Development of a manual method for the determination of mineral oil in foods and paperboard

So far the majority of the measurements of mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) were obtained from on-line high performance liquid chromatography–gas chromatography–flame ionization detection (on-line HPLC–GC–FID). Since this technique is not available in many laboratories, an alternative method with more easily available tools has been developed. Preseparation on a small conventional liquid chromatographic column was optimized to achieve robust separation between the MOSH and the MOAH, but also to keep out the wax esters from the MOAH fraction. This was achieved by mixing a small portion of silica gel with silver nitrate into highly activated silica gel and by adding toluene into the eluent for the MOAH. Toluene was also added to the MOSH fraction to facilitate reconcentration and to serve as a keeper preventing loss of volatiles during solvent evaporation. A 50 μl volume was injected on-column into GC–FID to achieve a detection limit for MOSH and MOAH below 1 mg/kg in most foods.     

Complex forming and extraction properties of oligo benzo-fused crown ethers

The complex forming properties with alkali metal and ammonium ions of a series of oligo benzo-condensed 18-crown-6 ethers1–8 having a different gradation of lipophilicity and of molecular rigidity are investigated by voltammetry at the interface of two immiscible electrolyte solutions (ITIES) and by a liquid-liquid extraction technique. The experimental results obtained in the two phase system H₂O/nitrobenzene are discussed in relation to the structure of the crown and the cation type. The stability constants for the 1 : 1 complexes of Na⁺, K⁺, Rb⁺, Cs⁺ and NH ₄ ⁺ in nitrobenzene have been determined and compared with the extraction constants for the 1: 1 complexes of Na⁺ and K⁺ and for the 1 : 1 and 1 : 2 complexes of Cs⁺, showing the effect of oligo benzo condensation for the 18-crown-6 system.     

Solution and X-Ray Crystal Structures of the Di- and Tetra-allyl Ether of tert- utylcalix[4]arene

The di- and tetra-allyl ethers of tert-butylcalix[4]arene 1 and 2 have been prepared by alkylation of tert-butylcalix[4]arene with allyl bromide and K₂CO₃ using different reaction times. Solution ¹H NMR measurement of the di-allyl ether 1 and X-ray crystal structures of the complexes of 1 with chloroform (1a) or methanol (1b) indicate the cone conformation of 1 in which intramolecular hydrogen bonding can be maximized. The crystalline state conformers 1a and 1b are distorted in different grades depending on the solvent. While methanol is incorporated in the macrocycle, chloroform molecules do not occupy the cage. The solution ¹H NMR spectra of tetra-allyl ether 2 show the co-existence of the cone and partial cone conformation. The partial cone conformer of 2 was investigated by X-ray crystallography. In this compound hydrogen bonding is not existent. The conformer distribution is likely affected by steric and template effects.     

Beta-sheet preferences from first principles

The natural amino acids have different preferences of occurring in specific types of secondary protein structure. Simulations are performed on periodic model beta-sheets of 14 different amino acids, at the level of density functional theory, employing the generalized gradient approximation. We find that the statistically observed beta-sheet propensities correlate very well with the calculated binding energies. Analysis of the calculations shows that the beta-sheet propensities are determined by the local flexibility of the individual polypeptide strands.     

Dynamic covalent hydrazine chemistry as a selective extraction and cleanup technique for the quantification of the Fusarium mycotoxin zearalenone in edible oils

A novel, cost-efficient method for the analytical extraction of the Fusarium mycotoxin zearalenone (ZON) from edible oils by dynamic covalent hydrazine chemistry (DCHC) was developed and validated for its application with high performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD). ZON is extracted from the edible oil by hydrazone formation on a polymer resin functionalised with hydrazine groups and subsequently released by hydrolysis. Specifity and precision of this approach are superior to liquid partitioning or gel permeation chromatography (GPC). DCHC also extracts zearalanone (ZAN) but not α-/β-zearalenol or -zearalanol. The hydrodynamic properties of ZON, which were estimated using molecular simulation data, indicate that the compound is unaffected by nanofiltration through the resin pores and thus selectively extracted. The method's levels of detection and quantification are 10 and 30 μg/kg, using 0.2 g of sample. Linearity is given in the range of 10–20,000 μg/kg, the average recovery being 89%. Bias and relative standard deviations do not exceed 7%. In a sample survey of 44 commercial edible oils based on various agricultural commodities (maize, olives, nuts, seeds, etc.) ZON was detected in four maize oil samples, the average content in the positive samples being 99 μg/kg. The HPLC-FLD results were confirmed by HPLC–tandem mass spectrometry and compared to those obtained by a liquid partitioning based sample preparation procedure.     

An experimental study of chromatographic dynamics in open and packed non-cylindrical conduits

A systematic investigation of the influence of the perimeter shape of open and particle packed fused silica capillaries on chromatographic properties such as resistance to flow and dispersion of solutes propelled through these channels has been conducted. Verifications of these uncommon experiments with existing theoretical treatments are presented and the insights transferred to a novel polymer chip design with integrated facilities for complex separations. A comparison of the chromatographic performance of a real life proteomics sample on this chip with a capillary column of "similar" dimensions is presented.     

Biologically active metabolites from fungi, 19: new isocoumarins and highly substituted benzoic acids from the endophytic fungus, Scytalidium sp

Six known metabolites, two new isocoumarins 4 and 8, and one new highly substituted benzoic acid derivative 9 were isolated from the ethyl acetate culture extract of a fungal endophyte, Scytalidium sp. In addition, another new benzoic acid 10 with an unusual 1,2-dicarbonyl side chain was indirectly identified from its methylated derivatives 10a-10d.