Microscale determination of purines in tissue samples by capillary liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

A microscale method for purines involved in intracellular signaling and energy metabolism, including ADP, ATP, cyclic-AMP, NADH and GTP, was developed. The analytes were separated on a fused-silica capillary liquid chromatography column (50 microm inner diameter by 25 cm long) packed with 7 microm reversed-phase particles and detected with a carbon fiber cylinder microelectrode at +1.50 V versus Ag/AgCl reference electrode. With an acetonitrile gradient, the separation was carried out within 15 min. With a 100 nl injection volume, the detection limits varied from 0.9 to 8 fmol depending upon the analyte. The low detection limits make the method suitable for analysis of small tissue samples. As a demonstration of the method, islets of Langerhans were analyzed for their adenosine-related messenger content.     

Gunshot residue determination by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

A procedure for the detection of gunshot residue via the organic constituent diphenylamine is described. The method incorporates high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.     

Rapid and sensitive determination of beta-phenylethylamine in animal brains by high performance liquid chromatography with fluorometric detection

A reversed phase HPLC method with fluorometric detection for the analysis of beta-phenylethylamine has been developed using p-methoxyphenylethylamine as an internal standard. Two columns, containing 200 microL of Dowex 50-X8 and Amberlite CG-50 respectively, were used to prepare a fraction containing beta-phenylethylamine. The recoveries of beta-phenylethylamine and p-methoxyphenylethylamine were 53.9 +/- 9.4% and 68.1 +/- 12.4%, respectively, and elution profile of p-methoxyphenylethylamine was sufficiently well correlated with that of beta-phenylethylamine. Regional distributions of beta-phenylethylamine in rat and mouse brains were determined. The highest concentrations were found in hypothalamus and hippocampus in both animals.     

Improved method for the determination of 5,6-dihydroxytryptamine and 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine in tissue using high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.

A liquid chromatographic method with electrochemical detection is described for the determination of the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) neurotoxins 5,6-dihydroxytryptamine (5,6-DHT) and 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) in rat brain tissue. This method has also been used for the determination of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, homovanillic acid and 5-HT in other tissue samples. The method is based on extraction of the indoles from brain samples with perchloric acid followed by reversed-phase liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. The detection limit is 1 ng per 100 mg of tissue. This paper describes a quick and reliable method of assaying the 5-HT neurotoxins 5,6-DHT and 5,7-DHT in brain tissue, which is improved compared to currently available assays.     

Attomole catechins determination by capillary liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.

Attomole quantities of catechins were determined by a capillary liquid chromatography system with electrochemical detection (CLC-ECD) and the system is applied to the determination of catechins in human plasma. The eight catechins: catechin (C), epicatechin (EC), gallocatechin (GC), epigallocatechin (EGC), catechin gallate (Cg), epicatechin gallate (ECg), gallocatechin gallate (GCg), and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), were separated within 10 min using a capillary column (0.2 mm i.d.) and a mobile phase of phosphoric acid (85%)-methanol-water (0.5:27.5:72.5, v/v/v), and were detected at +0.85 V vs. Ag/AgCl. Peak heights were found to be linearly related to the amount of catechins injected, from 200 amol to 500 fmol (r > 0.998). The detection limits of the catechins were 61 amol for EGC, 75 amol for EC, 54 amol for GC, 61 amol for C, 67 amol for GCg, 75 amol for EGCg, 75 amol for ECg and 89 amol for Cg (S/N = 3). Because the present method is highly sensitive and allows facile pretreatment for plasma sample, the time courses of concentrations of catechins (GCg, EC, EGCg, ECg, and Cg) and their conjugates in human plasma obtained from a 10 microl plasma sample after ingestion of green tea could be determined.     

