Polymeric ionic liquid as a dynamic coating additive for separation of basic proteins by capillary electrophoresis

A simple and economical capillary electrophoresis method has been developed for the analysis of four model basic proteins by employing a polymeric ionic liquid (PIL), poly(1-vinyl-3-butylimidazolium) bromide, as the dynamic coating additive. When a small amount of PIL was present in the background electrolyte, a cationic coating on the inner surface of fused-silica capillary was established. These PIL modified capillaries not only generated a stable reversed electroosmotic flow, but also effectively eliminated the wall adsorption of proteins. Several important parameters such as the PIL concentration in the background electrolyte, pH values and concentrations of the background electrolyte were optimized to improve the separation of basic proteins. Consequently, under the optimum conditions, a satisfied separation of basic proteins with peak efficiencies ranging from 247,000 to 540,000 (plates m⁻¹) had been accomplished within 11 min. The run-to-run RSDs (n = 3) of the migration times for the four basic proteins were all less than 0.37%.     

Dynamically coating the capillary with 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium-based ionic liquids for separation of basic proteins by capillary electrophoresis

Ionic substances with melting points close to room temperature are referred to as ionic liquids. Because ionic liquids are environmentally benign and are good solvents for a wide range of both organic and inorganic materials, interest for their potential uses in different chemical processes is increasing. In this paper, a capillary electrophoretic method for the analysis of basic proteins including lysozyme, cytochrome c, trypsinoge, and α-chymotyypsinogen A is reported. The method, in which 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium-based ionic liquids are used as the running electrolytes, leads to a surface charge reversal on the capillary wall. The effects of the alkyl group, imidazolium counterion, and the concentration of the ionic liquids were discussed. The optimum buffer system was a 90 mM 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (1E-3MI-TFB) solution. The applied voltage was −15 kV and detection was performed by monitoring absorbance at 240 nm. Baseline separation, high efficiencies, and symmetrical peaks of four proteins were obtained. The R.S.D. values of migration times and peak areas were <0.68 and <3.0%, respectively. The separation mechanism seems to involve association between the imidazolium cations and the proteins.     

Rapid separation and determination of aconitine alkaloids in traditional Chinese herbs by capillary electrophoresis using 1-butyl-3-methylimidazoium-based ionic liquid as running electrolyte

A novel and very simple capillary electrophoretic method for analyzing aconitine components in Aconitum plants was developed using 1-butyl-3-methylimidazoium tetrafluoroborate (1B-3MI-TFB)-based ionic liquid as running electrolyte solution for the first time. The optimum conditions were 35 mM 1B-3MI-TFB solution (pH 8.50) and 15 kV applied voltage. The detection was performed at 254 nm. Aconitine, meaconitine and hypaconitine in Aconitum plants were separated and identified within 5 min. The recoveries were 91.0-103.0% for hypaconitine, 92.8-96.2% for aconitine and 96.0-106.6% for mesaconitine, respectively. Compared with other methods, the analytical time was decreased 4-8-fold and the effect of Joule heating was weaker because the current was smaller.     

Capillary zone electrophoresis of proteins applying ionic liquids for dynamic coating and as background electrolyte component

The use of ionic liquids in capillary electrophoresis, either as coating material or as components of the background electrolyte needs systematic standardization to set up optimal conditions. Excellent separation of the proteins was achieved using 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([emim][BF₄]) or 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([bmim][BF₄]) ionic liquids using the properly made ionic-liquid–water binary mixtures for the experiments. The binary mixture has a distinctly stable and well perceptible low pH, which depends on the concentration of the ionic liquid, and on the preparation time of the mixture. Optimal conditions for the electrophoretic separation were obtained upon a multivariate analysis of the experimental parameters (applied voltage, migration time, concentration, and type of the ionic liquid). The standardized condition provides a low electroendosmotic flow toward the anode, which, however, did not hinder the proteins to migrate toward the cathode. The migration of cytochrome c, lysozyme, myoglobin, trypsin, and apo-transferrin at a pH around 2, far below the isoelectric points of the proteins, showed RSD values of the migration times less than 7.5% and less than 6.5% when using [emim][BF₄] or [bmim][BF₄], respectively, either in run-to-run or day-to-day experiments. The determination of the extent of the EOF is not possible with the commonly used EOF markers, due to interaction with the ionic-liquid constituents. The interaction of the ionic liquids with the proteins influences the migration order in zone electrophoresis. This method has been applied successfully for the analyses of real biological samples such as proteins from egg whites and human tears.     

