Proton nuclear magnetic resonance characterisation of glycosaminoglycans using chemometric techniques

Various types of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) including heparins, chondroitin sulfates, dermatan sulfate and hyaluronic acid were studied from their proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectra using chemometric techniques. Despite the complexity of the 1H NMR signals, data analysis using principal component analysis enabled the different GAG classes to be distinguished and permitted their classification according to their chemical structure. The analysis of the composition of the major disaccharide unit and other relevant chemical structures in the heparin samples was performed using partial least squares regression.     

Sample stacking with matrix removal for the determination of paraquat, diquat and difenzoquat in water by capillary electrophoresis

Conditions for the simultaneous determination of paraquat, diquat and difenzoquat by capillary zone electrophoresis using a stacking technique in a chemically modified capillary have been established. To apply the stacking method with sample matrix removal for the analysis of cations, an anodic electroosmotic flow is mandatory. For quats, 50 mM acetic acid-ammonium acetate (pH 4.0) with 5% (v/v) methanol as electrophoretic buffer and the addition of 0.8 mM cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as wall capillary organic modifier was proposed. Field polarity reversal time was optimised for several sample matrices. Detection was carried out at 220 and 255 nm. Detection limits, based on a signal-to-noise ratio of 3:1, were lower than 15 microg l(-1) for standards in Milli-Q water and two to ten times higher for drinking water samples. Run-to-run and day-to-day reproducibility have been established. The method was successfully applied to the determination of the three herbicides in spiked drinking water.     

Analysis of glycosaminoglycan monosaccharides by capillary electrophoresis using indirect laser-induced fluorescence detection

Two methods for monosaccharide analysis by capillary electrophoresis (CE) using counterelectroosmotic and coelectroosmotic modes with indirect laser-induced fluorescence detection were optimised and compared. A mixture of seven glycosaminoglycan-derived hexoses was separated in alkaline fluorescein-based electrolytes and detected in both counterelectroosmotic and coelectroosmotic conditions. The fluorescein concentration and pH of the background electrolyte, and the influence of the reversal of electroosmotic flow by addition of hexadimethrine bromide on the separation were studied. Coelectroosmotic CE conditions provided better resolution and limits of detection. A 10(-6) M fluorescein solution at pH 12.25 containing 0.0005% (w/v) hexadimethrine bromide was used as background electrolyte. Quality parameters such as run-to-run, day-to-day precision and limits of detection were calculated, and better figures of merit were obtained for the coelectrooosmotic conditions than for the counterelectroosmotic mode. The coelectroosmotic method was applied to the quantitation of the hexosamine contents in glycosaminoglycans after acid hydrolysis. The method proved to be suitable for the determination of dermatan sulfate in heparin down to 2% (w/w).     

Multivariate calibration methods for quantification in strongly overlapping capillary electrophoretic peaks

Capillary zone electrophoresis with diode-array detection was applied to the separation of ebrotidine and its metabolites. However, three of these, which are neutral in the conditions studied, co-migrated with the electroosmotic flow signal. Therefore, strongly overlapping peaks were observed. The main aim of this study was to show the potentiality of capillary electrophoresis in combination with chemometrics. Multivariate calibration methods were applied to quantify these analytes in synthetic mixtures. The results obtained using partial least squares (PLS) were in agreement with actual values, with an overall prediction error of 9.7%.     

Multistep mass spectrometry of heterocyclic amines in a quadrupole ion trap mass analyser

The fragmentation of heterocyclic amines (HAs) in an ion trap was studied by means of the infusion of methanolic solutions containing the compounds under assay, and using an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) as ion source. The MS(n) spectra obtained for compounds included in the same family, either aminoimidazoazaarenes (AIAs) or carbolines, were compared in order to propose fragmentation pathways for each HA. Moreover, labelled AIAs were used to establish the mechanisms. The protonated molecule was always obtained, but subsequent fragmentation was different for both families. In the case of AIAs, major product ions came from the fragmentation of the aminoimidazole moiety, thus the base peak in MS(2) corresponded to the loss of the methyl group, and losses of C(2)NH(3) and CN(2)H(2) were also observed. Further fragmentation occurred in the heterocyclic rings, mainly with losses of HCN and CH(3)CN. For carbolines, the most important product ions came from the loss of ammonia, except for harman and norharman, the loss of a methyl group for methylated carbolines or the loss of diverse fragments from the heterocyclic rings. In some cases, ion-molecule reactions into the ion trap were observed. For instance, for AalphaC or MeAalphaC one ion originating from these reactions corresponded to the base peak.     

