Sensitive Precolumn Derivatization Method Research Articles

A highly sensitive pre-column derivatization method for fluorescence detection of tobramycin using 2-naphthalenesulfonyl chloride as a derivatizing agent

A new, simple, rapid and highly sensitive high performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for the determination of tobramycin (TOB) in ophthalmic solutions. The developed method was based on derivatizing this non-chromophoric drug with 2-naphthalenesulfonyl chloride (NSCl), at 80 ºC for 40 min, and measuring the fluorescent product. Elution from the column was isocratic, using a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile –1% phosphoric acid in water, (90:10, v/v), with a flow rate of 2 mL/min, at 40 ºC. Determination was developed using fluorescence detection at an excitation wavelength of 300 nm and an emission wavelength of 380 nm. The chromatographic separation was achieved on Knauer-Eurospher 100–5 C18 silica column (300 mm × 4 mm i.d, 5 μm). Different approaches were used to optimize the conditions of the method and to reach the maximum yield. The linear regression data for the calibration plot showed acceptable correlation coefficient (r2 = 0.9998) at the concentration ranges of 2.5–1000 ng/mL for TOB. The method was successfully validated according to the guidelines of the International Council on Harmonization, and was found suitable for pharmaceutical applications. The method was new, simple and precise for analysis of TOB and applicable for routine analysis in quality control laboratories.

Development and Validation of an RP-HPLC-FLD Method for the Determination of Biogenic Amines after Pre-column Derivatization with a New Pyrazoline Based Reagent, 3- Naphthyl-1-(4-trifluoromethyl)-5-(4-carboxy phenyl)-2-pyrazoline

Application of 3-Naphthyl-1-(4-trifluoromethyl)-5-(4-carboxy phenyl)-2-pyrazoline (NFCP) as a novel fluorigenic label for the derivatization of biogenic amines (BAs) and separation by liquid chromatography (LC) was investigated. Optimum conditions for the pre-column derivatization and chromatographic separation were investigated. The resulting derivatives are fluorescent at λex/λem: 380/460 nm. For the sake of evaluating the efficacy of the proposed analysis of BAs of different nature, the formation of nine NFCP-BAs derivatives was tested individually. Simultaneous derivatization and separation of four BAs (histamine, tyramine, tryptamine, and phenylethylamine) were achieved under the isocratic elution mode. Furthermore, the derivatives were identified by the characteristic product ion obtained during LC-MS/MS analysis. The viability of the method was established by measuring levels of histamine in fresh and spoiled fish samples. Histamine concentrations were found to be 0.4 µgg-1 and 4.1 µgg-1 in fresh and spoiled tuna fish samples respectively. As a simple, reliable, and sensitive pre-column derivatization method, this work provides for future research to develop a novel HPLC method for the analysis of BAs from food samples such as fish and various other matrices by utilizing the new pyrazoline compound.

MTBSTFA derivatization-LC-MS/MS approach for the quantitative analysis of endogenous nucleotides in human colorectal carcinoma cells

Endogenous ribonucleotides (RNs) and deoxyribonucleotides (dRNs) are important metabolites related to the pathogenesis of many diseases. In light of their physiological and pathological significances, a novel and sensitive pre-column derivatization method with N-(t-butyldimethylsilyl)-N-methyltrifluoroacetamide (MTBSTFA) was developed to determine RNs and dRNs in human cells using high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). A one-step extraction of cells with 85% methanol followed by a simple derivatization reaction within 5 min at room temperature contributed to shortened analysis time. The derivatives of 22 nucleoside mono-, di- and triphosphates were retained on the typical C18 column and eluted by ammonium acetate and acetonitrile in 9 min. Under these optimal conditions, good linearity was achieved in the tested calibration ranges. The lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) was determined to be 0.1–0.4 μM for the tested RNs and 0.001–0.1 μM for dRNs. In addition, the precision (CV) was <15% and the RSD of stability was lower than 10.4%. Furthermore, this method was applied to quantify the endogenous nucleotides in human colorectal carcinoma cell lines HCT 116 exposed to 10-hydroxycamptothecin. In conclusion, our method has proven to be simple, rapid, sensitive, and reliable. It may be used for specific expanded studies on intracellular pharmacology in vitro.

