Automated determination of microbial peroxidase activity in fermentation samples using hydrogen peroxide as the substrate and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) as the electron donor in a flow injection system

An automated flow injection method has been developed for the determination of microbial peroxidase activity. The substrate used was hydrogen peroxide and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate (ABTS) was used as the electron donor. In the presence of hydrogen peroxide, peroxidase catalyses the dehydrogenation of ABTS, resulting in the formation of a resonance-stabilized radical cation of ABTS. The green-blue colour formed, recorded at 418 nm, is taken as a measure of the peroxidase activity. The general technical conditions and the general enzymic kinetics have been optimized. Conditions for activation and stabilization of the enzyme were found, e.g., ammonium sulfate acts as a peroxidase activator. The resulting method has a good precision, sensitivity and speed.

Flow injection spectrofluorimetric method for the determination of magnesium in blood serum

A flow injection configuration for the spectrofluorimetric determination of magnesium is proposed. The method is based on the formation of a strongly fluorescent complex of magnesium ion with 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde salicyloylhydrazone in alkaline, aqueous-ethanolic (50% v/v) solutions. The optimal chemical conditions for complex formation in the mixed solvent were studied and the flow injection manifold was optimized and used for the determination of magnesium in 1000-fold diluted serum samples without any other pre-treatment. The measurement throughput was 120 h-1. The detection limit of the method was 2 micrograms l-1 (2 mg l-1 for serum). The concentration range of application is 4.8-120 micrograms l-1 (0.2-5.0 mumol l-1). Within-run relative standard deviations for the method at 4.8, 24 and 120 micrograms l-1 of magnesium were 3.5, 1.2 and 0.7%, respectively. Analytical recoveries range from 96.2 to 102% (mean 98.8%).

Enzymatic determination of bicarbonate in serum by flow injection analysis

An automated method for the determination of bicarbonate in human serum based on the enzymatic reaction between the analyte and phospho(enol)pyruvate (PEP) in the presence of PEP carboxylase is proposed. The analytical reaction is coupled with a derivatization reaction in which the NADH consumed is fluorimetrically monitored (lambda ex = 340 nm, lambda em = 460 nm). A stopped-flow/flow-injection approach is used in which the enzymes (PEP carboxylase and malate dehydrogenase) are immobilized on controlled-pore glass. The linear determination range is between 25 and 300 mmol/l (r2 = 0.9973). The %C.V. for the within- and between-run studies, performed at three concentration levels, ranges between 1.0 and 3.6% and the sampling frequency is 20 per h.

Continuous-flow assay with immobilized enzymes for determining of inorganic phosphate in serum

An automated method for the determination of inorganic phosphate based on flow-injection analysis and on the use of immobilized enzymes is reported. The method features a linear range between 0.1 and 20 mumol/L with a CV < 2.1% and 3.4% for the within-run and between-run studies, respectively, and a sampling throughput of 40 h-1. The sensitivity of the method makes a 1:250 dilution of the serum samples feasible, thus making undetectable the interferences from analytes commonly present in serum. The method shows an excellent correlation with conventional automated analyzers based on the same enzymatic reaction (Hitachi, r = 0.988) but with the catalyst in solution, and with the Kodak Ektachem method (r = 0.974) based on the use of dry reagents and formation of the phosphomolybdo heteropolyacid.

Mechanized determination of n-octanol/water partition constants using liquid-liquid segmented flow extraction

A simple and rapid method for the determination of partition constants in the n-octanol/water system is presented. The substance under study is dissolved in n-octanol or water, and injected into a stream of the corresponding phase. Liquid-liquid segmented flow is utilized for equilibration of the two phases and after equilibration a fraction of the aqueous phase is separated with the aid of a hydrophilic membrane. The amount of substance in the aqueous phase is measured spectrophotometrically. The measurements are repeated at a small number of different phase flow ratios and the results obtained are plotted against these ratios. From slope and intercept for the regression line through these points the conditional partition constant, D', can be calculated. A simplified procedure using only two measurements, one of which is obtained with the flow rate of organic phase set to 0, can also be used. Partition constants in the range 0.48 < D < 873 (-0.32 < log D < 2.94) have been determined using this system. The precision, measured as relative standard deviation (RSD) is below 15%, corresponding to a standard deviation of +/- 0.1 log unit or less over the range of measurement. Measured values correspond to literature values within 0.07 log units. The time needed for a determination is about 15 min per substance, in many cases even shorter and the sample consumption is, in most cases, less than 1 mg.

