Development of an immunoassay and a sol-gel-based immunoaffinity cleanup method for coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls from soil and sediment samples

Two polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were developed using goat PCB purified immunoglobulin (IgG) antibodies (Abs). The IgGs exhibited the highest affinity toward PCB-77 (24 ng mL⁻¹) with sensitivities in the range of 6-11 ng mL⁻¹. The Abs cross-reacted with PCB-126 and the heptachlorodibenzofuran 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDF but not with PCB-169, PCB-118, Aroclor 1232, 1248, 1260 or the hexachlorodibenzofuran 2,3,4,6,7,8-HxCDF. The IgGs were also used to develop a sol-gel-based immunoaffinity purification (IAP) method for cleanup of PCB-126. Recovery efficiencies depended on the sol-gel formats; a 1:12 format resulted in the highest binding capacity. Net binding capacity ranged from 112 to 257 ng, and 90% of the analyte could be eluted with only 2 mL of ethanol. The method was also very efficient in purifying PCB-126 from spiked soil and sediment samples from contaminated sites; and eliminating matrix interferences to a degree that enabled analysis of the purified samples by ELISA. The approaches developed in the course of the study form a basis for the development of additional IAP methods for other PCBs, and their implementation in high-throughput screening programs for PCB in food, soil, and other environmental and biological samples.     

Development and validation of a sensitive enzyme immunoassay for surveillance of Cry1Ab toxin in bovine blood plasma of cows fed Bt-maize (MON810)

The increasing global adoption of genetically modified (GM) plant derivatives in animal feed has provoked a strong demand for an appropriate detection method to evaluate the existence of transgenic protein in animal tissues and animal by-products derived from GM plant fed animals. A highly specific and sensitive sandwich enzyme immunoassay for the surveillance of transgenic Cry1Ab protein from Bt-maize in the blood plasma of cows fed on Bt-maize was developed and validated according to the criteria of EU-Decision 2002/657/EC. The sandwich assay is based on immuno-affinity purified polyclonal antibody raised against Cry1Ab protein in rabbits. Native and biotinylated forms of this antibody served as capture antibody and detection antibody for the ELISA, respectively. Streptavidin-horseradish peroxidase conjugate and TMB substrate provided the means for enzymatic colour development.The immunoassay allowed Cry1Ab protein determination in bovine blood plasma in an analytical range of 0.4-100 ng mL⁻¹ with a decision limit (CCα) of 1.5 ng mL⁻¹ and detection capability (CCβ) of 2.3 ng mL⁻¹. Recoveries ranged from 89 to 106% (mean value of 98%) in spiked plasma.In total, 20 plasma samples from cows (n = 7) fed non-transgenic maize and 24 samples from cows (n = 8) fed transgenic maize (collected before and, after 1 and 2 months of feeding) were investigated for the presence of the Cry1Ab protein. There was no difference amongst both groups (all the samples were below 1.5 ng mL⁻¹; CCα). No plasma sample was positive for the presence of the Cry1Ab protein at CCα and CCβ of the assay.     

Hapten synthesis and antibody production for the development of a melamine immunoassay

The incorporation of melamine into food products is banned but its misuse has been widely reported in both animal feeds and food. The development of a rapid screening immunoassay for monitoring of the substance is an urgent requirement. Two haptens of melamine were synthesized by introducing spacer arms of different lengths and structures on the triazine ring of the analyte molecular structure. 6-Aminocaproic acid and 3-mercaptopropionic acid were reacted with 2-chloro-4,6-diamino-1,3,5-triazine (CAAT) to produce hapten 1 [3-(4,6-diamino-1,6-dihydro-1,3,5-triazin-2-ylamino) hexanoic acid] and hapten 2 [3-(4,6-diamino-1,6-dihydro-1,3,5-triazin-2-ylthio) propanoic acid], respectively. The molecular structures of the two haptens were identified by ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry, mass spectrometry and infrared spectrometry. An immunogen was prepared by coupling hapten 1 to bovine serum albumin (BSA). Two plate coating antigens were prepared by coupling both haptens to egg ovalbumin (OVA). A competitive indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ciELISA) was developed to evaluate homogeneous and heterogeneous assay formats. The results showed that polyclonal antibodies with high titers were obtained, and the heterogeneous immunoassay format demonstrated a better performance with an IC₅₀ of 70.6 ng mL⁻¹, a LOD of 2.6 ng mL⁻¹ and a LOQ of 7.6 ng mL⁻¹. Except for cyromazine, no obvious cross-reactivity to common compounds was found. The data showed that the hapten synthesis was successful and the resultant antisera could be used in an immunoassay for the rapid and sensitive detection of this banned chemical.     

