Sample records for quantification limits loq

  1. Are LOD and LOQ Reliable Parameters for Sensitivity Evaluation of Spectroscopic Methods?

    PubMed

    Ershadi, Saba; Shayanfar, Ali

    2018-03-22

    The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) are common parameters to assess the sensitivity of analytical methods. In this study, the LOD and LOQ of previously reported terbium sensitized analysis methods were calculated by different methods, and the results were compared with sensitivity parameters [lower limit of quantification (LLOQ)] of U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines. The details of the calibration curve and standard deviation of blank samples of three different terbium-sensitized luminescence methods for the quantification of mycophenolic acid, enrofloxacin, and silibinin were used for the calculation of LOD and LOQ. A comparison of LOD and LOQ values calculated by various methods and LLOQ shows a considerable difference. The significant difference of the calculated LOD and LOQ with various methods and LLOQ should be considered in the sensitivity evaluation of spectroscopic methods.

  2. Theoretical limitations of quantification for noncompetitive sandwich immunoassays.

    PubMed

    Woolley, Christine F; Hayes, Mark A; Mahanti, Prasun; Douglass Gilman, S; Taylor, Tom

    2015-11-01

    Immunoassays exploit the highly selective interaction between antibodies and antigens to provide a vital method for biomolecule detection at low concentrations. Developers and practitioners of immunoassays have long known that non-specific binding often restricts immunoassay limits of quantification (LOQs). Aside from non-specific binding, most efforts by analytical chemists to reduce the LOQ for these techniques have focused on improving the signal amplification methods and minimizing the limitations of the detection system. However, with detection technology now capable of sensing single-fluorescence molecules, this approach is unlikely to lead to dramatic improvements in the future. Here, fundamental interactions based on the law of mass action are analytically connected to signal generation, replacing the four- and five-parameter fittings commercially used to approximate sigmoidal immunoassay curves and allowing quantitative consideration of non-specific binding and statistical limitations in order to understand the ultimate detection capabilities of immunoassays. The restrictions imposed on limits of quantification by instrumental noise, non-specific binding, and counting statistics are discussed based on equilibrium relations for a sandwich immunoassay. Understanding the maximal capabilities of immunoassays for each of these regimes can greatly assist in the development and evaluation of immunoassay platforms. While many studies suggest that single molecule detection is possible through immunoassay techniques, here, it is demonstrated that the fundamental limit of quantification (precision of 10 % or better) for an immunoassay is approximately 131 molecules and this limit is based on fundamental and unavoidable statistical limitations.

  3. Strategy for determination of LOD and LOQ values--some basic aspects.

    PubMed

    Uhrovčík, Jozef

    2014-02-01

    The paper is devoted to the evaluation of limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) values in concentration domain by using 4 different approaches; namely 3σ and 10σ approaches, ULA2 approach, PBA approach and MDL approach. Brief theoretical analyses of all above mentioned approaches are given together with directions for their practical use. Calculations and correct calibration design are exemplified by using of electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry for determination of lead in drinking water sample. These validation parameters reached 1.6 μg L(-1) (LOD) and 5.4 μg L(-1) (LOQ) by using 3σ and 10σ approaches. For obtaining relevant values of analyte concentration the influence of calibration design and measurement methodology were examined. The most preferred technique has proven to be a method of preconcentration of the analyte on the surface of the graphite cuvette (boost cycle). © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Definition of the limit of quantification in the presence of instrumental and non-instrumental errors. Comparison among various definitions applied to the calibration of zinc by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Badocco, Denis; Lavagnini, Irma; Mondin, Andrea; Favaro, Gabriella; Pastore, Paolo

    2015-12-01

    The limit of quantification (LOQ) in the presence of instrumental and non-instrumental errors was proposed. It was theoretically defined combining the two-component variance regression and LOQ schemas already present in the literature and applied to the calibration of zinc by the ICP-MS technique. At low concentration levels, the two-component variance LOQ definition should be always used above all when a clean room is not available. Three LOQ definitions were accounted for. One of them in the concentration and two in the signal domain. The LOQ computed in the concentration domain, proposed by Currie, was completed by adding the third order terms in the Taylor expansion because they are of the same order of magnitude of the second ones so that they cannot be neglected. In this context, the error propagation was simplified by eliminating the correlation contributions by using independent random variables. Among the signal domain definitions, a particular attention was devoted to the recently proposed approach based on at least one significant digit in the measurement. The relative LOQ values resulted very large in preventing the quantitative analysis. It was found that the Currie schemas in the signal and concentration domains gave similar LOQ values but the former formulation is to be preferred as more easily computable.

  5. A validated multianalyte LC-MS/MS method for quantification of 25 mycotoxins in cassava flour, peanut cake and maize samples.

    PubMed

    Ediage, Emmanuel Njumbe; Di Mavungu, José Diana; Monbaliu, Sofie; Van Peteghem, Carlos; De Saeger, Sarah

    2011-05-25

    This study was designed to develop a sensitive liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous detection and quantification of 25 mycotoxins in cassava flour, peanut cake and maize samples with particular focus on the optimization of the sample preparation protocol and method validation. All 25 mycotoxins were extracted in a single step with a mixture of methanol/ethyl acetate/water (70:20:10, v/v/v). The method limits of quantification (LOQ) varied from 0.3 μg/kg to 106 μg/kg. Good precision and linearity were observed for most of the mycotoxins. The method was applied for the analysis of naturally contaminated peanut cake, cassava flour and maize samples from the Republic of Benin. All samples analyzed (fifteen peanut cakes, four maize flour and four cassava flour samples) tested positive for one or more mycotoxins. Aflatoxins (total aflatoxins; 10-346 μg/kg) and ochratoxin A (<LOQ-2 μg/kg) were detected in peanut cake samples while fumonisin B(1) (4-21 μg/kg), aflatoxin B(2) (<LOQ-8 μg/kg), aflatoxin B(1) (<LOQ-9 μg/kg), diacetoxyscirpenol (<LOQ-6 μg/kg) and zearalenone (<LOQ-12 μg/kg) were detected and quantified in cassava flour samples. Fumonisin B(1) (13-836 μg/kg), fumonisin B(2) (5-221 μg/kg), fumonisin B(3) (<LOQ-375 μg/kg) and beauvericin (<LOQ-25 μg/kg) were detected in the maize samples.

  6. Detection and quantification of beef and pork materials in meat products by duplex droplet digital PCR.

    PubMed

    Cai, Yicun; He, Yuping; Lv, Rong; Chen, Hongchao; Wang, Qiang; Pan, Liangwen

    2017-01-01

    Meat products often consist of meat from multiple animal species, and inaccurate food product adulteration and mislabeling can negatively affect consumers. Therefore, a cost-effective and reliable method for identification and quantification of animal species in meat products is required. In this study, we developed a duplex droplet digital PCR (dddPCR) detection and quantification system to simultaneously identify and quantify the source of meat in samples containing a mixture of beef (Bos taurus) and pork (Sus scrofa) in a single digital PCR reaction tube. Mixed meat samples of known composition were used to test the accuracy and applicability of this method. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) of this detection and quantification system were also identified. We conclude that our dddPCR detection and quantification system is suitable for quality control and routine analyses of meat products.

  7. Comparison of the Chiron Quantiplex branched DNA (bDNA) assay and the Abbott Genostics solution hybridization assay for quantification of hepatitis B viral DNA.

    PubMed

    Kapke, G E; Watson, G; Sheffler, S; Hunt, D; Frederick, C

    1997-01-01

    Several assays for quantification of DNA have been developed and are currently used in research and clinical laboratories. However, comparison of assay results has been difficult owing to the use of different standards and units of measurements as well as differences between assays in dynamic range and quantification limits. Although a few studies have compared results generated by different assays, there has been no consensus on conversion factors and thorough analysis has been precluded by small sample size and limited dynamic range studied. In this study, we have compared the Chiron branched DNA (bDNA) and Abbott liquid hybridization assays for quantification of hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in clinical specimens and have derived conversion factors to facilitate comparison of assay results. Additivity and variance stabilizing (AVAS) regression, a form of non-linear regression analysis, was performed on assay results for specimens from HBV clinical trials. Our results show that there is a strong linear relationship (R2 = 0.96) between log Chiron and log Abbott assay results. Conversion factors derived from regression analyses were found to be non-constant and ranged from 6-40. Analysis of paired assay results below and above each assay's limit of quantification (LOQ) indicated that a significantly (P < 0.01) larger proportion of observations were below the Abbott assay LOQ but above the Chiron assay LOQ, indicating that the Chiron assay is significantly more sensitive than the Abbott assay. Testing of replicate specimens showed that the Chiron assay consistently yielded lower per cent coefficients of variance (% CVs) than the Abbott assay, indicating that the Chiron assay provides superior precision.

  8. Comparison of high-resolution ultrasonic resonator technology and Raman spectroscopy as novel process analytical tools for drug quantification in self-emulsifying drug delivery systems.

    PubMed

    Stillhart, Cordula; Kuentz, Martin

    2012-02-05

    Self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) are complex mixtures in which drug quantification can become a challenging task. Thus, a general need exists for novel analytical methods and a particular interest lies in techniques with the potential for process monitoring. This article compares Raman spectroscopy with high-resolution ultrasonic resonator technology (URT) for drug quantification in SEDDS. The model drugs fenofibrate, indomethacin, and probucol were quantitatively assayed in different self-emulsifying formulations. We measured ultrasound velocity and attenuation in the bulk formulation containing drug at different concentrations. The formulations were also studied by Raman spectroscopy. We used both, an in-line immersion probe for the bulk formulation and a multi-fiber sensor for measuring through hard-gelatin capsules that were filled with SEDDS. Each method was assessed by calculating the relative standard error of prediction (RSEP) as well as the limit of quantification (LOQ) and the mean recovery. Raman spectroscopy led to excellent calibration models for the bulk formulation as well as the capsules. The RSEP depended on the SEDDS type with values of 1.5-3.8%, while LOQ was between 0.04 and 0.35% (w/w) for drug quantification in the bulk. Similarly, the analysis of the capsules led to RSEP of 1.9-6.5% and LOQ of 0.01-0.41% (w/w). On the other hand, ultrasound attenuation resulted in RSEP of 2.3-4.4% and LOQ of 0.1-0.6% (w/w). Moreover, ultrasound velocity provided an interesting analytical response in cases where the drug strongly affected the density or compressibility of the SEDDS. We conclude that ultrasonic resonator technology and Raman spectroscopy constitute suitable methods for drug quantification in SEDDS, which is promising for their use as process analytical technologies. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Considerations on the determination of the limit of detection and the limit of quantification in one-dimensional and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography.

    PubMed

    Krupčík, Ján; Májek, Pavel; Gorovenko, Roman; Blaško, Jaroslav; Kubinec, Robert; Sandra, Pat

    2015-05-29

    Methods based on the blank signal as proposed by IUPAC procedure and on the signal to noise ratio (S/N) as listed in the ISO-11843-1 norm for determination of the limit of detection (LOD) and quantitation (LOQ) in one-dimensional capillary gas chromatography (1D-GC) and comprehensive two-dimensional capillary gas chromatography (CG×GC) are described in detail and compared for both techniques. Flame ionization detection was applied and variables were the data acquisition frequency and, for CG×GC, also the modulation time. It has been stated that LOD and LOQ estimated according to IUPAC might be successfully used for 1D-GC-FID method. Moreover, LOD and LOQ decrease with decrease of data acquisition frequency (DAF). For GC×GC-FID, estimation of LOD by IUPAC gave poor reproducibility of results while for LOQ reproducibility was acceptable (within ±10% rel.). The LOD and LOQ determined by the S/N concept both for 1D-GC-FID and GC×GC-FID methods are ca. three times higher than those values estimated by the standard deviation of the blank. Since the distribution pattern of modulated peaks for any analyte separated by GC×GC is random and cannot be predicted, LOQ and LOD may vary within 30% for 3s modulation time. Concerning sensitivity, 1D-GC-FID at 2Hz and of GC×GC-FID at 50Hz shows a ca. 5 times enhancement of sensitivity in the modulated signal output. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Automated quantification of myocardial perfusion SPECT using simplified normal limits.

    PubMed

    Slomka, Piotr J; Nishina, Hidetaka; Berman, Daniel S; Akincioglu, Cigdem; Abidov, Aiden; Friedman, John D; Hayes, Sean W; Germano, Guido

    2005-01-01

    To simplify development of normal limits for myocardial perfusion SPECT (MPS), we implemented a quantification scheme in which normal limits are derived without visual scoring of abnormal scans or optimization of regional thresholds. Normal limits were derived from same-day TI-201 rest/Tc-99m-sestamibi stress scans of male (n = 40) and female (n = 40) low-likelihood patients. Defect extent, total perfusion deficit (TPD), and regional perfusion extents were derived by comparison to normal limits in polar-map coordinates. MPS scans from 256 consecutive patients without known coronary artery disease, who underwent coronary angiography, were analyzed. The new method of quantification (TPD) was compared with our previously developed quantification system and visual scoring. The receiver operator characteristic area under the curve for detection of 50% or greater stenoses by TPD (0.88 +/- 0.02) was higher than by visual scoring (0.83 +/- 0.03) ( P = .039) or standard quantification (0.82 +/- 0.03) ( P = .004). For detection of 70% or greater stenoses, it was higher for TPD (0.89 +/- 0.02) than for standard quantification (0.85 +/- 0.02) ( P = .014). Sensitivity and specificity were 93% and 79%, respectively, for TPD; 81% and 85%, respectively, for visual scoring; and 80% and 73%, respectively, for standard quantification. The use of stress mode-specific normal limits did not improve performance. Simplified quantification achieves performance better than or equivalent to visual scoring or quantification based on per-segment visual optimization of abnormality thresholds.

  11. Quantification of sunscreen ethylhexyl triazone in topical skin-care products by normal-phase TLC/densitometry.

    PubMed

    Sobanska, Anna W; Pyzowski, Jaroslaw

    2012-01-01

    Ethylhexyl triazone (ET) was separated from other sunscreens such as avobenzone, octocrylene, octyl methoxycinnamate, and diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate and from parabens by normal-phase HPTLC on silica gel 60 as stationary phase. Two mobile phases were particularly effective: (A) cyclohexane-diethyl ether 1 : 1 (v/v) and (B) cyclohexane-diethyl ether-acetone 15 : 1 : 2 (v/v/v) since apart from ET analysis they facilitated separation and quantification of other sunscreens present in the formulations. Densitometric scanning was performed at 300 nm. Calibration curves for ET were nonlinear (second-degree polynomials), with R > 0.998. For both mobile phases limits of detection (LOD) were 0.03 and limits of quantification (LOQ) 0.1 μg spot(-1). Both methods were validated.

  12. Procedures for determination of detection limits: application to high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of fat-soluble vitamins in human serum.

    PubMed

    Browne, Richard W; Whitcomb, Brian W

    2010-07-01

    Problems in the analysis of laboratory data commonly arise in epidemiologic studies in which biomarkers subject to lower detection thresholds are used. Various thresholds exist including limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), and limit of blank (LOB). Choosing appropriate strategies for dealing with data affected by such limits relies on proper understanding of the nature of the detection limit and its determination. In this paper, we demonstrate experimental and statistical procedures generally used for estimating different detection limits according to standard procedures in the context of analysis of fat-soluble vitamins and micronutrients in human serum. Fat-soluble vitamins and micronutrients were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection. A simulated serum matrix blank was repeatedly analyzed for determination of LOB parametrically by using the observed blank distribution as well as nonparametrically by using ranks. The LOD was determined by combining information regarding the LOB with data from repeated analysis of standard reference materials (SRMs), diluted to low levels; from LOB to 2-3 times LOB. The LOQ was determined experimentally by plotting the observed relative standard deviation (RSD) of SRM replicates compared with the concentration, where the LOQ is the concentration at an RSD of 20%. Experimental approaches and example statistical procedures are given for determination of LOB, LOD, and LOQ. These quantities are reported for each measured analyte. For many analyses, there is considerable information available below the LOQ. Epidemiologic studies must understand the nature of these detection limits and how they have been estimated for appropriate treatment of affected data.

  13. Targeted quantification of low ng/mL level proteins in human serum without immunoaffinity depletion

    PubMed Central

    Shi, Tujin; Sun, Xuefei; Gao, Yuqian; Fillmore, Thomas L.; Schepmoes, Athena A.; Zhao, Rui; He, Jintang; Moore, Ronald J.; Kagan, Jacob; Rodland, Karin D.; Liu, Tao; Liu, Alvin Y.; Smith, Richard D.; Tang, Keqi; Camp, David G.; Qian, Wei-Jun

    2013-01-01

    We recently reported an antibody-free targeted protein quantification strategy, termed high-pressure, high-resolution separations with intelligent selection and multiplexing (PRISM) for achieving significantly enhanced sensitivity using selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mass spectrometry. Integrating PRISM with front-end IgY14 immunoaffinity depletion, sensitive detection of targeted proteins at 50–100 pg/mL levels in human blood plasma/serum was demonstrated. However, immunoaffinity depletion is often associated with undesired losses of target proteins of interest. Herein we report further evaluation of PRISM-SRM quantification of low-abundance serum proteins without immunoaffinity depletion. Limits of quantification (LOQ) at low ng/mL levels with a median coefficient of variation (CV) of ~12% were achieved for proteins spiked into human female serum. PRISM-SRM provided >100-fold improvement in the LOQ when compared to conventional LC-SRM measurements. PRISM-SRM was then applied to measure several low-abundance endogenous serum proteins, including prostate-specific antigen (PSA), in clinical prostate cancer patient sera. PRISM-SRM enabled confident detection of all target endogenous serum proteins except the low pg/mL-level cardiac troponin T. A correlation coefficient >0.99 was observed for PSA between the results from PRISM-SRM and immunoassays. Our results demonstrate that PRISM-SRM can successful quantify low ng/mL proteins in human plasma or serum without depletion. We anticipate broad applications for PRISM-SRM quantification of low-abundance proteins in candidate biomarker verification and systems biology studies. PMID:23763644

  14. Quantification of Sunscreen Ethylhexyl Triazone in Topical Skin-Care Products by Normal-Phase TLC/Densitometry

    PubMed Central

    Sobanska, Anna W.; Pyzowski, Jaroslaw

    2012-01-01

    Ethylhexyl triazone (ET) was separated from other sunscreens such as avobenzone, octocrylene, octyl methoxycinnamate, and diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate and from parabens by normal-phase HPTLC on silica gel 60 as stationary phase. Two mobile phases were particularly effective: (A) cyclohexane-diethyl ether 1 : 1 (v/v) and (B) cyclohexane-diethyl ether-acetone 15 : 1 : 2 (v/v/v) since apart from ET analysis they facilitated separation and quantification of other sunscreens present in the formulations. Densitometric scanning was performed at 300 nm. Calibration curves for ET were nonlinear (second-degree polynomials), with R > 0.998. For both mobile phases limits of detection (LOD) were 0.03 and limits of quantification (LOQ) 0.1 μg spot−1. Both methods were validated. PMID:22629203

  15. Species identification and quantification in meat and meat products using droplet digital PCR (ddPCR).

    PubMed

    Floren, C; Wiedemann, I; Brenig, B; Schütz, E; Beck, J

    2015-04-15

    Species fraud and product mislabelling in processed food, albeit not being a direct health issue, often results in consumer distrust. Therefore methods for quantification of undeclared species are needed. Targeting mitochondrial DNA, e.g. CYTB gene, for species quantification is unsuitable, due to a fivefold inter-tissue variation in mtDNA content per cell resulting in either an under- (-70%) or overestimation (+160%) of species DNA contents. Here, we describe a reliable two-step droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) assay targeting the nuclear F2 gene for precise quantification of cattle, horse, and pig in processed meat products. The ddPCR assay is advantageous over qPCR showing a limit of quantification (LOQ) and detection (LOD) in different meat products of 0.01% and 0.001%, respectively. The specificity was verified in 14 different species. Hence, determining F2 in food by ddPCR can be recommended for quality assurance and control in production systems. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  16. Multiple headspace-solid-phase microextraction: an application to quantification of mushroom volatiles.

    PubMed

    Costa, Rosaria; Tedone, Laura; De Grazia, Selenia; Dugo, Paola; Mondello, Luigi

    2013-04-03

    Multiple headspace-solid phase microextraction (MHS-SPME) followed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and flame ionization detection (GC-FID) was applied to the identification and quantification of volatiles released by the mushroom Agaricus bisporus, also known as champignon. MHS-SPME allows to perform quantitative analysis of volatiles from solid matrices, free of matrix interferences. Samples analyzed were fresh mushrooms (chopped and homogenized) and mushroom-containing food dressings. 1-Octen-3-ol, 3-octanol, 3-octanone, 1-octen-3-one and benzaldehyde were common constituents of the samples analyzed. Method performance has been tested through the evaluation of limit of detection (LoD, range 0.033-0.078 ng), limit of quantification (LoQ, range 0.111-0.259 ng) and analyte recovery (92.3-108.5%). The results obtained showed quantitative differences among the samples, which can be attributed to critical factors, such as the degree of cell damage upon sample preparation, that are here discussed. Considerations on the mushrooms biochemistry and on the basic principles of MHS analysis are also presented. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Design and characterization of a direct ELISA for the detection and quantification of leucomalachite green

    PubMed Central

    Singh, Gurmit; Koerner, Terence; Gelinas, Jean-Marc; Abbott, Michael; Brady, Beth; Huet, Anne-Catherine; Charlier, Caroline; Delahaut, Philippe; Godefroy, Samuel Benrejeb

    2011-01-01

    Malachite green (MG), a member of the N-methylated triphenylmethane class of dyes, has long been used to control fungal and protozoan infections in fish. MG is easily absorbed by fish during waterborne exposure and is rapidly metabolized into leucomalachite green (LMG), which is known for its long residence time in edible fish tissue. This paper describes the development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection and quantification of LMG in fish tissue. This development includes a simple and versatile method for the conversion of LMG to monodesmethyl-LMG, which is then conjugated to bovine serum albumin (BSA) to produce an immunogenic material. Rabbit polyclonal antibodies are generated against this immunogen, purified and used to develop a direct competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the screening and quantification of LMG in fish tissue. The assay performed well, with a limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.1 and 0.3 ng g−1 of fish tissue, respectively. The average extraction efficiency from a matrix of tilapia fillets was approximately 73% and the day-to-day reproducibility for these extractions in the assay was between 5 and 10%. PMID:21623496

  18. A HPLC method for the quantification of butyramide and acetamide at ppb levels in hydrogeothermal waters

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gracy Elias; Earl D. Mattson; Jessica E. Little

    A quantitative analytical method to determine butyramide and acetamide concentrations at the low ppb levels in geothermal waters has been developed. The analytes are concentrated in a preparation step by evaporation and analyzed using HPLC-UV. Chromatographic separation is achieved isocratically with a RP C-18 column using a 30 mM phosphate buffer solution with 5 mM heptane sulfonic acid and methanol (98:2 ratio) as the mobile phase. Absorbance is measured at 200 nm. The limit of detection (LOD) for BA and AA were 2.0 {mu}g L{sup -1} and 2.5 {mu}g L{sup -1}, respectively. The limit of quantification (LOQ) for BA andmore » AA were 5.7 {mu}g L{sup -1} and 7.7 {mu}g L{sup -1}, respectively, at the detection wavelength of 200 nm. Attaining these levels of quantification better allows these amides to be used as thermally reactive tracers in low-temperature hydrogeothermal systems.« less

  19. Targeted quantification of low ng/mL level proteins in human serum without immunoaffinity depletion

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Shi, Tujin; Sun, Xuefei; Gao, Yuqian

    2013-07-05

    We recently reported an antibody-free targeted protein quantification strategy, termed high-pressure, high-resolution separations with intelligent selection and multiplexing (PRISM) for achieving significantly enhanced sensitivity using selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mass spectrometry. Integrating PRISM with front-end IgY14 immunoaffinity depletion, sensitive detection of targeted proteins at 50-100 pg/mL levels in human blood plasma/serum was demonstrated. However, immunoaffinity depletion is often associated with undesired losses of target proteins of interest. Herein we report further evaluation of PRISM-SRM quantification of low-abundance serum proteins without immunoaffinity depletion and the multiplexing potential of this technique. Limits of quantification (LOQs) at low ng/mL levels with a medianmore » CV of ~12% were achieved for proteins spiked into human female serum using as little as 2 µL serum. PRISM-SRM provided up to ~1000-fold improvement in the LOQ when compared to conventional SRM measurements. Multiplexing capability of PRISM-SRM was also evaluated by two sets of serum samples with 6 and 21 target peptides spiked at the low attomole/µL levels. The results from SRM measurements for pooled or post-concatenated samples were comparable to those obtained from individual peptide fractions in terms of signal-to-noise ratios and SRM peak area ratios of light to heavy peptides. PRISM-SRM was applied to measure several ng/mL-level endogenous plasma proteins, including prostate-specific antigen, in clinical patient sera where correlation coefficients > 0.99 were observed between the results from PRISM-SRM and ELISA assays. Our results demonstrate that PRISM-SRM can be successfully used for quantification of low-abundance endogenous proteins in highly complex samples. Moderate throughput (50 samples/week) can be achieved by applying the post-concatenation or fraction multiplexing strategies. We anticipate broad applications for targeted PRISM

  20. Development and validation of an LC-MS/MS method for the quantification of tiamulin, trimethoprim, tylosin, sulfadiazine and sulfamethazine in medicated feed.

    PubMed

    Patyra, Ewelina; Nebot, Carolina; Gavilán, Rosa Elvira; Cepeda, Alberto; Kwiatek, Krzysztof

    2018-05-01

    A new multi-compound method for the analysis of veterinary drugs, namely tiamulin, trimethoprim, tylosin, sulfadiazine and sulfamethazine was developed and validated in medicated feeds. After extraction, the samples were centrifuged, diluted in Milli-Q water, filtered and analysed by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. The separation of the analytes was performed on a biphenyl column with a gradient of 0.1% formic acid in acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid in Milli-Q water. Quantitative validation was done in accordance with the guidelines laid down in European Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. Method performances were evaluated by the following parameters: linearity (R 2  < 0.99), precision (repeatability <14% and within-laboratory reproducibility <24%), recovery (73.58-115.21%), sensitivity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), selectivity and expanded measurement uncertainty (k. = 2). The validated method was successfully applied to the 2 medicated feeds obtained from the interlaboratory studies and feed manufactures from Spain in August 2017. In these samples, tiamulin, tylosin and sulfamethazine were detected at the concentration levels declared by the manufacturers. The developed method can therefore be successfully used to routinely control the content and homogeneity of these antibacterial substances in medicated feed. Abbreviations AAFCO - Association of American Feed Control Officials; TYL - tylosin; TIAM - tiamulin fumarate; TRIM - trimethoprim; SDZ - sulfadiazine; SMZ - sulfamethazine; UV - ultraviolet detector; FLD - fluorescence detector; HPLC - high performance liquid chromatography; MS/MS - tandem mass spectrometry; LOD - limit of detection; LOQ - limit of quantification; CV - coefficient of variation; SD - standard deviation; U - uncertainty.

  1. Determination of lipophilic marine toxins in mussels. Quantification and confirmation criteria using high resolution mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Domènech, Albert; Cortés-Francisco, Nuria; Palacios, Oscar; Franco, José M; Riobó, Pilar; Llerena, José J; Vichi, Stefania; Caixach, Josep

    2014-02-07

    A multitoxin method has been developed for quantification and confirmation of lipophilic marine biotoxins in mussels by liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), using an Orbitrap-Exactive HCD mass spectrometer. Okadaic acid (OA), yessotoxin, azaspiracid-1, gymnodimine, 13-desmethyl spirolide C, pectenotoxin-2 and Brevetoxin B were analyzed as representative compounds of each lipophilic toxin group. HRMS identification and confirmation criteria were established. Fragment and isotope ions and ion ratios were studied and evaluated for confirmation purpose. In depth characterization of full scan and fragmentation spectrum of the main toxins were carried out. Accuracy (trueness and precision), linearity, calibration curve check, limit of quantification (LOQ) and specificity were the parameters established for the method validation. The validation was performed at 0.5 times the current European Union permitted levels. The method performed very well for the parameters investigated. The trueness, expressed as recovery, ranged from 80% to 94%, the precision, expressed as intralaboratory reproducibility, ranged from 5% to 22% and the LOQs range from 0.9 to 4.8pg on column. Uncertainty of the method was also estimated for OA, using a certified reference material. A top-down approach considering two main contributions: those arising from the trueness studies and those coming from the precision's determination, was used. An overall expanded uncertainty of 38% was obtained. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Development of an analytical method for the targeted screening and multi-residue quantification of environmental contaminants in urine by liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry for evaluation of human exposures.

    PubMed

    Cortéjade, A; Kiss, A; Cren, C; Vulliet, E; Buleté, A

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study was to develop an analytical method and contribute to the assessment of the Exposome. Thus, a targeted analysis of a wide range of contaminants in contact with humans on daily routines in urine was developed. The method focused on a list of 38 contaminants, including 12 pesticides, one metabolite of pesticide, seven veterinary drugs, five parabens, one UV filter, one plastic additive, two surfactants and nine substances found in different products present in the everyday human environment. These contaminants were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS) with a quadrupole-time-of-flight (QqToF) instrument from a raw urinary matrix. A validation according to the FDA guidelines was employed to evaluate the specificity, linear or quadratic curve fitting, inter- and intra-day precision, accuracy and limits of detection and quantification (LOQ). The developed analysis allows for the quantification of 23 contaminants in the urine samples, with the LOQs ranging between 4.3 ng.mL(-1) and 113.2 ng.mL(-1). This method was applied to 17 urine samples. Among the targeted contaminants, four compounds were detected in samples. One of the contaminants (tributyl phosphate) was detected below the LOQ. The three others (4-hydroxybenzoic acid, sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate and O,O-diethyl thiophosphate potassium) were detected but did not fulfill the validation criteria for quantification. Among these four compounds, two of them were found in all samples: tributyl phosphate and the surfactant sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Quantification of 4'-geranyloxyferulic acid, a new natural colon cancer chemopreventive agent, by HPLC-DAD in grapefruit skin extract.

    PubMed

    Genovese, S; Epifano, F; Carlucci, G; Marcotullio, M C; Curini, M; Locatelli, M

    2010-10-10

    Oxyprenylated natural products (isopentenyloxy-, geranyloxy- and the less spread farnesyloxy-compounds and their biosynthetic derivatives) represent a family of secondary metabolites that have been consider for years merely as biosynthetic intermediates of the most abundant C-prenylated derivatives. Many of the isolated oxyprenylated natural products were shown to exert in vitro and in vivo remarkable anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects. 4'-Geranyloxyferulic acid [3-(4'-geranyloxy-3'-methoxyphenyl)-2-trans-propenoic] has been discovered as a valuable chemopreventive agent of several types of cancer. After development of a high yield and "eco-friendly" synthetic scheme of this secondary metabolite, starting from cheap and non-toxic reagents and substrates, we developed a new HPLC-DAD method for its quantification in grapefruit skin extract. A preliminary study on C18 column showed the separation between GOFA and boropinic acid (having the same core but with an isopentenyloxy side chain), used as internal standard. The tested column were thermostated at 28+/-1 degrees C and the separation was achieved in gradient condition at a flow rate of 1 mL/min with a starting mobile phase of H(2)O:methanol (40:60, v/v, 1% formic acid). The limit of detection (LOD, S/N=3) was 0.5 microg/mL and the limit of quantification (LOQ, S/N=10) was 1 microg/mL. Matrix-matched standard curves showed linearity up to 75 microg/mL. In the analytical range the precision (RSD%) values were LOQ values able to selective quantification of this analyte in grapefruit skin extract.

  4. High sensitivity mass spectrometric quantification of serum growth hormone by amphiphilic peptide conjugation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arsene, Cristian G.; Schulze, Dirk; Kratzsch, Jürgen; Henrion, André

    2012-12-01

    Amphiphilic peptide conjugation affords a significant increase in sensitivity with protein quantification by electrospray-ionization mass spectrometry. This has been demonstrated here for human growth hormone in serum using N-(3-iodopropyl)-N,N,N-dimethyloctylammonium iodide (IPDOA-iodide) as derivatizing reagent. The signal enhancement achieved in comparison to the method without derivatization enables extension of the applicable concentration range down to the very low concentrations as encountered with clinical glucose suppression tests for patients with acromegaly. The method has been validated using a set of serum samples spiked with known amounts of recombinant 22 kDa growth hormone in the range of 0.48 to 7.65 \\mug/L. The coefficient of variation (CV) calculated, based on the deviation of results from the expected concentrations, was 3.5% and the limit of quantification (LoQ) was determined as 0.4 \\mug/L. The potential of the method as a tool in clinical practice has been demonstrated with patient samples of about 1 \\mug/L.

  5. Towards tributyltin quantification in natural water at the Environmental Quality Standard level required by the Water Framework Directive.

    PubMed

    Alasonati, Enrica; Fettig, Ina; Richter, Janine; Philipp, Rosemarie; Milačič, Radmila; Sčančar, Janez; Zuliani, Tea; Tunç, Murat; Bilsel, Mine; Gören, Ahmet Ceyhan; Fisicaro, Paola

    2016-11-01

    The European Union (EU) has included tributyltin (TBT) and its compounds in the list of priority water pollutants. Quality standards demanded by the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) require determination of TBT at so low concentration level that chemical analysis is still difficult and further research is needed to improve the sensitivity, the accuracy and the precision of existing methodologies. Within the frame of a joint research project "Traceable measurements for monitoring critical pollutants under the European Water Framework Directive" in the European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP), four metrological and designated institutes have developed a primary method to quantify TBT in natural water using liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) and species-specific isotope dilution mass spectrometry (SSIDMS). The procedure has been validated at the Environmental Quality Standard (EQS) level (0.2ngL(-1) as cation) and at the WFD-required limit of quantification (LOQ) (0.06ngL(-1) as cation). The LOQ of the methodology was 0.06ngL(-1) and the average measurement uncertainty at the LOQ was 36%, which agreed with WFD requirements. The analytical difficulties of the method, namely the presence of TBT in blanks and the sources of measurement uncertainties, as well as the interlaboratory comparison results are discussed in detail. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Simultaneous quantification and identification of flavonoids, lignans, coumarin and amides in leaves of Zanthoxylum armatum using UPLC-DAD-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS.

    PubMed

    Bhatt, Vinod; Sharma, Sushila; Kumar, Neeraj; Sharma, Upendra; Singh, Bikram

    2017-01-05

    The current study presents isolation and characterization of twelve compounds including catechin (1), isovitexin (2), hesperidin (3), psoralin (4), eudesmin (5), kobusin (6), fargesin (7), sesamin (8), asarinin (9), planispine-A (10), α-sanshool (11) and vitexin (12), from the leaves of Zanthoxylum armatum. Further, two rapid and simple ultra performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (UPLC-DAD) methods were developed for the simultaneous quantitative determination of isolated compounds from Z. armatum leaves. These analytical methods were validated for linearity, precision, accuracy, limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ). The LOD and LOQ were in the range of 0.06-0.21μg/mL and 0.19-0.69μg/mL, respectively. The validated method was linear (R 2 ≥0.9906), precise in terms of peak area (intra-day RSDs <3.8% and inter-day RSDs <2.7%), and accurate (109.6-92.5%). This is the first report on the isolation and quantification of 1, 2, 4 and 12 in Z. armatum and 3 in Zanthoxylum genus. The methods: were successfully applied to assess the quality of samples collected from different locations of Himachal Pradesh during summer and winter season. The results demonstrated that flavonoids and furofuran lignans were the major constituents in Z. armatum leaves. The developed methods: were further applied for tandem electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (UPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS) and total eighteen compounds were identified including phenolic acid, flavonoids, furofuran lignans, coumarin and isobutyl amides. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Powder X-ray diffraction method for the quantification of cocrystals in the crystallization mixture.

    PubMed

    Padrela, Luis; de Azevedo, Edmundo Gomes; Velaga, Sitaram P

    2012-08-01

    The solid state purity of cocrystals critically affects their performance. Thus, it is important to accurately quantify the purity of cocrystals in the final crystallization product. The aim of this study was to develop a powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) quantification method for investigating the purity of cocrystals. The method developed was employed to study the formation of indomethacin-saccharin (IND-SAC) cocrystals by mechanochemical methods. Pure IND-SAC cocrystals were geometrically mixed with 1:1 w/w mixture of indomethacin/saccharin in various proportions. An accurately measured amount (550 mg) of the mixture was used for the PXRD measurements. The most intense, non-overlapping, characteristic diffraction peak of IND-SAC was used to construct the calibration curve in the range 0-100% (w/w). This calibration model was validated and used to monitor the formation of IND-SAC cocrystals by liquid-assisted grinding (LAG). The IND-SAC cocrystal calibration curve showed excellent linearity (R(2) = 0.9996) over the entire concentration range, displaying limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) values of 1.23% (w/w) and 3.74% (w/w), respectively. Validation results showed excellent correlations between actual and predicted concentrations of IND-SAC cocrystals (R(2) = 0.9981). The accuracy and reliability of the PXRD quantification method depend on the methods of sample preparation and handling. The crystallinity of the IND-SAC cocrystals was higher when larger amounts of methanol were used in the LAG method. The PXRD quantification method is suitable and reliable for verifying the purity of cocrystals in the final crystallization product.

  8. Quantification of Triacylglycerol Molecular Species in Edible Fats and Oils by Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionization Detector Using Correction Factors.

    PubMed

    Yoshinaga, Kazuaki; Obi, Junji; Nagai, Toshiharu; Iioka, Hiroyuki; Yoshida, Akihiko; Beppu, Fumiaki; Gotoh, Naohiro

    2017-03-01

    In the present study, the resolution parameters and correction factors (CFs) of triacylglycerol (TAG) standards were estimated by gas chromatography-flame ionization detector (GC-FID) to achieve the precise quantification of the TAG composition in edible fats and oils. Forty seven TAG standards comprising capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, pentadecanoic acid, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, and/or linolenic acid were analyzed, and the CFs of these TAGs were obtained against tripentadecanoyl glycerol as the internal standard. The capillary column was Ultra ALLOY + -65 (30 m × 0.25 mm i.d., 0.10 μm thickness) and the column temperature was programmed to rise from 250°C to 360°C at 4°C/min and then hold for 25 min. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) values of the TAG standards were > 0.10 mg and > 0.32 mg per 100 mg fat and oil, respectively, except for LnLnLn, and the LOD and LOQ values of LnLnLn were 0.55 mg and 1.84 mg per 100 mg fat and oil, respectively. The CFs of TAG standards decreased with increasing total acyl carbon number and degree of desaturation of TAG molecules. Also, there were no remarkable differences in the CFs between TAG positional isomers such as 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-3-stearoyl-rac-glycerol, 1-stearoyl-2-palmitoyl-3-oleoyl-rac-glycerol, and 1-palmitoyl-2-stearoyl-3-oleoyl-rac-glycerol, which cannot be separated by GC-FID. Furthermore, this method was able to predict the CFs of heterogeneous (AAB- and ABC-type) TAGs from the CFs of homogenous (AAA-, BBB-, and CCC-type) TAGs. In addition, the TAG composition in cocoa butter, palm oil, and canola oil was determined using CFs, and the results were found to be in good agreement with those reported in the literature. Therefore, the GC-FID method using CFs can be successfully used for the quantification of TAG molecular species in natural fats and oils.

  9. PCR technology for screening and quantification of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

    PubMed

    Holst-Jensen, Arne; Rønning, Sissel B; Løvseth, Astrid; Berdal, Knut G

    2003-04-01

    Although PCR technology has obvious limitations, the potentially high degree of sensitivity and specificity explains why it has been the first choice of most analytical laboratories interested in detection of genetically modified (GM) organisms (GMOs) and derived materials. Because the products that laboratories receive for analysis are often processed and refined, the quality and quantity of target analyte (e.g. protein or DNA) frequently challenges the sensitivity of any detection method. Among the currently available methods, PCR methods are generally accepted as the most sensitive and reliable methods for detection of GM-derived material in routine applications. The choice of target sequence motif is the single most important factor controlling the specificity of the PCR method. The target sequence is normally a part of the modified gene construct, for example a promoter, a terminator, a gene, or a junction between two of these elements. However, the elements may originate from wildtype organisms, they may be present in more than one GMO, and their copy number may also vary from one GMO to another. They may even be combined in a similar way in more than one GMO. Thus, the choice of method should fit the purpose. Recent developments include event-specific methods, particularly useful for identification and quantification of GM content. Thresholds for labelling are now in place in many countries including those in the European Union. The success of the labelling schemes is dependent upon the efficiency with which GM-derived material can be detected. We will present an overview of currently available PCR methods for screening and quantification of GM-derived DNA, and discuss their applicability and limitations. In addition, we will discuss some of the major challenges related to determination of the limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ), and to validation of methods.

  10. A Limited Survey of Heavy Metal Concentrations in Fresh and Frozen Cuttlefish Ink and Mantle Used As Food.

    PubMed

    Conficoni, Daniele; Alberghini, Leonardo; Bissacco, Elisa; Contiero, Barbara; Giaccone, Valerio

    2018-02-01

    Cuttlefish ink is consumed as a delicacy worldwide. The current study is the first assessment of heavy metal concentrations in cuttlefish ink versus mantle under different storage methods. A total of 212 samples (64 of fresh mantle, 42 of frozen mantle, 64 of fresh ink, and 42 of frozen ink) were analyzed for the detection of the following heavy metals: arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and cadmium (Cd). The median As concentrations were 12.9 mg/kg for fresh mantle, 8.63 mg/kg for frozen mantle, 10.8 mg/kg for frozen ink, and 0.41 mg/kg for fresh ink. The median Cr concentrations were 0.06 mg/kg for fresh mantle and frozen ink, 0.03 mg/kg for frozen mantle, and below the limit of quantification (LOQ) for fresh ink. The median Fe concentrations were 4.08 mg/kg for frozen ink, 1.51 mg/kg for fresh mantle, 0.73 mg/kg for frozen mantle, and below the LOQ for fresh ink. The median Pb concentrations of almost all samples were below the LOQ; only two frozen ink, one fresh ink, one frozen mantle, and one fresh mantle sample exceeded the limit stipulated by the European Union. The Hg concentrations were statistically similar among the four categories of samples; the median Hg concentrations were below the LOQ, and the maximum concentrations were found in frozen ink, at 1.62 mg/kg. The median Cd concentrations were 0.69 mg/kg for frozen ink and 0.11 mg/kg for frozen mantle, fresh mantle and fresh ink concentrations were below the LOQ, and in 11.3% of the tested samples, Cd concentrations were higher than the European Union limit. The probability of samples having a Cd concentration above the legal limit was 35.75 times higher in frozen than in fresh products. Fresh ink had significantly lower concentrations of As, Cr, Fe, and Cd, but the concentrations of Hg and Pb were not significantly different from those of other products. Frozen ink had significantly higher concentrations of Cd, Cr, and Fe, but concentrations of As were lower than those in

  11. Lowering the quantification limit of the QubitTM RNA HS assay using RNA spike-in.

    PubMed

    Li, Xin; Ben-Dov, Iddo Z; Mauro, Maurizio; Williams, Zev

    2015-05-06

    RNA quantification is often a prerequisite for most RNA analyses such as RNA sequencing. However, the relatively low sensitivity and large sample consumption of traditional RNA quantification methods such as UV spectrophotometry and even the much more sensitive fluorescence-based RNA quantification assays, such as the Qubit™ RNA HS Assay, are often inadequate for measuring minute levels of RNA isolated from limited cell and tissue samples and biofluids. Thus, there is a pressing need for a more sensitive method to reliably and robustly detect trace levels of RNA without interference from DNA. To improve the quantification limit of the Qubit™ RNA HS Assay, we spiked-in a known quantity of RNA to achieve the minimum reading required by the assay. Samples containing trace amounts of RNA were then added to the spike-in and measured as a reading increase over RNA spike-in baseline. We determined the accuracy and precision of reading increases between 1 and 20 pg/μL as well as RNA-specificity in this range, and compared to those of RiboGreen(®), another sensitive fluorescence-based RNA quantification assay. We then applied Qubit™ Assay with RNA spike-in to quantify plasma RNA samples. RNA spike-in improved the quantification limit of the Qubit™ RNA HS Assay 5-fold, from 25 pg/μL down to 5 pg/μL while maintaining high specificity to RNA. This enabled quantification of RNA with original concentration as low as 55.6 pg/μL compared to 250 pg/μL for the standard assay and decreased sample consumption from 5 to 1 ng. Plasma RNA samples that were not measurable by the Qubit™ RNA HS Assay were measurable by our modified method. The Qubit™ RNA HS Assay with RNA spike-in is able to quantify RNA with high specificity at 5-fold lower concentration and uses 5-fold less sample quantity than the standard Qubit™ Assay.

  12. [To consider negative viral loads below the limit of quantification can lead to errors in the diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis C virus infection].

    PubMed

    Acero Fernández, Doroteo; Ferri Iglesias, María José; López Nuñez, Carme; Louvrie Freire, René; Aldeguer Manté, Xavier

    2013-01-01

    For years many clinical laboratories have routinely classified undetectable and unquantifiable levels of hepatitis C virus RNA (HCV-RNA) determined by RT-PCR as below limit of quantification (BLOQ). This practice might result in erroneous clinical decisions. To assess the frequency and clinical relevance of assuming that samples that are BLOQ are negative. We performed a retrospective analysis of RNA determinations performed between 2009 and 2011 (Cobas/Taqman, lower LOQ: 15 IU/ml). We distinguished between samples classified as «undetectable» and those classified as «<1.50E+01IU/mL» (BLOQ). We analyzed 2.432 HCV-RNA measurements in 1.371 patients. RNA was BLOQ in 26 samples (1.07%) from 23 patients (1.68%). BLOQ results were highly prevalent among patients receiving Peg-Riba: 23 of 216 samples (10.6%) from 20 of 88 patients receiving treatment (22.7%). The clinical impact of BLOQ RNA samples was as follows: a) 2 patients initially considered to have negative results subsequently showed quantifiable RNA; b) 8 of 9 patients (88.9%) with BLOQ RNA at week 4 of treatment later showed sustained viral response; c) 3 patients with BLOQ RNA at weeks 12 and 48 of treatment relapsed; d) 4 patients with BLOQ RNA at week 24 and/or later had partial or breakthrough treatment responses, and e) in 5 patients the impact were null or could not be ascertained. This study suggests that BLOQ HCV-RNA indicates viremia and that equating a BLOQ result with a negative result can lead to treatment errors. BLOQ results are highly prevalent in on-treatment patients. The results of HCV-RNA quantification should be classified clearly, distinguishing between undetectable levels and levels that are BLOQ. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. and AEEH y AEG. All rights reserved.

  13. An ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the quantification of teicoplanin in plasma of neonates.

    PubMed

    Begou, O; Kontou, A; Raikos, N; Sarafidis, K; Roilides, E; Papadoyannis, I N; Gika, H G

    2017-03-15

    The development and validation of an ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) method was performed with the aim to be applied for the quantification of plasma teicoplanin concentrations in neonates. Pharmacokinetic data of teicoplanin in the neonatal population is very limited, therefore, a sensitive and reliable method for the determination of all isoforms of teicoplanin applied in a low volume of sample is of real importance. Teicoplanin main components were extracted by a simple acetonitrile precipitation step and analysed on a C18 chromatographic column by a triple quadrupole MS with electrospray ionization. The method provides quantitative data over a linear range of 25-6400ng/mL with LOD 8.5ng/mL and LOQ 25ng/mL for total teicoplanin. The method was applied in plasma samples from neonates to support pharmacokinetic data and proved to be a reliable and fast method for the quantification of teicoplanin concentration levels in plasma of infants during therapy in Intensive Care Unit. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Estimation of the quantification uncertainty from flow injection and liquid chromatography transient signals in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Laborda, Francisco; Medrano, Jesús; Castillo, Juan R.

    2004-06-01

    The quality of the quantitative results obtained from transient signals in high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICPMS) and flow injection-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (FI-ICPMS) was investigated under multielement conditions. Quantification methods were based on multiple-point calibration by simple and weighted linear regression, and double-point calibration (measurement of the baseline and one standard). An uncertainty model, which includes the main sources of uncertainty from FI-ICPMS and HPLC-ICPMS (signal measurement, sample flow rate and injection volume), was developed to estimate peak area uncertainties and statistical weights used in weighted linear regression. The behaviour of the ICPMS instrument was characterized in order to be considered in the model, concluding that the instrument works as a concentration detector when it is used to monitorize transient signals from flow injection or chromatographic separations. Proper quantification by the three calibration methods was achieved when compared to reference materials, although the double-point calibration allowed to obtain results of the same quality as the multiple-point calibration, shortening the calibration time. Relative expanded uncertainties ranged from 10-20% for concentrations around the LOQ to 5% for concentrations higher than 100 times the LOQ.

  15. High-performance Thin-layer Chromatography Method Development, Validation, and Simultaneous Quantification of Four Compounds Identified in Standardized Extracts of Orthosiphon stamineus.

    PubMed

    Hashim, Suzana; Beh, Hooi Kheng; Hamil, Mohamad Shahrul Ridzuan; Ismail, Zhari; Majid, Amin Malik Shah Abdul

    2016-01-01

    Orthosiphon stamineus is a medicinal herb widely grown in Southeast Asia and tropical countries. It has been used traditionally as a diuretic, abdominal pain, kidney and bladder inflammation, gout, and hypertension. This study aims to develop and validate the high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) method for quantification of rosmarinic acid (RA), 3'-hydroxy-5,6,7,4'-tetramethoxyflavone (TMF), sinensitin (SIN) and eupatorin (EUP) found in ethanol, 50% ethanol and water extract of O. stamineus leaves. HPTLC method was conducted using an HPTLC system with a developed mobile phase system of toluene: ethyl acetate: formic acid (3:7:0.1) performed on precoated silica gel 60 F254 TLC plates. The method was validated based on linearity, accuracy, precision, limit of detection, limit of quantification (LOQ), and specificity, respectively. The detection of spots was observed at ultraviolet 254 nm and 366 nm. The linearity of RA, TMF, SIN, and EUP were obtained between 10 and 100 ng/spot with high correlation coefficient value (R 2 ) of more than 0.986. The limit of detection was found to be 122.47 ± 3.95 (RA), 43.38 ± 0.79 (SIN), 17.26 ± 1.16 (TMF), and 46.80 ± 1.33 ng/spot (EUP), respectively. Whereas the LOQ was found to be 376.44 ± 6.70 (RA), 131.45 ± 2.39 (SIN), 52.30 ± 2.01 (TMF), and 141.82 ± 1.58 ng/spot (EUP), respectively. The proposed method showed good linearity, precision, accuracy, and high sensitivity. Hence, it may be applied in a routine quantification of RA, SIN, TMF, and EUP found in ethanol, 50% of ethanol and water extract of O. stamineus leaves. HPTLC method provides rapid estimation of the marker compound for routine quality control analysis.The established HPTLC method is rapid for qualitative and quantitative fingerprinting of Orthosiphon stamineus extract used for commercial product.Four identified markers (RA, SIN, EUP and TMF) found in three a different type of O. stamineus extracts specifically ethanol, 50% ethanol and water

  16. A reliable and rapid tool for plasma quantification of 18 psychotropic drugs by ESI tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Vecchione, Gennaro; Casetta, Bruno; Chiapparino, Antonella; Bertolino, Alessandro; Tomaiuolo, Michela; Cappucci, Filomena; Gatta, Raffaella; Margaglione, Maurizio; Grandone, Elvira

    2012-01-01

    A simple liquid chromatographic tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method has been developed for simultaneous analysis of 17 basic and one acid psychotropic drugs in human plasma. The method relies on a protein precipitation step for sample preparation and offers high sensitivity, wide linearity without interferences from endogenous matrix components. Chromatography was run on a reversed-phase column with an acetonitrile-H₂O mixture. The quantification of target compounds was performed in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) and by switching the ionization polarity within the analytical run. A further sensitivity increase was obtained by implementing the functionality "scheduled multiple reaction monitoring" (sMRM) offered by the recent version of the software package managing the instrument. The overall injection interval was less than 5.5 min. Regression coefficients of the calibration curves and limits of quantification (LOQ) showed a good coverage of over-therapeutic, therapeutic and sub-therapeutic ranges. Recovery rates, measured as percentage of recovery of spiked plasma samples, were ≥ 94%. Precision and accuracy data have been satisfactory for a therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) service as for managing plasma samples from patients receiving psycho-pharmacological treatment. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Capillary electrophoresis with contactless conductivity detection for the quantification of fluoride in lithium ion battery electrolytes and in ionic liquids-A comparison to the results gained with a fluoride ion-selective electrode.

    PubMed

    Pyschik, Marcelina; Klein-Hitpaß, Marcel; Girod, Sabrina; Winter, Martin; Nowak, Sascha

    2017-02-01

    In this study, an optimized method using capillary electrophoresis (CE) with a direct contactless conductivity detector (C 4 D) for a new application field is presented for the quantification of fluoride in common used lithium ion battery (LIB) electrolyte using LiPF 6 in organic carbonate solvents and in ionic liquids (ILs) after contacted to Li metal. The method development for finding the right buffer and the suitable CE conditions for the quantification of fluoride was investigated. The results of the concentration of fluoride in different LIB electrolyte samples were compared to the results from the ion-selective electrode (ISE). The relative standard deviations (RSDs) and recovery rates for fluoride were obtained with a very high accuracy in both methods. The results of the fluoride concentration in the LIB electrolytes were in very good agreement for both methods. In addition, the limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) values were determined for the CE method. The CE method has been applied also for the quantification of fluoride in ILs. In the fresh IL sample, the concentration of fluoride was under the LOD. Another sample of the IL mixed with Li metal has been investigated as well. It was possible to quantify the fluoride concentration in this sample. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. Quantification of steroid hormones in human serum by liquid chromatography-high resolution tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Matysik, Silke; Liebisch, Gerhard

    2017-12-01

    A limited specificity is inherent to immunoassays for steroid hormone analysis. To improve selectivity mass spectrometric analysis of steroid hormones by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) has been introduced in the clinical laboratory over the past years usually with low mass resolution triple-quadrupole instruments or more recently by high resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS). Here we introduce liquid chromatography-high resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/HR-MS) to further increase selectivity of steroid hormone quantification. Application of HR-MS demonstrates an enhanced selectivity compared to low mass resolution. Separation of isobaric interferences reduces background noise and avoids overestimation. Samples were prepared by automated liquid-liquid extraction with MTBE. The LC-MS/HR-MS method using a quadrupole-Orbitrap analyzer includes eight steroid hormones i.e. androstenedione, corticosterone, cortisol, cortisone, 11-deoxycortisol, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, progesterone, and testosterone. It has a run-time of 5.3min and was validated according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) guidelines. For most of the analytes coefficient of variation were 10% or lower and LOQs were determined significantly below 1ng/ml. Full product ion spectra including accurate masses substantiate compound identification by matching their masses and ratios with authentic standards. In summary, quantification of steroid hormones by LC-MS/HR-MS is applicable for clinical diagnostics and holds also promise for highly selective quantification of other small molecules. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Simultaneous quantification of coumarins, flavonoids and limonoids in Fructus Citri Sarcodactylis by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detector.

    PubMed

    Chu, Jun; Li, Song-Lin; Yin, Zhi-Qi; Ye, Wen-Cai; Zhang, Qing-Wen

    2012-07-01

    A high performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) method was developed for simultaneous quantification of eleven major bioactive components including six coumarins, three flavonoids and two limonoids in Fructus Citri Sarcodactylis. The analysis was performed on a Cosmosil 5 C(18)-MS-II column (4.6 mm × 250 mm, 5 μm) with water-acetonitrile gradient elution. The method was validated in terms of linearity, sensitivity, precision, stability and accuracy. It was found that the calibration curves for all analytes showed good linearity (R(2)>0.9993) within the test ranges. The overall limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were less than 3.0 and 10.2 ng. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) for intra- and inter-day repeatability were not more than 4.99% and 4.92%, respectively. The sample was stable for at least 48 h. The spike recoveries of eleven components were 95.1-104.9%. The established method was successfully applied to determine eleven components in three samples from different locations. The results showed that the newly developed HPLC-DAD method was linear, sensitive, precise and accurate, and could be used for quality control of Fructus Citri Sarcodactylis. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Identification, characterization, synthesis and HPLC quantification of new process-related impurities and degradation products in retigabine.

    PubMed

    Douša, Michal; Srbek, Jan; Rádl, Stanislav; Cerný, Josef; Klecán, Ondřej; Havlíček, Jaroslav; Tkadlecová, Marcela; Pekárek, Tomáš; Gibala, Petr; Nováková, Lucie

    2014-06-01

    Two new impurities were described and determined using gradient HPLC method with UV detection in retigabine (RET). Using LC-HRMS, NMR and IR analysis the impurities were identified as RET-dimer I: diethyl {4,4'-diamino-6,6'-bis[(4-fluorobenzyl)amino]biphenyl-3,3'-diyl}biscarbamate and RET-dimer II: ethyl {2-amino-5-[{2-amino-4-[(4-fluorobenzyl) amino] phenyl} (ethoxycarbonyl) amino]-4-[(4-fluorobenzyl)amino] phenyl}carbamate. Reference standards of these impurities were synthesized followed by semipreparative HPLC purification. The mechanism of the formation of these impurities is also discussed. An HPLC method was optimized in order to separate, selectively detect and quantify all process-related impurities and degradation products of RET. The presented method, which was validated in terms of linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ) and selectivity is very quick (less than 11min including re-equilibration time) and therefore highly suitable for routine analysis of RET related substances as well as stability studies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. UV/Visible Spectroscopic Quantification of Veterinary Anthelmintic Drug Oxfendazole in Pharmaceuticals

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rajendraprasad, N.; Basavaiah, K.

    2016-07-01

    Oxfendazole (OFA) is a broad spectrum benzimidazole anthelmintic medication used to treat veterinary diseases. Two new, simple, rapid, precise and accurate, and sensitive spectrophotometric methods have been developed and validated for the assay of OFA in its pure form and in its boluses. The first method (method A) is based on the measurement of green colored manganate obtained due to oxidation of OFA by permanganate in an alkaline medium at 610 nm. In the second method (Method B), the chromophoric activity of OFA is measured at 290 nm in the acetic acid-water (1:1) solvent system. OFA has been quantified over the linear ranges of 1.25-12.5 and 1.25-10 μg/mL in method A and method B, respectively, with apparent molar absorptivity values of 2.54 × 104 and 2.13 × 104 L·mol-1·cm-1. The limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), and Sandell sensitivity values are 0.15 u 0.18 μg/mL, 0.46 and 0.56 μg/mL, and 0.0124 and 0.0148 μg/cm2. The developed methods were successfully applied to determine OFA in the bolus. No interference from adjuvants was observed.

  2. HPLC-ELSD Quantification and Centrifugal Partition Chromatography Isolation of 8-O-Acetylharpagide from Oxera coronata (Lamiaceae).

    PubMed

    Remeur, Camille; Le Borgne, Erell; Gauthier, Léa; Grougnet, Raphaël; Deguin, Brigitte; Poullain, Cyril; Litaudon, Marc

    2017-05-01

    Iridoid glycosides possess highly functionalised monoterpenoid aglycon with several contiguous stereocentres. For the most common, they are often present in quantities reaching several percentage of the fresh plant weight, and thus they may be regarded as starting material for the synthesis of a number of new chiral and bioactive molecules. To quantify and to isolate 8-O-acetylharpagide (AH) from several extracts of Oxera coronata R.P.J. de Kok, a Lamiaceae species endemic to New Caledonia, using HPLC-ELSD (evaporative light scattering detector) and centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC). Oxera coronata produces high amounts of AH in leaves, twigs and fruits. Water and methanol extracts of these plant parts were prepared. The content of AH in each extract was quantified by HPLC-ELSD, using acetonitrile-water (+0.1% formic acid) gradient elution. The HPLC method was validated for precision, linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ) and accuracy. A ternary solvent system ethyl acetate/n-propanol/water (3:2:5, v/v/v) was selected and applied to recover the target compound using Spot CPC from the leaves aqueous extract. HPLC-ELSD analysis followed by CPC purification led to the efficient isolation of AH from O. coronata leaves aqueous extract. HPLC-ELSD has proven to be a well-adapted detection and quantification method for iridoid glycosides, while CPC confirmed to be an efficient technique for the isolation of polar compounds. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  3. Asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation hyphenated to Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry for the determination of (functionalised) aqueous fullerene aggregates.

    PubMed

    Herrero, P; Bäuerlein, P S; Emke, E; Pocurull, E; de Voogt, P

    2014-08-22

    In this short communication we report on the technical implementations of coupling an asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) instrument to a high resolution mass spectrometer (Orbitrap) using an atmospheric photoionisation interface. This will allow for the first time online identification of different fullerenes in aqueous samples after their aggregates have been fractionated in the FFF channel. Quality parameters such as limits of detection (LODs), limits of quantification (LOQs) or linear range were evaluated and they were in the range of hundreds ng/L for LODs and LOQs and the detector response was linear in the range tested (up to ∼20 μg/L). The low detection and quantification limits make this technique useful for future environmental or ecotoxicology studies in which low concentration levels are expected for fullerenes and common on-line detectors such as UV or MALS do not have enough sensitivity and selectivity. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Development and validation of a gas chromatography/ion trap-mass spectrometry method for simultaneous quantification of cocaine and its metabolites benzoylecgonine and norcocaine: application to the study of cocaine metabolism in human primary cultured renal cells.

    PubMed

    Valente, Maria João; Carvalho, Félix; Bastos, M Lourdes; Carvalho, Márcia; de Pinho, Paula Guedes

    2010-11-15

    Acute renal failure is a common finding in cocaine abusers. While cocaine metabolism may contribute to its nephrotoxic mechanisms, its pharmacokinetics in kidney cells is hitherto to be clarified. Primary cultures of human proximal tubular cells (HPTCs) provide a well-characterized in vitro model, phenotypically representative of HPTCs in vivo. Thus, the present work describes the first sensitive gas chromatography/ion trap-mass spectrometry (GC/IT-MS) method for measurement of cocaine and its metabolites benzoylecgonine (BE) and norcocaine (NCOC) using a primary culture of HPTCs as cellular matrix, following solid phase extraction (SPE) and derivatization with N-methyl-N-(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (MSTFA). The application of this methodology also enables the identification of two other cocaine metabolites: ecgonine methyl ester (EME) and anhydroecgonine methyl ester (AEME). The validation of the method was performed through the evaluation of selectivity, linearity, precision and accuracy, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantification (LOQ). Its applicability was demonstrated through the quantification of cocaine, BE and NCOC in primary cultured HPTCs after incubation, at physiological conditions, with 1 mM cocaine for 72 h. The developed GC/IT-MS method was found to be linear (r² > 0.99). The intra-day precision varied between 3.6% and 13.5% and the values of accuracy between 92.7% and 111.9%. The LOD values for cocaine, BE and NCOC were 0.97±0.09, 0.40±0.04 and 20.89±1.81 ng/mL, respectively, and 3.24±0.30, 1.34±0.14 and 69.62±6.05 ng/mL as LOQ values. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. A fluorescent-based HPLC assay for quantification of cysteine and cysteamine adducts in Escherichia coli-derived proteins.

    PubMed

    Soriano, Brian D; Tam, Lei-Ting T; Lu, Hsieng S; Valladares, Violeta G

    2012-01-01

    Recombinant proteins expressed in Escherichia coli are often produced as unfolded, inactive forms accumulated in inclusion bodies. Redox-coupled thiols are typically employed in the refolding process in order to catalyze the formation of correct disulfide bonds at maximal folding efficiency. These thiols and the recombinant proteins can form mixed disulfide bonds to generate thiol-protein adducts. In this work, we apply a fluorescent-based assay for the quantification of cysteine and cysteamine adducts as observed in E. coli-derived proteins. The thiols are released by reduction of the adducted protein, collected and labeled with a fluorescent reagent, 6-aminoquinolyl-N-hydroxysuccinimidyl carbamate. The derivatized thiols are separated by reversed-phase HPLC and can be accurately quantified after method optimization. The estimated thiol content represents total amount of adducted forms present in the analyzed samples. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was established; specifically, the lowest amount of quantifiable cysteine adduction is 30 picograms and the lowest amount of quantifiable cysteamine adduction is 60 picograms. The assay is useful for quantification of adducts in final purified products as well as in-process samples from various purification steps. The assay indicates that the purification process accomplishes a decrease in cysteine adduction from 0.19 nmol adduct/nmol protein to 0.03 nmol adduct/nmol protein as well as a decrease in cysteamine adduction from 0.24 nmol adduct/nmol protein to 0.14 nmol adduct/nmol protein. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  6. A rapid and accurate quantification method for real-time dynamic analysis of cellular lipids during microalgal fermentation processes in Chlorella protothecoides with low field nuclear magnetic resonance.

    PubMed

    Wang, Tao; Liu, Tingting; Wang, Zejian; Tian, Xiwei; Yang, Yi; Guo, Meijin; Chu, Ju; Zhuang, Yingping

    2016-05-01

    The rapid and real-time lipid determination can provide valuable information on process regulation and optimization in the algal lipid mass production. In this study, a rapid, accurate and precise quantification method of in vivo cellular lipids of Chlorella protothecoides using low field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) was newly developed. LF-NMR was extremely sensitive to the algal lipids with the limits of the detection (LOD) of 0.0026g and 0.32g/L in dry lipid samples and algal broth, respectively, as well as limits of quantification (LOQ) of 0.0093g and 1.18g/L. Moreover, the LF-NMR signal was specifically proportional to the cellular lipids of C. protothecoides, thus the superior regression curves existing in a wide detection range from 0.02 to 0.42g for dry lipids and from 1.12 to 8.97gL(-1) of lipid concentration for in vivo lipid quantification were obtained with all R(2) higher than 0.99, irrespective of the lipid content and fatty acids profile variations. The accuracy of this novel method was further verified to be reliable by comparing lipid quantification results to those obtained by GC-MS. And the relative standard deviation (RSD) of LF-NMR results were smaller than 2%, suggesting the precision of this method. Finally, this method was successfully used in the on-line lipid monitoring during the algal lipid fermentation processes, making it possible for better understanding of the lipid accumulation mechanism and dynamic bioprocess control. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Rapid Development and Validation of Improved Reversed-Phase High-performance Liquid Chromatography Method for the Quantification of Mangiferin, a Polyphenol Xanthone Glycoside in Mangifera indica

    PubMed Central

    Naveen, P.; Lingaraju, H. B.; Prasad, K. Shyam

    2017-01-01

    Conference on Harmonization guidelines. This study proved that the developed assay by HPLC method is a simple, rapid and reliable for the quantification of the mangiferin from M. indica. Abbreviations Used: M. indica: Mangifera indica, RP-HPLC: Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, M/Z: Mass to charge ratio, ICH: International conference on harmonization, % RSD: Percentage of relative standard deviation, ppm: Parts per million, LOD: Limit of detection, LOQ: Limit of quantification. PMID:28539748

  8. Rapid Development and Validation of Improved Reversed-Phase High-performance Liquid Chromatography Method for the Quantification of Mangiferin, a Polyphenol Xanthone Glycoside in Mangifera indica.

    PubMed

    Naveen, P; Lingaraju, H B; Prasad, K Shyam

    2017-01-01

    Conference on Harmonization guidelines. This study proved that the developed assay by HPLC method is a simple, rapid and reliable for the quantification of the mangiferin from M. indica . Abbreviations Used: M. indica : Mangifera indica , RP-HPLC: Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, M/Z: Mass to charge ratio, ICH: International conference on harmonization, % RSD: Percentage of relative standard deviation, ppm: Parts per million, LOD: Limit of detection, LOQ: Limit of quantification.

  9. High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) for the simultaneous quantification of the cyclic lipopeptides Surfactin, Iturin A and Fengycin in culture samples of Bacillus species.

    PubMed

    Geissler, Mareen; Oellig, Claudia; Moss, Karin; Schwack, Wolfgang; Henkel, Marius; Hausmann, Rudolf

    2017-02-15

    A high-performance thin-layer chromatography method has been established for the identification and simultaneous quantification of the cyclic lipopeptides Surfactin, Iturin A and Fengycin in Bacillus culture samples. B. subtilis DSM 10 T , B. amyloliquefaciens DSM 7 T and B. methylotrophicus DSM 23117 were used as model strains. Culture samples indicated that a sample pretreatment is necessary in order to run HPTLC analyses. A threefold extraction of the cell-free broth with the solvent chloroform/methanol (2:1, v/v) gave best results, when all three lipopeptides were included in the analysis. For the mobile phase, a two-step development was considered most suitable. The first development is conducted with chloroform/methanol/water (65:25:4, v/v/v) over a migration distance of 60mm and the second development using butanol/ethanol/0.1% acetic acid (1:4:1, v/v/v) over a migration distance of 60mm, as well. The method was validated according to Validation of Analytical Procedures: Methodology (FDA Guidance) with respect to the parameters linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), precision, accuracy and recovery rate. A linear range with R 2 >0.99 was obtained for all samples from 30ng/zone up to 600ng/zone. The results indicated that quantification of Surfactin has to be performed after the first development (hR F =44), while Fengycin is quantified after the second development (hR F =36, hR F range=20-40). For Iturin A, the results demonstrated that quantification is in favor after the first (hR F =19) development, but also possible after the second (hR F =59) development. LOD and LOQ for Surfactin and Iturin A after the first development, and Fengycin after the second development were determined to be 16ng/zone and 47ng/zone, 13ng/zone and 39ng/zone, and 27ng/zone and 82ng/zone, respectively. Results further revealed the highly accurate and precise character of the developed method with a good inter- and intraday reproducibility. For the

  10. Simultaneous quantification of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, 11-hydroxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, and 11-nor-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid in human plasma using two-dimensional gas chromatography, cryofocusing, and electron impact-mass spectrometry

    PubMed Central

    Lowe, Ross H.; Karschner, Erin L.; Schwilke, Eugene W.; Barnes, Allan J.; Huestis, Marilyn A.

    2009-01-01

    A two-dimensional (2D) gas chromatography/electron impact-mass spectrometry (GC/EI-MS) method for simultaneous quantification of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), 11-hydroxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (11-OH-THC), and 11-nor-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid (THCCOOH) in human plasma was developed and validated. The method employs 2D capillary GC and cryofocusing for enhanced resolution and sensitivity. THC, 11-OH-THC, and THCCOOH were extracted by precipitation with acetonitrile followed by solid-phase extraction. GC separation of trimethylsilyl derivatives of analytes was accomplished with two capillary columns in series coupled via a pneumatic Deans switch system. Detection and quantification were accomplished with a bench-top single quadrupole mass spectrometer operated in electron impact-selected ion monitoring mode. Limits of quantification (LOQ) were 0.125, 0.25 and 0.125 ng/mL for THC, 11-OH-THC, and THCCOOH, respectively. Accuracy ranged from 86.0 to 113.0% for all analytes. Intra- and inter-assay precision, as percent relative standard deviation, was less than 14.1% for THC, 11-OH-THC, and THCCOOH. The method was successfully applied to quantification of THC and its 11-OH-THC and THCCOOH metabolites in plasma specimens following controlled administration of THC. PMID:17640656

  11. Enzymatic digestion and selective quantification of underivatised delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cocaine in human hair using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Breidi, Salah Eddine; Barker, James; Petróczi, Andrea; Naughton, Declan P

    2012-01-01

    Gas chromatography-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) methods for drug analysis routinely employ derivatising reagents. The aim of this paper was to develop a method for the analysis of two recreational drugs, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ(9)-THC) and cocaine in hair samples using GC-MS, without prior derivatisation, thus allowing the sample to be reanalysed in its original form. An enzymatic digestion technique was also developed. Ten hair samples, that were known positive for either Δ(9)-THC and/or cocaine, were enzymatically digested, extracted, and then analysed by GC-MS. All samples measured contained Δ(9)-THC and one sample contained cocaine. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were 0.02 ng/mg and 0.05 ng/mg, respectively, for cocaine and 0.015 ng/mg and 0.02 ng/mg, respectively, for Δ(9)-THC. The wide detection window, ease of direct analysis by GC-MS, lower detection limits of underivatised samples, and the stability of drugs using this technique may offer an improved method of analysis.

  12. Enzymatic Digestion and Selective Quantification of Underivatised Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cocaine in Human Hair Using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

    PubMed Central

    Breidi, Salah Eddine; Barker, James; Petróczi, Andrea; Naughton, Declan P.

    2012-01-01

    Gas chromatography-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) methods for drug analysis routinely employ derivatising reagents. The aim of this paper was to develop a method for the analysis of two recreational drugs, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and cocaine in hair samples using GC-MS, without prior derivatisation, thus allowing the sample to be reanalysed in its original form. An enzymatic digestion technique was also developed. Ten hair samples, that were known positive for either Δ9-THC and/or cocaine, were enzymatically digested, extracted, and then analysed by GC-MS. All samples measured contained Δ9-THC and one sample contained cocaine. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were 0.02 ng/mg and 0.05 ng/mg, respectively, for cocaine and 0.015 ng/mg and 0.02 ng/mg, respectively, for Δ9-THC. The wide detection window, ease of direct analysis by GC-MS, lower detection limits of underivatised samples, and the stability of drugs using this technique may offer an improved method of analysis. PMID:22567573

  13. Quantitative Proteomics via High Resolution MS Quantification: Capabilities and Limitations

    PubMed Central

    Higgs, Richard E.; Butler, Jon P.; Han, Bomie; Knierman, Michael D.

    2013-01-01

    Recent improvements in the mass accuracy and resolution of mass spectrometers have led to renewed interest in label-free quantification using data from the primary mass spectrum (MS1) acquired from data-dependent proteomics experiments. The capacity for higher specificity quantification of peptides from samples enriched for proteins of biological interest offers distinct advantages for hypothesis generating experiments relative to immunoassay detection methods or prespecified peptide ions measured by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) approaches. Here we describe an evaluation of different methods to post-process peptide level quantification information to support protein level inference. We characterize the methods by examining their ability to recover a known dilution of a standard protein in background matrices of varying complexity. Additionally, the MS1 quantification results are compared to a standard, targeted, MRM approach on the same samples under equivalent instrument conditions. We show the existence of multiple peptides with MS1 quantification sensitivity similar to the best MRM peptides for each of the background matrices studied. Based on these results we provide recommendations on preferred approaches to leveraging quantitative measurements of multiple peptides to improve protein level inference. PMID:23710359

  14. Simultaneous Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry Quantification of Urinary Opiates, Cocaine, and Metabolites in Opiate-Dependent Pregnant Women in Methadone-Maintenance Treatment

    PubMed Central

    Shakleya, Diaa M.; Dams, Riet; Choo, Robin E.; Jones, Hendree; Huestis, Marilyn A.

    2011-01-01

    Opiates, cocaine, and metabolites were quantified by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) in 284 urine specimens, collected thrice weekly, to monitor possible drug relapse in 15 pregnant heroin-dependent women. Opiates were detected in 149 urine specimens (52%) with limits of quantification (LOQ) of 10–50 μg/L. Morphine, morphine-3-glucuronide, and/or morphine-6-glucuronide were positive in 121 specimens; 6-acetylmorphine, a biomarker of heroin ingestion, was quantifiable in only 7. No heroin, 6-acetylcodeine, papaverine, or noscapine were detected. One hundred and sixty-five urine specimens (58%) from all 15 participants were positive for one or more cocaine analytes (LOQ 10–100 μg/L). Ecgonine methylester (EME) and/or benzoylecgonine were the major cocaine biomarkers in 142. Anhydroecgonine methylester, a biomarker of smoked cocaine, was positive in six; cocaethylene and/or ecgonine ethylester, biomarkers of cocaine and ethanol co-ingestion, were found in 25. At the current Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration cutoffs for total morphine (2000 μg/L), codeine (2000 μg/L), 6-acetylmorphine (10 μg/L), and benzoylecgonine (100 μg/L), 16 opiate- and 29 cocaine-positive specimens were identified. Considering 100 μg/L EME as an additional urinary cocaine biomarker would identify 51 more positive cocaine specimens. Of interest is the differential pattern of opiate and cocaine biomarkers observed after LC–MS as compared to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis. PMID:20109298

  15. High Performance Thin layer Chromatography: Densitometry Method for Determination of Rubraxanthone in the Stem Bark Extract of Garcinia cowa Roxb.

    PubMed

    Hamidi, Dachriyanus; Aulia, Hilyatul; Susanti, Meri

    2017-01-01

    Garcinia cowa is a medicinal plant widely grown in Southeast Asia and tropical countries. Various parts of this plant have been used in traditional folk medicine. The bark, latex, and root have been used as an antipyretic agent, while fruit and leaves have been used as an expectorant, for indigestion and improvement of blood circulation. This study aims to determine the concentration of rubraxanthone found in ethyl acetate extract of the stem bark of G. cowa by the high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC). HPTLC method was performed on precoated silica gel G 60 F254 plates using an HPTLC system with a developed mobile-phase system of chloroform: ethyl acetate: methanol: formic acid (86:6:3:5). A volume of 5 μL of standard and sample solutions was applied to the chromatographic plates. The plates were developed in saturated mode of twin trough chamber at room temperature. The method was validated based on linearity, accuracy, precision, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), and specificity. The spots were observed at ultraviolet 243 nm. The linearity of rubraxanthone was obtained between 52.5 and 157.5 ppm/spot. The LOD and LOQ were found to be 4.03 and 13.42 ppm/spot, respectively. The proposed method showed good linearity, precision, accuracy, and high sensitivity. Therefore, it may be applied for the quantification of rubraxanthone in ethyl acetate extract of the stem bark of G. cowa . High performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) method provides rapid qualitative and quantitative estimation of rubraxanthone as a marker com¬pound in G. cowa extract used for commercial productRubraxanthone found in ethyl acetate extracts of G. cowa was successfully quantified using HPTLC method. Abbreviations Used : TLC: Thin-layer chromatography, HPTLC: High-performance thin-layer chromatography, LOD: Limit of detection, LOQ: Limit of quantification, ICH: International Conference on Harmonization.

  16. A new validated analytical method for the determination of tributyltin in water samples at the quantification level set by the European Union.

    PubMed

    Devos, Christophe; David, Frank; Sandra, Pat

    2012-10-26

    According to recent directives of the European Union (EU), limits of quantification (LOQ) for the determination of tributyltin (TBT) in surface waters should be ca. 60 pg/L (ppq). This put very stringent requirements on analytical methodologies; definitely when they have to be applied in a routine environment. Stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE), followed by thermal desorption (TD) and capillary gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) can provide accurate and precise data at the 2 ng/L level (ppt). For lower concentrations, matrix and reagent interferences together with contamination may provide too high TBT values. A two-dimensional heart-cut GC method was developed to fractionate TBT from interferences. The GC-GC-MS/MS method shows excellent linearity in the range 50 pg/L-4 ng/L, good repeatability (RSD<20% at 200 pg/L), and a limit of detection of 11 pg/L. The method performance is demonstrated with representative samples i.e. harbor water and waste water samples. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. High-throughput quantification for a drug mixture in rat plasma-a comparison of Ultra Performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry with high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Yu, Kate; Little, David; Plumb, Rob; Smith, Brian

    2006-01-01

    A quantitative Ultra Performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UPL/MS/MS) protocol was developed for a five-compound mixture in rat plasma. A similar high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS/MS) quantification protocol was developed for comparison purposes. Among the five test compounds, three preferred positive electrospray ionization (ESI) and two preferred negative ESI. As a result, both UPLC/MS/MS and HPLC/MS/MS analyses were performed by having the mass spectrometer collecting ESI multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) data in both positive and negative ion modes during a single injection. Peak widths for most standards were 4.8 s for the HPLC analysis and 2.4 s for the UPLC analysis. There were 17 to 20 data points obtained for each of the LC peaks. Compared with the HPLC/MS/MS method, the UPLC/MS/MS method offered 3-fold decrease in retention time, up to 10-fold increase in detected peak height, with 2-fold decrease in peak width. Limits of quantification (LOQs) for both HPLC and UPLC methods were evaluated. For UPLC/MS/MS analysis, a linear range up to four orders of magnitude was obtained with r2 values ranging from 0.991 to 0.998. The LOQs for the five analytes ranged from 0.08 to 9.85 ng/mL. Three levels of quality control (QC) samples were analyzed. For the UPLC/MS/MS protocol, the percent relative standard deviation (RSD%) for low QC (2 ng/mL) ranged from 3.42 to 8.67% (N = 18). The carryover of the UPLC/MS/MS protocol was negligible and the robustness of the UPLC/MS/MS system was evaluated with up to 963 QC injections. Copyright 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  18. Optimized, Fast-Throughput UHPLC-DAD Based Method for Carotenoid Quantification in Spinach, Serum, Chylomicrons, and Feces.

    PubMed

    Eriksen, Jane N; Madsen, Pia L; Dragsted, Lars O; Arrigoni, Eva

    2017-02-01

    An improved UHPLC-DAD-based method was developed and validated for quantification of major carotenoids present in spinach, serum, chylomicrons, and feces. Separation was achieved with gradient elution within 12.5 min for six dietary carotenoids and the internal standard, echinenone. The proposed method provides, for all standard components, resolution > 1.1, linearity covering the target range (R > 0.99), LOQ < 0.035 mg/L, and intraday and interday RSDs < 2 and 10%, respectively. Suitability of the method was tested on biological matrices. Method precision (RSD%) for carotenoid quantification in serum, chylomicrons, and feces was below 10% for intra- and interday analysis, except for lycopene. Method accuracy was consistent with mean recoveries ranging from 78.8 to 96.9% and from 57.2 to 96.9% for all carotenoids, except for lycopene, in serum and feces, respectively. Additionally, an interlaboratory validation study on spinach at two institutions showed no significant differences in lutein or β-carotene content, when evaluated on four occasions.

  19. Rapid analysis of cyclamate in foods and beverages by gas chromatography-electron capture detector (GC-ECD).

    PubMed

    Yu, Shengbing; Zhu, Binghui; Lv, Fen; Li, Shaoxiao; Huang, Weixiong

    2012-10-15

    A rapid method for determination of sodium cyclamate in foods and beverages was developed. Sodium cyclamate was converted to N,N-dichloridecyclohexylamine by reaction with sodium hypochlorite under acid condition. N,N-dichloridecyclohexylamine was subsequently extracted by n-hexane and determined by gas chromatography. Conditions such as derivatization time, the concentration of sodium hypochlorite and sulphuric acid were optimised. Amino acids, aliphatic amines, and food additives such as preservatives, dyes and sweeteners showed no interference for quantification of cyclamate. The correlation coefficient of calibration curve was 0.9993 in the range of 5.0-250mg/L. The limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ) were calculated as three or ten times the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N), respectively. The LOD and LOQ for yellow wine and fruit juice were 0.05 and 0.2mg/L, respectively. The LOD and LOQ for cake and preserved fruit were 0.25 and 0.8mg/kg, respectively. The intra-day and inter-day RSD were 0.28% and 1.1% (n=5), respectively. The method was successfully applied for determination of cyclamate in yellow wine, cake, fruit juice and preserved fruit. This method was simple, fast, and sensitive. It was suitable for the determination of cyclamate in foods and beverages for safety and quality control inspections. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Development, validation, and uncertainty measurement of multi-residue analysis of organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticides using pressurized liquid extraction and dispersive-SPE techniques.

    PubMed

    Sanyal, Doyeli; Rani, Anita; Alam, Samsul; Gujral, Seema; Gupta, Ruchi

    2011-11-01

    Simple and efficient multi-residue analytical methods were developed and validated for the determination of 13 organochlorine and 17 organophosphorous pesticides from soil, spinach and eggplant. Techniques namely accelerated solvent extraction and dispersive SPE were used for sample preparations. The recovery studies were carried out by spiking the samples at three concentration levels (1 limit of quantification (LOQ), 5 LOQ, and 10 LOQ). The methods were subjected to a thorough validation procedure. The mean recovery for soil, spinach and eggplant were in the range of 70-120% with median CV (%) below 10%. The total uncertainty was evaluated taking four main independent sources viz., weighing, purity of the standard, GC calibration curve and repeatability under consideration. The expanded uncertainty was well below 10% for most of the pesticides and the rest fell in the range of 10-20%.

  1. Quantification of Inflammasome Adaptor Protein ASC in Biological Samples by Multiple-Reaction Monitoring Mass Spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Ulke-Lemée, Annegret; Lau, Arthur; Nelson, Michelle C; James, Matthew T; Muruve, Daniel A; MacDonald, Justin A

    2018-06-09

    Inflammation is an integral component of many diseases, including chronic kidney disease (CKD). ASC (apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing CARD, also PYCARD) is the key inflammasome adaptor protein in the innate immune response. Since ASC specks, a macromolecular condensate of ASC protein, can be released by inflammasome-activated cells into the extracellular space to amplify inflammatory responses, the ASC protein could be an important biomarker in diagnostic applications. Herein, we describe the development and validation of a multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry (MRM-MS) assay for the accurate quantification of ASC in human biospecimens. Limits of detection and quantification for the signature DLLLQALR peptide (used as surrogate for the target ASC protein) were determined by the method of standard addition using synthetic isotope-labeled internal standard (SIS) peptide and urine matrix from a healthy donor (LOQ was 8.25 pM, with a ~ 1000-fold linear range). We further quantified ASC in the urine of CKD patients (8.4 ± 1.3 ng ASC/ml urine, n = 13). ASC was positively correlated with proteinuria and urinary IL-18 in CKD samples but not with urinary creatinine. Unfortunately, the ASC protein is susceptible to degradation, and patient urine that was thawed and refrozen lost 85% of the ASC signal. In summary, the MRM-MS assay provides a robust means to quantify ASC in biological samples, including clinical biospecimens; however, sample collection and storage conditions will have a critical impact on assay reliability.