Flow injection assay for the neurotoxin beta-ODAP using an immobilized glutamate oxidase reactor with prereactors to eliminate glutamate interferences

The neurotoxic amino acid, beta-N-oxalyl-L-alpha,beta-diaminopropionic acid (beta-ODAP,ODAP) was oxidized by immobilized glutamate oxidase (GlOD) to produce hydrogen peroxide. The peroxide reacts with Trinder reagent in a reactor with immobilized horseradish peroxidase to form a red-colored quinone imine dye, which was detected spectrophotometrically at 512 nm. Determinations were made in a flow injection (FI) setup consisting of four packed-bed enzyme reactors containing GlOD (20 microL), catalase (20 microL), GlOD (250 microL), and peroxidase (50 microL) in series. Glutamate is oxidized quantitatively in the first reactor, but the hydrogen peroxide is destroyed in the second so that interferences from this substrate are removed. This step destroys only a few percent of the ODAP in the sample. Most of the remaining ODAP is oxidized in the third reactor. Injections of 20-microL ODAP standards gave a response curve which was linear within the range 10-650 microM. Phosphate buffer extracts of grass peas (lathyrus sativus) were purified by centrifugation and membrane filtration. Samples were injected into the FI setup to assay the toxin at a rate of 20 samples per hour. The beta-ODAP content of a batch of dry seed corresponded to 0.74% (w/w) with a relative standard deviation of 2.8%. Thermal treatment of ODAP standards at 80-90 degrees C reduced the response to 62% of that before heating. The decrease is due to beta<-->alpha isomerization, and the experiment thus confirms that the method is selective for the toxic beta-isomer.

Fully automated flow-injection system for quantifying 1,5-anhydro-D-glucitol in serum

We have developed a flow-injection system with colorimetric detection to measure 1,5-anhydro-D-glucitol in serum. Serum samples are directly and serially injected into a clean-up column every 3.5 min to remove interferences before the enzymatic reaction. 1,5-Anhydro-D-glucitol, after being passed through the column, is oxidized by immobilized pyranose oxidase (EC 1.1.3.10), and the hydrogen peroxide produced reacts with the chromogen substrate in the presence of immobilized horseradish peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7) to form Bindshedler's Green. The detection limit was 1.2 mumol/L (1.2 pmol). The correlation between results obtained with the present system (y) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) (x) in samples containing < 30 mumol/L 1,5-anhydro-D-glucitol, including many samples from patients with diabetes mellitus, was y = 0.975x-0.111 mumol/L (r = 0.997), which was superior to that obtained between the enzymatic and GC-MS methods. Our system needs only to be set up; it runs without any manual pretreatment, assays 17 samples/h, and shows imprecision (CV) of < 2%.

Flow injection determination of glutamate in human serum and rat brain samples with immobilized glutamate oxidase and glutamate dehydrogenase reactors

Two methods are proposed for the determination of regional concentrations of glutamate in the rat brain as well as in human serum. Glutamate oxidase was immobilized on non-porous glass beads and glutamate dehydrogenase was immobilized on glass derivatives. These supports were employed for the construction of Single Bead String Reactors and Packed Bed Reactors, respectively, which in turn were linked to Flow Injection Analysis systems with either photometric or fluorometric detection. Analytical working curves are linear in the range 1-200 mumol/l for packed bed reactors and 10-500 mmol/l for single bead string reactors. The samples were pretreated depending on their origin and the applied measuring system. Optimal dilution factors were established for the two techniques. Optimal dilution ratios were established and the influence of several added substances was investigated. Recovery and method comparison studies including high performance liquid chromatography verified the accuracy of the proposed methods. Results from within-day and between-day measurements gave relative standard deviations of 4.7 and 5.9% for serum samples and 2.5 and 4.0% for brain samples, respectively.

Discovering flow injection: journey from sample to a live cell and from solution to suspension

Twenty years after its inception, flow injection is seen as an ever-expanding method, as new modifications are discovered such as flow injection cytoanalysis and the flow injection on renewable surfaces technique. In this review, a personal view of the future rather than the history of flow injection is given, with comment on how research is actually being conducted.

