Isolation, characterization and determination of trace organic impurities in FD&C red no. 40

The unsulfonated aromatic amine 4-nitro-p-cresidine (2-methoxy-5-methyl-4-nitrobenzenamine) was identified as an impurity in the regulated color additive FD&C Red. No. 40. The compound was isolated from the water-soluble color by extraction with chloroform, followed by transfer of the free amines to acid solution and subsequent separation by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The 4-nitro-p-cresidine was collected and then identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The levels of 4-nitro-p-cresidine as well as p-cresidine and aniline were determined in commercial batches of FD&C Red. No. 40.     

Direct method for determination of Sudan I in FD&C Yellow No. 6 and D&C Orange No. 4 by reversed-phase liquid chromatography

A reversed-phase liquid chromatographic method was developed to determine parts-per-million and higher levels of Sudan 1, 1-(phenylazo)-2-naphthalenol, in the disulfo monoazo color additive FD&C Yellow No. 6 and in a related monosulfo monoazo color additive, D&C Orange No. 4. Sudan I, the corresponding unsulfonated monoazo dye, is a known impurity in these color additives. The color additives are dissolved in water and methanol, and the filtered solutions are directly chromatographed, without extraction or concentration, by using gradient elution at 0.25 mL/min. Calibrations from peak areas at 485 nm were linear. At a 99% confidence level, the limits of determination were 0.008 microg Sudan I/mL (0.4 ppm) in FD&C Yellow No. 6 and 0.011 microg Sudan I/mL (0.00011%) in D&C Orange No. 4. The confidence intervals were 0.202 +/- 0.002 microg Sudan I/mL (10.1 +/- 0.1 ppm) near the specification level for Sudan I in FD&C Yellow No. 6 and 20.0 +/- 0.2 microg Sudan I/mL (0.200 +/- 0.002%) near the highest concentration of Sudan I found in D&C Orange No. 4. A survey was conducted to determine Sudan I in 28 samples of FD&C Yellow No. 6 from 17 international manufacturers over 3 years, and in a pharmacology-tested sample. These samples were found to contain undetected levels (16 samples), 0.5-9.7 ppm Sudan I (0.01-0.194 microg Sudan I/mL in analyzed solutions; 11 samples including the pharmacology sample), and > or =10 ppm Sudan I (> or = 0.2 microg Sudan I/mL; 2 samples). Analyses of 21 samples of D&C Orange No. 4 from 8 international manufacturers over 4 years found Sudan I at undetected levels (8 samples), 0.0005 to < 0.005% Sudan I (0.05 to < 0.5 microg Sudan I/mL in analyzed solutions; 3 samples, including a pharmacology batch), 0.005 to <0.05% Sudan I (0.5 to <5 microg Sudan I/mL; 9 samples), and 0.18% Sudan I (18 microg Sudan I/mL; 1 sample).     

Method for the quantitation of iodothyronines in body tissues and fluids using high-performance liquid chromatography.

The separation and quantitation of iodotyrosines and iodothyronines [3-monoiodo-L-tyrosine, 3,5-diiodo-L-tyrosine, 3,5-, 3,3' and 3',5'-diiodo-L-tyronines, 3,5,3'-triiodo-L-thyronine (T3), reverse 3,3',5'-triiodo-L-thyronine and 3,3',5,5'-tetraiodo-L-thyronine (T4)] from animal tissues (brain, liver and serum) by a new high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method is described. Rats were infused with iso-osmotic sodium chloride containing 100 microM phloretin to block deiodination. The tissues were extracted using differential pH values to separate other amines from the amine containing iodothyroid hormones. Aliquots of tissue extracts (25-100 microliters) were reacted overnight with 5-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulfonyl chloride and their iodotyrosine and iodothyronine content determined by HPLC utilizing fluorimetric detection. Resolution of the individual compound peaks was achieved by gradient elution with a 3.0 mM H3PO4 buffer. Greater sensitivity has been achieved (less than 1.0 pmol/g) utilizing fluorescence rather than ultraviolet absorbance for the quantitation of these iodinated compounds. The method is superior also to other methods in that recoveries, based on those of 125I-labelled T4 and T3, were 89-97%.     

