Reversed-phase dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction with multivariate optimization for sensitive HPLC determination of tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol in olive oil

A reversed-phase dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (RP-DLLME) method coupled to HPLC was developed for the extraction of hydroxytyrosol (HTy) and tyrosol (Ty) from virgin olive oil. In this first application of the RP-DLLME method to non-polar samples, the phenolic compounds were directly extracted into an aqueous micro-drop, which could be injected into a chromatography column without any further pretreatment. A glass test tube with lengthened conical bottom was fitted inside a centrifuge tube in this work for more efficient withdrawal of the sedimented phase with a microsyringe. The volumes of water and ethyl acetate, the pH of water and the centrifuge time as four effective parameters on the extraction were optimized by a central composite design (response surface) method. Five replicated analyses under the optimized conditions (i.e., 0.2 mL ethyl acetate as disperser and 100 μL water at pH 11 as the extraction solvent) resulted in recoveries of 104.3 and 97.6%, and relative standard deviations of 5.75 and 4.57 for HTy and Ty, respectively. The detection limit of the method (3σ) was 0.043 mg L(-1) for HTy and 0.032 mg L(-1) for Ty. The method was successfully applied to the determination of HTy and Ty in five olive oil samples.     

In situ fabricated porous filters for microsystems

Porous filters were fabricated inside a microchannel using emulsion photo-polymerization. The porosity of the filter is dependent on the composition of the pre-polymer mixture. The morphology and flow resistance of four filters with varying water and cross-linker concentrations was studied. The porous filter was used to separate samples, such as whole blood to cell/serum components, based on size. The efficiency of cell/serum separation by the porous filter was tested by performing a glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase assay and was found to be comparable to separation by centrifuge. The porous filter thus mimics the functionality of the centrifuge, with the added benefits of no power requirements and ability to handle small sample volumes.     

The determination of rare earths in yttrium oxide by means of a preconcentration technique and Ge(Li) gamma-spectrometry

Before preconcentration the yttrium matrix is separated from the lanthanides by means of cation- and/or anion-exchange. The rare earth elements are then concentrated by coprecipitation with 5.0 mg of iron as Fe(OH) in quartz centrifuge tubes. The dehydrated Fe-REE mixture is then irradiated and counted, without any further major manipulations, by means of Ge(Li) gamma-spectrometry, the⁵⁹Fe activity acting as a f' x monitor and as an internal standard.     

一种新型分光光度计液槽的设计及其在临床生化检验中的应用

设计并制作了可容纳塑料离心管的新型分光光度计液池。液池适用的样品体积变化范围宽（10-500μL）,尤其适合于生物临床样品、强碱性介质以及大批样品的分析。该装置应用于血清蛋白质（总蛋白、白蛋白）、尿素氮、葡萄糖的测定及聚合酶链式反应（PCR）反应管的均一性检验,取得了满意的结果。     

气相色谱法同时测定粮食中14种有机磷残留量

建立了气相色谱法同时测定粮食中14种有机磷农药残留的方法。样品经乙腈溶解,高速匀浆,振荡提取,离心浓缩定容,气相色谱外标法定性定量。敌敌畏等14种有机磷农药在DB-1701毛细管柱上得到了很好的分离,在浓度为0.05～2.00mg/L范围内线性关系良好,相关系数r为0.99～1.00,最低检出限为0.01～0.08mg/kg;当添加水平为0.100、0.500、1.000mg/kg 时,回收率为71.2%～113.1% ,相对标准偏差为2.2%～6.9%。方法简单、快速、准确、灵敏,适用于一般检验机构的日常检验需要。     

气相色谱-质谱法同时测定食品包装葵花籽油模拟液中二苯甲酮和4-甲基二苯甲酮

建立了气相色谱-质谱法同时测定食品包装葵花籽油模拟液中二苯甲酮和4-甲基二苯甲酮迁移量的分析方法.食品包装样品经葵花籽油浸泡后,采用乙腈旋涡提取.提取液经GC-MS测定,采用选择离子监测(SIM)模式进行定性定量分析,外标法定量.两种目标物的检测限分别为0.02mg/kg和0.03mg/kg.在0.2～10mg/kg的...     

