Non-denaturating isoelectric focusing gel electrophoresis for uranium–protein complexes quantitative analysis with LA-ICP MS

A non-denaturating isoelectric focusing (ND-IEF) gel electrophoresis protocol has been developed to study and identify uranium (U)–protein complexes with laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP MS) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The ND-IEF-LA-ICP MS methodology set-up was initiated using in vitro U–protein complex standards (i.e., U–bovine serum albumin and U–transferrin) allowing the assessment of U recovery to 64.4?±?0.4 %. This methodology enabled the quantification of U–protein complexes at 9.03?±?0.23, 15.27?±?0.36, and 177.31?±?25.51 nmol U L^?1 in digestive gland cytosols of the crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, exposed respectively to 0, 0.12, and 2.5 μmol of waterborne depleted U L^?1 during 10 days. ND-IEF-LA-ICP MS limit of detection was 19.3 pmol U L^?1. Elemental ICP MS signals obtained both in ND-IEF electropherograms and in size exclusion chromatograms of in vivo U–protein complexes revealed interactions between U- and Fe- and Cu-proteins. Moreover, three proteins (hemocyanin, pseudohemocyanin-2, and arginine kinase) out of 42 were identified as potential uranium targets in waterborne-exposed crayfish cytosols by microbore reversed phase chromatography coupled to molecular mass spectrometry (µRPC-ESI-MS/MS) after ND-IEF separation.

In vitro studies of carbon fiber microbiosensor for dopamine neurotransmitter supported by copper-graphene oxide composite

A composite was prepared from copper and graphene oxide (Cu-GO) by in-situ chemical reduction of a mixture containing GO and Cu(II) ions with potassium borohydride. The morphology and structure of the composite were confirmed by various physicochemical techniques. The materials were used in a tyrosinase-based microbiosensor where the enzyme is immobilized in a biocompatible matrix consisting of poly(ortho-phenylene diamine) and Cu-GO. The composite was deposited on the surface of an 8-μm thick carbon fiber microelectrode. The role of each component in the sensing layer was systematically investigated with respect to the analytical performance of the system. In its optimal configuration, the biosensor demonstrated (a) a sensitivity of 6.1?±?3 nA mM^-1 dopamine (DA), (b) a linear response to DA (with a Michaelis-Menten constant of 0.29?±?0.03 mM), (c) good selectivity over ascorbic acid and uric acid, and (d) a high blocking capacity (112.2?±?2 mM) for ascorbic acid.

3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and metabolites disposition in blood and plasma following controlled oral administration

3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is an illicit phenethylamine ingested for entactogenic and euphoric effects. Although blood is more commonly submitted for forensic analysis, previous human MDMA pharmacokinetics research focused on plasma data; no direct blood–plasma comparisons were drawn. Blood and plasma specimens from 50 healthy adult volunteers (33 males, 17 females, 36 African-American) who ingested recreational 1.0 and 1.6 mg/kg MDMA doses were quantified for MDMA and metabolites 4-hydroxy-3-methoxymethamphetamine (HMMA), 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyamphetamine (HMA) by two-dimensional gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Specimens were collected up to 3 h post-dose and evaluated for maximum concentration (C _max), first detection time (t _first), time of C _max (t _max), and 3-h area under the curve (AUC_0–3 h); as well as blood metabolite ratios and blood/plasma ratios. Median blood MDMA and MDA C _max were significantly greater (p?<?0.0005) than in plasma, but HMMA was significantly less (p?<?0.0005). HMA was detected in few blood specimens, at low concentrations. Nonlinear pharmacokinetics were not observed for MDMA or MDA in this absorptive phase, but HMMA C _max and AUC_0–3 h were similar for both doses despite the 1.6-fold dose difference. Blood MDA/MDMA and MDA/HMMA significantly increased (p?<?0.0001) over the 3-h time course, and HMMA/MDMA significantly decreased (p?<?0.0001). Blood MDMA C _max was significantly greater in females (p?=?0.010) after the low dose only. Low-dose HMMA AUC_0–3 h was significantly decreased in females’ blood and plasma (p?=?0.027) and in African-Americans’ plasma (p?=?0.035). These data provide valuable insight into MDMA blood–plasma relationships for forensic interpretation and evidence of sex- and race-based differential metabolism and risk profiles.

