Rapid determination of catecholamines in urine samples by nonaqueous microchip electrophoresis with LIF detection

A method was developed for the rapid separation of catecholamines by nonaqueous microchip electrophoresis (NAMCE) with LIF detection, A homemade pump‐free negative pressure sampling device was used for rapid bias‐free sampling in NAMCE, the injection time was 0.5 s and the electrophoresis separation conditions were optimized. Under the optimized conditions, the samples were separated completely in <1 min. The average migration times of the epinephrine (E), dopamine (DA), and norepinephrine (NE) were 34.26, 43.81, and 50.07 s, with an RSD of 1.05, 1.26, and 0.89% (n = 7), respectively. The linearity of the method ranged from 0.0125 to 2.0 mg/L for E and 0.025～4.0 mg/L for DA and NE, with correlation coefficients ranging between 0.9978 and 0.9986. The detection limits of E, DA, and NE were 2.5, 5.0, and 5.0 μg/L, respectively. The recoveries of E, DA, and NE in spiked urine samples were between 86 and 103%, with RSDs of 4.5～6.8% (n = 5). The proposed NAMCE with LIF detection combined with a pump‐free negative pressure sampling device is a simple, inexpensive, energy efficient, miniaturized system that can be successfully applied for the determination of catecholamines in urine samples.     

Development of a sensitive and reliable high performance liquid chromatography method with fluorescence detection for high-throughput analysis of multi-class mycotoxins in Coix seed

As an edible and medicinal plant, Coix seed is readily contaminated by more than one group of mycotoxins resulting in potential risk to human health. A reliable and sensitive method has been developed to determine seven mycotoxins (aflatoxins B₁, B₂, G₁, G₂, zearalenone, α-zearalenol, and β-zearalenol) simultaneously in 10 batches of Coix seed marketed in China. The method is based on a rapid ultrasound-assisted solid–liquid extraction (USLE) using methanol/water (80/20) followed by immunoaffinity column (IAC) clean-up, on-line photochemical derivatization (PCD), and high performance liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD). Careful optimization of extraction, clean-up, separation and detection conditions was accomplished to increase sample throughput and to attain rapid separation and sensitive detection. Method validation was performed by analyzing samples spiked at three different concentrations for the seven mycotoxins. Recoveries were from 73.5% to 107.3%, with relative standard deviations (RSDs) lower than 7.7%. The intra- and inter-day precisions, expressed as RSDs, were lower than 4% for all studied analytes. Limits of detection and quantification ranged from 0.01 to 50.2 μg kg⁻¹, and from 0.04 to 125.5 μg kg⁻¹, respectively, which were below the tolerance levels for mycotoxins set by the European Union. Samples that tested positive were further analyzed by HPLC tandem electrospray ionization mass spectrometry for confirmatory purposes. This is the first application of USLE-IAC-HPLC-PCD-FLD for detecting the occurrence of multi-class mycotoxins in Coix seed.     

Determination of Anionic Surfactants in Water

The use of ternary complexes in the determination of anionic surfactants has been investigated and an analytical method using linear alkyl sulfonates as a test substance has been developed. The method involves the formation of the chloroform-extractable bisphenanthroline Cu(II)-linear alkyl sulfonate (LAS) complex and the subsequent equilibration of the extract with erythrosine to form the extractable bisphenanthroline Cu(II)-erythrosine complex. In the equilibration step erythrosine displaces LAS quantitatively, allowing the determination of the LAS originally present by measuring the absorbance of the extracted bisphenanthroline-Cu(II)-erythrosine complex. Results are reported of studies made to determine the optimum analytical conditions, the sensitivity, and the precision for the method described.     

Ammonium Determination in Water Samples by Using Opa-Nac Reagent: A Comparative Study with Nessler and Ammonium Selective Electrode Methods

A selective and sensitive method based on the ammonium derivatisation with o -phthaldialdehyde (OPA) and N -acetyl-cysteine (NAC) has been developed for ammonium determination in real water samples. The proposed procedure has been compared with ammonium reference methods such as Nessler reagent method and ammonium selective electrode. All procedures have been chemometrically tested and compared in terms of the main analytical properties. These procedures have been used to determine ammonium in unknown water samples. The OPA-NAC reagent method does not present any systematic error (proportional or constant), while Nessler reagent presents both of them for some samples assayed. The ammonium selective electrode is free of corrigible systematic errors, however presents amine interference. The OPA-NAC ammonium method is able to achieve a detection limit (LOD) of 0.07 mg/L in the sample, with a linear dynamic range up to 1.4 mg/L of ammonium.     

