Parametric studies of matched filters to enhance the signal-to-noise ratios of LC-MS-MS peaks

Chromatographic parameters of reference signals employed in matched filter methods have been studied using numerical experiments to improve the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios of small liquid chromatography (LC) peaks obtained with electrospray tandem mass spectrometers (MS-MS). These parameters include the width, shape, and S/N ratios of chromatographic peaks used as the reference signal profiles. Our results show the effect of reference peak widths on improving the S/N ratio of chromatographic peaks; the influence of reference peak shapes is negligible. To verify simulation results, various reference signals, including analyte peaks of high concentration standards, internal standard peaks, and artificial Gaussian peaks of different widths, have been employed to enhance signal peaks on real liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) chromatograms via matched filter methods. Our experimental results demonstrate that the S/N ratio enhancement of chromatographic peaks agree with the simulation predictions. These findings, therefore, suggest that regardless of peak shape, a well-smooth peak with a width close to that of the analyte peak is an adequate reference signal, when matched filter methods are used to improve LC-MS-MS chromatograms. Nevertheless, all methods processed LC-MS-MS peaks in this study do not achieve the ideal improvement ratios estimated with simulation results. We attribute this deficiency to spike-like noise, which have considerable low frequency components riding on LC-MS-MS chromatograms. Matched filtering, which works as a low-pass filter in the frequency domain, cannot effectively eliminate low frequency flicker noise contributed by these spikes. In addition, simple median filtering does not provide adequate improvement despite being able to smooth out most spikes in the chromatograms.     

吸附剂性能和操作参数对液相色谱流出峰不对称性的影响

色谱流出峰的拖尾现象普遍存在于制备和大型色谱分离过程中,它直接影响分离的产率和回收率．本文提出采用色谱流出峰形的不对称偏差度来表征色谱流出峰的拖尾程度;并基于液相制备色谱分离过程FAD－SMT模型及吸附速率理论,通过计算机模拟,定量分析了吸附剂性能和操作参数对色谱流出峰形不对称性的影响。结果表明：不仅是吸附剂的热力学和动力学性能（包括吸附相平衡关系、液固两相间的传质阻力）;而且柱的设计和吸附剂的装填状况（包括轴向扩散系数）,以及色谱分离的操作条件（进料时间、浓度和流速等）都直接影响色谱流出峰形的不对称性。随着吸附相平衡等温线的非线性程度增大,或者总传质系数的减小,色谱流出峰形的不对称偏差度明显增大;吸附剂吸附容量的减小也将引起色谱流出峰形的不对称偏差度的增加;色谱流出峰形的不对称偏差度与进科体积、浓度和流体线速,以及轴向扩散系数的增大成正比。     

Optimization of the separation conditions of tetracyclines on a preselected reversed-phase column with embedded urea group

The use of a C12 stationary phase with embedded polar group has been investigated for the separation of seven tetracyclines. The influence of pH, organic modifier, buffer, and temperature on the peak shape and analyte separation was discussed. It appears that all the chromatographic conditions had a great effect on both the resolution and peak shape whereas the elution order was not affected. The baseline separation with symmetrical peaks of the seven tetracyclines can be obtained with a mobile phase containing either 5 mM phosphate buffer pH 2.5/ACN (84:16 v/v) or 5 mM perchlorate buffer pH 2.5/ACN (75:25 v/v) at a temperature not exceeding 20 degrees C. This study reveals that the retention mechanism is ion-pairing.     

线性非理想条件下液相色谱柱末端峰形规律

色谱流出曲线的二阶中心矩μ２和三阶中心矩μ３以及描述峰形非对称程度的偏态系数∑ｋ＝μ３／μ１．５２是反映色谱峰形的重要参数。从液相色谱过程动力学方程出发，运用电子计算机证明了在线性非理想条件下高效液相色谱体系中不同保留值组分在柱末端峰形的分布基本一致的结论。     

A reversed-phase/hydrophilic interaction mixed-mode C18-Diol stationary phase for multiple applications

A mixed-mode chromatographic packing material, C18 and diol groups modified silica (C18-Diol), was prepared with controllable hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity. It demonstrated excellent aqueous compatibility and stability in aqueous mobile phase; compared to the traditional C18 column, improved peak shape of basic analytes was also obtained. Additionally, it exhibited both reversed-phase liquid chromatographic (RPLC) and hydrophilic interaction chromatographic (HILIC) performance; the analyte separation scope was thus enlarged, demonstrated by simultaneous separation of twenty acids, bases and neutrals. More interestingly, a novel on-line two-dimensional liquid chromatography on the single column (2D-LC-1C) was established by modifying the high performance liquid chromatographic instrument only with the addition of an extra six-port two-position valve. The early co-eluted components of the extract of Lonicera japonica on the 1st-dimension (RPLC) were collected for the online re-injection to the 2nd-dimension (HILIC) by conveniently varying the mobile phase components. Six more peaks were obtained. The established system was simple, easy operation and low cost, which had advantages in analyzing complicated samples.     

