Indirect CE‐UV detection for the characterization of organic and inorganic ions of a broad mobility and pKa range in engine coolants

An alternative CE‐(indirect ultraviolet) method for the analysis of inorganic and organic anions in ethylene glycol‐based engine coolants is presented using a BGE with 4 mM pyromellitic acid and 3.4 mM 1,6‐hexamethylene diamine, pH 3. Baseline separation of six inorganic (e.g. nitrite, nitrate, and sulfate) and five organic anions (e.g. acetic and glycolic acid) was achieved. Quantification of 8 out of 11 specified anions was possible in stressed engine coolant samples after simple aqueous dilution. LODs between 0.8 and 15.1 mg/L with RSD values of peak areas between 2.6 and 11.9% were obtained. Some limitations due to matrix effects can be overcome with slight adaptations of the BGE. The flexibility of the method is vital regarding the increasing demands for the composition of engine coolants for pollution reduction.     

Homogeneous Reforming of Aqueous Ethylene Glycol to Glycolic Acid and Pure Hydrogen Catalyzed by Pincer-Ruthenium Complexes Capable of Metal–Ligand Cooperation

Glycolic acid is a useful and important α-hydroxy acid that has broad applications. Herein, the homogeneous ruthenium catalyzed reforming of aqueous ethylene glycol to generate glycolic acid as well as pure hydrogen gas, without concomitant CO₂ emission, is reported. This approach provides a clean and sustainable direction to glycolic acid and hydrogen, based on inexpensive, readily available, and renewable ethylene glycol using 0.5 mol % of catalyst. In-depth mechanistic experimental and computational studies highlight key aspects of the PNNH-ligand framework involved in this transformation.     

Determination of alpha hydroxy acids in fruits by capillary electrophoresis.

Alpha hydroxy acids, malic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, glycolic acid and lactic acid, were analyzed simultaneously using capillary electrophoresis with direct UV detection at 200 nm. The separation was carried out with uncoated fused-silica (50 cm x 50 microns i.d.), pressure injection at 15 psi s and operated at -15 kV potential. The separation buffers were prepared with 180 mM Na2HPO4, 1 mM cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and 15% (v/v) methanol and adjusted to pH 7.2 by phosphoric acid. Validation was performed for citric acid and malic acid. The obtained parameters were adequate and the limits of detection were 2.5 and 5 micrograms ml-1 for citric acid and malic acid, respectively. AHAs from natural fruit juices (orange and grape) were determined and measured with this method.     

Separation of mineral salts and nonelectrolytes (ethylene glycol) by dialysis through ion-exchange membranes

A method for the separation of nonelectrolytes (ethylene glycol, for example) and electrolytes using dialysis through ion-exchange membranes was proposed. In addition to its applied importance, this method can be used in analysis for the separation of pure ethylene glycol from low-mineralized solutions followed by the titrimetric determination of its low concentrations. The structure of an aqueous glycol solution in the presence of mineral admixtures was analyzed using computer simulation. It was found that these admixtures affect the structure of the hydration shell of ethylene glycol to increase the rate of its transfer.     

Ion chromatographic identification and quantification of glycol degradation products

In water-based heat transfer systems, frequently glycols are added to the water to obtain freeze protection. For this purpose, ethylene glycol (EG) is the most common substance used. When heated, the glycol will slowly degrade and the pH of the glycol-water mixture will decrease, leading to corrosion and foaming problems. Carboxylic acids were identified as the main degradation products. Quantification of the carboxylic acids is of importance to monitor the degradation reactions in order to identify hot spots or overheating, caused by severe heat exchanger scaling, where pH measurements will not be sufficient due to buffer substances added for corrosion protection. In this work, ion chromatographic methods havebeen developed to identify the main degradation products of EG in heat transfer systems and to monitor the degradation process. Possible acidic reaction products of EG are glycolic acid, glyoxylic acid, oxalic acid, acetic acid and formic acid. Separations with a Dionex AS9-HC column with Na2CO3 eluents of differing concentrations showed that only trace amounts of carboxylic acids are present in aged heat transfer media. Oxalic acid can be quantified simultaneously to nitrite or molybdate which are added as corrosion inhibitors. A Dionex AS10 separation column with Na2B4O7 eluent enabled base line separation of glycolic acid, acetic acid and formic acid. Heat transfer media, which are operated in different heat transfer systems under different conditions, were analysed. A system was identified, where severe overheating due to fluid maldistribution in the heat exchanger took place.     

