Spectrophotometric determination of cysteine andN-acetylcysteine in pharmaceutical preparations

An accurate fast spectrophotometric method for the determination of cysteine andN-acetyl-cysteine is presented, based on the oxidation of these amino acids by ferric ions in the presence of ferrozine, whereby a violet-coloured complex is formed which absorbs at 562 nm. The method was satisfactory for the determination of cysteine andN-acetylcysteine in samples within the range 0.02–6.00 gml^–1. Effects of time, acidity, ferric ions, ferrozine, sodium perchlorate concentrations and the tolerance limit for other amino acids have been reported. The method was applied to the determination of cysteine in amino acids mixtures andN-acetylcysteine in pharmaceutical preparations.     

Mass spectrometric determination of selected microbial constituents using fused silica and chiral glass capillary gas chromatography

Summary Applications of quantitative gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (selected ion monitoring) to clinical and ecological microbiology are described. The technique permits determination of selected microbial metabolites and can be used for the rapid diagnosis of, for example, tuberculosis by ion-focusing of specific branch-chain fatty acids. The technique is also used to determine diaminopimelic and muramic acids, and D- and L-amino acids separated by chiral gas chromatography, in the low picogram range. The latter method has the potential to detect and quantitate microbial populations.Presented at the 14th International Symposium on Chromatography London, September, 1982     

Second-Derivative Spectrophotometric Determination of Trace Copper after Preconcentration with the Ion Pair of 2-Nitroso-1-Naphthol-4-Sulfonic Acid and Tetradecyldimethylbenzylammonium Chloride on Microcrystalline Naphthalene or a Column

Copper is quantitatively retained by 2-nitroso-1-naphthol-4-sulfonic acid and tetradecyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride on microcrystalline naphthalene in the pH range 7.1–10.7 from large volumes of aqueous solutions of various samples. After filtration, the solid mass consisting of a copper complex and naphthalene is dissolved with 5 mL of dimethylformamide, and the metal is determined by second-derivative spectrophotometry. The copper complex can alternatively be quantitatively adsorbed on tetradecyldimethylbenzylammonium–naphthalene adsorbent packed in a column and determined similarly. About 1.5 g of copper can be concentrated in a column from 300 mL of aqueous sample, where its concentration is as low as 5 ng/mL. The effects of pH, the volume of the aqueous phase, and interferences from a number of metal ions on the determination of copper have been studied in detail to optimize the conditions for its determination in standard alloys and biological samples.     

OPA method modified by use of N,N-dimethyl-2-mercaptoethylammonium chloride as thiol component

Summary In the analysis of biological matrices, the application of o-phthaldialdehyde in the presence of a thiol component (OPA-method) for the quantitative determination of free - and -amino groups in amino acids, peptides and proteins as well as their hydrolytic or proteolytic products, respectively, is well known. The most frequently used thiol compound is mercaptoethanol. The use of this substance has the disadvantage that the initially generated isoindole often undergoes intramolecular rearrangement which often leads to a decrease in extinction at the monitoring wavelength of 340 nm. The present paper describes a modified method in which mercaptoethanol was replaced by N,N-dimethyl-2-mercaptoethylammonium chloride. The use of the new thiol component in the OPA reaction results in long-term stability of the extinction values (plateauing > 1 h). The modified method is further characterized by high accuracy and precision.

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Modifizierte OPA-Methode mit N,N-Dimethyl-2-mercaptoethylammoniumchlorid als Thiolkomponente

     

Determination of Free and Total Underivatized Amino Acids Including L-Canavanine in Bitter Vetch Seeds Using Hydrophilic Interaction Liquid Chromatography

A new hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography method coupled with diode-array detector was developed for the determination of 17 underivatized amino acids including L-canavanine in bitter vetch [Vicia ervilia (L.) Willd.] seeds. Amino acids were extracted as free as well as total extracts after acid hydrolysis, followed by chromatographic separation on a Zorbax Rx-SIL column with a mobile phase of acetonitrile/potassium phosphate buffer (12.5?mM; pH 3.0) using gradient elution and detection at 190?nm. The method is characterized by a wide linear range (0.01–200?µg/mL, r?>?0.9987), sufficient accuracy (relative error 86.3–109.1%), and suitable precision for the results (relative standard deviation <4.9% in the case of intra-day and <9.8% in the case of inter-day precision). The limits of detection and quantification for free amino acids ranged from 0.01 to 0.24?mg/g and 0.03 to 0.72?mg/g, respectively, whereas the total amino acids ranged from 0.02 to 0.47?mg/g and 0.07 to 1.43?mg/g, respectively. The mean recoveries of free and total amino acids in spiked samples exceeded 70.3% for most amino acids. The mean total content of free and total amino acids in bitter vetch seeds was 1.71 and 14.88?g/100?g seed, whereas the corresponding values for canavanine were 0.07 and 0.19?g/100?g seed, respectively.     

