Solid-phase extraction of PFOA and PFOS from surface waters on functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes followed by UPLC–ESI-MS

This is the first report on the analytical application of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as solid-phase extraction (SPE) sorbents for determination in surface waters, at the nanograms per litre level, of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), the two predominant contaminants among the perfluorinated compounds detected. After the preconcentration step, the quantification was achieved by ultraperformance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. To increase the extraction efficiency towards these amphiphilic compounds, MWCNTs were derivatized with amino-terminated alkyl chains, thus producing a mixed-mode material (MWCNT-R-NH₂) combining hydrophobic affinity and anion-exchange properties. Experiments with distilled, tap and river water (pH 3) spiked at different concentrations (10, 15, 30, 100, 200 and 500 ng L^-1) provided absolute recoveries in the range 71–102 % (n?=?3, relative standard deviations less than 10 %). Analytes were eluted in a single fraction with 6 mL methanol (3?×?10^-4 M NaOH). The within-laboratory reproducibility of the MWCNT-R-NH₂ SPE sorbent was evaluated with raw river water, and relative standard deviations less than 15 % were obtained (n?=?4). Preconcentration factors up to 125 (500-mL sample) made it possible to quantify PFOA and PFOS at low nanograms per litre levels in naturally contaminated river water. The method quantification limits of 10 ng L^-1 for PFOA and 15 ng L^-1 for PFOS were well below the advisory levels for drinking and surface waters. Comparison with non-derivatized MWCNTs highlighted the role of functionalization in improving the adsorption affinity towards these contaminants. MWCNT-R-NH₂ maintained their extraction capability for at least eight repeated adsorption/desorption cycles.     

A Comparison of the Efficiency of Nucleotide Extraction by Several Procedures and the Analysis of Nucleotides from Extracts of Liver and Isolated Hepatocytes by HPLC

Abstract

A high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) system was developed, capable of resolving most 5′-nucleotides and nucleotide-sugars present in liver tissue. Using three different extraction procedures, the recovery of the twelve major 5′-ribonucleotides from solutions of nucleotide standards, or liver samples, or isolated hepatocytes was compared. Nucleotides were obtained from acid extracts for HPLC analysis by adsorbing the nucleotides on charcoal, or precipitating the acid (perchloric acid) by KOH, or extracting the acid with alamine/ freon. The last two procedures were found to be superior to the charcoal adsorption procedure for recovering nucleotides from acid extracts. The recovery of nucleotides from either liver samples or isolated hepatocytes by these two procedures was similar; however, the recovery of nucleotides from standard solutions was slightly higher for the alamine/freon procedure than the KOH precipitation procedure.     

Isolation of Lipophilic Persistent Organic Pollutants From Human Breast Milk

Background: Lipid removal from biological samples can be achieved by addition of concentrated sulfuric acid. However, certain persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as chlorophenols are decomposed by sulfuric acid treatment and, thus, a more gentle lipid reduction method is needed for extraction of many environmental contaminants from biological samples. Membrane dialysis extraction (MDE) is a non-disruptive method to extract POPs from biological matrices.

Methods: Human breast milk samples were spiked with radiolabelled p,p′-dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane ([C-14]-DDT) as a POP proxy and extracted using solid phase extraction (SPE). The extracts obtained were dialyzed by MDE in low-density polyethylene tubings containing a mixture of n-hexane and dichloromethane for 24 h, 48 h, or 72 h.

Results: The lipid content was reduced by 86.2% after one dialysis cycle of 24 h using MDE, and 87.1% recovery of the [C-14]-DDT standard was obtained. The DDT recovery could be further increased up to 96.3% and 98.1% by repeating the dialyses for one or two more cycles, respectively. However, the increased [C-14]-DDT recovery includes a concomitant increase in lipid carryover from 13.8% with one dialysis cycle to 22.1% with three cycles.

