Determination of pesticides in wine using micellar electrokinetic chromatography with UV detection and sample stacking

In this work, the analysis of a group of four fungicides (pyrimethanil, nuarimol, procymidone and cyprodinil) and one insecticide (pirimicarb) by micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) with UV detection using the on-line preconcentration strategy called reversed electrode polarity stacking mode (REPSM) is proposed. After optimisation, an adequate separation electrolyte for the separation and stacking of these pesticides was obtained which consisted of 100 mM borate, 60 mM sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), at pH 9.0 and 2% 2-propanol. The use of this running buffer together with the REPSM preconcentration method provided limits of detection (LODs) between 38.3 and 241 microg/L. In order to apply the developed methodology for the analysis of these pesticides in wine samples, several off-line preconcentration strategies (mainly, solid-phase extraction, SPE, and solid-phase microextraction, SPME) were tested. Although the use of a SPE procedure, optimized in this work for water samples, using Oasis HLB cartridges, provided mean recovery values between 79 and 100% for spiked water samples, it could not be applied to the extraction of these pesticides from wine samples due to high interference from the sample matrix. However, the use of a SPME procedure using polydimethylsiloxane/divynilbenzene (PDMS/DVB) fibers allowed the selective extraction of four of the five pesticides which could be perfectly determined. The final combination of the off-line SPME and on-line REPSM preconcentration strategies allowed obtaining LODs between 17.6 and 32.3 microg/L.     

Determination of herbicides in mineral and stagnant waters at ng/L levels using capillary electrophoresis and UV detection combined with solid-phase extraction and sample stacking

In this work, the combined use of solid-phase extraction (SPE) and on-line preconcentration strategies as normal stacking mode (NSM) and stacking with matrix removal (SWMR) for the ultrasensitive and simultaneous capillary electrophoresis-ultraviolet analysis (CE-UV) of five triazolopyrimidine sulfonanilide pesticides (i.e., diclosulam, cloransulam-methyl, flumetsulam, metosulam and florasulam) in different types of water is investigated. An adequate separation electrolyte for the separation and stacking of these pesticides was obtained, considering also its compatibility with MS detection, which consisted of 24 mM formic acid and 16 mM ammonium carbonate at pH 6.4. It was observed that the use of this running buffer together with the SWMR preconcentration method provided the best results in terms of sensitivity (between 6.54 and 11.9 microg/L) and peak efficiency (up to 550000 theoretical plates per meter, NTP/m). When this on-line preconcentration procedure was combined with an off-line sample preconcentration step as SPE using C18 cartridges, the selected herbicides could be detected in the ng/L range. The optimized SPE-SWMR-CE-UV method was applied to the determination of the selected group of pesticides in spiked and non-spiked mineral and stagnant waters. Recoveries ranged between 55 and 110% and limits of detection between 131 and 342 ng/L. This work shows the great possibilities of the combined use of SPE-SWMR-CE-UV to overcome the sensitivity problems usually linked to CE analysis.     

Rapid analysis of triazolopyrimidine sulfoanilide herbicides in waters and soils by high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection using a C18 monolithic column

In this work, the simultaneous analysis of five triazolopyrimidine sulfoanilide herbicides (flumetsulam, florasulam, metosulam, cloransulam-methyl, and diclosulam) by HPLC using UV detection and a C18 monolithic column is proposed. The mobile phase which was composed of ACN, water, and formic acid was pumped at a high flow rate (5 mmL/min) providing an analysis time of all the compounds in less than 2.3 min. The LODs were in the low microg/L range (i.e. between 60 microg/L for flumetsulam and 90 microg/L for florasulam) and the calibration curves showed good linearity (R2 > 0.9949). The method was applied to the analysis of these compounds in spiked mineral and tap waters and soils after an SPE preconcentration procedure using C18 cartridges. Mean recovery values ranged between 35 and 110% for water samples providing LODs of the whole procedure in the low ng/L level, down to 280 ng/L, and between 77 and 92% for soil samples with LODs down to 9.38 microg/kg. This is the first time that this family of pesticides is simultaneously analyzed in both types of samples by HPLC and also using a monolithic column.     

