Evaluation of the Effects of Sample Dilution and Volume in Hydrophilic Interaction Liquid Chromatography

The effects of sample dilution and volume on the peak shapes in hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) were evaluated using fluorescence-labeled thiols as model compounds and ZIC-HILIC as the HILIC column. The content of acetonitrile, which was selected as the diluent of the aqueous samples in this study, was varied 0?95 % in the injection samples, and the numbers of theoretical plates (NTPs) and retention times were compared using a mobile phase composed of ammonium formate buffer/acetonitrile (25:75, v/v). Although the NTPs and retention times decreased with decreasing acetonitrile content, the peak shapes were acceptable for samples with acetonitrile contents down to 50 % based on asymmetry factor. Furthermore, the sample volume had a serious effect for samples with low acetonitrile contents. Although a high content of acetonitrile in samples is still recommended, the capacity for the aqueous solution in the injection samples under HILIC conditions should vary with the composition of the mobile phase and may be larger than previously thought. These findings should be helpful in deciding the sample composition under HILIC conditions, particularly in bioanalysis, where aqueous solution is often contained in the injection samples and the sample dilution with an organic solvent may decrease the detection sensitivity.     

Evaluation of the Effects of Sample Dilution and Volume in Hydrophilic Interaction Liquid Chromatography

The effects of sample dilution and volume on the peak shapes in hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) were evaluated using fluorescence-labeled thiols as model compounds and ZIC-HILIC as the HILIC column. The content of acetonitrile, which was selected as the diluent of the aqueous samples in this study, was varied 0−95 % in the injection samples, and the numbers of theoretical plates (NTPs) and retention times were compared using a mobile phase composed of ammonium formate buffer/acetonitrile (25:75, v/v). Although the NTPs and retention times decreased with decreasing acetonitrile content, the peak shapes were acceptable for samples with acetonitrile contents down to 50 % based on asymmetry factor. Furthermore, the sample volume had a serious effect for samples with low acetonitrile contents. Although a high content of acetonitrile in samples is still recommended, the capacity for the aqueous solution in the injection samples under HILIC conditions should vary with the composition of the mobile phase and may be larger than previously thought. These findings should be helpful in deciding the sample composition under HILIC conditions, particularly in bioanalysis, where aqueous solution is often contained in the injection samples and the sample dilution with an organic solvent may decrease the detection sensitivity.

     

Use of a green (bio) solvent – limonene – as extractant and immiscible diluent for large volume injection in the RPLC‐tandem MS assay of statins and related metabolites in human plasma

Limonene, considered a green solvent, was successfully used to extract simvastatin, lovastatin, and their hydroxy‐acid metabolites from human plasma samples. The extraction process was followed by the direct injection of a large volume aliquot (100 μL) from the limonene layer into a Zorbax SB‐C₁₈ Rapid Resolution chromatographic column (50 mm length × 4.6 mm i.d. × 1.8 µm d.p.), operated under gradient elution reversed‐phase separation mechanism. Tandem mass spectrometry operated under the multiple reaction monitoring mode was used for detection, providing low quantitation limits in the 0.25–0.5 ng/mL concentration interval. This method was validated and used for quantitation of simvastatin and its hydroxy acid metabolite in incurred plasma samples obtained from two volunteers participating in a bioequivalence study, using lovastatin and its hydroxy analog as internal standards. The results were statistically compared with those produced by means of an alternative RPLC‐tandem MS using protein precipitation with acetonitrile. The quality attributes of the two methods are comparatively discussed. The agreement between the quality characteristics of the two methods and the experimental results obtained on real samples may be considered as a consistent basis for the simultaneous use of limonene as extraction medium and injection diluent for hydrophobic compounds in bioanalytical approaches. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

色谱累加进样分离实验条件的研究

在采用反相液相色谱或亲和色谱完成蛋白质等大分子分离时,根据溶质保留值随溶剂梯度变化曲线上突变点的差别,可以通过累加进样分离法进行样品制备或直接柱内富集分析,但这一方法并非在任意条件下、对任何样品都适用。该文根据不同形式的保留值方程从理论上探讨了样品保留值与进样时间差、梯度洗脱速率等实验条件之间的关系;结果表明：两次进样的出峰时间差与进样时间间隔成正比关系,也与其在等度情况下的容量因子有关。样品中的两种组分在间隔进样时的流出时间差主要由两组分的容量因子决定,当样品中存在两种以上保留性能相近组分时,若保证指定的分离度,进样时间间隔存在一极大值,超出该范围,分离条件将不能满足     

