Liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Identification of Fe-polycarboxylic complexes by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and reduction of interferences by ion chromatography/inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry with an octopole reaction system

Stable complexes are required during the ion chromatographic (IC) separation of Fe-polycarboxylic acid complexes. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) was used to identify 1:1 stoichiometric complexes of Fe[HEDTA], Fe[EDTA](1-) and Fe[DTPA](2-), and the spectra showed that these Fe complexes were stable in solution. Furthermore, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) using an octopole reaction system (ORS) reduced polyatomic ion (40)Ar(16)O(+) interference in the detection of (56)Fe via the addition of either H(2) or He to the ORS, with He at a flow rate 3.5 mL min(-1) being the optimum collision gas. Finally, IC/ICP-MS was used for the separation and detection of Fe complexes with an eluent containing 30 mM (NH(4))(2)HPO(4) at pH 8.0, but only Fe[HEDTA], Fe[EDTA](1-) and Fe[DTPA](2-) were observed within 10 min with reasonable resolution. Detection limits in the range of 10-13 µg L(-1) were achieved using He as the collision gas. The proposed method was used for the determination of Fe species in soil solutions.

ICP-MS-based strategies for protein quantification

In the post-genomics era, proteomics has become a central branch in life sciences. An understanding of biological functions will not only rely on protein identification, but also on protein quantification in a living organism. Most of the existing methods for quantitative proteomics are based on isotope labeling combined with molecular mass spectrometry. Recently, a remarkable progress that utilizes inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) as an attractive complement to electrospray MS and MALDI MS for protein quantification, especially for absolute quantification, has been achieved. This review will selectively discuss the recent advances of ICP-MS-based technique, which will be expected to further mature and to become one of the key methods in quantitative proteomics.

Determination of trace mercury species by high performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after cloud point extraction

A sensitive method for speciation analysis of inorganic mercury (Hg(2+)) and methyl mercury (MeHg(+)) has been developed by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) combined with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after cloud point extraction. The analytes were complexed with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC) and preconcentrated by a non-ionic surfactant Triton X-114. Mercury species were effectively separated by HPLC in less than 6 min. The enhancement factors for 25 mL sample solution were 42 and 21, and the limits of detection were 4 and 10 ng L(-1) for Hg(2+) and MeHg(+), respectively. The developed method was successfully applied to the determination of trace amount of mercury species in environmental and biological samples.

On-line solid-phase extraction coupled with liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry for the determination of trace tributyltin and triphenyltin in water samples

On-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) for pre-concentration and sample cleanup is one strategy to reduce matrix effects and to simultaneously improve detection sensitivity in liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS). This paper describes an on-line SPE-LC/MS method for the determination of tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPhT) at trace levels in water samples. The direct coupling of an on-line C18 pre-column to LC/MS was used to pre-concentrate TBT and TPhT at trace levels from waters and to remove interfering matrix effects. Pre-concentration was followed by separation of TBT and TPhT on a C18 column using a mobile phase containing 0.1% (v/v) HCOOH/5 mM HCOONH4 and methanol. While both electrospray ionization (ESI) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) can be interfaced with MS for the detection of TBT and TPhT, ESI-MS was preferred for this application. The calibration curve for the targets was linear in the concentration range 0.1-30 microg L(-1). The detection limit (signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio = 3) was 0.02 microg L(-1) when 3.0 mL of sample was enriched on the C18 pre-column. The recoveries of TBT and TPhT in spiked waters were from 81.0 to 101.9%. The reproducibilities for the analysis of the standard mixture (10 microg L(-1)) for TBT and TPhT were 13.1 and 5.0%, respectively. The developed method was an easy and fast way to analyze TBT and TPhT in water samples.

