Three-dimensional ion mass chromatograms of oil hydrocarbon and heteroatomic compound types

The type composition of oil and oil products is usually determined by either the summation of all individuals of this compound type found from GC or GC/MS data or using appropriate generalized analytical features specific for a compound type as a whole. The specific representation of mass spectra of a complex mixture as a table of 14 homological series allows the analyst to visualize characteristic ion clusters specific for the compound types. These ion clusters form a “type mass spectrum” for each compound type. In the mass chromatograms of ions of a homologous ion series, these ion clusters form peculiar three-dimensional chromatographic peaks, whose width along the retention time axis corresponds to the isomer distribution for the homologue, molecular mass distribution (if molecular ions are considered), or structural features of the system of fused rings (for fragment ions) and “volume,” the concentration of the compound type. Three-dimensional chromatographic peaks for compound types are similar to usual peaks for individual compounds in ion mass chromatograms.     

免疫算法用于多组分二维色谱数据的解析

通过对免疫系统抗体对抗原消除作用及其记忆功能的模拟,提出了解析二维数据矩阵的新方法。采用模拟的EMG公式作为抗体输入,对二维信号逐行进行迭代消除,从重叠峰中提取单一组分的色谱信息和光谱信息。通过对二维色谱数据的解析,结果表明,该方法可方便地用于多组分重叠二维色谱的解析。     

Comparison of different statistical methods for evaluation of proficiency test data

In analytical chemistry, proficiency testing usually consists in tests that laboratories conduct under routine conditions and report the result to the PT provider who then converts the result to a score which helps the participant to assess the accuracy of the result. The aim of this work is to show PT providers, accreditations bodies, and participating laboratories that different scoring results can be achieved depending on the evaluation system selected. The influence of different evaluation techniques on the results of an interlaboratory comparison for determination of gold in precious metals alloys was investigated. Results from 19 participating laboratories were evaluated by means of the three procedures: (1) classical statistical approach—outliers detection; (2) robust methods—(2A) robust procedure and (2B) ISO 13528; and (3) fitness for purpose. Evaluation of the same PT data revealed very interesting issues depending on the different scoring systems that were used and the robustness of the statistical methods used for detecting outliers. As a general rule, laboratories with scoring Z > 2 offered clearly poorer performance in robust approaches than classical ones. In order to support this first evidence, we evaluated a second data set with results from 24 laboratories (mercury from soil samples) by means of the four mentioned approaches. Selection and comparison of different scoring systems must be done very carefully, because sometimes they are not the best approach for studying the data population or the more appropriate one for evaluating the distribution of the data. Finally it should be taken into account that sometimes the robust scoring systems are not always suitable for evaluating the results of some PT schemes.     

Chromatographic Fingerprint Analysis of the Flowers of Abelmoschus manihot Using HPLC with Photodiode Array Detection

Abstract

A simple and valid chromatographic fingerprint analysis method was developed using high‐performance liquid chromatography‐photodiode array detection for the quality analysis of the flowers of Abelmoschus manihot. For the first time, the feasibility and advantages of employing chromatographic fingerprint were investigated and demonstrated for the evaluation of the flowers of A. manihot by systematically comparing chromatograms with professional analytical software recommended by State Food and Drug Administration. Our results revealed that the chromatographic fingerprint combining similarity evaluation could be used efficiently for the identification and quality assessment of raw herbs of the flowers of A. manihot from different sources.     

From a single analyzer to multiple instruments—The GUM approach

Assessment and expression of analytical quality have become novel spotlights in medical laboratories since accreditation began in the early 1990s, in Europe. Evaluation of uncertainty of measurement by definition was launched in Finland when the Finnish Accreditation Service (FINAS) accredited the first medical laboratories in the mid 1990s. In spite of all the analytical and statistical knowledge which has been available in medical laboratories for years, evaluation of total uncertainty of measurement has not yet caught on. The concept is still unfamiliar to experts and, indeed, little guidance has been available. National and international activities, with good results, can be shown when the educational aspect is considered. The Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM) remains the main document for uncertainty evaluation. Uncertainty of measurement together with target value of uncertainty can be used as a good measure for analytical quality in large or smaller laboratories over time, because it is a quantitative indication and the evaluation is easy to repeat as running practical tools are available.Presented at the 8th Conference on Quality in the Spotlight, 17–18 March 2003, Antwerp, Belgium     

