Determination of methanol in whole blood by capillary gas chromatography with direct on-column injection.

A gas chromatographic procedure was developed for the determination of methanol in small-volume whole blood samples. Samples (100-200 microliters) were prepared by protein precipitation, with direct injection of the supernatant on a wide-bore capillary column. The recovery of methanol and acetonitrile (the internal standard) was approximately 90% and did not vary with sample volume. The assay was linear from 2 micrograms/ml (the limit of detection) through 1000 micrograms/ml and was highly reproducible (intra-day coefficient of variation less than 2.5%). Assay performance was assessed following exposure of rats to methanol. The results indicate that the present procedure is suitable for studies of methanol disposition in small rodent species.     

Routine determination of eight common anti-epileptic drugs and metabolites by high-performance liquid chromatography using a column-switching system for direct injection of serum samples

A simple and rapid high-performance liquid chromatographic method for determining eight common anti-epileptic drugs and metabolites in serum is described. A column-switching system including one analytical column and two precolumns for sample enrichment offers the possibility of directly injecting patients' sera without any pretreatment. The two precolumns are alternately switched over to avoid time loss in analysis due to the sample washing step. The samples are flushed with dilute phosphoric acid, as the purge liquid, onto the precolumns which consist of very short cartridges (length 0.5 cm) filled with spherical ODS silica gel (particle size 30 micron). The retained substances are carried over, after purification, onto the analytical column in the same direction of flow as in the flushing step. A mixture of acetonitrile and phosphoric acid--sodium phosphate buffer solution is thereby used as solvent for the gradient elution. The separation was carried out using an analytical column, which was filled with ODS material of particle size 5 micron.     

Determination of urinary vanillylmandelic acid by direct injection and coupled-column chromatography with electrochemical detection

An automated column-switching system for determination of vanillylmandelic acid in urine is described. The liquid chromatographic system was composed of two separation columns with different selectivity properties, an octadecyl column coated with tributyl phosphate as stationary liquid phase and a silica-based anion exchanger. Urine samples were injected directly onto the first column, where vanillylmandelic acid was separated from the main part of the sample matrix. The internal standard isovanillylmandelic acid was co-eluting with vanillylmandelic acid, and a fraction of the eluate containing both substances was switched to the second column, where separation was performed. To assess peak purity, detection was performed with dual working electrodes in parallel mode. A relative standard deviation of 3.5% was obtained for determination of human urine samples containing 3 microM vanillylmandelic acid, and less than 0.1 microM could be detected.     

An improved method for tracking and reducing the void volume in nano HPLC–MS with micro trapping columns

Tandem mass spectrometry coupled to HPLC is the state of the art technique in proteomic research. Here we describe a highly sensitive nano liquid chromatography system (nano HPLC) for analysis of protein digests. Using preconcentration in a column-switching set-up, we were able to inject large sample volumes (250 µL) without significant loss of sensitivity. The major problem with this type of preconcentration is usually the occurrence of void volumes. In order to diagnose void volumes a simple and easy test was developed by which the UV trace and the pressure profile in the separation column were monitored. Part by part replacement of connection tubing restored a void volume-free system. A major pre-requisite for handling samples in the femtomol range was found to be the use of protein/peptide-saturated columns tryptic digests of cytochrome C were injected directly onto the reversed-phase nano separation column (75 µm inner diameter) and the separation results were compared with chromatograms obtained from separations using column switching. By using column switching we were able to inject large sample volumes in a short time period without losing resolution.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of cocaine and benzoylecgonine by direct injection of human blood plasma sample into an alkyl-diol-silica (ADS) precolumn

