• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.17-20
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• 2010

As background significantly affects measurement accuracy and a detection limit in determination of the trace amounts of uranium, it is necessary to minimize the impurities in the filaments used for thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS). We have varied the degassing condition such as the heating currents and duration times to reduce the backgrounds from the filaments prepared with zone-refined rhenium tape. The most efficient degassing condition of the heating current and the duration time was determined as 3.5 A and 60 min, respectively. The TIMS measurement combined with the isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) technique showed that the uranium backgrounds were determined to be in a few fg level from blank rhenium filaments. The background minimized filaments were utilized to measure the uranium isotope ratios of a U030 (NIST) standard sample. The excellent agreement of the measurement with the certified isotope ratios showed that the degassing procedure optimized in this study efficiently reduced the impurity signals of uranium from blank rhenium filaments to a negligible level.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.894-899
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• 2007

An experiment was conducted using a [6, 6-$^2H$]glucose isotope dilution method to determine the effects of plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) on plasma glucose metabolism in sheep taken from a thermoneutral environment and exposed to a hot environment. The sheep were fed either mixed hay (MH) of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) and reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) at a 60:40 ratio or MH and plantain (PL) at a 9:1 ratio in a crossover design for each 23-day period. In both dietary treatments the metabolizable energy (ME) and crude protein intake were designed to be isoenergetic and isoproteinous at around maintenance level. The sheep were taken from a thermoneutral environment ($20^{\circ}C$, 70% RH) and exposed to a hot environment ($28-30^{\circ}C$, 70% RH) for 5 days. The isotope dilution method using a single injection of [6, 6-$^2H$]glucose was performed on the $18^{th}$ day of the thermoneutral environment and on the $5^{th}$ day of heat exposure. Plasma glucose pool size was numerically lower (p = 0.26) during heat exposure on both dietary treatments, and numerically higher (p = 0.13) on the MH diet irrespective of environmental temperature. Plasma NEFA concentration (p = 0.01) and glucose turnover rate (p = 0.03) were decreased during heat exposure, but remained similar between diets. It could be concluded that, although no positive impact of plantain on glucose metabolism was found under the present experimental conditions (plantain constituted only 10% of basal diet), plantain herb is an alternative to MH for rearing sheep in both thermoneutral and hot environments.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.523-529
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• 2016

An isotope dilution method using $[U-^{13}C]glucose$ and $[1-^{13}C]leucine$ (Leu) was conducted to evaluate the effects of rice straw supplemented with urea and molasses (RSUM-diet) on plasma glucose and Leu turnover rates in sheep. Nitrogen (N) balance, rumen fermentation characteristics and blood metabolite concentrations were also determined. Four sheep were fed either mixed hay (MH-diet), or a RSUM-diet with a crossover design for two 21 days period. Feed allowance was computed on the basis of metabolizable energy at maintenance level. The isotope dilution method was performed as the primed-continuous infusion on day 21 of each dietary period. Nitrogen intake was lower (p = 0.01) for the RSUM-diet and N digestibility did not differ (p = 0.57) between diets. Concentrations of rumen total volatile fatty acids tended to be higher (p = 0.09) for the RSUM-diet than the MH-diet. Acetate concentration in the rumen did not differ (p = 0.38) between diets, whereas propionate concentration was higher (p = 0.01) for the RSUM-diet compared to the MH-diet. Turnover rates as well as concentrations of plasma glucose and Leu did not differ between diets. It can be concluded that kinetics of plasma glucose and Leu metabolism were comparable between the RSUM-diet and the MH-diet, and rumen fermentation characteristics were improved in sheep fed the RSUM-diet compared to the MH-diet.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.737-744
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• 2007

