Novel capsule phase microextraction in combination with high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection for rapid monitoring of sulfonamide drugs in milk

Capsule phase microextraction is introduced herein for the first time to determine four sulfonamide residues in milk samples (sulfanilamide, sulfadiazine, sulfamethizole, and sulfathiazole). The technique eloquently integrates filtration and stirring mechanism into the extraction device, as such no filtration of the sample is needed prior to introducing the extraction device into the sample, and when placed on a magnetic stirrer, the device spins itself in order to diffuse the sample, resulting in faster extraction equilibrium. Microextraction capsules consist of three main parts; a magnet, a cellulose fiber substrate coated with high performance sol‐gel hybrid organic‐inorganic sorbent, and a porous membrane. Various encapsulated sol‐gel sorbents were tested in standard solutions prepared in deionized water and milk samples under different operational conditions. Analyte extraction time and elution time, type of sol‐gel sorbent, elution solvent, as well as the ratio of the sorbent to the elution solvent were among the optimized conditions. The protocols that yielded the best absolute recovery rates were subsequently tested in various milk samples. Method validation was performed in terms of linearity, accuracy and precision, reusability and ruggedness using the Youden test. The examined sulfonamides were subsequently analysed by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection.     

Effective cleanup for the determination of six quinolone residues in shrimp before HPLC with diode array detection in compliance with the European Union Decision 2002/657/EC

A high‐performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for the determination of six quinolone residues (ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, sarafloxacin, oxolinic acid, nalidixic acid, and flumequine) in shrimp tissue samples. Separation was carried out by a LiChrospher® 100 RP‐8e column, running at a 22 min gradient elution program, and the mobile phase consisted of citric acid (0.4 mol/L), acetonitrile and methanol. Detection was achieved by a diode array detector, monitoring at 255 and 275 nm. Sample preparation included initial extraction with citric acid solution and further clean‐up by solid‐phase extraction, employing Lichrolut RP‐18 cartridges. Validation was performed according to the European Union Decision 2002/657/EC. The detection capability was 127.2 μg/kg for ciprofloxacin, 115.2 μg/kg for enrofloxacin, 126.2 μg/kg for sarafloxacin, 113.1 μg/kg for oxolinic acid, 125.2 μg/kg for nalidixic acid, and 239.0 μg/kg for flumequine. Recoveries ranged between 83.0 and 121.6%. The Youden test was applied to study the method ruggedness.     

Development of a validated HPLC method for the determination of B-complex vitamins in pharmaceuticals and biological fluids after solid phase extraction

An HPLC method was developed for the simultaneous determination of seven water-soluble vitamins, viz. thiamine, riboflavin, nicotinic acid, nicotinamide, pyridoxine, cyanocobalamin, and folic acid, in multivitamin pharmaceutical formulations and biological fluids (blood serum and urine). Separation was achieved at ambient temperature on a Phenomenex Luna C18 (150 x 4.6 mm) analytical column. Gradient elution was performed starting at a 99:1 A:B v/v composition, where A: 0.05 M CH3COONH4/CH3OH (99/1) and B: H2O/CH3OH (50/50), at a flow rate of 0.8 mL/min. After a 4-min isocratic elution the composition was changed to 100% of B in 18 min and elution continued isocratically for 8 min. Detection was performed with a photodiode array detector at 280 nm. Each vitamin was quantitatively determined at its maximum wavelength. Spectral comparison was used for peak identification in real samples. Detection limits were in the range of 1.6-3.4 ng, per 20-microL injection, while linearity held up to 25 ng/microL. Accuracy, intra-day repeatability (n = 6), and inter-day precision (n = 7) were found to be satisfactory. Theobromine (2 ng/microL) was used as internal standard. Sample preparation of biological fluids was performed by SPE on Supelclean LC-18 cartridges with methanol-water 85/15 v/v as eluent. Extraction recoveries from biological matrices ranged from 84.6% to 103.0%.     

Validation of a novel HPLC sorbent material for the determination of ten quinolones in human and veterinary pharmaceutical formulations

A novel sorbent material of ultrapure silica gel provided with novel State of the Art Bonding- and Endcapping Technology commercially available under the name PerfectSil Target (250 x 4 mm, ODS-3, 5 microm, by MZ-Analysentechnik, Germany) was used and validated for the sensitive HPLC determination of ten quinolone antibiotics: enoxacin, ofloxacin, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, danofloxacin (DAN), enrofloxacin (ENR), sarafloxacin, oxolinic acid (OXO), nalidixic acid (NAL), and flumequine. The analytical column validation was performed in terms of separation efficiency, precision, and peak asymmetry. The separation was achieved at ambient temperature using a mobile phase of TFA (0.1%)-CH3OH-CH3CN delivered under the optimum gradient program, at a flow rate of 1.2 mU/min. Photodiode array detection was used and eluant was monitored at 275 nm. For the quantitative determination caffeine (7.5 ng/microL) was used as internal standard. The achieved LODs were 0.03 ng/microL per 50 microL injected volume for OXO, 0.1 ng/microL for DAN, ENR, and NAL, and 0.2 ng/microL for the remaining six studied quinolones. The method was validated in terms of interday (n = 6) and intraday (n = 5) precision and accuracy. The proposed method was successfully applied to the analysis of pharmaceutical formulations destined either for human or for veterinary use.     