Conclusion: An SPE procedure for extracting POPs from breast milk and dialytic conditions for isolation of the extracted POP with minimal lipid carryover was established. The method is nondestructive and acceptable recoveries can be obtained within a single solvent shift as demonstrated by spiking standards. The lipid carryover was minimized, and the method may be considered for lipid removal before HPLC or GC analysis of environmental contaminants.     

Investigation of antibacterial and cytotoxic potential of phenolics derived from Cistus incanus L. by means of thin-layer chromatography-direct bioautography and cytotoxicity assay

Cistus incanus L. (hairy rockrose) is a medicinal plant which belongs to the Cistaceae family and the Cistus genus, with a well established position in traditional medicine of the Mediterranean basin and the Middle East. It was the aim of this study to compare antibacterial activity of the phenolics derived from fourteen C. incanus samples of different origin (Turkey, Albania, Greece, and an unknown geographical location) obtained as herbal teas from a local market of diet supplements. This activity was assessed with the use of thin-layer chromatography–direct bioautography (TLC-DB) applied to crude extracts against the Gram negative naturally luminescent marine bacterium Aliivibrio fischeri and the Gram positive soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis as the test microorganisms. It was established that in spite of different origin of the investigated herbal samples, in qualitative terms their antibacterial activity was closely comparable and more strongly pronounced against the Gram positive than the Gram negative bacterium. Crude extract originating from one herbal specimen labelled A3 (sample no. 3 from Albania) underwent selective multi-step extraction of the phenolics, dividing them into six fractions (I to VI) that expectedly contain flavonoid aglycons, free phenolic acids, non-polar flavonoid glycosides, polar flavonoid glycosides, and phenolic acids obtained through the acidic and basic hydrolysis from the respective glycosides. Antibacterial activity of each A3 fraction was then assessed with the use of the same TLC-DB approach and it was established that the strongest effect was exerted by fractions I and II (flavonoid aglycons and free phenolic acids). Moreover, cytotoxic assay was performed for the crude C. incanus extracts against the human colon adenocarcinoma cells and a moderate yet well measurable cytotoxic effect was observed with all investigated C. incanus samples. In analogy to antibacterial activity, also in this case cytotoxic potential of all investigated crude C. incanus extracts was similar.     

Solid Phase Extraction and Subsequent Identification by Gas-Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry of a Germination Cue Present in Smoky Water

ABSTRACT

Aqueous extracts of plant-derived smoke (smoky water) are a complex mixture of thousands of components. Solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridges of varying polarity were trialed for their effectiveness in cleaning up smoky water, prior to subsequent analysis. The most effective SPE cartridge used was normal phase silica bonded with aminopropyl (NH₂) with hexane/dichloromethane/methanol mixtures as eluting solvents. This system retained all the active components and permitted elution of two active fractions, separated by an inactive fraction. Other cartridges tested either did not retain all active components or eluted active fractions successively, with more overlap between compositions. Active fractions, as identified by germination tests, were examined by GC-MS and were found to be sufficiently simplified to allow the identification of a new germination cue, 1, 8-cineole.     

Determination of Selected Persistent Organochlorine Pollutants in Human Serum by Solid-phase Disk Extraction and Dual-Column Capillary Gas Chromatography with Electron Capture Detection

Abstract

An improved clean-up method by solid-phase disk extraction was developed to isolate and concentrate trace levels of POPs (persistent organochlorine pollutants) in human serum prior to gas chromatography with electron capture detection on two different capillary columns, providing an improved selectivity. An Empore^TM C₁₈ bonded silica extraction disk cartridge is used for the initial extraction and enrichment of the analytes. Subsequent clean-up is achieved by concentrated sulphuric acid and silica gel adsorption chromatography. Recoveries for selected POPs are ranging from 62 to 74% and a good reproducibility (RSD < 14%) is demonstrated. Human samples analysed under these conditions, show a similar relative concentration profile.     

