Academic and Professional Serviceshttps://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/handle/10026.1/117722024-03-29T11:04:32Z2024-03-29T11:04:32ZAtomic spectrometry update: Review of advances in the analysis of metals, chemicals and materialsCarter, SClough, RFisher, AGibson, BRussell, BWaack, Jhttps://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/handle/10026.1/156282022-03-14T06:30:18Z2019-11-01T00:00:00ZAtomic spectrometry update: Review of advances in the analysis of metals, chemicals and materials
Carter, S; Clough, R; Fisher, A; Gibson, B; Russell, B; Waack, J
There has been a large increase in the number of papers published that are relevant to this review over this review period. The growth in popularity of LIBS is rapid, with applications being published for most sample types. This is undoubtedly because of its capability to analyse in situ on a production line (hence saving time and money) and its minimally destructive nature meaning that both forensic and cultural heritage samples may be analysed. It also has a standoff analysis capability meaning that hazardous materials, e.g. explosives or nuclear materials, may be analysed from a safe distance. The use of mathematical algorithms in conjunction with LIBS to enable improved accuracy has proved a popular area of research. This is especially true for ferrous and non-ferrous samples. Similarly, chemometric techniques have been used with LIBS to aid in the sorting of polymers and other materials. An increase in the number of papers in the subject area of alternative fuels was noted. This was at the expense of papers describing methods for the analysis of crude oils. For nanomaterials, previous years have seen a huge number of single particle and field flow fractionation characterisations. Although several such papers are still being published, the focus seems to be switching to applications of the nanoparticles and the mechanistic aspects of how they retain or bind with other analytes. This is the latest review covering the topic of advances in the analysis of metals, chemicals and materials. It follows on from last year's review1-6 and is part of the Atomic Spectrometry Updates series.
2019-11-01T00:00:00ZStability of Arsenic Species During Bioaccessibility Assessment Using the In Vitro UBM and HPLC-ICP-MS Detection.Tokalıoğlu, ŞClough, RFoulkes, MWorsfold, Phttps://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/handle/10026.1/156272022-03-14T06:31:29Z2020-11-01T00:00:00ZStability of Arsenic Species During Bioaccessibility Assessment Using the In Vitro UBM and HPLC-ICP-MS Detection.
Tokalıoğlu, Ş; Clough, R; Foulkes, M; Worsfold, P
The stability of four major arsenic (As) species during application of the BARGE (Bioaccessibility Research Group of Europe) unified bioaccessibility method (UBM) has been assessed. The concentrations of As species in the UBM gastric and gastro-intestinal (gastric + intestinal) phases were determined using HPLC-ICP-MS whilst the total As content in the samples was determined using ICP-MS alone. The arsenic species studied were arsenite As(III), arsenate As(V), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) and monomethylarsonic acid (MMA). These species were separated in 10 min using an anion exchange column (Hamilton PRP-X100) with a mobile phase containing 20 mmol L-1 NH4H2PO4/1% methanol (pH 6.0). The recoveries of arsenic species spiked into the gastric and gastro-intestinal fluids were in the range 90-108%. No interconversion between As species was observed as a result of applying the BARGE UBM, which is a particularly important finding for the reliability of As(III) measurements. The accuracy of the BARGE UBM for in vitro extractable As(V) was verified using British Geological Survey (BGS) guidance material 102 (an ironstone soil). For a commercial rice sample, the bioaccessibility sequence of As was DMA > As(III) > As(V) for the gastric phase and As(III) > DMA > As(V) for the gastro-intestinal phase.
2020-11-01T00:00:00ZDentists’ perceptions of their professional roles regarding referrals within primary dental care in England: a qualitative studyAllen, Zoehttps://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/handle/10026.1/156052023-03-20T00:24:00Z2020-09-01T00:00:00ZDentists’ perceptions of their professional roles regarding referrals within primary dental care in England: a qualitative study
Allen, Zoe
OBJECTIVE: To describe dentists' perceptions of their professional roles, including the reasons why they make, accept or decline patient referrals within primary dental care in England. BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN: Qualitative semi-structured interviews, conducted via Skype, telephone or face-to-face. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis and typologies were developed. PARTICIPANTS: Ten general dental practitioners (GDPs) and 12 community dentists working in England. RESULTS: Five main themes were identified: professional independence, the nature of dental care, the business of dentistry, obscure rules and 'no man's land'. This final theme described a notional gap between GDPs' and community dentists' responsibilities towards vulnerable people, who were perceived by participants to include frail older people, anxious and socially marginalised adults and children with high levels of disease. Three typologies of dentists were generated. 'Entrepreneurs' felt no allegiance to the National Health Service and no obligation to treat vulnerable patients. 'Altruistic carers' were committed to caring for exceptionally deserving patients. 'Pragmatic carers' tried to provide relational dental care (time and emotional support) for vulnerable patients but encountered discouraging systemic barriers. CONCLUSION: Dentists' perceptions of their roles may influence whether and how they provide access to primary dental care for vulnerable people through referral systems. Access issues may exacerbate the oral health inequalities experienced by vulnerable groups. Based upon the findings, approaches are proposed that may encourage and enable the dental workforce to support vulnerable people actively to receive primary dental care.
2020-09-01T00:00:00ZLifeform indicators reveal large-scale shifts in plankton across the North-West European shelfBedford, JOstle, CJohns, DGAtkinson, ABest, MBresnan, EMachairopoulou, MGraves, CADevlin, MMilligan, APitois, SMellor, ATett, PMcQuatters-Gollop, Ahttps://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/handle/10026.1/154972023-09-04T18:15:50Z2020-04-01T00:00:00ZLifeform indicators reveal large-scale shifts in plankton across the North-West European shelf
Bedford, J; Ostle, C; Johns, DG; Atkinson, A; Best, M; Bresnan, E; Machairopoulou, M; Graves, CA; Devlin, M; Milligan, A; Pitois, S; Mellor, A; Tett, P; McQuatters-Gollop, A
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Increasing direct human pressures on the marine environment, coupled with climate‐driven changes, is a concern to marine ecosystems globally. This requires the development and monitoring of ecosystem indicators for effective management and adaptation planning. Plankton lifeforms (broad functional groups) are sensitive indicators of marine environmental change and can provide a simplified view of plankton biodiversity, building an understanding of change in lower trophic levels. Here, we visualize regional‐scale multi‐decadal trends in six key plankton lifeforms as well as their correlative relationships with sea surface temperature (SST). For the first time, we collate trends across multiple disparate surveys, comparing the spatially and temporally extensive Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) survey (offshore) with multiple long‐term fixed station‐based time‐series (inshore) from around the UK coastline. These analyses of plankton lifeforms showed profound long‐term changes, which were coherent across large spatial scales. For example, ‘diatom’ and ‘meroplankton’ lifeforms showed strong alignment between surveys and coherent regional‐scale trends, with the 1998–2017 decadal average abundance of meroplankton being 2.3 times that of 1958–1967 for CPR samples in the North Sea. This major, shelf‐wide increase in meroplankton correlated with increasing SSTs, and contrasted with a general decrease in holoplankton (dominated by small copepods), indicating a changing balance of benthic and pelagic fauna. Likewise, inshore‐offshore gradients in dinoflagellate trends, with contemporary increases inshore contrasting with multi‐decadal decreases offshore (approx. 75% lower decadal mean abundance), urgently require the identification of causal mechanisms. Our lifeform approach allows the collation of many different data types and time‐series across the NW European shelf, providing a crucial evidence base for informing ecosystem‐based management, and the development of regional adaptation plans.</jats:p>
2020-04-01T00:00:00Z