Miniaturized matrix solid-phase dispersion and solid-phase clear-up combined with capillary electrophoresis for efficient determination of trace bioactive components in complicated sample matrix: Take Wubi Shanyao Pill as an example

Accurate quantitative analysis of trace analytes in a complicated matrix is a challenge in modern analytical chemistry. An appropriate analytical method is considered to be one of the most common gaps during the whole process. In this study, a green and efficient strategy based on miniaturized matrix solid-phase dispersion and solid-phase extraction combined with capillary electrophoresis was first proposed for extracting, purifying and determining target analytes from complicated matrix, using Wubi Shanyao Pill as an example. In detail, 60 mg of samples were dispersed on MCM-48 to obtain high yields of analytes, then the extract was purified with a solid-phase extraction cartridge. Finally, four analytes in the purified sample solution were determined by capillary electrophoresis. The parameters affecting the extraction efficiency of matrix solid-phase dispersion, purification efficiency of solid-phase extraction and separation effect of capillary electrophoresis were investigated. Under the optimized conditions, all analytes demonstrated satisfactory linearity (R²>0.9983). What's more, the superior green potential of the developed method for the determination of complex samples was confirmed by the Analytical GREEnness Metric Approach. The established method was successfully applied in the accurate determination of target analytes in Wubi Shanyao Pill and thus provided reliable, sensitive, and efficient strategy support for its quality control.     

Application of micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography for quantitative analysis of quercetin in plant materials

A simple method for the routine determination of quercetin in biological samples was developed. The method consists of hydrolysis of bonded quercetin, its isolation and preconcentration on solid-phase extraction (SPE) column and a final analytical step using micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography. The working range, linear range, the limit of quantification, and the measurement uncertainty were tested in validation. The method is suitable for quercetin determination in fruit and vegetable samples.     

Recent trends in the use of organized molecular systems combined with chromatographic techniques in environmental analysis

The establishment of new analytical methods which improve quality and sensitivity in the determination of environmental pollutants in liquid and solid samples is demanded. The use of micellar systems have become an advantageous tool for the extraction of pollutant compounds, due to their easy handling, biodegradability, and the one-step procedure, and they are compatible with the hydroalcoholic mobile phases used in HPLC. The focus of this review is to present recently developed methods and the main trends in the use of micellar media combined with solid-phase microextraction and solid-phase extraction in the chromatographic analysis of organic compounds in different types of environmental matrix, including water, sediments, and biological samples. Selected samples illustrate the benefits of these systems in the whole of analytical process. The advantages of micellar media over conventional extractants are reduction of solvent usage, low cost, easy handling, and non-toxic procedure.     

Application of pyridylazo and thiazolylazo reagents in flow injection preconcentration systems for determination of metals

Pyridylazo and thiazolylazo reagents are synthetic dyes widely used in analytical chemistry. These reagents are also very attractive for use in preconcentration systems. This paper covers the application of pyridylazo and thiazolylazo reagents in flow injection systems for the determination of metals. The article discusses flow injection preconcentration systems with solid-phase extraction, precipitation and cloud point extraction. The use of pyridylazo and thiazolylazo reagents in flow injection detection systems is also presented. The relative advantages and drawbacks of these systems are discussed. The application of pyridylazo and thiazolylazo reagents in new systems is presented in the concluding part of this review article.     

Development of a highly efficient in-tube solid-phase microextraction system coupled with UHPLC-MS/MS for analyzing trace hydroxyl polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in biological samples

Hydroxyl polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are considered active mutagenic and carcinogenic substances and are found in extremely low levels (ng/g) in biological samples. As a result, their determination in urine and blood samples is challenging, and a sensitive and effective method for the analysis of trace hydroxyl polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in complex biological matrices is required. In this work, a novel macroporous in-tube solid-phase microextraction monolith was prepared via a thiol-yne click reaction, and a highly efficient analytical method based on in-tube solid-phase microextraction coupled with UHPLC-MS/MS was developed to determine hydroxyl polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with low detection limits of 0.137–11.0 ng/L in complex biological samples. Four hydroxyl polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, namely, 2-hydroxyanthraquinone, 1-hydroxypyrene, 1,8-dihydroxyanthraquinone, and 6-hydroxychrysene, were determined in the urine samples of smokers, non-smokers, and whole blood samples of mice. Satisfactory recoveries were achieved in the range of 83.1–113% with relative standard deviations of 3.2–9.7%. It was found that implementation of the macroporous monolith gave a highly efficient approach for enriching trace hydroxyl polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in biological samples.     