Zinc Ion Doped Solid-Phase Extraction of Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid from Antarctic Krill

Antarctic krill crude extracts contain high levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Accordingly, the solid phase extraction of EPA and DHA from Antarctic krill crude extracts has attracted significant research interest. This study compared the extraction of EPA and DHA from Antarctic krill crude extracts using an aminopropyl, zinc ion-doped silica, and C₁₈ and zinc ion-doped C₁₈ solid-phase column. The best extraction effect was obtained using the zinc ion-doped C₁₈ SPE with water containing methanol as the eluant. The efficiency increased gradually with increasing methanol concentration from 12.5 to 25% in the washing stage, and when pure methanol (5.0 mL) or acetonitrile (3.0 mL) was used as the eluant. To detect EPA and DHA, the acids were first converted to their methyl esters and detected by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC–FID). In the zinc ion-doped C₁₈ elution fractions, EPA and DHA were isolated from the crude extracts in high yield (85–91% (r² = 4.8–6.3%)).     

Analysis of multiple pesticide residues in tobacco using pressurized liquid extraction, automated solid-phase extraction clean-up and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A new method was developed for the analysis of pesticide residues in tobacco. The objective was to significantly increase the number of samples that can be processed by the laboratory and to enable the extension of the current coverage to additional pesticides. A new analytical approach was therefore defined based on two main axes, the automation of the sample preparation and the selectivity of the analyte detection using tandem mass spectrometry. This latter aspect reduces the stringency of the requirements placed on the clean-up of the extracts and on the chromatographic resolution when less selective detectors are used. The extraction of the analytes from the matrix is performed using the pressurized liquid extraction technique. Tobacco samples are extracted at elevated temperature and pressure (100 C and 100 atm; 1 atm = 101,325 Pa) using acetone as an extraction solvent. The resulting extract is then concentrated using a Vortex evaporator. Three different solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedures, adjusted to the chemical properties of the different active ingredients to be measured, are applied to the concentrated extract, thus leading to three extract fractions. The first fraction contains such main classes of active ingredients as organohalogenated and 2,6-dinitroaniline compounds while the second one collects the organophosphorus and acylalanines residues; these two fractions are analyzed by capillary gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry using negative chemical ionization and electron impact ionization in the positive mode, respectively. The third extract fraction gathers the N-methylcarbamates residues which are analyzed by HPLC with post-column derivatization and fluorescence detection. The different sample preparation stages from extraction to SPE clean-up have been automated through the use of recent analytical technologies. In combination with the analysis by tandem mass spectrometry, this provided a potential for a high sample throughput.     

Microwave-Assisted Efficient Extraction and Stability of Juglone in Different Solvents from Juglans regia: Quantification of Six Phenolic Constituents by Validated RP-HPLC and Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity

Abstract

In the present study, microwave-assisted extraction was compared with conventional approaches for the efficient extraction of juglone and other phenolics from Juglans regia bark. The effect of different solvents was also studied and ethyl acetate was found to be a better solvent in terms of juglone yield and stability. Further, a simple and fast RP-HPLC method was developed and validated for the determination of juglone and other bioactive phenolics like gallic acid, caffeic acid, quercetin, myricetin, and quercitrin in these extracts. In addition, the extracts were tested for antimicrobial activity against 16 microorganisms where all the extracts showed broad spectrum activity.     

Evaluation of clean-up agents for total petroleum hydrocarbon analysis in biota and sediments

