Separation and detection of VX and its methylphosphonic acid degradation products on a microchip using indirect laser-induced fluorescence

The application of indirect LIF (IDLIF) technique for on-chip electrophoretic separation and detection of the nerve agent O-ethyl S-[2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl] methylphosphonothiolate (VX) and its major phosphonic degradation products, ethyl methylphosphonic acid (EMPA) and methylphosphonic acid (MPA) was demonstrated. Separation and detection of MPA degradation products of VX and the nerve agent isopropyl methylphosphonofluoridate (GB) are presented. The negatively charged dye eosin was found to be a good fluorescent marker for both the negatively charged phosphonic acids and the positively charged VX, and was chosen as the IDLIF visualization fluorescent dye. Separation and detection of VX, EMPA, and MPA in a simple-cross microchip were completed within less than a minute, and consumed only a 50 pL sample volume. A characteristic system peak that appeared in all IDLIF electropherograms served as an internal standard that increased the reliability of peak identification. The negative peak of both VX and the MPAs is in agreement with indirect detection theory and with previous reports in the literature. The LOD of VX and EMPA by IDLIF was 30 and 37 microM, respectively. Despite the fact that the detection sensitivity is relatively low, the rapid simultaneous on-chip analysis of both VX and its degradation products as well as the separation and detection of the MPA degradation products of both VX and GB, increases detection reliability and may present a choice when sensitivity is not critical compared with speed and simplicity of the assay.     

Rapid analysis of amino sugars by microchip electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection.

Microchip electrophoresis for the short-time analysis of amino sugars is described. D-Glucosamine, D-galactosamine and their reduced forms were labeled with 4-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole 7-fluoride (NBD-F) at pH 6.0 and the fluorescent derivatives were purified on an octadecyl silica (ODS) gel plate. The derivatives were analyzed by electrophoresis on a microfabricated chip with a 33 mm long separation channel with argon laser-induced fluorescence detection. Under the established conditions, these amino sugarderivatives were well separated from each other within 60 s. Amino sugars of as small an amount as 0.5 fmol could be detected with a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of 3, and peak response showed good linearity between at least 0.8 and 8 fmol of samples with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of ca. 4%. This method was also applied to the analysis of amino sugar composition of O-linked glycans released from bovine submaxillary mucin with alkali in the presence of borohydride. The result of amino sugar composition analysis for individual O-glycans fractionated by high-performance liquid chromatography was quite useful for their identification.     

Rapid separation of four probiotic bacteria in mixed samples using microchip electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection

Microchip electrophoresis (MCE) coupled to laser-induced fluorescence detection was applied to the rapid separation of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Enterococccus faecalis. All bacteria were quickly separated within 150?s using a running buffer of pH 8.5 containing Tris, borate, EDTA, and poly(ethylene oxide). The latter was crucial to reduce the bacterial adsorption on the walls of the microchannels. The pH of 8.5 warrants that bacteria carry a negative charge at their surface and thus display good electrophoretic performance. The method was used to analyze medical samples containing these probiotics, and the results showed that the identification and detection of bacteria by MCE is advantageous in terms of sample consumption, waste production, time of analysis, and instrumental effort.

毛细管电泳-激光诱导荧光检测法测定抗癫痫药加巴喷丁

建立了毛细管电泳-激光诱导荧光(CE-LIF)测定抗癫痫药加巴喷丁的方法。加巴喷丁经4-氯-7-硝基苯并-2-氧杂-1,3-二唑(NBD-Cl)衍生化后,采用10 mmol/L硼砂-10 mmol/L十二烷基硫酸钠(pH 9.75)的缓冲体系,加巴喷丁在6 min内实现高效基线分离。方法的线性范围为0.01～10 mg/L(r=0.9997),检出限为2 μg/L,定量限为10 μg/L。方法的平均回收率为100.2%～103.1%,相对标准偏差为0.15%～1.00%(n=3)。该方法灵敏、快速、准确和可靠,已用于加巴喷丁药物制剂的质量控制。     

Highly sensitive fluorescence detection with Hg-lamp and photon counter in microchip capillary electrophoresis

A microchip capillary electrophoresis system with highly sensitive fluorescence detection is reported. The system was successfully constructed using an inverted fluorescence microscope, a highly sensitive photon counter, a photomultiplier tube (PMT) and a capillary electrophoresis microchip. This system can be applied to the fluorescence detection with various wavelengths (300-600 nm). Different fluorescence reagents require different excitation wavelengths. The wavelengths of UV light (300-385 nm), blue light (450-480 nm) and green light (530-550 nm) are employed to excite Titan yellow, fluorescence-5-isothiocyanate (FITC) and Rhodamine 6G, respectively. The detection limit (S/N = 3) of FITC is 7 × 10⁻¹⁰ M, which is 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than that obtained with the lamp-based fluorescence and PMT detection system and approaches the data gained by the laser-induced fluorescence detection. The linear relationship is excellent within the range of concentration 1.3 × 10⁻⁹ to 6.5 × 10⁻⁸ M FITC. It offers a new method to widen the application of the lamp-based fluorescence detection.     

