Optimization of separation in two-dimensional high-performance liquid chromatography by adjusting phase system selectivity and using programmed elution techniques

The overall peak capacity in comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatographic (LC x LC) separation can be considerably increased using efficient columns and carefully optimized mobile phases providing large differences in the retention mechanisms and separation selectivity between the first and the second dimension. Gradient-elution operation and fraction-transfer modulation by matching the retention and the elution strength of the mobile phases in the two dimensions are useful means to suppress the band broadening in the second dimension and to increase the number of sample compounds separated in LC x LC. Matching parallel gradients in the first and second dimension eliminate the necessity of second-dimension column re-equilibration after the independent gradient runs for each fraction, increase the use of the available second-dimension separation time and can significantly improve the regularity of the coverage of the available retention space in LC x LC separations, especially with the first- and second-dimension systems showing partial selectivity correlations. Systematic development of an LC x LC method with parallel two-dimensional gradients was applied for separation of phenolic acids and flavone compounds. Several types of bonded C18, amide, phenyl, pentafluorophenyl and poly(ethylene glycol) columns were compared using the linear free energy relationship method to find suitable column combination with low correlation of retention of representative standards. The phase systems were optimized step-by-step to find the mobile phases and gradients providing best separation selectivity for phenolic compounds. The optimization of simultaneous parallel gradients in the first and second dimension resulted in significant improvement in the utilization of the available two-dimensional retention space.     

Large volume injection techniques in capillary gas chromatography

Large volume injection (LVI) is a prerequisite of modern gas chromatographic (GC) analysis, especially when trace sample components have to be determined at very low concentration levels. Injection of larger than usual sample volumes increases sensitivity and/or reduces (or even eliminates) the need for extract concentration steps. Also, an LVI technique can serve as an interface for on-line connection of GC with a sample preparation step or with liquid chromatography. This article reviews the currently available LVI techniques, including basic approaches to their optimization and important real-world applications. The most common LVI methods are on-column and programmed temperature vaporization (PTV) in solvent split mode. Newer techniques discussed in this article include direct sample introduction (DSI), splitless overflow, at-column, and "through oven transfer adsorption desorption" (TOTAD).     

Stability constants of amino acids, peptides, proteins, and other biomolecules determined by CE and related methods: recapitulation of published data

The stability (affinity, association, binding, complexation, formation) constant characterizes binding interaction between the analyte and the complexing agent. Knowledge of the stability constant makes possible the prediction and estimation of the binding behavior of constituents (amino acids, peptides, proteins, drugs, antibiotics, enzymes, enantiomers) to their partners, and the finding of a suitable partner for the given analyte to form a stable complex. The present paper summarizes the stability constant determination methods and the approaches used to evaluate the experimental data. Further, the paper recapitulates the published stability constant values determined, mainly, by capillary electrophoretic methods, taken from the Web of Science database covering the last decade. Details of the experimental conditions employed for the determination of the stability constants are also given. The review attempts to give a critical evaluation of the problems that accompany the determination of stability constant and discusses their solution.     

Headspace solid-phase microextraction of phthalic acid esters from vegetable oil employing solvent based matrix modification

A new solvent-free analytical procedure based on headspace solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled to gas chromatography employing an electron capture detector (GC/ECD) or alternatively a mass spectrometric detector (GC/MSD) has been developed for the determination of phthalic acid esters (dimethyl-[DMP], diethyl-[DEP], di-n-butyl-[DnBP], butylbenzyl-[BBP], di-2-ethylhexyl-[DEHP] and di-n-octyl [DnOP] phthalate) in vegetable oils. Four different fiber coatings were evaluated, among them polydimethylsiloxane with a thickness of 100 μm appeared to be the best choice for allowing extraction of the whole group of analytes. Various solvents were tested as sample matrix modification agents with the aim to facilitate the transfer of esters with low vapour pressure (DEHP and DnOP) from oil matrix into the headspace. The addition of methanol resulted in optimal set-up applicable for all phthalate esters. Temperature control and the way of sample stirring were recognized as critical points of the whole procedure. Primarily, because shaking rather than stirring of the sample is carried out using a CombiPal multipurpose sampler, the automation of the SPME method employing this instrument was found to be not fully suitable for efficient stripping of phthalates from the oil matrix into the sample headspace. Nevertheless, the optimized manual SPME method, encompassing GC/ECD or GC/MSD for the separation and detection of target analytes, offers a unique solution and showed acceptable performance characteristics: linear response in the range of 0.5-2 mg kg⁻¹ and repeatability expressed as R.S.D. between 14 and 23% at the spiking level of 2 mg kg⁻¹.     

