Determination of thiopental in human serum and plasma by high-performance capillary electrophoresis-micellar electrokinetic chromatography.

The quantitation of thiopental in human serum and plasma was investigated using high-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) in a micellar configuration and the results were compared with reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Thiopental and an internal standard (carbamazepine for HPCE and thiamylal for HPLC) were extracted from serum or plasma using pentane and a phosphate buffer (pH 6.4). HPCE analysis took place in a phosphate-borate buffer with 50 mM sodium dodecyl sulphate using an automated instrument and HPLC was performed with a C8 column and a mobile phase of phosphate buffer-acetonitrile (65:35, v/v). HPCE and HPLC data from 66 patient samples compared well based on linear regression analysis. However, estimates obtained with the inclusion of the internal standard were lower than those based on the sample peak only. This example allows the elucidation of the advantages of using HPCE as an assay methodology for the therapeutic monitoring of thiopental and other drugs.     

Direct determination of amino acids and carbohydrates by high-performance capillary electrophoresis with refractometric detection

This is an initial report to propose a novel approach in high-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) for the direct detection of compounds without natural absorbance in the UV and visible spectral range, such as amino acids and carbohydrates. A refractometry detector with the 2 nl cell (Applied Systems, Minsk, Belarus) was employed to identify amino acids and carbohydrates without derivatization. The first results are provided on separation of seven free amino acids in the phosphate running buffer and three free carbohydrates in the borate-sodium dodecyl sulfate running buffer and detection by refractometer. Fused capillaries of 50 or 75 microm internal diameter and separation voltage (10-23 kV) were applied. Detection limits ranged typically from 10 to 100 fmol and the response was linear over two orders of magnitude for most of the amino acids and carbohydrates. The HPCE system demonstrated good long-term stability and reproducibility with a relative standard deviation, less than 5% for the migration time (n=10).     

Analysis and confirmation of synthetic anorexics in adulterated traditional Chinese medicines by high-performance capillary electrophoresis.

Six synthetic anorexics, clobenzorex, diethylpropion, fenfluramine, methamphetamine, phenylpropanolamine and phentermine, which can be found as adulterants in traditional Chinese medicines were assayed simultaneously by high-performance capillary electrophoresis. The electrolyte was a buffer solution containing 120 mM phosphate buffer (NaH2PO4/H3PO4, pH 2.0) and 15% acetonitrile. Applied voltage was 16 kV and temperature was 30 degrees C. Fluoren-2,7-diammonium chloride was used as an internal standard and detector set at 200 nm. The recoveries of the synthetic anorexic adulterants in traditional Chinese medicinal formula using C8-SCX mixed solid-phase extraction were studied. Several traditional Chinese medicinal powders obtained from clinics were also studied by the above HPCE method and confirmed by GC-MS. Clobenzorex, diethylpropion and fenfluramine were found and determine in these samples.     

Separation of phosphorylated histone H1 variants by high-performance capillary electrophoresis.

High-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) was used to separate successfully distinct phosphorylated derivatives of individual histone H1 variants. With an untreated capillary (50 cm x 75 microns I.D.) the electrophoresis was performed in about 15 min. Inconvenient interactions of these highly basic proteins with the capillary wall were eliminated by using 0.1 M sodium phosphate buffer (pH 2.0) containing 0.03% hydroxypropylmethylcellulose. Under these experimental conditions the histone H1 variants H1b and H1c obtained from mitotic enriched NIH 3T3 fibroblasts and isolated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography were clearly separated in their non-phosphorylated and different phosphorylated forms. This result was confirmed by acid-urea gel electrophoresis, comparison with non-phosphorylated histones H1b and H1c, isolated from quiescent NIH 3T3 cells, and incubation of multi-phosphorylated histone H1b with alkaline phosphatase and subsequent acid-urea and capillary electrophoresis. The results illustrate that the application of HPCE to the analysis of histone modifications provides a new alternative to traditional gel electrophoresis.     

