348 JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL ATOMIC SPECTROMETRY, JUNE 1987, VOL. 2 Conference Reports 37th Pittsburgh Conference and Exposition on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectrometry: March 9th-l3th, 1987, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA The experience of walking amongst what seemed to be a football crowd, half of whom seemed to be old friends, for four days, the persistent back-ache, two unex- pected memories of my first Pittsburgh Conference. Perhaps it is not surprising that this should be the feeling given the numbers of attendees, the total had reached 29538 by the middle day of the show, when I stopped counting, and the immense size of the exhibition halls. Another surprise was to have to struggle through crowds of aged gamblers, playing slot machines and cards in the casinos, in order to reach the lecture rooms, but we were in Atlantic City.This at least will change at PittConn, as it is affectionately termed, has grown too big for Atlantic City, just as it outgrew its original home in Pittsburgh. The attendance was up by 1.3% on 1986 and the number of exhib- itors exceeded 800. The scientific pro- gramme boasted some 1154 lectures in 127 sessions. Next year the meeting will move to bigger quarters in New Orleans (February 22nd-26th, 1988) and then on to Atlanta in 1989. Instrumentation for analytical atomic spectroscopy was prominent in the ex- position, although there were fewer in- novative presentations than in the recent past. Perkin-Elmer had on show a new bench top low-cost ICP instrument, the Plasma 40. This instrument operates at 40 MHz, with a free-running generator, and uses an argon cooled high-frequency coil.It incorporates an IBM PC and, while it only offers 0.19-nm resolution, the mono- chromator is purgable to allow use to 160JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL ATOMIC SPECTROMETRY, JUNE 1987, VOL. 2 nm. Without the computer it will sell for $49 000. Thermo Jarrell Ash, formerly Allied Analytical Systems, featured the Plasma-300 ICP instrument, also IBM PC compatible, and the new ICAP 61 a simultaneous plasma emission spec- trometer with a capability for up to 61 elements. The host computer was again an IBM PC and a new background correc- tion system was used. The ICAP 61 has a spark source sampling accessory which allows conducting solids to be analysed without dissolution. Improved software for the ICAP 1100 was also announced.Applied Research Laboratories featured the 3410 ICP system which uses a low- flow torch and is “bench height,” as a smaller r.f. generator can be used. Avail- able in vacuum, air or purged path con- figurations the instrument price starts at $56000. Baird also had new instruments on show. The PSX is a sequential ICP- AES system whereas the PSQ is simul- taneous with up to 30 channels, both use a 0.75-m monochromator, a 40-MHz low- flow, low-power plasma and IBM PCs for data capture and instrument control. Again they are particularly promoted as low-cost instruments, starting at $50 000. Leeman Labs exhibited their Plasma- Spec ICP/kchelle spectrometer with a supplementary IBM PC to run the new Dataspec I1 software.This new software has been developed by Ward Scientific. The high resolution and innovative Plas- marray instrument of PRA was exhibited operating at the show and attracted con- siderable attention. As did another approach to high resolution ICP spec- trometry, namely Fourier transform spec- trometry, and it was appropriate that the Chelsea Instruments FT 500 vacuum ultraviolet Fourier transform spec- trometer was featured on the Questron stand. Of interest to DCP users were the modifications to the Spectraspan instru- ment as shown on the ARL stand and reported in lectures. A new Spectraspan VB was introduced which is linked to an IBM PC. ARL also demonstrated their atomic emission spectrometers, with plasma, spark or GDL sources, as did several other companies including Baird, Thermo Jarrell Ash and Instruments SA.ISA had a lively display of Jobin-Yvon equipment. New to the show was the Shimadzu GMV-514 emission spec- trometer, a low-cost arc - spark system aimed particularly at the steel industry. There seemed to be less innovation in the AA instrumentation. Although a new German instrument the SIM-41 produced by AGW must be excluded from this comment. This instrument can determine 20 elements in a sample at the rate of 5 seconds per element. Equipped with the Atomsource Atomizer, a sputtering cell, solid samples can be analysed directly, provided they are conducting, with excel- lent detection limits. In order to achieve background correction a D2-arc beam is combined with the HCL beam. The instrument has furnace, flame , hydride, mercury and ICP accessories.The hydride generation unit being particularly flexible. A flash converter is used to provide computer control much