Gas cell interactions of 73 elements with nitrous oxide (N₂O) have been evaluated using inductively coupled plasma tandem mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS). Recommendations for the reduction of interferences are provided.

Recently, the One Health concept, which recognizes the interconnectedness of environmental, animal, and human health, has gained popularity. To collect data on environmental pollutants potentially harmful to human health over time, researchers often turn to natural organisms known as biomonitors. Honey bees, in particular, prove to be exceptionally valuable biomonitors due to their capacity to accumulate pollutants from the air, soil, and water within a specific radius during their foraging trips. This systematic literature review summarizes the previous application of the bee species Apis mellifera in pollutant monitoring in articles published during the period of 2010–2020. Nineteen studies were included in this systematic literature review. Of these studies, the majority (n = 15) focused on the detection of heavy metals in honey bees and beehive products, while 4 studies focused on air pollution by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or particulate matter. The matrix most often applied was the whole honey bee. The included studies demonstrated that honey bees and hive products deliver quantitative and qualitative information about specific pollutants. In this regard, the whole honey bee was found to be the most reliable biomonitor. We found that the included studies differed in design and the methods used. Standardized studies could foster a more consistent interpretation of the levels detected in beehive matrices from an environmental health perspective.

Concentrations of elements in the aquatic environment are a key parameter for various scientific fields such as biogeochemistry, biology and environmental science. Within this context, the scientific community asks for new analytical protocols to be able to quantify more and more elements of the periodic table. Therefore, the requirements for aqueous reference materials have increased drastically. Even though a wide variety of CRMs of different water matrices are available, certified values of many elements (e.g., rare earth elements (REE), technology‐critical elements, such as Ga and In, and generally those elements which are not part of current monitoring regulations) do not yet exist. Therefore, the scientific community relies on published elemental concentrations of many CRMs provided by other researchers. Some elements of interest, such as the REE, are well studied and plenty of literature values exist. However, less studied elements, such as Ga and In, are rarely studied. In this study, an ‘externally’ calibrated quantification method based on an optimised online preconcentration method coupled with ICP‐MS/MS was used for the quantification of thirty‐four elements. The method was applied to seventeen water CRMs covering freshwater, brackish water and seawater. The measured data are combined with a comprehensive literature review on non‐certified values in selected water CRMs, and new consensus values are suggested for various non‐certified elements.

Seven plant certified reference materials (NIST SRM1515 Apple Leaves, NIST SRM1547 Peach Leaves, BCR-129 Hay Powder, BCR-670 Aquatic Plant, GBW07603 Bush Twigs and Leaves, GBW10015 Spinach Leaves and NCS ZC73036a Green Tea) were analysed for their mass fractions of 48 elements by inductively coupled plasma tandem-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS): Li, Be, Na, Mg, Al, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Y, Nb, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sb, Te, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Ta, Tl, Pb, Bi, Th, U. Special focus was put on the determination of technology-critical elements (TCEs), to which, e.g. Li, Be, Ga, Ge, Nb, Sb, Ta, Tl, Bi, and the rare-earth elements (REEs, lanthanides and Y) are counted. Closed-vessel microwave digestion was performed using HNO₃, H₂O₂ and HBF₄. The average bias for certified values is − 1% ± 13% (SD). Limits of detection (x_L) in the measured solutions lie between 13 fg g⁻¹ (Tb) and 52 ng g⁻¹ (Ca). This article seeks to provide an optimised measurement procedure for the determination of element mass fractions of emerging importance in environmental samples, which are challenging to analyse with more traditional techniques such as single-quad ICP-MS. In addition, it aims to improve the characterisation of commonly used plant reference materials by providing mass fraction data for rarely studied elements. Graphical abstract

Trace element concentrations in the rhizosphere were quantified to better understand why soil liming often fails to reduce cadmium (Cd) uptake by plants. Maize seedlings were grown on a soil with natural background levels of Cd and zinc (Zn). Soil liming increased soil pH from 4.9 to 6.5 and lowered the soil solution free ion activities by factor 7 (Cd) and 9 (Zn). In contrast, shoot Cd concentrations were unaffected by liming while shoot Zn concentrations were lowered by factor 1.9. Mapping of labile soil trace elements using diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) in combination with laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) revealed an almost complete depletion of Cd in the rhizosphere in all soil treatments, showing that Cd uptake is controlled by diffusion. The flux of Cd from soil to the DGT, with direct contact between the soil and the binding gel, was unaffected by liming whereas it decreased by factor 3 for Zn, closely mimicking the contrasting effects of liming on Cd and Zn bioavailability. This evidence, combined with additional flux data of freshly spiked Cd and Zn isotopes in soil and with modelling, suggests that the diffusive transport of Cd in unsaturated soil is more strongly controlled by the labile adsorbed metal concentration than by its concentration in solution. This is less the case for Zn because of its inherently slower desorption compared to Cd.