Study of posttranslational non-enzymatic modifications of collagen using capillary electrophoresis/mass spectrometry and high performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry

The depository effects that occur in slowly metabolized proteins (typically glycation) are very difficult to assess, owing to their extremely low concentration in the protein matrix. Collagen accumulates reactive metabolites through reactions that are not regulated by enzymes. A typical example of these non-enzymatic changes is glycation (the Maillard reaction, the formation of advanced glycation end products), resulting from the reaction of the oxo-group of sugars with the epsilon-amino group of lysine and arginine. Collagen samples (type I) as a test protein were incubated separately with glucose, ribose and malondialdehyde. Collagen was fragmented with cyanogen bromide and then digested with trypsin. This peptide digest was separated by CE, CE-MS/MS, and HPLC-MS/MS. An ion trap MS was used and MS conditions were optimized for both methods. These on-line CE-MS/MS and HPLC-MS/MS couplings made it possible to discover specific modifications such as (N(epsilon)-(carboxymethyl)-lysine) in the precise location in the structure of collagen corresponding to posttranslational non-enzymatic modifications. A new CE-MS/MS technique for peptide analysis was developed, and applied in the identification of posttranslational modifications in slowly metabolized test proteins.     

Synthesis of second-generation sansalvamide A derivatives: novel templates as potential antitumor agents

We report the synthesis of 34 second-generation Sansalvamide A derivatives. San A derivatives have unique anticancer properties and target multiple cancers, including colon, pancreatic, breast, prostate, and melanoma. As novel templates, the derivatives described herein explore the role of stereochemistry, amide bond geometry, transannular hydrogen bonding, and polarity on antitumor potency. Testing the chemotherapeutic activity of these derivatives against multiple cancer cell lines will provide clear structural motifs and identify conformational space that is important for cytotoxicity. The 34 compounds presented are divided into six series, where five series involve the insertion of D-amino acids in conjunction with four structural features at each of the five positions of the macrocycle. The sixth series involves comparison between all L- and all D-amino acid derivatives with N-methyls placed at each position around the macrocyclic core. The four structural features explored in conjunction with D-amino acids include N-methyl amino acids, aromatic amino acids, polar amino acids, and hydrophobic alkyl amino acids.     

Advanced Analysis of Isobaric Heat Capacities by Mathematical Gnostics

Two novel imidazolium based ether-functionalized room temperature ionic liquids were synthesized to study the temperature dependence of the isobaric heat capacity in the temperature range 298.15–348.15 K. In-house synthesized ionic liquids are often available in small amounts only, owing to the high cost of the precursors and difficulties during the synthesis itself. It is therefore impossible to repeat measurement many times so that a statistically significant data sample can be obtained. In addition, to obtain at least several values of the measured property, the ionic liquid must be recycled and reused. In this work two recycling techniques were used and their influence on the values of the experimental isobaric heat capacity was analyzed. Advantages of a modern nonstatistical data analysis technique, namely mathematical gnostics, were demonstrated.     

Intramolecular SNAr reactions in a large-ring ketocalix[6]arene

Ketocalix[6]arene 2e was prepared by CrO3 oxidation of the methylene groups of 2a, followed by hydrolysis of the acetate groups. 2e undergoes intramolecular SNAr reactions under the usual methylation conditions (MeI, base), yielding mono- and dixanthone calixarene derivatives.     

Evaluation of the QuEChERS sample preparation approach for the analysis of pesticide residues in olives

This paper describes the use of a quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) method for extraction and cleanup of 16 pesticide residues of interest in olives and olive oil. These products contain a high lipid content, which can adversely affect pesticide recoveries and harm traditional chromatographic systems. For extraction, the main factors (oil and water content) were studied and optimized in experiments to maximize pesticide recoveries. Dispersive SPE with different sorbents was also investigated to minimize matrix coextractives and interferences. For analysis, a new automated DSI device was tested in GC-MS to avoid nonvolatile coextractives from contaminating the instrument. LC-MS/MS with positive ESI was used for those pesticides that were difficult to detect by GC-MS. The final method was validated for olives in terms of recoveries, repeatabilities, and reproducibilities using both detection techniques. The results demonstrated that the method achieved acceptable quantitative recoveries of 70-109% with RSDs < 20% for DSI-GC-MS and 88-130% with RSDs < 10% for LC-MS/MS, and LOQ at or below the regulatory maximum residue limits for the pesticides were achieved.     

Single nucleus versus single‐cell gel electrophoresis: Kinetics of DNA track formation

Single‐cell gel electrophoresis, or the comet assay, is usually performed with nucleoids prepared after a lysis of either whole cells (more often) or isolated cell nuclei (rarely). Electrophoretic properties of the second type of nucleoids have never been investigated carefully. We measured the kinetics of the DNA exit from nuclei‐derived nucleoids in comparison with cell‐derived nucleoids. The results show that general organization of the nuclei‐derived nucleoids is not changed very much in comparison with nucleoids commonly obtained from whole cells. At the same time, in contrast to the cell‐derived nucleoids, for which the exit is stepwise and cooperative, the DNA exit from the nuclei‐derived nucleoids can be described by a simple monomolecular kinetics. This difference is probably due to agarose penetration into nuclei (but not into cells) before polymerization of the agarose gel. We suggest that single‐nucleus gel electrophoresis may be a way for the comet assay standardization.