An isotope dilution-liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric method was developed as a candidate reference method for the accurate determination of acrylamide in potato chips, starch-rich foodstuff cooked at high temperature. Sample was spiked with 13C3-acrylamide and then extracted with water. The extract was further cleaned up with an Oasis HLB solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridge and an Oasis mixed-phase cation exchange (MCX) SPE cartridge. The extract was analyzed by using LC/ESI/Tandem MS in positive ion mode. LC with a medium reversed-phase (C4) column was optimized to obtain adequate chromatographic retention and separation of acrylamide. MS was operated to selectively monitor [M+H]+ ions of the analyte and its isotope analogue at m/z 72 and m/z 75, respectively. Sample was also analyzed by the LC/MS with selectively monitoring the collisionally induced dissociation channels of m/z 72 → m/z 55 and m/z 75 → 58. Compared to the LC/MS chromatograms, the LC/MS/MS chromatograms showed substantially reduced background chemical noises coming from solvent clusters formed during ESI spray processes and interferences from sample matrix. Repeatability and reproducibility studies showed that the LC/MS/MS method is a reliable and reproducible method which can provide a typical method precision of 1.0% while the LC/MS results are influenced by chemical interferences.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.301-310
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• 2006

Destructive methods were used for the burnup determination of U-Zr alloy nuclear fuel irradiated in the High-flux Advanced Neutron Application Reactor (HANARO) at KAERI. The dissolution rate of unirradiated U-Zr alloy fuel in $HNO_3$/HF mixtures was investigated for the experimental conditions of a different temperature, and initial concentrations of HF and $HNO_3$. The irradiated U-Zr alloy fuel specimen was dissolved in a mixed acid condition of 3 M HNO3 and 1 M HF at $90^{\circ}C$ for 8 hours under reflux. The total burnup was determined from measurement of the Nd isotope burnup monitors. The method includes U, Pu, $^{148}Nd,\;^P{145}Nd+^{146}Nd,\;^{144}Nd+^{143}Nd$ and total Nd isotopes determination by the isotope dilution mass spectrometric method (IDMS) using triple spikes $(^{233}U,\;^{242}Pu\;and\;^{150}Nd)$. The effective fission yield was calculated from the weighted fission yields averaged over the irradiation period. The results are compared with that obtained by the destructive -spectrometric measurement of the $^{137}Cs$ monitor.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.277-286
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• 1994

The pot experiment using $^{15}N$ isotope dilution technique was carried out to calculate the balance of nitrogen of surface applied urea in the rice-soil system. The $^{15}N$ concentration was determined by stable isotope ratio mass spcetrometer (model: VG ISO-GAS MM622). In the pots with $^{15}N$ labeled urea application at the rates of 15 and 30 kg N/10a, the percentage of nitrogen derived from fertilizer (NDFF) in rice was higher at the rate of 30 kg N/10a (average 89%) than at the rate of 15 kg N/10a (average 64%). However, the recovery as percentage of fertilizer N by rice was higher at the rate of 15 kg N/10a (65.5%) than at the rate of 30 kg N/10a (54.2%). The percentage of the fertilizer N remained in extractable inorganic N form at the rates of 15 and 30 kg N/10a were $13.5%\;(NH_4-N\;5.53%,\;NO_3-N\;7.99%)$ and $16.5%\;(NH_4-N\;7.49%,\;NO_3-N\;8.98%)$ in unplanted soil, and $2.0%\;(NH_4-N\;0.63%,\;NO_3-N\;1.32%)$ and$2.3%\;(NH_4-N\;0.87%,\;NO_3-N\;1.40%)$ in soil planted to rice, respectively. The dominant form of inorganic-N in soil after harvest was $NO_3-N$ form rather than $NH_4-N$ form regardless of urea application rate or rice cultivation. The percentage of the fertilizer N remained in organic N form at the rates of 15 and 30 kg N/10a were 65.0 and 41.8% in unplanted soil, and 23.7 and 26.9% in soil planted to rice, respectively. In conclusion, the efficiency of surface-applied urea was greater at the rate 15 kg N/10a than at the rate of 30 kg N/10a.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.472-477
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• 2011