Simultaneous determination of copper and lead by graphite-furnace atomic absorption spectrometry after liquid-liquid extraction of the ion pair with zephiramine

A procedure for the simultaneous determination of copper and lead by graphite-furnace atomic absorption spectrometry was investigated by means of a two-channel atomic absorption spectrometer. Both copper(II) and lead(II) are converted into their iodo complex anions and extracted quantitatively into diisobutyl ketone as their ion pairs with tetradecyldimethylbenzylammonium (zephiramine) in a 10-ml centrifuge tube. An aliquot of the organic extract is directly pipetted from the upper layer in the centrifuge tube and injected into the graphite furnace. The detection limits (S/N = 3) are 2.6 ng ml^?1 of copper and 1.0 ng ml^?1 of lead. The relative standard deviations for 10 replicate determinations are 2.9% for 20 ng ml^?1 of copper and 2.7% for 10 ng ml^?1 of lead. Results of analyses of some practical samples are given.     

Radiometric determination of uranium accumulated in bacterial cells

A method for the radiometric determination of uranium accumulated in bacterial cells was investigated. Pseudomonas putida ATCC 33015 was grown in a medium containing uranium in the form of UO(2)(NO(3))(2). The cells were harvested by centrifugation, washed, resuspended in a buffer solution, ultrasonically disrupted and then suspended in Unisolve-1. The radiation emitted by natural uranium isotopes (mainly (238)U and (234)U) was measured by liquid scintillation counting with natural uranium as an internal standard. Mineralization of the samples was not required. Determination of the uranium content of bacterial cells was done either by comparing the radioactivity of the sample with that of standard samples or by using a calibration graph. The method was also used for determination of uranium in isolated subcellular fractions. Most of the uranium was associated with components of the cell membrane (lipids and polysaccharides), but part was bound to nucleic acids and microsomes. The relative standard deviation of the radiometric measurements did not exceed 5%.     

高效液相色谱-串联质谱法同时测定废水中18种酚类污染物

建立了上清液直接进样-高效液相色谱-串联质谱同时测定废水中18种酚类污染物的分析方法。取5.0 mL水样置于具塞离心管中,加氨水调节pH≥12,摇匀,加入1.0 mL二氯甲烷-正己烷(2: 1, v/v)混合溶液并振摇5 min, 4000 r/min离心5 min,用玻璃针筒抽取上清液并经0.22 μ m聚四氟乙烯滤膜过滤,用甲酸调节水样pH至中性;然后采用Thermo Hypersil ODS柱(100 mm×2.1 mm, 5.0 μ m)分离,以甲醇-0.01 mol/L甲酸铵-甲酸水溶液(pH 4.0)为流动相进行梯度洗脱,流速0.2 mL/min,柱温30℃,进样10 μ L,电喷雾负离子电离(ESI^-)模式、多反应监测(MRM)模式进行检测,外标法定量。18种酚类化合物的峰面积与其质量浓度在一定浓度范围内均呈良好的线性关系(r²≥0.9991),方法检出限为0.10~0.88 μ g/L。测定低、中、高加标浓度的样品,18种酚类化合物的相对标准偏差为2.5%~9.9%(n=6);火工药剂废水与石油化工废水样品中的平均加标回收率为68.7%~118%(n=3)。此方法操作简单,灵敏度高,干扰小,分析速度快,可适用于环境废水中18种酚类污染物的同时分析。     

Low-cost multi-core inertial microfluidic centrifuge for high-throughput cell concentration

We developed a low-cost multi-core inertial microfluidic centrifuge (IM-centrifuge) to achieve a continuous-flow cell/particle concentration at a throughput of up to 20 mL/min. To lower the cost of our IM-centrifuge, we clamped a disposable multilayer film-based inertial microfluidic (MFIM) chip with two reusable plastic housings. The key MFIM chip was fabricated in low-cost materials by stacking different polymer-film channel layers and double-sided tape. To increase processing throughput, multiplexing spiral inertial microfluidic channels were integrated within an all-in-one MFIM chip, and a novel sample distribution strategy was employed to equally distribute the sample into each channel layer. Then, we characterized the focusing performance in the MFIM chip over a wide flow-rate range. The experimental results showed that our IM-centrifuge was able to focus various-sized particles/cells to achieve volume reduction. The sample distribution strategy also effectively ensured identical focusing and concentration performances in different cores. Finally, our IM-centrifuge was successfully applied to concentrate microalgae cells with irregular shapes and highly polydisperse sizes. Thus, our IM-centrifuge holds the potential to be employed as a low-cost, high-throughput centrifuge for disposable use in low-resource settings.     

