Detectors physiological response

The use of the flame photometric detector in the sulfur-sensitive mode (attributed to the emission of S2 spectral species at 394 nm) is exemplified in measuring the sulfur-containing volatiles in physiological fluids [110], or breath of liver-disease patients [111]. A word of caution concerns the fact that co-eluting non-sulfur compounds may result in a diminished or quenched response of the measured species [112]. Hence, the need for maximum solute separation. The detector is responsive to nanogram amounts of sulfur-containing compounds, but the response increases with the square of sulfur content [112]. Merits of the flame photometric detector in the detection of phosphorus compounds is somewhat overshadowed by a similar capability of the thermionic detector. 

The flame-based detector was reported to accept in excess of 20 ui/mln of 10-25Z aqueous methanol without extinction of the flame Optimum response was obtained at flow rates below 5 iii/min. Compatible solvent systems were aqueous methanol (up to 50%), acetone and ethanol (up to 40%) The minimum detectable quantity (at 5 times noise) measured for the FPD was 2 pg P. The dual-flame TSD can also be directly Interfaced with mlcrocaplllary packed columns The TSD was reported to be compatible with 75 to 100% aqueous methanol The utilization of microbore column LC-TSD for the analyls of nitrogen, phosphorous, and halogen containing compounds is particularly Important in studies of biomolecules, and drugs and their metabolites in physiological fluids ... 

Nowadays, atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) systems are comparatively inexpensive element selective detectors, and some of the instruments also show multi(few)-element capability. There are flame (F AAS), cold vapor (CV AAS), hydride-generating (HG AAS), and graphite furnace (GF-AAS) systems. However, the use of AAS-based detectors for on-line speciation analysis is problematic. F AAS is usually not sensitive enough for speciation analysis at "normal" environmental or physiological concentrations and sample intake is high (4—5 ml/min), which complicates on-line hyphenations with LC an auxiliary flow is necessary. CV AAS and HG AAS use selective derivatization for matrix separation and increased sensitivity for the derivatized species. But, the detector response is species dependent and interferences can be a problem. GF AAS requires only a few microliters of sample and provides low detection limits, between 0.1 and 5 gg/1. Matrix interferences are widely eliminated by Zeeman correction and matrix modifiers nevertheless, quantification errors were reported as atomization temperature does not exceed 2900°C. The most critical problem in respect to speciation analysis is the discontinuous measiuement because of the temperature program operation employed, which takes a few minutes. Therefore, GF AAS is unsuitable for on-line hyphenations as chromatograms carmot be monitored with sufficient resolution. 

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