Flow injection renewable surface immunoassay: a new approach to immunoanalysis with fluorescence detection

This paper introduces a new methodology of carrying out heterogeneous immunoassays automatically, using a flow injection technique on a renewable surface. Flow injection renewable surface immunoassay (FIRSI) relies on the use of a minute amount of beads to form a reactive surface, which is interrogated by fluorescence spectrometry. Following the assay, on-line regeneration normally used in flow based immunoassays is avoided by fluidically removing the spent reactive surface and replacing it with a new layer of beads. This allows the monitoring of antibody-antigen binding at its early stages, dramatically increases the sampling frequency of a serial assay, and eliminates the problems associated with a decrease in surface reactivity caused by repetitive use. A model system utilizing anti-mouse IgG1-coated beads and mouse IgG1 protein is used to characterize the method with respect to reproducibility, flow rate, contact time, and amount of beads.

Continuous-flow/stopped-flow system incorporating two rotating bioreactors in tandem: application to the determination of alkaline phosphatase activity in serum

Two rotating bioreactors in tandem have been incorporated into a continuous-flow/stopped-flow sample/reagent processing setup for the determination of alkaline phosphatase (EC3.1.3.1) activity in serum samples. The strategy circumvents incompatibility of buffer systems as well as that of the immobilized enzymes utilized in the bioreactors (alkaline phosphatase and alcohol oxidase, EC 1.1.3.13). The determination is indirect in nature although recorded responses are directly related to the enzyme activity in the sample. It couples the following enzyme-catalyzed reactions: (1) hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl dihydrogen phosphate catalyzed by alkaline phosphatase, (2) enzymatic reaction between unreacted p-nitrophenyl dihydrogen phosphate with methanol, and (3) conversion of the residual methanol to the corresponding aldehyde and H2O2, catalyzed by alcohol oxidase. The H2O2 is amperometrically determined at a stationary Pt-ring electrode (applied potential + 0.600 V vs a Ag/AgCl, 3.0 M NaCl reference).

Determination of zinc in serum, blood, and ultrafiltrate fluid from patients on hemofiltration by graphite furnace/atomic absorption spectroscopy or flow injection analysis/atomic absorption spectroscopy

Two methods were optimized for the determination of zinc in samples of blood, serum, and ultrafiltrate fluid from patients with chronic renal impairment undergoing hemofiltration. In the first procedure, after acid digestion of the samples, Zn in blood and serum is determined by a system coupled to flow injection analysis and atomic absorption spectroscopy. The method is rapid, automated, simple, needs small amounts of sample, and has acceptable analytical characteristics. The analytical characteristics obtained were as follows: determination range of method, 0.05-2.0 ppm of Zn; precision as coefficient of variation (CV), 5.3%; recovery, 95-105%; and detection limit (DL), 0.02 ppm. The second method is optimized for ultrafiltrate fluid because the sensitivity of the first procedure is not suitable for the levels of Zn (ppb or ng/mL) in these samples. The technique chosen was atomic absorption spectroscopy with electrothermal atomization in a graphite furnace. The analytical characteristics obtained were as follows: determination range of method, 0.3-2.0 ppb Zn; CV, 5.7%; recovery, 93-107%; and DL, 0.12 ppb. The methods were used to determine zinc in samples of blood, serum, and ultrafiltrate fluid from 5 patients with chronic renal impairment undergoing hemofiltration to discover whether there were significant differences in the zinc contents of blood, serum, and ultrafiltrate fluid after the hemofiltration process. An analysis of variance of the experimental data obtained from a randomly selected group of 5 patients showed that zinc concentrations in the ultrafiltrate fluid, venous blood, and venous serum do not vary during hemofiltration (p < 0.05), whereas in arterial blood and serum, the time factor has a significant effect.

Use of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in flow injection atomic absorption spectrometry for trace metal preconcentration

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was covalently immobilized on controlled pore glass (CPG) using a modified method of enzyme immobilization. This species was packed in a mini-column and incorporated in a flow injection manifold system for trace determination of some metals prior to quantification with atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). A number of investigations on the ability of the microorganism to remove metal ions from solution have shown that different metal ions bind to the cell wall of yeast. We have observed that the pH-dependence behavior is different for Pb(II) and Fe(III) compared to the other metal ions. Between pH 6.0 and 7.5 a variety of metal ions bind strongly to the cell surface. All the metal ions tested were deabsorbed by lowering the pH to < 2.0. Samples of 5 mL of Cd(II), Zn(II), Cu(II), Pb(II), and Fe(III) were preconcentrated to give detection limits of 0.2, 0.1, 0.7, 8.0, and 0.6 ng/mL, respectively. The analysis of real sample reference material showed a good agreement with the certified values for cadmium and copper.