Novel biodegradable polymers as gene carriers

This study investigated two new biodegradable polymers as gene controlled-released coatings for gene transfer. Poly(ethylene glycol)-co-poly(D,L-lactic acid) (PELA) and poly(ethylene glycol)-co-poly(lactic acid)-co-poly(glycolic acid) random copolymer (PELGA) were synthesized and used as microspheres matrices with encapsulated plasmid pCH110. The plasmid loading efficiency, cytotoxicity, transfection efficiency and in vitro degradation and release profiles of microsphere complexes were evaluated in details. The biodegradable polymers showed high DNA loading efficiency and low cytotoxicity as gene controlled-released coatings, and the poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) contents of polymer matrices influenced the diameter, loading efficiency and transfection efficiency of plasmid DNA within the microspheres. The average diameters of PELA and PELGA microspheres were between 0.5 and 1.5 microm, and the plasmid loading efficiency was 62 and 73% for PELA and PELGA microspheres with 10% PEG content, respectively. In vitro testing showed a gradual release profile of DNA from polymeric matrices. The polymers/DNA microspheres had high transfection efficiency and early gene expression and maintenance of gene expression level for up to 96 h, although transfection efficiency were slightly lower than that of liposome in the initial 24 h. The biodegradable polymeric materials possess potential superiority as gene carriers.     

Analysis of carboxylic acid metabolites from the tricarboxylic acid cycle in Bacillus subtilis cell extract by capillary electrophoresis using an indirect photometric detection method

With a growing interest in metabolome analysis, there is a need for developing robust methods for analysis of intracellular metabolites profiles in real samples like e.g., bacteria cell. Due to their weak absorbance properties, tri- and dicarboxylic acids from TCA cycle (citric, isocitric, 2-oxoglutaric, succinic, fumaric, malic) as well as carboxylic acid metabolites from glycolysis pathway, urea cycle and metabolism of amino compounds (formic, pyruvic, lactic, acetic, glutamic) were analyzed by capillary electrophoresis (CE) with indirect UV detection. Using 4 mM 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid as a highly UV absorbing carrier electrolyte, 0.2 mM cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, 10% ethylene glycol and 10% acetonitrile, pH 3.5, carboxylic acids metabolites were analyzed in Bacillus subtilis cell extract from two different cultures: glucose and malate. CE with an electrokinetic injection mode achieved limits of detection in the range of 13-54 ppb (1.12-10(-7) - 5.96-10(-7) M). The reproducibility and linearity of method was investigated with RSD for migration time less than 1.3% and acceptable correlation coefficients. The optimized CE method was used to compare metabolome content of cell extract derived from two different culture media containing either glucose or malate as a carbon source. The changes in carboxylic acid metabolites profile were observed depending from used culture medium. Carboxylic acid concentrations ranged: in cell extract from malate culture from 59 to 0.5 microM for lactate and citrate, respectively, and in cell extract from glucose culture from 133 to 0.5 microM for glutamate and citrate, respectively. Appropriate concentrations of carboxylic acid in the single bacterium cell were estimated at mM and sub-mM levels.     

