UV Absorbance Detection Research Articles

DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF NEW RP–HPLC METHOD FOR DETERMINATION OF BESIFLOXACIN IN ANIMAL MODEL

A sensitive and accurate reversed– phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method with UV absorbance detection at 289 nm was developed and validated for the determination and quantification of besifloxacin (BSF) in rat plasma. Ofloxacin was used as an internal standard (IS). The sample was prepared by liquid extraction of BSF from plasma, using methanol and acetonitrile (70:30). The chromatographic separation was achieved with octadecylsilane (ODS-3), Hypersil® C18 column (250 mm×6mm×5μm). The chromatographic runtime was less than 5 minutes where the retention time of internal standard and the drug was 2.15 min and 3.30 min respectively. A standard curve with a regression coefficient (r2) 0.999 was obtained in the range of 0.025-20 μg/mL. The method was validated with respect to linearity, range, precision, accuracy and robustness according to ICH guidelines. The method was found to be accurate and robust with a runtime of less than 5 minutes. Hence, the present method was rapid and economical to use for clinical studies as well as to analyze the drug in different plasma samples.

Graphene oxide-based optical biosensor functionalized with peptides for explosive detection

A label-free optical biosensor was constructed with biofunctionalized graphene oxide (GO) for specific detection of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT). By chemically binding TNT-specific peptides with GO, the biosensor gained unique optoelectronic properties and high biological sensitivity, with transducing bimolecular bonding into optical signals. Through UV absorption detection, increasing absorbance responses could be observed in presence of TNT at different concentrations, as low as 4.40×10−9mM, and showed dose-dependence and stable behavior. Specific responses of the biosensor were verified with the corporation of 2,6-dinitrotoluene (DNT), which had similar molecular structure to TNT. Thus, with high sensitivity and selectivity, the biosensor provided a convenient approach for detection of explosives as miniaturizing and integrating devices.

Identification of Ɛ-Caprolactam and Melamine in Polyvinyl- Pyrrolidone Powder by Double Injection Micellar Elektrokinetic Chromatography

A double-injection micellar electrokinetic chromatography (DIMEKC) method for the identification of AE- caprolactam and melamine deliberately added to povidone (polyvinylpyrrolidone) products has been developed. The separations were performed in 89 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) containing 52 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in fused silica capillaries with UV absorption detection at 200 nm. The identification relied on the agreement between the calculated migration time (tmig(c)) of the analytes and the migration time (tmig) of their corresponding reference standards being analysed simultaneously within a double injection run. The migration time of the analytes was calculated from the partial migration times (tmig(p)) as described in this paper. The migration time ratios (tmig(c) / tmig) varied between 0.997 and 1.005 (i.e., 1.001 ± 0.004), indicating good agreement between the observed and calculated migration times.

LED-based UV absorption detector with low detection limits for capillary liquid chromatography.

A 260 nm deep UV LED-based absorption detector with low detection limits was developed and integrated with a small nanoflow pumping system. The detector is small in size (5.2 × 3.0 cm) and weighs only 85 g (without electronics). This detector was specifically designed and optimized for on-column detection to minimize extra-column band broadening. No optical reference was included due to the low drift in the signal. Two ball lenses, one of which was integrated with the LED, were used to increase light throughput through the capillary column. Stray light was minimized by the use of a band-pass filter and an adjustable slit. Signals down to the parts per billion level (nanomolar) were easily detected with a short-term noise level of 4.4 μAU, confirming a low limit of detection and low noise. The detection limit for adenosine-5'-monophosphate was 230 times lower than any previously reported values. Good linearities (3 orders of magnitude) were obtained using sodium anthraquinone-2-sulfonate, adenosine-5'-monophosphate, dl-tryptophan, and phenol. The LC system was demonstrated by performing isocratic separation of phenolic compounds using a monolithic capillary column (16.5 cm × 150 μm i.d.) synthesized from poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate.

Heat-shrink tubing as a solid-phase microextraction coating for the enrichment and determination of phthalic acid esters.