  2. A novel fluorescence-based assay for the rapid detection and quantification of cellular deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates

    PubMed Central

    Wilson, Peter M.; LaBonte, Melissa J.; Russell, Jared; Louie, Stan; Ghobrial, Andrew A.; Ladner, Robert D.

    2011-01-01

    Current methods for measuring deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) employ reagent and labor-intensive assays utilizing radioisotopes in DNA polymerase-based assays and/or chromatography-based approaches. We have developed a rapid and sensitive 96-well fluorescence-based assay to quantify cellular dNTPs utilizing a standard real-time PCR thermocycler. This assay relies on the principle that incorporation of a limiting dNTP is required for primer-extension and Taq polymerase-mediated 5–3′ exonuclease hydrolysis of a dual-quenched fluorophore-labeled probe resulting in fluorescence. The concentration of limiting dNTP is directly proportional to the fluorescence generated. The assay demonstrated excellent linearity (R2 > 0.99) and can be modified to detect between ∼0.5 and 100 pmol of dNTP. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) for all dNTPs were defined as <0.77 and <1.3 pmol, respectively. The intra-assay and inter-assay variation coefficients were determined to be <4.6% and <10%, respectively with an accuracy of 100 ± 15% for all dNTPs. The assay quantified intracellular dNTPs with similar results obtained from a validated LC–MS/MS approach and successfully measured quantitative differences in dNTP pools in human cancer cells treated with inhibitors of thymidylate metabolism. This assay has important application in research that investigates the influence of pathological conditions or pharmacological agents on dNTP biosynthesis and regulation. PMID:21576234

  3. Development of an Ion-Pairing Reagent and HPLC-UV Method for the Detection and Quantification of Six Water-Soluble Vitamins in Animal Feed.

    PubMed

    Kim, Ho Jin

    2016-01-01

    A novel and simple method for detecting six water-soluble vitamins in animal feed using high performance liquid chromatography equipped with a photodiode array detector (HPLC/PDA) and ion-pairing reagent was developed. The chromatographic peaks of the six water-soluble vitamins were successfully identified by comparing their retention times and UV spectra with reference standards. The mobile phase was composed of buffers A (5 mM PICB-6 in 0.1% CH3COOH) and B (5 mM PICB-6 in 65% methanol). All peaks were detected using a wavelength of 270 nm. Method validation was performed in terms of linearity, sensitivity, selectivity, accuracy, and precision. The limits of detection (LODs) for the instrument employed in these experiments ranged from 25 to 197 μg/kg, and the limits of quantification (LOQs) ranged from 84 to 658 μg/kg. Average recoveries of the six water-soluble vitamins ranged from 82.3% to 98.9%. Method replication resulted in intraday and interday peak area variation of <5.6%. The developed method was specific and reliable and is therefore suitable for the routine analysis of water-soluble vitamins in animal feed.

  4. Straightforward analytical method to determine opium alkaloids in poppy seeds and bakery products.

    PubMed

    López, Patricia; Pereboom-de Fauw, Diana P K H; Mulder, Patrick P J; Spanjer, Martien; de Stoppelaar, Joyce; Mol, Hans G J; de Nijs, Monique

    2018-03-01

    A straightforward method to determine the content of six opium alkaloids (morphine, codeine, thebaine, noscapine, papaverine and narceine) in poppy seeds and bakery products was developed and validated down to a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.1mg/kg. The method was based on extraction with acetonitrile/water/formic acid, ten-fold dilution and analysis by LC-MS/MS using a pH 10 carbonate buffer. The method was applied for the analysis of 41 samples collected in 2015 in the Netherlands and Germany. All samples contained morphine ranging from 0.2 to 240mg/kg. The levels of codeine and thebaine ranged from below LOQ to 348mg/kg and from below LOQ to 106mg/kg, respectively. Sixty percent of the samples exceeded the guidance reference value of 4mg/kg of morphine set by BfR in Germany, whereas 25% of the samples did not comply with the limits set for morphine, codeine, thebaine and noscapine by Hungarian legislation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Data representing two separate LC-MS methods for detection and quantification of water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins in tears and blood serum.

    PubMed

    Khaksari, Maryam; Mazzoleni, Lynn R; Ruan, Chunhai; Kennedy, Robert T; Minerick, Adrienne R

    2017-04-01

    Two separate liquid chromatography (LC)-mass spectrometry (MS) methods were developed for determination and quantification of water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins in human tear and blood serum samples. The water-soluble vitamin method was originally developed to detect vitamins B 1 , B 2 , B 3 (nicotinamide), B 5 , B 6 (pyridoxine), B 7 , B 9 and B 12 while the fat-soluble vitamin method detected vitamins A, D 3 , 25(OH)D 3, E and K 1 . These methods were then validated with tear and blood serum samples. In this data in brief article, we provide details on the two LC-MS methods development, methods sensitivity, as well as precision and accuracy for determination of vitamins in human tears and blood serum. These methods were then used to determine the vitamin concentrations in infant and parent samples under a clinical study which were reported in "Determination of Water-Soluble and Fat-Soluble Vitamins in Tears and Blood Serum of Infants and Parents by Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry DOI:10.1016/j.exer.2016.12.007 [1]". This article provides more details on comparison of vitamin concentrations in the samples with the ranges reported in the literature along with the medically accepted normal ranges. The details on concentrations below the limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ) are also discussed. Vitamin concentrations were also compared and cross-correlated with clinical data and nutritional information. Significant differences and strongly correlated data were reported in [1]. This article provides comprehensive details on the data with slight differences or slight correlations.

  6. A comparison of the extraction procedures and quantification methods for the chromatographic determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in charcoal grilled meat and fish.

    PubMed

    Viegas, O; Novo, P; Pinho, O; Ferreira, I M P L V O

    2012-01-15

    A method for analysis of 15 PAHs in charcoal-grilled meat/fish was established by high performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection. Gradient elution was performed with methanol/water/ethyl acetate. Maxima excitation and emission wavelengths were selected for each PAH. Retention times were very stable with coefficients of variation below 0.24% within analytical day and below 0.60% across analytical days. Two different methods of cleanup and pre-concentration steps were compared. Solvent extraction assisted by sonication carried out with n-hexane on 2g of lyophilized meat or 1g of lyophilized fish allowed to obtain high sensitivity, reproducibility and better extraction efficiency. Limits of quantification (LOQs, s/n=10) were lower than 0.01ng/g of meat wet weight and lower than 0.02ng/g of fish wet weight for all PAHs (except for Na, Fl and IP that were lower than 0.1ng/g). Two different quantification methods were compared. Standard addition method compensated PAHs losses due to incomplete extraction and it is recommended for analyses of grilled meat and fish samples that usually contain very low amounts of the eight high molecular weight PAHs (BaA, Ch, BbF, BkF, BaP, IP, BgP, DhA). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Simultaneous quantification of monoamine neurotransmitters and their biogenic metabolites intracellularly and extracellularly in primary neuronal cell cultures and in sub-regions of guinea pig brain.

    PubMed

    Schou-Pedersen, Anne Marie V; Hansen, Stine N; Tveden-Nyborg, Pernille; Lykkesfeldt, Jens

    2016-08-15

    In the present paper, we describe a validated chromatographic method for the simultaneous quantification of monoamine neurotransmitters and their biogenic metabolites intracellularly and extracellularly in primary neuronal cell culture and in sub-regions of the guinea pig brain. Electrochemical detection provided limits of quantifications (LOQs) between 3.6 and 12nM. Within the linear range, obtained recoveries were from 90.9±9.9 to 120±14% and intra-day and inter-day precisions found to be less than 5.5% and 12%, respectively. The analytical method was applicable for quantification of intracellular and extracellular amounts of monoamine neurotransmitters and their metabolites in guinea pig frontal cortex and hippocampal primary neuronal cell cultures. Noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin were found to be in a range from 0.31 to 1.7pmol per 2 million cells intracellularly, but only the biogenic metabolites could be detected extracellularly. Distinct differences in monoamine concentrations were observed when comparing concentrations in guinea pig frontal cortex and cerebellum tissue with higher amounts of dopamine and its metabolites, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovanillic acid in frontal cortex, as compared to cerebellum. The chemical turnover in frontal cortex tissue of guinea pig was for serotonin successfully predicted from the turnover observed in the frontal cortex cell culture. In conclusion, the present analytical method shows high precision, accuracy and sensitivity and is broadly applicable to monoamine measurements in cell cultures as well as brain biopsies from animal models used in preclinical neurochemistry. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Development and validation of a selective, sensitive and stability indicating UPLC-MS/MS method for rapid, simultaneous determination of six process related impurities in darunavir drug substance.

    PubMed

    A, Vijaya Bhaskar Reddy; Yusop, Zulkifli; Jaafar, Jafariah; Aris, Azmi B; Majid, Zaiton A; Umar, Khalid; Talib, Juhaizah

    2016-09-05

    In this study a sensitive and selective gradient reverse phase UPLC-MS/MS method was developed for the simultaneous determination of six process related impurities viz., Imp-I, Imp-II, Imp-III, Imp-IV, Imp-V and Imp-VI in darunavir. The chromatographic separation was performed on Acquity UPLC BEH C18 (50 mm×2.1mm, 1.7μm) column using gradient elution of acetonitrile-methanol (80:20, v/v) and 5.0mM ammonium acetate containing 0.01% formic acid at a flow rate of 0.4mL/min. Both negative and positive electrospray ionization (ESI) modes were operated simultaneously using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) for the quantification of all six impurities in darunavir. The developed method was fully validated following ICH guidelines with respect to specificity, linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), accuracy, precision, robustness and sample solution stability. The method was able to quantitate Imp-I, Imp-IV, Imp-V at 0.3ppm and Imp-II, Imp-III, and Imp-VI at 0.2ppm with respect to 5.0mg/mL of darunavir. The calibration curves showed good linearity over the concentration range of LOQ to 250% for all six impurities. The correlation coefficient obtained was >0.9989 in all the cases. The accuracy of the method lies between 89.90% and 104.60% for all six impurities. Finally, the method has been successfully applied for three formulation batches of darunavir to determine the above mentioned impurities, however no impurity was found beyond the LOQ. This method is a good quality control tool for the trace level quantification of six process related impurities in darunavir during its synthesis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Dissipation and residues of emamectin benzoate in cabbage.

    PubMed

    Liu, Shuaigang; Zhang, Fengzu; Wang, Lei; Pan, Canping

    2012-09-01

    Emamectin benzoate residue dynamics and final residues in supervised field trials at GAP conditions were studied. An HPLC-MS analytical method for the determination of emamectin benzoate in cabbage and soil was developed. The recoveries of emamectin benzoate on cabbage and soil were observed from 71% to 102% at fortification levels of 0.01, 0.1 and 1.0 mg/kg. The reported limit of quantification (LOQ) was found to be 0.01 mg/kg. The dissipation experiments showed the half-lives (T(1/2)) of emamectin benzoate was around 1 days. At pre-harvest intervals (PHI) of 7 and 12 days, emamectin benzoate residue was observed to be below the LOQ.

  10. Determination of the designer drugs 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxyethylamphetamine, and 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine with HPLC and fluorescence detection in whole blood, serum, vitreous humor, and urine.

    PubMed

    Clauwaert, K M; Van Bocxlaer, J F; De Letter, E A; Van Calenbergh, S; Lambert, W E; De Leenheer, A P

    2000-12-01

    The popular designer drugs 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and 3, 4-methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA) can be determined in serum, whole blood, and urine, but also in vitreous humor. The latter matrix is interesting when dealing with decomposed bodies in a toxicological setting. After extraction, chromatographic separation was achieved on a narrow-bore C(18) column by gradient elution with fluorometric detection; results were confirmed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The method was linear over the range of 2-1000 microg/L for whole blood, serum, and vitreous humor, and 0.1-5 mg/L for urine. Extraction recoveries were >70%, imprecision (CV) was 2.5-19%, and analytical recoveries were 95.5-104.4%. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.8 and 2 microg/L, respectively, for whole blood, serum, and vitreous humor, and 2.5 microg/L and 0.1 mg/L, respectively, for urine. Excellent correlations between the quantitative LC-fluorescence and LC-MS/MS results were obtained. We found the following concentrations in a thanatochemical distribution study in rabbits: in serum, 5.3-685 microg/L for MDMA and from the LOQ to 14.5 microg/L for 3, 4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA); in whole blood, 19.7-710 microg/L for MDMA and from the LOQ to 17.8 microg/L for MDA; in vitreous humor, 12.1-97.8 microg/L for MDMA and from the LOQ to 3.86 microg/L for MDA. In routine toxicological urine samples, concentrations ranged from LOQ to 14.62 mg/L for MDA, from LOQ to 157 mg/L for MDMA, and from LOQ to 32.54 mg/L for MDEA. The HPLC method described is sensitive, specific, and suitable for the determination of MDMA, MDEA, and MDA in whole blood, serum, vitreous humor, and urine.

  11. Methods for the analysis of organophosphorus flame retardants-Comparison of GC-EI-MS, GC-NCI-MS, LC-ESI-MS/MS, and LC-APCI-MS/MS.

    PubMed

    Tokumura, Masahiro; Miyake, Yuichi; Wang, Qi; Nakayama, Hayato; Amagai, Takashi; Ogo, Sayaka; Kume, Kazunari; Kobayashi, Takeshi; Takasu, Shinji; Ogawa, Kumiko

    2018-04-16

    Organophosphorus flame retardants (PFRs) are extensively used as alternatives to banned polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD). In this study, we analyzed 14 PFRs by means of four mass-spectrometry-based methods: gas chromatography combined with electron-impact mass spectrometry (GC-EI-MS) or negative-chemical-ionization mass spectrometry (GC-NCI-MS) and liquid chromatography combined with tandem mass spectrometry using electrospray ionization (LC-ESI-MS/MS) or atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (LC-APCI-MS/MS). The limits of quantification (LOQs) for LC-ESI-MS/MS and LC-APCI-MS/MS (0.81-970 pg) were 1-2 orders of magnitude lower than the LOQs for GC-EI-MS and GC-NCI-MS (2.3-3900 pg). LC-APCI-MS/MS showed the lowest LOQs (mean = 41 pg; median = 3.4 pg) for all but two of the PFRs targeted in this study. For LC-APCI-MS/MS, the lowest LOQ was observed for tributyl phosphate (TBP) (0.81 pg), and the highest was observed for tris(butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP) (36 pg). The results of this study indicate that LC-APCI-MS/MS is the optimum analytical method for the target PFRs, at least in terms of LOQ.

  12. An event-specific method for the detection and quantification of ML01, a genetically modified Saccharomyces cerevisiae wine strain, using quantitative PCR.

    PubMed

    Vaudano, Enrico; Costantini, Antonella; Garcia-Moruno, Emilia

    2016-10-03

    The availability of genetically modified (GM) yeasts for winemaking and, in particular, transgenic strains based on the integration of genetic constructs deriving from other organisms into the genome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, has been a reality for several years. Despite this, their use is only authorized in a few countries and limited to two strains: ML01, able to convert malic acid into lactic acid during alcoholic fermentation, and ECMo01 suitable for reducing the risk of carbamate production. In this work we propose a quali-quantitative culture-independent method for the detection of GM yeast ML01 in commercial preparations of ADY (Active Dry Yeast) consisting of efficient extraction of DNA and qPCR (quantitative PCR) analysis based on event-specific assay targeting MLC (malolactic cassette), and a taxon-specific S. cerevisiae assay detecting the MRP2 gene. The ADY DNA extraction methodology has been shown to provide good purity DNA suitable for subsequent qPCR. The MLC and MRP2 qPCR assay showed characteristics of specificity, dynamic range, limit of quantification (LOQ) limit of detection (LOD), precision and trueness, which were fully compliant with international reference guidelines. The method has been shown to reliably detect 0.005% (mass/mass) of GM ML01 S. cerevisiae in commercial preparations of ADY. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Digital Protocol for Chemical Analysis at Ultralow Concentrations by Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering.

    PubMed

    de Albuquerque, Carlos Diego L; Sobral-Filho, Regivaldo G; Poppi, Ronei J; Brolo, Alexandre G

    2018-01-16

    Single molecule surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SM-SERS) has the potential to revolutionize quantitative analysis at ultralow concentrations (less than 1 nM). However, there are no established protocols to generalize the application of this technique in analytical chemistry. Here, a protocol for quantification at ultralow concentrations using SM-SERS is proposed. The approach aims to take advantage of the stochastic nature of the single-molecule regime to achieved lower limits of quantification (LOQ). Two emerging contaminants commonly found in aquatic environments, enrofloxacin (ENRO) and ciprofloxacin (CIPRO), were chosen as nonresonant molecular probes. The methodology involves a multivariate resolution curve fitting known as non-negative matrix factorization with alternating least-squares algorithm (NMF-ALS) to solve spectral overlaps. The key element of the quantification is to realize that, under SM-SERS conditions, the Raman intensity generated by a molecule adsorbed on a "hotspot" can be digitalized. Therefore, the number of SERS event counts (rather than SERS intensities) was shown to be proportional to the solution concentration. This allowed the determination of both ENRO and CIPRO with high accuracy and precision even at ultralow concentrations regime. The LOQ for both ENRO and CIPRO were achieved at 2.8 pM. The digital SERS protocol, suggested here, is a roadmap for the implementation of SM-SERS as a routine tool for quantification at ultralow concentrations.

  14. Analytical Performance of a Multiplex Real-Time PCR Assay Using TaqMan Probes for Quantification of Trypanosoma cruzi Satellite DNA in Blood Samples

    PubMed Central

    Abate, Teresa; Cayo, Nelly M.; Parrado, Rudy; Bello, Zoraida Diaz; Velazquez, Elsa; Muñoz-Calderon, Arturo; Juiz, Natalia A.; Basile, Joaquín; Garcia, Lineth; Riarte, Adelina; Nasser, Julio R.; Ocampo, Susana B.; Yadon, Zaida E.; Torrico, Faustino; de Noya, Belkisyole Alarcón; Ribeiro, Isabela; Schijman, Alejandro G.

    2013-01-01

    Background The analytical validation of sensitive, accurate and standardized Real-Time PCR methods for Trypanosoma cruzi quantification is crucial to provide a reliable laboratory tool for diagnosis of recent infections as well as for monitoring treatment efficacy. Methods/Principal Findings We have standardized and validated a multiplex Real-Time quantitative PCR assay (qPCR) based on TaqMan technology, aiming to quantify T. cruzi satellite DNA as well as an internal amplification control (IAC) in a single-tube reaction. IAC amplification allows rule out false negative PCR results due to inhibitory substances or loss of DNA during sample processing. The assay has a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.70 parasite equivalents/mL and a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 1.53 parasite equivalents/mL starting from non-boiled Guanidine EDTA blood spiked with T. cruzi CL-Brener stock. The method was evaluated with blood samples collected from Chagas disease patients experiencing different clinical stages and epidemiological scenarios: 1- Sixteen Venezuelan patients from an outbreak of oral transmission, 2- Sixty three Bolivian patients suffering chronic Chagas disease, 3- Thirty four Argentinean cases with chronic Chagas disease, 4- Twenty seven newborns to seropositive mothers, 5- A seronegative receptor who got infected after transplantation with a cadaveric kidney explanted from an infected subject. Conclusions/Significance The performing parameters of this assay encourage its application to early assessment of T. cruzi infection in cases in which serological methods are not informative, such as recent infections by oral contamination or congenital transmission or after transplantation with organs from seropositive donors, as well as for monitoring Chagas disease patients under etiological treatment. PMID:23350002

  15. Comparison of NIR chemical imaging with conventional NIR, Raman and ATR-IR spectroscopy for quantification of furosemide crystal polymorphs in ternary powder mixtures.

    PubMed

    Schönbichler, S A; Bittner, L K H; Weiss, A K H; Griesser, U J; Pallua, J D; Huck, C W

    2013-08-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of near-infrared chemical imaging (NIR-CI), near-infrared (NIR), Raman and attenuated-total-reflectance infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy to quantify three polymorphic forms (I, II, III) of furosemide in ternary powder mixtures. For this purpose, partial least-squares (PLS) regression models were developed, and different data preprocessing algorithms such as normalization, standard normal variate (SNV), multiplicative scatter correction (MSC) and 1st to 3rd derivatives were applied to reduce the influence of systematic disturbances. The performance of the methods was evaluated by comparison of the standard error of cross-validation (SECV), R(2), and the ratio performance deviation (RPD). Limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ) of all methods were determined. For NIR-CI, a SECVcorr-spec and a SECVsingle-pixel corrected were calculated to assess the loss of accuracy by taking advantage of the spatial information. NIR-CI showed a SECVcorr-spec (SECVsingle-pixel corrected) of 2.82% (3.71%), 3.49% (4.65%), and 4.10% (5.06%) for form I, II, III. NIR had a SECV of 2.98%, 3.62%, and 2.75%, and Raman reached 3.25%, 3.08%, and 3.18%. The SECV of the ATR-IR models were 7.46%, 7.18%, and 12.08%. This study proves that NIR-CI, NIR, and Raman are well suited to quantify forms I-III of furosemide in ternary mixtures. Because of the pressure-dependent conversion of form II to form I, ATR-IR was found to be less appropriate for an accurate quantification of the mixtures. In this study, the capability of NIR-CI for the quantification of polymorphic ternary mixtures was compared with conventional spectroscopic techniques for the first time. For this purpose, a new way of spectra selection was chosen, and two kinds of SECVs were calculated to achieve a better comparability of NIR-CI to NIR, Raman, and ATR-IR. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Itô-SDE MCMC method for Bayesian characterization of errors associated with data limitations in stochastic expansion methods for uncertainty quantification

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arnst, M.; Abello Álvarez, B.; Ponthot, J.-P.; Boman, R.

    2017-11-01

    This paper is concerned with the characterization and the propagation of errors associated with data limitations in polynomial-chaos-based stochastic methods for uncertainty quantification. Such an issue can arise in uncertainty quantification when only a limited amount of data is available. When the available information does not suffice to accurately determine the probability distributions that must be assigned to the uncertain variables, the Bayesian method for assigning these probability distributions becomes attractive because it allows the stochastic model to account explicitly for insufficiency of the available information. In previous work, such applications of the Bayesian method had already been implemented by using the Metropolis-Hastings and Gibbs Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods. In this paper, we present an alternative implementation, which uses an alternative MCMC method built around an Itô stochastic differential equation (SDE) that is ergodic for the Bayesian posterior. We draw together from the mathematics literature a number of formal properties of this Itô SDE that lend support to its use in the implementation of the Bayesian method, and we describe its discretization, including the choice of the free parameters, by using the implicit Euler method. We demonstrate the proposed methodology on a problem of uncertainty quantification in a complex nonlinear engineering application relevant to metal forming.

  17. Quantification and characterization of alkaloids from roots of Rauwolfia serpentina using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-photo diode array-mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Sagi, Satyanarayanaraju; Avula, Bharathi; Wang, Yan-Hong; Khan, Ikhlas A

    2016-01-01

    A new UHPLC-UV method has been developed for the simultaneous analysis of seven alkaloids [ajmaline (1), yohimbine (2), corynanthine (3), ajmalicine (4), serpentine (5), serpentinine (6), and reserpine (7)] from the root samples of Rauwolfia serpentina (L.) Benth. ex Kurz. The chromatographic separation was achieved using a reversed phase C18 column with a mobile phase of water and acetonitrile, both containing 0.05% formic acid. The seven compounds were completely separated within 8 min at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min with a 2-μL injection volume. The method is validated for linearity, accuracy, repeatability, limits of detection (LOD), and limits of quantification (LOQ). Seven plant samples and 21 dietary supplements claiming to contain Rauwolfia roots were analyzed and content of total alkaloids (1-7) varied, namely, 1.57-12.1 mg/g dry plant material and 0.0-4.5 mg/day, respectively. The results indicated that commercial products are of variable quality. The developed analytical method is simple, economic, fast, and suitable for quality control analysis of Rauwolfia samples and commercial products. The UHPLC-QToF-mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization (ESI) interface method is described for the confirmation and characterization of alkaloids from plant samples. This method involved the detection of [M + H](+) or M(+) ions in the positive mode.

  18. Lesion Quantification in Dual-Modality Mammotomography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Heng; Zheng, Yibin; More, Mitali J.; Goodale, Patricia J.; Williams, Mark B.

    2007-02-01

    This paper describes a novel x-ray/SPECT dual modality breast imaging system that provides 3D structural and functional information. While only a limited number of views on one side of the breast can be acquired due to mechanical and time constraints, we developed a technique to compensate for the limited angle artifact in reconstruction images and accurately estimate both the lesion size and radioactivity concentration. Various angular sampling strategies were evaluated using both simulated and experimental data. It was demonstrated that quantification of lesion size to an accuracy of 10% and quantification of radioactivity to an accuracy of 20% are feasible from limited-angle data acquired with clinically practical dosage and acquisition time

  19. Complete automation of solid-phase extraction with subsequent liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for the quantification of benzoylecgonine, m-hydroxybenzoylecgonine, p-hydroxybenzoylecgonine, and norbenzoylecgonine in urine--application to a high-throughput urine analysis laboratory.

    PubMed

    Robandt, Paul P; Reda, Louis J; Klette, Kevin L

    2008-10-01

    A fully automated system utilizing a liquid handler and an online solid-phase extraction (SPE) device coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) was designed to process, detect, and quantify benzoylecgonine (BZE), meta-hydroxybenzoylecgonine (m-OH BZE), para-hydroxybenzoylecgonine (p-OH BZE), and norbenzoylecgonine (nor-BZE) metabolites in human urine. The method was linear for BZE, m-OH BZE, and p-OH BZE from 1.2 to 10,000 ng/mL with limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of 1.2 ng/mL. Nor-BZE was linear from 5 to 10,000 ng/mL with an LOD and LOQ of 1.2 and 5 ng/mL, respectively. The intrarun precision measured as the coefficient of variation of 10 replicates of a 100 ng/mL control was less than 2.6%, and the interrun precision for 5 replicates of the same control across 8 batches was less than 4.8% for all analytes. No assay interference was noted from controls containing cocaine, cocaethylene, and ecgonine methyl ester. Excellent data concordance (R2 > 0.994) was found for direct comparison of the automated SPE-LC-MS-MS procedure and an existing gas chromatography-MS procedure using 94 human urine samples previously determined to be positive for BZE. The automated specimen handling and SPE procedure, when compared to the traditional extraction schema, eliminates the human factors of specimen handling, processing, extraction, and derivatization, thereby reducing labor costs and rework resulting from batch handling issues, and may reduce the number of fume hoods required in the laboratory.

  20. [Determination of triclosan and triclocarban in human breast milk by solid-phase extraction and ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry].

    PubMed

    Zhang, Pin; Zhang, Jing; Shi, Ying; Shao, Bing

    2015-03-01

    An analytical method was developed to simultaneously detect triclosan (TCS) and triclocarban (TCC) in human breast milk using solid-phase extraction (SPE) with ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). Samples were extracted by acetonitrile and purified with C -18 SPE cartridge after enzymolysis with β-glucuronidase/arylsulfatase. The chromatographic separation was performed on a Waters ACQUITY UPLC™ HSS T3 column (100 mm x 2. 1 mm, 1. 8 µm) with gradient elution using methanol and water at a flow rate of 0. 3 ml/min. The target analytes were assayed by triple quadrupole mass spectrometer operating in the negative ion mode. Quantification was performed by isotopic internal standard calibration. Satisfactory linearity (r2 > 0. 999) was obtained over the range of 0. 2 - 20. 0 µg/L and 0. 02 - 2. 0 µg/L for triclosan and triclocarban, respectively, with the limits of quantifications (LOQs) of 0. 41 and 0. 03 µg/kg. Average recoveries of two target compounds (spiked at three concentration levels) ranged from 100. 2% to 119. 3%, with the relative standard deviations (RSDs) between 5. 91% and 11. 31% (n =6). Twenty-five real samples (n = 25) were detected containing TCS and TCC at concentrations of < LOQ - 0. 77 µg/kg and < LOQ - 4. 28 µg/kg, respectively. Due to its high sensitivity and good reproductivity, this method can be applied to analyze TCS and TCC in human breast milk.

  1. Validated spectrofluorimetric method for the determination of tamsulosin in spiked human urine, pure and pharmaceutical preparations.

    PubMed

    Karasakal, A; Ulu, S T

    2014-05-01

    A novel, sensitive and selective spectrofluorimetric method was developed for the determination of tamsulosin in spiked human urine and pharmaceutical preparations. The proposed method is based on the reaction of tamsulosin with 1-dimethylaminonaphthalene-5-sulfonyl chloride in carbonate buffer pH 10.5 to yield a highly fluorescent derivative. The described method was validated and the analytical parameters of linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), accuracy, precision, recovery and robustness were evaluated. The proposed method showed a linear dependence of the fluorescence intensity on drug concentration over the range 1.22 × 10(-7) to 7.35 × 10(-6)  M. LOD and LOQ were calculated as 1.07 × 10(-7) and 3.23 × 10(-7)  M, respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of tamsulosin in pharmaceutical preparations and the obtained results were in good agreement with those obtained using the reference method. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. Dissipation rate study and pre-harvest intervals calculation of imidacloprid and oxamyl in exported Egyptian green beans and chili peppers after pestigation treatment.

    PubMed

    Hanafi, Ahmad; Dasenaki, Marilena; Bletsou, Anna; Thomaidis, Nikolaos S

    2018-02-01

    Two QuEChERS-based methods were developed and validated, using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric detection, in order to accurately determine residues of imidacloprid and oxamyl in green beans and chili peppers after treatment via irrigation system under field conditions in Egyptian farms. The validation included experiments for specificity, linearity, trueness, precision, matrix effect and limits of detection and quantification according to European Commission standards. The dissipation rates of both pesticides in green beans and chili peppers were studied and the pre-harvest intervals (PHIs) were calculated. The LOQ values of imidacloprid were 0.47 and 2.6μg/kg in green beans and chili peppers, respectively, while for oxamyl the LOQs were 2.9 and 0.67μg/kg, respectively. No PHI of imidacloprid is required, while for oxamyl it was found that still after 21days, its residues' concentration on both crops was significantly higher than the maximum residue limit. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Validation of a thin-layer chromatography for the determination of hydrocortisone acetate and lidocaine in a pharmaceutical preparation.

    PubMed

    Dołowy, Małgorzata; Kulpińska-Kucia, Katarzyna; Pyka, Alina

    2014-01-01

    A new specific, precise, accurate, and robust TLC-densitometry has been developed for the simultaneous determination of hydrocortisone acetate and lidocaine hydrochloride in combined pharmaceutical formulation. The chromatographic analysis was carried out using a mobile phase consisting of chloroform+acetone+ammonia (25%) in volume composition 8:2:0.1 and silica gel 60F254 plates. Densitometric detection was performed in UV at wavelengths 200 nm and 250 nm, respectively, for lidocaine hydrochloride and hydrocortisone acetate. The validation of the proposed method was performed in terms of specificity, linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), precision, accuracy, and robustness. The applied TLC procedure is linear in hydrocortisone acetate concentration range of 3.75÷12.50  μg·spot(-1), and from 1.00÷2.50  μg·spot(-1) for lidocaine hydrochloride. The developed method was found to be accurate (the value of the coefficient of variation CV [%] is less than 3%), precise (CV [%] is less than 2%), specific, and robust. LOQ of hydrocortisone acetate is 0.198  μg·spot(-1) and LOD is 0.066  μg·spot(-1). LOQ and LOD values for lidocaine hydrochloride are 0.270 and 0.090  μg·spot(-1), respectively. The assay value of both bioactive substances is consistent with the limits recommended by Pharmacopoeia.

  4. Dried blood spot assay for the quantification of phenytoin using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Villanelli, Fabio; Giocaliere, Elisa; Malvagia, Sabrina; Rosati, Anna; Forni, Giulia; Funghini, Silvia; Shokry, Engy; Ombrone, Daniela; Della Bona, Maria Luisa; Guerrini, Renzo; la Marca, Giancarlo

    2015-02-02

    Phenytoin (PHT) is one of the most commonly used anticonvulsant drugs for the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorders. The large amount of plasma required by conventional methods for drug quantification makes mass spectrometry combined with dried blood spot (DBS) sampling crucial for pediatric patients where therapeutic drug monitoring or pharmacokinetic studies may be difficult to realize. DBS represents a new convenient sampling support requiring minimally invasive blood drawing and providing long-term stability of samples and less expensive shipment and storage. The aim of this study was to develop a LC-MS/MS method for the quantification of PHT on DBS. This analytical method was validated and gave good linearity (r(2)=0.999) in the range of 0-100mg/l. LOQ and LOD were 1.0mg/l and 0.3mg/l, respectively. The drug extraction from paper was performed in a few minutes using a mixture composed of organic solvent for 80%. The recovery ranged from 85 to 90%; PHT in DBS showed to be stable at different storage temperatures for one month. A good correlation was also obtained between PHT plasma and DBS concentrations. This method is both precise and accurate and appears to be particularly suitable to monitor treatment with a simple and convenient sample collection procedure. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Quantitative determination of rocuronium in human plasma by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Farenc, C; Enjalbal, C; Sanchez, P; Bressolle, F; Audran, M; Martinez, J; Aubagnac, J L

    2001-02-23

    Liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS) was used for the quantification of the neuromuscular blocking agent rocuronium in human plasma. Verapamil was used as internal standard. The samples were subjected to a dichloromethane liquid-liquid extraction after ion pairing of the positively charged ammonium compound with iodide prior to LC-MS. Optimized conditions involved separation on a Symmetry Shield RP-18 column (50 x 2.1 mm, 3.5 microm) using a 15-min gradient from 10 to 90% acetonitrile in water containing 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid at 250 microl/min. Linear detector responses for standards were observed from 25 to 2,000 ng/ml. The extraction recovery averaged 59% for rocuronium and 83% for the internal standard. The limit of quantification (LOQ), using 500 microl of plasma, was 25 ng/ml. Precision ranged from 1.3 to 19% (LOQ), and accuracy was between 92 and 112%. In plasma samples, at 20 and 4 degrees C, rocuronium was stable at physiological pH for 4 h; frozen at -30 degrees C it was stable for at least 75 days. The method was found suitable for the analysis of samples collected during pharmacokinetic investigations in humans.

  6. One Novel Multiple-Target Plasmid Reference Molecule Targeting Eight Genetically Modified Canola Events for Genetically Modified Canola Detection.

    PubMed

    Li, Zhuqing; Li, Xiang; Wang, Canhua; Song, Guiwen; Pi, Liqun; Zheng, Lan; Zhang, Dabing; Yang, Litao

    2017-09-27

    Multiple-target plasmid DNA reference materials have been generated and utilized as good substitutes of matrix-based reference materials in the analysis of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Herein, we report the construction of one multiple-target plasmid reference molecule, pCAN, which harbors eight GM canola event-specific sequences (RF1, RF2, MS1, MS8, Topas 19/2, Oxy235, RT73, and T45) and a partial sequence of the canola endogenous reference gene PEP. The applicability of this plasmid reference material in qualitative and quantitative PCR assays of the eight GM canola events was evaluated, including the analysis of specificity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), and performance of pCAN in the analysis of various canola samples, etc. The LODs are 15 copies for RF2, MS1, and RT73 assays using pCAN as the calibrator and 10 genome copies for the other events. The LOQ in each event-specific real-time PCR assay is 20 copies. In quantitative real-time PCR analysis, the PCR efficiencies of all event-specific and PEP assays are between 91% and 97%, and the squared regression coefficients (R 2 ) are all higher than 0.99. The quantification bias values varied from 0.47% to 20.68% with relative standard deviation (RSD) from 1.06% to 24.61% in the quantification of simulated samples. Furthermore, 10 practical canola samples sampled from imported shipments in the port of Shanghai, China, were analyzed employing pCAN as the calibrator, and the results were comparable with those assays using commercial certified materials as the calibrator. Concluding from these results, we believe that this newly developed pCAN plasmid is one good candidate for being a plasmid DNA reference material in the detection and quantification of the eight GM canola events in routine analysis.

  7. Uncertainty Quantification given Discontinuous Climate Model Response and a Limited Number of Model Runs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sargsyan, K.; Safta, C.; Debusschere, B.; Najm, H.

    2010-12-01

    Uncertainty quantification in complex climate models is challenged by the sparsity of available climate model predictions due to the high computational cost of model runs. Another feature that prevents classical uncertainty analysis from being readily applicable is bifurcative behavior in climate model response with respect to certain input parameters. A typical example is the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. The predicted maximum overturning stream function exhibits discontinuity across a curve in the space of two uncertain parameters, namely climate sensitivity and CO2 forcing. We outline a methodology for uncertainty quantification given discontinuous model response and a limited number of model runs. Our approach is two-fold. First we detect the discontinuity with Bayesian inference, thus obtaining a probabilistic representation of the discontinuity curve shape and location for arbitrarily distributed input parameter values. Then, we construct spectral representations of uncertainty, using Polynomial Chaos (PC) expansions on either side of the discontinuity curve, leading to an averaged-PC representation of the forward model that allows efficient uncertainty quantification. The approach is enabled by a Rosenblatt transformation that maps each side of the discontinuity to regular domains where desirable orthogonality properties for the spectral bases hold. We obtain PC modes by either orthogonal projection or Bayesian inference, and argue for a hybrid approach that targets a balance between the accuracy provided by the orthogonal projection and the flexibility provided by the Bayesian inference - where the latter allows obtaining reasonable expansions without extra forward model runs. The model output, and its associated uncertainty at specific design points, are then computed by taking an ensemble average over PC expansions corresponding to possible realizations of the discontinuity curve. The methodology is tested on synthetic examples of

  8. Quality survey of natural mineral water and spring water sold in France: Monitoring of hormones, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, perfluoroalkyl substances, phthalates, and alkylphenols at the ultra-trace level.

    PubMed

    Le Coadou, Laurine; Le Ménach, Karyn; Labadie, Pierre; Dévier, Marie-Hélène; Pardon, Patrick; Augagneur, Sylvie; Budzinski, Hélène

    2017-12-15

    The aim of the present study, one of the most complete ever performed in France, was to carry out an extensive survey on the potential presence of a large amount of emerging contaminants in 40 French bottled waters, including parent compounds and metabolites. The studied samples represented 70% of the French bottled water market in volume. Six classes of compounds were investigated, most of them being unregulated in bottled waters: pesticides and their transformation products (118), pharmaceutical substances (172), hormones (11), alkylphenols (APs) (8), phthalates (11) and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) (10). One of the objectives of this work was to achieve low and reliable limits of quantification (LOQs) (87% of the LOQs were below 10ng/L) using advanced analytical technologies and reliable sample preparation methodologies, including stringent quality controls. Among the 14,000 analyses performed, 99.7% of the results were below the LOQs. None of the hormones, pharmaceutical substances and phthalates were quantified. Nineteen compounds out of the 330 investigated were quantified in 11 samples. Eleven were pesticides including 7 metabolites, 6 were PFAS and 2 were APs. As regards pesticides, their sum was at least twice lower than the quality standards applicable for bottled waters in France. The presence of a majority of pesticide metabolites suggested a former use in the recharge areas of the exploited aquifers. The quantification of a few unregulated emerging compounds at the nano-trace level, such as PFAS, raised the issue of their potential sources, including long-range atmospheric transport and deposition. This study confirmed that the groundwater aquifers exploited for bottling were well-preserved from chemicals, as compared to less geologically protected groundwaters, and also underlined the need to pursue the protection policies implemented in recharge areas in order to limit the anthropogenic pressure. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  9. Normal Databases for the Relative Quantification of Myocardial Perfusion

    PubMed Central

    Rubeaux, Mathieu; Xu, Yuan; Germano, Guido; Berman, Daniel S.; Slomka, Piotr J.

    2016-01-01

    Purpose of review Myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) with SPECT is performed clinically worldwide to detect and monitor coronary artery disease (CAD). MPI allows an objective quantification of myocardial perfusion at stress and rest. This established technique relies on normal databases to compare patient scans against reference normal limits. In this review, we aim to introduce the process of MPI quantification with normal databases and describe the associated perfusion quantitative measures that are used. Recent findings New equipment and new software reconstruction algorithms have been introduced which require the development of new normal limits. The appearance and regional count variations of normal MPI scan may differ between these new scanners and standard Anger cameras. Therefore, these new systems may require the determination of new normal limits to achieve optimal accuracy in relative myocardial perfusion quantification. Accurate diagnostic and prognostic results rivaling those obtained by expert readers can be obtained by this widely used technique. Summary Throughout this review, we emphasize the importance of the different normal databases and the need for specific databases relative to distinct imaging procedures. use of appropriate normal limits allows optimal quantification of MPI by taking into account subtle image differences due to the hardware and software used, and the population studied. PMID:28138354

  10. Rapid screening and quantification of residual pesticides and illegal adulterants in red wine by direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Guo, Tianyang; Fang, Pingping; Jiang, Juanjuan; Zhang, Feng; Yong, Wei; Liu, Jiahui; Dong, Yiyang

    2016-11-04

    A rapid method to screen and quantify multi-class analytic targets in red wine has been developed by direct analysis in real time (DART) coupled with triple quadruple tandem mass spectrometry (QqQ-MS). A modified QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe) procedure was used for increasing analytical speed and reducing matrix effect, and the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) in DART-MS/MS ensured accurate analysis. One bottle of wine containing 50 pesticides and 12 adulterants, i.e., preservatives, antioxidant, sweeteners, and azo dyes, could be totally determined less than 12min. This method exhibited proper linearity (R 2 ≥0.99) in the range of 1-1000ng/mL for pesticides and 10-5000ng/mL for adulterants. The limits of detection (LODs) were obtained in a 0.5-50ng/mL range for pesticides and 5-50ng/mL range for adulterants, and the limits of quantification (LOQs) were in a 1-100ng/mL range for pesticides and 10-250ng/mL range for adulterants. Three spiked levels for each analyte in wine were evaluated, and the recoveries were in a scope of 75-120%. The results demonstrated DART-MS/MS was a rapid and simple method, and could be applied to rapid analyze residual pesticides and illegal adulterants in a large quantities of red wine. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Occurrence of perchlorate in drinking water and seawater in South Korea.

    PubMed

    Her, Namguk; Jeong, Hyunchan; Kim, Jongsung; Yoon, Yeomin

    2011-08-01

    Concentrations of perchlorate were determined by both liquid-chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and ion chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (IC-MS/MS) in 520 tap-water, 48 bottled-water, and 9 seawater samples obtained or purchased from >100 different locations in South Korea. The method detection limits were 0.013 μg/L for LC-MS and 0.005 μg/L for IC-MS/MS, and the limits of quantification (LOQs) were 0.10 μg/L for LC-MS and 0.032 μg/L for IC-MS/MS. Perchlorate was detected in most (80%) of the tap-water samples, with concentrations higher than the LOQ; the concentrations ranged from <1.0 to 6.1 μg/L (mean 0.56). Perchlorate was detected by IC-MS/MS in many (n = 23) of the bottled-water samples, with concentrations higher then the LOQ, ranging from 0.04 to 0.29 μg/L (mean 0.07 ± 0.01). The concentrations of perchlorate in all seawater samples collected from the various locations were higher than the LOQ, with a mean concentration of 1.15 ± 0.01 μg/L (maximum 6.11 and minimum 0.11). This study provides further evidence that drinking-water sources have been contaminated by perchlorate. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive study on perchlorate assessment in drinking water and seawater in South Korea.

  12. Development of a Protein Standard Absolute Quantification (PSAQ™) assay for the quantification of Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin A in serum.

    PubMed

    Adrait, Annie; Lebert, Dorothée; Trauchessec, Mathieu; Dupuis, Alain; Louwagie, Mathilde; Masselon, Christophe; Jaquinod, Michel; Chevalier, Benoît; Vandenesch, François; Garin, Jérôme; Bruley, Christophe; Brun, Virginie

    2012-06-06

    Enterotoxin A (SEA) is a staphylococcal virulence factor which is suspected to worsen septic shock prognosis. However, the presence of SEA in the blood of sepsis patients has never been demonstrated. We have developed a mass spectrometry-based assay for the targeted and absolute quantification of SEA in serum. To enhance sensitivity and specificity, we combined an immunoaffinity-based sample preparation with mass spectrometry analysis in the selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode. Absolute quantification of SEA was performed using the PSAQ™ method (Protein Standard Absolute Quantification), which uses a full-length isotope-labeled SEA as internal standard. The lower limit of detection (LLOD) and lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) were estimated at 352pg/mL and 1057pg/mL, respectively. SEA recovery after immunocapture was determined to be 7.8±1.4%. Therefore, we assumed that less than 1femtomole of each SEA proteotypic peptide was injected on the liquid chromatography column before SRM analysis. From a 6-point titration experiment, quantification accuracy was determined to be 77% and precision at LLOQ was lower than 5%. With this sensitive PSAQ-SRM assay, we expect to contribute to decipher the pathophysiological role of SEA in severe sepsis. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Proteomics: The clinical link. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. One-step liquid-liquid extraction of cocaine from urine samples for gas chromatographic analysis.

    PubMed

    Farina, Marcelo; Yonamine, Maurício; Silva, Ovandir A

    2002-07-17

    An improved technique for cocaine extraction from urine samples for gas chromatographic (GC) analysis is described. Employing a simple liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) of cocaine with a mixture of ethyl ether:isopropanol (9:1) the method presents a mean recovery of 74.49%. Limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 5 and 20 ng/ml, respectively. The method is highly precise (coefficient of variation (CV) <8%) and linear from 20 to 2000 ng/ml. It can he applied to detect the presence of cocaine in urine as a marker of its recent use in drug abuse treatment protocols.

  14. Validation of a Thin-Layer Chromatography for the Determination of Hydrocortisone Acetate and Lidocaine in a Pharmaceutical Preparation

    PubMed Central

    Dołowy, Małgorzata; Kulpińska-Kucia, Katarzyna; Pyka, Alina

    2014-01-01

    A new specific, precise, accurate, and robust TLC-densitometry has been developed for the simultaneous determination of hydrocortisone acetate and lidocaine hydrochloride in combined pharmaceutical formulation. The chromatographic analysis was carried out using a mobile phase consisting of chloroform + acetone + ammonia (25%) in volume composition 8 : 2 : 0.1 and silica gel 60F254 plates. Densitometric detection was performed in UV at wavelengths 200 nm and 250 nm, respectively, for lidocaine hydrochloride and hydrocortisone acetate. The validation of the proposed method was performed in terms of specificity, linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), precision, accuracy, and robustness. The applied TLC procedure is linear in hydrocortisone acetate concentration range of 3.75 ÷ 12.50 μg·spot−1, and from 1.00 ÷ 2.50 μg·spot−1 for lidocaine hydrochloride. The developed method was found to be accurate (the value of the coefficient of variation CV [%] is less than 3%), precise (CV [%] is less than 2%), specific, and robust. LOQ of hydrocortisone acetate is 0.198 μg·spot−1 and LOD is 0.066 μg·spot−1. LOQ and LOD values for lidocaine hydrochloride are 0.270 and 0.090 μg·spot−1, respectively. The assay value of both bioactive substances is consistent with the limits recommended by Pharmacopoeia. PMID:24526880

  15. Exposure to airborne organophosphates originating from hydraulic and turbine oils among aviation technicians and loaders.

    PubMed

    Solbu, Kasper; Daae, Hanne Line; Thorud, Syvert; Ellingsen, Dag Gunnar; Lundanes, Elsa; Molander, Paal

    2010-12-01

    This study describes the potential for occupational exposure to organophosphates (OPs) originating from turbine and hydraulic oils, among ground personnel within the aviation industry. The OPs tri-n-butyl phosphate (TnBP), dibutyl phenyl phosphate (DBPP), triphenyl phosphate (TPP) and tricresyl phosphate (TCP) have been emphasized due to their use in such oils. Oil aerosol/vapor and total volatile organic compounds (tVOCs) in air were also determined. In total, 228 and 182 OPs and oil aerosol/vapor samples from technician and loader work tasks during work on 42 and 21 aircrafts, respectively, were collected in pairs. In general, the measured exposure levels were below the limit of quantification (LOQ) for 84%/98% (oil aerosol) and 82%/90% (TCP) of the samples collected during technician/loader work tasks. The air concentration ranges for all samples related to technician work were <LOQ-0.24 (oil aerosol) and <LOQ-9.4 (OPs) mg m(-3), with the highest OP exposure levels measured during wheel well maintenance. For loader work the corresponding air concentration ranges were <LOQ-2.4 (oil aerosol) and <LOQ-0.052 (OPs) mg m(-3), with the highest exposure levels measured during loading from jet engine aircrafts. Investigation of provoked exposure situations revealed substantially higher exposure levels of the contaminants when compared to regular conditions, illustrated by oil aerosol and TCP concentrations up to 240 and 31 mg m(-3), respectively. The tailored OP and the general oil aerosol sampling methods were compared, displaying the advantages of tailored OP sampling for such exposure assessments.

  16. Determination of endrin and δ-keto endrin in five food products of animal origin using GC-μECD: A modified QuEChERS approach to traditional detection.

    PubMed

    Rahman, Md Musfiqur; Lee, Han Sol; Abd El-Aty, A M; Kabir, Md Humayun; Chung, Hyung Suk; Park, Jong-Hyouk; Kim, Mi-Ra; Kim, Ji-Hyun; Shin, Ho-Chul; Shin, Sung Shik; Shim, Jae-Han

    2018-10-15

    A simple quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS)-based method was developed for the analysis of endrin and its metabolite, δ-keto endrin, in five animal-derived food products (chicken, pork, beef, egg, and milk) using a gas chromatography-micro electron capture detector (GC-μECD). Samples were extracted with acidified acetonitrile, salted out with magnesium sulfate and sodium acetate, and finally purified with a dual layer solid-phase extraction cartridge (SPE) that contains both Supelclean ENVI-Carb (upper layer) and primary secondary amine (lower layer) SPE sorbents. A seven-point external calibration curve was constructed both for the solvent and matrix for both compounds. Good linearity was achieved for both analytes, with coefficients of determination (R 2 ) ≥ 0.9960. The limits of detection (LODs) were 0.003 mg/kg, whereas the limits of quantification (LOQ) were 0.01 mg/kg, which were 10 times lower than the extraneous maximum residue limit (EMRL) designated by CODEX Alimentarius for the specified matrices. The method was validated via recovery performances in triplicates, with three fortification levels equivalent to LOQ, 2 × LOQ, and 10 × LOQ. The method provided excellent recoveries, ranging between 75.63 and 117.92%, with relative standard deviations (RSD) ≤ 8.52% for both analytes in various matrices. The developed method was successfully applied to monitor market samples collected from 20 different places throughout the Republic of Korea, and none of the tested analytes were found in the analyzed samples. Conclusively, we could propose that the current method can be used for routine analysis of endrin and δ-keto endrin in any type of fatty food matrix. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Electrosynthesis and characterization of nanostructured polyquinone for use in detection and quantification of naturally occurring dsDNA.

    PubMed

    Hernández, Loreto A; Del Valle, María A; Armijo, Francisco

    2016-05-15

    The detection of naturally occurring desoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) has become a subject of study by the projections that would generate to be able to sense the genetic material for the detection of future diseases. Bearing this in mind, to provide new measuring strategies, in the current work the preparation of a low-cost electrode, modified with poly(1-amino-9,10-anthraquinone) nanowires using a SiO2 template, is carried out; the assembly is next modified by covalently attaching ssDNA strands. It must be noted that all this is accomplished by using solely electrochemical techniques, according to methodology developed for this purpose. SEM images of the modified surface show high order and homogeneity in the distribution of modified nanowires over the electrode surface. In turn, after the hybridization with its complementary strand, the voltammetric responses enable corroborating the linear relationship between hybridization at different DNA concentrations and normalized current response, obtaining a limit of detection (LOD) 5.7·10(-12)gL(-1) and limit of quantification (LOQ) 1.9·10(-11)gL(-1). The working dynamic range is between 1.4·10(-7) and 8.5·10(-9)gL(-1) with a correlation coefficient 0.9998. The successful obtaining of the modified electrode allows concluding that the high order reached by the nanostructures, guides the subsequent single strand of DNA (ssDNA) covalent attachment, which after hybridization with its complementary strand brings about a considerable current increase. This result allows foreseeing a guaranteed breakthrough with regard to the use of the biosensor in real samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Rapid analytical procedure for determination of mineral oils in edible oil by GC-FID.

    PubMed

    Wrona, Magdalena; Pezo, Davinson; Nerin, Cristina

    2013-12-15

    A procedure for the determination of mineral oils in edible oil has been fully developed. The procedure consists of using a sulphuric acid-impregnated silica gel (SAISG) glass column to eliminate the fat matter. A chemical combustion of the fatty acids takes place, while the mineral oils are not affected by the sulphuric acid. The column is eluted with hexane using a vacuum pump and the final extract is concentrated and analysed by gas chromatography (GC) with flame ionisation detector (FID). The detection limit (LOD) and the quantification limit (LOQ) in hexane were 0.07 and 0.21 μg g(-1) respectively and the LOQ in vegetable oil was 1 μg g(-1). Only a few minutes were necessary for sample treatment to have a clean extract. The efficiency of the process, measured through the recoveries from spiked samples of edible oil was higher than 95%. The procedure has been applied to determine mineral oil in olive oil from the retailed market. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Ionic liquid-based air-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction followed by high performance liquid chromatography for the determination of five fungicides in juice samples.

    PubMed

    You, Xiangwei; Chen, Xiaochu; Liu, Fengmao; Hou, Fan; Li, Yiqiang

    2018-01-15

    A novel and simple ionic liquid-based air-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction technique combined with high performance liquid chromatography was developed to analyze five fungicides in juice samples. In this method, ionic liquid was used instead of a volatile organic solvent as the extraction solvent. The emulsion was formed by pulling in and pushing out the mixture of aqueous sample solution and extraction solvent repeatedly using a 10mL glass syringe. No organic dispersive solvent was required. Under the optimized conditions, the limits of detection (LODs) were 0.4-1.8μgL -1 at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. The limits of quantification (LOQs) set as the lowest spiking levels with acceptable recovery in juices were 10μgL -1 , except for fludioxonil whose LOQ was 20μgL -1 . The proposed method was applied to determine the target fungicides in juice samples, and acceptable recoveries ranging from 74.9% to 115.4% were achieved. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  20. Second Trimester Amniotic Fluid Bisphenol A Concentration is Associated with Decreased Birth Weight in Term Infants

    PubMed Central

    Pinney, Sara E.; Mesaros, Clementina A.; Snyder, Nathaniel W.; Busch, Christine M.; Xiao, Rui; Aijaz, Sara; Ijaz, Naila; Blair, Ian A.; Manson, Jeanne M.

    2016-01-01

    Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disrupting chemical with ubiquitous environmental exposure. Animal studies have demonstrated that in utero BPA exposure leads to increased adult body weight. Our aim was to characterize human fetal BPA exposure by measuring BPA concentration in second trimester amniotic fluid (AF) samples and to study its relationship with birth weight (BW) in full term infants. To achieve these goals, we developed a total BPA assay utilizing derivatization with pentafluorobenzyl followed by analysis with LC-ECAPCI-MS/MS with a limit of detection of 0.08 ng/mL and limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.25 ng/mL. The mean BW of infants with AF BPA 0.40-2.0 ng/mL was 241.8 grams less than infants with AF BPA less than the LOQ after controlling for covariates (p=0.049). No effect was seen outside this range indicating a non-monotonic effect. Our data suggest that low level BPA exposure in utero decreases BW and needs further study. PMID:27829162

  1. Development of a field method for measuring manganese in welding fume.

    PubMed

    Dale Marcy, A; Drake, Pamela L

    2007-11-01

    Workers who perform routine welding tasks are potentially exposed to fume that may contain manganese. Manganese may cause respiratory problems and is implicated in causing the occurrence of Parkinson-like symptoms. In this study, a field colorimetric method for extracting and measuring manganese in welding fume was developed. The method uses ultrasonic extraction with an acidic hydrogen peroxide solution to extract welding fume collected on polyvinyl chloride filters. Commercially available pre-packaged reagents are used to produce a colored solution, created by a reaction of manganese(ii) with 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol. Absorbance measurements are then made using a portable spectrophotometer. The method detection limit and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 5.2 microg filter(-1) and 17 microg filter(-1), respectively, with a dynamic range up to 400 microg filter(-1). When the results are above the LOQ for the colorimetric method, the manganese masses are equivalent to those measured by the International Organization for Standardization Method 15202-2, which employs a strong acid digestion and analysis using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry.

  2. Empirical quantification of lacustrine groundwater discharge - different methods and their limitations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Meinikmann, K.; Nützmann, G.; Lewandowski, J.

    2015-03-01

    Groundwater discharge into lakes (lacustrine groundwater discharge, LGD) can be an important driver of lake eutrophication. Its quantification is difficult for several reasons, and thus often neglected in water and nutrient budgets of lakes. In the present case several methods were applied to determine the expansion of the subsurface catchment, to reveal areas of main LGD and to identify the variability of LGD intensity. Size and shape of the subsurface catchment served as a prerequisite in order to calculate long-term groundwater recharge and thus the overall amount of LGD. Isotopic composition of near-shore groundwater was investigated to validate the quality of catchment delineation in near-shore areas. Heat as a natural tracer for groundwater-surface water interactions was used to find spatial variations of LGD intensity. Via an analytical solution of the heat transport equation, LGD rates were calculated from temperature profiles of the lake bed. The method has some uncertainties, as can be found from the results of two measurement campaigns in different years. The present study reveals that a combination of several different methods is required for a reliable identification and quantification of LGD and groundwater-borne nutrient loads.

  3. A high-performance liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric method for the determination of ethyl glucuronide and ethyl sulfate in urine validated according to forensic guidelines.

    PubMed

    Albermann, M E; Musshoff, F; Madea, B

    2012-01-01

    Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS) are powerful markers for alcohol intake and abuse. Several analytical procedures for the quantification of EtG and EtG in serum and urine have been developed so far. Many of the published methods show limits of detections (LODs) or limits of quantifications (LOQs) for EtG in urine within the range of 0.1 mg/L or higher. Since this is the actual cutoff value for proving abstinence in Germany, problems may occur if urine samples are highly diluted. In this paper, the validation of a highly sensitive, fast and simple LC-MS-MS for the determination of EtG and EtS in urine is described. The calibration curves for EtG and EtS is linear over the whole range (0.025-2.0 mg/L). Very low detection limits can be achieved (LOD: EtG 0.005 mg/L, EtS 0.005 mg/L; and LOQ: EtG 0.019 mg/L, EtS 0.015 mg/L). All data for selectivity, precision and accuracy, recovery, as well as for the processed sample and the freeze/thaw stability, comply with the guidelines of the German Society of Toxicological and Forensic Chemistry. Strong matrix-related effects can be compensated for by using an internal standard. Finally, the applicability of the procedure is proven by analysis of 87 human urine samples and by successful participation in interlaboratory comparison tests. © The Author [2011]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

  4. Development of a LC-MS method for simultaneous determination of amoxicillin and metronidazole in human serum using hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC).

    PubMed

    Kathriarachchi, Udani L; Vidhate, Sagar S; Al-Tannak, Naser; Thomson, Alison H; da Silva Neto, Michael J J; Watson, David G

    2018-07-01

    A method was developed for the determination of amoxicillin and metronidazole in human serum. The procedure used was hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) followed by mass spectrometric (MS) detection. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a ZIC-HILIC column and the mobile phase consisted of a mixture of 0.1% (v/v) formic acid in water and 0.1% (v/v) formic acid in acetonitrile. The method was validated with regard to selectivity, accuracy, precision, calibration, lower limit of quantification (LOQ), extraction recovery and matrix effect. The LOQs were 0.0138 and 0.008 μg/ml for amoxicillin and metronidazole respectively, while for quantification purposes linearity was achieved in the range of 0.1 μg/ml to 6.4 μg/ml for both drugs with correlation coefficients >0.9990. The intraday precision (expressed as %RSD) and the accuracy (expressed as the % deviation from the nominal value) was <15% for both antibiotics at all QC levels. Extraction recoveries for both drugs and internal standards were >80%, while a considerable matrix effect (<60%) was observed for amoxicillin. Finally, the method was applied to the determination of amoxicillin and metronidazole concentrations in serum for 20 patients. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. An HS-MRM Assay for the Quantification of Host-cell Proteins in Protein Biopharmaceuticals by Liquid Chromatography Ion Mobility QTOF Mass Spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Doneanu, Catalin; Fang, Jing; Alelyunas, Yun; Yu, Ying Qing; Wrona, Mark; Chen, Weibin

    2018-04-17

    The analysis of low-level (1-100 ppm) protein impurities (e.g., host-cell proteins (HCPs)) in protein biotherapeutics is a challenging assay requiring high sensitivity and a wide dynamic range. Mass spectrometry-based quantification assays for proteins typically involve protein digestion followed by the selective reaction monitoring/multiple reaction monitoring (SRM/MRM) quantification of peptides using a low-resolution (Rs ~1,000) tandem quadrupole mass spectrometer. One of the limitations of this approach is the interference phenomenon observed when the peptide of interest has the "same" precursor and fragment mass (in terms of m/z values) as other co-eluting peptides present in the sample (within a 1-Da window). To avoid this phenomenon, we propose an alternative mass spectrometric approach, a high selectivity (HS) MRM assay that combines the ion mobility separation of peptide precursors with the high-resolution (Rs ~30,000) MS detection of peptide fragments. We explored the capabilities of this approach to quantify low-abundance peptide standards spiked in a monoclonal antibody (mAb) digest and demonstrated that it has the sensitivity and dynamic range (at least 3 orders of magnitude) typically achieved in HCP analysis. All six peptide standards were detected at concentrations as low as 0.1 nM (1 femtomole loaded on a 2.1-mm ID chromatographic column) in the presence of a high-abundance peptide background (2 µg of a mAb digest loaded on-column). When considering the MW of rabbit phosphorylase (97.2 kDa), from which the spiked peptides were derived, the LOQ of this assay is lower than 50 ppm. Relative standard deviations (RSD) of peak areas (n = 4 replicates) were less than 15% across the entire concentration range investigated (0.1-100 nM or 1-1,000 ppm) in this study.

  6. Development and validation of a reversed phase liquid chromatographic method for analysis of oxytetracycline and related impurities.

    PubMed

    Kahsay, Getu; Shraim, Fairouz; Villatte, Philippe; Rotger, Jacques; Cassus-Coussère, Céline; Van Schepdael, Ann; Hoogmartens, Jos; Adams, Erwin

    2013-03-05

    A simple, robust and fast high-performance liquid chromatographic method is described for the analysis of oxytetracycline and its related impurities. The principal peak and impurities are all baseline separated in 20 min using an Inertsil C₈ (150 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) column kept at 50 °C. The mobile phase consists of a gradient mixture of mobile phases A (0.05% trifluoroacetic acid in water) and B (acetonitrile-methanol-tetrahydrofuran, 80:15:5, v/v/v) pumped at a flow rate of 1.3 ml/min. UV detection was performed at 254 nm. The developed method was validated for its robustness, sensitivity, precision and linearity in the range from limit of quantification (LOQ) to 120%. The limits of detection (LOD) and LOQ were found to be 0.08 μg/ml and 0.32 μg/ml, respectively. This method allows the separation of oxytetracycline from all known and 5 unknown impurities, which is better than previously reported in the literature. Moreover, the simple mobile phase composition devoid of non-volatile buffers made the method suitable to interface with mass spectrometry for further characterization of unknown impurities. The developed method has been applied for determination of related substances in oxytetracycline bulk samples available from four manufacturers. The validation results demonstrate that the method is reliable for quantification of oxytetracycline and its impurities. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Simultaneous ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry determination of amphetamine and amphetamine-like stimulants, cocaine and its metabolites, and a cannabis metabolite in surface water and urban wastewater.

    PubMed

    Bijlsma, Lubertus; Sancho, Juan V; Pitarch, Elena; Ibáñez, Maria; Hernández, Félix

    2009-04-10

    An ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method has been developed for the simultaneous quantification and confirmation of 11 basic/acidic illicit drugs and relevant metabolites in surface and urban wastewater at ng/L levels. The sample pre-treatment consisted of a solid-phase extraction using Oasis MCX cartridges. Analyte deuterated compounds were used as surrogate internal standards (except for norbenzoylecgonine and norcocaine) to compensate for possible errors resulting from matrix effects and those associated to the sample preparation procedure. After SPE enrichment, the selected drugs were separated within 6min under UHPLC optimized conditions. To efficiently combine UHPLC with MS/MS, a fast-acquisition triple quadrupole mass analyzer (TQD from Waters) in positive-ion mode (ESI+) was used. The excellent selectivity and sensitivity of the TQD analyzer in selected reaction monitoring mode allowed quantification and reliable identification at the LOQ levels. Satisfactory recoveries (70-120%) and precision (RSD<20%) were obtained for most compounds in different types of water samples, spiked at two concentration levels [limit of quantification (LOQ) and 10LOQ]. Thus, surface water was spiked at 30 ng/L and 300 ng/L (amphetamine and amphetamine-like stimulants), 10 ng/L and 100 ng/L (cocaine and its metabolites), 300 ng/L and 3000 ng/L (tetrahydrocannabinol-COOH). Recovery experiments in effluent and influent wastewater were performed at spiking levels of three and fifteen times higher than the levels spiked in surface water, respectively. The validated method was applied to urban wastewater samples (influent and effluent). The acquisition of three selected reaction monitoring transitions per analyte allowed positive findings to be confirmed by accomplishment of ion ratios between the quantification transition and two additional specific confirmation transitions. In general, drug consumption increased in the weekends and

  8. Colorimetric and fluorescent detection of hydrazine with high sensitivity and excellent selectivity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shi, Bingjie; Qi, Sujie; Yu, Mingming; Liu, Chunxia; Li, Zhanxian; Wei, Liuhe; Ni, Zhonghai

    2018-01-01

    It is critical to develop probes for rapid, selective, and sensitive detection of the highly toxic hydrazine in both environmental and biological science. In this work, under mild condition, a novel colorimetric and off-on fluorescent probe was synthesized for rapid recognition of hydrazine with excellent selectivity over other various species including some biological species, metal ions and anions. The limit of quantification (LOQ) value was 1.5 × 10- 4 M-3.2 × 10- 3 M (colorimetric method) and 1.5 × 10- 4 M - 3.2 × 10- 3 M (fluorescent method) with as low as detection limit of 46.2 μM.

  9. [Immunoaffinity columns and determination of ochratoxin A in cereals by HPLC. Part I.: Evaluation of extraction using methanol/water].

    PubMed

    Czerwiecki, Ludwik; Czyzyk, Kamila; Kwiecień, Agnieszka; Wilczyńska, Grazyna

    2004-01-01

    The method for ochratoxin A determination in cereals (wheat, rye) was described. Application of immunoaffinity columns (IAC) for clean-up of extracts was investigated. The ochratoxin A content was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography using C18 column and fluorimetric detection at 330 nm (excitation) and 460 nm (emission). The mean recovery of ochratoxin A was 65-78%. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were 0.015 and 0.025 microg/kg, respectively. The positive results were confirmed by reaction with BF3 complex in methanol.

  10. Evaluation of a Rapid One-step Real-time PCR Method as a High-throughput Screening for Quantification of Hepatitis B Virus DNA in a Resource-limited Setting.

    PubMed

    Rashed-Ul Islam, S M; Jahan, Munira; Tabassum, Shahina

    2015-01-01

    Virological monitoring is the best predictor for the management of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections. Consequently, it is important to use the most efficient, rapid and cost-effective testing systems for HBV DNA quantification. The present study compared the performance characteristics of a one-step HBV polymerase chain reaction (PCR) vs the two-step HBV PCR method for quantification of HBV DNA from clinical samples. A total of 100 samples consisting of 85 randomly selected samples from patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and 15 samples from apparently healthy individuals were enrolled in this study. Of the 85 CHB clinical samples tested, HBV DNA was detected from 81% samples by one-step PCR method with median HBV DNA viral load (VL) of 7.50 × 10 3 lU/ml. In contrast, 72% samples were detected by the two-step PCR system with median HBV DNA of 3.71 × 10 3 lU/ml. The one-step method showed strong linear correlation with two-step PCR method (r = 0.89; p < 0.0001). Both methods showed good agreement at Bland-Altman plot, with a mean difference of 0.61 log 10 IU/ml and limits of agreement of -1.82 to 3.03 log 10 IU/ml. The intra-assay and interassay coefficients of variation (CV%) of plasma samples (4-7 log 10 IU/ml) for the one-step PCR method ranged between 0.33 to 0.59 and 0.28 to 0.48 respectively, thus demonstrating a high level of concordance between the two methods. Moreover, elimination of the DNA extraction step in the one-step PCR kit allowed time-efficient and significant labor and cost savings for the quantification of HBV DNA in a resource limited setting. Rashed-Ul Islam SM, Jahan M, Tabassum S. Evaluation of a Rapid One-step Real-time PCR Method as a High-throughput Screening for Quantification of Hepatitis B Virus DNA in a Resource-limited Setting. Euroasian J Hepato-Gastroenterol 2015;5(1):11-15.

  11. Evaluation of a Rapid One-step Real-time PCR Method as a High-throughput Screening for Quantification of Hepatitis B Virus DNA in a Resource-limited Setting

    PubMed Central

    Jahan, Munira; Tabassum, Shahina

    2015-01-01

    Virological monitoring is the best predictor for the management of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections. Consequently, it is important to use the most efficient, rapid and cost-effective testing systems for HBV DNA quantification. The present study compared the performance characteristics of a one-step HBV polymerase chain reaction (PCR) vs the two-step HBV PCR method for quantification of HBV DNA from clinical samples. A total of 100 samples consisting of 85 randomly selected samples from patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and 15 samples from apparently healthy individuals were enrolled in this study. Of the 85 CHB clinical samples tested, HBV DNA was detected from 81% samples by one-step PCR method with median HBV DNA viral load (VL) of 7.50 × 103 lU/ml. In contrast, 72% samples were detected by the two-step PCR system with median HBV DNA of 3.71 × 103 lU/ml. The one-step method showed strong linear correlation with two-step PCR method (r = 0.89; p < 0.0001). Both methods showed good agreement at Bland-Altman plot, with a mean difference of 0.61 log10 IU/ml and limits of agreement of -1.82 to 3.03 log10 IU/ml. The intra-assay and interassay coefficients of variation (CV%) of plasma samples (4-7 log10 IU/ml) for the one-step PCR method ranged between 0.33 to 0.59 and 0.28 to 0.48 respectively, thus demonstrating a high level of concordance between the two methods. Moreover, elimination of the DNA extraction step in the one-step PCR kit allowed time-efficient and significant labor and cost savings for the quantification of HBV DNA in a resource limited setting. How to cite this article Rashed-Ul Islam SM, Jahan M, Tabassum S. Evaluation of a Rapid One-step Real-time PCR Method as a High-throughput Screening for Quantification of Hepatitis B Virus DNA in a Resource-limited Setting. Euroasian J Hepato-Gastroenterol 2015;5(1):11-15. PMID:29201678

  12. Persistent organochlorines in 13 shark species from offshore and coastal waters of Korea: Species-specific accumulation and contributing factors.

    PubMed

    Lee, Hyun-Kyung; Jeong, Yunsun; Lee, Sunggyu; Jeong, Woochang; Choy, Eun-Jung; Kang, Chang-Keun; Lee, Won-Chan; Kim, Sang-Jo; Moon, Hyo-Bang

    2015-05-01

    Data on persistent organochlorines (OCs) in sharks are scarce. Concentrations of OCs such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were determined in the muscle tissue of 13 shark species (n=105) collected from offshore (Indian and Pacific Oceans) and coastal waters of Korea, to investigate species-specific accumulation of OCs and to assess the potential health risks associated with consumption of shark meat. Overall OC concentrations were highly variable not only among species but also within the same species of shark. The concentrations of PCBs, DDTs, chlordanes, hexachlorobenzene, and heptachlor in all shark species ranged from <LOQ (limit of quantification) to 184 (mean: 35.0), <LOQ to 1135 (58.2), <LOQ to 56.2 (4.31), <LOQ to 18.8 (1.64) and <LOQ to 77.5 (1.37)ng/g lipid weight, respectively. The determined concentrations of PCBs and DDTs in shark in our study were relatively lower than those reported in other studies. Aggressive shark species and species inhabiting the Indian Ocean had the highest levels of OCs. Inter-species differences in the concentrations and accumulation profiles of OCs among shark species could be explained by differences in feeding habit and sampling locations. Several confounding factors such as growth velocity, trophic position, and regional contamination status may affect the bioaccumulation of OCs in sharks. Hazard ratios of non-cancer risk for all the OCs were below one, whereas the hazard ratios of lifetime cancer risks of PCBs and DDTs exceeded one, implying potential carcinogenic effects in the general population in Korea. This is the first report to document the occurrence of OCs in sharks from Korea. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Determination of perfluoroalkylated substances (PFASs) in drinking water from the Netherlands and Greece.

    PubMed

    Zafeiraki, Effrosyni; Costopoulou, Danae; Vassiliadou, Irene; Leondiadis, Leondios; Dassenakis, Emmanouil; Traag, Wim; Hoogenboom, Ron L A P; van Leeuwen, Stefan P J

    2015-01-01

    In the present study 11 perfluoroalkylated substances (PFASs) were analysed in drinking tap water samples from the Netherlands (n = 37) and from Greece (n = 43) by applying LC-MS/MS and isotope dilution. PFASs concentrations above the limit of quantification, LOQ (0.6 ng/l) were detected in 20.9% of the samples from Greece. Total PFAS concentrations ranged between <LOQ and 5.9 ng/l, with the highest concentrations noted for the three Aegean islands Mykonos, Kalymnos and Syros and for the town Tripoli in the Peloponnese. In the Dutch situation, total PFASs concentrations above the LOQ were detected in 48.6% of the samples, varying from <LOQ to 54 ng/l. The highest concentrations were detected around Amsterdam (including Schiphol airport) and more generally, PFASs were detected in the drinking water from the western part of the Netherlands. This seems attributable to the source, which is purified surface water in this area. Short-chain PFASs and especially perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA), perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS), and perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS) were detected most frequently, whereas long-chain PFASs (C > 8) were only rarely detected. In the drinking water samples from the eastern part of the Netherlands, where drinking water is sourced from groundwater reservoirs, no PFASs were detected. This demonstrates that exposure to PFASs through drinking water in the Netherlands is dependent on the source. Additionally, five samples of bottled water from each country were analysed in the current study, with all of them originating from ground wells. In these samples, all PFASs were below the LOQ.

  14. Occurrence and removal of NDMA and NDMA formation potential in wastewater treatment plants.

    PubMed

    Yoon, Suchul; Nakada, Norihide; Tanaka, Hiroaki

    2011-06-15

    N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is a potent carcinogen that is formed during disinfection by chlorination or ozonation in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). At present, little is known about the occurrence and fate of NDMA and its formation potential (FP) during wastewater treatment. We investigated the fate of NDMA and NDMA FP in 12 WWTPs. NDMA occurred in the influents at a concentration ranging from below the limit of quantification (LOQ <10 ng/L) to 80 ng/L, and in the final discharges from below the LOQ to 73 ng/L. In three WWTPs located in industrial areas, the influent had a high NDMA FP (up to 8230 ng/L). The rate of NDMA FP reduction from influent to secondary effluent varied between 85 and 98%, regardless of treatment process. The rate of NDMA removal is due more to the influent properties than to the type of biological treatment process. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Levels of lead in foods from the first French total diet study on infants and toddlers.

    PubMed

    Guérin, Thierry; Le Calvez, Emilie; Zinck, Julie; Bemrah, Nawel; Sirot, Véronique; Leblanc, Jean-Charles; Chekri, Rachida; Hulin, Marion; Noël, Laurent

    2017-12-15

    Infants and toddlers are highly vulnerable to exposure to lead due to its higher absorption in small children than in adults. This study describes the optimisation and validation of a very sensitive method for the determination of low levels of lead in foods mostly consumed by infants and toddlers. This method, based on inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry with a programmable temperature cyclonic spray chamber, attained a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.6 or 0.9µgPbkg -1 for a liquid or a solid sample, that was improved by a factor 5.6-8.3 compared to the previous method (LOQ: 5µgkg -1 ). The analytical method was then applied to 291 food samples from the first French total diet study on infants and toddlers. Lead was detected in most samples at relatively low concentrations (range 0.0-16µgkg -1 ). The highest lead concentrations were mainly found in processed food products (e.g. products containing chocolate). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Validation of a GC-MS method for the estimation of dithiocarbamate fungicide residues and safety evaluation of mancozeb in fruits and vegetables.

    PubMed

    Mujawar, Sumaiyya; Utture, Sagar C; Fonseca, Eddie; Matarrita, Jessie; Banerjee, Kaushik

    2014-05-01

    A sensitive and rugged residue analysis method was validated for the estimation of dithiocarbamate fungicides in a variety of fruit and vegetable matrices. The sample preparation method involved reaction of dithiocarbamates with Tin(II) chloride in aqueous HCl. The CS2 produced was absorbed into an isooctane layer and estimated by GC-MS selected ion monitoring. Limit of quantification (LOQ) was ⩽40μgkg(-1) for grape, green chilli, tomato, potato, brinjal, pineapple and chayote and the recoveries were within 75-104% (RSD<15% at LOQ). The method could be satisfactorily applied for analysis of real world samples. Dissipation of mancozeb, the most-used dithiocarbamate fungicide, in field followed first+first order kinetics with pre-harvest intervals of 2 and 4days in brinjal, 7 and 10days in grapes and 0day in chilli at single and double dose of agricultural applications. Cooking practices were effective for removal of mancozeb residues from vegetables. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. The disappearance rate and risk assessment of thiacloprid residues in Asian pear using liquid chromatography confirmed with tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Kabir, Md Humayun; Abd El-Aty, A M; Rahman, Md Musfiqur; Kim, Sung-Woo; Choi, Jeong-Heui; Lee, Young-Jun; Truong, Lieu T B; Lee, Kang-Bong; Kim, Mi-Ra; Shin, Ho-Chul; Shim, Jae-Han

    2017-05-01

    This study was undertaken to quantify the residue levels and propose the dissipation kinetics of thiacloprid formulated as suspension concentrate in field-incurred Asian pears grown under two different open-field conditions. Samples were extracted with 20% distilled water in acetonitrile; partitioned with brine water and dichloromethane; and purified with a Florisil solid phase extraction cartridge. The analyte was identified with an LC ultraviolet detector, and field-incurred samples were confirmed using LC-MS/MS. The calibration curve was linear over the range 0.05-5.0 mg/L with a satisfactory coefficient of determination (R 2  = 0.9994). The limits of detection and limits of quantification (LOQ) were 0.003 and 0.01 mg/kg, respectively. The recovery rate fortified to blank samples at LOQ, 10× LOQ, and the maximum residue limit (MRL) were between 73.7 and 86.2% with relative standard deviation ≤9.0%. The residual concentrations at both sites were considerably lower than the MRL (0.7 mg/kg) set by the Korean Ministry of Food Drug Safety, with biological half-lives of 5.0 and 7.4 days, for sites 1 and 2, respectively. From the pre-harvest residue limit curve, it was predicted that if the residues were <1.13 or 1.40 mg/kg 10 days before harvest, the residue level would be lower than the MRL during harvest. Risk assessment on day 0 showed an acceptable daily intake (%) of 13.0% and 11.0% for sites 1 and site 2, respectively, which indicates that the residual amounts are not hazardous to the Korean population. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  18. An accurate proteomic quantification method: fluorescence labeling absolute quantification (FLAQ) using multidimensional liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Liu, Junyan; Liu, Yang; Gao, Mingxia; Zhang, Xiangmin

    2012-08-01

    A facile proteomic quantification method, fluorescent labeling absolute quantification (FLAQ), was developed. Instead of using MS for quantification, the FLAQ method is a chromatography-based quantification in combination with MS for identification. Multidimensional liquid chromatography (MDLC) with laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detection with high accuracy and tandem MS system were employed for FLAQ. Several requirements should be met for fluorescent labeling in MS identification: Labeling completeness, minimum side-reactions, simple MS spectra, and no extra tandem MS fragmentations for structure elucidations. A fluorescence dye, 5-iodoacetamidofluorescein, was finally chosen to label proteins on all cysteine residues. The fluorescent dye was compatible with the process of the trypsin digestion and MALDI MS identification. Quantitative labeling was achieved with optimization of reacting conditions. A synthesized peptide and model proteins, BSA (35 cysteines), OVA (five cysteines), were used for verifying the completeness of labeling. Proteins were separated through MDLC and quantified based on fluorescent intensities, followed by MS identification. High accuracy (RSD% < 1.58) and wide linearity of quantification (1-10(5) ) were achieved by LIF detection. The limit of quantitation for the model protein was as low as 0.34 amol. Parts of proteins in human liver proteome were quantified and demonstrated using FLAQ. © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  19. Quantification of Hemoglobin and White Blood Cell DNA Adducts of the Tobacco Carcinogens 2-Amino-9H-pyrido[2,3-b]indole and 4-Aminobiphenyl Formed in Humans by Nanoflow Liquid Chromatography/Ion Trap Multistage Mass Spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Cai, Tingting; Bellamri, Medjda; Ming, Xun; Koh, Woon-Puay; Yu, Mimi C; Turesky, Robert J

    2017-06-19

    Aromatic amines covalently bound to hemoglobin (Hb) as sulfinamide adducts at the cysteine 93 residue of the Hb β chain have served as biomarkers to assess exposure to this class of human carcinogens for the past 30 years. In this study, we report that 2-amino-9H-pyrido[2,3-b]indole (AαC), an abundant carcinogenic heterocyclic aromatic amine formed in tobacco smoke and charred cooked meats, also reacts with Hb to form a sulfinamide adduct. A novel nanoflow liquid chromatography/ion trap multistage mass spectrometry (nanoLC-IT/MS 3 ) method was established to assess exposure to AαC and the tobacco-associated bladder carcinogen 4-aminobiphenyl (4-ABP) through their Hb sulfinamide adducts. Following mild acid hydrolysis of Hb in vitro, the liberated AαC and 4-ABP were derivatized with acetic anhydride to form the N-acetylated amines, which were measured by nanoLC-IT/MS 3 . The limits of quantification (LOQ) for AαC- and 4-ABP-Hb sulfinamide adducts were ≤7.1 pg/g Hb. In a pilot study, the mean level of Hb sulfinamide adducts of AαC and 4-ABP were, respectively, 3.4-fold and 4.8-fold higher in smokers (>20 cigarettes/day) than nonsmokers. In contrast, the major DNA adducts of 4-ABP, N-(2'-deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-4-aminobiphenyl, and AαC, N-(2'-deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-2-amino-9H-pyrido[2,3-b]indole, were below the LOQ (3 adducts per 10 9 bases) in white blood cell (WBC) DNA of smokers and nonsmokers. These findings reaffirm that tobacco smoke is a major source of exposure to AαC. Hb sulfinamide adducts are suitable biomarkers to biomonitor 4-ABP and AαC; however, neither carcinogen binds to DNA in WBC, even in heavy smokers, at levels sufficient for biomonitoring.

  20. Enantiomeric analysis of overlapped chromatographic profiles in the presence of interferences. Determination of ibuprofen in a pharmaceutical formulation containing homatropine.

    PubMed

    Padró, J M; Osorio-Grisales, J; Arancibia, J A; Olivieri, A C; Castells, C B

    2016-10-07

    In this work, we studied the combination of chemometric methods with chromatographic separations as a strategy applied to the analysis of enantiomers when complete enantioseparation is difficult or requires long analysis times and, in addition, the target signals have interference from the matrix. We present the determination of ibuprofen enantiomers in pharmaceutical formulations containing homatropine as interference by chiral HPLC-DAD detection in combination with partial least-squares algorithms. The method has been applied to samples containing enantiomeric ratios from 95:5 to 99.5:0.5 and coelution of interferents. The results were validated using univariate calibration and without homatropine. Relative error of the method was less than 4.0%, for both enantiomers. Limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) for (S)-(+)-ibuprofen were 4.96×10 -10 and 1.50×10 -9 mol, respectively. LOD and LOQ for the R-(-)-ibuprofen were LOD=1.60×10 -11 mol and LOQ=4.85×10 -11 mol, respectively. Finally, the chemometric method was applied to the determination of enantiomeric purity of commercial pharmaceuticals. The ultimate goal of this research was the development of rapid, reliable, and robust methods for assessing enantiomeric purity by conventional diode array detector assisted by chemometric tools. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. A review of available analytical technologies for qualitative and quantitative determination of nitramines.

