USAEME-GC/MS Method for Easy and Sensitive Determination of Nine Bisphenol Analogues in Water and Wastewater

A new, simple and sensitive method for isolating nine compounds from the bisphenol group (analogues: A, B, C, E, F, G, Cl₂, Z, AP) based on one-step liquid–liquid microextraction with in situ acylation followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was developed and validated using influent and effluent wastewaters. The chemometric approach based on the Taguchi method was used to optimize the main conditions of simultaneous extraction and derivatization. The recoveries of the proposed procedure ranged from 85 to 122%, and the repeatability expressed by the coefficient of variation did not exceed 8%. The method’s limits of detection were in the range of 0.4–64 ng/L, and the method’s limits of quantification ranged from 1.3 to 194 ng/L. The developed method was used to determine the presence of the tested compounds in wastewater from a municipal wastewater treatment plant located in northeastern Poland. From this sample, eight analytes were detected. Concentrations of bisphenol A of 400 ng/L in influent and 100 ng/L in effluent were recorded, whereas other bisphenols reached 67 and 50 ng/L for influent and effluent, respectively. The removal efficiency of bisphenol analogues in the tested wastewater treatment plant ranged from 7 to approximately 88%.     

Proteome Analysis of Aflibercept Intervention in Experimental Central Retinal Vein Occlusion

Aflibercept is a frequently used inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the treatment of macular edema following central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). Retinal proteome changes following aflibercept intervention in CRVO remain largely unstudied. Studying proteomic changes of aflibercept intervention may generate a better understanding of mechanisms of action and uncover aspects related to the safety profile. In 10 Danish Landrace pigs, CRVO was induced in both eyes with an argon laser. Right eyes were treated with intravitreal aflibercept while left control eyes received isotonic saline water. Retinal samples were collected 15 days after induced CRVO. Proteomic analysis by tandem mass tag-based mass spectrometry identified a total of 21 proteins that were changed in content following aflibercept intervention. In retinas treated with aflibercept, high levels of aflibercept components were reached, including the VEGF receptor-1 and VEGF receptor-2 domains. Fold changes in the additional proteins ranged between 0.70 and 1.19. Aflibercept intervention resulted in a downregulation of pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) (fold change = 0.84) and endoplasmin (fold change = 0.91). The changes were slight and could thereby not be confirmed with less precise immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. Our data suggest that aflibercept had a narrow mechanism of action in the CRVO model. This may be an important observation in cases when macular edema secondary to CRVO is resistant to aflibercept intervention.     

Separation of Dihydro-Isocoumarins and Dihydro-Stilbenoids from Hydrangea macrophylla ssp. serrata by Use of Counter-Current Chromatography

Previously, different Hydrangea macrophylla ssp. serrata cultivars were investigated by untargeted LC-MS analysis. From this, a list of tentatively identified and unknown compounds that differ significantly between these cultivars was obtained. Due to the lack of reference compounds, especially for dihydro-isocoumarins, we aimed to isolate and structurally characterise these compounds from the cultivar ‘Yae-no-amacha’ using NMR and LC-MS methods. For purification and isolation, counter-current chromatography was used in combination with reversed-phase preparative HPLC as an orthogonal and enhanced purification workflow. Thirteen dihydro-isocoumarins in combination with other metabolites could be isolated and structurally identified. Particularly interesting was the clarification of dihydrostilbenoid glycosides, which were described for the first time in H. macrophylla ssp. serrata. These results will help us in further studies on the biological interpretation of our data.     

Comparing Efficiency of Lysis Buffer Solutions and Sample Preparation Methods for Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Human Cells and Plasma

The use of a proper sample processing methodology for maximum proteome coverage and high-quality quantitative data is an important choice to make before initiating a liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS)-based proteomics study. Popular sample processing workflows for proteomics involve in-solution proteome digestion and single-pot, solid-phase-enhanced sample preparation (SP3). We tested them on both HeLa cells and human plasma samples, using lysis buffers containing SDS, or guanidinium hydrochloride. We also studied the effect of using commercially available depletion mini spin columns before SP3, to increase proteome coverage in human plasma samples. Our results show that the SP3 protocol, using either buffer, achieves the highest number of quantified proteins in both the HeLa cells and plasma samples. Moreover, the use of depletion mini spin columns before SP3 results in a two-fold increase of quantified plasma proteins. With additional fractionation, we quantified nearly 1400 proteins, and examined lower-abundance proteins involved in neurodegenerative pathways and mitochondrial metabolism. Therefore, we recommend the use of the SP3 methodology for biological sample processing, including those after depletion of high-abundance plasma proteins.     