MEKC combined with SPE and sample stacking for multiple analysis of pesticides in water samples at the ng/L level

In this work, a new multiresidue analytical method based on MEKC with UV detection combined with SPE as off-line preconcentration strategy, and reversed-electrode polarity stacking mode (REPSM) as on-line stacking procedure, has been developed for the monitoring of 12 pesticides (carbendazim, pirimicarb, metalaxyl, pyrimethanil, procymidone, nuarimol, azoxystrobin, tebufenozide, fenarimol, benalaxyl, penconazole, and tetradifon) that are currently being used in the Canary Islands (Spain). The optimized MEKC buffer, consisting of 100 mM sodium tetraborate and 30 mM SDS at pH 8.5 with 6% v/v 1-propanol, provided baseline resolution of the 12 pesticides in less than 20 min. The developed method was applied to the analysis of mineral, stagnant, and tap water samples. The proposed SPE-REPSM-MEKC-UV method showed high extraction efficiencies with detection limits (LODs) at the low ng/L level providing LOD values down to 64 ng/L for these real samples.     

Determination of pharmaceuticals in drinking water by CD-modified MEKC: separation optimization using experimental design

A suite of 12 widely used pharmaceuticals (ibuprofen, diclofenac, naproxen, bezafibrate, gemfibrozil, ofloxacin, norfloxacin, carbamazepine, primidone, sulphamethazine, sulphadimethoxine and sulphamethoxazole) commonly found in environmental waters were separated by highly sulphated CD-modified MEKC (CD-MEKC) with UV detection. An experimental design method, face-centred composite design, was employed to minimize run time without sacrificing resolution. Using an optimized BGE composed of 10 mM ammonium hydrogen phosphate, pH 11.5, 69 mM SDS, 6 mg/mL sulphated beta-CD and 8.5% v/v isopropanol, a separation voltage of 30 kV and a 48.5 cm x 50 microm id bare silica capillary at 30 degrees C allowed baseline separation of the 12 analytes in a total analysis time of 6.7 min. Instrument LODs in the low milligram per litre range were obtained, and when combined with offline preconcentration by SPE, LODs were between 4 and 30 microg/L.     

Investigation of in-line solid-phase extraction capillary electrophoresis for the analysis of drugs of abuse and their metabolites in water samples

In this study, in‐line solid‐phase extraction (SPE) was used as an enrichment technique in combination with CE for the preconcentration and separation of 2‐ethylidene‐1,5‐dimethyl‐3,3‐diphenylpyrrolidine (EDDP), cocaine (COC), codeine (COD) and 6‐acetylmorphine (6AM). The separation buffer (BGE) used was 80 mM disodium phosphate anhydrous and 6 mM of HCl (final BGE pH of 3). The SPE extractor consists of a small segment of capillary filled with Oasis HLB sorbent and inserted into the inlet section of the electrophoretic capillary. Different parameters affecting preconcentration were evaluated, such as sample pH, the volume of the elution plug and sample injection time. The detection limits (LODs) reached for standard samples by in‐line SPE‐CE‐UV ranged between 50 and 200 ng/L, with sensitivity enhancement factors ranging from 2300 to 5300. Reproducibility values (expressed in terms of relative standard deviation) were below 7.6% for standard samples. This is a simple and an effective method for the determination of the studied drugs of abuse and their metabolites. The applicability of the developed method was demonstrated in tap and river water samples which were directly analyzed without any off‐line pretreatment. Analytical parameters were evaluated and LODs were between 70 and 270 ng/L with relative recoveries between 85 and 97%.     

Analysis of pesticides in soy milk combining solid-phase extraction and capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry

In this work, the determination of a group of triazolopyrimidine sulfoanilide herbicides (cloransulam-methyl, metosulam, flumetsulam, florasulam, and diclosulam) in soy milk by capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry (CE-MS) is presented. The main electrospray interface (ESI) parameters (nebulizer pressure, dry gas flow rate, dry gas temperature, and composition of the sheath liquid) are optimized using a central composite design. To increase the sensitivity of the CE-MS method, an off-line sample preconcentration procedure based on solid-phase extraction (SPE) is combined with an on-line stacking procedure (i.e. normal stacking mode, NSM). Samples could be injected for up to 100 s, providing limits of detection (LODs) down to 74 microg/L, i.e., at the low ppb level, with relative standard deviation values (RSD,%) between 3.8% and 6.4% for peak areas on the same day, and between 6.5% and 8.1% on three different days. The usefulness of the optimized SPE-NSM-CE-MS procedure is demonstrated through the sensitive quantification of the selected pesticides in soy milk samples.     