A column-switching high-performance liquid chromatographic method with UV detection for the determination of cocaine (COC) and benzoylecgonine (BZE) in human blood plasma samples is described. The method uses an alkyl-diol-silica ADS-C18 extraction precolumn. A 50- micro L plasma sample was introduced to the ADS precolumn in order to separate the analytes from proteins and endogenous compounds. The fraction containing COC and BZE was back-flushed and transferred to an Alltech mixed-mode C(18)/cation-exchange analytical column for final separation. The validation of the method revealed quantitative recoveries from 95.0 to 99.0% for COC at three different concentrations (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 micro g mL(-1)), and from 96.0 to 99.0% for BZE at the same concentration levels with coefficients of variation <4.00% (n=5). The detection limit (signal to noise ratio (S/N)>3) was 0.03 micro g mL(-1) for all the compounds with an injection volume of 50 micro L. However, it was possible to enhance the sensitivity further by injecting larger plasma volumes, up to 200 micro L, at the same optimal conditions. The overlap of sample preparation, analysis and reconditioning of the extraction column, increase the overall sample throughput to 5 samples h(-1). The developed method has been applied to human blood plasma samples from subjects suspected of cocaine abuse.     

Liquid Chromatographic Determination of Cyclosporine-A in Blood,with Chromosorb P Columns Used for Sample Purification

Abstract

A fast liquid-chromatographic determination of whole-blood cyclosporine A concenration is described. A sample preparation consisting of diethyl ether extraction and Chromosorb P column purification of extract, requires 1 mL of whole blood and takes 10 min of technical effort per sample. A reversed-phase C₁ column (5-μm particles) is used, with acetonitrile/methanol/water (20/45/35 by vol) as mobile phase. Cyclosporine A is quantified by absorbance at 214 nm, with cyclosporine D as internal standard. Chromatographic development is complete in 8 min. Linearity is verified by a five-point calibration curve in the range 50–900 μg/L, correlation coefficient r>0.998, y = 0.001x ? 0.053. Lower limit of sensitivity is 25 μg/L. Extraction efficiency was over 70%, accuracy varied between ?7.1% and +3.3%s, CVs were <5.8% within run, <7.5% between runs. No interference was observed from both endogenous compounds, and 33 drugs eventually co-administered during immunosuppression. Over 1,000 patient samples have been analysed by this method in our laboratory in about one year, without any sign of column deterioration.     

Analysis of chlortetracycline by high performance liquid chromatography with postcolumn alkaline-induced fluorescence detection.

A high performance liquid chromatographic method for the analysis of chlortetracycline (CTC) using postcolumn fluorescence detection has been developed. After chromatographic separation of CTC on a polystyrene-divinylbenzene copolymer column, a highly fluorescent derivative isochlortetracycline (iso-CTC) was formed postcolumn in an on-line reaction coil with the addition of 25% NaOH (w/v). Chromatographic separation was achieved on a PRP-1 column, 15 cm x 4.6 mm, with 27:73 acetonitrile:0.2% perchloric acid (v/v), at 1.0 mL/min. Fluorescence derivatization was achieved by the on-line addition of 25% NaOH (w/v), at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min, into the column eluant in a post-column reaction coil. The reaction coil was 9 m of teflon (1/16 in o.d., 0.3 mm i.d.) knitted into a six-sided coil. The fluorescent derivative was detected at lambda ex 355 nm and lambda em > 389 nm. Using this method after a simple sample cleanup, CTC can be detected in milk at 0.04 micrograms/mL, which is comparable to that obtained by microbiological assays. The detection method was linear between 0.02 micrograms/mL and 4 micrograms/mL. Because of the chromatographic separation, the method is more selective than microbiological assays and more sensitive than ultraviolet detection. With the chromatographic system described, the keto tautomeric forms of CTC and 4-epi-CTC are separated in a system which minimizes their formation on-column. In acidic aqueous organic solutions, the keto tautomer of CTC is the only product formed to any significant amount.     

Determination of cyclosporin A in whole blood by high-performance liquid chromatography using automated column switching

A fully automated high-performance liquid chromatographic column-switching system is presented for the determination of cyclosporin A in whole blood. After blood proteins were precipitated with acetonitrile, the supernatant was automatically loaded on to a cyanopropyl column for initial separation, and then the fraction containing cyclosporin A was loaded on to a trimethylsilica column for final separation and quantitation. Cyclosporin A was detected by ultraviolet absorption at 205 nm. The minimum detectable concentration of cyclosporin A was 5 ng/ml in 100 microliter of blood. The coefficient of variation of the method was 1.755, 1.748 and 0.655% in whole blood when spiked at the 170, 425 and 850 ng/ml levels, respectively. One assay was completed in 15 min.     

