Routine drug level measurements by means of a fully mechanized HPLC equipment

Summary Pharmacokinetic studies require a great number of serum drug levels to be determined. It is therefore necessary to rationalize analytical methods. Methods for rational clean-up procedures and the determination by means of mechanized HPLC are shown. The following quality criteria for determination methods are proposed: precision, accuracy, specificity and sensitivity. Quality control in routine analyses is performed by evaluating the criteria of parallel analyses of known admixtures to serum.     

Correlation between different clean-up methods and analytical techniques performances to detect Ochratoxin A in wine

Three different clean-up methods and two analytical techniques were compared to determine Ochratoxin A (OTA) in wines. The first clean-up used a MycoSep column, the second an immunoaffinity column (IAC) and the third consisted in a liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) using dichloromethane in acid conditions. Meanwhile, two different OTA determination techniques were also evaluated: a HPLC analysis using a fluorescence detector and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) method.Correlations between clean-up methods and analytical techniques to determine OTA in wine were made evaluating linearity, accuracy and precision.Both the two first clean-up methods (solid-phase extraction, SPE) showed a good linear fit (r² = about 0.9999), followed by LLE. The use of immunoaffinity columns showed the best recoveries, even if also the SPE with MycoSep showed good recoveries while the LLE recoveries were the worst ones. The HPLC analysis showed good precision and accuracy, while ELISA method, even with a sufficient linearity, generally underestimated OTA content in wines.     

Selective sample preparation for the analysis of (fluoro)quinolones in baby food: molecularly imprinted polymers versus anion-exchange resins

In this work, an analytical method for simultaneous analysis of several quinolones (cinoxacin, oxolinic acid, nalidixic acid, and flumequine) and fluoroquinolones (norfloxacin, enrofloxacin, enoxacin, ciprofloxacin, and danofloxacin) in baby-food samples is described for the first time. The method is based on isolation of these analytes by ultrasound-assisted extraction procedure followed by a solid-phase extraction sample clean-up step and final determination of the analytes by HPLC using UV detection. For the extraction step, 2 g baby food was mixed with methanol in a centrifuge tube and one single extraction cycle of 15 min at room temperature was carried out. After centrifugation, supernatant was collected and two different solid-phase extraction procedures were developed and evaluated for sample clean-up. The first was based on use of strong anion-exchange cartridges whereas the second was based on use of a ciprofloxacin-imprinted polymer. Both sample clean-up procedures had their own advantages and drawbacks, and the analytical performance and applicability of each procedure was established and properly discussed. The anion-exchange resin-based method enabled simultaneous determination of quinolones and fluoroquinolones, reaching limits of detection ranging from 0.03 to 0.11 μg g⁻¹. In contrast, the use of a ciprofloxacin-imprinted polymer did provide selectivity towards fluoroquinolones, leading to chromatograms free from co-extractives reaching limits of detection one order of magnitude lower than those obtained by the first approach.     

Ultrasonic extraction followed by a novel filtration and clean-up device for screening of some polyphenols in tobaccos

A simple and efficient HPLC method using a diode array detector (DAD) was developed for simultaneous determination of six polyphenols in tobaccos. Ultrasonic extraction was employed at 25 degrees C to extract the polyphenols present in tobaccos into anhydrous methanol. A novel filtration device linked to a clean-up cartridge was designed for simultaneous extract filtration and clean-up. Optimized HPLC-DAD analysis, with multi-wavelength detection, was used for determination of the polyphenols. Because the content of some of the polyphenols is too low to be quantified directly, a concentration step was necessary. Anhydrous methanol was employed for extraction of the polyphenols because of its high extraction efficiency and its low boiling point in the concentration step. Using the proposed method, six polyphenols were quantified in tobaccos (Nicotina tobaccum L.).     

Determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in edible oils and fats by on-line donor-acceptor complex chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

Various off-line methods for clean-up and sample enrichment are available for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in edible oils and fats. These methods consist of laborious and time consuming procedures. This study reports an on-line method using LC-LC coupling. After clean-up of the sample on a donor-acceptor complex chromatography (DACC) column the PAHs are transferred to and separated on an analytical HPLC column. Quantification is carried out with fluorescence detection. The DACC column clean-up is fast and is carried out during the HPLC run of the previous sample. Compared to the traditional methods this automated on-line method saves considerable time and significantly reduces the amount of solvent waste. The method uses common HPLC equipment and its performance has been evaluated.     

Analysis of zearalenone and α-zearalenol in animal feed using high-performance liquid chromatography

Different extraction and clean-up techniques used before HPLC analysis were compared in order to obtain a reliable method for the quantitative determination of zearalenone (ZEA) and α-zearalenol (α-ZOL) in animal feed. Immunoaffinity clean-up was compared to C₁₈ and Florisil column clean-up. Extracted samples were analysed by reversed-phase HPLC with fluorescence detection (λ_ex=274 nm, λ_em=440 nm). A mobile phase of acetonitrile:water (50:50 (v/v)) and a flow-rate of 1.0 ml min⁻¹ resulted in a good separation between ZEA and α-ZOL. Using immunoaffinity clean-up the linear range was between 25 and 600 μg kg⁻¹ for ZEA and α-ZOL in maize. Intra-laboratory coefficients of variation (CV) (under repeatability conditions) were 9.16% for ZEA and 2.18% for α-ZOL. Recoveries for spiked ZEA and α-ZOL samples ranged from 89 to 110% with CVs between 5.2 and 11.2% (under within-laboratory reproducibility conditions). Using C₁₈ and Florisil solid-phase clean-up, matrix interference was too high. Therefore, naturally contaminated animal feed samples were analysed using the developed HPLC method coupled to the immunoaffinity clean-up.     

Studies on residual antibacterials in foods. III. High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of penicillin G in animal tissues using an on-line pre-column concentration and purification system

A simple and reproducible method for the determination of residual penicillin G in edible animal tissues by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is described. The method consists in an off-line clean-up step using a basic aluminium oxide column and a Sep-Pak C18 cartridge and an on-line pre-column concentration and purification system. The procedure shows good sensitivity and precision. The recoveries from cattle liver, kidney and muscle fortified with 1 microgram/g of sodium penicillin G were 75.0-92.6% and the relative standard deviations were 2.35-4.06%. The detection limit corresponded to 0.05 micrograms/g of sodium penicillin G in animal tissues.     

Analysis of multiple pesticide residues in tobacco using pressurized liquid extraction, automated solid-phase extraction clean-up and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A new method was developed for the analysis of pesticide residues in tobacco. The objective was to significantly increase the number of samples that can be processed by the laboratory and to enable the extension of the current coverage to additional pesticides. A new analytical approach was therefore defined based on two main axes, the automation of the sample preparation and the selectivity of the analyte detection using tandem mass spectrometry. This latter aspect reduces the stringency of the requirements placed on the clean-up of the extracts and on the chromatographic resolution when less selective detectors are used. The extraction of the analytes from the matrix is performed using the pressurized liquid extraction technique. Tobacco samples are extracted at elevated temperature and pressure (100 C and 100 atm; 1 atm = 101,325 Pa) using acetone as an extraction solvent. The resulting extract is then concentrated using a Vortex evaporator. Three different solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedures, adjusted to the chemical properties of the different active ingredients to be measured, are applied to the concentrated extract, thus leading to three extract fractions. The first fraction contains such main classes of active ingredients as organohalogenated and 2,6-dinitroaniline compounds while the second one collects the organophosphorus and acylalanines residues; these two fractions are analyzed by capillary gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry using negative chemical ionization and electron impact ionization in the positive mode, respectively. The third extract fraction gathers the N-methylcarbamates residues which are analyzed by HPLC with post-column derivatization and fluorescence detection. The different sample preparation stages from extraction to SPE clean-up have been automated through the use of recent analytical technologies. In combination with the analysis by tandem mass spectrometry, this provided a potential for a high sample throughput.     