Adsorption of fluoride, chloride, bromide, and bromate ions on a novel ion exchanger

A novel ion exchanger based on double hydrous oxide (Fe2O3Al2O3xH2O) was obtained by the original sol-gel method from easily available and cheap raw materials and employed for adsorption of F-, Cl-, Br-, and BrO-3 from simultaneous solutions. Adsorbent was characterized by potentiometric titration, zeta-potential, and poremetrical characteristics. A technologically attractive pH effect of F-, Br-, and BrO-3 sorption on the investigated double hydroxide of Fe and Al, which is capable of working in the pH range 3 to 8.5, was observed. Kinetic data on fluoride and bromide sorption fit well the pseudo-second-order model. Isotherms of fluoride, bromide, chlorine, and bromate ion sorption on Fe2O3Al2O3xH2O were obtained at pH 4. The isotherm of F- sorption fit well the Langmuir model; sorption affinity (K=0.52 L/mg) and sorption capacity (90 mg F/g) were high. In the competitive adsorption of bromide and bromate, bromide dominated at equilibrium concentrations of the ions >40 mg/L. The mechanism of fluoride adsorption to the surface of the model cluster of the sorbent synthesized and the geometry of the cluster itself were modeled with the HyperChem7 program using the PM3 method.     

Determination of fluoroquinolones in edible animal tissue samples by high performance liquid chromatography after solid phase extraction

In the present work, a rapid, accurate, and sensitive method has been developed for the quantitative determination of five fluoroquinolones (enoxacin, ofloxacin, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and enrofloxacin) in edible animal tissues (muscle tissue, liver, kidney, and eggs). The separation was accomplished on an Inertsil (250 x 4 mm) C8, 5 microm, analytical column, at ambient temperature within 15 min. The mobile phase consisted of a mixture of citric acid (0.4 mol L(-1))-CH3OH-CH3CN (87:9:4% v/v). UV detection at 275 nm yielded the following limits of detection: 100 pg per 20 microL injected volume for enoxacin, norfloxacin, and ciprofloxacin, 20 pg for ofloxacin, and 200 pg for enrofloxacin. Peaks in real samples were identified by means of a photodiode array detector. The method was validated in terms of intra-day (n = 8) and inter-day (n = 8) precision and accuracy. Tissue samples were purified from endogenous interference by solid-phase extraction using Oasis HLB cartridges. The solid-phase extraction protocol was optimized in terms of retention and elution. Recovery rates at fortification levels of 40, 60, and 80 ng/g ranged from 82.5% to 111.1%. The applicability of the method was examined using real samples from a chicken treated orally with the five studied fluoroquinolones.     

Chromatographic analysis of banned antibacterial growth promoters in animal feed

The issue of antimicrobial use in animals used as food is of global concern. Antimicrobials are used in animal agriculture to improve health and welfare of animals, meat quality, the economic efficiency of growth and production and public health by decreasing shedding of zoonotic pathogens. However, large quantities are often used without professional supervision. The growth-promotant (now reclassified as zootechnical feed additives) effect of low levels of antibiotics in animal feeds was first described in the late 1940s. Already in 1969 the Swann Committee recommended that use of antibiotics as a supplement in animal feedstuff should be restricted to those with little or no application as therapeutic agents for humans and animals, which would not impair the efficacy of therapeutic antibiotics through the development of resistant strains of organisms. Antimicrobials like avoparcin, ardacin, zinc bacitracin, virginiamycin, tylosin, spriramycin, carbadox and olaquindox were withdrawn within the period 1997-1999. Four others (monensin sodium, salinomycin sodium, avilamycin and flavophospholipol) were still permitted for use as growth promoters in animal feed to animals marketed in the European Union (EU). Since January 2006, they have been banned as well. This review focuses on the analytical methods developed to be an effective tool for monitoring compliance with the ban.     

Determination of Intact Parabens in the Human Plasma of Cancer and Non-Cancer Patients Using a Validated Fabric Phase Sorptive Extraction Reversed-Phase Liquid Chromatography Method with UV Detection

Parabens have been widely employed as preservatives since the 1920s for extending the shelf life of foodstuffs, medicines, and daily care products. Given the fact that there are some legitimate concerns related to their potential multiple endocrine-disrupting properties, the development of novel bioanalytical methods for their biomonitoring is crucial. In this study, a fabric phase sorptive extraction reversed-phase liquid chromatography method coupled with UV detection (FPSE-HPLC-UV) was developed and validated for the quantitation of seven parabens in human plasma samples. Chromatographic separation of the seven parabens and p-hydroxybenzoic acid was achieved on a semi-micro Spherisorb ODS1 analytical column under isocratic elution using a mobile phase containing 0.1% (v/v) formic acid and 66% 49 mM ammonium formate aqueous solution in acetonitrile at flow rate 0.25 mL min⁻¹ with a 24-min run time for each sample. The method was linear at a concentration range of 20 to 500 ng mL⁻¹ for the seven parabens under study in human plasma samples. The efficiency of the method was proven with the analysis of 20 human plasma samples collected from women subjected to breast cancer surgery and to reconstructive and aesthetic breast surgery. The highest quantitation rates in human plasma samples from cancerous cases were found for methylparaben and isobutylparaben with average plasma concentrations at 77 and 112.5 ng mL⁻¹. The high concentration levels detected agree with previous findings for some of the parabens and emphasize the need for further epidemiological research on the possible health effects of the use of these compounds.     