High performance liquid chromatography analysis of 9-(2',3'-dideoxy-2'beta-fluoro-D-threo-penta furanosyl) adenine and its metabolite in human plasma using solid-phase extraction on a polyfluorinated reversed stationary phase.

A quick and sensitive reversed-phase HPLC method has been developed for the analysis of 2'-beta -fluoro-2',3'-dideoxy adenosine (F-ddA), the acid-stable anti-AIDS drug, and its metabolite 2'-fluoro-2',3'-dideoxy inosine (F-ddI) in human plasma using polyfluorinated stationary phase column (Fluo fix, 15 cm, 4.0 mm i.d., 5 microm particle size). The mobile phase consisted of ammonium phosphate buffer solution (10 mM) adjusted with phosphoric acid 85% to pH 6.8:dimethyl formamide (97:3, v/v). F-ddA and F-ddI were monitored by UV-visible detector at 258 and 247 nm, respectively. The recoveries of F-ddA and F-ddI from plasma using a C(18) solid-phase extraction cartridge were 99.2% and 99.7%, respectively.     

Determination of 3',4',5',5,7-pentamethoxyflavone in the plasma and intestinal mucosa of mice by HPLC with UV detection

In a preliminary experiment 3',4',5',5,7-pentamethoxyflavone (PMF) inhibited adenoma development in Apc(Min) mice, a model of the human heritable condition familial adenomatous polyposis. An HPLC method for tricin was modified and validated to permit measurement of PMF in mouse plasma and intestinal mucosa. HPLC analysis was carried out on a Hypersil-BDS C(18) column with detection at 324 nm and tricin as internal standard. The assay was linear in the range of 100-2000 ng/mL plasma and 1.0-40 microg/mL mucosa. PMF in plasma was efficiently extracted using solid-phase columns. In the case of mucosa organic solvent protein precipitation displayed satisfactory accuracy and precision. The assay recovery at low, medium and high concentrations was between 85 and 103% for both biomatrices, with a relative standard deviation of <15%. The lower limits of quantitation for plasma and mucosa were 100 ng/mL and 1.0 microg/mL, respectively. This method allowed measurement of PMF steady-state median concentrations in plasma (1.08 nmol/mL, n = 11; 10th and 90th percentiles: 0.633 and 2.385 nmol/mL) and mucosa (108.5 nmol/g, n = 9; 10th and 90th percentiles: 38.9 and 164.4 nmol/g) in mice which had received PMF (0.2%, w/w) with their diet.     

QuEChERS/HPLC/DAD法同时检测果蔬中多种植物激素残留

采用高效液相色谱法,建立了同时分析玉米素(Z)、赤霉酸(GA)、多效唑(PBZ)、4-氟苯氧乙酸(4-FPA)、4-氯苯氧乙酸(4-CPA)、吲哚-3-乙酸(IAA)、吲哚-3-丁酸(IBA)、6-苄氨基嘌呤(6-BA)、脱落酸(ABA)、萘乙酸(NAA)、氯吡脲(CPPU)、2,4-二氯苯氧乙酸(2,4-D)及2,4,5-三氯苯氧乙酸(2,4,5-T)13种植物激素含量的方法。采用含0.5%甲酸的80%乙腈进行提取,分散固相萃取吸附剂(C18和硅藻土)进行净化,选取Waters XBridge C_(18)色谱柱,以乙腈-水为流动相进行梯度洗脱,二极管阵列检测器200~400nm检测,外标法定量。结果表明,13种植物激素在50 min内可实现基线分离,在线性范围内的相关系数(r)为0.992 1~0.999 3;加标回收率为68.4%~95.1%;相对标准偏差(RSD)均小于5%;方法的检出限为0.005~0.020 mg/kg;定量下限为0.01~0.09 mg/kg。该方法前处理操作快速、简便,具有良好的灵敏度、精密度和回收率,适用于果蔬的质量监控。     

Automated microwave digestion of certifiable color additives for determination of mercury by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry

A procedure using an automated microwave flow digestion technique was developed and validated for the digestion of samples of certifiable color additives before mercury determination by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry. Recovery studies were performed by spiking most of the color additives subject to batch certification by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration with inorganic mercury (HgNO3) and with organic mercury (CH3HgCl). Successful recoveries of 72-113% Hg added at the 1 microg/g level were obtained. A method detection limit of 0.2 microg Hg/g was estimated from a Hg-spiked FD&C Yellow No. 6 sample. At the specification level of 1 ppm Hg (1 microg Hg/g), the 95% confidence interval was +/- 0.2 ppm (0.2 microg Hg/g).     