Clean-up and analysis of carbazole and acridine type polycyclic aromatic nitrogen heterocyclics in complex sample matrices

A HPLC method for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic nitrogen heterocyclics (PANHs) in complex sample matrices is presented. It isolated and separated carbazole and acridine type PANHs with an absolute recovery of between 79–98%. Open column chromatography is used as an initial step to isolate a PANH fraction. By applying normal-phase liquid chromatography using a dimethylaminopropyl silica stationary phase and utilising back-flush technique it was possible to separate the PANH fraction into two fractions containing acridine type and carbazole type PANHs, respectively. The method applied on a sample of solvent refined coal heavy distillate (SRC II HD). A number of 3–5 ring acridines and carbazoles were identified with GC–electron impact MS and quantified with GC–nitrogen–phosphorous detection. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were determined in the SRC II HD sample by automated on-line clean-up and analysis of the obtained PAH fraction with coupled LC–GC–flame ionization detection. There was no overlap between the PANH and the PAH fractions with this method, and carbazoles and acridines were efficiently separated.     

High performance liquid chromatography - Quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance - High performance liquid chromatography for purity measurement of human insulin

Quantitative Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (qNMR) is a reliable quantitative spectroscopic technique, wherein the intensity of a resonance line is directly proportional to the number of resonant nucleus, and the absolute content of the compound can be determined, this means the inorganic stabilizer in the sample would not affect the result of qNMR. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is a common analytical method with a high separation capacity. This study combined HPLC and qNMR, to measure the purity of Human Insulin (HI). It started from an original HI. The first step is purifying the original HI by HPLC to get a purified HI, with organic purity of 99.78%. The second step is assessing the absolute content of the purified HI by qNMR, and got 40.25%. The third step is measuring the purity of original HI by HPLC again, using the purified HI as the reference material. This method, called HPLC-qNMR-HPLC, is more accurate (84.12%?±?1.14%) than the traditional IDMS (isotope dilution mass spectrometry) method (86.6%?±?3.4%). This study expanded the application of qNMR to proteins with molecular weight of about 5800, and showed that this method can be widely used in measuring the purity of macromolecular proteins.     

水果蔬菜中多种杀菌剂的基质固相分散液相色谱测定方法研究

采用基质固相分散(MSPD)代替液液分配和固相萃取,从蔬菜水果中提取、净化10种常用杀菌剂农药残留,用C18硅胶交联剂作为固相吸附剂,乙酸乙酯作为洗脱液,用HPLC/PDA和LC-MS进行分析检测。10种杀菌剂在0.5~5 mg/kg含量的添加回收率在65%~110%之间,相对标准偏差小于10%,使用HPLC、PDA和LC-MS的检出限分别在0.02~0.2 mg/kg和0.002~0.01 mg/kg之间。该方法节省溶剂,提取和净化一步完成,适用于新鲜水果和蔬菜中10种杀菌剂的残留分析。     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in edible fats and oils: occurrence and analytical methods

This review deals with analytical methods for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) determination in oils and fats. The data reported in the introduction deal with PAH dietary intake from this group of food and contamination levels recently found by some authors in different vegetable oils, stressing the importance of establishing a method suitable for routine analyses. Traditional sample preparation relies on tedious, time-consuming procedures. They generally consist of an extraction step (liquid-liquid partition, caffeine complexation, saponification) followed by one or more purification procedures (column chromatography, thin-layer chromatography, solid-phase extraction). The analytical determination is usually carried out by HPLC and spectrofluorometric detection, or through high-resolution capillary GC coupled to flame ionisation detection or mass spectrometry. LC is a valid alternative to the traditional sample preparation, and off-line LC-LC allows performing an accurate PAH analysis in less than 2 h. Also supercritical fluid extraction, allowing performing both extraction and clean-up in one combined step, is a promising technique. Hyphenated techniques such as LC-GC and LC-LC-GC seem to be very promising. A completely on-line method for alkylated PAH determination in oils or lipidic extracts contaminated with mineral oil involves a two-dimensional LC-step with intermediate eluent evaporation and GC transfer through a vaporiser/overflow interface.     

