Les nanoparticules d’argent (Ag NPs) sont considérablement utilisées dans l’industrie alimentaire. Elles sont fortement appliquées comme enrobages d’emballages alimentaires afin d’assurer une meilleure qualité des aliments et une plus longue durée de conservation sur les étagères des supermarchés. En revanche, les risques associés aux Ag NPs sont inquiétants. Leurs effets potentiels sur les humains et sur l’environnement suscitent un grand intérêt scientifique. C’est pourquoi il est important de valider des méthodes analytiques pour détecter, caractériser et quantifier les Ag NPs dans la nourriture mise en contact avec ce type de contenant. Les méthodes permettront de mieux comprendre la migration de l'argent vers les aliments directement ingérés par l’humain. La spectrométrie de masse à plasma à couplage inductif en mode particule unique (SP-ICP-MS) est une technique prometteuse pour caractériser et quantifier de petites particules (de quelques nanomètres) à de faibles concentrations (dans l'ordre du ng L-1). Contrairement aux techniques analytiques conventionnelles, telles que les techniques de microscopie et de diffusion de la lumière, le SP-ICP-MS distingue la forme ionique de la forme particulaire de l'analyte. Cette présente étude valide une méthode pour la caractérisation et la quantification des Ag NPs et de l’argent ionique dans deux boissons et trois simulants: jus d'orange, préparation en poudre pour nourrissons, eau Milli-Q, acide acétique à 3% et éthanol à 10%. De plus, une meilleure compréhension du devenir et de la migration de l’argent provenant d'emballages alimentaires nano-activés a pu être obtenue. En effet, les milieux acides et les traitements thermiques ont engendré de plus grands relargages d’argent, sous forme ionique, contrairement aux milieux dits « lipophiles » tels que la préparation pour nourrissons et l’éthanol. En conclusion, ce mémoire nous démontre que les voies de libération des NPs des contenants nano-activés ne sont pas encore très bien comprises. De plus amples études doivent être entreprises afin de pouvoir établir des modèles de migration clairs et afin de mieux comprendre les risques associés à leurs utilisations. / Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) are increasingly used in the food industry. They are integrated into coatings of various food packaging to help ensure longer product shelf life. However, the risks associated with Ag NPs are currently not well known and their potential effects on humans are causing growing concern. Furthermore, it is not clear whether NPs have greater or lesser risk than dissolved silver ions or bulk phase Ag. Consequently, it is necessary to detect and to characterize the release of silver from silver-enhanced containers into real food matrices using sensitive analytical techniques that allow one to distinguish between silver ions and nanoparticles. Single particle ICP-MS is a promising technique to count and size small particles at low concentrations. Compared to other conventional instrumentation, it can distinguish between ionic and particulate forms of the analyte. This thesis focused firstly on the validation of an analytical method for the analysis of Ag NPs and ionic silver in three different food simulants (Milli-Q water, 10% ethanol and 3% acetic acid) and in two drinks (orange juice and infant milk formula). A better understanding of the aging and of the migration of silver has been reached in these matrices. Essentially, acidic media caused significant NP oxidation whereas organic macromolecules like lipids, proteins and polysaccharides appeared to increase the stability of the NPs. Subsequently, a migration study from silver-enhanced containers showed significant release of dissolved Ag in 3% acetic acid and a lower release in milk formula. Also, heating led to a considerable release of silver from the container. To conclude, further studies are needed to obtain clear release models to better understand the risk on humans and on the environment.