Simultaneous determination of nine endogenous steroids in human urine by polymeric-mixed micelle capillary electrophoresis

A new CE system based on the use of polymeric-mixed micelles (cholic acid, SDS and the poloxamine Tetronic(?) 1107) was developed for the simultaneous determination of nine steroids in human urine. This method allows the baseline separation and quantitation of cortisol, androstenedione, estriol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, estrone, progesterone and estradiol in less than 25 min showing to be sensitive enough to detect low concentrations of these steroids in urine samples (5-45 ng/mL). The optimized electrophoretic conditions were performed using a 50 cm × 75 μm capillary, 18 kV, 25°C, with 44 mM cholic acid, 10 mM SDS, 0.05% w/v tetronic(?) 1107, 2.5% v/v methanol, 2.5% v/v tetrahydrofuran in 5 mM borate - 5 mM phosphate buffer (pH=8.0) as a background electrolyte and a dual 210/254 UV-detection. The method can simultaneously determine 0.1-120 μg/mL, which corresponds to 5-6000 ng/mL of steroids in 2 mL urine. The recoveries ranged between 82.4 and 101.5%. Due to its simplicity, speed, accuracy and reliability, the proposed method could be a potential alternative to the traditional methodologies used with clinical purposes.     

Performance comparison of three types of high-speed counter-current chromatographs for the separation of components of hydrophilic and hydrophobic color additives

The performance of three types of high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) instruments was assessed for their use in separating components in hydrophilic and hydrophobic dye mixtures. The HSCCC instruments compared were: (i) a J-type coil planet centrifuge (CPC) system with a conventional multilayer-coil column, (ii) a J-type CPC system with a spiral-tube assembly-coil column, and (iii) a cross-axis CPC system with a multilayer-coil column. The hydrophilic dye mixture consisted of a sample of FD&C Blue No. 2 that contained mainly two isomeric components, 5,5'- and 5,7'-disulfonated indigo, in the ratio of ～7:1. The hydrophobic dye mixture consisted of a sample of D&C Red No. 17 (mainly Sudan III) and Sudan II in the ratio of ～4:1. The two-phase solvent systems used for these separations were 1-butanol/1.3M HCl and hexane/acetonitrile. Each of the three instruments was used in two experiments for the hydrophilic dye mixture and two for the hydrophobic dye mixture, for a total of 12 experiments. In one set of experiments, the lower phase was used as the mobile phase, and in the second set of experiments, the upper phase was used as the mobile phase. The results suggest that: (a) use of a J-type instrument with either a multilayer-coil column or a spiral-tube assembly column, applying the lower phase as the mobile phase, is preferable for separating the hydrophilic components of FD&C Blue No. 2; and (b) use of a J-type instrument with multilayer-coil column, while applying either the upper phase or the lower phase as the mobile phase, is preferable for separating the hydrophobic dye mixture of D&C Red No. 17 and Sudan II.     

Determination of triamcinolone in human plasma by a sensitive HPLC-ESI-MS/MS method: application for a pharmacokinetic study using nasal spray formulation

A liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) method for the quantitation of triamcinolone in human plasma after nasal spray application was developed and validated. Betamethasone was used as internal standard (IS). The analytes were extracted by a liquid-liquid procedure and separated on a Zorbax Eclipse XDB C(18) column with a mobile phase composed of 2 mM aqueous ammonium acetate pH 3.2 and acetonitrile (55:45). Selected reaction monitoring was performed using the transitions m/z 435 → 415 and m/z 393 → 373 to quantify triamcinolone acetonide and betamethasone, respectively. Calibration curve was constructed over the range of 20-2000 pg/ml for triamcinolone acetonide. The lower limit of quantitation was 20 pg/ml. The mean RSD values were 4.6% and 5.7% for the intra-run and inter-run precision, respectively. The mean accuracy value was 98.5% and a recovery rate corresponding to 97.5% was achieved. No matrix effect was detected in the samples. The validated method was successfully applied to determine the plasma concentrations of triamcinolone acetonide in healthy volunteers, in a pharmacokinetic study with nasal spray formulation.     

