Off-line coupling of new generation centrifugal partition chromatography device with preparative high pressure liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry triggering fraction collection applied to the recovery of secoiridoid glycosides from Centaurium erythraea Rafn. (Gentianaceae)

A purification sequence including a Gilson CPC 250 PRO device coupled to PrepHPLC hyphenated with a MS triggering fraction collector was applied to isolate secoiridoid glycosides from a complex methanolic extract of Centaurium erythraea. This species is widely used for ethnomedicinal purposes around the Mediterranean Sea. The solvent system ethyle acetate/ethanol/water 7.5/3/5 was determined using shake-flask method targeting swertiamarin, the major secoiridoid of the extract. Optimization of CPC experimental parameters enabled the injection of 4g of extract with a flow rate of 40mL/min at 3000rpm to provide a secoiridoid glycosides enriched fraction. 130mg of this latter was submitted to a second step of purification by preparative HPLC (gradient water/formic acid (19:1) (A) and methanol (B) as follows: 0min, 85% A; 8min, 60% A; 12min, 55% A; 35min, 55% A; 40min, 10% A; 50min, 10% A; 52min, 85% A; 55min, 85% A) to give swertiamarin (36mg, yield 27.7%, purity 98.2%). Other secoiridoid glycosides (sweroside, gentiopicroside, secologanol, secoxyloganin) were also isolated in minor amounts. As these monoterpene derivatives are responsible for several biological activities, their quick recovery with high yield and purity may serve as a model for further scale-up and industrial development.

Preparation, characterization, and performance evaluation of UiO-66 analogues as stationary phase in HPLC for the separation of substituted benzenes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

UiO-66 analogues are good candidates as stationary phase in HPLC because of their chemical/thermal stability, large surface area, and two cage structures. Here, two UiO-66 analogues, UiO-66-NH₂ and UiO-67, were synthesized and used as stationary phase in HPLC to evaluate their performance in the separation of substituted benzenes (SBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The results showed that SBs could be well separated on UiO-66-NH₂ column but not on UiO-67 column. Nonetheless, PAHs could be well separated on UiO-67 column. The separation mechanisms of SBs and PAHs on UiO-66 analogues may be involved in the pore size and functional group in the frameworks of UiO-66 analogues. Introduction of the–NH₂ into UiO-66 significantly reduced its adsorption capacity for SB congeners, which resulted in less separation of SBs on UiO-66-NH₂. As for the separation of PAHs on UiO-67 column, the π-π stacking effect was supposed to play a vital role.

Simultaneous Determination of Four Triterpenoid Saponins in Aralia elata Leaves by HPLC-ELSD Combined with Hierarchical Clustering Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Aralia elata leaves are known to have several biological activities, including anti-arrythmia, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-fatigue, antimicrobial and antiviral effects. Our previous study found that triterpenoid saponins from the leaves of A. elata had antitumor effects. Quantification of the triterpenoids is important for the quality control of A. elata leaves.

OBJECTIVE

To establish high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with evaporative light scattering detection (HPLC-ELSD) for the simultaneous determination of four major triterpenoid saponins, including Aralia-saponin IV, Aralia-saponin VI, 3-O-β-d- glucopyranosyl-(1 → 3)-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 3)-β-d-glucopyranosyl oleanolic acid 28-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (Aralia-saponin TTP)and Aralia-saponin V.

METHODOLOGY

The separation was carried out on a Dikma Diamonsil C₁₈ column (4.6 mm × 250 mm, 5 μm) efficiently with gradient elution consisting of acetonitrile and water.

RESULTS

All calibration curves showed good linear regression (R²  > 0.9996) within the ranges of tested concentrations. This validated method was applied to determine the contents of the four major triterpenoid saponins in 53 samples from different regions of northeast China. Hierarchical clustering analysis was first used to classify and differentiate Aralia elata leaves.

CONCLUSION

The method developed was successfully applied to analyse four major triterpenoid saponins in Aralia elata leaves which is helpful for quality control of the herb. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Discrimination of botanical origins for Chinese honey according to free amino acids content by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection with chemometric approaches

BACKGROUND

The contents of 18 free amino acids in 87 Chinese honey samples from four botanical origins (linden, acacia, vitex and rape) were determined by developing a high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detector (HPLC-FLD) method with an in-loop automated pre-column derivatization. The free amino acid profiles of these samples were used to construct a statistical model to distinguish honeys from various floral origins.

RESULTS

The average contents of all free amino acids in linden honey were lower than in the other three types of honey. Phenylalanine was particularly useful in the present study because its average content in vitex honey was far higher than in any other honey samples. There is no doubt that both phenylalanine and tyrosine can be considered as the marker free amino acid in Chinese vitex honey. Principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted based on 15 free amino acids and showed significant differences among the honey samples. The cumulative variance for the first two components was 80.62%, and the four principal components can explain 94.18% of the total variance. In the two first component scores, the honey samples can be separated according to their botanical origins. Cluster analysis of amino acid data also revealed that the botanical origins of honey samples correlated with their amino acid content. Back-propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN) and naïve Bayes methods were employed to construct the classification models. The results revealed an excellent separation among honey samples according to their botanical origin with 100% accuracy in model training for both BP-ANN and naïve Bayes.

CONCLUSION

It indicated that the free amino acid profile determined by HPLC-FLD can provide sufficient information to discriminate honey samples according to their botanical origins. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Simultaneous determination of six mycotoxins in peanut by high-performance liquid chromatography with a fluorescence detector

BACKGROUND

Mycotoxins, which may contaminate peanut and peanut products, are responsible for many diseases to humans. Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), aflatoxin G1 (AFG1), aflatoxin B2 (AFB2), aflatoxin G2 (AFG2), ochratoxin A (OTA) and zearalenone (ZEN) are considered the most relevant groups of mycotoxins found in food. This work aimed to develop a high-performance liquid chromatography method with a fluorescence detector (HPLC-FLD) combined with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) method for the simultaneous determination of the six mycotoxins in peanuts. The six mycotoxins were simultaneously determined under their best wavelength by means of changing wavelength.

RESULTS

Under the optimum conditions, the linear ranges were 1-100 ng mL^-1 for AFB1, AFG1 and OTA, 0.3-30 ng mL^-1 for AFB2 and AFG2, 5-1000 ng mL^-1 for ZEN, with the correlation coefficient (R² ) of 0.9969-0.9997. Limits of detection (LODs) were 0.10, 0.10, 0.30, 0.03, 0.03 and 1.0 µg kg^-1 , respectively, and the mean recoveries were in the range of 83.1% to 99.3% with RSD < 10% (n = 6, independent analysis). Thirteen (46%) of these tested samples were contaminated with at least one mycotoxin.

CONCLUSION

The proposed method was demonstrated to be simple, highly selective, accurate, reliable, and was successfully applied to simultaneously analyse the six mycotoxins in real peanut samples from China. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

A column switching ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method to determine anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol in plasma samples

This study reports a fast, sensitive, and selective column switching ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method to determine the endocannabinoids (eCBs), anandamide (AEA), and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) in plasma samples. This bidimensional system used a restricted access media column (RP-8 ADS, 25 mm × 4 mm × 25 μM) in the first dimension and a core-shell Kinetex C18 (100 mm × 2, 1.7 mm × 1 μM) column in the second dimension, followed by detection in a mass spectrometer triple quadrupole (multiple reactions monitoring mode) operating in the positive mode. RP-8 ADS was used for trace enrichment of eCBs (reverse phase partitioning) and macromolecular matrix size exclusion; the core-shell column was used for the chromatographic separation. The column switching UHPLC-MS/MS method presented a linear range spanning from 0.1 ng mL^-1 (LOQ) to 6 ng mL^-1 for AEA and from 0.04 ng mL^-1 (LOQ) to 10 ng mL^-1 for 2-AG. Excluding the LLOQ values, the precision assays provided coefficients of variation lower than 8% and accuracy with relative standard error values lower than 14%. Neither carryover nor matrix effects were detected. This high-throughput column switching method compared to conventional methods is time saving as it involves fewer steps, consumes less solvent, and presents lower LLOQ. The column switching UHPLC-MS/MS method was successfully applied to determine AEA and 2-AG in plasma samples obtained from Alzheimer's disease patients. Graphical abstract A column switching ultra high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method using RP-8 ADS column and core shell column to determine endocannabinoids in plasma samples.