Rapid Determination of Amino Acids of Nitraria tangutorum Bobr. from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Using HPLC-FLD-MS/MS and a Highly Selective and Sensitive Pre-Column Derivatization Method.

Amino acids are indispensable components of living organisms. The high amino acid content in Nitraria tangutorum Bobr. fruit distinguishes it from other berry plants and is of great significance to its nutritional value. Herein, using 10-ethyl-acridine-3-sulfonyl chloride as a fluorescent pre-column labeling reagent, a method for the efficient and rapid determination of amino acid content in N. tangutorum by pre-column fluorescence derivatization and on-line mass spectrometry was established and further validated. The limits of detection (signal-to-noise ratio = 3) were between 0.13 and 1.13 nmol/L, with a linear coefficient greater than 0.997 and a relative standard deviation between 1.37% and 2.64%. In addition, the method required a short analysis time, separating 19 amino acids within 20 min. Subsequently, the method was used to analyze the amino acid content of Nitraria tangutorum Bobr. from tissues retrieved from seven regions of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Nitraria tangutorum Bobr. was shown to contain a large amount of amino acids, with the total content and main amino acid varying between the different tissues. This research supports the nutritional evaluation, quality control, and development and utilization of Nitraria tangutorum Bobr.

A sensitive pre-column derivatization method for the analysis of free fatty acids by RP-HPLC with fluorescence detector and its application to Caragana species.

Caragana korshinskii Kom. (CK), one of afforestation tree species, is widely planted in northwest region of China. To compare the constituents as references for further utilization of CK, C. microphyll Lam. (CM) and C. jubata L. (CJ), been used as traditional Chinese medicine, were taken into consideration. To obtain more information on CK for further utilization, a sensitive and stable pre-column derivatization method for the analysis of fatty acids (FAs) was established using a novel labeling reagent 2-(5H-benzo[a]-carbazol-11(6H)-yl)ethyl hydrazine-carboxylate (BCEHC) by HPLC with fluorescence detector. The derivatives exhibit predominant fluorescence property at excitation and emission wavelengths of 330nm and 380nm, respectively. 16 derivatives of FAs including 13 saturated FAs and 3 unsaturated FAs are separated on a reversed-phase column with gradient elution within 30min. The validation of method indicated that all FAs were given excellent linear responses with good linear coefficient of correlation being equal to or greater than 0.9985. The limits of detection (LODs) at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 varied from 63.12 to 116.21ngL-1. The developed method was successfully applied to determine the contents of free FAs (FFAs) in flowers, leaves and bark of CK and the samples were extracted by a green and simple method of gas purge microsyringe extraction. The results show that the contents of linoleic acid and linolenic acid are high in flowers and leaves while the bark is rich in linoleic acid. The total content of FFAs in all parts of CK is higher than that of CM. The distribution of FFAs in plants is obviously different even in the congeneric among different species.

A Sensitive Precolumn Derivatization Method for Determination of Piperazine in Vortioxetine Hydrobromide Using a C8 Column and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.

A rapid and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method was established to determine the trace residues of piperazine in vortioxetine hydrobromide. The presence of piperazine was determined by precolumn derivatization with dansyl chloride. Chromatographic separation was performed on a Waters SunFire C8 column (150 × 4.6 mm, 3.5 μm) in gradient elution mode, using formic acid and acetonitrile as mobile phase. Detection was performed in a single quadrupole mass spectrometer in single ion monitoring mode using positive ionization. An m/z value of 553 was selected for monitoring disubstituted piperazine by DNS-Cl. Linearity, accuracy, and precision were found to be acceptable over the piperazine concentration range of 0.3525 - 2.35 ng mL-1. The limit of detection and limit of quantification of piperazine were 0.1175 and 0.3525 ng mL-1, respectively, which complied with the requirements of qualitative and quantitative analyses. The method was deemed sensitive and efficient.

