Donor—acceptor interactions of substituted benzenes with molecular chlorine and carbon disulfide

CNDO molecular orbital calculations have been performed to analyze donor—acceptor interactions between molecular chlorine and benzene, toluene, mesitylene and hexamethylbenzene and the, as yet, unreported chlorine—hexafluorobenzene and carbon disulfide—benzene pairs. The stabilization energy and the dipole moment and its derivative (?p/?R_CICI) calculated for the benzene—chlorine complex are in good agreement with the estimated experimental values. The trends in the experimental stabilization energies and the Cl-Cl vibrational frequencies with increasing methyl substitution appear to be well reproduced by the calculations. The charge transferred from the benzene donor is polarized toward the outer chlorine atom or sulfur atom. For hexafluorobenzene-chlorine the direction of electronic charge polarization is reversed from that of the benzene and methylbenzene complexes. The calculated results are discussed within the framework of Muliiken's simplified resonance theory for complexes.     

Determination of ochratoxin A in currants, raisins, sultanas, mixed dried fruit, and dried figs by immunoaffinity column cleanup with liquid chromatography: interlaboratory study

An interlaboratory study was performed on behalf of the Food Standards Agency to evaluate the effectiveness of an affinity column cleanup liquid chromatographic (LC) method for the determination of ochratoxin A in a variety of dried fruit at European regulatory limits. To ensure homogeneity before analysis, laboratory samples are normally slurried with water in the ratio of 5 parts fruit to 4 parts water, and test materials in this form were used in the study. The test portion was extracted with acidified methanol. The extract was filtered, diluted with phosphate-buffered saline, and applied to an affinity column. The column was washed and ochratoxin A was eluted with methanol. Ochratoxin A was quantified by reversed-phase LC. The use of post-column pH shift to enhance the fluorescence of ochratoxin A by the addition of 1.1 M ammonia solution to the column eluant is optional. Determination was by fluorescence. Currants, sultanas, raisins, figs, and mixed fruit (comprising dried pineapple, papaya, sultanas, prunes, dates, and banana chips), both naturally contaminated and blank (very low level), were sent to 24 collaborators in 7 European countries. Participants were asked to spike test portions of all test samples at a level equivalent to 5 ng/g ochratoxin A. Average recoveries ranged from 69 to 74%. Based on results for 5 naturally contaminated test samples (blind duplicates) the relative standard deviation for repeatability (RSDr) ranged from 4.9 to 8.7%, and the relative standard deviation for reproducibility (RSDR) ranged from 14 to 28%. The method showed acceptable within- and between-laboratory precision for all 5 matrixes, as evidenced by HORRAT values <1.3.     

Multiplexed SNP genotyping using nanobarcode particle technology

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) are the most common form of sequence variation in the human genome. Large-scale studies demand high-throughput SNP genotyping platforms. Here we demonstrate the potential of encoded nanowires for use in a particles-based universal array for high-throughput SNP genotyping. The particles are encoded sub-micron metallic nanorods manufactured by electroplating inert metals such as gold and silver into templates and releasing the resulting striped nanoparticles. The power of this technology is that the particles are intrinsically encoded by virtue of the different reflectivity of adjacent metal stripes, enabling the generation of many thousands of unique encoded substrates. Using SNP found within the cytochrome P450 gene family, and a universal short oligonucleotide ligation strategy, we have demonstrated the simultaneous genotyping of 15 SNP; a format requiring discrimination of 30 encoded nanowires (one per allele). To demonstrate applicability to real-world applications, 160 genotypes were determined from multiplex PCR products from 20 genomic DNA samples.     

The complexation of protonated peptides with saccharides in the gas phase decreases the rates of hydrogen/deuterium exchange reactions

Gas-phase noncovalently bound complexes are probed by hydrogen/deuterium exchange. The complexes, composed of a protonated amino acid and a monosaccharide, are investigated to observe the effects of complexation on the rates of exchange. Rate constants are determined and compared for complexed and uncomplexed amino acids. The overall rate constant, which corresponds to exchange of a specific number of hydrogens, is deconvoluted to yield site-specific rate constants. Complexation of amino acids with saccharides significantly decreases the rate constants of the exchange. Results of molecular orbital calculations are provided to explain the decrease in the rates.     

Systematic approach to treatment of enantiomeric separations in capillary electrophoresis and liquid chromatography II. A study of the enantiomeric separation of fluoxetine and norfluoxetine

A systematic approach to enantiomeric separations in capillary electrophoresis (CE) and liquid chromatography (LC) with chiral mobile phase additives (MPA) or a chiral stationary phase (CSP) is used in the study of fluoxetine and norfluoxetine with cyclodextrins as chiral selectors. Binding constants and selectivities are determined under the same experimental conditions (mobile phase, buffer composition). Good agreement is found between results from the three techniques. The role of the buffer salt is investigated by comparison of binding constants obtained with triethylammonium and sodium acetate buffers.

Investigation of the effects of derivatisation of the selector in CE and LC with MPA demonstrates the appropriate choice of cyclodextrin type for use in LC. By studying the influence of organic modifier content on separation parameters, CE can predict a useful solvent working range for a CSP.     

Collaborative trials of the sampling of two foodstuffs,wheat and green coffee

Two foodstuffs, wheat and green coffee, have been sampled from bulk lots by multiple samplers in the sampling analogue of a collaborative trial. For wheat the variation between samplers, contributing to the standard deviation of sampling reproducibility, was significant for two analytes. No significant sampling reproducibility variation was found in the coffee results, although significant sampling repeatability variation was detected.