Solenoid Micro‐pumps: A New Tool for Sample Introduction in Batch Injection Analysis Systems with Electrochemical Detection

This work presents the use of solenoid micro‐pumps as a new strategy for sample introduction in batch‐injection analysis (BIA). The volume of solution dispensed on each pulse of the solenoid micro‐pump (μL) is used as fixed and reproducible injection volume for BIA. In this system, the injection steps are possible in stopped flow mode resulting in low background noise levels, which would not be possible under continuous flow conditions and using solenoid micro‐pumps. As a proof‐of‐concept, amperometric and square‐wave voltammetric (SWV) determination of dopamine was demonstrated as well as anodic‐stripping voltammetry (ASV) of metals. The micro‐pump provided injections of 14 μL of solution per pulse at 512 μL s⁻¹ over the electrode during electrochemical measurement. Moreover, fast injections of analyte or electrolyte were programmed during deposition or conditioning steps of ASV for analyte preconcentration or electrode cleaning. The proposed system improved limits of detection and sensitivity (2‐fold), precision and sample throughput in comparison with traditional BIA due to enhanced mass transfer and consequent reduced dispersion of analyte, and possible control of injections without analyst intervention. This work opens new possibilities of applications of the BIA system, including on‐line sample treatment (derivatization or dilution steps).     

Factors influencing chromatographic data in fast gas chromatography with on‐column injection

The use of larger volume injection with on‐column injection and fast GC commercial instrumentation was evaluated with the model mixture of n‐alkanes of a broad range of volatility (C₁₀–C₂₈). The presented configuration allows introduction of 40–80‐fold larger sample volumes without any distortion of peak shapes compared to “usual” fast GC set‐ups using narrow‐bore columns. A normal‐bore retention gap (1–5 m×0.32 mm ID) was coupled to a narrow‐bore (5 m×0.1 mm ID×0.4 μm film thickness) analytical column using a standard press‐fit connector. The connection was tight and reliable, and hence suitable for hydrogen as carrier gas. The effect of pre‐column and analytical column connector, injection volume, pre‐column length, column inlet pressure, and analyte volatility on peak shape, peak broadening, and focusing are discussed. The precision of chromatographic data measurements and peak capacity under optimised temperature programmed conditions for fast separations with large volume injection were found to be very good. The presented fast GC set‐up with on‐column injection extends the applicability of the technique to trace analysis.     

New zwitterionic polymethacrylate monolithic columns for one‐ and two‐dimensional microliquid chromatography

We prepared 0.53 and 0.32 mm id monolithic microcolumns by in situ copolymerization of a zwitterionic sulfobetaine functional monomer with bisphenol A glycerolate dimethacrylate (BIGDMA) and dioxyethylene dimetacrylate crosslinkers. The columns show a dual retention mechanism (hydrophilic‐interaction mode) in acetonitrile‐rich mobile phases and RP in highly aqueous mobile phases. The new 0.53 mm id columns provided excellent reproducibility, retention, and separation selectivity for phenolic acids and flavonoids. The new zwitterionic monolithic columns are highly orthogonal, with respect to alkyl silica stationary phases, not only in the hydrophilic‐interaction mode but also in the RP mode. The optimized monolithic zwitterionic microcolumn of 0.53 mm id was employed in the first dimension, either in the aqueous normal‐phase or in the RP mode, coupled with a short nonpolar core‐shell column in the second dimension, for comprehensive 2D LC separations of phenolic and flavonoid compounds. When the 2D setup with the sulfobetaine–BIGDMA column was used for repeated sample analysis, with alternating gradients of decreasing (hydrophilic‐interaction mode), and increasing (RP mode) concentration of acetonitrile on the sulfobetaine–BIGDMA column in the first dimension, useful complementary information on the sample could be obtained.     

On‐line concentration by field‐enhanced sample injection with reverse migrating micelles in micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography for the analysis of coumarins from traditional Chinese medicine and human serum

