Automated orthogonal control system for electrospray ionization

Low-flow electrospray ionization is typically a purely electrostatic method, used without supporting sheath-gas nebulization. Complex spray morphology results from a large number of possible spray emission modes. Spray morphology may assume the optimal Taylor cone-jet spray mode under equilibrium conditions. When coupling to nanobore gradient elution chromatography, however, stability of the Taylor cone-jet spray mode is compromised by the gradient of mobile phase physiochemical properties. The common spray modes for aqueous/organic mobile phases were characterized using orthogonal (strobed illumination) transmitted light and (continuous illumination) scattered light imaging. Correlation of image sets from these complementary illumination methods provides the basis for spray mode identification using qualitative and quantitative image analysis. An automated feedback-controlled electrospray source was developed on a computer capable of controlling electrospray potential using an image-processing based algorithm for spray mode identification. The implementation of the feedback loop results in a system that is both self-starting and self-tuning for a specific spray mode or modes. Thus, changes in mobile phase composition and/or flow rate are compensated in real-time and the source is maintained in the cone-jet or pulsed cone-jet spray modes.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic stationary phases based on poly(methyloctylsiloxane) immobilized on silica. III. Stability evaluations

Several reversed-phase materials for high-performance liquid chromatography were obtained by deposition of poly(methyloctylsiloxane) (PMOS) on HPLC silica particles, followed by immobilization using different procedures. Each phase had characteristic physicochemical and chromatographic properties. The present work evaluates the stability of these phases with both neutral and basic mobile phases. All of the stationary phases were quite stable to neutral mobile phase, with less stability at higher pH. However, one thermally immobilized phase presented high stability even at an elevated temperature with a pH 10.0 mobile phase.     

Sodium trifluoroacetate as a tune/calibration compound for positive- and negative-ion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry in the mass range of 100–4000 Da

We have identified aqueous:acetonitrile solutions of alkali-metal trifluoroacetate compounds as tune/calibration standards for both positive- and negative-ion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI/MS). Each alkali-metal trifluoroacetate solution in water and acetonitrile (50:50, v/v) yields evenly spaced, singly charged peaks in the mass range of 100–3500 Da. Intense peaks are formed either by infusing the solution using a syringe pump, by infusing the solution into a stream of liquids [such as a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) mobile phase] flowing to the electrospray needle, or by injecting the salt-containing solution into an HPLC mobile phase containing trifluoroacetic acid. The advantages of these compounds include: (i) generation of singly charged ions in both positive and negative ionization modes in the mass range of approximately 100–3500 Da, (ii) formation of evenly spaced peaks with similar intensity across the entire mass range, (iii) the most abundant isotope in each mass cluster is the lowest mass peak (monoisotopic mass), which is free from variation in natural isotope distribution, (iv) commercial availability, (v) they easily dissolve in common liquid chromatography solvents, and (vi) lack of any long-lasting memory effects or background problems.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic stationary phases based on poly(dimethylsiloxane) immobilized on silica

This work describes the preparation and characterization of six stationary phases for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) obtained by deposition of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) in HPLC silica particles, followed by immobilization using different processes (thermal treatments, thermal treatment + microwave irradiation, self-immobilization + gamma irradiation and self-immobilization + microwave irradiation). The chromatographic parameters of all the phases were evaluated with a mixture of test compounds having varied natures (acid, basic and neutral). The stability of one of these phases was evaluated in both a neutral mobile phase and a higher pH mobile phase used at an elevated temperature, with promising results.     

Open-tubular capillary electrochromatography-mass spectrometry with sheathless nanoflow electrospray ionization for analysis of amino acids and peptides

A novel, rugged sheathless capillary electrochromatography-electrospray ionization (CEC-ESI) device, in which an open-tubular separation capillary and an electrospray tip are integrated with a Nafion tubing junction, is coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) for the analysis of amino acids and peptides. A stable electrospray was generated at nanoflow rates by applying a positive electrical potential at the Nafion membrane junction. To sustain the stable spray, an electroosmotic flow (EOF) to the spray was supported by coating the fused silica capillary with Lupamin, a high-molecular-weight linear positively charged polyvinylamine (PVAm) polymer, which also minimizes analyte adsorption. Electrochromatographic separation of amino acids and peptides was further enhanced by the chromatographic selectivity of Lupamin stationary phase for these molecules. The device was very reliable and reproducible for CEC-ESI-MS analyses of amino acids and peptides for over a hundred injections. The separation and detection behaviors of amino acids and peptides under different conditions including pH, concentration, and composition of mobile phases on Lupamin-coated and uncoated capillaries have been investigated. The relationship between nano electrospray stability and EOF is discussed.     