Pharmacokinetics and Biodistribution of the Illegal Food Colorant Rhodamine B in Rats

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) demonstrated rhodamine B as a potential carcinogen in 1978. Nevertheless, rhodamine B has been illegally used as a colorant in food in many countries. Few pharmacokinetic and toxicological investigations have been performed since the first pharmacokinetic study on rhodamine B in 1961. The aims of this study were to develop a simple and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography method with fluorescence detection for the quantitative detection of rhodamine B in the plasma and organs of rats and to estimate its pharmacokinetics and biodistribution. The results demonstrated that the oral bioavailabilities of rhodamine B were 28.3 and 9.8% for the low-dose and high-dose exposures, respectively. Furthermore, rhodamine B was highly accumulated in the liver and, to a lesser extent, the kidney, but was undetectable in the brain. These results provide useful information for improving the pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of rhodamine B, supporting additional food safety evaluations.

Comprehensive Analysis of Tiamulin Metabolites in Various Species of Farm Animals Using Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled to Quadrupole/Time-of-Flight

Tiamulin is an antimicrobial widely used in veterinary practice to treat dysentery and pneumonia in pigs and poultry. However, knowledge about the metabolism of tiamulin is very limited in farm animals. To better understand the biotransformation of tiamulin, in the present study, in vitro and in vivo metabolites of tiamulin in rats, chickens, swine, goats, and cows were identified and elucidated using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole/time-of-flight. As a result, a total of 26 metabolites of tiamulin, identified in vitro and in vivo, and majority of metabolites were revealed for the first time. In all farm animals, tiamulin undergoes phase I metabolic routes of hydroxylation in the mutilin part (the ring system), S-oxidation and N-deethylation on side chain, and no phase II metabolite was detected. Among these, 2β- and 8α-hydroxylation and N-deethylation were the main metabolic pathways of tiamulin in farm animals. In addition, we have put forward that 8a-hydroxy-tiamulin and 8a-hydroxy-N-deethyl-tiamulin could be hydroxylated into 8a-hydroxy-mutilin, the marker residue of tiamulin in swine. Furthermore, a significant interspecies difference was observed on the metabolism of tiamulin among various farm animals. The possible marker residues for tiamulin in swine were 8α-hydroxy-tiamulin, N-deethyl-tiamulin, and 8α-hydroxy-N-deethyl-tiamulin, which were consistent with the hypothesis proposed by the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products. However, results in present study indicated that three metabolites (2β-hydroxy-tiamulin, N-deethyl-tiamulin, and 2β-hydroxy-N-deethyl-tiamulin) of tiamulin in chickens had larger yields, which implied that 2β-hydroxy-mutilin or N-deethyl-tiamulin was more likely to be regarded as the potential marker residue of tiamulin in chickens.

Small molecule absorption by PDMS in the context of drug response bioassays

The polymer polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is widely used to build microfluidic devices compatible with cell culture. Whilst convenient in manufacture, PDMS has the disadvantage that it can absorb small molecules such as drugs. In microfluidic devices like "Organs-on-Chip", designed to examine cell behavior and test the effects of drugs, this might impact drug bioavailability. Here we developed an assay to compare the absorption of a test set of four cardiac drugs by PDMS based on measuring the residual non-absorbed compound by High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). We showed that absorption was variable and time dependent and not determined exclusively by hydrophobicity as claimed previously. We demonstrated that two commercially available lipophilic coatings and the presence of cells affected absorption. The use of lipophilic coatings may be useful in preventing small molecule absorption by PDMS.

Exhaled breath condensate analysis from intubated newborns by nano-HPLC coupled to high resolution MS

Invasiveness of examination and therapy methods is a serious problem for intensive care and nursing of premature infants. Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) is the most attractive biofluid for non-invasive methods development in neonatology for monitoring the status of intubated infants. The aim of the study was to propose an approach for EBC sampling and analysis from mechanically ventilated neonates. EBC collection system with good reproducibility of sampling was demonstrated. Discovery-based proteomic and metabolomic studies were performed using nano-HPLC coupled to high resolution MS. Label-free semi-quantitative data were compared for intubated neonates with congenital pneumonia (12 infants) and left-sided congenital diaphragmatic hernia (12 infants) in order to define disease-specific features. Totally 119 proteins and 164 metabolites were found. A number of proteins and metabolites that can act as potential biomarkers of respiratory diseases were proposed and require further validation.

Metabolite fingerprinting of Punica granatum L. (pomegranate) polyphenols by means of high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry detection

The present study was aimed at the development of a new analytical method for the comprehensive multi-component analysis of polyphenols in Punica granatum L. (pomegranate) juice and peel. While pomegranate juice was directly analysed after simple centrifugation, different extraction techniques, including maceration, heat reflux extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction and microwave-assisted extraction, were compared in order to obtain a high yield of the target analytes from pomegranate peel. Dynamic maceration with a mixture of water and ethanol 80:20 (v/v) with 0.1% of hydrochloric acid as the extraction solvent provided the best result in terms of recovery of pomegranate secondary metabolites. The quali- and quantitative analysis of pomegranate polyphenols was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array and electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry detection. The application of fused-core column technology allowed us to obtain an improvement of the chromatographic performance in comparison with that of conventional particulate stationary phases, thus enabling a good separation of all constituents in a shorter time and with low solvent usage. The analytical method was completely validated to show compliance with the International Conference on Harmonization of Technical Requirements for the Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use guidelines and successfully applied to the characterisation of commercial and experimental pomegranate samples, thus demonstrating its efficiency as a tool for the fingerprinting of this plant material. The quantitative data collected were submitted to principal component analysis, in order to highlight the possible presence of pomegranate samples with high content of secondary metabolites. From the statistical analysis, four experimental samples showed a notable content of bioactive compounds in the peels, while commercial ones still represent the best source of healthy juice.

A novel chiral stationary phase HPLC-MS/MS method to discriminate between enzymatic oxidation and auto-oxidation of phosphatidylcholine

To elucidate the role of enzymatic lipid peroxidation in disease pathogenesis and in food deterioration, we recently achieved stereoselective analysis of phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide (PCOOH) possessing 13S-hydroperoxy-9Z,11E-octadecadienoic acid (13(S)-9Z,11E-HPODE) using HPLC-MS/MS with a CHIRALPAK OP (+) column. Because enzymatic oxidation progresses concurrently with auto-oxidation, we need to distinguish them further. Here, we attempted such an analysis. First, we used lipoxygenase, linoleic acid, and lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) to synthesize the enzymatic oxidation product 13(S)-9Z,11E-HPODE PC, and the auto-oxidation products 13(RS)-9Z,11E-HPODE PC and 13(RS)-9E,11E-HPODE PC, which were used as standards to test the ability of various columns to separate the enzymatic oxidation product from auto-oxidation products. Separation was achieved by connecting in series two columns with different properties: CHIRALPAK OP (+) and CHIRALPAK IB-3. The CHIRALPAK OP (+) column separated 13(R)-9Z,11E-HPODE PC and 13(S)-9Z,11E-HPODE PC, whereas CHIRALPAK IB-3 enabled separation of 13(S)-9Z,11E-HPODE PC and 13(RS)-9E,11E-HPODE PC. The results for the analysis of both enzymatically oxidized and auto-oxidized lecithin (an important phospholipid mixture in vivo and in food) indicate that our method would be useful for distinguishing enzymatic oxidation and auto-oxidation reactions. Such information will be invaluable for elucidating the involvement of PCOOH in disease pathogenesis and in food deterioration.