Statistical Model for Organic Chromatographic Trace Analysis of Complex Samples. A Case Study: Plant Extracts

Abstract

The use of pooled plant extracts is described in the estimation of matrix interference in HPLC (UV and EC) determinations of organic compounds in plant extracts. An extract from freeze dried leaves of 134 different plant species was used for this purpose. It was split in different subgroups with solid extraction clean-up procedures. UV, EC and chromatographic data of the subgroups were used in the calculation of minimum concentrations of organic compounds which are still accurately determinable in plant samples with HPLC methods. The UV and/or EC characteristics of the compound must be known. The contribution of the solid phase extraction procedures and of the analytical system to the selectivity of the method can be estimated. Information is also supplied which allows rapid comparison of the selectivity of the UV and EC (single, or dual parallel) detectors for the determination of a specified compound.     

Experimental design for extraction and quantification of phenolic compounds and organic acids in white "Vinho Verde" grapes

An experimental design was applied for the optimization of extraction and clean-up processes of phenolic compounds and organic acids from white “Vinho Verde” grapes. The developed analytical method consisted in two steps: first a solid-liquid extraction of both phenolic compounds and organic acids and then a clean-up step using solid-phase extraction (SPE). Afterwards, phenolic compounds and organic acids were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to a diode array detector (DAD) and HPLC-UV, respectively. Plackett-Burman design was carried out to select the significant experimental parameters affecting both the extraction and the clean-up steps. The identified and quantified phenolic compounds were: quercetin-3-O-glucoside, quercetin-3-O-rutinoside, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside, quercetin, kaempferol and epicatechin. The determined organic acids were oxalic, citric, tartaric, malic, shikimic and fumaric acids. The obtained results showed that the most important variables were the temperature (40 °C) and the solvent (acid water at pH 2 with 5% methanol) for the extraction step and the type of sorbent (C18 non end-capped) for the clean-up step.     

Development of a selective sample clean-up method based on immuno-ultrafiltration for the determination of deoxynivalenol in maize

This paper describes the development of a highly selective analytical method for the determination of deoxynivalenol (DON) in maize. The developed method is based on immuno-ultrafiltration (IUF) and is the first application of IUF as a clean-up strategy in food analysis. Quantification of DON was carried out by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. In contrast to immunoaffinity chromatography, in IUF the antibodies are not bound to a solid support material but used in free form, thus making it possible to avoid the critical immobilisation step. Sample clean-up by IUF proved to be as selective as clean-up using commercially available immunoaffinity columns. The limit of detection (S/N=3) of the analytical method was found to be 74 ng DON/g maize. Repeated analysis of a certified maize reference material on four different days resulted in a mean recovery of 93% with a standard deviation of 10%.     

Application of column switching in high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of medroxalol in plasma

An automated high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) column-switching system is described for the analysis of medroxalol, a potential antihypertensive agent, in plasma. The HPLC system uses two six-port switching valves with a Corasil C18 short pre-column for an on-line sample clean-up and an SGE ODS analytical column for separation. Plasma samples were diluted with a phosphate buffer (pH 7.2) containing an internal standard and aliquots were injected directly on the HPLC system. The column-switching system was applicable to continuous analysis of hundreds of plasma samples since this technique provided very efficient on-line sample clean-up and regenerated the pre-column effectively. Results were in good agreement and the total analysis time was one third that of an alternative method.     