N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidonium methyl sulfonate acidic ionic liquid as a new dynamic coating for separation of basic proteins by capillary electrophoresis

A simple and economical CE method has been developed for the analysis of four model basic proteins by employing N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidonium methyl sulfonate ionic liquid (IL) as the dynamic coating material based on the interaction of both between electrostatic attraction and hydrogen bond, and between the organic cations of IL and the inner surface of bare fused‐silica capillary. The N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidonium‐based IL modified capillary not only generated a stable suppressed electroosmotic flow, but also effectively eliminated the wall adsorption of proteins. Several important parameters such as the IL concentration, pH values, and concentrations of the background electrolyte were optimized to improve the separation of basic proteins. Consequently, under the optimum separation conditions, a satisfied separation of basic proteins including lysozyme, cytochrome c, ribonuclease A, and α‐chymotrypsinogen A with theoretical plates ranging from 2.09 × 10⁵ to 4.48 × 10⁵ plates/m had been accomplished within 15 min. The proposed method first illustrated the effect of hydrogen bond between coating material and inner capillary surface on the coating, which should be a new strategy to design and select more effective coating materials to form more stable coatings in CE.     

Quaternized celluloses as new dynamic coatings in capillary electrophoresis for basic protein separation

In this work, a series of quaternized celluloses (QCs), homogeneously synthesized in the NaOH/urea aqueous solutions, were studied as dynamic coatings for capillary electrophoresis. Capillaries coated with these cationic cellulose derivatives at the concentration as low as 3 μg/mL were able to generate a stable, reversed electroosmotic flow. The effects of QC molecular parameters, such as the degree of cationic substitution and molecular weight, and the effect of buffer pH on the EOF mobility as well as the separation of basic proteins were investigated in detail. It was shown that the use of QC coatings in CE could drastically reduce the analysis time and improve the separation performance within a broad pH range. Five basic proteins, that is, lysozyme, ribonuclease A, cytochrome C, bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor, and chymotrypsinogen were baselinely separated even at pH 8.0. The separation efficiency and analysis reproducibility demonstrated that the QC coatings were efficient in minimizing the adsorption of basic proteins on the fused silica capillary. The successful performance was further demonstrated for biosample analysis.     

Rapid separation of protein isoforms by capillary zone electrophoresis with new dynamic coatings

Many cellular functions are regulated through protein isoforms. Changes in the expression level or regulatory dysfunctions of isoforms often lead to developmental or pathological disorders. Isoforms are traditionally analyzed using techniques such as gel- or capillary-based isoelectric focusing. However, with proper electro-osmotic flow (EOF) control, isoforms with small pI differences can also be analyzed using capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). Here we demonstrate the ability to quickly resolve isoforms of three model proteins (bovine serum albumin, transferrin, alpha1-antitrypsin) in capillaries coated with novel dynamic coatings. The coatings allow reproducible EOF modulation in the cathodal direction to a level of 10(-9) m2V(-1)s(-1). They also appear to inhibit protein adsorption to the capillary wall, making the isoform separations highly reproducible both in peak areas and apparent mobility. Isoforms of transferrin and alpha1-antitrypsin have been implicated in several human diseases. By coupling the CZE isoform separation with standard affinity capture assays, it may be possible to develop a cost-effective analytical platform for clinical diagnostics.     