Quantitative Analysis of Fatty Acids from Safflower by Selective and Sensitive Pre-Column Derivatization Method Using HPLC-FLD and Online APCI/MS

Quantitative Analysis of Fatty Acids from Safflower by Selective and Sensitive Pre-Column Derivatization Method Using HPLC-FLD and Online APCI/MS

Sensitive determination of melamine leached from tableware by reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography using 10-methyl-acridone-2-sulfonyl chloride as a pre-column fluorescent labeling reagent

A new and sensitive pre-column derivatization method was developed for the analysis of melamine leached from tableware by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection. The HPLC sensitivity was greatly enhanced by introducing 10-methyl-acridone-2-sulfonyl chloride (MASC) with excellent fluorescence property into the melamine molecule. Meanwhile, derivatization also greatly increased the hydrophobicity of melamine. Therefore, the common reversed phase column can be used for the HPLC analysis of highly hydrophilic melamine. The detection limit obtained by the proposed method was lower than 0.40 μg/L. This is the first time that HPLC with fluorescence detection was applied to the analysis of melamine. The proposed method was successfully applied to the analysis of melamine leached from tableware. The results indicated that the leaching of melamine from tableware was obvious when hot water or milk was added.

Determination of the carbohydrates from Notopterygium forbesii Boiss by HPLC with fluorescence detection

A sensitive pre-column derivatization method was developed for analysis of carbohydrates by HPLC with fluorescence detection. The introduction of 2-(12-benzo[b]acridin-5(12H)-yl)-acetohydrazide (BAAH) with excellent fluorescence property into the molecules of monosaccharides greatly enhanced the HPLC sensitivity of the analytes. Meanwhile, derivatization with BAAH also greatly increased the hydrophobicity of the monosaccharides and made them elute at increased retention times. The monosaccharides with similar properties therefore could be completely separated due to the increased interaction between the analytes and the column. Component monosaccharides of the polysaccharides obtained from the roots, stems and leaves of Notopterygium forbesii Boiss (NF) were analyzed by the developed method. The results indicated that the polysaccharides of NF were mainly composed of d-galactose and d-glucose. This is the first systematic study of the sugar composition of the polysaccharides of NF. It will be helpful for the quality control of NF.

Improved Method for the Extraction and Determination of Bromophenols in Seafoods by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Fluorescence Detection

A sensitive precolumn derivatization method using 10-methylacridone-2-sulfonyl chloride (MASC) as derivatizing reagent followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection has been developed for the determination of naturally occurring bromophenols in seafoods. Instead of using a traditional complex steam distillation solvent extraction method, the extraction method was modified by using sulfuric acid hydrolysis followed by hexane extraction and subsequent alkaline back extraction to obtain good recoveries and fewer interferences. Batch analysis of bromophenols thus became more performable because the sample amount and analysis time were greatly reduced. The recoveries of the five bromophenols were >80% with a noticeable improvement for 4-BP, the recoveries of which were usually <40% when analyzed by traditional methods. The HPLC sensitivity for the determination of bromophenols was greatly enhanced through derivatization. Under optimal conditions, the quantification limits obtained by using 4.0 g of sample were in the range of 0.60-1.0 ng/g. This is the first time that derivatization was applied to enhance the HPLC sensitivity of bromophenols. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of the target compounds in seafoods with a much higher sensitivity than traditional HPLC method.

A sensitive method for extraction and determination of endocrine-disrupting compounds from wastewater using 10-ethyl-acridone-2-sulfonyl chloride as pre-column labeling reagent by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

A sensitive pre-column derivatization method using 10-ethyl-acridone-2-sulfonyl chloride (EASC) as pre-column labeling reagent followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection has been developed for the determination of eight endocrine-disrupting compounds: 4-octylphenol, 4-nonylphenol, bisphenol A, diethylstilbestrol, estrone, 17α-ethynylestradiol, 17β-estradiol and estriol in wastewater samples. Solid phase extraction (SPE) with ODS C18 cartridges was used for the extraction and purification. Derivatizing parameters including pH value, temperature and concentration of EASC, as well as types of SPE cartridges and eluents were investigated in detail. Under optimal conditions, the quantification limits for the desired compounds ranging from 1.0 to 2.0ngL−1 were obtained. The recoveries were higher than 80.4% with a noticeable improvement for 4-octylphenol and 4-nonylphenol, whose recoveries were usually lower than 50% during the SPE process. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of the target compounds in wastewater samples with a much higher sensitivity than traditional HPLC method.