Automated flow-injection technique for use in dissolution studies of sustained-release formulations: application to iron(II) formulations

The application of flow-injection analysis (FIA) to automated dissolution studies of sustained-release formulations is described. The long-term stability of the dissolution-FIA analyser was checked during unattended operation for 42 h. The construction of multiple calibration curves with the so-called electronic dilution FIA procedure was used to extend the linear range of the determination. The computer-controlled FIA system and the principles of associated software are described and applied to dissolution studies of sustained-release formulations of iron(II) using its sensitive reaction with the colour reagent, ferrozine. The extended linear range of the determination is 1-130 ppm iron(II) and the precision (RSD) better than 3% (n = 3).

Determination and speciation of arsenic in human urine by ion-exchange chromatography/flow injection analysis with hydride generation/atomic absorption spectroscopy

A flow injection-hydride generation/atomic absorption spectroscopic method for the measurement of total urinary arsenic and for the selective determination of inorganic arsenic, monomethylarsonic acid (MMAA), and dimethylarsinic acid (DMAA) was developed. Destruction of the organic matrix is necessary to measure total arsenic content of urine samples. Digestion of this matrix with HNO3-H2SO4-H2O2 is described. The separation of inorganic, monomethylated, and dimethylated arsenic compounds in urine was performed with ion-exchange chromatography on AG 50 W-X8 resin. Detection limits of 2 ppb for each arsenic form and of 3 ppb for total arsenic in urine analyzed after mineralization were found. Recoveries in triplicate urine samples spiked with 10 ppb inorganic arsenic, 20 ppb MMAA, and 40 ppb DMAA were 93, 91, and 85%, respectively. The precision (relative standard deviation) of the method obtained in 10 replicate analyses of urine samples spiked with arsenic metabolites varied from 3.2 to 4.6%. This method is applicable to urine samples in studies relating to arsenic exposure and its monitoring.

Determination of ammonium and L-glutamine in hybridoma cell cultures by sequential flow injection analysis

A flow injection analytical system based on a gas diffusion membrane module for ammonia and an ammonium flow-through potentiometric detector has been set up for measurement of L-glutamine and ammonium ions in hybridoma cell cultures. The main feature of the system is that the same basic analytical concept and equipment is used in both measurements, the only difference being for the determination of L-glutamine, in which the sample flows through an immobilized glutaminase cartridge. The conditions to enable the performance of both analysis consecutively, avoiding potential interferences by unwanted deamination of other compounds in the samples, have been determined. Finally, the proposed system has been compared with reference analytical methods for batch hybridoma cell culture experiments.

Specific flow injection sandwich binding assay for IgG using protein A and a fusion protein

A sandwich-type flow-injection binding assay for quantitation of various IgG's was developed. The assay is based on the pseudoimmunological reaction between protein A from Staphylococcus aureus and immunoglobulin G from different species. Protein A immobilized on a solid support and a fusion protein of protein A and beta-galactosidase from Escherichia coli are used for detection. The fusion protein is produced with a temperature-inducible recombinant E. coli strain. A sandwich is formed by subsequent injection of IgG and fusion protein into the buffer stream flowing through the immobilized protein A column. The amount of enzyme activity bound is proportional to the amount of IgG bound and is measured by pumping a lactose solution as substrate for beta-galactosidase through the protein A column. Lactose is converted to glucose and galactose. The detector is an enzyme thermistor that measures the heat evolved in the enzymatic conversion of glucose by coimmobilized glucose oxidase and catalase. The assay takes 16 min at a flow rate of 0.6 mL min-1 with a lower detection limit of 33 pmol per injection of rabbit IgG. The precision of replicate measurements has a standard deviation of 4-5%, and the column can be used for more than 50 cycles.

Determination of sulfur dioxide in wines and beverages by flow injection analysis with reductive amperometric detection and electrolytic cleanup

A new flow injection method is described for the determination of sulfur dioxide in red and white wines and other beverages. A dual-electrode electrochemical detector eliminates interferences by reduction at an upstream coulometric electrode before reductive detection of sulfur dioxide at the amperometric electrode. The data for free and total sulfur dioxide in wines and other beverages agree well with those obtained by the standard aspiration-oxidation method.