Simultaneous determination of hydrophilic amino acid enantiomers in mammalian tissues and physiological fluids applying a fully automated micro-two-dimensional high-performance liquid chromatographic concept

A validated two-dimensional HPLC system combining a microbore-monolithic ODS column and a narrowbore-enantioselective column has been established for a sensitive and simultaneous analysis of hydrophilic amino acid enantiomers (His, Asn, Ser, Gln, Arg, Asp, allo-Thr, Glu and Thr) and the non-chiral amino acid, Gly, in biological samples. To accomplish this goal, the amino acids were first tagged with 4-fluoro-7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (NBD-F) to the respective fluorescent NBD derivatives which were separated in the first dimension by a micro-reversed-phase column. The automatically collected fractions of the target peaks were then transferred to the second dimension consisting of a Pirkle type enantioselective column generating separation factors higher than 1.13 for all the enantiomeric target analytes. The system was validated using standard amino acids and a rat plasma sample, and analytically satisfactory calibration and precision results were obtained. The present 2D-HPLC system enables the fully automated determination of hydrophilic amino acid enantiomers in mammalian samples. The d-isomers of all the investigated 9 amino acids were found in rat urine but at various enantiomeric ratios.     

Amino acid profiling using HRGC-FTIR oftert.-Butyldimethylsilyl derivatives

Summary The use of N, O (S)-tert.-Butyldimethylsilyl derivatives of amino acids for capillary gas chromatography and FTIR identification of amino acids is described. Rapid identification is achieved by computerised comparison of FTIR spectra. Derivatives that are characterised by identical sets of ions in gas chromatography-mass spectrometry experiments are clearly distinguished and identified by means of their infrared spectra. This, for example, is the case with alanine, -alanine and sarcosine, which norvaline and valine, and with norleucine, leucine and isoleucine. Unknows are also promptly detected. This is especially useful in screening biological samples for less common amino acids. Screening of hemoglogin hydrolysates for amino acid adducts is exemplified.Presented at the 17th International Symposium on Chromatography, September 25–30, 1988, Vienna, Austria.     

Liquid Chromatographic Determination of Glutamine in Cerebrospinal Fluid Using 2-Hydroxynaphthaldehyde Derivatizing Reagent

Summary An analytical procedure has been developed for the selective determination of glutamine from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using 2-hydroxynaphthaldehyde derivatizing reagent. Arginine and tyramine could also be determined simultaneously. Separation was on a Phenomenex C-18, (150 × 4.6 mm i.d.) column with methanol: water (63:38 v/v) mobile phase at 1mL min^–1 and UV detection at 330nm. Detection limits for glutamine, arginine, and tyramine were 2.8 ng, 17.4 ng and 3.45 ng injection^–1 (5 L), respectively. A large number of amines and amino acids eluted did not affect the determination of glutamine. The analysis of CSF of four patients suffering from hydrocephalus for glutamine indicated concentrations within range 37.4–11.24 g mL^–1 with coefficient of variation 3.0–6.2%.     

High Performance Liquid Chromatographic Determination of Amino Acids in Biological Samples by Precolumn Derivatization with O-Phthaldialdehyde

Abstract

A suitable gradient system has been developed for rapid analysis of amino acids in biological samples using O-phthaldialdehyde as a precolumn derivatizing agent and fluorescence detection. Resolution of 21 amino acids has been accomplished with 3 μm Ultrasphere ODS column by using a multi-step gradient system of two solvents (0.1M sodium acetate, pH 7.2/methanol:tetrahydrofuran) in less than 1 hour. Within-assay and between-assay coefficients of variation of retention times and fluorescence yield show good reproducibility. The fluorometric detection response is linear from 25 to 500 pmoles with a minimum detection limit of less than 1 pmol. High resolution, rapid analysis and high sensitivity of this method facilitates amino acid analysis in samples of less than 1 mg of tissue.     

