Integrated Pulsed Amperometric Detection Research Articles

Simultaneous quantification method for eleutheroside B, eleutheroside E, chiisanoside, and sesamin using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultraviolet detection and integrated pulsed amperometric detection

We developed a method combining ultraviolet (UV) detection and integrated pulsed amperometric detection (IPAD) to simultaneously analyze eleutheroside B, eleutheroside E, chiisanoside, and sesamin. The gradient elution system allowed complete separation of all target components within 35 min, and showed limits of detection of 0.006–0.020 μg/mL and limits of quantification of 0.018–0.050 μg/mL. The linear regression coefficients of determination were 0.9990–0.9998. All inter− and intra-day precision values were below 4.89%, and the average recoveries were 97.79–104.40%. The developed approach exhibits excellent reproducibility, sensitivity, and selectivity without requiring any complicated pre-treatment, and is therefore expected to be helpful as a tool for establishing appropriate content criteria for Acanthopanax species.

Determination of isopropyl- β -D-thiogalactopyranoside in recombinant human growth hormone using reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography and pulsed electrochemical detection

A novel method for the determination of isopropyl- β -D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG), a sulfur-containing compound, a pharmaceutical additive in commercial recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH), has been developed using pulsed electrochemical detection (PED), following liquid chromatographic separation. A Dionex-500 ion chromatograph coupled with an electrochemical detector was employed, equipped with a gold working electrode and an Acclaim 300 analytical C18 column, with a mobile phase consisting of sodium acetate (NaOAc) buffer (pH 5.45, 0.01 mol/L) and acetonitrile (ACN) (90:10, v/v). The C18 phase has very high surface coverage, resulting in high capacity. Electrochemical characterization via cyclic voltammetry is the basis of optimization of the integrated pulsed amperometric detection (IPAD) waveform. PED at a gold electrode has proven to be selective for sulfur-containing compounds under mildly acidic conditions. Upon optimization, IPTG was found to have a limit of detection of 1 μg/L (0.1 pmol) with 25 uL injection volume. This method was successfully applied to the determination of IPTG in rhGH samples with the characteristics of simplicity, high sensitivity and good repeatability. The assay is also useful, efficient and low-cost in monitoring disulfide formation kinetics and assuring quality control for biopharmaceuticals.

Ion Chromatographic Analysis of Monosaccharides and Disaccharides in Raw Sugar

A simple and effective method using ion chro- matography was developed for the simultaneous determina- tion of five monosaccharides (arabinose, glucose, fructose, xylose, and ribose) and two disaccharides (sucrose and lac- tose) in raw sugar samples. The separation was performed on a CarboPac PA 10 column using the gradient elution of sodium hydroxide and water as the mobile phase. Monosac- charides and disaccharides were detected by an integrated pulsed amperometric detection (IPAD) using gold working electrode. Acid hydrolysis was used for sample preparation before the analysis of glucose and fructose. All the studied sugars showed good linear ranges within 0.5-100 µg mL −1 with the correlation coefficients higher than 0.997. The limits of detection were all less than 0.5 µg mL −1 . The RSDs of the method were less than 10 %. The recoveries of the sugars that spiked in raw sugar samples ranged from 96.1 to 102.4 %. The method was successfully applied for the analysis of sugars in raw sugar samples. Sucrose is the major constituent found in the samples at 97 %.

Determination of anserine, homocarnosine and carnosine in meat products by ion chromatography with integrated pulsed amperometric detection

A method was developed for the simultaneous determination of anserine, homocarnosine and carnosine in meat samples using ion chromatography (IC) with integrated pulsed amperometric detection (IPAD). The samples were separated on a high performance anion exchange AminoPac PA10 column (250 mm×2 mm) using 100 mmol/L NaOH as the eluent. The flow rate was kept at 0.2 mL/min and the column temperature was set at 30℃. The three target compounds were separated within 15 min, and there were no interferences from 17 tested amino acids in their determination. Under the optimal chromatographic conditions, anserine, homocarnosine and carnosine showed good linearity in the range of 0.05-5 mg/L with correlation coefficients (r) greater than 0.99. The limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantification (LOQs) were in the range of 8.9-22.1 μg/L and 29.6-73.6 μg/L, respectively. The proposed method was applied to the analysis of duck breast and goose breast meat samples. The average spiked recoveries ranged from 92.4% to 104.5%. This simple and sensitive method can be applied to the determination of related nutrients in meat products.