高效液相色谱-串联质谱法检测三苯乙烯基苯酚聚氧乙烯醚

建立了高效液相色谱-串联质谱检测三苯乙烯基苯酚聚氧乙烯醚(tristyrylphenol ethoxylates,TSPn EO)的分析方法,并对TSPn EO在反相色谱柱(XBridge C_(18),150 mm×2.1 mm,3.5μm)、亲水相互作用色谱柱(XBridge HILIC,150 m m×2.1 m m,3.5μm)、氨基色谱柱(XBridge Amide,150 m m×2.1 m m,3.5μm)、伪反相色谱柱(C18柱(XBridge C_(18),50 mm×2.1 mm,5μm)与硅胶柱(Nova-Pak Silica,150 mm×2.1 mm,4μm)串联)4种不同液相色谱分离模式下的分离效果进行了研究。实验比较了5 mmol/L乙酸铵水-乙腈、0.1%(v/v)甲酸水-乙腈、水-乙腈和水-甲醇4种流动相组成及3种梯度洗脱条件对分离效果和灵敏度的影响。探讨了TSPnEO在电喷雾离子(ESI)源内的离子化特征,结果表明,在ESI正离子模式下,TSPnEO在离子源内形成[M+NH4]+离子,其聚合度的分布特征符合泊松分布。利用伪反相色谱柱,水-乙腈作为流动相,实现了不同聚合度(n=5~18)TSPnEO的分离。     

Use of on-line mass spectrometric detection in capillary electrochromatography

Capillary electrochromatography (CEC) is a liquid phase analytical separation technique that is generally carried out with packed capillary columns by electroosmotically driven mobile phase at high electric field strength. The analytes are separated by virtue of the differences in their distribution between the mobile and stationary phases and, if charged in their electrophoretic mobilities as well. It is thus considered a hybrid of liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis and is expected to combine the high peak efficiency of capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) with the versatility and loading capacity of HPLC. This review explores the potential use of on-line mass spectrometric detection for CEC. It discusses key design issues that focus on the physical and electrical arrangement of the CEC column with respect to the electrospray orifice inlet. The salient features of the sheathless, sheath flow and liquid junction interfaces that are frequently employed while coupling a CEC column to an electrospray ionization mass spectrometry system are also highlighted. Possible configurations of the CEC column outlet that would obviate the need for pressurizing the capillary column are also presented. While coupling CEC with MS both the nature of the interface and the configuration of the column outlet will determine the optimal arrangement. The review also discusses bandspreading that occurs when a connecting tube is employed to transfer mobile phase from the column outlet to the atmospheric region of the electrospray source with a concomitant loss in sensitivity. Selected examples that highlight the potential of this technique for a wide range of applications are also presented.     

Dependence of cyano bonded phase hydrolytic stability on ligand structure and solution pH

As part of our program to develop more stable cyano (CN) high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) column packings, we have evaluated hydrolytic stability as a function of ligand connectivity, chain length, and side group steric protection and the pH of the mobile phase. Three accelerated tests were used to evaluate stability: (1) A non-HPLC screening test measuring carbon loss in refluxing MeOH-100 mM KH2PO4 pH 4.5 (1:1, v/v) solution; (2) a continuous flow HPLC test measuring capacity factor maintenance in 1% trifluoroacetic acid in water (pH 1.02) at 80 degrees C; and (3) a continuous flow HPLC test measuring column efficiency maintenance in 50 mM triethylamine in water (pH 10.00) at 50 degrees C. The stability of the CN phases was found to be dependent on both ligand chemical structure and the pH of the test conditions. The starting screen test of intermediate pH was least able to differentiate the CN phases based on structure, because two different degradation mechanisms appear to offset each other (acid induced siloxane bond cleavage vs. base induced silica dissolution). A trifunctional and a sterically protected CN phase were notably stable under the acidic test conditions, but had poor stability under basic conditions. Conversely, chain extension afforded poor stability under acidic conditions, but did afford improved stability at higher pH. In total, the data indicate that good CN column stability can be achieved by using a trifunctional or a sterically protected phase in acidic mobile phases. However, as mobile phases of intermediate or higher pH are employed, shorter column lifetimes can be expected due to an accelerated dissolution of the underlying silica substrate. Materials were also compared chromatographically using a mixture of non-polar, polar, and basic analytes under reversed-phase conditions.     

