Expanding the separation capability of sequential injection chromatography: Determination of melamine in milk exploiting micellar medium and on-line sample preparation

Melamine and Cyanuric Acid in Milk and Their Quantities, Analytical Methods and Exposure Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Melamine, as a toxic compound, needs to be controlled in food, especially in dairy products. In this systematic study, quantities of melamine and cyanuric acid in various types of milk were investigated. A comprehensive database search was performed using the keywords pasteurized milk, milk, sterilized milk, melamine, and cyanuric acid without time limitation. A total of 24 articles related to melamine and cyanuric acid were thoroughly reviewed. The overall mean concentration of melamine in milk was estimated by meta-analysis to be 11.3 μg/L. Publication bias was not addressed in the associated assays; however, it was addressed as highly heterogeneous between studies. Subgroup analysis was carried out, and the milk type was a cause of heterogeneity. This systematic review investigated a range of melamine in milk products and discussed different analytical methods.

Advancements in the preparation and application of monolithic silica columns for efficient separation in liquid chromatography

Fast and efficient separation remains a big challenge in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The need for higher efficiency and resolution in separation is constantly in demand. To achieve that, columns developed are rapidly moving towards having smaller particle sizes and internal diameters (i.d.). However, these parameters will lead to high back-pressure in the system and will burden the pumps of the HPLC instrument. To address this limitation, monolithic columns, especially silica-based monolithic columns have been introduced. These columns are being widely investigated for fast and efficient separation of a wide range of molecules. The present article describes the current methods developed to enhance the column efficiency of particle packed columns and how silica monolithic columns can act as an alternative in overcoming the low permeability of particle packed columns. The fundamental processes behind the fabrication of the monolith including the starting materials and the silica sol-gel process will be discussed. Different monolith derivatization and end-capping processes will be further elaborated and followed by highlights of the performance such monolithic columns in key applications in different fields with various types of matrices.

Flow-Batch Sample Preparation for Fractionation of the Stress Signaling Phytohormone Salicylic Acid in Fresh Leaves

Salicylic acid (SA) is an important stress signaling phytohormone and plays an essential role in physiological processes in plants. SA fractionation has been carried out batchwise, which is not compatible with the high analytical demand in agronomical studies and increases susceptibility to analytical errors. In this context, a novel flow-batch sample preparation system for SA fractionation on fresh plant leaves was developed. It was based on microwave-assisted extraction with water and conversion of the conjugated species to free SA by alkaline hydrolysis. Free and total SA were quantified by fluorimetry after separation by sequential injection chromatography in a C18 monolithic column. The proposed procedure is directly applicable to plant leaves containing up 16 mg kg^-1 SA, with a limit of detection of 0.1 mg kg^-1 of SA, coefficient of variation of 3.0% (n = 10), and sampling rate of 4 samples h^-1. The flow-batch sample preparation system was successfully applied to SA fractionation in sugarcane, corn, and soybean leaves without clogging or increasing in backpressure. The proposed approach is simple, less time-consuming, and more environmentally friendly in comparison to batchwise procedures.

Designing a sustainable mobile phase composition for melamine monitoring in milk samples based on micellar liquid chromatography and natural deep eutectic solvent

Modified micellar liquid chromatography (MLC) with a natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES), produced from choline chloride (ChCl) and ethylene glycol (EG), was employed for melamine (MEL) monitoring in milk matrix. This sustainable mobile phase was attained through chemometrical optimization of crucial variables including concentration of sodium dodecyl sulphate ([SDS]) along with volume percentages of both NADES and glacial acetic acid (GAC). The desirability function and central composite design were utilized as chemometrical tools. Retention time (t_R-MEL), and chromatographic peak width of MEL at 50% of its height (W_50%-MEL) were considered for finding the best possible arrangement of the influential factors in the configuration of the mobile phase. Under the optimal experimental conditions of 0.10 mol L^-1 SDS, 4% (v/v) NADES, and 4% (v/v) GAC, the results showed that both t_R-MEL and W_50%-MEL drastically decreased when NADES was a part of the mobile phase composition. This indicated that ChCl-EG-based NADES had a significant impact on improving the chromatographic behaviour of an ionizable polar compound, MEL. At the optimal point, MEL was eluted in approximately 10 min without being interfered by coexisting proteins and endogenous species in milk. The practical performance of the mobile phase was established through direct injection of milk samples into the MLC system. The eligibility criteria of the United State-Food and Drug Administration (US-FDA) were considered for validation of the introduced methodology.