    PubMed

    Lindahl, Sofia; Gundersen, Cathrine Brecke; Lundanes, Elsa

    2014-08-01

    This review aims to summarize the available analytical methods in the open literature for the determination of some aliphatic and cyclic nitramines. Nitramines covered in this review are the ones that can be formed from the use of amines in post-combustion CO2 capture (PCC) plants and end up in the environment. Since the literature is quite scarce regarding the determination of nitramines in aqueous and soil samples, methods for determination of nitramines in other matrices have also been included. Since the nitramines are found in complex matrices and/or in very low concentration, an extraction step is often necessary before their determination. Liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) using dichloromethane and solid phase extraction (SPE) with an activated carbon based material have been the two most common extraction methods. Gas chromatography (GC) or reversed phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) has been used often combined with mass spectrometry (MS) in the final determination step. Presently there is no comprehensive method available that can be used for determination of all nitramines included in this review. The lowest concentration limit of quantification (cLOQ) is in the ng L(-1) range, however, most methods appear to have a cLOQ in the μg L(-1) range, if the cLOQ has been given.

  2. Development and application of a multi-targeting reference plasmid as calibrator for analysis of five genetically modified soybean events.

    PubMed

    Pi, Liqun; Li, Xiang; Cao, Yiwei; Wang, Canhua; Pan, Liangwen; Yang, Litao

    2015-04-01

    Reference materials are important in accurate analysis of genetically modified organism (GMO) contents in food/feeds, and development of novel reference plasmid is a new trend in the research of GMO reference materials. Herein, we constructed a novel multi-targeting plasmid, pSOY, which contained seven event-specific sequences of five GM soybeans (MON89788-5', A2704-12-3', A5547-127-3', DP356043-5', DP305423-3', A2704-12-5', and A5547-127-5') and sequence of soybean endogenous reference gene Lectin. We evaluated the specificity, limit of detection and quantification, and applicability of pSOY in both qualitative and quantitative PCR analyses. The limit of detection (LOD) was as low as 20 copies in qualitative PCR, and the limit of quantification (LOQ) in quantitative PCR was 10 copies. In quantitative real-time PCR analysis, the PCR efficiencies of all event-specific and Lectin assays were higher than 90%, and the squared regression coefficients (R(2)) were more than 0.999. The quantification bias varied from 0.21% to 19.29%, and the relative standard deviations were from 1.08% to 9.84% in simulated samples analysis. All the results demonstrated that the developed multi-targeting plasmid, pSOY, was a credible substitute of matrix reference materials, and could be used as a reliable reference calibrator in the identification and quantification of multiple GM soybean events.

  3. Cannabis Use Surveillance by Sweat Analysis.

    PubMed

    Gambelunghe, Cristiana; Fucci, Nadia; Aroni, Kyriaki; Bacci, Mauro; Marcelli, Antonio; Rossi, Riccardo

    2016-10-01

    Sweat testing, an alternative matrix for establishing drug abuse, offers additional benefits to the more common biological samples. The authors developed a procedure using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to test for Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, 11-nor-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid, cannabinol (CBN), and cannabidiol (CBD) in a sweat patch. The results were compared with urine and hair sample results. Urine, hair, and sweat samples were simultaneously collected from 12 patients who were involved, respectively, in forensic case and monitoring abuse. Selectivity, linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), recovery, intraday and interday imprecision, and inaccuracy of the quantification procedure were validated. LODs in hair were 0.05 ng/mg for Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, CBN, and CBD, and 0.005 ng/mg for 11-nor-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid. The LOD for sweat was 0.30 ng/patch for all substances. The LOQ in hair was 0.1 ng/mg for Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, CBN, and CBD, and 0.01 ng/mg for 11-nor-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid. The LOQ was 0.4 ng/patch in sweat for each analyte. Cannabinoid in urine was determined by means of immunochemical screening (cutoff 11-nor-Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid 50 ng/mL). All subjects tested positive for 11-nor-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol in urine and hair. In sweat samples, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol was found in all patches (0.4-2.0 ng/patch); 6 cases were positive for CBN (0.4-0.5 ng/patch) and 3 for CBD (0.4-0.6 ng/patch); 11-nor-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid was never detected in patches. Present sweat analysis results integrated the information from hair and urine and showed that sweat analysis is a suitable, noninvasive method for monitoring compliance with rehabilitation therapy and for detecting recent cumulative use of cannabinoids.

  4. Quantification of all 209 PCB congeners in blood-Can indicators be used to calculate the total PCB blood load?

    PubMed

    Kraft, M; Rauchfuss, K; Sievering, S; Wöckner, M; Neugebauer, F; Fromme, H

    2017-03-01

    Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a substance group of 209 theoretically possible compounds. The human body burden of PCBs is commonly calculated based on so-called indicator congeners such as PCB 138, PCB 153 and PCB 180, which are analyzed in human blood. The German "Human Biomonitoring (HBM) Commission" assumes that the sum of these indicator congeners multiplied by a factor of 2 represents the total PCB burden. This norm is based on data obtained from exposure studies after dietary intake. Data from indoor air shows a different congener pattern, which might lead to a relatively higher intake of lower chlorinated PCBs by inhalation. In two independent studies with adult participants from two regions in Germany, we measured all 209 PCB congeners in 44 whole blood and 42 plasma samples. Participants from the whole blood study group had additional exposure to PCBs via indoor air. With our analytical method, 141 individual PCB congeners, 27 coeluted pairs of PCB congeners and 2 records of 3 and 4 coeluted PCBs could be determined. Thus, 172 analysis results were reported per sample. In the whole blood samples, 50 congeners showed values below the limit of quantification (LOQ), whereas 94 congeners could not be detected in any of plasma samples. Total PCB concentrations (Σ 209 PCB congeners, incl. ½ LOQ) in the whole blood samples ranged from 99 to 2152ng PCB/g lipid (Median: 454ng/g lipid; 95th Percentile: 1404ng/g lipid). The sum of all 209 measured PCB (incl. ½ LOQ) in plasma samples showed levels between 52 and 933ng PCB/g lipid (Median: 226ng/g lipid; 95th Percentile: 642ng/g lipid). Our results show that the burden of PCBs on the human body is caused mainly by the three highly chlorinated indicator congeners PCB 138, PCB 153 and PCB 180. In median approximately 50% of the total PCB content in human whole blood or plasma samples can be attributed to these congeners. Total PCB, calculated by multiplying the sum of the three indicator congeners by 2, showed

  5. Long-Gradient Separations Coupled with Selected Reaction Monitoring for Highly Sensitive, Large Scale Targeted Protein Quantification in a Single Analysis

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Shi, Tujin; Fillmore, Thomas L.; Gao, Yuqian

    2013-10-01

    Long-gradient separations coupled to tandem MS were recently demonstrated to provide a deep proteome coverage for global proteomics; however, such long-gradient separations have not been explored for targeted proteomics. Herein, we investigate the potential performance of the long-gradient separations coupled with selected reaction monitoring (LG-SRM) for targeted protein quantification. Direct comparison of LG-SRM (5 h gradient) and conventional LC-SRM (45 min gradient) showed that the long-gradient separations significantly reduced background interference levels and provided an 8- to 100-fold improvement in LOQ for target proteins in human female serum. Based on at least one surrogate peptide per protein, an LOQ ofmore » 10 ng/mL was achieved for the two spiked proteins in non-depleted human serum. The LG-SRM detection of seven out of eight endogenous plasma proteins expressed at ng/mL or sub-ng/mL levels in clinical patient sera was also demonstrated. A correlation coefficient of >0.99 was observed for the results of LG-SRM and ELISA measurements for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in selected patient sera. Further enhancement of LG-SRM sensitivity was achieved by applying front-end IgY14 immunoaffinity depletion. Besides improved sensitivity, LG-SRM offers at least 3 times higher multiplexing capacity than conventional LC-SRM due to ~3-fold increase in average peak widths for a 300-min gradient compared to a 45-min gradient. Therefore, LG-SRM holds great potential for bridging the gap between global and targeted proteomics due to its advantages in both sensitivity and multiplexing capacity.« less

  6. Colour thresholding and objective quantification in bioimaging

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fermin, C. D.; Gerber, M. A.; Torre-Bueno, J. R.

    1992-01-01

    Computer imaging is rapidly becoming an indispensable tool for the quantification of variables in research and medicine. Whilst its use in medicine has largely been limited to qualitative observations, imaging in applied basic sciences, medical research and biotechnology demands objective quantification of the variables in question. In black and white densitometry (0-256 levels of intensity) the separation of subtle differences between closely related hues from stains is sometimes very difficult. True-colour and real-time video microscopy analysis offer choices not previously available with monochrome systems. In this paper we demonstrate the usefulness of colour thresholding, which has so far proven indispensable for proper objective quantification of the products of histochemical reactions and/or subtle differences in tissue and cells. In addition, we provide interested, but untrained readers with basic information that may assist decisions regarding the most suitable set-up for a project under consideration. Data from projects in progress at Tulane are shown to illustrate the advantage of colour thresholding over monochrome densitometry and for objective quantification of subtle colour differences between experimental and control samples.

  7. Development and in-house validation of the event-specific qualitative and quantitative PCR detection methods for genetically modified cotton MON15985.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Lingxi; Yang, Litao; Rao, Jun; Guo, Jinchao; Wang, Shu; Liu, Jia; Lee, Seonghun; Zhang, Dabing

    2010-02-01

    To implement genetically modified organism (GMO) labeling regulations, an event-specific analysis method based on the junction sequence between exogenous integration and host genomic DNA has become the preferential approach for GMO identification and quantification. In this study, specific primers and TaqMan probes based on the revealed 5'-end junction sequence of GM cotton MON15985 were designed, and qualitative and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays were established employing the designed primers and probes. In the qualitative PCR assay, the limit of detection (LOD) was 0.5 g kg(-1) in 100 ng total cotton genomic DNA, corresponding to about 17 copies of haploid cotton genomic DNA, and the LOD and limit of quantification (LOQ) for quantitative PCR assay were 10 and 17 copies of haploid cotton genomic DNA, respectively. Furthermore, the developed quantitative PCR assays were validated in-house by five different researchers. Also, five practical samples with known GM contents were quantified using the developed PCR assay in in-house validation, and the bias between the true and quantification values ranged from 2.06% to 12.59%. This study shows that the developed qualitative and quantitative PCR methods are applicable for the identification and quantification of GM cotton MON15985 and its derivates.

  8. Automated lobar quantification of emphysema in patients with severe COPD.

    PubMed

    Revel, Marie-Pierre; Faivre, Jean-Baptiste; Remy-Jardin, Martine; Deken, Valérie; Duhamel, Alain; Marquette, Charles-Hugo; Tacelli, Nunzia; Bakai, Anne-Marie; Remy, Jacques

    2008-12-01

    Automated lobar quantification of emphysema has not yet been evaluated. Unenhanced 64-slice MDCT was performed in 47 patients evaluated before bronchoscopic lung-volume reduction. CT images reconstructed with a standard (B20) and high-frequency (B50) kernel were analyzed using a dedicated prototype software (MevisPULMO) allowing lobar quantification of emphysema extent. Lobar quantification was obtained following (a) a fully automatic delineation of the lobar limits by the software and (b) a semiautomatic delineation with manual correction of the lobar limits when necessary and was compared with the visual scoring of emphysema severity per lobe. No statistically significant difference existed between automated and semiautomated lobar quantification (p > 0.05 in the five lobes), with differences ranging from 0.4 to 3.9%. The agreement between the two methods (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC) was excellent for left upper lobe (ICC = 0.94), left lower lobe (ICC = 0.98), and right lower lobe (ICC = 0.80). The agreement was good for right upper lobe (ICC = 0.68) and moderate for middle lobe (IC = 0.53). The Bland and Altman plots confirmed these results. A good agreement was observed between the software and visually assessed lobar predominance of emphysema (kappa 0.78; 95% CI 0.64-0.92). Automated and semiautomated lobar quantifications of emphysema are concordant and show good agreement with visual scoring.

  9. Validated enantiospecific LC method for determination of (R)-enantiomer impurity in (S)-efavirenz.

    PubMed

    Seshachalam, U; Narasimha Rao, D V L; Chandrasekhar, K B

    2008-02-01

    A high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed for separation of the enantiomers of efavirenz. The developed method was applied for the determination of (R)-enantiomer in (S)-efavirenz and satisfactory results were achieved. The base line separation with a resolution of more than 4.0 was achieved on Chiralcel OD (250 mm x 4.6 mm, 10 microm) column containing tris-(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbomate) as stationary phase. The mobile phase consists of n-hexane: isopropyl alcohol (80:20 v/v) with 0.1% (v/v) of formic acid as additive. The flow rate was kept at 1.0 ml/min and the UV detection was monitored at 254 nm. The (R)-enantiomer was found linear over the range of 0.1 microg/ml--6 microg/ml. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.03 microg/ml and the limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.1 microg/ml (n=3. The precision of (R)-enantiomer at LOQ level was evaluated through six replicate injections and the RSD of the peak response was achieved as 1.34%. The results demonstrated that the developed LC method was simple, precise, robust and applicable for the purity determination of efavirenz.

  10. Multiresidue Method for Quantification of Sulfonamides and Trimethoprim in Tilapia Fillet by Liquid Chromatography Coupled to Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry Using QuEChERS for Sample Preparation.

    PubMed

    Nunes, Kátia S D; Assalin, Márcia R; Vallim, José H; Jonsson, Claudio M; Queiroz, Sonia C N; Reyes, Felix G R

    2018-01-01

    A multiresidue method for detecting and quantifying sulfonamides (sulfapyridine, sulfamerazine, sulfathiazole, sulfamethazine, sulfadimethoxine, sulfamethoxazole, and sulfamethoxypyridazine) and trimethoprim in tilapia fillet ( Oreochromis niloticus ) using liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry was developed and validated. The sample preparation was optimized using the QuEChERS approach. The chromatographic separation was performed using a C18 column and 0.1% formic acid in water and acetonitrile as the mobile phase in the isocratic elution mode. Method validation was performed based on the Commission Decision 2002/657/EC and Brazilian guideline. The validation parameters evaluated were linearity ( r  ≥ 0.99); limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ), 1 ng·g -1 and 5 ng·g -1 , respectively; intraday and interdays precision (CV lower than 19.4%). The decision limit (CC α 102.6-120.0 ng·g -1 and 70 ng·g -1 for sulfonamides and trimethoprim, respectively) and detection capability (CC β 111.7-140.1 ng·g -1 and 89.9 ng·g -1 for sulfonamides and trimethoprim, respectively) were determined. Analyses of tilapia fillet samples from fish exposed to sulfamethazine through feed (incurred samples) were conducted in order to evaluate the method. This new method was demonstrated to be fast, sensitive, and suitable for monitoring sulfonamides and trimethoprim in tilapia fillet in health surveillance programs, as well as to be used in pharmacokinetics and residue depletion studies.

  11. Multiresidue Method for Quantification of Sulfonamides and Trimethoprim in Tilapia Fillet by Liquid Chromatography Coupled to Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry Using QuEChERS for Sample Preparation

    PubMed Central

    Nunes, Kátia S. D.; Assalin, Márcia R.; Vallim, José H.; Jonsson, Claudio M.; Queiroz, Sonia C. N.

    2018-01-01

    A multiresidue method for detecting and quantifying sulfonamides (sulfapyridine, sulfamerazine, sulfathiazole, sulfamethazine, sulfadimethoxine, sulfamethoxazole, and sulfamethoxypyridazine) and trimethoprim in tilapia fillet (Oreochromis niloticus) using liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry was developed and validated. The sample preparation was optimized using the QuEChERS approach. The chromatographic separation was performed using a C18 column and 0.1% formic acid in water and acetonitrile as the mobile phase in the isocratic elution mode. Method validation was performed based on the Commission Decision 2002/657/EC and Brazilian guideline. The validation parameters evaluated were linearity (r ≥ 0.99); limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ), 1 ng·g−1 and 5 ng·g−1, respectively; intraday and interdays precision (CV lower than 19.4%). The decision limit (CCα 102.6–120.0 ng·g−1 and 70 ng·g−1 for sulfonamides and trimethoprim, respectively) and detection capability (CCβ 111.7–140.1 ng·g−1 and 89.9 ng·g−1 for sulfonamides and trimethoprim, respectively) were determined. Analyses of tilapia fillet samples from fish exposed to sulfamethazine through feed (incurred samples) were conducted in order to evaluate the method. This new method was demonstrated to be fast, sensitive, and suitable for monitoring sulfonamides and trimethoprim in tilapia fillet in health surveillance programs, as well as to be used in pharmacokinetics and residue depletion studies. PMID:29686929

  12. Highly sensitive and selective analysis of urinary steroids by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography combined with positive chemical ionization quadrupole mass spectrometry

    PubMed Central

    Zhang, Ying; Tobias, Herbert J.; Brenna, J. Thomas

    2014-01-01

    Comprehensive two dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) provides greater separation space than conventional GC. Because of fast peak elution, a time of flight mass spectrometer (TOFMS) is the usual structure-specific detector of choice. The quantitative capabilities of a novel GC×GC fast quadrupole MS were investigated with electron ionization (EI), and CH4 or NH3 positive chemical ionization (PCI) for analysis of endogenous urinary steroids targeted in anti-doping tests. Average precisions for steroid quantitative analysis from replicate urine extractions were 6% (RSD) for EI and 8% for PCI-NH3. The average limits of detection (LOD) calculated by quantification ions for 12 target steroids spiked into steroid-free urine matrix (SFUM) were 2.6 ng mL−1 for EI, 1.3 ng mL−1 for PCI-CH4, and 0.3 ng mL−1 for PCI-NH3, all in mass scanning mode. The measured limits of quantification (LOQ) with full mass scan GC×GC-qMS were comparable with the LOQ values measured by one-dimensional GC-MS in single ion monitoring (SIM) mode. PCI-NH3 yields fewer fragments and greater (pseudo)molecular ion abundances than EI or PCI-CH4. These data show a benchtop GC×GC-qMS system has the sensitivity, specificity, and resolution to analyze urinary steroids at normal urine concentrations, and that PCI-NH3, not currently available on most GC×GC-TOFMS instruments, is of particular value for generation of structure-specific ions. PMID:22606686

  13. Simultaneous determination of four aflatoxins and ochratoxin A in ginger after inoculation with fungi by ultra-fast liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Yang, Ying; Wen, Jing; Kong, Weijun; Liu, Qiutao; Luo, Hongli; Wang, Jian; Yang, Meihua

    2016-09-01

    Aflatoxins (AFs) and ochratoxin A (OTA) have been detected frequently in food, agricultural products and traditional Chinese medicines, and their presence poses serious health and economic problems worldwide. Ginger can easily be polluted with mycotoxins. In this study, ginger samples were cultivated for 15 days after inoculation with fungi and were prepared based on ultrasound-assisted solid-liquid extraction using methanol/water followed by immunoaffinity column clean-up and analysed by ultra-fast liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UFLC-MS/MS) for AFs and OTA. The limits of detection and quantification of AFs and OTA were 0.04-0.30 µg mL(-1) and 0.125-1.0 µg mL(-1) , respectively. The recoveries were 82.0-100.2%. After 15 days' cultivation, no macroscopic mildew was found in ginger. But, the content of AFB1 expressed an increasing trend in ginger, peel [less than the limit of quantification (LOQ)] to the innermost layer (51.86 µ mL(-1) ), AFB2 was only detected in the innermost layer at the level of 0.87 µ mL(-1) . A small amount (<LOQ) of OTA was found in the peel of ginger after the two fungi were inoculated on the surface of ginger. The developed method was successfully applied to analyse five mycotoxins, and has many advantages including rapid determination and high sensitivity. Meanwhile, in practice, more attention should be paid to the safety and quality of ginger. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

  14. Development, Optimization, and Evaluation of a Duplex Droplet Digital PCR Assay To Quantify the T-nos/hmg Copy Number Ratio in Genetically Modified Maize.

    PubMed

    Félix-Urquídez, Dalmira; Pérez-Urquiza, Melina; Valdez Torres, José-Benigno; León-Félix, Josefina; García-Estrada, Raymundo; Acatzi-Silva, Abraham

    2016-01-05

    Certified reference materials (CRMs) are required to guarantee the reliability of analytical measurements. The CRMs available in the field of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are characterized using real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). This technology has limited application, because of its dependence on a calibrant. The objective of this study was to obtain a method with higher metrological quality, to characterize the CRMs for their contents of T-nos/hmg copy number ratio in maize. A duplex droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) assay was developed and optimized by a central composite design. The developed method achieved an absolute limit of detection (LOD) of 11 cP T-nos, a relative LOD of 0.034%, a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 23 cP (relative LOQ of 0.08%), and a dynamic range of 0.08%-100% T-nos/hmg ratio. The specificity and applicability of the assay were established for the analysis of low T-nos concentrations (0.9%) in several corn varieties. The convenience of DNA digestion to reduce measurement bias in the case of multiple-copy binding was confirmed through an enzymatic restriction assay. Given its overall performance, this method can be used to characterize CRM candidates for their contents of T-nos/hmg ratio.

  15. Development, Optimization, and Evaluation of a Duplex Droplet Digital PCR Assay To Quantify the T-nos/hmg Copy Number Ratio in Genetically Modified Maize

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Certified reference materials (CRMs) are required to guarantee the reliability of analytical measurements. The CRMs available in the field of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are characterized using real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). This technology has limited application, because of its dependence on a calibrant. The objective of this study was to obtain a method with higher metrological quality, to characterize the CRMs for their contents of T-nos/hmg copy number ratio in maize. A duplex droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) assay was developed and optimized by a central composite design. The developed method achieved an absolute limit of detection (LOD) of 11 cP T-nos, a relative LOD of 0.034%, a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 23 cP (relative LOQ of 0.08%), and a dynamic range of 0.08%–100% T-nos/hmg ratio. The specificity and applicability of the assay were established for the analysis of low T-nos concentrations (0.9%) in several corn varieties. The convenience of DNA digestion to reduce measurement bias in the case of multiple-copy binding was confirmed through an enzymatic restriction assay. Given its overall performance, this method can be used to characterize CRM candidates for their contents of T-nos/hmg ratio. PMID:26605751

  16. Development of an Advanced HPLC–MS/MS Method for the Determination of Carotenoids and Fat-Soluble Vitamins in Human Plasma

    PubMed Central

    Hrvolová, Barbora; Martínez-Huélamo, Miriam; Colmán-Martínez, Mariel; Hurtado-Barroso, Sara; Lamuela-Raventós, Rosa Maria; Kalina, Jiří

    2016-01-01

    The concentration of carotenoids and fat-soluble vitamins in human plasma may play a significant role in numerous chronic diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and some types of cancer. Although these compounds are of utmost interest for human health, methods for their simultaneous determination are scarce. A new high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC)-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) method for the quantification of selected carotenoids and fat-soluble vitamins in human plasma was developed, validated, and then applied in a pilot dietary intervention study with healthy volunteers. In 50 min, 16 analytes were separated with an excellent resolution and suitable MS signal intensity. The proposed HPLC–MS/MS method led to improvements in the limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) for all analyzed compounds compared to the most often used HPLC–DAD methods, in some cases being more than 100-fold lower. LOD values were between 0.001 and 0.422 µg/mL and LOQ values ranged from 0.003 to 1.406 µg/mL, according to the analyte. The accuracy, precision, and stability met with the acceptance criteria of the AOAC (Association of Official Analytical Chemists) International. According to these results, the described HPLC-MS/MS method is adequately sensitive, repeatable and suitable for the large-scale analysis of compounds in biological fluids. PMID:27754400

  17. Development of an Advanced HPLC-MS/MS Method for the Determination of Carotenoids and Fat-Soluble Vitamins in Human Plasma.

    PubMed

    Hrvolová, Barbora; Martínez-Huélamo, Miriam; Colmán-Martínez, Mariel; Hurtado-Barroso, Sara; Lamuela-Raventós, Rosa Maria; Kalina, Jiří

    2016-10-14

    The concentration of carotenoids and fat-soluble vitamins in human plasma may play a significant role in numerous chronic diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and some types of cancer. Although these compounds are of utmost interest for human health, methods for their simultaneous determination are scarce. A new high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC)-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) method for the quantification of selected carotenoids and fat-soluble vitamins in human plasma was developed, validated, and then applied in a pilot dietary intervention study with healthy volunteers. In 50 min, 16 analytes were separated with an excellent resolution and suitable MS signal intensity. The proposed HPLC-MS/MS method led to improvements in the limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) for all analyzed compounds compared to the most often used HPLC-DAD methods, in some cases being more than 100-fold lower. LOD values were between 0.001 and 0.422 µg/mL and LOQ values ranged from 0.003 to 1.406 µg/mL, according to the analyte. The accuracy, precision, and stability met with the acceptance criteria of the AOAC (Association of Official Analytical Chemists) International. According to these results, the described HPLC-MS/MS method is adequately sensitive, repeatable and suitable for the large-scale analysis of compounds in biological fluids.

  18. Simultaneous accelerated solvent extraction and hydrolysis of 11-nor-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid glucuronide in meconium samples for gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis.

    PubMed

    Mantovani, Cinthia de Carvalho; Silva, Jefferson Pereira E; Forster, Guilherme; Almeida, Rafael Menck de; Diniz, Edna Maria de Albuquerque; Yonamine, Mauricio

    2018-02-01

    Cannabis misuse during pregnancy is associated with severe impacts on the mother and baby health, such as newborn low birth weight, growth restriction, pre-term birth, neurobehavioral and developmental deficits. In most of the cases, drug abuse is omitted or denied by the mothers. Thus, toxicological analyzes using maternal-fetal matrices takes place as a suitable tool to assess drug use. Herein, meconium was the chosen matrix to evaluate cannabis exposure through identification and quantification of 11-nor-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic (THCCOOH). Accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) was applied for sample preparation technique to simultaneously extract and hydrolyze conjugated THCCOOH from meconium, followed by a solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedure. The method was developed and validated for gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), reaching hydrolysis efficiency of 98%. Limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were, respectively, 5 and 10 ng/g. The range of linearity was LOQ to 500 ng/g. Inter and intra-batch coefficients of variation were <8.4% for all concentration levels. Accuracy was in 101.7-108.9% range. Recovery was on average 60.3%. Carryover effect was not observed. The procedure was applied in six meconium samples from babies whose mothers were drug users and showed satisfactory performance to confirm fetal cannabis exposure. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. A Novel Selective Deep Eutectic Solvent Extraction Method for Versatile Determination of Copper in Sediment Samples by ICP-OES.

    PubMed

    Bağda, Esra; Altundağ, Huseyin; Tüzen, Mustafa; Soylak, Mustafa

    2017-08-01

    In the present study, a simple, mono step deep eutectic solvent (DES) extraction was developed for selective extraction of copper from sediment samples. The optimization of all experimental parameters, e.g. DES type, sample/DES ratio, contact time and temperature were performed with using BCR-280 R (lake sediment certified reference material). The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) were found as 1.2 and 3.97 µg L -1 , respectively. The RSD of the procedure was 7.5%. The proposed extraction method was applied to river and lake sediments sampled from Serpincik, Çeltek, Kızılırmak (Fadl and Tecer region of the river), Sivas-Turkey.

  20. Rapid Quantification of Four Anthocyanins in Red Grape Wine by Hydrophilic Interaction Liquid Chromatography/Triple Quadrupole Linear Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Sun, Yongming; Xia, Biqi; Chen, Xiangzhun; Duanmu, Chuansong; Li, Denghao; Han, Chao

    2015-01-01

    The identification and quantification of four anthocyanins (cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, peonidin-3-O-glucoside, delphinidin-3-O-glucoside, and malvidin-3-O-glucoside) in red grape wine were carried out by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography/triple quadrupole linear ion trap MS (HILIC/QTrap-MS/MS). Samples were diluted directly and separated on a Merck ZIC HILIC column with 20 mM ammonium acetate solution-acetonitrile mobile phase. Quantitative data acquisition was carried out in the multiple reaction monitoring mode. Additional identification and confirmation of target compounds were performed using the enhanced product ion mode of the linear ion trap. The LOQs were in the range 0.05-1.0 ng/mL. The average recoveries were in the range 94.6 to 104.5%. The HILIC/QTrap-MS/MS platform offers the best sensitivity and specificity for characterization and quantitative determination of the four anthocyanins in red grape wines and fulfills the quality criteria for routine laboratory application.

  1. Rapid quantification and sex determination of forensic evidence materials.

    PubMed

    Andréasson, Hanna; Allen, Marie

    2003-11-01

    DNA quantification of forensic evidence is very valuable for an optimal use of the available biological material. Moreover, sex determination is of great importance as additional information in criminal investigations as well as in identification of missing persons, no suspect cases, and ancient DNA studies. While routine forensic DNA analysis based on short tandem repeat markers includes a marker for sex determination, analysis of samples containing scarce amounts of DNA is often based on mitochondrial DNA, and sex determination is not performed. In order to allow quantification and simultaneous sex determination on minute amounts of DNA, an assay based on real-time PCR analysis of a marker within the human amelogenin gene has been developed. The sex determination is based on melting curve analysis, while an externally standardized kinetic analysis allows quantification of the nuclear DNA copy number in the sample. This real-time DNA quantification assay has proven to be highly sensitive, enabling quantification of single DNA copies. Although certain limitations were apparent, the system is a rapid, cost-effective, and flexible assay for analysis of forensic casework samples.

  2. Non-linear mixed effects modeling of antiretroviral drug response after administration of lopinavir, atazanavir and efavirenz containing regimens to treatment-naïve HIV-1 infected patients.

    PubMed

    Röshammar, Daniel; Simonsson, Ulrika S H; Ekvall, Håkan; Flamholc, Leo; Ormaasen, Vidar; Vesterbacka, Jan; Wallmark, Eva; Ashton, Michael; Gisslén, Magnus

    2011-12-01

    The objective of this analysis was to compare three methods of handling HIV-RNA data below the limit of quantification (LOQ) when describing the time-course of antiretroviral drug response using a drug-disease model. Treatment naïve Scandinavian HIV-positive patients (n = 242) were randomized to one of three study arms. Two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors were administrated in combination with 400/100 mg lopinavir/ritonavir twice daily, 300/100 mg atazanavir/ritonavir once a day or 600 mg efavirenz once a day. The viral response was monitored at screening, baseline and at 1, 2, 3, 4, 12, 24, 48, 96, 120, and 144 weeks after study initiation. Data up to 400 days was fitted using a viral dynamics non-linear mixed effects drug-disease model in NONMEM. HIV-RNA data below LOQ of 50 copies/ml plasma (39%) was omitted, replaced by LOQ/2 or included in the analysis using a likelihood-based method (M3 method). Including data below LOQ using the M3 method substantially improved the model fit. The drug response parameter expressing the fractional inhibition of viral replication was on average (95% CI) estimated to 0.787 (0.721-0.864) for lopinavir and atazanavir treatment arms and 0.868 (0.796-0.923) for the efavirenz containing regimen. At 400 days after treatment initiation 90% (76-100) of the lopinavir and atazanavir treated patients were predicted to have undetectable viral levels and 96% (89-100%) for the efavirenz containing treatment. Including viral data below the LOQ rather than omitting or replacing data provides advantages such as better model predictions and less biased parameter estimates which are of importance when quantifying antiretroviral drug response.

  3. Technical note: Simultaneous carotenoid and vitamin analysis of milk from total mixed ration-fed cows optimized for xanthophyll detection.

    PubMed

    Stout, M A; Benoist, D M; Drake, M A

    2018-06-01

    Concentrations of retinol, α-tocopherol, and major carotenoids in dairy products are often determined simultaneously by liquid chromatography. These compounds have different polarity and solubility; thus, extracting them simultaneously can be difficult and inefficient. In milks with low carotenoid concentrations, the xanthophylls lutein and zeaxanthin may not be completely resolved using common extraction techniques. A simplified method was developed to optimize extraction efficiency and the limit of detection and limit of quantification (LoQ) of lutein and zeaxanthin in bovine milk without decreasing sensitivity to other vitamins or carotenoids. The developed method evaluates lutein, zeaxanthin, β-carotene, retinol, and α-tocopherol simultaneously by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detection. Common saponification temperatures (40-60°C) and concentrations of KOH in water (10-50% KOH wt/vol) were evaluated. Multiple solvents were evaluated for optimal xanthophyll extraction (diethyl ether, dichloromethane, hexane, and tetrahydrofuran) following saponification. The limit of detection and LoQ were defined as 3:1 and 10:1 signal-to-noise ratio, respectively. All experiments were performed in triplicate. The optimal saponification procedure was a concentration of 25% KOH at either 40 or 50°C. Saponified extracts solubilized in solutions containing diethyl ether had greater concentrations of lutein- than hexane- or tetrahydrofuran-based solutions, with peak areas above LoQ values. The solution containing diethyl ether solubilized similar concentrations of retinol, α-tocopherol, and β-carotene when compared with other solutions. The proposed optimized method allows for the simultaneous determination of carotenoids from milk with increased lutein and zeaxanthin sensitivity without sacrificing recovery of retinol, α-tocopherol, and β-carotene. Copyright © 2018 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights

  4. Quantification of paracetamol and 5-oxoproline in serum by capillary electrophoresis: Implication for clinical toxicology.

    PubMed

    Hložek, Tomáš; Křížek, Tomáš; Tůma, Petr; Bursová, Miroslava; Coufal, Pavel; Čabala, Radomír

    2017-10-25

    High anion gap metabolic acidosis frequently complicates acute paracetamol overdose and is generally attributed to lactic acidosis or compromised hepatic function. However, metabolic acidosis can also be caused by organic acid 5-oxoproline (pyroglutamic acid). Paracetamol's toxic intermediate, N-acetyl-p-benzoquinoneimine irreversibly binds to glutathione and its depletion leads to subsequent disruption of the gamma glutamyl cycle and an excessive 5-oxoproline generation. This is undoubtedly an underdiagnosed condition because measurement of serum 5-oxoproline level is not readily available. A simple, cost effective, and fast capillary electrophoresis method with diode array detection (DAD) for simultaneous measurement of both paracetamol (acetaminophen) and 5-oxoproline in serum was developed and validated. This method is highly suitable for clinical toxicology laboratory diagnostic, allowing rapid quantification of acidosis inducing organic acid 5-oxoproline present in cases of paracetamol overdose. The calibration dependence of the method was proved to be linear in the range of 1.3-250μgmL -1 , with adequate accuracy (96.4-107.8%) and precision (12.3%). LOQ equaled 1.3μgmL -1 for paracetamol and 4.9μgmL -1 for 5-oxoproline. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Capillary gel electrophoresis for the quantification and purity determination of recombinant proteins in inclusion bodies.

    PubMed

    Espinosa-de la Garza, Carlos E; Perdomo-Abúndez, Francisco C; Campos-García, Víctor R; Pérez, Néstor O; Flores-Ortiz, Luis F; Medina-Rivero, Emilio

    2013-09-01

    In this work, a high-resolution CGE method for quantification and purity determination of recombinant proteins was developed, involving a single-component inclusion bodies (IBs) solubilization solution. Different recombinant proteins expressed as IBs were used to show method capabilities, using recombinant interferon-β 1b as the model protein for method validation. Method linearity was verified in the range from 0.05 to 0.40 mg/mL and a determination coefficient (r(2) ) of 0.99 was obtained. The LOQs and LODs were 0.018 and 0.006 mg/mL, respectively. RSD for protein content repeatability test was 2.29%. In addition, RSD for protein purity repeatability test was 4.24%. Method accuracy was higher than 90%. Specificity was confirmed, as the method was able to separate recombinant interferon-β 1b monomer from other aggregates and impurities. Sample content and purity was demonstrated to be stable for up to 48 h. Overall, this method is suitable for the analysis of recombinant proteins in IBs according to the attributes established on the International Conference for Harmonization guidelines. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Semi-preparative HPLC preparation and HPTLC quantification of tetrahydroamentoflavone as marker in Semecarpus anacardium and its polyherbal formulations.

    PubMed

    Aravind, S G; Arimboor, Ranjith; Rangan, Meena; Madhavan, Soumya N; Arumughan, C

    2008-11-04

    Application of modern scientific knowledge coupled with sensitive analytical technique is important for the quality evaluation and standardization of polyherbal formulations. Semecarpus anacardium, an important medicinal plant with wide medicinal properties, is frequently used in a large number of traditional herbal preparations. Tetrahydroamentoflavone (THA), a major bioactive biflavonoid was selected as a chemical marker of S. anacardium and RP-semi-preparative HPLC conditions were optimized for the isolation of tetrahydroamentoflavone. HPTLC analytical method was developed for the fingerprinting of S. anacardium flavonoids and quantification of tetrahydroamentoflavone. The method was validated in terms of their linearity, LOD, LOQ, precision and accuracy and compared with RP-HPLC-DAD method. The methods were demonstrated for the chemical fingerprinting of S. anacardium plant parts and some commercial polyherbal formulations and the amount of tetrahydroamentoflavone was quantified. HPTLC analysis showed that S. anacardium seed contained approximately 10 g kg(-1) of tetrahydroamentoflavone. The methods were able to identify and quantify tetrahydroamentoflavone from complex mixtures of phytochemicals and could be extended to the marker-based standardization of polyherbal formulations, containing S. anacardium.

  7. Single cell genomic quantification by non-fluorescence nonlinear microscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kota, Divya; Liu, Jing

    2017-02-01

    Human epidermal growth receptor 2 (Her2) is a gene which plays a major role in breast cancer development. The quantification of Her2 expression in single cells is limited by several drawbacks in existing fluorescence-based single molecule techniques, such as low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), strong autofluorescence and background signals from biological components. For rigorous genomic quantification, a robust method of orthogonal detection is highly desirable and we demonstrated it by two non-fluorescent imaging techniques -transient absorption microscopy (TAM) and second harmonic generation (SHG). In TAM, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are chosen as an orthogonal probes for detection of single molecules which gives background-free quantifications of single mRNA transcript. In SHG, emission from barium titanium oxide (BTO) nanoprobes was demonstrated which allows stable signal beyond the autofluorescence window. Her2 mRNA was specifically labeled with nanoprobes which are conjugated with antibodies or oligonucleotides and quantified at single copy sensitivity in the cancer cells and tissues. Furthermore, a non-fluorescent super-resolution concept, named as second harmonic super-resolution microscopy (SHaSM), was proposed to quantify individual Her2 transcripts in cancer cells beyond the diffraction limit. These non-fluorescent imaging modalities will provide new dimensions in biomarker quantification at single molecule sensitivity in turbid biological samples, offering a strong cross-platform strategy for clinical monitoring at single cell resolution.

  8. Rapid Detection of Melamine in Tap Water and Milk Using Conjugated "One-Step" Molecularly Imprinted Polymers-Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopic Sensor.

    PubMed

    Hu, Yaxi; Lu, Xiaonan

    2016-05-01

    An innovative "one-step" sensor conjugating molecularly imprinted polymers and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopic-active substrate (MIPs-SERS) was investigated for simultaneous extraction and determination of melamine in tap water and milk. This sensor was fabricated by integrating silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with MIPs synthesized by bulk polymerization of melamine (template), methacrylic acid (functional monomer), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (cross-linking agent), and 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile (initiator). Static and kinetic adsorption tests validated the specific affinity of MIPs-AgNPs to melamine and the rapid adsorption equilibration rate. Principal component analysis segregated SERS spectral features of tap water and milk samples with different melamine concentrations. Partial least squares regression models correlated melamine concentrations in tap water and skim milk with SERS spectral features. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of melamine in tap water were determined as 0.0019 and 0.0064 mmol/L, while the LOD and LOQ were 0.0165 and 0.055 mmol/L for the determination of melamine in skim milk. However, this sensor is not ideal to quantify melamine in tap water and skim milk. By conjugating MIPs with SERS-active substrate (that is, AgNPs), reproducibility of SERS spectral features was increased, resulting in more accurate detection. The time required to determine melamine in tap water and milk were 6 and 25 min, respectively. The low LOD, LOQ, and rapid detection confirm the potential of applying this sensor for accurate and high-throughput detection of melamine in tap water and milk. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®

  9. Simultaneous determination of macronutrients, micronutrients and trace elements in mineral fertilizers by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    de Oliveira Souza, Sidnei; da Costa, Silvânio Silvério Lopes; Santos, Dayane Melo; dos Santos Pinto, Jéssica; Garcia, Carlos Alexandre Borges; Alves, José do Patrocínio Hora; Araujo, Rennan Geovanny Oliveira

    2014-06-01

    An analytical method for simultaneous determination of macronutrients (Ca, Mg, Na and P), micronutrients (Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) and trace elements (Al, As, Cd, Pb and V) in mineral fertilizers was optimized. Two-level full factorial design was applied to evaluate the optimal proportions of reagents used in the sample digestion on hot plate. A Doehlert design for two variables was used to evaluate the operating conditions of the inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer in order to accomplish the simultaneous determination of the analyte concentrations. The limits of quantification (LOQs) ranged from 2.0 mg kg- 1 for Mn to 77.3 mg kg- 1 for P. The accuracy and precision of the proposed method were evaluated by analysis of standard reference materials (SRMs) of Western phosphate rock (NIST 694), Florida phosphate rock (NIST 120C) and Trace elements in multi-nutrient fertilizer (NIST 695), considered to be adequate for simultaneous determination. Twenty-one samples of mineral fertilizers collected in Sergipe State, Brazil, were analyzed. For all samples, the As, Ca, Cd and Pb concentrations were below the LOQ values of the analytical method. For As, Cd and Pb the obtained LOQ values were below the maximum limit allowed by the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento - MAPA). The optimized method presented good accuracy and was effectively applied to quantitative simultaneous determination of the analytes in mineral fertilizers by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES).

  10. Direct qPCR quantification using the Quantifiler(®) Trio DNA quantification kit.

    PubMed

    Liu, Jason Yingjie

    2014-11-01

    The effectiveness of a direct quantification assay is essential to the adoption of the combined direct quantification/direct STR workflow. In this paper, the feasibility of using the Quantifiler(®) Trio DNA quantification kit for the direct quantification of forensic casework samples was investigated. Both low-level touch DNA samples and blood samples were collected on PE swabs and quantified directly. The increased sensitivity of the Quantifiler(®) Trio kit enabled the detection of less than 10pg of DNA in unprocessed touch samples and also minimizes the stochastic effect experienced by different targets in the same sample. The DNA quantity information obtained from a direct quantification assay using the Quantifiler(®) Trio kit can also be used to accurately estimate the optimal input DNA quantity for a direct STR amplification reaction. The correlation between the direct quantification results (Quantifiler(®) Trio kit) and the direct STR results (GlobalFiler™ PCR amplification kit(*)) for low-level touch DNA samples indicates that direct quantification using the Quantifiler(®) Trio DNA quantification kit is more reliable than the Quantifiler(®) Duo DNA quantification kit for predicting the STR results of unprocessed touch DNA samples containing less than 10pg of DNA. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Determination of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate in Human Plasma Using Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Q-Tof Mass Spectrometry

    PubMed Central

    Egom, Emmanuel E.; Fitzgerald, Ross; Canning, Rebecca; Pharithi, Rebabonye B.; Murphy, Colin; Maher, Vincent

    2017-01-01

    Evidence suggests that high-density lipoprotein (HDL) components distinct from cholesterol, such as sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), may account for the anti-atherothrombotic effects attributed to this lipoprotein. The current method for the determination of plasma levels of S1P as well as levels associated with HDL particles is still cumbersome an assay method to be worldwide practical. Recently, a simplified protocol based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for the sensitive and specific quantification of plasma levels of S1P with good accuracy has been reported. This work utilized a triple quadrupole (QqQ)-based LC-MS/MS system. Here we adapt that method for the determination of plasma levels of S1P using a quadrupole time of flight (Q-Tof) based LC-MS system. Calibration curves were linear in the range of 0.05 to 2 µM. The lower limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.05 µM. The concentration of S1P in human plasma was determined to be 1 ± 0.09 µM (n = 6). The average accuracy over the stated range of the method was found to be 100 ± 5.9% with precision at the LOQ better than 10% when predicting the calibration standards. The concentration of plasma S1P in the prepared samples was stable for 24 h at room temperature. We have demonstrated the quantification of plasma S1P using Q-Tof based LC-MS with very good sensitivity, accuracy, and precision that can used for future studies in this field. PMID:28820460

  12. Absolute Quantification of Prion Protein (90-231) Using Stable Isotope-Labeled Chymotryptic Peptide Standards in a LC-MRM AQUA Workflow

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sturm, Robert; Sheynkman, Gloria; Booth, Clarissa; Smith, Lloyd M.; Pedersen, Joel A.; Li, Lingjun

    2012-09-01

    Substantial evidence indicates that the disease-associated conformer of the prion protein (PrPTSE) constitutes the etiologic agent in prion diseases. These diseases affect multiple mammalian species. PrPTSE has the ability to convert the conformation of the normal prion protein (PrPC) into a β-sheet rich form resistant to proteinase K digestion. Common immunological techniques lack the sensitivity to detect PrPTSE at subfemtomole levels, whereas animal bioassays, cell culture, and in vitro conversion assays offer higher sensitivity but lack the high-throughput the immunological assays offer. Mass spectrometry is an attractive alternative to the above assays as it offers high-throughput, direct measurement of a protein's signature peptide, often with subfemtomole sensitivities. Although a liquid chromatography-multiple reaction monitoring (LC-MRM) method has been reported for PrPTSE, the chemical composition and lack of amino acid sequence conservation of the signature peptide may compromise its accuracy and make it difficult to apply to multiple species. Here, we demonstrate that an alternative protease (chymotrypsin) can produce signature peptides suitable for a LC-MRM absolute quantification (AQUA) experiment. The new method offers several advantages, including: (1) a chymotryptic signature peptide lacking chemically active residues (Cys, Met) that can confound assay accuracy; (2) low attomole limits of detection and quantitation (LOD and LOQ); and (3) a signature peptide retaining the same amino acid sequence across most mammals naturally susceptible to prion infection as well as important laboratory models. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report on the use of a non-tryptic peptide in a LC-MRM AQUA workflow.

  13. Quantification of confocal images of biofilms grown on irregular surfaces

    PubMed Central

    Ross, Stacy Sommerfeld; Tu, Mai Han; Falsetta, Megan L.; Ketterer, Margaret R.; Kiedrowski, Megan R.; Horswill, Alexander R.; Apicella, Michael A.; Reinhardt, Joseph M.; Fiegel, Jennifer

    2014-01-01

    Bacterial biofilms grow on many types of surfaces, including flat surfaces such as glass and metal and irregular surfaces such as rocks, biological tissues and polymers. While laser scanning confocal microscopy can provide high-resolution images of biofilms grown on any surface, quantification of biofilm-associated bacteria is currently limited to bacteria grown on flat surfaces. This can limit researchers studying irregular surfaces to qualitative analysis or quantification of only the total bacteria in an image. In this work, we introduce a new algorithm called modified connected volume filtration (MCVF) to quantify bacteria grown on top of an irregular surface that is fluorescently labeled or reflective. Using the MCVF algorithm, two new quantification parameters are introduced. The modified substratum coverage parameter enables quantification of the connected-biofilm bacteria on top of the surface and on the imaging substratum. The utility of MCVF and the modified substratum coverage parameter were shown with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus biofilms grown on human airway epithelial cells. A second parameter, the percent association, provides quantified data on the colocalization of the bacteria with a labeled component, including bacteria within a labeled tissue. The utility of quantifying the bacteria associated with the cell cytoplasm was demonstrated with Neisseria gonorrhoeae biofilms grown on cervical epithelial cells. This algorithm provides more flexibility and quantitative ability to researchers studying biofilms grown on a variety of irregular substrata. PMID:24632515

  14. The determination of levofloxacin by flow injection analysis using UV detection, potentiometry, and conductometry in pharmaceutical preparations.

    PubMed

    Altiokka, G; Atkosar, Z; Can, N O

    2002-10-15

    A flow injection analysis (FIA) using UV detection, potentiometry and conductometry for levofloxacin (LVF) are described in this study. The best solvent system was found to consist of 0.2 M acetate buffer at pH 3 having 10% MeOH. A flow rate of 1 ml min(-1) was pumped and active material was detected at 288 nm. The detection limit (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) for FIA were calculated to be 3 x 10(-7) M (S/N = 3) and 1 x 10(-7) M (S/N = 10), respectively. In the analysis of tablets, the RSD values were found to be 0.83, 0.98 and 0.99 for FIA, potentiometric and conductometric methods, respectively. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science B.V.

  15. Ultrasensitive Single Fluorescence-Labeled Probe-Mediated Single Universal Primer-Multiplex-Droplet Digital Polymerase Chain Reaction for High-Throughput Genetically Modified Organism Screening.

    PubMed

    Niu, Chenqi; Xu, Yuancong; Zhang, Chao; Zhu, Pengyu; Huang, Kunlun; Luo, Yunbo; Xu, Wentao

    2018-05-01

    As genetically modified (GM) technology develops and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) become more available, GMOs face increasing regulations and pressure to adhere to strict labeling guidelines. A singleplex detection method cannot perform the high-throughput analysis necessary for optimal GMO detection. Combining the advantages of multiplex detection and droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR), a single universal primer-multiplex-ddPCR (SUP-M-ddPCR) strategy was proposed for accurate broad-spectrum screening and quantification. The SUP increases efficiency of the primers in PCR and plays an important role in establishing a high-throughput, multiplex detection method. Emerging ddPCR technology has been used for accurate quantification of nucleic acid molecules without a standard curve. Using maize as a reference point, four heterologous sequences ( 35S, NOS, NPTII, and PAT) were selected to evaluate the feasibility and applicability of this strategy. Surprisingly, these four genes cover more than 93% of the transgenic maize lines and serve as preliminary screening sequences. All screening probes were labeled with FAM fluorescence, which allows the signals from the samples with GMO content and those without to be easily differentiated. This fiveplex screening method is a new development in GMO screening. Utilizing an optimal amplification assay, the specificity, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantitation (LOQ) were validated. The LOD and LOQ of this GMO screening method were 0.1% and 0.01%, respectively, with a relative standard deviation (RSD) < 25%. This method could serve as an important tool for the detection of GM maize from different processed, commercially available products. Further, this screening method could be applied to other fields that require reliable and sensitive detection of DNA targets.

  16. Development and validation of a sensitive UPLC-MS/MS instrumentation and alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation method for the determination of lignin monomers in wheat straw.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Mengjing; Gu, Shubo; Chen, Jin; Luo, Yongli; Li, Wenqian; Ni, Jun; Li, Yong; Wang, Zhenlin

    2017-06-15

    A method to determine the lignin monomers (p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, vanillin and syringaldehyde) in plant cell wall of wheat internode was developed and validated using a high-throughput nitrobenzene oxidation step and ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) for quantification. UPLC analyses were carried out using an reversed phase C 18 column (ACQUITY UPLC BEH, 1.7μm, 2.1×100mm) and gradient elution with water and acetonitrile. This method was completely validated in terms of analyzing speed, linearity, sensitivity, limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantification (LOQs).The three lignin monomers were successfully separated within 6min and only 2min were required to regain its equilibrium. The method linearity with regression coefficients values (R2) greater than 0.997. Additionally, LODs ranged from 0.21 to 0.89μgL -1 and LOQs ranged from 0.69 to 2.95μgL -1 . The applicability of this analytical approach for determining the three lignin monomers was confirmed by the successful analysis of real samples of wheat stem internodes. The nitrobenzene oxidation method was used for the analysis of lignin monomers. We have optimized the treatment temperature (170°C, 1h) and realized the high-throughput using the microwave digestion instrument. Recovery of this extraction method ranged from 68.4% to 77.7%. The analysis result showed that the guaiacyl unit (G) was the major component of lignin and there was a higher content of the syringyl unit (S) than that of the hydroxybenzyl unit (H). Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  17. Separation, isolation and stereochemical assignment of imazalil enantiomers and their quantitation in an in vitro toxicity test.

    PubMed

    Casas, Mònica Escolà; Kretschmann, Andreas Christopher; Andernach, Lars; Opatz, Till; Bester, Kai

    2016-06-24

    A simple method for the separation of the enantiomers of the fungicide imazalil was developed. Racemic imazalil was separated into its enantiomers with an enantiomeric purity of 99% using HPLC-UV with an enantioselective column (permethylated cyclodextrin) operated in reversed phase mode (water with 0.2% trimethylamine and 0.08% acetic acid and methanol). The absolute configuration of the separated enantiomers was assigned and unequivocally confirmed by optical rotation as well as by vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) combined with ab-initio calculations. The same enantioselective column was also used to develop an HPLC-MS/MS method for the quantification of imazalil enantiomers. The HPLC-MS/MS method reached limits of quantification (LOQs) of 0.025mg/mL with 5μL injections. This method was used to verify imazalil concentrations and enantiomeric fractions in samples from an in vitro test on effects on human steroidogenesis (H295R steroidogenesis assay). The quantification verified the stability of the enantiomers of imazalil during the in vitro tests. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. A direct HPLC method for the resolution and quantitation of the R-(-)- and S-(+)-enantiomers of vigabatrin (gamma-vinyl-GABA) in pharmaceutical dosage forms using teicoplanin aglycone chiral stationary phase.

    PubMed

    Al-Majed, Abdulrahman A

    2009-08-15

    A direct chiral high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed and validated for the resolution and quantification of antiepileptic drug enantiomers, R-(-)- and S-(+)-vigabatrin (gamma-vinyl-gamma-aminobutyric acid) in pharmaceutical products. The separation was optimized on a macrocyclic glycopeptide antibiotic chiral stationary phase (CSP) based on teicoplanin aglycone, chirobiotic (TAG), using a mobile phase system containing ethanol-water (80:20, v/v), at a flow rate of 0.4ml/min and UV detection set at 210nm. The stability of vigabatrin enantiomers under different degrees of temperature was also studied. The enantiomers of vigabatrin were separated from each other. The calibration curves were linear over a range of 100-1600microg/ml (r=0.999) for both enantiomers. The overall recoveries of R-(-)- and S-(+)-vigabatrin enantiomers from pharmaceutical products were in the range of 98.3-99.8% with %RSD ranged from 0.48 to 0.52%. The limit of quantification (LOQ) and limit of detection (LOD) for each enantiomer were 100 and 25microg/ml, respectively. No interferences were found from commonly co-formulated excipients.

  19. Establishment of a method for determination of arsenic species in seafood by LC-ICP-MS.

    PubMed

    Zmozinski, Ariane V; Llorente-Mirandes, Toni; López-Sánchez, José F; da Silva, Márcia M

    2015-04-15

    An analytical method for determination of arsenic species (inorganic arsenic (iAs), methylarsonic acid (MA), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), arsenobetaine (AB), trimethylarsine oxide (TMAO) and arsenocholine (AC)) in Brazilian and Spanish seafood samples is reported. This study was focused on extraction and quantification of inorganic arsenic (iAs), the most toxic form. Arsenic speciation was carried out via LC with both anionic and cationic exchange with ICP-MS detection (LC-ICP-MS). The detection limits (LODs), quantification limits (LOQs), precision and accuracy for arsenic species were established. The proposed method was evaluated using eight reference materials (RMs). Arsenobetaine was the main species found in all samples. The total and iAs concentration in 22 seafood samples and RMs ranged between 0.27-35.2 and 0.02-0.71 mg As kg(-1), respectively. Recoveries ranging from 100% to 106% for iAs, based on spikes, were achieved. The proposed method provides reliable iAs data for future risk assessment analysis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Applicability of hybrid linear ion trap-high resolution mass spectrometry and quadrupole-linear ion trap-mass spectrometry for mycotoxin analysis in baby food.

    PubMed

    Rubert, Josep; James, Kevin J; Mañes, Jordi; Soler, Carla

    2012-02-03

    Recent developments in mass spectrometers have created a paradoxical situation; different mass spectrometers are available, each of them with their specific strengths and drawbacks. Hybrid instruments try to unify several advantages in one instrument. In this study two of wide-used hybrid instruments were compared: hybrid quadrupole-linear ion trap-mass spectrometry (QTRAP®) and the hybrid linear ion trap-high resolution mass spectrometry (LTQ-Orbitrap®). Both instruments were applied to detect the presence of 18 selected mycotoxins in baby food. Analytical parameters were validated according to 2002/657/CE. Limits of quantification (LOQs) obtained by QTRAP® instrument ranged from 0.45 to 45 μg kg⁻¹ while lower limits of quantification (LLOQs) values were obtained by LTQ-Orbitrap®: 7-70 μg kg⁻¹. The correlation coefficients (r) in both cases were upper than 0.989. These values highlighted that both instruments were complementary for the analysis of mycotoxin in baby food; while QTRAP® reached best sensitivity and selectivity, LTQ-Orbitrap® allowed the identification of non-target and unknowns compounds. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Simultaneous liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis of brominated flame retardants (tetrabromobisphenol A and hexabromocyclododecane diastereoisomers) in French breast milk.

    PubMed

    Inthavong, Chanthadary; Hommet, Frédéric; Bordet, François; Rigourd, Virginie; Guérin, Thierry; Dragacci, Sylviane

    2017-11-01

    TBBPA and HBCDs are the two classes of flame retardants that are still allowed for use by the European Commission. In May 2013, HBCDs were listed as Persistent Organic Pollutants under the Stockholm Convention, and they were banned with an exemption on EPS/XPS for cavity wall insulation. This study describes the development and optimisation of a rapid LC-ESI-MS/MS method using isotopic dilution quantification including a simplified extraction step using a mixture of solvents and sulphuric acid hydrolysis followed by the one-shot analysis of TBBPA and each of the α-, β- and γ-HBCD diastereoisomers. The limits of detection and quantification (LOD and LOQ) were 0.5 and 2.5 ng g -1 (lipid weight, lw) for TBBPA and HBCD diastereoisomers, respectively. The method was applied to analyse 106 samples of individual mature breast milk. TBBPA was quantified in 42% of these samples within a range of <LOQ to 15.1 ng g -1 lw. HBCD diastereoisomers were quantified in 8%, 3% and 3% of the collected samples for α-, β- and γ-HBCDs, respectively. The α-form was predominant in each quantifiable breast milk sample. The rapid newly developed LC-MS/MS method appears to be suitable for simultaneously analysing and quantifying TBBPA and HBCDs (three isomers) in human breast milk with the aim of establishing BFR multi-contamination profiles of breast milk samples. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Determination of 255 pesticides in edible vegetable oils using QuEChERS method and gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    He, Zeying; Wang, Yuehua; Wang, Lu; Peng, Yi; Wang, Wenwen; Liu, Xiaowei

    2017-02-01

    In this study, a simple and high-throughput method for determination of 255 pesticides in vegetable oils was developed based on QuEChERS sample preparation method combined with gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. Different clean-up approaches were tested: A, 150 mg PSA + 150 mg C18; B, 250 mg PSA + 250 mg C18; C, 250 mg PSA + 250 mg C18 + 15 mg GCB; D, 250 mg PSA + 250 mg C18 + 50 mg GCB; and E, EMR-Lipid TM . Best clean-up capacity was observed for EMR clean-up. The extraction procedures and parameters, including extraction time, solvent/sample ratio, and buffer system, were also thoroughly investigated and optimized. The limits of quantification (LOQ) ranged between 5 and 50 μg kg -1 , and for the majority of the pesticides the LOQs were 5 μg kg -1 , which were below the regulatory MRLs. Most recoveries at seven spiking levels were in the range of 70-120 % with RSDs <20 % indicating satisfactory accuracy. The coefficient of determination (r 2 ) was >0.99 within the calibration linearity range of 2-500 μg L -1 for the majority of the pesticides. This method was proved to be simple, sensitive, and effective, which can be applied for large-scale pesticide screening and quantification in vegetable oils.

  3. Accurate determination of 3-alkyl-2-methoxypyrazines in wines by gas chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry following solid-phase extraction and dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction.

    PubMed

    Fontana, Ariel; Rodríguez, Isaac; Cela, Rafael

    2017-09-15

    A new reliable method for the determination 3-alkyl-2-methoxypyrazines (MPs) in wine samples based on the sequential combination of solid-phase extraction (SPE), dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) and gas chromatography (GC) quadrupole time-of-flight accurate tandem mass spectrometry (QTOF-MS/MS) is presented. Primary extraction of target analytes was carried out by using a reversed-phase Oasis HLB (200mg) SPE cartridge combined with acetonitrile as elution solvent. Afterwards, the SPE extract was submitted to DLLME concentration using 0.06mL carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) as extractant. Under final working conditions, sample concentration factors above 379 times and limits of quantification (LOQs) between 0.3 and 2.1ngL -1 were achieved. Moreover, the overall extraction efficiency of the method was unaffected by the particular characteristics of each wine; thus, accurate results (relative recoveries from 84 to 108% for samples spiked at concentrations from 5 to 25ngL -1 ) were obtained using matrix-matched standards, without using standard additions over every sample. Highly selective chromatographic records were achieved considering a mass window of 5mDa, centered in the quantification product ion corresponding to each compound. Twelve commercial wines, elaborated with grapes from different varieties and geographical origins, were processed with the optimized method. The 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine (IBMP) was determined at levels above the LOQs of the method in half of the samples. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Quantitative analysis of substituted N,N-dimethyl-tryptamines in the presence of natural type XII alkaloids.

    PubMed

    Ivanova, Bojidarka; Spiteller, Michael

    2012-10-01

    This paper reports the qualitative and quantitative analysis (QA) of mixtures of hallucinogens, N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) (1), 5-methoxy- (la) and 5-hydroxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (1b) in the presence of beta-carbolines (indole alkaloids of type XII) ((2), (3) and (5)}. The validated electronic absorption spectroscopic (EAs) protocol achieved a concentration limit of detection (LOD) of 7.2.10(-7) mol/L {concentration limit of quantification (LOQ) of 24.10(-7) mol/L) using bands (lambda max within 260+/-0.23-262+/-0.33 nm. Metrology, including accuracy, measurement repeatability, measurement precision, trueness of measurement, and reproducibility of the measurements are presented using N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMA) as standard. The analytical quantities of mixtures of alkaloids 4, 6 and 7 are: lambda max 317+/-0.45, 338+/-0.69 and 430+/-0.09 for 4 (LOD, 8.6.10(-7) mol/L; LOQ, 28.66(6), mol/L), as well as 528+/-0.75 nm for 6 and 7 (LOD, 8.2.10(-7) mol/L; LOQ, 27.33(3), mol/L), respectively. The partially validated protocols by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), electrospray ionization (ESI), mass spectrometry (MS), both in single and tandem operation (MS/MS) mode, as well as matrix/assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) MS are elaborated. The Raman spectroscopic (RS) protocol for analysis of psychoactive substances, characterized by strong fluorescence RS profile was developed, with the detection limits being discussed. The known synergistic effect leading to increase the psychoactive and hallucinogenic properties and the reported acute poisoning cases from 1-7, make the present study emergent, since as well the current lack of analytical data and the herein metrology obtained contributed to the elaboration of highly selective and precise analytical protocols, which would be of interest in the field of criminal forensic analysis.

  5. Statistical characterization of multiple-reaction monitoring mass spectrometry (MRM-MS) assays for quantitative proteomics

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry (MRM-MS) with stable isotope dilution (SID) is increasingly becoming a widely accepted assay for the quantification of proteins and peptides. These assays have shown great promise in relatively high throughput verification of candidate biomarkers. While the use of MRM-MS assays is well established in the small molecule realm, their introduction and use in proteomics is relatively recent. As such, statistical and computational methods for the analysis of MRM-MS data from proteins and peptides are still being developed. Based on our extensive experience with analyzing a wide range of SID-MRM-MS data, we set forth a methodology for analysis that encompasses significant aspects ranging from data quality assessment, assay characterization including calibration curves, limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ), and measurement of intra- and interlaboratory precision. We draw upon publicly available seminal datasets to illustrate our methods and algorithms. PMID:23176545

  6. Statistical characterization of multiple-reaction monitoring mass spectrometry (MRM-MS) assays for quantitative proteomics.

    PubMed

    Mani, D R; Abbatiello, Susan E; Carr, Steven A

    2012-01-01

    Multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry (MRM-MS) with stable isotope dilution (SID) is increasingly becoming a widely accepted assay for the quantification of proteins and peptides. These assays have shown great promise in relatively high throughput verification of candidate biomarkers. While the use of MRM-MS assays is well established in the small molecule realm, their introduction and use in proteomics is relatively recent. As such, statistical and computational methods for the analysis of MRM-MS data from proteins and peptides are still being developed. Based on our extensive experience with analyzing a wide range of SID-MRM-MS data, we set forth a methodology for analysis that encompasses significant aspects ranging from data quality assessment, assay characterization including calibration curves, limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ), and measurement of intra- and interlaboratory precision. We draw upon publicly available seminal datasets to illustrate our methods and algorithms.

  7. Selective and sensitive fluorimetric determination of carbendazim in apple and orange after preconcentration with magnetite-molecularly imprinted polymer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    İlktaç, Raif; Aksuner, Nur; Henden, Emur

    2017-03-01

    In this study, magnetite-molecularly imprinted polymer has been used for the first time as selective adsorbent before the fluorimetric determination of carbendazim. Adsorption capacity of the magnetite-molecularly imprinted polymer was found to be 2.31 ± 0.63 mg g- 1 (n = 3). Limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of the method were found to be 2.3 and 7.8 μg L- 1, respectively. Calibration graph was linear in the range of 10-1000 μg L- 1. Rapidity is an important advantage of the method where re-binding and recovery processes of carbendazim can be completed within an hour. The same imprinted polymer can be used for the determination of carbendazim without any capacity loss repeatedly for at least ten times. Proposed method has been successfully applied to determine carbendazim residues in apple and orange, where the recoveries of the spiked samples were found to be in the range of 95.7-103%. Characterization of the adsorbent and the effects of some potential interferences were also evaluated. With the reasonably high capacity and reusability of the adsorbent, dynamic calibration range, rapidity, simplicity, cost-effectiveness and with suitable LOD and LOQ, the proposed method is an ideal method for the determination of carbendazim.

  8. Comparison of machine learning and semi-quantification algorithms for (I123)FP-CIT classification: the beginning of the end for semi-quantification?

    PubMed

    Taylor, Jonathan Christopher; Fenner, John Wesley

    2017-11-29

    Semi-quantification methods are well established in the clinic for assisted reporting of (I123) Ioflupane images. Arguably, these are limited diagnostic tools. Recent research has demonstrated the potential for improved classification performance offered by machine learning algorithms. A direct comparison between methods is required to establish whether a move towards widespread clinical adoption of machine learning algorithms is justified. This study compared three machine learning algorithms with that of a range of semi-quantification methods, using the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) research database and a locally derived clinical database for validation. Machine learning algorithms were based on support vector machine classifiers with three different sets of features: Voxel intensities Principal components of image voxel intensities Striatal binding radios from the putamen and caudate. Semi-quantification methods were based on striatal binding ratios (SBRs) from both putamina, with and without consideration of the caudates. Normal limits for the SBRs were defined through four different methods: Minimum of age-matched controls Mean minus 1/1.5/2 standard deviations from age-matched controls Linear regression of normal patient data against age (minus 1/1.5/2 standard errors) Selection of the optimum operating point on the receiver operator characteristic curve from normal and abnormal training data Each machine learning and semi-quantification technique was evaluated with stratified, nested 10-fold cross-validation, repeated 10 times. The mean accuracy of the semi-quantitative methods for classification of local data into Parkinsonian and non-Parkinsonian groups varied from 0.78 to 0.87, contrasting with 0.89 to 0.95 for classifying PPMI data into healthy controls and Parkinson's disease groups. The machine learning algorithms gave mean accuracies between 0.88 to 0.92 and 0.95 to 0.97 for local and PPMI data respectively. Classification

  9. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry measurement of climbazole deposition from hair care products onto artificial skin and human scalp.

    PubMed

    Chen, Guoqiang; Hoptroff, Michael; Fei, Xiaoqing; Su, Ya; Janssen, Hans-Gerd

    2013-11-22

    A sensitive and specific ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated for the measurement of climbazole deposition from hair care products onto artificial skin and human scalp. Deuterated climbazole was used as the internal standard. Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) in positive mode was applied for the detection of climbazole. For quantification, multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) transition 293.0>69.0 was monitored for climbazole, and MRM transition 296.0>225.1 for the deuterated climbazole. The linear range ran from 4 to 2000 ng mL(-1). The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) were 1 ng mL(-1) and 4 ng mL(-1), respectively, which enabled quantification of climbazole on artificial skin and human scalp at ppb level (corresponding to 16 ng cm(-2)). For the sampling of climbazole from human scalp the buffer scrub method using a surfactant-modified phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution was selected based on a performance comparison of tape stripping, the buffer scrub method and solvent extraction in in vitro studies. Using this method, climbazole deposition in in vitro and in vivo studies was successfully quantified. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Variability of pesticide residues in cauliflower units collected from a field trial and market places in Greece.

    PubMed

    Prodhan, M D H; Papadakis, Emmanouil-N; Papadopoulou-Mourkidou, Euphemia

    2016-09-01

    To estimate the variability of pesticide residue levels present in cauliflower units, a total of 142 samples were collected from a field trial of a cooperative farmer, and 120 samples were collected from different market places in Thessaloniki, Greece. The collected samples were extracted using the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) extraction technique, and the residues were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The developed method was validated by evaluating the accuracy, precision, linearity, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantification (LOQ). The average recoveries for all the analytes, derived from the data of control samples fortified at 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.2 mg/kg, ranged from 74 to 110% with a relative standard deviation of ≤8%. The correlation coefficient (R(2)) was ≥0.997 for all the analytes using matrix-matched calibration standards. The LOD values ranged from 0.001 to 0.003 mg/kg, and the LOQ was determined at 0.01 mg/kg for all the sought analytes. The matrix effect was found to be at a considerable level, especially for cypermethrin and deltamethrin, amounting to +90% and +145%, respectively. For the field samples, the unit-to-unit variability factors (VFs) calculated for cypermethrin and deltamethrin were 2.38 and 2.32, respectively, while the average VF for the market basket samples was 5.11. In the market basket samples, residues of cypermethrin, deltamethrin, chlorpyrifos, and indoxacarb were found at levels ≥LOQ and their respective VFs were 7.12, 5.67, 5.28, and 2.40.

  11. Ultra-HPLC method for quality and adulterant assessment of steviol glycosides sweeteners - Stevia rebaudiana and stevia products.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yan-Hong; Avula, Bharathi; Tang, Wenzhao; Wang, Mei; Elsohly, Mahmoud A; Khan, Ikhlas A

    2015-01-01

    Stevia products are advertised as a zero-calorie sweetener. Glucose should not be an intrinsic component of this product, but it has been identified from some of stevia products in a preliminary study. An UHPLC-UV method was developed for the quantitative determination of glucose from stevia products. After stevia products reacted with 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone (PMP), PMP derivatives were analysed and glucose was found in seven out of 35 products in the range 0.3-91.5% (w/w). Two products, SPR-12 and SPR-27, showed remarkable amounts of glucose at 61.6% and 91.5%, respectively. In addition, an UHPLC-UV-evaporative light-scattering detector (ELSD) method was developed for the quantitative determination of rebaudioside A, stevioside, rebaudioside D, dulcoside A and steviolbioside from Stevia rebaudiana and related products. In a 12 min run, five steviol glycosides were baseline-separated. ELSD and ultraviolet (UV) detections showed comparable results. The LC methods were validated for linearity, repeatability, accuracy, limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ). For steviol glycosides, the LODs and LOQs were found to be less than 10 and 30 μg ml(-1), respectively. The RSD for intra- and inter-day analyses was less than 2.5%, and the recovery was 90-94%. For PMP derivative of glucose, the LOD and LOQ were 0.01 and 0.05 μg ml(-1), respectively. Repeatability (RSD) was less than 2.6%; recovery was 98.6-101.7%. The methods are useful for the identification, quality assurance, and adulterant assessment of S. rebaudiana and steviol glycosides sweeteners (stevia products).

  12. Generic method for the absolute quantification of glutathione S-conjugates: Application to the conjugates of acetaminophen, clozapine and diclofenac.

    PubMed

    den Braver, Michiel W; Vermeulen, Nico P E; Commandeur, Jan N M

    2017-03-01

    Modification of cellular macromolecules by reactive drug metabolites is considered to play an important role in the initiation of tissue injury by many drugs. Detection and identification of reactive intermediates is often performed by analyzing the conjugates formed after trapping by glutathione (GSH). Although sensitivity of modern mass spectrometrical methods is extremely high, absolute quantification of GSH-conjugates is critically dependent on the availability of authentic references. Although 1 H NMR is currently the method of choice for quantification of metabolites formed biosynthetically, its intrinsically low sensitivity can be a limiting factor in quantification of GSH-conjugates which generally are formed at low levels. In the present study, a simple but sensitive and generic method for absolute quantification of GSH-conjugates is presented. The method is based on quantitative alkaline hydrolysis of GSH-conjugates and subsequent quantification of glutamic acid and glycine by HPLC after precolumn derivatization with o-phthaldialdehyde/N-acetylcysteine (OPA/NAC). Because of the lower stability of the glycine OPA/NAC-derivate, quantification of the glutamic acid OPA/NAC-derivate appeared most suitable for quantification of GSH-conjugates. The novel method was used to quantify the concentrations of GSH-conjugates of diclofenac, clozapine and acetaminophen and quantification was consistent with 1 H NMR, but with a more than 100-fold lower detection limit for absolute quantification. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  13. Flavanol Quantification of Grapes via Multiple Reaction Monitoring Mass Spectrometry. Application to Differentiation among Clones of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Rufete Grapes.

    PubMed

    García-Estévez, Ignacio; Alcalde-Eon, Cristina; Escribano-Bailón, M Teresa

    2017-08-09

    The determination of the detailed flavanol composition in food matrices is not a simple task because of the structural similarities of monomers and, consequently, oligomers and polymers. The aim of this study was the development and validation of an HPLC-MS/MS-multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) method that would allow the accurate and precise quantification of catechins, gallocatechins, and oligomeric proanthocyanidins. The high correlation coefficients of the calibration curves (>0.993), the recoveries not statistically different from 100%, the good intra- and interday precisions (<5%), and the LOD and LOQ values, low enough to quantify flavanols in grapes, are good results from the method validation procedure. Its usefulness has also been tested by determining the detailed composition of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Rufete grapes. Seventy-two (38 nongalloylated and 34 galloylated) and 53 (24 procyanidins and 29 prodelphinidins) flavanols have been identified and quantified in grape seed and grape skin, respectively. The use of HCA and PCA on the detailed flavanol composition has allowed differentiation among Rufete clones.

  14. Quantification and localization of hesperidin and rutin in Citrus sinensis grafted on C. limonia after Xylella fastidiosa infection by HPLC-UV and MALDI imaging mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Soares, Márcio Santos; da Silva, Danielle Fernandes; Forim, Moacir Rossi; da Silva, Maria Fátima das Graças Fernandes; Fernandes, João Batista; Vieira, Paulo Cezar; Silva, Denise Brentan; Lopes, Norberto Peporine; de Carvalho, Sérgio Alves; de Souza, Alessandra Alves; Machado, Marcos Antônio

    2015-07-01

    A high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet (HPLC-UV) method was developed for quantifying hesperidin and rutin levels in leaves and stems of Citrus limonia, with a good linearity over a range of 1.0-80.0 and 1.0-50.0 μg mL(-1) respectively, with r(2)>0.999 for all curves. The limits of detection (LOD) for both flavonoids were 0.6 and 0.5 μg mL(-1), respectively, with quantification (LOQ) being 2.0 and 1.0 μg mL(-1), respectively. The quantification method was applied to Citrus sinensis grafted onto C. limonia with and without CVC (citrus variegated chlorosis) symptoms after Xylella fastidiosa infection. The total content of rutin was low and practically constant in all analyses in comparison with hesperidin, which showed a significant increase in its amount in symptomatic leaves. Scanning electron microscopy studies on leaves with CVC symptoms showed vessel occlusion by biofilm, and a crystallized material was noted. Considering the difficulty in isolating these crystals for analysis, tissue sections were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI MSI) to confirm the presence of hesperidin at the site of infection. The images constructed from MS/MS data with a specific diagnostic fragment ion (m/z 483) also showed higher ion intensities for it in infected plants than in healthy ones, mainly in the vessel regions. These data suggest that hesperidin plays a role in the plant-pathogen interaction, probably as a phytoanticipin. This method was also applied to C. sinensis and C. limonia seedlings, and comparison with the graft results showed that the rootstock had an increased hesperidin content ∼3.6 fold greater in the graft stem than in the stem of C. sinensis seedlings. Increase in hesperidin content by rootstock can be related to induced internal defense mechanisms. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Integrative analysis with ChIP-seq advances the limits of transcript quantification from RNA-seq

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Peng; Sanalkumar, Rajendran; Bresnick, Emery H.; Keleş, Sündüz; Dewey, Colin N.

    2016-01-01

    RNA-seq is currently the technology of choice for global measurement of transcript abundances in cells. Despite its successes, isoform-level quantification remains difficult because short RNA-seq reads are often compatible with multiple alternatively spliced isoforms. Existing methods rely heavily on uniquely mapping reads, which are not available for numerous isoforms that lack regions of unique sequence. To improve quantification accuracy in such difficult cases, we developed a novel computational method, prior-enhanced RSEM (pRSEM), which uses a complementary data type in addition to RNA-seq data. We found that ChIP-seq data of RNA polymerase II and histone modifications were particularly informative in this approach. In qRT-PCR validations, pRSEM was shown to be superior than competing methods in estimating relative isoform abundances within or across conditions. Data-driven simulations suggested that pRSEM has a greatly decreased false-positive rate at the expense of a small increase in false-negative rate. In aggregate, our study demonstrates that pRSEM transforms existing capacity to precisely estimate transcript abundances, especially at the isoform level. PMID:27405803

  16. Identification and quantification of the main isoflavones and other phytochemicals in soy based nutraceutical products by liquid chromatography-orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    López-Gutiérrez, Noelia; Romero-González, Roberto; Garrido Frenich, Antonia; Martínez Vidal, José Luis

    2014-06-27

    The specific phytochemicals composition of soy nutritional supplements is usually not labelled. Hence, 12 dietary supplements were analyzed in order to detect and identify the main phytochemicals present in these samples, using a database containing 60 compounds. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to single-stage Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Orbitrap-MS) has been used. Two consecutive extractions, using as extraction solvent a mixture of methanol:water (80:20, v/v), were employed, followed by two dilutions (10 or 100 times depending on the concentration of the components in the sample) with a mixture of an aqueous solution of ammonium acetate 30mM:methanol (50:50, v/v). The method was validated, obtaining adequate recovery and precision values. Limits of detection (LODs) and quantification (LOQs) were calculated, ranging from 2 to 150μgL(-1). Isoflavones were the predominant components present in the analyzed supplements with values higher than 93% of the total amount of phytochemicals in all cases. The aglycones (genistein, daidzein, glycitein and biochanin A) as well as their three conjugated forms, β-glucosides (genistin, daizin and glycitin) were detected and quantified, being daidzein the isoflavone detected at higher concentration in 8 out of 12 samples reported, with values ranging from 684 to 35,970mgkg(-1), whereas biochanin A was detected at very low concentrations, ranging from 18 to 50mgkg(-1). Moreover, other phytochemicals as flavones, flavonols, flavanones and phenolic acids were also detected and quantified. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Quantification of endogenous retinoic acid in limited biological samples by LC/MS/MS

    PubMed Central

    Kane, Maureen A.; Chen, Na; Sparks, Susan; Napoli, Joseph L.

    2005-01-01

    We report a sensitive LC (liquid chromatography)/MS/MS assay using selected reaction monitoring to quantify RA (retinoic acid), which is applicable to biological samples of limited size (10–20 mg of tissue wet weight), requires no sample derivatization, provides mass identification and resolves atRA (all-trans-RA) from its geometric isomers. The assay quantifies over a linear range of 20 fmol to 10 pmol, and has a 10 fmol limit of detection at a signal/noise ratio of 3. Coefficients of variation are: instrumental, 0.5–2.9%; intra-assay, 5.4±0.4%; inter-assay 8.9±1.0%. An internal standard (all-trans-4,4-dimethyl-RA) improves accuracy by confirming extraction efficiency and revealing handling-induced isomerization. Tissues of 2–4-month-old C57BL/6 male mice had atRA concentrations of 7–9.6 pmol/g and serum atRA of 1.9±0.6 pmol/ml (±S.E.M.). Tissue 13-cis-RA ranged from 2.9 to 4.2 pmol/g, and serum 13-cis-RA was 1.2±0.3 pmol/ml. CRBP (cellular retinol-binding protein)-null mouse liver had atRA ∼30% lower than wild-type (P<0.05), but kidney, testis, brain and serum atRA were similar to wild-type. atRA in brain areas of 12-month-old female C57BL/6 mice were (±S.E.M.): whole brain, 5.4±0.4 pmol/g; cerebellum, 10.7±0.3 pmol/g; cortex, 2.6±0.4 pmol/g; hippocampus, 8.4±1.2 pmol/g; striatum, 15.3±4.7 pmol/g. These data provide the first analytically robust quantification of atRA in animal brain and in CRBP-null mice. Direct measurements of endogenous RA should have a substantial impact on investigating target tissues of RA, mechanisms of RA action, and the relationship between RA and chronic disease. PMID:15628969

  18. Quantification of Efficiency of Beneficiation of Lunar Regolith

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Trigwell, Steve; Lane, John; Captain, James; Weis, Kyle; Quinn, Jacqueline; Watanabe, Fumiya

    2011-01-01

    Electrostatic beneficiation of lunar regolith is being researched at Kennedy Space Center to enhance the ilmenite concentration of the regolith for the production of oxygen in in-situ resource utilization on the lunar surface. Ilmenite enrichment of up to 200% was achieved using lunar simulants. For the most accurate quantification of the regolith particles, standard petrographic methods are typically followed, but in order to optimize the process, many hundreds of samples were generated in this study that made the standard analysis methods time prohibitive. In the current studies, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Secondary Electron microscopy/Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) were used that could automatically, and quickly, analyze many separated fractions of lunar simulant. In order to test the accuracy of the quantification, test mixture samples of known quantities of ilmenite (2, 5, 10, and 20 wt%) in silica (pure quartz powder), were analyzed by XPS and EDS. The results showed that quantification for low concentrations of ilmenite in silica could be accurately achieved by both XPS and EDS, knowing the limitations of the techniques. 1

  19. Absolute quantification of prion protein (90-231) using stable isotope-labeled chymotryptic peptide standards in a LC-MRM AQUA workflow.

    PubMed

    Sturm, Robert; Sheynkman, Gloria; Booth, Clarissa; Smith, Lloyd M; Pedersen, Joel A; Li, Lingjun

    2012-09-01

    Substantial evidence indicates that the disease-associated conformer of the prion protein (PrP(TSE)) constitutes the etiologic agent in prion diseases. These diseases affect multiple mammalian species. PrP(TSE) has the ability to convert the conformation of the normal prion protein (PrP(C)) into a β-sheet rich form resistant to proteinase K digestion. Common immunological techniques lack the sensitivity to detect PrP(TSE) at subfemtomole levels, whereas animal bioassays, cell culture, and in vitro conversion assays offer higher sensitivity but lack the high-throughput the immunological assays offer. Mass spectrometry is an attractive alternative to the above assays as it offers high-throughput, direct measurement of a protein's signature peptide, often with subfemtomole sensitivities. Although a liquid chromatography-multiple reaction monitoring (LC-MRM) method has been reported for PrP(TSE), the chemical composition and lack of amino acid sequence conservation of the signature peptide may compromise its accuracy and make it difficult to apply to multiple species. Here, we demonstrate that an alternative protease (chymotrypsin) can produce signature peptides suitable for a LC-MRM absolute quantification (AQUA) experiment. The new method offers several advantages, including: (1) a chymotryptic signature peptide lacking chemically active residues (Cys, Met) that can confound assay accuracy; (2) low attomole limits of detection and quantitation (LOD and LOQ); and (3) a signature peptide retaining the same amino acid sequence across most mammals naturally susceptible to prion infection as well as important laboratory models. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report on the use of a non-tryptic peptide in a LC-MRM AQUA workflow.