峰形分析辅助色谱定性的研究

尝试建立了一种通过峰形分析进行色谱定性的方法。首先选择一组既易于测量,又能较好地表征色谱峰形特性的参数（峰宽、不对称因子）作为峰形分析的基础;其次,通过理论和实验证明：对于保留时间与标准物质非常接近的未知组分,可将样品与标准物质混合进样,得到重叠谱图（表观为单峰）,然后通过对重叠谱峰与标准物质谱峰的峰形分析与比较,达到对未知物定性的目的。     

小鼠血清IgG的蛋白G灌注亲和色谱行为的研究

通过实验考察了小鼠血清ＩｇＧ的蛋白Ｇ灌注亲和色谱行为,虽然未发现非特异性吸附,但在通常情况下对ＩｇＧ存在不可逆性吸附。洗脱液组成及ｐＨ的不同决定ＩｇＧ在灌注亲和色谱柱上具有不同的解离常数ＫＤ,产生不同的色谱行为。流动相的流速对ＩｇＧ与蛋白Ｇ的结合／解离动力学过程产生一定的影响。结果表明,对于小鼠血清中的ＩｇＧ灌注亲和色谱的分离,由于解离速率影响到传质过程,使之在高流速下的分离受到一定的限制。     

Solvent venting interface for capillary gas chromatography and a microwave-induced plasma

A solvent venting system for capillary gas chromatography coupled with a microwave-induced plasma detector was constructed and evaluated. The solvent vent is based on a fluid logic system within the plasma containment tube. During solvent elution, the column effluent is routed to waste and does not pass through the plasma. During analyte elution, the fluid logic system is used to direct the analytes through the plasma for detection. Because the system has no transfer line, problems associated with interface dead volume and analyte degradation reaction due to reactive sites in the transfer line are eliminated. Switching from the vent-on to the vent-off mode is rapid and does not affect plasma stability or flow through the chromatographic column. The baseline shift during switching is negligible. The solvent venting system is simple and easily constructed. Design details are presented and chromatographic results are evaluated.     

Prediction of the chromatographic signal in gradient elution ion chromatography

This study describes the development of a signal prediction model in gradient elution ion chromatography. The proposed model is based on a retention model and generalized logistic peak shape function which guarantees simplicity of the model and its easy implementation in method development process. Extensive analysis of the model predictive ability has been performed for ion chromatographic determination of bromate, nitrite, bromide, iodide, and perchlorate, using KOH solutions as eluent. The developed model shows good predictive ability (average relative error of gradient predictions 1.94%). The developed model offers short calculation times as well as low experimental effort (only nine isocratic runs are used for modeling).     

Simple, sensitive and rapid liquid chromatographic/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric method for the quantification of lacidipine in human plasma

A simple, sensitive and rapid liquid chromatographic/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric method was developed and validated for the quantification of lacidipine in human plasma using its structural analogue, amlodipine, as internal standard (IS). The method involves a simple single-step liquid-liquid extraction with tert-butyl methyl ether. The analyte was chromatographed on an Xterra MS C(18) reversed-phase chromatographic column by isocratic elution with 20 mM ammonium acetate buffer-acetonitrile (10:90, v/v; pH 6) and analyzed by mass spectrometry in the multiple reaction monitoring mode. The precursor to product ion transitions of m/z 456.4 --> 354.4 and m/z 409.3 --> 238.3 were used to measure the analyte and the I.S., respectively. The chromatographic run time was 1.5 min and the weighted (1/x(2)) calibration curves were linear over the range 0.1-25 ng ml(-1). Lacidipine was sensitive to temperature in addition to light. The method was validated in terms of accuracy, precision, absolute recovery, freeze-thaw stability, bench-top stability and re-injection reproducibility. The limit of detection and lower limit of quantification in human plasma were 50 and 100 pg ml(-1), respectively. The within- and between-batch accuracy and precision were found to be well within acceptable limits (<15%). The analyte was stable after three freeze-thaw cycles (deviation <15%). The average absolute recoveries of lacidipine and amlodipine (IS) from spiked plasma samples were 51.1 +/- 1.3 and 50.3 +/- 4.9%, respectively. The assay method described here could be applied to study the pharmacokinetics of lacidipine.     