Fingerprint quality control of Tianjihuang by high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detection

A novel, simple and accurate fingerprint method was developed using high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detection (HPLC-DAD) for the quality control of Hypericum japonicum thunb (Tianjihuang), a Chinese herbal medicine used for the treatment of several bacterial diseases, infectious hepatitis, gastrointestinal disorder, internal hemorrhage and tumors. For the first time, the feasibility and advantages of employing chromatographic fingerprint were investigated and demonstrated for the evaluation of Tianjihuang by systematically comparing chromatograms with a professional analytical software recommended by State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA). Our results revealed that the chromatographic fingerprint combining similarity evaluation could efficiently identify and distinguish raw herbs of Tianjihuang from different sources. The effects resulted from collecting locations, harvesting time and storage time on herbal chromatographic fingerprints were also examined.     

一种新型的信号拟合方法--免疫算法

通过对免疫系统免疫机制的模拟,提出了一种新型的信号拟合算法。该算法根据所提供的标样信息对重叠分析化学信号进行拟合,从重叠信号中提取单一组分的信息,从而实现了多组分混合信号的解析。对模拟信号的实验信号的处理结果表明,该方法可方便地用于多组分重叠色谱信号的解析。     

一种新型的信号拟合方法─—免疫算法

通过对免疫系统免疫机制的模拟,提出了一种新型的信号拟合算法。该算法根据所提供的标样信息对重叠分析化学信号进行拟合,从重叠信号中提取单一组分的信息,从而实现了多组分混合信号的解析。对模拟信号和实验信号的处理结果表明,该方法可方便地用于多组分重叠色谱信号的解析。     

The discriminant pixel approach: A new tool for the rational interpretation of GCxGC-MS chromatograms

GCxGC is now recognized as the most suited analytical technique for the characterization of complex mixtures of volatile compounds; it is implemented worldwide in academic and industrial laboratories. However, in the frame of comprehensive analysis of non-target analytes, going beyond the visual examination of the color plots remains challenging for most users. We propose a strategy that aims at classifying chromatograms according to the chemical composition of the samples while determining the origin of the discrimination between different classes of samples: the discriminant pixel approach.After data pre-processing and time-alignment, the discriminatory power of each chromatogram pixel for a given class was defined as its correlation with the membership to this class. Using a peak finding algorithm, the most discriminant pixels were then linked to chromatographic peaks. Finally, crosschecking with mass spectrometry data enabled to establish relationships with compounds that could consequently be considered as candidate class markers.This strategy was applied to a large experimental data set of 145 GCxGC-MS chromatograms of tobacco extracts corresponding to three distinct classes of tobacco.     

Characterization of NIES CRM No. 23 Tea Leaves II for the determination of multielements

A candidate environmental certified reference material (CRM) for the determination of multielements in tea leaves and materials of similar matrix, NIES CRM No. 23 Tea Leaves II, has been developed and characterized by the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Japan. The origin of the material was tea leaves, which were ground, sieved through a 106-μm mesh, homogenized, and then subdivided into amber glass bottles. The results of homogeneity and stability tests indicated that the material was sufficiently homogeneous and stable for use as a reference material. The property values of the material were statistically determined based on chemical analyses by a network of laboratories using a wide range of methods. Sixteen laboratories participated in the characterization, and nine certified values and five reference values were obtained. These property values of the candidate CRM, which are expressed as mass fractions, were close to the median and/or mean values of the mass fractions of elements in various tea products. The candidate CRM is appropriate for use in analytical quality control and in the evaluation of methods used in the analysis of tea and materials of similar matrix.     

Evaluation of Seven Chromatographic Response Functions on Simulated and Experimentally Obtained Chromatograms in Hydrophilic Interaction Liquid Chromatography System

This paper investigates the ability of seven chromatographic response functions to measure the quality of chromatograms obtained in hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC). First, the functions were tested on a set of simulated chromatograms and differences in their mathematical design were discussed. Second, the functions were evaluated on the experimentally obtained chromatograms in HILIC analysis of model mixture consisted of beta agonists and antagonists. The ranking of chromatograms obtained by different functions was significantly different, implying that the accuracy of the optimization procedure is strongly dependent on the function that was selected as an output. Investigation of potential drawbacks of each function was conducted and general recommendations concerning the use of chromatographic response functions in optimization strategies are proposed.     

