A novel application of immobilization on membranes for the separation and spectrofluorimetric quantification of amiloride and furosemide in pharmaceutical samples

A new, simple and highly sensitive method for spectrofluorimetric determination of amiloride (AMI) and furosemide (FUR) in pharmaceuticals is presented. The proposed method is based on the separation of AMI from FUR by solid-phase extraction using a nylon membrane, followed by spectrofluorimetric determination of both drugs, on the solid surface and the filtered aqueous solution, respectively. AMI shows low native fluorescence, but its separation-preconcentration by immobilization (solid-phase extraction) on nylon membrane surface provides a considerable enhancement in fluorescence intensity. The fluorescence determination is carried out at λ_ex = 237, λ_em = 415 nm for FUR; and λ_ex = 365, λ_em = 406 nm for AMI. The calibration graphs are linear in the range 3.20 × 10⁻⁴ to 0.8 μg mL⁻¹and 1.33 × 10⁻³ to 4.0 μg mL⁻¹, for AMI and FUR, respectively, with a detection limit of 9.62 × 10⁻⁵ and 4.01 × 10⁻⁴ μg mL⁻¹ (S/N = 3). The commonly found excipients in commercial pharmaceutical formulations do not interfere. The developed method is successfully applied to the determination of both drugs in pharmaceutical formulations.     

Simultaneous determination of 11 drugs belonging to four different groups in human urine samples by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method

A new, accurate, sensitive and fast reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) as an analytical method for the quantitative determination of 11 drugs in human urine was worked out, optimized and validated. The objects of analysis were imipenem (IMP), paracetamol (PAR), dipyrone (DPR), vancomycin (VCM), amikacin (AMK), fluconazole (FZ), cefazolin (CFZ), prednisolone (PRE), dexamethasone (DEX), furosemide (FUR) and ketoprofen (KET) belonging to four different groups (antibiotics, analgesic, demulcent and diuretic). For HPLC analysis, diode array (DAD) and fluorescence (FL) detectors were used. The separation of analyzed compounds was conducted by means of a LiChroCART^® Purospher^® C₁₈e (125 mm × 3 mm, particle size 5 μm) analytical column with LiChroCART^® LiChrospher^® C₁₈ (4 mm × 4 mm, particle size 5 μm) pre-column with gradient elution. Analyzed drugs were determined within 20 min. The mobile phase was comprised of various proportions of methanol, acetonitrile and 0.05% trifluoroacetic acid in water. AMK was separated and determined from human urine using ortho-phthaldialdehyde-3-mercaptopropionic acid (OPA-3-MPA) as a fluorescent reagent by RP-HPLC-FL. The following retention times for drugs IMP, PAR, DPR, VCM, AMK, FZ, CFZ, PRE, DEX, FUR and KET in human urine were found: 4.01 min, 4.86 min, 6.71 min, 8.14 min, 9.46 min, 10.01 min, 10.90 min, 13.34 min, 14.06 min, 16.03 min and 18.98 min, respectively. Excellent linearity was obtained for compounds in the range of concentration: 0.35-42 μg ml⁻¹, 0.5-45 μg ml⁻¹, 4.5-38 μg ml⁻¹, 0.25-25 μg ml⁻¹, 0.5-35 μg ml⁻¹, 0.25-22 μg ml⁻¹, 0.03-52 μg ml⁻¹, 0.15-25 μg ml⁻¹, 0.25-28 μg ml⁻¹, 0.05-18 μg ml⁻¹ and 0.15-35 μg ml⁻¹ for IMP, PAR, DPR, VCM, AMK, FZ, CFZ, PRE, DEX, FUR and KET, respectively. The limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ) for analyzed drugs were calculated in all cases and recovery studies were also performed. Ten human urine samples obtained from patients treated in hospital have been tested. In analyzed samples, one or more drugs from the 11 examined drugs were detected. The concentrations of examined drugs in urine samples ranged between: 1.5-12 μg ml⁻¹ of PAR, 5.2-11.5 μg ml⁻¹ of DPR, 0.13-9.5 μg ml⁻¹ of CFZ and 0.1-8 μg ml⁻¹ of FUR. This method can be successfully applied to routine determination of all these drugs in human urine samples.     

