction, measured ion signal ratios (e.g. Ar 2 + /Ar + ) are combined with mass bias corrections and estimates of the density of the neutral product (usually Ar, O or H atoms) to determine a gas kinetic temperature T gas . The temperature can also be measured by the reduction in pressure when the ICP is sampled (compared to room temperature argon), or by other means. Dissociation energies and spectroscopic constants for the ions are necessary. For the particular instrument used, some of the findings of this study are: (a) ArO + and ArN + can be either dissociated (if the plasma potential is high) or created (if the plasma potential is low) by collisions between the sampler and skimmer; (b) the strongly-bound oxide ions O 2 + and MO + for the rare earths are observed at levels consistent with T gas ∼5300 K in a ‘hot’ plasma, but ClO + is formed in excess; and (c) the abundances of most other polyatomic ions like H 2 O + and ArH + correspond to higher densities than would be expected in the ICP itself.

The torch wall is cooled largely by air passing through a cooling jacket added to the outside of a Fassel torch. The plasma is viewed axially through a cooled cone interface centered on the axial channel. The outer argon gas flow can be reduced to 7 l min −1 with no compromise in performance or torch lifetime. The plasma exhibits the same ‘robustness index’ and interference effects from Na as the conventional, high-flow ICP supplied with the particular spectrometer used. Detection limits (DL) for lines at ∼200 nm are poorer by approximately a factor of two, while those for lines at ∼400 nm are actually better than values typically seen for the same lines by axial viewing of a conventional, high-flow ICP.

A low-flow torch specifically designed for inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was developed and evaluated. The outside of the torch is cooled externally by pressurized air flowing at ∼70 l min−1 through a fourth tube sealed onto the usual ‘outer’ tube of a standard minitorch. This external air flow merely cools the outer tube of the torch and does not enter the plasma. Although plasmas can be sustained at operating power as low as 400 W with a 2 l min−1 outer Ar flow, somewhat higher power and flows are advisable. A stable and analytically useful plasma can be obtained at 850 W with an outer Ar flow rate of only 4 l min−1. Under optimum operating conditions, the externally air-cooled plasma produces comparable sensitivities, M2+/M+ signal ratios, matrix effects and other analytical figures of merit as those produced by a conventional torch while using much less argon. MO+/M+ signal ratios are slightly higher with the externally cooled torch.

An electron source consisting of a heated filament has been added to the skimmer to suppress space charge effects in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS). Electrons from this source can reduce the space charge repulsion between the positive ions in the ion beam. As a result, ion transmission efficiency and analyte ion sensitivities are significantly improved across the full mass range. MO+/M+ abundance ratios are not affected, M2+/M+ abundance ratios increase only slightly, and no new background ions are created by this electron injection technique.

This work combines lab-on-paper methodology with nanoparticle science to develop a new tool for the simple and rapid determination of Hg(II). The resulting paper-based device enables measurement of Hg(II) from only 2 μL of sample solution. The color of the nanosilver in the test area immediately changes in the presence of Hg(II), and this change can be monitored by the naked eye. This method exhibits superior selectivity towards Hg(II) compared with the other metal ions tested. Furthermore, the results show a significant increase in the Hg(II) analytical signal when Cu(II) is added to the Ag Nanoplates at the test zone. With digital camera imaging and software processing, which are shown to further improve the quantitative capability of this technique, the linear detection range is 5–75 ppm Hg(II) with a limit of detection of 0.12 ppm. Using a pre-concentration scheme (based on repeated 2 μL applications of the test Hg(II) solution onto the same test zone) reduces the limit of detection to 2 ppb. The technique developed by this study provides a rapid, sensitive and selective detection method for aqueous Hg(II) samples and is especially suitable for remote field and environmental analysis.

