Countercurrent Chromatography Using a Toroidal Coil Planet-Centrifuge: A Comparative Study of the Separation of Organelles Using Aqueous Two-Phase Partition

Abstract

A toroidal coil planet centrifuge is described and compared with other countercurrent chromatography (CCC) and countercurrent distribution (CCD) techniques. The basis of separation is partition in aqueous two-phase polymer systems, with each method assessed by fractionating rat liver organelles. The size and ease of operation of the toroidal coil planet centrifuge gave significant advantages over conventional CCD systems achieving equivalent resolution in a fraction of the time.     

Plant Hormone Analysis by Countercurrent Chromatography

Abstract

Countercurrent chromatography (CCC) has been successfully applied for the separation of plant hormones; namely, indole auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins and abscisic acid. In our present study three different types of CCC devices were evaluated for their performance in separation of plant hormones with a special emphasis on analysis and purification of abscisic acid (ABA). A large-scale preparative CCC apparatus consisting of a slowly rotating coil assembly was used for preliminary separations of ABA from a large volume of crude plant extracts. The toroidal coil planet centrifuge (CPC) for analytical-scale separations was subsequently applied for purification of ABA, the final confirmation being obtained by HPLC and combined gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric method. This two-step procedure utilizing preparative CCC and toroidal CPC was successfully applied for determination of ABA content in several plant tissues. A recently introduced high-speed CCC apparatus was tested for semipreparative separation of ABA and indole-3-acetic acid. The method yielded high peak resolution within 2 hours.     

Toroidal Coil Countercurrent Chromatography in the Affinity Partitioning of Nicotinic Cholinergic Receptor Enriched Membranes

Abstract

A variation on the aqueous polymer phase partition method, affinity partitioning, has proved suitable for the preparative scale purification of binding site enriched membrane fragments. The full resolving potential of the affinity partitioning technique often requires the utilization of multiple extraction procedures such as countercurrent distribution. In this report, we evaluate the combination of a newly developed countercurrent purification technique, toroidal coil chromatography, with affinity partitioning. This approach provides an efficient method for purification and characterization of membrane bound nicotinic cholinergic receptors. The relative merits of the toroidal coil chromatography technology and the more conventional thin-layer countercurrent distribution techniques are compared.     

Evaluation of Analytical Countercurrent Chromatographs: High-Speed Countercurrent Chromatograph-4000 Vs. Analytical Toroidal Coil Centrifuge

Abstract

Performance of two countercurrent chromatographic models, high speed countercurrent chromatograph (HSCCC-4000) and analytical toroidal coil centrifuge (TCC), is evaluated in terms of theoretical plate number, resolution factor and separation time to assess their analytical capability. A series of experiments was conducted to investigate the effects of internal diameter and length of the coiled column, and flow rate of the mobile phase on the separation of indole auxins in two-phase solvent systems composed of n-hexane-ethyl acetate-methanol-water at different volume ratios. The three components of indole auxins were completely resolved in 16 min with a HSCCC system equipped with a multilayer coil of a 0.55 mm I.D. PTFE tube with theoretical plates ranging from 1290 to 829. Similar separation was achieved in 24 min with a TCC systems equipped with a 0.3 mm I.D. PTFE tube with theoretical plates ranging from 1811 to 969. It is concluded that both systems have comparable analytical capability at the present stage of development.     

Novel Designs for Centrifugal Countercurrent chromatography: V. Comparative Studies on Performance of Various Column Configurations

The conventional toroidal coil in centrifugal countercurrent chromatography has a low level of stationary phase retention, since a half of each helical turn is entirely occupied by the mobile phase. In order to cope with this problem, several new column designs including zigzag, saw-tooth and figure-8 patterns have been introduced and their performance was compared in terms of retention of the stationary phase (Sf), peak resolution (Rs), theoretical plate number (N) and column pressures. Overall results of experiments indicate that the figure-8 column yields the highest Rs when the lower phase is used as the mobile phase. Since the column pressure of all these new columns are much lower than that in the traditional toroidal coil column, the separation efficiency can be improved using a long separation column without a risk of column damage by high back pressure.     