In this work, a simple, reproducible and sensitive micellar electrokinetic chromatography method was developed for the separation and determination of three coumarins, imperatorin (IM), isoimperatorin (IO) and osthole (OS) from traditional Chinese medicine and human serum. Field‐enhanced sample injection with reverse migrating micelles was used for on‐line concentration of the coumarins. The optimum buffer contained 50 mM H₃PO₄, 160 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate, 20% acetonitrile and 15% 2‐propanol, and the pH of buffer was 2.0. The sample solution was diluted with water containing 5 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate and injected for 15 s with ?8 kV after injection of 2 s water plug. The effects of concentrations of sodium dodecyl sulfate and organic modifier, the sample matrix, the injection time of water plug, the injection voltage and injection time of sample on the separation and stacking efficiency were investigated. Under the optimum conditions, the analytes were well separated and by optimizing the stacking conditions, about 93, 195 and 136 fold improvement in the detection sensitivity was obtained for IM, IO and OS. The contents of three coumarins in Angelica dahurica Benth, Radix Angelicae Pubescentis and Fructus Cnidii were successfully determined with satisfactory repeatability and recovery. The possibilities of using this method for the determination of three coumarins in spiked human serum were also tested. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Large Volume Injection in Fast Gas Chromatography with On‐Column Injector

In this work a fast gas chromatography set‐up with on‐column injection was optimized and evaluated with a model mixture of C₈–C₂₈ n‐alkanes. Usual injection volumes when using narrow‐bore (e. g., 0.1 mm i.d.) analytical columns are ca. 0.1 μL. The presented configuration allows introduction of 10–30‐fold larger sample volumes without any distortion of peak shapes. In the set‐up a normal‐bore retention gap (1 m×0.32 mm i. d.) was coupled to a narrow‐bore (4.8 m×0.1 mm i. d.×0.4 μm film thickness) analytical column using a low dead volume column connector. The effects of the experimental conditions such as inlet pressure, sample volume, initial injection temperature, and oven temperature on a peak focusing are discussed. H‐u curves for helium and hydrogen are used to compare their suitability for high speed gas chromatography and to show the dependence of separation efficiency on the carrier gas velocity at high inlet pressures. In the fast gas chromatography system a baseline separation of C₁₀–C₂₈ n‐alkanes was achieved in less than 3 minutes.     

Determination of trace triclosan in environmental water by microporous bamboo‐activated charcoal solid‐phase extraction combined with HPLC‐ESI‐MS

A sensitive and efficient analytical method for triclosan (TCS) determination in water, which involves enrichment with bamboo‐activated charcoal and detection with HPLC‐ESI‐MS, was developed. The influence of several operational parameters, including the eluant and its volume, the flow rate, the volume andacidity of the sample, and the amount of bamboo‐activated charcoal, were investigated and optimized. Under the optimum conditions, linearity of the method was observed in the range of 0.02–20 μg/L, with correlation coefficients (r²) >0.9990. The limit of detection was 0.002 μg/L based on the ratio of chromatographic signal to baseline noise (S/N = 3). The spiked recoveries of TCS in real water samples were achieved in the range of 97.6–112.5%. The proposed method was applied to analyze TCS in real aqueous samples. All the surface water samples collected in Xiaoqing River had detectable levels of TCS with concentrations of 42–197 ng/L.     

Improved analyte detectability of proteins and peptide lysates by means of multiple large‐volume injection in LC‐MS

A ‘multiple (trapping) large‐volume injection’ approach was developed for the analysis of peptides and proteins. In this way, a maximally 10‐fold gain in sensitivity could be achieved. The system involves the use of an automated 10‐port switching valve in combination with a 1 mm i.d. trapping/guard column and a 1 mm i.d.×150 mm analytical column. The optimized multiple injection/loading procedure allows quantitative measurements of peptides and protein lysates. Linear calibration curves (R² ? 0.988) over a minimum of two orders of magnitude were generated for a range of peptide and protein standards with sensitivities equal to or even exceeding, those generally achieved only through increasing miniaturization (quantification limit ?0.5 pmol/mL).     

Determination of organophosphorus pesticides by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry using a large‐volume injection technique after magnetic extraction

A fast and efficient method was developed for the extraction and determination of organophosphorus pesticides in water samples. Organophosphorus pesticides were extracted by solid‐phase extraction using magnetic multi‐walled carbon nanotubes and determined by gas chromatography with ion‐trap mass spectrometry. Parameters affecting the extraction were investigated. Under optimum conditions of the method, 10 mg magnetic multi‐walled carbon nanotubes were added into 10 mL sample. After 2 min, adsorbent particles settled at the bottom of test tube with a magnet. After removing aqueous supernatant, the analytes were desorbed with acetonitrile. Then, 70 μL of acetonitrile phase was injected into the gas chromatography and mass spectrometry system that had an ion‐trap analyzer. To achieve high sensitivity, the large‐volume‐injection technique was used with a programmed temperature vaporization inlet, and the ion‐trap mass spectrometer was operated in single ion storage mode. Under the best conditions, the enrichment factors and extraction recoveries were in the range of 113–124 and 74–103%, respectively. The limits of detection were between 3 and 15 ng/L, and the relative standard deviations were < 10%. This method was successfully used for the determination of organophosphorus pesticides in dam water, lagoon water, and river water samples with good reproducibility and recovery.     