Analysis of Theanine in Tea (Camellia sinensis) Dietary Ingredients and Supplements by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Postcolumn Derivatization: Single-Laboratory Validation, First Action 2016.10

An HPLC method with postcolumn derivatization was developed and validated for the determination of theanine content in tea dietary ingredients and supplements. A variety of common commercially available supplement forms such as powders, liquid tinctures, tablets, softgels, and gelcaps, as well as three National Institute of Standards and Technology Camellia sinensis Standard Reference Materials were investigated in the study. A simple extraction procedure using citrate buffer at pH 2.2 allowed for the analysis of theanine without additional cleanup or concentration steps, even at low ppm levels. Theanine was separated from other naturally occurring amino acids using a cation-exchange column and detected using a UV-Vis detector after derivatization with ninhydrin reagent. A single-laboratory validation demonstrated that specificity, accuracy, precision, and other method performance parameters have met the requirements set for theanine analysis by the AOAC Stakeholder Panel on Dietary Supplements.

Extraction of polyphenols in Himanthalia elongata and determination by high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector prior to its potential use against oxidative stress

Several studies have demonstrated the antioxidant capacity of seaweeds, which can be used for the development of biopharmaceuticals with extensive medical application. Antioxidant therapies appear to attenuate the organic deterioration originated by an excessive oxidative stress, which could prevent the harmful effects of various injuries such as ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) among others. Marine brown seaweeds play a significant role, as they are the only organisms on earth producing phlorotannins, which are polyphenols that exhibit important biological activity. To ensure obtaining an extract with the greatest antioxidant activity, some variables that affect the extraction of polyphenols are optimized, including seaweed amount, type of solvent, and time and temperature of extraction. Subsequently, the total phenolic content (TPC) and the antioxidant activity have been determined. The optimized condition was obtained for 6g of seaweed, ethanol: water proportion of 60:40 and 2h/60°C, achieving 548.33mg AG/100g seaweed and 76% of antioxidant activity. The characterization of the extracted polyphenols was made by HPLC/DAD. 11 polyphenols were identified in the extract: Phloroglucinol, Gallic Acid, Catechin, Rutin, Gentisic Acid, Chlorogenic Acid, Caffeic Acid, Coumaric, Ferulic, Myricetin and Quercetin.

Enantiomeric separation of new phytoalexin analogs with cyclofructan chiral stationary phases in normal-phase mode

For the first time, three different derivatized cyclofructan chiral stationary phases were used for the direct high-performance liquid chromatographic enantiomeric separation of 11 new racemic analogs of a natural indole phytoalexin. This class of compounds is known to have significant antiproliferative activity and other potentially useful pharmacological properties. The effect of various experimental factors was investigated to optimize the separations in the normal-phase mode. It was found that the nature of polar modifier and additive in the mobile phase have significant impact on the enantioseparations. Better chiral recognition of analyzed compounds was achieved on (R)-naphthylethyl carbamate cyclofructan 6 than on isopropyl carbamate cyclofructan 6 and dimethylphenyl carbamate cyclofructan 7. The thermodynamic parameters showed that the chiral separation was enthalpy controlled in all cases.

Measurement of cotinine in urine by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

Background: Cotinine is the major metabolite of nicotine. It is also a specific biomarker for nicotine exposure in cigarette smokers. The measurement of urine cotinine concentration will enable: (1) the assessment of the smoking status of lung transplant patients and (2) tobacco abstinence to be studied in patients during treatment under smoking cessation programmes.

Methods: We have developed and validated a method for the measurement of urinary cotinine using reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). This technique utilizes online ion exchange coupled with an analytical column to eliminate ion suppression effects. The chromatography was performed using a WatersTM 2795 Alliance HT LC system.

Results: Cotinine and d3-cotinine had a retention time of 2.5 min and the cycle time from injection to injection was 4 min. The transition identified for cotinine was m/z 177.1>79.6 and for d3-cotinine m/z 180.2>79.6. This method was linear up to 1000 μg/L. Mean recovery of the assay was 112% with a range of 107-117% ( n=9). The limit of quantitation for this assay was 2.5 µg/L and the limit of detection was 0.156 µg/L. The intra- and inter-assay imprecision was <12% and <10% respectively over a concentration range of 22-660 μg/L.

Conclusions: We have developed a robust and rapid assay for measuring and analysing urine cotinine by LC-MS/MS, by utilizing a technique, which has reduced ion suppression effects. Ultimately, the method will facilitate the assessment of lung transplant patients' smoking status.

Implementation of high slurry concentration and sonication to pack high-efficiency, meter-long capillary ultrahigh pressure liquid chromatography columns

Slurry packing capillary columns for ultrahigh pressure liquid chromatography is complicated by many interdependent experimental variables. Previous results have suggested that combination of high slurry concentration and sonication during packing would create homogeneous bed microstructures and yield highly efficient capillary columns. Herein, the effect of sonication while packing very high slurry concentrations is presented. A series of six, 1m×75μm internal diameter columns were packed with 200mg/mL slurries of 2.02μm bridged-ethyl hybrid silica particles. Three of the columns underwent sonication during packing and yielded highly efficient separations with reduced plate heights as low as 1.05.

Liquid Chromatography with a Fluorimetric Detection Method for Analysis of Paralytic Shellfish Toxins and Tetrodotoxin Based on a Porous Graphitic Carbon Column

Paralytic shellfish toxins (PST) traditionally have been analyzed by liquid chromatography with either pre- or post-column derivatization and always with a silica-based stationary phase. This technique resulted in different methods that need more than one run to analyze the toxins. Furthermore, tetrodotoxin (TTX) was recently found in bivalves of northward locations in Europe due to climate change, so it is important to analyze it along with PST because their signs of toxicity are similar in the bioassay. The methods described here detail a new approach to eliminate different runs, by using a new porous graphitic carbon stationary phase. Firstly we describe the separation of 13 PST that belong to different groups, taking into account the side-chains of substituents, in one single run of less than 30 min with good reproducibility. The method was assayed in four shellfish matrices: mussel (Mytillus galloprovincialis), clam (Pecten maximus), scallop (Ruditapes decussatus) and oyster (Ostrea edulis). The results for all of the parameters studied are provided, and the detection limits for the majority of toxins were improved with regard to previous liquid chromatography methods: the lowest values were those for decarbamoyl-gonyautoxin 2 (dcGTX2) and gonyautoxin 2 (GTX2) in mussel (0.0001 mg saxitoxin (STX)·diHCl kg⁻¹ for each toxin), decarbamoyl-saxitoxin (dcSTX) in clam (0.0003 mg STX·diHCl kg⁻¹), N-sulfocarbamoyl-gonyautoxins 2 and 3 (C1 and C2) in scallop (0.0001 mg STX·diHCl kg⁻¹ for each toxin) and dcSTX (0.0003 mg STX·diHCl kg⁻¹ ) in oyster; gonyautoxin 2 (GTX2) showed the highest limit of detection in oyster (0.0366 mg STX·diHCl kg⁻¹). Secondly, we propose a modification of the method for the simultaneous analysis of PST and TTX, with some minor changes in the solvent gradient, although the detection limit for TTX does not allow its use nowadays for regulatory purposes.

