Application of matrix solid-phase dispersion to the propham and maleic hydrazide determination in potatoes by differential pulse voltammetry and HPLC

The application of the matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) process as sample treatment in connection with the electrochemical detection is studied for the first time. For this purpose, a novel methodology is introduced for the extraction of propham and maleic hydrazide herbicides from potatoes samples based in the MSPD process prior to their electrochemical detection. Potato samples disruption was done by blending them with C₈ bonded-phase and selective herbicide extraction was achieved by successive treatment of the blended with 50 mM phosphate buffer pH 7.4 (for maleic hydrazide) and methanol (for propham). The extraction procedure efficiency was estimated using differential pulse voltammetry in potato samples spiked with the herbicides yielding recovery values of 98% and 68% for propham and maleic hydrazide, respectively. No significant adverse effect of the MSPD process was observed on the herbicides electrochemical signals. For comparison, recovery studies using HPLC with UV detection were carried out and a good correlation in the results obtained by using both techniques was observed.     

Synthesis, characterization, and properties of subporphyrazines: a new class of nonplanar, aromatic macrocycles with absorption in the green region

Novel subphthalocyanine analogues that display strong absorption in the green region have been synthesized by using a boron template cyclotrimerization of maleonitrile derivatives. The spectroscopic properties of these macrocycles indicate that, like subphthalocyanines, they have 14 pi electrons and are aromatic compounds with a conical shape. The removal of the three fused benzene rings from the subphthalocyanine skeleton produces a 75-80 nm blue shift of the Q-band and a slight lowering of the absorption coefficients for this band. In addition, the reduction of the pi system from 18 to 14 electrons that accompanies progression from porphyrazines to subporphyrazines causes a hypsochromic shift of the Q-band of around 100 nm. Subporphyrazines that are peripherally functionalized with six thioether chains, and in which the sulfur atoms are attached directly to the pyrrole moieties, exhibit optical features that may be explained in terms of the extension of pi conjugation over the six thiolene groups, as well as strong pi donation from the sulfur lone pairs to the macrocycle. These two effects are quantitatively and qualitatively very similar to those observed for porphyrazines that possess the same type of substitution. In addition, the mesomorphic behavior at low temperatures of a macrocycle that is substituted with six thiododecyl chains was demonstrated by using differential scanning calorimetry and optical polarising microscopy.     

The Chlorhexidine: beta;-Cyclodextrin Inclusion Compound: Preparation, Characterization and Microbiological Evaluation

The 1 : 2 chlorhexidine : -cyclodextrin(Cx : CD) complex was prepared and characterised using X-ray crystallography, infrared spectroscopy, thermal analysis and nuclearmagnetic resonance. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC₅₀) of the chlorhexidine : -cyclodextrin inclusion compoundagainst Streptococcus mutans, Eubacterium Lentum, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Bacteroides fragilis andActinomices actinomycetemcomitans was determined. TheCx : CD inclusion compound inhibited the bacterial growth at a low concentration.     

Synthesis of the first nonmetalated triazolephthalocyanine derivatives

The synthesis of nonmetalated triazolephtahlocyanines is described for the first time. These compounds have been prepared by both one-step and stepwise procedures. Their spectroscopic data reveal a nonaromatic cross-conjugated 18pi-electron structure in contrast to their aromatic metalated derivatives.     

Use of p-toluenesulfonic acid for the controlled grafting of alkoxysilanes onto silanol containing surfaces: preparation of tunable hydrophilic, hydrophobic, and super-hydrophobic silica

The modification of Aerosil 200 has been carried out using methoxysilanes in toluene reflux, with p-toluenesulfonic acid as the catalyst. Both trimethoxyalkyl silanes (methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, hexyl, octyl, and octadecyl) and trialkylmethoxy silanes (trimethyl and dimethyloctyl) have been used. The surface has been studied by 29Si NMR, 13C NMR, elemental analysis, thermogravimetry, water contact angle, and BET analysis. When incorporating trimethoxysilanes, a plateau of modification was achieved after 1 h of reflux, while when using trialkylmethoxy silanes, a longer time of about 7 h was required. The average number of molecules incorporated in both cases has been well above those reported by other authors in similar reactions and in much shorter times. Depending on the modification agent and on the experimental conditions, the resulting organosilicas are in seven cases superhydrophobic, in three cases hydrophobic, and in two cases hydrophilic. Two structural origins for superhydrophobicity have been identified in these samples: almost complete disappearance of water accessible surface silanols (smallest methoxysilanes) and shielding of would-be water accessible surface silanols by long aliphatic tails. These features can be very precisely controlled.     