Semiautomatic determination of furanic aldehydes in food and pharmaceutical samples by a stopped-flow injection analysis method

A kinetic study of the reactions of 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfuraldehyde and furfural with 2-thiobarbituric acid (TBA) by a stopped-flow flow injection analysis technique has been undertaken. A semiautomatic method for the analytical determination of these furanic aldehydes is proposed on the basis of reaction with TBA. The proposed stopped-flow method was successfully applied to several commercial pharmaceutical preparations and food samples. The procedure is faster than the earlier procedure for determination of these compounds in foods and pharmaceuticals.

Simultaneous determination of ammonia nitrogen and L-glutamine in bioreactor media using flow injection

A novel split stream flow injection (FI) system suitable for the simultaneous determination of L-glutamine and ammonia nitrogen (ammonia-N) in cell culture media is described. Potentiometric detection of ammonia-N in one portion of the manifold is achieved using a commercial ammonia gas-sensing electrode fitted with a wall-jet cap. L-Glutamine is quantified in the other part of the split sample by potentiometric detection of ammonium ions (by an ammonium-selective polymer membrane electrode), liberated from the hydrolysis of glutamine after the sample flows through a glass bead reactor containing immobilized glutaminase. Endogenous ammonia-N and potassium ions that would normally interfere with the glutamine measurement are removed upstream using a unique tubular cation-exchange unit. Using 50 microliters sample volumes and mixed solutions of ammonium chloride and L-glutamine in Iscove's Modified Dulbecco's Medium to calibrate the FI measuring system, values for ammonia-N and L-glutamine determined for 22 media samples obtained from a bioreactor growing retroviral producer cells correlate well with those measured with commercial, manual enzymic-spectrophotometric assay kits.

Characterization of planar concentration gradients in a sequential-injection system for cell-perfusion studies

This paper describes the characterization of a perfusion chamber that is coupled with a sequential-injection system and is being designed for live-cell perfusion. The apparatus consists of a multi-port valve, a peristaltic pump, a perfusion chamber and an epifluorescence microscope. The entire system is computer controlled and temperature regulated. The parameters discussed are the concentration-time profiles with regard to the volume of reagent used and the position of the cell in the perfusion chamber. Other parameters discussed include the stopped-flow compliance, reproducibility and symmetry of the concentration gradients formed. The system is shown to be suitable for two modes of perfusion; the first in which all cells are exposed to the same concentration of reagent, and the second in which cells are exposed to a gradient of concentrations. All characterization is performed with use of bulk fluorescein as a tracer, and a correlation is made between the bulk flow and the response within the cellular environment by using 5-[N-(octadecanoyl)amino]fluorescein.

Flow-injection spectrophotometric determination of piroxicam

Two flow-injection analysis (FIA) methods are proposed for the determination of piroxicam. The first involves measurement of the UV absorbance of a solution containing the drug, methanol and hydrochloric acid at 332 nm; in the second method a Fe(III)-piroxicam complex is formed in a methanolic medium and the absorbance is measured at 520 nm. In both methods, the peak height is used as a quantitative parameter and piroxicam is determined over the ranges 0.5-15 and 30-500 microgram ml-1, respectively. The methods have been applied to the routine determination of the drug in dosage forms.

Optimal design of an enzymatic reactor for flow injection analysis

A simulation procedure for the optimization of enzymatic reactors used in sandwich flow injection systems is evaluated. The system is modeled as a plug-flow reactor with axial dispersion. To calibrate it, dispersion coefficients can be evaluated using residence time distribution techniques; meanwhile, enzymatic kinetics must be determined for the system considered, according to the values of the substrate conversion attained. The model has been linked to an optimization routine based on the Powell algorithm. The proposed approach has been evaluated in a system performing simultaneous determinations of glucose and glycerol, considered the common carbon sources in a fermentation process.

A flow-injection biosensor system for the amperometric determination of creatinine: simultaneous compensation of endogenous interferents

A flow-injection biosensor system was developed for the amperometric determination of creatinine based on coupled reactions of three sequentially aligned enzyme reactors, creatinine deiminase, glutamate dehydrogenase, and glutamate oxidase, using an oxygen electrode as the detector. To overcome the problem of endogenous ammonia and glutamate, the flow was split into two channels after the injector and rejoined before the glutamate dehydrogenase reactor. Double peak recording was obtained by setting a delay coil and a reference column in one of the two channels. The first peak gave the sum response of creatinine, endogenous ammonia, and glutamate, and the second that of endogenous ammonia and glutamate. By this method compensation for endogenous ammonia and glutamate, as well as for interfering ascorbic acid, was achieved simultaneously. The system gave linear calibrations up to 2 mM for the first peak and 3 mM for the second one. The lower detection limits were 0.1 and 0.02 mM for 35- and 100-microliters injection of sample, respectively. One run was completed within 2 min. The system showed good reproducibility (< 3%) and long operational stability (> 1300 runs). The assay results of creatinine in urine showed good correlation with those obtained from the chemical method of Jaffe.