Identification in residue analysis based on liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry: Experimental evidence to update performance criteria

Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is one of the most widely used techniques for identification (and quantification) of residues and contaminants across a number of different chemical domains. Although the same analytical technique is used, the parameters and criteria for identification vary depending on where in the world the analysis is performed and for what purpose (e.g. determination of pesticides, veterinary drugs, forensic toxicology, sports doping). The rationale for these differences is not clear and in most cases the criteria are essentially based on expert opinions rather than underpinned by experimental data. In the current study, the variability of the two key identification parameters, retention time and ion ratio, was assessed and compared against requirements set out in different legal and guidance documents. The study involved the analysis of 120 pesticides, representing various chemical classes, polarities, molecular weights, and detector response factors, in 21 different fruit and vegetable matrices of varying degrees of complexity. The samples were analysed non-fortified, and fortified at 10, 50 and 200 μg kg⁻¹, in five laboratories using different LC-MS/MS instruments and conditions. In total, over 135,000 extracted-ion chromatograms were manually verified to provide an extensive data set for the assessment. The experimental data do not support relative tolerances for retention time, or different tolerances for ion ratios depending on relative abundance of the two product ions measured. Retention times in today’s chromatographic systems are sufficiently stable to justify an absolute tolerance of ±0.1 min. Ion ratios are stable as long as sufficient response is obtained for both product ions. Ion ratio deviations are typically within ±20% (relative), and within ±45% (relative) in case the response of product ions are close to the limit of detection. Ion ratio tolerances up to 50% did not result in false positives and reduced the false negative rate for pesticides with product ions in the low S/N range to <5%. Without ion ratio criterion, two false positives were obtained in 105 non-fortified samples. Although the study has been conducted for pesticides residues in fruits and vegetables, the impact of these findings is believed to extend towards other application areas and possibly support adjustment or consolidation of criteria across other analytical domains.     

Liquid adsorption chromatography of polyethers: experiments and simulation

The adsorption behavior of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) in reversed-phase chromatography is studied both experimentally and theoretically and a computer simulation of chromatograms is performed on the basis of these studies. The experimental conditions were: different reversed-phase adsorbents and a solvent methanol–water system as the mobile phase. At varying mobile phase compositions highly resolved chromatograms of PEG samples were obtained, in which all peaks could be identified, and the dependencies of the distribution coefficient on the degree of polymerization for PEG molecules were evaluated by processing these chromatograms. The data were interpreted by using a theory of homopolymers based on a continuum Gaussian chain model of flexible macromolecules and a slit-like model of pores of stationary phase. The theory proved to describe well the experimental data in the whole range of studied molecular masses, and the thermodynamic parameters characterizing interactions of ethylene oxide repeating units in PEG molecules with the adsorbent pore walls have been determined from the comparison of the theory with the experimental data. The dispersion of chromatographic peaks corresponding to individual oligomer molecules is also estimated. In the system studied the peak width occurred to be proportional to the distribution coefficient of corresponding macromolecule. The theory is used to develop a computer-assisted procedure for simulation of chromatograms for samples of linear homopolymers. Using the obtained data on the thermodynamic parameters and the estimates of peak dispersion, chromatograms are simulated for PEG samples at two different chromatographic conditions. These simulated chromatograms were in good quantitative agreement with the real chromatograms.     

Enhancement of chromatographic detail using infrared spectra from chromatography/infrared spectrometer systems

Working with chromatography/infrared spectroscopy data, the technique of local baseline correction in the calculation of the chromatographic intensities from each spectrum is used to provide improved chromatographic detection. The technique reduces chromatographic baseline drift, and produces broad-band (universal) chromatograms with noise levels approaching those obtained from narrow-band specific chromatograms. Chromatograms produced from the ratio of two selected band chromatograms can quickly profile a trend in a homologous series of compounds, test a chromatographic peak for compositional uniformity, or show shifts in composition across a polymer chromatographic series.     

