An overview of analytical methodologies for the determination of antibiotics in environmental waters

The widespread occurrence of antibiotics as contaminants in the aquatic environment has increased attention in the last years. The concern over the release of antibiotics into the environment is related primarily to the potential for the development of antimicrobial resistance among microorganisms. This article presents an overview of analytical methodologies for the determination of quinolone (Qs) and fluoroquinolone (FQs), macrolide (MLs), tetracycline (TCs), sulfonamide (SAs) antibiotics and trimethoprim (TMP) in different environmental waters. The analysis of these antibiotics has usually been carried out by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) or tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and to a lesser extent by ultraviolet (UV) or fluorescence detection (FD). A very important step before LC analysis is sample preparation and extraction leading to elimination of interferences and prevention of matrix effect and preconcentration of target analytes.     

Bulk derivatization and cation exchange restricted access media-based trap-and-elute liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry method for determination of trace estrogens in serum

Estrone (E1), estradiols (α/β-E2), and estriol (E3) are four major metabolically active estrogens exerting strong biological activities at very low circulating concentrations. This paper reports a sensitive and efficient method with automated, on-line clean-up and detection to determine trace estrogens in a small volume of serum samples using liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry directly, without off-line liquid–liquid or solid-phase extraction pretreatments. Serum aliquots (charcoal stripped fetal bovine serum, 100 μL) were spiked with four estrogen standards and their corresponding isotope-labeled internal standards, then bulk derivatized with 2-fluoro-1-methyl-pyridium p-toluenesulfonate (2-FMP) to establish the calibration curves and perform method validation. Calibration was established in the concentration ranges of 5–1000 pg mL⁻¹, and demonstrated good linearity of R² from 0.9944 to 0.9997 for the four derivatized estrogens. The lower detection limits obtained were 3–7 pg mL⁻¹. Good accuracy and precision in the range of 86–112% and 2.3–11.9%, respectively, were observed for the quality control (QC) samples at low, medium, and high concentration levels. The stability tests showed that the derivatized serum samples were stable 8 h after derivatization at room temperature and at least to 48 h if stored at −20 °C. The method was applied to measure trace estrogens in real human and bovine serum samples, and three of four estrogen compounds studied were observed and quantified.     

Online capillary weak cation exchange enrichment hyphenated to nanospray mass spectrometry for quantitation of a basic pegvisomant derived peptide

A multidimensional LC–MS/MS configuration is described for targeted quantitation of a highly basic peptide chemically derived from pegvisomant as a surrogate for the intact protein. The method developed for an immunogenicity assay employed orthogonal separation of the target peptide commencing with flowing microgram quantities of total digests from a protein G extraction of human serum through a weak cation exchange (WCX) monolithic trap column. The basic peptide of interest was retained on the WCX column. Following a washing procedure, peptides were eluted with acetic acid and retained on a down-stream reverse phase trap compatible with online nanoflow LC–MS/MS. Such a LC configuration including the use of other sorbents such as strong cation exchange media is proposed as an enabling tool in assay development for quantitative protein bioanalysis by LC–MS/MS.     

固相萃取净化-超高效液相色谱-高分辨质谱法测定尿液中百草枯和敌草快残留

尿液样品中百草枯(PQ)和敌草快(DQ)的检测是理化检验工作的难点。PQ和DQ具有分子极性大和水溶性好等特点,常规反相色谱柱难以保留;现有文献方法多采用亲水相互作用色谱法(HILIC)进行保留,但文献方法需采用高浓度缓冲盐作为流动相,增加了质谱仪的污染。基于上述问题,研究建立了弱阳离子交换(WCX)固相萃取净化-超高效液相色谱-高分辨质谱法(UPLC-HRMS)快速准确测定尿液样品中PQ和DQ残留的检测方法。尿液样品经混合磷酸盐缓冲液(pH=6.86)稀释和WCX固相萃取净化后,在Syncronis HILIC色谱柱(100 mm×2.1 mm, 1.7 μm)上进行梯度洗脱分离,采用正离子电喷雾离子化模式(ESI⁺)和一级全扫描-数据依赖二级质谱扫描模式(Full mass-ddMS²)进行定量分析。研究通过对色谱条件的不断优化,将HILIC模式下流动相中甲酸铵缓冲盐的浓度降低至10 mmol/L,并系统优化了样品前处理过程中影响PQ和DQ准确性的因素。在最优条件下,PQ和DQ线性关系良好(r²>0.998),在4个加标水平下(1.0、20.0、100.0和200.0 μg/L), PQ和DQ的平均加标回收率分别为85.8%~101%和80.3%~86.9%,精密度(RSD)分别为0.8%~5.1%和0.9%~4.2%。方法的检出限(S/N≥3)和定量限(S/N≥10)分别为0.2 μg/L和0.6 μg/L。将建立的方法用于中毒病人临床治疗过程尿液中DQ含量的跟踪监测。该方法具有快速、简便、灵敏和准确等优点,适用于临床中毒病例尿液样品中PQ和DQ的检测。     

