Simple and rapid UV spectrophotometry of caffeine in tea coupled with sample pre-treatment using a cartridge column filled with polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP)

We have applied a sample pre-treatment method with a cartridge column filled with polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP) to the effective removal of polyphenols and simple UV spectrophotometry of caffeine in tea. The absorption maximum length (lambda(max)) for caffeine was close to those for tea catechins in aqueous 1% acetic acid; therefore, the UV spectrum of a non-treated green tea sample had a large absorption wave. In contrast, the absorbance of the green tea sample was gradually reduced by PVPP cartridge treatment using PVPP from 0 to 50 mg, and was nearly constant using a pre-treatment cartridge with more than 100 mg PVPP, because tea catechins were effectively removed and caffeine was mostly recovered from a green tea sample by means of PVPP cartridge treatment. The PVPP pre-treatment cartridge also removed polyphenols successfully from oolong and black tea samples. Comparison with conventional HPLC analysis indicated that the present pre-treatment method with a PVPP cartridge was useful for the simple and selective UV spectrophotometric determination of caffeine in green, oolong and black tea samples.     

Improved sample pre-treatment for determination of caffeine in tea using a cartridge filled with polyvinylpolypyrroridone (PVPP)

We have improved sample pre-treatment for the effective removal of polyphenols and simple analysis of caffeine in tea using a cartridge filled with polyvinylpolypyrroridone (PVPP). Nearly 100% of catechins were removed from the green tea sample and caffeine was completely recovered in the range of 98.2-101.3% by sample pre-treatment with a PVPP cartridge. Reproducibility of preparing PVPP pre-treatment cartridges was sufficient for quantitative analysis, because RSDs of analytical values for caffeine obtained by using three individual pre-treatment cartridges filled with 10-200 mg PVPP were 0.60-2.8%. The PVPP pre-treatment cartridge also removed polyphenols perfectly and recovered caffeine faultlessly from oolong and black tea samples. Comparison with the conventional method without sample pre-treatment indicated that the present pre-treatment method with a PVPP cartridge was useful for the simple and precise analysis of caffeine in green, oolong and black tea samples.     

Quasi-flow injection analysis for rapid determination of caffeine in tea using the sample pre-treatment method with a cartridge column filled with polyvinylpolypyrrolidone

The sample pre-treatment method using a polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP) cartridge column combined with a quasi-flow injection analysis (quasi-FIA) system realized the rapid determination of caffeine in three types of tea, green, oolong and black tea. The measurement time for each tea sample pre-treated using a PVPP cartridge column was shortened to 20s. In the present system, the limits of detection and quantification were 0.3 microM (1.5 pmol injected) and 0.7 microM (3.5 pmol injected), respectively, and a linear calibration curve was afforded up to 800 microM (4 nmol injected). Within-run precision of analysis of standard solutions of 10 and 100 microM caffeine was 0.11 and 0.16% (n=6), respectively. Between-run precision of analysis of the same solutions over 6 days was 0.78 and 0.74% (n=6), respectively. Comparison with the conventional HPLC method indicated that the present quasi-FIA method using sample pre-treatment with a PVPP cartridge column was useful for the simple and precise determination of caffeine in green, oolong and black tea samples.     

Simultaneous determination of methylxanthines in coffees and teas by UV-Vis spectrophotometry and partial least squares

This work describes a method to simultaneously determine caffeine (CF) and theobromine (TB) in coffee and tea samples using partial least squares (PLS-1). Sample preparation was required to eliminate strong interfering components. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-found concentrations of caffeine and theobromine (theophylline was not found in any analyzed sample) were used to construct universal calibration matrixes for coffee and tea. Due to the low levels of theobromine when compared to caffeine (up to 1000:1), theobromine addition standard was required to dramatically improve method performance. The method developed did not show statistically significant differences with an HPLC standard technique.     

