Quantitative analysis of veralipride in plasma and urine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography with flame-ionization detection

A highly sensitive and selective quantitative assay for unchanged veralipride has been developed. The compound is extracted from alkalized samples (plasma or urine) with dichloromethane and converted to its trimethylated derivative by reaction with trimethylanilinium hydroxide. The reaction mixture is then chromatographed on a 3% OV-1 column. Trimethylated derivatives of plasma samples were assayed by selected-ion monitoring in the chemical-ionization mode and quantified by comparing the intensity of the quasi-molecular ion m/z 426 (M + H) with the intensity of the corresponding ion from trideuterated internal standard, m/z 429 (M + H). Flame-ionization detection was used for the assay of urine samples. The peak height ratio of trimethylated veralipride over trimethylated sulpiride, the internal standard, was used for quantitation of urine samples. A relative standard deviation of less than 10% was found when quantifying 10 ng/ml veralipride in plasma or 1 microgram/ml in urine.     

Element-selective detection using capillary gas chromatography with atomic emission detection

Capillary GC coupled to an atomic emission detector (AED) provides a powerful new hyphenated technique for the separation and characterization of complex mixtures and compounds. The AED provides simultaneous and truly specific multi-element detection. The specificity of detection reduces the need for the complex sample pretreatment procedures which are necessary to reduce the interference from co-eluted substances which is experienced with detectors such as the FID and the ECD. A range of environmentally significant problems has been studied, including PCB analysis, the characterization of the reaction products of a novel waste treatment process, and the profiling of sulfur-containing species formed by the pyrolysis of various types of coal.     

Qualitative and quantitative study of nitrogen-containing compounds in heavy gas oil using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with nitrogen phosphorus detection

In this work, a GCxGC-nitrogen-phosphorus detection (NPD) methodology was developed to separate and quantitate nitrogen-containing compounds in Brazilian heavy gas oil. First, the NPD performance was improved in order to achieve best GCxGC performance. The geometry of this detector was also evaluated. The use of an extended jet improved significantly the peak shape. The GCxGC separation was studied using both first and second dimension columns with different internal diameters. The use of a thicker film in both dimensions provided better performance. LODs of 0.16-8.49 pg of individual compounds were achieved. Two different extraction techniques of the neutral and basic nitrogen-containing compounds were also evaluated. The method using ion-exchange resins to separate neutral and basic nitrogen-containing compounds was more efficient than the method using modified silica. As an example, the amounts (microg/g) of each class reported were: indole (2.77), alkyl carbazoles ranging from C(0) to C(6+) (1.467), alkyl benzocarbazoles from C(0) to C(4+) (793), alkyl quinolines (31.2) and alkyl benzoquinolines (21.6) were quantitated.     

Hydrocarbon type analysis by thin-layer chromatography with flame-ionization detection: vacuum gas oils, heavy feeds, and hydroprocessed products

Thin-layer chromatography with flame-ionization detection (TLC-FID) provides quantitative hydrocarbon type data as well as distribution of aromatics by ring number. This method has been applied to obtain amounts of saturates, aromatics, and polars in heavy oil distillates such as light vacuum gas oils and heavy vacuum gas oils derived from different crude sources. TLC-FID chromatograms and resultant quantitative hydrocarbon type data show that these distillates vary markedly in aromatic contents and aromatic ring types. Similar observations are made with several fluid catalytic cracking feeds. Effects of process parameters such as operating pressure and temperature on hydroconversion of aromatics and polars from a heavy oil are assessed by TLC-FID. It has been demonstrated that there is a preferential reduction of higher polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polars with an increase of both hydrogen partial pressure and reactor temperature.     

Determination of butaperazine in biological fluids by gas chromatography using nitrogen specific detection system.

A simple and sensitive gas chromatographic method for the quantitative determination of butaperazine in biological fluids is described. The use of a nitrogen specific detector reduces the number of interfering peaks, thereby increasing the number of samples that can be analyzed. When butaperazine is extracted from 2 ml of plasma, the coefficient of variation is 7.4% over the concentration range of 5-180 ng/ml. The method was used to measure the levels in plasma and red blood cells in schizophrenic patients treated with butaperazine. It was also extended to measure butaperazine levels in rat red blood cells, plasma, liver, and brain after intraperitoneal injection (15 mg/kg).     