The use of ethylene glycol solution as the running buffer for highly efficient microchip-based electrophoresis in unmodified cyclic olefin copolymer microchips

An ethylene glycol solution was used as the electrophoretic running buffer in unmodified cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) microchips to minimize the interactions between the analytes and the hydrophobic walls of the plastic microchannels, enhance the resolution of the analytes and eliminate the uncontrollable dispersion caused by uneven liquid levels and non-uniform surfaces of the separation channels. Five amino acids that were labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) were used as model analytes to examine the separation efficiency. The effects of ethylene glycol concentration, pH and sodium tetraborate concentration were systematically investigated. The five FITC-labeled amino acids were effectively resolved using a COC microchip with an effective length of 2.5 cm under optimum conditions, which included using a running buffer of 20 mmol/L sodium tetraborate in ethylene glycol:water (80:20, v/v), pH 6.7. A theoretical plate number of 4.8 × 10(5)/m was obtained for aspartic acid. The system exhibited good repeatability, and the relative standard deviations (n=5) of the peak areas and migration times were no more than 3.4% and 0.7%, respectively. Furthermore, the system was successfully applied to elucidate these five amino acids in human saliva.     

Size-exclusion separation of proteins using a biocompatible polymeric monolithic capillary column with mesoporosity

Biocompatible poly(ethylene glycol methyl ether acrylate-co-polyethylene glycol diacrylate) monoliths were prepared for size exclusion chromatography (SEC) of proteins in the capillary format using Brij 58P in a mixture of hexanes and dodecanol as porogens. The monolithic columns provided size separation of four proteins in 20 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) containing 0.15 M NaCl, and there was a linear relationship between the retention times and the logarithmic values of the molecular weights. Compared to SEC monoliths previously synthesized using a triblock copolymer of polyethylene oxide and polypropylene oxide, an increase in mesoporosity was confirmed by inverse size exclusion chromatography. As a result, improved protein separation in the high molecular weight range and reduced column back-pressure were observed.     

Electrocatalytic selective oxidation of ethylene glycol: A concise review of catalyst development and reaction mechanism with comparison to thermocatalytic oxidation process

As an important water and seawater degradable plastic monomer, glycolic acid can be synthesized by selective oxidation of ethylene glycol. This review recapitulates recent advances in electrocatalytic ethylene glycol oxidation reaction (EGOR) from the aspects of catalytic performance and reaction mechanism. For catalytic performance evaluation, target product yield and space-time yield are correlated and analyzed for electrocatalytic and thermocatalytic EGOR systems. To elucidate the rationale behind the electrocatalytic selective oxidation of ethylene glycol, previous works using in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, online differential electrochemical mass spectrometry, ion chromatography, and theoretical calculations to investigate EGOR are systematically reviewed. Finally, the advantages of electrocatalytic EGOR are summarized by comparing electrocatalytic and thermocatalytic processes.     

Nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis: application possibilities and suitability of various solvents for the separation of basic analytes

Eleven organic solvents were tested for their suitability in the use of capillary electrophoresis (CE). In all cases, 25 mM ammonium acetate and 1 M acetic acid were used as electrolytes. Three basic therapeutical agents, propranolol, carteolol and imipramine, were used as analytes. Four solvents (2-propanol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dichloromethane) were not suitable for use with CE under our conditions. Depending on the other solvents used, the analytes showed very different behavior. We observed that the epsilon/eta quotient alone is not sufficient for a characterization of the solvents. Further investigations with all the solvents as 1:1 mixtures with methanol were carried out. As a result some principal changes occurred compared to the pure solvents. Working with mixtures of different solvents proved to be advantageous because of the possibility to influence properties like high viscosity or low ionizing abilities by the addition of a suitable second solvent.     

Separation of attogram terpenes by the capillary zone electrophoresis with fluorometric detection

An original method based on capillary zone electrophoresis with fluorimetric detection has been developed for the determination of terpenic compounds. The method is based on the separation of a terpenes dynamically labeled by the non-ionogenic tenside poly(ethylene glycol) pyrenebutanoate, which was used previously for the labeling of biopolymers. The background electrolytes were composed of taurine-Tris buffer (pH 8.4). In addition to the non-ionogenic tenside aceton and poly(ethylene glycol) were used as the additives. The capillary zone electrophoresis with fluorometric detection at the excitation wavelength 335 nm and the emission wavelength 463 nm was successfully applied to the analysis of tonalid, cholesterol, vitamin A, ergosterol, estrone and farnesol at level of 10(-17) mol L(-1). Farnesol, is produced by Candida albicans as an extracellular quorum-sensing molecule that influences expression of a number of virulence factors, especially morphogenesis and biofilm formation. It enables this yeast to cause serious nosocomial infections. The sensitivity of this method was demonstrated on the separation of farnesol directly from the cultivation medium.     