Determination of trace amino acids in human serum by a selective and sensitive pre-column derivatization method using HPLC-FLD-MS/MS and derivatization optimization by response surface methodology

Analysis of trace amino acids (AA) in physiological fluids has received more attention, because the analysis of these compounds could provide fundamental and important information for medical, biological, and clinical researches. More accurate method for the determination of those compounds is highly desirable and valuable. In the present study, we developed a selective and sensitive method for trace AA determination in biological samples using 2-[2-(7H-dibenzo [a,g]carbazol-7-yl)-ethoxy] ethyl chloroformate (DBCEC) as labeling reagent by HPLC-FLD-MS/MS. Response surface methodology (RSM) was first employed to optimize the derivatization reaction between DBCEC and AA. Compared with traditional single-factor design, RSM was capable of lessening laborious, time and reagents consumption. The complete derivatization can be achieved within 6.3 min at room temperature. In conjunction with a gradient elution, a baseline resolution of 20 AA containing acidic, neutral, and basic AA was achieved on a reversed-phase Hypersil BDS C(18) column. This method showed excellent reproducibility and correlation coefficient, and offered the exciting detection limits of 0.19-1.17 fmol/μL. The developed method was successfully applied to determinate AA in human serum. The sensitive and prognostic index of serum AA for liver diseases has also been discussed.

Liquid Chromatographic Analysis of Cephalexin in Human Plasma by Fluorescence Detection of the 9-Fluorenylmethyl Chloroformate Derivative

A simple and sensitive precolumn derivatization method for the determination of cephalexin in human plasma has been developed. Cephalexin was derived with 9-fluorenylmethyl chloroformate (FMOC-Cl) in borate buffer (5 mM, pH 8.5) for 15 min at 25°C. Optimal conditions for the derivatization were described. The derivative was chromatographed on an XDB-C18 column with water–acetonitrile (10:90, v/v) as mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The fluorescence excitation and emission wavelengths were 268 nm and 314 nm, respectively. The standard curve in spiked plasma was linear over the range of 0.0234–58.5 µg/mL; the detection limit (signal-to-noise ratio = 3; injection volume, 10 µL) was about 0.014 µg/mL. The performance of analysis was studied, and the validated method showed excellent performance in terms of selectivity, sensitivity, precision, and accuracy.

Fluorometric Determination of 2′-β-Fluoro-2′,3′-dideoxyadenosine 5′-Triphosphate, the Active Metabolite of a New Anti-Human Immunodeficiency Virus Drug, in Human Lymphocytes

A sensitive precolumn derivatization method has been developed to measure the 5′-triphosphate of 2′-β-fluoro-2′,3′-dideoxyadenosine (F-ddA, lodenosine), a new anti-HIV drug, in human lymphocytes by HPLC using fluorescence detection. Reaction of chloroacetaldehyde with F-ddA triphosphate in extracts from human lymphocytes produces a highly fluorescent etheno adduct. This derivative is then separated and quantitated by reverse-phase paired-ion chromatography. Degradation of natural nucleic acid ribosides, such as ATP, using periodate oxidation simplifies the chromatogram and minimizes interference with detection of the target analyte. This method, modeled using cultured MOLT-4 T-lymphocytes, achieves a linear detector response for peak area measurements over the range 2.5 to 22.5 pmol (50–450 nM using 50 μl sample). Analyte recovery is greater than 90%, and the method achieves a limit of detection and limit of quantitation of 1.4 and 2.5 pmol per HPLC injection (50 μl sample containing cellular extract from 2.5 × 106 cells), respectively. Application of this method to measure F-ddATP in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HIV-infected patients treated with F-ddA at 3.2 mg/kg twice daily for 22 days shows F-ddATP levels which range from 1.5 to 3.5 pmol/106 cells.