Simultaneous determination of alendronate, pamidronate, ibandronate and risedronate using ion chromatography with integrated pulsed amperometric detection

A method for the simultaneous determination of alendronate, pamidronate, ibandronate and risedronate using ion chromatography with integrated pulsed amperometric detection (IPAD) has been developed. The electrochemical behavior showed the catalytic currents of these bisphosphonates are based on the oxidation of amines in their structures. Because the bisphosphonates are polar compounds and present as anions under alkaline condition, therefore, they can be separated by anion exchange chromatography. A Dionex AS18 column (250 mm x 2 mm) and an AG18 column (50 mm x 2 mm) and 24 mmol/L NaOH solution were used for the separation. Multi-step potential waveform parameters were optimized to maximize the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N), which exhibited adsorption/desorption catalytic features at the gold electrode surface in alkaline solution. Utilizing the optimized waveform, the method showed good linearity (r2 = 0.9972 - 0.9995), satisfactory repeatability (relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the peak areas in the range of 0.84% - 1.37%) and sufficient sensitivity (limits of detection of 0.061 - 0.18 microg/mL) for the identification of the four bisphosphonates. The recoveries were 80.81% - 97.32% with the RSDs of 1.46% - 3.02%. It is demonstrated that this method is a rapid and simple one for the determination of the four bisphosphonates in human plasma.

Determination of zidovudine using anion exchange chromatography with integrated pulsed amperometric detection

Abstract A rapid and practical method for direct detection of zidovudine in high performance anion exchange chromatography (HPAEC) has been developed with integrated pulsed amperometric detection (IPAD). Dionex AS18 (250 mm × 2 mm) and AG18 (50 mm × 2 mm) columns and 11 mmol/L NaOH solution were used for separation. Multi-step potential waveform parameters were optimized to maximize the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N). Utilizing an optimized waveform, the repeatability (intra-day) precision and intermediate (inter-day) precision are obtained with relative standard deviation (RSD) of 1.88, 2.27, respectively. The limit of quantification (LOQ) and limit of detection (LOD) were found to be 9.70, 3.0 ng/mL, respectively, with correlation coefficients of 0.9992 over concentration range 0.01–10 μg/mL. The present method was successfully applied to the determination of zidovudine in human plasma. The recoveries of plasma sample spiked by 0.7 μg/mL, 2.7 μg/mL obtained were 95.3–101.5%, with relative standard deviation (RSD) of 2.54%, 2.21%, respectively.

Determination of lisinopril using anion exchange chromatography with integrated pulsed amperometric detection

Abstract A rapid and practical method for direct detection of lisinopril in anion exchange chromatography (AEC) has been developed with integrated pulsed amperometric detection (IPAD). Dionex AS18 (250 mm × 2 mm) and AG18 (50 mm × 2 mm) columns and 40 mmol/L NaOH solution were used for separation. Multi-step potential waveform parameters were optimized to maximize the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N). Utilizing the optimized waveform, the repeatability (intra-day) precision and intermediate (inter-day) precision were obtained with relative standard deviation (RSD) of 0.74, 0.93, respectively. The limit of quantification (LOQ) and limit of detection (LOD) were found to be 0.37, 0.12 ng/mL, respectively, with the correlation coefficient of 0.9998 over concentration range 0.01–1 μg/mL. The present method was successfully applied to the determination of lisinopril in human plasma. The recoveries of plasma sample spiked by 0.2 μg/mL, 0.8 μg/mL lisinopril were 98.31–103.23% with RSD of 1.41%, 0.61%, respectively.