Development and validation of an HPLC confirmatory method for the determination of seven tetracycline antibiotics residues in milk according to the European Union Decision 2002/657/EC

An HPLC method with diode-array detection, at 355 nm, was developed and validated for the determination of seven tetracyclines (TCs) in milk: minocycline (MNC), TC, oxytetracycline (OTC), methacycline (MTC), demeclocycline (DMC), chlortetracycline (CTC), and doxycycline (DC). Oxalate buffer (pH 4) was used with 20% TCA as a deproteinization agent for the extraction of analytes from milk followed by SPE. The separation was achieved on an Inertsil ODS-3, 5 microm, 250 x 4 mm(2 )analytical column at ambient temperature. The mobile phase, a mixture of A: 0.01 M oxalic acid and B: CH(3)CN, was delivered using a gradient program. The procedure was validated according to the European Union decision 2002/657/EC determining selectivity, stability, decision limit, detection capability, accuracy, and precision. Mean recoveries of TCs from spiked milk samples (50, 100, and 200 ng/g) were 93.8-100.9% for MNC, 96.8-103.7% for OTC, 96.3-101.8% for TC, 99.4-107.2% for DMC, 99.4-102.9% for CTC, 96.3-102.7% for MTC, and 94.6-102.1% for DC. All RSD values were lower than 8.5%. The decision limits CC(a) calculated by spiking 20 blank milk samples at MRL (100 microg/kg) ranged from 101.25 to 105.84 microg/kg, while detection capability CC(b )from 103.94 to 108.88 microg/kg.     

Fabric Phase Sorptive Extraction: A Paradigm Shift Approach in Analytical and Bioanalytical Sample Preparation

Fabric phase sorptive extraction (FPSE) is an evolutionary sample preparation approach which was introduced in 2014, meeting all green analytical chemistry (GAC) requirements by implementing a natural or synthetic permeable and flexible fabric substrate to host a chemically coated sol–gel organic–inorganic hybrid sorbent in the form of an ultra-thin coating. This construction results in a versatile, fast, and sensitive micro-extraction device. The user-friendly FPSE membrane allows direct extraction of analytes with no sample modification, thus eliminating/minimizing the sample pre-treatment steps, which are not only time consuming, but are also considered the primary source of major analyte loss. Sol–gel sorbent-coated FPSE membranes possess high chemical, solvent, and thermal stability due to the strong covalent bonding between the fabric substrate and the sol–gel sorbent coating. Subsequent to the extraction on FPSE membrane, a wide range of organic solvents can be used in a small volume to exhaustively back-extract the analytes after FPSE process, leading to a high preconcentration factor. In most cases, no solvent evaporation and sample reconstitution are necessary. In addition to the extensive simplification of the sample preparation workflow, FPSE has also innovatively combined the extraction principle of two major, yet competing sample preparation techniques: solid phase extraction (SPE) with its characteristic exhaustive extraction, and solid phase microextraction (SPME) with its characteristic equilibrium driven extraction mechanism. Furthermore, FPSE has offered the most comprehensive cache of sorbent chemistry by successfully combining almost all of the sorbents traditionally used exclusively in either SPE or in SPME. FPSE is the first sample preparation technique to exploit the substrate surface chemistry that complements the overall selectivity and the extraction efficiency of the device. As such, FPSE indeed represents a paradigm shift approach in analytical/bioanalytical sample preparation. Furthermore, an FPSE membrane can be used as an SPME fiber or as an SPE disk for sample preparation, owing to its special geometric advantage. So far, FPSE has overwhelmingly attracted the interest of the separation scientist community, and many analytical scientists have been developing new methodologies by implementing this cutting-edge technique for the extraction and determination of many analytes at their trace and ultra-trace level concentrations in environmental samples as well as in food, pharmaceutical, and biological samples. FPSE offers a total sample preparation solution by providing neutral, cation exchanger, anion exchanger, mixed mode cation exchanger, mixed mode anion exchanger, zwitterionic, and mixed mode zwitterionic sorbents to deal with any analyte regardless of its polarity, ionic state, or the sample matrix where it resides. Herein we present the theoretical background, synthesis, mechanisms of extraction and desorption, the types of sorbents, and the main applications of FPSE so far according to different sample categories, and to briefly show the progress, advantages, and the main principles of the proposed technique.