Effects of interaction of folic acid with uranium (VI) and basic triphenylmethane dyes on resonance Rayleigh scattering spectra and their analytical applications

In pH 4.2-4.8 HAc-NaAc buffer solution, folic acid (FA) could react with uranium (VI) to form a 2:1 anionic chelate which further reacted with some basic triphenylmethane dyes (BTPMD) such as Ethyl Violet (EV), Methyl Violet (MV) and Crystal Violet (CV) to form 1:2 ion-association complexes. As a result, not only the absorption spectra were changed, but also the intensities of resonance Rayleigh scattering (RRS) were enhanced greatly and the new RRS spectra were observed. The maximum RRS wavelengths were located at 328 nm for EV system, 325 nm for MV system and 328 nm for CV system. The fading degree (ΔA) and RRS intensities (ΔI) of three systems were different. Under given conditions, the ΔA and ΔI were all directly proportional to the concentration of FA. The linear ranges and the detection limits of RRS methods were 0.0039-5.0 μg mL⁻¹ and 1.2 ng mL⁻¹ for EV system, 0.0073-4.0 μg mL⁻¹ and 2.2 ng mL⁻¹ for MV system, 0.014-3.5 μg mL⁻¹ and 4.7 ng mL⁻¹ for CV system. The RRS methods exhibited higher sensitivity, so they are more suitable for the determination of trace FA. The optimum conditions, the influencing factors and the effects of coexisting substances on the reaction were investigated. The method can be applied to the determination of FA in serum and urine samples with satisfactory results. The structure of the ternary ion-association complex and the reaction mechanism were discussed in this work.     

Simultaneous determination of salbutamol sulphate, bromhexine hydrochloride and etofylline in pharmaceutical formulations with the use of four rapid derivative spectrophotometric methods

Four simple, rapid, accurate, precise, reliable and economical spectrophotometric methods have been proposed for simultaneous determination of salbutamol sulphate (SS), bromhexine hydrochloride (BH) and etofylline (ET) in pure and commercial formulations without any prior separation or purification. They were first derivative zero crossing spectrophotometry (method 1), simultaneous equation method (method 2), derivative ratio spectra zero crossing method (method 3) and double divisor ratio spectra derivative method (method 4). The ranges for SS, BH and ET were found to be 1-35 μg mL⁻¹, 4-40 μg mL⁻¹ and 5-80 μg mL⁻¹. For methods 1 and 2, the values of limit of detection (LOD) were 0.2314 μg mL⁻¹, 0.4865 μg mL⁻¹ and 0.2766 μg mL⁻¹ and the values of limit of quantitation (LOQ) were 0.7712 μg mL⁻¹, 1.6217 μg mL⁻¹ and 0.9221 μg mL⁻¹ for SS, BH and ET, respectively. For method 3, LOD values were 0.3297 μg mL⁻¹, 0.2784 μg mL⁻¹ and 0.7906 μg mL⁻¹ and LOQ values were 0.9325 μg mL⁻¹, 0.9282 μg mL⁻¹ and 2.6352 μg mL⁻¹ for SS, BH and ET, respectively. For method 4, LOD values were 0.3161 μg mL⁻¹, 0.2495 μg mL⁻¹ and 0.2064 μg mL⁻¹ and LOQ values were 0.9869 μg mL⁻¹, 0.8317 μg mL⁻¹ and 0.6879 μg mL⁻¹ for SS, BH and ET. The precision values were less then 2% R.S.D. for all four methods. The common excipients and additives did not interfere in their determinations. The results obtained by the proposed methods have been statistically compared by means of Student t-test and by the variance ratio F-test.     