Gram Quantity Separation of DNP (Dinitrophenyl) Amino Acids with Multi-Layer Coil Countercurrent Chromatography (CCC)

Abstract

The efforts have been successfully made to extend the preparative capability of the high-speed CCC scheme with a multi-layer large capacity coiled column. The apparatus is a table top model of a horizontal flow-through coil planet centrifuge which produces a synchronous planetary motion of the column holder. The separation column was prepared from a single piece of 70 m long, 2.6 mm i.d., PTFE tubing coiled around the spool-shaped holder to form multiple layers of the coil with a total capacity of about 400 ml. The performance of the apparatus was assessed with a standard set of DNP amino acid samples and a two-phase solvent system composed of chloroform, acetic acid and 0.1N HCl (2:2:1). Preparative capability of the method was evaluated in terms of the retention level of the stationary phase and peak resolution for various sample size ranging from 0.05g to 2g. The effects of sample volume, sample concentration and the choice of the sample diluent on the separation were studied. The results indicated that both the retention level and the peak resolution tend to decrease with the increase of the sample volume applied at a given concentration. For separation of 1 gram quantity, best results were obtained by applying the sample dissolved in a small volume (10 ml) consisting of equal amounts of the two phases. Overall results indicate that the present scheme is capable of efficient separation for gram quantity of samples in a short period of time. The preparative capability may be further increased by the use of a larger-diameter and/or longer coil.     

Separation of Selected Beta Lactam Antibiotic Epimers on Gamma Cyclodextrin,Ion Exchange Ethylvinylbenzene/Divinylbenzene/Copolymer and Poly(Styrene-Divinylbenzene) Copolymer Stationary Phases

Abstract

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) stationary phases of gamma cyclodextrin, ion exchange ethylvinylbenzene/divinylbenzene (EVB/DVB) copolymer and poly (Styrene-divinylbenzene) (PRP-1) copolymer were investigated for the separation of beta lactam antibiotic epimers of cephalexin, moxalactam, ticarcillin, and carbenicillin. A combination of ion pair chromatography and inclusion complex formation improved the selectivity of moxalactam epimers on gamma cyclodextrin but had no effect on cephalexin epimers. A 10% increase in resolution was obtained for the moxalactam epimers on gamma cyclodextrin when 3mM tetrapropylammonium bromide was present in the mobile phase. Ion-exchange and reverse phase properties of the ion-exchange EVB/DVB phase coupled with perchlorate or sodium pentane sulfonate ion pair chromatography were also successful in separating some of the epimers. Retention and separation behavior of the analytes could not be easily predicted using this multiphase system. The PRP-1 phase was capable of easily resolving the epimers studied with minor adjustments in the mobile phase pH and organic modifier concentration. The PRP-1 phase would be highly recommended for the separation of antibiotic epimers based on the model compounds studied.     

Separation of S-Triazine Herbicides by Countercurrent Chromatography

Abstract

Countercurrent chromatography (CCC) has been successfully applied for the separation of four chlorinated s-triazine derivatives, namely, simazine, atrazine, propazine, and trietazine, which are widely used as herbicides. Of several solvent systems investigated, n-hexane-ethyl acetate-methanol-water (8:2:5:5) gave the best range of the partition coefficient values because of the satisfactory solubility for all samples and therefore was used for the separation of s-triazines. Two types of countercurrent chromatographs, high speed CCC, and horizontal flow-through coil planet centrifuge, were used for s-triazines separation, and the identity of the separated fractions was unequivocally established by mass spectrometry. The potential practical application of CCC to herbicide analysis is discussed.     

The Efficiency of Substance Separation in Countercurrent Liquid Chromatography

The effect of hydrodynamic parameters and the specific features of instrument design on the efficiency of substance separation in countercurrent liquid chromatography (CCC) was studied using a constant retention factor of the stationary phase in the column. The study was conducted with the separation of benzyl alcohol and p-cresol in a two-phase liquid system heptane–ethyl acetate–methanol–water (1.4 : 0.6 : 1 : 1) in as an example. It was shown that the peak resolution is improved with an increase in the rotational speed of the column and a decrease in the flow rate of the mobile phase. The best peak separation was attained using columns for which the ratio of the column rotation radius to the radius of column revolution was 0.615. It was shown that countercurrent chromatography allows the separation of substances with low partition constants (K < 1) in dilute solutions. The volume of the test sample may be up to 15% of the total volume of the chromatography column.     

Preparative Purification of Peptides by Countercurrent Chromatography on the Ito Coil Planet Centrifuges

Abstract

For the purification of up to 1000 mg of synthetic peptides by countercurrent chromatography, the coil planet centrifuges have proven useful in the research laboratory. Besides the earlier described horizontal flow-through coil planet centrifuge which chromatographs substances in all solvent systems at room temperature, the multi-layer coil planet centrifuge affords more rapid chromatography. However, separations using n-butanol, especially suited for peptides, have to be conducted at elevated temperatures. A new machine that has characteristics of both of the foregoing instruments is the compact horizontal flow-through coil planet centrifuge which promises rapid chromatography with full retention of the stationary phase.     

