Selection of a Representative Matrix for Calibration in Multianalyte Determination of Pesticides in Vegetables by Liquid Chromatography-Electrospray Tandem Mass Spectrometry

An analytical method for determining residues of twenty pesticides by liquid chromatography (LC) coupled to electrospray ionisation (ESI) tandem mass spectrometry (MS-MS) in eight commodities, cucumber, tomato, pepper, green bean, eggplant, zucchini, melon and watermelon, has been developed and validated. On one hand, calibration curves prepared in solvent were compared with calibration curves prepared in a blank matrix extract of each target matrix. On the other hand, calibration curves and recoveries for each commodity were compared. Cucumber was selected as potential reference matrix for the target vegetables.     

A self-assembled multivalent pseudopolyrotaxane for binding galectin-1

A self-assembled pseudopolyrotaxane consisting of lactoside-displaying cyclodextrin (CD) "beads" threaded onto a linear polyviologen "string" was investigated for its ability to inhibit galectin-1-mediated T-cell agglutination. The CDs of the pseudopolyrotaxane are able to spin around the axis of the polymer chain as well as to move back and forth along its backbone to alter the presentation of its ligand. This supramolecular superstructure incorporates all the advantages of polymeric structures, such as the ability to span large distances, along with a distinctively dynamic presentation of its lactoside ligands to afford a neoglycoconjugate that can adjust to the relative stereochemistries of the lectin's binding sites. The pseudopolyrotaxane exhibited a valency-corrected 10-fold enhancement over native lactose in the agglutination assay, which was greater than the enhancements observed for lactoside-bearing trivalent glycoclusters and a lactoside-bearing chitosan polymer tested using the same assay. The experimental results indicate that supramolecular architectures, such as the pseudopolyrotaxane, provide tools for investigating protein-carbohydrate interactions.     

Monitoring multi-class pesticide residues in fresh fruits and vegetables by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry

A new analytical method was developed using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry for the routine analysis of 31 multi-class pesticide residues and applied to approximately 50 fresh fruit and vegetable samples (green bean, cucumber, pepper, tomato, eggplant, watermelon, melon and zucchini). Extraction of the pesticides with ethyl acetate was carried out. The optimal ionisation conditions were selected for each pesticide in the same run. The procedure was validated and the values of some merit figures, such as recovery, precision, linear range, detection limit and quantification limit for each pesticide were calculated together with its calculated expanded uncertainty (U). The average recoveries in cucumber obtained for each pesticide ranged between 74 and 105% at two different fortification levels (n = 10 each) that ranged between 9 and 250 ng g(-1) (depending on the pesticide). The uncertainty associated to the analytical method was lower than 23% for all compounds tested. The calculated limits of detection and quantitation were typically <1 ng g(-1) that were much lower than the maximum residue levels established by European legislation.     

Synthesis, characterization and electrochemical studies of the heterometallic diclusters [{Fe2(μ-CO)(CO)6(μ-PPh2)Au}2(diphosphine)] (diphosphine=dppm, dppip, dppe, dppp)

Treatment of [(ClAu)₂(diphosphine)] {diphosphine=bis(diphenylphosphino)methane (dppm), bis(diphenylphosphino)isopropane (dppip), 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe), 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane (dppp)} with two equivalents of the anion [Fe₂(μ-CO)(CO)₆(μ-PPh₂)]⁻ in the presence of TlBF₄ gives the new heterometallic diclusters [{Fe₂(μ-CO)(CO)₆(μ-PPh₂)Au}₂(diphosphine)] that have been isolated and characterized. Their ³¹P-NMR spectra show different patterns as a function of the diphosphine ligand. The electrochemical behavior of these compounds has been investigated and compared with that of the mono- [Fe₂(μ-CO)(CO)₆(μ-PPh₂)(μ-AuPPh₃)] and tricluster [{Fe₂(μ-CO)(CO)₆(μ-PPh₂)Au}₃(triphos)] derivatives.     

Trace determination of organotin compounds in water,sediment and mussel samples by low-pressure gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry

A fast method for the determination of eight organotin compounds (OTs), monobutyltin (MBT), dibutyltin (DBT), tributyltin (TBT), tetrabutyltin (TeBT), monophenyltin (MPhT), diphenyltin (DPhT), triphenyltin (TPhT) and tetraphenyltin (TePhT), in water, sediments and mussels, was developed using low-pressure gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LPGC/MS/MS). The method is based on sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC) complexation of the ionic organotins, followed by extraction of the target matrices and derivatization by a Grignard reagent, as described in a previously published method for water samples. Solid-phase extraction was selected as extraction method from water samples after comparison with liquid-liquid extraction, but extraction of the OTs from sediment and mussel samples was performed using toluene. Matrix-matched calibration standards were used to minimize matrix effects. The analytical process was validated by the analysis of spiked blank samples. Performance characteristics such as linearity, detection limit (LOD), quantitation limit (LOQ), precision, and recovery were determined. Recoveries of OTs in spiked matrices ranged from 86-108% in water and from 78-110% in sediments and mussels, with precision values lower than 18%. Detection limits ranged from 0.1-9.6 ng L(-1) in water, and 0.03-6.10 microg kg(-1) in the other matrices. The present implementation of LPGC rather than conventional capillary GC permitted use of large-volume injection and reduced analysis time by a factor of two. The proposed methodology was applied to the determination of OTs in real samples of water, marine sediments and mussels from the west coast of the Mediterranean Sea (Spain).     