An improved FIA biosensor for the determination of aspartame in dietary food products

A flow injection analysis (FIA) biosensor system was developed for the determination of the artificial sweetener aspartame (L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester). The system consisted of an enzyme column of pronase immobilized on activated arylamine glass beads and a L-amino acid oxidase electrode connected in series. The dipeptide bond of aspartame was cleaved by immobilized pronase to release phenylalanine, which was in turn monitored by the enzyme electrode that used L-amino acid oxidase immobilized on a preactivated nylon membrane in combination with an amperometric electrode (platinum vs silver/silver chloride, 700 mV). The response of the FIA biosensor was linear up to 1 mM aspartame with a lower detection limit of 25 microM and had good reproducibility (rsd 0.3%). The FIA biosensor was stable for at least 30 h of continuous use at Tr. Each assay takes 4 min giving a sample throughput of 15 h-1. When applied to aspartame in dietary food products the results obtained agreed well with those reported by the product manufacturers.

Liposome-based flow-injection immunoassay for determining theophylline in serum

We developed a method for quantitatively determining theophylline in serum, using a heterogeneous immunoassay called flow-injection immunoanalysis. The reaction involves competition between serum theophylline and theophylline-labeled liposomes. Separation occurs on a solid-phase reactor column containing immobilized antibody to theophylline incorporated in a flow-injection system. Subsequent lysis of the bound liposomes provides sensitive detection of the analyte. Effective regeneration of the immobilized antibody activity allows the reactor to be reused for hundreds of sequential samples. Comparison of the results of the flow-injection immunoassay method with results obtained with a commercially available fluorescence polarization method showed an excellent correlation.

The study of the differential pulse voltammetric behaviour of ergot alkaloids and their determination by DC amperometric detection in a FIA system

The ergot alkaloids possess strong pharmacological effects and are important drugs with widespread clinical uses. The ergot alkaloid preparations manufactured by Gedeon Richter Chemical Works Ltd have a very low active substance content (e.g. 1.0 mg in each Secadol (0.4 g) coated tablet); therefore a sensitive method of determination must be used. Because of this constraint the differential pulse voltammetric behaviour of ergot alkaloids was studied in respect of the effects of pH and composition of media and an automated FIA system with amperometric detection has been used to develop a selective and sensitive method for the routine quantitative assay of these alkaloids. A short summary is given of the experimental evidence to substantiate the stoichiometric equation proposed for the electrochemical oxidation of the lysergic acid type of ergot alkaloids, the mechanism may be generally applicable for compounds having the ergoloid skeleton. In the course of the work it was concluded that a simple DC amperometric method of detection in a FIA system could be applied to determine the content of ergot alkaloids of different pharmaceutical preparations. A suitable method designed to meet current analytical requirements has been developed and validated.

Automated enzymatic determination of sodium in serum

An automated method based on the principles of flow-injection analysis is proposed for the enzymatic determination of sodium ion in serum. The method relies on the activation of beta-galactosidase by the analyte. The features of the proposed method include linear range between 1 and 1700 mumol/L, a sampling rate of 50 samples/h, a sample volume of 50 microL, and the absence of interferences from species usually present in serum. The results obtained were consistent with those provided by widely used methods such as those based on flame spectrometry and direct potentiometry with ion-selective electrodes.

Flow injection chemiluminescence study of acridinium ester stability and kinetics of decomposition

Decomposition of phenyl acridinium-9-carboxylate is monitored using electrogenerated chemiluminescence in a flow system. The formation of the pseudobase from the acridinium ester [AE] is described by rate = k'1[AE] + k''1[AE][OH-]0.5, where k'1 = 0.020 +/- 0.006 s-1 and k''1 = 2.1 +/- 0.8 (L/mol)-0.5 s-1. Irreversible decomposition of the pseudobase is described by rate = k'2[AE][OH-], where k'2 = 20.1 +/- 3.8 (L/mol s). These kinetic equations, plus measurement of variation in emission intensity for constant acridinium ester concentration, are used to predict the resulting emission intensity v. pH behaviour given various contact times (in the 0.25 to 25 s range) for the acridinium ester to be in an alkaline solution prior to initiation of the chemiluminescence reaction.