  20. Absolute quantification of prion protein (90-231) using stable isotope-labeled chymotryptic peptide standards in a LC-MRM AQUA workflow

    PubMed Central

    Sturm, Robert; Kreitinger, Gloria; Booth, Clarissa; Smith, Lloyd; Pedersen, Joel; Li, Lingjun

    2012-01-01

    Substantial evidence indicates that the disease-associated conformer of the prion protein (PrPTSE) constitutes the etiological agent in prion diseases. These diseases affect multiple mammalian species. PrPTSE has the ability to convert the conformation of the normal prion protein (PrPC) into a β-sheet rich form resistant to proteinase K digestion. Common immunological techniques lack the sensitivity to detect PrPTSE at sub-femtomole levels while animal bioassays, cell culture, and in vitro conversion assays offer ultrasensitivity but lack the high-throughput the immunological assays offer. Mass spectrometry is an attractive alternative to the above assays as it offers high-throughput, direct measurement of a protein’s signature peptide, often with sub-femtomole sensitivities. Although a liquid chromatography-multiple reaction monitoring (LC-MRM) method has been reported for PrPTSE, the chemical composition and lack of amino acid sequence conservation of the signature peptide may compromise its accuracy and make it difficult to apply to multiple species. Here, we demonstrate that an alternative protease (chymotrypsin) can produce signature peptides suitable for a LC-MRM absolute quantification (AQUA) experiment. The new method offers several advantages, including: (1) a chymotryptic signature peptide lacking chemically active residues (Cys, Met) that can confound assay accuracy; (2) low attomole limits of detection and quantitation (LOD and LOQ); and (3) a signature peptide retaining the same amino acid sequence across most mammals naturally susceptible to prion infection as well as important laboratory models. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of the use of a non-tryptic peptide in a LC-MRM AQUA workflow. PMID:22714949

  1. Quantitative Analysis of Staphylococcal Enterotoxins A and B in Food Matrices Using Ultra High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS).

    PubMed

    Muratovic, Aida Zuberovic; Hagström, Thomas; Rosén, Johan; Granelli, Kristina; Hellenäs, Karl-Erik

    2015-09-11

    A method that uses mass spectrometry (MS) for identification and quantification of protein toxins, staphylococcal enterotoxins A and B (SEA and SEB), in milk and shrimp is described. The analysis was performed using a tryptic peptide, from each of the toxins, as the target analyte together with the corresponding (13)C-labeled synthetic internal standard peptide. The performance of the method was evaluated by analyzing spiked samples in the quantification range 2.5-30 ng/g (R² = 0.92-0.99). The limit of quantification (LOQ) in milk and the limit of detection (LOD) in shrimp was 2.5 ng/g, for both SEA and SEB toxins. The in-house reproducibility (RSD) was 8%-30% and 5%-41% at different concentrations for milk and shrimp, respectively. The method was compared to the ELISA method, used at the EU-RL (France), for milk samples spiked with SEA at low levels, in the quantification range of 2.5 to 5 ng/g. The comparison showed good coherence for the two methods: 2.9 (MS)/1.8 (ELISA) and 3.6 (MS)/3.8 (ELISA) ng/g. The major advantage of the developed method is that it allows direct confirmation of the molecular identity and quantitative analysis of SEA and SEB at low nanogram levels using a label and antibody free approach. Therefore, this method is an important step in the development of alternatives to the immune-assay tests currently used for staphylococcal enterotoxin analysis.

  2. Ultrasonication extraction and gel permeation chromatography clean-up for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in edible oil by an isotope dilution gas chromatography–mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Wang, Jian-Hua; Guo, Cui

    2010-07-09

    An analytical method for the determination of US EPA priority pollutant 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in edible oil was developed by an isotope dilution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Extraction was performed with ultrasonication mode using acetonitrile as solvent, and subsequent clean-up was applied using narrow gel permeation chromatographic column. Three deuterated PAHs surrogate standards were used as internal standards for quantification and analytical quality control. The limits of quantification (LOQs) were globally below 0.5 ng/g, the recoveries were in the range of 81-96%, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) were lower than 20%. Further trueness assessment of the method was also verified through participation in international cocoa butter proficiency test (T0638) organised by the FAPAS with excellent results in 2008. The results obtained with the described method were satisfying (z ≤ 2). The method has been applied to determine PAH in real edible oil samples.

  3. Stability considerations of aspartame in the direct analysis of artificial sweeteners in water samples using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS).

    PubMed

    Berset, Jean-Daniel; Ochsenbein, Nicole

    2012-07-01

    A HPLC-MS/MS method is presented for the simultaneous determination of frequently used artificial sweeteners (ASs) and the main metabolite of aspartame (ASP), diketopiperazine (DKP), in environmental water samples using the direct-injection (DI) technique, thereby achieving limits of quantification (LOQ) of 10 ng L(-1). For a reliable quantification of ASP pH should be adjusted to 4.3 to prevent formation of the metabolite. Acesulfame (ACE), saccharin (SAC), cyclamate (CYC) and sucralose (SUC) were ubiquitously found in water samples. Highest concentrations up to 61 μg L(-1) of ACE were found in wastewater effluents, followed by surface water with concentrations up to 7 μg L(-1), lakes up to 600 ng L(-1) and groundwater and tap water up to 70 ng L(-1). The metabolite DKP was only detected in wastewater up to 200 ng L(-1) and at low detection frequencies. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Simple and clean determination of tetracyclines by flow injection analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rodríguez, Michael Pérez; Pezza, Helena Redigolo; Pezza, Leonardo

    2016-01-01

    An environmentally reliable analytical methodology was developed for direct quantification of tetracycline (TC) and oxytetracycline (OTC) using continuous flow injection analysis with spectrophotometric detection. The method is based on the diazo coupling reaction between the tetracyclines and diazotized sulfanilic acid in a basic medium, resulting in the formation of an intense orange azo compound that presents maximum absorption at 434 nm. Experimental design was used to optimize the analytical conditions. The proposed technique was validated over the concentration range of 1 to 40 μg mL- 1, and was successfully applied to samples of commercial veterinary pharmaceuticals. The detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) limits were 0.40 and 1.35 μg mL- 1, respectively. The samples were also analyzed by an HPLC method, and the results showed agreement with the proposed technique. The new flow injection method can be immediately used for quality control purposes in the pharmaceutical industry, facilitating monitoring in real time during the production processes of tetracycline formulations for veterinary use.

  5. Development and validation of an UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS method for non-anthocyanin flavonoids quantification in Euterpe oleracea juice.

    PubMed

    Dias, Aécio L S; Rozet, Eric; Larondelle, Yvan; Hubert, Philippe; Rogez, Hervé; Quetin-Leclercq, Joëlle

    2013-11-01

    Euterpe oleracea fruits have gained much attention because of their phenolic constituents that have shown potential health benefits. The aim of this work was to quantify the major non-anthocyanin flavonoids (NAF) in the fruit juice by an accurate method coupling ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography with a linear ion trap-high resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometry system (UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS). Fruits were processed to juice, and then the juice was lyophilized and defatted. The residue was then extracted in the presence of methanol by sonication. The extraction time was optimized and recovery rates of the extraction were >90%. The extracts were dried and solubilized again in 40% MeOH, which showed the best compromise for MS detection. For the UHPLC quantification, a HSS C18 column (1.8 μm) was used with a gradient elution of methanol and water both with 0.1% formic acid. Total error and accuracy profiles were used as validation criteria. Seven compounds and their isomers were successfully separated, including the major NAF. Calibration in the matrix was found to be more accurate than calibration without matrix. Trueness (<15% relative bias), repeatability, and intermediate precision (<13% RSD), selectivity, response function, linearity, LOD (ranged from 0.04 to 0.81 μg/mL) and LOQ (0.15-5.78 μg/mL) for 12 compounds were evaluated and the quantification method was validated. Its applicability was demonstrated on real samples from different suppliers. Their qualitative and quantitative profiles were similar and some compounds were for the first time quantified. In addition, eriodictyol was identified for the first time in this fruit along with five other flavonoids for which possible structures were proposed.

  6. Microstructural Quantification, Property Prediction, and Stochastic Reconstruction of Heterogeneous Materials Using Limited X-Ray Tomography Data

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Hechao

    An accurate knowledge of the complex microstructure of a heterogeneous material is crucial for quantitative structure-property relations establishment and its performance prediction and optimization. X-ray tomography has provided a non-destructive means for microstructure characterization in both 3D and 4D (i.e., structural evolution over time). Traditional reconstruction algorithms like filtered-back-projection (FBP) method or algebraic reconstruction techniques (ART) require huge number of tomographic projections and segmentation process before conducting microstructural quantification. This can be quite time consuming and computationally intensive. In this thesis, a novel procedure is first presented that allows one to directly extract key structural information in forms of spatial correlation functions from limited x-ray tomography data. The key component of the procedure is the computation of a "probability map", which provides the probability of an arbitrary point in the material system belonging to specific phase. The correlation functions of interest are then readily computed from the probability map. Using effective medium theory, accurate predictions of physical properties (e.g., elastic moduli) can be obtained. Secondly, a stochastic optimization procedure that enables one to accurately reconstruct material microstructure from a small number of x-ray tomographic projections (e.g., 20 - 40) is presented. Moreover, a stochastic procedure for multi-modal data fusion is proposed, where both X-ray projections and correlation functions computed from limited 2D optical images are fused to accurately reconstruct complex heterogeneous materials in 3D. This multi-modal reconstruction algorithm is proved to be able to integrate the complementary data to perform an excellent optimization procedure, which indicates its high efficiency in using limited structural information. Finally, the accuracy of the stochastic reconstruction procedure using limited X

  7. A simple HPLC-DAD method for simultaneous detection of two organophosphates, profenofos and fenthion, and validation by soil microcosm experiment.

    PubMed

    Mahajan, Rishi; Chatterjee, Subhankar

    2018-05-05

    Indiscriminate use of two broad spectrum pesticides, profenofos and fenthion, in agricultural system, often results in their accumulation in a non-target niche and leaching into water bodies. The present study, therefore, aims at developing a simple and rapid HPLC method that allows simultaneous extraction and detection of these two pesticides, especially in run-off water. Extraction of the two pesticides from spiked water samples using dichloromethane resulted in recovery ranging between 80 and 90%. An HPLC run of 20 min under optimized chromatographic parameters (mobile phase: methanol (75%) and water (25%); flow rate of 0.8 ml min -1 ; diode array detector at wavelength 210 nm) resulted in a significant difference in retention times of two pesticides (4.593 min) which allows a window of opportunity to study any possible intermediates/transformants of the parent compounds while evaluating run-off waters from agricultural fields. The HPLC method developed allowed simultaneous detection of profenofos and fenthion with a single injection into the HPLC system with 0.0328 mg l -1 (32.83 ng ml -1 ) being the limit of detection (LOD) and 0.0995 mg l -1 (99.5 ng ml -1 ) as the limit of quantification (LOQ) for fenthion; for profenofos, LOD and LOQ were 0.104 mg l -1 (104.50 ng ml -1 ) and 0.316 mg l -1 (316.65 ng ml -1 ), respectively. The findings were further validated using the soil microcosm experiment that allowed simultaneous detection and quantification of profenofos and fenthion. The findings indicate towards the practical significance of the methodology developed as the soil microcosm experiment closely mimics the agricultural run-off water under natural environmental conditions.

  8. A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry-based targeted proteomics assay for monitoring P-glycoprotein levels in human breast tissue.

    PubMed

    Yang, Ting; Chen, Fei; Xu, Feifei; Wang, Fengliang; Xu, Qingqing; Chen, Yun

    2014-09-25

    P-glycoprotein (P-gp) can efflux drugs from cancer cells, and its overexpression is commonly associated with multi-drug resistance (MDR). Thus, the accurate quantification of P-gp would help predict the response to chemotherapy and for prognosis of breast cancer patients. An advanced liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS)-based targeted proteomics assay was developed and validated for monitoring P-gp levels in breast tissue. Tryptic peptide 368IIDNKPSIDSYSK380 was selected as a surrogate analyte for quantification, and immuno-depleted tissue extract was used as a surrogate matrix. Matched pairs of breast tissue samples from 60 patients who were suspected to have drug resistance were subject to analysis. The levels of P-gp were quantified. Using data from normal tissue, we suggested a P-gp reference interval. The experimental values of tumor tissue samples were compared with those obtained from Western blotting and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The result indicated that the targeted proteomics approach was comparable to IHC but provided a lower limit of quantification (LOQ) and could afford more reliable results at low concentrations than the other two methods. LC/MS/MS-based targeted proteomics may allow the quantification of P-gp in breast tissue in a more accurate manner. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Analytical and clinical performance of thyroglobulin autoantibody assays in thyroid cancer follow-up.

    PubMed

    Katrangi, Waddah; Grebe, Stephan K G; Algeciras-Schimnich, Alicia

    2017-10-26

    While thyroglobulin autoantibodies (TgAb) can result in false low serum thyroglobulin (Tg) immunoassay (IA) measurements, they might also be indicators of disease persistence/recurrence. Hence, accurate TgAb measurement, in addition to Tg quantification, is crucial for thyroid cancer monitoring. We compared the analytical and clinical performance of four commonly used TgAb IAs. We measured Tg by mass spectrometry (Tg-MS) and by four pairs of Tg and TgAb IAs (Beckman, Roche, Siemens, Thermo) in 576 samples. Limit of quantitation (LOQ) and manufacturers' upper reference interval cut-off (URI) were used for comparisons. Clinical performance was assessed by receiving operator characteristics (ROC) curve analysis. Quantitative and qualitative agreement between TgAb-IAs was moderate with R2 of 0.20-0.70 and κ from 0.41-0.66 using LOQ and 0.47-0.71 using URI. In samples with TgAb interference, detection rates of TgAb were similar using LOQ and URI for Beckman, Siemens, and Thermo, but much lower for the Roche TgAb-IA when the URI was used. In TgAb positive cases, the ROC areas under the curve (AUC) for the TgAb-IAs were 0.59 (Beckman), 0.62 (Siemens), 0.59 (Roche), and 0.59 (Thermo), similar to ROC AUCs achieved with Tg. Combining Tg and TgAb measurements improved the ROC AUCs compared to Tg or TgAb alone. TgAb-IAs show significant qualitative and quantitative differences. For 2 of the 4 TgAb-IAs, using the LOQ improves the detection of interfering TgAbs. All assays showed suboptimal clinical performance when used as surrogate markers of disease, with modest improvements when Tg and TgAb were combined.

  10. 1H NMR quantification in very dilute toxin solutions: application to anatoxin-a analysis.

    PubMed

    Dagnino, Denise; Schripsema, Jan

    2005-08-01

    A complete procedure is described for the extraction, detection and quantification of anatoxin-a in biological samples. Anatoxin-a is extracted from biomass by a routine acid base extraction. The extract is analysed by GC-MS, without the need of derivatization, with a detection limit of 0.5 ng. A method was developed for the accurate quantification of anatoxin-a in the standard solution to be used for the calibration of the GC analysis. 1H NMR allowed the accurate quantification of microgram quantities of anatoxin-a. The accurate quantification of compounds in standard solutions is rarely discussed, but for compounds like anatoxin-a (toxins with prices in the range of a million dollar a gram), of which generally only milligram quantities or less are available, this factor in the quantitative analysis is certainly not trivial. The method that was developed can easily be adapted for the accurate quantification of other toxins in very dilute solutions.

  11. Integrative analysis with ChIP-seq advances the limits of transcript quantification from RNA-seq.

    PubMed

    Liu, Peng; Sanalkumar, Rajendran; Bresnick, Emery H; Keleş, Sündüz; Dewey, Colin N

    2016-08-01

    RNA-seq is currently the technology of choice for global measurement of transcript abundances in cells. Despite its successes, isoform-level quantification remains difficult because short RNA-seq reads are often compatible with multiple alternatively spliced isoforms. Existing methods rely heavily on uniquely mapping reads, which are not available for numerous isoforms that lack regions of unique sequence. To improve quantification accuracy in such difficult cases, we developed a novel computational method, prior-enhanced RSEM (pRSEM), which uses a complementary data type in addition to RNA-seq data. We found that ChIP-seq data of RNA polymerase II and histone modifications were particularly informative in this approach. In qRT-PCR validations, pRSEM was shown to be superior than competing methods in estimating relative isoform abundances within or across conditions. Data-driven simulations suggested that pRSEM has a greatly decreased false-positive rate at the expense of a small increase in false-negative rate. In aggregate, our study demonstrates that pRSEM transforms existing capacity to precisely estimate transcript abundances, especially at the isoform level. © 2016 Liu et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

  12. Evaluation of alternative environmentally friendly matrix solid phase dispersion solid supports for the simultaneous extraction of 15 pesticides of different chemical classes from drinking water treatment sludge.

    PubMed

    Soares, Karina Lotz; Cerqueira, Maristela Barnes Rodrigues; Caldas, Sergiane Souza; Primel, Ednei Gilberto

    2017-09-01

    This study describes the development, optimization and validation of a method for the extraction of 15 pesticides of different chemical classes in drinking water treatment sludge (DWTS) by vortex-assisted Matrix Solid Phase Dispersion (MSPD) with determination by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. It focused on the application of alternative and different solid supports to the extraction step of the MSPD. The main parameters that influenced the extraction were studied in order to obtain better recovery responses. Recoveries ranged from 70 to 120% with RSD below 20% for all analytes. Limits of quantification (LOQ) of the method ranged from 5 to 500 μg kg -1 whereas the analytical curves showed correlation coefficients above 0.997. The method under investigation used low volume of solvent (5 mL), low sample mass (1.5 g) and low mass of chitin (0.5 g), an environmentally friendly support. It has advantages, such as speed, simplicity and low cost material, over other methods. When the method was applied, 4 out of 15 pesticides were detected in the DWTS samples in concentrations below the LOQ. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. A reversed-phase capillary ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) method for comprehensive top-down/bottom-up lipid profiling

    PubMed Central

    Gao, Xiaoli; Zhang, Qibin; Meng, Da; Issac, Giorgis; Zhao, Rui; Fillmore, Thomas L.; Chu, Rosey K.; Zhou, Jianying; Tang, Keqi; Hu, Zeping; Moore, Ronald J.; Smith, Richard D.; Katze, Michael G.; Metz, Thomas O.

    2012-01-01

    Lipidomics is a critical part of metabolomics and aims to study all the lipids within a living system. We present here the development and evaluation of a sensitive capillary UPLC-MS method for comprehensive top-down/bottom-up lipid profiling. Three different stationary phases were evaluated in terms of peak capacity, linearity, reproducibility, and limit of quantification (LOQ) using a mixture of lipid standards representative of the lipidome. The relative standard deviations of the retention times and peak abundances of the lipid standards were 0.29% and 7.7%, respectively, when using the optimized method. The linearity was acceptable at >0.99 over 3 orders of magnitude, and the LOQs were sub-fmol. To demonstrate the performance of the method in the analysis of complex samples, we analyzed lipids extracted from a human cell line, rat plasma, and a model human skin tissue, identifying 446, 444, and 370 unique lipids, respectively. Overall, the method provided either higher coverage of the lipidome, greater measurement sensitivity, or both, when compared to other approaches of global, untargeted lipid profiling based on chromatography coupled with MS. PMID:22354571

  14. Improved coupled-column liquid chromatographic method for the determination of glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid residues in environmental waters.

    PubMed

    Hidalgo, Carmén; Rios, Carolina; Hidalgo, Manuela; Salvadó, Victòria; Sancho, Juan V; Hernández, Félix

    2004-04-30

    An existing method for the determination of glyphosate and its main metabolite aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) in water has been improved. It is based on precolumn derivatization with the fluorescent reagent 9-fluorenylmethylcloroformate (FMOC) followed by large-volume injection in a coupled-column LC system using fluorescence detection (LC-LC-FD). The derivatization step was slightly modified by changing parameters such as volume and/or concentration of sample and reagents to decrease the limits of quantification (LOQ) of glyphosate and AMPA to 0.1 microg/l. Additionally, the use of Amberlite IRA-900 for preconcentration of glyphosate, prior to the derivatization step, was investigated; the LOQ of glyphosate was lowered to 0.02 microg/l. Drinking, surface and ground water spiked with glyphosate and AMPA at 0.1-10 microg/l concentrations were analysed by the improved LC-LC-FD method. Recoveries were 87-106% with relative standard deviations lower than 8%. Drinking and ground water spiked with glyphosate at 0.02 and 0.1 microg/l were analysed after preconcentration on the anion-exchange resin with satisfactory recoveries (94-105%) and precision (better than 8%).

  15. Quantification of the IgG2/4 kappa Monoclonal Therapeutic Eculizumab from Serum Using Isotype Specific Affinity Purification and Microflow LC-ESI-Q-TOF Mass Spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Ladwig, Paula M; Barnidge, David R; Willrich, Maria A V

    2017-05-01

    As therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) become more humanized, traditional tryptic peptide approaches used to measure biologics in serum become more challenging since unique clonotypic peptides used for quantifying the mAb may also be found in the normal serum polyclonal background. An alternative approach is to monitor the unique molecular mass of the intact light chain portion of the mAbs using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Distinguishing a therapeutic mAb from a patient's normal polyclonal immunoglobulin (Ig) repertoire is the primary limiting factor when determining the limit of quantitation (LOQ) in serum. The ability to selectively extract subclass specific Igs from serum reduces the polyclonal background in a sample. We present here the development of an LC-MS method to quantify eculizumab in serum. Eculizumab is a complement component 5 (C5) binding mAb that is fully humanized and contains portions of both IgG2 and IgG4 subclasses. Our group developed a method that uses Life Technologies CaptureSelect IgG4 (Hu) affinity matrix. We show here the ability to quantitate eculizumab with a LOQ of 5 mcg/mL by removing the higher abundance IgG1, IgG2, and IgG3 from the polyclonal background, making this approach a simple and efficient procedure. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

  16. Quantification of the IgG2/4 kappa Monoclonal Therapeutic Eculizumab from Serum Using Isotype Specific Affinity Purification and Microflow LC-ESI-Q-TOF Mass Spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ladwig, Paula M.; Barnidge, David R.; Willrich, Maria A. V.

    2017-05-01

    As therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) become more humanized, traditional tryptic peptide approaches used to measure biologics in serum become more challenging since unique clonotypic peptides used for quantifying the mAb may also be found in the normal serum polyclonal background. An alternative approach is to monitor the unique molecular mass of the intact light chain portion of the mAbs using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Distinguishing a therapeutic mAb from a patient's normal polyclonal immunoglobulin (Ig) repertoire is the primary limiting factor when determining the limit of quantitation (LOQ) in serum. The ability to selectively extract subclass specific Igs from serum reduces the polyclonal background in a sample. We present here the development of an LC-MS method to quantify eculizumab in serum. Eculizumab is a complement component 5 (C5) binding mAb that is fully humanized and contains portions of both IgG2 and IgG4 subclasses. Our group developed a method that uses Life Technologies CaptureSelect IgG4 (Hu) affinity matrix. We show here the ability to quantitate eculizumab with a LOQ of 5 mcg/mL by removing the higher abundance IgG1, IgG2, and IgG3 from the polyclonal background, making this approach a simple and efficient procedure.

  17. Current position of high-resolution MS for drug quantification in clinical & forensic toxicology.

    PubMed

    Meyer, Markus R; Helfer, Andreas G; Maurer, Hans H

    2014-08-01

    This paper reviews high-resolution MS approaches published from January 2011 until March 2014 for the quantification of drugs (of abuse) and/or their metabolites in biosamples using LC-MS with time-of-flight or Orbitrap™ mass analyzers. Corresponding approaches are discussed including sample preparation and mass spectral settings. The advantages and limitations of high-resolution MS for drug quantification, as well as the demand for a certain resolution or a specific mass accuracy are also explored.

  18. Survey of aflatoxins in maize tortillas from Mexico City.

    PubMed

    Castillo-Urueta, Pável; Carvajal, Magda; Méndez, Ignacio; Meza, Florencia; Gálvez, Amanda

    2011-01-01

    In Mexico, maize tortillas are consumed on a daily basis, leading to possible aflatoxin exposure. In a survey of 396 2-kg samples, taken over four sampling days in 2006 and 2007 from tortilla shops and supermarkets in Mexico City, aflatoxin levels were quantified by HPLC. In Mexico, the regulatory limit is 12 µg kg⁻¹ total aflatoxins for maize tortillas. In this survey, 17% of tortillas contained aflatoxins at levels of 3-385 µg kg⁻¹ or values below the limit of quantification (<LOQ) and, of these, 13% were >12 µg kg⁻¹ and 87% were below the regulatory limit. Average aflatoxin concentrations in 56 contaminated samples were: AFB1 (12.1 µg kg⁻¹); AFB2 (2.7 µg kg⁻¹); AFG1 (64.1 µg kg⁻¹) and AFG2 (3.7 µg kg⁻¹), and total AF (20.3 µg kg⁻¹).

  19. Multimycotoxin LC-MS/MS Analysis in Tea Beverages after Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction (DLLME).

    PubMed

    Pallarés, Noelia; Font, Guillermina; Mañes, Jordi; Ferrer, Emilia

    2017-11-29

    The aim of the present study was to develop a multimycotoxin liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method with a dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction procedure (DLLME) for the analysis of AFs, 3aDON, 15aDON, NIV, HT-2, T-2, ZEA, OTA, ENNs, and BEA in tea beverages and to evaluate their mycotoxin contents. The proposed method was characterized in terms of linearity, limits of detection (LODs), limits of quantification (LOQs), recoveries, repeatability (intraday precision), reproducibility (interday precision), and matrix effects to check suitability. The results show LODs in the range of 0.05-10 μg/L, LOQs in the range of 0.2-33 μg/L, and recoveries in the range of 65-127% (RSD < 20%). The method developed in this study was applied to 44 commercial samples of black tea, red tea, green tea, and green mint tea. The results show that, of the analyzed mycotoxins, AFB2, AFG2, 15aDON, AFG1, and ENB were detected in the samples. AFB2 (14.4-32.2 μg/L) and 15aDON (60.5-61 μg/L) presented the highest levels. Green mint tea contained the highest concentration of mycotoxins. The risk assessment study shows that the population is not much exposed to mycotoxins through the consumption of tea beverages.

  20. Comparison of green sample preparation techniques in the analysis of pyrethrins and pyrethroids in baby food by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Petrarca, Mateus Henrique; Ccanccapa-Cartagena, Alexander; Masiá, Ana; Godoy, Helena Teixeira; Picó, Yolanda

    2017-05-12

    A new selective and sensitive liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry method was developed for simultaneous analysis of natural pyrethrins and synthetic pyrethroids residues in baby food. In this study, two sample preparation methods based on ultrasound-assisted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (UA-DLLME) and salting-out assisted liquid-liquid extraction (SALLE) were optimized, and then, compared regarding the performance criteria. Appropriate linearity in solvent and matrix-based calibrations, and suitable recoveries (75-120%) and precision (RSD values≤16%) were achieved for selected analytes by any of the sample preparation procedures. Both methods provided the analytical selectivity required for the monitoring of the insecticides in fruit-, cereal- and milk-based baby foods. SALLE, recognized by cost-effectiveness, and simple and fast execution, provided a lower enrichment factor, consequently, higher limits of quantification (LOQs) were obtained. Some of them too high to meet the strict legislation regarding baby food. Nonetheless, the combination of ultrasound and DLLME also resulted in a high sample throughput and environmental-friendly method, whose LOQs were lower than the default maximum residue limit (MRL) of 10μgkg -1 set by European Community for baby foods. In the commercial baby foods analyzed, cyhalothrin and etofenprox were detected in different samples, demonstrating the suitability of proposed method for baby food control. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Quantitative detection of bovine and porcine gelatin difference using surface plasmon resonance based biosensor

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wardani, Devy P.; Arifin, Muhammad; Suharyadi, Edi; Abraha, Kamsul

    2015-05-01

    Gelatin is a biopolymer derived from collagen that is widely used in food and pharmaceutical products. Due to some religion restrictions and health issues regarding the gelatin consumption which is extracted from certain species, it is necessary to establish a robust, reliable, sensitive and simple quantitative method to detect gelatin from different parent collagen species. To the best of our knowledge, there has not been a gelatin differentiation method based on optical sensor that could detect gelatin from different species quantitatively. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) based biosensor is known to be a sensitive, simple and label free optical method for detecting biomaterials that is able to do quantitative detection. Therefore, we have utilized SPR-based biosensor to detect the differentiation between bovine and porcine gelatin in various concentration, from 0% to 10% (w/w). Here, we report the ability of SPR-based biosensor to detect difference between both gelatins, its sensitivity toward the gelatin concentration change, its reliability and limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of the sensor. The sensor's LOD and LOQ towards bovine gelatin concentration are 0.38% and 1.26% (w/w), while towards porcine gelatin concentration are 0.66% and 2.20% (w/w), respectively. The results show that SPR-based biosensor is a promising tool for detecting gelatin from different raw materials quantitatively.

  2. Nitric Oxide Analyzer Quantification of Plant S-Nitrosothiols.

    PubMed

    Hussain, Adil; Yun, Byung-Wook; Loake, Gary J

    2018-01-01

    Nitric oxide (NO) is a small diatomic molecule that regulates multiple physiological processes in animals, plants, and microorganisms. In animals, it is involved in vasodilation and neurotransmission and is present in exhaled breath. In plants, it regulates both plant immune function and numerous developmental programs. The high reactivity and short half-life of NO and cross-reactivity of its various derivatives make its quantification difficult. Different methods based on calorimetric, fluorometric, and chemiluminescent detection of NO and its derivatives are available, but all of them have significant limitations. Here we describe a method for the chemiluminescence-based quantification of NO using ozone-chemiluminescence technology in plants. This approach provides a sensitive, robust, and flexible approach for determining the levels of NO and its signaling products, protein S-nitrosothiols.

  3. The Fatty Liver Index has limited utility for the detection and quantification of hepatic steatosis in obese patients.

    PubMed

    Borman, Meredith A; Ladak, Farah; Crotty, Pam; Pollett, Aaron; Kirsch, Richard; Pomier-Layrargues, Gilles; Beaton, Melanie; Duarte-Rojo, Andres; Elkashab, Magdy; Myers, Robert P

    2013-06-01

    Noninvasive tools for the detection of hepatic steatosis are needed. The Fatty Liver Index (FLI), which includes body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, triglycerides, and γ-glutamyl-transferase, has been proposed as a screening tool for fatty liver. Our objective was to validate the FLI for the detection and quantification of hepatic steatosis in an obese population. Patients with chronic liver disease and BMI ≥ 28 kg/m(2) underwent liver biopsy and FLI determination. FLI performance for diagnosing steatosis compared with biopsy was assessed using areas under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROCs), and a novel model for the prediction of significant steatosis (≥5 %) was derived. Among 250 included patients, 65 % were male, and the median BMI was 33 kg/m(2); 48 % had nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and 77 % had significant (≥5 %) steatosis. The FLI was weakly correlated with the percentage (ρ = 0.25, p = 0.0001) and grade of steatosis (ρ = 0.28, p < 0.00005). The median FLI was higher among patients with significant steatosis (91 vs. 80 with <5 % steatosis; p = 0.0001) and the AUROC for this outcome was 0.67 (95 % CI 0.59-0.76). At an optimal FLI cut-off of 79, the FLI was 81 % sensitive and 49 % specific, and had positive and negative predictive values of 84 and 43 %, respectively. A novel index including triglycerides, glucose, alkaline phosphatase, and BMI outperformed the FLI for predicting significant steatosis [AUROCs 0.78 vs. 0.68; p = 0.009 (n = 247)]. In obese patients, the FLI is a poor predictor of significant steatosis and has limited utility for steatosis quantification compared with liver histology. A novel index including triglycerides, glucose, alkaline phosphatase, and BMI may be useful, but requires validation.

  4. The Qiagen Investigator® Quantiplex HYres as an alternative kit for DNA quantification.

    PubMed

    Frégeau, Chantal J; Laurin, Nancy

    2015-05-01

    The Investigator® Quantiplex HYres kit was evaluated as a potential replacement for dual DNA quantification of casework samples. This kit was determined to be highly sensitive with a limit of quantification and limit of detection of 0.0049ng/μL and 0.0003ng/μL, respectively, for both human and male DNA, using full or half reaction volumes. It was also accurate in assessing the amount of male DNA present in 96 mock and actual casework male:female mixtures (various ratios) processed in this exercise. The close correlation between the male/human DNA ratios expressed in percentages derived from the Investigator® Quantiplex HYres quantification results and the male DNA proportion calculated in mixed AmpFlSTR® Profiler® Plus or AmpFlSTR® Identifiler® Plus profiles, using the Amelogenin Y peak and STR loci, allowed guidelines to be developed to facilitate decisions regarding when to submit samples to Y-STR rather than autosomal STR profiling. The internal control (IC) target was shown to be more sensitive to inhibitors compared to the human and male DNA targets included in the Investigator® Quantiplex HYres kit serving as a good quality assessor of DNA extracts. The new kit met our criteria of enhanced sensitivity, accuracy, consistency, reliability and robustness for casework DNA quantification. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. On-line supercritical fluid extraction-supercritical fluid chromatography-mass spectrometry of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soil.

    PubMed

    Wicker, A Paige; Carlton, Doug D; Tanaka, Kenichiro; Nishimura, Masayuki; Chen, Vivian; Ogura, Tairo; Hedgepeth, William; Schug, Kevin A

    2018-06-01

    On-line supercritical fluid extraction - supercritical fluid chromatography - mass spectrometry (SFE-SFC-MS) has been applied for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the first on-line SFE-SFC-MS method for the quantification of PAHs in various types of soil. By coupling the sample extraction on-line with chromatography and detection, sample preparation is minimized, diminishing sample loss and contamination, and significantly decreasing the required extraction time. Parameters for on-line extraction coupled to chromatographic analysis were optimized. The method was validated for concentrations of 10-1500 ng of PAHs per gram of soil in Certified Reference Material (CRM) sediment, clay, and sand with R 2  ≥ 0.99. Limits of detection (LOD) were found in the range of 0.001-5 ng/g, and limits of quantification (LOQ) in the range of 5-15 ng/g. The method developed in this study can be effectively applied to the study of PAHs in the environment, and may lay the foundation for further applications of on-line SFE-SFC-MS. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. [Simultaneous determination of seven residual solvents in bovis calculus artifactus by headspace gas chromatography].

    PubMed

    Chi, Shuyao; Wu, Dike; Sun, Jinhong; Ye, Ruhan; Wang, Xiaoyan

    2014-05-01

    A headspace gas chromatography (HS-GC) method was developed for the simultaneous determination of seven residual solvents (petroleum ether (60-90 degrees C), acetone, ethyl acetate, methanol, methylene chloride, ethanol and butyl acetate) in bovis calculus artifactus. The DB-WAX capillary column and flame ionization detector (FID) were used for the separation and detection of the residual solvents, and the internal standard method was used for the quantification. The chromatographic conditions, such as equilibrium temperature and equilibrium time, were optimized. Under the optimized conditions, all of the seven residual solvents showed good linear relationships with good correlation coefficients (not less than 0.999 3) in the prescribed concentration range. At three spiked levels, the recoveries for the seven residual solvents were 94.7%-105.2% with the relative standard deviations (RSDs) less than 3.5%. The limits of detection (LODs) of the method were 0.43-5.23 mg/L, and the limits of quantification (LOQs) were 1.25-16.67 mg/L. The method is simple, rapid, sensitive and accurate, and is suitable for the simultaneous determination of the seven residual solvents in bovis calculus artifactus.

  7. Simultaneous analysis of carbohydrates and organic acids by HPLC-DAD-RI for monitoring goat's milk yogurts fermentation.

    PubMed

    da Costa, Marion Pereira; Frasao, Beatriz da Silva; Lima, Bruno Reis Carneiro da Costa; Rodrigues, Bruna Leal; Conte Junior, Carlos Adam

    2016-05-15

    During yogurt manufacture, the lactose fermentation and organic acid production can be used to monitor the fermentation process by starter cultures and probiotic bacteria. In the present work, a simple, sensitive and reproducible high-performance liquid chromatography with dual detectors, diode array detector and refractive index was validated by simultaneous analysis of carbohydrates and organic acids in goat milk yogurts. In addition, pH and bacterial analysis were performed. Separation of all the compounds was performed on an Aminex HPX-87H column (300×7.8 mm, 9 µm) utilizing a 3 mmol L(-1) sulfuric acid aqueous mobile phase under isocratic conditions. Lactose, glucose, galactose, citric, lactic and formic acids were used to evaluate the following performance parameters: selectivity, linearity, precision, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), decision limits (CCα), detection capabilities (CCβ), recovery and robustness. For the method application a six goat milk yogurts were elaborated: natural, probiotic, prebiotic, symbiotic, cupuassu fruit pulp, and probiotic with cupuassu fruit pulp. The validated method presented an excellent selectivity with no significant matrix effect, and a broad linear study range with coefficients of determination higher than 0.995. The relative standard deviation was lower than 10% under repeatability and within-laboratory reproducibility conditions for the studied analytes. The LOD of the method was defined from 0.001 to 0.003 µg g(-1), and the LOQ from 0.003 to 0.013 µg g(-1). The CCα was ranged from 0.032 to 0.943 µg g(-1), and the CCβ from 0.053 to 1.604 µg g(-1). The obtained recovery values were from 78% to 119%. In addition, the method exhibited an appropriate robustness for all parameter evaluated. Base in our data, it was concluded that the performance parameters demonstrated total method adequacy for the detection and quantification of carbohydrates and organic acids in goat milk yogurts. The

  8. Evaluation of a gas chromatography method for azelaic acid determination in selected biological samples

    PubMed Central

    Garelnabi, Mahdi; Litvinov, Dmitry; Parthasarathy, Sampath

    2010-01-01

    Background: Azelaic acid (AzA) is the best known dicarboxilic acid to have pharmaceutical benefits and clinical applications and also to be associated with some diseases pathophysiology. Materials and Methods: We extracted and methylesterified AzA and determined its concentration in human plasma obtained from healthy individuals and also in mice fed AzA containing diet for three months. Results: AzA was detected in Gas Chromatography (GC) and confirmed by Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS), and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMC). Our results have shown that AzA can be determined efficiently in selected biological samples by GC method with 1nM limit of detection (LoD) and the limit of quantification (LoQ); was established at 50nM. Analytical Sensitivity as assayed by hexane demonstrated an analytical sensitivity at 0.050nM. The method has demonstrated 8-10% CV batch repeatability across the sample types and 13-18.9% CV for the Within-Lab Precision analysis. The method has shown that AzA can efficiently be recovered from various sample preparation including liver tissue homogenate (95%) and human plasma (97%). Conclusions: Because of its simplicity and lower limit of quantification, the present method provides a useful tool for determining AzA in various biological sample preparations. PMID:22558586

  9. Evaluation of a gas chromatography method for azelaic acid determination in selected biological samples.

    PubMed

    Garelnabi, Mahdi; Litvinov, Dmitry; Parthasarathy, Sampath

    2010-09-01

    Azelaic acid (AzA) is the best known dicarboxilic acid to have pharmaceutical benefits and clinical applications and also to be associated with some diseases pathophysiology. We extracted and methylesterified AzA and determined its concentration in human plasma obtained from healthy individuals and also in mice fed AzA containing diet for three months. AzA was detected in Gas Chromatography (GC) and confirmed by Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LCMS), and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMC). Our results have shown that AzA can be determined efficiently in selected biological samples by GC method with 1nM limit of detection (LoD) and the limit of quantification (LoQ); was established at 50nM. Analytical Sensitivity as assayed by hexane demonstrated an analytical sensitivity at 0.050nM. The method has demonstrated 8-10% CV batch repeatability across the sample types and 13-18.9% CV for the Within-Lab Precision analysis. The method has shown that AzA can efficiently be recovered from various sample preparation including liver tissue homogenate (95%) and human plasma (97%). Because of its simplicity and lower limit of quantification, the present method provides a useful tool for determining AzA in various biological sample preparations.

  10. Development and validation of a method for mercury determination in seawater for the process control of a candidate certified reference material.

    PubMed

    Sánchez, Raquel; Snell, James; Held, Andrea; Emons, Hendrik

    2015-08-01

    A simple, robust and reliable method for mercury determination in seawater matrices based on the combination of cold vapour generation and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (CV-ICP-MS) and its complete in-house validation are described. The method validation covers parameters such as linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), trueness, repeatability, intermediate precision and robustness. A calibration curve covering the whole working range was achieved with coefficients of determination typically higher than 0.9992. The repeatability of the method (RSDrep) was 0.5 %, and the intermediate precision was 2.3 % at the target mass fraction of 20 ng/kg. Moreover, the method was robust with respect to the salinity of the seawater. The limit of quantification was 2.7 ng/kg, which corresponds to 13.5 % of the target mass fraction in the future certified reference material (20 ng/kg). An uncertainty budget for the measurement of mercury in seawater has been established. The relative expanded (k = 2) combined uncertainty is 6 %. The performance of the validated method was demonstrated by generating results for process control and a homogeneity study for the production of a candidate certified reference material.

  11. Event-specific real-time detection and quantification of genetically modified Roundup Ready soybean.

    PubMed

    Huang, Chia-Chia; Pan, Tzu-Ming

    2005-05-18

    The event-specific real-time detection and quantification of Roundup Ready soybean (RRS) using an ABI PRISM 7700 sequence detection system with light upon extension (LUX) primer was developed in this study. The event-specific primers were designed, targeting the junction of the RRS 5' integration site and the endogenous gene lectin1. Then, a standard reference plasmid was constructed that carried both of the targeted sequences for quantitative analysis. The detection limit of the LUX real-time PCR system was 0.05 ng of 100% RRS genomic DNA, which was equal to 20.5 copies. The range of quantification was from 0.1 to 100%. The sensitivity and range of quantification successfully met the requirement of the labeling rules in the European Union and Taiwan.

  12. Quantification of susceptibility change at high-concentrated SPIO-labeled target by characteristic phase gradient recognition.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Haitao; Nie, Binbin; Liu, Hua; Guo, Hua; Demachi, Kazuyuki; Sekino, Masaki; Shan, Baoci

    2016-05-01

    Phase map cross-correlation detection and quantification may produce highlighted signal at superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, and distinguish them from other hypointensities. The method may quantify susceptibility change by performing least squares analysis between a theoretically generated magnetic field template and an experimentally scanned phase image. Because characteristic phase recognition requires the removal of phase wrap and phase background, additional steps of phase unwrapping and filtering may increase the chance of computing error and enlarge the inconsistence among algorithms. To solve problem, phase gradient cross-correlation and quantification method is developed by recognizing characteristic phase gradient pattern instead of phase image because phase gradient operation inherently includes unwrapping and filtering functions. However, few studies have mentioned the detectable limit of currently used phase gradient calculation algorithms. The limit may lead to an underestimation of large magnetic susceptibility change caused by high-concentrated iron accumulation. In this study, mathematical derivation points out the value of maximum detectable phase gradient calculated by differential chain algorithm in both spatial and Fourier domain. To break through the limit, a modified quantification method is proposed by using unwrapped forward differentiation for phase gradient generation. The method enlarges the detectable range of phase gradient measurement and avoids the underestimation of magnetic susceptibility. Simulation and phantom experiments were used to quantitatively compare different methods. In vivo application performs MRI scanning on nude mice implanted by iron-labeled human cancer cells. Results validate the limit of detectable phase gradient and the consequent susceptibility underestimation. Results also demonstrate the advantage of unwrapped forward differentiation compared with differential chain algorithms for susceptibility

  13. A highly selective and sensitive Tb3+-acetylacetone photo probe for the assessment of acetazolamide in pharmaceutical and serum samples

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Youssef, A. O.

    2018-04-01

    A novel, simple, sensitive and selective spectrofluorimetric method was developed for the determination of Acetazolamide in pharmaceutical tablets and serum samples using photo probe Tb3+-ACAC. The Acetazolamide can remarkably quench the luminescence intensity of Tb3+-ACAC complex in DMSO at pH 6.8 and λex = 350 nm. The quenching of luminescence intensity of Tb3+-ACAC complex especially the electrical band at λem = 545 nm is used for the assessment of Acetazolamide in the pharmaceutical tablet and serum samples. The dynamic range found for the determination of Acetazolamide concentration is 4.49 × 10-9-1.28 × 10-7 mol L-1, and the limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) are (4.0 × 10-9 and 1.21 × 10-8) mol L-1, respectively.

  14. GC-MS quantification of suspected volatile allergens in fragrances. 2. Data treatment strategies and method performances.

    PubMed

    Bassereau, Maud; Chaintreau, Alain; Duperrex, Stéphanie; Joulain, Daniel; Leijs, Hans; Loesing, Gerd; Owen, Neil; Sherlock, Alan; Schippa, Christine; Thorel, Pierre-Jean; Vey, Matthias

    2007-01-10

    The performances of the GC-MS determination of suspected allergens in fragrance concentrates have been investigated. The limit of quantification was experimentally determined (10 mg/L), and the variability was investigated for three different data treatment strategies: (1) two columns and three quantification ions; (2) two columns and one quantification ion; and (3) one column and three quantification ions. The first strategy best minimizes the risk of determination bias due to coelutions. This risk was evaluated by calculating the probability of coeluting a suspected allergen with perfume constituents exhibiting ions in common. For hydroxycitronellal, when using a two-column strategy, this may statistically occur more than once every 36 analyses for one ion or once every 144 analyses for three ions in common.

  15. Quantification of trace metals in water using complexation and filter concentration.

    PubMed

    Dolgin, Bella; Bulatov, Valery; Japarov, Julia; Elish, Eyal; Edri, Elad; Schechter, Israel

    2010-06-15

    Various metals undergo complexation with organic reagents, resulting in colored products. In practice, their molar absorptivities allow for quantification in the ppm range. However, a proper pre-concentration of the colored complex on paper filter lowers the quantification limit to the low ppb range. In this study, several pre-concentration techniques have been examined and compared: filtering the already complexed mixture, complexation on filter, and dipping of dye-covered filter in solution. The best quantification has been based on the ratio of filter reflectance at a certain wavelength to that at zero metal concentration. The studied complex formations (Ni ions with TAN and Cd ions with PAN) involve production of nanoparticle suspensions, which are associated with complicated kinetics. The kinetics of the complexation of Ni ions with TAN has been investigated and optimum timing could be found. Kinetic optimization in regard to some interferences has also been suggested.

  16. Direct liquid chromatography method for the simultaneous quantification of hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol in red wines.

    PubMed

    Piñeiro, Zulema; Cantos-Villar, Emma; Palma, Miguel; Puertas, Belen

    2011-11-09

    A validated HPLC method with fluorescence detection for the simultaneous quantification of hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol in red wines is described. Detection conditions for both compounds were optimized (excitation at 279 and 278 and emission at 631 and 598 nm for hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol, respectively). The validation of the analytical method was based on selectivity, linearity, robustness, detection and quantification limits, repeatability, and recovery. The detection and quantification limits in red wines were set at 0.023 and 0.076 mg L(-1) for hydroxytyrosol and at 0.007 and 0.024 mg L(-1) for tyrosol determination, respectively. Precision values, both within-day and between-day (n = 5), remained below 3% for both compounds. In addition, a fractional factorial experimental design was developed to analyze the influence of six different conditions on analysis. The final optimized HPLC-fluorescence method allowed the analysis of 30 nonpretreated Spanish red wines to evaluate their hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol contents.

  17. Spectrophotometric and chromatographic determination of insensitive energetic materials: HNS and NTO, in the presence of sensitive nitro-explosives.

    PubMed

    Can, Ziya; Uzer, Ayşem; Tekdemir, Yasemin; Erçağ, Erol; Türker, Lemi; Apak, Reşat

    2012-02-15

    As there are no molecular spectroscopic determination methods for the most widely used insensitive energetic materials, 2,2',4,4',6,6'-hexanitrostilbene (HNS) and 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazole-5-one (NTO), in the presence of sensitive nitro-explosives, two novel spectrophotometric methods were developed. For HNS and TNT mixtures, both analytes react with dicyclohexylamine (DCHA) forming different colored charge-transfer complexes, which can be resolved by derivative spectroscopy. The spectrophotometric method for NTO measures the 416-nm absorbance of its yellow-colored Na(+)NTO(-) salt formed with NaOH. TNT, if present, is pre-extracted into IBMK as its Meisenheimer anion forming an ion-pair with the cationic surfactant cetyl pyridinium (CP(+)) in alkaline medium, whereas the unextracted NTO is determined in the aqueous phase. The molar absorptivity (ε, L mol(-1)cm(-1)) and limit of quantification (LOQ, mg L(-1)) are as follows: for HNS, ε=2.75 × 10(4) and LOQ=0.48 (in admixture with TNT); for NTO, ε=6.83 × 10(3) and LOQ=0.73. These methods were not affected from nitramines and nitrate esters in synthetic mixtures or composite explosives. The developed methods were statistically validated against HPLC, and the existing chromatographic method was modified so as to enable NTO determination in the presence of TNT. These simple, low-cost, and versatile methods can be used in criminology, remediation/monitoring of contaminated sites, and kinetic stability modeling of munitions containing desensitized energetic materials. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Capillary liquid chromatography-ion trap-mass spectrometry methodology for the simultaneous quantification of four angiotensin-converting enzyme-inhibitory peptides in Prunus seed hydrolysates.

    PubMed

    González-García, Estefanía; García, María Concepción; Marina, María Luisa

    2018-03-09

    Prunus genus fruit seeds are sources of highly angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory peptides. The presence of peptides IYSPH, IYTPH, IFSPR, and VAIP seems to be related to this activity but no previous work has demonstrated the direct relationship between the concentration of these peptides and the antihypertensive activity of hydrolysates. This work describes the development of a method for the quantification of these peptides in Prunus seeds hydrolysates based on capillary liquid chromatography-IT-MS/MS. The analytical characteristics of the method were evaluated through the study of the linearity, LOD, LOQ, presence of matrix interferences, precision, and recovery. The developed methodology was applied to the determination of the four peptides in seed hydrolysates from different Prunus genus fruits: peaches (7 varieties), plums (2 varieties), nectarines (3 varieties), apricots (2 varieties), cherry, and paraguayo. Peaches and plums seed hydrolysates yielded the highest concentrations of these peptides while paraguayo one showed the lowest concentrations. A high correlation between peptides concentrations was demonstrated suggesting that the four peptides could be released from the same seed proteins. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. HPLC Quantification of astaxanthin and canthaxanthin in Salmonidae eggs.

    PubMed

    Tzanova, Milena; Argirova, Mariana; Atanasov, Vasil

    2017-04-01

    Astaxanthin and canthaxanthin are naturally occurring antioxidants referred to as xanthophylls. They are used as food additives in fish farms to improve the organoleptic qualities of salmonid products and to prevent reproductive diseases. This study reports the development and single-laboratory validation of a rapid method for quantification of astaxanthin and canthaxanthin in eggs of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis М.). An advantage of the proposed method is the perfect combination of selective extraction of the xanthophylls and analysis of the extract by high-performance liquid chromatography and photodiode array detection. The method validation was carried out in terms of linearity, accuracy, precision, recovery and limits of detection and quantification. The method was applied for simultaneous quantification of the two xanthophylls in eggs of rainbow trout and brook trout after their selective extraction. The results show that astaxanthin accumulations in salmonid fish eggs are larger than those of canthaxanthin. As the levels of these two xanthophylls affect fish fertility, this method can be used to improve the nutritional quality and to minimize the occurrence of the M74 syndrome in fish populations. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  20. Dissipation kinetics of spinosad on cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis. L.) under subtropical conditions of Punjab, India.

    PubMed

    Mandal, Kousik; Jyot, Gagan; Singh, Balwinder

    2009-12-01

    Residues of spinosad were estimated in cauliflower curds using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and confirmed by high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). Following three application of spinosad (Success 2.5 SC) at 15 and 30 g a.i. ha−1, the average initial deposits of spinosad were observed to be 0.57 and 1.34 mg kg−1, respectively. These residues dissipated below the limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.02 mg kg−1 after 10 days at both the dosages. The half-life values (T 1/2) of spinosad were worked out to be 1.20 and 1.58 days, respectively, at recommended and double the recommended dosages. Thus, a waiting period of 6 days is suggested for the safe consumption of spinosad treated cauliflower.

  1. Methods for quantification of soil-transmitted helminths in environmental media: current techniques and recent advances

    PubMed Central

    Collender, Philip A.; Kirby, Amy E.; Addiss, David G.; Freeman, Matthew C.; Remais, Justin V.

    2015-01-01

    Limiting the environmental transmission of soil-transmitted helminths (STH), which infect 1.5 billion people worldwide, will require sensitive, reliable, and cost effective methods to detect and quantify STH in the environment. We review the state of the art of STH quantification in soil, biosolids, water, produce, and vegetation with respect to four major methodological issues: environmental sampling; recovery of STH from environmental matrices; quantification of recovered STH; and viability assessment of STH ova. We conclude that methods for sampling and recovering STH require substantial advances to provide reliable measurements for STH control. Recent innovations in the use of automated image identification and developments in molecular genetic assays offer considerable promise for improving quantification and viability assessment. PMID:26440788

  2. Compositional Solution Space Quantification for Probabilistic Software Analysis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Borges, Mateus; Pasareanu, Corina S.; Filieri, Antonio; d'Amorim, Marcelo; Visser, Willem

    2014-01-01

    Probabilistic software analysis aims at quantifying how likely a target event is to occur during program execution. Current approaches rely on symbolic execution to identify the conditions to reach the target event and try to quantify the fraction of the input domain satisfying these conditions. Precise quantification is usually limited to linear constraints, while only approximate solutions can be provided in general through statistical approaches. However, statistical approaches may fail to converge to an acceptable accuracy within a reasonable time. We present a compositional statistical approach for the efficient quantification of solution spaces for arbitrarily complex constraints over bounded floating-point domains. The approach leverages interval constraint propagation to improve the accuracy of the estimation by focusing the sampling on the regions of the input domain containing the sought solutions. Preliminary experiments show significant improvement on previous approaches both in results accuracy and analysis time.

  3. Quantification of taurine in energy drinks using ¹H NMR.

    PubMed

    Hohmann, Monika; Felbinger, Christine; Christoph, Norbert; Wachter, Helmut; Wiest, Johannes; Holzgrabe, Ulrike

    2014-05-01

    The consumption of so called energy drinks is increasing, especially among adolescents. These beverages commonly contain considerable amounts of the amino sulfonic acid taurine, which is related to a magnitude of various physiological effects. The customary method to control the legal limit of taurine in energy drinks is LC-UV/vis with postcolumn derivatization using ninhydrin. In this paper we describe the quantification of taurine in energy drinks by (1)H NMR as an alternative to existing methods of quantification. Variation of pH values revealed the separation of a distinct taurine signal in (1)H NMR spectra, which was applied for integration and quantification. Quantification was performed using external calibration (R(2)>0.9999; linearity verified by Mandel's fitting test with a 95% confidence level) and PULCON. Taurine concentrations in 20 different energy drinks were analyzed by both using (1)H NMR and LC-UV/vis. The deviation between (1)H NMR and LC-UV/vis results was always below the expanded measurement uncertainty of 12.2% for the LC-UV/vis method (95% confidence level) and at worst 10.4%. Due to the high accordance to LC-UV/vis data and adequate recovery rates (ranging between 97.1% and 108.2%), (1)H NMR measurement presents a suitable method to quantify taurine in energy drinks. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Glyphosate in German adults - Time trend (2001 to 2015) of human exposure to a widely used herbicide.

    PubMed

    Conrad, André; Schröter-Kermani, Christa; Hoppe, Hans-Wolfgang; Rüther, Maria; Pieper, Silvia; Kolossa-Gehring, Marike

    2017-01-01

    The broadband herbicide glyphosate (N-[phosphonomethyl]-glycine) and its main metabolite aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) were analyzed by GC-MS-MS in 24h-urine samples cryo-archived by the German Environmental Specimen Bank (ESB). Samples collected in 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 were chosen for this retrospective analysis. All urine samples had been provided by 20 to 29 years old individuals living in Greifswald, a city in north-eastern Germany. Out of the 399 analyzed urine samples, 127 (=31.8%) contained glyphosate concentrations at or above the limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.1μg/L. For AMPA this was the case for 160 (=40.1%) samples. The fraction of glyphosate levels at or above LOQ peaked in 2012 (57.5%) and 2013 (56.4%) after having discontinuously increased from 10.0% in 2001. Quantification rates were lower again in 2014 and 2015 with 32.5% and 40.0%, respectively. The overall trend for quantifiable AMPA levels was similar. Glyphosate and AMPA concentrations in urine were statistically significantly correlated (spearman rank correlation coefficient=0.506, p≤0.001). Urinary glyphosate and AMPA levels tended to be higher in males. The possible reduction in exposure since 2013 indicated by ESB data may be due to changes in glyphosate application in agricultural practice. The ESB will continue monitoring internal exposures to glyphosate and AMPA for following up the time trend, elucidating inter-individual differences, and contributing to the ongoing debate on the further regulation of glyphosate-based pesticides. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier GmbH.. All rights reserved.

  5. Determination of ultratrace levels of tributyltin in waters by isotope dilution and gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Rodríguez-Cea, Andrés; Rodríguez-González, Pablo; Font Cardona, Nuria; Aranda Mares, José Luís; Ballester Nebot, Salomé; García Alonso, J Ignacio

    2015-12-18

    The current EU legislation lays down the Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) of 45 priority substances in surface water bodies. In particular, the concentration of tributyltin (TBT) must not exceed 0.2ngL(-1) and analytical methodologies with a Limit of Quantification (LOQ) equal or below 0.06ngL(-1) are urged to be developed. This work presents a procedure for the determination of ultratrace levels of TBT in water samples by Isotope Dilution and GC-MS/MS operating in Selected Reaction Monitoring (SRM) mode which meets current EU requirements. The method requires the monitorization of five consecutive transitions (287>175 to 291>179) for the sensitive and selective detection of TBT. The measured isotopic distribution of TBT fragment ions was in agreement with the theoretical values computed by a polynomial expansion algorithm. The combined use of Tandem Mass Spectrometry, a sample volume of 250mL, the preconcentration of 1mL of organic phase to 30μL and an injection volume of 25μL by Programmed Temperature Vaporization provided a LOQ of 0.0426ngL(-1) for TBT (calculated as ten times the standard deviation of nine independent blanks). The recovery for TBT calculated in Milli-Q water at the EQS level was 106.3±4%. A similar procedure was also developed for the quantification of dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT) in water samples showing satisfactory results. The method was finally implemented in a routine testing laboratory to demonstrate its applicability to real samples obtaining quantitative recoveries for TBT at the EQS level in mineral water, river water and seawater. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Validation of a QuEChERS-based gas chromatographic method for analysis of pesticide residues in Cassia angustifolia (senna).

    PubMed

    Tripathy, Vandana; Saha, Ajoy; Patel, Dilipkumar J; Basak, B B; Shah, Paresh G; Kumar, Jitendra

    2016-08-02

    A simple multi-residue method based on modified QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe) approach was established for the determination of 17 organochlorine (OC), 15 organophosphorous (OP) and 7 synthetic pyrethroid (SP) pesticides in an economically important medicinal plant of India, Senna (Cassia angustifolia), by gas chromatography coupled to electron capture and flame thermionic detectors (GC/ECD/FTD) and confirmation of residues was done on gas chromatograph coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The developed method was validated by testing the following parameters: linearity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), matrix effect, accuracy-precision and measurement uncertainty; the validation study clearly demonstrated the suitability of the method for its intended application. All pesticides showed good linearity in the range 0.01-1.0 μg mL(-1) for OCs and OPs and 0.05-2.5 μg mL(-1) for SPs with correlation coefficients higher than 0.98. The method gave good recoveries for most of the pesticides (70-120%) with intra-day and inter-day precision < 20% in most of the cases. The limits of detection varied from 0.003 to 0.03 mg kg(-1), and the LOQs were determined as 0.01-0.049 mg kg(-1). The expanded uncertainties were <30%, which was distinctively less than a maximum default value of ±50%. The proposed method was successfully applied to determine pesticide residues in 12 commercial market samples obtained from different locations in India.

  7. A novel liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry method for the quantification of glycine as biomarker in brain microdialysis and cerebrospinal fluid samples within 5min.

    PubMed

    Voehringer, Patrizia; Fuertig, René; Ferger, Boris

    2013-11-15

    Glycine is an important amino acid neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS) and a useful biomarker to indicate biological activity of drugs such as glycine reuptake inhibitors (GRI) in the brain. Here, we report how a liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the fast and reliable analysis of glycine in brain microdialysates and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples has been established. Additionally, we compare this method with the conventional approach of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to fluorescence detection (FD). The present LC-MS/MS method did not require any derivatisation step. Fifteen microliters of sample were injected for analysis. Glycine was detected by a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer in the positive electrospray ionisation (ESI) mode. The total running time was 5min. The limit of quantitation (LOQ) was determined as 100nM, while linearity was given in the range from 100nM to 100μM. In order to demonstrate the feasibility of the LC-MS/MS method, we measured glycine levels in striatal in vivo microdialysates and CSF of rats after administration of the commercially available glycine transporter 1 (GlyT1) inhibitor LY 2365109 (10mg/kg, p.o.). LY 2365109 produced 2-fold and 3-fold elevated glycine concentrations from 1.52μM to 3.6μM in striatal microdialysates and from 10.38μM to 36μM in CSF, respectively. In conclusion, we established a fast and reliable LC-MS/MS method, which can be used for the quantification of glycine in brain microdialysis and CSF samples in biomarker studies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Simultaneous digital quantification and fluorescence-based size characterization of massively parallel sequencing libraries.

    PubMed

    Laurie, Matthew T; Bertout, Jessica A; Taylor, Sean D; Burton, Joshua N; Shendure, Jay A; Bielas, Jason H

    2013-08-01

    Due to the high cost of failed runs and suboptimal data yields, quantification and determination of fragment size range are crucial steps in the library preparation process for massively parallel sequencing (or next-generation sequencing). Current library quality control methods commonly involve quantification using real-time quantitative PCR and size determination using gel or capillary electrophoresis. These methods are laborious and subject to a number of significant limitations that can make library calibration unreliable. Herein, we propose and test an alternative method for quality control of sequencing libraries using droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). By exploiting a correlation we have discovered between droplet fluorescence and amplicon size, we achieve the joint quantification and size determination of target DNA with a single ddPCR assay. We demonstrate the accuracy and precision of applying this method to the preparation of sequencing libraries.

  9. Simple, miniaturized blood plasma extraction method.

    PubMed

    Kim, Jin-Hee; Woenker, Timothy; Adamec, Jiri; Regnier, Fred E

    2013-12-03

    A rapid plasma extraction technology that collects a 2.5 μL aliquot of plasma within three minutes from a finger-stick derived drop of blood was evaluated. The utility of the plasma extraction cards used was that a paper collection disc bearing plasma was produced that could be air-dried in fifteen minutes and placed in a mailing envelop for transport to an analytical laboratory. This circumvents the need for venipuncture and blood collection in specialized vials by a phlebotomist along with centrifugation and refrigerated storage. Plasma extraction was achieved by applying a blood drop to a membrane stack through which plasma was drawn by capillary action. During the course of plasma migration to a collection disc at the bottom of the membrane stack blood cells were removed by a combination of adsorption and filtration. After the collection disc filled with an aliquot of plasma the upper membranes were stripped from the collection card and the collection disc was air-dried. Intercard differences in the volume of plasma collected varied approximately 1% while volume variations of less than 2% were seen with hematocrit levels ranging from 20% to 71%. Dried samples bearing metabolites and proteins were then extracted from the disc and analyzed. 25-Hydroxy vitamin D was quantified by LC-MS/MS analysis following derivatization with a secosteroid signal enhancing tag that imparted a permanent positive charge to the vitamin and reduced the limit of quantification (LOQ) to 1 pg of collected vitamin on the disc; comparable to values observed with liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) of a venipuncture sample. A similar study using conventional proteomics methods and spectral counting for quantification was conducted with yeast enolase added to serum as an internal standard. The LOQ with extracted serum samples for enolase was 1 μM, linear from 1 to 40 μM, the highest concentration examined. In all respects protein quantification with extracted serum samples was comparable to

  10. Empirical Quantification of the Runaway Greenhouse Limit on Earth

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goldblatt, C.; Dewey, M. C.

    2015-12-01

    There have been many modeling studies of the runaway greenhouse effect and the conditions required to produce one on an Earth-like planet, however these models have not been verified with empirical evidence. It has been suggested that the Earth's tropics may be near a state of localized runaway greenhouse, meaning the surface temperature and atmospheric composition in those areas could cause runaway greenhouse, were it not for the tempering effects of meridional heat transport and circulation (Pierrehumbert, 1995). Using the assumption that some areas of the Earth's tropics may be under these conditions, this study uses measurements of the atmospheric properties, surface properties, and radiation budgets of these areas to quantify a radiation limit for runaway greenhouse on Earth, by analyzing the dependence of outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) at the top of the atmosphere on surface temperature and total column water vapour. An upper limit on OLR for clear-sky conditions was found between 289.8 W/m2 and 292.2 W/m2, which occurred at surface temperatures near 300K. For surface temperatures above this threshold, total column water vapour increased, but OLR initially decreased and then remained relatively constant, between 273.6 W/m2 and 279.7 W/m2. These limits are in good agreement with recent modeling results (Goldblatt et al., 2013), supporting the idea that some of the Earth's tropics may be in localized runaway greenhouse, and that radiation limits for runaway greenhouse on Earth can be empirically derived. This research was done as part of Maura Dewey's undergraduate honours thesis at the University of Victoria. Refs: Robert T. Pierrehumbert. Thermostats, radiator fins, and the local runaway greenhouse. Journal of Atmospheric Sciences, 52(10):1784-1806, 1995. Colin Goldblatt, Tyler D. Robinson, Kevin J. Zahnle, and David Crisp. Low simulated radiation limit for runaway greenhouse climates. Nature Geoscience, 6:661-667, 2013.

  11. Dissipation behavior and risk assessment of butralin in soybean and soil under field conditions.

    PubMed

    Li, Congdi; Liu, Rong; Li, Li; Li, Wei; He, Yujian; Yuan, Longfei

    2017-08-29

    Dissipation behavior, final residue, and risk assessment of butralin in soybean, green soybean, plant, and soil were investigated. Butralin residues were extracted with acetonitrile and then soybean samples were detected with gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) and soil samples were determined with GC with nitrogen phosphorous detector (GC-NPD). The limit of quantification (LOQ) of the method was 0.01 mg/kg for soybean, green soybean, plant, and soil. Average recoveries ranged from 90.4 ~ 98.2% for green soybean, 86.2 ~ 86.6% for soybean, 86.0 ~ 98.8% for plant, and 85.0 ~ 106.8% for soil. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) were 2.0 ~ 7.2% for green soybean, 2.0 ~ 3.0% for soybean, 3.1 ~ 8.1% for plant, and 1.8 ~ 6.6% for soil. Half-lives of butralin in soil samples varied in the range of 11-22 days. At harvest time, final residues of butralin in soybean and green soybean were lower than LOQ. Risk assessment demonstrated that, at recommended dosage and frequency, butralin would not induce significant harm on humans. The study could be used as a quantitative basis for application of butralin on soybean.

  12. Transfer of Ochratoxin A into Tea and Coffee Beverages

    PubMed Central

    Malir, Frantisek; Ostry, Vladimir; Pfohl-Leszkowicz, Annie; Toman, Jakub; Bazin, Ingrid; Roubal, Tomas

    2014-01-01

    Ochratoxin A (OTA) is nephrotoxic, hepatotoxic, immunotoxic, neurotoxic, reprotoxic, teratogenic, and carcinogenic (group 2B), being characterized by species and sex differences in sensitivity. Despite the fact that OTA is in some aspects a controversial topic, OTA is the most powerful renal carcinogen. The aim of this study was to make a small survey concerning OTA content in black tea, fruit tea, and ground roasted coffee, and to assess OTA transfer into beverages. OTA content was measured using a validated and accredited HPLC-FLD method with a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.35 ng/g. The OTA amount ranged from LOQ up to 250 ng/g in black tea and up to 104 ng/g in fruit tea. Black tea and fruit tea, naturally contaminated, were used to prepare tea infusions. The transfer from black tea to the infusion was 34.8% ± 1.3% and from fruit tea 4.1% ± 0.2%. Ground roasted coffee naturally contaminated at 0.92 ng/g was used to prepare seven kinds of coffee beverages. Depending on the type of process used, OTA transfer into coffee ranged from 22.3% to 66.1%. OTA intakes from fruit and black tea or coffee represent a non-negligible human source. PMID:25525684

  13. Turbulent flow chromatography TFC-tandem mass spectrometry supporting in vitro/vivo studies of NCEs in high throughput fashion.

    PubMed

    Verdirame, Maria; Veneziano, Maria; Alfieri, Anna; Di Marco, Annalise; Monteagudo, Edith; Bonelli, Fabio

    2010-03-11

    Turbulent Flow Chromatography (TFC) is a powerful approach for on-line extraction in bioanalytical studies. It improves sensitivity and reduces sample preparation time, two factors that are of primary importance in drug discovery. In this paper the application of the ARIA system to the analytical support of in vivo pharmacokinetics (PK) and in vitro drug metabolism studies is described, with an emphasis in high throughput optimization. For PK studies, a comparison between acetonitrile plasma protein precipitation (APPP) and TFC was carried out. Our optimized TFC methodology gave better S/N ratios and lower limit of quantification (LOQ) than conventional procedures. A robust and high throughput analytical method to support hepatocyte metabolic stability screening of new chemical entities was developed by hyphenation of TFC with mass spectrometry. An in-loop dilution injection procedure was implemented to overcome one of the main issues when using TFC, that is the early elution of hydrophilic compounds that renders low recoveries. A comparison between off-line solid phase extraction (SPE) and TFC was also carried out, and recovery, sensitivity (LOQ), matrix effect and robustness were evaluated. The use of two parallel columns in the configuration of the system provided a further increase of the throughput. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Occurrence of iodinated X-ray contrast media and their biotransformation products in the urban water cycle.

    PubMed

    Kormos, Jennifer Lynne; Schulz, Manoj; Ternes, Thomas A

    2011-10-15

    A LC tandem MS method was developed for the simultaneous determination of four iodinated X-ray contrast media (ICM) and 46 ICM biotransformation products (TPs) in raw and treated wastewater, surface water, groundwater, and drinking water. Recoveries ranged from 70% to 130%, and limits of quantification (LOQ) varied between 1 ng/L and 3 ng/L for surface water, groundwater and drinking water, and between 10 ng/L and 30 ng/L for wastewater. In a conventional wastewater treatment plant, iohexol, iomeprol, and iopromide were transformed to >80%, while iopamidol was transformed to 35%. In total, 26 TPs were detected above their LOQ in WWTP effluents. A significant change in the pattern of ICM TPs was observed after bank filtration and groundwater infiltration under aerobic conditions. Predominately, these TPs are formed at the end of the microbial transformation pathways in batch experiments with soil and sediment. These polar ICM TPs, such as iohexol TP599, iomeprol TP643, iopromide TP701A, and iopromide TP643, were not or only partially removed during drinking water treatment. As a consequence, several ICM TPs were detected in drinking water, at concentration levels exceeding 100 ng/L, with a maximum of 500 ng/L for iomeprol TP687.

  15. Survey of human pharmaceuticals in drinking water in the Czech Republic.

    PubMed

    Kozisek, Frantisek; Pomykacova, Ivana; Jeligova, Hana; Cadek, Vaclav; Svobodova, Veronika

    2013-03-01

    The first large-scale assessment of pharmaceuticals in drinking water in the Czech Republic (CR) focused on the detection of five substances. Samples were collected from public water systems supplying 5.3 million people, 50.5% of the Czech population. In the initial survey of tap water from 92 major supply zones using mostly surface water, no pharmaceutical exceeded the limit of quantification (LOQ = 0.5 ng/L). In a second survey, samples were collected from the outlet of 23 water treatment plants (WTPs) considered of high risk because they use surface waters influenced by wastewater. Ibuprofen was the most frequently found pharmaceutical (19 samples), followed by carbamazepine (12), naproxen (8), and diclofenac (3); concentrations ranged from 0.5 to 20.7 ng/L, with medians below 6 ng/L. Concentrations of 17α-ethinylestradiol were below the LOQ. A follow-up survey included tap and outlet samples from eight of the 23 WTPs with the highest concentrations. Pharmaceuticals were quantified in only three tap water samples. Regarding risks to consumers, these results suggest that a relatively small population (<10%) in the CR is exposed to quantifiable concentrations of pharmaceuticals in tap water and that an extremely high margin of safety (several thousand-fold to several million-fold) is associated with these exposures.

  16. Novel Spectrophotometric Method for the Assay of Captopril in Dosage Forms using 2,6-Dichloroquinone-4-Chlorimide

    PubMed Central

    El-Enany, Nahed; Belal, Fathalla; Rizk, Mohamed

    2008-01-01

    A simple spectrophotometric method was developed for the determination of captopril (CPL) in pharmaceutical preparations. The method is based on coupling captopril with 2,6-dichloroquinone-4-chlorimide (DCQ) in dimethylsulphoxide. The yellow reaction product was measured at 443 nm. The absorbance–concentration plot was rectilinear over the range of 10-50 μg/mL with minimum detection limit (LOD) of 0.66 μg/mL and a quantification limit (LOQ) of 2.0 μg/mL. The different experimental parameters affecting the development and stability of the color were carefully studied and optimized. The proposed method was successfully applied to the analysis of commercial tablets and the results were in good agreement with those obtained using official and reference spectrophotometric methods. Hydrochlorothiazide which is frequently co-formulated with CPL did not interfere with the assay. A proposal of the reaction pathway was presented. PMID:23675082

  17. Detection of Xeljanz enantiomers in diethyl amine active pharmaceutical ingredients and tablets.

    PubMed

    Wang, Na-Na; Zhang, Dao-Lin; Jiang, Xin-Hui

    2015-03-01

    A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was established to detect Xeljanz enantiomers in active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and tablets. The separation was achieved on a Chiralpak IC column using a mobile phase of hexane-ethanol-diethylamine (65:35:0.1, v/v). The detection wavelength was 289 nm. The peak areas and the enantiomer concentrations in the range of 0.15-2.25 μg•mL(-1) were in high linearity, with correlation coefficients higher than 0.999. The recoveries were 86.44% at the concentrations of 7.5, 18.75, and 37.5 μg•mL(-1) . The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.042 and 0.14 μg•mL(-1) , respectively. This HPLC method is suitable for detecting the enantiomers of Xeljanz in its APIs and tablets. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Evaluation of the Presence and Levels of Enrofloxacin, Ciprofloxacin, Sulfaquinoxaline and Oxytetracycline in Broiler Chickens after Drug Administration.

    PubMed

    de Assis, Débora Cristina Sampaio; da Silva, Guilherme Resende; Lanza, Isabela Pereira; Ribeiro, Ana Cláudia Dos Santos Rossi; Lana, Ângela Maria Quintão; Lara, Leonardo José Camargos; de Figueiredo, Tadeu Chaves; Cançado, Silvana de Vasconcelos

    2016-01-01

    The depletion times of enrofloxacin and its metabolite ciprofloxacin as well as sulfaquinoxaline and oxytetracycline were evaluated in broiler chickens that had been subjected to pharmacological treatment. The presence and residue levels of these drugs in muscle tissue were evaluated using an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method that was validated in this work. The results showed the presence of all antimicrobial residues; however, the presence of residues at concentrations higher than the drugs' maximum residue limit (MRL) of 100 μg kg-1 was found only during the treatment period for oxytetracycline and until two days after discontinuation of the medication for enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and sulfaquinoxaline. It was concluded that the residues of all antimicrobials were rapidly metabolized from the broiler muscles; after four days of withdrawal, the levels were lower than the limit of quantification (LOQ) of the method for the studied analytes.

  19. High-performance liquid chromatographic assay for the determination of Aloe Emodin in mouse plasma.

    PubMed

    Zaffaroni, M; Mucignat, C; Pecere, T; Zagotto, G; Frapolli, R; D'Incalci, M; Zucchetti, M

    2003-10-25

    An isocratic high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed and validated to determine Aloe Emodin (AE) in mouse plasma. The analysis required 0.3 ml of plasma and involves extraction with dichloromethane. The HPLC separation was carried out on Symmetry Shield RP18, a mobile phase of methanol-water-acetic acid (65:35:0.2) and fluorescence detection at lambda(ex)=410 nm and lambda(em)=510 nm. The retention time of AE was 11.7 min. The assay was linear from 10 to 1,000 ng/ml (r2 > or = 0.999), showed intra- and inter-day precision within 7.8 and 4.7%, and accuracy of 87.3-105.7%. Detection limit (LOD) and quantification limit (LOQ) were 4.5 and 5 ng/ml, respectively. The method was applied to determine for the first time the pharmacokinetic of AE in mice.

  20. Determination of nitrate esters in water samples Comparison of efficiency of solid-phase extraction and solid-phase microextraction.

    PubMed

    Jezová, Vera; Skládal, Jan; Eisner, Ales; Bajerová, Petra; Ventura, Karel

    2007-12-07

    This paper deals with comparison of efficiency of extraction techniques (solid-phase extraction, SPE and solid-phase microextraction, SPME) used for extraction of nitrate esters (ethyleneglycoldinitrate, EGDN and nitroglycerin, NG), representing the first step of the method of quantitative determination of trace concentrations of nitrate esters in water samples. EGDN and NG are subsequently determined by means of high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV). Optimization of SPE and SPME conditions was carried out using model water samples. Seven SPE cartridges were tested and the conditions were optimized (type of sorbent, type and volume of solvent to be used as eluent). For both nitrate esters the limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) obtained using SPE/HPLC-UV were 0.23 microg mL(-1) and 0.70 microg mL(-1), respectively. Optimization of SPME conditions: type of SPME fibre (four fibres were tested), type and time of sorption/desorption, temperature of sorption. PDMS/DVB (polydimethylsiloxane/divinylbenzene) fibre coating proved to be suitable for extraction of EGDN and NG. For this fibre the LOD and the LOQ for both nitrate esters were 0.16 microg mL(-1) and 0.50 microg mL(-1), respectively. Optimized methods SPE/HPLC-UV and SPME/HPLC-UV were then used for quantitative determination of nitrate esters content in real water samples from the production of EGDN and NG.

  1. A Simple and Fast Extraction Method for the Determination of Multiclass Antibiotics in Eggs Using LC-MS/MS.

    PubMed

    Wang, Kun; Lin, Kunde; Huang, Xinwen; Chen, Meng

    2017-06-21

    The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a simple, fast, and specific extraction method for the analysis of 64 antibiotics from nine classes (including sulfonamides, quinolones, tetracyclines, macrolides, lincosamide, nitrofurans, β-lactams, nitromidazoles, and cloramphenicols) in chicken eggs. Briefly, egg samples were simply extracted with a mixture of acetonitrile-water (90:10, v/v) and 0.1 mol·L -1 Na 2 EDTA solution assisted with ultrasonic. The extract was centrifuged, condensed, and directly analyzed on a liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. Compared with conventional cleanup methods (passing through solid phase extract cartridges), the established method demonstrated comparable efficiencies in eliminating matrix effects and higher or equivalent recoveries for most of the target compounds. Typical validation parameters including specificity, linearity, matrix effect, limits of detection (LODs) and quantification (LOQs), the decision limit, detection capability, trueness, and precision were evaluated. The recoveries of target compounds ranged from 70.8% to 116.1% at three spiking levels (5, 20, and 50 μg·kg -1 ), with relative standard deviations less than 14%. LODs and LOQs were in the ranges of 0.005-2.00 μg·kg -1 and 0.015-6.00 μg·kg -1 for all of the antibiotics, respectively. A total of five antibiotics were successfully detected in 22 commercial eggs from local markets. This work suggests that the method is suitable for the analysis of multiclass antibiotics in eggs.

  2. Measurement of methionine level with the LC-ESI-MS/MS method in schizophrenic patients.

    PubMed

    Kulaksizoglu, S; Kulaksizoglu, B; Ellidag, H Y; Eren, E; Yilmaz, N; Baykal, A

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate plasma methionine levels by using liquid chromatography electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectroscopy (LC-ESI-MS/MS) in schizophrenic patients. A twelve-point standard graph was drawn, and the recovery rate, the intra-day and inter-day coefficients of variation (CV), the limit of detection (LOD), and the limit of quantification (LOQ) were evaluated. The y and R2 values of the standard graph equation were determined as 0.011x + 0.0179 and 0.9989, respectively, and the graph remained linear until the 200 µmol/l level. The intra-day coefficients of variation of the samples (n = 10) containing 8, 28, and 58 µmol/l methionine were determined as 2.68, 3.10, and 3.79%, respectively; while their inter-day coefficients of variation were determined as 2.98, 3.19, and 3.84%. The LOD and LOQ values were determined as 0.04 and 0.1 µmol/l, respectively, while the mean recovery rates were determined as 101.7 and 99.3%. Plasma methionine values were measured as 21.5 (19.5-24,6) µmol/l for the patient group, 17.8 (16.3-20.1) µmol/l for the control group, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p = 0.03). LC-ESI-MS/MS method represents a fairly sensitive, economic, and rapid analysis that requires very little sample and is suitable for measuring methionine levels in schizophrenic patients.

  3. Spectrophotometric and spectrofluorimetric determination of indacaterol maleate in pure form and pharmaceutical preparations: application to content uniformity.

    PubMed

    El-Ashry, S M; El-Wasseef, D R; El-Sherbiny, D T; Salem, Y A

    2015-09-01

    Two simple, rapid, sensitive and precise spectrophotometric and spectrofluorimetric methods were developed for the determination of indacaterol maleate in bulk powder and capsules. Both methods were based on the direct measurement of the drug in methanol. In the spectrophotometric method (Method I) the absorbance was measured at 259 nm. The absorbance-concentration plot was rectilinear over the range 1.0-10.0 µg mL(-1) with a lower detection limit (LOD) of 0.078 µg mL(-1) and lower quantification limit (LOQ) of 0.238 µg mL(-1). Meanwhile in the spectrofluorimetric method (Method II) the native fluorescence was measured at 358 nm after excitation at 258 nm. The fluorescence-concentration plot was rectilinear over the range of 1.0-40.0 ng mL(-1) with an LOD of 0.075 ng mL(-1) and an LOQ of 0.226 ng mL(-1). The proposed methods were successfully applied to the determination of indacaterol maleate in capsules with average percent recoveries ± RSD% of 99.94 ± 0.96 for Method I and 99.97 ± 0.81 for Method II. In addition, the proposed methods were extended to a content uniformity test according to the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) guidelines and were accurate, precise for the capsules studied with acceptance value 3.98 for Method I and 2.616 for Method II. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  4. Comparison of field portable measurements of ultrafine TiO2: X-ray fluorescence, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    LeBouf, Ryan F; Miller, Arthur L; Stipe, Christopher; Brown, Jonathan; Murphy, Nate; Stefaniak, Aleksandr B

    2013-06-01

    Laboratory measurements of ultrafine titanium dioxide (TiO2) particulate matter loaded on filters were made using three field portable methods (X-ray fluorescence (XRF), laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy) to assess their potential for determining end-of-shift exposure. Ultrafine TiO2 particles were aerosolized and collected onto 37 mm polycarbonate track-etched (PCTE) filters in the range of 3 to 578 μg titanium (Ti). Limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), and calibration fit were determined for each measurement method. The LOD's were 11.8, 0.032, and 108 μg Ti per filter, for XRF, LIBS, and FTIR, respectively and the LOQ's were 39.2, 0.11, and 361 μg Ti per filter, respectively. The XRF calibration curve was linear over the widest dynamic range, up to the maximum loading tested (578 μg Ti per filter). LIBS was more sensitive but, due to the sample preparation method, the highest loaded filter measurable was 252 μg Ti per filter. XRF and LIBS had good predictability measured by regressing the predicted mass to the gravimetric mass on the filter. XRF and LIBS produced overestimations of 4% and 2%, respectively, with coefficients of determination (R(2)) of 0.995 and 0.998. FTIR measurements were less dependable due to interference from the PCTE filter media and overestimated mass by 2% with an R(2) of 0.831.

  5. Quantitative detection method for Roundup Ready soybean in food using duplex real-time PCR MGB chemistry.

    PubMed

    Samson, Maria Cristina; Gullì, Mariolina; Marmiroli, Nelson

    2010-07-01

    Methodologies that enable the detection of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) (authorized and non-authorized) in food and feed strongly influence the potential for adequate updating and implementation of legislation together with labeling requirements. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) systems were designed to boost the sensitivity and specificity on the identification of GMOs in highly degraded DNA samples; however, such testing will become economically difficult to cope with due to increasing numbers of approved genetically modified (GM) lines. Multiplexing approaches are therefore in development to provide cost-efficient solution. Construct-specific primers and probe were developed for quantitative analysis of Roundup Ready soybean (RRS) event glyphosate-tolerant soybean (GTS) 40-3-2. The lectin gene (Le1) was used as a reference gene, and its specificity was verified. RRS- and Le1-specific quantitative real-time PCR (qRTPCR) were optimized in a duplex platform that has been validated with respect to limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ), as well as accuracy. The analysis of model processed food samples showed that the degradation of DNA has no adverse or little effects on the performance of quantification assay. In this study, a duplex qRTPCR using TaqMan minor groove binder-non-fluorescent quencher (MGB-NFQ) chemistry was developed for specific detection and quantification of RRS event GTS 40-3-2 that can be used for practical monitoring in processed food products.

