Limit of optical detection

Limits of Optical Detection (LOD) associated with the Lightpipe Luminoscope (LPL) for several oil and tar products... 

In TLC the detection process is static (sepaurations achieved in space rather than time) and free from time constraints, or from interference by the mobile phase, which is removed between the development and detection process. Freedom from time constraints permits the utilization of any variety of techniques to enhance detection sensitivity, which if the methods are nondestructive, nay be applied sequentially. Thus, the detection process in TLC is nore flexible and variable than for HPLC. For optical detection the minimum detectable quantities are similar for both technlqpies with, perhaps, a slight advantage for HPLC. Direct comparisons are difficult because of the differences in detection variables and how these are optimized. Detection in TLC, however, is generally limited to optical detection without the equivalent of refractive... 

Table I. Estimated Detection Limits of Optical Methods (p.p.b.)...

The enzyme is immobilized on a nylon mesh, which also acts as a diffuse reflector for the light. The dynamic range of this sensor is between 1(T5 and 10 3M. Although the primary process that determines the steady-state concentration of the p-nitrophenoxide ion is the diffusion-reaction mechanism (which is governed by concentrations of all participating species), the detection of its concentration is again subject to the limitations of optical sensing of ionic species (Section 9.4.1). There are many similar optical enzyme biosensor schemes that utilize detection of... 

Improvement of optical detection limits can be achieved by either increasing the signal or decreasing the noise. In an ideal optical detector, noise is determined by the fundamental "shot or statistical noise of the photon flux incident on the photodetector. However, this ideal situation is not always realized in HPLC optical detectors, for which both electronic and thermal noise sources can exceed optical shot noise, degrading the signal to noise level Inherent to the optical design of the detector. 

Most applications depend on the understanding of the limitations of the detection principles and of the equipment used, which helps to avoid trivial errors. For this reason, after a short introduction to the theoretical fundamentals, different types of instrumentation are compared with respect to sample handling and error avoidance. Besides absorption, the suitability of fluorescence, reflectance, and interferometry are demonstrated. Some new applications by use of fiber optics and diode array technology are given. Measurements in turbid solution are introduced and a few clinical examples are mentioned. Finally, principles of multicomponent analysis are discussed. 

Highly sensitive iastmmental techniques, such as x-ray fluorescence, atomic absorption spectrometry, and iaductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, have wide appHcation for the analysis of silver ia a multitude of materials. In order to minimize the effects of various matrices ia which silver may exist, samples are treated with perchloric or nitric acid. Direct-aspiration atomic absorption (25) and iaductively coupled plasma (26) have silver detection limits of 10 and 7 l-lg/L, respectively. The use of a graphic furnace ia an atomic absorption spectrograph lowers the silver detection limit to 0.2 l-ig/L. 

Chiral separations have become of significant importance because the optical isomer of an active component can be considered an impurity. Optical isomers can have potentially different therapeutic or toxicological activities. The pharmaceutical Hterature is trying to address the issues pertaining to these compounds (155). Frequendy separations can be accompHshed by glc, hplc, or ce. For example, separation of R(+) and 5 (—) pindolol was accompHshed on a reversed-phase ceUulose-based chiral column with duorescence emission (156). The limits of detection were 1.2 ng/mL of R(+) and 4.3 ng/mL of 3 (—) pindolol in semm, and 21 and 76 ng/mL in urine, respectively. 

The simultaneous determination of Co and Ni is also made at pH 8 in the presence of pyrophosphate. The EDTA is added to the mixture of coloured complexes of these metals to bind the Cu and Zn admixtures into the inactive complexes. The optical density of the solution is measured at 530, 555 and 580 nm. The solution is heated to the boiling point to destmct the complex formed by Ni with PAR, and then is cooled. Again the measurements of optical density ai e performed at the same wavelengths. The Ni concentration is calculated from the variation in the optical density, and the Co concentration is calculated from the final values of optical density. The detection limits for these metals are 4 and 2 p.g/dm, respectively. 

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