Atmospheric sampling and analysis for the detection of nuclear proliferation

A method is described to estimate the effectiveness and cost of atmospheric sampling and analysis systems for the detection of effluents from undeclared nuclear fuel reprocessing and gas centrifuge U enrichment facilities. The method of detection is applied to a large area in the Middle East to provide estimates of the effectiveness and costs of several candidate systems. High sensitivity thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) is the most sensitive technique reported for the detection of ²³⁵U and ²³⁹Pu in weekly or monthly aerosol samples. This technique allows the detection of effluents from a gas centrifuge or a reprocessing facility at distances up to 70 to 100 km under optimum conditions.     

Application of centrifugal vacuum concentrators in residue analysis

Summary Centrifugal vacuum concentrators can be applied in residue analysis successfully: They prevent the samples from bumping and foaming. Even methanol/water- or acetonitrile/water-mixtures as extracts from food or other samples can be concentrated without separation of water prior to the evaporation process. Sulfonamides and other drugs can be concentrated with 100% recovery. Extracts with some light-sensitive substances (nitrofuranes) were evaporated without losses, as well as some hydrolysis-sensitive substances (penicillins) solved in water, whereas tetracyclines decompose in aqueous solution considerably. For more volatile substances (such as organochlorine pesticides or polychlorinated biphenyls) centrifugal vacuum concentrators can be used for preconcentration e.g. of the gelchromatographic eluate. Further, centrifugal vacuum concentrators can automate the evaporation process. In comparison to rotary evaporators, they save time for the laboratory staff when running series of 4 or more samples. It is very important to supply permanently sufficient energy for the evaporation process, especially when concentrating volumes of 10 ml or more. If the only heated part is the wall of the centrifuge, after couple of minutes the samples cool down to very low temperatures, and the evaporation process slows down. A more efficient way to supply evaporation energy is by means of IR radiation. A very modern device offers an electronically controlled IR radiation by means of temperature control on the centrifugal tubes. This in combination with vapour pressure control ensures an optimal control of the most important factors of the evaporation process.     

气相色谱-质谱联用测定紫花苜蓿中的硒蛋氨酸

建立了气相色谱质谱联用(GC—MS)测定紫花苜蓿中硒蛋氨酸含量的方法。将紫花苜蓿中提取的叶蛋白样品在6 mol/L HCl溶液中,超声处理20 min。离心分离后,以丁醇及三氟乙酸酐为衍生化试剂对硒蛋氨酸进行衍生化,采用选择离子监测模式对衍生物进行GC—MS测定。硒蛋氨酸的回收率为97.6%~105.2%,相对标准偏差为1.7%~3.6%,检出限为0.3 mg/L。该法样品前处理简单,测定快速,结果准确,灵敏度高,可用于植物样品中硒蛋氨酸含量的测定。     

Analysis of pesticide residues in mixed fruit and vegetable extracts by direct sample introduction/gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

Direct sample introduction (DSI), or "dirty sample injection," was investigated in the determination of 22 diverse pesticide residues in mixed apple, green bean, and carrot extracts by benchtop gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (DSI/GC/MS-MS). The targeted pesticides, some of which were incurred in the samples, included chlorpyrifos, azinphos-methyl, parathion-methyl, diazinon, terbufos, p,p'-DDE, endosulfan sulfate, carbofuran, carbaryl, propargite, bifenthrin, dacthal, trifluralin, metalaxyl, pendimethalin, atrazine, piperonyl butoxide, diphenylamine, vinclozolin, chlorothalonil, quintozene, and tetrahydrophthalimide (the breakdown product of captan). The analytical DSI method entailed the following steps: (1) blend 30 g sample with 60 mL acetonitrile for 1 min in a centrifuge bottle; (2) add 6 g NaCl and blend 30 s; (3) centrifuge for 1-2 min; (4) add 5 mL upper layer to 1 g anhydrous MgSO4 in a vial; and (5) analyze 11 microL extract, using DSI/GC/MS-MS. Sample cleanup is not needed because GCIMS-MS is exceptionally selective for the targeted analytes, and nonvolatile coextracted matrix components do not contaminate the injector or the GC/MS-MS system. Average recoveries of the pesticides were 103 +/- 7% with relative standard deviations of 14 +/- 5% on average, and limits of detection were <2 ng/g for nearly all pesticides studied. The DSI/GC/ MS-MS approach for targeted pesticides is quantitative, confirmatory, sensitive, selective, rugged, rapid, simple, and inexpensive.     