Amino acid analysis by using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography

The separation characteristics of alkylchloroformate-derivatised amino acids (AAs) by using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) is reported. The use of a low-polarity/polar column set did not provide as good a separation performance as that achieved with a polar/non-polar column set, where the latter appeared to provide less correlation over the separation space. The degree of component correlation in each column set was estimated by using the correlation coefficient (r²; for ¹t_R and ²t_R data) with the low-polarity/polar and polar/low-polarity sets returning correlation coefficients of 0.86, and 0.00 respectively, under the respective conditions employed for the experiments. The 1.5-m non-polar ²D column (0.1-mm ID; 0.1-m film thickness) gave peak halfwidths of the order of 50–80 ms. Linearity of detection was good, over a three order of magnitude concentration range, with typical lower detection limit of ca. 0.01 mg L^–1, compared with 0.5 mg L^–1 for normal GC operation with splitless injection. The method was demonstrated for analysis of AAs in a range of food and beverage products, including wine, beer and honey. The major AA in these samples was proline. The Heineken beer sample had a relatively more complex and more abundant AA content compared with the other beer sample. The wine and honey samples also gave a range of AA compounds. Repetition of the sample preparation/analysis procedure for the honey sample gave acceptable reproducibility for individual AAs.     

Two-dimensional electrophoresis on a microfluidic chip for quantitative amino acid analysis

Analysis of complex biological samples requires the use of high-throughput analytical tools. In this work, a microfluidic two-dimensional electrophoresis system was developed with mercury-lamp-induced fluorescence detection. Mixtures of 20 standard amino acids were used to evaluate the separation performance of the system. After fluorescent labeling with fluorescein isothiocyanate, mixtures of amino acids were separated by micellar electrokinetic chromatography in the first dimension and by capillary zone electrophoresis in the second. A double electrokinetic valve system was employed for the sample injection and the switching between separation channels. Under the optimized conditions, 20 standard amino acids were effectively separated within 20 min with high resolution and repeatability. Quantitative analysis revealed linear dynamic ranges of over three orders of magnitudes with detection limits at micromolar range. To further evaluate the reliability of the system, quantitative analysis of a commercial nutrition supplement liquid was successfully demonstrated. Figure       

Fluorometric assay of amino acids and amines by use of 7-fluoro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole(NBD-F) in high-performance liquid chromatography

Summary The reaction of a newly developed fluoregenic reagent, 7-fluoro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole(NBD-F), with amino acids and biogenic amines was investigated. NBD-F was reactive to both primary and secondary amines including amino acids and biogenic amines such as catecholamines. The amino acids were reacted with the reagent, separated by high-performance liquid chromatography on -Bondapak C₁₈ and detected at 10 to 100 fmol level. A few g of protein hydrolysates, rabbit pyruvate kinase M₁, rabbit aldolase A and papain, were adequate for the amino acids quantitation. An automatic amino acid analyzer with fluorometric detection by the post-column derivatization with NBD-F enabled the amino acid profile analysis in blood samples present in a paper disc of 3 mm diameter.Presented at the 14th International Symposium on Chromatography London, September, 1982     

Volumetric Properties of Amino Acids and Hen-Egg White Lysozyme in Aqueous Triton X-100 at 298.15 K

The apparent molar volumes, V_,2, of glycine, alanine, -amino-n-butyric acid, valine, leucine, and lysine monohydrochloride have been determined in aqueous solutions of 0.05, 0.1, and 0.4 mol-kg^–1 Triton X-100 (TX-100), and the partial specific volume, v⁰, of hen-egg-white lysozyme in 0.4 mol-kg^–1 TX-100 by density measurements at 298.15 K. These data have been used to calculate the infinite dilution apparent molar volumes, V_2,m⁰, for the amino acids in aqueous TX-100 solutions and the standard partial molar volumes of transfer, _tr V_2,m⁰, of the amino acids from water to the aqueous surfactant solutions. The linear correlation of V_2,m⁰ for a homologous series of amino acids has been utilized to calculate the contribution of the charged end groups (NH₃⁺, COO^–), CH₂ group and other alkyl chains of the amino acids to V_2,m⁰. The results on _tr V_2,m⁰, of amino acids from water to aqueous TX-100 solutions have been interpreted in terms of ion–ion, ion–polar, hydrophilic–hydrophilic and hydrophobic–hydrophobic group interactions. For all the six amino acids studied, the values of _tr V_2,m⁰ from water to all the studied concentrations of aqueous TX-100 are small in spite of their different hydrophobic content, indicating an overall balance in interactions of zwitterionic/hydrophilic groups of amino acids with the hydrophilic groups of TX-100, and of hydrophobic and ionic/hydrophilic groups of the amino acids with hydrophobic groups of TX-100. Comparison of the interactions of the amino acids with nonionic, anionic and cationic surfactants has also been made and discussed. The partial specific volume of transfer of lysozyme from water to aqueous TX-100 solutions also indicates a balance of the hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions in the protein–nonionic surfactant system.     