Optimization of a clean-up procedure for the determination of heterocyclic aromatic amines in urine by field-amplified sample injection-capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry

Heterocyclic amines (HAs), generated when proteinaceous food is cooked, are of special interest since they can be carcinogenic for humans. In this paper, the optimization of a clean-up procedure for the isolation and preconcentration of 15 heterocyclic amines in urine samples is described. The method proposed combines liquid extraction on a solid support of diatomaceous earth with solid-phase extraction in cartridges. Tests were performed on several cartridges containing graphitic carbon or mixed phases, i.e., combining reversed-phase and cation-exchange mechanism, and the best results were obtained with Oasis MCX. The optimized purification method was applied to the quantification of heterocyclic amines in hydrolyzed spiked human urine. The method was carried out by capillary electrophoresis (CE) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) and applying field-amplified sample injection (FASI) as in-line preconcentration procedure. We obtained detection limits down to 0.3 ng/ml of urine and errors lower than 17%.     

Determination of heterocyclic amines by pneumatically assisted electrospray liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry was applied to the study of the amines IQ, Trp-P-1, Trp-P-2, PhIP and AC and the co-mutagens harman and norharman. The results obtained on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer equipped with a pneumatically assisted electrospray source are reported. The chromatographic conditions were optimized with a reversed-phase column (1 mm I.D.) using acetonitrile-5 mM ammonium acetate (pH 6.7) (50:50) as the mobile phase at a flow-rate of 50 μl min⁻¹. Different parameters influencing the mass spectra were investigated. For these compounds [M + H]⁺ in the positive-ion mode and also some fragments produced through collisionally activated decomposition in the interface were observed. Detection limits of 5.4–44 pg were obtained for standard solutions of these amines. Analysis of a meat extract was performed by HPLC-MS using single-ion monitoring after a solid-phase extraction clean-up.     

Solvent extraction and spectrophotometric determination of titanium (IV) with 3-phenyl-3-methyl-2-mercaptopropenoic acid by use of the synergistic effect of pyridine

Summary The distribution equilibria of 3-phenyl-3-methyl-2-mercaptopropenoic acid (PhMMP), pyridine and the titanium (IV)-PhMMP complex in the presence of pyridine have been studied in the chloroform-water system. An extraction-photometric method for the determination of micro amounts of titanium has been developed. The synergistic effect of pyridine, and the influence of pH, the reagent concentration and the presence of electrolytes and masking agents on the equilibrium have been determined. From slope analysis of the distribution curves, the composition of the extracted species has been found to be Ti(OH)₂(HR)₂·py. The complex is extracted quantitatively. Beer's law is obeyed over the range 0.09–4.30g/ml titanium (IV) and the molar absorptivity is 1.30×10⁴1·mole^–1·cm^–1 at 447 nm. The method has been applied to the determination of titanium in ceramics.

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Über die Extraktion und spektrophotometrische Bestimmung von Titan(IV) mit 3-Phenyl-3-methyl-2-mercaptopropensäure mit Hilfe der synergistischen Wirkung des Pyridins

Zusammmenfassung Das Verteilungsgleichgewicht von 3-Phenyl-3-methyl-2-mercaptopropensäure (PhMMP), Pyridin und Titan-PhMMP-Komplex in Gegenwart von Pyridin wurde in einem Wasser-Chloroform-System untersucht. Eine extraktionsphotometrische Methode für die Bestimmung von Mikromengen Titan(IV) wurde ausgearbeitet. Die synergistische Wirkung des Pyridins sowie der Einfluß des pH, des Reagens und der Gegenwart von Elektrolyten und maskierenden Reagenzien in der wäßrigen Phase auf das Gleichgewicht wurden bestimmt. Aus der Richtung der Verteilungskurven wurde für den extrahierten Komplex die Zusammensetzung Ti(OH)₂(HR)₂·py ermittelt. Der Komplex wird quantitativ extrahiert. Das Beersche Gesetz ist von 0,09–4,30g·ml^–1 Ti(IV) erfüllt, der molare Absorptionskoeffizient ist 1,13·10⁴1·mol^–1·cm^–1; die Sandell-Empfindlichkeit beträgt 3,7ng·cm^–2 bei 447 nm. Diese Methode wurde für die Bestimmung von Titan in keramischem Material verwendet.

     

Resonant mode oscillations in modulated waveguiding structures

We put forward the concept of resonant, Rabi-like oscillatons and adiabatic transitions between confined light modes in properly modulated multimode waveguides. The phenomenon is shown to take place in both the linear and the nonlinear regimes. In addition, we find that the mode transitions occur not only in simple geometries, but also in complex confining multimode structures. The phenomenon is analogous to the familiar stimulated state transitions that occur in multilevel quantum systems.