Determination of cholesterol by flow injection analysis with immobilized cholesterol oxidase

The injected sample passes through a column of enzyme immobilized on controlled pore glass, at pH 7.0, and the hydrogen peroxide produced is detected amperometrically. As little as 0.2 μg of cholesterol can be detected. The method is applied to blood serum, wax-wool alcohol and an extract of butter.     

Enzyme reactors in unsegmented flow injection analysis

The design of immobilized-enzyme reactors for use in flow injection analysis is discussed. The reactors should be optimized for a short residence time and a very high (> 99.9%) conversion of substrate to products. Selection of carrier and immobilization method is important in order to increase the amount of active enzyme per unit volume. The effeciency of the reactor can be increased by decreasing the particle size in packed-bed reactors and the radius of open tubular reactors. The maximum inherent rate constant that can be obtained under optimal conditions is estimated for a number of enzymes of analytical interest; it is shown that with high rate constants and small particle diamters, residence times less than seconds can be obtained. Some applications of immobilized-enzyme reactors in flow systems are reviewed.     

Determination of glucose in blood by flow injection analysis and an immobilized glucose oxidase column

A flow-injection system for glucose determination is described. Glucose oxidase is immobilized on controlled porosity glass (CPG) and used in a glass column (2.5 mm diameter × 2.5 cm). The hydrogen peroxide produced by the enzymatic reaction (? 1 × 10^?6 M) is detected by the current produced in a flow-through cell, with two platinum electrodes having a potential difference of 0.6 V. Glucose (0–20 mmol l^?1) can be determined in blood plasma either with a dialyser in the system or, better, by incorporating a column of copper(II) diethyldithiocarbamate on CPG before the enzyme column. The results compared well with those obtained by a conventional analyser system. The glucose oxidase column showed little change in activity over a 10-month period.     

Enzymatic substrate determination by flow injection analysis in stopped flow modus using a single 5-port-valve for sample and reagent injection

Summary The determination of ethanol with alcohol dehydrogenase is described as an example of enzymatic determination with the flow injection analysis system (FIAS). Both, sample and reagent, are successively injected into the carrier stream by using only one valve. Compared with other techniques, the principle described is more economical with regard to reagent consumption and analysis time. Basic experiments about this kind of reagent addition (dispersion, reproducibility, possibility for gradient dilution) were made by simulation with dye solution. The determination of ethanol is carried out using the stopped flow technique. The peristaltic pumps are stopped when the reaction zone is located in the flow cell, and the change of absorbance with time is monitored. Thus background signals and other matrix influences can be minimized. The method is tested under real conditions for the determination of alcohol in several beverages.     

Ascorbic acid determination in biological fluids using ascorbate oxidase immobilized on alkylamine glass beads in a flow injection potentiometric system

A flow injection method was developed aimed at the determination of ascorbic acid in biological fluids, particularly fruit juices. The enzyme ascorbic oxidoreductase (EC 1.10.3.3), extracted fromCucurbita maxima, was immobilized onto alkylamine glass beads using glutaral-dehyde as a bifunctional agent. The ascorbic acid concentration was related to oxygen saturation. Fall in oxygen concentration, as a result of ascorbic acid oxidation, was detected by a low cost, homemade oxygen electrode. The calibration graph was linear over the range 0.05 to 3.00 mM (RSD 1%), the maximum number of samples that could be analysed was 90/h. The immobilized enzyme retained its initial activity for 2 mo with more than 600 assays.     

Bioluminescent assays with immobilized firefly luciferase based on flow injection analysis

A flow-injection manifold incorporating immobilized firefly luciferase is described. The detector design and reaction conditions are discussed and results are presented for the determination of adenosine-5′-triphosphate over the range 1 × 10^?12?1 × 10^?5 M. Modifications for creatine phoshokinase (10–400 U l^?1) and creatine phosphate (10^?t–10^?1 M), both determined indirectly via ATP, are also described.     

