Microfluidic assembly of homogeneous and Janus colloid-filled hydrogel granules

The microfluidic assembly of colloid-filled hydrogel granules of varying shape and composition is described. First, drops are formed by shearing a concentrated colloidal microsphere-acrylamide suspension in a continuous oil phase using a sheath-flow device. Both homogeneous and Janus (hemispherically distinct) spheres and disks are produced by confining the assembled drops in microchannels of varying geometry. Next, photopolymerization is carried out shortly after drop breakup to preserve their morphology. Representative wet and dried granules are characterized using fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Our approach offers a facile route for assembling colloid-filled hydrogel granules with controlled shape and composition.     

Isolation of hydroxycinnamoyltartaric acids from grape pomace by high-speed counter-current chromatography

A method for the isolation of caftaric, coutaric and fertaric acids from grape pomace by high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) was developed. Using a system of hexane/ethyl acetate/methanol/water 3:7:3:7 (v/v/v/v) and 0.5% trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in the head-to-tail elution mode, the target compounds were separated from co-extracted polyphenolics and subsequently isolated in a second run (tert-butyl-methyl ether/acetonitrile/n-butanol/water, 2:2:1:5 (v/v/v/v) and 0.5% TFA; tail-to-head elution mode). The concomitant flavonoid quercetin 3-glucuronide was also isolated with the present method. The compounds were characterized by 1H NMR spectroscopy, by LC/electrospray ionization (ESI)-MS/MS in the negative ionization mode, and by UV spectroscopy. A purity of 97.0% (2.0% Z-isomer) for caftaric acid, 97.2% (4.8% Z-isomer) for coutaric acid, and 90.4% (13% Z-isomer) for fertaric acid was obtained from 10 g of grape pomace with yields of 62, 48 and 23%, respectively. Caftaric and coutaric acids may be used for in vitro and in vivo studies and as reference substances for analytical purposes.