A high-throughput LC-MS/MS method suitable for population biomonitoring measures five serum folate vitamers and one oxidation product

Small specimen volume and high sample throughput are key features needed for routine methods used for population biomonitoring. We modified our routine eight-probe solid phase extraction (SPE) LC-MS/MS method for the measurement of five folate vitamers [5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-methylTHF), folic acid (FA), plus three minor forms: THF, 5-formylTHF, 5,10-methenylTHF] and one oxidation product of 5-methylTHF (MeFox) to require less serum volume (150 μL instead of 275 μL) by using 96-well SPE plates with 50 mg instead of 100 mg phenyl sorbent and to provide faster throughput by using a 96-probe SPE system. Total imprecision (10 days, two replicates/day) for three serum quality control pools was 2.8–3.6 % for 5-methylTHF (19.5–51.1 nmol/L), 6.6–8.7 % for FA (0.72–11.4 nmol/L), and ≤11.4 % for the minor folate forms (<1–5 nmol/L). The mean (±SE) recoveries of folates spiked into serum (3 days, four levels, two replicates/level) were: 5-methylTHF, 99.4?±?3.6 %; FA, 100?±?1.8 %; minor folates, 91.7–108 %. SPE extraction efficiencies were ≥85 %, except for THF (78 %). Limits of detection were ≤0.3 nmol/L. The new method correlated well with our routine method [n?=?150, r?=?0.99 for 5-methylTHF, FA, and total folate (tFOL, sum of folate forms)] and produced slightly higher tFOL (5.6 %) and 5-methylTHF (7.3 %) concentrations, likely due to the faster 96-probe SPE process (1 vs. 5 h), resulting in improved SPE efficiency and recovery compared to the eight-probe SPE method. With this improved LC-MS/MS method, 96 samples can be processed in ～2 h, and all relevant folate forms can be accurately measured using a small serum volume.

Extraction and theoretical study on the complexation of the strontium cation with beauvericin

From extraction experiments and γ-activity measurements, the extraction constant corresponding to the equilibrium Sr²⁺(aq) + 2A^?(aq) +1(nb) ? 1·Sr²⁺(nb) + 2A^?(nb) taking place in the two-phase water–nitrobenzene system (A^? = picrate, 1 = beauvericin; aq = aqueous phase, nb = nitrobenzene phase) was evaluated as log K _ex(1·Sr²⁺,2A^?) = ?0.6 ± 0.1. Further, the stability constant of the 1·Sr²⁺ complex in nitrobenzene saturated with water was calculated for a temperature of 25 °C: log β _nb(1·Sr²⁺) = 8.5 ± 0.1. Finally, by using quantum-mechanical DFT calculations, the most probable structure of the resulting cationic complex 1·Sr²⁺ was derived.     

The electrochemistry of uric acid at a gold electrode modified with L-cysteine, and its application to sensing uric urine

The electrochemistry of uric acid at a gold electrode modified with a self-assembled film of L-cysteine was studied by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. Compared to the bare gold electrode, uric acid showed better electrochemical response in that the anodic peak current is stronger and the peak potential is negatively shifted by about 100 mV. The effects of experimental conditions on the oxidation of uric acid were tested and a calibration plot was established. The differential pulse response to uric acid is linear in the concentration range from 1.0?×?10^?6 to ~?1.0?×?10^?4 mol?L^?1 (r?=?0.9995) and from 1.0?×?10^?4 to ~?5.0?×?10^?4 mol?L^?1 (r?=?0.9990), the detection limit being 1.0?×?10^?7 mol?L^?1 (at S/N?=?3). The high sensitivity and good selectivity of the electrode was demonstrated by its practical application to the determination of uric acid in urine samples.

Exploring antibiotic resistance based on enzyme hydrolysis by microcalorimetry

In an effort to understand the reactions of antibiotics hydrolysis with metallo-β-lactamases (MβLs), the thermokinetic parameters of cefazolin hydrolysis with B1 subclass MβL CcrA from Bacteroides fragilis were determined by microcalorimetric method. The values of activation free energy $ \Updelta G_{ \ne }^{\theta } $ are 88.032 ± 0.038, 89.075 ± 0.025, 90.095 ± 0.034, and 91.261 ± 0.044 kJ mol^?1 at 293.15, 298.15, 303.15, and 308.15 K, respectively, the activation enthalpy $ \Updelta H_{ \ne }^{\theta } $ is 25.278 ± 0.005 kJ mol^?1, the activation entropy $ \Updelta S_{ \ne }^{\theta } $ is ?213.99 ± 0.14 J mol^?1 K^?1, the apparent activation energy E is 27.776 kJ mol^?1, and the reaction order is 1.4. The results indicated that the cefazolin hydrolysis with CcrA is an exothermic and spontaneous reaction. An association between the thermokinetic and kinetic parameters was revealed, which is that the catalytic constant K _cat increase with increase in $ \Updelta H_{ \ne }^{\theta } $ .     

