Analysis of selenium species by capillary electrophoresis

The presence of selenium in the form of different species in environmental and biological samples receives an increasing attention due to better understanding of its bioavailability, toxicity and transport mechanism. For many years, gas and liquid chromatography have been extensively explored in speciation analysis of this element. Recently, capillary electrophoresis (CE) has made much progress in this field. This review presents the developments in the application of CE for simultaneous separation and determination of different selenium compounds. Various separation approaches and detection methods as well as pre-concentration techniques are discussed. The speciation performance of CE is illustrated by a number of practically relevant applications.     

Fluorescent derivatization for low concentration protein analysis by capillary electrophoresis

Fluorescence derivatization can allow for the low concentration analysis of proteins by capillary electrophoresis. Major problems arising from inefficient chemistry and multiple derivatives must be overcome, however, for the method to be successful. A number of methods are discussed in this review.     

Pesticide analysis by capillary electrophoresis

In this work, a critical and updated revision of the current situation of the analysis of pesticides by Capillary Electrophoresis (CE) is presented. The review has been written in two main sections. The first one presents a thorough revision of the various offline and on-line sample preconcentration procedures that have been used in conjunction with CE to analyze these compounds. The second part reviews the various detection strategies (i.e., UV, LIF, MS, and electrochemical) and CE modes that have been applied to the analysis of pesticides. Future trends that can be expected from this hot research area are also discussed.     

Characterization of 10 species ofMahonia by capillary electrophoresis

Summary A simple, rapid and effective capillary electrophoresis method was developed for the characterization of 10 different species ofMahonia. A fingerprint of the extract of each species was constructed using a mixed buffer of borate and phosphate, containing methanol, pH 8.0. The effective electrophoretic mobility and % normalized area of each peak in electrophoregrams were evaluated to characterize various species. Three alkaloids: berberine, palmatine and jatrorrhizine were found in all 10 species. The CE technique appears to provide a powerful tool for the identification and quality control of plant drugs.     

Routine serum protein analysis by capillary zone electrophoresis: Clinical evaluation

Summary To measure the five classical protein fractions in human serum several electrophoretic techniques are available. Besides separation on cellulose acetate membrane or agarose gel, capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) may be a useful analytical alternative in clinical routine. We have compared the Dionex CES I capillary electrophoresis system with that of the Olympus Fractoscan using specimens submitted for routine analysis. For clinical evaluation 102 samples from patients with various diseases have been analysed. Serum protein fractions were judged on separation performance, precision and the regression method ofBablok-Passing. Regression analysis revealed variable agreement between both methods with a slope ± intercept of 2.10–0.52 (α₁-fraction) and 1.0–0.20 (α₂-fraction) as worse and best, resectively; and the coefficient of variation of migration time: 5.9 %–6.8 % (between-run imprecision). Differences in the comparison of fractions are mainly caused by the improved resolution of CZE; e.g. one β-globulin peak on cellulose acetate is separated into two distinct protein fractions in CZE, including more detailed diagnostic information—as is also the case with γ-fraction. In some cases monoclonal gammopathy with low concentrations of immunglobulin clone can only be detected in CZE, whereas the cellulose acetate membrane (CAME) electropherogram is inconspicuous. The within-run precision (N=18) gave coefficients of variation of peak areas 1.3–5.9 % (CZE) and 1.0–3.8 % (cellulose acetate membrane). This is the first time that a complete clinical evaluation of CZE serum protein fraction analysis has been performed. CZE with its higher resolution and hence more detailed diagnostic information in some cases, showed good separation patterns, precision and correlation. Interchangeability of results showed that this CZE method is well suited for analysis of serum protein fractions in clinical routine. Presented at the 21^st ISC held in Stuttgart, Germany, 15^th–20^th September, 1996.     

Energy drink analysis by capillary electrophoresis

Caffeine and vitamins C, PP, and B6 have been determined in energy drinks by capillary electrophoresis. Its advantages and disadvantages over high-performance liquid chromatography have been considered and the influence of analysis conditions on the error of analysis and error sources in capillary electrophoresis have been estimated.     

Varietal identification of rice prolamins by capillary zone electrophoresis

Summary Capillary electrophoretic methods were developed to investigate the possibility of prolamin identification of four rice varieties i.e. Thai white fragrant rice KD105, Korkhor15, Thai white rice A, and a Chinese white rice H20. Two extraction methods were compared and varietal identification of rice prolamins was successfully accomplished by capillary electrophoresis in pH 2.5, sodium phosphate buffer containing 20% acetonitrile and 0.05% hydroxypropylmethylcellulose.     

