Cation-exchange Separation Column Research Articles

Utilization of Anion-exchange Guard Column as an Ion Chromatographic Column of Anions Including Application to Simultaneous Separation of Anions and Cations.

This study demonstrated that a guard column containing anion-exchange resin has the potential for use as a separation column for acid eluent. Specifically, a 1-cm long anion-exchange guard column with a 4.6-mm internal diameter provided good separation of monovalent inorganic anions, by elution of 8 mM tartaric acid or 4 mM malic acid. Using the guard column with acid eluent could be applied to evaluation of nitrite and nitrate ions in mountain and urban river water samples. When the guard column was connected in front of a cation-exchange separation column (15 cm long × 4.6 mm internal diameter) in a series, the system provided simultaneous separation of anions and cations in eluent of 8 mM tartaric acid and 0.5 mM 18-crown-6 ether by a single injection.

Water quality monitoring system for determination of ionic nutrients by ion-exclusion chromatography with spectrophotometric detection on cation-and anion-exchange resin columns using water eluent

A unified ion-exclusion chromatography (IEC) system for monitoring anionic and cationic nutrients like NH4+, NO2-, NO3-, phosphate ion, silicate ion and HCO3- was developed and applied to several environmental waters. The IEC system consisted of four IEC methodologies, including the IEC with ultraviolet (UV) form connected with detection at 210 nm for determining NH4+ on anion-exchange separation column in OH anion-exchange UV-conversion column in I- form in tandem, the IEC with UV-detection at 210 nm for determining simultaneously NO3- and NO3- on cation-exchange separation column in H+ form, the IEC with UV-detection at 210 nm for determining HCO3- on cation-exchange separation column in H+ form connected with anion-exchange UV-conversion column in I- form in tandem, and the IEC with visible-detection based on molybdenum-blue reaction for determining simultaneously silicate and phosphate ions on cation-exchange separation column in H+ form. These IEC systems were combined through three manually-driven 6-port column selection valves to select each separation column to determine selectively the ionic nutrients. Using this sequential water quality monitoring system, the analytical performances such as calibration linearity, reproducibility, detection limit and recovery were also tested under the optimized chromatographic conditions. This novel water quality monitoring system has been applied successfully for the determination of the ionic eutrophication components in sub-urban river waters.

Detection and validated quantification of nine herbal phenalkylamines and methcathinone in human blood plasma by LC‐MS/MS with electrospray ionization

The herbal stimulants Ephedra species, Catha edulis (khat), and Lophophora williamsii (peyote) have been abused for a long time. In recent years, the herbal drug market has grown owing to publicity on the Internet. Some ingredients of these plants are also ingredients of cold remedies. The aim of the presented study is to develop a multianalyte procedure for detection and validated quantification of the phenalkylamines ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, norephedrine, norpseudoephedrine, methylephedrine, methylpseudoephedrine, cathinone, mescaline, synephrine (oxedrine), and methcathinone in plasma. After mixed-mode solid-phase extraction of 1 ml of plasma, the analytes were separated using a strong cation exchange separation column and gradient elution. They were detected using a Q-Trap LC-ESI-MS/MS system (MRM mode). Calibration curves were used for quantification using norephedrine-d3, ephedrine-d3, and mescaline-d9 as internal standards. The method was validated according to international guidelines. The assay was selective for the tested compounds. It was linear from 10 to 1000 ng/ml for all analytes. The recoveries were generally higher than 70%. Accuracy ranged from - 0.8 to 20.0%, repeatability from 2.5 to 12.3%, and intermediate precision from 4.6 to 20.0%. The lower limit of quantification was 10 ng/ml for all analytes. No instability was observed after repeated freezing and thawing or in processed samples. The applicability of the assay was tested by analysis of authentic plasma samples after ingestion of different cold medications containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, and after ingestion of an aqueous extract of Herba Ephedra. After ingestion of the cold medications, only the corresponding single alkaloids were detected in human plasma, whereas after ingestion of the herb extract, all six ephedrines contained in the plant were detected. The presented LC-MS/MS assay was found applicable for sensitive detection and accurate and precise quantification of all studied analytes in plasma.

Evaluation of chelation concentration and cation separation of actinides at ultra-trace levels in urine matrix

The feasibility of measuring picogram levels of actinides in a urine matrix using ion chromatography coupled on-line to an inductively coupled plasma quadrupole mass spectrometer (IC-Q-ICPMS) was investigated. A chelation column for separation of matrix ions and preconcentration of the actinides was combined with a cation-exchange column for separation of the actinides. Sample preparation required simple addition of ammonium acetate to adjust the pH of the urine matrix. Spike solutions containing 232 Th, 237Np, 238U, 239Pu, and 241Am were added to undiluted urine, diluted urine (1 : 9) and water. Results showed that this approach enhanced the signal sensitivities of all the tested actinides over two orders of magnitude in the water matrix, while certain elements (especially Am) can still be effectively concentrated in undiluted urine.