Quantitative analysis of unlabelled and polydeuterated compounds by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Summary A system for computer evaluation of gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric analyses of unlabelled and polydeuterated compounds is described. The system has been in routine use for two years and has been found to fulfil most of the needs of the laboratory in connection with studies of steroid and bile acid metabolism. Complete or partial spectra are taken by repetitive magnetic scanning and are recorded on magnetic tape. Methods for qualitative evaluation have been described previously [6, 9]. Quantitative determinations of unlabelled compounds are based on areas of gas chromatographic peaks in selected specific fragment ion current chromatograms generated by the computer. Percentage distribution of molecular or fragment ion species containing 0–19 deuterium atoms is calculated from averaged spectra by comparison with spectra of the unlabelled reference compound analyzed on the same day. When small amounts of material are available and when ions occur in low abundance, repetitive accelerating voltage scanning over a short mass range is used. A slow scan rate, 1–5 s, and a high data sampling rate, 10 kHz, permit a 100–300 fold increase of amplification. After bunching of intensity readings, partial mass spectra are constructed which are treated in the same way as complete spectra.     

Combination of stir bar sorptive extraction–retention time locked gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and automated mass spectral deconvolution for pesticide identification in fruits and vegetables

Fruit and vegetable samples collected at a local market were analyzed using stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) followed by thermal desorption, retention time locked (RTL) gas chromatographic separation and full scan mass spectrometric determination. Although the technique is proven to have sufficient extraction efficiency and productivity in pesticide analysis, the full scan chromatograms are loaded with matrix components making qualitative evaluation time consuming and too difficult to be adequate for routine laboratory screening. Identification can be facilitated to a great extent with evaluation methods provided by data evaluation software. Through the comparison of three evaluation methods we found that the mass spectral deconvolution software AMDIS supports most the decision making process, performing best in discovering positive hits and reducing data for supervision, making SBSE suitable for routine applications.     

Combination of stir bar sorptive extraction–retention time locked gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and automated mass spectral deconvolution for pesticide identification in fruits and vegetables

Fruit and vegetable samples collected at a local market were analyzed using stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) followed by thermal desorption, retention time locked (RTL) gas chromatographic separation and full scan mass spectrometric determination. Although the technique is proven to have sufficient extraction efficiency and productivity in pesticide analysis, the full scan chromatograms are loaded with matrix components making qualitative evaluation time consuming and too difficult to be adequate for routine laboratory screening. Identification can be facilitated to a great extent with evaluation methods provided by data evaluation software. Through the comparison of three evaluation methods we found that the mass spectral deconvolution software AMDIS supports most the decision making process, performing best in discovering positive hits and reducing data for supervision, making SBSE suitable for routine applications.     

气相色谱-质谱法与化学计量学分辨法分析当归须挥发油中化学成分

本文借助化学计量学分辨方法,建立了用气相色谱-质谱(GC-MS)联用法分析当归须挥发油成分的方法.对重叠色谱峰采用直观推导式演进特征投影算法进行分辨,从而获得每一组分的纯色谱和质谱,依靠每一组分纯质谱在NIST质谱库进行相似性检索而定性分析,用总体积积分法进行定量分析.在当归须挥发油中共分辨出86个色谱峰,通过质谱库检...     

Solid-surface room-temperature phosphorimetric detection of caffeine,theophylline and theobromine in liquid chromatography

Solid-surface room-temperature phosphorimetry (SSRTP) is proposed as an alternative detection technique for the liquid chromatographic determination of caffeine, theophylline and theobromine. The measurements are performed in a continuous mode with a two-nebulizer automated system for SSRTP detection. The analytical figures of merit obtained with the proposed detector are compared with those obtained by UV absorption detection. The SSRTP and UV chromatograms of spiked urine samples are compared, and the possibility of keeping the SSRTP substrates as permanent records of analyzed samples is discussed.     

Peak alignment using wavelet pattern matching and differential evolution

Retention time shifts badly impair qualitative or quantitative results of chemometric analyses when entire chromatographic data are used. Hence, chromatograms should be aligned to perform further analysis. Being inspired and motivated by this purpose, a practical and handy peak alignment method (alignDE) is proposed, implemented in this research for one-way chromatograms, which basically consists of five steps: (1) chromatogram lengths equalization using linear interpolation; (2) accurate peak pattern matching by continuous wavelet transform (CWT) with the Mexican Hat and Haar wavelets as its mother wavelets; (3) flexible baseline fitting utilizing penalized least squares; (4) peak clustering when gap of two peaks is smaller than a certain threshold; (5) peak alignment using differential evolution (DE) to maximize linear correlation coefficient between reference signal and signal to be aligned. This method is demonstrated with both simulated chromatograms and real chromatograms, for example, chromatograms of fungal extracts and Red Peony Root obtained by HPLC-DAD. It is implemented in R language and available as open source software to a broad range of chromatograph users (http://code.google.com/p/alignde).