Element speciation analysis by capillary electrophoresis

An overview of recent developments in the application of capillary electrophoresis to simultaneous separation and determination of different chemical forms of an inorganic element is presented, with particular emphasis placed on metal speciation analysis. Examples of species analysis are addressed, covering metal ions in different oxidation states, metal complexes with inorganic and organic ligands, metalloid oxoanions, organometallic compounds, ionic non-metal species, etc. The speciation performance of capillary electrophoresis is illustrated by a number of practically relevant applications. The method's strengths and current limitations with regard to chemical speciation studies are critically discussed.     

Single-cell protein analysis of a single mouse embryo by two-dimensional capillary electrophoresis

The characterization of protein expression from a single-cell mouse embryo using two-dimensional capillary electrophoresis (2D-CE) is described. These zygotes were obtained from Hsf1 gene knockout mice. Single zygotes were lysed off-column and proteins were fluorescently labeled using the fluorogenic dye 3-(2-furoyl)quinoline-2-carboxaldehyde (FQ). After injection, analytes were separated first according to molecular weight using capillary sieving electrophoresis (CSE) and then by micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MEKC) to obtain protein expression fingerprints. Analytes were detected in a sheath flow cuvette using laser-induced fluorescence. In a 1-h 2D-CE separation, over 100 components were resolved with a spot capacity of 380.     

Linkage position and residue identification of disaccharides by tandem mass spectrometry and linear discriminant analysis

The discrimination of isomeric disaccharides with different linkage types and different monosaccharide residues--glucose (Glc), galactose (Gal), and mannose (Man) at the non-reducing end--was investigated with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA). Conventional matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)-MS has strong interference peaks from matrix ions in the low mass region (<500 Da). This greatly limits the application of MALDI-MS for the analysis of small molecules such as saccharides. We solved this problem by using LDI with acidic fullerene matrix, which gives a very clean background in the low-mass region. Disaccharides with different linkage types give different tandem mass spectral profiles from various cross-ring fragmentation pathways. Disaccharides with the same linkage type but with three different kinds of monosaccharide residues bear the same fragmentation profiles. However, the relative ratios of the fragment ion intensities were found to be distinctly different among the three disaccharide isomers. By employing statistical tools such as LDA to classify the tandem mass spectra, disaccharide isomers with either different linkages or different monosaccharide residues were successfully classified.     

High-throughput analysis of telomerase by capillary electrophoresis

The enzyme telomerase is expressed in (85-90)% of all human cancers, but not in normal, non-stem cell somatic tissues. Clinical assays for telomerase in easily obtained body fluids would have great utility as noninvasive, cost-effective methods for the early detection of cancer. The most commonly used method for the detection and quantification of telomerase enzyme activity is the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assay known as the telomerase repeat amplification protocol or TRAP assay. Most of the TRAP assay systems use a slab-gel based electrophoresis system to size and quantify the PCR-amplified extension products. We are developing high-throughput capillary electrophoresis (CE) methods for the analysis of TRAP/PCR products. The TRAP assay was conducted on lysates of the human lung cancer cell line A-549 in reactions containing 5-100 cells. TRAP/PCR products were generated using a fluorescent 4,7,2'4'5'7',-hexachloro-6-carboxyfluorescein(HEX)-labeled TS primer and analyzed on the Applied Biosystems Model 310 CE system using POP4 polymer. After analysis with GeneScan and Genotyper software, the total peak areas of the TRAP ladder extension products were computed using Microsoft Excel. Results were compared with unlabeled TRAP/PCR products analyzed on the Bio-Rad BioFocus 3000 CE system using 6% high molecular weight polyvinylpyrrolidone (HMW PVP) polymer and SYBR Green I dye. Both CE systems were able to resolve the TRAP ladder products with high reproducibility and sensitivity (5-15 cells). With the appropriate robotic sample handling system, these CE methods would enable performing the telomerase TRAP assay with increased sensitivity, reproducibility and automation over slab-gel methods.     

Study on electrochemical profiles of Valeriana medicinal plants by capillary electrophoresis

The objective of this work was to develop a high-performance capillary electrophoresis with amperometric detection (CE-AD) method for the determination of pharmacologically active ingredients in extracts of Valeriana medicinal plants. The method was validated for linearity, repeatability, limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantification (LOQs), etc. The LODs and LOQs of eight compounds were found to be in the range from 1.0 × 10^?8 to 1.2 × 10^?7 and 3.3 × 10^?8 to 4.0 × 10^?7 g/mL, respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied for the analyses and comparison of bioactive components in Valeriana samples after a relatively simple extraction procedure, and the resultant “electrochemical profiles” can intuitively demonstrate the content diversity of each electrochemically active ingredient in Valeriana samples from different places and plant parts. It was found the content of bioactive ingredients may vary by an order of magnitude depending on natural conditions, e.g. soil, climate, humidity etc.     

