Simultaneous Determination of Inorganic Anions and Organic Acids in Environmental Samples by Capillary Zone Electrophoresis with Indirect UV Detection

Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) with indirect UV detection was developed for the simultaneous determination of inorganic anions and organic acids in environmental samples. Various aromatic acids (benzoic, phthalic, trimellitic, and pyromellitic acids) were evaluated as background electrolytes (BGEs) to give high resolution and detection sensitivity. Co-electroosmotic conditions such as the concentration of BGE, electrolyte pH, and EOF modifier were systematically investigated. Three inorganic anions and ten organic acids were determined simultaneously in 10 min using an electrolyte containing 10 mM phthalic acid, 0.5 mM myristyltrimethylammonium bromide (MTAB), and 5% methanol (MeOH) (v/v) at pH 5.60. Linear plots for the test solutes were obtained in the concentration range 0.01–1.0 mM with detection limits in the range 5–30 μM. The proposed method was successfully demonstrated for the determination of inorganic anions and organic acids in natural water, soil, and plant extracts after direct sample injection.     

Separation of perfluorocarboxylic acids using capillary electrophoresis with UV detection

A capillary electrophoretic method with UV detection for separation and quantitation of perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) from C6-PFCA to C12-PFCA has been developed. The optimization of measurement conditions included the choice of the most appropriate type and concentration of buffer in the background electrolyte (BGE), as well as the type and the content of an organic modifier. The optimal separation of investigated PFCAs was achieved with 50 mM phosphate buffer and 40% isopropanol in the BGE using direct UV detection. The optimum wavelength for direct UV detection was optimized at 190 nm. For indirect detection, several chromophores were studied. Five mM 3,5-Dinitrobenzoic acid (3,5-DNBA) in 20 mM phosphate buffer BGE and indirect UV detection at 280 nm gave the optimal detection and separation performance for the investigated PFCAs. The possibility of on-line preconcentration of solutes by stacking has been examined for indirect detection. The detection limits (LODs) determined for direct UV detection ranged from 2 microg/mL for C6-PFCA to 33 microg/mL for C12-PFCA. The LODs obtained for indirect UV detection were comparable to those obtained for direct UV detection.     

Analysis of drying oils used as binding media for objects of art by capillary electrophoresis with indirect UV and conductivity detection

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) was applied to analyse the long-chain fatty acid composition of vegetable oils, and their degradation products formed upon ageing when drying oils are used as binding media. The analytes were detected with contactless conductivity detection (CCD) and indirect UV absorption, both detectors positioned on-line at the separation capillary. The long-chain fatty acids were resolved in a background electrolyte (BGE) consisting of phosphate buffer (pH = 6.86, 15 mM) containing 4 mM sodium dodecylbenzensulfonate, 10 mM Brij 35, 2% (v/v) 1-octanol and 45% (v/v) acetonitrile. As in this system dicarboxylic analytes, the products of oxidative degradation of unsaturated fatty acids, cannot be determined, a suitable background electrolyte was developed by the aid of computer simulation program PeakMaster. It makes use of a 10 mM salicylic acid, 20 mM histidine buffer, pH 5.85, which combines buffering ability with the optical properties obligatory for indirect UV detection. This buffer avoids system eigenpeaks, which are often impairing the separation efficiency of the system. Separation of the dicarboxylic analytes was further improved by a counter-directed electroosmotic flow (EOF), obtained by dynamically coating the capillary wall with 0.2 mM cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. Long-chain fatty acids and their decomposition products could be determined in recent and aged samples of drying oils, respectively, and in samples taken from two paintings of the 19th century.     

Determination of amino acids in tobacco samples by capillary electrophoresis/indirect absorbance detection with isolation of the electrolysis compartment and p-Aminobenzoic acid as a background electrolyte.

A fast, convenient and sensitive method of capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) and indirect UV detection was proposed for the determination of 16 amino acids. p-Aminobenzoic acid (PAB) was selected as a background electrolyte (BGE). An isolated cell included a BGE buffer part and an electrode buffer one, which were jointed with a glass frit. The isolated cell can prevent PAB from the electrode reaction and improve the stability of the detection baseline. The separation conditions of amino acids were investigated, such as different BGEs, BGE concentration, buffer pH and electroosmotic flow (EOF) modifiers. Under the selected separation conditions, 14 amino acid peaks could be separated in 12 min. The detection limits of the amino acids were in the range of 1.7 - 4.5 micromol/L. The isolated cell is suitable for reagents reacting on the electrodes in capillary electrophoresis. The proposed method has been successfully applied to the determination of the amino acids in tobacco samples.     