Development of an ICP-MS immunoassay for the detection of anti-erythropoietin antibodies

A sandwich-type immunoassay linked with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has been developed for the detection of anti-erythropoietin antibodies (anti-EPO Abs). Recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) was immobilized on the solid phase to capture anti-rhEPO Abs specifically. After the immunoreactions with Au-labeled goat-anti-rabbit IgG, a diluted HNO₃ (2%) was used to dissociate Au nanoparticles which was then introduced to the ICP-MS for measurements. Under the optimized conditions, the calibration graph for anti-EPO Abs was linear in the range of 35.6-500 ng mL⁻¹ with a detection limit of 10.7 ng mL⁻¹ (3σ, n = 9). The relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) for three replicate measurements of 30.9 ng mL⁻¹ of anti-EPO Abs was 8.43%. The recoveries of anti-EPO Abs in sera at the spiking level of 50, 100, 150, 200 and 400 ng mL⁻¹ were 99.2%, 101.5%, 95.0%, 94.0% and 102.9%, respectively. For the real sample analysis, 26 samples from healthy people and 53 samples from patients with rhEPO treatments were studied. One sample from patients showed significantly higher anti-EPO Abs from other samples, indicating a possibility of immune response of this patient.     

Improved methods for urinary atrazine mercapturate analysis--assessment of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a novel liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method utilizing online solid phase extraction (SPE)

Elimination of interfering substances in urine by solid phase extraction (SPE) prior to analysis resulted in 10-fold improvement in the sensitivity of atrazine mercapturate (AM) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) compared to previous reports. Of the two tested SPE systems, Oasis^® HLB and MCX, the mixed-mode MCX gave good recoveries (82%) of AM in spiked samples measured by ELISA, whereas the reverse-phase HLB phase was not compatible with the immunochemical method. At relatively high concentrations of urinary AM (>20 ng mL⁻¹), sample dilution was effective enough for the elimination of interfering substances. The new liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method developed for AM utilizes online-SPE with Oasis^® HLB, column switching and a stable-isotope internal standard. The limit of quantification (0.05 ng mL⁻¹) indicates improved sensitivity compared with most previously published LC-MS methods for AM. Validation of all three methods, LC-MS, ELISA + SPE and ELISA + dilution with spiked urine samples showed good correlation between the known and measured concentrations with R² values of 0.996, 0.957 and 0.961, respectively. When a set (n = 70 plus 12 blind duplicates) of urine samples from farmers exposed to atrazine was analyzed, there was a good agreement (R² = 0.917) between the log normalized data obtained by ELISA + SPE and LC-MS. High correlation among the data obtained by the two tested methods and the LC-MS method by the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), together with low variability among the blind duplicates, suggests that both methods reported here would be suitable for the analysis of urinary AM as a biomarker for human exposure of atrazine.     

Characterisation of antibodies to chloramphenicol, produced in different species by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and biosensor technologies

Six polyclonal antisera to chloramphenicol (CAP) were successfully raised in camels, donkeys and goats. As a comparison of sensitivity, IC₅₀ values ranged from 0.3 ng mL⁻¹ to 5.5 ng mL⁻¹ by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and from 0.7 ng mL⁻¹ to 1.7 ng mL⁻¹ by biosensor assay. The introduction of bovine milk extract improved the sensitivity of four of the antisera by ELISA and two by biosensor assay; a reduction in sensitivity of the remaining antisera ranged by a factor of 1.1-2.6. Porcine kidney extract reduced the sensitivity of all the antisera by a factor ranging from 1.1 to 7 by ELISA and a factor of 1.5 to 4 by biosensor. A low cross-reactivity with thiamphenicol (TAP) and florfenicol (FF) was displayed by antiserum G2 (1.2% and 18%, respectively) when a homologous ELISA assay format was employed. No cross-reactivity was displayed by any of the antisera when a homologous biosensor assay format was employed. Switching to a heterologous ELISA format prompted three of the antisera to display more significant cross-reactivity with TAP and FF (53% and 82%, respectively, using D1). The heterologous biosensor assay also increased the cross-reactivity of D1 for TAP and FF (56% and 129%, respectively) and of one other antiserum (G1) to a lesser degree. However, unlike the ELISA, the heterologous biosensor assay produced a substantial reduction in sensitivity (by a factor of 6 for D1).     