Vibrational spectral investigation on xanthine and its derivatives--theophylline, caffeine and theobromine

A normal coordinate analysis has been carried out on four compounds having a similar ring structure with different side chain substitutions, which are xanthine, caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine. Xanthine is chemically known as 2,6-dihydroxy purine. Caffeine, theophylline and theobromine are methylated xanthines. Considering the methyl groups as point mass, the number of normal modes of vibrations can be distributed as Gamma(vib) = 27 A' + 12 A" based on C(s) point group symmetry associated with the structures. In the present work 15 A' and 12 A' normal modes are considered. A new set of orthonormal symmetry co-ordinates have been constructed. Wilson's F-G matrix method has been adopted for the normal coordinate analysis. A satisfactory vibrational band assignment has been made by employing the FTIR and FT Raman spectra of the compounds. The potential energy distribution is calculated with the arrived values of the force constants and hence the agreement of the frequency assignment has been checked.     

Determination of substituted purines in body fluids by micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography with direct sample injection.

Many substituted purines (theobromine, caffeine, paraxanthine, theophylline and uric acid, as well as other methylated xanthines and uric acids) can easily be separated and analysed in one run using micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography with a boratephosphate buffer containing 75 mM sodium dodecyl sulphate (pH approximately 9). Serum, saliva and urine samples collected after the self-administration of caffeine and serum samples from patients receiving theophylline or caffeine pharmacotherapy were screened for substituted purines. The data presented show the ease of using on-column multi-wavelength detection for investigating the feasibility of direct sample application, the characterization of sample pretreatment procedures and peak confirmation by comparing absorption spectra. It is shown that the determination of purines in serum and saliva samples, including therapeutic concentrations of caffeine and theophylline, can be accomplished without any sample pretreatment, whereas sample extraction is required for the determination of purines in urine. Quantitative data for the determination of micromolar amounts of theophylline (samples from adult patients) and caffeine (samples from infants born prematurely) in serum samples compared well with data obtained by non-isotopic immunoassays. Micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography with the direct injection of serum or saliva samples requires only microlitre volumes of sample and several different compounds can be determined within a few minutes.     

Studies on the coordination chemistry of methylated xanthines and their imidazolium salts. Part 1: benzyl derivatives

New imidazolium salts derived from the natural methylated xanthines theophylline, theobromine and caffeine, namely 1,3-dimethyl-9-benzylxanthinium bromide (tphBzBr, 1a), 3,7-dimethyl-9-benzylxanthinium bromide (tbrBzBr, 2a) and 1,3,7-trimethyl-9-benzylxanthinium bromide (caffBzBr, 3a), are reported. Also, the disubstituted analog of 1a, 1,3-dimethyl-7,9-dibenzylxanthinium bromide (tphBz₂Br, 1a′) was identified and characterized by NMR. The coordination chemistry of ligands 1a–3a toward palladium, and some theoretical aspects of the unmodified theophylline, theobromine and caffeine are studied. Our results prove that the theophylline derivative has the thermodynamic tendency to form N-bonded species, even when an equilibrium between the Pd–NHC and the “theophyllinate” was observed spectroscopically, due to the anisotropy of the NHC ligand. To confirm the N-coordination, the solid state structure of the new “theophyllinate” species PdBr₂(tphBz-H)₂ (4), derived from 1a, was determined by X-ray diffraction. The analog with theobromine, ligand 2a, coordinates to palladium via N1, in an analogous manner to 1a, and a mixture of the cis/trans isomers of its palladium complex is obtained. On the other hand, since there is no possibility of N-coordination in 3a, this caffeine derivative forms a Pd-NHC compound after deprotonation with a strong base. Both the theoretical results and the experimental evidence are in accordance, in terms of the predicted coordination sites or possibility of modification of the selected methylated xanthines to obtain new ligands.     

Caffeine and theobromine in coffee, tea and cola-beverages

Summary A new method based on reversed-phase ion-interaction HPLC is described for the identification and quantitation of theobromine, theophylline and caffeine in beverages. The interaction reagent used is octylamine orto-phosphate which also constitutes the mobile phase. The stationary phase is a microparticulate reversed-phase C-18 packing. With spectrophotometric detection at 274 nm, detection levels of 0.15, 0.30 and 0.40 ppm were achieved for theobromine, theophylline and caffeine, respectively.Quantitative analysis was performed by the standard addition method for theobromine and caffeine contents in tea, espresso-coffee, decaffeinated coffee, decaffeinated tea and cola-beverages.     