Rapid method for the determination of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in animal tissue by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry with ion-trap detector

A rapid and new liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry with ion-trap detection method for the determination of meloxicam (MLX), flunixin meglumine (FLU), carprofen (CPF), and tolfenamic acid (TOLF) in animal tissue is described. MRLs between 10 and 500 microg kg(-1) in muscle and between 65 and 1000 microg kg(-1) in liver, from different animal species have been established in the EU for these compounds. After chemical hydrolysis, an organic extraction from homogenised tissue was performed. Final extract was injected in a liquid chromatograph with an ion-trap mass spectrometer with electrospray interface. Four identification points (one precursor and two product ions) and a minimum of one ion ratio was monitored for each compound. For quantitative purposes flunixin-D3 (FLU-D3) was used as internal standard. The method was validated using fortified blank muscle and liver from different animal species according to the 2002/657/EC European decision criteria. The decision limits (CCalpha) and detection capabilities (CCbeta) were determined and their values were at concentrations near the MRL for each substance.     

Rapid determination of adenine nucleotides in brain tissue by ion-paired reversed-phase column liquid chromatography under isocratic conditions

A rapid method for analysis of adenine nucleotides (AMP, ADP and ATP) in nervous tissue based on ion-paired reversed-phase column liquid chromatography under isocratic conditions is described. An optimal composition of elution buffer was 25 mM potassium phosphate and 4% triethylamine adjusted to pH 6.5 with phosphoric acid. Typical separation time did not exceed 10 min with a 10-cm long compact glass cartridge packed with 5-microns silica C18. The method was employed to determine ATP, ADP and AMP concentrations in rat brain extracts and values thus obtained were compared with those published elsewhere.     

Rapid determination of fluoroquinolone residues in honey by a microbiological screening method and liquid chromatography

A rapid and efficient method was developed for the simultaneous determination of seven fluoroquinolone (FQ) residues: norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, danofloxacin, enrofloxacin, orbifloxacin, sarafloxacin, and difloxacin in honey. The samples were first screened with a microbiological method by using test plates made from metal-free purified agar seeded with Bacillus subtilis BGA. When a sample was found to contain FQ residues by using the microbiological method, it was analyzed by LC with fluorescence detection (LC/FL). FQs were extracted with Na2EDTA-McIlvaine buffer and purified by a dual SPE method in which a cation-exchange cartridge was connected to an anion-exchange cartridge. The overall recoveries of the seven FQs ranged from 70.0 to 92.1%. The intra-assay and interassay CVs were < or = 7.8 and < or = 5.1%, respectively. For the microbiological method, the LOD values ranged from 2 to 9 microg/kg. For LC/FL, the LOQ values ranged from 2 to 7 microg/kg. The developed method was used to analyze 70 honey samples. In 14 samples in which the microbiological method detected the presence of FQ residues, norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and enrofloxacin were identified by LC/FL.     

Rapid and specific method for the determination of vancomycin in plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography on an aminopropyl column

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the quantitative analysis of vancomycin in plasma. The method involves protein precipitation with acetonitrile, followed by normal-phase chromatography on an aminopropyl column. The clear supernatant was injected after centrifugation, and the eluent was monitored at 240 nm. No interference was found either with endogenous substances or with many currently used drugs, indicating a good selectivity for the procedure. The standard curve was linear between 0.1 and 100 micrograms/ml, and the detection limit was 0.01 microgram/ml of plasma. The mean intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation were 2.4 and 4.0%, respectively, in the 10-50 micrograms/ml range. Application of the method to the study of vancomycin pharmacokinetics in a rabbit after a single intravenous dose is also reported.     

Rapid and simple method for the determination of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein in serum by column liquid chromatography.

A rapid and simple method for the determination of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AAG) in serum was developed by using an anion-exchange column for clean-up of serum and a hydroxyapatite column for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A good correlation was observed between this HPLC method and the conventional radial immunodiffusion method. The method may also be used to determine the AAG concentration in the serum of experimental animals.     