Large-volume sample stacking for the analysis of seven beta-lactam antibiotics in milk samples of different origins by CZE

A method for the simultaneous determination of eight beta-lactam antibiotics (nafcillin, cloxacillin, oxacillin, dicloxacillin, ampicillin, amoxicillin, and penicillin G) in fortified milk samples of different origins has been proposed by using CZE with diode-array detection (CZE-DAD). Optimum separation was obtained on a 64.5 cm x 75 microm bubble cell capillary using 175 mM Tris buffer with 20% ethanol at pH 8.0. Methylparaben has been used as an internal standard (IS). Taking into account the lack of sensitivity of the UV-Vis detection, a solvent extraction/SPE method was applied for off-line preconcentration and sample cleanup, and also an on-line preconcentration methodology, such as large-volume sample stacking (LVSS) with polarity switching, was developed, providing LODs ranging from 2 to 10 microg/L. The method permits the quantification of these residues below the levels established in milk by the EU Regulation. Satisfactory recoveries ranging from 86 to 93% were also obtained in milk samples of different origins.     

Separation of perfluorocarboxylic acids using capillary electrophoresis with UV detection

A capillary electrophoretic method with UV detection for separation and quantitation of perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) from C6-PFCA to C12-PFCA has been developed. The optimization of measurement conditions included the choice of the most appropriate type and concentration of buffer in the background electrolyte (BGE), as well as the type and the content of an organic modifier. The optimal separation of investigated PFCAs was achieved with 50 mM phosphate buffer and 40% isopropanol in the BGE using direct UV detection. The optimum wavelength for direct UV detection was optimized at 190 nm. For indirect detection, several chromophores were studied. Five mM 3,5-Dinitrobenzoic acid (3,5-DNBA) in 20 mM phosphate buffer BGE and indirect UV detection at 280 nm gave the optimal detection and separation performance for the investigated PFCAs. The possibility of on-line preconcentration of solutes by stacking has been examined for indirect detection. The detection limits (LODs) determined for direct UV detection ranged from 2 microg/mL for C6-PFCA to 33 microg/mL for C12-PFCA. The LODs obtained for indirect UV detection were comparable to those obtained for direct UV detection.     

Different sample stacking strategies to analyse some nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs by micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography in mineral waters

Three on-column preconcentration techniques were compared to analyse a group of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) using micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MEKC) under pH-suppressed electroosmotic flow (EOF) in water samples. The analysed drugs were ibuprofen, fenoprofen, naproxen, ketoprofen, and diclofenac sodium. The micellar background electrolyte (BGE) solution was formed by 75 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), 40% (v/v) acetonitrile, and 25 mM sodium phosphate at pH 2.5. When this BGE solution was used the applied voltage was reversed, -10 kV, and the drugs were separated within 20 min. The on-column preconcentration modes, characterised all of them for the sample matrix removal out of the capillary by itself under a reverse potential at the same time as the EOF was reduced, were stacking with reverse migrating micelles (SRMM), stacking with reverse migrating micelles-anion selective exhaustive injection (SRMM-ASEI), and field-enhanced sample injection with reverse migrating micelles (FESI-RMM). The sensitivity was improved up to 154-, 263-, and 63-fold, respectively when it was calculated through the peaks height. The optimised methods were validated with spiked mineral water by combining off-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) and the proposed on-line sample stacking strategies. The detection limits (LODs) of NSAIDs in mineral water were at ng/L levels.     