Flow-injection analysis for malondialdehyde in plasma with the thiobarbituric acid reaction

A simple, precise, and rapid method to measure plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) was developed by use of solvent extraction--flow-injection analysis. The reagent solution, containing thiobarbituric acid (TBA), 5 g/L in 100 mL/L phosphoric acid, and extraction solvent (methylisobutyl ketone, MIBK) were propelled with a double-plunger micropump at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min, and 20 microL of sample was introduced into the reagent stream. After TBA-MDA reactant was extracted into MIBK, the organic phase was continuously separated by a successive phase-separation system equipped with two phase separators, and the absorbance of the TBA-MDA reactant was measured at 532 nm. This approach resulted in excellent sensitivity, a CV of < 1.5%, a good correlation with the conventional manual method, and a sampling frequency of 7 samples/h, suggesting that this semiautomated method is suitable for measuring plasma MDA.

Flow injection spectrophotometric determination of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin in drug formulations

A flow injection spectrophotometric method for the assay of ciprofloxacin was developed. The method was based on the chelation of iron(III) with the drug in 0.023 mol dm-3 sulfuric acid solution in a 72 cm long coil and the brown-red complex produced was monitored at 447 nm. The super modified simplex computer program was employed for the optimization of the system and chemical parameters with respect to throughput and sensitivity as a measure of system performance. A working range for ciprofloxacin determination of 50-500 ppm for a 110 mm3 sample size with an optimum of 250 samples per hour was achieved with a relative standard deviation of less than 0.92%. The method was successfully applied to the determination of ciprofloxacin in drug formulations.

[Obtaining liposomal preparations of various biologically active substances by the method of detergent flow analysis]

It was shown that detergent dialysis could be successfully used for liposomal encapsulation of substances belonging to different chemical groups with diverse therapeutic activity such as rifampicin, aclarubicin, amphotericin B, pefloxacin and insulin. Liposome encapsulation of substances poorly soluble or insoluble in aqueous media was likely the most promising. The optimal incorporation depended on both the composition of the lipids forming the liposomes and the properties of the compounds being encapsulated.

Rapid determination of conditional partition constants in an FIA system

This paper presents a simple and rapid method for the screening of substances for their conditional partition constants in the chloroform-water system. Samples are injected in either aqueous or organic solution into the corresponding phase. After equilibration in segmented flow the amount of sample remaining is measured photometrically. Performing the measurements at a series of phase volume ratios enables calculation of conditional partition constants knowing neither the amount injected nor the absorptivity of the substance under study. The time needed for a determination is about 15 min per substance, in many cases even shorter and the sample consumption is, in most cases, less than 1 mg. These characteristics make the method suitable for screening purposes. A series of compounds has been examined with this method, and acceptable results for the conditional partition constants were obtained in the range 0.2 less than D' less than 100 (-0.7 less than log D' less than 2.0).

Process monitoring by flow-injection immunoassay. Evaluation of a sequential competitive binding assay

A new variation on the theme of flow-injection binding assays is presented, namely the sequential competitive binding assay, in which the sample containing the native antigen is first introduced into the flow system followed by a pulse of labelled antigen. The flow-injection binding assay was used in monitoring the effluent from column chromatographic separations of proteins. By applying a computer-based evaluation system, concentrations are automatically read and compensation is made for denaturation in the affinity sorbent.

Determination of mitoxantrone by flow injection analysis using an amperometric detector

Mitoxantrone was determined by flow injection analysis using a flow cell modified in the laboratory and fitted with carbon paste as an amperometric detector. The sample solution (100 microliters, 5 x 10(-8)-1 x 10(-5) M) was injected into the carrier stream of 0.1 M perchloric acid (pH 1.12). Mitoxantrone was determined by oxidation at the carbon paste electrode (CPE) at +0.90 V. A 60-cm delay coil (0.5 mm i.d.) was incorporated just before the detector (a canal thin layer) and a flow rate of about 4 ml min-1 was used. The system was successfully applied to the determination of mitoxantrone in a pharmaceutical preparation; the method was fast and reproducible.