Single-cell sphingosine kinase activity measurements in primary leukemia

Sphingosine kinase (SK) is a promising therapeutic target in a number of cancers, including leukemia. Traditionally, SK has been measured in bulk cell lysates, but this technique obscures the cellular heterogeneity present in this pathway. For this reason, SK activity was measured in single cells loaded with a fluorescent sphingosine reporter. An automated capillary electrophoresis (CE) system enabled rapid separation and quantification of the phosphorylated and nonphosphorylated sphingosine reporter in single cells. SK activity was measured in tissue-cultured cells derived from chronic myelogenous leukemia (K562), primary peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from three patients with different forms of leukemia, and enriched leukemic blasts from a patient with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Significant intercellular heterogeneity existed in terms of the degree of reporter phosphorylation (as much as an order of magnitude difference), the amount of reporter uptake, and the metabolites formed. In K562 cells, the average amount of reporter converted to the phosphorylated form was 39?±?26 % per cell. Of the primary PBMCs analyzed, the average amount of phosphorylated reporter was 16?±?25 %, 11?±?26 %, and 13?±?23 % in a chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) patient, an AML patient, and a B-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia (B-ALL) patient, respectively. These experiments demonstrated the challenge of studying samples comprised of multiple cell types, with tumor blasts present at 5 to 87 % of the cell population. When the leukemic blasts from a fourth patient with AML were enriched to 99 % of the cell population, 19?±?36 % of the loaded sphingosine was phosphorylated. Thus, the diversity in SK activity remained even in a nearly pure tumor sample. These enriched AML blasts loaded significantly less reporter (0.12?±?0.2 amol) relative to that loaded into the PBMCs in the other samples (≥1 amol). The variability in SK signaling may have important implications for SK inhibitors as therapeutics for leukemia and demonstrates the value of single-cell analysis in characterizing the nature of oncogenic signaling in cancer. Figure

Phosphorylation of a fluorescent sphingosine kinase reporter was used to measure single-cell SK activity in primary cells from leukemic patients. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells as well as enriched leukemic blasts were analyzed.     

A sensitive and specific ELISA for determining a residue marker of three quinoxaline antibiotics in swine liver

Methyl-3-quinoxaline-2-carboxylic acid (MQCA) is a possible residue marker for three quinoxaline veterinary medicines (olaquindox, mequindox, and quinocetone). The wide application of mequindox/quinocetone or the illegal use of olaquindox leads to MQCA residue in animal’s original food, thereby threatening the safety of human food. The indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (IC-ELISA) with a specific coating antigen and monoclonal antibody (MAB) was established and optimized for detecting MQCA in swine liver. Samples were acidified with 2 mol?l^?1 hydrochloric acid, extracted with ethyl acetate–hexane–isopropanol (8?+?1?+?1, v/v/v) and then detected by IC-ELISA. The logarithm correlation of standards to OD values ranged from 0.2 to 200 μg?l^?1, with IC₅₀ of 6.46 μg?l^?1. Negligible cross-reactivity happened to five quinoxaline antibiotics (olaquindox, mequindox, quinocetone, carbadox, and cyadox) and the metabolite of carbadox and cyadox (quinoxaline-2-carboxylic acid). When spiked with 1 to 100 μg?kg^?1 of MQCA, the recoveries ranged from 85.44 to 100.02 %, with the intra-assay coefficient of variation (CV) of 6.64–10.57 % and inter-assay CV of 7.29–10.88 %. The limit of detection for MQCA was 1.0 μg?kg^?1 in swine liver. Furthermore, incurred samples were detected by the IC-ELISA and then conformed by a reported LC/MS/MS method, it shown that there was good correlation between the two methods. All these results indicated that the IC-ELISA method is appropriate for surveillance MQCA residue in animal tissues.