Development and validation of an LC–MS/MS method for the quantification of artificial sweeteners in human matrices

Artificial sweeteners are widely used as substitutes for sugar. The sweeteners are generally considered safe, however their whereabouts during pregnancy and lactation and the effect on child development are poorly explored. There is a need for new tools to measure these substances during pregnancy and lactation. Here, we describe the development and validation of a sensitive liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous quantification of acesulfame, cyclamate, saccharin and sucralose in human plasma, umbilical cord blood, amniotic fluid and breast milk. The samples were prepared by protein precipitation and separated on a Luna Omega Polar C₁₈ column (2.1 × 50 mm, 1.6 μm). Electrospray ionization in negative mode and multiple reaction monitoring were used to monitor the ion transitions. The validated concentration ranges were from 1 to 500 ng/ml (10–500 ng/ml for sucralose). Interassay precisions were all ≤15% and the accuracies were within ±15%. Stability, linearity, dilution integrity, carryover and recovery were also examined and satisfied the validation criteria. Finally, this analytical method was successfully applied on spiked samples of plasma, umbilical cord blood, amniotic fluid and breast milk, proving its suitability for use in clinical studies on artificial sweeteners, including during pregnancy and lactation.     

Development and validation of high-performance liquid chromatography method for analysis of β-CCT and its related substances

Compound 2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-chlorophenyl)tropane (β-CCT) is a key intermediate for the synthesis of some clinical dopamine transporter (DAT) imaging agents. Potential impurities from synthesis process of β-CCT and degradation during storage might have detrimental effect on the final imaging agents. Thus, it is necessary to guarantee the quality of β-CCT. In this study, a rapid, sensitive and accurate high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed and validated for the analysis of β-CCT and its related substances. The chromatographic separation was achieved on a reverse-phase phenomenex? Gemini C18 column with an isocratic mobile phase consisted of methanol, water and TFA (30:70:0.1 v/v/v). The flow rate was 1.0 mL/min at 30 °C and samples were monitored at 220 nm. The method was validated concerning system suitability, linearity, accuracy, precision, specificity, robustness and stability. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) of β-CCT were 0.5 and 1.5 μg/mL, respectively. The linearity range of β-CCT was 1.5–450 μg/mL with a good linear correlation coefficient (R² = 0.9999) between the peak response and concentration. Specificity investigation through forced degradation experiments displayed that β-CCT was stable in acidic, thermal and photolytic degradation conditions, but significantly unstable in alkaline and oxidative conditions. With the developed chromatographic method, possible impurity α-CCT from synthetic process and potential degradation products could be well separated from β-CCT. Good recovery and precision were manifested in the assay method. These results indicated that the present method would be suitable for not only the quality assurance of β-CCT in regular production sample assays but also the monitoring and determination of its related substances.     

Development of GC–MS/MS method for environmental monitoring of 49 pesticide residues in food commodities in Al-Rass,Al-Qassim region,Saudi Arabia