[pt] Os metais estão presentes em diversos materiais e muitos deles, como o níquel e o cromo, possuem papeis significativos em diversos setores industriais. A quantificação desses metais é importante tanto para obtenção de informações relevantes a respeito desses materiais, como para avaliação de possíveis contaminações ambientais. No presente trabalho, foram desenvolvidos métodos analíticos para a determinação de níquel e cromo em amostras de asfalto, brita e CAP por espectrometria de massa com plasma indutivamente acoplado usando calibração externa e diluição isotópica. Para a avaliação da exatidão dos métodos foram utilizados os materiais de referência certificados NIST 1084a e NBS 688. Como métodos de preparo de amostra, foram estudadas a decomposição ácida em bloco digestor, e a diluição em uma mistura de xileno/butanol na proporção 60:40 v:v (para amostras de óleo). Para a correção da interferência da espécie 40Ar12C positivo sobre o isótopo de 52Cr foi utilizada a célula de reação dinâmica com introdução de CH4 como gás de reação, o que reduziu de forma significativa o sinal de fundo característico para o isótopo de cromo. Os métodos desenvolvidos se mostraram eficientes na determinação dos metais. As recuperações obtidas para os SRMs se encontram entre 80-120 porcento. As concentrações médias, em mg kg-1 , encontradas para Ni pelos diferentes métodos nas amostras de CAP, brita e asfalto foram, respectivamente 39,9 mais ou menos 0,6, 6,7 mais ou menos 0,5 e 11,2 mais ou menos 0,8, enquanto para Cr as concentrações foram 1,8 mais ou menos 0,1, 15,3 mais ou menos 0,3, 16,6 mais ou menos 0,4. O sucesso da aplicação da diluição isotópica em amostras dissolvidas em solvente orgânico mostrou-se muito promissor, pois elimina a necessidade da decomposição ácida das matrizes tornando o preparo das amostras mais rápido e menos trabalhoso. / [en] Metals are present in several samples and many of them, such as nickel and chromium, have significant roles in several industry sectors. The quantification of these metals is important both for obtaining relevant information regarding these materials, and for evaluating possible environmental contaminations. In the present work, analytical methods were developed for the determination of nickel and chromium in asphalt, crushed stone and CAP samples by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry using both external calibration technique and isotopic dilution. To evaluate accuracy of the method, the certified reference materials NIST 1084a and NBS 688 were used. Two different methods of sample preparation were employed, block digestion and direct dilution in a xylene / butanol mixture using a 60:40 v:v ratio (for the oil samples). For the interference correction imposed by 40Ar12C over 52Cr, the dynamic reaction cell was used with CH4 as the reaction gas, which significantly reduced the characteristic background signal of the chromium isotope. The methods developed proved to be efficient in the determination of the metals in question. The recovery values obtained for the SRMs were between 80-120 percent. The average concentrations, in mg kg-1 , found for Ni by the different methods in CAP, crushed stone and asphalt samples were, respectively, 39,9 more or less 0,6, 6,7 more or less 0,5 and 11,2 more or less 0,8, while for Cr the concentrations were 1,8 more or less 0,1, 15,3 more or less 0,3, 16,6 more or less 0,4. The successful application of isotope dilution in samples dissolved in organic solvent is very promising because it eliminates the need for acid digestion, making the sample preparation faster and less labor intensive.

[pt] Tinturas de cabelo, amplamente utilizadas em cosméticos, demandam atenção especial para garantir a ausência de substâncias prejudiciais à saúde. A Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (ANVISA) estabelece limites de impurezas, como 20 mg kg(-1) para Pb e 100 mg kg(-1) para a soma dos demais elementos potencialmente tóxicos. A fim de avaliar a ocorrência de elementos potencialmente tóxicos em tinturas comercializadas no Brasil, a espectrometria de massa com plasma indutivamente acoplado (ICP-MS) foi empregada neste estudo para determinar as concentrações de Al, Ba, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sn, Sr, Ti e Zn em 26 amostras de tinturas de cabelo. A maioria das amostras apresentou baixas concentrações dos elementos estudados (< 1 mg kg(-1) ), exceto Pb em duas amostras (T01 e T09), tinturas à base de acetato de chumbo, que apresentaram concentrações de até 3.500 mg kg(-1) , e Al com concentrações de até 480 mg kg(-1) para a amostra H01. Utilizando metodologia do Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety da União Europeia, foram avaliados os riscos à saúde associados à exposição prolongada a esses elementos. Alguns elementos demonstram margens de segurança (MS) maiores do que 100, indicando exposição segura de acordo com a Environment Protection Agency (EPA). No entanto, Al, Pb, Cr, Mn e Ni apresentaram valores de MS abaixo de 100, suscitando preocupações em relação ao uso prolongado de algumas tinturas comerciais por apresentarem um valor de MS considerado inseguro (MS < 100) pela EPA. / [en] Hair dyes, widely used in cosmetics, require special attention to ensure the absence of harmful substances to health. The Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (ANVISA) establishes limits for impurities, such as 20 mg kg(-1) for Pb and 100 mg kg(-1) for the sum of other potentially toxic elements. In order to assess the occurrence of potentially toxic elements in hair dyes marketed in Brazil, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was employed in this study to determine the concentrations of Al, Ba, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sn, Sr, Ti, and Zn in 26 hair dye samples. Most samples showed low concentrations of the studied elements (< 1 mg kg(-1) ), except for Pb in two samples (T01 and T09), lead acetate-based dyes, which showed concentrations of up to 3,500 mg kg(-1) , and Al with concentrations of up to 480 mg kg(-1) for sample H01. Using the methodology of the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety of the European Union, health risks associated with prolonged exposure to these elements were assessed. Some elements demonstrate margin of safety (MS) greater than 100, indicating safe exposure according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). However, Al, Pb, Cr, Mn, and Ni showed MS values below 100, raising concerns regarding the prolonged use of some commercial dyes as they present a MS value considered unsafe (MS < 100) by the EPA.