Semi-covalent imprinted polymer using propazine methacrylate as template molecule for the clean-up of triazines in soil and vegetable samples

A semi-covalent imprinted polymer was prepared by precipitation polymerisation using propazine methacrylate as template molecule, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as cross-linker and toluene as porogen. After removal of propazine by basic hydrolysis of the covalent bond, the optimum loading, washing and elution conditions for the solid-phase extraction of the selected triazines were established. The binding sites present in the polymeric matrix were characterised by fitting the experimental results of several rebinding studies to the Langmuir-Freundlich isotherm. Subsequently, an analytical methodology based on molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction (MISPE) was developed for the determination of several triazinic herbicides in soil and vegetable samples. Following this procedure, a good degree of clean-up of the sample extracts was easily achieved, allowing the HPLC-UV determination of selected triazines in complex samples at low concentration levels.     

固相微萃取-高效液相联用分析环境水样中的痕量■

 应用固相微萃取与高效液相联用技术 (SPME HPLC)分析了环境水样中的痕量 艹屈 。对SPME的条件如萃取时间、萃取温度、离子强度、解吸方式、解吸溶剂、解吸时间和HPLC条件进行了优化 ,建立了SPME HPLC分析环境水样中痕量 艹屈 的方法 ,并将其用于分析自来水、雨水、矿泉水和江水等实际水样。方法的线性范围为 0 0 13μg/L～ 3 0 μg/L ,检出限为 2 7ng/L ,相对标准偏差 (RSD ,n =6 )为 5 6 % ,回收率为 10 3 2 %～ 119 3%。该方法适合于环境水样中痕量 艹屈 的分析 ,体现了SPME在样品前处理中快速、灵敏、简单、无溶剂的特点。     

The effect of electrolytes on the sensitivity of the thermal-lens determination in aqueous solutions

The effect of several common surfactants (SDS, Triton X-100, Brij-35, and Tween 80) as modifiers of thermooptical properties of aqueous solutions on parameters of the thermal-lens analytical determination of several model systems is studied. Selection criteria for the compositions of modified aqueous media for thermal-lens analytical trace determination are discussed. The increase in the metrological parameters of thermal-lens measurements in nonionic-surfactant solutions is comparable with that for organo-aqueous mixtures. A twofold decrease in the limits of detection compared to aqueous solutions observed in 2.5 wt % surfactant solutions is achieved.     

Development of an analytical system for the simultaneous determination of anabolic macrocyclic lactones in aquatic environmental samples

An analytical procedure that enables routine analysis for trace determination of six anabolic macrocyclic lactones (zearalenone, alpha- and beta-zearalenol, zearalanone, zeranol, and taleranol) in sewage treatment plant (STP) samples has been developed. The method uses solid-phase extraction, followed by high-performance liquid chromatography with on-line tandem mass spectrometry using atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (LC/APCI-MS/MS). The extraction of these compounds from filtered water samples was performed off-line with C(18) solid-phase cartridges. The detection was achieved by isocratic reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with an heated nebulizer (HN) APCI interface operating in negative ion mode. Mean recovery of the analytes in STP effluent samples generally exceeded 81%. This method was used to determine the occurrence of target analytes in the aquatic environment. In the selected STP effluent samples, zearalenone and alpha-zearalenol were detected in the ng/L range.     