Determination of phenol in landfill leachate by using microchip capillary electrophoresis with end-channel amperometric detection

Phenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP) were baseline separated by using a homemade microchip CE with an end-channel amperometric detector where a 50 microm Pt microdisk working electrode (WE) and a Pt cathode were integrated onto the microchip itself. Separation parameters such as injection time and voltage, pH of the buffer, online pretreatment condition for WE, reproducibility, and detection potential were investigated. Under the selected separation conditions, the linear ranges for phenol, 2,4-DCP, and 2,4,6-TCP were 2-200, 4-400, and 4-400 microM, respectively. The LODs were 0.4, 0.5, and 0.7 microM for phenol, 2,4-DCP, and 2,4,6-TCP, respectively (S/N = 3). The standard addition method was successfully applied to the analysis of landfill leachate samples and the concentration of phenol in the landfill leachate samples was measured to be 0.32 and 0.21 mM, respectively. The recoveries were in the range of 85-103% and corresponding RSDs were less than 5.5%.     

微芯片毛细管电泳快速测定加替沙星注射液中加替沙星的含量

研究了用微芯片毛细管电泳非接触电导检测系统快速测定加替沙星注射液中加替沙星的方法。对缓冲液的类型、浓度、分离电压以及进样时间等因素进行了优化。最佳条件为:缓冲液5.0 mmol/L HAc,分离电压2.0 kV,进样时间15.0 s。在该条件下,可在1.0 min内实现加替沙星的快速含量测定。线性范围为4.0～150μg/mL,检出限为1.0μg/mL,加标回收率为95.7%～101%,可成功测定注射液中加替沙星的含量。     

Rapid determination of catecholamines in urine samples by nonaqueous microchip electrophoresis with LIF detection

A method was developed for the rapid separation of catecholamines by nonaqueous microchip electrophoresis (NAMCE) with LIF detection, A homemade pump‐free negative pressure sampling device was used for rapid bias‐free sampling in NAMCE, the injection time was 0.5 s and the electrophoresis separation conditions were optimized. Under the optimized conditions, the samples were separated completely in <1 min. The average migration times of the epinephrine (E), dopamine (DA), and norepinephrine (NE) were 34.26, 43.81, and 50.07 s, with an RSD of 1.05, 1.26, and 0.89% (n = 7), respectively. The linearity of the method ranged from 0.0125 to 2.0 mg/L for E and 0.025～4.0 mg/L for DA and NE, with correlation coefficients ranging between 0.9978 and 0.9986. The detection limits of E, DA, and NE were 2.5, 5.0, and 5.0 μg/L, respectively. The recoveries of E, DA, and NE in spiked urine samples were between 86 and 103%, with RSDs of 4.5～6.8% (n = 5). The proposed NAMCE with LIF detection combined with a pump‐free negative pressure sampling device is a simple, inexpensive, energy efficient, miniaturized system that can be successfully applied for the determination of catecholamines in urine samples.     

Determination of neurotransmitters in PC 12 cells by microchip electrophoresis with fluorescence detection

A sensitive fluorescence detection system with an Hg-lamp as the excitation source and a photon counter as the detector for microchip CE (MCE) has been developed. O-Phthaldialdehyde (OPA, lambda(ex) = 340 nm) was employed to label the catecholamine neurotransmitters such as dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), and amino acid neurotransmitters including alanine (Ala), taurine (Tau), glycine (Gly), glutamic acid (Glu), and aspartic acid (Asp). The separation of seven derivatized neurotransmitters was successfully performed in MCE and the detection limits (S/N = 3) for DA, NE, Ala, Tau, Gly, Glu, and Asp were 0.85, 0.49, 0.23, 0.15, 0.13, 0.18, and 0.29 fmol, respectively. The system was then successfully applied for separation and determination of neurotransmitters in rat pheochromocytoma (PC 12) cells, and the average amounts of analyte per cell from a cell population were 2.5 fmol for DA, 3.3 fmol for Ala, 8.2 fmol for Tau, 4.0 fmol for Gly, and 1.9 fmol for Glu, respectively. By single-cell injection mode, electrophoresis separation and quantitative measurement of Glu in individual PC 12 cells was obtained. The average value of Glu per cell from single PC 12 cells analysis was found to be 3.5 +/- 3.1 fmol.     