32种氧化型染料的高效液相色谱定量及高效液相色谱-串联质谱确证方法北大核心CSCD

染发类产品中氧化型染料种类多,实际样品测定时干扰多,建立染发类产品中多种常用染料的测定方法,为该类产品的有效监管提供技术手段十分必要。该研究根据染料使用频率分组,采用能够屏蔽硅羟基和金属离子影响的C_(18)柱,优化了《化妆品安全技术规范》(2015年版)中32种染料的高效液相色谱法(HPLC)并建立了高效液相色谱-串联质谱(HPLC-MS/MS)确证方法。样品以10 g/L亚硫酸氢钠水溶液为抗氧化剂,用无水乙醇-水(1∶1,v/v)混合溶液冰浴超声提取10 min。HPLC方法采用甲醇、乙腈和磷酸盐缓冲液为流动相分两个液相色谱条件进行梯度洗脱分离,于280 nm波长下检测,其中一个HPLC条件中的相互干扰组分均在另一个HPLC条件下完全分离,避免了实际样品检测时组分间的干扰,并排除了32种以外的其他15种常用染料的干扰。HPLC-MS/MS方法分别采用5 mmol/L乙酸铵水溶液-乙腈和5 mmol/L乙酸水溶液-乙腈为正离子和负离子模式下的流动相,电喷雾离子模式下用多反应监测(MRM)模式进行定性和定量分析。HPLC和HPLC-MS/MS两个方法中,日内精密度和48 h内稳定性的相对标准偏差(RSD)<10%,回收率为82.6%~114.9%(RSD<10%)。HPLC方法中32种染料在大约10~500 mg/L范围内线性关系良好(r^(2)>0.99),检出限为9.7~40.1μg/g;HPLC-MS/MS方法中氢醌线性范围为2.0~79.7 mg/L,检出限为8.0μg/g,其他组分线性范围约为0.1~4 mg/L,检出限为0.01~0.4μg/g。采用HPLC、HPLC-MS/MS两个方法和《化妆品安全技术规范》方法同时测定实际样品,共检出16种染料,检出含量范围为58~25160μg/g。3个方法检测结果的RSD为1.9%~10.1%。该研究增加了HPLC-MS/MS确证方法,适应化妆品法定检验中的未知物确认程序;方法简便快速,结果准确,专属性强,具有较好的通用性和可操作性。     

高效液相色谱表征高聚物*

最常用的测试高聚物的分子量和分子量分布的体积排除色谱(SEC)是高效液相色谱 (HPLC)的一个重要分支,HPLC的另一个重要分支是相互作用液相色谱, 它是20世纪90年代开始用于高分子分离和表征的研究领域。相互作用液相色谱可以根据高分子的化学结构（如共混物组成、共聚物组成、端基）来分离,它比SEC 有更高的分离效率。本文介绍了高聚物液相色谱的分离模式,并就高聚物体积排除色谱、相互作用液相色谱、临界液相色谱和全二维液相色谱用于分离和表征高聚物的研究进展进行了较系统的综述,并对该技术目前存在的问题和今后可能的发展前景进行了探讨。     

Porous graphitic carbon chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric determination of cytarabine in mouse plasma

A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system using a porous graphitic carbon (PGC) stationary phase interfaced with an electrospray ionization (ESI) source and a tandem mass spectrometer (MS/MS) for the analysis of cytarabine (ara-C) in mouse plasma samples has been developed in support of a pharmacodynamic study. The graphitized carbon column was adopted for the separation of ara-C and endogenous peaks from mouse plasma samples under the reversed-phase phase mode in liquid chromatography. The retention characteristics of the PGC column and the ionization efficiencies of all analytes based on the experimental factors such as the composition of mobile phases were investigated. The potential of ionization suppression resulting from the endogenous biological matrices on the PGC column during HPLC/ESI-MS/MS was investigated using post-column infusion. The concentrations of ara-C in mouse plasma obtained by using PGC-HPLC/MS/MS and ion-pairing HPLC/MS/MS were found to be in good agreement in terms of analytical accuracy.     

Dual Retention Mechanism in Two-Dimensional LC Separations of Barbiturates,Sulfonamides, Nucleic Bases and Nucleosides on Polymethacrylate Zwitterionic Monolithic Micro-Columns