Simultaneous determination of seven metal ions in water samples by solid-phase extraction on polyacrylonitrile activated carbon fibres

A new solid-phase extraction method utilising polyacrylonitrile activated carbon fibres (PAN-ACFs) as adsorbent was developed for the preconcentration of trace metal ions prior to their determination by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The PAN-ACFs oxidised with nitric acid were characterised by FT-IR, XRD, SEM and BET analysis. Then the resulting PAN-ACFs were used as solid-phase adsorbent for simultaneously determination of trace Al(III), Be(II), Bi(III), Cr(III), Cu(II), Fe(III) and Pb(II) ions in aqueous solutions. The influences of the analytical parameters on the recoveries of the studied ions were investigated. The optimum experimental conditions of the proposed method were pH: 6.0; eluent concentration and volume: 3.0 mL of 1.5 mol L^?1 nitric acid; flow rates of sample and eluent solution: 1.5 mL min^?1. The preconcentration factors were found to be 67 for Al(III), Bi(III); 83 for Cr(III), Cu(II), Fe(III) and 50 for Be(II), Pb(II). The precision of this method was in range of 1.5%~3.5% and the detection limit of this metal ions was between 0.06~1.50 μg L^?1. The developed method was validated by the analysis of a certified reference sample and successfully applied to the determination of trace metal ions in water samples with satisfactory results.     

Determination of 1-hydroxypyrene in human urine by acid hydrolysis coupled to solid-phase microextraction and semi-microcolumn liquid chromatography.

This study developed an acid hydrolysis coupled to a solid-phase microextraction method employing a semi-microcolumn liquid chromatography system, instead of enzyme hydrolysis with solid-phase extraction for the pretreatment of human urine samples, to detect urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP). The complete separation and detection of urinary 1-hydroxyprene was performed using a high-performance liquid-chromatography fluorescence detection system with an analytical C(18) semi-microcolumn, 60% (v/v) aqueous acetonitrile elution, and a lambda(ex/em) = 348/388 nm pair detection wavelength. Calibration graphs were linear with very good correlation coefficients (r = 0.9997), and the detection limit was 1.0 ng/L. These important parameters for acid hydrolysis and solid-phase microextraction were investigated. The total recovery was above 83% in acid hydrolysis with solid-phase microextraction. The proposed method provided a relatively simple, convenient, and practical procedure to determine the level of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene in biological samples, and was successfully applied to detect the urine of students.     

Interlaboratory study to improve the quality of trace element determinations in rainwater

This is the first publication which describes the development of a reference material (RM) for the determination of 11 trace elements (Cu, Pb, Mn, Ni, Zn, Fe, Cd, Co, V, As and Al) in rainwater at microgram per liter concentrations. An interlaboratory comparison study for the determination of trace elements in rainwater was carried out for material performance studies to establish analyte concentrations with a stated uncertainty. Fifteen reputed laboratories from Asia, Europe and North America participated in the study. These laboratories used their regular in-house methods to analyze the rainwater samples. The aim of this study is to establish concentration levels of trace elements in rainwater based on interlaboratory study results. Details of the production, homogeneity and stability of the reference sample are given in this article. The organization of the study and the quality assurance measures undertaken at the organizer's laboratory are described. The analytical results obtained from individual laboratories and the analytical methods used for the determination of trace elements in rainwater are discussed. Based on the results obtained from the intercomparison study, certified values as well as informative values are assigned to the 11 trace elements in rainwater.     

Use of multiple headspace solid-phase microextraction and pervaporation for the determination of off-flavours in wine

The occurrence of off-flavours in wines and especially the so-called "cork taint defect" represents one of the most serious problem in wine industry in which 2,4,6-trichloroanisole has been blamed as the main responsible. The development of analytical methods for haloanisoles determination in wine/cork represent a challenge, mainly due to food matrix complexity and low taste and odour (T&O) threshold levels which are generally beyond the sensitivity of the analytical systems. In this work, a method based on the combined use of the recently developed multiple headspace solid-phase microextraction (MHS-SPME) and gas chromatography-ion-trap mass spectrometry has been optimised for the determination of haloanisoles in wines. This powerful analytical methodology is compared with several analytical approaches based on pervaporation, an innovative membrane-based technique similar to dynamic headspace. Analytical features of the methods assayed reveal their suitability for the appraisal of haloanisoles in this matrix in which threshold odor concentrations are in the range 4-40 ng l(-1). The analytical approaches have been applied to the analysis of haloanisoles in different Spanish white and red wines, in which spiking experiments showed good recoveries for the methodologies assayed.     