人工培养菌种茯苓菌丝体多糖的分离、组成和分子量

由人工培育的茯苓菌种 (5·78号 )在含麸皮的培养液中于 2 5℃培养 1 8天得到茯苓菌丝体 .分别用9g LNaCl水溶液、热水、0 .5mol LNaOH和 88%甲酸从菌丝体中提取 7种多糖依次为 :ab PCM1、ab PCM2 I、ab PCM2 II、ab PCM3 I、ab PCM3 II、ab PCM4 I、ab PCM4 II,并从培养液中提取一种多糖ab PCM0 .红外光谱 (IR)、气相色谱 (GC)和1 3C NMR分析结果表明ab PCM0至ab PCM3 I多糖主要由α (1→ 3 ) D 葡萄糖、α D 甘露糖、β D 半乳糖和乙酰葡萄糖胺组成 ,而且随提取过程进行 ,葡萄糖含量逐渐增加 ,即从杂多糖到α 葡聚糖 .ab PCM3 II、ab PCM4 I和ab PCM4 II则主要是 β (1→ 3 ) D葡聚糖 .有趣的是 ,α 葡聚糖和 β 葡聚糖共存在该菌丝体的碱水提取液中 .由粘度法和光散射法测定了多糖的特性粘数 [η]和重均分子量Mw .ab PCM0、ab PCM1、ab PCM2 I、ab PCM2 II、ab PCM3 I和ab PCM4 II多糖的Mw 值分别为 7 7× 1 0 4、5 2× 1 0 4、5 0× 1 0 4、2 4 3× 1 0 4、65 2×1 0 4和 2 5 5× 1 0 4.     

A capillary electrophoretic system based on a novel microemulsion for the analysis of coenzyme Q10 in human plasma by electrokinetic chromatography

A new analytical method for determination of coenzyme Q10 (2,3‐dimethoxy‐5‐methyl‐6‐decaprenyl‐1,4‐benzoquinone, CoQ10) in human plasma was developed based on CE using a double tensioactive microemulsion. CoQ10 was quantitatively extracted into 1‐propanol/hexane and quantified by MEEKC. The microemulsion was prepared by mixing 1.4% w/w sodium bis(2‐ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate, 4% w/w cholic acid, 1% w/w octane, 8.5% w/w butanol, 0.1% w/w PVA and 85% w/w 10 mM Tris buffer at pH 9.0. The optimized electrophoretic conditions included the use of an uncoated silica capillary of 60 cm total length and 75 μm id, an applied voltage of 20 kV, room temperature and 214 nm ultraviolet detection. Selectivity, linearity, LOD, LOQ, precision and accuracy were evaluated as the parameters of validation. Owing to its simplicity and reliability, the proposed method can be an advantageous alternative to the traditional methodology for the quantitation of CoQ10 in human plasma with good accuracy and precision.     

Non-aqueous capillary electrophoresis separation of fullerenes and C60 fullerene derivatives

As the interest in the use of fullerene compounds in biomedical and cosmetic applications increases, so too does the need to develop methods for their determination and quantitation in such complex matrices. In this work, we studied the behavior of C60 and C70 fullerenes in non-aqueous capillary electrophoresis, as well as two C60 fullerene derivatives not previously reported by any electrophoretic method, N-methyl-fulleropyrrolidine and (1,2-methanofullerene C60)-61-carboxylic acid. The separation was performed using fused-silica capillaries with an I.D. of 50?μm and tetraalkylammonium salts, namely tetra-n-decylammonium bromide (200?mM) and tetraethylammonium bromide (40?mM), in a solvent mixture containing 6?% methanol and 10?% acetic acid in acetonitrile/chlorobenzene (1:1?v/v) as the background electrolyte. Detection limits, based on a signal-to-noise ratio of 3:1, were calculated, and values between 1 and 3.7?mg/L were obtained. Good run-to-run and day-to-day precisions on concentration were achieved with relative standard deviation lower than 15?%. For the first time, an electrophoretic technique has been applied for the analysis of C60 fullerene in a commercial cosmetic cream. A standard addition method was used for quantitation, and the result was compared with that obtained by analyzing the same cream by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry.     