Comparison of field‐enhanced and pressure‐assisted field‐enhanced sample injection techniques for the analysis of water‐soluble vitamins using CZE

A new online concentration method, namely pressure‐assisted field‐enhanced sample injection (PA‐FESI), was developed and compared with FESI for the analysis of water‐soluble vitamins by CZE with UV detection. In PA‐FESI, negative voltage and positive pressure were simultaneously applied to initialize PA‐FESI. PA‐FESI uses the hydrodynamic flow generated by the positive pressure to counterbalance the reverse EOF in the capillary column during electrokinetic sample injection, which allowed a longer injection time than usual FESI mode without compromising the separation efficiency. Using the PA‐FESI method, the LODs of the vitamins were at ng/mL level based on the S/N of 3 and the RSDs of migration time and peak area for each vitamin (1 μg/mL) were less than 5.1%. The developed method was applied to the analysis of water‐soluble vitamins in corns.     

Analysis of trace inorganic anions in weak acid salts by single pump cycling‐column‐switching ion chromatography

The application of ion chromatography with the single pump cycling‐column‐switching technique was described for the analysis of trace inorganic anions in weak acid salts within a single run. Due to the hydrogen ions provided by an anion suppressor electrolyzing water, weak acid anions could be transformed into weak acids, existing as molecules, after passing through the suppressor. Therefore, an anion suppressor and ion‐exclusion column were adopted to achieve on‐line matrix elimination of weak acid anions with high concentration for the analysis of trace inorganic anions in weak acid salts. A series of standard solutions consisting of target anions of various concentrations from 0.005 to 10 mg/L were analyzed, with correlation coefficients r ≥ 0.9990. The limits of detection were in the range of 0.67 to 1.51 μg/L, based on the signal‐to‐noise ratio of 3 and a 25 μL injection volume. Relative standard deviations for retention time, peak area, and peak height were all less than 2.01%. A spiking study was performed with satisfactory recoveries between 90.3 and 104.4% for all anions. The chromatographic system was successfully applied to the analysis of trace inorganic anions in five weak acid salts.     

Selective and sensitive detection of organic contaminants in water samples by on-line trace enrichment–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Liquid chromatographic (LC) type trace enrichment is coupled online with capillary gas chromatography (GC) with mass spectrometric (MS) detection for the analysis of aqueous samples. A volume of 1–10 ml of an aqueous sample is preconcentrated on a trace-enrichment column packed with a polymeric stationary phase. After cleanup with HPLC-grade water the precolumn is dried with nitrogen and subsequently desorbed with ethyl acetate. A fraction of 60 μl is introduced on-line into a diphenyltetramethyldisilazane-deactivated retention gap under partially concurrent solvent evaporation conditions and using an early solvent vapor exit. The analytes are separated and detected by means of GC–MS. The potential of the LC–GC–MS system for monitoring organic pollutants in river and drinking water is studied. Target analysis is carried out with atrazine and simazine as model compounds; the detection limits achieved under full-scan and multiple ion detection conditions are 30 pg and 5 pg, respectively. Identification of unknown compounds (non-target analysis), is demonstrated using a river water sample spiked with 168 pollutants varying in polarity and volatility.     

Influence of multiple processing on selected properties of poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐4‐hydroxybutyrate)

The effect of multiple (up to 10 times) injection molding of processed poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐4‐hydroxybutyrate) (P(3,4HB)) on its phase transition temperatures, degree of crystallinity, degradation temperature, mass flow rate, mechanical properties, dynamic mechanical properties, and Charpy's impact strength is presented. The studies have shown that the multiple injection lowers the degree of crystallinity and the thermal stability of P(3,4HB). The mass flow rate values increased with increasing the injection number. It was found that the multiple injections had no substantial effect on the tensile strength up to 10 injection cycles and the tensile strength at break, tensile strain at tensile strength, and tensile strain at break up to 6 injection cycles. The maximum value of storage modulus at 30 °C and impact strength were recorded for sample after 4 cycles of injection, while the values of storage modulus at 120 °C increased with increase of the injection cycles. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Interface‐free two‐dimensional heart‐cutting capillary electrophoresis for the separation and stacking of anionic and neutral analytes

Interface‐free two‐dimensional heart‐cutting capillary electrophoresis for two different classes of analytes (anionic and neutral) in a single capillary is presented. Simultaneous sample stacking and orthogonal separation were demonstrated. The anionic species were first analyzed by capillary zone electrophoresis in the first dimension. Then, the neutral compounds were separated in the second dimension by micellar electrokinetic chromatography using the common anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate. The first and second dimensions occurred automatically without changing the electrolyte and without polarity switching. Artificial mixtures (five anions and four neutral compounds) were successfully analyzed with sensitivity enhancement factors from 7 to 28. The orthogonal separation was complete within 8 min. Some analytical features and application to a spiked real river water sample were also studied.     