  6. Quantification of maltol in Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng) products by high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector

    PubMed Central

    Jeong, Hyun Cheol; Hong, Hee-Do; Kim, Young-Chan; Rhee, Young Kyoung; Choi, Sang Yoon; Kim, Kyung-Tack; Kim, Sung Soo; Lee, Young-Chul; Cho, Chang-Won

    2015-01-01

    Background: Maltol, as a type of phenolic compounds, is produced by the browning reaction during the high-temperature treatment of ginseng. Thus, maltol can be used as a marker for the quality control of various ginseng products manufactured by high-temperature treatment including red ginseng. For the quantification of maltol in Korean ginseng products, an effective high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) method was developed. Materials and Methods: The HPLC-DAD method for maltol quantification coupled with a liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) method was developed and validated in terms of linearity, precision, and accuracy. An HPLC separation was performed on a C18 column. Results: The LLE methods and HPLC running conditions for maltol quantification were optimized. The calibration curve of the maltol exhibited good linearity (R2 = 1.00). The limit of detection value of maltol was 0.26 μg/mL, and the limit of quantification value was 0.79 μg/mL. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the data of the intra- and inter-day experiments were <1.27% and 0.61%, respectively. The results of the recovery test were 101.35–101.75% with an RSD value of 0.21–1.65%. The developed method was applied successfully to quantify the maltol in three ginseng products manufactured by different methods. Conclusion: The results of validation demonstrated that the proposed HPLC-DAD method was useful for the quantification of maltol in various ginseng products. PMID:26246746

  7. Methods for Quantification of Soil-Transmitted Helminths in Environmental Media: Current Techniques and Recent Advances.

    PubMed

    Collender, Philip A; Kirby, Amy E; Addiss, David G; Freeman, Matthew C; Remais, Justin V

    2015-12-01

    Limiting the environmental transmission of soil-transmitted helminths (STHs), which infect 1.5 billion people worldwide, will require sensitive, reliable, and cost-effective methods to detect and quantify STHs in the environment. We review the state-of-the-art of STH quantification in soil, biosolids, water, produce, and vegetation with regard to four major methodological issues: environmental sampling; recovery of STHs from environmental matrices; quantification of recovered STHs; and viability assessment of STH ova. We conclude that methods for sampling and recovering STHs require substantial advances to provide reliable measurements for STH control. Recent innovations in the use of automated image identification and developments in molecular genetic assays offer considerable promise for improving quantification and viability assessment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Highly sensitive quantification for human plasma-targeted metabolomics using an amine derivatization reagent.

    PubMed

    Arashida, Naoko; Nishimoto, Rumi; Harada, Masashi; Shimbo, Kazutaka; Yamada, Naoyuki

    2017-02-15

    Amino acids and their related metabolites play important roles in various physiological processes and have consequently become biomarkers for diseases. However, accurate quantification methods have only been established for major compounds, such as amino acids and a limited number of target metabolites. We previously reported a highly sensitive high-throughput method for the simultaneous quantification of amines using 3-aminopyridyl-N-succinimidyl carbamate as a derivatization reagent combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Herein, we report the successful development of a practical and accurate LC-MS/MS method to analyze low concentrations of 40 physiological amines in 19 min. Thirty-five of these amines showed good linearity, limits of quantification, accuracy, precision, and recovery characteristics in plasma, with scheduled selected reaction monitoring acquisitions. Plasma samples from 10 healthy volunteers were evaluated using our newly developed method. The results revealed that 27 amines were detected in one of the samples, and that 24 of these compounds could be quantified. Notably, this new method successfully quantified metabolites with high accuracy across three orders of magnitude, with lowest and highest averaged concentrations of 31.7 nM (for spermine) and 18.3 μM (for α-aminobutyric acid), respectively. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. A validated Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy method for quantification of total lactones in Inula racemosa and Andrographis paniculata.

    PubMed

    Shivali, Garg; Praful, Lahorkar; Vijay, Gadgil

    2012-01-01

    Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy is a technique widely used for detection and quantification of various chemical moieties. This paper describes the use of the FT-IR spectroscopy technique for the quantification of total lactones present in Inula racemosa and Andrographis paniculata. To validate the FT-IR spectroscopy method for quantification of total lactones in I. racemosa and A. paniculata. Dried and powdered I. racemosa roots and A. paniculata plant were extracted with ethanol and dried to remove ethanol completely. The ethanol extract was analysed in a KBr pellet by FT-IR spectroscopy. The FT-IR spectroscopy method was validated and compared with a known spectrophotometric method for quantification of lactones in A. paniculata. By FT-IR spectroscopy, the amount of total lactones was found to be 2.12 ± 0.47% (n = 3) in I. racemosa and 8.65 ± 0.51% (n = 3) in A. paniculata. The method showed comparable results with a known spectrophotometric method used for quantification of such lactones: 8.42 ± 0.36% (n = 3) in A. paniculata. Limits of detection and quantification for isoallantolactone were 1 µg and 10 µg respectively; for andrographolide they were 1.5 µg and 15 µg respectively. Recoveries were over 98%, with good intra- and interday repeatability: RSD ≤ 2%. The FT-IR spectroscopy method proved linear, accurate, precise and specific, with low limits of detection and quantification, for estimation of total lactones, and is less tedious than the UV spectrophotometric method for the compounds tested. This validated FT-IR spectroscopy method is readily applicable for the quality control of I. racemosa and A. paniculata. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  10. In vivo behavior of NTBI revealed by automated quantification system.

    PubMed

    Ito, Satoshi; Ikuta, Katsuya; Kato, Daisuke; Lynda, Addo; Shibusa, Kotoe; Niizeki, Noriyasu; Toki, Yasumichi; Hatayama, Mayumi; Yamamoto, Masayo; Shindo, Motohiro; Iizuka, Naomi; Kohgo, Yutaka; Fujiya, Mikihiro

    2016-08-01

    Non-Tf-bound iron (NTBI), which appears in serum in iron overload, is thought to contribute to organ damage; the monitoring of serum NTBI levels may therefore be clinically useful in iron-overloaded patients. However, NTBI quantification methods remain complex, limiting their use in clinical practice. To overcome the technical difficulties often encountered, we recently developed a novel automated NTBI quantification system capable of measuring large numbers of samples. In the present study, we investigated the in vivo behavior of NTBI in human and animal serum using this newly established automated system. Average NTBI in healthy volunteers was 0.44 ± 0.076 μM (median 0.45 μM, range 0.28-0.66 μM), with no significant difference between sexes. Additionally, serum NTBI rapidly increased after iron loading, followed by a sudden disappearance. NTBI levels also decreased in inflammation. The results indicate that NTBI is a unique marker of iron metabolism, unlike other markers of iron metabolism, such as serum ferritin. Our new automated NTBI quantification method may help to reveal the clinical significance of NTBI and contribute to our understanding of iron overload.

  11. A Fast and Validated Reversed-Phase HPLC Method for Simultaneous Determination of Simvastatin, Atorvastatin, Telmisartan and Irbesartan in Bulk Drugs and Tablet Formulations

    PubMed Central

    Alhazmi, Hassan A.; Alnami, Ahmed M.; Arishi, Mohammed A. A.; Alameer, Raad K.; Al Bratty, Mohammed; Rehman, Zia ur; Javed, Sadique A.; Arbab, Ismail A.

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to develop and validate a fast and simple reversed-phase HPLC method for simultaneous determination of four cardiovascular agents—atorvastatin, simvastatin, telmisartan and irbesartan in bulk drugs and tablet oral dosage forms. The chromatographic separation was accomplished by using Symmetry C18 column (75 mm × 4.6 mm; 3.5 μ) with a mobile phase consisting of ammonium acetate buffer (10 mM; pH 4.0) and acetonitrile in a ratio 40:60 v/v. Flow rate was maintained at 1 mL/min up to 3.5 min, and then suddenly changed to 2 mL/min till the end of the run (7.5 min). The data was acquired using ultraviolet detector monitored at 220 nm. The method was validated for linearity, precision, accuracy and specificity. The developed method has shown excellent linearity (R2 > 0.999) over the concentration range of 1–16 µg/mL. The limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantification (LOQs) were in the range of 0.189–0.190 and 0.603–0.630 µg/mL, respectively. Inter-day and intra-day accuracy and precision data were recorded in the acceptable limits. The new method has successfully been applied for quantification of all four drugs in their tablet dosage forms with percent recovery within 100 ± 2%. PMID:29257120

  12. Microwave-assisted extraction of green coffee oil and quantification of diterpenes by HPLC.

    PubMed

    Tsukui, A; Santos Júnior, H M; Oigman, S S; de Souza, R O M A; Bizzo, H R; Rezende, C M

    2014-12-01

    The microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) of 13 different green coffee beans (Coffea arabica L.) was compared to Soxhlet extraction for oil obtention. The full factorial design applied to the microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), related to time and temperature parameters, allowed to develop a powerful fast and smooth methodology (10 min at 45°C) compared to a 4h Soxhlet extraction. The quantification of cafestol and kahweol diterpenes present in the coffee oil was monitored by HPLC/UV and showed satisfactory linearity (R(2)=0.9979), precision (CV 3.7%), recovery (<93%), limit of detection (0.0130 mg/mL), and limit of quantification (0.0406 mg/mL). The space-time yield calculated on the diterpenes content for sample AT1 (Arabica green coffee) showed a six times higher value compared to the traditional Soxhlet method. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Statistical image quantification toward optimal scan fusion and change quantification

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Potesil, Vaclav; Zhou, Xiang Sean

    2007-03-01

    Recent advance of imaging technology has brought new challenges and opportunities for automatic and quantitative analysis of medical images. With broader accessibility of more imaging modalities for more patients, fusion of modalities/scans from one time point and longitudinal analysis of changes across time points have become the two most critical differentiators to support more informed, more reliable and more reproducible diagnosis and therapy decisions. Unfortunately, scan fusion and longitudinal analysis are both inherently plagued with increased levels of statistical errors. A lack of comprehensive analysis by imaging scientists and a lack of full awareness by physicians pose potential risks in clinical practice. In this paper, we discuss several key error factors affecting imaging quantification, studying their interactions, and introducing a simulation strategy to establish general error bounds for change quantification across time. We quantitatively show that image resolution, voxel anisotropy, lesion size, eccentricity, and orientation are all contributing factors to quantification error; and there is an intricate relationship between voxel anisotropy and lesion shape in affecting quantification error. Specifically, when two or more scans are to be fused at feature level, optimal linear fusion analysis reveals that scans with voxel anisotropy aligned with lesion elongation should receive a higher weight than other scans. As a result of such optimal linear fusion, we will achieve a lower variance than naïve averaging. Simulated experiments are used to validate theoretical predictions. Future work based on the proposed simulation methods may lead to general guidelines and error lower bounds for quantitative image analysis and change detection.

  14. Microfluidic chip based nano liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry for the determination of abused drugs and metabolites in human hair.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Kevin Y; Leung, K Wing; Ting, Annie K L; Wong, Zack C F; Ng, Winki Y Y; Choi, Roy C Y; Dong, Tina T X; Wang, Tiejie; Lau, David T W; Tsim, Karl W K

    2012-03-01

    A microfluidic chip based nano-HPLC coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (nano-HPLC-Chip-MS/MS) has been developed for simultaneous measurement of abused drugs and metabolites: cocaine, benzoylecgonine, cocaethylene, norcocaine, morphine, codeine, 6-acetylmorphine, phencyclidine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, MDMA, MDA, MDEA, and methadone in the hair of drug abusers. The microfluidic chip was fabricated by laminating polyimide films and it integrated an enrichment column, an analytical column and a nanospray tip. Drugs were extracted from hairs by sonication, and the chromatographic separation was achieved in 15 min. The drug identification and quantification criteria were fulfilled by the triple quardropule tandem mass spectrometry. The linear regression analysis was calibrated by deuterated internal standards with all of the R(2) at least over 0.993. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) were from 0.1 to 0.75 and 0.2 to 1.25 pg/mg, respectively. The validation parameters including selectivity, accuracy, precision, stability, and matrix effect were also evaluated here. In conclusion, the developed sample preparation method coupled with the nano-HPLC-Chip-MS/MS method was able to reveal the presence of drugs in hairs from the drug abusers, with the enhanced sensitivity, compared with the conventional HPLC-MS/MS.

  15. Quantitative determination of total cesium in highly active liquid waste by using liquid electrode plasma optical emission spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Do, Van-Khoai; Yamamoto, Masahiko; Taguchi, Shigeo; Takamura, Yuzuru; Surugaya, Naoki; Kuno, Takehiko

    2018-06-01

    A sensitive analytical method for determination of total cesium (Cs) in highly active liquid waste (HALW) by using modified liquid electrode plasma optical emission spectrometry (LEP-OES) is developed in this study. The instrument is modified to measure radioactive samples in a glove box. The effects of important factors, including pulsed voltage sequence and nitric acid concentration, on the emission of Cs are investigated. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) are 0.005 mg/L and 0.02 mg/L, respectively. The achieved LOD is one order lower than that of recently developed spectroscopic methods using liquid discharge plasma. The developed method is validated by subjecting a simulated HALW sample to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The recoveries obtained from a spike-and-recovery test are 96-102%, implying good accuracy. The method is successfully applied to the quantification of Cs in a real HALW sample at the Tokai reprocessing plant in Japan. Apart from dilution and filtration of the HALW sample, no other pre-treatment process is required. The results agree well with the values obtained using gamma spectrometry. The developed method offers a reliable technique for rapid analysis of total Cs in HALW samples. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Graphene oxide bound silica for solid-phase extraction of 14 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in mainstream cigarette smoke.

    PubMed

    Shi, Rui; Yan, Lihong; Xu, Tongguang; Liu, Dongye; Zhu, Yongfa; Zhou, Jun

    2015-01-02

    Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were considered as a source of carcinogenicity in mainstream cigarette smoke (MSS). Accurate quantification of these components was necessary for assessing public health risk. In our study, a solid-phase extraction (SPE) method using graphene oxide (GO) bound silica as adsorbent for purification of 14 PAHs in MSS was developed. During SPE process, large matrices interferences of MSS were adsorbed on SPE column. The result of FTIR spectra demonstrated that these matrices interferences were adsorbed on GO mainly through OH and CO groups. The concentrations of PAHs in MSS extract were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of the developed method for 14 PAHs ranged from 0.05 to 0.36 ng/cig and 0.17 to 1.19 ng/cig, respectively. The accuracy of the measurement of 14 PAHs was from 73 to 116%. The relative standard deviations of intra- and inter-day analysis were less than 7.8% and 13.9%, respectively. Moreover, the developed method was successfully applied for analysis of real cigarette containing 1R5F reference cigarette and 12 top-selling commercial cigarettes in China. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. UPLC-MS/MS Method for Simultaneous Determination of Three Major Metabolites of Mequindox in Holothurian

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Huihui; Han, Dianfeng; Huang, Hui; Xu, Yingjiang; Gong, Xianghong

    2018-01-01

    This study developed an ultraperformance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for the detection of three major metabolites of mequindox, including 3-methyl-quinoxaline-2-carboxylic acid, 1-desoxymequindox, and 1,4-bisdesoxymequindox (MQCA, 1-DMEQ, and BDMEQ), in holothurian. Target analytes were simplified with ultrasound-assisted acidolysis extracted without complicated enzymolysis steps. After that, each sample was centrifuged and purified by an Oasis MAX cartridge. Then, the processed samples were separated and monitored by UPLC-MS/MS. This developed method has been validated according to FDA criteria. At fortified levels of 2, 10, and 20 μg/kg, recoveries ranged from 82.5% to 93.5% with the intraday RSD less than 7.27% and interday RSD less than 11.8%. The limit of detection (LOD) of all the three metabolites ranged from 0.21 to 0.48 μg/kg, while the limit of quantification (LOQ) ranged from 0.79 to 1.59 μg/kg. On application to commercial samples, 14 of 20 samples were detected positive for the three target analytes, with positive rate at 70 percentage. The result indicated that this method was specific, sensitive, and suitable for the quantification and conformation of the three major metabolites of MEQ in holothurian. PMID:29805832

  18. UPLC-MS/MS Method for Simultaneous Determination of Three Major Metabolites of Mequindox in Holothurian.

    PubMed

    Liu, Huihui; Ren, Chuanbo; Han, Dianfeng; Huang, Hui; Zou, Rongjie; Zhang, Huawei; Xu, Yingjiang; Gong, Xianghong; Zhang, Xiuzhen; Li, Yanshen

    2018-01-01

    This study developed an ultraperformance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for the detection of three major metabolites of mequindox, including 3-methyl-quinoxaline-2-carboxylic acid, 1-desoxymequindox, and 1,4-bisdesoxymequindox (MQCA, 1-DMEQ, and BDMEQ), in holothurian. Target analytes were simplified with ultrasound-assisted acidolysis extracted without complicated enzymolysis steps. After that, each sample was centrifuged and purified by an Oasis MAX cartridge. Then, the processed samples were separated and monitored by UPLC-MS/MS. This developed method has been validated according to FDA criteria. At fortified levels of 2, 10, and 20  μ g/kg, recoveries ranged from 82.5% to 93.5% with the intraday RSD less than 7.27% and interday RSD less than 11.8%. The limit of detection (LOD) of all the three metabolites ranged from 0.21 to 0.48  μ g/kg, while the limit of quantification (LOQ) ranged from 0.79 to 1.59  μ g/kg. On application to commercial samples, 14 of 20 samples were detected positive for the three target analytes, with positive rate at 70 percentage. The result indicated that this method was specific, sensitive, and suitable for the quantification and conformation of the three major metabolites of MEQ in holothurian.

  19. Mass Spectrometric Quantification of N-Linked Glycans by Reference to Exogenous Standards.

    PubMed

    Mehta, Nickita; Porterfield, Mindy; Struwe, Weston B; Heiss, Christian; Azadi, Parastoo; Rudd, Pauline M; Tiemeyer, Michael; Aoki, Kazuhiro

    2016-09-02

    Environmental and metabolic processes shape the profile of glycoprotein glycans expressed by cells, whether in culture, developing tissues, or mature organisms. Quantitative characterization of glycomic changes associated with these conditions has been achieved historically by reductive coupling of oligosaccharides to various fluorophores following release from glycoprotein and subsequent HPLC or capillary electrophoretic separation. Such labeling-based approaches provide a robust means of quantifying glycan amount based on fluorescence yield. Mass spectrometry, on the other hand, has generally been limited to relative quantification in which the contribution of the signal intensity for an individual glycan is expressed as a percent of the signal intensity summed over the total profile. Relative quantification has been valuable for highlighting changes in glycan expression between samples; sensitivity is high, and structural information can be derived by fragmentation. We have investigated whether MS-based glycomics is amenable to absolute quantification by referencing signal intensities to well-characterized oligosaccharide standards. We report the qualification of a set of N-linked oligosaccharide standards by NMR, HPLC, and MS. We also demonstrate the dynamic range, sensitivity, and recovery from complex biological matrices for these standards in their permethylated form. Our results indicate that absolute quantification for MS-based glycomic analysis is reproducible and robust utilizing currently available glycan standards.

  20. Quantification of pelvic floor muscle strength in female urinary incontinence: A systematic review and comparison of contemporary methodologies.

    PubMed

    Deegan, Emily G; Stothers, Lynn; Kavanagh, Alex; Macnab, Andrew J

    2018-01-01

    There remains no gold standard for quantification of voluntary pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strength, despite international guidelines that recommend PFM assessment in females with urinary incontinence (UI). Methods currently reported for quantification of skeletal muscle strength across disciplines are systematically reviewed and their relevance for clinical and academic use related to the pelvic floor are described. A systematic review via Medline, PubMed, CINHAL, and the Cochrane database using key terms for pelvic floor anatomy and function were cross referenced with skeletal muscle strength quantification from 1946 to 2016. Full text peer-reviewed articles in English having female subjects with incontinence were identified. Each study was analyzed for use of controls, type of methodology as direct or indirect measures, benefits, and limitations of the technique. A total of 1586 articles were identified of which 50 met the inclusion criteria. Nine methodologies of determining PFM strength were described including: digital palpation, perineometer, dynamometry, EMG, vaginal cones, ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging, urine stream interruption test, and the Colpexin pull test. Thirty-two percent lacked a control group. Technical refinements in both direct and indirect instrumentation for PFM strength measurement are allowing for sensitivity. However, the most common methods of quantification remain digital palpation and perineometry; techniques that pose limitations and yield subjective or indirect measures of muscular strength. Dynamometry has potential as an accurate and sensitive tool, but is limited by inability to assess PFM strength during dynamic movements. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Pollution gets personal! A first population-based human biomonitoring study in Austria.

    PubMed

    Hohenblum, Philipp; Steinbichl, Philipp; Raffesberg, Wolfgang; Weiss, Stefan; Moche, Wolfgang; Vallant, Birgit; Scharf, Sigrid; Haluza, Daniela; Moshammer, Hanns; Kundi, Michael; Piegler, Brigitte; Wallner, Peter; Hutter, Hans-Peter

    2012-02-01

    Humans are exposed to a broad variety of man-made chemicals. Human biomonitoring (HBM) data reveal the individual body burden irrespective of sources and routes of uptake. A first population-based study was started in Austria in 2008 and was finished at the end of May 2011. This cross sectional study aims at documenting the extent, the distribution and the determinants of human exposure to industrial chemicals as well as proving the feasibility of a representative HBM study. Overall, 150 volunteers (50 families) were selected by stratified random sampling. Exposure to phthalates, trisphosphates, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), bisphenol A (along with nonyl- and octyl phenol) and methyl mercury was assessed. Sixteen of 18 PBDE determined were detected above the limit of quantification (LOQ) in blood samples with #153 and #197 the most abundant species. Bisphenol A in urine was measured in a subsample of 25 with only 4 samples found above the LOQ. In 3 of 100 urine samples at least one of 8 trisphosphate compounds assessed was above the LOQ. These first analytical results of the human biomonitoring data show that the body burden of the Austrian population with respect to the assessed compounds is comparable to or even lower than in other European countries. Overall, the study revealed that in order to develop a feasible protocol for representative human biomonitoring studies procedures have to be optimized to allow for non-invasive sampling of body tissues in accordance with the main metabolic pathways. Procedures of participants' recruitment were, however, labor intensive and have to be improved. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  2. Detection and Quantification of Graphene-Family Nanomaterials in the Environment.

    PubMed

    Goodwin, David G; Adeleye, Adeyemi S; Sung, Lipiin; Ho, Kay T; Burgess, Robert M; Petersen, Elijah J

    2018-04-17

    An increase in production of commercial products containing graphene-family nanomaterials (GFNs) has led to concern over their release into the environment. The fate and potential ecotoxicological effects of GFNs in the environment are currently unclear, partially due to the limited analytical methods for GFN measurements. In this review, the unique properties of GFNs that are useful for their detection and quantification are discussed. The capacity of several classes of techniques to identify and/or quantify GFNs in different environmental matrices (water, soil, sediment, and organisms), after environmental transformations, and after release from a polymer matrix of a product is evaluated. Extraction and strategies to combine methods for more accurate discrimination of GFNs from environmental interferences as well as from other carbonaceous nanomaterials are recommended. Overall, a comprehensive review of the techniques available to detect and quantify GFNs are systematically presented to inform the state of the science, guide researchers in their selection of the best technique for the system under investigation, and enable further development of GFN metrology in environmental matrices. Two case studies are described to provide practical examples of choosing which techniques to utilize for detection or quantification of GFNs in specific scenarios. Because the available quantitative techniques are somewhat limited, more research is required to distinguish GFNs from other carbonaceous materials and improve the accuracy and detection limits of GFNs at more environmentally relevant concentrations.

  3. Development and practical application of accelerated solvent extraction for the isolation of cocaine/crack biomarkers in meconium samples.

    PubMed

    Mantovani, Cínthia de Carvalho; Lima, Marcela Bittar; Oliveira, Carolina Dizioli Rodrigues de; Menck, Rafael de Almeida; Diniz, Edna Maria de Albuquerque; Yonamine, Mauricio

    2014-04-15

    A method using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) for the isolation of cocaine/crack biomarkers in meconium samples, followed by solid phase extraction (SPE) and the simultaneous quantification by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was developed and validated. Initially, meconium samples were submitted to an ASE procedure, which was followed by SPE with Bond Elut Certify I cartridges. The analytes were derivatizated with PFP/PFPA and analyzed by GC-MS. The limits of detection (LOD) were between 11 and 17ng/g for all analytes. The limits of quantification (LOQ) were 30ng/g for anhydroecgonine methyl ester, and 20ng/g for cocaine, benzoylecgonine, ecgonine methyl ester and cocaethylene. Linearity ranged from the LOQ to 1500ng/g for all analytes, with a coefficients of determination greater than 0.991, except for m-hydroxybenzoylecgonine, which was only qualitatively detected. Precision and accuracy were evaluated at three concentration levels. For all analytes, inter-assay precision ranged from 3.2 to 18.1%, and intra-assay precision did not exceed 12.7%. The accuracy results were between 84.5 and 114.2% and the average recovery ranged from 17 to 84%. The method was applied to 342 meconium samples randomly collected in the University Hospital-University of São Paulo (HU-USP), Brazil. Cocaine biomarkers were detected in 19 samples, which represent 5.6% of exposure prevalence. Significantly lower birth weight, length and head circumference were found for the exposed newborns compared with the non-exposed group. This is the first report in which ASE was used as a sample preparation technique to extract cocaine biomarkers from a complex biological matrix such as meconium samples. The advantages of the developed method are the smaller demand for organic solvents and the minor sample handling, which allows a faster and accurate procedure, appropriate to confirm fetal exposure to cocaine/crack. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. An efficient separation and method development for the quantifying of two basic impurities of Nicergoline by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography using ion-pairing counter ions.

    PubMed

    Yalçin, Güler; Yüktaş, Nüray

    2006-10-11

    A quantification method was developed for the two basic impurities, one of which is also a metabolite, of Nicergoline (NIC), by using reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and diode array detector (DAD). One of these compounds,10-methoxy-6-methylergoline-8beta-methanol-5-bromo-3-pyridinecarboxylate (1-DN) is the metabolite as well as the impurity whereas, the other 10-methoxy-1,6-dimethylergoline-8beta-methanol-5-chloro-3-pyridinecarboxylate (5-CN) is only an impurity. The chromatographic column was Phenomenex, Luna, 5 microm, C18 (2), 250 mm x 4.6 mm. Mobile phase was 0.1 M ammonium acetate (NH4Ac) solution containing 4 mM 1-octanesulfonicacid sodium salt (OSASS) and 6 mM tetrabutylammonium hydrogen sulphate (TBAHS) (pH: 5.9)/acetonitrile (ACN) (62:38) for 1-DN and (64:36) for 5-CN. Flow rate was 1.0 mL min-1. The diode array detector was operated at 285 nm, band width: 4 nm. Linearity was obtained in the concentration range of 0.032 x 10-5 to 3.828 x 10-5 M, y = 116.88x + 0.2773 (r2 = 0.99989); the limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were determined as 0.012 x 10-5 and 0.041 x 10-5 M for 1-DN, respectively. Linearity was obtained in the concentration range of 0.034 x 10-5 to 4.092 x 10-5 M, y = 104.24x + 0.7486 (r2 = 0.99996); (LOD) and (LOQ) were determined as 0.014 x 10-5 and 0.046 x 10-5 M for 5-CN, respectively. The recovery was 100.65% for 1-DN and 100.32% for 5-CN. The amount of 1-DN in 30 mg NIC was found as 209.65 microg (0.70%) and the amount of 5-CN in 30 mg NIC was found as 27.62 microg (0.09%).

  5. Simultaneous quantification of major flavonoids in "Bawanghua", the edible flower of Hylocereus undatus using pressurised liquid extraction and high performance liquid chromatography.

    PubMed

    Yi, Yan; Zhang, Qing-Wen; Li, Song-Lin; Wang, Ying; Ye, Wen-Cai; Zhao, Jing; Wang, Yi-Tao

    2012-11-15

    A pressurised liquid extraction (PLE) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed for simultaneous quantification of six major flavonoids in edible flower of Hylocereus undatus. In order to achieve the baseline separation of two pairs of isomers, the HPLC conditions were optimised with different kind of reversed phase columns and mobile phase gradient programs. In addition, the solvent concentration, extraction temperature, extraction time and flush cycle for PLE were also optimised. Zorbax SB-C8 (100×2.1 mm, 1.8 μm) column was chosen with acetonitrile and water containing 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid as mobile phase, the six analytes were eluted with baseline separation. The calibration curves showed good linearity (r(2)>0.9994) with LODs and LOQs less than 0.90 and 3.60 ng respectively. The RSDs for intra- and inter-day repeatability was not more than 1.09% and 1.79% respectively. The overall recovery of the assay was 96.9-105.2%. The sample was stable for at least 12 h. The newly established method was successfully applied to quantify six flavonoids in different parts of "Bawanghua", and the commercial samples from different locations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. UFLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis of multiple mycotoxins in medicinal and edible Areca catechu.

    PubMed

    Liu, Hongmei; Luo, Jiaoyang; Kong, Weijun; Liu, Qiutao; Hu, Yichen; Yang, Meihua

    2016-05-01

    A robust, sensitive and reliable ultra fast liquid chromatography combined with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (UFLC-ESI-MS/MS) was optimized and validated for simultaneous identification and quantification of eleven mycotoxins in medicinal and edible Areca catechu, based on one-step extraction without any further clean-up. Separation and quantification were performed in both positive and negative modes under multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) in a single run with zearalanone (ZAN) as internal standard. The chromatographic conditions and MS/MS parameters were carefully optimized. Matrix-matched calibration was recommended to reduce matrix effects and improve accuracy, showing good linearity within wide concentration ranges. Limits of quantification (LOQ) were lower than 50 μg kg(-1), while limits of detection (LOD) were in the range of 0.1-20 μg kg(-1). The accuracy of the developed method was validated for recoveries, ranging from 85% to 115% with relative standard deviation (RSD) ≤14.87% at low level, from 75% to 119% with RSD ≤ 14.43% at medium level and from 61% to 120% with RSD ≤ 13.18% at high level, respectively. Finally, the developed multi-mycotoxin method was applied for screening of these mycotoxins in 24 commercial samples. Only aflatoxin B2 and zearalenone were found in 2 samples. This is the first report on the application of UFLC-ESI(+/-)-MS/MS for multi-class mycotoxins in A. catechu. The developed method with many advantages of simple pretreatment, rapid determination and high sensitivity is a proposed candidate for large-scale detection and quantification of multiple mycotoxins in other complex matrixes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. 3-Monochloro-1,2-propandiol (3-MCPD) in soy sauce from the Bulgarian market.

    PubMed

    Christova-Bagdassarian, Valentina; Tishkova, Julieta A; Vrabcheva, Terry M

    2013-01-01

    The 3-monochloro-1,2-propandiol (3-MCPD) levels in soy sauces which contained hydrolysed vegetable protein were evaluated for the Bulgarian market. For analysis of 3-MCPD, a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method was applied with a linear range of 0.03-2.00 μg mL⁻¹ and a limit of detection (LOD) of 2.3 μg kg⁻¹ and a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 3.4 μg kg⁻¹. At these levels, the standard deviation was 5.1%, with recoveries between 81% and 102%. The method was applied to the analysis of 21 samples of soy sauce from the Bulgarian market. Results ranged from 3.7 to 185.6 μg kg⁻¹. Soy sauces produced from hydrolysed soy protein contained higher levels of 3-MCPD than naturally fermented sauces. In 38.4% of samples of Bulgarian origin, the 3-MCPD content was above the EU limit of 20 μg kg⁻¹. In all analysed samples, 33.3% had a 3-MCPD content above the EU limit.

  8. Quantification of bupivacaine hydrochloride and isoflupredone acetate residues in porcine muscle, beef, milk, egg, shrimp, flatfish, and eel using a simplified extraction method coupled with liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Cho, Sang-Hyun; Park, Jin-A; Zheng, Weijia; Abd El-Aty, A M; Kim, Seong-Kwan; Choi, Jeong-Min; Yi, Hee; Cho, Soo-Min; Afifi, Nehal A; Shim, Jae-Han; Chang, Byung-Joon; Kim, Jin-Suk; Shin, Ho-Chul

    2017-10-15

    In this study, a simple analytical approach has been developed and validated for the determination of bupivacaine hydrochloride and isoflupredone acetate residues in porcine muscle, beef, milk, egg, shrimp, flatfish, and eel using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). A 0.1% solution of acetic acid in acetonitrile combined with n-hexane was used for deproteinization and defatting of all tested matrices and the target drugs were well separated on a Waters Xbridge™ C18 analytical column using a mobile phase consisting of 0.1% acetic acid (A) and 0.1% solution of acetic acid in methanol (B). The linearity estimated from six-point matrix-matched calibrations was good, with coefficients of determination ≥0.9873. The limits of quantification (LOQs) for bupivacaine hydrochloride and isoflupredone acetate were 1 and 2ngg -1 , respectively. Recovery percentages in the ranges of 72.51-112.39% (bupivacaine hydrochloride) and 72.58-114.56% (isoflupredone acetate) were obtained from three different fortification concentrations with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of <15.14%. All samples for the experimental work and method application were collected from the local markets in Seoul, Republic of Korea, and none of them tested positive for the target drugs. In conclusion, a simple method using a 0.1% solution of acetic acid in acetonitrile and n-hexane followed by LC-MS/MS could effectively extract bupivacaine hydrochloride and isoflupredone acetate from porcine muscle, beef, milk, egg, shrimp, flatfish, and eel samples. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Fluorescent quantification of melanin.

    PubMed

    Fernandes, Bruno; Matamá, Teresa; Guimarães, Diana; Gomes, Andreia; Cavaco-Paulo, Artur

    2016-11-01

    Melanin quantification is reportedly performed by absorption spectroscopy, commonly at 405 nm. Here, we propose the implementation of fluorescence spectroscopy for melanin assessment. In a typical in vitro assay to assess melanin production in response to an external stimulus, absorption spectroscopy clearly overvalues melanin content. This method is also incapable of distinguishing non-melanotic/amelanotic control cells from those that are actually capable of performing melanogenesis. Therefore, fluorescence spectroscopy is the best method for melanin quantification as it proved to be highly specific and accurate, detecting even small variations in the synthesis of melanin. This method can also be applied to the quantification of melanin in more complex biological matrices like zebrafish embryos and human hair. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. A fast method for the determination of lead in honey samples using stabilizer-free silver nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bittar, Dayana Borges; Catelani, Tiago Augusto; Pezza, Leonardo; Pezza, Helena Redigolo

    2018-01-01

    A sensitive, rapid and robust method based on the use of stabilizer-free silver nanoparticles was developed for lead detection in honey. Silver nanoparticles were synthesized without the presence of any stabilizers using silver nitrate and sodium borohydride as precursors where the latter was applied as reducing agent. The optimization of the experimental variables (AgNO3 and NaBH4) for the formation of the nanoparticles was carried out using varying volumes of these solutions. Spectrophotometric measurements at 393 nm showed a linear working range between 0.0500 and 0.167 mg L- 1 lead (R = 0.994), with limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of 0.0135 and 0.0451 mg L- 1, respectively. The proposed method proved to be a significantly sensitive mechanism for lead detection in honey samples.

  11. Determination of formaldehyde in Romanian cosmetic products using coupled GC/MS system after SPME extraction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Feher, I.; Schmutzer, G.; Voica, C.; Moldovan, Z.

    2013-11-01

    In this study we have made a quick review of some Romanian cosmetic products (shampoo, conditioner, face wash) in order to determine the formaldehyde content as well as other substances called "formaldehyde releasers". The process was performed based on solid-phase microextraction (SPME) followed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry technique. Prior to SPME extraction we used a derivation step of formaldehyde using pentafluorophenyl hydrazine. The obtained product was adsorbed on SPME devices, then injected and desorbed into the GC/MS injection port. The concentration of formaldehyde (as derived compound) was calculated using calibration curve, having a regression coefficient of 0.9938. The performance parameters of the method were calculated using samples of standard concentration. The method proved to be sensitive, having a quantification limit (LOQ) of 0.15 μg/g.

  12. Multiresidue analysis of 22 sulfonamides and their metabolites in animal tissues using quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe extraction and high resolution mass spectrometry (hybrid linear ion trap-Orbitrap).

    PubMed

    Abdallah, H; Arnaudguilhem, C; Jaber, F; Lobinski, R

    2014-08-15

    A new high performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS) method was developed for a simultaneous multi-residue analysis of 22 sulfonamides (SAs) and their metabolites in edible animal (pig, beef, sheep and chicken) tissues. Sample preparation was optimized on the basis of the "QuEChERS" protocol. The analytes were identified using their LC retention times and accurate mass; the identification was further confirmed by multi-stage high mass accuracy (<5ppm) mass spectrometry. The performance of the method was evaluated according to the EU guidelines for the validation of screening methods for the analysis of veterinary drugs residues. Acceptable values were obtained for: linearity (R(2)<0.99), limit of detection (LOD, 3-26μg/kg), limit of quantification (LOQ, 11-88μg/kg), accuracy (recovery 88-112%), intra- and inter-day precision 1-14 and 1-17%, respectively, decision limit (CCα) and detection capability (CCβ) around the maximum residue limits (MRL) of SAs (100μg/kg). The method was validated by analysis of a reference material FAPAS-02188 "Pig kidney" with ǀ Z-scoreǀ<0.63. The method was applied to various matrices (kidney, liver, muscle) originated from pig, beef, sheep, and chicken) allowing the simultaneous quantification of target sulfonamides at concentration levels above the MRL/2 and the identification of untargeted compounds such as N(4)-acetyl metabolites using multi-stage high mass accuracy mass spectrometry. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Radio-frequency energy quantification in magnetic resonance imaging

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alon, Leeor

    Mapping of radio frequency (RF) energy deposition has been challenging for 50+ years, especially, when scanning patients in the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) environment. As result, electromagnetic simulation software is often used for estimating the specific absorption rate (SAR), the rate of RF energy deposition in tissue. The thesis work presents challenges associated with aligning information provided by electromagnetic simulation and MRI experiments. As result of the limitations of simulations, experimental methods for the quantification of SAR were established. A system for quantification of the total RF energy deposition was developed for parallel transmit MRI (a system that uses multiple antennas to excite and image the body). The system is capable of monitoring and predicting channel-by-channel RF energy deposition, whole body SAR and capable of tracking potential hardware failures that occur in the transmit chain and may cause the deposition of excessive energy into patients. Similarly, we demonstrated that local RF power deposition can be mapped and predicted for parallel transmit systems based on a series of MRI temperature mapping acquisitions. Resulting from the work, we developed tools for optimal reconstruction temperature maps from MRI acquisitions. The tools developed for temperature mapping paved the way for utilizing MRI as a diagnostic tool for evaluation of RF/microwave emitting device safety. Quantification of the RF energy was demonstrated for both MRI compatible and non-MRI-compatible devices (such as cell phones), while having the advantage of being noninvasive, of providing millimeter resolution and high accuracy.

  14. Diclofenac in municipal wastewater treatment plant: quantification using laser diode thermal desorption--atmospheric pressure chemical ionization--tandem mass spectrometry approach in comparison with an established liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry method.

    PubMed

    Lonappan, Linson; Pulicharla, Rama; Rouissi, Tarek; Brar, Satinder K; Verma, Mausam; Surampalli, Rao Y; Valero, José R

    2016-02-12

    Diclofenac (DCF), a prevalent non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) is often detected in wastewater and surface water. Analysis of the pharmaceuticals in complex matrices is often laden with challenges. In this study a reliable, rapid and sensitive method based on laser diode thermal desorption/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (LDTD/APCI) coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) has been developed for the quantification of DCF in wastewater and wastewater sludge. An established conventional LC-ESI-MS/MS (liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry) method was compared with LDTD-APCI-MS/MS approach. The newly developed LDTD-APCI-MS/MS method reduced the analysis time to 12s in lieu of 12 min for LC-ESI-MS/MS method. The method detection limits for LDTD-APCI-MS/MS method were found to be 270 ng L(-1) (LOD) and 1000 ng L(-1) (LOQ). Furthermore, two extraction procedures, ultrasonic assisted extraction (USE) and accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) for the extraction of DCF from wastewater sludge were compared and ASE with 95.6 ± 7% recovery was effective over USE with 86 ± 4% recovery. The fate and partitioning of DCF in wastewater (WW) and wastewater sludge (WWS) in wastewater treatment plant was also monitored at various stages of treatment in Quebec Urban community wastewater treatment plant. DCF exhibited affinity towards WW than WWS with a presence about 60% of DCF in WW in contrary with theoretical prediction (LogKow=4.51). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Detection and quantification of benzodiazepines in hair by ToF-SIMS: preliminary results

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Audinot, J.-N.; Yegles, M.; Labarthe, A.; Ruch, D.; Wennig, R.; Migeon, H.-N.

    2003-01-01

    Successful results have been obtained in detection and quantification of buprenorphine in urine and hemolysed blood by time of flight-secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). The present work is focused on four molecules of the benzodiazepine's family: nordiazepam, aminoflunitrozepam, diazepam and oxazepam. These drugs remain difficult to analyse in routine clinical and forensic toxicology because of their thermal instability and low therapeutic range (0.5-5 ng/ml). Internal standards are prepared by means of deuterated molecules. The benzadiazepine and their deuterated form (nordiazepam-D5, amino-flunitrazepam-D3, diazepam-D5 and oxazepam-D5) were added, in known concentration, in urine. These molecules were then extracted with several methods (pH, solvent, etc.) and, after adsorption on a noble metal, analysed by ToF-SIMS. The paper will focus for the different molecules on the comparison of the different preparation procedures, the optimisation of the SIMS conditions, the limits of detection and the limits of quantification.

  16. Development of an HPLC method for determination of metabolic compounds in myocardial tissue.

    PubMed

    Volonté, M G; Yuln, G; Quiroga, P; Consolini, A E

    2004-05-28

    The determination of adenine nucleotides and creatine compounds has great importance in the characterization of ischemic myocardial injury and post-ischemic recovery. It was developed by an HPLC method for the quantification of creatine (Cr), creatine phosphate (CrP), hypoxanthine (HX), AMP, adenosine (Ad), ADP and ATP in isolated perfused rat hearts. The chromatographic conditions were: RP 18 column; mobile phase composed by KH(2)PO(4) (215 mM), tetrabutylammonium hydrogen sulfate (2.3mM), acetonitrile (4%) and KOH (1M 0.4%); flow rate 1 ml min(-1); temperature 25 degrees C; injection volume 20 microl; detection at 220 nm and height peak (HP) as the integration parameter. The method was validated by means of linearity and sensitivity evaluations, using calibration curves done with five concentration levels of each compound. The limits of quantification (LOQ) were also determined. The system precision was calculated as the coefficient of variation for five injections for each compound tested. The purity of the peaks was established using enzymatic peak shift analysis with hexokinase and creatine kinase and also comparing HP at various wavelengths. Frozen hearts were homogenized with a mechanical homogenizer for 3 min at 0 degrees C added with 5 ml of 0.4N HCLO(4). After precipitation with 0.8 ml of 2M KOH the extract was shaked for 2 min and later centrifuged at 0 degrees C for 10 min. The supernatant was kept on ice, filtrated and injected into the HPLC system. The results show that the method for the determination of Cr, CrP, HX, AMP, Ad, ADP and ATP by HPLC here described has good linearity, LOQ, precision, specificity and is simple and rapid to perform.

  17. Solid-phase extraction followed by liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry for the selective determination of fungicides in wine samples.

    PubMed

    Fontana, A R; Rodríguez, I; Ramil, M; Altamirano, J C; Cela, R

    2011-04-22

    In this work, a reliable and selective procedure for the determination of thirteen fungicides in red and white wine samples is proposed. Solid-phase extraction (SPE) and liquid chromatography (LC) tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), based on a hybrid quadrupole time-of-flight (QTOF) system, were used as sample preparation and determination techniques, respectively. Extraction and purification of target analytes was carried out simultaneously by using a reversed-phase Oasis HLB (200mg) SPE cartridge combined with acetonitrile as elution solvent. Fungicides were determined operating the electrospray source in the positive ionization mode, with MS/MS conditions adjusted to obtain at least two intense product ions per compound, or registering two transitions per species when a single product was noticed. High selective MS/MS chromatograms were extracted using a mass window of 20 ppms for each product ion. Considering external calibration as quantification technique, the overall recoveries (accuracy) of the procedure ranged between 81% and 114% for red and white wine samples (10-20 mL), spiked at different concentrations between 5 and 100 ng mL(-1). Relative standard deviations of the above data stayed below 12% and the limits of quantification (LOQs) of the method, calculated for 10 mL of wine, varied between 0.1 ng mL(-1) for cyprodinil (CYP) and 0.7 ng mL(-1) for myclobutanil (MYC). The optimized method was applied to seventeen commercial wines produced in Spain and obtained from local supermarkets. Nine fungicides were determined, at levels above the LOQs of the method, in the above samples. The maximum concentrations and the highest occurrence frequencies corresponded to metalaxyl (MET) and iprovalicarb (IPR). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Determination of N,N-dimethyltryptamine and beta-carboline alkaloids in human plasma following oral administration of Ayahuasca.

    PubMed

    Yritia, Mercedes; Riba, Jordi; Ortuño, Jordi; Ramirez, Ariel; Castillo, Araceli; Alfaro, Yolanda; de la Torre, Rafael; Barbanoj, Manel J

    2002-11-05

    Ayahuasca is a South American psychotropic beverage prepared from plants native to the Amazon River Basin. It combines the hallucinogenic agent and 5-HT(2A/2C) agonist N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) with beta-carboline alkaloids showing monoamine oxidase-inhibiting properties. In the present paper, an analytical methodology for the plasma quantification of the four main alkaloids present in ayahuasca plus two major metabolites is described. DMT was extracted by liquid-liquid extraction with n-pentane and quantified by gas chromatography with nitrogen-phosphorus detection. Recovery was 74%, and precision and accuracy were better than 9.9%. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 1.6 ng/ml. Harmine, harmaline, and tetrahydroharmine (THH), the three main beta-carbolines present in ayahuasca, and harmol and harmalol (O-demethylation metabolites of harmine and harmaline, respectively) were measured in plasma by means of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection. Sample preparation was accomplished by solid-phase extraction, which facilitated the automation of the process. All five beta-carbolines were measured using a single detector by switching wavelengths. Separation of harmol and harmalol required only slight changes in the chromatographic conditions. Method validation demonstrated good recoveries, above 87%, and accuracy and precision better than 13.4%. The LOQ was 0.5 ng/ml for harmine, 0.3 ng/ml for harmaline, 1.0 ng/ml for THH, and 0.3 ng/ml for harmol and harmalol. Good linearity was observed in the concentration ranges evaluated for DMT (2.5-50 ng/ml) and the beta-carbolines (0.3-100 ng/ml). The gas chromatography and HPLC methods described allowed adequate characterization of the pharmacokinetics of the four main alkaloids present in ayahuasca, and also of two major beta-carboline metabolites not previously described in the literature.

  19. Development of a multiple-class analytical method based on the use of synthetic matrices for the simultaneous determination of commonly used commercial surfactants in wastewater by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Alexandre, Bergé; Barbara, Giroud; Laure, Wiest; Bruno, Domenjoud; Adriana, Gonzalez-Ospina; Emmanuelle, Vulliet

    2016-06-10

    Discharges of surfactants from wastewater treatment plants are often considered as the principal vector of pollution into the environment. The analysis of complex matrices, such as urban wastewater, suspended solids and biological sludge requires careful preparation of the sample to obtain a sensitive, selective and reproducible analysis. A simple, fast, effective and multi-residue method based on the SPE (water) and QuEChERS (solid matrices) approaches using synthetic matrices for validation and quantification, has been developed for the determination of 16 surfactants in wastewater, suspended solids and biological sludge. This work resulted in an innovative method that was validated to detect and assess several classes of surfactants such as quaternary ammonium compounds, betaïns, alkylphenols and their ethoxylated or sulfated derivatives in urban wastewater and solid matrices. The optimised extraction method exhibited recoveries comprised between 83% and 120% for all the tested compounds in the dissolved matrix and between 50% and 109% for particulate matrix. The limits of quantification of all compounds were comprised between 0.1 and 1.0μg/L for dissolved matrix and between 2 and 1000ng/g (dry weight) in particulate matrix. Linearity was assessed for all compounds within the [LOQ-250LOQ] range. Confidence intervals were also computed in real matrices with less than 15% margin of error for all studied surfactants. This work has confirmed, first and foremost, that surfactants are indeed highly concentrated in urban wastewater. As expected, linear alkylbenzene sulfonates were present at significant concentrations (up to 1-2mg/L). In addition, although biological processing results in significant removal of the total pollution, the residual concentrations at output of WWTP remain significant (up to 100μg/L). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. [Simultaneous determination of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol cannabidiol and cannabinol in edible oil using ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry].

    PubMed

    Zhang, Aizhi; Wang, Quanlin; Mo, Shijie

    2010-11-01

    A method for the simultaneous determination of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabinol (CBN) in edible oil was developed using ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The target compounds were extracted with methanol, purified by an LC-Alumina-N solid phase extraction cartridge, separated and detected by the UPLC-MS/MS. Quantitative analysis was corrected by an isotope internal standard method using delta-9-THC-D3 as internal standard. Average recoveries for the target compounds varied from 68.0% to 101.6% with the relative standard deviations ranging from 7.0% to 20.1% at three spiked levels. The limits of detection (LOD) of the method were from 0.06-0.17 microg/kg and the limits of quantification (LOQ) were in the range of 0.20-0.52 microg/kg. The results showed that the method is able to meet the requirements for the simultaneous determination of THC, CBD and CBN in edible oil.

  1. On-matrix derivatization extraction of chemical weapons convention relevant alcohols from soil.

    PubMed

    Chinthakindi, Sridhar; Purohit, Ajay; Singh, Varoon; Dubey, D K; Pardasani, Deepak

    2013-10-11

    Present study deals with the on-matrix derivatization-extraction of aminoalcohols and thiodiglycols, which are important precursors and/or degradation products of VX analogues and vesicants class of chemical warfare agents (CWAs). The method involved hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) mediated in situ silylation of analytes on the soil. Subsequent extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of derivatized analytes offered better recoveries in comparison to the procedure recommended by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Various experimental conditions such as extraction solvent, reagent and catalyst amount, reaction time and temperature were optimized. Best recoveries of analytes ranging from 45% to 103% were obtained with DCM solvent containing 5%, v/v HMDS and 0.01%, w/v iodine as catalyst. The limits of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) with selected analytes ranged from 8 to 277 and 21 to 665ngmL(-1), respectively, in selected ion monitoring mode. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Simplified RP-HPLC method for multi-residue analysis of abamectin, emamectin benzoate and ivermectin in rice.

    PubMed

    Xie, Xianchuan; Gong, Shu; Wang, Xiaorong; Wu, Yinxing; Zhao, Li

    2011-01-01

    A rapid, reliable and sensitive reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method with fluorescence detection (RP-FLD-HPLC) was developed and validated for simultaneous analysis of the abamectin (ABA), emamectin (EMA) benzoate and ivermectin (IVM) residues in rice. After extraction with acetonitrile/water (2 : 1) with sonication, the avermectin (AVMs) residues were directly derivatised by N-methylimidazole (N-NMIM) and trifluoroacetic anhydride (TFAA) and then analysed on RP-FLD-HPLC. A good linear relationship (r(2 )> 0.99) was obtained for three AVMs ranging from 0.01 to 5 microg ml(-1), i.e. 0.01-5.0 microg g(-1) in rice matrix. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) were between 0.001 and 0.002 microg g(-1) and between 0.004 and 0.006 microg g(-1), respectively. Recoveries were from 81.9% to 105.4% and precision less than 12.4%. The proposed method was successfully applied to routine analysis of the AVMs residues in rice.

  3. A rapid and simple determination of caffeine in teas, coffees and eight beverages.

    PubMed

    Sereshti, Hassan; Samadi, Soheila

    2014-09-01

    Caffeine was extracted and preconcentrated by the simple, fast and green method of dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) and analysed by gas chromatography-nitrogen phosphorus detection (GC-NPD). The influence of main parameters affecting the extraction efficiency investigated and optimised. Under the optimal conditions, the method was successfully applied to determination of caffeine in different real samples including five types of tea (green, black, white, oolong teas and tea bag), two kinds of coffee (Nescafe coffee and coffee), and eight beverages (regular Coca Cola, Coca Cola zero, regular Pepsi, Pepsi max, Sprite, 7up, Red Bull and Hype).The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.02 and 0.05 μg mL(-1), respectively. Linear dynamic range (LDR) was 0.05-500 μg mL(-1) and determination coefficient (R(2)) was 0.9990. The relative standard deviation (RSD) was 3.2% (n=5, C=1 μg mL(-1)). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Micro-solid-phase extraction (µ-SPE) of organophosphorous pesticides from wheat followed by LC-MS/MS determination.

    PubMed

    Della Pelle, Flavio; Di Crescenzo, Maria Chiara; Sergi, Manuel; Montesano, Camilla; Di Ottavio, Francesca; Scarpone, Rossana; Scortichini, Giampiero; Compagnone, Dario

    2016-01-01

    A rapid, selective and effective method of extraction, clean-up and concentration of organophosphorous pesticides from wheat followed by electrospray (ESI) LC-MS/MS analysis was developed. The μ-SPE (micro-solid-phase extraction) procedure resulted in good analytical performance and reduced at the same time matrix effects, analysis time and solvent consumption. Limits of detection (LODs) and quantification (LOQs) were in the range of 0.3-10 and 1-30 μg kg(-1), respectively, with good reproducibility (RSD ≤ 13.8) and recoveries between 75% and 109%. Coefficients of determination (r(2)) were greater than 0.996 for the studied pesticides. Despite the reduced sorbent bed mass of μ-SPE tips (4.2 mg), the analytical data showed that no saturation phenomena occurs in the tested range of concentration both for single compounds and mixtures. Several real samples were analysed and the concentrations of the selected pesticides were found to be below the respective maximum residue limit (MRLs).

  5. Development of a rapid, simple and sensitive HPLC-FLD method for determination of rhodamine B in chili-containing products.

    PubMed

    Qi, Ping; Lin, Zhihao; Li, Jiaxu; Wang, ChengLong; Meng, WeiWei; Hong, Hong; Zhang, Xuewu

    2014-12-01

    In this work, a simple, rapid and sensitive analytical method for the determination of rhodamine B in chili-containing foodstuffs is described. The dye is extracted from samples with methanol and analysed without further cleanup procedure by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to fluorescence detection (FLD). The influence of matrix fluorescent compounds (capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin) on the analysis was overcome by the optimisation of mobile-phase composition. The limit of determination (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 3.7 and 10 μg/kg, respectively. Validation data show a good repeatability and within-lab reproducibility with relative standard deviations <10%. The overall recoveries are in the range of 98-103% in chili powder and in the range of 87-100% in chili oil depending on the concentration of rhodamine B in foodstuffs. This method is suitable for the routine analysis of rhodamine B due to its sensitivity, simplicity, reasonable time and cost. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Enhancing Activity and Stability of Uricase from Lactobacillus plantarum by Zeolite immobilization

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Iswantini, D.; Nurhidayat, N.; Sarah

    2017-03-01

    Lactobacillus plantarum has been known be able to produce uricase for uric acid biosensor. Durability and stability of L. plantarum in generating uricase enzyme was low. Hence, we tried to enhance its durability and stability by immobilizing it onto activated 250 mg zeolite at room temperature using 100 μL L.plantarum suspension and 2.87 mM uric acid, while Michaelis-Menten constant (KM) and Vmax were obtained at 6.7431 mM and 0.9171 µA consecutively, and the linearity range was 0.1-3.3 mM (R2 = 0.9667). Limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) value of the measurement were 0.4827 mM and 1.6092 mM respectively. Biosensor stability treatment was carried out in two different treatments, using the same electrode and using disposable electrode. The disposable electrode stability showed better result based on repeated measurements, but stability was still need improvement.

  7. Precursor ion scan driven fast untargeted screening and semi-determination of caffeoylquinic acid derivatives in Cynara scolymus L.

    PubMed

    Shen, Qing; Lu, Yanbin; Dai, Zhiyuan; Cheung, Hon-Yeung

    2015-01-01

    A precursor ion scan (PIS) technique based strategy was developed for rapid screening and semi-determination of caffeoylquinic acid derivatives (CADs) in artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) using ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. 1,5-Dicaffeoylquinic acid and 5-caffeoylquinic acid were used for studying the fragmentation behaviour of two classes of CADs, setting m/z 191 as a diagnostic moiety. When it was applied to artichoke sample, ten CADs were detected and elucidated in a single PIS run. Furthermore, method validation was implemented including: specificity (no interference), linearity (≥0.9993), limit of detection (LOD<0.12 ng mL(-1)) and limit of quantification (LOQ<0.25 ng mL(-1)), precision (RSD≤3.6), recovery (91.4-95.9%) and stability (at least 12 h). This approach was proven to be a powerful, selective and sensitive tool for rapid screening and semi-determination of untargeted components in natural products. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Solid-phase extraction of iridium from soil and water samples by using activated carbon cloth prior to its spectrophotometric determination.

    PubMed

    Ozkantar, Nebiye; Yilmaz, Erkan; Soylak, Mustafa; Tuzen, Mustafa

    2015-08-01

    A solid-phase extraction method for separation and preconcentration of Ir(IV) ion by using activated carbon cloth (ACC) has been presented. Ir(IV) as their 1-(2-pyridylazo) 2-naphtol (PAN) chelate was adsorbed on ACC at pH 2.0 and was eluted from ACC with acidic dimethylformamide (DMF). The Ir(IV) concentration was determined at 536 nm as Ir(IV)-PAN complex by using UV-vis spectrophotometer. The analytical parameters including pH, sample and eluent flow rates, amount of PAN, eluent type, concentration, and sample volume were optimized. The effects of foreign ions on the recoveries of iridium were also investigated. The preconcentration factor was calculated as 60. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) of the method were found as 0.039 and 0.129 μg L(-1), respectively. The method was applied to soil and water samples for iridium determination.

  9. On-line HPLC-DPPH screening method for evaluation of radical scavenging phenols extracted from apples (Malus domestica L.).

    PubMed

    Bandoniene, Donata; Murkovic, Michael

    2002-04-24

    An on-line HPLC-DPPH screening method for phenolic antioxidants in apple methanol/water (80:20, v/v) extracts was applied. The determination of antioxidants was based on a decrease in absorbance at 515 nm after postcolumn reaction of HPLC-separated antioxidants with the 2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radicals (DPPH*). Each of the antioxidants separated by the HPLC column was observed as a negative peak corresponding to its antioxidative activity. The on-line method was applied for quantitative analysis of the antioxidants. A linear dependence of negative peak area on concentration of the reference antioxidants was observed. For validation of the on-line method the limit of detection, LOD (microg/mL), and the limit of quantification, LOQ (microg/mL), of the phenolic compounds were determined. Comparison of the UV and DPPH radical quenching chromatograms with authentic compounds identified catechin, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, epicatechin, and phloridzin in the apple cultivars (Lobo, Golden Delicious, and Boskoop), and the distribution of total antioxidant activity was calculated.

  10. Evaluation of the Presence and Levels of Enrofloxacin, Ciprofloxacin, Sulfaquinoxaline and Oxytetracycline in Broiler Chickens after Drug Administration

    PubMed Central

    da Silva, Guilherme Resende; Lanza, Isabela Pereira; Ribeiro, Ana Cláudia dos Santos Rossi; Lana, Ângela Maria Quintão; Lara, Leonardo José Camargos

    2016-01-01

    The depletion times of enrofloxacin and its metabolite ciprofloxacin as well as sulfaquinoxaline and oxytetracycline were evaluated in broiler chickens that had been subjected to pharmacological treatment. The presence and residue levels of these drugs in muscle tissue were evaluated using an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method that was validated in this work. The results showed the presence of all antimicrobial residues; however, the presence of residues at concentrations higher than the drugs’ maximum residue limit (MRL) of 100 μg kg-1 was found only during the treatment period for oxytetracycline and until two days after discontinuation of the medication for enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and sulfaquinoxaline. It was concluded that the residues of all antimicrobials were rapidly metabolized from the broiler muscles; after four days of withdrawal, the levels were lower than the limit of quantification (LOQ) of the method for the studied analytes. PMID:27846314

  11. Gas chromatography with flame photometric detection of 31 organophosphorus pesticide residues in Alpinia oxyphylla dried fruits.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Xiangsheng; Kong, Weijun; Wei, Jianhe; Yang, Meihua

    2014-11-01

    A simple, rapid and effective gas chromatography-flame photometric detection method was established for simultaneous multi-component determination of 31 organophosphorus pesticides (OPPs) residues in Alpinia oxyphylla, which is widely consumed as a traditional medicine and food in China. Sample preparation was completed in a single step without any clean-up procedure. All pesticides expressed good linear relationships between 0.004 and 1.0 μg/mL with correlation coefficients higher than 0.9973. The method gave satisfactory recoveries for most pesticides. The limits of detection varied from 1 to 10 ng/mL, and the limits of quantification (LOQs) were between 4 and 30 ng/mL. The proposed method was successfully applied to 55 commercial samples purchased from five different areas. Five pesticide residues were detected in four (7.27%) samples. The positive samples were confirmed by gas chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Ultrasonic-assisted extraction and dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry as an efficient and sensitive method for determining of acrylamide in potato chips samples.

    PubMed

    Zokaei, Maryam; Abedi, Abdol-Samad; Kamankesh, Marzieh; Shojaee-Aliababadi, Saeedeh; Mohammadi, Abdorreza

    2017-11-01

    In this research, for the first time, we successfully developed ultrasonic-assisted extraction and dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry as a new, fast and highly sensitive method for determining of acrylamide in potato chips samples. Xanthydrol was used as a derivatization reagent and parameters affecting in the derivatization and microextraction steps were studied and optimized. Under optimum conditions, the calibration curves showed high levels of linearity (R 2 >0.9993) for acrylamide in the range of 2-500ngmL -1 . The relative standard deviation (RSD) for the seven analyses was 6.8%. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.6ngg -1 and 2ngg -1 , respectively. The UAE-DLLME-GC-MS method demonstrated high sensitivity, good linearity, recovery, and enrichment factor. The performance of the new proposed method was evaluated for the determination of acrylamide in various types of chips samples and satisfactory results were obtained. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Simple and Fast Extraction-Coupled UPLC-MS/MS Method for the Determination of Mequindox and Its Major Metabolites in Food Animal Tissues.

    PubMed

    You, Yanli; Song, Liting; Li, Yanshen; Wu, Yongtao; Xin, Mao

    2016-03-23

    This research described a sensitive and rapid UPLC-MS/MS method for the determination of mequindox and its six major metabolites in chicken muscle, chicken liver, swine muscle, and swine liver. Among the metabolites, carbonyl reduction-1,4-bisdesoxy-mequindox is novel. Target analytes could be extracted by ethyl acetate without any acidolysis or enzymolysis steps. After purification by a Bond Elut C18 cartridge, analysis was carried out by UPLC-MS/MS using positive ion multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. Validation was performed in spiked samples, and mean recoveries ranged from 64.3 to 114.4%, with intraday and interday variations of less than 14.7 and 19.2%, respectively. The limit of detection (LOD) was <1.0 μg kg(-1), whereas the limit of quantification (LOQ) was <4.0 μg kg(-1). This procedure will help monitor mequindox residues in animal-derived food, and it will also facilitate further pharmacokinetics of mequindox.

  14. Identification of multi-insecticide residues using GC-NPD and the degradation kinetics of chlorpyrifos in sweet corn and soils.

    PubMed

    Wang, Peidan; Rashid, Muhammad; Liu, Jie; Hu, Meiying; Zhong, Guohua

    2016-12-01

    Because more than one insecticide is applied to crops to protect plants from pests, an analytical multi-residue determination method was developed using gas chromatography with a nitrogen phosphorus detector (GC-NPD). The retention time for 12 insecticides was 3.7-27.7min. Under the selected conditions, the limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were below the maximum residue limits (MRLs) and in the range of 0.00315-0.05μgmL(-1) and 0.01-0.165μgmL(-1), respectively. Using GC-NPD, we investigated the dissipation dynamics and final residual levels of chlorpyrifos in sweet corn and soil and determined that the half-lives was 4-7days, that is, that chlorpyrifos is safe to use on sweet corn with a pre-harvest interval of 16-22days before harvest. These results provide new insights into chlorpyrifos degradation in plants and its environmental behavior. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  15. Optimal design of experiments applied to headspace solid phase microextraction for the quantification of vicinal diketones in beer through gas chromatography-mass spectrometric detection.

    PubMed

    Leça, João M; Pereira, Ana C; Vieira, Ana C; Reis, Marco S; Marques, José C

    2015-08-05

    Vicinal diketones, namely diacetyl (DC) and pentanedione (PN), are compounds naturally found in beer that play a key role in the definition of its aroma. In lager beer, they are responsible for off-flavors (buttery flavor) and therefore their presence and quantification is of paramount importance to beer producers. Aiming at developing an accurate quantitative monitoring scheme to follow these off-flavor compounds during beer production and in the final product, the head space solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) analytical procedure was tuned through experiments planned in an optimal way and the final settings were fully validated. Optimal design of experiments (O-DOE) is a computational, statistically-oriented approach for designing experiences that are most informative according to a well-defined criterion. This methodology was applied for HS-SPME optimization, leading to the following optimal extraction conditions for the quantification of VDK: use a CAR/PDMS fiber, 5 ml of samples in 20 ml vial, 5 min of pre-incubation time followed by 25 min of extraction at 30 °C, with agitation. The validation of the final analytical methodology was performed using a matrix-matched calibration, in order to minimize matrix effects. The following key features were obtained: linearity (R(2) > 0.999, both for diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione), high sensitivity (LOD of 0.92 μg L(-1) and 2.80 μg L(-1), and LOQ of 3.30 μg L(-1) and 10.01 μg L(-1), for diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione, respectively), recoveries of approximately 100% and suitable precision (repeatability and reproducibility lower than 3% and 7.5%, respectively). The applicability of the methodology was fully confirmed through an independent analysis of several beer samples, with analyte concentrations ranging from 4 to 200 g L(-1). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Polyaniline-graphene oxide nanocomposite sensor for quantification of calcium channel blocker levamlodipine.

    PubMed

    Jain, Rajeev; Sinha, Ankita; Khan, Ab Lateef

    2016-08-01

    A novel polyaniline-graphene oxide nanocomposite (PANI/GO/GCE) sensor has been fabricated for quantification of a calcium channel blocker drug levamlodipine (LAMP). Fabricated sensor has been characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, square wave and cyclic voltammetry, Raman spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The developed PANI/GO/GCE sensor has excellent analytical performance towards electrocatalytic oxidation as compared to PANI/GCE, GO/GCE and bare GCE. Under optimized experimental conditions, the fabricated sensor exhibits a linear response for LAMP for its oxidation over a concentration range from 1.25μgmL(-1) to 13.25μgmL(-1) with correlation coefficient of 0.9950 (r(2)), detection limit of 1.07ngmL(-1) and quantification limit of 3.57ngmL(-1). The sensor shows an excellent performance for detecting LAMP with reproducibility of 2.78% relative standard deviation (RSD). The proposed method has been successfully applied for LAMP determination in pharmaceutical formulation with a recovery from 99.88% to 101.75%. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Verification of an immunoturbidimetric assay for heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) on a clinical chemistry platform and establishment of the upper reference limit.

    PubMed

    Da Molin, Simona; Cappellini, Fabrizio; Falbo, Rosanna; Signorini, Stefano; Brambilla, Paolo

    2014-11-01

    Heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) is an early biomarker of cardiac injury. Randox Laboratories developed an immunoturbidimetric H-FABP assay for non-proprietary automated clinical chemistry analysers that could be useful in the emergency department. We verified the analytical performances claimed by Randox Laboratories on Roche Cobas 6000 clinical chemistry platform in use in our laboratory, and we defined our own 99th percentile upper reference limit for H-FABP. For the verification of method performances, we used pools of spared patient samples from routine and two levels of quality control material, while samples for the reference value study were collected from 545 blood donors. Following CLSI guidelines we verified limit of blank (LOB), limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantitation (LOQ), repeatability and within-laboratory precision, trueness, linearity, and the stability of H-FABP in EDTA over 24h. The LOQ (3.19 μg/L) was verified with a CV% of 10.4. The precision was verified for the low (mean 5.88 μg/L, CV=6.7%), the medium (mean 45.28 μg/L, CV=3.0%), and the high concentration (mean 88.81 μg/L, CV=4.0%). The trueness was verified as well as the linearity over the indicated measurement interval of 0.747-120 μg/L. The H-FABP in EDTA samples is stable throughout 24h both at room temperature and at 4 °C. The H-FABP 99th percentile upper reference limit for all subjects (3.60 μg/L, 95% CI 3.51-3.77) is more appropriate than gender-specific ones that are not statistically different. Copyright © 2014 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. THE QUANTIFICATION OF AQUEOUS TRACERS IN LABORATORY AQUIFER MODELS USING LIGHT TRANSMISSION VISUALIZATION METHOD

    EPA Science Inventory

    The quantification of solute concentrations in laboratory aquifer models has been largely limited to the use of sampling ports, from which samples are collected for external analysis. One of the drawbacks to this method is that the act of sampling may disturb plume dynamics and ...

  19. Metal Stable Isotope Tagging: Renaissance of Radioimmunoassay for Multiplex and Absolute Quantification of Biomolecules.

    PubMed

    Liu, Rui; Zhang, Shixi; Wei, Chao; Xing, Zhi; Zhang, Sichun; Zhang, Xinrong

    2016-05-17

    The unambiguous quantification of biomolecules is of great significance in fundamental biological research as well as practical clinical diagnosis. Due to the lack of a detectable moiety, the direct and highly sensitive quantification of biomolecules is often a "mission impossible". Consequently, tagging strategies to introduce detectable moieties for labeling target biomolecules were invented, which had a long and significant impact on studies of biomolecules in the past decades. For instance, immunoassays have been developed with radioisotope tagging by Yalow and Berson in the late 1950s. The later languishment of this technology can be almost exclusively ascribed to the use of radioactive isotopes, which led to the development of nonradioactive tagging strategy-based assays such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, fluorescent immunoassay, and chemiluminescent and electrochemiluminescent immunoassay. Despite great success, these strategies suffered from drawbacks such as limited spectral window capacity for multiplex detection and inability to provide absolute quantification of biomolecules. After recalling the sequences of tagging strategies, an apparent question is why not use stable isotopes from the start? A reasonable explanation is the lack of reliable means for accurate and precise quantification of stable isotopes at that time. The situation has changed greatly at present, since several atomic mass spectrometric measures for metal stable isotopes have been developed. Among the newly developed techniques, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry is an ideal technique to determine metal stable isotope-tagged biomolecules, for its high sensitivity, wide dynamic linear range, and more importantly multiplex and absolute quantification ability. Since the first published report by our group, metal stable isotope tagging has become a revolutionary technique and gained great success in biomolecule quantification. An exciting research highlight in this area

  20. Real-time quantitative PCR for retrovirus-like particle quantification in CHO cell culture.

    PubMed

    de Wit, C; Fautz, C; Xu, Y

    2000-09-01

    Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells have been widely used to manufacture recombinant proteins intended for human therapeutic uses. Retrovirus-like particles, which are apparently defective and non-infectious, have been detected in all CHO cells by electron microscopy (EM). To assure viral safety of CHO cell-derived biologicals, quantification of retrovirus-like particles in production cell culture and demonstration of sufficient elimination of such retrovirus-like particles by the down-stream purification process are required for product market registration worldwide. EM, with a detection limit of 1x10(6) particles/ml, is the standard retrovirus-like particle quantification method. The whole process, which requires a large amount of sample (3-6 litres), is labour intensive, time consuming, expensive, and subject to significant assay variability. In this paper, a novel real-time quantitative PCR assay (TaqMan assay) has been developed for the quantification of retrovirus-like particles. Each retrovirus particle contains two copies of the viral genomic particle RNA (pRNA) molecule. Therefore, quantification of retrovirus particles can be achieved by quantifying the pRNA copy number, i.e. every two copies of retroviral pRNA is equivalent to one retrovirus-like particle. The TaqMan assay takes advantage of the 5'-->3' exonuclease activity of Taq DNA polymerase and utilizes the PRISM 7700 Sequence Detection System of PE Applied Biosystems (Foster City, CA, U.S.A.) for automated pRNA quantification through a dual-labelled fluorogenic probe. The TaqMan quantification technique is highly comparable to the EM analysis. In addition, it offers significant advantages over the EM analysis, such as a higher sensitivity of less than 600 particles/ml, greater accuracy and reliability, higher sample throughput, more flexibility and lower cost. Therefore, the TaqMan assay should be used as a substitute for EM analysis for retrovirus-like particle quantification in CHO cell

  1. Quantification by SEM-EDS in uncoated non-conducting samples

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Galván Josa, V.; Castellano, G.; Bertolino, S. R.

    2013-07-01

    An approach to perform elemental quantitative analysis in a conventional scanning electron microscope with an energy dispersive spectrometer has been developed for non-conductive samples in which the conductive coating should be avoided. Charge accumulation effects, which basically decrease the energy of the primary beam, were taken into account by means of the Duane-Hunt limit. This value represents the maximum energy of the continuum X-ray spectrum, and is related to the effective energy of the incident electron beam. To validate the results obtained by this procedure, a non-conductive sample of known composition was quantified without conductive coating. Complementarily, changes in the X-ray spectrum due to charge accumulation effects were studied by Monte Carlo simulations, comparing relative characteristic intensities as a function of the incident energy. This methodology is exemplified here to obtain the chemical composition of white and reddish archaeological pigments belonging to the Ambato style of "Aguada" culture (Catamarca, Argentina 500-1100 AD). The results obtained in this work show that the quantification procedure taking into account the Duane-Hunt limit is suitable for this kind of samples. This approach may be recommended for the quantification of samples for which coating is not desirable, such as ancient artwork, forensic or archaeological samples, or when the coating element is also present in the sample.

  2. Near-infrared spectroscopy for the detection and quantification of bacterial contaminations in pharmaceutical products.

    PubMed

    Quintelas, Cristina; Mesquita, Daniela P; Lopes, João A; Ferreira, Eugénio C; Sousa, Clara

    2015-08-15

    Accurate detection and quantification of microbiological contaminations remains an issue mainly due the lack of rapid and precise analytical techniques. Standard methods are expensive and time-consuming being associated to high economic losses and public health threats. In the context of pharmaceutical industry, the development of fast analytical techniques able to overcome these limitations is crucial and spectroscopic techniques might constitute a reliable alternative. In this work we proved the ability of Fourier transform near infrared spectroscopy (FT-NIRS) to detect and quantify bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Salmonella enterica, Staphylococcus epidermidis) from 10 to 10(8) CFUs/mL in sterile saline solutions (NaCl 0.9%). Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA) models showed that FT-NIRS was able to discriminate between sterile and contaminated solutions for all bacteria as well as to identify the contaminant bacteria. Partial least squares (PLS) models allowed bacterial quantification with limits of detection ranging from 5.1 to 9 CFU/mL for E. coli and B. subtilis, respectively. This methodology was successfully validated in three pharmaceutical preparations (contact lens solution, cough syrup and topic anti-inflammatory solution) proving that this technique possess a high potential to be routinely used for the detection and quantification of bacterial contaminations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Analysis of glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid in leaves from Coffea arabica using high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole mass spectrometry detection.

    PubMed

    Schrübbers, Lars C; Masís-Mora, Mario; Rojas, Elizabeth Carazo; Valverde, Bernal E; Christensen, Jan H; Cedergreen, Nina

    2016-01-01

    Glyphosate is a commonly applied herbicide in coffee plantations. Because of its non-selective mode of action it can damage the crop exposed through spray drift. Therefore, it is of interest to study glyphosate fate in coffee plants. The aim of this study was to develop an analytical method for accurate and precise quantification of glyphosate and its main metabolite aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) at trace levels in coffee leaves using liquid chromatography with single-quadrupole mass spectrometry detection. The method is based on a two-step solid phase extraction (SPE) with an intermediate derivatization reaction using 9-fluorenylmethylchloroformate (FMOC). An isotope dilution method was used to account for matrix effects and to enhance the confidence in analyte identification. The limit of quantification (LOQ) for glyphosate and AMPA in coffee leaves was 41 and 111 μg kg(-1) dry weight, respectively. For the method optimization a design of experiments (DOE) approach was used. The sample clean-up procedure can be simplified for the analysis of less challenging matrices, for laboratories having a tandem mass spectrometry detector and for cases in which quantification limits above 0.1 mg kg(-1) are acceptable, which is often the case for glyphosate. The method is robust, possesses high identification confidence, while being suitable for most commercial and academic laboratories. All leaf samples from five coffee fields analyzed (n=21) contained glyphosate, while AMPA was absent. The simplified clean-up procedure was successfully validated for coffee leaves, rice, black beans and river water. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Isocratic RP-HPLC method for rutin determination in solid oral dosage forms.

    PubMed

    Kuntić, Vesna; Pejić, Natasa; Ivković, Branka; Vujić, Zorica; Ilić, Katarina; Mićić, Svetlana; Vukojević, Vladana

    2007-01-17

    A rapid and sensitive assay for quantitative determination of rutin in oral dosage forms based on isocratic reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) was developed and validated. Using a C(18) reverse-phase analytical column, the following conditions were chosen as optimal: mobile phase methanol-water 1:1 (v/v), pH 2.8 (adjusted with phosphoric acid), flow rate=1 mL min(-1) and temperature T=40.0 degrees C. Linearity was observed in the concentration range 8-120 microg mL(-1) with a correlation coefficient of 0.99982 and the limit of detection (LOD)=2.6 microg mL(-1), and limit of quantification (LOQ)=8.0 microg mL(-1). Intra- and inter-day precision were within acceptable limits. Robustness test indicated that the mobile phase composition and pH influence mainly the separation. The proposed method allowed direct determination of rutin in pharmaceutical dosage forms in the presence of excipients, but is not suitable for preparations where compounds structurally/chemically related to rutin may be present.

  5. An ultra-high performance liquid chromatography method to determine the skin penetration of an octyl methoxycinnamate-loaded liquid crystalline system.

    PubMed

    Prado, A H; Borges, M C; Eloy, J O; Peccinini, R G; Chorilli, M

    2017-10-01

    Cutaneous penetration is a critical factor in the use of sunscreen, as the compounds should not reach systemic circulation in order to avoid the induction of toxicity. The evaluation of the skin penetration and permeation of the UVB filter octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC) is essential for the development of a successful sunscreen formulation. Liquid-crystalline systems are innovative and potential carriers of OMC, which possess several advantages, including controlled release and protection of the filter from degradation. In this study, a new and effective method was developed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) with ultraviolet detection (UV) for the quantitative analysis of penetration of OMC-loaded liquid crystalline systems into the skin. The following parameters were assessed in the method: selectivity, linearity, precision, accuracy, robustness, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantification (LOQ). The analytical curve was linear in the range from 0.25 to 250 μg.m-1, precise, with a standard deviation of 0.05-1.24%, with an accuracy in the range from 96.72 to 105.52%, and robust, with adequate values for the LOD and LOQ of 0.1 and 0.25 μg.mL -1, respectively. The method was successfully used to determine the in vitro skin permeation of OMC-loaded liquid crystalline systems. The results of the in vitro tests on Franz cells showed low cutaneous permeation and high retention of the OMC, particularly in the stratum corneum, owing to its high lipophilicity, which is desirable for a sunscreen formulation.

  6. Accuracy in Rietveld quantitative phase analysis: a comparative study of strictly monochromatic Mo and Cu radiations.

    PubMed

    León-Reina, L; García-Maté, M; Álvarez-Pinazo, G; Santacruz, I; Vallcorba, O; De la Torre, A G; Aranda, M A G

    2016-06-01

    This study reports 78 Rietveld quantitative phase analyses using Cu  K α 1 , Mo  K α 1 and synchrotron radiations. Synchrotron powder diffraction has been used to validate the most challenging analyses. From the results for three series with increasing contents of an analyte (an inorganic crystalline phase, an organic crystalline phase and a glass), it is inferred that Rietveld analyses from high-energy Mo  K α 1 radiation have slightly better accuracies than those obtained from Cu  K α 1 radiation. This behaviour has been established from the results of the calibration graphics obtained through the spiking method and also from Kullback-Leibler distance statistic studies. This outcome is explained, in spite of the lower diffraction power for Mo radiation when compared to Cu radiation, as arising because of the larger volume tested with Mo and also because higher energy allows one to record patterns with fewer systematic errors. The limit of detection (LoD) and limit of quantification (LoQ) have also been established for the studied series. For similar recording times, the LoDs in Cu patterns, ∼0.2 wt%, are slightly lower than those derived from Mo patterns, ∼0.3 wt%. The LoQ for a well crystallized inorganic phase using laboratory powder diffraction was established to be close to 0.10 wt% in stable fits with good precision. However, the accuracy of these analyses was poor with relative errors near to 100%. Only contents higher than 1.0 wt% yielded analyses with relative errors lower than 20%.

  7. Determination of lasalocid residues in the tissues of broiler chickens by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Tkáčiková, Soňa; Kožárová, Ivona; Mačanga, Ján; Levkut, Martin

    2012-01-01

    Lasalocid is a polyether ionophoric coccidiostat used for the prevention of coccidiosis in poultry at a prescribed concentration and during a certain time interval. Due to a public health concern about the presence of coccidiostat residues in poultry, the aim of the present study was to determine the levels of lasalocid residues in the edible tissues of broiler chickens (breast muscle, thigh muscle, heart, liver, gizzard, kidneys and skin/fat) fed commercially produced feed containing 100 mg kg⁻¹) of lasalocid in complete feed throughout the 5-day withdrawal period (WP). The residues were investigated by liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionisation (ESI) tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) with triple quadrupole. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) of the method were 0.47 and 1.44 µg kg⁻¹, respectively. The average recovery based on the matrix-fortified calibrations for chicken tissues ranged between 79% and 98%. Lasalocid was found to accumulate in the liver, followed by the heart, skin/fat, kidneys, thigh muscle and gizzard. The lowest concentrations of lasalocid residues were found in the breast muscle. On day 5 of the WP, residue concentrations of lasalocid did not decline below the LOQ of the method, but were far below the maximum residue level (MRL) established for lasalocid in poultry from 20 to 100 µg kg⁻¹ by European Commission Regulation (EU) No. 37/2010. The results confirmed that the WP established for lasalocid is sufficient to ensure the decline of its residues in the tissues of broiler chickens to the safe residue level.

  8. A fast liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for determining benzodiazepines and analogues in urine. Validation and application to real cases of forensic interest.

    PubMed

    Salomone, Alberto; Gerace, Enrico; Brizio, Paola; Gennaro, M Carla; Vincenti, Marco

    2011-11-01

    A fast liquid chromatographic/tandem mass spectrometric method was developed for the simultaneous determination in human urine of seventeen benzodiazepines, four relevant metabolites together plus zolpidem and zopiclone. The sample preparation, optimized to take into account the matrix effect, was based on enzymatic hydrolysis and liquid-liquid extraction. The separation of the twenty-three analytes was achieved in less than eight minutes. The whole methodology was fully validated according to UNI EN ISO/IEC 17025:2005 rules and 2006 SOFT/AAFS guidelines. Selectivity, linearity range, identification (LOD) and quantitation (LOQ) limits, precision, accuracy and recovery were evaluated. For all the species the signal/concentration linearity was satisfactory in the 50-1000 ng/mL concentration range. The limits of detection ranged from 0.5 to 30 ng/mL and LOQs from 1.7 to 100.0 ng/mL. Precisions were in the ranges 5.0-11.8%, 1.5-11.0% and 1.1-4.4% for low (100 ng/mL), medium (300 ng/mL) and high (1000 ng/mL) concentration, respectively. The accuracy, expressed as bias% was within ± 25 % for all the analytes. The recovery values, evaluated at 300 ng/mL concentration, ranged from 56.2% to 98.8%. The present method for the determination of several benzodiazepines, zolpidem and zopiclone in human urine proved to be simple, fast, specific and sensitive. The quantification by LC-MS/MS was successfully applied to 329 forensic cases among driving re-licensing, car accidents and alleged sexual violence cases. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Performance evaluation of laser induced breakdown spectroscopy in the measurement of liquid and solid samples

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bilge, Gonca; Sezer, Banu; Boyaci, Ismail Hakki; Eseller, Kemal Efe; Berberoglu, Halil

    2018-07-01

    Liquid analysis by using LIBS is a complicated process due to difficulties encountered during the collection of light and formation of plasma in liquid. To avoid these, some applications are performed such as aerosol formation and transforming liquid into solid state. However, performance of LIBS in liquid samples still remains a challenging issue. In this study, performance evaluation of LIBS and parameter optimizations in liquid and solid phase samples were performed. For this purpose, milk was chosen as model sample; milk powder was used as solid sample, and milk was used as liquid sample in the experiments. Different experimental setups have been constructed for each sampling technique, and optimizations were performed to determine suitable parameters such as delay time, laser energy, repetition rate and speed of rotary table for solid sampling technique, and flow rate of carrier gas for liquid sampling technique. Target element was determined as Ca, which is a critically important element in milk for determining its nutritional value and Ca addition. In optimum parameters, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ) and relative standard deviation (RSD) values were calculated as 0.11%, 0.36% and 8.29% respectively for milk powders samples; while LOD, LOQ and RSD values were calculated as 0.24%, 0.81%, and 10.93% respectively for milk samples. It can be said that LIBS is an applicable method in both liquid and solid samples with suitable systems and parameters. However, liquid analysis requires much more developed systems for more accurate results.