Quantitation of nicotine in tobacco products by capillary electrophoresis

A simple and rapid capillary electrophoresis (CE) method was developed for the quantitation of nicotine in commercial tobacco products. The method involves a 6 min run at 30 kV, using a 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 2.5), paraquat as internal standard, and UV detection at 260 nm. Nicotine was extracted from tobacco products in <15 min. Recoveries from spiked extracts were >95%, and the extraction efficiencies of water, 1 M HCI, 1 M acetic acid, 5 mM phosphate buffer (pH 2.5), and 1% triethanol amine were similar. Nicotine concentrations in 67 samples of cigarettes, cigars, and bidis varied between 0.37 and 2.96% (w/w). An established gas chromatography/mass spectrometry method using toluene extraction consistently yielded lower nicotine values than the CE method. Experimental evidence suggests that this is due to insufficient extraction of nicotine by toluene.     

Fast and simple method for the detection and quantification of 15 synthetic dyes in sauce,cotton candy,and pickle by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

A simple and sensitive liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous determination of 15 illegal dyes (Sudan I, Sudan II, Sudan III, Sudan IV, Sudan Red G, Sudan Orange G, Sudan Red 7B, Para Red, Dimethyl Yellow, Rahodamine B, Sudan Black B, Sudan Red B, Auramine O, Toluidine Red and Orange II) was developed and validated in sauce, cotton candy, and pickle. The samples were extracted with acetonitrile without the use of solid-phase extraction cartridges. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Zorbax Eclipse Plus C18 column with a flow rate of 500 µL/min at 45 °C, using a gradient elution with A (10 mM ammonium formate in water with 0.1% formic acid) and B (10 mM ammonium formate in acetonitrile (ACN) with 0.1% formic acid) as the mobile phase. The detection was performed on a AB Sciex 6500 Qtrap mass analyzer under multiple reaction monitoring mode. Limit of detection, quantification, linearity, and precision were determined during the validation process. Recoveries ranged from 82% to 119% for all synthetic dyes, in exception to Orange II in cotton candy and pickle, where signal was suppressed due to high matrix interference and poor ionization. This method offers a simple and rapid approach to detect and quantify prohibited dyes in foodstuff that can be utilized in food contaminant laboratories.     

Determination of acidic herbicides in surface water by solid-phase extraction followed by capillary zone electrophoresis

A rapid solid-phase extraction-capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) method for determining 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 4-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy) butyric acid, and 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid in real water samples is described. Factors affecting the recoveries and detection of the targets are investigated. With samples being acidified to pH 2 and salted by sodium sulfate to 2% (w/w), an average recovery of greater than 85% is obtained using ethyl acetate as the eluent on an octadecylsilane-bonded silica cartridge. A running buffer of 5 mM sodium tetraborate in a water-acetonitrile mixture (70:30, v/v) adjusted to pH 9 is employed in the CZE analysis, and the targets can be analyzed within 7 min with good reproducibility and acceptable sensitivity. The method is suitable for detecting herbicide residues of sub-parts-per-billion levels in surface water. A local pond water is analyzed, and the concentrations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 4-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy) butyric acid are detected to be 0.27 +/- 0.03 ppb and 0.61 +/- 0.08 ppb, respectively.     

A generic method for the determination of acrylamide in thermally processed foods

A generic sample preparation method for the determination of acrylamide in foods was developed. The method entails extraction with methanol, purification with Carrez I and II solutions, evaporation and solvent change to water, and cleanup with Oasis HLB solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridge. The final extract was analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) for quantitation. The chromatographic separation was performed on ODS-3 column using the isocratic mixture of 0.01 mM acetic acid in 0.2% aqueous solution of formic acid at a flow rate of 0.6 ml/min at 25 degrees C. The recoveries of acrylamide from potato chips, biscuits and coffee ranged between 92.8 and 101.5% with relative standard deviations of 4.1% or less. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantitation (LOQ) were 2 ng/g and 6 ng/g in the basis of signal to noise ratios of 3:1 and 9:1, respectively.     

