HPLC Analysis of Cotinine in Urine After SPE with a Cholesterol-Modified Adsorbent

A one-step solid-phase extraction procedure, based on a new silica gel adsorbent modified with cholesterol groups, has been investigated for measurement of cotinine in urine. Cotinine is the main metabolite of nicotine in the human body and is analyzed as a biomarker for assessment of direct or passive exposure to tobacco smoke. New cholesterol-modified adsorbents have been obtained by chemical modification of silica gel of different porosity with cholesterol ligands. Although recovery by this extraction procedure were optimum over a relatively broad range of sample pH (3.1–8.0), analytical conditions such as sample loading, washing and elution conditions, concentration of cotinine to be extracted, and the type of adsorbent used for extraction were found to affect the efficiency of the procedure and had to be controlled for optimum recovery. When these conditions were controlled, recovery of cotinine from spiked human urine was reproducible and depended on compound ionization. Quantitative analysis of cotinine was performed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. Presented at: Conference of the Hyphenation of Liquid Chromatography–Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry and Related Topics, Tuebingen, Germany, March 25–29, 2006.     

In-gel deglycosylation of sodiumdodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis-separated glycoproteins for carbohydrate estimation by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Mass determination by mass spectrometric methods (electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS)) of sodiumdodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE)-separated proteins is a well known procedure and reliable protocols are available. In our efforts to use the established methods to determine the molecular mass of the disulfide bridged, heterodimeric glycoprotein GP3 and to determine the carbohydrate content of each protein subunit we developed an in-gel chemical deglycosylation method. For this purpose we established experimental conditions that allow maximum extraction of the high molecular mass protein subunits and developed a routine method to apply the HF-pyridine deglycosylation protocol to proteins isolated from polyacrylamide gel pieces. The novel protocol and extraction procedure described can be used to analyze O-glycosylated proteins up to 150 kDa after SDS-PAGE separation.     

NMR investigation on the conformational properties of N-[2-pyridyl-N-oxide]-amino derivatives

The proton NMR spectra of N-[2-pyridyl-N-oxide]-derivatives of primary and secondary ethylamines, containing a substituent R on the C atom bearing the amino function, have been completely analysed in terms of the fundamental NMR parameters. The preferred conformations of the compounds investigated were established by the indications from NOE experiments as well as: (1) the long range coupling across the five bond between the aminic hydrogen and the proton in 4-position of the pyridine-N-oxide ring (⁵J_m^H,NH ～ 0·5 c/s), (2) the value of the vicinal coupling constant in the fragment CHNH (³J_NHCH ～ 7–9 c/s), (3) the large deshielding (Δτ ～ 1–1·5 ppm) observed for the resonance position of the proton on the asymmetric C atom in secondary amine derivatives with respect to the corresponding primary ones, and (4) the diamagnetic shielding produced on protons in position 3 and 4 of the pyridine-N-oxide ring by different aromatic groups introduced in the R substituent.The NMR data confirmed the preferred rotamers previously suggested on the basis of ORD and CD measurements.     

LC-ESI-MS Determination of Bilobalide and Ginkgolides in Canine Plasma

A sensitive and selective method using liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometric detection was developed for the quantification of bilobalide and ginkgolides in canine plasma. The analytes were extracted with diethyl ether-dichloromethane-isopropanol (6:3:1, v/v) after spiking the samples with daidzein (internal standard). The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) of the method was 2.5 μg L⁻¹ for ginkgolide B and 10.0 μg L⁻¹ for bilabolide, ginkgolide A and ginkgolide C. The accuracy of the method was within 15% of the actual values over a wide range of plasma concentrations. The intra-day and inter-day precision was better than 15% (R.S.D.). Finally, the LC-ESI-MS method was successfully applied to study the pharmacokinetics of ginkgolides and bilabolide after administration of Ginkgo biloba extracts to dogs.     