Analytical applications of glassy carbon electrodes modified with multi-wall carbon nanotubes dispersed in polyethylenimine as detectors in flow systems

This work reports the advantages of using glassy carbon electrodes (GCEs) modified with multi-wall carbon nanotubes (CNT) dispersed in polyethylenimine (PEI) as detectors in flow injection and capillary electrophoresis. The presence of the dispersion of CNT in PEI at the electrode surface allows the highly sensitive and reproducible determination of hydrogen peroxide, different neurotransmitters (dopamine (D) and its metabolite dopac, epinephrine (E), norepinephrine (NE)), phenolic compounds (phenol (P), 3-chlorophenol (3-CP) and 2,3-dichlorophenol (2,3CP)) and herbicides (amitrol). Sensitivities enhancements of 150 and 140 folds compared to GCE were observed for hydrogen peroxide and amitrol, respectively. One of the most remarkable properties of the resulting electrode is the antifouling effect of the CNT/PEI layer. No passivation was observed either for successive additions (30) or continuous flow (for 30 min) of the compounds under investigation, even dopac or phenol. A critical comparison of the amperometric and voltammetric signal of these different analytes at bare- and PEI-modified glassy carbon electrodes and pyrolytic graphite electrodes is also included, demonstrating that the superior performance of CNT is mainly due to their unique electrochemical properties. Glassy carbon electrodes modified with CNT-PEI dispersion also show an excellent performance as amperometric detector in the electrophoretic separation of phenolic compounds and neurotransmitters making possible highly sensitive and reproducible determinations.     

High-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry: Is it as good as it sounds? A critical review

The recent arrival of high-resolution continuum source atomic absorption spectrometry represents a potential revolution in this field, in particular for direct analysis of complex samples. This review tries to illustrate the main advantages of this technology, paying particular attention to the development of direct solid sampling methods. Three solid sampling applications will be discussed, each one of them highlighting one of the main advantages of this technique. The review also intends to clarify some misconceptions on the true potential of the instrumentation that is currently commercially available, such as its performance for multielemental analysis.     

Analysis of polyphenols in white wine by CZE with amperometric detection using carbon nanotube-modified electrodes

A method for the simultaneous detection of five polyphenols (caffeic, chlorogenic, ferulic and gallic acids and (+)-catechin) by CZE with electrochemical detection was developed. Separation of these polyphenols was performed in a 100 mM borate buffer (pH 9.2) within 15 min. Under optimized separation conditions, the performance of glassy carbon (GC) electrodes modified with multiwalled carbon nanotube layer obtained from different dispersions was examined. GC electrode modified with a dispersion of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNT) in polyethylenimine has proven to be the most suitable CNT-based electrode for its application as amperometric detector for the CZE separation of the studied compounds. The excellent electrochemical properties of this electrode allowed the detection of the selected polyphenols at +200 mV and improved the efficiency and the resolution of their CZE separation. Limits of detection below 3.1 μM were obtained with linear ranges covering the 10?? to 10?? M range. The proposed method has been successfully applied for the detection (ferulic, caffeic and gallic acids and (+)-catechin) and the quantification (gallic acid and (+)-catechin) of polyphenols in two different white wines without any preconcentration step. A remarkable signal stability was observed on the electrode performance despite the presence of potential fouling substances in wine.     

Non-invasive detection of drug toxicity in rats by solid-phase extraction and MALDI-TOF analysis of urine samples

An access to fast and non-invasive techniques to infer or predict the drug-induced injury caused by newly developed drugs and to monitor therapeutic efficacy of established drugs during treatment are of the outmost importance in pharmaceutical industry and clinical diagnosis. Peptidome and low molecular weight proteome profiling is an emerging technique that allows the recognition of distinctive patterns and differentiation among diverse physiopathological conditions. In this article, we evaluated the utility of peptide/small protein profiling using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) coupled with WCX magnetic bead-based solid-phase extraction as a screening tool for drug toxicity assessment in urine samples. Given that drug-induced injury is primarily reflected in liver, three different, well-described hepatotoxic drugs were chosen for this work. These were: carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) which induces liver fibrosis, d(+)-galactosamine as a model for acute liver injury, and Escherichia coli-derived lipopolysaccharide to study the damage caused by endotoxins. The profiles obtained with a correct clustering analysis show that this methodology can be used as a non-invasive and straightforward approach to test for potential drug toxicity. Pharmaceutical research and drug development studies could benefit from this methodology as liver injury inducer compounds could be easily detected in vivo by non-invasive means, accelerating the launch of safer drugs to the market.