Simultaneous separation of organomercury species by nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis using methanol containing acetic acid and imidazole

A simple and rapid nonaqueous capillary electrophoresis method for simultaneous separation of four kinds of mercury species, namely inorganic mercury, methylmercury, ethylmercury, and phenylmercury, is reported. The effective mobilities of organomercury in aqueous and nonaqueous electrolytes were compared. Imidazole was confirmed not only as a co-ion for the separation but also as an online complexing reagent for mercury species. The optimum conditions for separation were achieved by using methanol solvent containing 0.15 M acetic acid and 15 mM imidazole as electrolyte. The sensitive detection of mercury species was accomplished at 191 nm.     

Characteristics of lithium iodide-containing poly(ethylene glycol) as a gas chromatographic stationary phase, and its application to analysis of amidic drugs

The characteristics of lithium iodide-containing poly(ethylene glycol) as a gas chromatographic stationary phase have been evaluated in terms of partial free energy of transfer (delta G t0) from poly(ethylene glycol) to the lithium iodide-poly(ethylene glycol) system for a variaty of amides (n-fatty acid amides, lactams, benzamides, anilides, nicotinamides, isonicotinamides, barbiturates, pyrazolones) and several amines. The changes in relative retention and resolution of two solute peaks caused by the addition of lithium iodide to poly)ethylene glycol) are correlated with the difference in their delta Gt0 values. The application to the specific separation of some amidic drugs is demonstrated.     

Simultaneous determination of inorganic and organic anions,alkali, alkaline earth and transition metal cations by capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductometric detection

Simultaneous separation of up to 22 inorganic and organic anions, alkali, alkaline earth and transition metal cations was achieved in less than 3 min in the capillary electrophoresis system with contactless conductometric detector. The sample was injected from both capillary ends (dual opposite end injection) and anionic and cationic species were detected in the center of the separation capillary. The parameters of the separation electrolyte, such as pH, concentration of the electrolyte, concentration of complexing agents and concentration of 18-crown-6 were studied. Best results were achieved with electrolytes consisting of 8 mM L-histidine, 2.8 mM 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid, 0.32 mM 18-crown-6 at pH 4.25 or 9 mM L-histidine, 4.6 mM lactic acid, 0.38 mM 18-crown-6 at pH 4.25. Other electrolytes containing complexing agents such as malic or tartaric acid at various concentrations could also be used. The detection limits achieved for most cations and anions were 7.5 - 62 micro gL(-1) except for Ba2+ (90 micro gL(-1)), Cd 2+, Cr 3+ and F- (125 micro gL(-1)), and fumarate (250 micro gL(-1)). The repeatability of migration times and peak areas was better than 0.4% and 5.9%, respectively. The developed method was applied for analysis of real samples, such as tap, rain, drainage and surface water samples, plant exudates, plant extracts and ore leachates.     

Toroidal Coil Countercurrent Chromatography: A Fast Simple Alternative to Countercurrent Distribution Using Aqueous Two Phase Partition: Principles,Theory, and Apparatus

Abstract

The principles, theoretical basis and equipment for continuous two phase toroidal coil chromatography are described. Rat liver homogenates were subjected to analytical subcellular fractionation by toroidal coil chromatography in a phase mixture of 3.3% (w/w) dextran T500, 5.4% (w/w) poly(ethylene glycol) 6000, 10 mM sodium phosphate-phosphoric acid buffer, pH 7.4, in 0.26 M sucrose containing 0.05 mM Na₂EDTA and 1 mM ethanol. The distribution of organelles, as reflected by their marker enzymes, was compared to that obtained by discrete counter-current partition in a 17 transfer apparatus. Toroidal coil chromatography showed enhanced resolution of certain organelles. In particular, almost complete separation of plasma membrane from endoplasmic reticulum was achieved and some resolution of plasma membrane from lysosomes was obtained. It is concluded that toroidal coil chromatography offers a potentially useful alternative approach to organelle separation techniques.     