Analysis of carbohydrates in glycoproteins by high-performance liquid chromatography and high-performance capillary electrophoresis

We describe two methods for the analysis of oligosaccharide chains in glycoproteins by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and high-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE).O-andN-glycosidically linked oligosaccharides released from glycoproteins can be identified as their borohydride-reduced forms by anion-exchange HPLC with pulsed amperometric detection.N-Glycosidically linked oligosaccharides can also be analyzed as 2-aminopyridine derivatives by HPCE in direct zone electrophoresis mode in an acidic phosphate buffer and zone electrophoresis mode as borate complexes in an alkaline buffer. We also present a convenient procedure for the analysis of the constituent monosaccharides of these oligosaccharides chains by HPLC based on reversed-phase partition mode as 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone derivatives.     

High-performance capillary electrophoresis of proteins. Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel-filled capillary column for the determination of recombinant biotechnology-derived proteins.

Fused-silica capillary columns were filled with sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel and the column effluent was monitored at 214 nm using a commercially available high-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) instrument to separate and rapidly quantify recombinant biotechnology-derived proteins. An excellent linear relationship (r greater than 0.999) exists between the peak migration time and the molecular weights of reference proteins in the range 10,000-100,000 and 40,000-200,000 dalton by use of the capillary columns filled with acrylamide gel at a T composition of 5% and 3%, respectively. The relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) of the peak migration time is ca. 1%. Theoretical plates of 5 X 10(5)-1 X 10(6) per metre are routinely being obtained. Calibration graphs of peak area versus weight of recombinant biotechnology-derived proteins are linear (r greater than 0.999) and the proteins may be quantified with an R.S.D. of ca. 3-7%. As little as 50 nmol of a protein may be quantified and an impurity peak of molecular weight ca. 1500 less than that of the parent compound (ca. 60,000 dalton) may be differentiated by HPCE with a gel-filled capillary column.     

Measurement of alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes in individual mouse bone marrow fibroblast cells based on capillary electrophoresis with on-capillary enzyme-catalyzed reaction and electrochemical detection

A novel method for the determination of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) isoenzymes in individual fibroblast cells of mouse bone marrow was developed by combining capillary electrophoresis with an on-capillary enzyme-catalyzed reaction and electrochemical detection. In this method, a single an cell, followed by 5.0 x 10(-2) mol/L Na2B4O7- 3.0 x 10(-2) mol/L NaCl (pH 9.8) as cell lysis solution, was injected into the inlet of the separation capillary by electromigration. The cell was lysed by applying a voltage of 2 kV. The ALP isoenzymes in the cell were preseparated at 20 kV for 1 min, and then allowed to react for 30 min with disodium phenyl phosphate as enzyme substrate in the running buffer. ALP converted disodium phenyl phosphate into its product, phenol, at a relatively high reaction rate without consumption, with resultant amplification of the signal on prolonged reaction time, producing an adequate amount of product for final detection. A mass detection limit as low as 3.5 x 10(-21) mol/L (corresponding to 1.5 nU) was achieved. Finally, the two zones of products generated by ALP isoenzymes were detected at the outlet of the capillary by using the end-capillary amperometric detection at a carbon fiber microdisk bundle electrode with a constant potential.     

Simultaneous detection and quantitation of sodium, potassium calcium and magnesium in ocular lenses by high- performance capillary electrophoresis with indirect photometric detection

A high-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) method which can be used to quantitatively determine Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ simultaneously in ocular lenses has been developed. The proteins in the lens aqueous homogenates were precipitated by 10% trichloroacetic acid. The precipitated proteins were removed after a brief centrifugation, and the supernatant containing the cations was washed with ether and directly used for HPCE analysis. A 50 μm × 75 cm fused-silica capillary was used for separation and the detection wavelength was set at 214 nm. A 20-mM imidazole at pH 6.0 containing 0.1% hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose was used as background electrolyte. Sample solution was injected at 15 kV for 10 s, and the electrophoresis was carried out at 15 kV. All the cations can be separated and quantified from the peak areas within 9 min. The values obtained by this method were comparable with commonly used flame atomic absorption and flame atomic emission spectroscopy. It is demonstrated that this HPCE method can be used to quantify all the cation levels simultaneously within a short time even in a small single rat or mice lens.     