A chemometric approach to the detection of milk adulteration based on protein profiles determined by capillary electrophoresis

The general objective of this study was to utilize chemometrics in the interpretation of capillary electrophoresis milk protein profiles, for the detection of pasteurized milk adulteration with rehydrated milk powder or a rehydrated dairy-based milk substitute. The specific objectives were 1) to collect quantitative data on major casein and whey proteins in authentic and adulterated milks in a single CE analysis; and 2) to apply a pattern recognition procedure, Soft Independent Modeling of Class Analogies (SIMCA), on collected CE protein data, for the development of a statistical model useful in the detection of pasteurized milk adulteration. Authentic samples were fresh milk collected from various farms over a period of six months. Adulterated samples were authentic fresh milk partially or totally substituted with rehydrated milk powder or a rehydrated commercial milk substitute at different levels. Quantitative protein data obtained by capillary free zone electrophoresis for beta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin, beta-casein, and alpha-casein of 86 samples, authentic and adulterated samples, were used as a training set to build a SIMCA multivariate statistical model. The detection of sample outliers was useful for the elimination of unusual samples and optimization of the multivariate model. From the 35 commercial pasteurized milks tested, which were treated as unknowns, a total of 14 samples (40%) were not assigned to the authentic or fresh milk group, meaning that these samples had some type of adulteration at the levels included in the training set (> 15%). Decision-making on detecting adulteration of unknown commercial pasteurized milk samples was eased since predictions were based on statistical probabilities.     

Manipulation of protein fingerprints during on-column fluorescent labeling: protein fingerprinting of six Staphylococcus species by capillary electrophoresis

Bacterial proteomes were analyzed by use of electrophoretically mediated microanalysis (EMMA) and field-enhanced stacking. A water-soluble protein fraction was injected onto a capillary. Next, a fluorogenic reagent was injected and allowed to react with the protein mixture, producing fluorescent products that were separated by submicellar capillary electrophoresis and detected by laser-induced fluorescence. By use of a low-ionic strength sample buffer and a brief electrophoretic step, slow moving anionic proteins were stacked at the reagent-sample interface and were preferentially labeled. By reversing the order of sample injection and labeling reagent, fast moving cationic proteins were preferentially labeled. By adjustment of the sample buffer pH, proteins with different isoelectric points were selectively labeled. Electrophoresis fingerprints were generated for the water-soluble protein fraction from six Staphylococcus species. The protein patterns produced were species-specific and were used to construct a phylogenetic tree.     

Separation of arsenic species by capillary electrophoresis with sample-stacking techniques

A simple capillary zone electrophoresis procedure was developed for the separation of arsenic species (AsO(2)(2-), AsO(4)(2-), and dimethylarsinic acid, DMA). Both counter-electroosmotic and co-electroosmotic (EOF) modes were investigated for the separation of arsenic species with direct UV detection at 185 nm using 20 mmol L(-1) sodium phosphate as the electrolyte. The separation selectivity mainly depends on the separation modes and electrolyte pH. Inorganic anions (Cl(-), NO(2)(-), NO(3)(-) and SO(4)(2-)) presented in real samples did not interfere with arsenic speciation in either separation mode. To improve the detection limits, sample-stacking techniques, including large-volume sample stacking (LVSS) and field-amplified sample injection (FASI), were investigated for the preconcentration of As species in co-CZE mode. Less than 1 micromol L(-1) of detection limits for As species were achieved using FASI. The proposed method was demonstrated for the separation and detection of As species in water.     

Analysis of inorganic species in environmental samples by capillary electrophoresis

The use of capillary electrophoresis for the determination of inorganic species in environmental samples is reviewed. Topics covered include the separation of inorganic anions, inorganic cations, transition metal cations and organometals in different environmental matrices, such as atmospheric deposition, atmospheric aerosols, gases, natural waters, waste waters, soil, sediment and marine biological samples. Cited literature is gathered according to the type of matrix, so that the focus is on the discussion of matrix effects rather than on the method development for a single class of compounds. For each matrix, surveyed methods are tabulated in order to assist the method selection. Innovative applications of capillary electrophoresis to advanced environmental research are also emphasised.     

Classification of olive leaves and pulps according to their cultivar by using protein profiles established by capillary gel electrophoresis

A method to classify olive leaves and pulps according to their cultivar using protein profiles obtained by capillary gel electrophoresis (CGE) has been developed. For this purpose, proteins were extracted using an enzyme-assisted method, which provided higher protein recoveries than other previously described methods. Ten and nine common peaks, for leaf and pulp samples, respectively, were identified in the 12 cultivars studied in this work. In addition, and using linear discriminant analysis of the CGE data, olive leaf and pulp samples belonging to 12 cultivars from different Spanish regions were correctly classified with an excellent resolution among all the categories, which demonstrated that protein profiles were characteristic of each cultivar.