The Eagle Ford Shale and equivalent Boquillas Formation (Late Cretaceous) contain abundant volcanic ash beds of varying thickness. These ash beds represent a unique facies that displays a range of sedimentary structures, bed continuity, and diagenetic alteration. They are prominent not only in West Texas outcrops, but also in the subsurface of South Texas where hydrocarbon production is actively occurring. The ash beds have the potential to be used for stratigraphic correlation for understanding early diagenesis and — most importantly — for obtaining high-resolution geochronology, which can then be used for defining depositional rates and chronostratigraphy. Study of the ash beds was conducted at outcrops along U.S. 90, west of Comstock, Texas, the subsurface in Atascosa and Karnes County, and at a construction site in South Austin. Bed thicknesses range from 0.1–33 cm and were collected throughout the entirety of the Eagle Ford succession. Mineral separation yielded abundant non-detrital zircons for U-Pb dating. Dating was conducted using LA-ICP-MS at The University of Texas at Austin, to attain a base level understanding of the age range for the Eagle Ford. High-resolution ages for the base and top of the Eagle Ford were obtained, in addition to radioisotopically defining the Cenomanian-Turonian boundary within the section. U-Pb ages for the Eagle Ford Shale range from Early Cenomanian to Late-Coniacian near Comstock, Mid-Cenomanian to the Turonian-Coniacian boundary in the subsurface, and Early Cenomanian to Late Turonian in Austin area. These findings contrast with many of the regional biostratigraphic studies across the Eagle Ford and indicate a more prolonged period of Eagle Ford deposition than previously observed. / text

Les carbonatites sont des roches magmatiques essentiellement composées de carbonates (calcite et/ou dolomite) d'origine magmatique. Leur statut pétrographique en tant que liquide magmatique ou cumulat reste à l'heure actuelle fort contreversé. Cette thèse de doctorat à pour objectif une étude pétrographique fine de ces roches couplée à des microanalyses in-situ des éléments en trace des principaux minéraux (carbonate, apatite).

Coal is one of the major energy sources in the world and contains most of the elements from the periodic table. During combustion of coal these elements are released and redistributed. This may lead to environmental problems. Some of these elements are considered to be very dangerous for human and animal health and ecosystems. The knowledge of concentration and speciation of elements in coal is important for the prevention of the adverse environmental phenomena associated with the use of coal. One of the hazardous elements in coal is lead. The purpose of this work is to determine the concentration of lead and its isotopic composition simultaneously with determining the speciation of lead in coal. The ICP-MS method was used to determine the concentration and isotope ratios of lead. A total of 62 samples of subbituminous coal was analyzed. The method of selective extraction analysis BCR was used on 9 samples of subbitumnious coal to identify the speciation of lead in coal. Lead concentrations in coal were measured in the range of 0.25 to 78.84 mg·kg-1 . These concentrations correspond to the average concentrations of lead in most of the coals. Isotope ratio 206 Pb/207 Pb in coal samples ranged from 1.169 to 1.219. Isotopic 208 Pb/206 Pb ratio was measured in the interval 2.047 to 2.093. The isotopic...

