Effect of diluting agent on sensitivity in capillary electrophoresis with amperometric detection

Besides the running buffer, pH of buffer, separation voltage and sampling time, the diluting agent was studied in this paper as one of the important factors influencing the sensitivity in capillary electrophoresis (CE) with amperometric detection (AD) when electrokinectic sampling was used. Clonidine hydrochloride, hydrochlorothiazide and rutin, which are positively charged, neutral and negatively charged, respectively, in aqueous solutions, could be perfectly separated by CE with 25 mmol x L(-1) Na(2)B(4)O(7) - 50 mmol x L(-1) NaH(2)PO(4) as running buffer and detected by measuring their current responses with AD. Before CE running, some kinds of diluents including water, methanol, formamide, running buffer, hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide were, respectively, applied to dilute the stock solutions of above three analytes and their effects on the sensitivity of CE-AD were investigated. The results showed that for electrokinetic injection, the current responses of these three analytes were greatly affected in different ways when different diluting agents were used. This method was applied to simultaneously determine the active ingredients in one Chinese compound hypotensor named Zhen Ju Jiang Ya Pian, in which the contents of clonidine hydrochloride, hydrochlorothiazide and rutin is very different as 0.03 mg : 5 mg : 20 mg per tablet, and satisfactory results were obtained by adjusting their sensitivity by selecting the suitable diluting agent.     

Evaluation of free hydroxyl radical scavenging activities of some Chinese herbs by capillary zone electrophoresis with amperometric detection

Due to the severe damage caused by free hydroxyl radicals (OH·) to cells and tissues, there is much interest in finding and studying effective and non-toxic OH· scavengers, including traditional Chinese herbs. In this paper, the simple and highly-sensitive technique of capillary zone electrophoresis with amperometric detection (CZE-AD) was used to study the OH· scavenging activities of aqueous extracts from some traditional Chinese herbs. Salicylic acid (SAL) was used as an OH· trap, and the content of OH· could be determined by assaying their products, 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,3-DHBA) and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,5-DHBA). The optimum conditions for CZE-AD for the determination of 2,3-DHBA and 2,5-DHBA were explored. The linearity ranges of 2,3-DHBA and 2,5-DHBA were 1.0 ×10^–7~1.0 ×10^–4 mol L^–1, and their detection limits were as low as 2×10^–8 mol L^–1, which were much better than the CE-UV method often used. The traditional Chinese herbs studied included Radix angelicae sinensis, Rhizoma coptidis, Ligustrum lucidum, Ligusticum wallichii, Radices glycyrrhizae and Semen plantaginis. The experiments showed that the aqueous extracts from all of the above traditional Chinese herds had free OH· scavenging activities, although to different degrees.     

242Pu as tracer for simultaneous determination of 237Np and 239,240Pu in environmental samples

A procedure has been developed using ²⁴²Pu as tracer for simultaneous determination of ²³⁷Np and ^239,240Pu in environmental samples. The validity of the method has been demonstrated by ICPMS and a-spectroscopy for up to 10 gram soil and sediment, seawater up to 200 litres. The paper describes a suitable chemical procedure for Np and Pu including a quantitative pre-concentration of neptunium and plutonium, preparation of Np⁴⁺ and Pu⁴⁺, Np(NO₃)₆ ^2- and Pu(NO₃)₆ ^2-. The ratio of ²³⁷Np/²⁴²Pu (or ²³⁷Np/²³⁹Pu) before and after the procedure has been determined using 10 g soil (free from Np and Pu) R _before/R _after = 1.004±3.3% (S.D n = 20) and 1 litre seawater R _before/R _after = 1.019±1.9% (S.D., n = 12). Results from the intercomparison samples IAEA-135, IAEA-381 and from environmental samples are presented.     

Characterization of chromate conversion coating on AA7075‐T6 aluminum alloy

Chromate conversion coatings (CCCs) on AA7075‐T6 were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, focused ion beam sectioning and scanning transmission electron microscopy with nano‐electron dispersive spectroscopy line profiling. The thickness and composition of the CCC was different at different locations on the heterogeneous microstructure of AA7075‐T6. The coating formed on the matrix phase was much thicker than that formed on the coarse Al–Cu–Mg, Al–Fe–Cu and Mg–Si intermetallic particles. Nano‐electron dispersive spectroscopy line profiling indicated that the coating on the Al–Fe–Cu particles was similar to the CCC formed on the phase matrix, primarily a chromium oxide. However, the coatings on the Al–Cu–Mg and Mg–Si particles were mixed Al/Mg/Cr oxide and Mg oxide, respectively. The growth of CCC followed a linear‐logarithmic kinetic rate law. The observations of this study support the sol‐gel model of CCC formation. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