微流控芯片毛细管电泳激光诱导荧光检测法测定片剂中盐酸美西律的含量

建立了微流控芯片毛细管电泳激光诱导荧光检测法测定片剂中盐酸美西律含量的方法,对衍生条件和电泳条件进行了系统的考察。盐酸美西律经异硫氰酸荧光素(FITC)40℃衍生6h,以20 mmol/L硼砂为电泳缓冲溶液,进样30s后,分离电压2000V,可在1 min内完成一次检测。方法的检出限为0.022 mg/L、线性范围0.108～1.079 mg/L、相关系数0.994,加标回收率为99.7%～102.3%,方法适用于盐酸美西律的检测和质量控制。     

Detection of recombinant hirudin using capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection

Hirudin, a thrombin inhibitor, is a polypeptide of 65 amino acids. To check purity levels and perform pharmacokinetic studies of recombinant hirudin (r-hirudin), a specific and reproducible analysis method is required. Capillary electrophoresis (CE) is rapidly becoming an important procedure for the analysis of biological molecules. Recently, CE combined with immunoassay has emerged as a new analytical technique. CE-based immunoassay (CEIA) is a sensitive and specific method combining laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) and immunoassay. Therefore, in this study, we specifically investigated fluorescence labeling and determination of r-hirudin by CEIA with a LIF detector using labeled r-hirudin and polyclonal antibody. r-Hirudin was labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC). FITC-labeled r-hirudin was purified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The method is based on preincubation of r-hirudin and antibody for 20 min, followed by CE analysis using an uncoated capillary. Free and bound r-hirudin were separated within 5 min using CE with high reproducibility. This study demonstrated that the CEIA method could be applied to quantitative analysis of r-hirudin in biological fluids.     

Subsecond separation of cellular flavin coenzymes by microchip capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection

In this article, it was demonstrated that a subsecond separation of cellular metabolites such as riboflavin (RF), flavin mononucleotide (FMN), and flavin-adenine dinucleotide (FAD) was achieved using microchip capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection. The influences of crucial parameters that governed analysis time (e.g., channel length and electric field for separation) and separation resolution (e.g., sample size) were investigated, both in theoretical aspects and experimental practice. Quantitative analyses were performed that exhibited linear dynamic range of two orders of magnitude, with calculated detection limits of 34, 201, and 127 nM for RF, FAD, and FMN, respectively. To test the validity of the method, it was successfully applied to characterize several recombinant flavin-binding domains in a human neuronal nitric oxide synthase.     

Sensitive, label-free protein assay using 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate-supported microchip electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection

Based on the dimer-monomer equilibrium movement of the fluorescent dye Pyronin Y (PY), a rapid, simple, highly sensitive, label-free method for protein detection was developed by microchip electrophoresis with LIF detection. PY formed a nonfluorescent dimer induced by the premicellar aggregation of an anionic surfactant, SDS, however, the fluorescence intensity of the system increased dramatically when proteins such as BSA, bovine hemoglobin, cytochrome c, and trypsin were added to the solution due to the transition of dimer to fluorescent monomer. Furthermore, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMImBF4) instead of PBS was applied as running buffers in microchip electrophoresis. Due to the excellent properties of EMImBF4, not only nonspecific protein adsorption was more efficiently suppressed, but also approximately ten-fold higher fluorescence intensity enhancement was obtained than that using PBS. Under the optimal conditions, detection limits for BSA, bovine hemoglobin, cytochrome c, and trypsin were 1.00x10(-6), 2x10(-6), 7x10(-7), and 5x10(-7) mg/mL, respectively. Thus, without covalent modification of the protein, a protein assay method with high sensitivity was achieved on microchips.     

Sensitive and rapid determination of nitric oxide in human serum using microchip capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection

Microfluidic chip capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection is employed for direct determination of trace nitric oxide in human blood using diaminorhodamines as the fluorescence probe. Factors influencing the separation and detection processes were systematically studied. Complete and fast separation of the highly fluorescent triazole formed was achieved within 45 s, and the relative standard deviations values of migration time and peak area were less than 3%. The detection limit of NO was 3.0 nmol.L^-1 (at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3) and the liner range was from 1.0?×?10^-8?mol.L^-1 to 3.0?×?10^-6?mol.L^-1. The method has been applied to the determination of NO in serum of healthy persons and patients suffering from diseases, with recoveries varying from 92.65 to 98.43%.     