The harmful effects of pesticide residues are a threat to our health. Therefore, the current study aimed to validate a simple method for the determination of pesticide residues in commonly consumed fruits and vegetables from Al-Rass, Al-Qassim region, Saudi Arabia. A total of 1430 samples were collected from a local market and then analyzed for monitoring of 49 pesticide residues. A quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) multi-residue extraction method followed by gas chromatography equipped with triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC–MS/MS) was successfully implemented. This 17-min-run analytical method detects and quantifies pesticide residues with acceptable validation performance parameters in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, linearity, the limit of quantification, accuracy, and precision. The linear range of the calibration curves ranged from 10 to 300 µg/L, all the pesticide LODs ranged from 0.0005 to 0.0024 mg/kg, and the pesticide LOQs ranged from 0.0011 to 0.0047 mg/kg. The recovery values at the three fortification levels ranged from 78 % to 107 %, and the precision values (expressed as RSD%) were less than 20 % for all of the investigated analytes. The results showed that 138 (9.65 %) of the analyzed samples were contaminated with pesticide residues, 40 (2.80 %) of the analyzed samples exceeded the maximum residue limit (MRL) of the European Commission regulations (EC) for pesticides residues, 98 (6.85 %) of the analyzed samples were contaminated with residues below the MRL, and 1292 (90.35 %) of the analyzed samples were pesticide residue-free. Coriander contained the highest percentage (46.88 %) of pesticide residues, particularly tetradifon that representing 18.75 % noncompliance with the MRL, followed by parsley, with 20.59 % pesticide residues (10.29 % non-compliance). Multiple pesticide residues were observed most frequently in tomatoes and dates which were contaminated with buprofezin and ethion respectively.     

Advances in nucleic acid architectures for electrochemical sensing

Nucleic acid–based electrochemical sensors are ideally suited to the detection of molecular targets for which enzymatic detection or direct electrochemical oxidation – reduction reactions are not possible. Moreover, the versatility of nucleic acids in their ability to bind a great variety of target types, from small molecules to single-entity mesoscopic targets, makes them attractive receptors for the development of electrochemical biosensors. In this brief opinion piece, we discuss field advances from the past two years. We hope the works highlighted here will inspire the community to pursue creative designs enabling the detection of larger and more complex targets with a specific focus on analytical validation and translation into preclinical or clinical applications.     

Using Design of Experiments to Optimize a Screening Analytical Methodology Based on Solid-Phase Microextraction/Gas Chromatography for the Determination of Volatile Methylsiloxanes in Water

Volatile methylsiloxanes (VMSs) constitute a group of compounds used in a great variety of products, particularly personal care products. Due to their massive use, they are continually discharged into wastewater treatment plants and are increasingly being detected in wastewater and in the environment at low concentrations. The aim of this work was to develop and validate a fast and reliable methodology to screen seven VMSs in water samples, by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) followed by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID). The influence of several factors affecting the extraction efficiency was investigated using a design of experiments approach. The main factors were selected (fiber type, sample volume, ionic strength, extraction and desorption time, extraction and desorption temperature) and optimized, employing a central composite design. The optimal conditions were: 65 µm PDMS/Divinylbenzene fiber, 10 mL sample, 19.5% NaCl, 39 min extraction time, 10 min desorption time, and 33 °C and 240 °C as extraction and desorption temperature, respectively. The methodology was successfully validated, showing low detection limits (up to 24 ng/L), good precision (relative standard deviations below 15%), and accuracy ranging from 62% to 104% in wastewater, tap, and river water samples.     

Optimization,Validation and Application of HPLC-PDA Methods for Quantification of Triterpenoids in Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.

Triterpenoids have regained much attention as promising multi-targeting bioactive agents of natural origin in the treatment of numerous disorders. Due to the high potential for phytopharmaceutical development, accurate qualitative and quantitative analysis of triterpenoids for screening and quality control is required. Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. (lingonberry) raw materials have aroused interest as a rich source of triterpenoids. However, currently, no validated, rapid, and easy-to-perform quantification method is available for the routine control of these compounds in lingonberries. This research aimed at developing and validating HPLC-PDA methods for the determination and screening of triterpenoids in extracts of lingonberry leaves, fruits, and flowers. The developed methods were deemed satisfactory by validation, which revealed acceptable analytical specificity, linearity (r² > 0.9999), precision (RSD < 2%), trueness (94.70–105.81%), and sensitivity (LOD: 0.08–0.65 µg/mL). The real sample analysis demonstrated established methods applicability for quantification of 13 triterpenoids in lingonberries and emphasized differences between raw materials. Lingonberry fruits were distinguished by the richness of ursolic acid; lingonberry flowers by similar profile to fruits, but low content of neutral triterpenoids; whereas lingonberry leaves by the particularly high level of α-amyrin. Thus, the proposed methods proved to be reliable and applicable for quantification and routine analysis of triterpenoids in lingonberry samples.