Pressure‐assisted CEC versus CEC using methacrylate‐based monolithic columns: Influence of the polymerization‐mixture composition

Pressure‐assisted CEC (pCEC) can either be performed on a CE instrument by adding pressure at the column inlet, or by applying voltage on a capillary liquid chromatography system. This study investigates the pressure's added value in pCEC using an LC instrument as well as the influence of the polymerization‐mixture composition on monolithic columns in such experimental circumstances. Two factors of the polymerization mixture, which is used to prepare the monolithic capillary columns, were varied according to an experimental design approach: the pore‐forming solvent/total monomer ratio and the pore‐forming solvents composition. Initially, the effect of the resulting stationary phase on the elution behavior of mainly pharmaceutical compounds was studied. Four responses were used to evaluate the effects on the chromatography: retention time, retention factor, peak asymmetry and number of theoretical plates. After processing the results, the stationary phase composition with the best chromatographic behavior was determined and tested. The advantageous properties of this stationary phase compared with the design center‐point column were demonstrated. Secondly, the results of these pCEC experiments were compared with those generated in an identical experimental setup previously performed using CEC. Chromatographic conditions were chosen so that the center‐point column showed similar retention in CEC and pCEC. The expected advantage (faster analysis) and drawback (decreased efficiency) of pCEC in the analysis of pharmaceuticals was evaluated. Analysis time and efficiency were both found to depend greatly on the porosity of the column. The conclusion of this comparison is that pCEC did not have a significant added value to CEC. However, this was mainly due to the instrument's limitation of the pressure‐driven flow over the column. A clear benefit of the pCEC setup was apparatus‐related, i.e. the presence of a loop injection system on the pCEC instrument, which avoids the injection problems that were occasionally observed in CEC.     

Syringe cleanup with UHPLC–MS/MS for nitroimidazoles and steroids detection in manure‐based fertilizers

A syringe‐dispersive solid‐phase extraction method was developed for the determination of seven nitroimidazoles and nine steroids in manure‐based fertilizers by ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Methanol and acetonitrile were used to extract the sample, and mixed dispersive sorbents dispersed in the syringe were used for purification. The extract was separated with an HSS‐T3 column and detected in positive or negative multiple reaction monitoring mode. Under the optimal conditions, the recoveries of the 16 compounds ranged from 70.3 to 112.3% at the four spiked levels (3, 10, 20, and 50 μg/kg) and the relative standard deviations ranged from 1.0 to 12.4%. The limits of detection and quantification were 0.22–0.86 and 0.73–2.87 μg/kg, respectively. This method is simple, fast, and reliable, and can be used to simultaneously screen and determine nitroimidazoles and steroids in manure‐based fertilizers.     

Determination of rifampicin in rat plasma by modified large‐volume direct injection RAM‐HPLC and its application to a pharmcokinetic study

A direct large volume injection high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with homemade restricted‐access media (RAM) pre‐column and combined with a column‐switching valve was established and developed for determination rifampicin (RIP) in rat plasma. The rat plasma samples (100 μL) were injected directly onto pre‐column, where RIP was retained and pre‐concentrated, while proteins were washed to waste using a methanol–water (5:95) as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. Then, by rotation of the switching valve at 5 min, the RIP were eluted from the pre‐column and transferred to an Luna C₁₈ analytical column by the chromatographic mobile phase consisting of methanol–acetonitrile–10 mm ammonium format (60:5:35) at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. The total analytical run time was 15 min with UV detection wavelength at 254 nm. Carbamazepine was used as the internal standard. Excellent linear correlation (r = 0.9993) was obtained in the range of 0.25–8 µg/mL for rat plasma. The intra‐day and inter‐day precisions of RIP were all <5.0%. The recoveries were in the range of from 99.98–113.66% for plasma. This on‐line RAM‐HPLC method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study of RIP in rat plasma. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.