Heat-shrink tubing, which shrinks in one plane only (its diameter) when heated, commonly used for sealing protection in electrical engineering, was found to be able to function as a solid-phase microextraction coating. Its utility was demonstrated for the determination of phthalic acid esters in an aqueous solution combined with high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with a UV absorbance detector. The preparation procedure was rather simple and only ∼10 min was needed. The fiber cost is extremely low (∼10 cent each). The parameters affecting the extraction were optimized. Heat-shrink tubing fiber exhibited a significant enrichment effect for the three examined phthalic acid esters and up to 931-fold enrichment factor was obtained. The limit of detection was <10 μg/L for all analytes. The operation repeatability and fiber-to-fiber reproducibility were 1.2-8.3 and 5.4-9.1%, respectively. It was successfully applied for the analysis of bottled drinking water with recoveries ranging from 90.1-100.5%.

Incorporating high-pressure electroosmotic pump and a nano-flow gradient generator into a miniaturized liquid chromatographic system for peptide analysis

We integrate a high-pressure electroosmotic pump (EOP), a nanoflow gradient generator, and a capillary column into a miniaturized liquid chromatographic system that can be directly coupled with a mass spectrometer for proteomic analysis. We have recently developed a low-cost high-pressure EOP capable of generating pressure of tens of thousands psi, ideal for uses in miniaturized HPLC. The pump worked smoothly when it was used for isocratic elutions. When it was used for gradient elutions, generating reproducible gradient profiles was challenging; because the pump rate fluctuated when the pump was used to pump high-content organic solvents. This presents an issue for separating proteins/peptides since high-content organic solvents are often utilized. In this work, we solve this problem by incorporating our high-pressure EOP with a nano-flow gradient generator so that the EOP needs only to pump an aqueous solution. With this combination, we develop a capillary-based nano-HPLC system capable of performing nano-flow gradient elution; the pump rate is stable, and the gradient profiles are reproducible and can be conveniently tuned. To demonstrate its utility, we couple it with either a UV absorbance detector or a mass spectrometer for peptide separations.

Capillary electrophoresis for the analysis of paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins in shellfish: Comparison of detection methods

Paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) are produced by marine and freshwater microalgae and accumulate in shellfish including mussels, oysters, and scallops, causing possible fatalities when inadvertently consumed. Monitoring of PST content of shellfish is therefore important for food safety, with currently approved methods based on HPLC, using pre- or postcolumn oxidation for fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD). CE is an attractive alternative for screening and detection of PSTs as it is compatible with miniaturization and could be implemented in portable instrumentation for on-site monitoring. In this study, CE methods were developed for C(4) D, FLD, UV absorption detection, and MS-making this first report of C(4) D and FLD for PSTs detection. Because most oxidized toxins are neutral, MEKC was used in combination with FLD. The developed CZE-UV and CZE-C(4) D methods provide better resolution, selectivity, and separation efficiency compared to CZE-MS and MEKC-FLD. The sensitivity of the CZE-C(4) D and MEKC-FLD methods was superior to UV and MS, with LOD values ranging from 140 to 715 ng/mL for CZE-C(4) D and 60.9 to 104 ng/mL for MEKC-FLD. With the regulatory limit for shellfish samples of 800 ng/mL, the CZE-C(4) D and MEKC-FLD methods were evaluated for the screening and detection of PSTs in shellfish samples. While the CZE-C(4) D method suffered from significant interferences from the shellfish matrix, MEKC-FLD was successfully used for PST screening of a periodate-oxidized mussel sample, with results confirmed by HPLC-FLD. This confirms the potential of MEKC-FLD for screening of PSTs in shellfish samples.

Simple assay of trehalose in industrial yeast

Trehalose is an essential chemical marker to control a quality of the industrial yeast strains and to assess a tolerance of the yeasts products to different physical stresses. A high-performance liquid chromatography analysis with charged aerosol detection (HPLC–CAD) was developed for trehalose determination in industrial yeasts. The method offers a linearity in the range of 5.0–15mM with linear regression coefficient R2=0.9995, a good reproducibility and relatively short analysis time (7min). Trehalose can be detected at concentrations as low as 0.07mM, and limit of precise quantification is 0.2mM. The coefficient of variation (CV%) is 0.3%. The developed method is more sensitive compared with conventional chromatography procedure with UV absorbance detection. It was shown that the proposed method can be used in baker’s industry to control a quality of the yeast products and to assess biotechnological significance of the yeast strains.