复合免疫亲和柱-高效液相色谱法同时测定谷物及其制品中9种真菌毒素

建立了复合免疫亲和柱-在线光化学衍生-高效液相色谱同时测定谷物及其制品中9种真菌毒素的检测方法。以乙腈-水（80：20,v/v）混合溶液提取样品中9种真菌毒素,提取液经自制真菌毒素复合免疫亲和柱净化,采用高效液相色谱进行分离,在线光化学衍生后进入荧光检测器测定,外标法定量。结果表明,9种真菌毒素在相应浓度范围内线性关系良好,相关系数均大于0.999;在低、中、高3个不同加标浓度下,9种真菌毒素的回收率均大于80%,相对标准偏差（RSD）为1.0%~5.6%;方法的检出限（LOD）为0.02~5.00 μg/kg,定量限（LOQ）为0.07~16.70 μg/kg。该方法具有重现性好、灵敏度高、结果准确的特点,适用于谷物及其制品中9种真菌毒素残留的分析检测。     

全自动免疫亲和在线净化/高效液相色谱法快速高通量测定饲料中黄曲霉毒素

建立了全自动免疫亲和在线净化/高效液相色谱快速高通量测定饲料中黄曲霉毒素(Aflatoxins,AFT)的分析方法。饲料样品经乙腈-水(80∶20,体积比)提取,3 g/L Triton X-100水溶液10倍稀释后,用自动进样器注入RIDACREST在线固相萃取系统并流经黄曲霉毒素免疫亲和小柱,以甲醇-水(45∶55,体积比)为流动相,流速为1.0 m L/min,C18色谱柱(150 mm×3.5 mm,5μm)分离,光化学衍生,荧光检测器测定。根据3倍信噪比的峰响应值,确定黄曲霉毒素B1,B2,G1,G2的检出限分别为0.08,0.05,0.18,0.08μg/kg,分别在1~100,0.24~24,0.56~56,0.24~24μg/kg范围内呈线性相关,相关系数(r2)分别为0.999 4,0.999 7,0.999 8和0.999 8;AFT在猪饲料、鸡饲料、宠物饲料和饲料原料4类样品中的加标回收率为72.6%~103%,相对标准偏差为2.5%~4.9%。该方法一次装柱可检测60个样品,液相色谱分析一个样品总的运行时间为15 min,所以1 d可检测70~80个样品,满足饲料中黄曲霉毒素快速高通量准确定量检测的需要。     

Determination of the rodenticides warfarin, diphenadione and chlorophacinone in soil samples by HPLC-DAD

A HPLC-DAD method is described for the analysis of the rodenticides warfarin, diphenadione and chlorophacinone, together with the phenylurea herbicides isoproturon and diuron, in soil samples. The HPLC parameters have been optimised to provide baseline separation with symmetrical peakshapes in short analysis times. The sample preparation consists of Soxhlet extraction followed by SPE clean-up on cyanopropyl silica.     

Simultaneous determination of pharmaceutically active compounds in wastewater samples by solid phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array and fluorescence detectors

In the present work, an analytical method for the simultaneous determination of five anti-inflammatory drugs (acetaminophen, diclofenac, ibuprofen, ketoprofen and naproxen), an antiepileptic drug (carbamazepine) and a nervous stimulant (caffeine) is proposed for the routine analysis of these pharmaceuticals in wastewater influents and effluents from WWTPs. The method involves pre-concentration and clean-up by solid phase extraction (SPE) using Oasis HLB extraction cartridges. Final analysis of the selected pharmaceutical compounds was carried out by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with diode array detector (DAD). Confirmation of the presence of the fluorescence compounds (ibuprofen and naproxen) was performed by on-line fluorescence detection. Recoveries were ranged from 71 to 103% with relative standard deviation below 15.1%. Limits of quantification were in the range 6.2–319.8 and 3.0–160.0 ng ml⁻¹ for influent and effluent wastewater samples, respectively. The described method was applied to the determination of the drugs in wastewater samples from four treatment plants in Seville.