Validation of an assay for the determination of levoglucosan and associated monosaccharide anhydrides for the quantification of wood smoke in atmospheric aerosol

Biomass burning is becoming an increasing contributor to atmospheric particulate matter, and concern is increasing over the detrimental health effects of inhaling such particles. Levoglucosan and related monosaccharide anhydrides (MAs) can be used as tracers of the contribution of wood burning to total particulate matter. An improved gas chromatography–mass spectrometry method to quantify atmospheric levels of MAs has been developed and, for the first-time, fully validated. The method uses an optimised, low-volume methanol extraction, derivitisation by trimethylsilylation and analysis with high-throughput gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Recovery of approximately 90 % for levoglucosan, and 70 % for the isomers galactosan and mannosan, was achieved using spiked blank filters estimates. The method was extensively validated to ensure that the precision of the method over five experimental replicates on five repeat experimental occasions was within 15 % for low, mid and high concentrations and accuracy between 85 and 115 %. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 0.21 and 1.05 ng m^?3 for levoglucosan and galactosan/mannosan, respectively, where the assay satisfied precisions of ≤20 % and accuracies 80–120 %. The limit of detection (LOD) for all analytes was 0.105 ng m^?3. The stability of the MAs, once deposited on aerosol filters, was high over the short term (4 weeks) at room temperature and over longer periods (3 months) when stored at ?20 °C. The method was applied to determine atmospheric levels of MAs at an urban background site in Leicester (UK) for a month. Mean concentrations of levoglucosan over the month of May were 21.4?±?18.3 ng m^?3, 7.5?±?6.1 ng m^?3 mannosan and 1.8?±?1.3 ng m^?3 galactosan. Figure

Monosaccharide anhydride levels and percent contribution to PM₁₀ from filter punches taken every 24 h at an urban background site in Leicester, analysed by GC–MS. G galactosan, M mannosan, L levoglucosan     

Gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry analysis of 52 monohydroxylated metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in hairs of rats after controlled exposure

A method based on gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry after derivatization with N-tert-butyldimethylsilyl-N-methyltrifluoroacetamide was developed for the analysis of monohydroxylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (OH-PAHs) in hair. The method focused on 52 target compounds corresponding to two- to six-ring monohydroxylated metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The limits of quantification ranged from 0.2 to 50 pg mg^?1. The method was then applied to the analysis of hair samples collected from rats exposed to 12 PAHs at 0.01, 0.1, and 1 mg kg^?1, by intraperitoneal injection, for 28 days. The results of this study confirm that these metabolites can be incorporated in hair after intraperitoneal administration of the corresponding parent compound. Only 20 of the 52 metabolites were actually detected in hair samples and corresponded to nine parent PAHs. The mean concentrations of OH-PAHs in rat hair samples exposed to PAHs at 1 mg kg^?1 ranged from 0.6?±?0.2 pg mg^?1 for 8-hydroxybenzo[b]fluoranthene to 6.7?±?1.0 pg mg^?1 for 1-hydroxypyrene. The results also demonstrated that hair pigmentation has no influence on the concentration of most OH-PAHs. This animal experiment confirmed the incorporation of PAH metabolites in hair and demonstrated that the method was sufficiently sensitive to detect low levels of exposure to PAHs. These results confirmed the usefulness of hair analysis in the biomonitoring of human exposure to PAHs.

Determination of phthalate esters in edible oils by use of QuEChERS coupled with ionic-liquid-based dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction before high-performance liquid chromatography

A selective and low organic-solvent-consuming method of sample preparation combined with high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection is introduced for analysis of phthalic acid esters in edible oils. Sample treatment involves initial liquid–liquid partitioning with acetonitrile, then QuEChERS cleanup by dispersive solid-phase extraction with primary secondary amine as sorbent. Preconcentration of the analytes is performed by ionic-liquid-based dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction, with the cleaned-up extract as disperser solvent and 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate as extraction solvent. Under the optimized conditions, correlation coefficients (r) were 0.998–0.999 and standard errors (S _y/x ) were 2.67–3.37?×?10³ for calibration curves in the range 50–1000 ng g^?1. Detection limits, at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3, ranged from 6 to 9 ng g^?1. Intra-day and inter-day repeatability, expressed as relative standard deviation, were in the ranges 1.0–6.9 % and 2.4–9.4 %, respectively. Recovery varied between 84 % and 106 %. The developed method was successfully used for analysis of the analytes in 28 edible oils. The dibutyl phthalate content of four of the 28 samples (14 %) exceeded the specific migration limit established by domestic and international regulations.