Flow-injection analysis for l-glutamate using immobilized l-glutamate oxidase: comparison of an enzyme reactor and enzyme electrode

An enzyme electrode and enzyme based on immobilized l-glutamate oxidase are used for the determination of l-glutamate in a flow-injection system. The hydrogen peroxide produced is monitored amperometrically. The enzyme reactor system surpasses the enzyme electrode system with regard to sensitivity and analytical speed. For both systems, the peak current is linearly related to the l-glutamate concentration in the range 5 × 10^?6-1 × 10^?3 M. l-Glutamate in seasoning can be determined very selectively with < 0.7% r.s.d.     

Monolith-based immobilized enzyme reactors: recent developments and applications for proteome analysis

In the current proteome study, protein digestion is indispensable before proteins could be identified by MS/MS, no matter based on top-down or bottom-up strategies. Compared to the traditional digestion performed in free solution, immobilized enzyme shows great advantages in digestion speed, stability, and longevity, especially with monolithic materials as the supports. Besides the improved digestion capacity, the immobilized enzyme reactors (IMERs) could be further coupled with the separation and detection systems, enabling high-throughput protein identification. In this paper, the latest advances in the monolith-based IMERs and their applications in proteomic study are briefly summarized. By reviewing these achievements, it could be seen that monilith-based IMERs have very bright future in proteome analysis.     

Flow injection analysis for glucose by the combined use of an immobilized glucose oxidase reactor and a peroxidase electrode

The amperometric peroxidase electrode measures hexacyanoferrate(III), produced by hydrogen peroxide, which is generated by injecting a 2μl sample into a reactor of immobilized glucose oxidase covalently bound to silica gel. The peak current is linearly related to the glucose concentration in the range 0.05–10 g l^?1; sample throughput is about 100 h^?1. Ascorbic acid (? 0.5 mM) does not interfere.     

Immobilization of L-glutamate oxidase and peroxidase for glutamate determination in flow injection analysis system

Streptomyces SP.N 14, isolated from soil samples, produced extracellular L-glutamate oxidase (GOD) in liquid culture. After a two-step ammonium sulfate purification and dextran G-150 chromatography, the specific activity was reached at 28.2 U/mg. The partial purified enzyme and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) were covalently coupled to alkylamine controlled pore glass (CPG) by means of glutaraldehyde. About 200–300 U/g of immobilized GOD and 300–400 U/g of immobilized HRP were obtained. The immobilized enzymes were packed into a teflon tube and used in flow injection analysis (FIA) for glutamate in broth. A good linear range was observed for this immobilized enzyme system at 0.1–2.0 mM, and the precision was 2.8% (n = 25). More than 80 samples were measured within an hour. One enzyme column with about 4 U of immobilized GOD and 5 U of immobilized HRP, applied for 50 assays/d, has been used for more than 50 d. The concentration of L-glutamate remaining lower than 2.0 mM, the determination of glutamate in this system was not affected by pH and temperature within the range of 6.0–7.0 and 25–35‡C, respectively. The system was applied to determine L-glutamate in broth samples during L-glutamate fermentation, and good correlation was achieved between results obtained with the system and with the Warburg’s method.     

Solid-phase reactors as high stability reagent sources in flow analysis: selective flow injection spectrophotometric determination of cysteine in pharmaceutical formulations

The flow injection spectrophotometric determination of cysteine was carried out by reaction with cobalt(II) ions entrapped in a polymeric material and filling a packed-bed reactor; the released cobalt(II) complexed with the amino acid was monitored at 360 nm. The method worked with a high repeatability, even with independent reactors, days and solutions. Selectivity of the procedure was tested with twenty different foreign compounds found in pharmaceutical formulations containing cysteine, parent amino acids included; no serious interferences were observed. The calibration graph for cysteine was linear over the range 1-90 micrograms ml-1 with a relative standard deviation of 0.8% at 60 micrograms ml-1 (n = 158). The calculated sample throughput was 90 h-1. The method was applied to determine the content of cysteine in pharmaceutical formulations.     