Continuous cell washing and mixing driven by an ultrasound standing wave within a microfluidic channel

Ultrasound standing wave radiation force and laminar flow have been used to transfer yeast cells from one liquid medium to another (washing) by a continuous field-flow fractionation (FFF) approach. Two co-flowing streams, a cell-free suspending phase (flow rate > 50% of the total flow-through volume) and a yeast suspension, were introduced parallel to the nodal plane of a 3 MHz standing wave resonator. The resonator was fabricated to have a single pressure nodal plane at the centre line of the chamber. Laminar flow ensured a stable interface was maintained as the two suspending phases flowed through the sound field. Initiation of the ultrasound transferred cells to the cell-free phase within 0.5 s. This particle transfer procedure circumvents the pellet formation and re-suspension steps of centrifuge based washing procedures. In addition, fluid mixing was demonstrated in the same chamber at higher sound pressures. The channel operates under negligible back-pressure (cross-section, 0.25 [times] 10 mm) and with only one flow convergence and one flow division step, the channel cannot be easily blocked. The force acting on the cells is small; less than that experienced in a centrifuge generating 100g. The acoustically-driven cell transfer and mixing procedures described may be particularly appropriate for the increasingly complex operations required in molecular biology and microbiology and especially for their conversion to continuous flow processes.     

Optofluidic device for label-free cell classification from whole blood

We demonstrated a unique optofluidic lab-on-a-chip device that can measure optically encoded forward scattering signals. From the design of the spatial pattern, we can measure the position and velocity of each cell in the flow and generate a 2-D cell distribution plot over the cross section of the channel. Moreover, we have demonstrated that the cell distribution is highly sensitive to its size and stiffness. The latter is an important biomarker for cell classification and our method offers a simple and unequivocal method to classify cells by their size and stiffness. We have proved the concept using live and fixed HeLa cells. Due to the stiffness and size difference of neutrophils compared to other types of white blood cells, we have demonstrated detection of neutrophils from other blood cells. Finally, we have performed the test using 5 μL of human blood. In a greatly simplified blood preparation process, skipping the usual steps of anticoagulation, centrifuge, antibody labelling or staining, filtering, etc., we have demonstrated that our device and detection principle can count neutrophils in whole human blood. Our system is compact, inexpensive and simple to fabricate and operate, having a commodity laser diode and a Si PIN photoreceiver as the main pieces of hardware. Although the results are still preliminary, the studies indicate that this optofluidic device holds promise to be a point-of-care and home care device to measure neutrophil concentration, which is the key indicator of the immune functions for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.     

Quantification of cystine in human renal proximal tubule cells using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

Nephropathic cystinosis is characterized by abnormal intralysosomal accumulation of cystine throughout the body, causing irreversible damage to various organs, particularly the kidneys. Cysteamine, the currently available treatment, can reduce lysosomal cystine and postpone disease progression. However, cysteamine poses serious side effects and does not address all of the symptoms of cystinosis. To screen for new treatment options, a rapid and reliable high‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC‐MS/MS) method was developed to quantify cystine in conditionally immortalized human proximal tubular epithelial cells (ciPTEC). The ciPTEC were treated with N‐ethylmaleimide, lysed and deproteinized with 15% (w/v) sulfosalicylic acid. Subsequently, cystine was measured using deuterium‐labeled cystine‐D4, as the internal standard. The assay developed demonstrated linearity to at least 20 μmol/L with a good precision. Accuracies were between 97.3 and 102.9% for both cell extracts and whole cell samples. Cystine was sufficiently stable under all relevant analytical conditions. The assay was successfully applied to determine cystine levels in both healthy and cystinotic ciPTEC. Control cells showed clearly distinguishable cystine levels compared with cystinotic cells treated with or without cysteamine. The method developed provides a fast and reliable quantification of cystine, and is applicable to screen for potential drugs that could reverse cystinotic symptoms in human kidney cells.     

Preconcentration procedure using vortex-assisted liquid–liquid microextraction for the fast determination of trace levels of thorium in water samples

A new simple and rapid vortex-assisted liquid–liquid microextraction method was applied for the determination of thorium in water samples. In this method, chloroform used as extraction solvent was directly injected into the water sample solution. The extraction solvent was dispersed into the aqueous phase under vigorously shaking with the vortex. After centrifuging, the fine droplets of extractant phase were settled to the bottom of the conical-bottom centrifuge tube. The effect of different experimental parameters on the performance of the method were studied and discussed. Under the optimum conditions, the detection limit for Th(IV) was 7.5 ng mL^?1. The precision of the method, evaluated as the relative standard deviation obtained by analyzing of 10 replicates, was 2.8 %. The practical applicability of the developed method was examined using natural water and monazite sand samples.