Electrophoretic separation and characterisation of gliadin fractions from isolates and nanoparticulate drug delivery systems

Summary Gliadin is a group of polymorphic proteins that are commonly used for the preparation of many pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. The aim of this study was to develop an analytical HPCE procedure for the identification and quantification of gliadin samples. For this purpose, the HPCE buffer composition were optimised to improve the resolution of separations. There-fore, several buffer modifiers were tested for use with 50 mM phosphate buffer in HPCE separations. Twenty percent acetonitrile and 0.05% hydroxypropylmethyl-cellulose provided optimal resolution while maintaining excellent reproducibility. In conclusion, this method can be successfully applied to the elucidation of the different gliadin fractions in protein isolates and nanoparticulate dosage forms.     

Separation of naturally occurring triterpenoidal saponins by capillary zone electrophoresis.

A high-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) was successfully applied to the separation and quantitation of naturally occurring oleanene triterpenoidal saponins. The HPCE adapted to the separation of two pairs of disteriomeric saponins (1-2) or (3-4), obtained from Trifolium alexandrinum seeds, was based on capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) in borate buffer with UV detection at 195 nm. An usual technique for isolation and group separation of saponins was developed as an appropriate purification step prior to determination of individual saponins by CZE. The separation parameters such as borate concentration, pH and applied voltage were varied in order to find the best compromise that complied with demands for high separation, short duration and sufficiently high detector response. The optimum running conditions were found to be 60 mM borate buffer, pH 10 and 12 kV. Under the alkaline borate electrolyte, no resolution was achieved for the saponins (1 and 3) or (2 and 4) in a single mixture, except when 20 mM beta-cyclodextrin was added to the running electrolyte. With the combined techniques of group separation, purification and CZE, a rapid and efficient method for the determination of naturally occurring diasteriomeric saponins is now available.     

Analysis of DNA restriction fragments and polymerase chain reaction products towards detection of the AIDS (HIV-1) virus in blood.

A high-performance capillary electrophoresis system with a polysiloxane-coated capillary and polymeric buffer additives was investigated for the analysis of DNA restriction fragments and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products. Mobility data and Ferguson plots of the DNA fragments at different polymer (hydroxypropylmethylcellulose) concentrations indicated that effective molecular sieving was obtained consistent with existing data of conventional gel electrophoresis and with recent HPCE data. The precision and peak efficiency were excellent and the system was applied to the analysis of specific co-amplified DNA sequences (HIV-1 and HLA-DQ-alpha). After PCR, ultrafiltration was used in the sample preparation step to desalt the sample and to remove superfluous PCR reaction products. Electrokinetic injection was used for sample introduction into the capillary. The addition of ethidium bromide to the buffer resulted in longer migration times of DNA fragments and better peak resolution. During HPCE, an artifact associated with dilute DNA solutions leading to the appearance of extra peaks in the electropherogram was found.     

Analysis of synthetic peptides by capillary electrophoresis: effect of organic solvent modifiers and variable electrical potentials on separation efficiencies

In this study, procedures based on volatile ammonium acetate buffer electrolytes of high pH value containing different organic solvent modifiers have been developed to achieve very high efficiency separations of histidine-containing synthetic peptides by high-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) employing untreated fused silica capillaries. Different organic solvents, including acetonitrile, methanol and ethanol, at high volume fractions were used to modify the composition of the background buffer electrolyte. With the peptides investigated, it was found that methanol had the greatest effect in terms of enhancement of separation efficiency, as determined from the evaluation of theoretical plate numbers, N, of these HPCE systems. On the other hand, separation selectivities, e.g. the alpha(ij) values, did not change significantly as the volume fraction, psi, of the organic solvents was increased up to psi = 60% (v/v). Under these conditions, very rapid, e.g. 1-2 min, separation times could be still achieved. Compared to the effect of carrying out the separation of these peptides at constant voltage, a dramatic increase in the separation efficiency was also achieved by applying a linear voltage gradient during the HPCE experiment. Under optimal conditions of organic solvent composition and linear voltage gradient ramps, very high peak efficiencies for the studied set of synthetic peptides with N values of approximately 2-3 million theoretical plates per meter could be routinely obtained with fast analysis times. Moreover, these buffer electrolyte conditions are compatible with direct interfacing of the HPCE effluent to electrospray ionisation and ion trap mass spectrometers, thus expanding the analytical capabilities of these HPCE systems.     