Exploring the pressure resistance limits of monolithic silica capillary columns

We report on an experimental approach to measure the pressure stability and mechanical strength of monolithic silica capillary columns with different diameters (50 and 100μm i.d.) and considering two different domain sizes, typical for the second generation monoliths or smaller. The approach consists of exposing the capillaries to ultra-high pressures (gradually stepwise increased from 20 to 80MPa), with intermediate measurements of the column efficiency, permeability and retention factors to check the mechanical stability of the bed. It was observed that all tested columns withstood the imposed pressure stress, i.e., all the tested parameters remained unaffected up till the maximal test pressure of 80MPa. The applied pressure gradient corresponded to 320MPa/m. The two 100μm i.d.-capillary columns were also exposed to pressures between 80 and 90MPa for a prolonged time (8h), and this did not cause any damage either.

Vortex-Assisted Dispersive Micro-Solid Phase Extraction Using CTAB-Modified Zeolite NaY Sorbent Coupled with HPLC for the Determination of Carbamate Insecticides

A vortex-assisted dispersive micro-solid phase extraction (VA-D-μ-SPE) based on cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-modified zeolite NaY was developed for preconcentration of carbamate pesticides in fruits, vegetables, and natural surface water prior to analysis by high performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection. The small amounts of solid sorbent were dispersed in a sample solution, and extraction occurred by adsorption in a short time, which was accelerated by vortex agitation. Finally, the sorbents were filtered from the solution, and the analytes were subsequently desorbed using an appropriate solvent. Parameters affecting the VA-D-μ-SPE performance including sorbent amount, sample volume, desorption solvent ,and vortex time were optimized. Under the optimum condition, linear dynamic ranges were achieved between 0.004-24.000 mg kg(-1) (R(2) > 0.9946). The limits of detection (LODs) ranged from 0.004-4.000 mg kg(-1). The applicability of the developed procedure was successfully evaluated by the determination of the carbamate residues in fruits (dragon fruit, rambutan, and watermelon), vegetables (cabbage, cauliflower, and cucumber), and natural surface water.

Quantitative Determination of Spermidine in 50 German Cheese Samples on a Core-Shell Column by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with a Photodiode Array Detector Using a Fully Validated Method

In the current study, the spermidine (8) contents of 51 German and 9 international cheese samples (from France, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, and Switzerland) were analyzed by a modified and fully validated method using high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection. After precolumn derivatization of biogenic amines with dansyl chloride (11), the compounds were separated on a Kinetex C18 column and detected at λ = 254 nm. This method for compound 8 analysis in cheese was validated for the first time according to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines for bioanalytical method validation with regard to selectivity, precision, accuracy, recovery, linearity, lower limit of detection (LOD), lower limit of quantitation (LOQ), standard solution stability, short- and long-term stability, freeze-thaw stability, and benchtop stability. The detector response was linear from 0.002 to 8 mg/L 8 (R(2) > 0.999). Low LOD and LOQ values of 1 and 2 μg/L, respectively, reflected the high sensitivity of the method. The intra- and interday recoveries of the 8-spiked cheese samples ranged between 87.7 and 102.6%. This validated method was selective, accurate, and precise and was successfully applied for the quantitative analysis of compound 8 in 60 cheese samples. Furthermore, the simultaneous detection of eight additional biogenic amines is possible but not validated.

Head-to-Head Comparison of Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode Array Detection versus Quantitative Nuclear Magnetic Resonance for the Quantitative Analysis of the Silymarin Complex in Silybum marianum Fruit Extracts

Quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (qNMR) spectroscopy is known as an excellent alternative to chromatography-based mixture analysis. NMR spectroscopy is a non-destructive method, needs only limited sample preparation, and can be readily automated. A head-to-head comparison of qNMR to an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (uHPLC-DAD)-based quantitative analysis of six flavonolignan congeners (silychristin, silydianin, silybin A, silybin B, isosilybin A, and isosilybin B) of the Silybum marianum silymarin complex is presented. Both assays showed similar performance characteristics (linear range, accuracy, precision, and limits of quantitation) with analysis times below 30 min/sample. The assays were applied to industrial S. marianum extracts (AC samples) and to extracts locally prepared from S. marianum fruits (PL samples). An assay comparison by Bland-Altman plots (relative method bias AC samples, -0.1%; 2SD range, ±5.1%; relative method bias PL samples, -0.3%; 2SD range, ±7.8%) and Passing-Bablok regression analysis (slope and intercept for AC and PL samples not significantly different from 1.00 and 0.00, respectively; Spearman's coefficient of rank correlation, >0.99) did show that qNMR and uHPLC-DAD can be used interchangeably to quantitate flavonolignans in the silymarin complex.

Microchip-based electrochemical detection using a 3-D printed wall-jet electrode device

Three dimensional (3-D) printing technology has evolved dramatically in the last few years, offering the capability of printing objects with a variety of materials. Printing microfluidic devices using this technology offers various advantages such as ease and uniformity of fabrication, file sharing between laboratories, and increased device-to-device reproducibility. One unique aspect of this technology, when used with electrochemical detection, is the ability to produce a microfluidic device as one unit while also allowing the reuse of the device and electrode for multiple analyses. Here we present an alternate electrode configuration for microfluidic devices, a wall-jet electrode (WJE) approach, created by 3-D printing. Using microchip-based flow injection analysis, we compared the WJE design with the conventionally used thin-layer electrode (TLE) design. It was found that the optimized WJE system enhances analytical performance (as compared to the TLE design), with improvements in sensitivity and the limit of detection. Experiments were conducted using two working electrodes - 500 μm platinum and 1 mm glassy carbon. Using the 500 μm platinum electrode the calibration sensitivity was 16 times higher for the WJE device (as compared to the TLE design). In addition, use of the 1 mm glassy carbon electrode led to limit of detection of 500 nM for catechol, as compared to 6 μM for the TLE device. Finally, to demonstrate the versatility and applicability of the 3-D printed WJE approach, the device was used as an inexpensive electrochemical detector for HPLC. The number of theoretical plates was comparable to the use of commercially available UV and MS detectors, with the WJE device being inexpensive to utilize. These results show that 3-D-printing can be a powerful tool to fabricate reusable and integrated microfluidic detectors in configurations that are not easily achieved with more traditional lithographic methods.

Resonance light scattering determination of 6-mercaptopurine coupled with HPLC technique

A simple, fast, costless, sensitive and selective method of resonance light scattering coupled with HPLC was established for the determination of 6-mercaptopurine in human urine sample. In a Britton-Robinson buffer solution of pH5.5, the formation of coordination complex between 6-mercaptopurine and metal palladium (II) led to enhance the RLS intensity of the system. The RLS signal was detected by fluorescence detector at λ(ex)=λ(em)=315 nm. The analytical parameters were provided by the coupled system, the linear of 6-mercaptopurine response from 0.0615 to 2.40 μg L(-1) and the limit of detection (S/N=3) was 0.05 μg L(-1). The presented method has been applied to determine 6-mercaptopurine in human urine samples which obtained satisfactory results. Moreover, the reaction mechanism and possible reasons for enhancement of RLS were fully discussed.