Direct determination of acrylamide in food by gas chromatography with nitrogen chemiluminescence detection

A method of gas chromatography with nitrogen chemiluminescence detection and using standard addition is described for the determination of acrylamide in heat‐processed foods. Using a modified QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) sample preparation method removes the acrylamide precursors completely, and the risk of overestimating acrylamide concentration due to additional analyte formation in the hot gas chromatograph inlet is also avoided. Sample preparation is rapid and inexpensive. A Deans switch device is utilized to heart‐cut acrylamide and to prevent interferences from the solvent and matrix from reaching the detector. The pre‐column is backflushed at high temperature to maintain a clean baseline and shorten the cycle time compared to baking out the column. Quantitation using standard addition is employed for compensation of potential variability in the acrylamide extraction efficiency in acetonitrile. The limit of detection and the limit of the quantification obtained for this method are 27 and 81 μg/kg, respectively, in food samples (equivalent to 3.5 and 10.6 μg/L in acetonitrile, respectively), and the linear range is 76–9697 μg/kg in food samples (equivalent to 10–1280 μg/L in acetonitrile) with an R² value of 0.9999.     

Analysis of sulfur-containing compounds in ambient air using solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography with pulsed flame photometric detection

A new analysis method for sulfur-containing compounds in air using solid-phase microextraction (SPME), gas chromatography and pulsed flame photometric detection (PFPD), SPME-GC-PFPD method, has been developed. The analysis method is simple, fast and easily performed. To demonstrate the usefulness and versatility of the method air samples collected in geothermal areas in Rotorua, at a muddy beach in Auckland (cities in New Zealand), and in a wastewater treatment plant were analysed. COS, H₂S, CS₂, SO₂, CH₃SH, (CH₃)₂S and CH₃(CH₂)₂CH₂SH were identified in the samples from Rotorua. It was noted that air quality in residential areas with respect to sulfur compounds was better than that around geothermal sources. Samples from the wastewater treatment plant contained COS, H₂S, CS₂, SO₂, CH₃SH, (CH₃)₂S and (CH₃)₂S₂. It was found that the emission of sulfur compounds was reduced in the course of the wastewater treatment process. The potential impact of the detected sulfur compounds on human health is briefly discussed.     

Sensitive indoor air monitoring of monoterpenes using different adsorbents and thermal desorption gas chromatography with mass-selective detection

A simple method using active trapping on adsorbents and thermal desorption followed by GC-MS analysis was developed for the indoor air monitoring of monoterpenes. The study was carried out using a dynamically generated atmosphere consisting of 11 monoterpenes: camphene, camphor, delta 3-carene, 1,8-cineol, limonene, linalool, alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, alpha-terpinene, gamma-terpinene, fenchyl alcohol. The influence of the different adsorbents Tenax TA, Tenax GR, Carbosieve SIII, Chromosorb 106 on the yield of six selected monoterpenes at indoor air concentrations was studied. The adsorbent Tenax GR gave relatively the best yields followed by Tenax TA. Detection limits of approximately 1 microgram m3 were determined with Tenax GR for most of the monoterpenes.     

Determination of hexahydrophthalic anhydride in air using gas chromatography.

Two methods for the determination of hexahydrophthalic anhydride (HHPA) in air were developed. In a solid sorbent method, HHPA was sampled in Amberlite XAD-2 tubes, eluted in toluene and analysed by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection. The sampling rates were 0.2 and 1.0 l/min. At 15 micrograms/m3 (relative humidity less than 2%) and 27 micrograms/m3 (relative humidity 70%) no breakthrough was observed. However, at 160 micrograms/m3 (relative humidity less than 2%), 6% breakthrough was found. The sampling efficiency of the sampling rates 0.2 and 1.0 l/min did not differ. In a bubbler method, HHPA was sampled in bubblers filled with 0.1 M sodium hydroxide solution. The sodium salt of hexahydrophthalic acid was formed. No breakthrough was observed using a sampling rate of 1.0 l/min. The samples were stable during storage for eight weeks in a refrigerator. The HHP acid was esterified with methanol-boron trifluoride and analysed by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection. Apparatus for the generation of standard atmospheres of HHPA, in the range of 10-3000 micrograms/m3, was developed using the diffusion principle. For the solid sorbent method the precision (coefficient of variation) of the overall method was 2-7%, and for the bubbler method 3-19% (range 15-160 micrograms HHPA/m3; relative humidity = less than 2-70%). A comparison between the two methods was performed using the standard atmosphere. The concentrations found by the solid sorbent method were 86-98% of those found by the bubbler method (range 15-160 micrograms HHPA per m3; relative humidity = less than 2-70%). In work environment air, 93% was found using the solid sorbent method relative to the bubbler method at a mean concentration of 330 micrograms/m3 (coefficient of variation = 39%; range 200-540 micrograms/m3). For both methods, concentrations greater than 3 micrograms/m3 could be quantified at 60 min sampling with a sampling rate of 1.0 l/min.     