高效液相色谱法快速同时检测全血中两种免疫抑制剂

环孢素A和西罗莫司是许多器官移植手术中广泛使用的免疫抑制剂,且一起使用时会产生协同效应,但这两种免疫抑制剂的治疗窗口都非常窄,仅在特定的血药浓度范围内有预期的治疗效果。因此,快速同时检测全血中这两种免疫抑制剂的浓度,可为患者器官移植手术后的给药方案提供有价值的信息。该工作首先考察了环孢素A和西罗莫司在生物液相色谱柱和传统液相色谱柱上的色谱行为,然后基于生物液相色谱柱,建立了可快速分离和检测全血中环孢素A和西罗莫司的高效液相色谱分析方法。全血样品经样品前处理后进样分析,采用ZORBAX 300SB C8柱（250 mm×4.6 mm, 5.0 μm）进行分离,以乙腈-水（70∶30, v/v）为流动相进行等度洗脱,柱温为60 ℃,流速为1.0 mL/min,检测波长为205 nm和278 nm,进样量为20 μL。结果表明,环孢素A和西罗莫司在6 min内可实现较好的分离;环孢素A和西罗莫司在各自的浓度范围内具有良好的线性关系（r>0.997）,检出限（S/N=3）分别为10 ng/mL和1 ng/mL,定量限（S/N=10）分别为30 ng/mL和2 ng/mL, 3个水平的平均加标回收率分别为83.5%~89.7%和95.8%~97.8%,相对标准偏差（RSD）分别为3.2%~9.0%和3.4%~6.7%（n=5）。该方法操作简便,流动相简单,分析时间短,线性范围宽,灵敏度高,可用于全血中环孢素A和西罗莫司的含量检测。     

Automated determination of orotic acid, uracil and pseudouridine in urine by high-performance liquid chromatography with column switching.

A column-switching high-performance liquid chromatographic method, requiring no sample preparation apart from filtration, is described for quantification of urinary orotic acid, uracil and pseudouridine. The analyses were carried out using a reversed-phase octadecylsilane-bonded column for sample clean-up and a cation-exchange column for separation; 5-20 microliters samples of urine were directly analysed, and more than 100 samples could be analysed consecutively. Each sample required only 30 min. Detection limits of these compounds were 5 pmol. Creatinine-related urinary uracil excretion was lowest in the newborn period (17.3 +/- 14.4 mumol/g of creatinine). A patient with partial ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency and his mother usually excreted a high level of uracil during the period of normal orotic acid excretion and normal serum ammonia level.     

Analysis of sulthiame in serum by narrow-bore high-performance liquid chromatography. Comparison of direct sample injection with pre-column switching and extrelut extraction.

Two high-performance liquid chromatographic methods for the analysis of sulthiame in serum are described. In the first method direct injection of serum samples onto a 4 x 4 mm I.D. (C18, 25 microns) precolumn in a column-switching device was used. After a purge step, the adsorbed analytes were eluted onto a 250 x 3 mm I.D. (C18, 5 microns) narrow-bore column for chromatographic separation. In the second method the sample pretreatment was an Extrelut extraction with dichloromethane-propanol-2 (95:5). After evaporation of the solvents, the residue was dissolved in methanol. The chromatographic separation was carried out on the same analytical column as used in the column-switching method. Both sample pretreatment methods were compared with respect to their suitability of routine analysis of sera from patients also receiving other antiepileptic drugs.     