Protein separation by nonsynchronous coil planet centrifuge with aqueous-aqueous polymer phase systems

Counter-current chromatographic separation of proteins was performed using a rotary-seal-free nonsynchronous coil planet centrifuge (CPC) fabricated in our laboratory. This apparatus has a unique feature that allows a freely adjustable rotational rate of the coiled separation column at a given revolution speed. The separation was performed using a set of stable proteins including cytochrome c, myoglobin and lysozyme with two different types of aqueous-aqueous polymer phase systems, i.e., PEG (polyethylene glycol) 1000-dibasic potassium phosphate, and PEG 8000-dextran T500 in 5 mM potassium phosphate buffer. Using a set of multilayer coiled columns prepared from 0.8 mm I.D. PTFE tubing with different volumes (11, 24, 39 ml), the effect of the column capacity on the partition efficiency was investigated under a given set of experimental conditions. Among these experiments, the best separation of proteins was attained using the 39 ml capacity column with a 12.5% (w/w) PEG 1000-12.5% (w/w) dibasic potassium phosphate system at 10 rpm of coil rotation under 800 rpm. With lower phase mobile at 0.2 ml/min in the head-to-tail elution, the resolution between cytochrome c and myoglobin was 1.6 and that between myoglobin and lysozyme, 1.9. With upper phase mobile in the head-to-tail elution, the resolution between lysozyme and myoglobin peaks was 1.5. In these two separations, the stationary phase retention was 35.0 and 33.3%, respectively. Further studies were carried out using a pair of eccentric coil assemblies with 0.8 mm I.D. PTFE tubing at a total capacity of 20 ml. A comparable resolution was obtained using both lower and upper phases as a mobile phase in a head-to-tail elution. The results of our studies demonstrate that the nonsynchronous CPC is useful for protein separation with aqueous-aqueous polymer phase systems.     

Separation of Biological Pyridines by High Pressure Liquid Chromatography

Abstract

The separation of the six pyridine compounds which comprise the pyridine nucleotide cycle, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate and para-aminobenzoic acid, a compound biologically related to these pyridines, can be achieved rapidly utilizing high pressure liquid chromatography. Optimum separation is accomplished using ion-ion pairing in reverse phase chromatography with a C₁₈ stationary phase and an aqueous mobile phase of 5mM pentanesulfonic acid and 25 mM KH₂PO₄. The effect of temperature on the separation is minimal. As little as 10 ng of these compounds is detected via absorption of ultraviolet light at a wavelength of 254 nm.     

Chromatography of AC-ASP-TYR-MET-GLY-TRP-MET-ASP-NH2 on the Horizontal flow-Through Coil Planet Centrifuge and the High-Speed Multi-Layer Coil Planet Centrifuge

Abstract

The peptide Ac-Asp-Tyr-Met-Gly-Trp-Met-Asp-NH₂ was purified by countercurrent chromatography in the horizontal flow-through coil planet centrifuge. The solvent system used was ammonium acetate, pH 8.5 and n-butanol (1:1 by volume). The high pH served to maintain the peptide in solution. When the upper phase was utilized as the mobile phase better separation of the peptide from impurities resulted. The peptide was also chromatographed in a new apparatus, the high-speed multi-layer coil planet centrifuge. With the lower phase mobile and at a higher temperature, the peptide was fractionated very rapidly in 30 min compared to 7 hr on the other instrument.     

Complimentary Role of Micellar Electrokinetic Capillary Chromatography and High Performance Liquid Chromatography in the Separation of Plant Phenolics

Abstract

A comparison was made between the efficiency of micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MECC) and reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) to separate a mixture of plant phenolics. Of a range of buffers 6 mM borate/10 mM phosphate/100 mM SDS at pH 8.5 was the most effective in separating a complex mixture of phenolics using MECC. Using this buffer the elution order and resolution was different from that obtained by HPLC using a reversed phase C18 column. These results illustrate how MECC and RP-HPLC are complimentary when examining complex mixtures such as those obtained from plant extracts. MECC using these conditions was applied to the examination of phenolics from leaf tissue of Eucalyptus margmata (jarrah).     