Simultaneous Determination of Organic Acids in Wine Samples by Capillary Electrophoresis and UV Detection: Optimization with Five Different Background Electrolytes

A simple technique is described for the routine capillary electrophoretic determination of organic acids in wine samples. Several aromatic and non‐aromatic compounds, including phthalic acid, benzoic acid, sorbic acid, boric acid, and phosphate, were evaluated as background electrolytes in order to obtain the highest resolution and detection sensivity. Factors that affect capillary electrophoretic separation such as the concentration and pH of the background electrolyte (BGE), the concentration of the electroosmotic flow modifier (EOF), and methanol addition to the electrolyte were investigated systematically. Tartaric, malic, succinic, acetic, and lactic acids were determined simultaneously in approximately six minutes using an electrolyte containing 3 mM phosphate and 0.5 mM myristyltrimethylammonium bromide (MTAB) as electroosmotic flow modifier at pH 6.5. This method is quantitative, with recoveries in the 90–102% range and linear up to 50 mg L^–1. The precision is better than 1% and the procedure shows the appropriate sensibility, with detection limits between 0.015 and 0.054 mg L^–1. The proposed method was successfully employed for the determination of organic acids in wine samples by direct sample injection after appropriate dilution and filtration.     

Selectivity control in the non-aqueous capillary electrophoretic separation of amino acids

The separation of dansylated amino acids and underivatized amino acids in non-aqueous electrolytes was evaluated with direct and indirect UV detection. Different migration orders were achieved for dansylated amino acids in methanol compared to aqueous electrolyte systems. A reversed migration order was observed for some dansylated amino acids. Separation selectivity was different under acidic and basic conditions and was also a function of the solvation properties of the solvent. Underivatized amino acids were separated in basic and acidic electrolytes in methanol; different separation selectivities and, for some amino acids, a reversed migration order were also observed in these electrolyte systems. Analytical merits of the separation of both derivatized and underivatized amino acids were briefly evaluated; detection limits for dansylated amino acids were in the range of 2·10⁻⁷–4·10⁻⁷ mol/l and, for underivatized amino acids, were 2·10⁻⁶–4·10⁻⁵ mol/l.     

Separation of phenolic acids in soil and plant tissue extracts by co-electroosmotic capillary electrophoresis with direct UV detection

Summary A capillary zone electrophoretic method for the analysis of phenolic acids in soil and plant extracts was developed with direct UV detection using a phosphate electrolyte solution. The electrophoretic separation required the phenolic acids to be charged at a pH above their pKa in order to achieve their migration towards the anode. Electroosmotic flow (EOF) was reversed in direction by adding tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide (TTAB). Factors affecting the separation selectivity, including the buffer pH and EOF modifiers, were investigated systematically. Eight phenolic acids were separated and detected in 10 min using an electrolyte containing 25 mM phosphate, 0.5 mM TTAB and 15% acetonitrile (v/v) at pH of 7.20. Linear plots for the test phenolic acids were obtained in a concentration range of 0.01–1 mM with detection limits in the range of 1.0–7.0 μM. The recoveries ranged from 92.8 to 102.3% in soil and plant tissues samples spiked at 100 μM and the relative standard deviation based on the peak area were ranged 2.0 to 4.5%. The proposed method was used for the determination of phenolic acids in plant tissue and soil extracts with direct injection.     

Determination of phenylethanoid glycosides and iridoid glycosides from therapeutically used Plantago species by CE‐MEKC

CE methods are valuable tools for medicinal plant quality management, screening, and analysis. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to optimize and validate a CE‐MEKC method for simultaneous quantification of four chief bioactive metabolites from Plantago species. The two most important secondary metabolite groups were aimed to be separated. Different electrolyte and surfactant types were tested. Surfactant concentration, BGE pH, electrolyte concentration, and buffering capacity were optimized. The final BGE consisted of 15 mM sodium tetraborate, 20 mM TAPS, and 250 mM DOC at pH 8.50. Acceptable precision, good stability, and accuracy were achieved, with high resolution for phenylethanoid glycosides. Analytes were separated within 20 min. The method was shown to be suitable for the quantification of the iridoid glycosides aucubin and catalpol, and the phenylethanoid glycosides acteoside (verbascoside) and plantamajoside from water extracts of different samples. The method was shown to be applicable to leaf extracts of Plantago lanceolata, Plantago major, and Plantago asiatica, the main species with therapeutic applications, and a biotechnological product, plant tissue cultures (calli) of P. lanceolata. Baseline separation of the main constituents from minor peaks was achieved, regardless of the matrix type.     