对映异构体的高效毛细管电泳分离与测定

高效毛细管电泳是８０年代发展起来的一种高效、快速的新型分离技术，在对映异构体分离方面有着广泛的应用前景，本文介绍了这一新型分离技术用于对映体分离的基本原理，并列举了一些对映异构体分离的实例。     

High-performance capillary electrophoresis of histones.

A high-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) system was developed for the fractionation of histones. This system involves electroinjection of the sample and electrophoresis in 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 2.5) in a 35 cm x 50 micron I.D. coated capillary. Electrophoresis was accomplished in 9 min, separating a whole histone preparation into its components in the following order of decreasing mobility: (MHP) H3, H1 (major variant), H1 (minor variant), (LHP) H3, (MHP) H2A (major variant), (LHP) H2A, H4, H2B and (MHP) H2A (minor variant), where MHP is the more hydrophobic component and LHP is the less hydrophobic component. This order of separation is very different from that found in acid-urea polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and in reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and, thus, brings the histone biochemist a new dimension for the qualitative analysis of histone samples.     

Impact of organic solvents on the resolution of synthetic peptides by capillary electrophoresis

The effect of variations in the concentrations of different organic solvents, including acetonitrile, methanol, ethanol, propanol and isopropanol, with aqueous buffer electrolytes of defined composition and pH on the electroosmotic flow velocity, v(EOF), of uncoated fused silica capillaries and on the electrophoretic mobility, mu(e), of synthetic peptides in high-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) has been systematically investigated. In these experiments, the volume fractions of the organic solvent in the aqueous buffer electrolyte were changed from psi = 0.0 to 0.80. The addition of these organic solvents to the aqueous buffer electrolyte reduced the electroosmotic flow (EOF) of the system, but to significantly different extents. For the protic solvents as the alkyl chain of the alcohol increased, at the same volume fraction the greater was the influence on the electroosmotic flow. However, for the aprotic solvent, acetonitrile, the EOF did not change substantially as the volume fraction was varied. The electrophoretic mobility of synthetic peptides under the different buffer electrolyte conditions showed similar trends, confirming that the content and type of the organic modifier can be rationally employed to subtly manipulate the separation selectivity of synthetic peptides. These results, therefore, provide fundamental insight into the experimental options that can be used to maximise resolution of synthetic peptides in HPCE with aqueous buffer-organic solvent mixtures as well as a basis to select optimal binary or ternary buffer electrolyte compositions for the analysis of peptides when hyphenated techniques, such as HPCE-electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), are contemplated for the analysis of peptide samples of low abundance as can often be experienced in proteomic investigations.     

Separation of capsular polysaccharide K4 and defructosylated K4 derived disaccharides by high-performance capillary electrophoresis and high-performance liquid chromatography

A rapid, highly sensitive and reproducible high-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) method (electrokinetic chromatography with sodium dodecyl sulfate) is described for the determination of disaccharides present in the polysaccharide from the uropathogenic Escherichia coli K4 bacteria (05:K4:H4) and its defructosylated product. Following chondroitinase digestion of K4 and its derivative, the two disaccharides, DeltaHexAFrc-GalNAc for K4 and deltaHexA-GalNAc for defructosylated K4, are separated and readily determined within 20 min on an uncoated fused-silica capillary using normal polarity at 20 kV and detection at 230 nm. Comparison was made by separation of these two disaccharides in isocratic strong-anion exchange HPLC. A linear relationship was found for the two unsaturated disaccharides over a wide range of concentrations, from approximately 0.5 to 5 micro g for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and from approximately 0.06 to 0.3 micro g for HPCE. The HPCE separation produced a greater detection sensitivity (about 10 times greater) than HPLC. The described methods were used to evaluate the defructosylation process of K4 under drastic acid conditions. Good correspondence was found for the amount of unsaturated disaccharides for the two techniques.     