Study of nonenzymic browning in α-amino acid and γ-aminobutyric acid/sugar model systems

The reactivities, in nonenzymic browning, of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a non-protein amino acid with wide natural occurrence and potential health benefits as it occurs in foods, and of the α- l-amino acids arginine, glutamic acid, glutamine, leucine, lysine, and phenylalanine were investigated by heating equimolar mixtures of glucose and the cited amino acids at 110 °C at pH 6.0 for different times (0–4 h). Linear regression analysis indicated that the colour development in a GABA/glucose mixture was slower than that of a lysine/glucose mixture and comparable to that of a phenylalanine/glucose mixture. High-performance anion-exchange chromatography (HPAEC) with integrated pulsed amperometric detection (IPAD) showed that the decrease in GABA levels ( ca. 10% after heating for 4 h) as a function of heating time was smaller than that of glucose ( ca. 30% after heating for 4 h). At the same time, glucose to fructose isomerisation took place. After 20 min of heating at pH 6.0, all mixtures showed a fructose peak, the area of which increased with heating time. However, after correcting for fructose isomerisation, glucose losses were still higher than amino acid losses. In contrast to its precursor glutamic acid, GABA was stable during heating of a solution containing it alone. Heating of GABA-containing d-sugar solutions (xylose, fructose, glucose, maltose and sucrose) showed that the relative order of colour yield was pentose > hexose > disaccharides. As well as glucose to fructose isomerisation, HPAEC–IPAD allowed monitoring of the different isomerisation reactions occurring, and also disaccharide hydrolysis in the different GABA/sugar mixtures.

Determination of biogenic amines in alcoholic beverages by ion chromatography with suppressed conductivity detection and integrated pulsed amperometric detection

The determination of biogenic amines in alcoholic beverages is important to assess the potential risks associated with the consumption of high concentrations of these compounds. In addition, product storage conditions and the length of storage can cause the formation of biogenic amines that reduce product quality. We report a new method using cation-exchange chromatography with either suppressed conductivity, integrated pulsed amperometry, UV, or a combination of these detection techniques to determine biogenic amines in alcoholic beverages. The main objective was to provide a direct comparison between IPAD and suppressed conductivity detection for determining biogenic amines in alcoholic beverages. Suppressed conductivity is the simplest detection approach for determining putrescine, cadaverine, histamine, agmatine, phenylethylamine, spermidine, and spermine with good sensitivity (0.004–0.08 mg/l) and was used to evaluate the influence of storage time and conditions on the evolution of biogenic amines in alcoholic beverages. Integrated pulsed amperometric detection (IPAD) detects more biogenic amines than suppressed conductivity detection, enabling the detection of dopamine, tyramine, and serotonin. Tyramine was simultaneously determined by UV detection and IPAD to provide confirmation and ensure the accuracy of the analytical results. The linearity of biogenic amine responses was within 0.1–20 mg/l and peak area precisions were 0.24–4.97% for IPAD, suppressed conductivity-IPAD, and UV detection. The sensitivity for the 10 biogenic amines using the 3 detection techniques varied considerably from 0.004–1.1 mg/l and recoveries were within 85–122%.

Electrochemical detection of tobramycin or gentamicin according to the European Pharmacopoeia analytical method

Tobramycin and gentamicin are two aminoglycosidic antibiotics used in lung infection, ophthalmic treatments as well as in skin infections. Pharmaceutical companies which produce remedies containing tobramycin and gentamicin need an analytical method for their internal quality control. For several years a simple chromatographic method based on anion exchange separation coupled with amperometric detection was proposed for aminoglycosides. This analytical approach was partially used in the last edition of the European Pharmacopoeia (EP) for tobramycin and gentamicin analysis. In fact they use integrated pulsed amperometric detection (IPAD) on a gold electrode while the separation is obtained on a polymeric wide pore reversed phase instead of anion exchange in alkaline conditions. Such coupling seems to be cumbersome and not so easy to realize and to reproduce from one laboratory to another. Besides, the described method lacks some of the details as important as the waveform steps duration. Unfortunately the quality control (QC) laboratories have to use exactly the method described in the EP, so they complained about the troubles. Therefore, the EP authors published recently a paper regarding the guidelines for good practice in the method application, but the suggestion was not yet resolutive. In our work we evaluated the eluent composition and the kind of amperometric cell, work electrode diameter and cell volume. Mainly we optimized the amperometric waveform. In addition, for tobramycin analysis another chromatographic phase was explored in order to achieve better efficiency and to separate all the impurities confirming the effectiveness of the detection. The conditions described in the paper seem to allow the analyst to operate in conformity with the EP method.