Determination of phenolic compounds in honey using dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction

Honey is a valuable functional food rich in phenolic compounds with a broad spectrum of biological activities. Analysis of the phenolic compounds in honey is a very promising tool for the quality control, the authentication and characterization of botanical origin, and the nutraceutical research. This work describes a novel approach for the rapid analysis of five phenolic acids and 10 flavonoids in honey. Phenolic compounds were rapidly extracted and concentrated from diluted honey by dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) and then analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography with UV absorbance detection (HPLC–UV). Some important parameters, such as the nature and volume of extraction and dispersive solvents, pH and salt effect were carefully investigated and optimized to achieve the best extraction efficiency. Under the optimal conditions, an exhaustive extraction for twelve of the investigated analytes (recoveries >70%), with a precision (RSD<10%) highly acceptable for complex matrices, and detection and quantification limits at ppb levels (1.4–12 and 4.7–40ngg−1, respectively) were attained. The proposed method, compared with the most widely used method in the analysis of phenolic compounds in honey, provided similar or higher extraction efficiency, except in the case of the most hydrophilic phenolic acids. The capability of DLLME to the extraction of other honey phytochemicals, such as abscisic acid, was also demonstrated. The main advantages of developed method are the simplicity of operation, the rapidity to achieve a very high sample throughput and low cost.

GC–MS/MS and LC–MS/MS studies on unlabelled and deuterium-labelled oleic acid (C18:1) reactions with peroxynitrite (ONOO−) in buffer and hemolysate support the pM/nM-range of nitro-oleic acids in human plasma

Oleic acid (cis-9,10-octadecenoic acid) is the most abundant monounsaturated fatty acid in human blood. Peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) is a short-lived species formed from the reaction of nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide (O2(-)). Peroxynitrite is a potent oxidizing and moderate nitrating agent. We investigated reactions of unlabelled and deuterium labelled oleic acid in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and lysed human erythrocytes with commercially available sodium peroxynitrite (Na(+)ONOO(-)). Non-derivatized reaction products were analyzed by spectrophotometry, HPLC with UV absorbance detection, and LC-MS/MS electrospray ionization in the negative-ion mode. Reaction products were also analyzed by GC-MS/MS in the electron capture negative-ion chemical ionization mode after derivatization first with pentafluorobenzyl (PFB) bromide and then with N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide. Identified oleic acid reaction products in PBS and hemolysate include cis-9,10-epoxystearic acid and trans-9,10-epoxystearic acid (about 0.1% with respect to oleic acid), threo- and erythro-9,10-dihydroxy-stearic acids. Vinyl nitro-oleic acids, 9-nitro-oleic acid (9-NO2OA) and 10-nitro-oleic acid (10-NO2OA), or other nitro-oleic acids were not found to be formed from the reaction of oleic acid with peroxynitrite in PBS or hemolysate. Our in vitro study suggests that peroxynitrite oxidizes but does not nitrate oleic acid in biological samples. Unlike thiols and tyrosine, oleic acid is not susceptible to peroxynitrite. GC-MS/MS analysis of PFB esters is by far more efficient than LC-MS/MS analysis of non-derivatized oleic acid and its derivates. Our in vitro results support our previous in vivo findings that nitro-oleic acid plasma concentrations of healthy and diseased subjects are in the pM/nM-range.

Instrumentation for hand-portable liquid chromatography

Liquid chromatography (LC) has lagged behind gas chromatography (GC) in developments related to hand-portable instrumentation. In this work, a new battery-operated (24V DC) nano-flow pumping system with a stop-flow injector was developed and integrated with an on-column UV-absorption detector (254nm) that was reduced in size to an acceptable weight and power usage for field operation. The pumping system, which includes nano-flow pump, stepper motor and high-pressure valve weighs only 1.372kg (3lbs) and can generate up to 110.32MPa (16,000psi) pressure. A major advantage of this pump is that it does not employ a splitter, since it was specifically designed for capillary column use. The volume capacity of the pump is 24μL, and a sample volume as low as 10nL can be injected. Flow rate calibration (300nL to 6.12μL per min) was performed, and an accuracy >99.94% was obtained. The percent injection carry-over was found to be low (RSD 0.31%), which makes it practical for quantitative analysis. The detector linear range and limit of detection (LOD) were determined using sodium anthraquinone-2-sulfonate. A linear regression coefficient (R) of 0.9996 was obtained for a plot of log peak area versus log concentration over the range of 3.2μM to 6.5mM, and the LOD (S/N=3) was found to be 7.8fmol (0.13μM). The short term noise of the detector is comparable to commercially available detectors (∼10−5AU). In this work, the system was tested in the laboratory using regular line power (120V AC) with an AC to DC adapter. Reversed-phase isocratic separations were performed using a 15.5cm×75μm i.d. fused silica capillary column containing a monolithic stationary phase synthesized from 1,6-hexanediol dimethacrylate. Good retention time repeatability (RSD 0.09–0.74%) was obtained for a mixture containing an unretained marker (i.e., uracil) and a homologous series of alkyl benzenes.

