Composition , analytical methods

Dietary data are converted into nutrient and nonnutrient components using databases and food composition tables (FCTs), which present some limitations owing to the wide diversity of food present on the market and the variability of their composition, analytical methods, and number of components that they contain, especially when considering minority components like polyphenols. It is thus important to choose the more suitable FCTs for the study and to take into account the suggestions or recommendations on how food composition data should be used by the researcher (Farran Codina Zamora-Ros, 2006). 

A final component of a quality control program is the certification of an analyst s competence to perform the analysis for which he or she is responsible. Before an analyst is allowed to perform a new analytical method, he or she may be required to successfully analyze an independent check sample with acceptable accuracy and precision. The check sample should be similar in composition to samples that the analyst will routinely encounter, with a concentration that is 5 to 50 times that of the method s detection limit. 

Chemical Properties. Elemental analysis, impurity content, and stoichiometry are determined by chemical or iastmmental analysis. The use of iastmmental analytical methods (qv) is increasing because these ate usually faster, can be automated, and can be used to determine very small concentrations of elements (see Trace AND RESIDUE ANALYSIS). Atomic absorption spectroscopy and x-ray fluorescence methods are the most useful iastmmental techniques ia determining chemical compositions of inorganic pigments. Chemical analysis of principal components is carried out to determine pigment stoichiometry. Analysis of trace elements is important. The presence of undesirable elements, such as heavy metals, even in small amounts, can make the pigment unusable for environmental reasons. 

The objective ia any analytical procedure is to determine the composition of the sample (speciation) and the amounts of different species present (quantification). Spectroscopic techniques can both identify and quantify ia a single measurement. A wide range of compounds can be detected with high specificity, even ia multicomponent mixtures. Many spectroscopic methods are noninvasive, involving no sample collection, pretreatment, or contamination (see Nondestructive evaluation). Because only optical access to the sample is needed, instmments can be remotely situated for environmental and process monitoring (see Analytical METHODS Process control). Spectroscopy provides rapid real-time results, and is easily adaptable to continuous long-term monitoring. Spectra also carry information on sample conditions such as temperature and pressure. 

In a general way, the identification of asbestos fibers can be performed through morphological examination, together with specific analytical methods to obtain the mineral composition and/or stmcture. Morphological characterization in itself usually does not constitute a reHable identification criteria (1). Hence, microscopic examination methods and other analytical approaches are usually combined. 

Simple analytical methods are available for determining minimum stages and minimum reflux ratio. Although developed for binary mixtures, they can often be applied to multicomponent mixtures if the two key components are used. These are the components between which the specification separation must be made frequendy the heavy key is the component with a maximum allowable composition in the distillate and the light key is the component with a maximum allowable specification in the bottoms. On this basis, minimum stages may be calculated by means of the Fenske relationship (34) ... 

The elemental composition of the fish otoliths is a potential source of the useful information to recreate environment history of the individual fish in some of the species. In-depth study of the chemical composition of the otolith center (formed eaidy in fish life) and otolith edge (formed later in fish life) ensures chronological and environmental information stored in the otoliths [1]. This infoiTnation may be achieved by X-ray electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). EPMA is the analytical method to determine the elemental composition of different otolith s parts, their sizes varying from ten up to some tens of microns. 

The complex of the following destmctive and nondestmctive analytical methods was used for studying the composition of sponges inductively coupled plasma mass-spectrometry (ICP-MS), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Techniques of sample preparation were developed for each method and their metrological characteristics were defined. Relative standard deviations for all the elements did not exceed 0.25 within detection limit. The accuracy of techniques elaborated was checked with the method of additions and control methods of analysis. 

If the secondary ion component is indeed negligible, the measured SNMS ion currents will depend only on the ionizing mode, on the atomic properties of the sputtered atoms, and on the composition of the sputtered sample. Matrix characteristics will have no effect on the relative ion currents. SNMS analysis also provides essentially complete coverage, with almost all elements measured with equal facility. All elements in a chemically complex sample or thin-film structure will be measured, with no incompleteness due to insensitivity to an important constituent element. Properly implemented SNMS promises to be a near-universal analytical method for solids analysis. 