A solid-phase extraction and size-exclusion liquid chromatographic method for polyethylene glycol 25 p-aminobenzoic acid determination in urine: validation for urinary excretion studies of users of sunscreens

No previous publications about percutaneous absorption of polyethylene glycol 25 p-aminobenzoic acid (PEG-25 PABA) have been found in the literature and the expected levels to be found in human urine after sunscreens use are unknown. The method proposed here is suitable to determine PEG-25 PABA in the urine of sunscreens users in order to carry out studies on body accumulation/excretion. It is based on solid-phase extraction (SPE) with size-exclusion liquid chromatography determination. Solid-phase extraction allows the analyte to be retained and subsequently eluted for a clean-up, using a silica-based cartridge. The size-exclusion liquid chromatography of the eluted allows the rest of matrix interferences to be avoided. Fluorescence intensity was measured at λ_em = 350 nm (λ_exc = 300 nm). The sensitivity of the proposed method is in the order of 450 ± 5 mL ng⁻¹ and the detection limit (3 S_y/x/b) in the measured solutions is in the order of 13 ng mL⁻¹, that is 2.6 ng mL⁻¹ in urine samples. The method enables PEG-25 PABA to be determined in both, spiked and unspiked human urine samples. Results obtained for spiked human urine samples (11-100 ng mL⁻¹) demonstrated the accuracy of the method. The mean relative standard deviation of the results was in the order of 3-10%. Three volunteers applied a sunscreen lotion containing a 8% PEG-25 PABA sunscreen cream and their urinary excretion was controlled from the moment of application until the excreted amounts were no longer detectable.     

Simultaneous determination of psychotropic drugs in human urine by capillary electrophoresis with electrochemiluminescence detection

Amitriptyline, doxepin and chlorpromazine are often used as psychotropic drugs in treatment of the various mental diseases, and are also partly excreted by kidney. This work developed a simple, selective and sensitive method for their simultaneous monitoring in human urine using capillary electrophoresis coupled with electrochemiluminescence (ECL) detection based on end-column ECL reaction of tris-(2,2′-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) with aliphatic tertiary amino moieties. Acetone was used as an additive to the running buffer to obtain their absolute separation. Under optimized conditions the proposed method displayed a linear range from 5.0 to 800 ng mL⁻¹ for the three drugs with the correlation coefficients more than 0.995 (n = 8). Their limits of detection were 0.8 ng mL⁻¹ (3.6 fg), 1.0 ng mL⁻¹ (4.5 fg) and 1.5 ng mL⁻¹ (6.8 fg) at a signal to noise ratio of 3, respectively. The relative standard deviations for five determinations of 20 ng mL⁻¹ amitriptyline, doxepin and chlorpromazine were 1.7%, 4.2% and 3.6%, respectively. For practical application an extract step with 90:10 heptane/ethyl acetate (v/v) was performed to eliminate the influence of ionic strength in sample. The recoveries of amitriptyline, doxepin and chlorpromazine at different levels in human urine were between 83% and 93%, which showed that the method was valuable in clinical and biochemical laboratories for monitoring amitriptyline, doxepin and chlorpromazine.     

CoFe2O4 nano-particles functionalized with 8-hydroxyquinoline for dispersive solid-phase micro-extraction and direct fluorometric monitoring of aluminum in human serum and water samples

