Volume: 11

Issue: 45

Contents:

This issue contains an Editorial by Dr. Elcio Cruz de Oliveira (PUC-Rio & Petrobas), an Interview with Dr. César Ricardo Teixeira Tarley (UEL), a Point of View by Dr. Edenir Rodrigues Pereira-Filho (UFSCar), and a Letter by Maycon L. de Oliveira (Ph.D. candidate – USP), Prof. Dr. Maria das Graças A. Korn (UFBA) and Prof. Dr. Márcia A. M. S. da Veiga (USP). Four articles on: identification of the origin and frequency of methanol contamination in illicit alcoholic beverages; development of an electrode for the determination of the active ingredient of a drug using a voltammetric method; comparison of three different distillation systems for isotopic determination; evaluation of the health impact of the use of a flavoring agent in foods; and a technical note on the optimization of an extraction procedure for the detection of pesticides in biological samples. In addition, readers will find features on scientific meetings, sponsor reports & releases, book notices, and a calendar of events.

Highlighting the Importance of Data Treatment in Analytical Chemistry

Prof. Dr. Elcio Cruz de Oliveira
Professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, and Master Professional at Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. – PETROBRAS, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

“It is crucial to emphasize that proper data processing requires a solid knowledge of statistics that remains grounded in the core principles of Analytical Chemistry to ensure the correct interpretation and reliability of the results.”

Professor César Ricardo Teixeira Tarley, a young researcher with a distinguished and internationally recognized career, kindly gave an interview to BrJAC

Prof. Dr. César Ricardo Teixeira Tarley
Full Professor at the Department of Chemistry of the State University of Londrina, PR, Brazil

“From my point of view, Analytical Chemistry reaches its purpose when the development of analytical methods and/or use of analytical tools leaves the walls of universities and research centers and becomes technologies with practical applications.”

Interaction between Industry and Academia: Is the Chemical Professional Master a Possibility?

Prof. Dr. Edenir Rodrigues Pereira-Filho
Full Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil

“Between 2017 and 2020, the Brazilian chemical graduate education system comprised a total of 74 graduate programs spread over several states. However, a mere five of these (just 6.7%) were exclusively dedicated to professionals already engaged in industry or teaching in public and/or private schools. This substantial underrepresentation reveals a significant imbalance within the system, suggesting that it is not fully aligned with the needs of the workforce and the educational sector.”

Letter

Expressing the Unit of Measurement in Analytical Chemistry

Maycon Lucas de Oliveira
Ph.D. candidate in Chemistry at the University of São Paulo, Brazil

Prof. Dr. Maria das Graças A. Korn
Full Professor at the Institute of Chemistry of the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil

Prof. Dr. Márcia A. M. S. da Veiga
Associate Professor in the Dept. of Chemistry at the Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences, and Letters of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Brazil

“This Letter will focus on the mole and its derivative units, as they are central to expressing data and results in analytical chemistry. Historically, the mole was defined as the number of atoms in exactly 12 g of carbon-12. However, on May 20, 2019 (World Metrology Day), the GCWM redefined the mole as exactly 6.02214076 × 1023 elementary entities, as recommended by IUPAC. This alteration in the expression of quantities of matter enhances the precision and dependability of measurements.”

Articles

Analysis of Methanol and Ethanol Content in Illegal Alcoholic Beverages using Headspace Gas Chromatography: Case Studies at Rwanda Forensic Institute
Etienne Ndikumana, Eliphaz Niyonizera, Justin N. Kabera, Astha Pandey

Based on 183 forensic cases that Rwanda Forensic Institute received from 2021 and 2022, with a focus on methanol and ethanol poisoning cases, the study aimed to shed light on the extent of methanol and ethanol toxicity, identifying the source and prevalence of methanol contamination in illicit alcoholic beverages in Rwanda. This was done by using HS-GC-FID. The study findings can guide public health initiatives, law enforcement operations, and educational campaigns aimed at lowering the production and consumption of illicit alcoholic beverages and promoting safer alternatives.

Sensitive Voltammetric Detection of Acetaminophen on CuONPs-MWCNTs Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode with Enhancement Effect of Anionic Surfactant
Rajesh N. Hegde, P. Vishwanatha, Sharanappa T. Nandibewoor

A glassy carbon electrode was fabricated with the suspension of CuO nanoparticles and multi walled carbon nanotubes for electro-oxidation and detection of acetaminophen with the aid of anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulphate in phosphate buffer solution. This fabrication introduced a new electrode in the field of electro-analytical chemistry. This modified electrode showed higher sensitivity, lower detection limit and good recovery values at pH 7.4. All the parameters were optimized using differential pulse voltammetry and the developed method was fruitfully applied to detect ACM in syrups which were administered to infants.

Optimizing Distillation Techniques for Isotopic Determinations in Beverages
Susiane Leonardelli, Julia Panozzo, Júlia Daneluz, Letícia Leonardelli, Gilberto João Cargnel, Regina Vanderlinde

This research addresses challenges in the distillation process to identify the optimal method for preparing samples for isotopic determinations. This study aimed to compare three distillation systems: cryogenic, Cadiot column and steam for carbon, hydrogen and oxygen determinations in ethanol. Furthermore, to explore the benefits of cryogenic method in beverage distillation and to perform the method validation. Additionally, to evaluate the efficiency of the steam distillation for carbon isotopic determination.