Inclusion complex of α-cyclodextrin and the extended viologen dication: a model of an insulated molecular wire

An extended viologen dication 1, containing one viologen subunit, was used as a model for the inclusion complex formation between cyclodextrin (CD) molecules and molecular wires comprising several subunits. UV–Vis and fluorescence spectroscopic measurements confirmed the formation of two types of the inclusion complexes 1:1 and 2:1 between αCD and 1 in the aqueous solution containing 20% of ethanol. The complex formation constants were obtained from the fluorescence spectral changes: K _a  = 25 ± 3 mM^?1 for [αCD–1] complex and K _a  = 0.21 ± 0.07 mM^?2 for [(αCD)₂–1] complex, respectively. Cyclodextrins βCD and γCD do not form the inclusion complexes with 1 in these aqueous solutions. The time-dependent differential capacitance measurements confirmed the adsorption of 1 in the form of a complex at the electrode/electrolyte interface. These studies were conducted with the aim to find the most suitable CD cavity that would separate individual molecular wires from each other on the electrode/electrolyte interface.     

NMR assignments and the acid–base characterization of the pomegranate ellagitannin punicalagin in the acidic pH-range

In exploring the capability of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy for pomegranate juice analysis, the eight aromatic singlet resonances of α- and β-punicalagin were clearly identified in the ¹H NMR spectra of juice samples. The four downfield resonances were found to be sensitive to small pH changes around pH 3.50 where the NMR spectra of the juice samples were recorded. To understand this unusual behavior, the ¹H and ¹³C resonance assignments of the punicalagin anomers were determined in aqueous solution and pH titrations with UV and ¹H NMR detection carried out to characterize the acid–base properties of punicalagin over the pH range 2–8. Simultaneous fitting of all of the pH-sensitive ¹H NMR signals produced similar but significantly different pK _a values for the first two deprotonation equilibria of the gallagic acid moiety of the punicalagin α- (pK _a1?=?4.57?±?0.02, pK _a2?=?5.63?±?0.03) and β- (pK _a1?=?4.36?±?0.01, pK _a2?=?5.47?±?0.02) anomers. Equivalent pK _a values, (α?:?6.64?±?0.01, β?:?6.63±?0.01) were measured for the third deprotonation step involving the ellagic acid group, in good agreement with a prior literature report. The punicalagin anomer equilibrium readjusts in parallel with the proton dissociation steps as the pH is raised such that β-punicalagin becomes the most abundant anomer at neutral pH. The unusual upfield shifts observed for the glucose H3 and H5 resonances with increasing pH along with the shift in the α/β anomer equilibrium are likely the consequence of a conformational rearrangement.

Determination of methylisothiocyanate in soil and water by HS-SPME followed by GC–MS–MS with a triple quadrupole

Methylisothiocyanate (MITC) is the main degradation product of metam sodium, a soil disinfectant widely used in agriculture, and is responsible for its disinfectant properties. Because MITC is highly toxic and volatile, metam sodium has to be applied in a manner that tries to reduce atmospheric emissions but still maintains adequate concentration of MITC in soil to ensure its disinfectant effect. Thus, monitoring of MITC concentrations in soil is required, and to this end sensitive, fast, and reliable analytical methods must be developed. In this work, a headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) method was developed for MITC determination in water and soil samples using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC–MS–MS) with a triple-quadrupole analyzer. Two MS–MS transitions were acquired to ensure the reliable quantification and confirmation of the analyte. The method had linear behavior in the range tested (0.026–2.6 ng mL^?1 in water, 1–100 ng g^?1 in soil) with r ² over 0.999. Detection limits were 0.017 ng mL^?1 and 0.1 ng g^?1 in water and soil, respectively. Recoveries for five replicates were in the range 76–92 %, and RSD was below 7 % at the two spiking levels tested for each matrix (0.1 and 1 ng mL^?1 for water, 4 and 40 ng g^?1 for soil). The potential of using multiple HS-SPME for analyzing soil samples was also investigated, and its feasibility for quantification of MITC evaluated. The developed HS-SPME method was applied to soil samples from experimental plots treated with metam sodium following good agriculture practices. Figure

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Synthesis of lanthanide(III) complexes appended with a diphenylphosphinamide and their interaction with human serum albumin

