Flow-through solid-phase based optical sensor for the multisyringe flow injection trace determination of orthophosphate in waters with chemiluminescence detection

In this work, a novel flow-through solid-phase based chemiluminescence (CL) optical sensor is described for the trace determination of orthophosphate in waters exploiting the multisyringe flow injection analysis (MSFIA) concept with multicommutation. The proposed time-based injection flow system relies upon the in-line derivatisation of the analyte with ammonium molybdate in the presence of vanadate, and the transient immobilisation of the resulting heteropolyacid in a N-vinylpyrrolidone/divinylbenzene copolymer packed spiral shape flow-through cell located in front of the window of a photomultiplier tube. The simultaneous injection of well-defined slugs of luminol in alkaline medium and methanol solution towards the packed reactor is afterwards performed by proper switching of the solenoid valves. Then, the light emission from the luminol oxidation by the oxidant species retained onto the sorbent material is readily detected. At the same time, the generated molybdenum-blue compound is eluted by the minute amount of injected methanol, rendering the system prepared for a new measuring cycle. Therefore, the devised sensor enables the integration of the solid-phase CL reaction with elution and detection of the emitted light without the typical drawbacks of the molybdenum-blue based spectrophotometric procedures regarding the excess of molybdate anion, which causes high background signals due to its self-reduction. The noteworthy features of the developed CL-MSFIA system are the feasibility to accommodate reactions with different pH requirements and the ability to determine trace levels of orthophosphate in high silicate content samples (Si/P ratios up to 500). Under the optimised conditions, a dynamic linear range from 5 to 50 μg P l⁻¹ for a 1.8 ml sample, repeatability better than 3.0% and a quantification limit of 4 μg P l⁻¹ were attained. The flowing stream system handles 11 analysis h⁻¹ and has been successfully applied to the determination of trace levels of orthophosphate in environmental samples such as mineral, ground, tap and pond waters as well as samples from a water-steam cycle of an incineration plant. The t-test comparison of the means for the developed optical sensor and the molybdenum-blue spectrophotometric APHA/AWWA/WPCF reference method revealed that there is no evidence of significant differences between the obtained results at the 95% confidence level.     

The kalimantacin/batumin biosynthesis operon encodes a self-resistance isoform of the FabI bacterial target

BatG is a trans-2-enoyl-ACP reductase, encoded in?the kalimantacin/batumin (kal/bat) biosynthesis operon. It is not essential for the production of the kal/bat secondary metabolite. Instead, BatG is an isoform of FabI, conferring full resistance to target bacteria. It also complements FabI in its role in fatty acid biosynthesis. The identification of FabI as the antibacterial target is important to assess clinical potential of the kalimantacin/batumin antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus.     

Quantification of midazolam,morphine and metabolites in plasma using 96‐well solid‐phase extraction and ultra‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

Currently, pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic studies of sedatives and analgesics are performed in neonates and children to find suitable dose regimens. As a result, sensitive assays using only small volumes of blood are necessary to determine drug and metabolite concentrations. We developed an ultra‐performance liquid chromatographic method with tandem mass spectrometry detection for quantification of midazolam, 1‐hydroxymidazolam, hydroxymidazolamglucuronide, morphine, morphine‐3‐glucuronide and morphine‐6‐glucuronide in 100 μL of plasma. Cleanup consisted of 96 wells micro‐solid phase extraction, before reversed‐phase chromatographic separation (ultra‐performance liquid chromatography) and selective detection using electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Separate solid‐phase extraction methods were necessary to quantify morphine, midazolam and their metabolites because of each group's physicochemical properties. Standard curves were linear over a large dynamic range with adequate limits of quantitation. Intra‐ and interrun accuracy and precision were within 85–115% (of nominal concentration using a fresh calibration curve) and 15% (coefficient of variation, CV) respectively. Recoveries were >80% for all analytes, with interbatch CVs (as a measure of matrix effects) of less than 15% over six batches of plasma. Stability in plasma and extracts was sufficient, allowing large autosampler loads. Runtime was 3.00 min per sample for each method. The combination of 96‐well micro‐SPE and UPLC‐MS/MS allows reliable quantification of morphine, midazolam and their major metabolites in 100 μL of plasma. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Possibilities and limitations of synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction with double crystal and double multilayer monochromators for microscopic speciation studies