Multivariate calibration-assisted high-performance liquid chromatography with dual UV and fluorimetric detection for the analysis of natural and synthetic sex hormones in environmental waters and sediments

A green method is reported based on non-sophisticated instrumental for the quantification of seven natural and synthetic estrogens, three progestagens and one androgen in the presence of real interferences. The method takes advantage of: (1) chromatography, allowing total or partial resolution of a large number of compounds, (2) dual detection, permitting selection of the most appropriate signal for each analyte and, (3) second-order calibration, enabling mathematical resolution of incompletely resolved chromatographic bands and analyte determination in the presence of interferents. Consumption of organic solvents for cleaning, extraction and separation are markedly decreased because of the coupling with MCR-ALS (multivariate curve resolution/alternating least-squares) which allows the successful resolution in the presence of other co-eluting matrix constituents. Rigorous IUPAC detection limits were obtained: 6-24 ng L(-1) in water, and 0.1-0.9 ng g(-1) in sediments. Relative prediction errors were 2-10% (water) and 1-8% (sediments).

Column Selection for Biomedical Analysis Supported by Column Classification Based on Four Test Parameters

This article focuses on correlating the column classification obtained from the method created at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL), with the chromatographic resolution attained in biomedical separation. In the KUL system, each column is described with four parameters, which enables estimation of the F_KUL value characterising similarity of those parameters to the selected reference stationary phase. Thus, a ranking list based on the F_KUL value can be calculated for the chosen reference column, then correlated with the results of the column performance test. In this study, the column performance test was based on analysis of moclobemide and its two metabolites in human plasma by liquid chromatography (LC), using 18 columns. The comparative study was performed using traditional correlation of the F_KUL values with the retention parameters of the analytes describing the column performance test. In order to deepen the comparative assessment of both data sets, factor analysis (FA) was also used. The obtained results indicated that the stationary phase classes, closely related according to the KUL method, yielded comparable separation for the target substances. Therefore, the column ranking system based on the F_KUL-values could be considered supportive in the choice of the appropriate column for biomedical analysis.

Fast Detection of Phenolic Compounds in Extracts of Easter Pears (Pyrus communis) from the Atacama Desert by Ultrahigh-Performance Liquid Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-Q/Orbitrap/MS/MS)

A small Chilean variety of pears growing in the town of Toconao, an oasis located at the northeastern edge of the Salar de Atacama, northern Chile, was studied by means of modern PDA and high resolution mass spectral data (UHPLC-PDA-HESI-orbitrap-MS/MS). In addition, the antioxidant features of the fruits were compared with the varieties Packhman’s Triumph and Abate Fetel and correlated with the presence of phenolic compounds. The non-pigmented phenolics were fingerprinted and related to the antioxidant capacities measured by the bleaching of the DPPH radical, the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), the superoxide anion scavenging activity assay (SA), and total content of phenolics and flavonoids measured by spectroscopic methods. The machine allowed a fast separation of 15 min employing a flow rate of 1 mL per minute and could accurately identify 25 compounds, including several isorhamnetin derivatives and phenolic acids, present in the peel and pulps of this Chilean variety for the first time. The compounds were monitored using a wavelength range of 210–800 nm. The native small Chilean pear showed the highest antioxidant activity measured as the bleaching of the DPPH radical, the ferric reducing antioxidant power and superoxide anion scavenging activity (8.61 ± 0.65 μg/mL, 712.63 ± 12.12 micromols trolox equivalents (μmol/TE)/100 g FW, and 82.89% ± 2.52% at 100 μg/mL, respectively).

Testing of complementarity of PDA and MS detectors using chromatographic fingerprinting of genuine and counterfeit samples containing sildenafil citrate

Counterfeit medicines are a global threat to public health. High amounts enter the European market, which is why characterization of these products is a very important issue. In this study, a high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array (HPLC-PDA) and high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) method were developed for the analysis of genuine Viagra®, generic products of Viagra®, and counterfeit samples in order to obtain different types of fingerprints. These data were included in the chemometric data analysis, aiming to test whether PDA and MS are complementary detection techniques. The MS data comprise both MS1 and MS2 fingerprints; the PDA data consist of fingerprints measured at three different wavelengths, i.e., 254, 270, and 290 nm, and all possible combinations of these wavelengths. First, it was verified if both groups of fingerprints can discriminate between genuine, generic, and counterfeit medicines separately; next, it was studied if the obtained results could be ameliorated by combining both fingerprint types. This data analysis showed that MS1 does not provide suitable classification models since several genuines and generics are classified as counterfeits and vice versa. However, when analyzing the MS1_MS2 data in combination with partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), a perfect discrimination was obtained. When only using data measured at 254 nm, good classification models can be obtained by k nearest neighbors (kNN) and soft independent modelling of class analogy (SIMCA), which might be interesting for the characterization of counterfeit drugs in developing countries. However, in general, the combination of PDA and MS data (254 nm_MS1) is preferred due to less classification errors between the genuines/generics and counterfeits compared to PDA and MS data separately.

Quantification of Dehydroepiandrosterone, 11-Deoxycortisol, 17-Hydroxyprogesterone, and Testosterone by Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS/MS)

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is a group of autosomal recessive disorders due to enzymatic defects in the biosynthetic pathway of cortisol and/or aldosterone. The analysis of cortisol, 17-hydroxyprogesterone (OHPG), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), 11-deoxycortisol, and testosterone is generally performed in the diagnosis and/or follow-up of CAH. Cortisol is generally analyzed by immunoassays whereas other hormones are preferably assayed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). A multiple reaction monitoring, positive mode atmospheric pressure chemical ionization, LC/MS/MS method is described for the simultaneous quantification of 17-hydroxyprogesterone, DHEA, 11-deoxycortisol, and testosterone. Stable-isotope labeled internal standards are added to serum samples and steroids are extracted by liquid-liquid extraction using methyl tert-butyl ether. The extract is evaporated under stream of nitrogen and the residue is reconstituted in methanol and analyzed by LC/MS/MS.

Determination of Phenylalanine and Tyrosine by High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Hyperphenylalaninemia/phenylketonuria (PKU) is one of the most common inborn errors of amino acid metabolism affecting about 1:15,000 infants in the United States. PKU is an autosomal recessive disorder that if untreated results in mental retardation. The most common cause of PKU is deficiency of the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase that converts phenylalanine to tyrosine. Tyrosine deficiency results in impaired synthesis of catecholamines and thyroxine. Less commonly, it can result from defects in the synthesis or regeneration of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), an essential cofactor for the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase. Increased phenylalanine and decreased tyrosine in blood are used in the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with PKU. LC/MS/MS method is described for the quantification of phenylalanine and tyrosine.