乙酰丙酮吸光光度法测定白酒中甲醇含量

乙酰丙酮法测定白酒中甲醇是一种新的测试方法。白酒样品用高锰酸钾氧化后，加草酸除去过量的氧化剂，在pH3～4范围内，加入乙酰丙酮溶液，在沸水浴中显色，于418nm波长处测量其吸光度。方法步骤简单，具有较高的灵敏度和较高的重现性。     

A Competitor-switched Electrochemical Sensor for Detection of DNA

A competitor‐switched electrochemical sensor based on a generic displacement strategy was designed for DNA detection. In this strategy, an unmodified single‐stranded DNA (cDNA) completely complementary to the target DNA served as the molecular recognition element, while a hairpin DNA (hDNA) labeled with a ferrocene (Fc) and a thiol group at its terminals served as both the competitor element and the probe. This electrochemical sensor was fabricated by self‐assembling a dsDNA onto a gold electrode surface. The dsDNA was pre‐formed through the hybridization of Fc‐labeled hDNA and cDNA with their part complementary sequences. Initially, the labeled ferrocene in the dsDNA was far from surface of the electrode, the electrochemical sensor exhibited a "switch‐off" mode due to unfavorable electron transfer of Fc label. However, in the presence of target DNA, cDNA was released from hDNA by target DNA, the hairpin‐open hDNA restored its original hairpin structure and the ferrocene approached onto the electrode surface, thus the electrochemical sensor exhibited a "switch‐on" mode accompanying with a change in the current response. The experimental results showed that as low as 4.4×10⁻¹⁰ mol/L target DNA could be distinguishingly detected, and this method had obvious advantages such as facile operation, low cost and reagentless procedure.     

Simultaneous Analysis of Sugars and Polyphenols in Tobacco by CZE with Amperometric Detection Based on a Cu2O/MWCNT-COOH Composite Electrode

A composite electrode was fabricated from Cu₂O powder, carboxyl-functionalized multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT-COOH), and paraffin oil in the proportions 51:17:32 (w/w). This composite electrode was used for amperometric detection (CZE–AD) in simultaneous capillary zone electrophoretic analysis of chlorogenic acid, rutin, sucrose, glucose, mannose, and fructose in tobacco samples. Under the optimum conditions, the six analytes could be separated in 100 mmol L^?1 NaOH buffer within 30 min. Good linearity was achieved in the range 1 × 10^?7–1 × 10^?4 mol L^?1 for the two polyphenols and 5 × 10^?6–1 × 10^?3 mol L^?1 for the four sugars. The detection limits (S/N = 3) for the polyphenols and sugars were as low as 10^?8 mol L^?1 and 10^?6 mol L^?1, respectively.     

Formal synthesis of semiaquilegin A

A formal synthesis of semiaquilegin A is achieved starting from readily available oridonin in 19 linear steps. The absolute configuration of the natural product has been established. A variety of useful analogues were prepared through this synthetic route.     

A stereoselective synthesis of the allo-bile acids from the 5β-isomers

The allo-bile acids are a subset of the family of steroidal detergents found in most vertebrates. Because there are no major biological feedstocks for isolation of the allo-bile acids, they must be synthesized from the abundant 5β-reduced isomers. Here we report a general set of methods for the synthesis of allo-bile acids from the corresponding 5-β isomers demarcated by a selective C-3 oxidation, IBX unsaturation, and stereoselective saturation.     

Determination of 99Tc in environmental samples by anion exchange and liquid-liquid extraction at controlled valency

A method for collecting ⁹⁹Tc from 200-2-400 1 of sea water by anion exchange has been developed. Further decontamination of ^103.106Ru was achieved by repeated evaporation of RuO₄ from 0.05 M sulphuric acid at 100° C, followed by extraction of TcO^-₄ into 5% triisooctylamine-xylene at controlled valency. ^110mAg was precipitated as AgCl. An average overall radiochemical yield of 70% was found for Tc. Decontamination factors were between 3 10⁵ and 2 10⁷ for Ru and 2 10⁵ for Ag. A method for determining ⁹⁹Tc in seaweed by wet ashing and simple extraction into 5% triisooctylamine-xylene is also presented.