faster than possible with analogue to digital conversion. In the United States this instrumentation will be sold by the Analyte Corporation at $50 000. Thermo 349 Jarrell Ash featured new software for their AA spectrometers, Varian their new range of instruments with Zeeman back- ground correction, Perkin-Elmer a new IBM PC data station for the 1100 and ARL the GBC System 2000 graphite furnace. The growth of companies selling XRF spectrometers continues and the variety of portable energy dispersive instruments was again noticeable. Naturally Philips were well represented with the PW 1800, claimed to be the first such instrument to incorporate robotics.ARL exhibited an updated 8400+ instrument with dual goniometer and new software. Rigaku showed their new 3030 spectrometer. This fully automated sequential instrument comes pre-programmed so that the user only has to press the appropriate element on a Periodic Table display to start the analysis. Diano demonstrated their new microcomputer controlled series 2000 X-ray vacuum spectrometer systems. This series is IBM PC compatible and demon- strates the growth of this new company since its formation in 1984. Jordan Valley Applied Radiation had on show their EX-3000 elemental analyser particularly designed for the industrial environment. Link Systems were prominent amongst the energy dispersive exhibitors , showing their XR 200/300 series.Nucleus featured their EX-2040 and -2030 XRF analysers both of which are personal computer based. The Portaspec automatic goniometer attachment was introduced by Cianflone, this can be retrofitted to all installed Portaspec portable X-ray spectrometers. Another new XRF moni- tor for on-stream analysis was the Asoma 8660, who also market the portable 8620. No dramatic advances in ICP-MS instrumentation were exhibited, but VG were kept busy demonstrating the Plas- maQuad in a seminar room away from the bustle of the main floor, and Perkin- Elmer Sciex talked about the new world- wide service now available for their Elan. However ICP-MS sessions attracted per-350 JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL ATOMIC SPECTROMETRY, JUNE 1987, VOL. 2 haps the biggest audiences in the scientific programme.The symposium organised by Sam Houk on the Thursday afternoon being particularly popular with invited lectures by Alan Gray, Gary Horlick, Jim McLaren and Roger Ng. The emphasis of the lectures was very much on interfer- ence effects, the extent and importance of which are still being evaluated in ICP-MS. While the honesty of this debate is wel- come, it should not be allowed to over- shadow the excellent results some work- ers are now obtaining on real samples; the examples given by Meddings and Ng being particularly impressive in this respect. As usual the five plasma emission sessions were well attended. The emphasis this year seemed to be on software and computing advances. Only three sessions were required for the atomic absorption presentations where furnace and hydride generation applications were prominent.Curtis Monnig and Gary Hieftje presen- ted some exciting results on the possibility of using magneto-optical rotation with polarisation modulation for trace metal determinations. Only half a session was devoted to X-ray fluorescence, and emis- sion spectroscopy (arcs and sparks) was also reduced to such a brief period. While these time allocations do not reflect the current usage of these techniques they mirror the present research effort into their development. It was good to hear compliments about JAAS from so many atomic spectroscop- ics at the conference and to know it is being well received all over the world. The Royal Society of Chemistry hosted a reception at the Golden Nugget Hotel on the Tuesday evening which was well attended despite counter attractions.Now the target for the RSC as indeed it is for all those involved in this, the biggest exhibition and conference in the world of analytical chemistry and applied spectro- scopy, is to do even better in New Orleans in 1988. Les Ebdon Plymouth Polytechnic, UK Thames Polytechnic, London, UK The Atomic Spectrometry Updates (ASU) Annual Symposium formerly the “Annual Reports on Analytical Atomic Spectrosopy” (ARAAS) , was held at Thames Polytechnic, London on the 8th April, 1987. The meeting has in the past been held in Sheffield and this was the first year of the new roving policy in which various UK sites will be visited, Prior to the meeting (7th April) the ASU Editorial Board met to discuss the format and presentation of the ASU reviews which appear at the end of each bimonthly issue of JAAS.As a variation from the meet- ing’s agenda we (the Editorial Board) witnessed two atomic spectroscopists (John Burridge and Barry Sharp) with totally unexpected aspirations as civil engineers as they compared the body weight to stress resistance of polytechnic furniture. Notable