A liquid chromatography method using a monolithic column for the determination of corticoids in animal feed and animal feeding water

An HPLC-DAD method for determining corticoids in calf feed and in animal feeding water samples using a monolithic column has been developed and validated. The method optimization included the study of binary mobile phases of water and acetonitrile. The optimum separation was achieved at 40 °C, with acetonitrile:H₂O 29:71 v/v used as mobile phase and a 3 ml/min flow-rate, which resulted in their separation in about 5 min. Two reported sample procedures were applied to feed and for animal feeding water samples prior to HPLC. Method validation was carried out according to the EU criteria established for quantitative screening methods. The results indicate that this method is highly specific, reproducible and accurate. The proposed method was found to be robust and unaffected by small variations in the extraction procedure and in HPLC conditions. The developed method for the determination of corticoids in feed and water samples was also found to be suitable for different kinds of feeds and waters.     

Determination of tranquilisers and carazolol residues in animal tissue using high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.

A multi-residue method for the determination of tranquiliser residues in animal tissue is described. The procedure may be used to determine residues of the tranquilisers acepromazine, azaperone, chlorpromazine, haloperidol, propionylpromazine, xylazine, the metabolite of azaperone, azaperol, and the beta-adrenoreceptor blocking agent carazolol. Existing methods of analysis for tranquilisers are based on ultraviolet and fluorescence detection and have been used for pig kidney analysis. Determination in this method was by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection in the screen mode. The enhanced selectivity offered by the electrochemical detector allowed determination in liver extracts, which often give rise to more interferences on chromatographic traces when using conventional methods of detection. The method offers up to a ten-fold improvement in limits of determination over methods using ultraviolet and fluorescence detection. Recoveries and coefficients of variation have been determined in the range 2-25 micrograms/kg in pig kidney and liver. This electrochemical detection method has been used to measure residues in routine surveillance programmes.     

Rapid method for evaluating reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography column stability

A procedure is presented for the rapid evaluation of HPLC stationary phase stability at pH 8.4 or 10.1 using a temperature of 60 degrees C. Mobile phase (MeOH-0.1 mol l(-1) aqueous NaHCO3, 50:50, v/v) is continuously passed through the column with periodic injections of a test solution until the several chromatographic parameters of the resulting chromatograms are degraded. The tests were applied to several commercial and laboratory-made stationary phases. After degradation two of these phases, one commercial and one laboratory-made, were examined by elemental analysis and scanning electron microscopy to elucidate the degradation process.     

Separation and determination of aminohalogenbenzophenones by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method with electrochemical detection has been developed for the determination of three aminohalogenbenzophenones: 2-amino-2',5-dichlorobenzophenone, 2-amino-5-chlorobenzophenone and 2-amino-5-bromo-2'-fluorobenzophenone, metabolites of benzodiazepinooxazoles and other psychotropic drugs. A mobile phase of methanol-water (65:35), containing 5 mM KH2PO4 appeared to be the optimal when a 4-microns, 60-A Nova-Pak C18 column and a flow-rate of 0.75 ml/min (130 bar) were used. The temperature was optimized at 30 degrees C. The amperometric detector, equipped with glassy carbon electrode, was operated at 1.3 V versus Ag/AgCl in the DC mode. The method was applied to the determination of these compounds at two concentration levels: ppm and ppb (ng/cm3) using 2-amino-5-chlorobenzophenone as internal standard. The limit of determination was 750 pg/ml of biological fluid for each compound, and recoveries greater than 97% were obtained for spiked samples of urine and serum, using C18 Sep-Pak cartridges in the sample clean-up procedure.     

Routine determination of urinary free catecholamines by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

A simple and reliable high-performance liquid chromatographic method is described for the routine determination of the free catecholamines (norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopamine) in urine. The catecholamines are isolated from urine samples using small affinity chromatography columns prepacked with immobilised m-aminophenylboronic acid, separated by ion-pair reversed-phase liquid chromatography and quantified by electrochemical detection. Total analysis, including sample preparation time, is achieved in less than 30 min with analytical recoveries of 92-96% for all three catecholamines. Long-term stability and reproducibility of the liquid chromatographic system is attained by selection of optimised conditions for chromatographic separation with a formate mobile phase and produces detection limits of 1.4, 1.8 and 2.2 nmol/l for norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopamine, respectively, in urine samples and day-to-day coefficients of variation of less than 6%. Furthermore, the affinity isolation gels can be reused a minimum of ten times providing a rapid and cost-effective means of sample preparation.