Determination of nateglinide in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography with pre-column derivatization using a coumarin-type fluorescent reagent

A sensitive and selective high-performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed and validated for the determination of nateglinide in human plasma. Nateglinide and the internal standard, undecylenic acid, were extracted from plasma by liquid-liquid extraction using a mixture of ethyl acetate-diethyl ether, 50:50 (v/v). Pre-column derivatization reaction was performed using a coumarin-type fluorescent reagent, N-(7-methoxy-4-methyl-2-oxo-2H-6-chromenyl)-2-bromoacetamide. The derivatization proceeded in acetone in the presence of potassium carbonate and catalyzed by 18-crown-6 ether. The fluorescent derivatives were separated under isocratic conditions on a Hypersil BDS-C8 analytical column (250.0 mm × 2.1 mm i.d., particle size 5 μm) with a mobile phase that consisted of 65% acetonitrile in water and pumped at a flow rate of 0.50 mL min⁻¹. The excitation and emission wavelengths were set at 345 and 435 nm, respectively. The assay was linear over a concentration range of 0.05-16.00 μg mL⁻¹ for nateglinide with a limit of quantitation of 0.05 μg mL⁻¹. Quality control samples (0.05, 4.50 and 16.00 μg mL⁻¹) in five replicates from five different runs of analysis demonstrated intra-assay precision (%coefficient of variation <6.8%), inter-assay precision (%coefficient of variation <1.6%) and an overall accuracy (%relative error) less than −3.4%. The method can be used to quantify nateglinide in human plasma covering a variety of pharmacokinetic or bioequivalence studies.     

Study on the resonance Rayleigh scattering spectra of the interactions of palladium (II)-cephalosporins chelates with 4,5-dibromofluorescein and their analytical applications

In pH 2.8-3.8 BR buffer medium, the third generation cephalosporin antibiotics (TGCs) such as ceftazidime (CZD), ceftriaxone (CTRX), cefoperazone (CPZ), and cefotaxime (CFTM) react with palladium(II) (Pd(II)) to form 1:2 yellowish-brown cationic chelates, which further react with 4, 5-dibromofluorescein (DBF) to form 1:3 brown ion-association complexes. As a result, not only the spectra of absorption and fluorescence are changed, but also the resonance Rayleigh scattering (RRS) is enhanced greatly and the new RRS spectra are observed. The four TGCs products have similar spectral characteristics and their maximum RRS wavelengths are all located at 291 nm. The quantitative determination ranges and the detection limits of the four TGCs are 0.0065-1.0 μg mL⁻¹ and 2.0 ng mL⁻¹ for CZD, 0.0070-1.1 μg mL⁻¹ and 2.2 ng mL⁻¹ for CTRX, 0.0090-1.6 μg mL⁻¹ and 2.7 ng mL⁻¹ for CPZ, and 0.014-2.2 μg mL⁻¹ and 4.2 ng mL⁻¹ for CFTM, respectively. The optimum conditions of the reactions and the effects of foreign substances are investigated, and the composition of ion-association complexes is discussed also. Based on the ion-association reaction, a highly sensitive, simple and rapid method has been proposed to the determination of TGCs.     

Monolithic silica spin column extraction and simultaneous derivatization of amphetamines and 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamines in human urine for gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric detection

A simple, sensitive, and specific method with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was developed for simultaneous extraction and derivatization of amphetamines (APs) and 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamines (MDAs) in human urine by using a monolithic silica spin column. All the procedures, such as sample loading, washing, and elution were performed by centrifugation. APs and MDAs in urine were adsorbed on the monolithic silica and derivatized with propyl chloroformate in the column. Methamphetamine-d₅ was used as an internal standard. The linear ranges were 0.01-5.0 μg mL⁻¹ for methamphetamine (MA) and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and 0.02-5.0 μg mL⁻¹ for amphetamine (AP) and 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) (coefficient of correlation ≧0.995). The recovery of APs and MDAs in urine was 84-94%, and the relative standard deviation of the intra- and interday reproducibility for urine samples containing 0.1, 1.0, and 4.0 μg mL⁻¹ of APs and MDAs ranged from 1.4% to 13.6%. The lowest detection limit (signal-to-noise ratio ≧ 3) in urine was 5 ng mL⁻¹ for MA and MDMA and 10 ng mL⁻¹ for AP and MDA. The proposed method can be used to perform simultaneous extraction and derivatization on spin columns that have been loaded with a small quantity of solvent by using centrifugation.     