Biosensors and flow injection analysis

Combining flow injection analysis with a biosensor is a novel biosensing process which has allowed speedy and accurate analysis. Diagnostic analysis is the most important application for biosensing flow injection analysis, but other applications include bioprocess monitoring, analysis of food and agricultural products, as well as environmental analysis. In addition, the analysis of compounds, such as explosives and abused drugs, and monitoring of Salmonella, the microorganism that causes food poisoning, have been reported.

Mechanized assay of serum cholinesterase by specific colorimetric detection of released acid

An automated assay method has been developed for the measurement of serum cholinesterase activity. The samples were prepared by an automated liquid handling unit and incubated for 9.7 min at 30 degrees C, followed by automatic injection into a colorimetric flow injection determination system for acetic acid liberated from acetylcholine by cholinesterase catalytic activity. The coloration reaction employed is based upon the formation of 2-nitrophenylhydrazide utilizing a water-soluble carbodiimide and has a high selectivity for carboxylic acids. The coefficients of variation of the proposed method were 2.4% for within-run analysis (n = 14) and 2.6% for between-run analysis (n = 6). Sera of 55 hospitalized patients were analyzed and the values obtained correlated well with an automated differential pH method (gamma = 0.989).

Spectrophotometric determination of promethazine by flow injection analysis and oxidation by CeIV

A flow injection analysis (FIA) procedure is proposed for the determination of promethazine. The sample solution is directly injected into the carrier-reagent stream which comprises a solution of ceric ions in a sulphuric acid medium. The absorbance at 514 nm from the red colour developed by the oxidation of promethazine is measured. Effects of foreign substances have been investigated and the procedure has been applied to the determination of promethazine in a pharmaceutical formulation (tablets).

Flow injection system based on the sandwich technique for saving expensive reagents

We report the application of a sandwich technique in flow injection systems which afford low consumption of expensive reagents and two reagent recirculation systems. The potential applicability of the technique thus developed was assessed by determining glucose in serum samples by the enzymatic glucosidase/peroxidase method. It was possible to perform up to 450 determinations with the same amount of reagent used to perform 50 determinations by batch procedures. The sampling rate was 80 determinations per hour with a 0.9% relative standard deviation.

An FIA biosensor system for the determination of phosphate

A flow injection analysis (FIA) biosensor system for the determination of phosphate was constructed using immobilized nucleoside phosphorylase and xanthine oxidase and an amperometric electrode (platinum vs silver/silver chloride, polarized at 0.7 V). When a phosphate-containing sample was injected into the detection cell, phosphate reacted with inosine in the carrier buffer to produce hypoxanthine and ribose-1-phosphate in the presence of nucleoside phosphorylase. Hypoxanthine was then oxidized by xanthine oxidase to uric acid and hydrogen peroxide, which were both detected by the amperometric electrode. The response of the FIA biosensor system was linear up to 100 microM phosphate, with a minimum detectable concentration of 1.25 microM phosphate. Each assay could be performed in 5-6 min and the system could be used for about 160 repeated analyses. This system was applicable for the determination of phosphate in various food products and plasma, and the results obtained agreed well with those of the enzymatic assay.

Time window analysis and sorting

Flow cytometric hardware and procedures were developed to continuously analyse and to sort a particular time window in a kinetic response. The technique uses balanced air pressure to drive a stimulus-bead mixture from a vial to a t-junction where it mixes passively with cells. The t-junction is distanced from the flow cell and air pressure regulated so that the stimulation occurs at a fixed and adjustable time before the cells are interrogated by the laser beam. Practical applications of the device demonstrate utility with cells whose responses are seen in seconds or minutes. The device is easily implemented on any sorting flow cytometer.

Kinetic determination of aspartate aminotransferase in human serum with a flow-injection/multidetection system

Photometric-kinetic methods for the determination of activity of aspartate aminotransferase are proposed. The flow-injection manifold used for this purpose includes a selecting valve which allows the sample to be trapped in a closed circuit where a solid reactor housing an auxiliary enzyme and a conventional single detector allows a multipeak recording to be obtained for each sample. This record represents a typical kinetic curve from which much information can be obtained to develop fixed-time and reaction-rate methods for the determination of the analyte based on its catalytic action on the L-aspartic acid-2 oxoglutarate system. The linear range is found to be between 1 and 500 U l-1, with relative standard deviation less than 1%. The utility of the methods is illustrated by the determination of the analyte in human serum from healthy and sick individuals.