Analysis of endosulfan and its metabolites in human serum using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A new analytical method combining solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS-MS) is proposed to determine the insecticide endosulfan as well as its metabolites endosulfan-ether, -lactone, and -sulfate in human serum. Most matrix interferences are avoided using a cleanup step included in the sample treatment and an instrumental technique such as GC-MS-MS, which presents a high sensitivity and selectivity. Recoveries of spiked compounds range between 94.8 and 100.4% and 93.4 and 99.7% at fortification levels of 10 and 30 ng/mL, respectively. The relative standard deviation is lower than 17.6% in all cases, and the limits of detection calculated range from 6 to 19 pg/mL. Serum samples of nine agricultural workers that spray endosulfan into greenhouses in Almería (Spain) and two nonoccupationally exposed people are analyzed, and endosulfan is found in all the samples studied.     

Determination of pesticides and some metabolites in different kinds of milk by solid-phase microextraction and low-pressure gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A new analytical method is proposed to determine more than 40 multiclass pesticides in different kinds of processed (whole, skimmed and powdered) and unprocessed (goat and human) milk samples using solid-phase microextraction (SPME). A comparative study between headspace (HS) and direct immersion (DI) was carried out. The effect of milk dilution and the use of acid to reduce the influence of the matrix in DI-SPME mode were also evaluated. DI of the SPME fiber into previously diluted and acidified milk samples achieved the best sensitivity results. Pesticides were determined using low-pressure gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LP-GC-MS/MS). Both of the selected techniques have been shown to be effective at reduce fat interference and can determine analytes present at very low concentrations (limits of quantification between 0.02 and 1.00 g L^–1). Performance characteristics such as linearity, recovery, precision, and lower limits, together with an estimation of the measurement uncertainty using validation data, are presented for each pesticide. All of the pesticides presented recovery rates of between 81 and 110% and precision values lower than 12% (expressed as the relative standard deviation). The overall uncertainty of the method was estimated at three different concentrations (10, 25 and 50 g L^–1) and was lower than 25.5% in all cases. The proposed analytical methodology was applied to the analysis of target pesticides in 35 samples: 15 commercial, 3 human and 17 goat milk samples. The metabolite p,p-DDE was the compound most frequently found in both the breast and goat milk samples, at concentration levels <20 g L^–1. However, pesticide residues were not found in any of the other 15 commercial milk samples (skimmed, powdered and whole milk) analyzed.     

Sequential injection analysis for benzophenone-4 and phenylbenzimidazole sulphonic acid in sunscreen sprays by solid-phase extraction coupled with ultraviolet spectrometry

A sequential injection UV method was developed to determine benzophenone-4 (BZ4) and phenylbenzimidazole sulphonic acid (PBS) simultaneously, these being the most commonly used UV-filters in aqueous formulations used as sunscreen sprays. The selective elution of both was performed by on-line solid-phase extraction, by retention on a SAX microcolumn and separation by varying the pH of elution. The sensitivity obtained was 0.042±0.001 ml μg⁻¹ for PBS and 0.0159±0.0003 ml μg⁻¹ for BZ4. The limit of detection was 1.6 μg ml⁻¹ for PBS and 0.6 μg ml⁻¹ for BZ4. The R.S.D. of the results was 1-6% for PBS and 1-12% for BZ4. The method was validated using commercial sunscreen formulations with concentrations determined by a liquid chromatographic procedure. The two procedures gave comparable results. Automation of the method means the amount of reagents used and residues generated are decreased. The system allows the required analysis sequence to be programmed using suitable software.     

Biogenetically inspired enantioselective approach to Indolo[2,3-a]- and benzo[a]quinolizidine alkaloids from a synthetic equivalent of secologanin

[reaction: see text] Racemic oxodiester 1 undergoes stereoselective cyclocondensation with (S)-tryptophanol, (S)-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)alaninol, or the corresponding amino acids, in a process involving a tandem dynamic kinetic resolution/desymmetrization of diastereotopic groups, to give bicyclic lactams, which are cyclized to substituted indolo[2,3-a]- and benzo[a]quinolizidines.     

Thermal cyclization of N-[2-(2-propenyl)-1-naphthyl] ketenimines: intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction versus [1,5] hydrogen migration. Synthesis of dibenz[b,h]acridines and benzo[h]quinolines

The thermal treatment of N-(2-propenyl)-1-naphthylamines provided the expected aza-Claisen rearranged products, 2-(2-propenyl)-1-naphthylamines and benz[g]indoles, these last derived from an intramolecular hydroamination reaction on those primary products. The 2-(2-propenyl)-1-naphthylamines were converted into their triphenylphosphazene derivatives, which by aza-Wittig reaction with disubstituted ketenes yielded N-[2-(2-propenyl)-1-naphthyl] ketenimines. The heating of these ketenimines in boiling toluene induced their cyclization either via an intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction, to afford dibenz[b,h]acridines, or via [1,5] hydrogen migration from the sp³ carbon atom of the propenyl substituent to the central carbon atom of the ketenimine fragment, followed by a 6π electrocyclic ring closure, to give benzo[h]quinolines.