Use of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium-based ionic liquids as background electrolytes in capillary electrophoresis for the analysis of inorganic anions

Separation of inorganic anions in CE is often a challenging task because the electrophoretic mobilities of inorganic anions are comparable to or even greater than the EOF mobility. In this study, we present the use of ionic liquids (ILs) as background electrolytes (BGEs) in CE of inorganic anions. The 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium-based ILs as BGEs dynamically coated the capillary wall and induced a reversed EOF. This allowed the anions to comigrate with the EOF and yielded a rapid separation. Increasing the alkyl chain length of the ILs and BGE concentration can significantly improve the separation resolution. With 40 mM 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate as BGE, good separations of five model anions (Br-, I-, NO2(-), NO3(-), and SCN-) were achieved in a range of buffer pH values. The separation efficiency was as high as 34 600-155 000, and the RSDs of the migration times were less than 0.8% (n = 5).     

β‐cyclodextrin‐ionic liquid polymer based dynamically coating for simultaneous determination of tetracyclines by capillary electrophoresis

Tetracyclines are a group of broad spectrum antibiotics widely used in animal husbandry to prevent and treat diseases. However, the improper use of tetracyclines may result in the presence of their residues in animal tissues or waste. Recently, great attention has been drawn towards the green solvents ionic liquids. Ionic liquids have been employed as a coating material to modify the electroosmotic flow in capillary electrophoresis. In this study, a functionalized ionic liquid, mono‐6‐deoxy‐6‐(3‐methylimidazolium)‐β‐cyclodextrin tosylate, was synthesized and used for the simultaneous separation and quantification of tetracyclines by capillary electrophoresis. Good separation efficiency could be achieved due to the multiple functions of β‐cyclodextrin derived ionic liquid, including the electrostatic interaction, the hydrogen bonding, and the cavity structure in β‐cyclodextrin ionic liquid which can entrap the tetracyclines to form inclusion complex. After optimization, baseline separation achieved in 25 min with the running buffer consisted of 10 mmol/L, pH 7.2 phosphate buffer and 20 mmol/L β‐cyclodextrin ionic liquid. The satisfied result demonstrated that the β‐cyclodextrin ionic liquid is an ideal background electrolyte modifier in the separation of tetracyclines with high stability and good reproducibility. And it is an effective strategy to design and synthesize specific ILs as additive applied in separation.     

Preparation and evaluation of stable coating for capillary electrophoresis using coupled chitosan as coated modifier

A coated capillary modified with a coupled chitosan (COCH) was developed by using a simple and fast (60 min) process that could be easily automated in capillary electrophoresis instrument. The COCH coating was achieved by first attaching chitosan to the capillary inner wall, and then coupling with glutaraldehyde, and rinsing chitosan again to react with glutaraldehyde. The COCH coating was stable and showed amphoteric character over the pH range of 1.8-12.0. When the pH value was lower than 4.5, the capillary surface possessed positive charges, which caused a reversal in the direction of the electroosmotic flow (EOF). The normal EOF direction could be obtained when the pH value was higher than 4.5. The COCH coating showed strong stability against 0.1 mol/L HCl, 0.1 mol/L NaOH and other solvents compared with conventional chitosan coating. The relative standard deviation of the run-to-run, day-to-day and capillary-to-capillary coating was all below 2% for the determination of EOF. The COCH-modified capillary was applied to acidic and basic proteins analyses and high efficiency could be attained. The comparison between unmodified capillary, chitosan-modified and COCH-modified capillary for the separation of real sample, extract from Elaphglossum yoshinagae with water, was also studied. Better results could be obtained on COCH-modified capillary than the other two capillaries.     