Analysis of tofisopam in human serum by column-switching semi-micro high-performance liquid chromatography and evaluation of tofisopam bioequivalency

A rapid and sensitive column-switching semi-micro HPLC method is described for the direct analysis of tofisopam in human serum. The sample (100 microL) was directly injected onto the precolumn (Capcell Pak MF Ph-1), where unretained proteins were eluted to waste. Tofisopam was then eluted into an enrichment column using 13% acetonitrile in 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) containing 5 mM sodium octanesulfonate and subsequently into the analytical column using 43% acetonitrile in 0.1% phosphoric acid containing 5 mM sodium octanesulfonate. The detection limit (2 ng/mL), good precision (CV < or = 4.2%) and speed (total analysis time 24 min) of the present method were sufficient for drug monitoring. This method was successfully applied to a bioequivalence test of two commercial tofisopam tablets.     

HPLC Determination of Cyclosporine in Whole Blood

Abstract

A rapid sensitive method for measuring cyclosporine concentration in whole blood by HPLC has been developed. The pre-chromatography isolation steps are convenient and rapid and are based on salting out acetonitrile with simultaneous extraction of cyclosporine from the blood. A reversed phase column is used with detection by absorbance at 200 nm.     

Application of an internal surface reversed-phase column for the automated determination of flucycloxuron residues

A liquid chromatographic column-switching system for the automated determination of flucycloxuron, a benzoylphenylurea pesticide, in crop and environmental matrices is described. The system consists of an internal surface reversed-phase (ISRP) column, a phenyl-bonded precolumn and an analytical reversed-phase (RP) C₁₈ column. Sample extracts are evaporated to dryness and dissolved in the mobile phase of the ISRP column. An aliquot of this solution is injected into the column-switching system. Clean-up, with regard to removal of large molecules, is performed on the ISRP column. The flucycloxuron fraction from the ISRP column is concentrated on the phenyl-bonded precolumn. Additional clean-up can be performed by washing the precolumn. Finally, the compound is desorbed from the precolumn and separation and determination of the Z- and E-isomers of flucycloxuron are performed with the analytical RP-C₁₈ column using UV detection at 254 nm. The total analysis time required is 40 min. The reproducibility of the method obtained with the column-switching system, expressed as relative standard deviation, varies between 3.7 and 10% for apple, strawberry, citrus and soil samples for flucycloxuron levels between 0.04 and 0.33 mg/kg. The system showed no loss of analytical performance after more than 300 analyses.     

Application of column switching in high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of medroxalol in plasma

An automated high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) column-switching system is described for the analysis of medroxalol, a potential antihypertensive agent, in plasma. The HPLC system uses two six-port switching valves with a Corasil C18 short pre-column for an on-line sample clean-up and an SGE ODS analytical column for separation. Plasma samples were diluted with a phosphate buffer (pH 7.2) containing an internal standard and aliquots were injected directly on the HPLC system. The column-switching system was applicable to continuous analysis of hundreds of plasma samples since this technique provided very efficient on-line sample clean-up and regenerated the pre-column effectively. Results were in good agreement and the total analysis time was one third that of an alternative method.     

Multidimensional high-performance liquid chromatography on Pinkerton ISRP and RP18 columns: direct serum injection to quantify creatinine.

A two-dimensional high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of creatinine with direct serum injection without sample pretreatment has been developed. The column-switching technique allowed a switch from columns packed with internal surface reversed-phase (ISRP) material to columns of almost any other material, even if the eluents necessary in a particular case do not appear to be directly compatible. A Pinkerton ISRP column, which stands out because of its very good stability when loaded with undiluted serum samples, was used as precolumn. The creatinine-containing fraction was switched to a reversed-phase Shandon RP18 column and was focused there by alteration of the eluent from pH 6.5 to phosphoric acid-ion-pair reagent. The separation occurs via a pH gradient, with ultraviolet detection at 234 nm. This method stands out particularly for its good long-term stability, simple sample handling without pretreatment, high selectivity, a broad linearity (0.3-30 mg/dl creatinine), good reproducibility (inter-assay coefficient of variation less than 3%) and high recovery (97-100%) relative to values obtained with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.     