In-house prepared zwitterionic polymethacrylate micro-columns using in situ polymerization of N,N-dimethyl-N-metacryloxyethyl-N-(3-sulfopropyl) ammonium betaine (MEDSA) functional monomer with bisphenol A glycerolate dimethacrylate (BIGDMA) cross-linker provided excellent stability and reproducibility of preparation and separation efficiency of 60,000–70,000 theoretical plates m⁻¹ for small molecules under isocratic conditions. The column showed a dual retention mechanism, reversed-phase (RP) in highly aqueous mobile phases and aqueous normal-phase (HILIC) in acetonitrile-rich mobile phases. This property can be used to obtain complementary separation and combined information on the sample from repeated injections of a sample on a single column, in different mobile phases characteristic for the HILIC and for the RP modes, which is in fact a form of offline two-dimensional chromatography on a single column. The dual retention mechanism has been observed with a variety of columns, however, often with impractically narrow retention range in one of the two modes. To take full advantage from the combined single-column RP–HILIC experiments, the column should provide a sufficiently broad mobile phase interval both in the RP and in the HILIC mode. The BIGDMA-MEDSA micro-columns proved suitable earlier for the combined RP–HILIC separations of some phenolic compounds and flavonoids. In the present work, we investigated the effects of the mobile phase composition on the retention of a variety of polar compounds over full retention range of buffered aqueous acetonitrile mobile phases, to find potentially useful HILIC and RP retention ranges for barbiturates, sulfonamides, nucleosides and nucleic bases. In the HILIC mode, proton donor–acceptor interactions show a major effect on retention and selectivity of separation, whereas the size of the non-polar hydrocarbon part of the sample molecule is the most important factor in the water-rich mobile phases. The sample structure strongly affects the composition of aqueous–organic mobile phases at which the transition between the two retention modes occurs. Of the investigated sample types, barbiturates show better separation under reversed-phase conditions, whereas nucleosides and nucleic bases in the HILIC mode. Aromatic carboxylic acids and sulfonamides can be separated either in the reversed phase or under HILIC conditions, the two separation modes showing complementary selectivity of separation.

     

Capillary column supercritical fluid chromatography-atmospheric pressure ionisation mass spectrometry interface performance of atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation and electrospray ionisation.

A supercritical fluid chromatography interface probe for atmospheric pressure ionisation mass spectrometry (API-MS) with the advantage of convenient switch between ionisation modes [atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation (APCI) and electrospray ionisation (ESI)] has recently been reported [P.J.R. Sj?berg, K.E. Markides, J. Chromatogr. A, 785 (1997) 101]. In order to obtain a stable ion signal and a low minimum detectable quantity, the design of the spray devise has to be optimised. For easy optimisation in the APCI mode, the corona needle was mounted directly on the interface probe. To compensate for the adiabatic cooling of the expanding mobile phase in the APCI mode, a heated region around the restrictor tip was used. In comparison, ESI required no additional heat, which might also prevent fragmentation for thermolabile compounds. As the mobile phase used was neat CO2, a low flow of make-up liquid was utilised in the ESI mode for transfer of the analytes from the expanding CO2 gas to the liquid phase before ionisation. The low make-up liquid flow in the ESI mode was sufficient for preventing the restrictor from becoming blocked. Factors that influence the ion signal intensity and stability have been studied. In APCI mode, corona needle position, nebuliser gas flow and gas additives were studied and in ESI mode, spray capillary assembly dimension and position, liquid flow-rate and composition were studied. The achievable detection limits were in the 50-0.1 pg (i.e., 290 fmol-140 amol) range. The detection limit in APCI mode was improved by a factor of about 20-25 compared to an earlier design [L.N. Tyrefors, R.X. Moulder, K.E. Markides, Anal. Chem. 65 (1993) 2835].     

New Chromatographic and Hyphenated Techniques for Hydrophilic Copolymers

Most synthetic polymers are distributed in more than one parameter of molecular heterogeneity. For hydrophobic copolymers there are different chromatographic techniques available to analyse these distributions. As a result of the increasing interest in hydrophilic polymers and copolymers new chromatographic techniques are developed for the characterization of these polymers as well. However, very frequently these polymers contain highly polar or charged functional groups making them soluble only in aqueous mobile phases. There are several problems related to the use of aqueous mobile phases in polymer chromatography. Even the SEC analysis of such copolymers is not straightforward. As for HPLC in aqueous mobile phases, there are only a few applications in the literature so far. In addition to the fact that only a very limited number of stationary phases is available for aqueous HPLC of polymers, the interactions of polyelectrolytes in such chromatographic systems are not well understood. The present paper addresses the problems related to the application of SEC and HPLC in aqueous mobile phases. For graft copolymers with a polyethylene oxide backbone, e.g. PEG-g-polymethacrylic acid and PEG-g-polyvinyl alcohol, it will be shown that methods can be developed that give accurate molar mass and chemical composition information. Two-dimensional chromatography where aqueous HPLC and SEC are coupled on-line will be shown to be the most powerful analysis tool for the analysis of such copolymers. The hyphenation of the chromatographic separation techniques with spectroscopic detection techniques provides further insight into the molecular complexity of these copolymers.     