Capillary electrophoresis and column chromatography in biomedical chiral amino acid analysis

Free amino acids are typically quantified as the sum of their enantiomers, because in terrestrial organisms they mainly exist in the left-handed form. However, with increasing understanding of the biological significance of right-handed amino acids interest in enantioselective quantification of amino acids has steadily increased. Initially, electrophoretic and chromatographic methods using chiral (pseudo)-stationary phases or chiral eluents were applied to the separation of amino acid enantiomers. Later, derivatization of amino acids prior to chromatography with chiral reagents gained in popularity, because the diastereomers formed can be resolved on conventional reversed-phase columns. Novel multi-interaction chiral columns turned attention back to direct chiral chromatographic methods. Hyphenation to mass spectrometry has increasingly replaced optical detection because of superior selectivity, although this has not obviated the need for baseline resolution of amino acid enantiomers. Despite the progress made, enantioselective separation and quantification of amino acids remains an analytical challenge owing to frequently incomplete resolution of all naturally occurring enantiomers and insufficient sensitivity for the determination of the trace amounts of d-amino acids typically found in biological fluids and tissues. Chiral GC-MS analysis of heptafluorobutanol/pentafluoropropionanhydride amino acid derivatives on an Rt-gDEXsa column     

Position‐specific 13C/12C analysis of amino acid carboxyl groups – automated flow‐injection analysis based on reaction with ninhydrin

Rationale

The fundamental level of stable isotopic knowledge lies at specific atomic positions within molecules but existing methods of analysis require lengthy off‐line preparation to reveal this information. An automated position‐specific isotope analysis (PSIA) method is presented to determine the stable carbon isotopic compositions of the carboxyl groups of amino acids (δ¹³C_CARBOXYL values). This automation makes PSIA measurements easier and routine.

Methods

An existing high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) gas handling interface/stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry system was modified by the addition of a post‐column derivatisation unit between the HPLC system and the interface. The post‐column reaction was optimised to yield CO₂ from the carboxyl groups of amino acids by reaction with ninhydrin.

Results

The methodology described produced δ¹³C_CARBOXYL values with typical standard deviations below ±0.1 ‰ and consistent differences (Δ¹³C_CARBOXYL values) between amino acids over a 1‐year period. First estimates are presented for the δ¹³C_CARBOXYL values of a number of internationally available amino acid reference materials.

Conclusions

The PSIA methodology described provides a further dimension to the stable isotopic characterisation of amino acids at a more detailed level than the bulk or averaged whole‐molecule level. When combined with on‐line chromatographic separation or off‐line fraction collection of protein hydrolysates the technique will offer an automated and routine way to study position‐specific carboxyl carbon isotope information for amino acids, enabling more refined isotopic studies of carbon uptake and metabolism.

     

稳定同位素iTRAQ标记/高效液相色谱-串联质谱法同时定量分析人体中42种氨基酸及典型病例

建立稳定同位素iTRAQ标记/高效液相色谱-串联质谱法同时定量分析人体中42种氨基酸的方法.人生物样本经磺基水杨酸沉淀蛋白,稳定同位素iTRAQ-115衍生化后,加入iTRAQ-114同位素标记的氨基酸内标液进样,选用AAA-C18色谱柱,以水乙腈(含有0.01％七氟丁酸、0.1％甲酸)为流动相,采用梯度洗脱进行分离,选用3200QTRAP型质谱仪的多重反应监测(MRM)扫描方式进行检测.同位素内标消除了系统误差,实现了氨基酸的定量分析,42种氨基酸及同分异构体均能基线分离.本方法快速、灵敏、专属性强、高通量,可用于临床氨基酸代谢疾病的诊疗和营养评估.     

Determination of nickel in urine and other biological samples by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

Summary A method for the determination of nickel in urine and other biological samples by graphite furnace AAS has been developed and employed for clinical applications. This method offers several advantages: The digestion of the samples with nitric and perchloric acids is time-saving, nickel is precipitated with ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate over a wide range of acidity and Ni-PDC in MIBK is fairly stable for one week. The coefficient of variation from run-to-run is 7.3% based on analyses of the same urine specimen containing 1.2 g/l of nickel on 9 successive working days, and the coefficient of variation within a single run is 4.7% based on 8 analyses of a single urine specimen containing 1.3 g/l of nickel within the same day. A good agreement is obtained with the certified values when the method is applied to the determination of nickel in biological standard reference materials.