The performance of a combined microbeam X-ray fluorescence/X-ray powder diffraction (XRF/XRPD) measurement station at Hamburger Synchrotronstrahlungslabor (HASYLAB) Beamline L is discussed in comparison to that at European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) ID18F/ID22. The angular resolution in the X-ray diffractograms is documented when different combinations of X-ray source, optics and X-ray diffraction detectors are employed. Typical angular resolution values in the range 0.3–0.5° are obtained at the bending magnet source when a ‘pink’ beam form of excitation is employed. A similar setup at European Synchrotron Radiation Facility beamlines ID18F and ID22 allows to reach angular resolution values of 0.1–0.15°. In order to document the possibilities and limitations for speciation of metals in environmental materials by means of Hamburger Synchrotronstrahlungslabor Beamline L X-ray fluorescence/X-ray powder diffraction setup, two case studies are discussed, one involved in the identification of the crystal phases in which heavy metals such as chromium, iron, barium and lead are present in polluted soils of an industrial site (Val Basento, Italy) and another involved in the speciation of uranium in depleted uranium particles (Ceja Mountains, Kosovo). In the former case, the angular resolution is sufficient to allow identification of most crystalline phases present while in the latter case, it is necessary to dispose of an angular resolution of ca. 0.2° to distinguish between different forms of oxidized uranium.     

Exact mass measurement of product ions for the structural confirmation and identification of unknown compounds using a quadrupole time-of-flight spectrometer: a simplified approach using combined tandem mass spectrometric functions

This article describes a simple method to perform lock mass corrected accurate mass measurements in tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) with a quadrupole time-of-flight (Q-TOF) mass spectrometer. The experimental approach consists of using the protonated molecule of a known compound, which is measured in a MS/MS function using low collision energy (no fragmentation), as mass calibrator. The unknown compound is acquired in MS/MS mode albeit using high collision energy. After the acquisition, the two MS/MS spectra of unknown and mass calibrator are combined, and the fragments of the unknown are lock mass corrected by using the protonated molecule of the mass calibrator. To prove this concept, 10 compounds were analyzed using this approach, the fragments interpreted and, where possible, related to structural data available in the literature. All the unequivocally assigned fragments were accurately mass measured with mass errors within appropriate limits, i.e. for m/z values <200 with a mass tolerance of 3 mDa while for m/z > 200 the mass tolerance is expressed as 10 ppm.     

Entangled Porphyrins in Cyclodextrin Vesicles

The entanglement process between porphyrins and some amphiphiliccyclodextrins and the occurrence of different species have been proved by the combination of UV-Visabsorption, fluorescence anisotropy, resonance light scattering and ¹H NMR spectroscopy.     

Palladium catalysed copolymerisation of ethene with alkylacrylates: polar comonomer built into the linear polymer chain

Copolymerisation of ethene and alkylacrylates is catalysed by palladium modified with di(2-methoxyphenyl)phosphinobenzene-2-sulfonic acid (DOPPBS); a linear polymer is produced in which acrylate units are incorporated into the polyethylene backbone.     

Evaluation of automated nano-electrospray mass spectrometry in the determination of non-covalent protein-ligand complexes

The use of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) for studying non-covalent interactions between macromolecules and ligands is well established. ESI-MS can be a useful tool for the determination of dissociation constants between molecules in the gas phase. We validate this method by studying the binding of the catalytic domain of cellobiohydrolase I (CBH I) from Trichoderma reesei to the disaccharide inhibitor cellobiose. The method was further applied to study two newly synthesized cellobiose derivatives (m-iodobenzyl 2-deoxy-2-azido-beta-cellobioside and p-benzyloxybenzyl beta-cellobioside). In a titration experiment, peak areas of different charge states of the free enzyme and the complex were summed in order to determine the dissociation constant. For cellobiose and m-iodobenzyl 2-deoxy-2-azido-beta-cellobioside, the calculated values are in good agreement with those reported from either displacement titration or equilibrium binding experiments in solution. Due to non-specific binding, the dissociation constant of p-benzyloxybenzyl beta-cellobioside does not correspond with the solution-based value. Our results indicate the need for careful interpretation of data sets when using nanoESI to study non-covalent interactions.