Characteristics of an amperometric detector for capillary HPLC

The main characteristics of a dual-electrode amperometric detector with a cell of the “cylinder-in-flow” type with a working wire electrode have been investigated. The effective cell volume is 10–40 nl in a system with 0.2–0.4 mm i.d. packed fused-silica columns. Extra-column spreading at the optimum elution rate does not exceed 0.005 μl². The linear range is 10³ at a relative standard deviation of 0.009. The low noise level (2–3 pA) facilitates determination of electro-active substances. The detection limit for catecholamines is of the order of tenths of a femtomole.     

Simplified Solid-Phase Extraction Procedure and Liquid Chromatographic Determination of Celecoxib in Rat Serum

A simplified solid phase extraction method, eliminating a preliminary protein precipitation has been developed for the determination of celecoxib in rat plasma. The technique included a solid phase extraction of the serum samples on a [poly (divinylbenzene-co-N-vinylpyrrolidone)] sorbent. After conditioning, the cartridge was loaded with 0.5 mL of acidified serum containing internal standard. Elution was made with 1 mL of a mixture of acetonitrile and methanol (1/1, v/v). After evaporation of the eluate to dryness and reconstitution with methanol, the samples were analyzed on an octadecyl bonded phase with several mobile phases containing acetonitrile and a phosphate buffer. Detection was carried out using a Photodiode Array Detector. Full validation of the proposed method was provided (linearity range: 0.01–2 mg. L^–1, average extraction efficiency: 92.4%; average intra-day variability: 4.6% with an accuracy of 94.8%; average interday variability: 5% with an accuracy of 95.3%, limit of detection: 0.005 mg. L^–1, limit of quantification: 0.002 mg. L^–1). The proposed method was successfully utilised to quantify celecoxib in rat plasma for a pharmacokinetic study.Revised: 26 January and 23 April 2004     

Determination of trichothecenes in cereals by gas chromatography with ion trap detection

Summary A method for determination of the trichothecene toxins, deoxynivalenol, 3α-acetyl-deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin and diacetoxyscirpenol in cereals (wheat, barley, oats, corn) is described. Extraction was performed according to Tanaka et al. (J. Chromatogr.328, 271 (1985)) [33], derivatization by trifluoroacylation with trifluoroacetic acid anhydride. For quantitation and confirmation a capillary gas chromatograph combined with a selective mass detector (ion trap) working in CI-mode with methanol as reagent gas was used. The quantitation limit for the complete method is 1–5 μg/kg, depending on the chemical characteristics of each toxin and cleanness of the extracts. Recoverics from spiked cereals were 78–89%.     

Microdetermination of sulfite with a piezoelectric crystal detector

A piezoelectric method is proposed for the determination of sulfite in concentration range 1 × 10^–7–1 × 10^–5 mol/1. The method is based on the redox reaction of sulfite with iodine followed by measuring frequency change of the piezoelectric crystal caused by the unreacted iodine. The method is applied to the determination of sulfite in liquor.     

Application of the Hall™ electrolytic conductivity detector for the analysis of chloroanilines and chloronitroanilines in POTW sludges

Simultaneous detection with a 700-A Hall? and an NPD detector is an effective technique for characterizing chloro-and chloronitroanilines in highly complex Publicly Owned Water Treatment Works (POTW) sludges. The utilization of a modified Varian effluent splitter and a SE-54 fused silica capillary column permitted the detection of mid-picogram quantities of the polar chloroanilines without sacrificing peak shape. The response of the Hall? detector in the halogen mode was roughly proportional to the number of chlorine atoms present, while the response of the Hall? in the nitrogen mode and the NPD was less predictably influenced by the presence of one or more nitro groups. When combined with retention time data, the ratio of the NPD response to the Hall? response has been found to substantiate the presence of chloro- and chloronitroanilines in sludge extracts.     

Quo Vadis total reflection X-ray fluorescence?

