Fabrication of an ionic‐liquid‐based polymer monolithic column and its application in the fractionation of proteins from complex biosamples

An ionic‐liquid‐based polymer monolithic column was synthesized by free radical polymerization within the confines of a stainless‐steel column (50 mm × 4.6 mm id). In the processes, ionic liquid and stearyl methacrylate were used as dual monomers, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as the cross‐linking agent, and polyethylene glycol 200 and isopropanol as co‐porogens. Effects of the prepolymerization solution components on the properties of the resulting monoliths were studied in detail. Scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurements, and mercury intrusion porosimetry were used to investigate the morphology and pore size distribution of the prepared monoliths, which showed that the homemade ionic‐liquid‐based monolith column possessed a relatively uniform macropore structure with a total macropore specific surface area of 44.72 m²/g. Compared to a non‐ionic‐liquid‐based monolith prepared under the same conditions, the ionic‐liquid‐based monolith exhibited excellent selectivity and high performance for separating proteins from complex biosamples, such as egg white, snailase, bovine serum albumin digest solution, human plasma, etc., indicating promising applications in the fractionation and analysis of proteins from the complex biosamples in proteomics research.     

The “Fingerprint” of a freshwater microalga Scenedesmus sp. LX1: Visualizing the composition of its soluble algal products

The composition of soluble algal products was visualized by a fingerprint analytical method.     

A modified sequential extraction method for arsenic fractionation in sediments

A modified sequential extraction method was developed to characterize arsenic (As) associated with different solid constituents in surficial deposits (sediments), which are unconsolidated glacial deposits overlying bedrock. Current sequential extraction methods produce a significant amount of unresolved As in the residual fraction, but our proposed scheme can fractionate >90% of the As present in sediments. Sediment samples containing different As concentrations (3–35 μg g⁻¹) were used to assess the developed method. The pooled amount of As recovered from all the fractions using the developed method was similar (83–122%) to the total As extracted by acid digestion. The concentrations of As in different fractions using the developed scheme were comparable (89–106%) to the As fractions obtained by other existing methods. The developed method was also evaluated for the sequential extraction of other metals such as copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr) and strontium (Sr) in the sediment samples. The pooled concentrations of these four individual metals from all the fractions were similar (96–104%) to their total concentrations extracted by acid digestion. During method development, we used extractants that did not contain chloride to eliminate formation of polyatomic ions of argon chloride (⁴⁰Ar³⁵Cl) that interfered with ⁷⁵As when analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). The results suggest that the developed method can reliably be employed for complete As and other metals’ fractionation in sediments using ICP-MS.     

Differentiation and characterization of isotopically modified silver nanoparticles in aqueous media using asymmetric-flow field flow fractionation coupled to optical detection and mass spectrometry

The principal objective of this work was to develop and demonstrate a new methodology for silver nanoparticle (AgNP) detection and characterization based on asymmetric-flow field flow fractionation (A4F) coupled on-line to multiple detectors and using stable isotopes of Ag. This analytical approach opens the door to address many relevant scientific challenges concerning the transport and fate of nanomaterials in natural systems. We show that A4F must be optimized in order to effectively fractionate AgNPs and larger colloidal Ag particles. With the optimized method one can accurately determine the size, stability and optical properties of AgNPs and their agglomerates under variable conditions. In this investigation, we couple A4F to optical absorbance (UV–vis spectrometer) and scattering detectors (static and dynamic) and to an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. With this combination of detection modes it is possible to determine the mass isotopic signature of AgNPs as a function of their size and optical properties, providing specificity necessary for tracing and differentiating labeled AgNPs from their naturally occurring or anthropogenic analogs. The methodology was then applied to standard estuarine sediment by doping the suspension with a known quantity of isotopically enriched ¹⁰⁹AgNPs stabilized by natural organic matter (standard humic and fulvic acids). The mass signature of the isotopically enriched AgNPs was recorded as a function of the measured particle size. We observed that AgNPs interact with different particulate components of the sediment, and also self-associate to form agglomerates in this model estuarine system. This work should have substantial ramifications for research concerning the environmental and biological fate of AgNPs.     

Guided Antitumoural Drugs: (Imidazol-2-ylidene)(L)gold(I) Complexes Seeking Cellular Targets Controlled by the Nature of Ligand L

Three [1,3-diethyl-4-(p-methoxyphenyl)-5-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene](L)gold(I) complexes, 4 a (L=Cl), 5 a (L=PPh₃), and 6 a (L=same N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)), and their fluorescent [4-(anthracen-9-yl)-1,3-diethyl-5-phenylimidazol-2-ylidene](L)gold(I) analogues, 4 b , 5 b , and 6 b , respectively, were studied for their localisation and effects in cancer cells. Despite their identical NHC ligands, the last three accumulated in different compartments of melanoma cells, namely, the nucleus ( 4 b ), mitochondria ( 5 b ), or lysosomes ( 6 b ). Ligand L was also more decisive for the site of accumulation than the NHC ligand because the couples 4 a / 4 b , 5 a / 5 b , and 6 a / 6 b , carrying different NHC ligands, afforded similar results in cytotoxicity tests, and tests on targets typically found at their sites of accumulation, such as DNA in nuclei, reactive oxygen species and thioredoxin reductase in mitochondria, and lysosomal membranes. Regardless of the site of accumulation, cancer cell apoptosis was eventually induced. The concept of guiding a bioactive complex fragment to a particular subcellular target by secondary ligand L could reduce unwanted side effects.     