Because of the complex nature of the discharge conditions, GD-OES is a comparative analytical method and standard reference materials must be used to establish a unique relationship between the measured line intensities and the elemental concentration. In quantitative bulk analysis, which has been developed to very high standards, calibration is performed with a set of calibration samples of composition similar to the unknown samples. Normally, a major element is used as reference and the internal standard method is applied. This approach is not generally applicable in depth-profile analysis, because the different layers encountered in a depth profile of ten comprise widely different types of material which means that a common reference element is not available. 

An analytical method is usually subject to more than one variable. The standard deviation for the method will therefore be a composite of individual standard deviations. So long as these variables are independent, the -standard deviations should combine as follows to give the over-all standard deviation s ... 

It is fruitless to attempt detailed study of a phenomenon whose products are not well identified. It is unfortunately frequently noted in the literature, especially in cases of column chromatography, that fractions are only identified as to the chemical operations which brought them to light. Fractions are identified, for example, only by the solvent used. Speculations as to the composition of the radioactive solutes in such solutions can seldom be really reliable, and the presence of an unexpected radioactive species is in such cases undetectable. It is also important in reading the literature to watch out for cases in which the chemical yields of the carriers have not been measured. Extensive decomposition can often occur on silica gel and alumina columns, especially when photosensitive or moisture sensitive compounds are used. For these reasons much of the information now existing in the literature must be regarded as only exploratory, awaiting the development of better analytical methods for separation, purification, identification and determination of the products —known or expected. 

A review is presented here of certification approaches, followed by several of the major agencies and individual developers of RMs for chemical composition, addressing some of the many associated scientific aspects that significantly impinge on the conduct and outcome of the analytical characterization exercises. These include definition of analytical methods selection of analytical methodologies, analysts and laboratories in-house characterization and cooperative inter-laboratory characterization. 

In order to define this variety of food matrices, chemical composition differences that primarily influence chemical analytical measurements have to be considered. Major food components determining basic chemical make-up are the proximate composition of fat, protein, carbohydrate, ash, and moisture. Variations in ash content in general have a minor influence on analytical methods for other constituents and impact of moisture content can be controlled. Thus the major components influencing analytical performance are the relative levels of fat, protein, and carbohydrate. 

Chemical Composition and Analytical Methods for Discrimination of the Botanical and Geographical Origins of Honeys... 

III. CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND ANALYTICAL METHODS FOR DISCRIMINATION OF THE BOTANICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL ORIGINS OF HONEYS... 

The composition, properties and size (weight, volume) of the sample material to be analyzed are important aspects for analytical method development and for analyte enrichment vs depletion of sample matrix. 

The most widely regarded approach to accomplish the determination of as many pesticides as possible in as few steps as possible is to use MS detection. MS is considered a universally selective detection method because MS detects all compounds independently of elemental composition and further separates the signal into mass spectral scans to provide a high degree of selectivity. Unlike GC with selective detectors, or even atomic emission detection (AED), GC/MS may provide acceptable confirmation of the identity of analytes without the need for further information. This reduces the need to re-inject a sample into a separate GC system (usually GC/MS) for pesticide confirmation. Through the use of selected ion monitoring (SIM), efficient ion-trap or quadrupole devices, and/or tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), modern GC/MS instruments provide LODs similar to or lower than those of selective detectors, depending on the analytes, methods, and detectors. 

More recently, the same author [41] has described polymer analysis (polymer microstructure, copolymer composition, molecular weight distribution, functional groups, fractionation) together with polymer/additive analysis (separation of polymer and additives, identification of additives, volatiles and catalyst residues) the monograph provides a single source of information on polymer/additive analysis techniques up to 1980. Crompton described practical analytical methods for the determination of classes of additives (by functionality antioxidants, stabilisers, antiozonants, plasticisers, pigments, flame retardants, accelerators, etc.). Mitchell... 

Quantitation in XRF was reviewed [225], as well as standardless analytical methods using an extended FPM for the determination of sample compositions [244,245]. 

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