Quantification of protein phosphorylation by microLC-ICP-MS

Determination of the protein amount and of the extent of protein phosphorylation is crucial for a variety of research fields, but is not always straightforward. We describe the application of capillary LC-ICP-MS (liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry) for quantification of phospho-proteins and their phosphorylation degree. Element mass spectrometry is ideally suited for monitor ing and quantification of compounds with heteroelements such as phosphorus and sulphur, particularly because the ICP-MS response is virtually independent from the chemical form of the element. Determination of the phosphorylation stoichiometry, i.e. the relative abundance of the phosphorylated isoforms, can be assessed by the relative abundance of phosphorus compared with sulphur as a marker for the protein amount. Moreover, isotope dilution analysis by post-column addition of a 34S-Spike provides absolute protein quantification with exceptionally high accuracy. Phosphoprotein analysis by capillary LC-ICP-MS may be applied to isolated proteins or protein digests and may include separation of impurities by 1D-SDS-PAGE followed by enzymatic digestion. Alternatively, digestion of complex protein mixtures such as cellular protein extracts allows determination of global, tissue-specific phosphorylation degrees.

Simultaneous tracing of multiple precursors each labeled with a different homo-elemental isotope by speciation analysis: Distribution and metabolism of four parenteral selenium sources

The availability, distribution, and metabolism of four typical selenium sources [inorganic selenite and selenate, and organic selenomethionine (SeMet) and methylselenocysteine (MeSeCys)] were compared by administering them simultaneously through a parenteral route. The four selenium sources were each labeled with a different enriched selenium isotope (82Se, 78Se, 77Se, and 76Se, respectively), and administered intravenously at the dose of 25 μg Se/kg body weight each to rats that had been depleted of natural abundance selenium with a single isotope, 80Se, by feeding 80Se-selenite in drinking water and a selenium-deficient diet. At 1 h post-injection, the amounts of the four tracers recovered from major organs and blood comprised around 70, 55, and 50 % of the doses for selenite, MeSeCys and SeMet, and selenate, respectively, being most abundant in the liver. The intact precursors, except for selenite, were recovered from all organs. 77Se and 76Se of SeMet and MeSeCys origin, respectively, were much more efficiently recovered from the pancreas than selenite and selenate, in forms mostly bound to proteins together with intact forms, suggesting that SeMet and MeSeCys are preferentially distributed directly to the pancreas. The incorporations of selenium into selenoprotein P (Sel P) and selenosugars were most efficient from selenite and less efficient from SeMet, suggesting that selenite was most efficiently utilized for the syntheses of selenoproteins and selenosugars. Although selenate was partly excreted into the urine in its intact form, it was retained longer in the plasma in its intact form than the other selenium sources. The advantage of simultaneous administration of multiple precursors each labeled with a different enriched isotope to depleted hosts followed by simultaneous tracing of the labeled isotopes over the conventional method with a single tracer is emphasized together with cautions that may occur with the new multiple tracer method.

Confirmation of lead aminocarboxylic complex formation using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and speciation by anion-exchange chromatography coupled with ICP-MS

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) were used as complementary techniques to provide element and molecular information for aminocarboxylic lead species including [Pb(NTA)]1-, [Pb(HEDTA)]1-, [Pb(EDTA)]2- and [Pb(DTPA)]3-. ESI-MS was used to initially confirm the formation of lead aminocarboxylic complexes in solution and subsequently anion-change chromatography coupled with ICP-MS was used to speciate these complexes using a mobile phase containing 30 mM NH4H2PO4 at pH of 8.0. However, [Pb(NTA)]1- was not observed during chromatographic separation due to its poor stability. The species [Pb(HEDTA)]1-, [Pb(EDTA)]2- and [Pb(DTPA)]3- were separated within 15 min with reasonable resolution and detection limits ranging from 0.05 to 0.2 microg L(-1) with simple direct injection of sample. The proposed method was used to speciate aminocarboxylic lead complexes in soil solution.

Combined use of total metal content and size fractionation of metal biomolecules to determine the provenance of pine nuts (Pinus pinea)

Four essential elements (Mn, Ni, Zn, and Cu) and their molecular-size distribution patterns have been determined, for twenty four samples of pine nuts from eight areas in Spain and Portugal (Huelva, Cádiz, Badajoz, Cataluña, Castilla, Madrid, Faro, and Coimbra), by size-exclusion liquid chromatography (SEC) coupled on-line to UV and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric (ICP-MS) detection. The variability observed in total element content and the size-exclusion profiles of elements in samples from distant areas were considered as chemical descriptors for characterization of geographic origin. A pattern-recognition technique, the display method principal component analysis, was used as visualization technique to determine the provenance of the pine nuts collected. The results obtained confirmed that size fractionation profiles give more information for assessing the provenance of pine nuts than the total elements composition traditionally used for this purpose. Combination of these chemical descriptors was the most suitable choice for the samples studied. Figure This paper shows the application of an analytical approach based on total elements concentrations and the relative abundance of metal-biomolecules, estimated by the size-exclusion fractions, as chemical descriptors to determine the provenance of pine nuts. Principal component analysis (PCA) has been used as a visualization technique.