Application of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium-based ionic liquids in separation of bioactive flavonoids by capillary zone electrophoresis

Room-temperature ionic liquids (ILs) are liquids that are constituted entirely of ions and can provide a solvent environment quite unlike any other available at room temperature. They continue to attract considerable interest in the chemistry research community as they are good solvents for a wide range of both inorganic and organic materials. In this study, a CZE method has been established for resolving natural flavonoids, quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin in the Chinese herbal extract from Hippophae rhamnoides and its medicinal preparation (Sindacon Tablet). In this method, 1-alkyl-3-methyl-imidazolium-based ILs are used as the additive, and the effects of the alkyl group, imidazolium counterion (anionic part), along with the concentration of IL are investigated and discussed. Baseline separation, high efficiencies and symmetrical peaks of the three flavonoids were obtained. The separation mechanism seems to be the hydrogen-bonding interaction between the imidazolium cations of IL and the flavonoids.     

1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium-based ionic liquids and an anionic surfactant: Excellent background electrolyte modifiers for the analysis of benzodiazepines through capillary electrophoresis

In this study, we found that adding 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as modifiers in the background electrolyte (BGE) for capillary electrophoresis enhanced the separation of benzodiazepines. In particular, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide ([BMIM][NTf₂]) was the best IL additive for the separation system because its anionic moiety interacted favorably with the benzodiazepines. We added SDS because of its known effect on the separation of hydrophobic analytes. We optimized the separation conditions in terms of the concentrations of the IL, SDS, and organic solvent, the pH, and the BGE's ionic strength. The optimal BGE, containing 170 mM [BMIM][NTf₂] and 10 mM SDS, provided baseline separation, high efficiency, and satisfactory peak shapes for the benzodiazepines. The separation mechanism was based on heteroassociation between the anionic moiety of the IL and the benzodiazepines, with SDS improving the resolution of the separation. The limits of detection for the seven analytes ranged from 2.74 to 4.42 μg/mL. We subjected a urine sample to off-line solid phase extraction (SPE) prior to the analysis of its benzodiazepine content. Our experimental results reveal that the combination of [BMIM][NTf₂] and SDS provides adequate separation efficiency for its application to CE analyses of benzodiazepines after SPE concentration.     

Electroosmotic flow changes due to interactions of background electrolyte counter-ions with polyethyleneimine coating in capillary zone electrophoresis of proteins

The properties and behavior of polyethyleneimine (PEI) covalently coated capillaries with respect to different background electrolytes used in capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) are described. The coating stability and changes of inner surface charge in the capillary were followed by measurement of electroosmotic flow (EOF). Interest was focused mainly on conjugate bases of carboxylic acids as anionic background electrolyte components (acetate, citrate, malate, malonate, tartrate, and succinate). An interesting phenomenon was observed in PEI-coated capillaries: The direction (and the magnitude) of EOF depends on the composition of the background electrolyte and at a certain pH it can undergo reversible change. Ionic complex formation was suggested as a hypothesis to explain this behavior. With this knowledge, the PEI-coated capillary was used for the separation of basic proteins in the above-mentioned background electrolytes. A standard protein mixture of cytochrome c, ribonuclease A, and lysozyme at a concentration of 0.25 mg/mL each was chosen as model sample.     

Spermine-graft-dextran non-covalent copolymer as coating material in separation of basic proteins and neurotransmitters by capillary electrophoresis

Spermine-graft-dextran (Spe-g-Dex) copolymer was synthesized and used as a non-covalent coating for the separation of proteins and neurotransmitters by capillary electrophoresis. The coating was obtained via flushing the capillary with 1.0% Spe-g-Dex copolymer solution for 2 min. Electroosmotic flow (EOF) was strongly suppressed, ranging from −1.60 × 10⁻⁹ to 3.65 × 10⁻⁹ m² V⁻¹ s⁻¹. Effect of experimental conditions, such as the copolymer concentration, the concentration and pH of the background electrolyte (BGE), on the Spe-g-Dex coating was investigated. Separation of lysozyme, cytochrome c, ribonuclease A and α-chymotrypsinogen yielded high separation efficiencies ranging from 141 000 to 303 000 plates/m and recoveries from 85.4% to 98.3% at pH 4.0 (284.0 mM sodium acetate–acetic acid buffer, I = 50 mM). Run-to-run repeatabilities and day-to-day, and capillary-to-capillary reproducibilities were all below 1.7%. In addition, Spe-g-Dex coating allowed the successful separation of five neurotransmitters, 5-hydroxytryptamine, dopamine, epinephrine, isoprenaline, dobuamine at pH 4.0 with high separation efficiencies of 290 000–449 000 plates/m.     