Different strategies for the preconcentration and separation of parabens by capillary electrophoresis

Several strategies, namely, large volume sample stacking (LVSS), field‐amplified sample injection (FASI), sweeping, and in‐line SPE‐CE, were investigated for the simultaneous separation and preconcentration of a group of parabens. A BGE consisting of 20 mM sodium dihydrogenphosphate (pH 2.28) and 150 mM SDS with 15% ACN was used for the separation and preconcentration of the compounds by sweeping, and a BGE consisting of 30 mM sodium borate (pH 9.5) was used for the separation and preconcentration of the compounds by LVSS, FASI, and in‐line SPE‐CE. Several factors affecting the preconcentration process were investigated in order to obtain the maximum enhancement of sensitivity. The LODs obtained for parabens were in the range of 18–27, 3–4, 2, and 0.01–0.02 ng/mL, and the sensitivity evaluated in terms of LODs was improved up to 29‐, 77‐, 120‐, and 18 400‐fold for sweeping, LVSS, FASI, and in‐line SPE‐CE, respectively. These preconcentration techniques showed potential as good strategies for focusing parabens. The four methods were validated with standard samples to show the potential of these techniques for future applications in real samples, such as biological and environmental samples.     

On-line preconcentration strategies for analyzing pesticides in fruits and vegetables by micellar electrokinetic chromatography

Five pesticides (fludioxonil, procymidone, pyriproxyfen, dinoseb and carbendazim) were separated in reversed migration micellar electrokinetic chromatography (RM-MEKC) using 20 mmol l(-1) phosphate buffer at pH 2.3, containing 25 mmol l(-1) sodium dodecylsulfate and 10% methanol. Three on-line concentration strategies, sweeping (SW), normal stacking with reversed migration and a water plug (SRW) and stacking with reverse migration and removal of sample matrix using polarity switching (SRMM), were compared. About 10-, 30- and 50-fold increases in detection sensitivity, compared with standard hydrodynamic injection (5 s at 0.5 psi), were observed with SW, SRW and SRMM, respectively. Limits of detection (LODs) ranged from 0.002 to 0.03 microg ml(-1) using only the on-line preconcentration procedures without any off-line concentration of the extract. A solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedure, for previous isolation and concentration of the analytes, was used in combination with any of the proposed on-line preconcentration strategies, which achieves the determination of pesticides at limits of quantification (LOQs) lower than 0.01 mg kg(-1). The recoveries obtained by SPE in samples spiked at 0.01 mg kg(-1) were between 70 and 100%, with RSDs between 10 and 18% using SRMM. Samples of fruits and vegetables were taken from the market, extracted by the proposed procedure and analyzed with RM-MEKC with the on-line strategies.     

Capillary zone electrophoretic determination of phenolic compounds in chess (Bromus inermis L.) plant extracts

A simple CZE method for quantification of phenolic compounds (vanillin, cinnamic, sinapic, chlorogenic, syringic, ferulic, benzoic, p-coumaric, vanillic, p-hydroxybenzoic, rosmarinic, caffeic, gallic and protocatechuic acids) in less than 10 min using 20 mM sodium tetraborate (pH 9.2) with 5% v/v methanol as a BGE and with UV detection at 254 nm is described. The LODs (3 S/N) ranged between 0.02 and 0.12 microg/ mL. Repeatabilities (RSDs) were 0.66-1.8 and 1.56-4.23% for migration times and peak areas (n = 5), respectively. The method was applied to the determination of phenolic compounds in chess (Bromus inermis L.) after Soxhlet extraction and purification of the crude extracts with SPE procedures. The results compared well with those obtained by liquid chromatographic method. B. inermis was found as a suitable model plant containing a broad spectrum of phenolic compounds in easily detectable concentrations and as a potential source of antioxidants.     

Sensitivity enhancement for the analysis of naproxen in tap water by solid-phase extraction coupled in-line to capillary electrophoresis

SPE coupled in-line to CE, as the strategy to enhance the concentration sensitivity in CE, has been used to enrich naproxen in tap water samples. In this study, a microcartridge containing an octadecyl silica (C18) sorbent was placed near the inlet within the separation capillary column. The optimum conditions were obtained when naproxen in an acidic aqueous solution (pH 3.5) was loaded into the capillary at 930 mbar for 30 min, and 20 mM ammonium acetate in methanol/water (70:30 v/v) was used as both an elution solution and a separation BGE. Under these conditions, the sensitivity was enhanced 1820-fold with respect to normal hydrodynamic injection, and the LOD achieved was 0.2 microg/L. To show the capability of the in-line SPE-CE method, tap water samples were analysed after a pretreatment consisting in an off-line C18-SPE procedure. The recovery of this procedure was higher than 80%. Under these conditions, naproxen could be detected at a concentration of 10 ng/L; so the potential of the procedure for the sensitive analysis of this type of drugs in water samples was demonstrated. Afterwards, these results were compared with those previously obtained for naproxen in water samples using different sample stacking techniques.     