Determination of N-nitrosodimethylamine in fish products using gas chromatography with nitrogen-phosphorus detection

A simple and rapid gas chromatographic method for the determination of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in fish products is described. NDMA is extracted from a dried sample with methylene chloride, mixed with n-hexane and passed through a silica gel column. NDMA adsorbed on silica gel is eluted with methylene chloride-diethyl ether (7:3) and the eluate is passed through a Sep-Pak alumina A cartridge column, on which NDMA is adsorbed. NDMA is eluted from the cartridge with diethyl ether-methanol (2:1) and the solution is injected into a gas chromatograph with nitrogen-phosphorus detection. This method does not use solvent evaporation and concentration in the clean-up procedure, which eliminates the loss of volatile NDMA and artifactual formation of NDMA in the analytical procedure. The detection limit is 0.5-1 micrograms/kg and recoveries from salted pollack roe spiked at 40 and 4 micrograms/kg were 96.7% [relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) 3.6%] and 85.0% (R.S.D. 6.8%) respectively.     

Speciation of arsenic using capillary gas chromatography with atomic emission detection

A gas chromatography method with atomic emission detection (GC-AED) for the determination of dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) and inorganic arsenic was optimized. The analytes were derivatized in the sample solutions with methyl thioglycolate (TGM) and the products were extracted into cyclohexane before an aliquot of this organic phase was directly injected into the chromatograph. The procedure was applied to the analysis of seawaters, wines, beers and infant foods, the last requiring an additional enzymatic reaction prior to analyte derivatization. Detection limits in seawaters and beverages were 0.05, 0.15 and 0.8 ng mL⁻¹ for DMA, MMA and inorganic arsenic, respectively. In infant foods the detection limits were 1, 10 and 25 ng g⁻¹ for DMA, MMA and inorganic arsenic, respectively. Inorganic arsenic was detected in some of the seawater samples and three of the wines analyzed at concentration levels in the range 1-40 ng mL⁻¹, and DMA in several of the infant foods in the range 20-80 ng g⁻¹. The method was validated by analyzing a certified reference material and by recovery studies. All the samples were also analyzed by hydride generation and atomic fluorescence spectrometry (HG-AFS), which provided data for the total arsenic content.     

Comparative study of ink photoinitiators in food packages using gas chromatography with vacuum ultraviolet detection and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry

This work focused on the development and validation of the analytical procedure using gas chromatography equipped with vacuum‐ultraviolet detection for the specific and sensitive determination of nine photoinitiators in food packages. Subsequently, a comparison of the combination of vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy with gas chromatography and a developed gas chromatography with mass spectrometry method was performed. The vacuum‐ultraviolet spectra of all tested photoinitiators were collected and found to be highly distinct, even for isomers. Under the optimal conditions, the limits of detection for nine photoinitiators ranged from 1 to 5 mg/L using vacuum ultraviolet detection and from 0.15 to 0.5 mg/L using mass spectrometric detection. Both techniques were successfully applied for screening of photoinitiators in seven kinds of food packages and the obtained data showed good agreement (the relative difference was between 3 and 18%). The variability in concentrations found in triplicate samples was assessed to be below 18%. Predominantly benzophenone was found in all analysed samples in the range of 0.31–4.23 mg/kg. It appears to be preferably selected by food packaging manufacturers. This study proposes a new simple and sensitive technique used for analysis of photoinitiators that could be a good alternative to gas chromatography with mass spectrometry.     