Evidence of Increase in the Oxidative Stress in C57BL Mice Subjected to Daily Diacetyl Treatment: Oxidative Stress in Mice Subjected to Diacetyl Treatment
Letícia Dias Lima Jedlicka, Danilo Santos Souza, Danielle Zildeana Sousa Furtado, Lucas Ximenes Araújo, Emanuel Carrilho, Nilson Antonio Assunção

In this study, our objective was to assess the impacts of diacetyl on male mice by exposing them to diacetyl through drinking water for 15 days, thereby simulating the consumption of diacetyl-containing products. Our study focused on crucial parameters associated with dicarbonyl stress, specifically evaluating methylglyoxal, glutathione synthetase, and glutathione levels in liver tissue using LC-MS. We also analyzed changes in concentrations of plasmatic proteins.

Technical Note

Optimization of the Hollow Fiber Microextraction conditions for the Determination of Pesticides in Whole Blood by GC-MS
Carolina Schmeiske, Dayse Fernanda de Souza, Bruno José Gonçalves da Silva

In this work, a method based on hollow fiber microextraction and GC-MS was evaluated for determination of pesticides in postmortem whole blood samples. The extraction procedure was performed using polypropylene fibers as device and 1-octanol as extraction solvent. The extraction procedure was optimized. In the desorption step, desorption solvent, agitation mode, and time were evaluated. Multivariate optimization of pH, agitation speed, and salt addition were also performed, followed by univariate optimization of extraction time.

Features

Brazilian Journal of Analytical Chemistry Conquers the World

During the 2024 European Symposium on Analytical Spectrometry, held from June 24 – 28, 2024 at the University of Warsaw's Biological and Chemical Research Centre, Poland, Prof. Dr. Marco Aurélio Zezzi Arruda, Editor-in-Chief of BrJAC, delivered a brief presentation on the progress and achievements the journal has made in recent years.

XIII Workshop on Sample Preparation

The 13th edition of the Workshop on Sample Preparation – WPA-2024 was held from June 18 to 20, 2024, in Piracicaba, São Paulo state, Brazil. The event brought together some of the world's leading experts in sample preparation for elemental analysis and spectrometric techniques. Prof. Dr. Francisco J. Krug (CENA/USP) was the guest of honor at this event.

Sponsor Reports

Rapid Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Residual Solvents in Food Packaging by Static Headspace coupled to GC-FID/MS
Giulia Riccardino, Cristian Cojocariu – Thermo Fisher Scientific

The aim of this report is to demonstrate the qualitative and quantitative performance of a HS autosampler coupled to a single quad GC-MS system for the determination of residual solvents in food packaging according to the European Standard EN 13628-1 method and to highlight a highly efficient workflow through extended automation from sampling to data reporting.

Unstoppable analysis of pesticides residues in black tea using triple quadrupole GC-MS
Camille Grigsby, Carlos Parra, Jerry Mueller, Katie Banaszewski, Giulia Riccardino, Adam Ladak – Thermo Fisher Scientific

The aim of this report is to demonstrate the performance of the Thermo Scientific TSQ 9610 triple quadrupole mass spectrometer coupled to the Thermo Scientific TRACE 1610 GC for trace level determination of pesticide residues in black tea.

Microwave assisted extraction of pesticides from environmental samples
Milestone

Milestone’s ETHOS X equipped with fastEX-24 eT rotor was used in this study to prove its efficacy in the extraction of pesticides from environmental matrices.

Sponsor Releases

TriPlus 500 Headspace Autosampler coupled to the TRACE 1300 GC

This modular platform gives today’s routine laboratories the productivity they need to succeed – both today and in the future.

Thermo Scientific TSQ 9610 Triple Quadrupole GC-MS/MS System – Unstoppable confidence for analytical testing

User-centric NeverVent™ technology, extended-life detector, and intelligent software eliminate unnecessary downtime to maximize your sample throughput and return on investment.

ETHOS X – Advanced Microwave Extraction System for Environmental Laboratories

The ETHOS X with the fastEX-24 rotor allows for simultaneous extraction of 24 samples in 40 min with minimal solvent usage. By using large volume disposable glass vials, the fastEX-24 rotor simplifies handling and allows to achieve lower detection limits.

Releases

Pittcon Conference & Expo

Pittcon is a friendly, welcoming environment where analytical chemists at all professional levels meet. Pittcon is a platform for sharing ideas and cooperating to form new ones. At Pittcon, you will find that spark that drives your research, your career, and above all, your scientific perspective forward.

SelectScience® Pioneers online Communication and Promotes Scientific Success

SelectScience® informs through trusted lab product reviews, virtual events, thought-leading webinars, features on hot scientific topics, eBooks and more, independent online publisher SelectScience® provides scientists across the world with vital information about the best products and techniques to use in their work.

CHROMacademy is the leading provider of eLearning for analytical science

For over 10 years, CHROMacademy has increased knowledge, efficiency and productivity across all applications of chromatography.

News

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Events

Agenda of events for 2024/2025.

Periodicals & Websites

Get access to reliable sources of analytical chemistry information useful for researchers and for academic, R&D and industry Labs.

Notices of Books

Scientific books on Analytical Chemistry recently launched or to be launched soon are presented here.