Two DOTA-based proligands bearing a pendant diphenylphosphinamide 4a and 4b were synthesised. Their Eu(III) complexes exhibit sensitised emission when excited at 270 nm via the diphenylphosphinamide chromophore. Hydration states of q = 1.5 were determined from excited state lifetime measurements (Eu.4a $ k_{{{\text{H}}_{ 2} {\text{O}}}} = 2. 1 4 \,{\text{ms}}^{ - 1} ,\;k_{{{\text{D}}_{ 2} {\text{O}}}} = 0. 6 4 \,{\text{ms}}^{ - 1} $ ; Eu.4b $ k_{{{\text{H}}_{ 2} {\text{O}}}} = 2. 6 7\, {\text{ms}}^{ - 1} ,\;k_{{{\text{D}}_{ 2} {\text{O}}}} = 1. 1 8 \,{\text{ms}}^{ - 1} $ ). In the presence of human serum albumin (HSA) (0.1 mM Eu.4a/b, 0.67 mM HSA, pH 7.4) q = 0.4 for Eu.4a ( $ k_{{{\text{H}}_{ 2} {\text{O}}}} = 1. 3 4\, {\text{ms}}^{ - 1} ,\;k_{{{\text{D}}_{ 2} {\text{O}}}} = 0. 7 5\, {\text{ms}}^{ - 1} $ ) and q = 0.6 for Eu.4b ( $ k_{{{\text{H}}_{ 2} {\text{O}}}} = 1. 8 3\, {\text{ms}}^{ - 1} ,\;k_{{{\text{D}}_{ 2} {\text{O}}}} = 1.0 5 \,{\text{ms}}^{ - 1} $ ). Relaxivites (pH 7.4, 298 K, 20 MHz) of the Gd(III) complexes in the absence and presence of HSA (0.1 mM Gd.4a/b, 0.67 mM HSA) were: Gd.4a (r ₁ = 7.6 mM^?1s^?1 and r ₁ = 11.7 mM^?1s^?1) and Gd.4b. (r ₁ = 7.3 mM^?1s^?1 and r ₁ = 16.0 mM^?1s^?1). These relatively modest increases in r ₁ are consistent with the change in inner-sphere hydration on binding to HSA shown by luminescence measurements on Eu.4a/b. Binding constants for HSA determined by the quenching of luminescence (Eu) and enhancement of relaxivity (Gd) were Eu.4a (27,000 M^?1 ± 12%), Eu.4b (32,000 M^?1 ± 14%), Gd.4a (21,000 M^?1 ± 15%) and Gd.4b (26,000 M^?1 ± 15%).     

SPE HG-AAS method for the determination of inorganic arsenic in rice—results from method validation studies and a survey on rice products

The present paper describes the development, validation and application of a method for inorganic arsenic (iAs) determination in rice samples. The separation of iAs from organoarsenic compounds was done by off-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) followed by hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HG-AAS) detection. This approach was earlier developed for seafood samples (Rasmussen et al., Anal Bioanal Chem 403:2825–2834, 2012) and has in the present work been tailored for rice products and further optimised for a higher sample throughput and a lower detection limit. Water bath heating (90 °C, 60 min) of samples with dilute HNO₃ and H₂O₂ solubilised and oxidised all iAs to arsenate (As^V). Loading of buffered sample extracts (pH 6?±?1) followed by selective elution of arsenate from a strong anion exchange SPE cartridge enabled the selective iAs quantification by HG-AAS, measuring total arsenic (As) in the SPE eluate. The in-house validation gave mean recoveries of 101–106 % for spiked rice samples and in two reference samples. The limit of detection was 0.02 mg kg^?1, and repeatability and intra-laboratory reproducibility were less than 6 and 9 %, respectively. The SPE HG-AAS method produced similar results compared to parallel high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis. The SPE separation step was tested collaboratively, where the laboratories (N?=?10) used either HG-AAS or ICP-MS for iAs determination in a wholemeal rice powder. The trial gave satisfactory results (HorRat value of 1.6) and did not reveal significant difference (t test, p?>?0.05) between HG-AAS and ICP-MS quantification. The iAs concentration in 36 rice samples purchased on the Danish retail market varied (0.03–0.60 mg kg^?1), with the highest concentration found in a red rice sample.      