Enantiopurity analysis of new types of acyclic nucleoside phosphonates by capillary electrophoresis with cyclodextrins as chiral selectors

CE methods have been developed for the chiral analysis of new types of six acyclic nucleoside phosphonates, nucleotide analogs bearing [(3-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl]phosphonic acid, 2-[(diisopropoxyphosphonyl)methoxy]propanoic acid, or 2-(phosphonomethoxy)propanoic acid moieties attached to adenine, guanine, 2,6-diaminopurine, uracil, and 5-bromouracil nucleobases, using neutral and cationic cyclodextrins as chiral selectors. With the exception of the 5-bromouracil-derived acyclic nucleoside phosphonate with a 2-(phosphonomethoxy)propanoic acid side chain, the R and S enantiomers of the other five acyclic nucleoside phosphonates were successfully separated with sufficient resolutions, 1.51-2.94, within a reasonable time, 13-28 min, by CE in alkaline BGEs (50 mM sodium tetraborate adjusted with NaOH to pH 9.60, 9.85, and 10.30, respectively) containing 20 mg/mL β-cyclodextrin as the chiral selector. A baseline separation of the R and S enantiomers of the 5-bromouracil-derived acyclic nucleoside phosphonate with 2-(phosphonomethoxy)propanoic acid side chain was achieved within a short time of 7 min by CE in an acidic BGE (20:40 mM Tris/phosphate, pH 2.20) using 60 mg/mL quaternary ammonium β-cyclodextrin chiral selector. The developed methods were applied for the assessment of the enantiomeric purity of the above acyclic nucleoside phosphonates. The preparations of all these compounds were found to be synthesized in pure enantiomeric forms. Using UV absorption detection at 206 nm, their concentration detection limits were in the low micromolar range.

Identification of ɛ-caprolactam, melamine and urea in polyvinylpyrrolidone powders by micellar electrokinetic chromatography

A sodium dodecyl sulfate micellar electrokinetic chromatography (SDS-MEKC) method for the simultaneous separation and identification of ɛ-caprolactam, melamine and urea deliberately added to polyvinylpyrrolidone (povidone) products has been developed. All samples to be analyzed contained paracetamol as an internal marker (IM). The optimized separations were performed in 50mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) containing 2% (w/v) sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in fused silica capillaries with UV absorption detection at 200nm. The method was validated with respect to repeatability and intermediate precision, selectivity and robustness with satisfactory results. The relative migration times (RMT) were found to be between 0.03% and 0.13% for intra-day precision and between 0.50% and 0.60% for inter-day precision in four days. The detection limits were determined to be 1.3 (11.5μM), 0.4 (3.5μM) and 41μg/ml (0.4mM) for ɛ-caprolactam, melamine and urea, respectively.

Normal-phase high-performance counter-current chromatography for the fractionation of dissolved organic matter from a freshwater source

Normal-phase high-performance counter-current chromatography (HPCCC) is used to obtain a preliminary fractionation of components in dissolved organic matter (DOM) from a freshwater source. The HPCCC solvent system involved a normal-phase approach with water/methanol (1:1) as the lower stationary phase and hexane/ethyl acetate (1:1) as the upper mobile phase. The critical experiment parameters were optimised: revolution speed 1800 rpm and flow rate 0.15 mL/min. Under these conditions 50 μL of a 0.50 mg/mL DOM solution was loaded. The detection wavelength was monitored at 330 nm in order to isolate the main portion of DOM, which includes substances such as carboxyl-rich alicyclic molecules. By optimising this system it was possible to isolate materials that, according to GC-MS, can be related to molecules with an analogous structural background. Where fraction analysis was not suitable for GC-MS, RP-HPLC with UV absorbance detection was used, showing unique chromatograms for each fraction at both 210 and 330 nm.