Detection of related substances in polyene phosphatidyl choline extracted from soybean and in its commercial capsule by comprehensive supercritical fluid chromatography with mass spectrometry compared with HPLC with evaporative light scattering detection

Supercritical fluid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry was used to comprehensively profile polyene phosphatidyl choline (PPC) extracted from soybean. We achieved an efficient chromatographic analysis using a BEH-2EP column (3 × 100 mm(2) , 1.7 μm) with a mobile phase consisting of CO2 and a cosolvent in gradient combination at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The cosolvent consisted of methanol, acetonitrile, and water (containing 10 mM ammonium acetate and 0.2% formic acid). The total single-run time was 7 min. We used this method to accurately detect ten different phospholipids (PLs) during extraction. The limits of quantification for phosphatidyl choline, lyso-phosphatidylcholine (LPC), phosphatidic acid (PA), sphingomyelin, phosphatidyl glycerol, phosphatidyl inositol (PI), cholesterol, cardiolipin, phosphatidyl serine, and phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PE) were 20.6, 19.52, 1.21, 2.38, 0.50, 2.28, 54.3, 0.60, 0.65, and 4.85 ng/mL, respectively. However, adopting the high-performance liquid chromatography with evaporative light scattering detection method issued by the China Food and Drug Administration, only PA, LPC, PE, PI, and PPC could be analyzed accurately, and the limits of quantification were 33.89, 60.5, 30.3, 10.9, and 61.79 μg/mL, respectively. The total single-run time was at the least 20 min. Consequently, the supercritical fluid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method was more suitable for the analysis of related PLs.

[Method of determination organic iodine (iodotyrosines) in food]

It is important to control the substances of the synthesis of biologically active supplements, based on organic forms of iodine (iodotyrosines). But it is no less important to control the content of iodotyrosines in foods. The developed method is sensitive and selective and can determine iodotyrosines with a lower limit of detection (1 ppb). Iodotyrosines have been determined by HPLC-MS/MS. The article contains parameters for chromatographic separation of 3-iodo-L-tyrosine and 3.5-diiodo-L-tyrosine and parameters of the electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry, describes the methodology of sample preparation and solid phase extraction. The article substantiates the use of mass spectrometry as the most sensitive and selective method for determining the organic iodine as compared to HPLC with UV detection. The enzymatic hydrolysis with proteolytic enzymes has been used for sample preparation in iodothyronine analyses. Solid phase extraction was performed using C18 cartridge. For HPLC-MS/MS analysis iodothyronine derivatives were obtained with a mixture of butanol-acetyl chloride. Degree of iodotyrosine extraction from the matrix of the foodstuffs was not less than 85%, the correlation coefficient of the calibration curve in the concentration range of 1-2000 ng/mL was 0.999, reliable determination of iodine content in foods in the range from 10 to 20 000 mcg/kg.

Ultra-Sensitive, High-Resolution Liquid Chromatography Methods for the High-Throughput Quantitative Analysis of Bacterial Cell Wall Chemistry and Structure

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis has been critical for determining the structural and chemical complexity of the cell wall. However this method is very time consuming in terms of sample preparation and chromatographic separation. Here we describe (1) optimized methods for peptidoglycan isolation from both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria that dramatically reduce the sample preparation time, and (2) the application of the fast and highly efficient ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) technology to muropeptide separation and quantification. The advances in both analytical instrumentation and stationary-phase chemistry have allowed for evolved protocols which cut run time from hours (2-3 h) to minutes (10-20 min), and sample demands by at least one order of magnitude. Furthermore, development of methods based on organic solvents permits in-line mass spectrometry (MS) of the UPLC-resolved muropeptides. Application of these technologies to high-throughput analysis will expedite the better understanding of the cell wall biology.

Antioxidant Activity and Validation of Quantification Method for Lycopene Extracted from Tomato

Lycopene is a carotenoid found in tomatoes with potent antioxidant activity. The aim of the study was to obtain an extract containing lycopene from four types of tomatoes, validate a quantification method for the extracts by HPLC, and assess its antioxidant activity. Results revealed that the tomatoes analyzed contained lycopene and antioxidant activity. Salad tomato presented the highest concentration of this carotenoid and antioxidant activity. The quantification method exhibited linearity with a correlation coefficient of 0.9992. Tests for the assessment of precision, accuracy, and robustness achieved coefficients with variation of less than 5%. The LOD and LOQ were 0.0012 and 0.0039 μg/mL, respectively. Salad tomato can be used as a source of lycopene for the development of topical formulations, and based on performed tests, the chosen method for the identification and quantification of lycopene was considered to be linear, precise, exact, selective, and robust.

Optimization and Validation of a Sensitive Method for HPLC-PDA Simultaneous Determination of Torasemide and Spironolactone in Human Plasma using Central Composite Design

A sensitive, accurate, precise and rapid HPLC-PDA method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of torasemide and spironolactone in human plasma using Design of experiments. Central composite design was used to optimize the method using content of acetonitrile, concentration of buffer and pH of mobile phase as independent variables, while the retention factor of spironolactone, resolution between torasemide and phenobarbitone; and retention time of phenobarbitone were chosen as dependent variables. The chromatographic separation was achieved on Phenomenex C(18) column and the mobile phase comprising 20 mM potassium dihydrogen ortho phosphate buffer (pH-3.2) and acetonitrile in 82.5:17.5 v/v pumped at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min(-1). The method was validated according to USFDA guidelines in terms of selectivity, linearity, accuracy, precision, recovery and stability. The limit of quantitation values were 80 and 50 ng mL(-1) for torasemide and spironolactone respectively. Furthermore, the sensitivity and simplicity of the method suggests the validity of method for routine clinical studies.

Efficient combination of circulating ultrasound-assisted extraction and centrifugal partition chromatography for extraction and on-line separation of chemical constituents from Stellera chamaejasme L

INTRODUCTION

Sample preparation is a crucial step in medicinal herb analysis because the desired chemical components need to be extracted from the herbal materials for further separation and characterisation. Thus, the development of " modern" sample preparation techniques with significant advantages over conventional methods is very important.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was the development of a new preparation method using circulating ultrasonic-assisted extraction (CUAE) coupled with centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC) for continuous extraction and on-line isolation of chemical constituents from Stellera chamaejasme L.

METHODOLOGY

The stationary or mobile phase was used as the extraction solvent. Extraction parameters, including the ultrasound power, extraction time, temperature, and liquid:solid ratio, were optimised using a response surface methodology.

RESULTS

The extraction time, temperature, and power considerably affected the extraction yield. The optimised extraction parameters were an ultrasound power of 800 W, extraction time of 30 min, extraction temperature of 70 °C, and liquid:solid ratio of 8 mL/g. The solvent system for CUAE and CPC was optimised using mathematical equations, and the two-phase solvent system of n-hexane:ethyl acetate:methanol:water at a volume ratio of 3:5:4:6 was calculated. Four target compounds (daphnoretin, chamaechromone, neochamaejasmin A, and isochamaejasmin) with purities above 96% were successfully extracted and isolated on-line via CUAE/CPC.

CONCLUSION

Compared with the reference extraction methods, the instrumental setup achieved a scientific and systematic extraction and isolation of natural products and has great potential for industrial application.

Elution study of unreacted TEGDMA from bulk-fill composite (SDR™ Dentsply) using HPLC

PURPOSE

The study evaluates the dynamics of unreacted TEGDMA monomer elution from new generation of flowable bulk fill composite resin (SDR™ Dentsply).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Polymerised specimens of SDR™ composite (7mm diameter and 4mm thick) were placed in four solutions: 100% ethanol, 75% ethanol, distilled water and 100% methanol. The concentration of the eluted TEGDMA was measured using the HLPC method after 0.5, 1, 2 and 3h as well as after 1, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 31 days.

RESULTS

During the first 24h of storage in each medium, a significant elution of TEGDMA was observed (100% ethanol - 12.5μg/g, 75% ethanol - 8.4μg/g, distilled water - 5.4μg/g and 100% methanol - 7μg/g). The elution time of the TEGDMA into 100% ethanol, 75% ethanol, distilled water and 100% methanol was 14, 7, 3 and 1 day, respectively. After 31 days, total concentrations of TEGDMA were as follows: 100% ethanol - 16μg/g, 75% ethanol - 9.4μg/g, distilled water - 6μg/g and 100% methanol - 7μg/g.