Complexation of the cesium cation with nonactin: extraction and DFT study

From extraction experiments and γ-activity measurements, the extraction constant corresponding to the equilibrium Cs⁺(aq) + A^?(aq) + 1(nb) ? 1·Cs⁺(nb) + A^?(nb) taking place in the two-phase water–nitrobenzene system (A^? = picrate, 1 = nonactin; aq = aqueous phase, nb = nitrobenzene phase) was evaluated as log K _ex (1·Cs⁺,A^?) = 2.8 ± 0.1. Further, the stability constant of the 1·Cs⁺ complex in nitrobenzene saturated with water was calculated for a temperature of 25 °C: log β _nb (1·Cs⁺) = 4.7 ± 0.1. Finally, by using quantum–mechanical DFT calculations, the most probable structure of the resulting cationic complex species 1·Cs⁺ was derived.     

NanoLC/ESI+ HRMS3 Quantitation of DNA Adducts Induced by 1,3-Butadiene

Human exposure to 1,3-butadiene (BD) present in automobile exhaust, cigarette smoke, and forest fires is of great concern because of its potent carcinogenicity. The adverse health effects of BD are mediated by its epoxide metabolites such as 3,4-epoxy-1-butene (EB), which covalently modify genomic DNA to form promutagenic nucleobase adducts. Because of their direct role in cancer, BD-DNA adducts can be used as mechanism-based biomarkers of BD exposure. In the present work, a mass spectrometry-based methodology was developed for accurate, sensitive, and precise quantification of EB-induced N-7-(1-hydroxy-3-buten-2-yl) guanine (EB-GII) DNA adducts in vivo. In our approach, EB-GII adducts are selectively released from DNA backbone by neutral thermal hydrolysis, followed by ultrafiltration, offline HPLC purification, and isotope dilution nanoLC/ESI⁺-HRMS³ analysis on an Orbitrap Velos mass spectrometer. Following method validation, EB-GII lesions were quantified in human fibrosarcoma (HT1080) cells treated with micromolar concentrations of EB and in liver tissues of rats exposed to sub-ppm concentrations of BD (0.5–1.5 ppm). EB-GII concentrations increased linearly from 1.15?±?0.23 to 10.11?±?0.45 adducts per 10⁶ nucleotides in HT1080 cells treated with 0.5–10 μM DEB. EB-GII concentrations in DNA of laboratory rats exposed to 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 ppm BD were 0.17?±?0.05, 0.33?±?0.08, and 0.50?±?0.04 adducts per 10⁶ nucleotides, respectively. We also used the new method to determine the in vivo half-life of EB-GII adducts in rat liver DNA (2.20?±?0.12 d) and to detect EB-GII in human blood DNA. To our knowledge, this is the first application of nanoLC/ESI⁺-HRMS³ Orbitrap methodology to quantitative analysis of DNA adducts in vivo.

Quantitative HPLC-MS analysis of nucleotide sugars in plant cells following off-line SPE sample preparation

An analytical workflow was developed for the absolute quantification of uridine diphosphate (UDP)-sugars in plant material in order to compare their metabolism both in wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana and mutated plants (ugd2,3) possessing genetic alterations within the UDP-glucose dehydrogenase genes involved in UDP-sugar metabolism. UDP-sugars were extracted from fresh plant material by chloroform-methanol-water extraction and further purified by solid-phase extraction with a porous graphitic carbon adsorbent with extraction efficiencies between 80?±?5 % and 90?±?5 %. Quantitative determination of the UDP-sugars was accomplished through HPLC separation with a porous graphitic carbon column (Hypercarb^TM) which was interfaced to electrospray ionization Orbitrap mass spectrometry. The problem of instable retention times due to redox processes on the stationary phase were circumvented by grounding of the column effluent and incorporation of a column regeneration procedure using acetonitrile-water containing 0.10 % trifluoroacetic acid. The method was calibrated using external calibration and UDP as internal standard. Calibration functions were approximated by first- or second-order regression analysis for concentrations spanning three orders of magnitude. Upon injecting sample volumes of 2.65 μL, the limits of detection for the UDP-sugars were in the 70 nmol L^?1 range. Six different UDP-sugars, including UDP-glucose, UDP-galactose, UDP-arabinose, UDP-xylose, UDP-glucuronic acid, and UDP-galacturonic acid were found in concentrations of 0.4 to 38 μg/g plant material. Data evaluation by analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed statistically significant differences in UDP-sugar concentrations between wild-type and mutant plants, which were found to conclusively mirror the impaired metabolic pathways in the mutant plants.