新型PEG双子温控离子液体中的缩醛反应

制备了具备温控功能的新型PEG双子离子液体(IL200, IL400, IL1000), 考察了该离子液体和甲苯形成“高温均相, 低温两相”体系, 对芳香醛与乙二醇缩合反应的影响, 当离子液体3 mL, 甲苯5 mL, 对甲苯磺酸6 mmol, 苯甲醛5 mmol, 乙二醇15 mmol, 反应时间4 h, 温度80 ℃时, 产率达到92%. 该体系对芳香醛与乙二醇缩合反应有广泛的适用性, 且不经任何处理可多次循环使用.     

Preparation of micrometer-sized, monodisperse, hollow polystyrene/poly(ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) particles with a single hole in the shell

Micrometer-sized, monodisperse, hollow polystyrene (PS)/poly(ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) (PEGDM) composite particles with a single hole in the shell were prepared by seeded polymerization using (ethylene glycol dimethacrylate/xylene)-swollen PS particles in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Single holes were observed at SDS concentrations above 3 mM, much lower than in the PS/polydivinylbenzene (PDVB) system previously reported (above 45 mM). Phase separation inside droplets occurred at lower conversion in the PEGDM system than the PDVB system. Phase separation in the droplet at the early stage of the polymerization is an important factor for the formation of the single hole in the shell. Part CCCXIII of the series “Studies on Suspension and Emulsion.”     

Rapid separation of peptides and proteins by isocratic capillary electrochromatography at elevated temperature

The use of capillary electrochromatography (CEC) for the separation by isocratic elution of synthetic peptides, proteins as well as the tryptic digest of cytochrome c has been demonstrated. The monolithic porous stationary phase was prepared from silanized fused-silica capillaries of 75 microm I.D. by in situ copolymerization of vinylbenzyl chloride and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate in the presence of propanol and formamide as the porogens. The chloromethyl groups at the surface of the porous monolith were reacted with N,N-dimethylbutylamine to form a positively charged chromatographic surface with fixed n-butyl chains. Results of studies on the influence of temperature and mobile phase composition on the retention and selectivity of separation by CEC demonstrated the feasibility of rapid polypeptide analysis and tryptic mapping at elevated temperature with high resolution and efficiency. Typically the chromatography of a tryptic digest of cytochrome c took about 5 min at 55 degrees C and 75 kV/m with hydro-organic mobile phases containing acetonitrile in 50 mM phosphate buffer, pH 2.5. For peptides and proteins plots of logarithmic k'cec against acetonitrile concentration were nonlinear, whereas Arrhenius plots for the mobilities were nearly linear. Comparison of the separation of such samples under conditions of CEC and capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) indicates that the mechanism of separation in CEC is unique and leads to a chromatographic profile different from that obtained by CZE.     

Design, synthesis and characterization of novel biodegradable macrodiols based on poly（DL-lactic acid） and poly（p-dioxanone）

Integrating poly(lactic acid)(PLA),glycolic acid(GA) and ethylene glycol(EG) will hopefully result in a novel copolymer that combines such advantages as fastened and controllable release rate and improved flexibility together with good biocompatibility.In this study,p-dioxanone(PDO) was employed to copolymerize with DL-lactide(LA) via ring-opening melt polymerization using Sn(Oct)_2 as an initiator and ethylene glycol as a co-initiator.The obtained degradable macrodiols(HO-P(LA-co-PDO)-OH) were just such...