CONCLUSIONS

The TEGDMA was released from the SDR™ composite into each solution used. The TEGDMA concentration and the time of its elution depend on the type of the solvent. In an aqueous environment, the SDR™ composite exhibits a high chemical stability compared to other solutions. The direct toxicity towards to the dental pulp is established during the first hours after the placement of resin.

[Fundamental Evaluation and Clinical Usefulness of Lipoprotein Analysis System with Anion-Exchange Chromatography]

We established a method for measurement of the cholesterol concentrations of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), intermediate density lipoprotein cholesterol (IDL-C) and very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with anion-exchange column. The HPLC method has been covered by insurance in 2013, and HLC-729LPII (LPII) system constructed by this method has come on the market in 2014. We evaluated the fundamental precision data of lipoprotein cholesterol values measured by HLC-729 LPII. The within-day and between-day assay coefficients of variation of lipoprotein cholesterol values were 1.4-10.7 (%CV). The lipoprotein profiles of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM, n = 60) without dialysis therapy were measured by LPII. HDL-C obtained by LPII was highly correlated with that obtained by direct assay. LDL-C obtained by LPII was highly correlated with those obtained by direct assay and calculated by Friedewald's formula. In addition, IDL-C obtained by LPII was negatively correlated with estimated Glomerular Filtration Ratio (eGFR). These results suggest that the new HPLC method can be applied to estimate lipoprotein profile of T2DM patients. Particularly, IDL cholesterol may be useful for the evaluation of impaired lipid metabolism in T2DM patients without dialysis therapy, but it remains to be cleared.

Screening method for the determination of tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones in animal drinking water by liquid chromatography with diode array detector

A liquid chromatography - diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) procedure has been developed for the determination of oxytetracycline (OTC), tetracycline (TC), chlorotetracycline (CTC), doxycycline (DC), enrofloxacin (ENR), ciprofloxacin (CIP), sarafloxacin (SAR) and flumequine (FLU) residues in animal drinking water. This method was applied to animal drinking water. Solid-phase extraction (SPE) clean-up on an Oasis HLB cartridge allowed an extract suitable for liquid chromatographic analysis to be obtained. Chromatographic separation was carried out on a C18 analytical column, using gradient elution with 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid - acetonitrile - methanol at 30°C. The flow-rate was 0.7 mL/min and the eluate was analysed at 330 nm. The whole procedure was evaluated according to the requirements of the Commission Decision 2002/657/EC, determining specificity, decision limit (CCα), detection capacity (CCβ), limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), precision and accuracy during validation of the method. The recoveries of TCs and FQs from spiked samples at the levels of 10, 100 and 1000 μg/L were higher than 82%. The developed method based on HPLC-DAD has been applied for the determination of four tetracyclines and four fluoroquinolones in animal drinking water samples.

Combining selection valve and mixing chamber for nanoflow gradient generation: Toward developing a liquid chromatography cartridge coupled with mass spectrometer for protein and peptide analysis

Toward developing a micro HPLC cartridge, we have recently built a high-pressure electroosmotic pump (EOP). However, we do not recommend people to use this pump to deliver an organic solvent directly, because it often makes the pump rate unstable. We have experimented several approaches to address this issue, but none of them are satisfactory. Here, we develop an innovative approach to address this issue. We first create an abruption (a dead-volume) within a fluid conduit. We then utilize an EOP to withdraw, via a selection valve, a train of eluent solutions having decreasing eluting power into the fluid conduit. When these solutions are further aspirated through the dead-volume, these solutions are partially mixed, smoothening concentration transitions between two adjacent eluent solutions. As these solutions are pushed back, through the dead-volume again, a smooth gradient profile is formed. In this work, we characterize this scheme for gradient formation, and we incorporate this approach with a high-pressure EOP, a nanoliter injection valve, and a capillary column, yielding a micro HPLC system. We then couple this micro HPLC with an electrospray ionization - mass spectrometer for peptide and protein separations and identifications.

Profiling of adrenocorticotropic hormone and arginine vasopressin in human pituitary gland and tumor thin tissue sections using droplet-based liquid-microjunction surface-sampling-HPLC-ESI-MS-MS

Described here are the results from the profiling of the proteins arginine vasopressin (AVP) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) from normal human pituitary gland and pituitary adenoma tissue sections, using a fully automated droplet-based liquid-microjunction surface-sampling-HPLC-ESI-MS-MS system for spatially resolved sampling, HPLC separation, and mass spectrometric detection. Excellent correlation was found between the protein distribution data obtained with this method and data obtained with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) chemical imaging analyses of serial sections of the same tissue. The protein distributions correlated with the visible anatomic pattern of the pituitary gland. AVP was most abundant in the posterior pituitary gland region (neurohypophysis), and ATCH was dominant in the anterior pituitary gland region (adenohypophysis). The relative amounts of AVP and ACTH sampled from a series of ACTH-secreting and non-secreting pituitary adenomas correlated with histopathological evaluation. ACTH was readily detected at significantly higher levels in regions of ACTH-secreting adenomas and in normal anterior adenohypophysis compared with non-secreting adenoma and neurohypophysis. AVP was mostly detected in normal neurohypophysis, as expected. This work reveals that a fully automated droplet-based liquid-microjunction surface-sampling system coupled to HPLC-ESI-MS-MS can be readily used for spatially resolved sampling, separation, detection, and semi-quantitation of physiologically-relevant peptide and protein hormones, including AVP and ACTH, directly from human tissue. In addition, the relative simplicity, rapidity, and specificity of this method support the potential of this basic technology, with further advancement, for assisting surgical decision-making. Graphical Abstract Mass spectrometry based profiling of hormones in human pituitary gland and tumor thin tissue sections.

[THE SIMULTANEOUS ANALYSIS OF FREE CATECHOLAMINES AND METANEPHRTNES IN URINE USING TECHNIQUE OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY WITH FLUORIMETRIC DETECTION AND SOLID PHASE EXTRACTION ON POLYMERIC SORBENT (PUROSEP-200)]

The article considers the technique of simultaneous detection of free catecholamines and free metanephrines in urine using inverse phase highly effective liquid chromatography with fluorimetric detection. The solid phase extraction was implemented on cartridges with 30 mg of hyper cross-linked polystyrene (Purosep-200). The simplicity, reproducibility and sufficient sensitivity of technique permit applying it in clinical practice to diagnose pheochromocytoma.