Speciation of arsenic by ion chromatography inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry using ammonium eluents

A method based on ion chromatography (IC) and inductively coupled plasma MS (ICP-MS) was developed for the speciation of arsenic in water and soil extracts. An anion-exchange column (G3154A/101) was used to separate As(III), As(V), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), and monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) with excellent resolution. Various ammonium salts, including NH4H2PO4, (NH4)2HPO4, (NH4)2CO3, and NH4HCO3, were examined as eluents to reduce matrix interference from chloride and to solve clogging problems. The best arsenic speciation was obtained within 9 min with excellent resolution and without interference from high chloride concentrations using an eluent containing 7.5 mM (NH4)2HPO4 at pH 7.9. The detection limits for the target arsenic species ranged from 0.1 to 0.4 microg/L with direct injection of sample without matrix elimination. The proposed method was effectively demonstrated by determining arsenic species in contaminated waters and soils of Bangladesh.

Total mercury and mercury species in birds and fish in an aquatic ecosystem in the Czech Republic

Total mercury and mercury species (methylmercury-MeHg, inorganic mercury--Hg(2+)) were determined in the aquatic ecosystem Záhlinice (Czech Republic). Four tissues (muscle, intestines, liver and kidney) of three bird species--cormorant, great crested grebe and Eurasian buzzard, muscle tissues of common carp, grass carp, northern pike, goldfish, common tench, perch and rudd, aquatic plants (reed mace and common reed), sediments and water were analysed. Relative contents of MeHg (of total Hg) were in the range from 71% to 94% and from 15% up to 62% in the muscle and intestines and in liver, respectively, for all birds. Statistically significant differences were found between contents of MeHg in liver tissues of young and adult cormorant populations (F(4.60)=56.71, P<10(-5)). Relative contents of MeHg in muscle tissues of fishes were in the range from 65.1% to 87.9% of total Hg.

Online Standard Additions Calibration of Transient Signals for Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

An online standard additions calibration method for transient signals in ICPMS is demonstrated in which a small volume of standard is injected as a spike into the sample/carrier stream, overlaying the analyte peak. This technique provides the advantages of conventional standard additions but requires only a single sample run. The method corrects for matrix effects and is suitable for transient signals in which the severity of the matrix effect changes over the analyte peak. The method uses a peak-fitting program to determine the area of the underlying peak and is shown to be effective for the determination of trace metal concentrations in both a high ionic strength matrix and in a biological matrix (urine). Eight analytes with concentrations in the range of 0.82-233.2 mug L-1 in urine were simultaneously determined using a standard spiking solution of 75 mug L-1 injected through a 100-muL loop. The measured concentrations for analytes free of spectral interferences agreed with the certified values, and the precision achieved was comparable to that achieved by the certifying agency. Using a conventional cross-flow nebulizer and Scott-type spray chamber, the accuracy obtained for online standard additions calibration was within 2%, and the precision was within 5%.

Elemental Speciation by Parallel Elemental and Molecular Mass Spectrometry and Peak Profile Matching