Determination of neomycin sulfate and impurities using high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with integrated pulsed amperometric detection

Neomycin B is one of a class of aminoglycoside antibiotics that lack a good chromophore, and is therefore difficult to determine using reversed-phase HPLC with absorbance detection. This is especially true for determining the quantity of each impurity. We show that neomycin sulfate and its major impurities, including neamine (neomycin A), can be separated on a strong anion-exchange column using a weak potassium hydroxide eluent (2.40 mM) at a column temperature of 30 °C, and directly detected by integrated pulsed amperometric detection (IPAD). The resolution (United States Pharmacopeia (USP) definition) between neomycin B and the closest major impurity ranged from 6.56 and 7.45 over 10 days of consecutive analysis (7.24 ± 0.10, n = 836 injections). Due to the difficulty of producing weak hydroxide eluents of the required purity (i.e. carbonate-free), this method depends on automatic eluent generation to ensure method ruggedness. This method exhibited good long-term (10 days, 822 injections) retention time stability with a R.S.D. of 0.6%. Peak area R.S.D. (10 μM) was 1.3%. Method robustness was evaluated by intentionally varying the flow rate, eluent concentration, column temperature, and column. The spike recoveries of neomycin B from extractions of three different topical ointments and cream formulations ranged from 95 to 100%. The measured concentration of neomycin B in these formulations ranged from 119 to 154% of the label concentration. The R.S.D. for the measured concentration of one of the formulations tested over three separate days, n = 11 extracts, was 3.2%. Based on the results of these evaluations, we believe this method can be used for neomycin sulfate identity, assay, and purity.

Direct amino acid analysis method for speciation of selenoamino acids using high-performance anion-exchange chromatography coupled with integrated pulsed amperometric detection

Speciation analysis of selenomethylcysteine (SeMeCys), selenomethionine (SeMet) and selenocystine (SeCys) has been performed using a direct amino acid analysis method with high-performance anion-exchange chromatography (HPAEC) coupled with integrated pulsed amperometric detection (IPAD). Three selenoamino acids could be baseline-separated from 19 amino acids using gradient elution conditions for amino acids and determined under new six-potential waveform. Detection limits for SeMeCys, SeMet and SeCys were 0.25, 1 and 20 μg/L (25 μL injection, 10 times of the baseline noise), respectively. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 200 μg/L SeMeCys, SeMet and SeCys were 3.1, 4.1 and 2.8%, respectively ( n = 9, 25 μL injection). The proposed method has been applied for determination of selenoamino acids in extracts of garlic and selenious yeast granule samples. No selenoamino acids were found in garlic. Both SeMet and SeCys were detected in selenious yeast tablet with the content of 45 and 129 μg Se/g, respectively. Selenoamino acids standards were spiked in garlic and yeast granule samples and the recovery ranged from 90 to 106%.

Optimizing the integrated pulsed amperometric multicycle step waveform for the determination of tetracyclines

A method of modified integrated pulsed amperometric detection with multicycle step waveform (Multi-IPAD) following high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was applied for the determination of tetracyclines (TCs) including dimethyltetracycline (DMTC), oxytetracycline (OTC) and tetracycline (TC). The key advantages of the Multi-IPAD are the abilities to enhance sensitivity and reproducibility and the ability to keep working electrode clean through the use of a high-frequent waveform alteration in integration step and the use of a cleaning potential, which is quite different from conventional three-step potential waveform. The analyses were carried out using the mobile phase of acetonitrile–water mixture solution (10:90, v/v) containing 1% perchloric acid on a C 18 column at a flow rate of 0.21 mL/min. The IPAD waveform parameters were optimized to maximize the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) and successfully applied for the sensitive detection of TCs. The detection limits (S/N = 3, 20 μL injected) were 0.07 mg/L for DMTC, 0.08 mg/L for OTC and 0.05 mg/L for TC. The peak height relative standard deviations (RSDs) of every compound for replicate injection ( n = 15) determined were below 4.6%.