Gasanalyse mit Hilfe eines kleinen Massenspektrometers

Zusammenfassung Es wird eine automatisierte Apparatur zur schnellen, massenspektrometrischen Bestimmung von Sauerstoff und Stickstoff in Stahl beschrieben. Die Stahlprobe wird unter Argon im Gleichstrombogen geschmolzen und die extrahierten Gase Kohlenmonoxid und Stickstoff werden massenspektrometrisch bestimmt. Die relative Standardabweichung beträgt ±3–5% für Sauerstoff und ±3–8% für Stickstoff. Die Nachweisgrenzen liegen bei 10 pp10⁶ O₂ und 3 pp10⁶ N₂. Der Zeitbedarf für eine Analyse beträgt 85 s.Herrn H. Siffrin danke ich für die sorgfältige Durchführung der zahlreichen Versuche.     

Einfaches Verfahren zur Bestimmung des Chloridgehaltes von schwefelsauren galvanischen Kupferb?dern mit Hilfe ionensensitiver Elektroden

Zusammenfassung Die Anwendung einer chloridionensensitiven Elektrode für die direktpotentiometrische Chloridbestimmung in galvanischen BÄdern wird beschrieben und eine genaue Arbeitsvorschrift sowie drei verschiedene Auswerteverfahren angegeben. Die Messungen wurden in einem Bereich von 30–250 mg Cl^– je Liter Badlösung an Modellösungen durchgeführt. Die einzelnen Methoden ergaben eine Standardabweichung von ±2,1 mg bei Verwendung einer Eichkurve, ±2,2 mg beim Standardzusatzverfahren und ±3,6 mg bei der Direktablesung auf einer logarithmisch geteilten Skala eines mV-Meters. Ebenso wurden Messungen an einer Reihe von Badproben durchgeführt.Für wertvolle Anregungen und Diskussionen danken wir Herrn Schwank, Siemens AG, Abt. Informationselektronik.     

The detection of oxygen in magneto-optical layers with SIMS

The detection of oxygen in magneto-optical layers is of fundamental importance for the characterization of the stability of RE-TM material. The magnetic properties are directly influenced by oxide formation. Oxygen depth profiles are carried out by using the SIMS technique. A comparison with magnetic measurements showed a clear conformity. We were able to study the oxidation behaviour of various layers at room temperature and at higher values up to 250° C for several hours. It could be shown that aluminum is a successful material for the protection of RE-films against oxidation. The difficulties of translating SIMS counting rates into concentration values were overcome by using EPMA. Specially prepared reference samples were measured by this technique and could then be used as standard samples for SIMS.     

Proton magnetic relaxation study of water orientation around I− and Li+

Proton relaxation time measurements are performed for 6m aqueous solutions of⁷LiI and⁶LiI in D₂O containing small amounts of H₂O. The measurements are done at low temperatures and yield maxima of the relaxation rate plotted against 1/T. From the maxima of the relaxation rates, proteon-I^– and proton-Li⁺ distances in the first coordination sphere of the ions are determined, and from the knowledge of the ion-water oxygen distance it is shown that for iodide a somewhat broadened H-bonded configuration is valid and that for Li⁺ the electric dipole orientation deviates from the radial direction. In order to test the reliability of the method a proton-¹²⁷I interaction study is also performed in KI solution in glycerol. The I-H distance obtained is in satisfactory agreement with that found in the aqueous system.     

Photometrische Bestimmung von Zirkoniumoxidchlorid in Speisesalz

Zusammenfassung 2-Chinolylfluoron bildet mit Zirkonium einen 14-Komplex, dessen Extinktionskoeffizient bei 539 nm _max=165000 ist. Das Bestimmungsverfahren für ZrOCl₂ in Speisesalz wird auf dieser Farbreaktion aufgebaut.

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Photometric determination of ZrOCl₂ in table salt

2-Quinolylfluorone forms a 14-complex with zirconium. Owing to its high extinction coefficient _max=165000 at =539 nm the complex can be used for the determination of ZrOCl₂ in table salt.

     

Richtigkeit bei der Bestimmung von Spurenelementen in Lebensmitteln mit der Graphitrohrtechnik AAS

Ohne Zusammenfassung

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Accuracy of the graphite furnace AAS for trace determinations in foodstuffs