Liquid Chromatography of Adenine,Caffeine, Theobromine,Theophylline, Tannic Acid,Xanthine and its Application to Tea Analysis

A polystyrenesulfonic acid resin in the hydrogen form is a useful stationary phase for chromatographic separation of adenine, caffeine, theobromine, theophylline, tannic acid, xanthine and tea components with aqueous ethanol as eluent. The results indicated that caffeine, theophylline, theobromine, adenine, xanthine and tannic acid could be separated on a column of Dowex-50W-X8(H)⁺ by elution with 25% ethanol as eluent.     

Coulometric Determination of Purine Alkaloid Series with Electrogenerated Chlorine

In acid solution, caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline are rapidly and quantitatively oxidized with electrogenerated chlorine in a stoichiometric ratio of 2 : 5 to give alloxan and urea. Procedures for the coulometric determination of microgram amounts of caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine in model solutions, caffeine in tea and coffee samples, and caffeine and theophylline in some pharmaceutical preparations were developed.     

Determination of Purine Bases in Formulations and Natural Products

Abstract

A selective GLC procedure for the determination of caffeine, theophylline and theobromine is presented. Theophylline and theobromine were methylated with Methelute and determined as caffeine. The GLC procedure proved to be simpler and more time saving than the spectrophotometric methods without loss of accuracy. The interference of accompanying ingredients could be, eliminated.     

Rapid determination of caffeine in tea leaves

For the purpose of efficient screening of low-caffeine tea shoots, a method for the rapid determination of caffeine was developed using high-performance liquid chromatography. Polyvinylpolypyrrolidone was packed in a pre-column and used to remove polyphenols from tea extracts on-line. The concentrations of caffeine extracted from powdered tea leaves at 50 degrees C during 1 day could be analyzed in 2-5 min intervals. The pre-column and the analytical column could be used for the analysis of more than 2000 samples.     

Development of a biosensor for caffeine

We have utilized a microbe, which can degrade caffeine to develop an Amperometric biosensor for determination of caffeine in solutions. Whole cells of Pseudomonas alcaligenes MTCC 5264 having the capability to degrade caffeine were immobilized on a cellophane membrane with a molecular weight cut off (MWCO) of 3000-6000 by covalent crosslinking method using glutaraledhyde as the bifunctional crosslinking agent and gelatin as the protein based stabilizing agent (PBSA). The biosensor system was able to detect caffeine in solution over a concentration range of 0.1 to 1 mg mL⁻¹. With read-times as short as 3 min, this caffeine biosensor acts as a rapid analysis system for caffeine in solutions. Interestingly, successful isolation and immobilization of caffeine degrading bacteria for the analysis of caffeine described here was enabled by a novel selection strategy that incorporated isolation of caffeine degrading bacteria capable of utilizing caffeine as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen from soils and induction of caffeine degrading capacity in bacteria for the development of the biosensor. This biosensor is highly specific for caffeine and response to interfering compounds such as theophylline, theobromine, paraxanthine, other methyl xanthines and sugars was found to be negligible.Although a few biosensing methods for caffeine are reported, they have limitations in application for commercial samples. The development and application of new caffeine detection methods remains an active area of investigation, particularly in food and clinical chemistry. The optimum pH and temperature of measurement were 6.8 and 30 ± 2 °C, respectively. Interference in analysis of caffeine due to different substrates was observed but was not considerable. Caffeine content of commercial samples of instant tea and coffee was analyzed by the biosensor and the results compared well with HPLC analysis.     

Determination of adenine,caffeine, theophylline and theobromine by HPLC with amperometric detection

A relatively simple method for quantifying caffeine, theobromine, theophylline and adenine by HPLC with amperometric detection was developed. A C₁₈-column and an isocratic elution with phosphate buffer pH 3.5/methanol (90 : 10) were employed for the chromatographic separation of the investigated compounds. The optimal detection potential was +1.4 V. The limits of detection were 0.4 ng for adenine, 1 ng for theophylline and 2.5 ng for caffeine and theobromine. The method was applied to the determination of these purine alkaloids in beverages, tea, coffee and cacao. The determination was carried out directly or after solid-phase extraction.     

Multivariate optimisation of the experimental conditions for determination of three methylxanthines by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

Caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine), theobromine (3,7-dimethylxanthine) and theophylline (1,3-dimethylxanthine) are the most important naturally occurring methylxanthines. Caffeine is a constituent of coffee and other beverage and included in many medicines. Theobromine and theophylline are formed as metabolites of caffeine in humans, and are also present in tea, cocoa and chocolate products.