LC with a Teicoplanin Aglycone Chiral Sorbent for the Separation of the Enantiomers of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs: An Evaluation of Chiral Capillary Columns

A capillary column with a teicoplanin aglycone (TAG) stationary phase (CSP) was used for enantioselective separation of selected profen non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in capillary liquid chromatography (cLC). The effect of variations in the mobile phase composition on the retention and enantioselective separation was examined. The best resolution was attained in the mobile phase composed of 40/60 (v/v) methanol/1.0% triethylamine acetate buffer, pH 4.0 or 4.5. Under the optimized separation conditions, five of the set of eight analytes were enantioresolved with resolution values better than 0.9. Only fenoprofen was not enantioseparated in any system tested. The optimized separation conditions were used for evaluation of three chiral capillary columns (all prepared in the same way in our laboratory) in terms of the repeatability and reproducibility of the results. The run-to-run repeatability was expressed in terms of the relative standard deviation (RSD) values, obtained from ten independent measurements, for the following parameters: the retention factor for the first eluted enantiomer (k ₁), the selectivity (α), the enantioresolution (R), the theoretical plate count per meter for the first eluted enantiomer (N ₁) and the elution curve asymmetry for the first eluted enantiomer (As ₁). None of the RSD values exceeded 8%. The column-to-column reproducibility of these parameters ranged between 1 and 9%. The results obtained with TAG based CSPs in cLC (a laboratory packed capillary column) were compared with those obtained by classical high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a commercially available column. The cLC procedure provided a better enantioresolution and the elution curves had a better symmetry.

     

Separation of Xanthine Derivates by High Pressure Liquid Chromatography and Application to Plasma Analysis

Abstract

High pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods were developed for separation and plasma analysis of ten xanthine derivates. Separation was evaluated on silica column and on three different reverse phase columns, with optimum conditions obtained on C₆ spherisorb column using isocratic elution with phosphate buffer 10^?2 M, pH 2.7 - acetonitrile mixture (80/20 V/V). Determination of these xanthine derivates in plasma for therapeutic control was studied.     

Optimization of Solvent Mixture Compositions for High Speed Countercurrent Distribution

Abstract

Seven solvents considered appropriate for use with relatively sensitive biosynthetic products undergoing separation by multilayer coil planet centrifuge high speed countercurrent distribution (HSCCD) have been evaluated in a new and systematic procedure for optimal solvent selection. the new method was illustrated by a complete HSCCD separation of five closely related dipeptides.     

Chiral Separation of Racemic Tetrahedral Transition Metal Carbonyl Cluster SFeCoMo(CO)8(C2H5OCOCp) by Liquid Chromatography on Tribenzoylcellulose

Abstract

Direct separation of racemic tetrahedral transition metal carbonyl cluster SFeCoMo(CO)₈(C₂H₅OCOC_p) has been conducted by liquid chromatography using tribenzoylcellulose as chiral stationary phase. The effects of concentration of 2-propanol, various primary alcohols in the mobile phase and column temperature on the rentention and enantioselectivity of SFeCoMo(CO)₈(C₂H₅OCOC_p) cluster enantiomers were studied. The maximum resolution factor obtained was 2.306 when hexane/2-propanol(99.5/0.5,v/v) was used as solvent at 23°C.     

High-Speed Countercurrent Chromatography of Dipeptides on a Polar Two-Phase Solvent System

Abstract

The performance of the high-speed countercurrent chomatograph was evaluated by separating dipeptide samples on a polar biphasic solvent composed of n-butanol-acetic acid-water (4:1:5, v/v/v). Best results were obtained with a set of multilayer coils of small helical diameter by eluting with the upper nonaqueous phase in a head to tail direction at a flow rate of 1 or 2 ml/min. Four components were completely resolved in 5 to 11 hours. Other types of coiled columns such as a multilayer coil with large helical diameter (in a commercial model) and eccentric dual-layer coil assemblies mounted on a horizontal coil planet centrifuge also yielded satisfactory separations.     

Rapid separation of polysaccharides using a novel spiral coil column by high‐speed countercurrent chromatography

The separation of polysaccharides is time consuming. We developed and optimized a type‐J counter‐current chromatography system with a novel tri‐rotor spiral coil column for the rapid separation of polysaccharides. The optimal composition of an aqueous PEG1000/K₂HPO₄/KH₂PO₄ system was found to be 14:16:14 w/w/w where the lower phase was the mobile phase. Optimal performance was achieved at a column rotational speed, temperature, and flow rate of 1200 rpm, 45°C, and 3.0 mL/min, respectively. The mobile phase was pumped from the inner terminal in a ‘‘head‐to‐tail’’ elution mode. Polysaccharide LCP‐1 (10.7 mg) was successfully obtained in high purity in one step from 50.0 mg of a crude polysaccharide extracted from the lychee fruit (Litchi chinensis) within 100 min. LCP‐1 possess a number‐average molecular weight and weight‐average molecular weight of 1.05 × 10⁵ and 1.59 × 10⁵ kDa, respectively. The monosaccharide composition consists of the molar ratio of glucose, galactose, and arabinose of 1.3:3.5:1.