Determination of vanillin in vanilla perfumes and air by capillary electrophoresis

The present study investigated capillary electrophoretic detection of vanillin in vanilla perfume and air. An UV-absorbance detector was used in a home-made capillary electrophoretic instrument. A fused silica capillary (outer diameter: 364 μm, inner diameter: 50 μm) was used as a separation capillary, and a high electric voltage (20 kV) was applied across the two ends of the capillary. Total length of the capillary was 70 cm, and the effective length was 55 cm. Experimental results showed that the vanillin peak was detected at about 600, 450, and 500 seconds when pH of running buffers in CE were 7.2, 9.3, and 11.5, respectively. The peak area of vanillin was proportional to its concentration in the range of 0–10−2 mol/L. The detection limit was about 10−5 mol/L. Vanillin concentration in a 1% vanilla perfume sample was determined to be about 3×10−4 mol/L, agreed well with that obtained by a HPLC method. Furthermore, determination of vanillin in air by combination of CE and active carbon adsorption method was investigated

Simultaneous measurement of phenylalanine and tyrosine by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection

ObjectivesAn HPLC method was developed to quantify serum concentrations of phenylalanine and tyrosine simultaneously using fluorescence detection without derivatization. MethodsSerum protein is precipitated with trichloroacetic acid, 0.015mM dihydrogen-phosphate solution is used for separation on reversed-phase C18 material, and acetonitrile is avoided. Both amino acids are monitored utilizing their natural fluorescence at 210nm excitation and 302nm emission wavelengths. ResultsOne analytical run is completed within 7min. Lower detection limit for Phe and Tyr is 0.3μM. Comparison of the new method with a classical HPLC method for total amino acids and using UV-absorption detection reveals a highly significant relationship for Phe and Tyr. ConclusionThe new HPLC method allows rapid and very sensitive measurement of phenylalanine and tyrosine concentrations.

Concurrent quantification of tryptophan and its major metabolites

An imbalance in tryptophan (TRP) metabolites is associated with several neurological and inflammatory disorders. Therefore, analytical methods allowing for simultaneous quantification of TRP and its major metabolites would be highly desirable, and may be valuable as potential biomarkers. We have developed a HPLC method for concurrent quantitative determination of tryptophan, serotonin, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, kynurenine, and kynurenic acid in tissue and fluids. The method utilizes the intrinsic spectroscopic properties of TRP and its metabolites that enable UV absorbance and fluorescence detection by HPLC, without additional labeling. The origin of the peaks related to analytes of interest was confirmed by UV–Vis spectral patterns using a PDA detector and mass spectrometry. The developed methods were validated in rabbit fetal brain and amniotic fluid at gestational day 29. Results are in excellent agreement with those reported in the literature for the same regions. This method allows for rapid quantification of tryptophan and four of its major metabolites concurrently. A change in the relative ratios of these metabolites can provide important insights in predicting the presence and progression of neuroinflammation in disorders such as cerebral palsy, autism, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer disease, and schizophrenia.

Simultaneous solid phase extraction and derivatization of aliphatic primary amines prior to separation and UV-absorbance detection

To overcome the problem of poor sensitivity of capillary electrophoresis-UV absorbance for the detection of aliphatic amines, a solid phase extraction and derivatization scheme was developed. This work demonstrates successful coupling of amines to a chromophore immobilized on a solid phase and subsequent cleavage and analysis. Although the analysis of many types of amines is relevant for myriad applications, this paper focuses on the derivatization and separation of amines with environmental relevance. This work aims to provide the foundations for future developments of an integrated sample preparation microreactor capable of performing simultaneous derivatization, preconcentration, and sample cleanup for sensitive analysis of primary amines.

Automation Highlights from the Literature

Automation Highlights from the Literature

A green and effective approach for characterisation and quality control of Chrysanthemum by pressurized hot water extraction in combination with HPLC with UV absorbance detection

Chrysanthemum is a ubiquitous plant with many species and wide uses, and it is usually consumed as functional food. The main aim of this paper is to demonstrate that chromatographic fingerprints obtained from the HPLC/UV analysis of the pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE) extracts together with the aid of principal component analysis (PCA), allowed for the clustering of various chrysanthemums of different species and provenance. In addition, a parallel study of pressurized fluid extraction (PFE) with methanol was carried out for comparison. From the results, a clearer separation and clustering was obtained with the environmentally-benign water extracts compared with methanol extracts. This study shows that PHWE in combination with HPLC/UV and PCA can be used successfully as a green and effective approach for characterisation and quality control of ubiquitous functional food such as chrysanthemum.