Method for the analysis of thyreostats in meat tissue using gas chromatography with nitrogen phosphorus detection and tandem mass spectrometric confirmation

An analytical method not requiring a mercury column cleanup step is described for the isolation and detection of four thyreostatic agents in meat tissue. The use of these growth promotants in livestock has been banned by regulatory agencies. The meat tissue is homogenized with acetonitrile-water, centrifuged, and the supernatant is partitioned with petroleum ether. The acetonitrile-water is concentrated and then passed through a silica-gel column. The solvent is then removed and the residue derivatized with N-methyl-N-(trimethylsilyl)-trifluoroacetamide. The total amount of organic solvent used for the analysis is merely 35 mL. The derivatized thyreostats are detected and quantitated by gas chromatography (GC) equipped with a nitrogen-phosphorus detector. Percent recoveries from fortified meat tissue (n = 6) at the 0.1-microg/g (parts per million) level are 93.5 +/- 2.9 for 2-thiouracil, 90.3 +/- 3.0 for tapazole, 87.5 +/- 2.9 for 6-methyl-2-thiouracil, and 85.1 +/- 5.8 for 6-n-propyl-2-thiouracil. For the confirmation of analyte identities, GC-tandem mass spectrometry with an ion-trap instrument is used. The estimated minimum level for a reliable measurement is 0.050 microg/g in meat tissue.     

Determination of PCBs in tetrachlorinated quinone using gas chromatography with electron capture detection

A simple, sensitive method for determining polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners in industrial product 2,3,5,6-tetrachloro-1,4-benzoquinone with GC/ECD detection has been developed. The method based on liquid-liquid extraction from tetrachlorinated quinone dissolved in N,N-dimethylformamide was found to be efficient for the determination of the levels of the investigated pollutants. A series of extraction and purification steps were designed for the sample pretreatment. The congener specific averages of recoveries were 82-96% for Aroclor 1242 and 1254 at a total spiking level of ca. 0.4 mug g(-1) sample. The reproducibilities of replicate determinations of different congeners were typically 5-19% except one with the average 13% R.S.D. (n=3). This method was applied to evaluate the background levels of PCBs in tetrachloro-1,4-benzoquinone, of which the corresponding PCB levels varied from 0.014 to 1.5 mug g(-1).     

FT-IR detection in gas chromatography

Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy plays a small, though occasionally crucial, role as a detection technique in gas chromatography (GC). FT-IR can be used as a universal, a selective and a specific detection method, but a major drawback is its lack of sensitivity. The power of GC/FT-IR is the unique structural information that can be extracted from the spectral data and that cannot be obtained from any other method. As a consequence, GC/FT-IR is mainly applied as an additional tool to GC/MS, for isomer discrimination and structure elucidation of compounds with closely-related structures.     

Analytical accuracy of hydrogen measurement using gas chromatography with thermal conductivity detection

Gas chromatography employing a thermal conductivity detector with a nitrogen carrier gas and a molecular sieve 5 Å column is commonly used for the analysis of widely varying hydrogen concentrations. Flow variation of the column, caused by carrier gas adsorption, affects the peak shape and impacts the analytical accuracy. The mechanism and factors affecting the adsorption effect are explored, errors caused by the deviation from the linearity of the detector's response are considered, and practical advice is given for improving the analytical accuracy.     

Multiresidue determination of pesticides in honey by matrix solid-phase dispersion and gas chromatography with electron-capture detection

A multiresidue method was developed for the determination of 15 pesticides (organochlorines, organophosphorus compounds, pyrethroids, and other acaricides) in various commercial honeys (eucalyptus, lavender, orange, rosemary, and multifloral). The analytical procedure is based on the matrix solid-phase dispersion of honey in a mixture of Florisil and anhydrous sodium sulfate; the mixture is placed in small plastic columns and extracted with hexane-ethyl acetate (90 + 10, v/v). The pesticide residues are determined by capillary gas chromatography with electron-capture detection. Recoveries with the method at concentrations between 0.15 and 1.5 microg/g ranged from 80 to 113%, and relative standard deviations were <10% for all the pesticides studied. The pesticide detection limits were within the range 0.5-5 microg/kg for organochlorines, around 3 microg/kg for the chlorinated organophosphorus pesticides studied, near 15 microg/kg for fluvalinate, and about 3 microg/kg for the other pyrethroids.