Study on the systematic optimization of capillary electrophoresis using a controlled weighted centroid variable size simplex algorithm

The systematic optimization of capillary electrophoretic separations using a dynamic scouting optimum method-controlled weighted centroid variable size simplex algorithm is described. The factors affecting the efficiency of the separation are simultaneously considered during the optimization procedures. The established optimization method is applied to amino acid separation by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) with on-column indirect UV detection and to the separation of local anesthetics by micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MECC) with on-column UV detection. The optimization procedures include the pH and the background absorption electrolyte (BGAE) concentrations together with the applied voltage in the CZE separation of amino acids. The pH, the SDS concentrations together with the percentage of methanol are considered in the MECC separation of local anesthetics. Two methods, i.e., the Long Coefficient and Uniform Design Table, are used to define the start vertexes during the optimization procedure and similar final experimental conditions for the separations are achieved. Thirteen native amino acids are baseline separated by CZE and 4 local anesthetics are satisfactorily separated by MECC.     

采用隔离池的毛细管电泳-间接紫外吸收法测定茶叶中的氨基酸

改进的毛细管电泳-间接紫外吸收法采用了自制隔离池,以对氨基苯甲酸(PAB)为背景电解质,对茶叶中的氨基酸进行了测定。PAB能够提高分离效率,降低检出限。隔离池的使用避免了PAB的电极反应,降低了基线噪声,维持了两缓冲液池间的电流导通。研究了背景电解质的浓度、pH值以及电渗流改性剂的种类和浓度对氨基酸分离的影响。在优化的实验条件下,16种氨基酸在14 min内达到了基线分离,峰面积的相对标准偏差小于5%(n=5),检出限为1.7~4.5 μmol/L,回收率为83.0%~106%。该法快速、便捷和灵敏,已成功应用于茶叶中11种游离氨基酸的检测。     

Determination of fosfomycin in pus by capillary zone electrophoresis

A method is described for the determination of fosfomycin in pus by capillary zone electrophoresis with reversed electroosmotic flow, and indirect UV absorbance detection. Sample pre-treatment is limited to removal of proteins and cell debris by adding the double volume of methanol, followed by vortexing for few seconds, and centrifugation at 15,000 x g for 2 min. The supernatant is directly injected into the instrument. Fosfomycin is separated from sample constituents with a background electrolyte at pH 7.25 (25 mM benzoate buffer with 0.5 mM hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide added, adjusted to pH with tris(hydroxymethyl)-aminomethane (TRIS)). Separation is carried out in a capillary with 50 microm I.D., 64.5 cm total length, 56.0 cm to the detector, at 25 degrees C with -25 kV voltage applied. Due to the low absorbance of the analyte, indirect UV detection was performed at 254 nm using a bubble cell capillary. Sample was injected by pressure (450 mbar s). Repeatability for fosfomycin in spiked pus (from 8 or 10 consecutive injections of three different series at concentrations of 100 microg/mL of the antibiotic) was between 2.4 and 8.2% relative standard deviation (RSD). Accuracy (expressed as recovery of fosfomycin determined by three independent analysis at 10, 100 and 300 microg/mL fosfomycin added to plain pus) was between 75 and 102%. Intermediate reproducibility (n = 9 at three different days) was between 2 and 12% RSD. Limit of detection and limit of quantitation were 4.5 and 15 microg/mL, respectively. The concentration of fosfomycin in pus of patients treated with the antibiotic ranged up to 240 microg/mL. The concentration of other anionic pus constituents identified beside chloride (acetate, succinate, lactate, phosphate) ranged between 20 and 7800 microg/mL.     

A new capillary zone electrophoresis method for the analysis of Ginkgo biloba extracts and Ginkgo biloba pharmaceutical products

Ginkgo biloba, traditional Chinese medicine is now generally accepted. Separation and determination of active components in G. biloba is important for the product quality control. Therefore, the development of an effective and reliable separation method is important. In this work, a new capillary electrophoretic (CZE) method for separation of the G. biloba leaf extracts components was developed and optimized by the use of experimental design and artificial neural network (ANN). Under best separation conditions, in gamma-CD-modified buffer, the separation was reached within 10 min (36 mM borate BGE, pH 9.2, 1 mM gamma-CD), while the hydrodynamic mode for sample injection (2 s) and UV detection at 270 nm were applied. The method developed was validated and applied for analysis of various extracts and G. biloba products.     