Petroleum hydrocarbons (oil) are common environmental contaminants. For risk assessment purposes, their concentrations in environmental matrixes, such as biota and soils/sediments are frequently determined by solvent extraction and subsequent analysis with gas chromatography (GC) equipped with flame ionization detection (FID) or mass spectrometry (MS). Because the total GC detector response is labeled as total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) concentration and matrix compounds (lipids, organic matter) will contribute to this response, proper extract clean-up is crucial. Still, the choice for a specific clean-up material during open column chromatography often seems arbitrary, since no comparative study on clean-up agents for TPH analysis is available. Here, such a study is described and it is demonstrated that none of the commonly used agents fulfills the requirements of complete matrix compound removal and TPH recovery. A novel column filled with (top-down) 1 g of 33% (w/w) 1 M NaOH-impregnated and 2.2 g of 7% (w/w) H₂SO₄-impregnated silica gel is recommended for cleaning-up biota extracts, as it fully removes extracted lipids and yields acceptable TPH recoveries of around 90%, based on a certified oil reference standard. For sediment extracts, most columns tested resulted in a negligibly low contribution of matrix compounds to the overall detector response, but 5% deactivated Florisil or 10% deactivated aluminum oxide are preferable, because these materials yield the highest (∼95%) TPH recoveries.     

Adsorption of Volatile Organic Contaminants on Soil and Soil Constituents

Abstract

In the past decade, the problem of soil and groundwater contaminations has emerged as a crucial one and has received renewed attention from the scientific community. Although still incomplete, our knowledge of the phenomena governing the fate and transport of pollutants in the soil environment has improved significantly. One of the most important sub-surface phenomena is adsorption on soil particles. Because adsorption is very much dependent on the type of chemical involved (organic, metal, ionic compound), this review only focuses on the adsorption of volatile organic contaminants on soil and soil constituents. The current understanding and hypotheses pertaining to this subject are discussed for single component adsorption and multicomponent adsorption.     

Determination of Pentachlorophenol (PCP) in Samples of the Environmental Specimen Bank Using Isotope Dilution

Abstract

Within the program of the Environmental Specimen Bank a quick and efficient method for determination of pentachlorophenol (PCP) in various environmental matrices has been developed. The method includes alkaline hydrolysis of bound PCP, acidification, simultaneous steam distillation and extraction in one glass apparatus. After clean-up and derivatization with acetic anhydride the samples were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Concentrations were calculated using ¹³C-labeled PCP as the internal standard. Validation was carried out with various environmental samples (soil, fish, conifer needles, kale).

The method can be used for various biological samples without any modification. The extracts are free of matrix components (lipids, chloropyll, terpenes, etc.) and other contaminants, which results in clear chromatograms with few peaks; therefore, correct integration is facilitated. Although the recoveries of PCP are in the range of 50–90%, due to losses during the several method steps, these losses can be corrected with the ¹³C-labeled internal standard, resulting in high precision (1.5–2.2% standard deviation).     

Antioxidative properties of defatted dabai pulp and peel prepared by solid phase extraction

Solid phase extraction (SPE) using Sep-Pak^? cartridges is one of the techniques used for fractionation of antioxidant compounds in waste of dabai oil extraction (defatted dabai parts). The aim of this study was to determine the phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity in crude extracts and several SPE fractions from methanolic extract of defatted dabai pulp and peel. Based on SPE, Sep-Pak^? cyanopropyl and C₁₈ cartridges were used to fractionate the antioxidant-rich crude extracts into water and methanolic fractions. Analyzed using LC-MS, flavonoids, anthocyanins, saponin derivatives and other unknown antioxidative compounds were detected in the defatted dabai crude extracts and their SPE fractions. Anthocyanins were the major phenolic compounds identified in the defatted dabai peel and detected in most of the SPE fractions. Methanolic fractions of defatted dabai parts embraced higher total phenolics and antioxidant capacity than water fractions. This finding also revealed the crude extracts of defatted dabai peel have the most significant antioxidant properties compared to the methanolic and water fractions studied. The crude extract of defatted dabai parts remain as the most potent antioxidant as it contains mixture of flavonoids, anthocyanins and other potential antioxidants.     

Use of Millipore Norganic Resin for the Extraction of Proctolin and Other Pharmacologically Active Constituents from Cockroach Tissue Homogenates

Abstract

Millipore Norganic resin, a proprietary product marketed for the preparation of HPLC-grade water, can serve as an alternative to Sep-Pak C₁₈ cartridges for the solid phase extraction of proctolin and other physiologically active components from cockroach tissue homogenates. For large scale isolations of such substances, this resin is most useful for first stage purification. Retained substances can be further purified by application to Sep-Pak C₁₈ cartridges which are less hydrophobic than the Norganic resin. Results were evaluated by reversed-phase HPLC of extracts and bioassay of fractions. Typical recoveries of proctolin were in the range of 75–90%.     