A simple dispersive solid-phase micro-extraction method based on CoFe₂O₄ nano-particles (NPs) functionalized with 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-HQ) with the aid of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was developed for separation of Al(III) ions from aqueous solutions. Al(III) ions are separated at pH 7 via complex formation with 8-HQ using the functionalized CoFe₂O₄ nano-particles sol solution as a dispersed solid-phase extractor. The separated analyte is directly quantified by a spectrofluorometric method at 370 nm excitation and 506 nm emission wavelengths. A comparison of the fluorescence of Al(III)–8-HQ complex in bulk solution and that of Al(III) ion interacted with 8-HQ/SDS/CoFe₂O₄ NPs revealed a nearly 5-fold improvement in intensity. The experimental factors influencing the separation and in situ monitoring of the analyte were optimized. Under these conditions, the calibration graph was linear in the range of 0.1–300 ng mL⁻¹ with a correlation coefficient of 0.9986. The limit of detection and limit of quantification were 0.03 ng mL⁻¹ and 0.10 ng mL⁻¹, respectively. The inter-day and intra-day relative standard deviations for six replicate determinations of 150 ng mL⁻¹ Al(III) ion were 2.8% and 1.7%, respectively. The method was successfully applied to direct determine Al(III) ion in various human serum and water samples.     

Development of vial wall sorptive extraction and its application to determination of progesterone in human serum

A novel sample preparation method, vial wall sorptive extraction (VWSE), which uses a vial whose internal wall is coated with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), was developed. The method was applied to the determination of progesterone in human serum sample. Human serum sample (0.5 mL) spiked with progesterone-¹³C₂ was pipetted into the VWSE device and vortex mixing was performed for 30 min. Then, the serum sample was removed and the vial rinsed with purified water. Fifty microliter of methanol as liquid desorption (LD) solvent was pipetted into the VWSE device and vortex mixing was performed for 10 min. Then, the extract was analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The correlation coefficient (r) of the calibration curve over the concentration range of 0.5–200 ng mL⁻¹ was 0.999. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.1 and 0.5 ng mL⁻¹, respectively. The relative recoveries were 97.9% (RSD: 4.4%, n = 6) and 102.8% (RSD: 1.1%, n = 6) for progesterone spiked at 5 and 50 ng mL⁻¹, respectively. This simple, accurate, sensitive, and selective analytical method is applicable to the trace analysis of a minute amount of sample.     

Solid phase extraction of trace Hg(II) on silica gel modified with 2-(2-oxoethyl)hydrazine carbothioamide and determination by ICP-AES

In this work, a new 2-(2-oxoethyl)hydrazine carbothioamide modified silica gel (SG-OHC) sorbent was prepared and applied for preconcentration of trace mercury(II) prior to the measurement by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The optimization of some analytical parameters affecting the adsorption of the analyte such as acidity, shaking time, sample flow rate and volume, eluent condition, and interfering substances were investigated. At pH 3, the maximum static adsorption capacity of Hg(II) onto the SG-OHC was 37.5 mg g⁻¹. The quantitative recovery (>95%) of Hg(II) could be obtained using 2 mL of 0.5 mol L⁻¹ HCl and 1% CS(NH₂)₂ solution as eluent. Common coexisting substances did not interfere with the separation of mercury(II) under optimal conditions. The detection limit of present method was 0.10 ng mL⁻¹, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was lower than 4.0% (n = 8). The prepared sorbent was successfully applied for the preconcentration of trace Hg(II) in certified and water samples with satisfactory results.     

Gold nanoparticle–antibody conjugates for specific extraction and subsequent analysis by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry of malondialdehyde-modified low density lipoprotein as biomarker for cardiovascular risk

Oxidized low-density lipoproteins (OxLDLs) like malondialdehyde-modified low-density lipoprotein (MDA-LDL) play a major role in atherosclerosis and have been proposed as useful biomarkers for oxidative stress. In this study, gold-nanoparticles (GNPs) were functionalized via distinct chemistries with anti-MDA-LDL antibodies (Abs) for selective recognition and capture of MDA-LDL from biological matrices. The study focused on optimization of binding affinities and saturation capacities of the antiMDA-LDL-Ab-GNP bioconjugate by exploring distinct random and oriented immobilization approaches, such as (i) direct adsorptive attachment of Abs on the GNP surface, (ii) covalent bonding by amide coupling of Abs to carboxy-terminated-pegylated GNPs, (iii) oriented immobilization via oxidized carbohydrate moiety of the Ab on hydrazide-derivatized GNPs and (iv) cysteine-tagged protein A (cProtA)-bonded GNPs. Depending on immobilization chemistry, up to 3 antibodies per GNP could be immobilized as determined by ELISA. The highest binding capacity was achieved with the GNP-cProtA-Ab bioconjugate which yielded a saturation capacity of 2.24 ± 0.04 μg mL⁻¹ GNP suspension for MDA-LDL with an affinity K_d of 5.25 ± 0.11 × 10⁻¹⁰ M. The GNP-cProtA-antiMDA-LDL bioconjugate revealed high specificity for MDA-LDL over copper(II)-oxidized LDL as well as native human LDL. This clearly demonstrates the usefulness of the new GNP-Ab bioconjugates for specific extraction of MDA-LDL from plasma samples as biomarkers of oxidative stress. Their combination as specific immunoextraction nanomaterials with analysis by LC–MS/MS allows sensitive and selective detection of MDA-LDL in complex samples.     