The concentration of selenium in grain samples was determined using isotope dilution method in ORC-ICPMS. The experimental conditions were optimized to $H_2$ mode and the flow rate was $4.0\;mL\;min^{-1}$. ORC in $H_2$ mode proved to eliminate most of polyatomic interferences except $BrH^+$ when Br is present in sample matrix. Chemical removal of Br was very difficult and the mathematical correction was successfully employed. The fraction of $BrH^+$ generated from Br at the current experimental condition was 14.1%. The signal on m/z 82 was corrected and calculated for isotope dilution. The analytical reliability of the propose method was successfully evaluated by analyzing the certified standard reference material NIST SRM 1566 and 1567. The method was applied to real samples and the results are $0.034{\pm}0.001\;{\mu}g\;g^{-1}$ for white rice, $0.059{\pm}0.002_5\;{\mu}g\;g^{-1}$ for brown rice, $0.029{\pm}0.001_4\;{\mu}g\;g^{-1}$ for black rice, and $0.034{\pm}0.002\;{\mu}g \;g^{-1}$ for barley. The detection limits ($3\sigma$) for Se was $0.012\;ng\;g^{-1}$.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.271-277
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• 2005

Urea in blood has been measured as an effective marker for diagnosis of renal function. Urea which is e end-product of nitrogen containing metabolites such as proteins is filtered through glomeruli of kidneys and then excreted as urine. If the renal function is deteriorated, the urea concentration in blood will be increased, from which the healthiness of renal function is judged. In order to improve the confidence of diagnosis results, the results must keep traceability chain to certified reference materials, which was certified by primary reference method. In this study, we proposed isotope dilution-liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (ID-LC/MS) as a candidate primary method, in which $15^N_2$-urea is used as an internal reference material. The developed method is highly accurate in principle and is convenient as it does not require cumbersome derivatization. 0.1 mmol/L ammonium chloride was selected as a mobile phase for HPLC because it provided low interference in MS analysis of relatively low molecular weighted urea. HPLC and MS were connected with an electrospray ionization (ESI) interface of positive mode, which provided high sensitivity and reproducibility. The developed method was validated with internationally recognized reference materials, and we have obtained satisfactory results in an international ring trial. The expanded uncertainty calculated according to ISO guide was 1.8% at 95% confidence interval. The developed method is being used as a primary reference measurement method such as for certification of serum certified reference materials (CRMs).

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2006

The isotope dilution method was used for the determination of Br impurity in $1000{\mu}g/g$ Cl standard solution. Since relatively pure KCl salt was used for the preparation of the Cl standard solution, the Br impurity determination suffers from both spectral and non-spectral interferences due to the presence of a large amount of K and Cl matrices. AG2-X8 anion-exchange resin was employed to separate the Br analyte from the matrices, and RF power was raised to 1500 W and nebulizer gas flow rate was lowered to 0.77 L/min to reduce background from the $ArArH^+$ molecular ions. The Br impurity in the $1000{\mu}g/g$ Cl standard solution was determined to be 43.7 ng/g with the standard addition method. The analytical result was in good agreement with 41.2 ng/g (RSD 1.6%) determined by the isotope dilution method to lower uncertainty from poor reproducibility of the anion-exchange process.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 2012

Isotope dilution mass spectrometry (ID-MS) based on liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) was developed for the accurate determination of sorbic acid in tea-drink. An isotope analogue of sorbic acid, $^{13}C_2$-sorbic acid, was obtained by custom synthesis. MS was operated in the negative mode with selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode of $[M-H]^-$ ${\rightarrow}$ $[M-CO_2H]^-$ channel at m/z 111 ${\rightarrow}$ 67 for sorbic acid and at m/z 113 ${\rightarrow}$ 68 for its isotope analogue. Chromatographic separation was accomplished with a C18 column and an isocratic mobile phase of 55% of 50 mM ammonium acetate (pH 4.5) and 45% of methanol. Homogeneous reference materials were prepared for validation of this method, including repeatability and reproducibility tests, by fortifying tea-drink with sorbic acid in our laboratory. Repeatability and reproducibility studies showed that the ID-LC/MS method is a reliable and reproducible method which provides less than 3.8% of relative standard deviation (RSD) for the analysis of sorbic acid.