离子色谱线性梯度淋洗分离阴离子的计算机模拟

建立了使用氢氧化钠淋洗液时用计算机模拟离子色谱梯度淋洗分离阴离子的新方法,研究了在线性梯度淋洗过程中不同时间阴离子在色谱柱中的位置及所在位置的淋洗液浓度,得出阴离子在不同时间的容量因子、迁移速度,通过积分得到保留时间。再根据离子色谱峰峰形变化的规律,得到色谱峰峰形的参数。模拟色谱图保留值与实验值的相对误差小于5%,模拟色谱图的色谱峰峰形与实验所得到的色谱图的色谱峰峰形也非常接近。     

Indirect conductimetric detection of amino acids after liquid chromatographic separation

A liquid chromatographic method using indirect conductimetric detection is proposed for the determination of low levels of organic compounds, which does not require any special functional characteristics of the analyte. The signal detected is proportional to the molar concentration of the analyte and independent of its nature. The detector response is linearly dependent on analyte concentrations over at least three orders of magnitude. The basis of the detection is to create a conducting background, which will decrease on elution of the organic compounds. The theory of the method is discussed, with special reference to the quantitative displacement of the conducting species of the mobile phase from the column by the analyte on sample injection. The proposed method has been applied to study the chromatographic behaviour of twenty-one amino acids, where a 5 -μm Econosil CN column was used as the stationary phase with a mixture of water-acetonitrile-tetrahydrofuran (70:20:3) containing 1 mM perchloric acid or trichloroacetic acid as the mobile phase. The proposed method allows as little as 10 ng of each amino acid to be determined.     

Retention controlling and peak shape simulation in anion chromatography using multiple equilibrium model and stochastic theory

The stochastic theory of chromatography and an equilibrium based approach were used for the prediction of peak shape and retention data of anions. This attempt incorporating the potential advantages of two different chromatographic phenomena for analytical purposes. It is an integrated method to estimate kinetic and thermodynamic properties for the same chromatographic run of ions. The stochastic parameters of eluted anions, such as the residence time of the molecule on the surface of the stationary phase, and the average number of adsorption steps were determined on the basis of a retention database of organic and inorganic anions (formate, chloride, bromide, nitrate, sulphate, oxalate, phosphate) obtained by using carbonate/bicarbonate eluent system at different pHs (9-11) and concentrations (7-13 mM). In the investigated IC system the residence times are much higher and the average number of sorption steps is somewhat smaller than in RP-HPLC. The simultaneous application of the stochastic and the multispecies eluent/analyte model was utilized to peak shape simulation and the retention controlling of various anions under elution conditions of practical importance. The similarities between the measured and the calculated chromatograms indicates the predictive and simulation power of the combined application of the stochastic theory and the multiple species eluent/analyte retention model.     

Analyte solvent and injection volume as variables affecting method development in semipreparative reversed-phase liquid chromatography

Analyte solvent and injection volume were examined as parameters that affect peak elution during method development for semipreparative RP HPLC purification. Analytical and semipreparative scale HPLC with gradient elution were used to analyze a mixture of three standard compounds with significantly different retention factors (k). This mixture was analyzed after (i) dissolution in solvents of varied compositions, and (ii) with progressively larger injection volumes. As analyte solvent composition and injection volume were changed, the most notable effects on peak shape were observed for the compounds with the smallest k values. Overall changes in peak shape were less pronounced when analyte solvent composition was similar to the starting mobile phase regardless of injection volume. Scale-up to semipreparative conditions yielded results consistent with those observed at the analytical scale. These data show that peak shape is greatly affected by analyte solvent composition and injection volume, and that these effects can be ameliorated by the dissolution of analytes in solvent that closely resembles that of the mobile phase used for initial run conditions. The following study addresses the concepts of peak elution in RP HPLC and how they factor into semipreparative purification.     

Overloading control of gas chromatographic systems

Increasing the interlaboratory reproducibility of gas chromatographic retention indices requires avoiding measurements distorted by overloading effects. Several criteria of evaluating the limits of the mass overloading of gas chromatographic systems are compared and reconsidered. The criteria mostly appropriate for practical purposes are based on (i) the dependences of factors of peak broadening (ratio of peak height and its width) vs. amount of analyte injected into the chromatographic column and (ii) the dependence of parameters characterizing the peak distortion (asymmetry factor) vs. the amount of analyte. Both these criteria provide mutually comparable evaluations of the overloading limits for analytes of different polarity. At the same time, the dependence of retention indices vs. amounts of analyte injected in the chromatographic column cannot be recommended for overloading control, because the parameters of the corresponding linear regressions indicate temperature dependence. The interpretation of certain gas chromatographic anomalies requires the correct evaluation of overloading limits. For example, the unusual temperature dependence of retention indices of polar analytes on non‐polar stationary phases and the dependence of retention indices on ratio of amounts of target analytes and reference compounds.     