Theoretical analysis of the local orientation effect and the lift‐hyperlayer mode of rodlike particles in field‐flow fractionation

We investigated theoretically the effects of the cross‐stream migration and the local average orientation of rodlike particles on the shape‐based separation using field‐flow fractionation. The separation behavior was analyzed by comparing the retention ratios of spheres and rods. The retention ratio of a rod was evaluated through the derivation of its cross‐sectional concentration profile by considering the rod migration and the local average orientation. Our study in various flow conditions showed that the rod migration, caused by the hydrodynamic interaction with a wall, can affect the separation behavior as a lift‐hyperlayer mode. We also demonstrated that the local average orientation, which is a function of a local shear rate and a rotational diffusivity, results in the transverse diffusivity that is different from its perpendicular diffusivity. These results suggest that the experimental separation behaviors of rods in field‐flow fractionation may not be fully explained by the current theory based on the normal mode and the steric mode. We also characterized each condition where one of the normal mode, the steric mode of spheres, and the lift‐hyperlayer mode of rods is dominant.     

CE and asymmetrical flow‐field flow fractionation studies of polymer interactions with surfaces and solutes reveal conformation changes of polymers

Amphiphilic diblock copolymers consisting of a hydrophobic core containing a polymerized ionic liquid and an outer shell composed of poly(N‐isoprolylacrylamide) were investigated by capillary electrophoresis and asymmetrical flow‐field flow fractionation. The polymerized ionic liquid comprised poly(2‐(1‐butylimidazolium‐3‐yl)ethyl methacrylate tetrafluoroborate) with a constant block length (n = 24), while the length of the poly(N‐isoprolylacrylamide) block varied (n = 14; 26; 59; 88). Possible adsorption of the block copolymer on the fused silica capillary, due to alterations in the polymeric conformation upon a change in the temperature (25 and 45 °C), was initially studied. For comparison, the effect of temperature on the copolymer conformation/hydrodynamic size was determined with the aid of asymmetrical flow‐field flow fractionation and light scattering. To get more information about the hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties of the synthesized block copolymers, they were used as a pseudostationary phase in electrokinetic chromatography for the separation of some model compounds, that is, benzoates and steroids. Of particular interest was to find out whether a change in the length or concentration of the poly(N‐isoprolylacrylamide) block would affect the separation of the model compounds. Overall, our results show that capillary electrophoresis and asymmetrical flow‐field flow fractionation are suitable methods for characterizing conformational changes of such diblock copolymers.     

Affinity foam fractionation of Trichoderma cellulase

Cellulase could not be selectively collected from fermentation broth by simple foam fractionation, because of the presence of other more surface-active compounds. A new approach of affinity foam fractionation was investigated for improvement. A hardwood hydrolysate (containing cellulose oligomers, substrates to cellulase) and two substrate analogs, i.e., carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and xylan hydrolysate, were added before the foaming process. The substrates and substrate analogs were indeed found to bind the cellulase selectively and form more hydrophobic complexes that partition more readily onto bubble surfaces. In this study, the effects of the type and concentration of substrate/analog as well as the presence of cells at different growth stages were examined. The foam fractionation properties evaluated included foaming speed, foam stability, foamate volume, and enrichment of filter paper unit (FPU) and individual cellulase components (i.e., endoglucanases, exoglucanases, and β-glucosidases). Depending on the broth and substrate/analog employed, the foamate FPU could be more than fourfold higher than the starting broth FPU. Addition of substrate/analog also deterred the enrichment of other extracellular proteins, resulting in the desired cellulase purification in the foamate. The value of E/P (enzyme activity-FPU/g/L of proteins) in the foamate reached as high as 18, from a lactose-based fermentation broth with original E/P of 5.6. Among cellulase components, exoglucanases were enriched the most and β-glucosidases the least. The study with CMC of different molecular weights (MW) and degrees of substitution (DS) indicated that the CMC with low DS and high MW performed better in cellulase foam fractionation.     

The effect of ph and gas composition on the bubble fractionation of proteins

Studies were conducted to establish the effect of the variation of environmental factors on the separation occurring in protein systems, resulting from bubble fractionation in a bioreactor. The measure of separation was selected to be the separation ratio. This is defined to be the ratio of either the top or the middle position concentration in the vessel to the bottom concentration of the vessel. Invertase and α-amylase were the two “model” enzymes considered. It was observed that, under certain conditions, i.e., a combination of the nature of the sparging gas and the medium pH, varying degrees of protein separation were achieved. The pH of the system dramatically influenced the separation. It was found that the best separation occurred at a certain pH, assumed to be at or close to thepI of the protein in question. Furthermore, it was observed that systems sparged with CO₂ exhibited greater separation than systems sparged with air. In fact, in the case of invertase, almost threefold separation was observed at the top port when the solution was sparged with CO₂.