The multielement trace analytical method ‘total reflection X-ray fluorescence’ (TXRF) has become a successfully established method in the semiconductor industry, particularly, in the ultra trace element analysis of silicon wafer surfaces. TXRF applications can fulfill general industrial requirements on daily routine of monitoring wafer cleanliness up to 300 mm diameter under cleanroom conditions. Nowadays, TXRF and hyphenated TXRF methods such as ‘vapor phase decomposition (VPD)-TXRF’, i.e. TXRF with a preceding surface and acid digestion and preconcentration procedure, are automated routine techniques (‘wafer surface preparation system’, WSPS). A linear range from 10⁸ to 10¹⁴ [atoms/cm²] for some elements is regularly controlled. Instrument uptime is higher than 90%. The method is not tedious and can automatically be operated for 24 h/7 days. Elements such as S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Br, Sn, Sb, Ba and Pb are included in the software for standard peak search. The detection limits of recovered elements are between 1×10¹¹ and 1×10⁷ [atoms/cm²] depending upon X-ray excitation energy and the element of interest. For the determination of low Z elements, i.e. Na, Al and Mg, TXRF has also been extended but its implementation for routine analysis needs further research. At present, VPD-TXRF determination of light elements is viable in a range of 10⁹ [atoms/cm²]. Novel detectors such as silicon drift detectors (SDD) with an active area of 5 mm², 10 mm² or 20 mm², respectively, and multi-array detectors forming up to 70 mm² are commercially available. The first SDD with 100 mm² (!) area and integrated backside FET is working under laboratory conditions. Applications of and comparison with ICP-MS, HR-ICP-MS and SR-TXRF, an extension of TXRF capabilities with an extremely powerful energy source, are also reported.     

Ion chromatographic determination of iodide in urine and serum using a tubular ion-selective electrode based on a homogeneous crystalline membrane

The use of a laboratory-made iodide ion-selective electrode with tubular configuration and based on a crystalline membrane (AgI/Ag₂S) as the detector for ion chromatographic determination of iodide in urine and serum is described. A CIS reversed-phase column was coated withN-cetylpyridinium chloride to prepare a low-exchange-capacity analytical column and with hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide to prepare a concentrator pre-column. A 2.0 ml min^–1 flow rate of deionized water and 0.1 mol 1^–1 KNO₃ solution was used for the pre-concentration and for the chromatographic separation, respectively. For optimum performance of the detector a background level of iodide was added into the column effluent. A linear relationship (r = 0.9997) between tubular electrode potential (as peak height) and iodide concentration in the range 5–400 g 1^–1 and a detection limit of 1.47 g 1^–1 were obtained. The method shows good reproducibility for both peak height (2.2% RSD) and retention time (1.3% RSD). Recoveries on its application to the samples were 93.0–100.9% for urine and 91.4–106.0% for serum.     

Determination of pentachlorophenol residues in wine and corks by solvent extraction methodology and specific gas chromatography detection

Summary A gas chromatographic methodology with selective detection is presented for the analysis in wines and corks of pentachlorophenol residues, which are suspected to be the most likely precursors of some off-flavours described in several wine samples. After derivatisation, pentachlorophenol acetate residues were monitored by electrolytic conductivity detection and/or mass spectrometric detection in the selective ion mode at m/z 264 and 266. Recoveries varied from 80 to 96% for wine samples fortified with 5 to 100 g l^–1 and from 83 to 91% for corks (fortified at 25 to 100 g kg^–1). The proposed methodology allowed for a determination limit of g l^–1 for wine and 10 g kg^–1 for corks.     

Application of HPLC to measure vanadium in environmental,biological and clinical matrices

Vanadate and vanadium compounds exist in many environmental, biological and clinical matrices, and despite the need only limited progress has been made on the analysis of vanadium compounds. The vanadium coordination chemistry of different oxidation states is known, and the result of the characterization and speciation analysis depends on the subsequent chemistry and the methods of analysis. Many studies have used a range of methods for the characterization and determination of metal ions in a variety of materials. One successful technique is high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) that has been used mainly for measuring total vanadium level and metal speciation. Some cases have been reported where complexes of different oxidation states of vanadium have been separated by HPLC. Specifically reversed phase (RP) HPLC has frequently been used for the measurement of vanadium. Other HPLC methods such as normal phase, anion-exchange, cation-exchange, size exclusion and other RP-HPLC modes such as, ion-pair and micellar have been used to separate selected vanadium compounds. We will present a review that summarizes and critically analyzes the reported methods for analysis of vanadium salts and vanadium compounds in different sample matrices. We will compare various HPLC methods and modes including sample preparation, chelating reagents, mobile phase and detection methods. The comparison will allow us to identify the best analytical HPLC method and mode for measuring vanadium levels and what information such methods provide with regard to speciation and quantitation of the vanadium compounds.