  10. Simultaneous tuning of electric field intensity and structural properties of ZnO: Graphene nanostructures for FOSPR based nicotine sensor.

    PubMed

    Tabassum, Rana; Gupta, Banshi D

    2017-05-15

    We report theoretical and experimental realization of a SPR based fiber optic nicotine sensor having coatings of silver and graphene doped ZnO nanostructure onto the unclad core of the optical fiber. The volume fraction (f) of graphene in ZnO was optimized using simulation of electric field intensity. Four types of graphene doped ZnO nanostructures viz. nanocomposites, nanoflowers, nanotubes and nanofibers were prepared using optimized value of f. The morphology, photoluminescence (PL) spectra and UV-vis spectra of these nanostructures were studied. The peak PL intensity was found to be highest for ZnO: graphene nanofibers. The optimized value of f in ZnO: graphene nanofiber was reconfirmed using UV-vis spectroscopy. The experiments were performed on the fiber optic probe fabricated with Ag/ZnO: graphene layer and optimized parameters for in-situ detection of nicotine. The interaction of nicotine with ZnO: graphene nanostructures alters the dielectric function of ZnO: graphene nanostructure which is manifested in terms of shift in resonance wavelength. From the sensing signal, the performance parameters were measured including sensitivity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), stability, repeatability and selectivity. The real sample prepared using cigarette tobacco leaves and analyzed using the fabricated sensor makes it suitable for practical applications. The achieved values of LOD and LOQ are found to be unrivalled in comparison to the reported ones. The sensor possesses additional advantages such as, immunity to electromagnetic interference, low cost, capability of online monitoring, remote sensing. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for naringin.

    PubMed

    Qu, Huihua; Wang, Xueqian; Qu, Baoping; Kong, Hui; Zhang, Yue; Shan, Wenchao; Cheng, Jinjun; Wang, Qingguo; Zhao, Yan

    2016-01-15

    Among the currently used immunoassay techniques, sandwich ELISA exhibits higher specificity, lower cross-reactivity, and a wider working range compared to the corresponding competitive assays. However, it is difficult to obtain a pair of antibodies that can simultaneously bind to two epitopes of a molecule with a molecular weight of less than 1000 Da. Naringin (Nar) is a flavonoid with a molecular mass of 580 Da. The main aim of this study was to develop a sandwich ELISA for detecting Nar. Two hybridomas secreting anti-Nar monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were produced by fusing splenocytes from a mouse immunised against Nar-bovine serum albumin (BSA) conjugated with a hypoxanthine-aminopterin-thymidine (HAT)-sensitive mouse myeloma cell line; a sandwich ELISA for detecting Nar was developed using these two well-characterised anti-Nar mAbs. The performance of the sandwich assay was further evaluated by limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), recovery, and interference analyses. A dose-response curve to Nar was obtained with an LOD of 6.78 ng mL(-1) and an LOQ of 13.47 ng mL(-1). The inter-assay and intra-assay coefficients of variation were 4.32% and 7.48%, respectively. The recovery rate of Nar from concentrated Fructus aurantii granules was 83.63%. A high correlation was obtained between HPLC and sandwich ELISA. These results demonstrate that the sandwich ELISA method has higher specificity for Nar than indirect competitive ELISA. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Measurements of airborne methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) concentration in the U.S. workplace.

    PubMed

    Booth, Karroll; Cummings, Barbara; Karoly, William J; Mullins, Sharon; Robert, William P; Spence, Mark; Lichtenberg, Fran W; Banta, J

    2009-04-01

    This article summarizes a large body of industry air sampling data (8134 samples) in which airborne MDI concentrations were measured in a wide variety of manufacturing processes that use either polymeric MDI (PMDI) or monomeric (pure) MDI. Data were collected during the period 1984 through 1999. A total of 606 surveys were conducted for 251 companies at 317 facilities. The database includes 3583 personal (breathing zone) samples and 4551 area samples. Data demonstrate that workplace airborne MDI concentrations are extremely low in a majority of the manufacturing operations. Most (74.6%) of the airborne MDI concentrations measured in the personal samples were nondetectable, i.e., below the limits of quantification (LOQs). A variety of validated industrial hygiene sampling/analytical methods were used for data collection; most are modifications of OSHA Method 47. The LOQs for these methods ranged from 0.1-0.5 microg/sample. The very low vapor pressures of both monomeric MDI and PMDI largely explain the low airborne concentrations found in most operations. However, processes or applications in which the chemical is sprayed or heated may result in higher airborne concentrations and higher exposure potentials if appropriate control measures are not implemented. Data presented in this article will be a useful reference for employers in helping them to manage their health and safety program as it relates to respiratory protection during MDI/PMDI applications.

  13. Ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for biomonitoring cooked meat carcinogens and their metabolites in human urine.

    PubMed

    Gu, Dan; Raymundo, Melissa M; Kadlubar, Fred F; Turesky, Robert J

    2011-02-01

    The cooked meat carcinogens 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP), 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), and their principal metabolites produced by cytochrome P450 and/or uridine diphosphate glucuronosyl transferases were simultaneously measured at the parts per trillion level in urine of omnivores, by ultraperformance liquid chromatography (UPLC) with a Michrom Advance CaptiveSpray source and a triple stage quadrupole mass spectrometer. Quantitation was performed in the selected reaction monitoring mode. The UPLC method is much more rapid and sensitive than our earlier capillary HPLC method: the duty cycle of the UPLC method is 19 min compared to 57 min for capillary HPLC. The performance of the UPLC assay was evaluated with urine samples from three subjects over 4 different days. The intraday and interday precisions of the estimates of PhIP, MeIQx, and their metabolites, reported as the coefficients of variation, were ≤10%. The limit of quantification (LOQ) values for PhIP and MeIQx were about 5 pg/mL, whereas the LOQ values of their metabolites ranged from 10 to 40 pg/mL. Furthermore, the identities of the analytes were corroborated by acquisition of full scan product ion spectra, employing between 0.5 and 5 pg of analyte for assay.

  14. Optimization and validation of high-performance liquid chromatography method for analyzing 25-desacetyl rifampicin in human urine

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lily; Laila, L.; Prasetyo, B. E.

    2018-03-01

    A selective, reproducibility, effective, sensitive, simple and fast High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was developed, optimized and validated to analyze 25-Desacetyl Rifampicin (25-DR) in human urine which is from tuberculosis patient. The separation was performed by HPLC Agilent Technologies with column Agilent Eclipse XDB- Ci8 and amobile phase of 65:35 v/v methanol: 0.01 M sodium phosphate buffer pH 5.2, at 254 nm and flow rate of 0.8ml/min. The mean retention time was 3.016minutes. The method was linear from 2–10μg/ml 25-DR with a correlation coefficient of 0.9978. Standard deviation, relative standard deviation and coefficient variation of 2, 6, 10μg/ml 25-DR were 0-0.0829, 03.1752, 0-0.0317%, respectively. The recovery of 5, 7, 9μg/ml25-DR was 80.8661, 91.3480 and 111.1457%, respectively. Limits of detection (LoD) and quantification (LoQ) were 0.51 and 1.7μg/ml, respectively. The method has fulfilled the validity guidelines of the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) bioanalytical method which includes parameters of specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, LoD, and LoQ. The developed method is suitable for pharmacokinetic analysis of various concentrations of 25-DR in human urine.

  15. Comparison of UPLC and HPLC methods for determination of vitamin C.

    PubMed

    Klimczak, Inga; Gliszczyńska-Świgło, Anna

    2015-05-15

    Ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods for determination of ascorbic acid (AA) and total AA (TAA) contents (as the sum of AA and dehydroascorbic acid (DHAA) after its reduction to AA) in fruit beverages and in pharmaceutical preparations were compared. Both methods are rapid: total time of analysis was 15 and 6 min for HPLC and UPLC methods, respectively. The methods were validated in terms of linearity, instrument precision, limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ), accuracy and recovery. Intra- and inter-day instrument precisions for fruit juices, expressed as RSD, were 2.2% and 2.4% for HPLC, respectively, and 1.7% and 1.9% for UPLC, respectively. For vitamin C tablets, inter- and intra-day precisions were 0.4% and 0.5%, respectively (HPLC), and 0.5% and 0.3%, respectively (UPLC). Both methods were sensitive: LOD was 0.049 μg/mL for HPLC and 0.024 μg/mL for UPLC while LOQs were 0.149 and 0.073 μg/mL for HPLC and UPLC, respectively. These methods could be useful in the routine qualitative and quantitative analysis of AA or TAA in pharmaceutical preparations or fruit beverages. However, UPLC method is more sensitive, faster and consumes less eluent. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Occurrence of glyphosate and AMPA residues in soy-based infant formula sold in Brazil.

    PubMed

    Rodrigues, Nadia Regina; de Souza, Ana Paula Ferreira

    2018-04-01

    Glyphosate is an herbicide widely used in the world, being applied in several crops, among them soybeans. Recently, glyphosate and its metabolite aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) have been identified as possible contributors to the emergence of various diseases such as autism, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, as well as cancer. The child population-consuming cereal-based foods is the most exposed to the effects of pesticides because of their developmental phase and they have a higher food intake per kilogram of body weight than adults. The presence of glyphosate and AMPA residues in soy-based infant formulas was evaluated during the years 2012-2017, totalising 105 analyses carried out on 10 commercial brands from different batches. Glyphosate and AMPA were determined by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection after derivatisation reaction. The method was validated and showed accuracy and precision with a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.02 mg kg -1 . Among those samples that contained levels above the LOQ, the variation of glyphosate residues was from 0.03 mg kg -1 to 1.08 mg kg -1 and for AMPA residues was from 0.02 mg kg -1 to 0.17 mg kg -1 . This is the first scientific communication about glyphosate and AMPA contamination in soy-based infant formula in Brazil, The study was conducted under good laboratory practice (GLP) and supported by good scientific practice.

  17. Evaluation of High-Throughput Chemical Exposure Models ...

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The U.S. EPA, under its ExpoCast program, is developing high-throughput near-field modeling methods to estimate human chemical exposure and to provide real-world context to high-throughput screening (HTS) hazard data. These novel modeling methods include reverse methods to infer parent chemical exposures from biomonitoring measurements and forward models to predict multi-pathway exposures from chemical use information and/or residential media concentrations. Here, both forward and reverse modeling methods are used to characterize the relationship between matched near-field environmental (air and dust) and biomarker measurements. Indoor air, house dust, and urine samples from a sample of 120 females (aged 60 to 80 years) were analyzed. In the measured data, 78% of the residential media measurements (across 80 chemicals) and 54% of the urine measurements (across 21 chemicals) were censored, i.e. below the limit of quantification (LOQ). Because of the degree of censoring, we applied a Bayesian approach to impute censored values for 69 chemicals having at least 15% of measurements above LOQ. This resulted in 10 chemicals (5 phthalates, 5 pesticides) with matched air, dust, and urine metabolite measurements. The population medians of indoor air and dust concentrations were compared to population median exposures inferred from urine metabolites concentrations using a high-throughput reverse-dosimetry approach. Median air and dust concentrations were found to be correl

  18. Quantitative analysis of pyoluteorin in anti-fungal fermentation liquor of Pseudomonas species by capillary zone electrophoresis with UV-vis detector.

    PubMed

    Wang, Qiu-Ling; Zhang, Xue-Hong; Fan, Liu-Yin; Zhang, Wei; Xu, Yu-Qian; Hu, Hong-Bo; Cao, Cheng-Xi

    2005-11-05

    This paper investigated potential utility of capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) for very succinct but robust quantitative analysis of pyoluteorin (Plt) in anti-fungal fermentation liquor of Pseudomonas species. The experimental conditions for the separation and quantification of Plt were optimized at first. The optimized conditions are: 80 mmol/L pH 8.40 Gly-NaOH buffer, 51 cm total length (42 cm effective) and 75 microm I.D. capillary, 230 nm wavelength, 25 kV, 13 mbar 10s pressure sample injection and 24 degrees C air-cooling. Under the optimized conditions, the migration times of Plt and the internal standard phenobarbital are 2.09 and 2.49 min, respectively, the linear response of Plt concentration ranges from 5.0 to 1000 microg/mL with high correlation coefficient (r=0.99977, n=9), the limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) for Plt are 0.66 and 2.2 microg/mL, the precision values (expressed as R.S.D.) of intra- and inter-day are 1.19-1.94% and 1.55-6.21%, respectively, the recoveries of Plt at three concentration levels of 750, 250 and 50 microg/mL range from 90.31% to 97.85% and to 98.96%, respectively. The developed method can be well used for the quantification of Plt in the fermentation liquor.

  19. Multi-residue method for the determination of pesticides and pesticide metabolites in honeybees by liquid and gas chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry--Honeybee poisoning incidents.

    PubMed

    Kiljanek, Tomasz; Niewiadowska, Alicja; Semeniuk, Stanisław; Gaweł, Marta; Borzęcka, Milena; Posyniak, Andrzej

    2016-02-26

    A method for the determination of 200 pesticides and pesticide metabolites in honeybee samples has been developed and validated. Almost 98% of compounds included in this method are approved to use within European Union, as active substances of plant protection products or veterinary medicinal products used by beekeepers to control mites Varroa destructor in hives. Many significant metabolites, like metabolites of imidacloprid, thiacloprid, fipronil, methiocarb and amitraz, are also possible to detect. The sample preparation was based on the buffered QuEChERS method. Samples of bees were extracted with acetonitrile containing 1% acetic acid and then subjected to clean-up by dispersive solid phase extraction (dSPE) using a new Z-Sep+ sorbent and PSA. The majority of pesticides, including neonicotionoids and their metabolites, were analyzed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) but some of pesticides, especially pyrethroid insecticides, were analyzed by gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). The procedure was validated according to the Guidance document SANCO/12571/2013 at four concentration levels: 1, 5, 10 and 100 ng/g bees and verified in the international proficiency test. The analysis of bee samples spiked at the limit of quantification (LOQ) showed about 98% mean recovery value (trueness) and 97% of analytes showed recovery in the required range of 70-120% and RSDr (precision) below 20%. Linearity and matrix effects were also established. The LOQs of pesticides were in the range of 1-100 ng/g. The developed method allows determination of insecticides at concentrations of 10 ng/g or less, except abamectin and tebufenozide. LOQ values are lower than the median lethal doses LD50 for bees. The method was used to investigate more than 70 honeybee poisoning incidents. Data about detected pesticides and their metabolites are included. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Analysis of cocoa products for ochratoxin A and aflatoxins.

    PubMed

    Turcotte, Anne-Marie; Scott, Peter M; Tague, Brett

    2013-08-01

    Eighty-five samples of cocoa products sampled in Canada were analysed for ochratoxin A (OTA) and aflatoxins in 2011-2012. Inclusion of the aflatoxins in this survey required additional method development. Chocolate was extracted with methanol-water plus NaCl, while for cocoa two successive extractions with methanol and methanol-water were made. Extracts were cleaned on an AflaOchra immunoaffinity column (IAC). Determination was by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Detection of the aflatoxins was with a post-column photochemical reactor and of OTA by fluorescence detection. Mean limits of quantification (LOQ) of chocolate and cocoa powders were 0.16 ng/g (OTA) and 0.07 ng/g (aflatoxin B1), respectively. Survey results showed that the incidences of OTA above the LOQ in natural cocoa were 15/15 (mean 1.17 ng/g), 20/21 for alkalized cocoa (mean 1.06 ng/g), 9/9 for baking chocolate (mean 0.49 ng/g), 20/20 for dark chocolate (mean 0.39 ng/g), 7/10 for milk chocolate (mean 0.19 ng/g), 5/5 for cocoa liquor (mean 0.43 ng/g), and 0/5 for cocoa butter. These results confirm our previous work with OTA. In the same samples, incidences of aflatoxin B1 above the LOQ were 14/15 for natural cocoa (mean 0.86 ng/g), 20/21 for alkalized cocoa (mean 0.37 ng/g), 7/9 for baking chocolate (mean 0.22 ng/g), 16/20 for dark chocolate (mean 0.19 ng/g), 7/10 for milk chocolate (mean 0.09 ng/g), 4/5 for cocoa liquor (mean 0.43 ng/g), and 0/5 for cocoa butter. Both aflatoxins and OTA were confirmed by HPLC-MS/MS when OTA or aflatoxin levels found were above 2 ng/g in cocoa.

  1. A novel fast method for aqueous derivatization of THC, OH-THC and THC-COOH in human whole blood and urine samples for routine forensic analyses.

    PubMed

    Stefanelli, Fabio; Pesci, Federica Giorgia; Giusiani, Mario; Chericoni, Silvio

    2018-04-01

    A novel aqueous in situ derivatization procedure with propyl chloroformate (PCF) for the simultaneous, quantitative analysis of Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), 11-hydroxy-Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (OH-THC) and 11-nor-Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol-carboxylic acid (THC-COOH) in human blood and urine is proposed. Unlike current methods based on the silylating agent [N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide] added in an anhydrous environment, this new proposed method allows the addition of the derivatizing agent (propyl chloroformate, PCF) directly to the deproteinized blood and recovery of the derivatives by liquid-liquid extraction. This novel method can be also used for hydrolyzed urine samples. It is faster than the traditional method involving a derivatization with trimethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate. The analytes are separated, detected and quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in selected ion monitoring mode (SIM). The method was validated in terms of selectivity, capacity of identification, limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ), carryover, linearity, intra-assay precision, inter-assay precision and accuracy. The LOD and LOQ in hydrolyzed urine were 0.5 and 1.3 ng/mL for THC and 1.2 and 2.6 ng/mL for THC-COOH, respectively. In blood, the LOD and LOQ were 0.2 and 0.5 ng/mL for THC, 0.2 and 0.6 ng/mL for OH-THC, and 0.9 and 2.4 ng/mL for THC-COOH, respectively. This method was applied to 35 urine samples and 50 blood samples resulting to be equivalent to the previously used ones with the advantage of a simpler method and faster sample processing time. We believe that this method will be a more convenient option for the routine analysis of cannabinoids in toxicological and forensic laboratories. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  2. Reverse Phase-ultra Flow Liquid Chromatography-diode Array Detector Quantification of Anticancerous and Antidiabetic Drug Mangiferin from 11 Species of Swertia from India.

    PubMed

    Kshirsagar, Parthraj R; Gaikwad, Nikhil B; Panda, Subhasis; Hegde, Harsha V; Pai, Sandeep R

    2016-01-01

    from Swertia species. Abbreviations used: LOD: Limit of detection, LOQ: Limit of quantification, RP-UFLC-DAD: Reverse phase-ultra flow liquid chromatography-diode array detector, RSD: Relative standard deviation, SAN: Swertia angustifolia, SAP: Swertia angustifolia var. pulchella, SBI: S. bimaculata, SCH: S. chirayita, SCO: S. corymbosa, SDE: S. densifolia, SDI: S. dialatata, SLA: S. lawii, SMI: S. minor; SNE: S. nervosa, and SPA: S. paniculata.

  3. Characterization of the Rotating Exercise Quantification System (REQS), a novel Drosophila exercise quantification apparatus

    PubMed Central

    Watanabe, Louis Patrick

    2017-01-01

    Obesity is a disease that has reached epidemic proportions in the United States and has prompted international legislation in an attempt to curtail its prevalence. Despite the fact that one of the most prescribed treatment options for obesity is exercise, the genetic mechanisms underlying exercise response in individuals are still largely unknown. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is a promising new model for studying exercise genetics. Currently, the lack of an accurate method to quantify the amount of exercise performed by the animals is limiting the utility of the Drosophila model for exercise genetics research. To address this limitation, we developed the Rotational Exercise Quantification System (REQS), a novel apparatus that is able to simultaneously induce exercise in flies while recording their activity levels. Thus, the REQS provides a method to standardize Drosophila exercise and ensure that all animals irrespective of genotype and sex experience the same level of exercise. Here, we provide a basic characterization of the REQS, validate its measurements using video-tracking technology, illustrate its potential use by presenting a comparison of two different exercise regimes, and demonstrate that it can be used to detect genotype-dependent variation in activity levels. PMID:29016615

  4. Characterization of the Rotating Exercise Quantification System (REQS), a novel Drosophila exercise quantification apparatus.

    PubMed

    Watanabe, Louis Patrick; Riddle, Nicole C

    2017-01-01

    Obesity is a disease that has reached epidemic proportions in the United States and has prompted international legislation in an attempt to curtail its prevalence. Despite the fact that one of the most prescribed treatment options for obesity is exercise, the genetic mechanisms underlying exercise response in individuals are still largely unknown. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is a promising new model for studying exercise genetics. Currently, the lack of an accurate method to quantify the amount of exercise performed by the animals is limiting the utility of the Drosophila model for exercise genetics research. To address this limitation, we developed the Rotational Exercise Quantification System (REQS), a novel apparatus that is able to simultaneously induce exercise in flies while recording their activity levels. Thus, the REQS provides a method to standardize Drosophila exercise and ensure that all animals irrespective of genotype and sex experience the same level of exercise. Here, we provide a basic characterization of the REQS, validate its measurements using video-tracking technology, illustrate its potential use by presenting a comparison of two different exercise regimes, and demonstrate that it can be used to detect genotype-dependent variation in activity levels.

  5. Monitoring and evaluating the quality consistency of Compound Bismuth Aluminate tablets by a simple quantified ratio fingerprint method combined with simultaneous determination of five compounds and correlated with antioxidant activities.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yingchun; Liu, Zhongbo; Sun, Guoxiang; Wang, Yan; Ling, Junhong; Gao, Jiayue; Huang, Jiahao

    2015-01-01

    A combination method of multi-wavelength fingerprinting and multi-component quantification by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with diode array detector (DAD) was developed and validated to monitor and evaluate the quality consistency of herbal medicines (HM) in the classical preparation Compound Bismuth Aluminate tablets (CBAT). The validation results demonstrated that our method met the requirements of fingerprint analysis and quantification analysis with suitable linearity, precision, accuracy, limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ). In the fingerprint assessments, rather than using conventional qualitative "Similarity" as a criterion, the simple quantified ratio fingerprint method (SQRFM) was recommended, which has an important quantified fingerprint advantage over the "Similarity" approach. SQRFM qualitatively and quantitatively offers the scientific criteria for traditional Chinese medicines (TCM)/HM quality pyramid and warning gate in terms of three parameters. In order to combine the comprehensive characterization of multi-wavelength fingerprints, an integrated fingerprint assessment strategy based on information entropy was set up involving a super-information characteristic digitized parameter of fingerprints, which reveals the total entropy value and absolute information amount about the fingerprints and, thus, offers an excellent method for fingerprint integration. The correlation results between quantified fingerprints and quantitative determination of 5 marker compounds, including glycyrrhizic acid (GLY), liquiritin (LQ), isoliquiritigenin (ILG), isoliquiritin (ILQ) and isoliquiritin apioside (ILA), indicated that multi-component quantification could be replaced by quantified fingerprints. The Fenton reaction was employed to determine the antioxidant activities of CBAT samples in vitro, and they were correlated with HPLC fingerprint components using the partial least squares regression (PLSR) method. In

  6. Validation of a method to monitor the occurrence of 20 relevant pharmaceuticals and personal care products in 167 bottled waters.

    PubMed

    Lardy-Fontan, Sophie; Le Diouron, Véronique; Drouin, Catherine; Lalere, Béatrice; Vaslin-Reimann, Sophie; Dauchy, Xavier; Rosin, Christophe

    2017-06-01

    Research on emerging substances in drinking water presents major interest and the possibility of trace contamination has seen increasing concern from the scientific community and the public authorities. More particularly, residues of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in bottled water are a very important issue due to societal concerns and potential media impact. In this context, it has become necessary to carry out reliable monitoring. This requires measurements of high quality with demonstration of accuracy and well-defined uncertainty. In this study, 20 pharmaceutical compounds were targeted for the first time in 167 bottled waters from France and other European countries. An isotope dilution-solid phase extraction-liquid chromatography mass spectrometry method, together with stringent quality control and quality assurance protocols, was developed and validated according to French mandatory standards. Recoveries between 87% and 112% were obtained with coefficient of variation below 20%. Operational limits of quantification (LOQ) were comprised between 5 and 30ngL -1 . Expanded uncertainties (k=2) ranged between 16% and 43% and were below 35% for half of the compounds. The survey showed only four positive quantifications, thereby highlighting the rarity of contamination. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Electrochemistry of moexipril: experimental and computational approach and voltammetric determination.

    PubMed

    Taşdemir, Hüdai I; Kiliç, E

    2014-09-01

    The electrochemistry of moexipril (MOE) was studied by electrochemical methods with theoretical calculations performed at B3LYP/6-31 + G (d)//AM1. Cyclic voltammetric studies were carried out based on a reversible and adsorption-controlled reduction peak at -1.35 V on a hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE). Concurrently irreversible diffusion-controlled oxidation peak at 1.15 V on glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was also employed. Potential values are according to Ag/AgCI, (3.0 M KCI) and measurements were performed in Britton-Robinson buffer of pH 5.5. Tentative electrode mechanisms were proposed according to experimental results and ab-initio calculations. Square-wave adsorptive stripping voltammetric methods have been developed and validated for quantification of MOE in pharmaceutical preparations. Linear working range was established as 0.03-1.35 microM for HMDE and 0.2-20.0 microM for GCE. Limit of quantification (LOQ) was calculated to be 0.032 and 0.47 microM for HMDE and GCE, respectively. Methods were successfully applied to assay the drug in tablets by calibration and standard addition methods with good recoveries between 97.1% and 106.2% having relative standard deviation less than 10%.

  8. Methyl angolensate changes in Khaya ivorensis after fungal infection.

    PubMed

    Reche, Karine V G; de Souza, Gezimar D; Trapp, Marília A; Rodrigues-Filho, Edson; Silva, Sebastião C; Fernandes, João B; Vieira, Paulo C; Muller, Manfred W; da Silva, M Fátima das G F

    2009-12-01

    Khaya ivorensis with and without symptoms of stem and branch cankers, caused by Botryosphaeria rhodina were examined in order to determine whether the secondary metabolites in this plant were associated with a chemical defense response. This study provides evidence that the limonoid methyl angolensate (MA) is present at higher concentrations in K. ivorensis with symptoms of stem cankers rather than in the plants without symptoms. A rapid, sensitive and selective HPLC-ESI-MS/MS method (using selected reaction monitoring--SRM--mode) was developed for quantification of MA in all aerials parts of such plants, with a good linearity over a range of 0.1-20.0 g/kg, with r(2)>0.996+/-6.1%. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were less than 0.03 g/kg and 0.08 g/kg, respectively. Relative Standard Deviations (RSDs) ranged from 1.7% to 19.2% for all matrices. While the MA concentration did not change in the stem bark, its amounts increased nearly fourfold in stems and by 20% in leaves, when plants with symptoms were compared with those without symptoms. These data suggest that MA plays a role in plant-pathogen interactions, probably as a phytoanticipin.

  9. Critical aspects of data analysis for quantification in laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Motto-Ros, V.; Syvilay, D.; Bassel, L.; Negre, E.; Trichard, F.; Pelascini, F.; El Haddad, J.; Harhira, A.; Moncayo, S.; Picard, J.; Devismes, D.; Bousquet, B.

    2018-02-01

    In this study, a collaborative contest focused on LIBS data processing has been conducted in an original way since the participants did not share the same samples to be analyzed on their own LIBS experiments but a set of LIBS spectra obtained from one single experiment. Each participant was asked to provide the predicted concentrations of several elements for two glass samples. The analytical contest revealed a wide diversity of results among participants, even when the same spectral lines were considered for the analysis. Then, a parametric study was conducted to investigate the influence of each step during the data processing. This study was based on several analytical figures of merit such as the determination coefficient, uncertainty, limit of quantification and prediction ability (i.e., trueness). Then, it was possible to interpret the results provided by the participants, emphasizing the fact that the type of data extraction, baseline modeling as well as the calibration model play key roles in the quantification performance of the technique. This work provides a set of recommendations based on a systematic evaluation of the quantification procedure with the aim of optimizing the methodological steps toward the standardization of LIBS.

  10. Processing and domain selection: Quantificational variability effects

    PubMed Central

    Harris, Jesse A.; Clifton, Charles; Frazier, Lyn

    2014-01-01

    Three studies investigated how readers interpret sentences with variable quantificational domains, e.g., The army was mostly in the capital, where mostly may quantify over individuals or parts (Most of the army was in the capital) or over times (The army was in the capital most of the time). It is proposed that a general conceptual economy principle, No Extra Times (Majewski 2006, in preparation), discourages the postulation of potentially unnecessary times, and thus favors the interpretation quantifying over parts. Disambiguating an ambiguously quantified sentence to a quantification over times interpretation was rated as less natural than disambiguating it to a quantification over parts interpretation (Experiment 1). In an interpretation questionnaire, sentences with similar quantificational variability were constructed so that both interpretations of the sentence would require postulating multiple times; this resulted in the elimination of the preference for a quantification over parts interpretation, suggesting the parts preference observed in Experiment 1 is not reducible to a lexical bias of the adverb mostly (Experiment 2). An eye movement recording study showed that, in the absence of prior evidence for multiple times, readers exhibit greater difficulty when reading material that forces a quantification over times interpretation than when reading material that allows a quantification over parts interpretation (Experiment 3). These experiments contribute to understanding readers’ default assumptions about the temporal properties of sentences, which is essential for understanding the selection of a domain for adverbial quantifiers and, more generally, for understanding how situational constraints influence sentence processing. PMID:25328262

  11. Quantification of Kryptofix 2.2.2 in [18F]fluorine-labelled radiopharmaceuticals by rapid-resolution liquid chromatography.

    PubMed

    Lao, Yexing; Yang, Cuiping; Zou, Wei; Gan, Manquan; Chen, Ping; Su, Weiwei

    2012-05-01

    The cryptand Kryptofix 2.2.2 is used extensively as a phase-transfer reagent in the preparation of [18F]fluoride-labelled radiopharmaceuticals. However, it has considerable acute toxicity. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a method for rapid (within 1 min), specific and sensitive quantification of Kryptofix 2.2.2 at trace levels. Chromatographic separations were carried out by rapid-resolution liquid chromatography (Agilent ZORBAX SB-C18 rapid-resolution column, 2.1 × 30 mm, 3.5 μm). Tandem mass spectra were acquired using a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ionization interface. Quantitative mass spectrometric analysis was conducted in positive ion mode and multiple reaction monitoring mode for the m/z 377.3 → 114.1 transition for Kryptofix 2.2.2. The external standard method was used for quantification. The method met the precision and efficiency requirements for PET radiopharmaceuticals, providing satisfactory results for specificity, matrix effect, stability, linearity (0.5-100 ng/ml, r(2)=0.9975), precision (coefficient of variation < 5%), accuracy (relative error < ± 3%), sensitivity (lower limit of quantification=0.5 ng) and detection time (<1 min). Fluorodeoxyglucose (n=6) was analysed, and the Kryptofix 2.2.2 content was found to be well below the maximum permissible levels approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. The developed method has a short analysis time (<1 min) and high sensitivity (lower limit of quantification=0.5 ng/ml) and can be successfully applied to rapid quantification of Kryptofix 2.2.2 at trace levels in fluorodeoxyglucose. This method could also be applied to other [18F]fluorine-labelled radiopharmaceuticals that use Kryptofix 2.2.2 as a phase-transfer reagent.

  12. Limits of linearity and detection for some drugs of abuse.

    PubMed

    Needleman, S B; Romberg, R W

    1990-01-01

    The limits of linearity (LOL) and detection (LOD) are important factors in establishing the reliability of an analytical procedure for accurately assaying drug concentrations in urine specimens. Multiple analyses of analyte over an extended range of concentrations provide a measure of the ability of the analytical procedure to correctly identify known quantities of drug in a biofluid matrix. Each of the seven drugs of abuse gives linear analytical responses from concentrations at or near their LOD to concentrations several-fold higher than those generally encountered in the drug screening laboratory. The upper LOL exceeds the Department of Navy (DON) cutoff values by factors of approximately 2 to 160. The LOD varies from 0.4 to 5.0% of the DON cutoff value for each drug. The limit of quantitation (LOQ) is calculated as the LOD + 7 SD. The range for LOL is greater for drugs analyzed with deuterated internal standards compared with those using conventional internal standards. For THC acid, cocaine, PCP, and morphine, LOLs are 8 to 160-fold greater than the defined cutoff concentrations. For the other drugs, the LOL's are only 2 to 4-fold greater than the defined cutoff concentrations.

  13. Determination and identification of malathion, ethion and dichlorovos using ion mobility spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Jafari, Mohammad T

    2006-07-15

    Positive ion mobility spectra of different organophosphorus pesticides such as malathion (s-(1,2-dicarb-ethoxyethyl) o,o-dimethyl dithiophosphate), ethion (o,o,o',o'-tetraethyl s,s'-methylene bis(phosphorodithioate)) and dichlorovos (2,2-dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate) have been studied in air at ambient pressure using ion mobility spectrometry method with (63)Ni ionization source. The limits of quantification (LOQs) were 1.0 x 10(-9), 1.0 x 10(-9) and 5.0 x 10(-9)g for malathion, ethion and dichlorovos, respectively. The working range of these compounds was about three orders of magnitude and the relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) of repeatability at the 5 microg ml(-1) level were all below 15%. Furthermore, in this study, the influences of IMS cell temperature on the ion mobility spectra of these compounds were investigated.

  14. Analysis of bromate in drinking water using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry without sample pretreatment.

    PubMed

    Kosaka, Koji; Asami, Mari; Takei, Kanako; Akiba, Michihiro

    2011-01-01

    An analytical method for determining bromate in drinking water was developed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The (18)O-enriched bromate was used as an internal standard. The limit of quantification (LOQ) of bromate was 0.2 µg/L. The peak of bromate was separated from those of coexisting ions (i.e., chloride, nitrate and sulfate). The relative and absolute recoveries of bromate in two drinking water samples and in a synthesized ion solution (100 mg/L chloride, 10 mg N/L nitrate, and 100 mg/L sulfate) were 99-105 and 94-105%, respectively. Bromate concentrations in 11 drinking water samples determined by LC-MS/MS were <0.2-2.3 µg/L. The results of the present study indicated that the proposed method was suitable for determining bromate concentrations in drinking water without sample pretreatment.

  15. Determination of cocaine, benzoylecgonine and cocaethylene in human hair by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    de Toledo, Fernanda Crossi Pereira; Yonamine, Mauricio; de Moraes Moreau, Regina Lucia; Silva, Ovandir Alves

    2003-12-25

    The present work describes a highly precise and sensitive method developed to detect cocaine (COC), benzoylecgonine (BE, its main metabolite) and cocaethylene (CE, transesterification product of the coingestion of COC with ethanol) in human head hair samples. The method was based on an alkylchloroformate derivatization of benzoylecgonine and the extraction of the analytes by solid-phase microextraction (SPME). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to identify and quantify the analytes in selected ion monitoring mode (SIM). The limits of quantification and detection (LOQ and LOD) were: 0.1 ng/mg for COC and CE, and 0.5 ng/mg for BE. Good inter- and intra-assay precision was observed. The dynamic range of the assay was 0.1-50 ng/mg. The method is not time consuming and was shown to be easy to perform.

  16. Validated spectrofluorometric method for determination of gemfibrozil in self nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sierra Villar, Ana M.; Calpena Campmany, Ana C.; Bellowa, Lyda Halbaut; Trenchs, Monserrat Aróztegui; Naveros, Beatriz Clares

    2013-09-01

    A spectrofluorometric method has been developed and validated for the determination of gemfibrozil. The method is based on the excitation and emission capacities of gemfibrozil with excitation and emission wavelengths of 276 and 304 nm respectively. This method allows de determination of the drug in a self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) for improve its intestinal absorption. Results obtained showed linear relationships with good correlation coefficients (r2 > 0.999) and low limits of detection and quantification (LOD of 0.075 μg mL-1 and LOQ of 0.226 μg mL-1) in the range of 0.2-5 μg mL-1, equally this method showed a good robustness and stability. Thus the amounts of gemfibrozil released from SNEDDS contained in gastro resistant hard gelatine capsules were analysed, and release studies could be performed satisfactorily.

  17. Recommendations for Improving Identification and Quantification in Non-Targeted, GC-MS-Based Metabolomic Profiling of Human Plasma

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Hanghang; Muehlbauer, Michael J.; O’Neal, Sara K.; Newgard, Christopher B.; Hauser, Elizabeth R.; Shah, Svati H.

    2017-01-01

    The field of metabolomics as applied to human disease and health is rapidly expanding. In recent efforts of metabolomics research, greater emphasis has been placed on quality control and method validation. In this study, we report an experience with quality control and a practical application of method validation. Specifically, we sought to identify and modify steps in gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)-based, non-targeted metabolomic profiling of human plasma that could influence metabolite identification and quantification. Our experimental design included two studies: (1) a limiting-dilution study, which investigated the effects of dilution on analyte identification and quantification; and (2) a concentration-specific study, which compared the optimal plasma extract volume established in the first study with the volume used in the current institutional protocol. We confirmed that contaminants, concentration, repeatability and intermediate precision are major factors influencing metabolite identification and quantification. In addition, we established methods for improved metabolite identification and quantification, which were summarized to provide recommendations for experimental design of GC-MS-based non-targeted profiling of human plasma. PMID:28841195

  18. A new background subtraction method for Western blot densitometry band quantification through image analysis software.

    PubMed

    Gallo-Oller, Gabriel; Ordoñez, Raquel; Dotor, Javier

    2018-06-01

    Since its first description, Western blot has been widely used in molecular labs. It constitutes a multistep method that allows the detection and/or quantification of proteins from simple to complex protein mixtures. Western blot quantification method constitutes a critical step in order to obtain accurate and reproducible results. Due to the technical knowledge required for densitometry analysis together with the resources availability, standard office scanners are often used for the imaging acquisition of developed Western blot films. Furthermore, the use of semi-quantitative software as ImageJ (Java-based image-processing and analysis software) is clearly increasing in different scientific fields. In this work, we describe the use of office scanner coupled with the ImageJ software together with a new image background subtraction method for accurate Western blot quantification. The proposed method represents an affordable, accurate and reproducible approximation that could be used in the presence of limited resources availability. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Quantification of cortisol in human eccrine sweat by liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Jia, Min; Chew, Wade M; Feinstein, Yelena; Skeath, Perry; Sternberg, Esther M

    2016-03-21

    Cortisol has long been recognized as the "stress biomarker" in evaluating stress related disorders. Plasma, urine or saliva are the current source for cortisol analysis. The sampling of these biofluids is either invasive or has reliability problems that could lead to inaccurate results. Sweat has drawn increasing attention as a promising source for non-invasive stress analysis. A sensitive HPLC-MS/MS method was developed for the quantitation of cortisol ((11β)-11,17,21-trihydroxypregn-4-ene-3,20-dione) in human eccrine sweat. At least one unknown isomer that has previously not been reported and could potentially interfere with quantification was separated from cortisol with mixed mode RP HPLC. Detection of cortisol was carried out using atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) and selected reaction monitoring (SRM) in positive ion mode, using cortisol-9,11,12,12-D4 as internal standard. LOD and LOQ were estimated to be 0.04 ng ml(-1) and 0.1 ng ml(-1), respectively. Linear range of 0.10-25.00 ng ml(-1) was obtained. Intraday precision (2.5%-9.7%) and accuracy (0.5%-2.1%), interday precision (12.3%-18.7%) and accuracy (7.1%-15.1%) were achieved. This method has been successfully applied to the cortisol analysis of human eccrine sweat samples. This is the first demonstration that HPLC-MS/MS can be used for the sensitive and highly specific determination of cortisol in human eccrine sweat in the presence of at least one isomer that has similar hydrophobicity as cortisol. This study demonstrated that human eccrine sweat could be used as a promising source for non-invasive assessment of stress biomarkers such as cortisol and other steroid hormones.

  20. International collaborative study of the endogenous reference gene, sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS), used for qualitative and quantitative analysis of genetically modified rice.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Lingxi; Yang, Litao; Zhang, Haibo; Guo, Jinchao; Mazzara, Marco; Van den Eede, Guy; Zhang, Dabing

    2009-05-13

    One rice ( Oryza sativa ) gene, sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS), has been proven to be a suitable endogenous reference gene for genetically modified (GM) rice detection in a previous study. Herein are the reported results of an international collaborative ring trial for validation of the SPS gene as an endogenous reference gene and its optimized qualitative and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) systems. A total of 12 genetically modified organism (GMO) detection laboratories from seven countries participated in the ring trial and returned their results. The validated results confirmed the species specificity of the method through testing 10 plant genomic DNAs, low heterogeneity, and a stable single-copy number of the rice SPS gene among 7 indica varieties and 5 japonica varieties. The SPS qualitative PCR assay was validated with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.1%, which corresponded to about 230 copies of haploid rice genomic DNA, while the limit of quantification (LOQ) for the quantitative PCR system was about 23 copies of haploid rice genomic DNA, with acceptable PCR efficiency and linearity. Furthermore, the bias between the test and true values of eight blind samples ranged from 5.22 to 26.53%. Thus, we believe that the SPS gene is suitable for use as an endogenous reference gene for the identification and quantification of GM rice and its derivates.

  1. [Determination of di (hydrogenated tallow alkyl) dimethyl ammonium compounds in textile auxiliaries by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry].

    PubMed

    Zhu, Feng

    2015-01-01

    A method has been developed for the determination of di (hydrogenated tallow alkyl) dimethyl ammonium compounds (DHTDMAC) in textile auxiliaries by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. (UPLC-MS/MS). The samples were extracted and diluted with acidified methanol by 5% (v/v) formic acid under ultrasonic assistance. The separation was performed on an Eclipse Plus C18 column (50 mm x 2.1 mm, 1.8 microm) using 0.1% (v/v) formic acid solution and methanol as the mobile phases. Identification and quantification were achieved by UPLC-MS/MS with electrospray ionization (ESI) source in positive ion mode and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The results indicated that the calibration curve of DHTDMAC showed good linear relationship between peak area and mass concentration in the range of 10-280 microg/L with the correlation coefficient (r2) of 0.9991. The limit of detection (LOD, S/N=3) and the limit of quantification (LOQ, S/N= 10) of this method were 3 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg, respectively. The average recoveries from three typical textile auxiliary matrices including dispersant, antistatic agent and fabric softener, at three spiked levels were in the range of 97.2%-108.3% with the relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 1.5%-4.6%. The method is sensitive, accurate, simple and effective for the analysis of DHTDMAC in textile auxiliaries.

  2. Fast microwave-assisted extraction of rotenone for its quantification in seeds of yam bean (Pachyrhizus sp.).

    PubMed

    Lautié, Emmanuelle; Rasse, Catherine; Rozet, Eric; Mourgues, Claire; Vanhelleputte, Jean-Paul; Quetin-Leclercq, Joëlle

    2013-02-01

    The aim of this study was to find if fast microwave-assisted extraction could be an alternative to the conventional Soxhlet extraction for the quantification of rotenone in yam bean seeds by SPE and HPLC-UV. For this purpose, an experimental design was used to determine the optimal conditions of the microwave extraction. Then the values of the quantification on three accessions from two different species of yam bean seeds were compared using the two different kinds of extraction. A microwave extraction of 11 min at 55°C using methanol/dichloromethane (50:50) allowed rotenone extraction either equivalently or more efficiently than the 8-h-Soxhlet extraction method and was less sensitive to moisture content. The selectivity, precision, trueness, accuracy, and limit of quantification of the method with microwave extraction were also demonstrated. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. Plasma protein absolute quantification by nano-LC Q-TOF UDMSE for clinical biomarker verification

    PubMed Central

    ILIES, MARIA; IUGA, CRISTINA ADELA; LOGHIN, FELICIA; DHOPLE, VISHNU MUKUND; HAMMER, ELKE

    2017-01-01

    Background and aims Proteome-based biomarker studies are targeting proteins that could serve as diagnostic, prognosis, and prediction molecules. In the clinical routine, immunoassays are currently used for the absolute quantification of such biomarkers, with the major limitation that only one molecule can be targeted per assay. The aim of our study was to test a mass spectrometry based absolute quantification method for the verification of plasma protein sets which might serve as reliable biomarker panels for the clinical practice. Methods Six EDTA plasma samples were analyzed after tryptic digestion using a high throughput data independent acquisition nano-LC Q-TOF UDMSE proteomics approach. Synthetic Escherichia coli standard peptides were spiked in each sample for the absolute quantification. Data analysis was performed using ProgenesisQI v2.0 software (Waters Corporation). Results Our method ensured absolute quantification of 242 non redundant plasma proteins in a single run analysis. The dynamic range covered was 105. 86% were represented by classical plasma proteins. The overall median coefficient of variation was 0.36, while a set of 63 proteins was found to be highly stable. Absolute protein concentrations strongly correlated with values reviewed in the literature. Conclusions Nano-LC Q-TOF UDMSE proteomic analysis can be used for a simple and rapid determination of absolute amounts of plasma proteins. A large number of plasma proteins could be analyzed, while a wide dynamic range was covered with low coefficient of variation at protein level. The method proved to be a reliable tool for the quantification of protein panel for biomarker verification in the clinical practice. PMID:29151793

  4. Novel LC-ESI/MS/MSn Method for the Characterization and Quantification of 2′-Deoxyguanosine Adducts of the Dietary Carcinogen 2-Amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine by 2-D Linear Quadrupole Ion Trap Mass Spectrometry

    PubMed Central

    Goodenough, Angela K.; Schut, Herman A. J.; Turesky, Robert J.

    2008-01-01

    An accurate and sensitive liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization/multi-stage mass spectrometry (LC-ESI/MS/MSn) technique has been developed for the characterization and quantification of 2′-deoxyguanosine (dG) adducts of the dietary mutagen, 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP). PhIP is an animal and potential human carcinogen that occurs in grilled meats. Following enzymatic digestion and adduct enrichment by solid-phase extraction (SPE), PhIP—DNA adducts were analyzed by MS/MS and MSn scan modes on a 2-D linear quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer (QIT/MS). The major DNA adduct, N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (dG-C8-PhIP), was detected in calf thymus (CT) DNA modified in vitro with a bioactivated form of PhIP and in the colon and liver of rats given PhIP as part of the diet. The lower limit of detection (LOD) was 1 adduct per 108 DNA bases, and the limit of quantification (LOQ) was 3 adducts per 108 DNA bases in both MS/MS and MS3 scan modes, using 27 μg of DNA for analysis. Measurements were based on isotope dilution with the internal standard, N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-2-amino-1-(trideutero)methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (dG-C8-[2H3C]-PhIP). The selected reaction monitoring (SRM) scan mode in MS/MS was employed to monitor the loss of deoxyribose (dR) from the protonated molecules of the adducts ([M + H - 116]+). The consecutive reaction monitoring (CRM) scan modes in MS3 and MS4 were used to measure and further characterize product ions of the aglycone ion (BH2+) (Guanyl-PhIP). The MS3 scan mode was effective in eliminating isobaric interferences observed in the MS/MS scan mode and resulted in an improved signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio. Moreover, the product ion spectra obtained by the MSn scan modes provided rich structural information about the adduct and were used to corroborate the identity of dG-C8-PhIP. In addition, an isomeric dG-PhIP adduct was detected in vivo. This LCESI

  5. Quantification of Neural Ethanol and Acetaldehyde Using Headspace GC-MS

    PubMed Central

    Heit, Claire; Eriksson, Peter; Thompson, David C; Fritz, Kristofer S; Vasiliou, Vasilis

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND There is controversy regarding the active agent responsible for alcohol addiction. The theory that ethanol itself was the agent in alcohol drinking behavior was widely accepted until acetaldehyde was found in the brain. The importance of acetaldehyde formation in the brain role is still subject to speculation due to the lack of a method to accurately assay the acetaldehyde levels directly. A highly sensitive GC-MS method to reliably determine acetaldehyde concentration with certainty is needed to address whether neural acetaldehyde is indeed responsible for increased alcohol consumption. METHODS A headspace gas chromatograph coupled to selected ion monitoring mass spectrometry was utilized to develop a quantitative assay for acetaldehyde and ethanol. Our GC-MS approach was carried out using a Bruker Scion 436-GC SQ MS. RESULTS Our approach yields limits of detection of acetaldehyde in the nanomolar range and limits of quantification in the low micromolar range. Our linear calibration includes 5 concentrations with a least square regression greater than 0.99 for both acetaldehyde and ethanol. Tissue analyses using this method revealed the capacity to quantify ethanol and acetaldehyde in blood, brain, and liver tissue from mice. CONCLUSIONS By allowing quantification of very low concentrations, this method may be used to examine the formation of ethanol metabolites, specifically acetaldehyde, in murine brain tissue in alcohol research. PMID:27501276

  6. HPC Analytics Support. Requirements for Uncertainty Quantification Benchmarks

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Paulson, Patrick R.; Purohit, Sumit; Rodriguez, Luke R.

    2015-05-01

    This report outlines techniques for extending benchmark generation products so they support uncertainty quantification by benchmarked systems. We describe how uncertainty quantification requirements can be presented to candidate analytical tools supporting SPARQL. We describe benchmark data sets for evaluating uncertainty quantification, as well as an approach for using our benchmark generator to produce data sets for generating benchmark data sets.

  7. Automated quantification of Epstein-Barr Virus in whole blood of hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients using the Abbott m2000 system.

    PubMed

    Salmona, Maud; Fourati, Slim; Feghoul, Linda; Scieux, Catherine; Thiriez, Aline; Simon, François; Resche-Rigon, Matthieu; LeGoff, Jérôme

    2016-08-01

    Accurate quantification of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) load in blood is essential for the management of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders. The automation of DNA extraction and amplification may improve accuracy and reproducibility. We evaluated the EBV PCR Kit V1 with fully automated DNA extraction and amplification on the m2000 system (Abbott assay). Conversion factor between copies and international units (IU), lower limit of quantification, imprecision and linearity were determined in a whole blood (WB) matrix. Results from 339 clinical WB specimens were compared with a home-brew real-time PCR assay used in our laboratory (in-house assay). The conversion factor between copies and IU was 3.22 copies/IU. The lower limit of quantification (LLQ) was 1000 copies/mL. Intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation were 3.1% and 7.9% respectively for samples with EBV load higher than the LLQ. The comparison between Abbott assay and in-house assay showed a good concordance (kappa = 0.77). Loads were higher with the Abbott assay (mean difference = 0.62 log10 copies/mL). The EBV PCR Kit V1 assay on the m2000 system provides a reliable and easy-to-use method for quantification of EBV DNA in WB. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. High-throughput quantification of hydroxyproline for determination of collagen.

    PubMed

    Hofman, Kathleen; Hall, Bronwyn; Cleaver, Helen; Marshall, Susan

    2011-10-15

    An accurate and high-throughput assay for collagen is essential for collagen research and development of collagen products. Hydroxyproline is routinely assayed to provide a measurement for collagen quantification. The time required for sample preparation using acid hydrolysis and neutralization prior to assay is what limits the current method for determining hydroxyproline. This work describes the conditions of alkali hydrolysis that, when combined with the colorimetric assay defined by Woessner, provide a high-throughput, accurate method for the measurement of hydroxyproline. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Determination of statin drugs in hospital effluent with dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction and quantification by liquid chromatography.

    PubMed

    Martins, Ayrton F; Frank, Carla da S; Altissimo, Joseline; de Oliveira, Júlia A; da Silva, Daiane S; Reichert, Jaqueline F; Souza, Darliana M

    2017-08-24

    Statins are classified as being amongst the most prescribed agents for treating hypercholesterolaemia and preventing vascular diseases. In this study, a rapid and effective liquid chromatography method, assisted by diode array detection, was designed and validated for the simultaneous quantification of atorvastatin (ATO) and simvastatin (SIM) in hospital effluent samples. The solid phase extraction (SPE) of the analytes was optimized regarding sorbent material and pH, and the dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME), in terms of pH, ionic strength, type and volume of extractor/dispersor solvents. The performance of both extraction procedures was evaluated in terms of linearity, quantification limits, accuracy (recovery %), precision and matrix effects for each analyte. The methods proved to be linear in the concentration range considered; the quantification limits were 0.45 µg L -1 for ATO and 0.75 µg L -1 for SIM; the matrix effect was almost absent in both methods and the average recoveries remained between 81.5-90.0%; and the RSD values were <20%. The validated methods were applied to the quantification of the statins in real samples of hospital effluent; the concentrations ranged from 18.8 µg L -1 to 35.3 µg L -1 for ATO, and from 30.3 µg L -1 to 38.5 µg L -1 for SIM. Since the calculated risk quotient was ≤192, the occurrence of ATO and SIM in hospital effluent poses a potential serious risk to human health and the aquatic ecosystem.

  10. Update on Controls for Isolation and Quantification Methodology of Extracellular Vesicles Derived from Adipose Tissue Mesenchymal Stem Cells

    PubMed Central

    Franquesa, Marcella; Hoogduijn, Martin J.; Ripoll, Elia; Luk, Franka; Salih, Mahdi; Betjes, Michiel G. H.; Torras, Juan; Baan, Carla C.; Grinyó, Josep M.; Merino, Ana Maria

    2014-01-01

    The research field on extracellular vesicles (EV) has rapidly expanded in recent years due to the therapeutic potential of EV. Adipose tissue human mesenchymal stem cells (ASC) may be a suitable source for therapeutic EV. A major limitation in the field is the lack of standardization of the challenging techniques to isolate and characterize EV. The aim of our study was to incorporate new controls for the detection and quantification of EV derived from ASC and to analyze the applicability and limitations of the available techniques. ASC were cultured in medium supplemented with 5% of vesicles-free fetal bovine serum. The EV were isolated from conditioned medium by differential centrifugation with size filtration (0.2 μm). As a control, non-conditioned culture medium was used (control medium). To detect EV, electron microscopy, conventional flow cytometry, and western blot were used. The quantification of the EV was by total protein quantification, ExoELISA immunoassay, and Nanosight. Cytokines and growth factors in the EV samples were measured by multiplex bead array kit. The EV were detected by electron microscope. Total protein measurement was not useful to quantify EV as the control medium showed similar protein contents as the EV samples. The ExoELISA kits had technical troubles and it was not possible to quantify the concentration of exosomes in the samples. The use of Nanosight enabled quantification and size determination of the EV. It is, however, not possible to distinguish protein aggregates from EV with this method. The technologies for quantification and characterization of the EV need to be improved. In addition, we detected protein contaminants in the EV samples, which make it difficult to determine the real effect of EV in experimental models. It will be crucial in the future to optimize design novel methods for purification and characterization of EV. PMID:25374572

  11. 43 CFR 11.71 - Quantification phase-service reduction quantification.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ...-discharge-or-release condition. (c) Contents of the quantification. The following factors should be included...; and (6) Factors identified in the specific guidance in paragraphs (h), (i), (j), (k), and (l) of this section dealing with the different kinds of natural resources. (d) Selection of resources, services, and...

  12. 43 CFR 11.71 - Quantification phase-service reduction quantification.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ...-discharge-or-release condition. (c) Contents of the quantification. The following factors should be included...; and (6) Factors identified in the specific guidance in paragraphs (h), (i), (j), (k), and (l) of this section dealing with the different kinds of natural resources. (d) Selection of resources, services, and...

  13. THE QUANTIFICATION OF AQUEOUS TRACERS IN LABORATORY AQUIFER MODELS USING A LIGHT TRANSMISSION VISUALIZATION METHOD - 3

    EPA Science Inventory

    The quantification of solute concentrations in laboratory aquifer models has been largely limited to the use of sampling ports, from which samples are collected for external analysis. One of the drawbacks to this method is that the act of sampling may disturb plume dynamics and ...

  14. THE QUANTIFICATION OF AQUEOUS TRACERS IN LABORATORY AQUIFER MODELS USING A LIGHT TRANSMISSION VISUALIZATION METHOD - 2

    EPA Science Inventory

    The quantification of solute concentrations in laboratory aquifer models has been largely limited to the use of sampling ports, from which samples are collected for external analysis. One of the drawbacks to this method is that the act of sampling may disturb plume dynamics and ...

  15. THE QUANTIFICATION OF AQUEOUS TRACERS IN LABORATORY AQUIFER MODELS USING A LIGHT TRANSMISSION VISUALIZATION METHOD - 1

    EPA Science Inventory

    The quantification of solute concentrations in laboratory aquifer models has been largely limited to the use of sampling ports, from which samples are collected for external analysis. One of the drawbacks to this method is that the act of sampling may disturb plume dynamics and ...

  16. Simultaneous quantification of the viral antigens hemagglutinin and neuraminidase in influenza vaccines by LC-MSE.

    PubMed

    Creskey, Marybeth C; Li, Changgui; Wang, Junzhi; Girard, Michel; Lorbetskie, Barry; Gravel, Caroline; Farnsworth, Aaron; Li, Xuguang; Smith, Daryl G S; Cyr, Terry D

    2012-07-06

    Current methods for quality control of inactivated influenza vaccines prior to regulatory approval include determining the hemagglutinin (HA) content by single radial immunodiffusion (SRID), verifying neuraminidase (NA) enzymatic activity, and demonstrating that the levels of the contaminant protein ovalbumin are below a set threshold of 1 μg/dose. The SRID assays require the availability of strain-specific reference HA antigens and antibodies, the production of which is a potential rate-limiting step in vaccine development and release, particularly during a pandemic. Immune responses induced by neuraminidase also contribute to protection from infection; however, the amounts of NA antigen in influenza vaccines are currently not quantified or standardized. Here, we report a method for vaccine analysis that yields simultaneous quantification of HA and NA levels much more rapidly than conventional HA quantification techniques, while providing additional valuable information on the total protein content. Enzymatically digested vaccine proteins were analyzed by LC-MS(E), a mass spectrometric technology that allows absolute quantification of analytes, including the HA and NA antigens, other structural influenza proteins and chicken egg proteins associated with the manufacturing process. This method has potential application for increasing the accuracy of reference antigen standards and for validating label claims for HA content in formulated vaccines. It can also be used to monitor NA and chicken egg protein content in order to monitor manufacturing consistency. While this is a useful methodology with potential for broad application, we also discuss herein some of the inherent limitations of this approach and the care and caution that must be taken in its use as a tool for absolute protein quantification. The variations in HA, NA and chicken egg protein concentrations in the vaccines analyzed in this study are indicative of the challenges associated with the current

  17. Development and validation of an open source quantification tool for DSC-MRI studies.

    PubMed

    Gordaliza, P M; Mateos-Pérez, J M; Montesinos, P; Guzmán-de-Villoria, J A; Desco, M; Vaquero, J J

    2015-03-01

    This work presents the development of an open source tool for the quantification of dynamic susceptibility-weighted contrast-enhanced (DSC) perfusion studies. The development of this tool is motivated by the lack of open source tools implemented on open platforms to allow external developers to implement their own quantification methods easily and without the need of paying for a development license. This quantification tool was developed as a plugin for the ImageJ image analysis platform using the Java programming language. A modular approach was used in the implementation of the components, in such a way that the addition of new methods can be done without breaking any of the existing functionalities. For the validation process, images from seven patients with brain tumors were acquired and quantified with the presented tool and with a widely used clinical software package. The resulting perfusion parameters were then compared. Perfusion parameters and the corresponding parametric images were obtained. When no gamma-fitting is used, an excellent agreement with the tool used as a gold-standard was obtained (R(2)>0.8 and values are within 95% CI limits in Bland-Altman plots). An open source tool that performs quantification of perfusion studies using magnetic resonance imaging has been developed and validated using a clinical software package. It works as an ImageJ plugin and the source code has been published with an open source license. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Application of Focused Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction for the Quantification of Persistent Organic Pollutions in Liver Tissue of Giant Toad (Rhinella marina).

    PubMed

    Flores-Ramírez, R; Espinosa-Reyes, G; Cilia-López, V G; González-Mille, D J; Rodríguez-Aguilar, M; Díaz de León-Martínez, L; Díaz-Barriga, F

    2017-02-01

    A simple and rapid focused ultrasound extraction method was developed for the determination of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in liver tissue obtained of giant toad (Rhinella marina) using a gas chromatography coupled to a mass detector with electron impact ionization. The performed method for POPs, was validated in fortified matrix, showing linearity from the LOQ up to 100 ng/mL; LODs and LOQs for each compound were between 1.7 and 4.8 and 3.5-7.5 ng/mL, respectively. Recovery rates were among 79%-116% for POPs determined. Finally, the method was applied in liver samples of giant toads found in a malarial area in Mexico. The sensitivity of the proposed method was good enough to ensure reliable determination of target analytes at concentration levels commonly found in this kind of samples.

  19. A novel approach for determination of free fatty acids in vegetable oils by a flow injection system with manual injection.

    PubMed

    Ayyildiz, H Filiz; Kara, Huseyin; Sherazi, S T H

    2011-12-01

    A non-aqueous flow injection method for determining free fatty acid (FFA) content in corn and sunflower oil samples was developed. A single-line manifold system was built by modification of an HPLC for flow injection analysis (FIA). Without pre-treatment, oil samples were injected into a n-propanol solution containing KOH and phenolphthalein (PHP). The main parameters, such as flow rate of carrier phase, length, geometry, inner diameters of the coils and reagent concentration were all optimized. The proposed FIA method was validated for precision, accuracy, linear region, limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ). The intra- and inter-day measurements of the precision of the method were found to be within the limits of acceptance criteria (RSD < 1%), and were rugged when the method was performed by a different analyst. The linear concentration range was calculated as 0.09-1.50 and 0.07-1.40 FFA% for corn and sunflower oils, correspondingly. The LOD and LOQ were found to be 7.53 × 10(-4)-2.28 × 10(-3) oleic acid % and 7.11 × 10(-4)-2.23 × 10(-3) oleic acid % for corn and sunflower oils, respectively. The results were compared with those obtained by the AOCS (Ca-5a-40) method using statistical t and F tests, and a significant difference was not observed between the methods at a 95% confidence level. The proposed method is suitable for quality control of routine applications due to its simplicity, high sample throughput, and economy of solvents and sample, offering considerable promise as a low cost analytical system that needs minimum human intervention over long periods of time.

  20. Leveraging transcript quantification for fast computation of alternative splicing profiles.

    PubMed

    Alamancos, Gael P; Pagès, Amadís; Trincado, Juan L; Bellora, Nicolás; Eyras, Eduardo

    2015-09-01

    Alternative splicing plays an essential role in many cellular processes and bears major relevance in the understanding of multiple diseases, including cancer. High-throughput RNA sequencing allows genome-wide analyses of splicing across multiple conditions. However, the increasing number of available data sets represents a major challenge in terms of computation time and storage requirements. We describe SUPPA, a computational tool to calculate relative inclusion values of alternative splicing events, exploiting fast transcript quantification. SUPPA accuracy is comparable and sometimes superior to standard methods using simulated as well as real RNA-sequencing data compared with experimentally validated events. We assess the variability in terms of the choice of annotation and provide evidence that using complete transcripts rather than more transcripts per gene provides better estimates. Moreover, SUPPA coupled with de novo transcript reconstruction methods does not achieve accuracies as high as using quantification of known transcripts, but remains comparable to existing methods. Finally, we show that SUPPA is more than 1000 times faster than standard methods. Coupled with fast transcript quantification, SUPPA provides inclusion values at a much higher speed than existing methods without compromising accuracy, thereby facilitating the systematic splicing analysis of large data sets with limited computational resources. The software is implemented in Python 2.7 and is available under the MIT license at https://bitbucket.org/regulatorygenomicsupf/suppa. © 2015 Alamancos et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press for the RNA Society.

  1. Subnuclear foci quantification using high-throughput 3D image cytometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wadduwage, Dushan N.; Parrish, Marcus; Choi, Heejin; Engelward, Bevin P.; Matsudaira, Paul; So, Peter T. C.

    2015-07-01

    Ionising radiation causes various types of DNA damages including double strand breaks (DSBs). DSBs are often recognized by DNA repair protein ATM which forms gamma-H2AX foci at the site of the DSBs that can be visualized using immunohistochemistry. However most of such experiments are of low throughput in terms of imaging and image analysis techniques. Most of the studies still use manual counting or classification. Hence they are limited to counting a low number of foci per cell (5 foci per nucleus) as the quantification process is extremely labour intensive. Therefore we have developed a high throughput instrumentation and computational pipeline specialized for gamma-H2AX foci quantification. A population of cells with highly clustered foci inside nuclei were imaged, in 3D with submicron resolution, using an in-house developed high throughput image cytometer. Imaging speeds as high as 800 cells/second in 3D were achieved by using HiLo wide-field depth resolved imaging and a remote z-scanning technique. Then the number of foci per cell nucleus were quantified using a 3D extended maxima transform based algorithm. Our results suggests that while most of the other 2D imaging and manual quantification studies can count only up to about 5 foci per nucleus our method is capable of counting more than 100. Moreover we show that 3D analysis is significantly superior compared to the 2D techniques.

  2. Electrochemical quantification of the antioxidant capacity of medicinal plants using biosensors.

    PubMed

    Rodríguez-Sevilla, Erika; Ramírez-Silva, María-Teresa; Romero-Romo, Mario; Ibarra-Escutia, Pedro; Palomar-Pardavé, Manuel

    2014-08-08

    The working area of a screen-printed electrode, SPE, was modified with the enzyme tyrosinase (Tyr) using different immobilization methods, namely entrapment with water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), cross-linking using glutaraldehyde (GA), and cross-linking using GA and human serum albumin (HSA); the resulting electrodes were termed SPE/Tyr/PVA, SPE/Tyr/GA and SPE/Tyr/HSA/GA, respectively. These biosensors were characterized by means of amperometry and EIS techniques. From amperometric evaluations, the apparent Michaelis-Menten constant, Km', of each biosensor was evaluated while the respective charge transfer resistance, Rct, was assessed from impedance measurements. It was found that the SPE/Tyr/GA had the smallest Km' (57 ± 7) µM and Rct values. This electrode also displayed both the lowest detection and quantification limits for catechol quantification. Using the SPE/Tyr/GA, the Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) was determined from infusions prepared with "mirto" (Salvia microphylla), "hHierba dulce" (Lippia dulcis) and "salve real" (Lippia alba), medicinal plants commonly used in Mexico.

  3. Microfluidics-based digital quantitative PCR for single-cell small RNA quantification.

    PubMed

    Yu, Tian; Tang, Chong; Zhang, Ying; Zhang, Ruirui; Yan, Wei

    2017-09-01

    Quantitative analyses of small RNAs at the single-cell level have been challenging because of limited sensitivity and specificity of conventional real-time quantitative PCR methods. A digital quantitative PCR (dqPCR) method for miRNA quantification has been developed, but it requires the use of proprietary stem-loop primers and only applies to miRNA quantification. Here, we report a microfluidics-based dqPCR (mdqPCR) method, which takes advantage of the Fluidigm BioMark HD system for both template partition and the subsequent high-throughput dqPCR. Our mdqPCR method demonstrated excellent sensitivity and reproducibility suitable for quantitative analyses of not only miRNAs but also all other small RNA species at the single-cell level. Using this method, we discovered that each sperm has a unique miRNA profile. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Society for the Study of Reproduction. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  4. Sensitive Targeted Quantification of ERK Phosphorylation Dynamics and Stoichiometry in Human Cells without Affinity Enrichment

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Shi, Tujin; Gao, Yuqian; Gaffrey, Matthew J.

    2014-12-17

    Mass spectrometry-based targeted quantification is a promising technology for site-specific quantification of posttranslational modifications (PTMs). However, a major constraint of most targeted MS approaches is the limited sensitivity for quantifying low-abundance PTMs, requiring the use of affinity reagents to enrich specific PTMs. Herein, we demonstrate the direct site-specific quantification of ERK phosphorylation isoforms (pT, pY, pTpY) and their relative stoichiometries using a highly sensitive targeted MS approach termed high-pressure, high-resolution separations with intelligent selection and multiplexing (PRISM). PRISM provides effective enrichment of target peptides within a given fraction from complex biological matrix with minimal sample losses, followed by selected reactionmore » monitoring (SRM) quantification. The PRISM-SRM approach enabled direct quantification of ERK phosphorylation in human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC) from as little as 25 µg tryptic peptides from whole cell lysates. Compared to immobilized metal-ion affinity chromatography, PRISM provided >10-fold improvement in signal intensities, presumably due to the better peptide recovery of PRISM for handling small size samples. This approach was applied to quantify ERK phosphorylation dynamics in HMEC treated by different doses of EGF at both the peak activation (10 min) and steady state (2 h). At 10 min, the maximal ERK activation was observed with 0.3 ng/mL dose, whereas the maximal steady state level of ERK activation at 2 h was at 3 ng/ml dose, corresponding to 1200 and 9000 occupied receptors, respectively. At 10 min, the maximally activated pTpY isoform represented ~40% of total ERK, falling to less than 10% at 2 h. The time course and dose-response profiles of individual phosphorylated ERK isoforms indicated that singly phosphorylated pT-ERK never increases significantly, while the increase of pY-ERK paralleled that of pTpY-ERK. This data supports for a processive, rather than

  5. How to Make Data a Blessing to Parametric Uncertainty Quantification and Reduction?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ye, M.; Shi, X.; Curtis, G. P.; Kohler, M.; Wu, J.

    2013-12-01

    In a Bayesian point of view, probability of model parameters and predictions are conditioned on data used for parameter inference and prediction analysis. It is critical to use appropriate data for quantifying parametric uncertainty and its propagation to model predictions. However, data are always limited and imperfect. When a dataset cannot properly constrain model parameters, it may lead to inaccurate uncertainty quantification. While in this case data appears to be a curse to uncertainty quantification, a comprehensive modeling analysis may help understand the cause and characteristics of parametric uncertainty and thus turns data into a blessing. In this study, we illustrate impacts of data on uncertainty quantification and reduction using an example of surface complexation model (SCM) developed to simulate uranyl (U(VI)) adsorption. The model includes two adsorption sites, referred to as strong and weak sites. The amount of uranium adsorption on these sites determines both the mean arrival time and the long tail of the breakthrough curves. There is one reaction on the weak site but two reactions on the strong site. The unknown parameters include fractions of the total surface site density of the two sites and surface complex formation constants of the three reactions. A total of seven experiments were conducted with different geochemical conditions to estimate these parameters. The experiments with low initial concentration of U(VI) result in a large amount of parametric uncertainty. A modeling analysis shows that it is because the experiments cannot distinguish the relative adsorption affinity of the strong and weak sites on uranium adsorption. Therefore, the experiments with high initial concentration of U(VI) are needed, because in the experiments the strong site is nearly saturated and the weak site can be determined. The experiments with high initial concentration of U(VI) are a blessing to uncertainty quantification, and the experiments with low initial

  6. Uncertainty quantification metrics for whole product life cycle cost estimates in aerospace innovation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schwabe, O.; Shehab, E.; Erkoyuncu, J.

    2015-08-01

    The lack of defensible methods for quantifying cost estimate uncertainty over the whole product life cycle of aerospace innovations such as propulsion systems or airframes poses a significant challenge to the creation of accurate and defensible cost estimates. Based on the axiomatic definition of uncertainty as the actual prediction error of the cost estimate, this paper provides a comprehensive overview of metrics used for the uncertainty quantification of cost estimates based on a literature review, an evaluation of publicly funded projects such as part of the CORDIS or Horizon 2020 programs, and an analysis of established approaches used by organizations such NASA, the U.S. Department of Defence, the ESA, and various commercial companies. The metrics are categorized based on their foundational character (foundations), their use in practice (state-of-practice), their availability for practice (state-of-art) and those suggested for future exploration (state-of-future). Insights gained were that a variety of uncertainty quantification metrics exist whose suitability depends on the volatility of available relevant information, as defined by technical and cost readiness level, and the number of whole product life cycle phases the estimate is intended to be valid for. Information volatility and number of whole product life cycle phases can hereby be considered as defining multi-dimensional probability fields admitting various uncertainty quantification metric families with identifiable thresholds for transitioning between them. The key research gaps identified were the lacking guidance grounded in theory for the selection of uncertainty quantification metrics and lacking practical alternatives to metrics based on the Central Limit Theorem. An innovative uncertainty quantification framework consisting of; a set-theory based typology, a data library, a classification system, and a corresponding input-output model are put forward to address this research gap as the basis

  7. Simultaneous quantification and semi-quantification of ginkgolic acids and their metabolites in rat plasma by UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS and its application to pharmacokinetics study.

    PubMed

    Qian, Yiyun; Zhu, Zhenhua; Duan, Jin-Ao; Guo, Sheng; Shang, Erxin; Tao, Jinhua; Su, Shulan; Guo, Jianming

    2017-01-15

    A highly sensitive method using ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with linear ion trap-Orbitrap tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS) has been developed and validated for the simultaneous identification and quantification of ginkgolic acids and semi-quantification of their metabolites in rat plasma. For the five selected ginkgolic acids, the method was found to be with good linearities (r>0.9991), good intra- and inter-day precisions (RSD<15%), and good accuracies (RE, from -10.33% to 4.92%) as well. Extraction recoveries, matrix effects and stabilities for rat plasm samples were within the required limits. The validated method was successfully applied to investigate the pharmacokinetics of the five ginkgolic acids in rat plasma after oral administration of 3 dosage groups (900mg/kg, 300mg/kg and 100mg/kg). Meanwhile, six metabolites of GA (15:1) and GA (17:1) were identified by comparison of MS data with reported values. The results of validation in terms of linear ranges, precisions and stabilities were established for semi-quantification of metabolites. The curves of relative changes of these metabolites during the metabolic process were constructed by plotting the peak area ratios of metabolites to salicylic acid (internal standard, IS), respectively. Double peaks were observed in all 3 dose groups. Different type of metabolites and different dosage of each metabolite both resulted in different T max . Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Simultaneous quantification of withanolides in Withania somnifera by a validated high-performance thin-layer chromatographic method.

    PubMed

    Srivastava, Pooja; Tiwari, Neerja; Yadav, Akhilesh K; Kumar, Vijendra; Shanker, Karuna; Verma, Ram K; Gupta, Madan M; Gupta, Anil K; Khanuja, Suman P S

    2008-01-01

    This paper describes a sensitive, selective, specific, robust, and validated densitometric high-performance thin-layer chromatographic (HPTLC) method for the simultaneous determination of 3 key withanolides, namely, withaferin-A, 12-deoxywithastramonolide, and withanolide-A, in Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) plant samples. The separation was performed on aluminum-backed silica gel 60F254 HPTLC plates using dichloromethane-methanol-acetone-diethyl ether (15 + 1 + 1 + 1, v/v/v/v) as the mobile phase. The withanolides were quantified by densitometry in the reflection/absorption mode at 230 nm. Precise and accurate quantification could be performed in the linear working concentration range of 66-330 ng/band with good correlation (r2 = 0.997, 0.999, and 0.996, respectively). The method was validated for recovery, precision, accuracy, robustness, limit of detection, limit of quantitation, and specificity according to International Conference on Harmonization guidelines. Specificity of quantification was confirmed using retention factor (Rf) values, UV-Vis spectral correlation, and electrospray ionization mass spectra of marker compounds in sample tracks.

  9. Laser-induced plasma characterization through self-absorption quantification

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hou, JiaJia; Zhang, Lei; Zhao, Yang; Yan, Xingyu; Ma, Weiguang; Dong, Lei; Yin, Wangbao; Xiao, Liantuan; Jia, Suotang

    2018-07-01

    A self-absorption quantification method is proposed to quantify the self-absorption degree of spectral lines, in which plasma characteristics including electron temperature, elemental concentration ratio, and absolute species number density can be deduced directly. Since there is no spectral intensity involved in the calculation, the analysis results are independent of the self-absorption effects and the additional spectral efficiency calibration is not required. In order to evaluate the practicality, the limitation for application and the precision of this method are also discussed. Experimental results of aluminum-lithium alloy prove that the proposed method is qualified to realize semi-quantitative measurements and fast plasma characteristics diagnostics.

  10. A Liquid Chromatography – Tandem Mass Spectrometry Approach for the Identification of Mebendazole Residue in Pork, Chicken, and Horse

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Ji Sun; Cho, Soo Hee; Lim, Chae Mi; Chang, Moon Ik; Joo, Hyun Jin; Park, Hyun Jin

    2017-01-01

    A confirmatory and quantitative method of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for the determination of mebendazole and its hydrolyzed and reduced metabolites in pork, chicken, and horse muscles was developed and validated in this study. Anthelmintic compounds were extracted with ethyl acetate after sample mixture was made alkaline followed by liquid chromatographic separation using a reversed phase C18 column. Gradient elution was performed with a mobile phase consisting of water containing 10 mM ammonium formate and methanol. This confirmatory method was validated according to EU requirements. Evaluated validation parameters included specificity, accuracy, precision (repeatability and within-laboratory reproducibility), analytical limits (decision limit and detection limit), and applicability. Most parameters were proved to be conforming to the EU requirements. The decision limit (CCα) and detection capability (CCβ) for all analytes ranged from 15.84 to 17.96 μgkg-1. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) for all analytes were 0.07 μgkg-1 and 0.2 μgkg-1, respectively. The developed method was successfully applied to monitoring samples collected from the markets in major cities and proven great potential to be used as a regulatory tool to determine mebendazole residues in animal based foods. PMID:28085912

  11. Simple and Inexpensive Quantification of Ammonia in Whole Blood

    PubMed Central

    Ayyub, Omar B.; Behrens, Adam M.; Heligman, Brian T.; Natoli, Mary E.; Ayoub, Joseph J.; Cunningham, Gary; Summar, Marshall; Kofinas, Peter

    2015-01-01

    Quantification of ammonia in whole blood has applications in the diagnosis and management of many hepatic diseases, including cirrhosis and rare urea cycle disorders, amounting to more than 5 million patients in the United States. Current techniques for ammonia measurement suffer from limited range, poor resolution, false positives or large, complex sensor set-ups. Here we demonstrate a technique utilizing inexpensive reagents and simple methods for quantifying ammonia in 100 μl of whole blood. The sensor comprises a modified form of the indophenol reaction, which resists sources of destructive interference in blood, in conjunction with a cation-exchange membrane. The presented sensing scheme is selective against other amine containing molecules such as amino acids and has a shelf life of at least 50 days. Additionally, the resulting system has high sensitivity and allows for the accurate reliable quantification of ammonia in whole human blood samples at a minimum range of 25 to 500 μM, which is clinically for rare hyperammonemic disorders and liver disease. Furthermore, concentrations of 50 and 100 μM ammonia could be reliably discerned with p=0.0001. PMID:25936660

  12. Characterization of the exogenous insert and development of event-specific PCR detection methods for genetically modified Huanong No. 1 papaya.

    PubMed

    Guo, Jinchao; Yang, Litao; Liu, Xin; Guan, Xiaoyan; Jiang, Lingxi; Zhang, Dabing

    2009-08-26

    Genetically modified (GM) papaya (Carica papaya L.), Huanong No. 1, was approved for commercialization in Guangdong province, China in 2006, and the development of the Huanong No. 1 papaya detection method is necessary for implementing genetically modified organism (GMO) labeling regulations. In this study, we reported the characterization of the exogenous integration of GM Huanong No. 1 papaya by means of conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and thermal asymmetric interlaced (TAIL)-PCR strategies. The results suggested that one intact copy of the initial construction was integrated in the papaya genome and which probably resulted in one deletion (38 bp in size) of the host genomic DNA. Also, one unintended insertion of a 92 bp truncated NptII fragment was observed at the 5' end of the exogenous insert. Furthermore, we revealed its 5' and 3' flanking sequences between the insert DNA and the papaya genomic DNA, and developed the event-specific qualitative and quantitative PCR assays for GM Huanong No. 1 papaya based on the 5' integration flanking sequence. The relative limit of detection (LOD) of the qualitative PCR assay was about 0.01% in 100 ng of total papaya genomic DNA, corresponding to about 25 copies of papaya haploid genome. In the quantitative PCR, the limits of detection and quantification (LOD and LOQ) were as low as 12.5 and 25 copies of papaya haploid genome, respectively. In practical sample quantification, the quantified biases between the test and true values of three samples ranged from 0.44% to 4.41%. Collectively, we proposed that all of these results are useful for the identification and quantification of Huanong No. 1 papaya and its derivates.

  13. Simple and rapid quantification of brominated vegetable oil in commercial soft drinks by LC–MS

    PubMed Central

    Chitranshi, Priyanka; da Costa, Gonçalo Gamboa

    2016-01-01

    We report here a simple and rapid method for the quantification of brominated vegetable oil (BVO) in soft drinks based upon liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Unlike previously reported methods, this novel method does not require hydrolysis, extraction or derivatization steps, but rather a simple “dilute and shoot” sample preparation. The quantification is conducted by mass spectrometry in selected ion recording mode and a single point standard addition procedure. The method was validated in the range of 5–25 μg/mL BVO, encompassing the legal limit of 15 μg/mL established by the US FDA for fruit-flavored beverages in the US market. The method was characterized by excellent intra- and inter-assay accuracy (97.3–103.4%) and very low imprecision [0.5–3.6% (RSD)]. The direct nature of the quantification, simplicity, and excellent statistical performance of this methodology constitute clear advantages in relation to previously published methods for the analysis of BVO in soft drinks. PMID:27451219

  14. Simple and accurate quantification of BTEX in ambient air by SPME and GC-MS.

    PubMed

    Baimatova, Nassiba; Kenessov, Bulat; Koziel, Jacek A; Carlsen, Lars; Bektassov, Marat; Demyanenko, Olga P

    2016-07-01

    Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX) comprise one of the most ubiquitous and hazardous groups of ambient air pollutants of concern. Application of standard analytical methods for quantification of BTEX is limited by the complexity of sampling and sample preparation equipment, and budget requirements. Methods based on SPME represent simpler alternative, but still require complex calibration procedures. The objective of this research was to develop a simpler, low-budget, and accurate method for quantification of BTEX in ambient air based on SPME and GC-MS. Standard 20-mL headspace vials were used for field air sampling and calibration. To avoid challenges with obtaining and working with 'zero' air, slope factors of external standard calibration were determined using standard addition and inherently polluted lab air. For polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) fiber, differences between the slope factors of calibration plots obtained using lab and outdoor air were below 14%. PDMS fiber provided higher precision during calibration while the use of Carboxen/PDMS fiber resulted in lower detection limits for benzene and toluene. To provide sufficient accuracy, the use of 20mL vials requires triplicate sampling and analysis. The method was successfully applied for analysis of 108 ambient air samples from Almaty, Kazakhstan. Average concentrations of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and o-xylene were 53, 57, 11 and 14µgm(-3), respectively. The developed method can be modified for further quantification of a wider range of volatile organic compounds in air. In addition, the new method is amenable to automation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Enantioseparation and determination of the chiral fungicide furametpyr enantiomers in rice, soil, and water by high-performance liquid chromatography.

    PubMed

    Dong, Fengshou; Chen, Xiu; Xu, Jun; Liu, Xingang; Chen, Zenglong; Li, Yuanbo; Zhang, Hongjun; Zheng, Yongquan

    2013-12-01

    The chiral fungicide furametpyr is widely used in the rice field to control rice sheath blight; however, furametpyr enantiomers are treated as just one compound in traditional achiral analysis, which gives only partial information. An effective chiral analytical method was developed for the resolution and determination of the fungicide furametpyr enantiomers in rice, soil, and water samples. Furametpyr enantiomers were excellently separated and determined on a Chiralpak AD-H column with n-hexane/ethanol (90:10, v/v) as mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.8 mL min(-1) with UV detection at 220 nm. The resolution was up to 8.85. The first eluted enantiomer was (+)-furametpyr and the second eluted one was (-)-furametpyr. The effects of mobile-phase composition and column temperature on the enantioseparation were evaluated. The method was validated for linearity, repeatability, accuracy, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantification LOQ. LOD was 2.0 µg kg(-1) in water, 0.02 mg kg(-1) in soil, and 0.07 mg kg(-1) in rice with an LOQ of 6.7 µg kg(-1) in water, 0.07 mg kg(-1) in soil, and 0.23 mg kg(-1) in rice. The average recoveries of the pesticide in all matrices ranged from 73.1 to 101.8% for all fortification levels. The precision values associated with the analytical method, expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD) values, were below 14.0% in all matrices. The methodology was successfully applied for the enantioselective analysis of furametpyr enantiomers in real samples. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  16. Evaporative light scattering detector in normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography determination of FAME oxidation products.