Fast quantitative determination of diuretic drugs in tablets and human urine by microchip electrophoresis with native fluorescence detection

Microchip electrophoresis (MCE) with native fluorescence detection has been applied for the fast quantitative analysis of pharmaceutical formulations. For this purpose, methods for fast separation and sensitive detection of the unlabeled diuretic drugs, amiloride, triamterene, bendroflumethiazide (BFMTZ), and bumetanide were developed. An epifluorescence setup was used enabling the coupling of different lasers into a commercial fluorescence microscope. The detection sensitivity of different excitation light sources was compared utilizing either a HeCd laser (lambda(exc) = 325 nm), a frequency quadrupled Nd:YAG laser (lambda(exc) = 266 nm), or a mercury lamp (lambda(exc) = 330-380 nm). At optimal conditions using the HeCd laser, the drugs were separated within 15 s with LODs less than 1 mug/mL for the four compounds. A linear relationship between concentration and peak area was obtained in the concentration range of 0.05-20 microg/mL with a mean correlation coefficient of around 0.996 for all analytes. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of the respective drugs in commercial formulations and in human urine without interference from other constituents. These data show that MCE has a great potential for reliable drug analysis.     

Rapid analysis of amino acids in Japanese green tea by microchip electrophoresis using plastic microchip and fluorescence detection

Microchip electrophoresis for the short-time analysis of amino acids in Japanese green tea was developed. The amino acids in Japanese green tea were derivatized with 4-fluoro-7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (NBD-F). The derivatives were filtered and directly analyzed by electrophoresis on a plastic microchip with a 31-mm long separation channel with fluorescence detection. Amino acid analysis of Japanese green tea was improved by removing polyphenols using a polyvinylpolypyrrolidone pretreatment. Elution profiles of NBD-amino acids were examined under different running buffer conditions, and the sodium dodecyl sulphate in the running buffer exhibited a dramatically high-separation efficiency of amino acids by inhibiting their adsorption on the channel walls. Under the optimized conditions (5 mM phosphate buffer (pH 5.5) containing 0.05 mM sodium dodecylsulfate as running buffer), the main amino acids contained in Japanese green tea were well separated within 2 min, and theanine (1475 mg/100 g tea leaf), Arg (408 mg/100 g tea leaf) and Gln (217 mg/100 g tea leaf) were detected in Japanese green tea.     

Multiplexed microRNA detection by capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence

In this study, we developed a novel assay that simultaneously detects multiple miRNAs (microRNAs) within a single capillary by combining a tandem adenosine-tailed DNA bridge-assisted splinted ligation with denaturing capillary gel electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence. This proposed method not only represents a significant improvement in resolution but also allows for the detection of multiple miRNAs within a single capillary based on the length differences of specified target bridge DNA. The assay's linear range covers three orders of magnitude (1.0 nM to 1.0 pM) with a limit of detection (S/N=3) as low as 190 fM (2.5 zmol). Five miRNAs of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) were also detected in EBV-infected nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells, while they did not appear in non-virus infected cells. Moreover, the electropherogram indicated that the screening of isomiRs (isomer of miRNA) of BART2 by CE-LIF is feasible by our proposed method. The developed electrophoresis-based method for miRNA detection is fast, amplification-free, multiplexed and cost-effective, making it potentially applicable to large-scale screening of isomiRs.     

毛细管电泳-激光诱导荧光法测定草甘膦、草胺膦及氨甲基膦酸

建立了一种快速、有效的毛细管电泳分离-激光诱导荧光检测有机磷除草剂草甘膦、草胺膦和草甘膦的代谢物氨甲基膦酸的方法。将荧光衍生试剂5-(4, 6-二氯三嗪基)氨基荧光素(DTAF)成功用于衍生上述3种化合物。最佳衍生条件: DTAF的浓度为1.0 μmol/L,以50 mmol/L硼酸(pH 9.5)作为缓冲溶液,在30 ℃下反应40 min。以pH 9.5的30 mmol/L硼酸缓冲溶液(含15 mmol/L Brij-35)作为电泳背景电解质,3种衍生物得到基线分离。在优化的条件下,草甘膦、草胺膦、氨甲基膦酸的检出限分别为3.21、6.14和1.99 ng/kg。将该方法应用于环境水样和土壤中除草剂及代谢物的测定,回收率为91.3%～106.0%。该方法准确、灵敏,可满足环境样品中有机磷农药及其代谢物残留的检测要求。