Trace elemental speciation in complex, real-world matrixes is a daunting task because of the low concentration of metals/metalloids and the correspondingly high molecular chemical noise. We constructed a liquid chromatography parallel elemental and molecular mass spectrometry (PEMMS) system and evaluated the use of peak elution profiles to identify trace molecular species containing specific heteroatoms, using the case of Se in yeast. We demonstrate that it is possible to use the HPLC-inductively coupled plasma (ICP)MS peak profile (retention time, width) to identify candidate ions with matching peak profiles in the molecular MS data. Proof of principle was demonstrated by C18 separation of three Se-amino acid standards (0.005-15 ppm as Se). The molecular MS (atmospheric pressure chemical ionization time-of-flight, APCI-TOF-MS) data set was converted into selected ion chromatograms of 0.05 Th width. ICPMS and APCI-TOF-MS ion chromatograms were fit by the Haarhoff-VanderLinde function using the following parameters: area, retention time, width, and skew. The ICPMS fit parameters were more reproducible than the APCI-TOF-MS fit parameters from run to run, and the APCI-TOF-MS signal was expected to limit correlation in most circumstances. Retention time and width were found to correlate well between the two MS systems for APCI-TOF-MS peaks with signal-to-fit-error (S/FE) of >25. Correction factors for differences in flow path length and peak broadening were required. The normalized correction factors were species and concentration independent and were stable from run to run. The skew parameter was found to be highly susceptible to noise and was not generally useful in matching ICPMS and APCI-TOF-MS peaks. An artificially noisy sample was generated by spiking 30 ppb Se-methionine (SeMet) and 5 ppb Se-methylselenocysteine (SeMSC) with unselenized yeast extract and run by PEMMS. The PEMMS software was able to detect four molecular MS peaks associated with SeMet and two for SeMSC, while filtering out >40 coeluting spectral peaks associated with chemical noise in each sample. In summary, we have demonstrated that correlated information in peak shape between parallel detectors can facilitate detection of trace elemental species in complex matrixes.

Specific determination of intact cisplatin and monohydrated cisplatin in human plasma and culture medium ultrafiltrates using HPLC on-line with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

We have developed a specific assay for cisplatin in human plasma ultrafiltrate (PUF) and cell culture medium ultrafiltrate (MUF) using HPLC on-line with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Separation of cisplatin (6 min) and monohydrated cisplatin (12 min) was achieved using a muBondapak C(18) column (Waters) and a mobile phase (0.075 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate and 3% methanol, adjusted to pH 2.5 with triflic acid) pumped at a flow rate of 0.5 mL/min. The analytes were detected with little background interference by ICP-MS monitoring of platinum masses (m/z 194/195). Calibration curves were linear over three orders of magnitude (0.05-8 microM) and the limit of quantitation was 0.1 microM. Intra- and inter-assay accuracy (range 91.6-113%) and precision (range 1.00-12.3%) were acceptable for PUF and MUF. The method was applied to determining cisplatin during ex vivo incubation of the drug in whole human blood at 37 degrees C. In conclusion, a specific, sensitive and reliable HPLC-ICP-MS assay has been established for determining intact cisplatin in PUF and MUF.

Selenium speciation analysis using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

Selenium exists in several oxidation states and a variety of inorganic and organic compounds, and the chemistry of selenium is complex in both the environment and living systems. Selenium is an essential element at trace levels and toxic at greater levels. Interest in speciation analysis for selenium has grown rapidly in this last decade, especially in the use of chromatographic separation coupled with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Complete characterization of selenium compounds is necessary to understand selenium's significance in metabolic processes, clinical chemistry, biology, toxicology, nutrition and the environment. This review describes some of the essential background of selenium, and more importantly, some of the currently used separation methodologies, both chromatographic and electrophoretic, with emphasis on applications of selenium speciation analysis using ICP-MS detection.

Mass spectrometry in bioinorganic analytical chemistry

A considerable momentum has recently been gained by in vitro and in vivo studies of interactions of trace elements in biomolecules due to advances in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP MS) used as a detector in chromatography and capillary and planar electrophoresis. The multi-isotopic (including non-metals such as S, P, or Se) detection capability, high sensitivity, tolerance to matrix, and large linearity range regardless of the chemical environment of an analyte make ICP MS a valuable complementary technique to electrospray MS and MALDI MS. This review covers different facets of the recent progress in metal speciation in biochemistry, including probing in vitro interactions between metals and biomolecules, detection, determination, and structural characterization of heteroatom-containing molecules in biological tissues, and protein monitoring and quantification via a heteroelement (S, Se, or P) signal. The application areas include environmental chemistry, plant and animal biochemistry, nutrition, and medicine.