Determination of fluoroquinolones in bovine milk samples using a pipette‐tip SPE step based on multiwalled carbon nanotubes prior to CE separation

A simple CE–UV method was developed for the simultaneous determination of ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, and ofloxacin in milk samples. The optimum separation was obtained using a 20 mM ammonium dihydrogenphosphate solution with 2 mM cetyltrimethylammonium bromide at pH 3.0 as the BGE. Satisfactory resolution for structurally very similar analytes, like norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin, was achieved without including any organic solvent. Milk samples were prepared using a simple/extraction procedure based on acidic protein precipitation followed by an SPE step using only 5 mg of multiwalled carbon nanotubes as the sorbent material. The LODs for the three compounds were between 7.5 and 11.6 μg/L and the RSDs for the peak areas were between 2.6 and 4.9%. The complete method was applied to spiked real milk samples with satisfactory recoveries for all analytes (84–106%).     

Simultaneous determination of seven pesticides in waters using multi-walled carbon nanotube SPE and NACE

In this work, NACE with UV detection is combined with SPE using multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) as stationary phase to determine a group of seven pesticides (pirimicarb, pyrifenox, penconazol, carbendazim, cyromazine, pyrimethanil and cyprodinil) in mineral water samples using ametryn as internal standard. The optimized BGE, consisting of a mixture of MeOH and ACN (1:2 v/v) with 90 mM SDS and 20.5 mM HClO(4), was satisfactory to get a good resolution of the seven compounds in less than 13 min. On-line preconcentration was carried out by electrokinetic injection of the sample dissolved in 78:22 v/v MeOH/ACN, 1.11 mM HClO(4). Repeatability was studied for the same day (n=4), for nine different days (n=36) and for four different capillaries. RSD values were appropriate in all cases, i.e. in the range 4.3-9.4% between different capillaries. MWCNT of 10-15 nm od, 2-6 nm id and 0.1-10 mum length were used as SPE materials for the preconcentration of these pesticides from water samples. SPE parameters influencing the enrichment were optimized and the most favorable conditions were as follows: the amount of stationary phase, eluent, sample pH and sample volume were 40 mg MWCNT, 10 mL ACN and 10 mL dichloromethane containing 5% v/v formic acid, pH 8.0, and 750 mL, respectively. Mean recovery values ranged between 53 and 94% for Milli-Q water and between 47 and 93% for mineral waters (RSD values were in the range 2-16%). The method allowed the determination of these pesticides at concentrations below the maximum residue limits established by the European Union legislation (LOD in the range 27-58 ng/L). When the cost, amount and type of the carbon nanotubes used in this work are compared with those carbon nanotubes previously used in the literature it is clear that the proposed materials can be used as economical stationary phases, even cheaper than conventional SPE cartridges.     

Combining solid-phase microextraction and on-line preconcentration-capillary electrophoresis for sensitive analysis of pesticides in foods

The combined use of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and different on-line preconcentration strategies for ultrasensitive capillary electrophoresis-ultraviolet (CE-UV) analysis of five pesticides in a single run is investigated. Normal stacking mode (NSM), field-enhanced sample injection (FESI), and stacking with matrix removal (SWMR) are explored to increase the sensitivity of the CE-UV analysis of a selected group of pesticides (cyprodinil, cyromazine, pyrifenox, pirimicarb, and pyrimethanil). It could be observed that reverse polarity-stacking with matrix removal (RP-SWMR) provided the best results in terms of sensitivity (enhancement was up to 272-fold compared with normal injection). The separation buffer consisted of 0.4 mM cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC), 0.4 M acetic acid at pH 4 containing 5% v / v 2-propanol. This approach was then combined with SPME to determine the pesticides in water, apple, and orange juice. The combination of both preconcentration procedures allowed the determination of these pesticides at concentrations down to 2.5 microg / L in water and 3.1 microg / L in juices (i.e., levels well below the maximum residue limits allowed for these compounds). To our knowledge, this is the first report showing the great possibilities of the combined use of SPME, on-line sample preconcentration, and CE for pesticide analysis.     