exceptions to this were the two largest board members (names withheld for fear of reprisal, see lateri under kebab). The meeting concluded, the board adjourned to the Trafalgar Tavern, Greenwich for the annual dinner. This was attended by our two invited overseas Board Members Roger Stephens (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada) and Gugielmo Rossi (Ispra, Italy) along with his wife.The after dinner speech by the Chairman, Malcolm Cresser, contained recollections of his days as a research student and the hardship experienced emptying beer barrels of their contents in conjunction with Roger Stephens and co-workers. All of which served to demonstrate that the friendship amongst past colleagues was warm and that wine had flowed freely during the dinner. After several minutes recital by the Chairman, presentations were made to Mrs. Rossi and to the two overseas speakers. The formal speech over, Steve Haswell Members of the ASU Board preparing for the Annual Meeting (Thames Polytechnic) provided us with the benefits of his many hours study by reciting a cheerful poem about life in the South of England. Everyone then ad- journed to the bar for liquid refreshment prior to the journey back to the hall of residence, a move not easily carried out in practice owing to the malfunction (broken rear axle to those mechanically minded) of the bus.Thus delaying our beauty sleep, some requiring more than others (no clues this time), for an hour; all of which gave Malcolm Cresser and Neil Barnett time to quell their hunger with a kebab. On to the meeting itself which was attended by approximately 45 delegates. In a plenary lecture Dr. Rossi described some of the activities of the spectroscopy sector of the European Community Research Centre at Ispra in Northern Italy. Three projects were described, the first one being the development of a remote sensing device for detection and characterisation of oil pollution at sea using laser induced fluorescence.Prelimi- nary investigations under controlled con- ditions have indicated the feasibility of detecting a range of heavy and light crude oils using fluorescence sensing. The first production instrument should be com- pleted towards the end of the year prior to testing in 1988. Secondly, a long-term series of experiments to examine the contribution of petrol lead to human blood lead is nearing completion (a similar evaluation is being carried out in the UK of which Trevor Delves at South- ampton is a participant). In the first experiment the lead isotopic composition in Italian petrol was altered by the use of lead from the Broken Hill Mine, Aus- tralia where the 206/207 Pb ratio is 1.04; this is in comparison with European leadJOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL ATOMIC SPECTROMETRY, JUNE 1987, VOL.2 35 1 Dr. G. Rossi and Dr. R. Stephens (invited overseas Board Members) at the Annual Dinner which has the isotopic composition for 206/207 of 1.18. Mass spectrometric determination of the native blood lead composition has indicated that approxi- mately 25% of the lead present is derived from car exhausts. The final report of this work is not yet available. In a separate experiment, the Athens lead experiment, started on 1st July 1983, the blood lead composition of 40 males/females/children and 30 traffic wardens (I don’t know if the lower number means more blood was removed?, the author) was monitored using ETA and XRF before and after reduction of the lead in premium petrol from 0.4 g 1-1 to a nominal 0.15 g 1-1. The results of this work have yet to be completed.Finally, a study of the trace metal (Cd, Cu and Pb) distribution in a freshwater ecosystem (Lake Maggiore, Northern Italy) as part of a comprehen- sive investigation into the pathway of toxic trace elements was outlined. The choice of the site on Lake Maggiore was entirely due to financial logistics coupled with the close proximity of Ispra. Results on the spatial distribution of the trace metals in the sediment and marine envi- ronment were presented in relation to a tributary river. In a lecture entitled “Trace Element Speciation-Does it Work in Theory?” by Steve Haswell (Thames Polytechnic) the requirement to determine elemental forms in biologcal and environmental samples was answered in the affirmative with the proviso that suitable methodol- ogy is developed (see later, Sparkes).Direct coupling and fraction collecting techniques for the introduction of the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) eluent into an ETA were dis- cussed. The experimental determination of trace element complexes in polar dis- solved organic compounds in soil pore water was outlined together with more recent work on the simulation of the gastro-intestinal digestion of foodstuffs [a method developed by Crews et al., Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF), Nonvich, UK]. The latter method