Bioanalytical system for control of hemodialysis treatment based on potentiometric biosensors for urea and creatinine

Highly stable, sensitive and fast responding urea and creatinine biosensors have been successfully used for development of new flow injection analysis (FIA) system dedicated for biomedical bloodless control of hemodialysis. The biosensors are based on ammonium ion-selective electrodes with covalently bound monomolecular layer of enzymes. To improve the selectivity of the biosensing the FIA system contains cation exchange column for separation of endogenous ammonia and alkaline cations, that interfere in the course of urea and creatinine determination. In the developed analytical procedure the steps of separation and regeneration of the ion exchanger are fully automated. Other metabolites, commonly used drugs, as well as anionic components of dialysate fluids did not interfere. Under optimized conditions the determination ranges offered by this bioanalytical system completely cover levels of urea and creatinine present in real samples of postdialysate fluid. The results of analysis are fully comparable with those obtained using reference methods (bienzymatic spectrophotometric for urea, and kinetic spectrophotometric Jaffe and electrophoretic/UV methods for creatinine). The available frequency of this biparametric analysis is 8–9 samples of postdialysate per hour without any additional sample pretreatment. The operational stability of the developed FIA system exceeds one month. Storage stability determined by storage lifetimes of the biosensors was found to be longer than six months without any loss of sensitivity. The demonstrated bioanalytical system could be used as discrete on-line monitor of urea and creatinine profiles in spent dialysate. Such profiles are useful for evaluation of biomedical parameters important for quantitative description of hemodialysis therapy.

Automated determination of 5-fluorouracil and its metabolite in urine by high-performance liquid chromatography with column switching

We report a quantitative assay of 5-fluorouracil (FU) and its metabolite, 5-fluorodihydrouracil (FDHU) in human urine by used a column-switching high-performance liquid chromatographic method. The analyses were carried out using a molecular exclusion column for sample purification, and a cation-exchange column for separation. Each sample required only 40 min to analyze, and required no preparation other than filtration. Linearity was verified up to 1000 nmol/ml ( r>0.993). The recovery of FU was 96–101%; recovery of FDHU was 96–105%. The imprecision (RSD) for FU (10–100 nmol/ml) was <1.5%, same-day ( n=5), and <1.8%, day-to-day ( n=5). The imprecision (RSD) for FDHU (10–100 nmol/ml) was <3.2%, same-day ( n=5), and <4.0%, day-to-day ( n=5). The detection limits were, respectively, 0.1 nmol/ml. We measured FU and FDHU in urine of seven cancer patients after oral administration of FU. The cumulative quantity ratio of the FDHU and FU (FDHU/FU) excreted in their urine within 120 min after FU administration was a constant value in all seven patients. Based on these results, we believe that our method provides a useful tool for evaluating FU metabolism.

Flow-injection systems for determination of trace manganese in various salts by catalytic photometric detection

Two flow-injection analysis (FIA) systems for the determination of trace manganese in salts are presented using highly sensitive catalytic detection based on the oxidation of 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid by hydrogen peroxide. Two different approaches, the use of a large sample volume injection in a usual FIA mode (system A) and on-line coupling of a cation-exchange separation column with detection in a continuous flow system (system B), have proved very effective for eliminating the blank peak problem and thus affording direct injection of a sample solution containing a large concentration of salt. The limits of determinations are 0.04 ppm and 0.01 ppm for systems A and B respectively, when a 5 g sample is used for preparing the 100 ml sample solution. The proposed FIA systems were satisfactorily applied to the determination of manganese at 0.03–1.59 ppm in solar salts (salts made by exposing brine to the sun) with good precision.

Automated determination of orotic acid, uracil and pseudouridine in urine by high-performance liquid chromatography with column switching

A column-switching high-performance liquid chromatographic method, requiring no sample preparation apart from filtration, is described for quantification of urinary orotic acid, uracil and pseudouridine. The analyses were carried out using a reversed-phase octadecylsilane-bonded column for sample clean-up and a cation-exchange column for separation; 5–20 ]sml samples of urine were directly analysed, and more than 100 samples could be analysed consecutively. Each sample required only 30 min. Detection limits of these compounds were 5 pmol. Creatinine-related urinary uracil excretion was lowest in the newborn period (17.3 ± 14.4 μmol/g of creatinine). A patient with partial ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency and his mother usually excreted a high level of uracil during the period of normal orotic acid excretion and normal serum ammonia level.

Ion-sensitive field effect transistor as a monovalent cation detector for ion chromatography and its application to the measurement of Na+ and K+ concentrations in serum

An ion-sensitive field effect transistor, which is a small potentiometric ion-sensing probe, was applied as a detector in the ion chromatography of alkali-metal cations. The cation-sensing transistor was prepared by coating the gate part of the probe to form a poly(vinyl chloride) matrix membrane containing tetranactin, which enables detection of alkali-metal ions such as Na+, K+, Rb+, and Cs+. To be able to analyse amounts less than 1 microliter and make full use of the small ion-sensing probe, we constructed a miniature cation-exchange separation column (support 10 microns polystyrene) with a PTFE tube (20 mm x 1.5 mm I.D. x 2.1 mm O.D). As an application of the system, Na+ and K+ concentrations in serum were determined. The analytical results for these two cations were good agreement with those obtained by flame photometry.