HPLC column-switching technique for sample preparation and fluorescence determination of propranolol in urine using fused-core columns in both dimensions

A new and fast high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) column-switching method using fused-core columns in both dimensions for sample preconcentration and determination of propranolol in human urine has been developed. On-line sample pretreatment and propranolol preconcentration were performed on an Ascentis Express RP-C-18 guard column (5?×?4.6 mm), particle size, 2.7 μm, with mobile phase acetonitrile/water (5:95, v/v) at a flow rate of 2.0 mL min^?1 and at a temperature of 50 °C. Valve switch from pretreatment column to analytical column was set at 4.0 min in a back-flush mode. Separation of propranolol from other endogenous urine compounds was achieved on the fused-core column Ascentis Express RP-Amide (100?×?4.6 mm), particle size, 2.7 μm, with mobile phase acetonitrile/water solution of 0.5 % triethylamine, pH adjusted to 4.5 by means of glacial acetic acid (25:75, v/v), at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min^?1 and at a temperature of 50 °C. Fluorescence excitation/emission detection wavelengths were set at 229/338 nm. A volume of 1,500 μL of filtered urine sample solution was injected directly into the column-switching HPLC system. The total analysis time including on-line sample pretreatment was less than 8 min. The experimentally determined limit of detection of the method was found to be 0.015 ng mL^?1.

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of loxoprofen and its diastereomeric alcohol metabolites in biological fluids by fluorescence labelling with 4-bromomethyl-6,7-methylenedioxycoumarin

A simple and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic procedure to determine loxoprofen and its diastereomeric alcohol metabolites in biological specimens is described. The analysis involves liquid-liquid extraction with benzene, pre-column derivatization with a highly fluorogenic reagent, 4-bromomethyl-6,7-methylenedioxycoumarin (BrMDC) and subsequent separation on a reversed-phase column. Loxoprofen, its pharmacologically active metabolite, trans-alcohol, and less active cis-alcohol were completely separated within 20 min with a mobile phase of 55% of aqueous acetonitrile containing acetic acid. Any endogenous substances do not interfere in the analysis of either plasma or urine samples. The quantitation limit was 0.01 micrograms/ml for human plasma and 0.05 micrograms/ml for urine. The method was applied to a pharmacokinetic study in healthy human subjects who had received 60 mg of loxoprofen sodium.     

Application of the restricted-access precolumn packing material alkyl-diol silica in a column-switching system for the determination of ketoprofen enantiomers in horse plasma

The group of LiChrospher ADS (alkyl-diol silica) sorbents that make part of a unique family of restricted-access materials, have been developed as special packings for precolumns used in the LC-integrated sample processing of biofluids. The advantage of these sorbents lies in the direct injection of untreated biological fluids, that is without sample clean-up, the elimination of the protein matrix with a quantitative recovery together with an on-column enrichment. The present method is based on previous work applying UV detection at 260 nm for ketoprofen determinations. Plasma samples introduced to the ADS precolumn using a 0.1 M phosphate buffer, pH 7.0. After washing with the buffer the ADS column was backflushed with the mobile phase 0.01 M phosphate buffer-6% (v/v) 2-propanol-5 mM octanoic acid at a pH of 5.5, thus transporting the analytes to the chiral-HSA (human serum albumin) (100x4.0 mm) column where the separation of the ketoprofen enantiomers was achieved with a resolution factor of 1.4. The developed column-switching method was fully applicable to plasma injections.     

Determination of the new fluoroquinolone fleroxacin and its N-demethyl and N-oxide metabolites in plasma and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method is described for the determination of the new fluoroquinolone fleroxacin and its metabolites in plasma and urine. Plasma samples are deproteinized with acetonitrile, and, after evaporation and reconstitution of the supernatant, samples are analysed on a reversed-phase column. The limit of quantification is 10-20 ng/ml for the parent drug and 10 ng/ml for the metabolites, using a 0.2-ml sample. Urine samples are diluted with the mobile phase. An aliquot is then injected directly onto the column. The limits of quantification are 1 micrograms/ml for the parent drug and 0.5 micrograms/ml for the metabolites, using a 0.1-ml sample. The method has been successfully applied to pharmacokinetic studies of human volunteers and patients.