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Nickelbestimmung in Harn und anderen biologischen Proben durch Graphitofen-AAS

Zusammenfassung Das Verfahren, das für klinische Anwendung entwickelt wurde, bietet mehrere Vorteile: der Aufschluß der Proben mit Salpeter- und Perchlorsäure ist zeitsparend, Nickel kann mit Ammoniumpyrrolidindithiocarbamat in einem weiten pH-Bereich gefällt werden und Ni-PDC in MIBK ist eine Woche lang stabil. Der Variationskoeffizient beträgt 7,3% für 1,2 g Ni/l über 9 Arbeitstage, für 8 Analysen mit 1,3 g Ni/l innerhalb eines Arbeitstages beträgt er 4,7%. Bei der Analyse von Standardreferenzmaterialien wurde gute Übereinstimmung mit den zertifizierten Werten festgestellt.

     

Beitrag zur Bestimmung von 2-Oxo-pyrrolidin-Derivaten aus biologischem Material

Zusammenfassung 2-Oxo-1-pyrrolidin-essigsäure-Derivate lassen sich weder UV-spektroskopisch, colorimetrisch noch fluorimetrisch bestimmen, GC-Bestimmungen sind nur bedingt anwendbar. Zur Bestimmung von 2-Oxo-1-pyrrolidin-essigsäure, deren Amid, Hydrazid sowie 1,2-Bis(2-oxo-pyrrolidin-1-essigsäure)-hydrazid bzw. ,-Bis(2-oxo-1-pyrrolidinacetamido)-alkanen in biologischem Material eignet sich die Extraktion der gefriergetrockneten Analysenproben mit Chloroform/Methanol-Gemischen, Dünnschicht-Chromatographie auf Kieselgel und Detektion mit verschiedenen Sprühreagentien. Durch Flächengrößenvergleich/Scannen sind Bestimmungen aus Vollblut, Plasma, Organhomogenaten und Urin möglich. Die Anwendbarkeit der Methode wird am Beispiel von Stabilitätsprüfungen in biologischem Material, Resorptionsnachweisen, Plasma- und Urinspiegeln bei Ratten, Hunden und Menschen demonstriert.

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Contribution to the determination of 2-oxo-pyrrolidine derivatives in biological material

Summary Determination of 2-oxo-1-pyrrolidine-acetic acid derivatives cannot be carried out either spectroscopically, colorimetrically or fluorimetrically, and GC determination is only conditionally suitable. For the determination of 2-oxo-1-pyrrolidine-acetic acid, its amide, hydrazide as well as 1,2-bis (2-oxo-pyrrolidine-1-acetic acid)-hydrazide and ,-bis(2-oxo-1-pyrrolidine-acetamido)-alkanes in biological material, a suitable method is the extraction of freeze-dried analytical samples with chloroform/methanol mixtures, TLC on silica gel and detection with various spray reagents. Determinations from whole blood, plasma, organ homogenates and urine are possible by spot area comparison or scanning. The practicability of the method is demonstrated with the example of stability tests in biological material, proof of absorption, and determination of plasma and urine levels in rats, dogs and in man.

     

Some observations on the automation by flow injection analysis of the spectrophotometric determination of amino acids and proteins witho-phthalaldehyde

Automation by flow injection analysis with Spectrophotometric detection of the determination of total amino acids and proteins witho-phthalaldehyde is not straightforward. The use of spectrophotometry, instead of spectrofluorimetry, and of N-acetyl-L-cysteine, instead of the conventional mercaptoethanol is advantageous because of the lower variability of absorptivities with respect to fluorescence yields, and the larger stability of the derivatives. Under adequate working conditions and with leucine as reference, the procedure can be used for the evaluation of total amino acids. A similar procedure is proposed for the analysis of proteins in a sample. Limits of detection are 1 × 10^–5 M for amino acids, and 1 × 10^–6 M for proteins, respectively.     

Determination of amino acids in human cerebrospinal fluid by gas chromatography

In the present study, the use of gas chromatography (GC) for the determination of amino acids in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is described. Although some amino acids may be determined using a packed column following the removal of glucose, the major interfering component, the inadequate resolution of other amino acids from remaining unidentified components results in poor quantitation. The use of wide bore columns improves reproducibility considerably, but still it does not provide sufficient resolution to enable quantitative determination of all amino acids in human CSF. Good reproducibility data, with CV values for all amino acids of 7% or less and recoveries generally between 80% and 100%, can only be obtained using the fused silica open tubular (FSOT) column. Normal amino acid levels are presented for 10 samples of human CSF, which compare well with data previously reported in the literature.