Four interfaces for liquid chromatography/atmospheric-pressure-ionization mass spectrometry.

Mixture analyses are demonstrated using the liquid chromatograph/atmospheric-pressure-ionization mass spectrometric system with four modes. These modes are atmospheric-pressure spray with electron ionization, atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization, atmospheric-pressure spray ionization, and electrospray ionization modes. This system can deal with a wide variety of compounds from hydrocarbons with low polarity to proteins with high polarity.     

Retention studies of acrylamide for the design of a robust liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for food analysis

A wide range of solid phases for SPE (solid-phase extraction) (n=14) and HPLC (n=9) were compared regarding the chromatographic retention of acrylamide. For SPE, a hydroxylated polystyrene-divinylbenzene copolymer phase (ENV+) gave the strongest retention. Twenty millilitre of water per gram solid phase could be passed with less than 5% loss of acrylamide from the column, thus enabling significant enrichment of food extracts. Other polymer phases gave varying degrees of retention, while silica bonded phases gave low retention. For HPLC, columns were evaluated both in reversed-phase and aqueous normal-phase (hydrophilic interaction chromatography) modes. The best retention was obtained with a phase comprising porous graphitic carbon (Hypercarb), giving a k-value of 4 with water as the mobile phase. Based on these investigations, a method for analysis of acrylamide in food using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was designed to meet the demands of a collaborative validation trial. A comparative investigation of solid phases has not been published earlier. Thus, the paper should provide a base for new method developments regarding clean-up, enrichment and chromatography of acrylamide. In addition, the detailed standard operating procedure (SOP) method, as used in a collaborative validation trial, is provided as an electronic supplement (www.elsevier.com).     

基于聚倍半硅氧烷微球的亲水/反相混合模式色谱填料的制备与评价

亲水/反相混合模式色谱应用广泛,但pH使用范围有限,不利于碱性药物的分离。该工作利用巯基-烯基点击化学合成了单分散多孔的半胱氨酸改性乙烯基功能化聚甲基倍半硅氧烷(C-V-PMSQ)微球。元素分析表明半胱氨酸成功键合在微球表面。C-V-PMSQ微球为介孔结构,单分散性好且具有优良的化学稳定性。以几种常见的核苷和核酸碱基作为测试样品,考察其色谱保留行为,溶质的保留因子随流动相中水相含量的变化呈现典型的U型曲线,表明C-V-PMSQ固定相具有亲水/反相的双重保留特征。使用该固定相可以分离苯的同系物及一系列亲水性与疏水性化合物。另外在高碱性流动相条件下利用亲水和反相模式成功分离了中药苦参中的3种主要活性成分,表明它在分离碱性药物方面具有较大的优势。     

Analysis of polyethoxylated surfactants in microemulsion-oil-water systems: Part II

Commercial ethoxylated surfactants are always a mixture of oligomers with different ethylene oxide number (EON). The different oligomers were separated by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on an amino column using a mixture of polar and nonpolar mobile phases. Surfactant oil-water-systems were studied according to the unidimensional scan technique. The surfactant content in the oil, microemulsion and water phases was determined by UV spectroscopy and HPLC. The partitioning of the surfactant oligomers in the oil and water phases of a Winsor III system was determined. The effect of different salts on the surfactant partitioning is discussed.     

Denaturation of alpha-lactalbumin and ubiquitin studied by electrospray and laser spray

Electrospray and laser spray mass spectra of human alpha-lactalbumin and bovine ubiquitin were studied, with an emphasis on the denaturation induced by laser spray. There were no remarkable differences in the electrospray and laser spray mass spectra for acidic and basic aqueous solutions of alpha-lactalbumin in positive and negative modes of operations. This originates from the fact that this protein is tightly folded with four disulfide bonds. For ubiquitin, however, denaturation was induced by laser spray for the positive mode of operation and the [M+nH](n+) with a maximum of n = 13 was observed, i.e., all the acidic amino acid residues are fully neutralized (protonated). In contrast, the laser-induced denaturation was not observed for the negative mode of operation, i.e., denaturation of ubiquitin is largely suppressed in the negatively charged liquid droplets. The marked difference observed in the positive and negative modes of operations for ubiquitin is ascribed to the difference in the susceptibility of side-chain/main-chain interactions in the positive-ion excess and in the negative-ion excess liquid droplets. That is, the interactions between the basic residues and main-chain amide carbonyl groups (-NH(3) (+)***O=C< or -NH(2)***O=C<) which play an important role in stabilizing the protein structures are not so affected in the negative mode of operation but are weakened in the positive mode of operation.