Recent advances in immobilized enzymatic reactors and their applications in proteome analysis

Immobilized enzymatic reactors recently have drawn much attention because of the striking advantages, such as high substrate turnover rate and ease in coupling with the separation and detection systems. Carrier materials, which have great effects on the development of the immobilized enzymatic reactors, have always being the focus of study. In this paper, the contributions, mainly in the last 5 years, on the enzymatic reactors and their applications in proteome study are reviewed, with some newly developed inorganic and organic carriers for enzyme immobilization described in details. Moreover, the hyphenation of immobilized enzymatic reactors with the separation and identification systems is also summarized. By reviewing these achievements, it could be seen that enzymatic reactors have very bright future, especially in proteome analysis.     

Determination of acetaldehyde by flow injection analysis with soluble or immobilized aldehyde dehydrogenase

Acetaldehyde (0.18–7.7 × 10^?4 M) in water is determined by using a double injection technique with the soluble enzyme or with a mini-column of aldehyde dehydrogenase immobilized on cyanogen-activated Sepharose 4B. The NADH produced is monitored spectrophotometrically. The sample throughput is ca. 40 h^?1, and the immobilized enzyme is stable for at least a month. Ethanol up to 5% (v/v) does not interfere.     

Dispersion phenomena in reactors for flow analysis

Both coiled open tubular reactors and packed-bed reactors can be used in flow analysis. Band broadening and pressure drop in these reactors are discussed. Theoretical analysis shows that packed-bed reactors are to be preferred. It is shown that for a given residence time and equal band-broadening values the pressure drop over a packed-bed reactor is lower than over a coiled open tubular reactor. Rules for optimal design are given for coiled tubular reactors and packed-bed reactors. The application of both reactors is shown for the spectrophotometric determination of phosphate with a vanadomolybdate reagent yielding a yellow colour.     

Atomic spectrometry and flow injection analysis: a synergic combination

The combination of flow-injection techniques with atomic spectrometry (flame atomic absorption and emission spectrometry and inductively-coupled plasma/atomic emission spectrometry) is reviewed, with particular reference to the more recent contributions. The considerable growth in the number of directly couple pre-concentration and matrix isolation is noted, together with the increasing number of reports of indirect methods for metals, inorganic anions and even drug molecules. Many developments are motivated by a desire to increase the performance of the spectrometry over that obtained with conventional methods of sample introduction. Conflicting statements concerning the possible benefits of reduced uptake rate, of air compensation and of peak-area measurement are examined critically. The conflicting requirements of obtaining freedom from stable-compound interferences coupled with god detection limits are discussed, as are means of obtaining the best detection limits. Modifications to nebuliser and spray-chamber design are suggested for maximising peak height (to obtain detection limits) and for working with reduced uptake rates (to reduce stable-compound interferences in flame-based spectrometries). The single well-stirred tank model is used to model nebuliser response and results are presented for the flow-injection behaviour of a Philips Scientific SP9 instrument under conditions of low flow rate which show reasonable agreement with the model. With the instrument, the best detection limits are obtained on the basis of peak-height measurements at the flow rate producing maximum signal-to-noise ratio.     

Optimization of peroxidase immobilization and of the design of packed-bed enzyme reactors for flow injection analysis

Packed-bed reactors containing horse radish peroxidase were optimized for use in flow injection systems. The most active and stable immobilizations were produced by azo linkage to porous glass. The influence of pore and particle diameter as well as pH of immobilization, number of coupling sites, and enzyme purity were studied. The reactor behaviour could be accurately described by a theory derived on the assumptions of first-order kinetics. The effects of internal and external mass transfer resistances were studied and the rate constants were evaluated. Design criteria for analytical reactors are discussed. A small particle diameter is shown to be of utmost importance in order to achieve low dispersion with fixed levels of back-pressure and conversion.     

Commutation in flow injection analysis

Recent advances in flow injection analysis, including the introduction of zone-sampling and zone-trapping processes and the incorporation of ion exchangers, have involved electronically operated injector/commutators. Other techniques based on manual commutation, such as manifold modifications and intermittent and alternating streams, have been reported. A comprehensive review of these techniques is given. The use of commutation for difference injection procedures (loop-based, time-based, hydrodynamic, sequential and nested injection) is emphasized. An alternative stopped-flow approach without stopping the pump is suggested.