Hyphenation of ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for fast analysis of bromine containing preservatives

Ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) was coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for fast analysis of three bromine-containing preservatives, monitoring the 79Br and 81Br isotopes simultaneously. Due to the efficiency of the 1.7 microm column packing material, the resolution of the test substances was only slightly affected when the linear flow velocity was increased from 0.5 to 1.9 mm s(-1). However, the sensitivity of ICP-MS detection decreased when the linear flow velocity was increased from 0.5 to 1.9 mm s(-1). Analytical figures of merit were determined at an intermediate and at a high linear velocity. The precision was better than 2.2% R.S.D. and regression analysis showed that a linear response was achieved at both flow rates (R2 > 0.9993, n = 36). The analysis time was less than 4.5 min at a flow rate of 50 microL min(-1) and limits of detection and quantification were better than 3.3 and 11 microg BrL(-1), respectively. The analysis time was reduced to 2.7 min when the flow rate was increased to 90 microL min(-1) and limits of detection and quantification were better than 20 and 65 microg BrL(-1), respectively. The method was applied for quantitative analysis of bromine-containing preservatives in commercially available cosmetic products.

Liquid chromatographic – cold vapour atomic fluorescence spectrometric determination of mercury species

Solvent extraction, sonication, and microwave-assisted extractions in the presence of extraction agents (thioacetic acid, citric acid, cysteine, 2-mercaptoethanol, HCl + NaCl, etc.) were tested for the isolation of mercury species. A mixture of 6 M HCl and 0.1 M NaCl was selected as the most suitable extraction agent. The extraction efficiency was about 10% higher and the RSD below 3.3% when microwave-assisted extraction was applied instead of sonication. The liquid chromatography-cold vapour atomic fluorescence spectrometry (LC/CV-AFS) method was optimised and used for separation and determination of inorganic mercury cations and alkylated and arylated mercury species. Isocratic elution at a flow rate of 0.15 mL/min (with a mobile phase containing 0.05% 2-mercaptoethanol (pH = 5) and 7% methanol and with a stepwise increase of methanol content up to 100% MeOH in the 15th min) was used for separation of mercury species on a Hypersil BDS C18 RP column. The limits of detection of the LC/CV-AFS system were estimated as 0.2 microg/L (3%) for MeHg+, 0.07 microg/L (5.3%) for inorganic Hg, 0.06 microg/L (3.4%) for PhHg+, and 0.12 microg/L (4.4%) for EtHg with the corresponding RSDs at 5 microg/L (n = 10) given in parentheses. The concentrations (2-10 mg/kg fresh weight) of total mercury and methylmercury (90-99% of the total mercury) in selected fish obtained by HPLC/CV-AFS were in good agreement (absolute deviations 0.05 mg/kg) but more precise (RSDs <5.4% at 5 mg/L, n = 10) than those determined by GC coupled to an electron capture detector. The RSDs (3.1-8.2% and 4.1-9.0%) of the overall analytical procedure for the determination of total mercury (AMA 254) and methylmercury (HPLC/CV-AFS) were determined for intra-day and inter-day assays, respectively.

Identification and Characterization of Isomeric Intermediates in a Catalyst Formation Reaction by Means of Speciation Analysis Using HPLC−ICPMS and HPLC−ESI-MS

Information on chemical speciation is much needed in mechanistic and kinetic studies on catalyst formation processes in pharmaceutical research. Speciation analysis was applied to the identification and quantification of various rhodium species involved in a ligand exchange process leading to formation of catalyst dirhodium(II) tetrakis[methyl 2-oxopyrrolidin-5(S)-carboxylate]. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) was used as an element-specific detector following species separation by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) was used for species identification and confirmation. A novel interface between the HPLC and ICPMS, which consisted of an eluent splitter, a desolvation unit, and the ICPMS built-in peristaltic pump, enabled the use of RP-HPLC with gradient elution and up to 100% organic components in the LC eluent without organic loading in the plasma. A variety of reaction intermediates were identified and quantified along the pathway to formation of the desired product, including isomeric di-, tri-, and tetrasubstituted species previously believed to be absent. This has provided new insights into the mechanism and kinetics of the reaction. The combination of HPLC-ICPMS and HPLC-ESI-MS has proven to be a valuable tool for the investigation of species evolution in catalyst formation process.