Non-extractive procedure followed by LC/APCI MS/MS analysis of trimetazidine in plasma samples for assessing bioequivalence of immediate/modified release formulations

Trimetazidine and internal standard [1-(2,4,5-trimethoxybenzyl)piperazine] were isolated from plasma by protein precipitation with trifluoroacetic acid. The neutralized supernatant was separated on a C(8) column with methanol-aqueous 0.11% triethylamine adjusted to pH 3.3 with formic acid (1:4, v/v) at a flow rate of 0.85 mL/min. The separation was achieved within 8 min and the column ef fluent was transferred into an ion trap analyzer via an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization interface. The mass analyzer was used in the selected reaction monitoring mode, to enhance detection selectivity. The method was fully validated with a quantitation limit for trimetazidine of 1.5 ng/mL. The method was successfully applied to assess bioequivalence of two immediate and two modified commercially available pharmaceutical formulations containing 20 and 35 mg of trimetazidine, respectively.     

Generation of thiyl radicals by the photolysis of 5-iodo-4-thiouridine

The photochemistry of 2',3',5'-tri-O-acetyl-5-iodo-4-thiouridine (3) in deoxygenated 1:1 CH(3)CN-H(2)O pH 5.8 (phosphate buffer) solution has been studied by means of steady-state and nanosecond laser flash photolysis methods. Under steady-state irradiation (lambda > or = 334 nm), the stable photoproducts were iodide ion, 2',3',5'-tri-O-acetyl-4-thiouridine (4), and two disulfides. The disulfides were the symmetrical bis-(2',3',5'-tri-O-acetyl-5-iodo-4-thiouridine) (5) and unsymmetrical 6, which contains both 4-thiouridine and 5-iodo-4-thiouridine residues. The formation of the dehalogenated photoproduct suggests that C(5)-I bond cleavage is a primary photochemical step. Attempts to scavenge the resulting C(5)-centered radical by suitable addends, bis-(N-alpha-acetyl)cystine-bis-N-ethylamide or benzene, were unsuccessful. Analysis of the photoproducts formed under these conditions showed that the S-atom is the reactive center. The photoproduct 4, obtained by irradiation of 3 in CD(3)CN-H(2)O, followed by reversed-phase HPLC isolation using nonlabeled eluents, did not contain deuterium. An analogous experiment performed in CH(3)CN-D(2)O gave deuterated product 4-d with 88% of the deuterium incorporated at C(5). Transient absorption observed upon laser excitation (lambda= 308 nm) of 3 was assigned to the 4-uridinylthiyl radical on the basis of the similarity of this spectrum with that obtained upon laser photolysis of the disulfide: bis-(2',3',5'-tri-O-acetyl-4-thiouridine) 14. On the basis of the results of steady-state and laser photolysis studies, a mechanism of the photochemical reaction of 3 is proposed. The key mechanistic step is a transformation of the C(5)-centered radical formed initially by C(5)-I bond cleavage into a long-lived S-centered radical via a 1,3-hydrogen shift. Theoretical calculations confirmed that the long-lived S-centered radical is the most stable radical derived from the 4-thiouracil residue.     

Simultaneous analysis of oxidized and reduced glutathione in cell extracts by capillary zone electrophoresis

Glutathione (GSH) and glutathione disulfide (GSSG) levels in cells constitute a thiol redox system. They can be used as an indicator of oxidative stress of the cell. In this study, a capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) method is described that enables quantitation of GSH and GSSG from cellular extracts. The CZE buffer used was 20 mM ammonium acetate containing 5% (v/v) acetic acid at pH 3.1 in conjunction with a polybrene coated capillary operated in reverse polarity mode. Effects of different acids used to prepare cell samples were investigated on CZE performance. The acids include meta phosphoric acid (MPA), trichloroacetic acid (TCA), phosphoric acid (PA) and sulfosalicylic acid (SSA) and are used to stabilize GSH and GSSG before performing CZE analysis. The method features a limit of detection of 4 microM and a limit of quantitation of 12 microM for both GSSG and GSH and recoveries of 94% for GSH and 100% for GSSG. Quantitative analysis of GSSG and GSH in HaCaT cell extracts (5% SSA, w/v) was performed with this method and changes in the ratio of GSH to GSSG in N-ethylmaleimide treated cell sample was observed by comparing with control cell samples.