15 samples of gem opals were analyzed by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). For this study were selected the most representative samples from Slovakia, Australia, Peru, Ethiopia, Mexico, USA and the Czech Republic. These samples were obtained from private collections. The study focuses on the geochemical relationships between various forms of opal originating from igneous and sedimentary environments based on the results from LA ICP-MS and ICP-MS. The major and trace element compositions are unique for each studied opal locality and important for understanding numerous aspects of opal formation. Major element analysis shows that opals are essentially pure SiO2 (77 - 92 wt. %). Al, Fe, Ca, K, Na and Mg are the main elemental impurities. The concentrations of the trace elements vary strongly depending on the opal locality. Differences were found, e.g., in the concentrations of REE and some refractory elements, which might be indicative for determining the provenance of opals. Many studies have been published explaining the origin of luminescence, microstructures and the thermal properties of opals. However, there are very few comprehensive studies comparing gem opals from the most important historical and...

Magister Scientiae (Medical Bioscience) - MSc(MBS) / Mercury (Hg) is an example of a toxic metal that is not essential for nutrition. It exists in organic and inorganic forms in seafood and vapour from dental amalgam fillings respectively. Elemental mercury (Hg0) from dental amalgam was the focus of this study. Dental amalgam is one of the most commonly used dental filling materials and has been used for over 150 years. It is composed of Hg0 (approximately 50%) combined with other metals such as copper and zinc (Zn). These fillings give off Hg0 vapour throughout their existence, and is further enhanced by activities such as chewing, grinding of teeth and drinking hot liquids. Mercury consumption can lead to Zn loss or deficiency, and is reported to displace Zn and copper. Several European nations have outlawed the use of amalgam as a restorative material due to controversies regarding its safety in children, women of childbearing age and individuals with renal disease. Moreover, various studies have reported correlations between the number of amalgam fillings and Hg concentration in blood plasma, urine, faeces, saliva and different organs. Blood, urine, and hair mercury levels are used to predict possible health effects that may be caused by the different forms of Hg. Urine Hg is used to test exposure to metallic Hg0 vapour and inorganic Hg forms. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Hg0 from dental amalgam restorations on the status of Zn in the urine. This was done by determining the concentrations of Hg0 in urine, buccal cells and the oral cavity, and its relationship with urinary Zn concentrations in the same individuals. Samples of urine, buccal tissues, chewing gum and completed questionnaires were collected from the participants (women and men) at the dental clinics in Tygerberg Hospital (TBH), Cape Town. Samples were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). Findings from this study show that there was a correlation between levels of urinary Hg0 and urinary Zn (p=0.02). However, urinary Hg0 did not predict the amount of urinary Zn. Also, no relationship was found between levels of Hg0 in buccal swab or the chew test samples and urinary Zn level. There was a significant difference between females and males in the level of urinary Zn, men had higher levels of Zn excreted in the urine than females (p=0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the level of urinary Hg0 between males and females. The number of fillings (4-7) and age of fillings were significantly associated with urinary Hg0 level (p˂0.05), while smoking ˃15 cigarettes/day increased the level of Hg0 in buccal swab samples (p=0.002). We were not able to demonstrate a causal effect of Hg0 leaching on urinary zinc levels.

The primary aim of this thesis is to develop image processing algorithms to quantitatively determine the link between traumatic brain injury (TBI) severity and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) neuropathology, specifically looking into the role of blood-brain barrier disruption following TBI. In order to causally investigate the relationship between the tau protein neurodegenerative disease CTE and TBI, mouse models of blast neurotrauma (BNT) and impact neurotrauma (INT) are investigated. First, a high-speed video tracking algorithm is developed based on K-means clustering, active contours and Kalman filtering to comparatively study the head kinematics in blast and impact experiments. Then, to compare BNT and INT neuropathology, methods for quantitative analysis of macroscopic optical images and fluorescent images are described. The secondary aim of this thesis focuses on developing methods for a novel application of metallomic imaging mass spectrometry (MIMS) to biological tissue. Unlike traditional modalities used to assess neuropathology, that suffer from limited sensitivity and analytical capacity, MIMS uses a mass spectrometer -- an analytical instrument for measuring elements and isotopes with high dynamic range, sensitivity and specificity -- as the imaging sensor to generate spatial maps with spectral (vector-valued) data per pixel. Given the vector nature of MIMS data, a unique end-to-end processing pipeline is designed to support data acquisition, visualization and interpretation. A novel multi-modal and multi-channel image registration (MMMCIR) method using multi-variate mutual information as a similarity metric is developed in order to establish correspondence between two images of arbitrary modality. The MMMCIR method is then used to automatically segment MIMS images of the mouse brain and systematically evaluate the levels of relevant elements and isotopes after experimental closed-head impact injury on the impact side (ipsilateral) and opposing side (contralateral) of the brain. This method quantifiably confirms observed differences in gadolinium levels for a cohort of images. Finally, MIMS images of human lacrimal sac biopsy samples are used for preliminary clinicopathological assessments, supporting the utility of the unique insights MIMS provides by correlating areas of inflammation to areas of elevated toxic metals. The image processing methods developed in this work demonstrate the significant capabilities of MIMS and its role in enhancing our understanding of the underlying pathological mechanisms of TBI and other medical conditions. / 2019-07-09T00:00:00Z