Effects of liquid chromatography mobile phases and buffer salts on phosphorus inductively coupled plasma atomic emission and mass spectrometries utilizing ultrasonic nebulization and membrane desolvation

Atomic spectrometry, specifically inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) show promise for heteroatom-based detection of pharmaceutical compounds. The combination of ultrasonic nebulization (USN) with membrane desolvation (MD) greatly enhances detection limits with these approaches. Because pharmaceutical analyses often incorporate liquid chromatography, the study herein was performed to examine the effects of solvent composition on the analytical behaviors of these approaches. The target analyte was phosphorus, introduced as phosphomycin. AES response was examined at the 253.7 nm atom line and mass 31 ions were monitored for the MS experiments. With pure aqueous solutions, detection limits of 5 ppb (0.5 ng in 0.1 mL injection volumes) were obtained with ICP-MS. The ICP-AES detection limit was 150 ppb. Solvent compositions were varied from 0 to 80% organic (acetonitrile and methanol) with nine buffers at concentrations typically used in liquid chromatography. In general, solvents and buffers had statistically significant, albeit small, effects on ICP-AES sensitivities. A few exceptions occurred in cases where typical liquid chromatography buffer concentrations produced higher mass loadings on the plasma. Indications are that isocratic separations can be reliably performed. Within reasonable accuracy tolerances, it appears that gradient chromatography can be performed without the need for signal response normalization. Organic solvent and buffer effects were more significant with ICP-MS. Sensitivities varied significantly with different buffers and organic solvent content. In these cases, gradient chromatography will require careful analytical calibration as solvent and buffer content is varied. However, for most buffer and solvent combinations, signal and detection limits are only moderately affected. Isocratic separations and detection are feasible.

The application of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis

With the development of life science, pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis becomes more and more important in medical science. Further studies will be hopefully established if it is possible to use inorganic elemental standards or small organic compounds in the quantitative determination of all kinds of drugs, nucleotides and sulfur or phosphorus containing peptides and proteins at appropriate concentration with an acceptable accuracy. Since 1980, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has emerged as a new and powerful analytical technique which is suitable for element and isotope analysis. It offers extremely wide detection range of element and co-analysis of most elements in the periodic table. Also, it can be applied to perform qualitative, semiquantitative, and quantitative analysis and isotopic ratios through mass-to-electric charge ratio. With the help of ICP-MS, the struggle of searching for an excellent quantification technique in, e.g. drugs and proteomics has come appreciably close to an end. This review mainly focuses on the introduction of application of ICP-MS in pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis. Some problems in application and the handling strategies are simply presented at the end.

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in separation techniques: Recent trends in phosphorus speciation

Inductively coupled plasma-MS (ICP-MS) and its combined use with molecular mass spectrometric techniques have become the most promising detection techniques in speciation studies. High sensitivity and element specificity of ICP-MS has the advantage of detecting trace amounts of the species of interest in complex matrices. This review is divided into two parts. In the first part, suitable use of ICP-MS either online or offline with currently used separation techniques such as HPLC, CE, and gel electrophoresis in speciation analysis is briefly discussed. In the second part, recent applications (1999-2005) of phosphorus speciation is presented to elucidate the importance of ICP-MS in separation methods and to illustrate its importance in nonmetal detection.

Arsenic speciation analysis in water samples: a review of the hyphenated techniques

Interests in the determination of different arsenic species in natural waters is caused by the fact that toxic effects of arsenic are connected with its chemical forms and oxidation states. In determinations of water samples inorganic arsenate (As(III), As(V)), methylated metabolities (MMAA, DMAA) and other organic forms such as AsB, AsC, arsenosugars or arsenic containing lipids have the most importance. This article provides information about occurrence of the dominant arsenic forms in various water environments. The main factors controlling arsenic speciation in water are described. The quantification of species is difficult because the concentrations of different forms in water samples are relatively low compared to the detection limits of the available analytical techniques. Several hyphenated methods used in arsenic speciation analysis are described. Specific advantages and disadvantages of methods can define their application for a particular sample analysis. Insufficient selectivity and sensitivity of arsenic speciation methods cause searching for a new or modifications already existing techniques. Some aspects of improvement and modifications of the methods are highlighted.

