Evaluation of mobile phase additives in LC-systems using chemometrics

Experimental design-based development and single laboratory validation of a capillary zone electrophoresis method for the determination of the artificial sweetener sucralose in food matrices

A capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) method, optimised chemometrically, underwent a complete in-house validation protocol for the qualification and quantification of sucralose in various foodstuffs. Separation from matrix components was obtained in a dinitrobenzoic acid (3 mM)/sodium hydroxide (20 mM) background electrolyte with a pH of 12.1, a potential of 0.11 kV cm(-1) and a temperature of 22 degrees C. Detection was achieved at 238 nm by indirect UV. Screening, optimisation and robustness testing were all carried out with the aid of experimental design. Using standard addition calibration, the CZE method has been applied to still, carbonated and alcoholic beverages, yoghurts and hard-boiled candy. The method allows the detection of sucralose at >30 mg kg(-1), with a linearity range of 50-500 mg kg(-1), making it suitable for implementation of the recently amended "Sweeteners for use in foodstuffs" Directive (European Parliament and Council (2003) Off J L237:3-12), which set maximum usable doses of sucralose for many foodstuffs, most ranging from 200 mg kg(-1) to 450 mg kg(-1).

Quantitative structure-retention relationships in affinity high-performance liquid chromatography

In this report the affinity high-performance liquid chromatography data, which were determined on silica-based human serum albumin, alpha1-acid glycoprotein, keratin, collagen, melanin, amylose tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate), and basic fatty acid binding protein columns, are discussed. Using a quantitative structure-retention relationship (QSRR) approach the affinity data were interpreted in terms of structural requirements of specific binding sites on biomacromolecules. The unique chromatographic properties of immobilized artificial membrane and cholesterol stationary phases were also analyzed from the point of view of mimicking biological processes. It has been demonstrated that chemometric processing of appropriately designed sets of chromatographic data derived in systems comprising biomolecules provides information of relevance for molecular pharmacology and rational drug design.

Optimization methods in chromatography and capillary electrophoresis

Many methods have been developed in order to optimize the parameters of interest in either chromatography or capillary electrophoresis. In chemometric approaches experimental measurements are performed in such a way that all factors vary together. An objective function is utilized in which the analyst introduces the desired criteria (selectivity, resolution, time of analysis). Simplex methods and overlapping resolution maps are declining. Factorial designs and central composite designs are more and more popular in electrodriven capillary separations since the number of parameters to master is much larger than in either GC or LC. The use of artificial neural networks is increasing. The advantage of chemometrics tools is that no explicit models are required, conversely the number of experiments to perform may be high and boundaries of the domain are not straightforward to draw and the approach does more than is required. When models are available optimization is easier to perform by regression methods. Computer assisted methods in RPLC are readily available and work well but are still in infancy in CE. Linear solvation energy relationships seem a very valuable tool but estimates of coefficients still require many experiments.

Enantiomeric separation of amino alcohols on protein phases using statistical experimental design. A comparative study

Two LC supports often used for giving enantioselective retention were tested and compared in the reversed-phase mode using statistical experimental design. The two supports contain two different proteins, alpha1-acid glycoprotein or cellulase immobilised to silica particles, as the chiral selectors. The two chromatographic columns are commercially available as Chiral-AGP and Chiral-CBH. Twelve closely structurally related amino alcohols were used as the testing solutes. For each column three important mobile phase descriptors, that improve the chiral recognition, were chosen as variables and retention and separation factors were used as responses. All the tested solutes were separated using the two protein based supports. However, the highest enantioselectivities, i.e., separation factors higher than 10 were obtained using the Chiral-CBH column. The solute structure, e.g., distance between the nitrogen atom and the chiral carbon atom, and position as well as type of substituent in the aromatic ring highly influence the enantioselectivity on both columns. For one of the solutes the choice of mobile phase composition could be used to control the retention order of the two enantiomers.

Enantiometric separation of verapamil and norverapamil using Chiral-AGP as the stationary phase

Simultaneous enantiomeric separation of verapamil and its main metabolite norverapamil was achieved using Chiral-AGP as the stationary phase. The optimized chromatographic system was obtained using statistical experimental design with partial least squares as regression method. The three variables studied were buffer pH, content of acetonitrile and column temperature. A high buffer pH favors enantioselectivity as well as the selectivity between (S)-verapamil and (R)-norverapamil. The concentration of the organic modifier in the mobile phase was a compromise as a high content of acetonitrile decreased enantioselectivity but increased the selectivity mentioned above. Increased column temperature increased the separation between (S)-verapamil and (R)-norverapamil with only a slight decrease in enantioresolution.

Carboxylic acids: prediction of retention data from chromatographic and electrophoretic behaviours

A review of the main results reached in the prediction of retention data of carboxylic acids, inferred by their chromatographic and electrophoretic behaviour, is presented. Attention has been focused on the main separation methods used in carboxylic acids analysis, that is ion-exclusion, anion-exchange, reversed-phase (RP) liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis. Papers proposing mechanistic models as well as chemometric and multilayer feed-forward neural network analysis of ion chromatography (IC) and RP chromatographic retention data were reviewed. Principal component analysis, PCA, sequential simplex method and simultaneous modelling of response surfaces through simple nonlinear models (not related to equilibria involved in retention) have been considered. Computer simulations for the prediction of retention data have also been discussed. A quick overlook on the prediction of capacity factors of analytes by less common determination methods such as thin-layer, gas chromatography and supercritical fluid chromatography has also been done.

Application of chemometric experimental designs in capillary electrophoresis: a review

Various chemometric experimental designs have been employed for the optimisation of capillary electrophoresis (CE) methods. Similar designs have been utilised in the assessment of the robustness of CE methods. The designs employed include central composites, fractional factorials, Plackett-Burman, simplex and overlapping-resolution mapping. Optimisation studies have largely concentrated on the use of these designs on selection of the optimal electrolyte composition. The robustness testing studies performed have involved the use of screening designs to identify the critical parameters affecting responses such as migration times and resolution. Further designs such as central composites have then been employed to set method limits following robustness studies. It is concluded that the use of experimental designs and statistical data evaluation in conjunction with personal computer-controlled CE autosamplers and instruments are of great benefit in the optimisation and robustness evaluation of CE methods.