呋喃唑酮在凡纳滨对虾组织中代谢动力学研究

运用液相色谱-串联质谱法研究了呋喃唑酮药饵多次给药后在凡纳滨对虾体内的药物代谢动力学.研究结果表明：呋喃唑酮代谢物在血淋巴、肝胰脏、肌肉组织中的代谢过程均符合二室模型,其动力学方程分别为C血液=414.107×e^-0.092t＋124.451×e^-0.005t,C肝胰腺=1625.563×e^-0.019t＋125.700,C肌肉=120.434×e^-0.019t＋71.579×e^-0.001t.凡纳滨对虾血淋巴和肝胰腺中呋喃唑酮代谢物浓度在4h达到高峰,肌肉中药物浓度在2h达到最大值;最高峰时血淋巴、肝胰腺和肌肉中药物浓度平均为570.6μg·L^-1、1948.6μg·kg-1和210.0μg·kg-1.在血淋巴、肝胰腺和肌肉组织中呋喃唑酮代谢物浓度的吸收半衰期（t1/2α）分别为7.497h、36.206h和36.484h,消除半衰期（t1/2β）分别为132.525 h、1 000 479.217 h和505.637 h,总表观分布容积（V1/F）分别为55.775 L·kg^-1、17.16 L·kg^-1和161.574L·kg^-1.说明给药后呋喃唑酮代谢物在凡纳滨对虾体内消除缓慢,残留严重,尤其以肝胰脏残留最为明显.     

Zur Anreicherung der stabilen Isotope des Schwefels durch Fest-Flüissig-Austausch unter Verwendung von Ionenaustauschern

An verschiedenen Systemen chemischer Verbindungen wurden Versuche zur Anreicherung des stabilen Isotopes ³⁴S unter Verwendung der Ionenaustauscher Wofatit L 150, SBW und SBK nach den Methoden der Frontalchromatographie und der Bandenverdrāngungschromatographie ausgeführt. Beim Isotopenaustauschsystem Hydrogensulfit (am Ionenaustauscher)/Schwefeldioxid (in wäβriger Lösung) wurden Verfahrensweise und Betriebsparameter hinsichtlich des Anreicherungsgrades optimiert. Mit Hilfe einer einfachen Methode gelang es, aus den Versuchsergebnissen Werle für den elementaren Trennfaktor und die Trennstufenhöhe zu berechnen.     

A new method for the determination of the 34S/32S ratio of water-soluble sulphur in soil

A new method for the determination of the ³⁴S/³²S ratio of water-extractable sulphate in soil is described. Soils are extracted directly with deionized water, which is evaporated down. The remaining residue is then rehydrated and transferred to tin cups containing an adsorbent and mixed with an oxygen donor (V₂O₅). Samples are then analysed using a continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometer. The new method requires around 10?g soil per determination, compared to much larger amounts (up to kilograms) of soil required for the previous methods. Sample preparation and subsequent analysis is quick and efficient. The method is demonstrated using a number of soils collected from around the world to provide a range of determined δ³⁴S values. The δ³⁴S values of water-extractable sulphur were broadly similar to those of the soil total sulphur.     

Determination of Iron in Calf Serum Using Bathophenanthroline and Thermal Lens Spectrometry

ABSTRACT

Thermal lens spectrometry has been used for the determination of iron in calf serum. The method is based on dissociation of Fe³⁺ from proteins, reduction of Fe³⁺ to Fe²⁺ and formation of a coloured complex between Fe²⁺ and bathophenanthroline. Contrary to the spectrophotometric method, it is shown that thermal lens spectrometry is less sensitive to scattering caused by the presence of small particles remaining in the test solution after the deproteinization step. The background signal is very small and the response is only slightly dependent on the amount of scattering particles. The method is reliable, sensitive and reproducible. The limit of detection for iron is 4 ppb and the relative standard deviation is around 2%. It is expected that the volume of serum sample necessary for an analysis can be reduced to less than 100 μl.     

Determination of Lead in Human Hair by High Resolution Continuum Source Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry with Microwave Digestion and Solid Sampling

The content of lead in human hair was measured by high resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (HR-CS GFAAS) combined with microwave-assisted digestion (MAD) and direct solid sampling (DSS). Hair strands were washed, dried, and then cut into three parts (root, middle portion, and tip). For MAD-GFAAS assays, approximately 0.25 g of hair was completely digested using a mixture of concentrated nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide in a closed system. In the DSS-GFAAS assays, 0.1–0.2 mg of dried hair was directly introduced into a graphite furnace using a solid autosampler. The temperature programs were optimized and the effects of various added modifiers were compared. The results indicated that NH₄H₂PO₄ was the optimal modifier for analysis of Pb using GFAAS. Use of the optimal modifier and temperature program gave similar limits of detection for MAD-GFAAS and DSS-GFAAS of 1.16 ng/g and 0.82 ng/g, respectively. Both methods also produced satisfactory recoveries ranging from 98.69% to 103.14%. There was no significant difference observed between the Pb contents of hair strands determined by the MAD-GFAAS and DSS-GFAAS assays, which both indicated that the Pb levels increased along the hair strands. Comparison of the two methods revealed that DSS-GFAAS had several advantageous characteristics over MAD-GFAAS, including the need for much less sample material and having a less time-consuming procedure, lower sample blank absorbance, lower memory effect, and no risk of environmental pollution by digesting chemicals. The direct solid sampling technique can be employed as a good alternative to conventional wet digestion in AAS assays.     

Separation and Analysis of o.p'-DDD and its Lipophilic Metabolite,O.P'-DDE,in Tissue,Faeces and Plasma

Abstract

An analytical procedure based on electron capture gas chromatography for the determination of o,p′-DDD, a drug used for the treatment of Cushing′s syndrome, is presented. Detection of a metabolite, identified as o,p′-DDE, is also described.