An improved method for the determination of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural in Shenfu injection by direct analysis in real time-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry

The emergence of direct analysis in real time (DART) ion source provides the great possibility for rapid analysis of hazardous substance in drugs. DART mass spectrometry (DART-MS) enabled the conducting of a fast and non-contact analysis of various samples, including solid or liquid ones, without complex sample preparation or chromatographic separation. In this study, a modified DART-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (DART-QTOF-MS) method was developed for identification and determination of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) in Shenfu (SF) injection. The quantitative transfer of sample solution was introduced to the glass tips of DIP-it sampler at a fixed volume, which significantly increases the repeatability and accuracy of analytical results. The protonated ion of dibutyl phthalate in the atmosphere was used as the reference mass for TOF-MS recalibration during the data acquisition for constant high accuracy mass measurements. Finally, the developed DART-MS method was used to determine 5-HMF in seven batches of SF injection, and the contents of 5-HMF were not higher than 100 µg/mL. The results obtained were further confirmed by an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography combined with triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (UHPLC-QQQ-MS). The overall results demonstrated that the DART-QTOF-MS method could be applied as an alternative technique for rapid monitoring 5-HMF in herbal medicine injection. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Analysis of Cocoa Proanthocyanidins Using Reversed Phase High-Performance Liquid Chromatography and Electrochemical Detection: Application to Studies on the Effect of Alkaline Processing

Flavan-3-ols and proanthocyanidins play a key role in the health beneficial effects of cocoa. Here, we developed a new reversed phased high-performance liquid chromatography-electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD) method for the analysis of flavan-3-ols and proanthocyanidins of degree of polymerization (DP) 2-7. We used this method to examine the effect of alkalization on polyphenol composition of cocoa powder. Treatment of cocoa powder with NaOH (final pH 8.0) at 92 °C for up to 1 h increased catechin content by 40%, but reduced epicatechin and proanthocyanidins by 23-66%. Proanthocyanidin loss could be modeled using a two-phase exponential decay model (R(2) > 0.7 for epicatchin and proanthocyanidins of odd DP). Alkalization resulted in a significant color change and 20% loss of total polyphenols. The present work demonstrates the first use of HPLC-ECD for the detection of proanthocyanidins up to DP 7 and provides an initial predictive model for the effect of alkali treatment on cocoa polyphenols.

Triacylglycerol Analysis in Human Milk and Other Mammalian Species: Small-Scale Sample Preparation, Characterization, and Statistical Classification Using HPLC-ELSD Profiles

In this work, a method for the separation of triacylglycerols (TAGs) present in human milk and from other mammalian species by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography using a core-shell particle packed column with UV and evaporative light-scattering detectors is described. Under optimal conditions, a mobile phase containing acetonitrile/n-pentanol at 10 °C gave an excellent resolution among more than 50 TAG peaks. A small-scale method for fat extraction in these milks (particularly of interest for human milk samples) using minimal amounts of sample and reagents was also developed. The proposed extraction protocol and the traditional method were compared, giving similar results, with respect to the total fat and relative TAG contents. Finally, a statistical study based on linear discriminant analysis on the TAG composition of different types of milks (human, cow, sheep, and goat) was carried out to differentiate the samples according to their mammalian origin.

Effect of sample dilution on matrix effects in pesticide analysis of several matrices by liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry

This study used two LC columns of different adsorbents and liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-high-resolution mass spectrometry to study the relationship between matrix effects (ME), the LC separations, and elution patterns of pesticides and those of matrix components. Using calibration standards of 381 pesticides at three dilution levels of 1×, 1/10×, and 1/100×, 108 samples were prepared in solvent and five different sample matrices for the study. Results obtained from principal component analysis and slope ratios of calibration curves provided measurements of the ME and showed the 1/100× sample dilution could minimize suppression ME for most pesticides analyzed. Should a pesticide coeluting with matrix components have a peak intensity of 25 times or higher, the suppression for that pesticide would persist even at 1/100× dilution. The number of pesticides had enhancement ME increased with increasing dilution from 1× to 1/100×, with those early eluting, hydrophilic pesticides affected the most.

Analysis of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in olive oil after solid-phase extraction using a dual-layer sorbent cartridge followed by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

A simple and easy direct solid-phase extraction (SPE) method was developed for the analysis of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in olive oil using a dual-layer cartridge containing activated Florisil and a mixture of octadecyl (C18)-bonded and zirconia-coated silicas. Undiluted olive oil was applied directly to the SPE cartridge, and the sample was eluted with acetonitrile solvent. Background in the extract was found to be low enough for either gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) or high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) analysis. Average recoveries for 16 different PAHs from spiked olive oil replicates were >75%, with intraday precisions of <20% relative standard deviation (% RSD). Detection limits ranged from 0.2 to 1.0 μg/kg and, specifically for the PAHs listed in EC Regulation 835/2011, benzo(a)anthracene, chrysene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, and benzo(a)pyrene, were from 0.3 to 0.7 μg/kg. The method was then applied to determine the PAH content present in commercial samples of refined versus extra-virgin olive oils.

Easy Extraction Method To Evaluate δ13C Vanillin by Liquid Chromatography-Isotopic Ratio Mass Spectrometry in Chocolate Bars and Chocolate Snack Foods

An easy extraction method that permits the use of a liquid chromatography-isotopic ratio mass spectrometry (LC-IRMS) system to evaluate δ(13)C of vanillin in chocolate products and industrial flavorings is presented. The method applies the determination of stable isotopes of carbon to discriminate between natural vanillin from vanilla beans and vanillin from other sources (mixtures from beans, synthesis, or biotechnology). A series of 13 chocolate bars and chocolate snack foods available on the Italian market and 8 vanilla flavorings derived from industrial quality control processes were analyzed. Only 30% of products considered in this work that declared "vanilla" on the label showed data that permitted the declaration "vanilla" according to European Union (EU) Regulation 1334/2008. All samples not citing "vanilla" or "natural flavoring" on the label gave the correct declaration. The extraction method is presented with data useful for statistical evaluation.

One-hour proteome analysis in yeast

Recent advances in chromatography and mass spectrometry (MS) have made rapid and deep proteomic profiling possible. To maximize the performance of the recently produced Orbitrap hybrid mass spectrometer, we have developed a protocol that combines improved sample preparation (including optimized cellular lysis by extensive bead beating) and chromatographic conditions (specifically, 30-cm capillary columns packed with 1.7-μm bridged ethylene hybrid material) and the manufacture of a column heater (to accommodate flow rates of 350-375 nl/min) that increases the number of proteins identified across a single liquid chromatography-tandem MS (LC-MS/MS) separation, thereby reducing the need for extensive sample fractionation. This strategy allowed the identification of up to 4,002 proteins (at a 1% false discovery rate (FDR)) in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain BY4741) over 70 min of LC-MS/MS analysis. Quintuplicate analysis of technical replicates reveals 83% overlap at the protein level, thus demonstrating the reproducibility of this procedure. This protocol, which includes cell lysis, overnight tryptic digestion, sample analysis and database searching, takes ∼24 h to complete. Aspects of this protocol, including chromatographic separation and instrument parameters, can be adapted for the optimal analysis of other organisms.

Determination of the Ergot Alkaloid Ergovaline in Tall Fescue Seed and Straw Using a QuEChERS Extraction Method with High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Fluorescence Detection

Ergovaline is an ergot alkaloid produced by the symbiotic endophyte Epichloë coenophiala, which can colonize varieties of the cool-season grass tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). It is the principle toxicant responsible for the vasoconstrictive and reproductive sequelae seen in "fescue toxicosis" in livestock which consume forage exceeding the threshold of toxicity established for this compound. A new method for extraction of ergovaline from tall fescue seed and straw was optimized and validated, on the basis of the QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe) method, with high-performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection. Fourteen extraction solvents were tested; 2.1 mM ammonium carbonate/acetonitrile (50/50, v/v) had the highest and most consistent recovery (91-101%). Linearity, limit of detection, limit of quantitation, accuracy,and intra- and interday precisions for tall fescue seed and straw were 100-3500 μg/kg, 37 and 30 μg/kg, 100 μg/kg, 98%, 3.0 and 1.6%, and 3.8 and 1.0%, respectively. When the currently used solid-phase extraction (SPE) and QuEChERS methods were applied to 17 tall fescue straw samples, there was good agreement (correlation coefficient 0.9978). The QuEChERS method achieved the goals of eliminating chlorinated solvents and developing a fast, efficient, reliable method for quantitating ergovaline in tall fescue forage that can be applied in a high-throughput food safety laboratory.