Sustained release mucoadhesive amoxicillin tablets with tolerance to acid degradation in the stomach were studied. The sustained-release tablets of amoxicillin were prepared from amoxicillin coated with ethyl cellulose (EC) and then formulated into tablets using chitosan (CS) or a mixture of CS and beta-cyclodextrin (CD) as the retard polymer. The effects of various (w/w) ratios of EC/amoxicillin, the particle sized of EC coated amoxicillin and the different (w/w) ratios of CS/CD for the retard polymer, on the amoxicillin release profile were investigated. The physicochemical properties of the EC coated amoxicillin particles and tablets were determined by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetry. The result showed that the release profiles of amoxicillin were greatly improved upon coating with EC, while the inclusion of CD to the CS retardant additionally prolonged the release of the drug slightly. Overall, a sustained release of amoxicillin was achieved using amoxicillin coated with EC at a (w/w) ratio of 1:1 and a particle size of 75–100 μm. Therefore, the tablet formulation of amoxicillin may be an advantageous alternative as an orally administered sustained-release formulation for the treatment of peptic ulcers.

A novel lab-on-paper device combining electrochemical and colorimetric detection for the rapid screening of Au(III) in the presence of a common interference, Fe(III), in industrial waste solutions is presented here. With dilute aqua regia (0.1 M HCl + 0.05 M HNO(3)) as the supporting electrolyte, square wave voltammetry on paper provided a well-defined reduction peak for Au(III) at approximately 287 +/- 12 mV vs Ag/AgCl. Under the optimized working conditions, the calibration curve showed good linearity in the concentration range of 1-200 ppm of Au(III) with a correlation coefficient of 0.997. The limit of detection (LOD) of the proposed method is 1 ppm. Interferences from various cations were also studied. Fe(III) is the only metal that affects the electrochemical determination of Au(III) when present above a 2.5-fold excess concentration of that of the Au(III). To overcome this limitation, a colorimetric method was used to simultaneously detect Fe(III) as a screening tool. The procedure was then successfully applied to determine Au(III) in gold-refining waste solutions. The results are in agreement with those obtained from inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES).

Sustained release systems in the forms of chitosan (CTS) tablet and extrude for releasing amoxicillin were studied. The degradation of amoxicillin in pH 1.2 was determined. The effects of particle sizes of chitosan on the dissolution profiles were investigated. The result showed that chitosan with the particle size less than 75 microm yielded the best controlled release pattern and it was comparable to that was obtained from the hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) tablets. Moreover, the tablets containing chitosan with particle size less than 75 microm were able to provide a significantly improved sustained release profile of amoxicillin compared to the release profile of a commercial capsule. All release profiles of amoxicillin from the chitosan tablets could be described by first-order kinetics.

Electrons from a heated tungsten filament are created inside the extraction lens and driven out toward the skimmer. These electrons move through the ion path and reduce space charge effects between positive ions in the beam. The ion transmission efficiency is improved by factors of two (for Pb+) to 27 (for Li+). The greater sensitivity improvement for low-mass ions leads to a substantial reduction in mass bias. With the additional electrons, MO+/M+ and M2+/M+ abundance ratios increase but can be minimized with a small reduction in aerosol gas flow rate. No new background ions are observed with this technique. Matrix effects can be significantly diminished when the electron source is operated under the high electron current mode. The mass dependence of matrix-induced suppression of analyte signals is essentially eliminated. Using flow injection analysis to minimize solid deposition, the technique can tolerate Na matrix up to 10000 ppm (1%) with only approximately 15% loss of analyte sensitivity.

Electrons are added from a heated filament at the base of the skimmer to reduce the space charge repulsion in the ion beam. This technique improves the analyte sensitivity moderately and also minimizes the matrix effects caused by other elements in the sample significantly. The suppression of signal for even the most troublesome combination of light analyte and heavy matrix elements can be attenuated from 90 to 99% to only 2-10% for 2 mM matrix solutions with an ultrasonic nebulizer. The supplemental electron current can be adjusted to "titrate" out the matrix effects as desired.