Determination of tobramycin and impurities using high-performance anion exchange chromatography with integrated pulsed amperometric detection

Tobramycin is one of a class of aminoglycoside antibiotics that lack a good chromophore, and is therefore difficult to determine using reversed-phase HPLC with absorbance detection. This is especially true for determining the quantity of each impurity. We show that tobramycin and its major impurities, including kanamycin B and neamine (neomycin A), can be separated on a strong anion-exchange column using a weak potassium hydroxide eluent (2.00 mM) at a column temperature of 30 °C, and directly detected by integrated pulsed amperometric detection (IPAD). The resolution (United States Pharmacopeia (USP) definition) between tobramycin and kanamycin B ranged from 5.71 and 6.06 over 7 days of consecutive analysis (5.92 ± 0.07, n = 590 injections). Due to the difficulty of producing weak hydroxide eluents of the required purity (i.e. carbonate-free), this method depends on automatic eluent generation to ensure method ruggedness. This method exhibited good long-term (50 days, 2368 injections) retention time stability with R.S.D.s of 0.4% and 0.3% for tobramycin and kanamycin B, respectively. Peak area R.S.D.s for tobramycin and kanamycin B (10 μM each, 20 μL injection) over 7 days (572 injections) were 2.3% and 1.9%, respectively. Method robustness was evaluated by intentionally varying the flow rate, eluent concentration, column temperature, and column. Based on the results of these evaluations, this method can be used for tobramycin identity, assay, and purity.

Quantitative Determination of Saccharides in Dietary Glyconutritional Products by Anion-Exchange Liquid Chromatography with Integrated Pulsed Amperometric Detection

A new technique for the assay of carbohydrates is described in which separation and quantification of neutral saccharides, aminosaccharides, glycuronic acids, and disaccharides may be accomplished in less than 50 min of total run time. This method involves optimized anion-exchange liquid chromatography coupled with integrated pulse amperometric detection. Complex carbohydrates from various sources, including dietary supplements, were hydrolyzed in a dilute solution of trifluoroacetic acid, freeze-dried, and reconstituted in water containing 2-deoxygalactose as the internal standard. The solution was filtered and separated on CarboPac PA20 column. The eluted saccharides were detected by oxidation on a gold electrode with quadruple-pulsed integrated amperometry. The calibration plots for the saccharides were linear with an average correlation coefficient of 0.999. Method precision regarding peak retention time and resolution used in the peak identifications was verified. With this method, previously difficult-to-separate saccharides, such as galactosamine, glucosamine, and N-acetylglucosamine, were successfully resolved from the neutral saccharides rhamnose, arabinose, and galactose. Mannose was also resolved from xylose, and de-acetylation of aminosaccharides prior to separation was not necessary. This technique provides an accurate and efficient means to assay carbohydrates in dietary supplements, which new federal regulations will soon mandate.

Improved determination of taurine by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with integrated pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC-IPAD).

The advantages of the high selectivity of high-performance anion-exchange chromatography (HPAEC) and the sensitive response of taurine at a gold electrode with integrated pulsed amperometric detection (IPAD) have been combined, in order to establish a new analytical method for its determination in real matrices. Potential-time settings of the potential waveform were optimized in order to get the highest amperometric response. The separation of taurine in milk samples was achieved using an alkaline eluent (100 mM NaOH) containing 1 mM Ba(OAc)(2) and a column temperature of 15 degrees C. The inherent merits of using a barium-modified eluent, in terms of taurine separation and detection, are demonstrated. The enhancement in sensitivity under these experimental conditions makes it suitable for taurine determination in milk. Indeed, this method allows high recovery of taurine and satisfies the necessary requirements with respect to accuracy, repeatability and sensitivity with a detection limit of 50 nmol/L, which corresponds to 2.5 pmol. The taurine content in milk samples of some common mammals was evaluated, including human milk. In goat's milk, the taurine content ranged from 46 to 91 mg/L, whereas human and buffalo milk samples exhibited an average content of 18 mg/L and 23 mg/L, respectively.