Molecularly imprinted polymer microspheres prepared by Pickering emulsion polymerization for selective solid-phase extraction of eight bisphenols from human urine samples

The bisphenol A (BPA) imprinted polymer microspheres were prepared by simple Pickering emulsion polymerization. Compared to traditional bulk polymerization, both high yields of polymer and good control of particle sizes were achieved. The characterization results of scanning electron microscopy and nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurements showed that the obtained molecularly imprinted polymer microsphere (MIPMS) particles possessed regular spherical shape, narrow diameter distribution (30–60 μm), a specific surface area (S_BET) of 281.26 m² g⁻¹ and a total pore volume (V_t) of 0.459 cm³ g⁻¹. Good specific adsorption capacity for BPA was obtained in the sorption experiment and good class selectivity for BPA and its seven structural analogs (bisphenol F, bisphenol B, bisphenol E, bisphenol AF, bisphenol S, bisphenol AP and bisphenol Z) was demonstrated by the chromatographic evaluation experiment. The MIPMS as solid-phase extraction (SPE) packing material was then evaluated for extraction and clean-up of these bisphenols (BPs) from human urine samples. An accurate and sensitive analytical method based on the MIPMS-SPE coupled with HPLC-DAD has been successfully established for simultaneous determination of eight BPs from human urine samples with detection limits of 1.2–2.2 ng mL⁻¹. The recoveries of BPs for urine samples at two spiking levels (100 and 500 ng mL⁻¹ for each BP) were in the range of 81.3–106.7% with RSD values below 8.3%.     

Development of an immunosensor for the detection of testosterone in bovine urine

In the presented work, a disposable immunosensor for the detection of testosterone, an endogenous steroid hormone, in bovine urine has been developed using screen-printed electrodes (SPEs). Due to concerns over the use of steroid hormones as growth promoters, the EU prohibits their use in food producing animals. Consequently, rigorous screening procedures have been implemented in all member states to detect the illegal administration of such compounds. Competitive immunoassays were developed, initially by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and subsequently transferred to an electrochemical immunosensor format using disposable screen-printed carbon electrodes. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was the enzyme label of choice and chronoamperometric detection was carried out using a tetramethylbenzidine/hydrogen peroxide (TMB/H₂O₂) substrate system, at +100 mV. The EC₅₀ values obtained for the assay in buffer and urine gave relatively comparable results, 710 pg mL⁻¹ and 960 pg mL⁻¹, respectively. The linear range obtained for the assay in buffer extended from 0.03 ng mL⁻¹ to 40 ng mL⁻¹; while that in urine ranged from 0.03 ng mL⁻¹ to 1.6 ng mL⁻¹. The corresponding limits of detection (LOD) in buffer and urine were 26 pg mL⁻¹ and 1.8 pg mL⁻¹. Cross reactivity profiles of the antibody have been examined, with notable cross reactivities with 19-nortestosterone (11.6%) and boldenone (9.86%). Precision studies for the sensor demonstrated adequate reproducibility (CV < 13%, n = 3) and repeatability (CV < 9%, n = 3). Recovery data obtained showed good agreement between spiking studies and known concentrations of analyte. Sensors showed stability for 4 days at +4 °C. A sensitive, highly specific, inexpensive, disposable immunosensor, showing excellent overall performance for the detection of testosterone in bovine urine, has been developed.     