Separation of the unique proteins of wheat protein fractions by capillary electrophoresis

Summary The wheat maturation process was monitored by high-performance capillary electrophoresis. The different protein components of the albumin, globulin, gliadin and glutenin fractions from the Osborne extraction procedure were analysed. The wheat sample was a Hungarian winter wheat, cultivar Martonvásári 23. The protein fractions were analysed by capillary zone electrophoresis using a low pH phosphate buffer containing a polymeric additive and organic modifiers. The albumins and gliadins as well as glutenins showed a characteristic pattern of development during the maturation process. For these fractions the development occurred at different stages of maturation. The formation of protein fractions of wheat at different stages of maturation—and thus the entire maturation process—could be well characterised by high-performance capillary electrophoresis. Presented at Balaton Symposium on High Performance Separation Methods, Siófok, Hungary, September, 1–3, 1999     

Purification of the Escherichia coli K5 capsular polysaccharide and use of high-performance capillary electrophoresis to qualitative and quantitative monitor the process

A rapid, highly sensitive, and reproducible high-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) method (electrokinetic chromatography with sodium dodecyl sulfate) is described for the determination of the polysaccharide from the uropathogenic Escherichia coli K5 bacteria Bi8337/41 010:K5:H4. This natural polysaccharide having the structure of a desulfo-heparin composed of -4)-alphaGlcUA-(1,4)-alpha-GlcNAc-(1- is separated (GlcUA = D-glucuronic acid; GlcNAc = D-glucosamine) and qualitatively and quantitatively determined within 20 min on an uncoated fused-silica capillary using normal polarity at 20 kV and detection at 200 nm. A linear relationship (correlation coefficient > approximately 0.99) was found for the polymer over a wide range of concentrations, from approx. 60 to 1500 ng, with a detection sensitivity of < approximately 60 ng. Furthermore, this qualitative and quantitative HPCE approach was applied to the K5 extraction and purification process from cultured bacteria in several stages. HPCE was also able to separate several molecular species mainly due to the presence of polysaccharides of distinct and increasing mean chain lengths. A linear relationship was found for migration time and log molecular mass of different K5 polysaccharide species, and this model was used to calculate the molecular mass of the main K5 species producing a result of approx. 17,000, also confirmed by high-performance size-exclusion chromatography analysis, yielding approx. 17 200.     

Indirect Measurement of Yoctomole Alkaline Phosphatase by Capillary Electrophoresis with Electrochemical Detection

A method for indirectly detecting yoctomole (ymol) alkaline phosphatase was developed by capillary electrophoresis with electrochemical detection. In this method, disodium phenyl phosphate was used as the enzyme substrate and the product (phenol) of its hydrolysis reaction catalyzed by alkaline phosphatase was detected at the carbon fiber electrode. The optimum conditions of detection are 1.0×10^?2 mol/L Na₂B₄O₇ (pH 9.8) for the running buffer; 1.00×10^?3 mol/L disodium phenyl phosphate for the enzyme substrate; 20.0 kV for the separation voltage; 5 kV and 10 s for the injection voltage and injection time; 1.05 V (vs. saturated calomel electrode) for the detection potential and 10 min for the incubation time, respectively. In order to enhance the ratio of signal to noise, the shape and size of the working electrode, the shape of detection end of the capillary, and the capillary/electrode alignment method were studied in detail. When a single carbon fiber microcylinder electrode of 6 μm, a capillary of 10 μm ID with the etched detection end and the in‐capillary alignment were used, a ymol mass limit of detection for alkaline phosphatase was achieved.     

Comparison of high-performance liquid chromatography and high-performance capillary electrophoresis for the determination of cicletanine in plasma.

A sensitive and selective high-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) procedure was developed for the determination of total cicletanine in human plasma. The procedure consisted in extraction of the drug with diethyl ether and analysis by micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography in a fused-silica capillary using sodium dodecyl sulphate in the run buffers and ultraviolet detection. The concentrations of cicletanine obtained by this method were compared with those obtained by a high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method used routinely. The within-run precision of the methods, expressed as relative standard deviation, ranged from 1.6 to 7.8% for HPLC and from 6.4 to 11.1% for HPCE. Both methods showed an adequate level of accuracy; the relative errors ranged from 0.02 to 3.25% for HPLC and from 0.21 to 2.90% for HPCE. The HPCE method required less than half the time taken by the HPLC method, making HPCE a useful alternative technique for the routine determination of cicletanine in plasma. Both methods were used to follow the time course of total cicletanine in human plasma after a single oral therapeutic dose of the drug.