Preface.- Contributors.- List of Abbreviations.- Section 1: Basic Principles: Introduction.-Sources of Heavy Metals and Metalloids in Soils.- Chemistry of Heavy Metals and Metalloids in Soils.- Methods for the Determination of Heavy Metals and Metalloids in Soils.- Effects of Heavy Metals and Metalloids on Soil Organisms.- Soil-Plant Relationships of Heavy Metals and Metalloids.- Heavy Metals and Metalloids as Micronutrients for Plants and Animals.-Critical Loads of Heavy Metals for Soils.- Section 2: Key Heavy Metals And Metalloids: Arsenic.- Cadmium.- Chromium and Nickel.- Cobalt and Manganese.- Copper.-Lead.- Mercury.- Selenium.- Zinc.- Section 3: Other Heavy Metals And Metalloids Of Potential Environmental Significance: Antimony.- Barium.- Gold.- Molybdenum.- Silver.- Thallium.- Tin.- Tungsten.- Uranium.- Vanadium.- Glossary of Specialized Terms.- Index.

Heavy metals in soils : trace metals and metalloids in soils and their bioavailability

Properties and applications of proteins encapsulated within sol–gel derived materials

Peroxidases have conquered a prominent position in biotechnology and associated research areas (enzymology, biochemistry, medicine, genetics, physiology, histo- and cytochem- istry). They are one of the most extensively studied groups of enzymes and the literature is rich in research papers dating back from the 19th century. Nevertheless, peroxidases continue to be widely studied, with more than 2000 articles already published in 2002 (according to the Institute for Scientific Information). The importance of peroxidases is emphasised by their wide distribution among living organisms and by their multiple physiological roles. They have been divided into three superfamilies according to their source and mode of action: plant peroxidases, animal peroxidases and catalases. Among all peroxidases, horseradish peroxidase (HRP) has received a special attention and will be the focus of this review. A brief description of the three super-families is included in the first section of this review. In the second section, a comprehensive description of the present state of knowledge of the structure and catalytic action of HRP is presented. The physiological role of peroxidases in higher plants is described in the third section. And finally, the fourth section addresses the applications of peroxidases, especially HRP, in the environmental and health care sectors, and in the pharmaceutical, chemical and biotechnological industries.

Horseradish peroxidase: a valuable tool in biotechnology.

The artificial peroxidase activity of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles and its application to glucose detection

In this article, the field of mercury film electrodes (MFE's) as electroanalytical devices is reviewed. Special emphasis is placed on the area of new materials as substrates for the mercury coating and the mercury plating process as well as on the developments related to the electrode modification used to achieve an increase in either the selectivity and/or the sensitivity of the analysis. Other topics discussed are microelectrodes, disposable electrodes and some novel, innovative or less well explored applications of electroanalytical methods using MFE's. The future prospects, potential uses and alternatives for MFE's in electroanalysis are finally discussed.

Mercury film electrodes: developments, trends and potentialities for electroanalysis

A review with 159 references is presented on the applications of adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) for determining trace metal ions in different environmental samples (e.g. water, soil, plant, biological fluids). The analytical applications of AdSV to biologically active organic compounds (e.g. pharmaceuticals, pesticides, biomolecules) are also discussed.

Applications of adsorptive stripping voltammetry for the trace analysis of metals, pharmaceuticals and biomolecules

Spectrophotometric determination of enzymatically generated hydrogen peroxide using Sol-Gel immobilized horseradish peroxidase.

Electrochemical study on the determination of tinidazole in tablets.

Extractional-spectrophotometric determination of famotidine in pharmaceutical formulations.

A simple d.c. polarographic method has been developed for the determination of metronidazole in dosages forms. In Robinson - Britton buffer (pH 4.38) and in presence of 1.60 × 10−3 % Triton X-100, the drug produced a well defined 4-electron polarographic wave followed by another wave of about half the height of the first wave. The current is proportional to the concentration and permits the drug to be determined by d.c. polarography in the concentration range 5.0 × 10−5 -7.0 × 10−4 M. Results obtained by the proposed method are in excellent agreement with that provided by the USP-XX method. A rapid, sensitive and accurate polarographic method for the determination of metronidazole in the tablets which are produced locally is proposed.

Ali Z. Abu Zuhri

Papers

Applications of adsorptive stripping voltammetry for the trace analysis of metals, pharmaceuticals and biomolecules

Spectrophotometric determination of enzymatically generated hydrogen peroxide using Sol-Gel immobilized horseradish peroxidase.

Electrochemical study on the determination of tinidazole in tablets.

Extractional-spectrophotometric determination of famotidine in pharmaceutical formulations.

Electrochemical Reduction of Metronidazole and Its Determination in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms by D.C. Polarography