Simultaneous determination of amiodarone and its metabolite desethylamiodarone by high-performance liquid chromatography with chemiluminescent detection

A novel method was developed for the determination of amiodarone and desethylamiodarone by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with chemiluminescent (CL) detection. The procedure is based on the post-column photolysis of the analytes into photoproducts which are active in the tris(2,2′-bipyridyl)ruthenium(III) [Ru(bpy)₃³⁺] CL system. Ru(bpy)₃³⁺ was on-line generated by photo-oxidation of the Ru(II) complex in the presence of peroxydisulfate. The separation was carried out on a Mediterranea C₁₈ column with isocratic elution using a mixture of methanol and 0.017 mol L⁻¹ ammonium sulfate buffer of pH 6.8. Under the optimum conditions, analytical curves, based on standard solutions, were linear over the range 0.1-50 μg mL⁻¹ for amiodarone and 0.5-25 μg mL⁻¹ for desethylamiodarone. The detection limits of amiodarone and desethylamiodarone were 0.02 and 0.11 μg mL⁻¹, respectively. Intra- and inter-day precision values of 0.9% relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) (n = 10) and 1.6% R.S.D. (n = 15), respectively, were obtained. The method was applied successfully to the determination of these compounds in serum and pharmaceutical formulations.     

Development of a novel flow injection liquid-liquid microextraction method for the on-line separation and preconcentration for determination of zinc(II) using 5-(8-hydroxy-2-quinolinylmethyl)-2,8-dithia-5-aza-2,6-pyridinophane as a sensitive and selective fluorescent chemosensor

A novel flow injection analysis (FIA) system based on liquid-liquid microextraction and fluorimetric determination was developed for the determination of traces of the Zn²⁺ ion using 5-(8-hydroxy-2-quinolinylmethyl)-2,8-dithia-5-aza-2,6-pyridinophane (L) as a sensitive and selective fluorimetric sensor, with λ_ex = 373 nm and λ_em = 530 nm, and hexanol as the extracting organic solvent. In the designed FIA system, the phase separation takes place via gravitation forces in the absence of any segmenter. The influence of pH and ionic strength of the solution, amount of ligand, nature of counter ion, volume of organic solvent, extraction time and coil length was investigated. Under optimized experimental conditions, the calibration curve found to be liner over a concentration range of 0.025-4.53 μg mL⁻¹ (R² = 0.9951) with a limit of detection of 2.3 ng mL⁻¹. The enrichment factor was 45 and relative standard deviation for 7 replicate determinations was 2.43%. The method is very fast and uses low levels of organic solvents. The proposed method was applied successfully to the determination of zinc(II) in human hair, human serum and two inorganic sludge samples.     

A naked-eye based strategy for semiquantitative immunochromatographic assay

It is critical to develop a cost-effective quantitative/semiquantitative assay for rapid diagnosis and on-site detection of toxic or harmful substances. Here, a naked-eye based semiquantitative immunochromatographic strip (NSI-strip) was developed, on which three test lines (TLs, TL-I, TL-II and TL-III) were dispensed on a nitrocellulose membrane to form the test zone. Similar as the traditional strip assay for small molecule, the NSI-strip assay was also based on the competitive theory, difference was that the analyte competed three times with the capture reagent for the limited number of antibody binding sites. After the assay, the number of TLs developed in the test zone was inversely proportional to the analyte concentration, thus analyte content levels could be determined by observing the appeared number of TLs. Taking aflatoxin B₁ as the model analyte, visual detection limit of the NSI-strip was 0.06 ng mL⁻¹ and threshold concentrations for TL-I–III were 0.125, 0.5, and 2.0 ng mL⁻¹, respectively. Therefore, according to the appeared number of TLs, the following concentration ranges would be detectable by visual examination: 0–0.06 ng mL⁻¹ (negative samples), and 0.06–0.125 ng mL⁻¹, 0.125–0.5 ng mL⁻¹, 0.5–2.0 ng mL⁻¹ and >2.0 ng mL⁻¹ (positive samples). That was to say, compared to traditional strips the NSI-strip could offer more parameter information of the target analyte content. In this way, the NSI-strip improved the qualitative presence/absence detection of traditional strips by measuring the content (range) of target analytes semiquantitatively.     