一种弱阳离子交换材料的亲水模式糖肽富集新方法

亲水作用色谱(HILIC)材料在糖肽的富集与分离中得到越来越广泛的应用. 针对目前HILIC材料糖肽选择性不足的缺点, 发展新的糖肽富集方法十分必要. 本工作发展了一种商品化的弱阳离子交换材料(WCX)在亲水模式下对糖肽的富集方法. 首先考察了微固相萃取(SPE)模式下WCX上多肽保留的机理. 结果显示, WCX上糖肽的保留同时受乙腈含量和pH的影响. 将WCX用于牛胎球蛋白(fetuin)胰蛋白酶酶解液中糖肽的富集, 获得了39条糖肽信号. 当fetuin与牛血清白蛋白(BSA)酶解液以物质的量比1:5混合时, 富集到26条糖肽信号. 富集人免疫球蛋白(IgG)胰蛋白酶酶解液时获得25条糖肽信号, 1:5时获得23条糖肽信号. 实验说明WCX对唾液酸化和非唾液酸化糖肽的富集均有高选择性. 该方法拓展了WCX的应用范围, 丰富了HILIC材料的种类.     

一种混合模式反相弱阳离子交换色谱填料的制备及其保留机理

采用“点击化学”的合成方法制备了一种混合配体的辛基-羧基共同键合硅胶（OCS）材料,经元素分析和红外光谱表征,证明了辛基和羧基官能团均已成功键合到硅胶表面。将其作为混合模式反相弱阳离子交换（RP/WCX）的固定相填料,以3种同系物阳离子表面活性剂作为探针分子,定量研究了该固定相的混合模式保留机理,考察了溶质保留因子与盐浓度和溶质亚甲基数目的关系,验证了混合模式固定相的单点和两点保留机理的数学模型,并进一步将其应用于一系列标准碱性混合物的分离。结果表明：两点保留机理更加符合实验的结果;根据混合模式两点保留机理的数学方程,可以得到单一的疏水或离子交换作用力对总保留的影响,对混合模式色谱的实际分离应用提供了有价值的参考。本文建立了反相弱阳离子交换混合模式OCS固定相的保留机理的定量模型,并证明了该固定相在碱性化合物的分离中具有很大的应用前景。     

基于QuEChERS前处理技术和弱阳离子交换色谱的牛奶和奶粉中三聚氰胺的快速检测方法

应用QuEChERS前处理技术,并结合弱阳离子交换色谱,建立了牛奶和奶粉中三聚氰胺的快速检测方法。样品使用医用酒精(乙醇含量75%)和一种新型脂肪吸附(LAS)材料超声振荡处理,在沉淀(吸附)蛋白质和脂肪的同时提取三聚氰胺,然后经8000 r/min离心,上清液过膜直接分析。色谱分析在弱阳离子交换色谱柱(WCX)上进行,采用2 mmol/L pH为3.8的磷酸二氢钾水溶液为流动相,在5 min内实现分离分析。结果表明,该方法在0.02～20 mg/L内线性相关系数大于0.9999。在1～50 mg/kg添加浓度范围内,牛奶的平均回收率为98.9%～105.2%,相对标准偏差(RSD)为0.9%～3.4%;奶粉的平均回收率为86.4%～102.9%, RSD为1.5%～6.7%。本方法的检出限为0.05 mg/kg(牛奶)和0.1 mg/kg(奶粉)。整个分析检测过程没有使用有毒有害有机溶剂,是一种绿色的分析方法。