    PubMed

    Morales, Arturo; Marmesat, Susana; Dobarganes, M Carmen; Márquez-Ruiz, Gloria; Velasco, Joaquín

    2012-09-07

    The use of an ELS detector in NP-HPLC for quantitative analysis of oxidation products in FAME obtained from oils is evaluated in this study. The results obtained have shown that the ELS detector enables the quantitative determination of the hydroperoxides of oleic and linoleic acid methyl esters as a whole, and connected in series with a UV detector makes it possible to determine both groups of compounds by difference, providing useful complementary information. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) found for hydroperoxides were respectively 2.5 and 5.7 μg mL⁻¹ and precision of quantitation expressed as coefficient of variation was lower than 10%. Due to a low sensitivity the ELS detector shows limitations to determine the low contents of secondary oxidation products in the direct analysis of FAME oxidized at low or moderate temperature. Analysis of FAME samples obtained either from high linoleic sunflower oil (HLSO) or high oleic sunflower oil (HOSO) and oxidized at 80 °C showed that only ketodienes formed from methyl linoleate can be determined in samples with relatively high oxidation, being the LOD and LOQ 0.2 and 0.4 mg/g FAME, respectively, at the analytical conditions applied. The ELS detector also enabled the determination of methyl cis-9,10-epoxystearate and methyl trans-9,10-epoxystearate, which were resolved at the chromatographic conditions applied. Results showed that these compounds, which are formed from methyl oleate, were not detected in the high-linoleic sample, but occurred at non-negligible levels in the oxidized FAME obtained from HOSO. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Doxycycline depletion and residues in eggs after oral administration to laying hens.

    PubMed

    Gajda, Anna; Posyniak, Andrzej

    2015-01-01

    The depletion of doxycycline (DC) residues in eggs was determined after oral drug administration by drinking water to laying hens. The antibiotic was supplied to birds for 5 consecutive days and the eggs were collected during medication and 18 days after withdrawal. DC residues were determined by LC-MS/MS. DC was isolated from eggs with a solution of 0.02 M of oxalic acid (pH 4), 0.1 M Na2EDTA and acetonitrile. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of the method were 2 and 5 µg kg(-1), respectively. Analyses were performed on whole egg, egg white and yolk separately. DC was detectable 24 h after the beginning of administration. The concentration of antibiotic increased daily, resulting in the highest DC concentration in whole eggs at the first day of the withdrawal period. Thirteen days after withdrawal, the content of DC in whole eggs was below the LOQ of the method. However, some differences were found in the depletion curve of DC between egg white and yolk. Residues of DC in egg white were much higher during treatment and 1 day after withdrawal, but later the concentration in egg white decreased fairly rapidly and a higher DC content in egg yolk was observed. The depletion period was shorter for egg white than for yolk, and DC was detected in the egg white until 12 days after withdrawal and 2 days more in egg yolk than in white. DC reached a peak faster in egg white, but the residues were detectable for longer period in the yolk.

  18. Single solid phase extraction method for the simultaneous analysis of polar and non-polar pesticides in urine samples by gas chromatography and ultra high pressure liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Cazorla-Reyes, Rocío; Fernández-Moreno, José Luis; Romero-González, Roberto; Frenich, Antonia Garrido; Vidal, José Luis Martínez

    2011-07-15

    A new multiresidue method has been developed and validated for the simultaneous extraction of more than two hundred pesticides, including non-polar and polar pesticides (carbamates, organochlorine, organophosphorous, pyrethroids, herbicides and insecticides) in urine at trace levels by gas and ultra high pressure liquid chromatography coupled to ion trap and triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, respectively (GC-IT-MS/MS, UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS). Non-polar and polar pesticides were simultaneously extracted from urine samples by a simple and fast solid phase extraction (SPE) procedure using C(18) cartridges as sorbent, and dichloromethane as elution solvent. Recovery was in the range of 60-120%. Precision values expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD) were lower than 25%. Identification and confirmation of the compounds were performed by the use of retention time windows, comparison of spectra (GC-amenable compounds) or the estimation of the ion ratio (LC-amenable compounds). For GC-amenable pesticides, limits of detection (LODs) ranged from 0.001 to 0.436 μg L(-1) and limits of quantification (LOQs) from 0.003 to 1.452 μg L(-1). For LC-amenable pesticides, LODs ranged from 0.003 to 1.048 μg L(-1) and LOQs ranged from 0.011 to 3.494 μg L(-1). Finally, the optimized method was applied to the analysis of fourteen real samples of infants from agricultural population. Some pesticides such as methoxyfenozide, tebufenozide, piperonyl butoxide and propoxur were found at concentrations ranged from 1.61 to 24.4 μg L(-1), whereas methiocarb sulfoxide was detected at trace levels in two samples. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Comparison of viable plate count, turbidity measurement and real-time PCR for quantification of Porphyromonas gingivalis.

    PubMed

    Clais, S; Boulet, G; Van Kerckhoven, M; Lanckacker, E; Delputte, P; Maes, L; Cos, P

    2015-01-01

    The viable plate count (VPC) is considered as the reference method for bacterial enumeration in periodontal microbiology but shows some important limitations for anaerobic bacteria. As anaerobes such as Porphyromonas gingivalis are difficult to culture, VPC becomes time-consuming and less sensitive. Hence, efficient normalization of experimental data to bacterial cell count requires alternative rapid and reliable quantification methods. This study compared the performance of VPC with that of turbidity measurement and real-time PCR (qPCR) in an experimental context using highly concentrated bacterial suspensions. Our TaqMan-based qPCR assay for P. gingivalis 16S rRNA proved to be sensitive and specific. Turbidity measurements offer a fast method to assess P. gingivalis growth, but suffer from high variability and a limited dynamic range. VPC was very time-consuming and less repeatable than qPCR. Our study concludes that qPCR provides the most rapid and precise approach for P. gingivalis quantification. Although our data were gathered in a specific research context, we believe that our conclusions on the inferior performance of VPC and turbidity measurements in comparison to qPCR can be extended to other research and clinical settings and even to other difficult-to-culture micro-organisms. Various clinical and research settings require fast and reliable quantification of bacterial suspensions. The viable plate count method (VPC) is generally seen as 'the gold standard' for bacterial enumeration. However, VPC-based quantification of anaerobes such as Porphyromonas gingivalis is time-consuming due to their stringent growth requirements and shows poor repeatability. Comparison of VPC, turbidity measurement and TaqMan-based qPCR demonstrated that qPCR possesses important advantages regarding speed, accuracy and repeatability. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  20. Utilization of remote sensing techniques for the quantification of fire behavior in two pine stands

    Treesearch

    Eric V. Mueller; Nicholas Skowronski; Kenneth Clark; Michael Gallagher; Robert Kremens; Jan C. Thomas; Mohamad El Houssami; Alexander Filkov; Rory M. Hadden; William Mell; Albert Simeoni

    2017-01-01

    Quantification of field-scale fire behavior is necessary to improve the current scientific understanding of wildland fires and to develop and test relevant, physics-based models. In particular, detailed descriptions of individual fires are required, for which the available literature is limited. In this work, two such field-scale experiments, carried out in pine stands...

  1. Quantification of methionine and selenomethionine in biological samples using multiple reaction monitoring high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (MRM-HPLC-MS/MS).

    PubMed

    Vu, Dai Long; Ranglová, Karolína; Hájek, Jan; Hrouzek, Pavel

    2018-05-01

    Quantification of selenated amino-acids currently relies on methods employing inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Although very accurate, these methods do not allow the simultaneous determination of standard amino-acids, hampering the comparison of the content of selenated versus non-selenated species such as methionine (Met) and selenomethionine (SeMet). This paper reports two approaches for the simultaneous quantification of Met and SeMet. In the first approach, standard enzymatic hydrolysis employing Protease XIV was applied for the preparation of samples. The second approach utilized methanesulfonic acid (MA) for the hydrolysis of samples, either in a reflux system or in a microwave oven, followed by derivatization with diethyl ethoxymethylenemalonate. The prepared samples were then analyzed by multiple reaction monitoring high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (MRM-HPLC-MS/MS). Both approaches provided platforms for the accurate determination of selenium/sulfur substitution rate in Met. Moreover the second approach also provided accurate simultaneous quantification of Met and SeMet with a low limit of detection, low limit of quantification and wide linearity range, comparable to the commonly used gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method or ICP-MS. The novel method was validated using certified reference material in conjunction with the GC-MS reference method. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  2. Uncertainty Quantification of CFD Data Generated for a Model Scramjet Isolator Flowfield

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Baurle, R. A.; Axdahl, E. L.

    2017-01-01

    Computational fluid dynamics is now considered to be an indispensable tool for the design and development of scramjet engine components. Unfortunately, the quantification of uncertainties is rarely addressed with anything other than sensitivity studies, so the degree of confidence associated with the numerical results remains exclusively with the subject matter expert that generated them. This practice must be replaced with a formal uncertainty quantification process for computational fluid dynamics to play an expanded role in the system design, development, and flight certification process. Given the limitations of current hypersonic ground test facilities, this expanded role is believed to be a requirement by some in the hypersonics community if scramjet engines are to be given serious consideration as a viable propulsion system. The present effort describes a simple, relatively low cost, nonintrusive approach to uncertainty quantification that includes the basic ingredients required to handle both aleatoric (random) and epistemic (lack of knowledge) sources of uncertainty. The nonintrusive nature of the approach allows the computational fluid dynamicist to perform the uncertainty quantification with the flow solver treated as a "black box". Moreover, a large fraction of the process can be automated, allowing the uncertainty assessment to be readily adapted into the engineering design and development workflow. In the present work, the approach is applied to a model scramjet isolator problem where the desire is to validate turbulence closure models in the presence of uncertainty. In this context, the relevant uncertainty sources are determined and accounted for to allow the analyst to delineate turbulence model-form errors from other sources of uncertainty associated with the simulation of the facility flow.

  3. Immobilized Metal Affinity Chromatography Coupled to Multiple Reaction Monitoring Enables Reproducible Quantification of Phospho-signaling*

    PubMed Central

    Kennedy, Jacob J.; Yan, Ping; Zhao, Lei; Ivey, Richard G.; Voytovich, Uliana J.; Moore, Heather D.; Lin, Chenwei; Pogosova-Agadjanyan, Era L.; Stirewalt, Derek L.; Reding, Kerryn W.; Whiteaker, Jeffrey R.; Paulovich, Amanda G.

    2016-01-01

    A major goal in cell signaling research is the quantification of phosphorylation pharmacodynamics following perturbations. Traditional methods of studying cellular phospho-signaling measure one analyte at a time with poor standardization, rendering them inadequate for interrogating network biology and contributing to the irreproducibility of preclinical research. In this study, we test the feasibility of circumventing these issues by coupling immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC)-based enrichment of phosphopeptides with targeted, multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mass spectrometry to achieve precise, specific, standardized, multiplex quantification of phospho-signaling responses. A multiplex immobilized metal affinity chromatography- multiple reaction monitoring assay targeting phospho-analytes responsive to DNA damage was configured, analytically characterized, and deployed to generate phospho-pharmacodynamic curves from primary and immortalized human cells experiencing genotoxic stress. The multiplexed assays demonstrated linear ranges of ≥3 orders of magnitude, median lower limit of quantification of 0.64 fmol on column, median intra-assay variability of 9.3%, median inter-assay variability of 12.7%, and median total CV of 16.0%. The multiplex immobilized metal affinity chromatography- multiple reaction monitoring assay enabled robust quantification of 107 DNA damage-responsive phosphosites from human cells following DNA damage. The assays have been made publicly available as a resource to the community. The approach is generally applicable, enabling wide interrogation of signaling networks. PMID:26621847

  4. Studies on the electrochemical behavior of thiazolidine and its applications using a flow-through chronoamperometric sensor based on a gold electrode.

    PubMed

    Wang, Lai-Hao; Li, Wen-Jie

    2011-09-06

    The electrochemical behaviors of thiazolidine (tetrahydrothiazole) on gold and platinum electrodes were investigated in a Britton-Robinson buffer (pH 2.77-11.61), acetate buffer (pH 4.31), phosphate buffer solutions (pH 2.11 and 6.38) and methanol or acetonitrile containing various supporting electrolytes. Detection was based on a gold wire electrochemical signal obtained with a supporting electrolyte containing 20% methanol-1.0 mM of phosphate buffer (pH 6.87, potassium dihydrogen phosphate and dipotassium hydrogen phosphate) as the mobile phase. Comparison with results obtained with a commercial amperometric detector shows good agreement. Using the chronoamperometric sensor with the current at a constant potential, and measurements with suitable experimental parameters, a linear concentration from 0.05 to 16 mg L-1 was found. The limit of quantification (LOQ) of the method for thiazolidine was found to be 1 ng.

  5. Validated spectrofluorometric method for determination of gemfibrozil in self nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS).

    PubMed

    Sierra Villar, Ana M; Calpena Campmany, Ana C; Bellowa, Lyda Halbaut; Trenchs, Monserrat Aróztegui; Naveros, Beatriz Clares

    2013-09-01

    A spectrofluorometric method has been developed and validated for the determination of gemfibrozil. The method is based on the excitation and emission capacities of gemfibrozil with excitation and emission wavelengths of 276 and 304 nm respectively. This method allows de determination of the drug in a self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) for improve its intestinal absorption. Results obtained showed linear relationships with good correlation coefficients (r(2)>0.999) and low limits of detection and quantification (LOD of 0.075 μg mL(-1) and LOQ of 0.226 μg mL(-1)) in the range of 0.2-5 μg mL(-1), equally this method showed a good robustness and stability. Thus the amounts of gemfibrozil released from SNEDDS contained in gastro resistant hard gelatine capsules were analysed, and release studies could be performed satisfactorily. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Quantification of video-taped images in microcirculation research using inexpensive imaging software (Adobe Photoshop).

    PubMed

    Brunner, J; Krummenauer, F; Lehr, H A

    2000-04-01

    Study end-points in microcirculation research are usually video-taped images rather than numeric computer print-outs. Analysis of these video-taped images for the quantification of microcirculatory parameters usually requires computer-based image analysis systems. Most software programs for image analysis are custom-made, expensive, and limited in their applicability to selected parameters and study end-points. We demonstrate herein that an inexpensive, commercially available computer software (Adobe Photoshop), run on a Macintosh G3 computer with inbuilt graphic capture board provides versatile, easy to use tools for the quantification of digitized video images. Using images obtained by intravital fluorescence microscopy from the pre- and postischemic muscle microcirculation in the skinfold chamber model in hamsters, Photoshop allows simple and rapid quantification (i) of microvessel diameters, (ii) of the functional capillary density and (iii) of postischemic leakage of FITC-labeled high molecular weight dextran from postcapillary venules. We present evidence of the technical accuracy of the software tools and of a high degree of interobserver reliability. Inexpensive commercially available imaging programs (i.e., Adobe Photoshop) provide versatile tools for image analysis with a wide range of potential applications in microcirculation research.

  7. Validated Method for the Quantification of Baclofen in Human Plasma Using Solid-Phase Extraction and Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry

    PubMed Central

    Nahar, Limon Khatun; Cordero, Rosa Elena; Nutt, David; Lingford-Hughes, Anne; Turton, Samuel; Durant, Claire; Wilson, Sue; Paterson, Sue

    2016-01-01

    Abstract A highly sensitive and fully validated method was developed for the quantification of baclofen in human plasma. After adjusting the pH of the plasma samples using a phosphate buffer solution (pH 4), baclofen was purified using mixed mode (C8/cation exchange) solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges. Endogenous water-soluble compounds and lipids were removed from the cartridges before the samples were eluted and concentrated. The samples were analyzed using triple-quadrupole liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS-MS) with triggered dynamic multiple reaction monitoring mode for simultaneous quantification and confirmation. The assay was linear from 25 to 1,000 ng/mL (r2 > 0.999; n = 6). Intraday (n = 6) and interday (n = 15) imprecisions (% relative standard deviation) were <5%, and the average recovery was 30%. The limit of detection of the method was 5 ng/mL, and the limit of quantification was 25 ng/mL. Plasma samples from healthy male volunteers (n = 9, median age: 22) given two single oral doses of baclofen (10 and 60 mg) on nonconsecutive days were analyzed to demonstrate method applicability. PMID:26538544

  8. SPE coupled to AAS trace determination of Cd(II) and Zn(II) in food samples using amine functionalized GMA-MMA-EGDMA terpolymer: Isotherm and kinetic studies.

    PubMed

    Islam, Aminul; Kumar, Suneel; Zaidi, Noushi; Ahmad, Hilal

    2016-12-15

    An ethylenediamine functionalized glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) based terpolymeric chelating resin was synthesized for the separation and preconcentration of Cd(II) and Zn(II) by SPE from bread, rice and fruit juice prior to FAAS determination. The resin was characterized by FT-IR, TGA/DTA, SEM, BET analysis and EDS. Synthesized resin shows a good capacity of 53.96mgg(-1) for Cd(II) and 24.19mgg(-1) for Zn(II) at pH 8.0. Five isotherm equilibrium models were studied to explain the sorption phenomenon out of which Langmuir, Dubinin-Radushkevich, Scatchard and Temkin models were found to be the best fitted. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were observed to be 1.5 and 5.1μgL(-1) for Cd and 1.2 and 4.1μgL(-1) for Zn. The reliability of the method was investigated by the analysis of SRM and the recovery of analytes from various spiked food samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Periodic modulation-based stochastic resonance algorithm applied to quantitative analysis for weak liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry signal of granisetron in plasma

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xiang, Suyun; Wang, Wei; Xiang, Bingren; Deng, Haishan; Xie, Shaofei

    2007-05-01

    The periodic modulation-based stochastic resonance algorithm (PSRA) was used to amplify and detect the weak liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) signal of granisetron in plasma. In the algorithm, the stochastic resonance (SR) was achieved by introducing an external periodic force to the nonlinear system. The optimization of parameters was carried out in two steps to give attention to both the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) and the peak shape of output signal. By applying PSRA with the optimized parameters, the signal-to-noise ratio of LC-MS peak was enhanced significantly and distorted peak shape that often appeared in the traditional stochastic resonance algorithm was corrected by the added periodic force. Using the signals enhanced by PSRA, this method extended the limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of granisetron in plasma from 0.05 and 0.2 ng/mL, respectively, to 0.01 and 0.02 ng/mL, and exhibited good linearity, accuracy and precision, which ensure accurate determination of the target analyte.

  10. Multi-residue determination of 171 pesticides in cowpea using modified QuEChERS method with multi-walled carbon nanotubes as reversed-dispersive solid-phase extraction materials.

    PubMed

    Han, Yongtao; Song, Le; Zou, Nan; Chen, Ronghua; Qin, Yuhong; Pan, Canping

    2016-09-15

    A rapid and sensitive method for the determination of 171 pesticides in cowpea was developed using multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as reversed-dispersive solid-phase (r-DSPE) extraction materials. The clean-up performance of MWCNTs was proved to be obviously superior to PSA and GCB. This method was validated on cowpea spiked at 0.01 and 0.1mgkg(-1) with five replicates. The mean recoveries for 169 pesticides ranged from 74% to 129% with relative standard deviations (RSDs) (n=5) lower than 16.4%, except diflufenican and quizalofop-ethyl. Good linearity for all pesticides was obtained with the calibration curve coefficients (R(2)) larger than 0.9970. The limit of detection (LODs) and limit of quantification (LOQs) for the 171 pesticides ranged from 0.001 to 0.003mgkg(-1) and from 0.002 to 0.009mgkg(-1), respectively. The method was demonstrated to be reliable and sensitive for the routine monitoring of the 171 pesticides in cowpea samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Long-Term Occurrence of Deoxynivalenol in Feed and Feed Raw Materials with a Special Focus on South Korea.

    PubMed

    Park, Juhee; Chang, Hansub; Kim, Dongho; Chung, Soohyun; Lee, Chan

    2018-03-16

    The Fusarium fungi produce toxic substances called mycotoxins, which can cause disease and harmful effects in grains, livestock, and humans. Deoxynivalenol (DON), also known as vomitoxin, is one of the Fusarium mycotoxins that is known to cause vomiting in livestock. This study shows the occurrence of deoxynivalenol in feedstuffs (compound feed and feed ingredients) between 2009 and 2016 in South Korea. A total of 653 domestic samples were collected at five time points, including 494 compound feed samples and 159 feed ingredient samples. DON contamination levels were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with pretreatment using an immunoaffinity column (IAC). The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) were estimated at 1-10 µg/kg and 3-35 µg/kg, respectively. Two compound feeds (two gestating sow feed samples) out of 160 pig feed samples exceeded the European Commission (EC) guidance value, while no feed ingredient samples exceeded the EC or South Korean guidance values. There were statistically significant differences in the mean contamination levels of compound feed and feed ingredients that indicated a decreasing trend over time.

  12. Multifamily determination of pesticide residues in soya-based nutraceutical products by GC/MS-MS.

    PubMed

    Páleníková, Agneša; Martínez-Domínguez, Gerardo; Arrebola, Francisco Javier; Romero-González, Roberto; Hrouzková, Svetlana; Frenich, Antonia Garrido

    2015-04-15

    An analytical method based on a modified QuEChERS extraction coupled with gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) was evaluated for the determination of 177 pesticides in soya-based nutraceutical products. The QuEChERS method was optimised and different extraction solvents and clean-up approaches were tested, obtaining the most efficient conditions with a mixture of sorbents (PSA, C18, GBC and Zr-Sep(+)). Recoveries were evaluated at 10, 50 and 100 μg/kg and ranged between 70% and 120%. Precision was expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD), and it was evaluated for more than 160 pesticides as intra and inter-day precision, with values always below 20% and 25%, respectively. Limits of detection (LODs) ranged from 0.1 to 10 μg/kg, whereas limits of quantification (LOQs) from 0.5 to 20 μg/kg. The applicability of the method was proved by analysing soya-based nutraceuticals. Two pesticides were found in these samples, malathion and pyriproxyfen, at 11.1 and 1.5 μg/kg respectively. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Fast analysis of 4-tertoctylphenol, pentachlorophenol and 4-nonylphenol in river sediments by QuEChERS extraction procedure combined with GC-QqQ-MS/MS.

    PubMed

    Czech, T; Bonilla, N Barco; Gambus, F; González, R Romero; Marín-Sáez, J; Vidal, J L Martínez; Frenich, A Garrido

    2016-07-01

    A quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe (QuEChERS)-based extraction method has been optimized for the determination of pentachlorophenol, 4-tertoctylphenol and 4-nonylphenol in river sediments. The extraction method was followed by gas chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (GC-QqQ-MS/MS) analysis, which ensures the reliable identification of the target compounds. The proposed method has been validated allowing the successful determination of the selected compounds, with recoveries ranging from 72 to 96%, when three concentration levels were evaluated (10, 50 and 100μgkg(-1)) and inter-day and intra-day precision, expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD), were lower than 20%. The method showed limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantification (LOQs) ranging from 0.1 to 2.0μgkg(-1) and from 0.5 to 5.0μgkg(-1), respectively. Finally, 25 real samples from Poland have been analyzed, and only 4-tertoctylphenol was detected at concentrations up to 8.9μgkg(-1) of soil dry weight. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Development of a candidate reference measurement procedure for the analysis of cortisol in human serum samples by isotope dilution-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Kawaguchi, Migaku; Takatsu, Akiko

    2009-08-01

    A candidate reference measurement procedure involving isotope dilution coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) has been developed and critically evaluated. An isotopically labeled internal standard, cortisol-d(2), was added to a serum sample. After equilibration, solid-phase extractions (SPE) for sample preparation and derivatization with heptafluorobutyric anhydride (HFBA) were performed for GC-MS analysis. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) were 5 and 20 ng g(-1), respectively. The recovery of the added cortisol ranged from 99.8 to 101.0%. Excellent precision was obtained with a within-day variation (RSD) of 0.7% for GC-MS analysis. The accuracy of the measurement was evaluated by comparing of results of this reference measurement procedure on lyophilized human serum reference materials for cortisol (European Reference Materials (ERM)-DA 192) as Certified Reference Materials (CRMs). The results of this method for total cortisol agreed with the certified values within some uncertainty. This method, which demonstrates simply, easy, good accuracy, high precision, and is free from interferences from structural analogues, qualifies as a reference measurement procedure.

  15. Development and validation of a HPTLC method for simultaneous estimation of lornoxicam and thiocolchicoside in combined dosage form.

    PubMed

    Sahoo, Madhusmita; Syal, Pratima; Hable, Asawaree A; Raut, Rahul P; Choudhari, Vishnu P; Kuchekar, Bhanudas S

    2011-07-01

    To develop a simple, precise, rapid and accurate HPTLC method for the simultaneous estimation of Lornoxicam (LOR) and Thiocolchicoside (THIO) in bulk and pharmaceutical dosage forms. The separation of the active compounds from pharmaceutical dosage form was carried out using methanol:chloroform:water (9.6:0.2:0.2 v/v/v) as the mobile phase and no immiscibility issues were found. The densitometric scanning was carried out at 377 nm. The method was validated for linearity, accuracy, precision, LOD (Limit of Detection), LOQ (Limit of Quantification), robustness and specificity. The Rf values (±SD) were found to be 0.84 ± 0.05 for LOR and 0.58 ± 0.05 for THIO. Linearity was obtained in the range of 60-360 ng/band for LOR and 30-180 ng/band for THIO with correlation coefficients r(2) = 0.998 and 0.999, respectively. The percentage recovery for both the analytes was in the range of 98.7-101.2 %. The proposed method was optimized and validated as per the ICH guidelines.

  16. [Determination of residual toluene diisocyanate in sponge bra by gas chromatography].

    PubMed

    Wang, Aixia; Ye, Ping; Huang, Nan; Chen, Yan; Li, Xinggen

    2017-06-08

    A gas chromatography (GC) with internal standard method was developed for the determination of residual toluene diisocyanate (TDI) in sponge bra. The samples were extracted with ethyl acetate dehydrated, and cleaned up with 0.22 μm microfiltration membrane. The residual toluene diisocyanate was separated on a DB-624 capillary column using temperature programming. The flame ionization detector (FID) was used at 250 ℃. The inlet temperature was 180 ℃ with nitrogen as carrier gas. The linear range was 10-200 mg/L ( R 2 =0.9989) for TDI. The average recovery ranged from 80.5% to 91.6% with RSD not more than 7.9%( n =6). The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 10 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg, respectively. The developed method was then utilized to analyse the 100 batches of sponge bra samples from the manufacturing enterprises, the entity shops and electric business platforms. The method is simple, time-saving and environment friendly with high sensitivity and good reproducibility, and has practical application value due to its low-cost and short-circle.

  17. Dissipation and residue of myclobutanil in lychee.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yanping; Sun, Haibin; Liu, Fengmao; Wang, Siwei

    2012-06-01

    The dissipation and residue of myclobutanil in lychee under field conditions were studied. To determine myclobutanil residue in samples, an analytical method with a florisil column clean-up and detected by gas chromatography-electron capture detector (GC-ECD) was developed. Recoveries were found in the range of 83.24 %-89.00 % with relative standard deviations of 2.67 %-9.88 %. This method was successfully applied to analyze the dissipation and residue of myclobutanil in lychee in Guangdong and Guangxi Province, China. The half lives in lychee were from 2.2 to 3.4 days. The residues of myclobutanil in lychee flesh were all below the limit of quantification (LOQ) value (0.01 mg/kg), and most of the residues were concentrated in the peel. The terminal residues of myclobutanil were all bellow the maximum residue limit (MRL) value set by European Union (EU) (0.02 mg/kg). Hence it was safe for the use of this pesticide and the results also could give a reference for MRL setting of myclobutanil in lychee in China.

  18. Application of response surface methodology for determination of methyl red in water samples by spectrophotometry method.

    PubMed

    Khodadoust, Saeid; Ghaedi, Mehrorang

    2014-12-10

    In this study a rapid and effective method (dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME)) was developed for extraction of methyl red (MR) prior to its determination by UV-Vis spectrophotometry. Influence variables on DLLME such as volume of chloroform (as extractant solvent) and methanol (as dispersive solvent), pH and ionic strength and extraction time were investigated. Then significant variables were optimized by using a Box-Behnken design (BBD) and desirability function (DF). The optimized conditions (100μL of chloroform, 1.3mL of ethanol, pH 4 and 4% (w/v) NaCl) resulted in a linear calibration graph in the range of 0.015-10.0mgmL(-1) of MR in initial solution with R(2)=0.995 (n=5). The limits of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.005 and 0.015mgmL(-1), respectively. Finally, the DLLME method was applied for determination of MR in different water samples with relative standard deviation (RSD) less than 5% (n=5). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. The Occurrence of Zearalenone in South Korean Feedstuffs between 2009 and 2016.

    PubMed

    Chang, Hansub; Kim, Woori; Park, Ju-Hee; Kim, Dongho; Kim, Choong-Ryeol; Chung, Soohyun; Lee, Chan

    2017-07-15

    Mycotoxins produced by Fusarium plant pathogen species have harmful effects on humans and livestock by natural contamination in food and feed. Zearalenone, one of the well-known Fusarium mycotoxins, causes hyperestrogenism and toxicosis resulting in reproductive dysfunction in animals. This study investigated the occurrence of zearalenone in feedstuffs (compound feeds, feed ingredients) between 2009 and 2016 in South Korea to obtain information on zearalenone contamination in feeds for management. A total of 653 animal feed samples (494 compound feeds, 159 feed ingredients) produced domestically were sampled five times from 2009 to 2016 (2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016) from feed factories in South Korea. The levels of zearalenone were analyzed every year by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) after pretreatment with an immunoaffinity column showing limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.1-3 μg/kg and 0.3-8 μg/kg, respectively. Four feed samples out of 494 compound feeds exceeded the EU and South Korea commission regulations over the eight-year test period, and no feed ingredients exceeded the guidelines.

  20. Azocasein Substrate for Determination of Proteolytic Activity: Reexamining a Traditional Method Using Bromelain Samples.

    PubMed

    Coêlho, Diego F; Saturnino, Thais Peron; Fernandes, Fernanda Freitas; Mazzola, Priscila Gava; Silveira, Edgar; Tambourgi, Elias Basile

    2016-01-01

    Given the importance of protease's worldwide market, the determination of optimum conditions and the development of a standard protocol are critical during selection of a reliable method to determine its bioactivity. This paper uses quality control theory to validate a modified version of a method proposed by Charney and Tomarelli in 1947. The results obtained showed that using azocasein substrate bromelain had its optimum at 45°C and pH 9 (Glycine-NaOH 100 mM). We also quantified the limit of detection (LoD) and limit of quantification (LoQ) in the above-mentioned optimum (0.072 and 0.494 mg·mL(-1) of azocasein, resp.) and a calibration curve that correlates optical density with the amount of substrate digested. In all analysed samples, we observed a significant decrease in response after storage (around 17%), which suggests its use must be immediately after preparation. Thus, the protocol presented in this paper offers a significant improvement, given that subjective definitions are commonly used in the literature and this simple mathematical approach makes it clear and concise.

  1. Analysis of abamectin residues in avocados by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.

    PubMed

    Hernández-Borges, Javier; Ravelo-Pérez, Lidia M; Hernández-Suárez, Estrella M; Carnero, Aurelio; Rodríguez-Delgado, Miguel Angel

    2007-09-21

    In this work an analytical method for the determination of abamectin residues in avocados is developed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence (FL) detection. A pre-column derivatization with trifluoroacetic anhydride (TFAA) and N-methylimidazole (NMIM) was carried out. The mobile phase consisted of water, methanol and acetonitrile (5:47.5:47.5 v/v/v) and was pumped at a rate of 1 mL/min (isocratic elution). The fluorescence detector was set at an excitation wavelength of 365 nm and an emission wavelength of 470 nm. Homogenized avocado samples were extracted twice with acetonitrile:water 8:2 (v/v) and cleaned using C(18) solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges. Recovery values were in the range 87-98% with RSD values lower than 13%. The limits of detection (LODs) and quantification (LOQs) of the whole method were 0.001 and 0.003 mg/kg, respectively. These values are lower than the maximum residue limit (MRL) established by the European Union (EU) and the Spanish legislation in avocado samples.

  2. Migration of bisphenol A into canned tomatoes produced in Italy: dependence on temperature and storage conditions.

    PubMed

    Errico, Sonia; Bianco, Mariangela; Mita, Luigi; Migliaccio, Marina; Rossi, Sergio; Nicolucci, Carla; Menale, Ciro; Portaccio, Marianna; Gallo, Pasquale; Mita, Damiano G; Diano, Nadia

    2014-10-01

    A method based on solid-phase extraction followed by liquid chromatography, coupled to UV-visible and fluorescence spectrophotometry, has been developed for determination of bisphenol A (BPA) in canned tomatoes. The limit of quantification (LOQ) of the procedure used is 0.03 μM (0.26 μg BPA/kg tomato). For each of three different tomato based products (peeled, cherry and concentrated paste), 16 samples belonging to six commercial brands, retailed in Italian markets, were tested for migration of BPA epoxy-coating cans. All the tomato samples exhibited migration levels below 0.4 μg/kg, while samples subjected to heating process and/or can's damage by denting, exhibited a significant increase in the migration levels. In any case, no sample contained BPA exceeding the European Union limit for migration, set at 600 μg/kg of food. By comparing the results for each brand, no relevant difference in BPA concentration was found depending on the kind of tomato products. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Applicability of the chymopapain gene used as endogenous reference gene for transgenic huanong no. 1 papaya detection.

    PubMed

    Guo, Jinchao; Yang, Litao; Liu, Xin; Zhang, Haibo; Qian, Bingjun; Zhang, Dabing

    2009-08-12

    The virus-resistant papaya (Carica papaya L.), Huanong no. 1, was the genetically modified (GM) fruit approved for growing in China in 2006. To implement the labeling regulation of GM papaya and its derivates, the development of papaya endogenous reference gene is very necessary for GM papaya detection. Herein, we reported one papaya specific gene, Chymopapain (CHY), as one suitable endogenous reference gene, used for GM papaya identification. Thereafter, we established the conventional and real-time quantitative PCR assays of the CHY gene. In the CHY conventional PCR assay, the limit of detection (LOD) was 25 copies of haploid papaya genome. In the CHY real-time quantitative PCR assay, both the LOD and the limit of quantification (LOQ) were as low as 12.5 copies of haploid papaya genome. Furthermore, we revealed the construct-specific sequence of Chinese GM papaya Huanong no. 1 and developed its conventional and quantitative PCR systems employing the CHY gene as endogenous reference gene. This work is useful for papaya specific identification and GM papaya detection.

  4. Combination of QuEChERS and DLLME for GC-MS determination of pesticide residues in orange samples.

    PubMed

    Andraščíková, Mária; Hrouzková, Svetlana; Cunha, Sara C

    2013-01-01

    A new method combining QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe) and DLLME (dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction) followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with selected ion monitoring (SIM) was developed for the simultaneous determination of 19 pesticides from nine chemical groups exhibiting or suspected to exhibit endocrine-disrupting properties in orange samples. Acetonitrile extract obtained from QuEChERS extraction was used for DLLME as dispersive solvent and carbon tetrachloride as extractive solvent to increase the enrichment factor of the extraction procedure. The effect of several extraction parameters, such as volume extract achieved by the QuEChERS method and subsequently used for DLLME, selection of extractive solvent and its volume, was tested. Under optimum conditions, good linearity, satisfactory recoveries and repeatability were obtained. Limits of quantification (LOQs) achieved (ranging from 0.02 to 47 ng/g) were below the maximum residue limits established by the European Union. The proposed method was applied to the monitoring of pesticide residue levels in oranges commercialised in Portugal.

  5. Detailed phenolic composition of Vidal grape pomace by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Luo, Lanxin; Cui, Yan; Zhang, Shuting; Li, Lingxi; Suo, Hao; Sun, Baoshan

    2017-11-15

    Vidal Blanc grape (Vitis vinifera cv.) is the predominant white grape variety used for the production of icewine in China's Liaoning province. In this paper, the development and validation of the method by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry has been performed for determination of the detailed phenolic composition in the skin, seed and stem of Vidal grapes. The validation of the method was realized by calculating the linearity, repeatability, precision, stability and the limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of standard solutions. All the curves exhibited good linearity (r 2 >0.9997) and the LOD and LOQ were in the range of 0.002-0.025 and 0.006-0.086μg/ml, respectively. Good repeatability (RSD<4.3%) and stability (RSD<3.7%) were also found. Results confirmed that the developed method was more effective and sensitive for simultaneous determination of the major phenolic compounds in Vidal grape pomace. The optimized and validated method of ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography tandem two complementary techniques, fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry and triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry, allowed to identify and quantify up to 35 phenolic compounds in Vidal grape pomace, which has, as far as we know, been reported this grapevine variety for the first time. Seeds, skins and stems exhibited different qualitative and quantitative phenolic profiles. These results provided useful information for recovery of phenolic antioxidants from different parts of icewine pomace. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  6. Persistence and risk assessment of emamectin benzoate residues on okra fruits and soil.

    PubMed

    Jyot, Gagan; Mandal, Kousik; Chahil, G S; Singh, Balwinder

    2014-08-01

    Emamectin benzoate, a synthetic derivative of abamectin, is found effective against fruit borer and jassid in okra crops. The present studies were carried out to study the dissipation pattern of emamectin benzoate on okra and to suggest a suitable waiting period for the safety of consumers. Following three applications of emamectin benzoate (Proclaim 5 SG) at 68.1 and 136.2 g a.i. ha-1, the average initial deposits of emamectin benzoate were observed to be 0.22 and 0.42mg kg-1, respectively. These residues dissipated below the limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.05 mg kg-1 after 5 days at both the dosages. Soil samples collected after 15 days did not reveal the presence of emamectin benzoate at LOQ of 0.05 mg kg-1. Acceptable daily intake (ADI) of emamectin benzoate is 0.0005 mg kg-1 body weight day-1, which means an adult of 55 kg weight can safely tolerate an intake of 27.50 microg emamectin benzoate. Assuming an average consumption of 80 g okra fruit and multiplying it by average and maximum residues observed on 0 day at recommended dosage, the intake of emamectin benzoate comes out to be about 20 Itg and these values are quite safe in comparison to its ADI. These studies, therefore, suggest that the use of emamectin benzoate at the minimum effective dosages do not seem to pose any hazards to the consumers if a waiting period of 1 day is observed.

  7. Consistency in trophic magnification factors of cyclic methyl siloxanes in pelagic freshwater food webs leading to brown trout.

    PubMed

    Borgå, Katrine; Fjeld, Eirik; Kierkegaard, Amelie; McLachlan, Michael S

    2013-12-17

    Cyclic volatile methyl siloxanes (cVMS) concentrations were analyzed in the pelagic food web of two Norwegian lakes (Mjøsa, Randsfjorden), and in brown trout (Salmo trutta) and Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) collected in a reference lake (Femunden), in 2012. Lakes receiving discharge from wastewater treatment plants (Mjøsa and Randsfjorden) had cVMS concentrations in trout that were up to 2 orders of magnitude higher than those in Femunden, where most samples were close to the limit of quantification (LOQ). Food web biomagnification of cVMS in Mjøsa and Randsfjorden was quantified by estimation of trophic magnification factors (TMFs). TMF for legacy persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were analyzed for comparison. Both decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5) and dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane (D6) biomagnified with TMFs of 2.9 (2.1-4.0) and 2.3 (1.8-3.0), respectively. Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) was below the LOQ in the majority of samples and had substantially lower biomagnification than for D5 and D6. The cVMS TMFs did not differ between the lakes, whereas the legacy POP TMFs were higher in Mjøsa than inRandsfjorden. Whitefish had lower cVMS bioaccumulation compared to legacy POPs, and affected the TMF significance for cVMS, but not for POPs. TMFs of D5 and legacy contaminants in Lake Mjøsa were consistent with those previously measured in Mjøsa.

  8. Multi-residue method for determination of 58 pesticides, pharmaceuticals and personal care products in water using solvent demulsification dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Caldas, Sergiane Souza; Rombaldi, Caroline; Arias, Jean Lucas de Oliveira; Marube, Liziane Cardoso; Primel, Ednei Gilberto

    2016-01-01

    A rapid and efficient sample pretreatment using solvent-based de-emulsification dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (SD-DLLME) coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was studied for the extraction of 58 pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and pesticides from water samples. Type and volume of extraction and disperser solvents, pH, salt addition, amount of salt and type of demulsification solvent were evaluated. Limits of quantification (LOQ) in the range from 0.0125 to 1.25 µg L(-1) were reached, and linearity was in the range from the LOQ of each compound to 25 μg L(-1). Recoveries ranged from 60% to 120% for 84% of the compounds, with relative standard deviations lower than 29%. The proposed method demonstrated, for the first time, that sample preparation by SD-DLLME with determination by LC-MS/MS can be successfully used for the simultaneous extraction of 32 pesticides and 26 PPCPs from water samples. The entire procedure, including the extraction of 58 organic compounds from the aqueous sample solution and the breaking up of the emulsion after extraction with water, rather than with an organic solvent, was environmentally friendly. In addition, this technique was less expensive and faster than traditional techniques. Finally, the analytical method under study was successfully applied to the analysis of all 58 pesticides and PPCPs in surface water samples. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Quantification of Cannabinoid Content in Cannabis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tian, Y.; Zhang, F.; Jia, K.; Wen, M.; Yuan, Ch.

    2015-09-01

    Cannabis is an economically important plant that is used in many fields, in addition to being the most commonly consumed illicit drug worldwide. Monitoring the spatial distribution of cannabis cultivation and judging whether it is drug- or fiber-type cannabis is critical for governments and international communities to understand the scale of the illegal drug trade. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the cannabinoids content in cannabis could be spectrally quantified using a spectrometer and to identify the optimal wavebands for quantifying the cannabinoid content. Spectral reflectance data of dried cannabis leaf samples and the cannabis canopy were measured in the laboratory and in the field, respectively. Correlation analysis and the stepwise multivariate regression method were used to select the optimal wavebands for cannabinoid content quantification based on the laboratory-measured spectral data. The results indicated that the delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content in cannabis leaves could be quantified using laboratory-measured spectral reflectance data and that the 695 nm band is the optimal band for THC content quantification. This study provides prerequisite information for designing spectral equipment to enable immediate quantification of THC content in cannabis and to discriminate drug- from fiber-type cannabis based on THC content quantification in the field.

  10. Determination of neonicotinoid pesticides residues in agricultural samples by solid-phase extraction combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Xie, Wen; Han, Chao; Qian, Yan; Ding, Huiying; Chen, Xiaomei; Xi, Junyang

    2011-07-15

    This work reports a new sensitive multi-residue liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for detection, confirmation and quantification of six neonicotinoid pesticides (dinotefuran, thiamethoxam, clothiandin, imidacloprid, acetamiprid and thiacloprid) in agricultural samples (chestnut, shallot, ginger and tea). Activated carbon and HLB solid-phase extraction cartridges were used for cleaning up the extracts. Analysis is performed by LC-MS/MS operated in the multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode, acquiring two specific precursor-product ion transitions per target compound. Quantification was carried by the internal standard method with D(4)-labeled imidacloprid. The method showed excellent linearity (R(2)≥0.9991) and precision (relative standard deviation, RSD≤8.6%) for all compounds. Limits of quantification (LOQs) were 0.01 mg kg(-1) for chestnut, shallot, ginger sample and 0.02 mg kg(-1) for tea sample. The average recoveries, measured at three concentrations levels (0.01 mg kg(-1), 0.02 mg kg(-1) and 0.1 mg kg(-1) for chestnut, shallot, ginger sample, 0.02 mg kg(-1), 0.04 mg kg(-1) and 0.2 mg kg(-1) for tea sample), were in the range 82.1-108.5%. The method was satisfactorily validated for the analysis of 150 agricultural samples (chestnut, shallot, ginger and tea). Imidacloprid and acetamiprid were detected at concentration levels ranging from 0.05 to 3.6 mg kg(-1). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Cues, quantification, and agreement in language comprehension.

    PubMed

    Tanner, Darren; Bulkes, Nyssa Z

    2015-12-01

    We investigated factors that affect the comprehension of subject-verb agreement in English, using quantification as a window into the relationship between morphosyntactic processes in language production and comprehension. Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were recorded while participants read sentences with grammatical and ungrammatical verbs, in which the plurality of the subject noun phrase was either doubly marked (via overt plural quantification and morphological marking on the noun) or singly marked (via only plural morphology on the noun). Both acceptability judgments and the ERP data showed heightened sensitivity to agreement violations when quantification provided an additional cue to the grammatical number of the subject noun phrase, over and above plural morphology. This is consistent with models of grammatical comprehension that emphasize feature prediction in tandem with cue-based memory retrieval. Our results additionally contrast with those of prior studies that showed no effects of plural quantification on agreement in language production. These findings therefore highlight some nontrivial divergences in the cues and mechanisms supporting morphosyntactic processing in language production and comprehension.

  12. Rapid determination of chlormequat in meat by dispersive solid-phase extraction and hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC)-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Li, Chunmei; Jin, Fen; Yu, Zhiyong; Qi, Yamei; Shi, Xiaomei; Wang, Miao; Shao, Hua; Jin, Maojun; Wang, Jing; Yang, Mingqi

    2012-07-11

    A rapid method for analyzing trace levels of chlormequat (CQ) in meat samples by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC)-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry was developed. The samples were extracted with acetonitrile, followed by a rapid cleanup through a dispersive solid-phase extraction (DSPE) technique with octadecyl (C18) DSPE sorbents. The chromatographic separation was achieved within 6 min using a HILIC column with 10 mM ammonium acetate and 0.1% (v/v) formic acid in water/acetonitrile (v/v, 40:60) as the mobile phase. Quantification was performed using a matrix-matched calibration curve, which was linear in the range of the 0.05-100 μg/L. The limit of detection (LOD) was estimated at 0.03 μg/kg for CQ on the basis of a peak to peak signal noise (S/N = 3). The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.1 μg/kg on the basis of the lowest spiked concentration with suitable precision and accuracy. The average recovery of CQ in spiked meat samples was 86.4-94.7% at 2, 20, and 200 μg/kg. Finally, this method was applied to determine CQ in the livestock and poultry meats purchased from markets in Beijing in 2011. CQ was detected in all 12 samples, and the concentration was 0.4-636.0 μg/kg. Concentrations in a chicken sample (636.0 μg/kg) and a goat meat sample (486.0 μg/kg) were found to be 15.9 and 2.43 times the corresponding Codex maximum residue limits, respectively.

  13. Occurrence and removal of estrogens, progesterone and testosterone in three constructed wetlands treating municipal sewage in the Czech Republic.

    PubMed

    Vymazal, Jan; Březinová, Tereza; Koželuh, Milan

    2015-12-01

    Estrogenic hormones, progesterone and testosterone are endocrine-disrupting chemicals and their presence in aquatic environments represents a potentially adverse environmental and public health impact. There is a considerable amount of information about removal of estrogens, progesterone and testosterone in conventional wastewater treatment plants, namely activated sludge systems. However, the information about removal of these compounds in constructed wetlands is very limited. Three constructed wetlands with horizontal subsurface flow in the Czech Republic have been selected to evaluate removal of estrogens (estrone, estriol, 17β-estradiol, 17α-ethinylestradiol), testosterone and progesterone. Monitored constructed wetlands for 100, 150 and 200 PE have been in operation for more than 10 years and all systems exhibit very high treatment efficiency for organics and suspended solids. The results indicate that removal of all estrogens, progesterone and testosterone was high and only estrone was found in the outflow from one constructed wetland in concentrations above the limit of quantification 1 ng l(-1). The limits of quantification for other estrogens, i.e., 10 ng l(-1) for estriol, 1 ng l(-1) for 17β-estradiol and 2 ng l(-1) for 17α-ethinylestradiol were not exceeded in the outflow of all monitored constructed wetlands. Also, for progesterone and testosterone, all outflow concentrations were below the LOQ of 0.5 ng l(-1). The results indicated that constructed wetlands with horizontal subsurface flow are a promising technology for elimination of estrogens, progesterone and testosterone from municipal sewage but more information is needed to confirm this finding. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Determination of the Marker Diarylheptanoid Phytoestrogens in Curcuma comosa Rhizomes and Selected Herbal Medicinal Products by HPLC-DAD.

    PubMed

    Yingngam, Bancha; Brantner, Adelheid; Jinarat, Damrongsak; Kaewamatawong, Rawiwun; Rungseevijitprapa, Wandee; Suksamrarn, Apichart; Piyachaturawat, Pawinee; Chokchaisiri, Ratchanaporn

    2018-01-01

    A method for quantification of diarylheptanoids in Curcuma comosa rhizomes and selected pharmaceutical preparations was established by using HPLC-diode array detector (DAD). The chromatographic separation of three diarylheptanoids [(3S)-1-(3,4-dihydroxy-phenyl)-7-phenyl-(6E)-6-hepten-3-ol (1), (3R)-1,7-diphenyl-(4E,6E)-4,6-heptadien-3-ol (2), and (3S)-1,7-diphenyl-(6E)-6-hepten-3-ol (3)] was performed on a Luna C 18 analytical column using gradient elution with 0.5% acetic acid in water and acetonitrile with a flow rate of 1 mL/min and a column temperature of 35°C. The calibration curves for the analytes showed good linearity (R 2 >0.999), high precision (relative standard deviation (RSD) <2%) and acceptable recovery (98.35-103.90%, RSD <2%). The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.06-0.22 and 0.18-0.69 µg/mL, respectively. The results of all validated parameters were within the limits according to the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) Guidelines. The established method was successfully applied for qualitative and quantitative determination of the three constituents in different samples of C. comosa and some commercial products in capsules. The simplicity, rapidity, and reliability of the method could be useful for the fingerprint analysis and standardization of diarylheptanoids, which are responsible for the estrogenic activity in raw materials and herbal medicinal products of C. comosa.

  15. Quantification provides a conceptual basis for convergent evolution.

    PubMed

    Speed, Michael P; Arbuckle, Kevin

    2017-05-01

    While much of evolutionary biology attempts to explain the processes of diversification, there is an important place for the study of phenotypic similarity across life forms. When similar phenotypes evolve independently in different lineages this is referred to as convergent evolution. Although long recognised, evolutionary convergence is receiving a resurgence of interest. This is in part because new genomic data sets allow detailed and tractable analysis of the genetic underpinnings of convergent phenotypes, and in part because of renewed recognition that convergence may reflect limitations in the diversification of life. In this review we propose that although convergent evolution itself does not require a new evolutionary framework, none the less there is room to generate a more systematic approach which will enable evaluation of the importance of convergent phenotypes in limiting the diversity of life's forms. We therefore propose that quantification of the frequency and strength of convergence, rather than simply identifying cases of convergence, should be considered central to its systematic comprehension. We provide a non-technical review of existing methods that could be used to measure evolutionary convergence, bringing together a wide range of methods. We then argue that quantification also requires clear specification of the level at which the phenotype is being considered, and argue that the most constrained examples of convergence show similarity both in function and in several layers of underlying form. Finally, we argue that the most important and impressive examples of convergence are those that pertain, in form and function, across a wide diversity of selective contexts as these persist in the likely presence of different selection pressures within the environment. © 2016 The Authors. Biological Reviews published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Cambridge Philosophical Society.

  16. Multiplex Droplet Digital PCR Protocols for Quantification of GM Maize Events.

    PubMed

    Dobnik, David; Spilsberg, Bjørn; Bogožalec Košir, Alexandra; Štebih, Dejan; Morisset, Dany; Holst-Jensen, Arne; Žel, Jana

    2018-01-01

    The standard-curve based simplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) has been the gold standard for DNA target quantification for more than a decade. The large and growing number of individual analyses needed to test for genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is reducing the cost-effectiveness of qPCR. Droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) enables absolute quantification without standard curves, avoids the amplification efficiency bias observed with qPCR, allows more accurate estimations at low target copy numbers and, in combination with multiplexing, significantly improves cost efficiency. Here we describe two protocols for multiplex quantification of GM maize events: (1) nondiscriminating, with multiplex quantification of targets as a group (12 GM maize lines) and (2) discriminating, with multiplex quantification of individual targets (events). The first enables the quantification of twelve European Union authorized GM maize events as a group with only two assays, but does not permit determination of the individual events present. The second protocol enables the quantification of four individual targets (three GM events and one endogene) in a single reaction. Both protocols can be modified for quantification of any other DNA target.

  17. Screening method for the determination of tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones in animal drinking water by liquid chromatography with diode array detector.

    PubMed

    Patyra, E; Kowalczyk, E; Grelik, A; Przeniosło-Siwczyńska, M; Kwiatek, K

    2015-01-01

    A liquid chromatography - diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) procedure has been developed for the determination of oxytetracycline (OTC), tetracycline (TC), chlorotetracycline (CTC), doxycycline (DC), enrofloxacin (ENR), ciprofloxacin (CIP), sarafloxacin (SAR) and flumequine (FLU) residues in animal drinking water. This method was applied to animal drinking water. Solid-phase extraction (SPE) clean-up on an Oasis HLB cartridge allowed an extract suitable for liquid chromatographic analysis to be obtained. Chromatographic separation was carried out on a C18 analytical column, using gradient elution with 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid - acetonitrile - methanol at 30°C. The flow-rate was 0.7 mL/min and the eluate was analysed at 330 nm. The whole procedure was evaluated according to the requirements of the Commission Decision 2002/657/EC, determining specificity, decision limit (CCα), detection capacity (CCβ), limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), precision and accuracy during validation of the method. The recoveries of TCs and FQs from spiked samples at the levels of 10, 100 and 1000 μg/L were higher than 82%. The developed method based on HPLC-DAD has been applied for the determination of four tetracyclines and four fluoroquinolones in animal drinking water samples.

  18. Comprehensive determination of flavouring additives and nicotine in e-cigarette refill solutions. Part I: Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis.

    PubMed

    Aszyk, Justyna; Kubica, Paweł; Kot-Wasik, Agata; Namieśnik, Jacek; Wasik, Andrzej

    2017-10-13

    Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) methods were developed for the simultaneous determination of 42 flavouring compounds and nicotine in liquids for e-cigarettes. The chromatographic separation was performed using an Ace ® Ultracore™ SuperC18™ (100×2.1mm, 2.5μm) column in both acidic and alkaline pH conditions to separate all the compounds. A simple "dilute & shoot" approach was used for the sample preparation. The method validation was performed by evaluating key analytical parameters such as linearity, accuracy, selectivity, precision, limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ). The calibration curves showed good linearity within the specific ranges for the investigated compounds with correlation coefficients greater than 0.990 in each case. The recovery for all the investigated compounds varied from 89% to 110%. The intra- and inter-day precision were within the acceptable limits (±15%) at all tested concentrations. The applicability of the methods was examined by analysing 25 liquid samples from e-cigarettes commercially available on the Polish market. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Rapid quantification of iodopropynyl butylcarbamate as the preservative in cosmetic formulations using high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Frauen, M; Steinhart, H; Rapp, C; Hintze, U

    2001-07-01

    A simple, rapid and reproducible method for identification and quantification of iodopropynyl butylcarbamate (IPBC) in different cosmetic formulations is presented. The determination was carried out using a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) procedure on a reversed phase column coupled to a single quadrupole mass spectrometer (MS) via an electrospray ionization (ESI) interface. Detection was performed in the positive selected ion-monitoring mode. In methanol/water extracts from different cosmetic formulations a detection limit between 50 and 100 ng/g could be achieved. A routine analytical procedure could be set up with good quantification reliability (relative standard deviation between 0.9 and 2.9%).

  20. Use of a medication quantification scale for comparison of pain medication usage in patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS).

    PubMed

    Gallizzi, Michael A; Khazai, Ravand S; Gagnon, Christine M; Bruehl, Stephen; Harden, R Norman

    2015-03-01

    To correlate the amount and types of pain medications prescribed to CRPS patients, using the Medication Quantification Scale, and patients' subjective pain levels. An international, multisite, retrospective review. University medical centers in the United States, Israel, Germany, and the Netherlands. A total of 89 subjects were enrolled from four different countries: 27 from the United States, 20 Germany, 18 Netherlands, and 24 Israel. The main outcome measures used were the Medication Quantification Scale III and numerical analog pain scale. There was no statistically significant correlation noted between the medication quantification scale and the visual analog scale for any site except for a moderate positive correlation at German sites. The medication quantification scale mean differences between the United States and Germany, the Netherlands, and Israel were 9.793 (P < 0.002), 10.389 (P < 0.001), and 4.984 (P = 0.303), respectively. There appears to be only a weak correlation between amount of pain medication prescribed and patients' reported subjective pain intensity within this limited patient population. The Medication Quantification Scale is a viable tool for the analysis of pharmaceutical treatment of CRPS patients and would be useful in further prospective studies of pain medication prescription practices in the CRPS population worldwide. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Overcoming biofluid protein complexity during targeted mass spectrometry detection and quantification of protein biomarkers by MRM cubed (MRM3).

    PubMed

    Jeudy, Jeremy; Salvador, Arnaud; Simon, Romain; Jaffuel, Aurore; Fonbonne, Catherine; Léonard, Jean-François; Gautier, Jean-Charles; Pasquier, Olivier; Lemoine, Jerome

    2014-02-01

    Targeted mass spectrometry in the so-called multiple reaction monitoring mode (MRM) is certainly a promising way for the precise, accurate, and multiplexed measurement of proteins and their genetic or posttranslationally modified isoforms. MRM carried out on a low-resolution triple quadrupole instrument faces a lack of specificity when addressing the quantification of weakly concentrated proteins. In this case, extensive sample fractionation or immunoenrichment alleviates signal contamination by interferences, but in turn decreases assay performance and throughput. Recently, MRM(3) was introduced as an alternative to MRM to improve the limit of quantification of weakly concentrated protein biomarkers. In the present work, we compare MRM and MRM(3) modes for the detection of biomarkers in plasma and urine. Calibration curves drawn with MRM and MRM(3) showed a similar range of linearity (R(2) > 0.99 for both methods) with protein concentrations above 1 μg/mL in plasma and a few nanogram per milliliter in urine. In contrast, optimized MRM(3) methods improve the limits of quantification by a factor of 2 to 4 depending on the targeted peptide. This gain arises from the additional MS(3) fragmentation step, which significantly removes or decreases interfering signals within the targeted transition channels.

  2. Selective Distance-Based K+ Quantification on Paper-Based Microfluidics.

    PubMed

    Gerold, Chase T; Bakker, Eric; Henry, Charles S

    2018-04-03

    In this study, paper-based microfluidic devices (μPADs) capable of K + quantification in aqueous samples, as well as in human serum, using both colorimetric and distance-based methods are described. A lipophilic phase containing potassium ionophore I (valinomycin) was utilized to achieve highly selective quantification of K + in the presence of Na + , Li + , and Mg 2+ ions. Successful addition of a suspended lipophilic phase to a wax printed paper-based device is described and offers a solution to current approaches that rely on organic solvents, which damage wax barriers. The approach provides an avenue for future alkali/alkaline quantification utilizing μPADs. Colorimetric spot tests allowed for K + quantification from 0.1-5.0 mM using only 3.00 μL of sample solution. Selective distance-based quantification required small sample volumes (6.00 μL) and gave responses sensitive enough to distinguish between 1.0 and 2.5 mM of sample K + . μPADs using distance-based methods were also capable of differentiating between 4.3 and 6.9 mM K + in human serum samples. Distance-based methods required no digital analysis, electronic hardware, or pumps; any steps required for quantification could be carried out using the naked eye.

  3. SU-E-J-155: Utilizing Varian TrueBeam Developer Mode for the Quantification of Mechanical Limits and the Simulation of 4D Respiratory Motion

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Moseley, D; Dave, M

    Purpose: Use Varian TrueBeam Developer mode to quantify the mechanical limits of the couch and to simulate 4D respiratory motion. Methods: An in-house MATLAB based GUI was created to make the BEAM XML files. The couch was moved in a triangular wave in the S/I direction with varying amplitudes (1mm, 5mm, 10mm, and 50mm) and periods (3s, 6s, and 9s). The periods were determined by specifying the speed. The theoretical positions were compared to the values recorded by the machine at 50 Hz. HD videos were taken for certain tests as external validation. 4D Respiratory motion was simulated by anmore » A/P MV beam being delivered while the couch moved in an elliptical manner. The ellipse had a major axis of 2 cm (S/I) and a minor axis of 1 cm (A/P). Results: The path planned by the TrueBeam deviated from the theoretical triangular form as the speed increased. Deviations were noticed starting at a speed of 3.33 cm/s (50mm amplitude, 6s period). The greatest deviation occurred in the 50mm- 3s sequence with a correlation value of −0.13 and a 27% time increase; the plan essentially became out of phase. Excluding these two, the plans had correlation values of 0.99. The elliptical sequence effectively simulated a respiratory pattern with a period of 6s. The period could be controlled by changing the speeds or the dose rate. Conclusion: The work first shows the quantification of the mechanical limits of the couch and the speeds at which the proposed plans begin to deviate. These limits must be kept in mind when programming other couch sequences. The methodology can be used to quantify the limits of other axes. Furthermore, the work shows the possibility of creating 4D respiratory simulations without using specialized phantoms or motion-platforms. This can be further developed to program patient-specific breathing patterns.« less

  4. Electrochemical Quantification of the Antioxidant Capacity of Medicinal Plants Using Biosensors

    PubMed Central

    Rodríguez-Sevilla, Erika; Ramírez-Silva, María-Teresa; Romero-Romo, Mario; Ibarra-Escutia, Pedro; Palomar-Pardavé, Manuel

    2014-01-01

    The working area of a screen-printed electrode, SPE, was modified with the enzyme tyrosinase (Tyr) using different immobilization methods, namely entrapment with water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), cross-linking using glutaraldehyde (GA), and cross-linking using GA and human serum albumin (HSA); the resulting electrodes were termed SPE/Tyr/PVA, SPE/Tyr/GA and SPE/Tyr/HSA/GA, respectively. These biosensors were characterized by means of amperometry and EIS techniques. From amperometric evaluations, the apparent Michaelis-Menten constant, Km′, of each biosensor was evaluated while the respective charge transfer resistance, Rct, was assessed from impedance measurements. It was found that the SPE/Tyr/GA had the smallest Km′ (57 ± 7) μM and Rct values. This electrode also displayed both the lowest detection and quantification limits for catechol quantification. Using the SPE/Tyr/GA, the Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) was determined from infusions prepared with “mirto” (Salvia microphylla), “hHierba dulce” (Lippia dulcis) and “salve real” (Lippia alba), medicinal plants commonly used in Mexico. PMID:25111237

  5. Fast determination of four polar contaminants in soy nutraceutical products by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Domingos Alves, Renata; Romero-González, Roberto; López-Ruiz, Rosalía; Jiménez-Medina, M L; Garrido Frenich, Antonia

    2016-11-01

    An analytical method based on a modified QuPPe (quick polar pesticide) extraction procedure coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was evaluated for the determination of four polar compounds (chlorate, fosetyl-Al, maleic hydrazide, and perchlorate) in nutraceutical products obtained from soy. Experimental conditions including extraction such as solvent, acidification, time, and clean-up sorbents were varied. Acidified acetonitrile (1 % formic acid, v/v) was used as extraction solvent instead of methanol (conventional QuPPe), which provides a doughy mixture which cannot be injected into the LC. Clean-up or derivatization steps were avoided. For analysis, several stationary phases were evaluated and Hypercarb (porous graphitic carbon) provided the best results. The optimized method was validated and recoveries ranged between 46 and 119 %, and correction factors can be used for quantification purposes bearing in mind that inter-day precision was equal to or lower than 17 %. Limits of quantification (LOQs) ranged from 4 to 100 μg kg -1 . Soy-based nutraceutical products were analyzed and chlorate was detected in five samples at concentrations between 63 and 1642 μg kg -1 . Graphical Abstract Analysis of polar compounds in soy-based nutraceutical products.

  6. Rapid Method for the Determination of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural and Levulinic Acid Using a Double-Wavelength UV Spectroscopy

    PubMed Central

    Xue, Guoxin

    2013-01-01

    This study reports on a rapid method for the determination of levulinic acid (LA) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in acid hydrolyze system of glucose based on UV spectroscopy. It was found that HMF and LA have a maximum absorption at the wavelengths of 284 nm and 266 nm, respectively, in a water medium, and the absorptions of HMF and LA at 284 nm and 266 nm follow Beer's law very well. However, it was found that a major spectral interference species will arise in the quantification of HMF and LA; nonetheless, this interference can be eliminated through the absorption treatment of charcoal. Therefore, both HMF and LA can be quantified with a double-wavelength technique. The repeatability of the method had a relative standard deviation of less than 4.47% for HMF and 2.25% for LA; the limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.017 mmol/L for HMF and 4.68 mmol/L for LA, and the recovery ranged from 88% to 116% for HMF and from 94% to 105% for LA. The present method is simple, rapid, and accurate. It is suitable to use in the research of the preparation of HMF and LA in biorefinery area. PMID:24228006

  7. Development and validation of a LC-ESI-MS/MS method for the determination of phenolic compounds in honeydew honeys with the diluted-and-shoot approach.

    PubMed

    Seraglio, Siluana Katia Tischer; Valese, Andressa Camargo; Daguer, Heitor; Bergamo, Greici; Azevedo, Mônia Stremel; Gonzaga, Luciano Valdemiro; Fett, Roseane; Costa, Ana Carolina Oliveira

    2016-09-01

    A simple, reproducible and sensitive method has been optimized and validated for simultaneous determination of 32 phenolic compounds in bracatinga (Mimosa scabrella Benth.) with the diluted-and-shoot approach, without the need of any additional clean-up steps. It has been based on high performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry and electrospray ionization (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS). The chromatography conditions were optimized, and due to the selectivity provided by MRM monitoring, LC separation required only 9min. The developed method was validated on the basis of Eurachem and European Commission Decision 2002/657/EC guidelines. Mean recoveries ranged from 70.4 to 110%. Intra-day and inter-day precision with RSD (relative standard deviations) from 0.14 to 18.9% and 0.34 to 20.0%, respectively were achieved. Limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) ranged from 0.03 to 3.20μgL -1 and 0.20-12.8μgL -1 . Finally, the method was applied to samples and 20 phenolic compounds were quantified in all the samples analyzed, representing a contribution to the characterization and quantification of phenolic compounds from bracatinga (M. scabrella Bentham) honeydew honey. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. A Simple and Specific Stability- Indicating RP-HPLC Method for Routine Assay of Adefovir Dipivoxil in Bulk and Tablet Dosage Form.

    PubMed

    Darsazan, Bahar; Shafaati, Alireza; Mortazavi, Seyed Alireza; Zarghi, Afshin

    2017-01-01

    A simple and reliable stability-indicating RP-HPLC method was developed and validated for analysis of adefovir dipivoxil (ADV).The chromatographic separation was performed on a C 18 column using a mixture of acetonitrile-citrate buffer (10 mM at pH 5.2) 36:64 (%v/v) as mobile phase, at a flow rate of 1.5 mL/min. Detection was carried out at 260 nm and a sharp peak was obtained for ADV at a retention time of 5.8 ± 0.01 min. No interferences were observed from its stress degradation products. The method was validated according to the international guidelines. Linear regression analysis of data for the calibration plot showed a linear relationship between peak area and concentration over the range of 0.5-16 μg/mL; the regression coefficient was 0.9999and the linear regression equation was y = 24844x-2941.3. The detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) limits were 0.12 and 0.35 μg/mL, respectively. The results proved the method was fast (analysis time less than 7 min), precise, reproducible, and accurate for analysis of ADV over a wide range of concentration. The proposed specific method was used for routine quantification of ADV in pharmaceutical bulk and a tablet dosage form.

  9. A rapid Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic method for direct quantification of paracetamol content in solid pharmaceutical formulations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mallah, Muhammad Ali; Sherazi, Syed Tufail Hussain; Bhanger, Muhammad Iqbal; Mahesar, Sarfaraz Ahmed; Bajeer, Muhammad Ashraf

    2015-04-01

    A transmission FTIR spectroscopic method was developed for direct, inexpensive and fast quantification of paracetamol content in solid pharmaceutical formulations. In this method paracetamol content is directly analyzed without solvent extraction. KBr pellets were formulated for the acquisition of FTIR spectra in transmission mode. Two chemometric models: simple Beer's law and partial least squares employed over the spectral region of 1800-1000 cm-1 for quantification of paracetamol content had a regression coefficient of (R2) of 0.999. The limits of detection and quantification using FTIR spectroscopy were 0.005 mg g-1 and 0.018 mg g-1, respectively. Study for interference was also done to check effect of the excipients. There was no significant interference from the sample matrix. The results obviously showed the sensitivity of transmission FTIR spectroscopic method for pharmaceutical analysis. This method is green in the sense that it does not require large volumes of hazardous solvents or long run times and avoids prior sample preparation.

  10. Qualitative screening of veterinary anti-microbial agents in tissues, milk, and eggs of food-producing animals using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Chen, Dongmei; Yu, Jie; Tao, Yanfei; Pan, Yuanhu; Xie, Shuyu; Huang, Lingli; Peng, Dapeng; Wang, Xu; Wang, Yulian; Liu, Zhenli; Yuan, Zonghui

    2016-04-01

    A method for the analysis of 120 drugs in animal derived food was developed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). These analytes belong to 12 families of veterinary anti-microbial agents (quinolones, macrolides, β-lactams, nitroimidazoles, sulfonamides, lincomycines, chloramphenicols, quinoxalines, tetracyclines, polypeptides, and antibacterial synergists) as well as other compounds not assigned to a particular drug family. The animal derived food samples include muscle and liver of swine, bovine, sheep, and chicken, as well as hen eggs and dairy milk. The sample preparation included ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) with acetonitrile-water and a final clean-up with auto solid-phase extraction (SPE) on HLB cartridges. The detection and quantification of 120 anti-microbial agents was performed using LC-MS/MS in positive and negative ion mode. The chromatographic separation was performed on a C18 column using acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid as the mobile phase. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of all drugs in food-producing animals were 0.5-3.0μg/kg and 1.5-10.0μg/kg, respectively. The developed method was successfully utilized to monitor real samples, which demonstrated that it is a simple, fast, and robust method, and could be used as a regulatory to screen for the presence of residues from veterinary anti-microbial drugs in animal-derived foods. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Fast determination of 3-ethenylpyridine as a marker of environmental tobacco smoke at trace level using direct atmospheric pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jiang, Cheng-Yong; Sun, Shi-Hao; Zhang, Qi-Dong; Liu, Jun-Hui; Zhang, Jian-Xun; Zong, Yong-Li; Xie, Jian-Ping

    2013-03-01

    A method with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry (APCI-MS/MS) was developed and applied to direct analysis of Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS), using 3-ethenylpyridine (3-EP) as a vapour-phase marker. In this study, the ion source of APCI-MS/MS was modified and direct analysis of gas sample was achieved by the modified instrument. ETS samples were directly introduced, via an atmospheric pressure inlet, into the APCI source. Ionization was carried out in positive-ion APCI mode and 3-EP was identified by both full scan mode and daughter scan mode. Quantification of 3-EP was performed by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The calibration curve was obtained in the range of 1-250 ng L-1 with a satisfactory regression coefficient of 0.999. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.5 ng L-1 and 1.6 ng L-1, respectively. The precision of the method, calculated as relative standard deviation (RSD), was characterized by repeatability (RSD 3.92%) and reproducibility (RSD 4.81%), respectively. In real-world ETS samples analysis, compared with the conventional GC-MS method, the direct APCI-MS/MS has shown better reliability and practicability in the determination of 3-EP at trace level. The developed method is simple, fast, sensitive and repeatable; furthermore, it could provide an alternative way for the determination of other volatile pollutants in ambient air at low levels.

  12. Simultaneous Determination of Celecoxib, Erlotinib, and its Metabolite Desmethyl-Erlotinib (OSI-420) in Rat Plasma by Liquid chromatography/Tandem Mass Spectrometry with Positive/Negative Ion-Switching Electrospray Ionisation

    PubMed Central

    Thappali, Satheeshmanikandan R. S.; Varanasi, Kanthikiran; Veeraraghavan, Sridhar; Arla, Rambabu; Chennupati, Sandhya; Rajamanickam, Madheswaran; Vakkalanka, Swaroop; Khagga, Mukkanti

    2012-01-01

    A new method for the simultaneous determination of celecoxib, erlotinib, and its active metabolite desmethyl-erlotinib (OSI-420) in rat plasma, by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry with positive/negative ion-switching electrospray ionization mode, was developed and validated. Protein precipitation with methanol was selected as the method for preparing the samples. The analytes were separated on a reverse-phase C18 column (50mm×4.6mm i.d., 3μ) using methanol: 2 mM ammonium acetate buffer, and pH 4.0 as the mobile phase at a flow rate 0.8 mL/min. Sitagliptin and Efervirenz were used as the internal standards for quantification. The determination was carried out on a Theremo Finnigan Quantam ultra triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer, operated in selected reaction monitoring (SRM) mode using the following transitions monitored simultaneously: positive m/z 394.5→278.1 for erlotinib, m/z 380.3→278.1 for desmethyl erlotinib (OSI-420), and negative m/z −380.1→ −316.3 for celecoxib. The limits of quantification (LOQs) were 1.5 ng/mL for Celecoxib, erlotinib, and OSI-420. Within- and between-day accuracy and precision of the validated method were within the acceptable limits of < 15% at all concentrations. The quantitation method was successfully applied for the simultaneous estimation of celecoxib, erlotinib, and desmethyl erlotinib in a pharmacokinetic study in Wistar rats. PMID:23008811

  13. Quantification of uncertainties for application in detonation simulation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zheng, Miao; Ma, Zhibo

    2016-06-01

    Numerical simulation has become an important means in designing detonation systems, and the quantification of its uncertainty is also necessary to reliability certification. As to quantifying the uncertainty, it is the most important to analyze how the uncertainties occur and develop, and how the simulations develop from benchmark models to new models. Based on the practical needs of engineering and the technology of verification & validation, a framework of QU(quantification of uncertainty) is brought forward in the case that simulation is used on detonation system for scientific prediction. An example is offered to describe the general idea of quantification of simulation uncertainties.

  14. Multiplex quantification of protein toxins in human biofluids and food matrices using immunoextraction and high-resolution targeted mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Dupré, Mathieu; Gilquin, Benoit; Fenaille, François; Feraudet-Tarisse, Cécile; Dano, Julie; Ferro, Myriam; Simon, Stéphanie; Junot, Christophe; Brun, Virginie; Becher, François

    2015-08-18

    The development of rapid methods for unambiguous identification and precise quantification of protein toxins in various matrices is essential for public health surveillance. Nowadays, analytical strategies classically rely on sensitive immunological assays, but mass spectrometry constitutes an attractive complementary approach thanks to direct measurement and protein characterization ability. We developed here an innovative multiplex immuno-LC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous and specific quantification of the three potential biological warfare agents, ricin, staphylococcal enterotoxin B, and epsilon toxin, in complex human biofluids and food matrices. At least 7 peptides were targeted for each toxin (43 peptides in total) with a quadrupole-Orbitrap high-resolution instrument for exquisite detection specificity. Quantification was performed using stable isotope-labeled toxin standards spiked early in the sample. Lower limits of quantification were determined at or close to 1 ng·mL(-1). The whole process was successfully applied to the quantitative analysis of toxins in complex samples such as milk, human urine, and plasma. Finally, we report new data on toxin stability with no evidence of toxin degradation in milk in a 48 h time frame, allowing relevant quantitative toxin analysis for samples collected in this time range.

  15. In situ DNA hybridized chain reaction (FISH-HCR) as a better method for quantification of bacteria and archaea within marine sediment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Buongiorno, J.; Lloyd, K. G.; Shumaker, A.; Schippers, A.; Webster, G.; Weightman, A.; Turner, S.

    2015-12-01

    Nearly 75% of the Earth's surface is covered by marine sediment that is home to an estimated 2.9 x 1029 microbial cells. A substantial impediment to understanding the abundance and distribution of cells within marine sediment is the lack of a consistent and reliable method for their taxon-specific quantification. Catalyzed reporter fluorescent in situ hybridization (CARD-FISH) provides taxon-specific enumeration, but this process requires passing a large enzyme through cell membranes, decreasing its precision relative to general cell counts using a small DNA stain. In 2015, Yamaguchi et al. developed FISH hybridization chain reaction (FISH-HCR) as an in situ whole cell detection method for environmental microorganisms. FISH-HCR amplifies the fluorescent signal, as does CARD-FISH, but it allows for milder cell permeation methods that might prevent yield loss. To compare FISH-HCR to CARD-FISH, we examined bacteria and archaea cell counts within two sediment cores, Lille Belt (~78 meters deep) and Landsort Deep (90 meters deep), which were retrieved from the Baltic Sea Basin during IODP Expedition 347. Preliminary analysis shows that CARD-FISH counts are below the quantification limit for most depths across both cores. By contrast, quantification of cells was possible with FISH-HCR in all examined depths. When quantification with CARD-FISH was above the limit of detection, counts with FISH-HCR were up to 11 fold higher for Bacteria and 3 fold higher for Archaea from the same sediment sample. Further, FISH-HCR counts follow the trends of on board counts nicely, indicating that FISH-HCR may better reflect the cellular abundance within marine sediment than other quantification methods, including qPCR. Using FISH-HCR, we found that archaeal cell counts were on average greater than bacterial cell counts, but within the same order of magnitude.

  16. Washing effects of limonene on pesticide residues in green peppers.

    PubMed

    Lu, Hai-Yan; Shen, Yan; Sun, Xing; Zhu, Hong; Liu, Xian-Jin

    2013-09-01

    The presence of pesticide residues in food has caused much concern. The low health risks and environmental impacts of limonene make it a very interesting solvent for use in green chemistry. Washing effects of limonene on pesticide residues of methyl chlorpyrifos, chlorothalonil, chlorpyrifos, fenpropathrin and deltamethrin were investigated in green pepper. Results showed that washing with a low concentration of limonene for 5 min (where LOQ is limit of quantitation) caused 53.67%, <LOQ, 64.29%, 68.69% and 66.22% loss of the above pesticides, respectively, while corresponding values of washing with a high concentration were 84.64%, <LOQ, 90.46%, 89.00% and 89.36%, respectively. Washing with a low concentration of limonene for 10 min produced 55.90%, <LOQ, 66.19%, 72.08% and 73.25% loss, respectively, while corresponding values of washing with a high concentration were 94.42%, <LOQ, 96.58%, 92.04% and < LOQ, respectively. The reductions due to washing with tap water (for 10 min) and the emulsion with only egg yolk lecithin (at high concentration for 10 min) were 25.18 %, 37.83%, 21.84%, 20.87%, 13.86% and < LOQ, 59.70%, 54.09%, 54.76%, 54.47%, respectively. The data indicated that washing with a low concentration of limonene for 5 min was the optimal treatment for elimination of pesticide residues in green pepper, considering effect and treatment time as well as cost. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

  17. Quantification of protein concentration using UV absorbance and Coomassie dyes.

    PubMed

    Noble, James E

    2014-01-01

    The measurement of a solubilized protein concentration in solution is an important assay in biochemistry research and development labs for applications ranging from enzymatic studies to providing data for biopharmaceutical lot release. Spectrophotometric protein quantification assays are methods that use UV and visible spectroscopy to rapidly determine the concentration of protein, relative to a standard, or using an assigned extinction coefficient. Where multiple samples need measurement, and/or the sample volume and concentration is limited, preparations of the Coomassie dye commonly known as the Bradford assay can be used. © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Multiplex quantification of 12 European Union authorized genetically modified maize lines with droplet digital polymerase chain reaction.

    PubMed

    Dobnik, David; Spilsberg, Bjørn; Bogožalec Košir, Alexandra; Holst-Jensen, Arne; Žel, Jana

    2015-08-18

    Presence of genetically modified organisms (GMO) in food and feed products is regulated in many countries. The European Union (EU) has implemented a threshold for labeling of products containing more than 0.9% of authorized GMOs per ingredient. As the number of GMOs has increased over time, standard-curve based simplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analyses are no longer sufficiently cost-effective, despite widespread use of initial PCR based screenings. Newly developed GMO detection methods, also multiplex methods, are mostly focused on screening and detection but not quantification. On the basis of droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) technology, multiplex assays for quantification of all 12 EU authorized GM maize lines (per April first 2015) were developed. Because of high sequence similarity of some of the 12 GM targets, two separate multiplex assays were needed. In both assays (4-plex and 10-plex), the transgenes were labeled with one fluorescence reporter and the endogene with another (GMO concentration = transgene/endogene ratio). It was shown that both multiplex assays produce specific results and that performance parameters such as limit of quantification, repeatability, and trueness comply with international recommendations for GMO quantification methods. Moreover, for samples containing GMOs, the throughput and cost-effectiveness is significantly improved compared to qPCR. Thus, it was concluded that the multiplex ddPCR assays could be applied for routine quantification of 12 EU authorized GM maize lines. In case of new authorizations, the events can easily be added to the existing multiplex assays. The presented principle of quantitative multiplexing can be applied to any other domain.

  19. Analysis of adulterants in a traditional herbal medicinal product using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Lau, Aik-Jiang; Holmes, Michael J; Woo, Soo-On; Koh, Hwee-Ling

    2003-02-26

    Adulterations with synthetic drugs are common problems with herbal medicine and this can potentially cause serious adverse effects. It is therefore important to determine the presence of synthetic drugs in herbal medicine to ensure patients' safety. The objective of this study was to develop sensitive and specific methods to analyse phenylbutazone, caffeine and oxyphenbutazone present in a traditional Indonesian herbal product. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) methods in the selected reaction-monitoring (SRM) mode were developed. It was found that the sample contained 0.53% w/w (n=3, RSD=7.56%) phenylbutazone and 0.04% w/w (n=3, RSD=8.39%) caffeine. This corresponded to 43.17 mg phenylbutazone and 3.23 mg caffeine in each sachet of powder. The methods were validated for linearity, precision, accuracy, LOD and LOQ. LOD and LOQ were found to be 3.69 and 12.29 ng/ml, respectively for phenylbutazone. For caffeine, the LOD and LOQ were 0.84 and 2.80 ng/ml, respectively. Oxyphenbutazone in the sample was found to be present at a level below the quantification level of 10.2 ng/ml. With better methods developed for analysis of adulterants in herbal medicine, the quality and safety of these medicines can be better controlled and regulated to ensure patients' safety.

  20. Antidepressants detection and quantification in whole blood samples by GC-MS/MS, for forensic purposes.

    PubMed

    Truta, Liliana; Castro, André L; Tarelho, Sónia; Costa, Pedro; Sales, M Goreti F; Teixeira, Helena M

    2016-09-05

    Depression is among the most prevalent psychiatric disorders of our society, leading to an increase in antidepressant drug consumption that needs to be accurately determined in whole blood samples in Forensic Toxicology Laboratories. For this purpose, this work presents a new gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) method targeting the simultaneous and rapid determination of 14 common Antidepressants in whole blood: 13 Antidepressants (amitriptyline, citalopram, clomipramine, dothiepin, fluoxetine, imipramine, mianserin, mirtazapine, nortryptiline, paroxetine, sertraline, trimipramine and venlafaxine) and 1 Metabolite (N-desmethylclomipramine). Solid-phase extraction was used prior to chromatographic separation. Chromatographic and MS/MS parameters were selected to improve sensitivity, peak resolution and unequivocal identification of the eluted analyte. The detection was performed on a triple quadrupole tandem MS in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode in tandem, using electronic impact ionization. Clomipramine-D3 and trimipramine-D3 were used as deutered internal standards. The validation parameters included linearity, limits of detection, lower limit of quantification, selectivity/specificity, extraction efficiency, carry-over, precision and robustness, and followed internationally accepted guidelines. Limits of quantification and detection were lower than therapeutic and sub-therapeutic concentration ranges. Overall, the method offered good selectivity, robustness and quick response (<16min) for typical concentration ranges, both for therapeutic and lethal levels. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Simultaneous quantification of flavonoids and triterpenoids in licorice using HPLC.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yuan-Chuen; Yang, Yi-Shan

    2007-05-01

    Numerous bioactive compounds are present in licorice (Glycyrrhizae Radix), including flavonoids and triterpenoids. In this study, a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for simultaneous quantification of three flavonoids (liquiritin, liquiritigenin and isoliquiritigenin) and four triterpenoids (glycyrrhizin, 18alpha-glycyrrhetinic acid, 18beta-glycyrrhetinic acid and 18beta-glycyrrhetinic acid methyl ester) from licorice was developed, and further, to quantify these 7 compounds from 20 different licorice samples. Specifically, the reverse-phase HPLC was performed with a gradient mobile phase composed of 25 mM phosphate buffer (pH 2.5)-acetonitrile featuring gradient elution steps as follows: 0 min, 100:0; 10 min, 80:20; 50 min, 70:30; 73 min, 50:50; 110 min, 50:50; 125 min, 20:80; 140 min, 20:80, and peaks were detected at 254 nm. By using our technique, a rather good specificity was obtained regarding to the separation of these seven compounds. The regression coefficient for the linear equations for the seven compounds lay between 0.9978 and 0.9992. The limits of detection and quantification lay in the range of 0.044-0.084 and 0.13-0.25 microg/ml, respectively. The relative recovery rates for the seven compounds lay between 96.63+/-2.43 and 103.55+/-2.77%. Coefficient variation for intra-day and inter-day precisions lay in the range of 0.20-1.84 and 0.28-1.86%, respectively. Based upon our validation results, this analytical technique is a convenient method to simultaneous quantify numerous bioactive compounds derived from licorice, featuring good quantification parameters, accuracy and precision.