The Application of Microelectrodes for the Measurements of Trace Metals in Water

Abstract

The analytical approaches for the determination of trace concentrations of heavy metals in aquatic systems are briefly introduced. A detailed review on the recent advances of microelectrodes is presented, including the definitions, types, advantages, theory, and fabrication of microelectrodes. The application of microelectrodes on the measurements of trace metals in water is focused on the voltammetric‐, potentiometric‐, and in situ electrochemical sensors.     

Recent developments in assessment of bio-accessible trace metal fractions in airborne particulate matter: A review

In the last years a great deal of research has been focused on the determination of harmful trace metals such as Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni or Pb in airborne particulate matter (APM). However, the commonly applied determination of total element concentrations in APM provides only an upper-end estimate of potential metal toxicity. For improved risk assessment it is important to determine bio-accessible concentrations instead of total metal contents. The present review gives an overview of analytical procedures reported for measurement of bio-accessible trace metal fractions in APM. The different approaches developed for extraction of soluble trace metals in APM are summarized. Furthermore the analytical techniques applied for accurate determination of dissolved trace metals in the presence of complex sample matrix are presented. Finally a compilation of published results for bio-accessible trace metals in APM is included.     

Preparation and evaluation of a molecularly imprinted sol-gel material for on-line solid-phase extraction coupled with high performance liquid chromatography for the determination of trace pentachlorophenol in water samples

A highly selective imprinted amino-functionalized silica gel sorbent was prepared by combining a surface molecular imprinting technique with a sol-gel process for on-line solid-phase extraction-HPLC determination of trace pentachlorophenol (PCP) in water samples. The PCP-imprinted amino-functionalized silica sorbent was characterized by FT-IR, SEM, nitrogen adsorption and the static adsorption experiments. The imprinted functionalized silica gel sorbent exhibited high selectivity and offered a fast kinetics for the adsorption and desorption of PCP. The prepared sorbent was shown to be promising for on-line solid-phase extraction for HPLC determination of trace levels of PCP in environmental samples. With a sample loading flow rate of 5 ml min(-1) for 2 min, an enhancement factor of 670 and a detection limit (S/N = 3) of 6 ng l(-1) were achieved at a sample throughput of five samples h(-1). The precision (RSD) for nine replicate on-line sorbent extractions of 10 microgl(-1) PCP was 3.8%. The sorbent also offered good linearity (r = 0.9997) for on-line solid-phase extraction of trace levels of PCP. The method was applied to the determination of PCP in local lake water, river water and wastewater samples.     

Recent trends in solid phase spectrometry: 2003-2009. A Review

Around 100 papers published from 2003 to the present are reviewed concerning analytical methods for the direct light measurement of a solid phase in which a target colored or fluorescent analyte is concentrated. Recent attention has been paid to the development of flow injection-solid phase spectrometry as a simple and inexpensive tool for routine analysis of organic compounds or pharmaceuticals. Due to some improvements in flow injection analysis, such as sequential injection and lab-on-a-valve, it is possible not only to reduce the reagent consumption but also to devise fully automatic and miniaturized systems with minimal maintenance needs. This may have the potential of becoming one of the green analytical methods. Flow injection-solid phase spectrometry is expected to be applied to the speciation of trace chemical components (e.g., specific determination of trace metal ions in different existent oxidation states) in real samples in the environment.     