Application of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium-based ionic liquids as background electrolyte in capillary zone electrophoresis for the simultaneous determination of five anthraquinones in Rhubarb

A capillary zone electrophoresis method using only 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium-based ionic liquids as background electrolyte for the simultaneous determination of five anthraquinone derivatives including aloe-emodin, emodin, chrysophanol, physcion and rhein in Rhubarb species was described. Ion association constants, K_ass, between anthraquinone anions and imidazolium cations were determined by analyzing the electrophoretic mobility change of anthraquinone anions using a non-linear least-squares method and factors contributing to ion associability were systematically clarified. For method optimization, several parameters such as ionic liquids concentration, background electrolyte pH and applied voltage, on the separation were evaluated and the optimum conditions were obtained as follows: 90 mM 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (pH 11.0) with an applied voltage of 20 kV. Under these conditions, the method has been successfully applied to the determination of anthraquinones in extracts of two kinds of Rhubarb plants (R. palmatum and R. hotaoense) within 12 min. The method proposed herein was shown to be much simpler than the previously reported methods.     

A well-defined diblock copolymer of poly-(ethylene oxide)-block-poly (4-vinylpyridine) for separation of basic proteins by capillary zone electrophoresis

A series of well-defined diblock copolymers, poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PEO-b-P4VP) used as physical coating of capillaries, were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). EOF measurement results showed that all synthesized PEO-b-P4VP diblock copolymer-coated capillaries in this report could suppress EOF effectively compared to the bare fused-silica capillaries, and efficient separations of basic proteins were achieved. The effects of the molecular weight of P4VP block in PEO-b-P4VP and buffer pH on the separation of basic proteins for CE were investigated in detail. Moreover, the relationships between morphologies of PEO-b-P4VP diblock copolymers in buffer, which were studied by transmission electron microscopy, and the separation efficiencies of basic protein with PEO-b-P4VP diblock copolymers coatings were discussed.     

A fresh look into background electrolyte selection for capillary electrophoresis‐laser induced fluorescence of peptides and proteins

This study reports a reinvestigation of background electrolyte selection strategy for performance improvement in CE‐LIF of peptides and proteins. This strategy is based on the employment of high concentrations of organic species in BGE possessing high buffer capacity and low specific conductivity in order to ensure excellent stacking preconcentration and separation resolution of fluorescently tagged peptides and proteins. Unlike universal UV detection, the use of such BGEs at high concentrations does not lead to degradation of LIF detection signals at the working excitation and emission wavelengths. At the same buffer ionic strength, pH and electric field, an “inorganic‐species‐free” BGE (or ISF BGE) for CE‐LIF of fluorescently labeled beta amyloid peptide Aβ 1–42 (a model analyte) offered a signal intensity and peak efficiency at least three‐times higher than those obtained with a conventional BGE normally used for CE‐LIF, while producing an electric current twice lower. Good peak performance (in terms of height and shape) was maintained when using ISF BGEs even with samples prepared in high‐conductivity phosphate buffer saline matrix. The advantageous features of such BGEs used at high concentrations over conventional ones in terms of high separation resolution, improved signal intensities, tuning of EOF magnitudes and minimization of protein adsorption on an uncoated fused silica capillary are demonstrated using Alexa‐488‐labelled trypsin inhibitor. Such BGE selection approach was applied for investigation of separation performance for CE‐LIF of ovalbumin labelled with different fluorophores.     