Determination of amino acids in cell culture and fermentation broth media using anion-exchange chromatography with integrated pulsed amperometric detection

Cell culture and fermentation broth media are used in the manufacture of biotherapeutics and many other biological materials. Characterizing the amino acid composition in cell culture and fermentation broth media is important because deficiencies in these nutrients can reduce desired yields or alter final product quality. Anion-exchange (AE) chromatography using sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and sodium acetate gradients, coupled with integrated pulsed amperometric detection (IPAD), determines amino acids without sample derivatization. AE-IPAD also detects carbohydrates, glycols, and sugar alcohols. The presence of these compounds, often at high concentrations in cell culture and fermentation broth media, can complicate amino acid determinations. To determine whether these samples can be analyzed without sample preparation, we studied the effects of altering and extending the initial NaOH eluent concentration on the retention of 42 different carbohydrates and related compounds, 30 amino acids and related compounds, and 3 additional compounds. We found that carbohydrate retention is impacted in a manner different from that of amino acid retention by a change in [NaOH]. We used this selectivity difference to design amino acid determinations of diluted cell culture and fermentation broth media, including Bacto yeast extract–peptone–dextrose (yeast culture medium) broth, Luria–Bertani (bacterial culture medium) broth, and minimal essential medium and serum-free protein-free hybridoma medium (mammalian cell culture media). These media were selected as representatives for both prokaryotic and eukaryotic culture systems capable of challenging the analytical technique presented in this paper. Glucose up to 10 mM (0.2%, w/w) did not interfere with the chromatography, or decrease recovery greater than 20%, for the common amino acids arginine, lysine, alanine, threonine, glycine, valine, serine, proline, isoleucine, leucine, methionine, histidine, phenylalanine, glutamate, aspartate, cystine, and tyrosine.

Use of disposable gold working electrodes for cation chromatography–integrated pulsed amperometric detection of sulfur-containing amino acids

We have prepared disposable thin-film gold working electrodes on polymeric substrates. Our microfabrication process allows for inexpensive and reproducible mass production of such electrodes. We utilize this new type of electrode in flow-through electrochemical cells to replace the conventional non-disposable gold working electrodes for integrated pulsed amperometric detection (IPAD) of compounds separated by high-performance cation-exchange chromatography. Using two S-containing amino acids (homocysteine and cysteine) as test compounds, we have modified a previously reported waveform for optimum performance with disposable gold electrodes. With the help of the same two test substances we have characterized the analytical performance of disposable gold electrodes under the new conditions. Compared to non-disposable working electrodes, the disposable working electrodes generated equal or better results in the limit of detection, linearity of calibration and reproducibility. When used with a new IPAD waveform, the disposable electrodes functioned reproducibly for 3 days. At the end of the specified usage period of 3 days, the disposable electrodes are simply replaced. Reconditioning by polishing is thus no longer required.

Development and characterization of microfabricated disposable gold working electrodes for high-performance ion chromatography and integrated pulsed amperometric detection.

We have developed a new type of microfabricated thin-film electrode on polymeric substrates. The microfabrication process allows for inexpensive and reproducible mass production of disposable working electrodes for high-performance ion chromatography and integrated pulsed amperometric detection (IPAD). These microfabricated electrodes are disposable and have been optimized for use in flow-through low-dead-volume electrochemical cells. The analytical performance of microfabricated gold electrodes was characterized with the help of the IPAD method for amino acid detection under alkaline conditions required for anion-exchange separations. When used with a new optimized six-potential IPAD waveform, the electrodes functioned properly for weeks. Compared to nondisposable working electrodes, the disposable working electrodes generated equal or better results in the limit of detection, linearity of calibration, and reproducibility. Disposable electrodes make it possible to avoid polishing and reconditioning, which are required with nondisposable electrodes.

Integrated pulsed amperometry for the analysis of organic compounds

Integrated pulsed amperometric detection (IPAD) was applied for the detection of organic compounds for flow injection analysis. The pulse waveform used in the integrated pulsed amperometry consisted of three steps: detection potential, oxidation potential, and adsorption potential. The pulse waveform was applied to the working electrode as the analyte flowed through the electrochemical cell. Unlike ordinary pulsed amperometry, a faradaic current was integrated over the duration period of the detection potential in the IPAD. Therefore, the total charge was measured by integrating the current after the detection potential was applied. The current for the initial 10 ms, after applying the detection potential, was excluded from the integration due to a large charging current at the initial period. Compared with pulsed amperometry, integrated pulsed amperometry provides a better signal-to-noise ratio and a lower detection limit. This method was applied to the quantitative analysis of thiourea as a representative analyte of organosulfur compounds in a flow injection analysis.