The graphene oxide/magnesium–aluminium bimetallic hydroxides composite used as solid-phase extractant for determination of monoaromatic hydrocarbons in wastewater

The graphene oxide (GO) and the magnesium–aluminium bimetallic hydroxides composite (GO/Mg-Al-LDH) was used as a solid-phase extractant for determination of toluene, ethylbenzene, p-xylene, m-xylene, o-xylene, 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene in wastewater by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analytical method. When the amount of solid-phase extractant was 1.5 g, the extraction time was 6 min, and the elution with 2 mL of chloroform for 3 min, seven monoaromatic hydrocarbons (MAHCs) in 500 mL of water sample can be well extracted and separated. Under the optimised experimental conditions, the mass concentration of each component in the range of 0.01–5 ng/mL has a good linear relationship with the peak area, the coefficients of determination are all greater than 0.995. The relative standard deviation (n = 5) and the method detection limit range are 2.9–7.1% and 0.0005–0.005 ng/mL, respectively. The seven of MAHCs in Dongfengqu River and laboratory wastewater of Chengdu University of Technology can be effectively detected, the recovery rate and the relative standard deviation (n = 5) are 83.0–110.0% and 3.7–9.4%, respectively. For the first time, the GO/Mg-Al-LDH composite was used as a solid-phase extraction material, and seven MAHCs in water were successfully determined by GC-MS. The detection method is established with low detection limit and high reproducibility which can meet the measurement requirements of trace MAHCs in wastewater.     

用于食品安全分析样品前处理的共价有机聚合物的制备及应用进展

食品安全关系身体健康和生命安全,是全球关注的热点之一。食品基质复杂,痕量有毒有害物质分析之前必须经过有效的前处理。目前发展的前处理技术如固相萃取、磁固相萃取、固相微萃取等,其关键是吸附介质。共价有机聚合物是一类通过共价键连接而成的有机多孔材料,具有质轻、稳定性好、比表面积大、结构可控、易于修饰等特性,是一类优异的新型吸附材料。该文综述了近年来共价有机聚合物(COPs)在食品安全分析前处理中的应用进展。共价有机聚合物及其功能化复合材料通过简单的装填、聚合反应或化学键合固定到小柱或毛细管柱中用作固相萃取的吸附介质;通过一锅法、原位还原法、原位生长法或共沉淀法生成具有磁性的固相萃取吸附介质;或者通过物理涂覆、化学键合、溶胶凝胶法及原位生长法制备固相微萃取纤维。基于以上高吸附容量共价有机聚合物的样品前处理技术,食品中农残兽残、添加剂、环境污染物及生物毒素等得到了有效富集。最后,展望了COPs在食品分析样品前处理应用中的发展方向:简单高效绿色制备方法的开发,功能化COPs的设计合成;萃取机理的研究;高通量、高灵敏度分析方法研究。这些研究将促进COPs在样品前处理领域获得更广泛的应用。     

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes as adsorbents of solid-phase extraction for determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in environmental waters coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were used as a novel kind of solid-phase extraction adsorbents in this work as well as an analytical method based on MWCNTs solid-phase extraction (SPE) combined with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was established for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), some of which belong to typical persistent organic pollutants (POPs) owing to their carcinogenicity and endocrine disrupting activity. Several conditions that probably affected the extraction efficiency including the eluent volume, sample flow rate, sample pH and the sample volume were optimized in detail. The characteristic data of analytical performance were determined to investigate the sensitivity and precision of the method, and the method was applied to the determination of PAHs in environmental water samples such as river water sample, tap water sample and wastewater sample from the constructed wetland effluent. The experimental results indicated that there were excellent linear relationship between peak area and the concentration of PAHs over the range of 0.04-100 microg L(-1), and the precisions (RSD) were 1.7-4.8% under the optimal conditions. The detection limits of proposed method for the studied PAHs were 0.005-0.058 microg L(-1) (S/N=3). The recoveries of PAHs spiked in environmental water samples ranged from 78.7 to 118.1%. It was concluded that MWCNTs packed cartridge coupled with HPLC was an excellent alternative for the routine analysis of PAHs at trace level.