Determination of naproxen in human urine by high-performance liquid chromatography with direct electrogenerated chemiluminescence detection

A simple and sensitive liquid chromatographic method coupled with electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) was described for the separation and quantification of naproxen in human urine. The method was based on the ECL of naproxen in basic NaNO₃ solution with a dual-electrode system. Factors affected the ECL emission were investigated. Under the optimal conditions, the ECL intensity has a linear relationship with the concentration of naproxen in the range of 4.0 × 10⁻⁸ g mL⁻¹ to 2.0 × 10⁻⁶ g mL⁻¹ and the detection limit was 1.6 × 10⁻⁸ g mL⁻¹ (S/N = 3). Application of the method to the analyses of naproxen in human urine proved feasible.     

Development of a validated liquid chromatographic method for the quality control of Prunellae Spica: Determination of triterpenic acids

A simple and rapid reversed-phase HPLC-UV method was developed for the determination of triterpenic acids in the crude extract of Prunellae Spica. Five triterpenic acids were extracted and isolated from P. Spica as marker compounds for use in the quality control of herbal medicines. Various solvent extraction techniques were evaluated, and the greatest efficiency was observed with sonication in 100% ethanol. Elemental compositions of the five marker compounds were determined by high-resolution mass spectroscopy. The dynamic range of the HPLC-UV method depended on the specific analyte, and acceptable quantitation was obtained between 10 and 250 μg mL⁻¹ for oleanolic acid, between 10 and 300 μg mL⁻¹ for ursolic acid, between 3 and 75 μg mL⁻¹ for 2α,3α,24-trihydroxyolean-12en-28oic acid, between 5 and 100 μg mL⁻¹ for euscaphic acid, and between 5 and 100 μg mL⁻¹ for 2α,3α-dihydroxyurs-12en-28oic acid. The method was deemed satisfactory by inter- and intra-day validation and exhibited both high accuracy and precision (relative standard deviation <9.4%). Overall limits of quantitation and detection were approximately 0.5-2.5 μg mL⁻¹ at a signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of 3 and were about 3.0-10.0 μg mL⁻¹ at a S/N of 10. In addition, principal component analysis (PCA) was performed on the analytical data of 15 different P. Spica samples in order to classify samples collected from different regions.     

Simultaneous cloud point extraction and spectrophotometric determination of carmoisine and brilliant blue FCF in food samples

A novel simultaneous cloud point extraction method for the determination of carmoisine and brilliant blue FCF by spectrophotometry has been developed. The method is based on the cloud point extraction of carmoisine and brilliant blue FCF from aqueous solution using Triton X-100, diluting the extracted surfactant rich phase with water and measuring the absorbance at 522 and 640 nm for carmoisine and brilliant blue FCF, respectively. The effects of different parameters such as pH, concentration of surfactant and temperature on the cloud point extraction of both dyes were investigated and optimum conditions were established. Linear calibration curves were obtained in the range of 0.02-3.50 μg mL⁻¹ for carmoisine and 0.05-3.50 μg mL⁻¹ for brilliant blue FCF under optimum conditions. Detection limit based on three times the standard deviation of the blank (3S_b) was 0.017 and 0.016 μg mL⁻¹ (n = 10) for carmoisine and brilliant blue FCF, respectively. The relative standard deviation (RSD) for 0.1 μg mL⁻¹ was 4.14 and 3.30% (n = 10), for carmoisine and brilliant blue FCF, respectively. The method was applied to the simultaneous determination of the dyes in different food samples.     