Clean-up methods for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons analyses by capillary gas chromatography

Summary Comparative results of pre-treatment methods for the extracts of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from airborne particulate matter for quantitative determination by gas chromatography (GC) are presented. The first method included liquid-liquid extraction and column liquid adsorption chromatography. In the second procedure the extract was fractionated by liquid-liquid chromatography and liquid adsorption chromatography. In the last procedure two different solid phase extraction (SPE) cartridges examined makes it possible to separate PAHs and remove paraffinic compounds which is very important for the quantitative GC analysis of the PAHs. Recoveries of PAH standards and some their derivatives were determined and the contents of 15 of the most important PAHs, were compared. Presented at the 21^st ISC held in Stuttgart, Germany, 15^th–20^th September, 1996     

Comparison of green extraction methods with conventional extraction method for extract yield,L-DOPA concentration and antioxidant activity of Mucuna pruriens seed

ABSTRACT

Mucuna pruriens is a plant of Fabaceae family. Seed of M. pruriens is considered as a rich source of levo-3,4 dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA), a non-protein phenolic amino acid. In the present study, three different extraction methods were compared for extract yield, concentration of bioactive compounds such as total phenol, L-DOPA and antioxidant capacity. Extracts were prepared using water acidified with hydrochloric acid (0.1?N) by conventional method of refluxing as well as two green methods namely ultrasound and microwave assisted solvent extraction. A rapid and qualified high-performance liquid chromatography method was also developed for quantification of L-DOPA in different extracts. Among the three extraction methods, microwave assisted extraction provided the best results for yield and quality of M. pruriens extract in much shorter time in comparison to refluxing method of extraction.     

Identification and quantification of glucosinolates in rapeseed using liquid chromatography–ion trap mass spectrometry

A rapid and sensitive method for the speciation and quantification of glucosinolates in rapeseed is described. The method combines liquid chromatography (LC) with ion trap mass spectrometry (ITMS) detection. Electrospray ionization (ESI) has been chosen as the ionization technique for the on-line coupling of LC with ITMS. Glucosinolates are extracted from different rapeseeds with MeOH and the extracts are cleaned-up by solid phase extraction with Florisil cartridges. Aqueous extracts are injected into LC system coupled to an ITMS, leading to accurately quantify eight of the most important glucosinolates in rapeseed, by MS² mode and confirming their structure by MS³ acquisition. All the glucosinolates found in rapeseeds provide good signals corresponding to the deprotonated precursor ion [M-H]⁻. The method is reliable and reproducible, and detection limits range from 0.5 nmol g⁻¹ to 3.7 nmol g⁻¹ when 200 mg of dried seeds of certified reference material are analyzed. Within-day and between-day RSD percentages range between 2.4–14.1% and 3.9–16.9%, respectively. The LC-ESI-ITMS-MS method described here allows for a rapid assessment of these metabolites in rapeseed without a desulfatation step. The overall process has been successfully applied to identify and quantify glucosinolates in rapeseed samples.     

Activity-Guided Characterization of COX-2 Inhibitory Compounds in Waltheria indica L. Extracts