Optimization of background electrolyte composition for simultaneous contactless conductivity and fluorescence detection in capillary electrophoresis of biological samples

In this article, optimization of BGE for simultaneous separation of inorganic ions, organic acids, and glutathione using dual C⁴D‐LIF detection in capillary electrophoresis is presented. The optimized BGE consisted of 30 mM 2‐[4‐(2‐hydroxyethyl)piperazin‐1‐yl]ethanesulfonic acid, 15 mM 2‐amino‐2‐hydroxymethyl‐propane‐1,3‐diol, and 2 mM 18‐crown‐6 at pH 7.2 and allowed simultaneous separation of ten inorganic anions and cations, three organic acids and glutathione in 20 min. The samples were injected hydrodynamically from both capillary ends using the double‐opposite end injection principle. Sensitive detection of anions, cations, and organic acids with micromolar LODs using C⁴D and simultaneously glutathione with nanomolar LODs using LIF was achieved in a single run. The developed BGE may be useful in analyses of biological samples containing analytes with differing concentrations of several orders of magnitude that is not possible with single detection mode.     

Combined use of supported liquid membrane and solid-phase extraction to enhance selectivity and sensitivity in capillary electrophoresis for the determination of ochratoxin A in wine

This paper proposes a novel strategy to enhance selectivity and sensitivity in CE, using supported liquid membrane (SLM) and off-line SPE simultaneously. The determination of ochratoxin A (OA) in wine has been used to demonstrate the potential of this methodology. In the SLM step, the donor phase (either a 20 mL volume of a standard solution at pH 1 or a wine sample at pH 8) was placed in a vial, where a micromembrane extraction unit accommodating the acceptor phase (1 mL water, pH 11) in its lumen was immersed. The SLM was constructed by impregnating a porous Fluoropore Teflon (PTFE) membrane with a water-immiscible organic solvent (octanol). In the off-line SPE step, the nonpolar sorbent (C-18, 4 mg) selectively retained the target ochratoxin, enabling small volumes of acceptor phase (1 mL) to be introduced. The captured analytes were eluted in a small volume of methanol (0.1 mL). This procedure resulted in sample cleanup and concentration enhancement. The method was evaluated for accuracy and precision, and its RSD found to be 5%. The LODs for OA in the standard solutions and wine samples were 0.5 and 30 microg/L, respectively. The results obtained demonstrate that SLM combined with off-line is a good alternative to the use of immunoaffinity columns prior to CE analysis.     

Application of SPE-HPLC-DAD and SPE-TLC-DAD to the determination of pesticides in real water samples

Planar chromatography with diode array scanning (TLC-DAD) and high-performance chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) were used to screen water samples for pesticides. Pesticides were enriched from lake water samples by SPE on C18/SDB-1, C18, C18 Polar Plus and cyanopropyl (CN) cartridges. The recovery rates were high for all extraction materials except for all pesticides on CN cartridges, for which the values were lower. SPE was used not only for preconcentration of analytes but also for their fractionation. The analytes were eluted first with methanol and then with dichloromethane. Methanol eluates were analysed by HPLC-DAD, the dichloromethane eluates with TLC-DAD. The method was validated for precision, repeatability and accuracy. The calibration plots were linear between 0.1 and 50.0 microg/mL for all pesticides, the correlation coefficients, r, were between 0.9992 and 1.000 as determined by HPLC-DAD. In the TLC experiments, the best fit for the calibration lines was found when the calibration data were analysed using a second-degree polynomial regression. Calibration plots lay between 0.1 and 17 microg/spot for all pesticides, the correlation coefficients, r, were between 0.9974 and 0.9997 determined by TLC-DAD. The LOD was between 0.04 and 0.65 microg/spot (TLC-DAD) and between 0.02 and 3.68 microg/mL (HPLC-DAD).