Development of an HPLC method for the determination of mexiletine in human plasma and urine by solid-phase extraction

A sensitive and specific high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method has been developed and validated for the quantification of mexiletine (MEX) in human plasma and urine. It uses solid-phase extraction (SPE) followed by an automated reversed-phase HPLC with a pre-column derivatization with 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan (NBD-CI) and UV-vis Absorbance detection. The process was set as: the UV-vis Absorbance wavelength was set at 458 nm. Chromatographic separation was performed on a Phenomenex-C₁₈ Column (Aqua, 150 mm × 4.6 mm i.d. with 5 μm particle size) with the mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile and water (80:20, v/v), and the flow rate was set at 1.0 mL min⁻¹. Calibration of the overall analytical procedure gave a linear signal (r > 0.9998) over a MEX concentration range of 0.2-2.0 μg mL⁻¹ in human plasma and urine. The detection limit in plasma and urine was 0.1 μg mL⁻¹. Intra- and inter-day precision of the assay at three concentrations within this range were 0.31-2.50%. The high specificity and sensitivity have been achieved by this fast method (total run-time <6 min). The method has been successfully validated in human plasma and urine and it has been shown to be precise, accurate and reliable.     

A rapid, acetonitrile-free, HPLC method for determination of melamine in infant formula

A simple, precise, accurate and validated, acetonitrile-free, reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method is developed for the determination of melamine in dry and liquid infant formula. The separation is performed on a Kromasil C18 column (150 mm × 3.2 mm I.D., 5 μm particle size) at room temperature. The mobile phase (0.1% TFA/methanol 90:10) is pumped at a flow rate of 0.3 mL min⁻¹ with detection at 240 nm. Melamine elutes at 3.7 min. A linear response (r > 0.999) is observed for samples ranging from 1.0 to 80 μg mL⁻¹. The method provides recoveries of 97.2-101.2% in the concentration range of 5-40 μg mL⁻¹, intra- and inter-day variation in <1.0% R.S.D. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) values are 0.1 μg mL⁻¹ and 0.2 μg mL⁻¹, respectively.     

Fluorescence enhancement of CdTe/CdS quantum dots by coupling of glyphosate and its application for sensitive detection of copper ion

A novel fluorescent probe for Cu²⁺ determination based on the fluorescence quenching of glyphosate (Glyp)-functionalized quantum dots (QDs) was firstly reported. Glyp had been used to modify the surface of QDs to form Glyp-functionalized QDs following the capping of thioglycolic acid on the core–shell CdTe/CdS QDs. Under the optimal conditions, the response was linearly proportional to the concentration of Cu²⁺ between 2.4 × 10⁻² μg mL⁻¹ and 28 μg mL⁻¹, with a detection limit of 1.3 × 10⁻³ μg mL⁻¹ (3δ). The Glyp-functionalized QDs fluorescent probe offers good sensitivity and selectivity for detecting Cu²⁺. The fluorescent probe was successfully used for the determination of Cu²⁺ in environmental samples. The mechanism of reaction was also discussed.     

Study on the interaction of nucleic acids with silver nanoparticles—Al(III) by resonance light scattering technique and its analytical application

It is found that Al(III) can further enhance the intensity of resonance light scattering (RLS) of the silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and nucleic acids system. Based on this, a novel method of determination of nucleic acids is proposed in this paper. Under optimum conditions, there are linear relationships between the enhancing extent of RLS and the concentration of nucleic acids in the range of 1.0 × 10⁻⁹-1.0 × 10⁻⁷ g mL⁻¹, 1.0 × 10⁻⁷-2.0 × 10⁻⁶ g mL⁻¹ for fish sperm DNA (fsDNA), 1.0 × 10⁻⁹-7.0 × 10⁻⁸ g mL⁻¹ for calf thymus DNA (ctDNA) and 1.0 × 10⁻⁹-1.0 × 10⁻⁷ g mL⁻¹ for yeast RNA (yRNA). The detection limits (S/N = 3) of fsDNA, ctDNA and yRNA are 4.1 × 10⁻¹⁰ g mL⁻¹, 4.0 × 10⁻¹⁰ g mL⁻¹ and 4.5 × 10⁻¹⁰ g mL⁻¹, respectively. The studies indicate that the RLS enhancement effect should be ascribed to the formation of AgNPs-Al(III)-DNA aggregations through electrostatic attraction and adsorption bridging action of Al(III). And the sensitivity and stability of the AgNPs-fsDNA system could be enhanced by Al(III).     