Inflammation is the body’s response to infection or tissue injury in order to restore and maintain homeostasis. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE-2) derived from arachidonic acid (AA), via up-regulation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), is a key mediator of inflammation and can also be induced by several other factors including stress, chromosomal aberration, or environmental factors. Targeting prostaglandin production by inhibiting COX-2 is hence relevant for the successful resolution of inflammation. Waltheria indica L. is a traditional medicinal plant whose extracts have demonstrated COX-2 inhibitory properties. However, the compounds responsible for the activity remained unknown. For the preparation of extracts with effective anti-inflammatory properties, characterization of these substances is vital. In this work, we aimed to address this issue by characterizing the substances responsible for the COX-2 inhibitory activity in the extracts and generating prediction models to quantify the COX-2 inhibitory activity without biological testing. For this purpose, an extract was separated into fractions by means of centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC). The inhibitory potential of the fractions and extracts against the COX-2 enzyme was determined using a fluorometric COX-2 inhibition assay. The characterizations of compounds in the fractions with the highest COX-2 inhibitory activity were conducted by high resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). It was found that these fractions contain alpha-linolenic acid, linoleic acid and oleic acid, identified and reported for the first time in Waltheria indica leaf extracts. After analyzing their contents in different Waltheria indica extracts, it could be demonstrated that these fatty acids are responsible for up to 41% of the COX-2 inhibition observed with Waltheria indica extract. Additional quantification of secondary metabolites in the extract fractions revealed that substances from the group of steroidal saponins and triterpenoid saponins also contribute to the COX-2 inhibitory activity. Based on the content of compounds contributing to COX-2 inhibition, two mathematical models were successfully developed, both of which had a root mean square error (RMSE) = 1.6% COX-2 inhibitory activity, demonstrating a high correspondence between predicted versus observed values. The results of the predictive models further suggested that the compounds contribute to COX-2 inhibition in the order linoleic acid > alpha linolenic acid > steroidal saponins > triterpenoid saponins. The characterization of substances contributing to COX-2 inhibition in this study enables a more targeted development of extraction processes to obtain Waltheria indica extracts with superior anti-inflammatory properties.     

Identification of Phlorotannins in the Brown Algae,Saccharina latissima and Ascophyllum nodosum by Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled to High-Resolution Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Phlorotannins are bioactive polyphenols in brown macroalgae that make these algae interesting as healthy food. Specific phlorotannins are, however, seldom identified, and extracts from different species are often only analysed for total phenolic content (TPC). In this study, our focus was to identify phlorotannin molecules from Saccharina latissima and Ascophyllum nodosum (a species rich in these compounds) using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS²). Water and ethanol (30 and 80% v/v) were used at solid:liquid ratios, extraction times and temperatures, proposed to result in high TPC in extracts from other species. The S. latissima extracts, however, did not allow phlorotannin detection by either UHPLC-UV/Vis or UHPLC-HRMS², despite a TPC response by the Folin–Ciocalteu assay, pinpointing a problem with interference by non-phenolic compounds. Purification by solid phase extraction (SPE) led to purer, more concentrated fractions and identification of four phlorotannin species in A. nodosum and one in S. latissima by UHPLC-HRMS², using extracts in ethanol 80% v/v at a solid:liquid ratio of 1:10 for 20 h at 25 °C with an added 10 h at 65 °C incubation of remaining solids. The phlorotannin with the formula C₁₂H₁₀O₇ (corresponding to bifuhalol) is the first identified in S. latissima.     

Efficient analysis of non-polar environmental contaminants by MALDI-TOF MS with graphene as matrix

In this Application Note, we describe, for the first time, the rapid analysis of hydrophobic compounds present in environmental contaminants, which includes polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and estrogen, by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) with the use of graphene as matrix. MALDI-TOF MS with conventional matrix has limitations in analyzing low-polarity compounds owing to their difficulty in ionization. We demonstrate that compared with conventional matrix, graphene displays higher desorption/ionization efficiencies for PAHs, and no fragment ions are observed. The method also holds potential in quantitative analysis. In addition, the ionization signal increases with the increasing number of benzene rings in the PAHs, suggesting that graphene binds to PAHs via π–π stacking interactions. Furthermore, graphene as adsorbent for solid-phase extraction of coronene from river water sample displays good performance with a detection limit of 10^–7 M. This work provides a novel and convenient method for analyzing low-polarity environmental contaminants by MALDI-TOF MS.