Brush-like copolymer as a physically adsorbed coating for protein separation by capillary electrophoresis

A brush-like copolymer consisting of poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate and N,N-dimethylacrylamide (PEGMA-DMA) was synthesized and used as a novel static physically adsorbed coating for protein separation by capillary electrophoresis for the first time, in order to stabilize electroosmotic flow (EOF) and suppress adsorption of proteins onto the capillary wall. Very stable and low EOF was obtained in PEGMA-DMA-coated capillary at pH 2.2-7.8. The effects of molar ratio of PEGMA to DMA, copolymer molecular mass, and pH on the separation of basic proteins were discussed. A comparative study of bare capillary with PEGMA-DMA-coated capillary for protein separation was also performed. The basic proteins could be well separated in PEGMA-DMA-coated capillary over the investigated pH range of 2.8-6.8 with good repeatability and high separation efficiency because the copolymer coating combines good protein-resistant property of PEG side chains with excellent coating ability of PDMA-contained backbone. Finally, the coating was successfully applied to the fast separation of other protein samples, such as protein mixture and egg white, which reveals that it is a potential coating for further proteomics analysis.     

Separation of superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles by capillary zone electrophoresis using non‐complexing and complexing electrolyte anions and tetramethylammonium as dispersing additive

Separations of bare superparamagnetic magnetite nanoparticles (BSPMNPs, approx. 11 nm diameter) was performed using non‐complexing (nitrate) and complexing (chloride, citrate and phosphate) electrolyte ions with additions of tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAOH), which is commonly applied to control the synthesis of stable iron oxides. The use of TMAOH as a background electrolyte (BGE) additive for capillary electrophoresis (CE) separations provided for the first time electropherograms of BSPMNPs exhibiting symmetrical and highly reproducible peaks, free of spurious spikes characteristic of nanoparticle clusters. Consequently, accurate determination of the electrophoretic effective mobility of BSPMNPs was possible, yielding a value of −3.345E‐08 m² V⁻¹ s⁻¹ (relative standard deviation (RSD) of 0.500%). The obtained mobilities of BSPMNPs in the presence of various electrolyte ions show that the degree of complexation with the surface of BSPMNPs follows the order chloride < citrate < phosphate, correlating with the stabilities of Fe(III) complexes with the respective anions. Finally, bare and carboxylated iron oxide nanoparticles were successfully separated in only 10 min using 10 mM Tris‐nitrate containing 20 mM of TMAOH as electrolyte. Our findings show that simple and rapid CE experiments are an excellent tool to characterise and monitor properties and interactions of iron oxide nanoparticles with other molecules for surface modification purposes.     

Simultaneous separation of eight beta-adrenergic drugs using titanium dioxide nanoparticles as additive in capillary electrophoresis

The analysis is described for separating seven beta-adrenergic blocking agents (atenolol, celiprolol, clorprenaline, fenoterol, metoprolol, propranolol, terbutaline) and clenbuterol (sympathomimetic beta-2 receptor stimulating agonist, decongestant and bronchodilator, illicit anabolic used in athletics) by CE with UV detection. In order to simultaneously separate all analytes, Tris-H3PO4 solution was applied containing titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) as BGEs. The effects of important factors, such as concentration of TiO2 NPs, optimum pH, run buffer concentration, and separation voltage, were investigated so as to achieve best CE separation. The eight analytes could be well separated applying a separation voltage of 15 kV in 75 mM Tris-H3PO4 buffer at a pH of 2.40, containing 6.0 x 10(-6) g/mL TiO2 NPs. Under these optimal conditions, the RSDs for peak areas and for migration times were less than 2.7 and 2.3%, respectively. The detection limits were 0.1 microg/mL for celiprolol, 0.1 microg/mL for propranolol, 0.2 microg/mL for fenoterol, 1.0 microg/mL for atenolol, 1.0 microg/mL for clenbuterol, 1.0 microg/mL for clorprenaline, 1.0 microg/mL for metoprolol, and 1.0 microg/mL for terbutaline. The proposed method was successfully applied for the rapid CE determination of the frequently applied antihypertensive beta-blocking compounds atenolol, metoprolol, terbutaline, and propranolol in pharmaceutical tablets.