In order to improve the chromatographic resolution (R_s) with a good analysis time, experimental designs were applied for multivariate optimisation of the experimental conditions of an isocratic reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (RP-HPLC) method used for the simultaneous determination of caffeine, theobromine and theophylline. The optimisation process was carried out in two steps using full three-level factorial designs. The factors optimised were: flow rate and mobile phase composition. Optimal conditions for the separation of the three methylxanthines were obtained using a mixture of water/ethanol/acetic acid (75:24:1%, v/v/v) as mobile phase and a flow rate of 1.0 mL min⁻¹. The RP-HPLC/UV method was validated in terms of limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantitation (LOQ), linearity, recovery and the precision, calculated as relative standard deviation (R.S.D.). In these conditions, the LOD was 0.10 μg L⁻¹ for caffeine, 0.07 μg L⁻¹ for theobromine and 0.06 μg L⁻¹ for theophylline. The proposed method is fast, requires no extraction step or derivatization and was suitable for quantification of these methylxanthines in coffee, tea and human urine samples.     

Electronic structure of some adenosine receptor antagonists. III. Quantitative investigation of the electronic absorption spectra of alkyl xanthines

Quantitative and comparative investigation of the electronic absorption spectra of theophylline, caffeine and their derivatives is reported. The spectra of theophylline, caffeine and theobromine were compared to establish the predominant tautomeric species in solution. This comparison, analysis of solvent effects and assignments of the observed transitions via MO computations indicate the exits of only one tautomeric species in solution that is the N7 form. A low-lying triplet state was identified which corresponds to a HOMO-LUMO transition. This relatively long-lived T1 state is always less polar than the ground state and may very well underlie the photochemical reactivity of alkyl xanthines. Substituents of different electron donating or withdrawing strengths and solvent effects are investigated and analyzed. The present analysis is facilitated via computer deconvolution of the observed spectra and MO computation.     

New genetic insights to consider coffee waste as feedstock for fuel,feed, and chemicals

Caffeine is a natural plant product found in many drinks, including coffee, tea, soft and energy drinks. Due to caffeine’s presence in the environment, microorganisms have evolved two different mechanisms to live on caffeine. The genetic maps of the caffeine N-demethylation pathway and C-8 oxidation pathway have been discovered in Pseudomonas putida CBB5 and Pseudomonas sp. CBB1, respectively. These genes are the only characterized bacterial caffeine-degrading genes, and may be of great value in producing fine chemicals, biofuels, and animal feed from coffee and tea waste. Here, we present preliminary results for production of theobromine and 7-methylxanthine from caffeine and theobromine, respectively, by two strains of metabolically engineered E. coli. We also demonstrate complete decaffeination of tea extract by an immobilized mixed culture of Klebsiella and Rhodococcus cells. These processes provide a first level demonstration of biotechnological utilization of coffee and tea waste.      

Zirconia based monoliths used in hydrophilic-interaction chromatography for original selectivity of xanthines

Monolithic capillary columns based on zirconia were prepared directly from zirconium alkoxide. They were also prepared coating a classical silica based monolithic column with zirconium butoxide. Using the gradual evolution of the theophylline/caffeine separation factor, it was found that successive zirconia coatings produced the progressive fading of surface silanols replaced by Zr–OH groups. The behavior of a silica monolith coated four times with zirconium butoxide was very similar to that of a pure zirconia monolith. The dramatic change in xanthine separation factor observed with zirconia stationary phases and the theophylline and caffeine probe solutes was used to develop a complete separation of xanthines on zirconia stationary phase in less than 6 min. The three dimethylxanthine isomers, theophylline, theobromine and paraxanthine, are very difficult to separate in RPLC with classical C₁₈ stationary phases. The three isomers were easily separated in HILIC mode on a zirconia based stationary phase.     

Simultaneous Determination of Theobromine and Caffeine in Cocoa by Partial Least-Squares Multivariate Spectrophotometric Calibration

Abstract

The use of partial least - squares multivariate spectrophotometric calibration for the simultaneous determination of theobromine and caffeine in cocoa is presented. The results show that these components in a molar ratio of about 6 : 1 in cocoa have been determined simultaneously with standard deviations of about 0.05 and 0.02 for theobromine and caffeine, respectively.