Flow-injection catalytic spectrophotometic determination of molybdenum(VI) in plants using bromate oxidative coupling of p-hydrazinobensenesulfonic acid with N-(1-naphthyl)ethylenediamine

A novel flow-injection spectrophotometry has been developed for the determination of molybdenum(VI) at nanograms per milliliter levels. The method is based on the catalytic effect of molybdenum(VI) on the bromate oxidative coupling of p-hydrazinobenzenesulfonic acid with N-(1-naphthyl)ethylenediamine to form an azo dye (λ_max = 530 nm). Chromotropic acid (4,5-dihydroxy-2,7-naphthalenedisulfonic acid) acted as an effective activator for the molybdenum(VI)-catalyzed reaction and increased the sensitivity of the method. The reaction was monitored by measuring the change in absorbance of the dye produced. The proposed method allowed the determination of molybdenum(VI) in the range 1.0-20 ng mL⁻¹ with sample throughput of 15 h⁻¹. The limit of detection was 0.5 ng mL⁻¹ and a relative standard deviation for 10 ng mL⁻¹ molybdenum(VI) (n = 10) was 2.5%. The interfering ions were eliminated by using the combination of a masking agent and on-line minicolumn packed with cation exchanger. The present method was successfully applied to the determination of molybdenum(VI) in plant foodstuffs.     

N-alkylpyridinium quaternization combined with liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry: A highly sensitive method to quantify fatty alcohols in thyroid tissues

A highly sensitive method was developed for the identification and quantification of fatty alcohols in biological tissues. In the presence of pyridine-d₀ and triflic anhydride (Tf₂O), fatty alcohols were converted into permanently charged N-alkylpyridinium ions. Stable isotope-labeled derivatives were generated by pyridine-d₅ and added as internal standard (IS). The mixture was analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled to positive electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC–ESI-MS/MS). This method was optimized and validated in terms of reaction time, derivatization efficiency, stability, desalting, and ion suppression effect. Besides, fatty alcohols exhibited good linear relationship (r² > 0.993) over the concentration range of 10 ng mL⁻¹–1 μg mL⁻¹. The limits of detection (LODs) were lowered from previously reported 0.1 ng mL⁻¹ to 0.25 pg mL⁻¹. Precision (RSD% < 15.6%), accuracy (93.0–107.2%), matrix effect, and recovery (in thyroid tissues) were validated as well. Finally, this method was applied for the analysis of ten even carbon-numbered fatty alcohols (C₈–C₂₄) in human thyroid carcinoma and para-carcinoma tissues, revealing a significant decrease of fatty alcohols (free and esterified) in thyroid carcinoma tissues (p < 0.05).     

Orthogonal array optimization of ultrasound-assisted emulsification–microextraction for the determination of chlorinated phenoxyacetic acids in river water

Orthogonal array design (OAD) was utilized for the first time to optimize the experimental conditions of ultrasound-assisted emulsification–microextraction (USAEME) for determining chlorinated phenoxyacetic acids (CPAs) in river water samples. The use of ultrasound facilitates the mass transfer of CPAs from an aqueous phase into a water-immiscible organic extraction solvent (dichloromethane, DCM) without adding dispersive solvent to form numerous microdroplets. The water-immiscible extractant was collected by centrifugation, dried under low pressure, reconstituted in methanol–water mixture (1:1), and injected into a HPLC system for the determination of CPAs. The linear range was 2–1000 ng mL⁻¹ (2, 5, 10, 50, 200, 500 and 1000 ng mL⁻¹) for each analyte and the relative standard deviations of CPAs among the seven different concentrations were in the range of 1.5–17.0% (n = 3). The detection limits (signal-to-noise ratio of 3) of CPAs ranged from 0.67 to 1.50 ng mL⁻¹. The ranges of intra-day precision (n = 3) for CPAs at the levels of 5 and 200 ng mL⁻¹ were 3.6–11.9% and 5.3–9.5%, respectively. The range of inter-day precision (n = 3) at 5 and 200 ng mL⁻¹ were 1.4–7.7% and 8.5–12.2%, respectively. The applicability of USAEME for environmental analysis was demonstrated by determining CPAs in river water. The recoveries of CPAs from five-spiked river water samples at 10 and 200 ng mL⁻¹ were 96.3–112.5% and 94.8–109.4%, respectively. The maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 2,4-D in drinking water and the tolerance of residues in food for p-CPA are 70 and 200 μg L⁻¹, respectively, according to the US EPA regulations. These contaminant levels fall in the linear range investigated in this study. In addition, this USAEME method provided detection limits lower than their contaminant levels, which made USAEME an effective sample preparation method for determining organic environmental contaminants, such as CPAs, in river water samples with little consumption of organic solvent.