Open tubular capillary electrochromatography of underivatized amino acids using Rh(III) tetrakis(phenoxyphenyl)porphyrinate as wall modifier

The separation of 17 “common” underivatized amino acids was attempted by open tubular capillary electrochromatography (OT-CEC) in fused-silica capillaries coated with Rh(III) tetrakis(phenoxyphenyl)porphyrinate (Rh(III)TPP(m-OPh)₄OAc) using sodium phosphate and Tris–phosphate buffers as background electrolytes (BGEs). The OT-CEC separation of amino acids was compared with that obtained by capillary zone electrophoresis in bare fused-silica capillaries using the same BGEs. The amino acids were not derivatized and the UV-absorption detection was set at 200 nm. Depending on the experimental conditions at least 15 amino acids were separated. The best separations were obtained in a Rh(III)TPP(m-OPh)₄OAc-coated capillary in 50 mM Tris–100 mM phosphate buffer at pH 2.25. Separation of the critical triplet Val–Ile–Leu was always at least indicated being better at higher BGE concentrations. Regarding the sensitivity of the method, lower concentration limits of detection (LODs) in the coated capillary were obtained for Thr, Gly, Tyr, and Val; the other amino acids exhibited lower LODs in the uncoated capillary. The separation of acidic amino acids was not achieved.     

Determination of low molecular weight organic acids in soil,plants, and water by capillary zone electrophoresis

Determination of low molecular weight organic acids in soils and plants by capillary zone electrophoresis was accomplished using a phthalate buffer and indirect UV detection mode. The influence of some crucial parameters, such as pH, buffer concentration and surfactant were investigated. A good separation of seven organic acids was achieved within 5 min using an electrolyte containing 15 mmol L(-1) potassium hydrogen phthalate, 0.5 mmol L(-1) myristyltrimethylammonium bromide (MTAB), and 5% methanol (MeOH) (v/v) at pH 5.60, separation voltage -20 kV, and temperature 25 degrees C. The relative standard deviation (n=5) of the method was found to be in range 0.18-0.56% for migration time and 3.2-4.8% for peak area. The limit of detection ranged between 0.5 micro mol L(-1) to 6 micro mol L(-1) at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. The recovery of standard organic acids added to real samples ranged from 87 to 119%. This method was simple, rapid and reproducible, and could be applied to the simultaneous determination of organic acids in environmental samples.     

高效毛细管电泳 间接紫外吸收检测法测定食品中的氨基酸

研究了鸟氨酸、脯氨酸和谷氨酰胺的高效毛细管电泳 间接紫外吸收检测的特征。以5　mmol/L 对氨基苯磺酸钠 10 mmol/L KH2PO4(pH 11.5)为运行缓冲液,在分离电压12 kV下,于11 min实现了上述3种氨基酸的基线分离,迁移时间和峰高的相对标准偏差分别小于0.72%和2.0%,检测限分别为6.78,8.71,7.86 mg/L。应用该法测定食品中的氨基酸及各氨基酸在样品中的加标回收率,3种氨基酸的加标回收率为96.8%~104%。     

Study on the systematic optimization of capillary electrophoresis using a controlled weighted centroid variable size simplex algorithm

The systematic optimization of capillary electrophoretic separations using a dynamic scouting optimum method-controlled weighted centroid variable size simplex algorithm is described. The factors affecting the efficiency of the separation are simultaneously considered during the optimization procedures. The established optimization method is applied to amino acid separation by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) with on-column indirect UV detection and to the separation of local anesthetics by micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MECC) with on-column UV detection. The optimization procedures include the pH and the background absorption electrolyte (BGAE) concentrations together with the applied voltage in the CZE separation of amino acids. The pH, the SDS concentrations together with the percentage of methanol are considered in the MECC separation of local anesthetics. Two methods, i.e., the Long Coefficient and Uniform Design Table, are used to define the start vertexes during the optimization procedure and similar final experimental conditions for the separations are achieved. Thirteen native amino acids are baseline separated by CZE and 4 local anesthetics are satisfactorily separated by MECC. Received: 10 November 1997 / Revised: 19 January 1998 / Accepted: 24 January 1998     