Software for Microprocessor Controlled HPLC: Peak Area Integration

Abstract

Programs are described for determination of peak areas and peak retention times from the chromatographic data obtained by a dual-microprocessor data handling microcomputer (DHC). The programs provide the necessary equipment testing and calibration routines for an accurate reproduction of a recorded chromatogram, and they are written to be merged with the data acquisition programs to provide a true “real-time” integrator. The integration is performed with baseline stabilization and automatic peak splitting. These features make the integrator applicable to gradient elution chromatography, as well as for the integration of complex chromatograms with overlapping peaks. The integrated chromatogram can be displayed with the limits of integration for each peak. Results of peak area integration of simple and complex chromatograms demonstrate satisfactorily accurate and consistant results that are independent of chromatographic conditions and shape of the peaks.     

Future potential of targeted component analysis by multidimensional liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

Multidimensional liquid chromatography (MDLC) may be used in either (i) the profiling mode where it is the objective to fractionate all components in a mixture or (ii) the targeted component mode in which it is the objective to determine specific analytes. This paper focuses on targeted component analysis from complex mixtures, addressing the critical operations of analyte selection and transport from the first to the second dimension. Although the physical operation of switching a component into the second dimension with computer controlled valving is simple, it is shown that changes in analyte retention time and peak width with column age and fouling are a serious problem. The analyte moves out of the preselected time window for valve switching and quantitation is compromised in the second dimension. It is proposed that a solution to the “drifting peak” phenomenon in targeted component analysis is to use binary mobility elution in the first dimension. Binary mobility refers to those systems, such as affinity chromatography, in which analyte mobility is generally either 0 or 1 relative to mobile phase velocity. Coupling these binary changes in analyte mobility in the first dimension with valve switching eliminates the “drifting peak” phenomenon. In addition, it is shown that a wide time window may be used in affinity separations without compromising the separation or accumulating contaminants. Several cases are described in which immunosorbents were used with reversed phase columns to provide quantitative targeted component analyses from complex mixtures.     

Extraction chromatographic separation of uranium and fission products in the system di-(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid-hydrochloric acid

An elution scheme has been developed for obtaining separate fission product and uranium fractions using extraction chromatographic techniques with di-(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid as a stationary phase and HCl of varying concentration as eluting agent. The investigations have been concentrated on the fission products cerium, europium, molybdenum and zirconium. The elution of zirconium by oxalic acid is characterized by a peak broadening and has been explained by considering extraction kinetics. Experiments on column performance with different support materials have proved Ftoroplast-4 and Celite Hyflo Super Cel to be capable of giving column fillings with equal separation ability.     

Selectivity issues in targeted metabolomics: Separation of phosphorylated carbohydrate isomers by mixed-mode hydrophilic interaction/weak anion exchange chromatography

Phosphorylated carbohydrates are important intracellular metabolites and thus of prime interest in metabolomics research. Complications in their analysis arise from the existence of structural isomers that do have similar fragmentation patterns in MS/MS and are hard to resolve chromatographically. Herein, we present selective methods for the liquid chromatographic separation of sugar phosphates, such as hexose and pentose phosphates, 2‐ and 3‐phosphoglycerate, dihydroxyacetone phosphate and glyceraldehyde 3‐phosphate, as well as glucosamine 1‐ and 6‐phosphate utilizing mixed‐mode chromatography with reversed‐phase/weak anion‐exchangers and a charged aerosol detector. The best results were obtained when the reversed‐phase/weak anion‐exchanger column was operated under hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography elution conditions. The effects of various chromatographic parameters were examined and are discussed on the basis of a simple stoichiometric displacement model for explaining ion‐exchange processes. Employed acidic conditions have led to the complete separation of α‐ and β‐anomers of glucose 6‐phosphate at low temperature. The anomers coeluted in a single peak at elevated temperatures (>40°C) (peak coalescence), while at intermediate temperatures on‐column interconversion with a plateau in‐between resolved anomer peaks was observed with apparent reaction rate constants between 0.1 and 27.8×10^?4 s^?1. Dynamic HPLC under specified conditions enabled to investigate mutarotation of phosphorylated carbohydrates, their interconversion kinetics, and energy barriers for interconversion. A complex mixture of six hexose phosphate structural isomers could be resolved almost completely.