Chromogenic platform based on recombinant Drosophila melanogaster acetylcholinesterase for visible unidirectional assay of organophosphate and carbamate insecticide residues

In this study we propose a chromogenic platform for rapid analysis of organophosphate (OP) and carbamate (CM) insecticide residues, based on recombinant Drosophila melanogaster acetylcholinesterase (R-DmAChE) as enzyme and indoxyl acetate as substrate. The visible chromogenic strip had the advantages identical to those of commonly used lateral flow assays (LFAs) with utmost simplicity in sample loading and result observation. After optimization, depending on the color intensity (CI) values, the well-established assay has the capabilities of both qualitative measurement via naked eyes and quantitative analysis by colorimetric reader with the desirable IC₅₀ values against the tested six insecticides (0.06 μg mL⁻¹ of carbofuran, 0.28 μg mL⁻¹ of methomyl, 0.03 μg mL⁻¹ of dichlorvos, 31.6 μg mL⁻¹ of methamidophos, 2.0 μg mL⁻¹ of monocrotophos, 6.3 μg mL⁻¹ of omethoate). Acceptable matrix effects and satisfactory detection performance were confirmed by in-parallel LC–MS/MS analysis in different vegetable varieties at various spiked levels of 10⁻³ to 10¹ μg g⁻¹. Overall, the testified suitability and applicability of this novel platform meet the requirements for practical use in food safety management and environmental monitoring, especially in the developing world.     

Determination of indole-3-acetic acid and indole-3-butyric acid in mung bean sprouts using high performance liquid chromatography with immobilized Ru(bpy)3-KMnO4 chemiluminescence detection

A novel method for determination of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) in an extract from mung bean sprouts using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with chemiluminescence (CL) detection is described. The method is based on the CL reaction of auxin (indole-3-acetic acid and indole-3-butyric acid) with acidic potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) and tris(2,2′-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II), which was immobilized on the cationic ion-exchange resin. The chromatographic separation was performed on a Nucleosil RP-C18 column (i.d.: 250 mm × 4.6 mm, particle size: 5 μm, pore size: 100) with an isocratic mobile phase consisting of methanol-water-acetic acid (45:55:1, v/v/v). At a flow rate of 1.0 mL min⁻¹, the total run time was 20 min. Under the optimal conditions, the linear ranges were 5.0 × 10⁻⁸ to 5.0 × 10⁻⁶ g mL⁻¹ and 5.0 × 10⁻⁷ to 1.0 × 10⁻⁵ g mL⁻¹ for IAA and IBA, respectively. The detection limits were 2.0 × 10⁻⁸ g mL⁻¹ and 2.0 × 10⁻⁷ g mL⁻¹ for IAA and IBA, respectively. The relative standard deviation (RSD) of intra-day were 3.1% and 2.3% (n = 11) for 2 × 10⁻⁶ g mL⁻¹ IAA and 2 × 10⁻⁶ g mL⁻¹ IBA; The relative standard deviations of inter-day precision were 6.9% and 4.9% for 2 × 10⁻⁶ g mL⁻¹ IAA and 2 × 10⁻⁶ g mL⁻¹ IBA. The proposed method had been successfully applied to the determination of auxin in mung bean sprouts.     

Ultra-trace level determination of hydroquinone in waste photographic solutions by UV-vis spectrophotometry

A simpler UV-vis spectrophotometric method was investigated for hydroquinone (HQ) determination using KMnO₄ as oxidizing agent for conversion of HQ to p-benzoquinone (BQ) as well as signal enhancer. Various parameters such as analytical wavelength, stability time, temperature, pH, solvent effect and interference of chemicals were checked and parameters optimized by using 1 μg ml⁻¹ standard solution of HQ. Beer's Law was applicable in the range of 0.07-2 μg ml⁻¹ and 0.005-0.05 μg ml⁻¹ at 245.5 nm and at 262 nm for aqueous standard solutions of HQ with linear regression coefficient value of 0.9978 and 0.9843 and detection limit of 0.021 μg ml⁻¹ and 0.0016 μg ml⁻¹ HQ, respectively. Standard deviation of 1.7% and 2.4% was true for 1 μg ml⁻¹ and 0.03 μg ml⁻¹ HQ solution (n = 11) run at respective wavelengths. The method was successfully applied to dilute waste photographic developer samples for free HQ determination.     