O principal objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver uma metodologia de análise de soro sanguíneo utilizando os métodos Proton Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) e Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). O PIXE é um método de análise multielementar baseado na detecção dos raios-X característicos emitidos pelas amostras, quando bombardeadas com feixes de íons (H+, He+, ...) com energia da ordem de alguns MeV. Já o ICP-MS é um espectrômetro de massa que analisa componentes de amostras ionizadas, separados de acordo com suas razões massa carga (m/z). Para a realização deste estudo, as amostras de sangue dos voluntários (30 jovens com idade entre 18 e 25 anos) foram coletadas no Hospital Universitário da USP utilizando tubos de vidro da BD VacutainerTM sem aditivos (Processo do Comitê de Ética: HU-615/05). O soro foi obtido pela centrifugação dos tubos a 3000 rpm. As amostras foram pipetadas sobre Nuclepore (10?m de espessura) e secas a temperatura ambiente, para o método PIXE, e diluídas de 1:10, para as análises com ICP-MS. A acurácia dos resultados foi verificada analisando materiais de referências de soro do National Institute of Public Health - Québec (ICP-03B-02 e ICP-02-S-05). A análise dos padrões apresentou 78% dos dados entre ±1?, 14% entre ±2? e 4% além de ±3?. Este estudo de elementos traço em soro humano revelou um total de 22 elementos: Be, Al, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, Br, Mo, Cd, Sn, Tl e Pb, com concentrações entre 9 ng/l e 6 g/l, o que compreende 9 ordens de grandeza, e também permitiu o estudo das funções de distribuição de probabilidades dos elementos. As técnicas utilizadas foram eficientes e complementares na realização deste trabalho. Os resultados das concentrações elementares medidas neste trabalho concordaram com os valores da literatura. / The main objective of this work was to develop a methodology for the analysis of blood serum by Proton Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). PIXE is a multi elementary spectrometric method that relies on the detection of characteristics X-rays emitted by a sample bombarded with an energetic (~MeV) ion beam (H+, He+, ...). With the ICP-MS one measures the elementary components in an ionised sample, separated according to their mass to charge ratio (m/z). For this study, the blood samples were collected from 30 young healthy adult volunteers with age between 18 and 25 years, in the University Hospital using additiveless BD VacutainerTM tubes (Authorisation agreement HU-615/05). Blood serum was obtained by centrifugation of the tubes at 3000 rpm. For PIXE analysis, the serum samples were pipetted on Nuclepore film (10?m thick) and dried at room temperature. For the ICP-MS analysis, the serum samples were diluted 1:10. Accuracy of both methods was obtained analysing serum reference materials supplied by the National Institute of Public Health - Québec (ICP-03B-02 and ICP-02-S-05). The analysis of the reference materials presented results for the elementary concentrations within ±1? for 78% of the data, 14% of the data lied within ±1? and ±2?, and 4% above ±3?. The analysis of trace elements in human blood serum by PIXE and ICP-MS revealed a total of 22 elements, ranging over 9 orders of magnitude: Be, Al, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, Br, Mo, Cd, Sn, Tl e Pb, with concentrations between 9 ng/l and 6 g/l. The PIXE and ICP-MS techniques were efficient and complimentary for the accomplishment of this work. The elementary concentrations measured in this work agreed with overall data in literature.