  2. An alternative method for irones quantification in iris rhizomes using headspace solid-phase microextraction.

    PubMed

    Roger, B; Fernandez, X; Jeannot, V; Chahboun, J

    2010-01-01

    The essential oil obtained from iris rhizomes is one of the most precious raw materials for the perfume industry. Its fragrance is due to irones that are gradually formed by oxidative degradation of iridals during rhizome ageing. The development of an alternative method allowing irone quantification in iris rhizomes using HS-SPME-GC. The development of the method using HS-SPME-GC was achieved using the results obtained from a conventional method, i.e. a solid-liquid extraction (SLE) followed by irone quantification by CG. Among several calibration methods tested, internal calibration gave the best results and was the least sensitive to the matrix effect. The proposed method using HS-SPME-GC is as accurate and reproducible as the conventional one using SLE. These two methods were used to monitor and compare irone concentrations in iris rhizomes that had been stored for 6 months to 9 years. Irone quantification in iris rhizome can be achieved using HS-SPME-GC. This method can thus be used for the quality control of the iris rhizomes. It offers the advantage of combining extraction and analysis with an automated device and thus allows a large number of rhizome batches to be analysed and compared in a limited amount of time. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  3. Validated Method for the Quantification of Baclofen in Human Plasma Using Solid-Phase Extraction and Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Nahar, Limon Khatun; Cordero, Rosa Elena; Nutt, David; Lingford-Hughes, Anne; Turton, Samuel; Durant, Claire; Wilson, Sue; Paterson, Sue

    2016-03-01

    A highly sensitive and fully validated method was developed for the quantification of baclofen in human plasma. After adjusting the pH of the plasma samples using a phosphate buffer solution (pH 4), baclofen was purified using mixed mode (C8/cation exchange) solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridges. Endogenous water-soluble compounds and lipids were removed from the cartridges before the samples were eluted and concentrated. The samples were analyzed using triple-quadrupole liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) with triggered dynamic multiple reaction monitoring mode for simultaneous quantification and confirmation. The assay was linear from 25 to 1,000 ng/mL (r(2) > 0.999; n = 6). Intraday (n = 6) and interday (n = 15) imprecisions (% relative standard deviation) were <5%, and the average recovery was 30%. The limit of detection of the method was 5 ng/mL, and the limit of quantification was 25 ng/mL. Plasma samples from healthy male volunteers (n = 9, median age: 22) given two single oral doses of baclofen (10 and 60 mg) on nonconsecutive days were analyzed to demonstrate method applicability. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  4. Targeted Proteomic Quantification on Quadrupole-Orbitrap Mass Spectrometer*

    PubMed Central

    Gallien, Sebastien; Duriez, Elodie; Crone, Catharina; Kellmann, Markus; Moehring, Thomas; Domon, Bruno

    2012-01-01

    There is an immediate need for improved methods to systematically and precisely quantify large sets of peptides in complex biological samples. To date protein quantification in biological samples has been routinely performed on triple quadrupole instruments operated in selected reaction monitoring mode (SRM), and two major challenges remain. Firstly, the number of peptides to be included in one survey experiment needs to be increased to routinely reach several hundreds, and secondly, the degree of selectivity should be improved so as to reliably discriminate the targeted analytes from background interferences. High resolution and accurate mass (HR/AM) analysis on the recently developed Q-Exactive mass spectrometer can potentially address these issues. This instrument presents a unique configuration: it is constituted of an orbitrap mass analyzer equipped with a quadrupole mass filter as the front-end for precursor ion mass selection. This configuration enables new quantitative methods based on HR/AM measurements, including targeted analysis in MS mode (single ion monitoring) and in MS/MS mode (parallel reaction monitoring). The ability of the quadrupole to select a restricted m/z range allows one to overcome the dynamic range limitations associated with trapping devices, and the MS/MS mode provides an additional stage of selectivity. When applied to targeted protein quantification in urine samples and benchmarked with the reference SRM technique, the quadrupole-orbitrap instrument exhibits similar or better performance in terms of selectivity, dynamic range, and sensitivity. This high performance is further enhanced by leveraging the multiplexing capability of the instrument to design novel acquisition methods and apply them to large targeted proteomic studies for the first time, as demonstrated on 770 tryptic yeast peptides analyzed in one 60-min experiment. The increased quality of quadrupole-orbitrap data has the potential to improve existing protein

  5. Evaluation of limited blood sampling population input approaches for kinetic quantification of [18F]fluorothymidine PET data.

    PubMed

    Contractor, Kaiyumars B; Kenny, Laura M; Coombes, Charles R; Turkheimer, Federico E; Aboagye, Eric O; Rosso, Lula

    2012-03-24

    Quantification of kinetic parameters of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging agents normally requires collecting arterial blood samples which is inconvenient for patients and difficult to implement in routine clinical practice. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a population-based input function (POP-IF) reliant on only a few individual discrete samples allows accurate estimates of tumour proliferation using [18F]fluorothymidine (FLT). Thirty-six historical FLT-PET data with concurrent arterial sampling were available for this study. A population average of baseline scans blood data was constructed using leave-one-out cross-validation for each scan and used in conjunction with individual blood samples. Three limited sampling protocols were investigated including, respectively, only seven (POP-IF7), five (POP-IF5) and three (POP-IF3) discrete samples of the historical dataset. Additionally, using the three-point protocol, we derived a POP-IF3M, the only input function which was not corrected for the fraction of radiolabelled metabolites present in blood. The kinetic parameter for net FLT retention at steady state, Ki, was derived using the modified Patlak plot and compared with the original full arterial set for validation. Small percentage differences in the area under the curve between all the POP-IFs and full arterial sampling IF was found over 60 min (4.2%-5.7%), while there were, as expected, larger differences in the peak position and peak height.A high correlation between Ki values calculated using the original arterial input function and all the population-derived IFs was observed (R2 = 0.85-0.98). The population-based input showed good intra-subject reproducibility of Ki values (R2 = 0.81-0.94) and good correlation (R2 = 0.60-0.85) with Ki-67. Input functions generated using these simplified protocols over scan duration of 60 min estimate net PET-FLT retention with reasonable accuracy.

  6. On-Chip, Amplification-Free Quantification of Nucleic Acid for Point-of-Care Diagnosis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yen, Tony Minghung

    This dissertation demonstrates three physical device concepts to overcome limitations in point-of-care quantification of nucleic acids. Enabling sensitive, high throughput nucleic acid quantification on a chip, outside of hospital and centralized laboratory setting, is crucial for improving pathogen detection and cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Among existing platforms, microarray have the advantages of being amplification free, low instrument cost, and high throughput, but are generally less sensitive compared to sequencing and PCR assays. To bridge this performance gap, this dissertation presents theoretical and experimental progress to develop a platform nucleic acid quantification technology that is drastically more sensitive than current microarrays while compatible with microarray architecture. The first device concept explores on-chip nucleic acid enrichment by natural evaporation of nucleic acid solution droplet. Using a micro-patterned super-hydrophobic black silicon array device, evaporative enrichment is coupled with nano-liter droplet self-assembly workflow to produce a 50 aM concentration sensitivity, 6 orders of dynamic range, and rapid hybridization time at under 5 minutes. The second device concept focuses on improving target copy number sensitivity, instead of concentration sensitivity. A comprehensive microarray physical model taking into account of molecular transport, electrostatic intermolecular interactions, and reaction kinetics is considered to guide device optimization. Device pattern size and target copy number are optimized based on model prediction to achieve maximal hybridization efficiency. At a 100-mum pattern size, a quantum leap in detection limit of 570 copies is achieved using black silicon array device with self-assembled pico-liter droplet workflow. Despite its merits, evaporative enrichment on black silicon device suffers from coffee-ring effect at 100-mum pattern size, and thus not compatible with clinical patient samples. The

  7. Implementation of an Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay for the Quantification of Allergenic Egg Residues in Red Wines Using Commercially Available Antibodies

    PubMed Central

    Koestel, Carole; Simonin, Céline; Belcher, Sandrine

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Since the early 2000s, labeling of potentially allergenic food components to protect people who suffer from food allergies is compulsory in numerous industrialized countries. In Europe, milk and egg components used during the winemaking process must be indicated on the label since July 1, 2012. Several ELISA procedures have been developed to detect allergenic residues in wines. However, the complexity of the wine matrix can inhibit the immunoenzymatic reaction. The aim of this study was to implement an ELISA assay for the detection of ovalbumin in red wines using commercially available antibodies. The specificity of the acquired antibodies and the absence of cross reactivity were assessed by immunoblotting and ELISA. An ELISA assay with a LOD of 14.2 μg/L and a LOQ of 56.4 μg/L of ovalbumin in aqueous solution was obtained. Differences in ELISA signals were observed when analyzing various fining agents, although reproducible conformation of the antigen could be reached for the comparison of ovalbumin and Ovicolle. The differences between samples in terms of pH could be leveled but the inhibition of the ELISA signal, positively correlated to the tannin content of the wines, could not be suppressed. Thus, standard curves of ovalbumin in several wines were obtained by relative quantification. The control steps and the difficulties encountered presented in this study should be considered by anybody working toward the development of ELISA assays for the detection of allergenic residues in complex food matrices. PMID:27356183

  8. LC-MS/MS quantification of free and Fab-bound colchicine in plasma, urine and organs following colchicine administration and colchicine-specific Fab fragments treatment in Göttingen minipigs.

    PubMed

    Fabresse, Nicolas; Allard, Julien; Sardaby, Marine; Thompson, Adrian; Clutton, R Eddie; Eddleston, Michael; Alvarez, Jean-Claude

    2017-08-15

    Clinical evaluation of a colchicine specific antigen-binding fragment (Fab) in order to treat colchicine poisoning required the development of an accurate method allowing quantification of free and Fab-bound colchicine in plasma and urine, and free colchicine in tissues, to measure colchicine redistribution after Fab administration. Three methods have been developed for this purpose, and validated in plasma, urine and liver: total colchicine was determined after denaturation of Fab by dilution in water and heating; free colchicine was separated from Fab-bound colchicine by filtration with 30KDa micro-filters; tissues were homogenized in a tissue mixer. Deuterated colchicine was used as internal standard. Samples were extracted by liquid-liquid extraction and analyzed with a LC-MS/MS. LOQ were 0.5ng/mL in plasma and urine for free and total colchicine and 5pg/mg in tissues. The methods were linear in the 0.5-100ng/mL range in plasma and urine, and 5-300pg/mg in tissues with determination coefficients>0.99. Precision and accuracy of QC samples presented a CV<9.4%. The methods require only 200μL of sample and allow a high throughput due to short analytical run (2min). These methods were successfully applied to a pig intoxicated with colchicine and treated with colchicine specific Fab fragments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Indirect Determination of Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate (PETN) with a gold nanoparticles-based colorimetric sensor.

    PubMed

    Üzer, Ayşem; Yalçın, Uğur; Can, Ziya; Erçağ, Erol; Apak, Reşat

    2017-12-01

    Pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) is the nitrate ester of pentaerythritol, used as an energetic and filling material for military and civilian purposes and rarely for terrorist actions. As there is no reliable nano-colorimetric method for PETN assay, we developed an indirect method based on the determination of nitrite, obtained by reduction of nitrate derived from the alkaline hydrolysis of PETN with H 2 O 2 . We colorimetrically determined the final product, nitrite, by both conventional Griess reaction and a recently developed gold nanoparticle-4-aminothiophenol-N-(1-naphthyl)-ethylenediamine (AuNP-4-ATP+NED) method. Nitramines (RDX and HMX), if present, could be degraded by alkaline hydrolysis, without affecting PETN. The analytical performance characteristics of the developed assays as molar absorptivity (ε), limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were: ɛ=1.06×10 5 L mol -1 cm -1 , LOD=0.03mgL -1 and LOQ=0.11mgL -1 for indirect Griess method; ɛ=1.9×10 4 Lmol -1 cm -1 ; LOD=0.12mgL -1 and LOQ=0.4mgL -1 for AuNP-4-ATP+NED method. Both methods were applied to a 1:1 (w/w) mixture of PETN and TNT (corresponding to the composition of military explosive 'Pentolite'). In order to eliminate the interference from TNT, the Meisenheimer anion of TNT formed in alkaline medium was retained on a strongly basic anion exchange resin column. As PETN had a very low solubility in water, common soil ions could be eliminated by prewashing the sample with water, or in acetone-water mixtures, Ca 2+ , K + , Cl - , SO 4 2- , and NO 3 - could be tolerated at equal (1:1) mass ratios. Soil nitrates and nitrites, at a mass ratio of 50:1, could be separated from PETN with the aid of their insolubilities in acetone and of their retention affinity toward a strongly basic anion-exchange resin. The developed method was statistically validated against a reference GC-MS method. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Picoliter Well Array Chip-Based Digital Recombinase Polymerase Amplification for Absolute Quantification of Nucleic Acids.

    PubMed

    Li, Zhao; Liu, Yong; Wei, Qingquan; Liu, Yuanjie; Liu, Wenwen; Zhang, Xuelian; Yu, Yude

    2016-01-01

    Absolute, precise quantification methods expand the scope of nucleic acids research and have many practical applications. Digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) is a powerful method for nucleic acid detection and absolute quantification. However, it requires thermal cycling and accurate temperature control, which are difficult in resource-limited conditions. Accordingly, isothermal methods, such as recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), are more attractive. We developed a picoliter well array (PWA) chip with 27,000 consistently sized picoliter reactions (314 pL) for isothermal DNA quantification using digital RPA (dRPA) at 39°C. Sample loading using a scraping liquid blade was simple, fast, and required small reagent volumes (i.e., <20 μL). Passivating the chip surface using a methoxy-PEG-silane agent effectively eliminated cross-contamination during dRPA. Our creative optical design enabled wide-field fluorescence imaging in situ and both end-point and real-time analyses of picoliter wells in a 6-cm(2) area. It was not necessary to use scan shooting and stitch serial small images together. Using this method, we quantified serial dilutions of a Listeria monocytogenes gDNA stock solution from 9 × 10(-1) to 4 × 10(-3) copies per well with an average error of less than 11% (N = 15). Overall dRPA-on-chip processing required less than 30 min, which was a 4-fold decrease compared to dPCR, requiring approximately 2 h. dRPA on the PWA chip provides a simple and highly sensitive method to quantify nucleic acids without thermal cycling or precise micropump/microvalve control. It has applications in fast field analysis and critical clinical diagnostics under resource-limited settings.

  11. Picoliter Well Array Chip-Based Digital Recombinase Polymerase Amplification for Absolute Quantification of Nucleic Acids

    PubMed Central

    Li, Zhao; Liu, Yong; Wei, Qingquan; Liu, Yuanjie; Liu, Wenwen; Zhang, Xuelian; Yu, Yude

    2016-01-01

    Absolute, precise quantification methods expand the scope of nucleic acids research and have many practical applications. Digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) is a powerful method for nucleic acid detection and absolute quantification. However, it requires thermal cycling and accurate temperature control, which are difficult in resource-limited conditions. Accordingly, isothermal methods, such as recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), are more attractive. We developed a picoliter well array (PWA) chip with 27,000 consistently sized picoliter reactions (314 pL) for isothermal DNA quantification using digital RPA (dRPA) at 39°C. Sample loading using a scraping liquid blade was simple, fast, and required small reagent volumes (i.e., <20 μL). Passivating the chip surface using a methoxy-PEG-silane agent effectively eliminated cross-contamination during dRPA. Our creative optical design enabled wide-field fluorescence imaging in situ and both end-point and real-time analyses of picoliter wells in a 6-cm2 area. It was not necessary to use scan shooting and stitch serial small images together. Using this method, we quantified serial dilutions of a Listeria monocytogenes gDNA stock solution from 9 × 10-1 to 4 × 10-3 copies per well with an average error of less than 11% (N = 15). Overall dRPA-on-chip processing required less than 30 min, which was a 4-fold decrease compared to dPCR, requiring approximately 2 h. dRPA on the PWA chip provides a simple and highly sensitive method to quantify nucleic acids without thermal cycling or precise micropump/microvalve control. It has applications in fast field analysis and critical clinical diagnostics under resource-limited settings. PMID:27074005

  12. Detection and quantification of cocaine and benzoylecgonine in meconium using solid phase extraction and UPLC/MS/MS.

    PubMed

    Gunn, Josh; Kriger, Scott; Terrell, Andrea R

    2010-01-01

    The simultaneous determination and quantification of cocaine and its major metabolite, benzoylecgonine, in meconium using UPLC-MS/MS is described. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) is an emerging analytical technique which draws upon the principles of chromatography to run separations at higher flow rates for increased speed, while simultaneously achieving superior resolution and sensitivity. Extraction of cocaine and benzoylecgonine from the homogenized meconium matrix was achieved with a preliminary protein precipitation or protein 'crash' employing cold acetonitrile, followed by a mixed mode solid phase extraction (SPE). Following elution from the SPE cartridge, eluents were dried down under nitrogen, reconstituted in 200 microL of DI water:acetonitrile (ACN) (75:25), and injected onto the UPLC/MS/MS for analysis. The increased speed and separation efficiency afforded by UPLC, allowed for the separation and subsequent quantification of both analytes in less than 2 min. Analytes were quantified using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) and six-point calibration curves constructed in negative blood. Limits of detection for both analytes were 3 ng/g and the lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) was 30 ng/g.

  13. Establishment and application of event-specific polymerase chain reaction methods for two genetically modified soybean events, A2704-12 and A5547-127.

    PubMed

    Li, Xiang; Pan, Liangwen; Li, Junyi; Zhang, Qigang; Zhang, Shuya; Lv, Rong; Yang, Litao

    2011-12-28

    For implementation of the issued regulations and labeling policies for genetically modified organism (GMO) supervision, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method has been widely used due to its high specificity and sensitivity. In particular, use of the event-specific PCR method based on the flanking sequence of transgenes has become the primary trend. In this study, both qualitative and quantitative PCR methods were established on the basis of the 5' flanking sequence of transgenic soybean A2704-12 and the 3' flanking sequence of transgenic soybean A5547-127, respectively. In qualitative PCR assays, the limits of detection (LODs) were 10 copies of haploid soybean genomic DNA for both A2704-12 and A5547-127. In quantitative real-time PCR assays, the LODs were 5 copies of haploid soybean genomic DNA for both A2704-12 and A5547-127, and the limits of quantification (LOQs) were 10 copies for both. Low bias and acceptable SD and RSD values were also achieved in quantification of four blind samples using the developed real-time PCR assays. In addition, the developed PCR assays for the two transgenic soybean events were used for routine analysis of soybean samples imported to Shanghai in a 6 month period from October 2010 to March 2011. A total of 27 lots of soybean from the United States and Argentina were analyzed: 8 lots from the Unites States were found to have the GM soybean A2704-12 event, and the GM contents were <1.5% in all eight analyzed lots. On the contrary, no GM soybean A5547-127 content was found in any of the eight lots. These results demonstrated that the established event-specific qualitative and quantitative PCR methods could be used effectively in routine identification and quantification of GM soybeans A2704-12 and A5547-127 and their derived products.

  14. Simultaneous determination of chromones and coumarins in Radix Saposhnikoviae by high performance liquid chromatography with diode array and tandem mass detectors.

    PubMed

    Kim, Min Kyung; Yang, Dong-Hyug; Jung, Mihye; Jung, Eun Ha; Eom, Han Young; Suh, Joon Hyuk; Min, Jung Won; Kim, Unyong; Min, Hyeyoung; Kim, Jinwoong; Han, Sang Beom

    2011-09-16

    Methods using high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) and tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) were developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of 5 chromones and 6 coumarins: prim-O-glucosylcimifugin (1), cimifugin (2), nodakenin (3), 4'-O-β-d-glucosyl-5-O-methylvisamminol (4), sec-O-glucosylhamaudol (5), psoralen (6), bergapten (7), imperatorin (8), phellopterin (9), 3'-O-angeloylhamaudol (10) and anomalin (11), in Radix Saposhnikoviae. The separation conditions for HPLC-DAD were optimized using an Ascentis Express C18 (4.6 mm×100 mm, 2.7 μm particle size) fused-core column. The mobile phase was composed of 10% aqueous acetonitrile (A) and 90% acetonitrile (B) and the elution was performed under a gradient mode at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The detection wavelength was set at 300 nm. The HPLC-DAD method yielded a base line separation of the 11 components in 50% methanol extract of Radix Saposhnikoviae with no interfering peaks detected. The HPLC-DAD method was validated in terms of linearity, accuracy and precision (intra- and inter-day), limit of quantification (LOQ), recovery, and robustness. Specific determination of the 11 components was also accomplished by a triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ionization (ESI) source. This HPLC-MS/MS method was also validated by determining the linearity, limit of quantification, accuracy, and precision. Quantification of the 11 components in 51 commercial Radix Saposhnikoviae samples was successfully performed using the developed HPLC-DAD method. The identity, batch-to-batch consistency, and authenticity of Radix Saposhnikoviae were successfully monitored by the proposed HPLC-DAD and HPLC-MS/MS methods. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Study of vortex-assisted MSPD and LC-MS/MS using alternative solid supports for pharmaceutical extraction from marketed fish.

    PubMed

    Hertzog, Gabriel I; Soares, Karina L; Caldas, Sergiane S; Primel, Ednei G

    2015-06-01

    A procedure based on vortex-assisted matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) for the extraction of 15 pharmaceuticals from fish samples with determination by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was validated. Florisil, C18, diatomaceous earth, chitin, and chitosan were evaluated as solid supports. Best results were obtained with 0.5 g of diatomaceous earth, 0.5 g of sodium sulfate, and 5 mL of methanol. Analytical recoveries ranged from 58 to 128 % with relative standard deviation (RSD) lower than 15 %. Limit of quantification (LOQ) values for the 15 compounds ranged from 5 to 1000 ng g(-1). The method under investigation has shown to be a simple and fast extraction tool with minimum instrumentation and low amount of reagent, resulting in method low cost. Besides, alternative materials, such as chitin and chitosan, which were applied to the dispersion step for the first time, were found to be interesting alternatives.

  16. Cathodic stripping voltammetric determination of arsenic in sugarcane brandy at a modified carbon nanotube paste electrode.

    PubMed

    Teixeira, Meryene C; Tavares, Elisângela de F L; Saczk, Adelir A; Okumura, Leonardo L; Cardoso, Maria das Graças; Magriotis, Zuy M; de Oliveira, Marcelo F

    2014-07-01

    We have developed an eletroanalytical method that employs Cu(2+) solutions to determine arsenic in sugarcane brandy using an electrode consisting of carbon paste modified with carbon nanotubes (CNTPE) and polymeric resins. We used linear sweep (LSV) and differential-pulse (DPV) voltammetry with cathodic stripping for CNTPE containing mineral oil or silicone as binder. The analytical curves were linear from 30 to 110μgL(-1) and from 10 to 110μgL(-1) for LSV and DPV, respectively. The limits of detection (L.O.D.) and quantification (L.O.Q.) of CNTPE were 10.3 and 34.5μgL(-1) for mineral oil and 3.4 and 11.2μgL(-1) for silicone. We applied this method to determine arsenic in five commercial sugarcane brandy samples. The results agreed well with those obtained by hydride generation combined with atomic absorption spectrometry (HG AAS). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. High resolution mass spectrometry studies of sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol in broccoli.

    PubMed

    Kokotou, Maroula G; Revelou, Panagiota-Kyriaki; Pappas, Christos; Constantinou-Kokotou, Violetta

    2017-12-15

    Broccoli is a rich source of bioactive compounds. Among them, sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol have attracted a lot of attention, since their consumption is associated with reduced risk of cancer. In this work, the development of an efficient and direct method for the simultaneous determination of sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol in broccoli using UPLC-HRMS/MS is described. The correlation coefficient, and limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were 0.993, 0.77mg/L and 2.35mg/L for sulforaphane and 0.997, 0.42mg/L, 1.29mg/L for indole-3-carbinol, respectively. The content of sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol varied between 72±9-304±2mg and 77±1-117±3mg per 100g of fresh florets, respectively. Taking into consideration the differences in cultivar, geography, season and environmental factors, the results agreed with values published in the literature using other techniques. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Fast determination of pyrethroid pesticides in tobacco by GC-MS-SIM coupled with modified QuEChERS sample preparation procedure.

    PubMed

    Gao, Yan; Sun, Ying; Jiang, Chunzhu; Yu, Xi; Wang, Yuanpeng; Zhang, Hanqi; Song, Daqian

    2013-01-01

    An analytical method was developed for the extraction and determination of pyrethroid pesticide residues in tobacco. The modified QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe) method was applied for preparing samples. In this study, methyl cyanide (MeCN)-saturated salt aqueous was used as the two-phase extraction solvent for the first time, and a vortex shaker was used for the simultaneous shaking and concentration of the analytes. The effects of experimental parameters on extraction and clean-up efficiency were investigated and optimized. The analytes were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-selected ion monitoring (GC-MS-SIM). The obtained recoveries of the analytes at three different fortification levels were 76.85-114.1% and relative standard deviations (RSDs) were lower than 15.7%. The limits of quantification (LOQs) were from 1.28 to 26.6 μg kg(-1). This method was also applied to the analysis of actual commercial tobacco products and the analytical results were satisfactory.

  19. Glassy carbon electrodes sequentially modified by cysteamine-capped gold nanoparticles and poly(amidoamine) dendrimers generation 4.5 for detecting uric acid in human serum without ascorbic acid interference.

    PubMed

    Ramírez-Segovia, A S; Banda-Alemán, J A; Gutiérrez-Granados, S; Rodríguez, A; Rodríguez, F J; Godínez, Luis A; Bustos, E; Manríquez, J

    2014-02-17

    Glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) were sequentially modified by cysteamine-capped gold nanoparticles (AuNp@cysteamine) and PAMAM dendrimers generation 4.5 bearing 128-COOH peripheral groups (GCE/AuNp@cysteamine/PAMAM), in order to explore their capabilities as electrochemical detectors of uric acid (UA) in human serum samples at pH 2. The results showed that concentrations of UA detected by cyclic voltammetry with GCE/AuNp@cysteamine/PAMAM were comparable (deviation <±10%; limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were 1.7×10(-4) and 5.8×10(-4) mg dL(-1), respectively) to those concentrations obtained using the uricase-based enzymatic-colorimetric method. It was also observed that the presence of dendrimers in the GCE/AuNp@cysteamine/PAMAM system minimizes ascorbic acid (AA) interference during UA oxidation, thus improving the electrocatalytic activity of the gold nanoparticles. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Residue analysis of fipronil and difenoconazole in okra by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and their food safety evaluation.

    PubMed

    Hingmire, Sandip; Oulkar, Dasharath P; Utture, Sagar C; Ahammed Shabeer, T P; Banerjee, Kaushik

    2015-06-01

    A liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) based method is reported for simultaneous analysis of fipronil (plus its metabolites) and difenoconazole residues in okra. The sample preparation method involving extraction with ethyl acetate provided 80-107% recoveries for both the pesticides with precision RSD within 4-17% estimated at the limits of quantification (LOQ, fipronil=1ngg(-1), difenoconazole=5ngg(-1)) and higher fortification levels. In field, both the pesticides dissipated with half-life of 2.5days. The estimated pre-harvest intervals (PHI) for fipronil and difenoconazole were 15 and 19.5days, and 4 and 6.5days at single and double dose of field applications, respectively. Decontamination of incurred residues by washing and different cooking treatments was quite efficient in minimizing the residue load of both the chemicals. Okra samples harvested after the estimated PHIs were found safe for human consumption. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. A simple, rapid and novel method based on salting-out assisted liquid-liquid extraction for ochratoxin A determination in beer samples prior to ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Mariño-Repizo, Leonardo; Goicoechea, Hector; Raba, Julio; Cerutti, Soledad

    2018-06-07

    A novel, simple, easy and cheap sample treatment strategy based on salting-out assisted liquid-liquid extraction (SALLE) for ochratoxin A (OTA) ultra-trace analysis in beer samples using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry determination was developed. The factors involved in the efficiency of pretreatment were studied employing factorial design in the screening phase and the optimal conditions of the significant variables on the analytical response were evaluated using a central composite face-centred design (CCF). Consequently, the amount of salt ((NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 ), together with the volumes of sample, hydrophilic (acetone) and nonpolar (toluene) solvents, and times of vortexing and centrifugation were optimized. Under optimized conditions, the limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were 0.02 µg l -1 and 0.08 µg l -1 respectively. OTA extraction recovery by SALLE was approximately 90% (0.2 µg l -1 ). Furthermore, the methodology was in agreement with EU Directive requirements and was successfully applied for analysis of beer samples.

  2. Fluorescent carbon quantum dot hydrogels for direct determination of silver ions.

    PubMed

    Cayuela, A; Soriano, M L; Kennedy, S R; Steed, J W; Valcárcel, M

    2016-05-01

    The paper reports for the first time the direct determination of silver ion (Ag(+)) using luminescent Carbon Quantum Dot hydrogels (CQDGs). Carbon Quantum Dots (CQDs) with different superficial moieties (passivate-CQDs with carboxylic groups, thiol-CQDs and amine-CQDs) were used to prepare hybrid gels using a low molecular weight hydrogelator (LMWG). The use of the gels results in considerable fluorescence enhancement and also markedly influences selectivity. The most selective CQDG system for Ag(+) ion detection proved to be those containing carboxylic groups onto their surface. The selectivity towards Ag(+) ions is possibly due to its flexible coordination sphere compared with other metal ions. This fluorescent sensing platform is based on the strong Ag-O interaction which can quench the photoluminescence of passivate-CQDs (p-CQDs) through charge transfer. The limit of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of the proposed method were 0.55 and 1.83µgmL(-1), respectively, being applied in river water samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Development of a novel method for determination of mercury based on its inhibitory effect on horseradish peroxidase activity followed by monitoring the surface plasmon resonance peak of gold nanoparticles

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khodaveisi, Javad; Shabani, Ali Mohammad Haji; Dadfarnia, Shayessteh; Moghadam, Masoud Rohani; Hormozi-Nezhad, Mohammad Reza

    2016-01-01

    A highly sensitive and simple indirect spectrophotometric method has been developed for the determination of trace amounts of inorganic mercury (Hg2 +) in aqueous media. The method is based on the inhibitory effect of Hg2 + on the activity of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in the oxidation of ascorbic acid by hydrogen peroxide followed by the reduction of Au3 + to Au-NPs by unreacted ascorbic acid and the measurement of the absorbance of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) peak of gold nanoparticles (at 530 nm) which is directly proportional to the concentration of Hg2 +. Under the optimum conditions, the calibration curve was linear in the concentration range of 1-220 ng mL- 1. Limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were 0.2 and 0.7 ng mL- 1, respectively and the relative standard deviation at 100 ng mL- 1 level of Hg2 + was 2.6%. The method was successfully applied to the determination of mercury in different water samples.

  4. Evaluation of an analytical methodology using QuEChERS and GC-SQ/MS for the investigation of the level of pesticide residues in Brazilian melons.

    PubMed

    da Silva Sousa, Jonas; de Castro, Rubens Carius; de Albuquerque Andrade, Gilliane; Lima, Cleidiane Gomes; Lima, Lucélia Kátia; Milhome, Maria Aparecida Liberato; do Nascimento, Ronaldo Ferreira

    2013-12-01

    A multiresidue method based on the sample preparation by modified QuEChERS and detection by gas chromatography coupled to single quadruple mass spectrometers (GC-SQ/MS) was used for the analysis of 35 multiclass pesticides in melons (Cucumis melo inodorus) produced in Ceara-Brazil. The rates of recovery for pesticides studied were satisfactory (except for the etridiazole), ranging from 85% to 117% with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of less than 15%, at concentrations between 0.05 and 0.20 mg kg(-1). The limit of quantification (LOQ) for most compounds was below the MRLs established in Brazil. The combined relative uncertainty (Uc) and expanded uncertainty (Ue) was determined using repeatability, recovery and calibration curves data for each pesticide. Analysis of commercial melons samples revealed the presence of pesticides bifenthrin and imazalil at levels below the MRLs established by ANVISA, EU and USEPA. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Electrochemical latent redox ratiometric probes for real-time tracking and quantification of endogenous hydrogen sulfide production in living cells.

    PubMed

    Manibalan, Kesavan; Mani, Veerappan; Chang, Pu-Chieh; Huang, Chih-Hung; Huang, Sheng-Tung; Marchlewicz, Kasper; Neethirajan, Suresh

    2017-10-15

    Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) was discovered as a third gasotransmitter in biological systems and recent years have seen a growing interest to understand its physiological and pathological functions. However, one major limiting factor is the lack of robust sensors to quantitatively track its production in real-time. We described a facile electrochemical assay based on latent redox probe approach for highly specific and sensitive quantification in living cells. Two chemical probes, Azido Benzyl ferrocene carbamate (ABFC) and N-alkyl Azido Benzyl ferrocene carbamate (NABFC) composed of azide trigger group were designed. H 2 S molecules specifically triggered the release of reporters from probes and the current response was monitored using graphene oxide film modified electrode as transducer. The detection limits are 0.32µM (ABFC) and 0.076µM (NABFC) which are comparable to those of current sensitive methods. The probes are successful in the determination of H 2 S spiked in whole human blood, fetal bovine serum, and E. coli. The continuous monitoring and quantification of endogenous H 2 S production in E. coli were successfully accomplished. This work lays first step stone towards real-time electrochemical quantification of endogenous H 2 S in living cells, thus hold great promise in the analytical aspects of H 2 S. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. LipidMiner: A Software for Automated Identification and Quantification of Lipids from Multiple Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Data Files

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Meng, Da; Zhang, Qibin; Gao, Xiaoli

    2014-04-30

    We have developed a tool for automated, high-throughput analysis of LC-MS/MS data files, which greatly simplifies LC-MS based lipidomics analysis. Our results showed that LipidMiner is accurate and comprehensive in identification and quantification of lipid molecular species. In addition, the workflow implemented in LipidMiner is not limited to identification and quantification of lipids. If a suitable metabolite library is implemented in the library matching module, LipidMiner could be reconfigured as a tool for general metabolomics data analysis. It is of note that LipidMiner currently is limited to singly charged ions, although it is adequate for the purpose of lipidomics sincemore » lipids are rarely multiply charged,[14] even for the polyphosphoinositides. LipidMiner also only processes file formats generated from mass spectrometers from Thermo, i.e. the .RAW format. In the future, we are planning to accommodate file formats generated by mass spectrometers from other predominant instrument vendors to make this tool more universal.« less

  7. Survey of Existing Uncertainty Quantification Capabilities for Army Relevant Problems

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2017-11-27

    ARL-TR-8218•NOV 2017 US Army Research Laboratory Survey of Existing Uncertainty Quantification Capabilities for Army-Relevant Problems by James J...NOV 2017 US Army Research Laboratory Survey of Existing Uncertainty Quantification Capabilities for Army-Relevant Problems by James J Ramsey...Rev. 8/98)    Prescribed by ANSI Std. Z39.18 November 2017 Technical Report Survey of Existing Uncertainty Quantification Capabilities for Army

  8. Quantification of differential gene expression by multiplexed targeted resequencing of cDNA

    PubMed Central

    Arts, Peer; van der Raadt, Jori; van Gestel, Sebastianus H.C.; Steehouwer, Marloes; Shendure, Jay; Hoischen, Alexander; Albers, Cornelis A.

    2017-01-01

    Whole-transcriptome or RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) is a powerful and versatile tool for functional analysis of different types of RNA molecules, but sample reagent and sequencing cost can be prohibitive for hypothesis-driven studies where the aim is to quantify differential expression of a limited number of genes. Here we present an approach for quantification of differential mRNA expression by targeted resequencing of complementary DNA using single-molecule molecular inversion probes (cDNA-smMIPs) that enable highly multiplexed resequencing of cDNA target regions of ∼100 nucleotides and counting of individual molecules. We show that accurate estimates of differential expression can be obtained from molecule counts for hundreds of smMIPs per reaction and that smMIPs are also suitable for quantification of relative gene expression and allele-specific expression. Compared with low-coverage RNA-Seq and a hybridization-based targeted RNA-Seq method, cDNA-smMIPs are a cost-effective high-throughput tool for hypothesis-driven expression analysis in large numbers of genes (10 to 500) and samples (hundreds to thousands). PMID:28474677

  9. Automated flow quantification in valvular heart disease based on backscattered Doppler power analysis: implementation on matrix-array ultrasound imaging systems.

    PubMed

    Buck, Thomas; Hwang, Shawn M; Plicht, Björn; Mucci, Ronald A; Hunold, Peter; Erbel, Raimund; Levine, Robert A

    2008-06-01

    Cardiac ultrasound imaging systems are limited in the noninvasive quantification of valvular regurgitation due to indirect measurements and inaccurate hemodynamic assumptions. We recently demonstrated that the principle of integration of backscattered acoustic Doppler power times velocity can be used for flow quantification in valvular regurgitation directly at the vena contracta of a regurgitant flow jet. We now aimed to accomplish implementation of automated Doppler power flow analysis software on a standard cardiac ultrasound system utilizing novel matrix-array transducer technology with detailed description of system requirements, components and software contributing to the system. This system based on a 3.5 MHz, matrix-array cardiac ultrasound scanner (Sonos 5500, Philips Medical Systems) was validated by means of comprehensive experimental signal generator trials, in vitro flow phantom trials and in vivo testing in 48 patients with mitral regurgitation of different severity and etiology using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for reference. All measurements displayed good correlation to the reference values, indicating successful implementation of automated Doppler power flow analysis on a matrix-array ultrasound imaging system. Systematic underestimation of effective regurgitant orifice areas >0.65 cm(2) and volumes >40 ml was found due to currently limited Doppler beam width that could be readily overcome by the use of new generation 2D matrix-array technology. Automated flow quantification in valvular heart disease based on backscattered Doppler power can be fully implemented on board a routinely used matrix-array ultrasound imaging systems. Such automated Doppler power flow analysis of valvular regurgitant flow directly, noninvasively, and user independent overcomes the practical limitations of current techniques.

  10. A novel liquid chromatography method using diode-array detector for the determination of oleuropein in dietary supplements.

    PubMed

    Bertolini, Tiziana; Vicentini, Lorenza; Boschetti, Silvia; Andreatta, Paolo; Gatti, Rita

    2016-09-10

    A simple and fast chromatographic method using ultraviolet diode-array detector (UV-DAD) was developed for the automatic high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) determination of the title of oleuropein in a new dietary supplements in form of effervescent granules. The chromatographic separations were performed on a C18 core-shell column with detection at λ=232nm. The mobile phase consisted of deionized water with 0.1% TFA and acetonitrile under gradient conditions at a flow-rate of 0.8mL/min. Oleuropein and oleuroside present in the raw material were characterized by high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS). The validation of the analytical procedure has been performed determining the following parameters: specificity, linearity, repeatability, reproducibility, accuracy, limit of quantification (LOQ), stability of the standard and sample solutions. Linear response was observed in fortified placebo solutions (determination coefficient: 0.9998). Intra-day precision (relative standard deviation, RSD) was ≤5.0% for peak area and for retention times (tR) without significant differences between intra- and inter-day data. The limits of quantitation (LOQ) was about 5μg/mL and 9pmol/inject. Oleuropein recovery studies gave good results (99.9%) with a R.S.D. of 0.5%. The speed of analysis and the stability of the solutions with a fluctuation Δ (%) ≤2.0 at room temperature means an undoubted advantage of the method allowing the simultaneous preparation of many samples and consecutive chromatographic analyses by using an autosampler. The developed method is suitable for the quality control of oleuropein in raw material and industrial products. The method can be applied in any analytical laboratory not requiring a sophisticated instrumentation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Evaluation of real time PCR assays for the detection and enumeration of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli directly from cattle feces.

    PubMed

    Luedtke, Brandon E; Bono, James L; Bosilevac, Joseph M

    2014-10-01

    Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli are a growing concern in the area of food safety, and the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service has identified the serotypes O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145, and O157 as adulterants in certain types of raw beef. The most relevant to human disease are the enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) strains that possess intimin (eae), Shiga toxin 1 and/or 2 (stx1-2), and in most cases the conserved pO157 or pO157 like virulence plasmid. Contamination of raw beef with EHEC is likely to occur via the transfer of cattle feces on hides to the carcass. To detect EHEC directly from cattle feces, we evaluated the utility of a multiplex real time PCR assay that targets the EHEC associated gene target ecf1 in combination with eae and stx1-2. Our assay had an increased sensitivity and provided a reliable limit of detection (LOD) of 1.25×10(3)colony-forming unitspermL (CFUs/mL) in an EHEC spiked fecal background. In addition, we evaluated the use of a duplex qPCR assay using ecf1 for the enumeration of total EHEC directly from cattle feces. The reliable limit of quantification (LOQ) was determined to be 1.25×10(3)CFUs/mL. Our assay requires minimal sample processing and provides LOD and LOQ of EHEC directly from cattle feces that are the lowest reported. The application of this assay towards the identification of cattle shedding EHEC at a level above 1.25×10(3)CFUs/mL could be a first line of defense in identifying cattle shedding these pathogens. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  12. Development and comparison of HPLC-MS/MS and UPLC-MS/MS methods for determining eight coccidiostats in beef.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Xia; Wang, Bo; Xie, Kaizhou; Liu, Jianyu; Zhang, Yangyang; Wang, Yajuan; Guo, Yawen; Zhang, Genxi; Dai, Guojun; Wang, Jinyu

    2018-06-15

    A high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method and an ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for determining eight coccidiostat (halofuginone, lasalocid, maduramicin, monensin, narasin, nigericin, robenidine and salinomycin) residues in beef were developed and compared. Samples were extracted with a mixture of acetic acid, acetonitrile and ethyl acetate and were then purified on a C 18 solid-phase extraction (SPE) column. The purified samples were analyzed by HPLC-MS/MS and UPLC-MS/MS, using 0.1% formic acid-water solution (A) and pure methanol (B) as the mobile phase. The samples were fractionated on a C 18 column using different gradient elution procedures, followed by qualitative analysis using a mass spectrometer operated in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode with positive electrospray ionization; the external standard method was used for quantitation. At spiked levels that ranged from the limit of quantification (LOQ) to 100 μg/kg, the average recoveries were 71.96%-100.32% and 71.24%-89.24%, with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of 2.65%-12.38% and 2.98%-14.86% for UPLC-MS/MS and HPLC-MS/MS, respectively. The limits of detection (LODs) and LOQs of the eight coccidiostats were 0.14-0.32 μg/kg and 0.43-1.21 μg/kg, respectively, for UPLC-MS/MS analysis and 0.16-0.58 μg/kg and 0.53-1.92 μg/kg, respectively, for HPLC-MS/MS analysis. Both methods had good accuracy and precision, but UPLC-MS/MS had higher sensitivity than HPLC-MS/MS. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. A newly validated high-performance liquid chromatography method with diode array ultraviolet detection for analysis of the antimalarial drug primaquine in the blood plasma.

    PubMed

    Carmo, Ana Paula Barbosa do; Borborema, Manoella; Ribeiro, Stephan; De-Oliveira, Ana Cecilia Xavier; Paumgartten, Francisco Jose Roma; Moreira, Davyson de Lima

    2017-01-01

    Primaquine (PQ) diphosphate is an 8-aminoquinoline antimalarial drug with unique therapeutic properties. It is the only drug that prevents relapses of Plasmodium vivax or Plasmodium ovale infections. In this study, a fast, sensitive, cost-effective, and robust method for the extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array ultraviolet detection (HPLC-DAD-UV ) analysis of PQ in the blood plasma was developed and validated. After plasma protein precipitation, PQ was obtained by liquid-liquid extraction and analyzed by HPLC-DAD-UV with a modified-silica cyanopropyl column (250mm × 4.6mm i.d. × 5μm) as the stationary phase and a mixture of acetonitrile and 10mM ammonium acetate buffer (pH = 3.80) (45:55) as the mobile phase. The flow rate was 1.0mL·min-1, the oven temperature was 50OC, and absorbance was measured at 264nm. The method was validated for linearity, intra-day and inter-day precision, accuracy, recovery, and robustness. The detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) limits were 1.0 and 3.5ng·mL-1, respectively. The method was used to analyze the plasma of female DBA-2 mice treated with 20mg.kg-1 (oral) PQ diphosphate. By combining a simple, low-cost extraction procedure with a sensitive, precise, accurate, and robust method, it was possible to analyze PQ in small volumes of plasma. The new method presents lower LOD and LOQ limits and requires a shorter analysis time and smaller plasma volumes than those of previously reported HPLC methods with DAD-UV detection. The new validated method is suitable for kinetic studies of PQ in small rodents, including mouse models for the study of malaria.

  14. Association of placenta organotin concentrations with growth and ponderal index in 110 newborn boys from Finland during the first 18 months of life: a cohort study

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Humans are exposed to tributyltin (TBT), previously used as an antifouling paint in ships, mainly through fish consumption. As TBT is a known obesogen, we studied the association of placenta TBT and other organotin compounds (OTCs) with ponderal index (PI) and growth during the first 18 months of life in boys. Methods In a prospective Finnish study, 110 placenta samples were collected from mothers of boys born in 1997–1999 with (n = 55) and without (n = 55) cryptorchidism. To account for the original study design, linear regression, weighted for sampling fractions of boys with (121/55) and without (5677/55) cryptorchidism from the total cohort, was used to study the association between placenta OTCs and children’s weight, length, growth rates and PI up to 18 months of age. Results Placenta TBT concentrations were above the limit of quantification (LOQ) in 99% of the samples. However, monobutyltin (MBT), dibutyltin (DBT) and triphenyltin (TPhT) concentrations were below LOQ in 90%, 35% and 57% of samples, respectively. Placenta TBT was positively associated (p = 0.024) with weight gain during the first three months of life, but no other significant associations were observed for weight or length gain. Also, no significant associations between placenta OTC concentrations and child length, weight or PI at any time point were found. Conclusions We observed a trend towards higher weight gain from birth to 3 months of age with increasing placenta TBT concentration. These results should be interpreted with caution because obesogenic effects in animal experiments were seen after in-utero TBT exposures to doses that were orders of magnitude higher. Also the number of study subjects included in this study was limited. PMID:24899383

  15. Analytical method for the trace determination of esterified 3- and 2-monochloropropanediol and glycidyl fatty acid esters in various food matrices.

    PubMed

    Samaras, Vasilios G; Giri, Anupam; Zelinkova, Zuzana; Karasek, Lubomir; Buttinger, Gerhard; Wenzl, Thomas

    2016-09-30

    Fatty acid esters of 3-monochloro-1,2-propanediol (3-MCPDEs), of 2-monochloro-1,3-propanediol (2-MCPDEs) and of 2,3-epoxy-1-propanol or glycidol (GEs), which are considered to be deleterious to human health, may occur in a broad variety of food samples. A proper risk assessment of those substances requires the availability of robust occurrence data; in this respect concerns have been raised regarding the reliability of results obtained with the currently available methods to determine those substances in processed food. This article presents an indirect analytical procedure for the simultaneous determination of 3-MCPDEs, 2-MCPDEs and GEs in a wide variety of food products after extraction by pressurised liquid extraction (PLE) and determination by gas chromatography mass-spectrometry (GC-MS). For the differentiation of MCPDEs and GEs, the latter were first converted to monobromopropanediol esters (MBPDEs) in acid aqueous solution of sodium bromide. MCPDEs and MBPDEs were then hydrolysed under acidic conditions followed by derivatisation of the released free (non-esterified) form in ethyl acetate with phenyl boronic acid (PBA). Quantification of the analytes was carried out using the isotopic labelled analogues of both MCPDEs and GEs. Limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantitation (LOQs) were in the range of 7-17mgkg(-1) and 13-31mgkg(-1) respectively, while the working range of the method was between LOQ and 1850mgkg(-1) expressed on fat basis. The developed method was successfully applied for the analysis of the target compounds in more than 650 different food samples covering the following commodities: bread and rolls, fine bakery wares, smoked fish products, fried and roasted meat, potato based snacks and fried potato products, cereal-based snacks and margarines. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Urinary levels of bisphenol analogues in residents living near a manufacturing plant in south China.

    PubMed

    Yang, Yunjia; Guan, Jian; Yin, Jie; Shao, Bing; Li, Hong

    2014-10-01

    The use of bisphenol A (BPA) has been restricted in many countries because of its potential health effects. As a result of these restrictions, a group of bisphenol analogues that are structurally similar to BPA have been developed as the alternatives for industrial applications. However, latest researches indicated that these chemicals have similar endocrine-disrupting effects as BPA in humans. Moreover, only a limited number of studies have attempted to monitor the exposure level in humans of other bisphenol analogues. In the present study, the concentrations of seven bisphenols, including bisphenol S (BPS), bisphenol F (BPF), bisphenol B (BPB), BPA, bisphenol AF (BPAF), tetrachlorobisphenol A (TCBPA) and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), in human urine samples were measured by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) following the enzymatic hydrolysis of glucuronidase/arylsulfatase and liquid-liquid extraction (LLE). Under the optimised conditions, high recoveries (81.6-116.8%) were obtained for all the analytes, and the relative standard deviations (RSD, %) were less than 16.4% (n=6). The isotopic internal standard calibration curves for each of the target compounds exhibited excellent linearity (r(2)>0.99) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) for the analytes in urine ranged from 0.024 to 0.310 ng mL(-1). The method was applied to investigate the urinary levels of these seven bisphenols in a cohort of residents living near a BPAF manufacturing plant in south China. BPS, BPF, BPA and BPAF were detected in urine samples at concentrations ranging from <LOQ to a few ng mL(-1), whereas BPB, TCBPA and TBBPA were not detected. This is the first study to report the occurrence of BPF and BPAF in human urine samples. The availability of rapid and simple analytical methods may be highly useful for the future biomonitoring of these compounds. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. MPQ-cytometry: a magnetism-based method for quantification of nanoparticle-cell interactions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shipunova, V. O.; Nikitin, M. P.; Nikitin, P. I.; Deyev, S. M.

    2016-06-01

    Precise quantification of interactions between nanoparticles and living cells is among the imperative tasks for research in nanobiotechnology, nanotoxicology and biomedicine. To meet the challenge, a rapid method called MPQ-cytometry is developed, which measures the integral non-linear response produced by magnetically labeled nanoparticles in a cell sample with an original magnetic particle quantification (MPQ) technique. MPQ-cytometry provides a sensitivity limit 0.33 ng of nanoparticles and is devoid of a background signal present in many label-based assays. Each measurement takes only a few seconds, and no complicated sample preparation or data processing is required. The capabilities of the method have been demonstrated by quantification of interactions of iron oxide nanoparticles with eukaryotic cells. The total amount of targeted nanoparticles that specifically recognized the HER2/neu oncomarker on the human cancer cell surface was successfully measured, the specificity of interaction permitting the detection of HER2/neu positive cells in a cell mixture. Moreover, it has been shown that MPQ-cytometry analysis of a HER2/neu-specific iron oxide nanoparticle interaction with six cell lines of different tissue origins quantitatively reflects the HER2/neu status of the cells. High correlation of MPQ-cytometry data with those obtained by three other commonly used in molecular and cell biology methods supports consideration of this method as a prospective alternative for both quantifying cell-bound nanoparticles and estimating the expression level of cell surface antigens. The proposed method does not require expensive sophisticated equipment or highly skilled personnel and it can be easily applied for rapid diagnostics, especially under field conditions.Precise quantification of interactions between nanoparticles and living cells is among the imperative tasks for research in nanobiotechnology, nanotoxicology and biomedicine. To meet the challenge, a rapid method

  18. Perfusion quantification in contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS)--ready for research projects and routine clinical use.

    PubMed

    Tranquart, F; Mercier, L; Frinking, P; Gaud, E; Arditi, M

    2012-07-01

    With contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) now established as a valuable imaging modality for many applications, a more specific demand has recently emerged for quantifying perfusion and using measured parameters as objective indicators for various disease states. However, CEUS perfusion quantification remains challenging and is not well integrated in daily clinical practice. The development of VueBox™ alleviates existing limitations and enables quantification in a standardized way. VueBox™ operates as an off-line software application, after dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (DCE-US) is performed. It enables linearization of DICOM clips, assessment of perfusion using patented curve-fitting models, and generation of parametric images by synthesizing perfusion information at the pixel level using color coding. VueBox™ is compatible with most of the available ultrasound platforms (nonlinear contrast-enabled), has the ability to process both bolus and disruption-replenishment kinetics loops, allows analysis results and their context to be saved, and generates analysis reports automatically. Specific features have been added to VueBox™, such as fully automatic in-plane motion compensation and an easy-to-use clip editor. Processing time has been reduced as a result of parallel programming optimized for multi-core processors. A long list of perfusion parameters is available for each of the two administration modes to address all possible demands currently reported in the literature for diagnosis or treatment monitoring. In conclusion, VueBox™ is a valid and robust quantification tool to be used for standardizing perfusion quantification and to improve the reproducibility of results across centers. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  19. quantGenius: implementation of a decision support system for qPCR-based gene quantification.

    PubMed

    Baebler, Špela; Svalina, Miha; Petek, Marko; Stare, Katja; Rotter, Ana; Pompe-Novak, Maruša; Gruden, Kristina

    2017-05-25

    Quantitative molecular biology remains a challenge for researchers due to inconsistent approaches for control of errors in the final results. Due to several factors that can influence the final result, quantitative analysis and interpretation of qPCR data are still not trivial. Together with the development of high-throughput qPCR platforms, there is a need for a tool allowing for robust, reliable and fast nucleic acid quantification. We have developed "quantGenius" ( http://quantgenius.nib.si ), an open-access web application for a reliable qPCR-based quantification of nucleic acids. The quantGenius workflow interactively guides the user through data import, quality control (QC) and calculation steps. The input is machine- and chemistry-independent. Quantification is performed using the standard curve approach, with normalization to one or several reference genes. The special feature of the application is the implementation of user-guided QC-based decision support system, based on qPCR standards, that takes into account pipetting errors, assay amplification efficiencies, limits of detection and quantification of the assays as well as the control of PCR inhibition in individual samples. The intermediate calculations and final results are exportable in a data matrix suitable for further statistical analysis or visualization. We additionally compare the most important features of quantGenius with similar advanced software tools and illustrate the importance of proper QC system in the analysis of qPCR data in two use cases. To our knowledge, quantGenius is the only qPCR data analysis tool that integrates QC-based decision support and will help scientists to obtain reliable results which are the basis for biologically meaningful data interpretation.

  20. Development, optimization, and single laboratory validation of an event-specific real-time PCR method for the detection and quantification of Golden Rice 2 using a novel taxon-specific assay.

    PubMed

    Jacchia, Sara; Nardini, Elena; Savini, Christian; Petrillo, Mauro; Angers-Loustau, Alexandre; Shim, Jung-Hyun; Trijatmiko, Kurniawan; Kreysa, Joachim; Mazzara, Marco

    2015-02-18

    In this study, we developed, optimized, and in-house validated a real-time PCR method for the event-specific detection and quantification of Golden Rice 2, a genetically modified rice with provitamin A in the grain. We optimized and evaluated the performance of the taxon (targeting rice Phospholipase D α2 gene)- and event (targeting the 3' insert-to-plant DNA junction)-specific assays that compose the method as independent modules, using haploid genome equivalents as unit of measurement. We verified the specificity of the two real-time PCR assays and determined their dynamic range, limit of quantification, limit of detection, and robustness. We also confirmed that the taxon-specific DNA sequence is present in single copy in the rice genome and verified its stability of amplification across 132 rice varieties. A relative quantification experiment evidenced the correct performance of the two assays when used in combination.

  1. Quantification of the xenoestrogens 4-tert.-octylphenol and bisphenol A in water and in fish tissue based on microwave assisted extraction, solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Pedersen, S N; Lindholst, C

    1999-12-09

    Extraction methods were developed for quantification of the xenoestrogens 4-tert.-octylphenol (tOP) and bisphenol A (BPA) in water and in liver and muscle tissue from the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The extraction of tOP and BPA from tissue samples was carried out using microwave-assisted solvent extraction (MASE) followed by solid-phase extraction (SPE). Water samples were extracted using only SPE. For the quantification of tOP and BPA, liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) equipped with an atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation interface (APCI) was applied. The combined methods for tissue extraction allow the use of small sample amounts of liver or muscle (typically 1 g), low volumes of solvent (20 ml), and short extraction times (25 min). Limits of quantification of tOP in tissue samples were found to be approximately 10 ng/g in muscle and 50 ng/g in liver (both based on 1 g of fresh tissue). The corresponding values for BPA were approximately 50 ng/g in both muscle and liver tissue. In water, the limit of quantification for tOP and BPA was approximately 0.1 microg/l (based on 100 ml sample size).

  2. Chemical profiling and quantification of Dan-Deng-Tong-Nao-capsule using ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with high resolution hybrid quadruple-orbitrap mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Lv, Xiao-Jing; Sun, Zhi; Wang, Pei-Le; Yang, Jing; Xu, Tan-Ye; Jia, Qing-Quan; Li, Da-Wei; Su, Fang-Yi; Zhu, Zhen-Feng; Kang, Jian; Zhang, Xiao-Jian

    2018-01-30

    Dan-Deng-Tong-Nao capsule (DDTN) was a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula, and has been widely used for the treatment of stroke clinically which caused by blood stasis. However, the bioactive substances and mechanism are unclear because of the complex compositions in DDTN. In this research, An ultra high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled with hybrid quadruple-orbitrap mass spectrometry (Q-Orbitrap MS) method was utilized to identify the chemical constituents of DDTN. In total, 102 compounds including diterpenes, lactones, flavonoids, and phenolic acids were identified by the accurate masses and fragmentation pathways, and 18 of them were unambiguously determined by comparison of reference standards. Besides, 12 representative compounds were simultaneously quantification analyzed and successfully applified for detecting in 9 batches of DDTN samples by UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap MS in parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) mode. The proposed approach was validated to be satisfied in terms of linearity (0.9954-0.9999), LOD (0.771ng/mL), LOQ (2.568ng/mL), intra-day precision ( <2.68%), inter-day precision ( <4.52%), repeatability ( <2.96%), stability ( <3.21%), and recovery (94.6-105.5%). The results indicate that the method of combining UHPLC with Q-Orbitrap MS is practical and efficient for the chemical clarification in DDTN, and has great potential for the integrating quality control of other traditional Chinese medicines. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. The impact of targeting repetitive BamHI-W sequences on the sensitivity and precision of EBV DNA quantification.

    PubMed

    Sanosyan, Armen; Fayd'herbe de Maudave, Alexis; Bollore, Karine; Zimmermann, Valérie; Foulongne, Vincent; Van de Perre, Philippe; Tuaillon, Edouard

    2017-01-01

    Viral load monitoring and early Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA detection are essential in routine laboratory testing, especially in preemptive management of Post-transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder. Targeting the repetitive BamHI-W sequence was shown to increase the sensitivity of EBV DNA quantification, but the variability of BamHI-W reiterations was suggested to be a source of quantification bias. We aimed to assess the extent of variability associated with BamHI-W PCR and its impact on the sensitivity of EBV DNA quantification using the 1st WHO international standard, EBV strains and clinical samples. Repetitive BamHI-W- and LMP2 single- sequences were amplified by in-house qPCRs and BXLF-1 sequence by a commercial assay (EBV R-gene™, BioMerieux). Linearity and limits of detection of in-house methods were assessed. The impact of repeated versus single target sequences on EBV DNA quantification precision was tested on B95.8 and Raji cell lines, possessing 11 and 7 copies of the BamHI-W sequence, respectively, and on clinical samples. BamHI-W qPCR demonstrated a lower limit of detection compared to LMP2 qPCR (2.33 log10 versus 3.08 log10 IU/mL; P = 0.0002). BamHI-W qPCR underestimated the EBV DNA load on Raji strain which contained fewer BamHI-W copies than the WHO standard derived from the B95.8 EBV strain (mean bias: - 0.21 log10; 95% CI, -0.54 to 0.12). Comparison of BamHI-W qPCR versus LMP2 and BXLF-1 qPCR showed an acceptable variability between EBV DNA levels in clinical samples with the mean bias being within 0.5 log10 IU/mL EBV DNA, whereas a better quantitative concordance was observed between LMP2 and BXLF-1 assays. Targeting BamHI-W resulted to a higher sensitivity compared to LMP2 but the variable reiterations of BamHI-W segment are associated with higher quantification variability. BamHI-W can be considered for clinical and therapeutic monitoring to detect an early EBV DNA and a dynamic change in viral load.

  4. The impact of targeting repetitive BamHI-W sequences on the sensitivity and precision of EBV DNA quantification

    PubMed Central

    Fayd’herbe de Maudave, Alexis; Bollore, Karine; Zimmermann, Valérie; Foulongne, Vincent; Van de Perre, Philippe; Tuaillon, Edouard

    2017-01-01

    Background Viral load monitoring and early Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA detection are essential in routine laboratory testing, especially in preemptive management of Post-transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder. Targeting the repetitive BamHI-W sequence was shown to increase the sensitivity of EBV DNA quantification, but the variability of BamHI-W reiterations was suggested to be a source of quantification bias. We aimed to assess the extent of variability associated with BamHI-W PCR and its impact on the sensitivity of EBV DNA quantification using the 1st WHO international standard, EBV strains and clinical samples. Methods Repetitive BamHI-W- and LMP2 single- sequences were amplified by in-house qPCRs and BXLF-1 sequence by a commercial assay (EBV R-gene™, BioMerieux). Linearity and limits of detection of in-house methods were assessed. The impact of repeated versus single target sequences on EBV DNA quantification precision was tested on B95.8 and Raji cell lines, possessing 11 and 7 copies of the BamHI-W sequence, respectively, and on clinical samples. Results BamHI-W qPCR demonstrated a lower limit of detection compared to LMP2 qPCR (2.33 log10 versus 3.08 log10 IU/mL; P = 0.0002). BamHI-W qPCR underestimated the EBV DNA load on Raji strain which contained fewer BamHI-W copies than the WHO standard derived from the B95.8 EBV strain (mean bias: - 0.21 log10; 95% CI, -0.54 to 0.12). Comparison of BamHI-W qPCR versus LMP2 and BXLF-1 qPCR showed an acceptable variability between EBV DNA levels in clinical samples with the mean bias being within 0.5 log10 IU/mL EBV DNA, whereas a better quantitative concordance was observed between LMP2 and BXLF-1 assays. Conclusions Targeting BamHI-W resulted to a higher sensitivity compared to LMP2 but the variable reiterations of BamHI-W segment are associated with higher quantification variability. BamHI-W can be considered for clinical and therapeutic monitoring to detect an early EBV DNA and a dynamic change in viral load

  5. Critical points of DNA quantification by real-time PCR – effects of DNA extraction method and sample matrix on quantification of genetically modified organisms

    PubMed Central

    Cankar, Katarina; Štebih, Dejan; Dreo, Tanja; Žel, Jana; Gruden, Kristina

    2006-01-01

    Background Real-time PCR is the technique of choice for nucleic acid quantification. In the field of detection of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) quantification of biotech products may be required to fulfil legislative requirements. However, successful quantification depends crucially on the quality of the sample DNA analyzed. Methods for GMO detection are generally validated on certified reference materials that are in the form of powdered grain material, while detection in routine laboratories must be performed on a wide variety of sample matrixes. Due to food processing, the DNA in sample matrixes can be present in low amounts and also degraded. In addition, molecules of plant origin or from other sources that affect PCR amplification of samples will influence the reliability of the quantification. Further, the wide variety of sample matrixes presents a challenge for detection laboratories. The extraction method must ensure high yield and quality of the DNA obtained and must be carefully selected, since even components of DNA extraction solutions can influence PCR reactions. GMO quantification is based on a standard curve, therefore similarity of PCR efficiency for the sample and standard reference material is a prerequisite for exact quantification. Little information on the performance of real-time PCR on samples of different matrixes is available. Results Five commonly used DNA extraction techniques were compared and their suitability for quantitative analysis was assessed. The effect of sample matrix on nucleic acid quantification was assessed by comparing 4 maize and 4 soybean matrixes. In addition 205 maize and soybean samples from routine analysis were analyzed for PCR efficiency to assess variability of PCR performance within each sample matrix. Together with the amount of DNA needed for reliable quantification, PCR efficiency is the crucial parameter determining the reliability of quantitative results, therefore it was chosen as the primary

  6. GMO quantification: valuable experience and insights for the future.

    PubMed

    Milavec, Mojca; Dobnik, David; Yang, Litao; Zhang, Dabing; Gruden, Kristina; Zel, Jana

    2014-10-01

    Cultivation and marketing of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been unevenly adopted worldwide. To facilitate international trade and to provide information to consumers, labelling requirements have been set up in many countries. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is currently the method of choice for detection, identification and quantification of GMOs. This has been critically assessed and the requirements for the method performance have been set. Nevertheless, there are challenges that should still be highlighted, such as measuring the quantity and quality of DNA, and determining the qPCR efficiency, possible sequence mismatches, characteristics of taxon-specific genes and appropriate units of measurement, as these remain potential sources of measurement uncertainty. To overcome these problems and to cope with the continuous increase in the number and variety of GMOs, new approaches are needed. Statistical strategies of quantification have already been proposed and expanded with the development of digital PCR. The first attempts have been made to use new generation sequencing also for quantitative purposes, although accurate quantification of the contents of GMOs using this technology is still a challenge for the future, and especially for mixed samples. New approaches are needed also for the quantification of stacks, and for potential quantification of organisms produced by new plant breeding techniques.

  7. Automation of a Nile red staining assay enables high throughput quantification of microalgal lipid production.

    PubMed

    Morschett, Holger; Wiechert, Wolfgang; Oldiges, Marco

    2016-02-09

    Within the context of microalgal lipid production for biofuels and bulk chemical applications, specialized higher throughput devices for small scale parallelized cultivation are expected to boost the time efficiency of phototrophic bioprocess development. However, the increasing number of possible experiments is directly coupled to the demand for lipid quantification protocols that enable reliably measuring large sets of samples within short time and that can deal with the reduced sample volume typically generated at screening scale. To meet these demands, a dye based assay was established using a liquid handling robot to provide reproducible high throughput quantification of lipids with minimized hands-on-time. Lipid production was monitored using the fluorescent dye Nile red with dimethyl sulfoxide as solvent facilitating dye permeation. The staining kinetics of cells at different concentrations and physiological states were investigated to successfully down-scale the assay to 96 well microtiter plates. Gravimetric calibration against a well-established extractive protocol enabled absolute quantification of intracellular lipids improving precision from ±8 to ±2 % on average. Implementation into an automated liquid handling platform allows for measuring up to 48 samples within 6.5 h, reducing hands-on-time to a third compared to manual operation. Moreover, it was shown that automation enhances accuracy and precision compared to manual preparation. It was revealed that established protocols relying on optical density or cell number for biomass adjustion prior to staining may suffer from errors due to significant changes of the cells' optical and physiological properties during cultivation. Alternatively, the biovolume was used as a measure for biomass concentration so that errors from morphological changes can be excluded. The newly established assay proved to be applicable for absolute quantification of algal lipids avoiding limitations of currently established

  8. Sensitive and selective quantification of free and total malondialdehyde in plasma using UHPLC-HRMS.

    PubMed

    Mendonça, Rute; Gning, Ophélie; Di Cesaré, Claudia; Lachat, Laurence; Bennett, Nigel C; Helfenstein, Fabrice; Glauser, Gaétan

    2017-09-01

    Quantification of malondialdehyde (MDA) as a marker of lipid peroxidation is relevant for many research fields. We describe a new sensitive and selective method to measure free and total plasmatic MDA using derivatization with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) and ultra-HPLC-high-resolution MS. Free and total MDA were extracted from minute sample amounts (10 μl) using acidic precipitation and alkaline hydrolysis followed by acidic precipitation, respectively. Derivatization was completed within 10 min at room temperature, and the excess DNPH discarded by liquid-liquid extraction. Quantification was achieved by internal standardization using dideuterated MDA as internal standard. The method's lowest limit of quantification was 100 nM and linearity spanned greater than three orders of magnitude. Intra- and inter-day precisions for total MDA were 2.9% and 3.0%, respectively, and those for free MDA were 12.8% and 24.9%, respectively. Accuracy was 101% and 107% at low and high concentrations, respectively. In human plasma, free MDA levels were 120 nM (SD 36.26) and total MDA levels were 6.7 μM (SD 0.46). In addition, we show the applicability of this method to measure MDA plasma levels from a variety of animal species, making it invaluable to scientists in various fields. Copyright © 2017 by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  9. Induced nanoparticle aggregation for short nucleic acid quantification by depletion isotachophoresis.

    PubMed

    Marczak, Steven; Senapati, Satyajyoti; Slouka, Zdenek; Chang, Hsueh-Chia

    2016-12-15

    A rapid (<20min) gel-membrane biochip platform for the detection and quantification of short nucleic acids is presented based on a sandwich assay with probe-functionalized gold nanoparticles and their separation into concentrated bands by depletion-generated gel isotachophoresis. The platform sequentially exploits the enrichment and depletion phenomena of an ion-selective cation-exchange membrane created under an applied electric field. Enrichment is used to concentrate the nanoparticles and targets at a localized position at the gel-membrane interface for rapid hybridization. The depletion generates an isotachophoretic zone without the need for different conductivity buffers, and is used to separate linked nanoparticles from isolated ones in the gel medium and then by field-enhanced aggregation of only the linked particles at the depletion front. The selective field-induced aggregation of the linked nanoparticles during the subsequent depletion step produces two lateral-flow like bands within 1cm for easy visualization and quantification as the aggregates have negligible electrophoretic mobility in the gel and the isolated nanoparticles are isotachophoretically packed against the migrating depletion front. The detection limit for 69-base single-stranded DNA targets is 10 pM (about 10 million copies for our sample volume) with high selectivity against nontargets and a three decade linear range for quantification. The selectivity and signal intensity are maintained in heterogeneous mixtures where the nontargets outnumber the targets 10,000 to 1. The selective field-induced aggregation of DNA-linked nanoparticles at the ion depletion front is attributed to their trailing position at the isotachophoretic front with a large field gradient. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. AQuA: An Automated Quantification Algorithm for High-Throughput NMR-Based Metabolomics and Its Application in Human Plasma.

    PubMed

    Röhnisch, Hanna E; Eriksson, Jan; Müllner, Elisabeth; Agback, Peter; Sandström, Corine; Moazzami, Ali A

    2018-02-06

    A key limiting step for high-throughput NMR-based metabolomics is the lack of rapid and accurate tools for absolute quantification of many metabolites. We developed, implemented, and evaluated an algorithm, AQuA (Automated Quantification Algorithm), for targeted metabolite quantification from complex 1 H NMR spectra. AQuA operates based on spectral data extracted from a library consisting of one standard calibration spectrum for each metabolite. It uses one preselected NMR signal per metabolite for determining absolute concentrations and does so by effectively accounting for interferences caused by other metabolites. AQuA was implemented and evaluated using experimental NMR spectra from human plasma. The accuracy of AQuA was tested and confirmed in comparison with a manual spectral fitting approach using the ChenomX software, in which 61 out of 67 metabolites quantified in 30 human plasma spectra showed a goodness-of-fit (r 2 ) close to or exceeding 0.9 between the two approaches. In addition, three quality indicators generated by AQuA, namely, occurrence, interference, and positional deviation, were studied. These quality indicators permit evaluation of the results each time the algorithm is operated. The efficiency was tested and confirmed by implementing AQuA for quantification of 67 metabolites in a large data set comprising 1342 experimental spectra from human plasma, in which the whole computation took less than 1 s.

  11. Design of a compressed air modulator to be used in comprehensive multidimensional gas chromatography and its application in the determination of pesticide residues in grapes.

    PubMed

    Pizzutti, Ionara R; Vreuls, René J J; de Kok, André; Roehrs, Rafael; Martel, Samile; Friggi, Caroline A; Zanella, Renato

    2009-04-10

    In this study, a new modulator that is simple, robust and presents low operation costs, was developed. This modulator uses compressed air to cool two small portions in the first centimeters of the second chromatographic column of a comprehensive multidimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC) system. The results show a variation in the peak area less than 3 and 5% to alkanes and pesticides, respectively. The standard deviations for the retention times in the first and second dimension are around 0.05 min and 0.05s for all the compounds. The system was optimized with n-alkanes. The GCxGC system proposed was applied in the determination of pyrethroid pesticides (bifenthrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, fenvalerate, esfenvalerate, cis- and trans-permethrin) in grape samples. Samples were extracted by the mini-Luke modified method and pesticides were quantified by comprehensive multidimensional gas chromatography with micro electron-capture detection (microECD). The values of method limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.01-0.02 mg kg(-1) for all studied pyrethroid and the values of recovery were between 94.3 and 115.2%, with good precision (RSD<18.4%), demonstrating that the performance of the total method consisting of a modified Luke extraction method and determination by GCxGC-microECD are satisfactory. This study also showed that the system using a modulator with a double jet of compressed air has the potential for application in the analysis of a wider range of pesticide residues in other commodities since it provides low values of LOQ with acceptable accuracy and precision.

  12. Development and validation of a UV-spectrophotometric method for the determination of pheniramine maleate and its stability studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Raghu, M. S.; Basavaiah, K.; Ramesh, P. J.; Abdulrahman, Sameer A. M.; Vinay, K. B.

    2012-03-01

    A sensitive, precise, and cost-effective UV-spectrophotometric method is described for the determination of pheniramine maleate (PAM) in bulk drug and tablets. The method is based on the measurement of absorbance of a PAM solution in 0.1 N HCl at 264 nm. As per the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines, the method was validated for linearity, accuracy, precision, limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ), and robustness and ruggedness. A linear relationship between absorbance and concentration of PAM in the range of 2-40 μg/ml with a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.9998 was obtained. The LOD and LOQ values were found to be 0.18 and 0.39 μg/ml PAM, respectively. The precision of the method was satisfactory: the value of relative standard deviation (RSD) did not exceed 3.47%. The proposed method was applied successfully to the determination of PAM in tablets with good accuracy and precision. Percentages of the label claims ranged from 101.8 to 102.01% with the standard deviation (SD) from 0.64 to 0.72%. The accuracy of the method was further ascertained by recovery studies via a standard addition procedure. In addition, the forced degradation of PAM was conducted in accordance with the ICH guidelines. Acidic and basic hydrolysis, thermal stress, peroxide, and photolytic degradation were used to assess the stability-indicating power of the method. A substantial degradation was observed during oxidative and alkaline degradations. No degradation was observed under other stress conditions.

  13. Evaluation of optimized bronchoalveolar lavage sampling designs for characterization of pulmonary drug distribution.

    PubMed

    Clewe, Oskar; Karlsson, Mats O; Simonsson, Ulrika S H

    2015-12-01

    Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is a pulmonary sampling technique for characterization of drug concentrations in epithelial lining fluid and alveolar cells. Two hypothetical drugs with different pulmonary distribution rates (fast and slow) were considered. An optimized BAL sampling design was generated assuming no previous information regarding the pulmonary distribution (rate and extent) and with a maximum of two samples per subject. Simulations were performed to evaluate the impact of the number of samples per subject (1 or 2) and the sample size on the relative bias and relative root mean square error of the parameter estimates (rate and extent of pulmonary distribution). The optimized BAL sampling design depends on a characterized plasma concentration time profile, a population plasma pharmacokinetic model, the limit of quantification (LOQ) of the BAL method and involves only two BAL sample time points, one early and one late. The early sample should be taken as early as possible, where concentrations in the BAL fluid ≥ LOQ. The second sample should be taken at a time point in the declining part of the plasma curve, where the plasma concentration is equivalent to the plasma concentration in the early sample. Using a previously described general pulmonary distribution model linked to a plasma population pharmacokinetic model, simulated data using the final BAL sampling design enabled characterization of both the rate and extent of pulmonary distribution. The optimized BAL sampling design enables characterization of both the rate and extent of the pulmonary distribution for both fast and slowly equilibrating drugs.

  14. Recent application of quantification II in Japanese medical research.

    PubMed Central

    Suzuki, T; Kudo, A

    1979-01-01

    Hayashi's Quantification II is a method of multivariate discrimination analysis to manipulate attribute data as predictor variables. It is very useful in the medical research field for estimation, diagnosis, prognosis, evaluation of epidemiological factors, and other problems based on multiplicity of attribute data. In Japan, this method is so well known that most of the computer program packages include the Hayashi Quantification, but it seems to be yet unfamiliar with the method for researchers outside Japan. In view of this situation, we introduced 19 selected articles of recent applications of the Quantification II in Japanese medical research. In reviewing these papers, special mention is made to clarify how the researchers were satisfied with findings provided by the method. At the same time, some recommendations are made about terminology and program packages. Also a brief discussion of the background of the quantification methods is given with special reference to the Behaviormetric Society of Japan. PMID:540587

  15. A quantification model for the structure of clay materials.

    PubMed

    Tang, Liansheng; Sang, Haitao; Chen, Haokun; Sun, Yinlei; Zhang, Longjian

    2016-07-04

    In this paper, the quantification for clay structure is explicitly explained, and the approach and goals of quantification are also discussed. The authors consider that the purpose of the quantification for clay structure is to determine some parameters that can be used to quantitatively characterize the impact of clay structure on the macro-mechanical behaviour. According to the system theory and the law of energy conservation, a quantification model for the structure characteristics of clay materials is established and three quantitative parameters (i.e., deformation structure potential, strength structure potential and comprehensive structure potential) are proposed. And the corresponding tests are conducted. The experimental results show that these quantitative parameters can accurately reflect the influence of clay structure on the deformation behaviour, strength behaviour and the relative magnitude of structural influence on the above two quantitative parameters, respectively. These quantitative parameters have explicit mechanical meanings, and can be used to characterize the structural influences of clay on its mechanical behaviour.

  16. Rapid quantification of plant-powdery mildew interactions by qPCR and conidiospore counts.

    PubMed

    Weßling, Ralf; Panstruga, Ralph

    2012-08-31

    The powdery mildew disease represents a valuable patho-system to study the interaction between plant hosts and obligate biotrophic fungal pathogens. Numerous discoveries have been made on the basis of the quantitative evaluation of plant-powdery mildew interactions, especially in the context of hyper-susceptible and/or resistant plant mutants. However, the presently available methods to score the pathogenic success of powdery mildew fungi are laborious and thus not well suited for medium- to high-throughput analysis. Here we present two new protocols that allow the rapid quantitative assessment of powdery mildew disease development. One procedure depends on quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)-based evaluation of fungal biomass, while the other relies on the quantification of fungal conidiospores. We validated both techniques using the powdery mildew pathogen Golovinomyces orontii on a set of hyper-susceptible and resistant Arabidopsis thaliana mutants and found that both cover a wide dynamic range of one to two (qPCR) and four to five (quantification of conidia) orders of magnitude, respectively. The two approaches yield reproducible results and are easy to perform without specialized equipment. The qPCR and spore count assays rapidly and reproducibly quantify powdery mildew pathogenesis. Our methods are performed at later stages of infection and discern mutant phenotypes accurately. The assays therefore complement currently used procedures of powdery mildew quantification and can overcome some of their limitations. In addition, they can easily be adapted to other plant-powdery mildew patho-systems.

  17. Determination of alcohol sulfates in wastewater treatment plant influents and effluents by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Fernández-Ramos, C; Ballesteros, O; Blanc, R; Zafra-Gómez, A; Jiménez-Díaz, I; Navalón, A; Vílchez, J L

    2012-08-30

    In the present paper, we developed an accurate method for the analysis of alcohol sulfates (AS) in wastewater samples from wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) influents and effluents. Although many methodologies have been published in the literature concerning the study of anionic surfactants in environmental samples, at present, the number of analytical methodologies that focus in the determination of AS by gas chromatography in the different environmental compartments is limited. The reason for this is that gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique requires a previous hydrolysis reaction followed by derivatization reactions. In the present work, we proposed a new procedure in which the hydrolysis and derivatization reactions take place in one single step and AS are directly converted to trimethylsilyl derivatives. The main factors affecting solid-phase extraction (SPE), hydrolysis/derivatization and GC-MS procedures were accurately optimised. Quantification of the target compounds was performed by using GC-MS in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. The limits of detection (LOD) obtained ranged from 0.2 to 0.3 μg L(-1), and limits of quantification (LOQ) from 0.5 to 1.0 μg L(-1), while inter- and intra-day variability was under 5%. A recovery assay was also carried out. Recovery rates for homologues in spiked samples ranged from 96 to 103%. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of anionic surfactants in wastewater samples from one WWTP located in Granada (Spain). Concentration levels for the homologues up to 39.4 μg L(-1) in influent and up to 8.1 μg L(-1) in effluent wastewater samples. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Simultaneous analysis of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls in air samples by using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) and solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME) coupled to gas chromatography dual electron capture detection.

    PubMed

    Mokbel, Haifaa; Al Dine, Enaam Jamal; Elmoll, Ahmad; Liaud, Céline; Millet, Maurice

    2016-04-01

    An analytical method associating accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) and solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME) in immersion mode combined with gas chromatography dual electrons capture detectors (SPME-GC-2ECD) has been developed and studied for the simultaneous determination of 19 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and 22 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in air samples (active and XAD-2 passive samplers). Samples were extracted with ASE with acetonitrile using the following conditions: temperature, 150 °C; pressure, 1500 psi; static, 15 min; cycles, 3; purge, 300 s; flush, 100 %. Extracts were reduced to 1 mL, and 500 μL of this extract, filled with deionised water, was subject to SPME extraction. Experimental results indicated that the proposed method attained the best extraction efficiency under the optimised conditions: extraction of PCB-OCP mixture using 100-μm PDMS fibre at 80 °C for 40 min with no addition of salt. The performance of the proposed ASE-SPME-GC-2ECD methodology with respect to linearity, limit of quantification and detection was evaluated by spiking of XAD-2 resin with target compounds. The regression coefficient (R (2)) of most compounds was found to be high of 0.99. limits of detection (LODs) are between 0.02 and 4.90 ng m(-3), and limits of quantification (LOQs) are between 0.05 and 9.12 ng m(-3) and between 0.2 and 49 ng/sampler and 0.52 and 91 ng/sampler, respectively, for XAD-2 passive samplers. Finally, a developed procedure was applied to determine selected PCBs and OCPs in the atmosphere.

  19. Simultaneous quantification of 21 water soluble vitamin circulating forms in human plasma by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Meisser Redeuil, Karine; Longet, Karin; Bénet, Sylvie; Munari, Caroline; Campos-Giménez, Esther

    2015-11-27

    This manuscript reports a validated analytical approach for the quantification of 21 water soluble vitamins and their main circulating forms in human plasma. Isotope dilution-based sample preparation consisted of protein precipitation using acidic methanol enriched with stable isotope labelled internal standards. Separation was achieved by reversed-phase liquid chromatography and detection performed by tandem mass spectrometry in positive electrospray ionization mode. Instrumental lower limits of detection and quantification reached <0.1-10nM and 0.2-25nM, respectively. Commercially available pooled human plasma was used to build matrix-matched calibration curves ranging 2-500, 5-1250, 20-5000 or 150-37500nM depending on the analyte. The overall performance of the method was considered adequate, with 2.8-20.9% and 5.2-20.0% intra and inter-day precision, respectively and averaged accuracy reaching 91-108%. Recovery experiments were also performed and reached in average 82%. This analytical approach was then applied for the quantification of circulating water soluble vitamins in human plasma single donor samples. The present report provides a sensitive and reliable approach for the quantification of water soluble vitamins and main circulating forms in human plasma. In the future, the application of this analytical approach will give more confidence to provide a comprehensive assessment of water soluble vitamins nutritional status and bioavailability studies in humans. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Simultaneous Quantification of Syringic Acid and Kaempferol in Extracts of Bergenia Species Using Validated High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatographic-Densitometric Method.

    PubMed

    Srivastava, Nishi; Srivastava, Amit; Srivastava, Sharad; Rawat, Ajay Kumar Singh; Khan, Abdul Rahman

    2016-03-01

    A rapid, sensitive, selective and robust quantitative densitometric high-performance thin-layer chromatographic method was developed and validated for separation and quantification of syringic acid (SYA) and kaempferol (KML) in the hydrolyzed extracts of Bergenia ciliata and Bergenia stracheyi. The separation was performed on silica gel 60F254 high-performance thin-layer chromatography plates using toluene : ethyl acetate : formic acid (5 : 4: 1, v/v/v) as the mobile phase. The quantification of SYA and KML was carried out using a densitometric reflection/absorption mode at 290 nm. A dense spot of SYA and KML appeared on the developed plate at a retention factor value of 0.61 ± 0.02 and 0.70 ± 0.01. A precise and accurate quantification was performed using linear regression analysis by plotting the peak area vs concentration 100-600 ng/band (correlation coefficient: r = 0.997, regression coefficient: R(2) = 0.996) for SYA and 100-600 ng/band (correlation coefficient: r = 0.995, regression coefficient: R(2) = 0.991) for KML. The developed method was validated in terms of accuracy, recovery and inter- and intraday study as per International Conference on Harmonisation guidelines. The limit of detection and limit of quantification of SYA and KML were determined, respectively, as 91.63, 142.26 and 277.67, 431.09 ng. The statistical data analysis showed that the method is reproducible and selective for the estimation of SYA and KML in extracts of B. ciliata and B. stracheyi. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.