was applied to crabmeat, with the determination of the cadmium speciation. The final lecture of the morning session was given by Simon Sparkes, a research fellow at AERE, Harwell, on the specia- tion of organic compounds of radio- nuclides by HPLC - ICP-MS.ICP-MS has received little attention as a chromat- ographic detector (except notably by MAFF, Food Science Laboratory, Nor- wich and Caruso et al., Cincinnati, USA) even though it provides many of the advantages for an ideal HPLC detector, e.g., long linear dynamic range, multi- element capability, good detection power, flow uptake rates of nebulisers compatible with HPLC flow-rates, as well as the additional advantage of isotopic information. These advantages were out- lined in the lecture and the capability for the determination of 238U, 232Th and 99Tc demonstrated. After an enjoyable lunch, the second of our overseas Board Members Roger Stephens presented a plenary lecture on new novel methods of elemental detec- tion.The lecture was entitled, “Fields, Photons and Elemental Analysis.” Two techniques were described in detail, Zee- man corrected absorption (ZAA) and magneto-optic rotation (MOR). ZAA operating without a monochromator, and hence non-dispersive was described. The emission from the hollow-cathode lamp passing through a flame atomiser to a photomultiplier tube, selectivity being achievable by either a magnetic field (situated around the atomiser) or polari- sation modulation (situated in front of detector) of the radiation. This system offers the advantages of a simple optical system, good sensitivity and the feasibility for multi-channel operation (a series of hollow-cathode lamps). A more versatile technique is MOR which arises from either the amplitude (dichroism) or the phase differences (birefringence) between orthogonal polarisation states.One particular application of MOR allows detection of the variation in iso- tope composition by determination of the ratio between dichroic and birefringent signals. This ability was demonstrated with respect to 208Pb. The associated technique of electro-optic rotation (EOR), produced by a radiofrequency field on a He - Ne laser source, was described. This technique can be applied for detection in solution or the vapour phase. The technique was demonstrated by measurement of the charge carried by adsorbed ions on a suspension of Bento- nite clav. Even though EOR is charge specific, detection limits in the ng ml-1 range are achievable as well as informa- tion on the oxidation state of the adsorbed species.“Chromatographic Separation and Detection Methods for Speciation Stud- ies” was the title of the lecture given by Peter Fielden from DIAS, UMIST, Man- Chester. The lecture considered the advantages of using separation techniques coupled with element/species selective detection. The advantages of utilising separation techniques were described as: ( a ) species resolved in time, (b) minimum sample pre-treatment for complex mix- tures, ( c ) integrated analysis procedure, ( d ) small sample volumes and (e) pre- concentration techniques possible, e.g. , ion-exchange chromatography. Three types of detector were considered: UV (non-specific) , electrochemical (select- ive) and atomic spectrometric (element specific).The question of the alternative detection techniques to atomic spec- trometry were considered in view of the information available and the instrumen- tation cost. A reminder was given that speciation studies have been performed for many years in electrochemistry with- out the need for separation techniques, providing species selective detection. Also, the versatility of electrochemical detection when used in conjunction with HPLC was demonstrated. Future metho- dology for speciation studies incorporat- ing the use of electrochemical cells for selective screening of species prior to separation by HPLC and detection by atomic spectroscopy was proposed. The use of electrochemical cells for pre-con- centration has already been applied in ICP-AES methodology. The final lecture of the symposium was presented by Steve Hill (Plymouth Poly- technic) who provided a review of recent work on arsenic speciation in environ- mental and food samples at Plymouth. The techniques described were directly coupled gas chromatography - flame atomic absorption spectrometry (GC - FAAS) and HPLC - atomic absorption spectrometry (HPLC - AAS). Details of the column type, mobile phase and flow rates for both GC and HPLC were given. The results of the arsenic speciation in pore waters, estuarine waters, seaweeds and some foodstuffs (fish, fruit and vege- tables) were shown. The continuity of the meeting was attributable to its Chairman, Malcolm Cresser and the hospitality extended by Thames Polytechnic, and in particular Steve Haswell. John R. Dean Research Fellow, Plymouth Polytechnic at MAFF, Food Science Laboratory, Norwich. UK