A sensitive sensor for anthraquinone anticancer drugs and hsDNA based on CdTe/CdS quantum dots fluorescence reversible control

Based on CdTe/CdS quantum dots (CdTe/CdS QDs) fluorescence (FL) reversible control, a new and sensitive FL sensor for determination of anthraquinone (AQ) anticancer drugs (adriamycin and daunorubicin) and herring sperm DNA (hsDNA) was developed. Under the experimental conditions, FL of CdTe/CdS QDs can be effectively quenched by AQ anticancer drugs due to the binding of AQ anticancer drugs on the surface of CdTe/CdS QDs and photoinduced electron transfer (PET) process from CdTe/CdS QDs to AQ anticancer drugs. Addition of hsDNA afterwards brought the restoration of CdTe/CdS QDs FL intensity, as AQ anticancer drugs peeled off from the surface of CdTe/CdS QDs and embedded into hsDNA double helix structure. The liner ranges and the detection limits of FL quenching methods for two AQ anticancer drugs were 0.33-9 μg mL⁻¹ and 0.09 μg mL⁻¹ for ADM and 0.15-9 μg mL⁻¹ and 0.04 μg mL⁻¹ for DNR, respectively. The restored FL intensity was proportional to concentration of hsDNA in the range of 1.38-28 μg mL⁻¹and the detection limit for hsDNA was 0.41 μg mL⁻¹. It was applied to the determination of AQ anticancer drugs in human serum and urine samples with satisfactory results. The reaction mechanism of CdTe/CdS QDs FL reversible control was studied.     

A reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography coupled with resonance Rayleigh scattering detection for the determination of four tetracycline antibiotics

A new reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography with resonance Rayleigh scattering detection (HPLC-RRS) was developed for simultaneous separation and determination of four tetracycline antibiotics (TCs). A good chromatographic separation among the compounds was achieved using a Synergi Fusion-RP column (150 mm × 4.6 mm; 4 μm) and a mobile phase consisting of methanol-acetonitrile-oxalic acid (5 mM) at the flow rate of 0.8 mL min⁻¹. Column temperature was 30 °C. The RRS signal was detected at λ_ex = λ_em = 370 nm. The recoveries of sample added standard ranged from 95.3% to 103.5%, and the relative standard deviation was below 2.79%. A detection limit of 2.12-5.12 μg mL⁻¹ was reached and a linear range was found between peak height and concentration in the range of 10.36-518.0 μg mL⁻¹ for oxytetracycline (OTC), 12.11-605.5 μg mL⁻¹ for tetracycline (TC), 11.79-589.5 μg mL⁻¹ for chlortetracycline (CTC) and 10.32-516.0 μg mL⁻¹ for doxycycline (DC). The linear regression coefficients were all above 0.999. The method has been applied successfully to the determination of OTC, TC, CTC, DC in pharmaceutical formulations and in honey. The method was simple, rapid and showed a better linear relation and high repeatability.     

Protein determination using methylene blue in a synchronous fluorescence technique

A new method for detecting protein by synchronous fluorescence enhancement was developed, based on the combination of near infrared (NIR) fluorescence and the dedimerization phenomenon of methylene blue (MB). Under analytical conditions, there are linear relationships between the enhancing extent of synchronous fluorescence of MB-sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS)-protein at 667 nm and the concentration of protein in the range of 8.0 × 10⁻⁸-4.0 × 10⁻⁵ g mL⁻¹ for bovine serum albumin (BSA), 1.0 × 10⁻⁷-3.5 × 10⁻⁵ g mL⁻¹ for egg albumin (EA). The detection limits (S/N = 3) of BSA and EA are 8.9 ng mL⁻¹ and 10.0 ng mL⁻¹, respectively. The fluorescence enhancement mechanism is discussed in detail. Results from multiple techniques indicate that the fluorescence enhancement of the system originates from the hydrophobic microenvironment provided by BSA and SDBS, and the formation of an MB-SDBS-BSA complex, as well as the deaggregation of some MB dimer.