Separation of twenty underivatized essential amino acids by capillary zone electrophoresis with contactless conductivity detection

Twenty underivatized essential amino acids were separated using capillary zone electrophoresis and consequently detected with contactless conductivity detection (CCD). A simple acidic background electrolyte (BGE) containing 2.3 M acetic acid and 0.1% w/w hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC) allowed the electrophoretic separation and sensitive detection of all 20 essential amino acids in their underivatized cationic form. The addition of HEC to the BGE suppressed both, electroosmotic flow and analyte adsorption on the capillary surface resulting in an excellent migration time reproducibility and a very good analyte peak symmetry. Additionally, the HEC addition significantly reduced the noise and long-term fluctuations of the CCD baseline. The optimized electrophoretic separation method together with the CCD was proved to be a powerful technique for determination of amino acid profiles in various natural samples, like beer, yeast, urine, saliva, and herb extracts.     

Indirect photometric detection of polyamines in biological samples separated by high-performance capillary electrophoresis.

A rapid separation of polyamines and some related amino acids in cultured tumor cells by high-performance capillary zone electrophoresis with indirect photometric detection is demonstrated. 60 cm x 75 microns I.D. fused-silica capillary was used for the separation and quinine sulfate was used as a background electrolyte (BGE). Several polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine), amino acids (lysine, arginine, histidine) and simple cations (K+, Na+) were easily separated in less than 10 min. Using the indirect photometric detection method, femtomole amounts of polyamines extracted from the tumor cells were detected from nanoliter injection volumes, and the signal response was linear over two orders of magnitude.     

Determination of organic acids in air by capillary electrophoresis and ion-exclusion chromatography

Summary A capillary electrophoretic (CE) method for the determination of organic acids in the low ppm range is described. The buffer consisted of 5 mM 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid and 0.5 mM cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, pH 5.6. The former served as background electrolyte for indirect UV detection at 200 nm, whereas the latter was used to reverse electroosmotic flow. In <5 min 8 low molecular mass organic acids (oxalic, formic, malonic, glutaric, glycolic, acetic, lactic and propanoic) and two inorganic acids (hydrochloric and sulphuric) were separated. Detection limits for anions tested were 0.04 mg L⁻¹ (lactic acid) to 0.6 mg L⁻¹ (malonic acid). The method was applied to the determination of organic acids in air samples. The CE results when compared with ion-exclusion chromatography (IEC) agreed well. The use of electrokinetic injection in CE proved beneficial for preconcentration of organic acids in real samples. Using electrokinetic injection, preconcentration factors ranging from 14 (hydrochloric acid) to 3 (propanoic acid) were obtained. Presented at Balaton Symposium on High-Performance Separation Methods, Siófok, Hungary, September 1–3, 1999     

On-line coupling of capillary isotachophoresis and capillary zone electrophoresis for the determination of flavonoids in methanolic extracts of Hypericum perforatum leaves or flowers

Five flavonoids (hyperoside, isoquercitrin, quercitrin, quercetin and rutin) were separated and determined in extracts of Hypericum perforatum leaves or flowers by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) with isotachophoretic (ITP) sample pre-treatment using on-line column coupling configuration. The background electrolyte (BGE) used in the CZE step was different from the leading and terminating ITP electrolytes but all the electrolytes contained 20% (v/v) of methanol. The optimal leading electrolyte was 10 mM HCl of pH* approximately 7.2 (adjusted with Tris) and the terminating electrolyte was 50 mM H3BO3 of pH* approximately 8.2 (adjusted with barium hydroxide). This operational system allowed to concentrate and pre-separate selectively the flavonoid fraction from other plant constituents before the introduction of the flavonoids into the CZE capillary. The BGE for the CZE step was 50 mM Tris buffer of pH* approximately 8.75 containing 25 mM N-[tris(hydroxymethyl)methyl]-3-aminopropanesulfonic acid as co-ion and 55 mM H3BO3 as complex-forming agent. The ITP-CZE method with spectrophotometric detection at 254 nm was suitable for the quantitation of the flavonoids in real natural samples; kaempferol was used as internal standard. The limit of detection for quercetin-3-O-glycosides was 100 ng ml(-1) and calibration curves were rectilinear in the range 1-10 microg ml (-1) for most of the analytes. The RSD values ranged between 0.9 and 2.7% (n=3) when determining approximately 0.07-1.2% of the individual flavonoids in dried medicinal plants.