Arsenic and its speciation analysis using high-performance liquid chromatography and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

It is known that arsenic has different toxicological properties dependent upon both its oxidation state for inorganic compounds, as well as the different toxicity levels exhibited for organic arsenic compounds. The field of arsenic speciation analysis has grown rapidly in recent years, especially with the utilization of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), a highly sensitive and robust detector system. Complete characterization of arsenic compounds is necessary to understand intake, accumulation, transport, storage, detoxification and activation of this element in the natural environment and living systems. This review describes the essential background and toxicity of arsenic in the environment, and more importantly, some currently used chromatographic applications and sample handling procedures necessary to accurately detect and quantify arsenic in its various chemical forms. Applications and work using only HPLC-ICP-MS for arsenic speciation of environmental and biological samples are presented in this review.

Advances in analytical methodology for bioinorganic speciation analysis: metallomics, metalloproteomics and heteroatom-tagged proteomics and metabolomics

The recent developments in analytical techniques capable of providing information on the identity and quantity of heteroatom-containing biomolecules are critically discussed. Particular attention is paid to the emerging areas of bioinorganic analysis including: (i) a comprehensive analysis of the entirety of metal and metalloid species within a cell or tissue type (metallomics), (ii) the study of the part of the metallome involving the protein ligands (metalloproteomics), and (iii) the use of a heteroelement, naturally present in a protein or introduced in a tag added by means of derivatisation, for the spotting and quantification of proteins (heteroatom-tagged proteomics). Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP MS), used as detector in chromatography and electrophoresis, and supported by electrospray and MALDI MS, appears as the linchpin analytical technique for these emerging areas. This review focuses on the recent advances in ICP MS in biological speciation analysis including sensitive detection of non-metals, especially of sulfur and phosphorus, couplings to capillary and nanoflow HPLC and capillary electrophoresis, laser ablation ICP MS detection of proteins in gel electrophoresis, and isotope dilution quantification of biomolecules. The paper can be considered as a followup of a previous review by the author on a similar topic (J. Szpunar, Analyst, 2000, 125, 963).

Behavior of Bacteria in the Inductively Coupled Plasma: Atomization and Production of Atomic Ions for Mass Spectrometry

The combination of perfusion chromatography (PC) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) is a fast, general way to monitor metal incorporation into bacteria. U+ signals from U incorporated intrinsically in Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) are measured with 4 ms time resolution to investigate the behavior of individual cells in the ICP. When intact B. subtilis cells are introduced directly into the ICP, occasional U+ spikes are observed. The positive U+ spikes suggest that bacteria behave more like solid particles than wet droplets in the ICP, compared to previous studies of such transient effects in the ICP. Drying the bacterial aerosol does not eliminate the spikes. Lysing the bacteria by sonication increases the U+ response by 30% compared to that from the untreated sample. PC results from a 10 ppb U standard, partially lysed and fully lysed bacteria samples show that the intracellular U-bound species are released by sonication and are small in size. The atomization-ionization efficiencies for different elements (U, Ca, and Mg) from cells differ somewhat. Reducing the aerosol gas flow rate by 0.1 L min-1 improves the relative U+ response for unlysed bacteria to 85% of that for lysed cells, although the absolute U+ signal is attenuated greatly.

Pretreatment procedures for characterization of arsenic and selenium species in complex samples utilizing coupled techniques with mass spectrometric detection

Research interest in analyzing arsenic and selenium is dictated by their species-dependent behavior in the environment and in living organisms. Different analytical methodologies for known species in relatively simple chemical systems are well established, yet the analysis of complex samples is still a challenge. Owing to the complex matrix and low concentrations of target species that may be chemically labile, suitable pretreatment of the sample becomes a critical step in any speciation procedure. In this paper, the pretreatment procedures used for arsenic and selenium speciation are reviewed with the emphasis on the link between the analytical protocol applied and the biologically-significant information provided by the results obtained. In the first approach, the aim of pretreatment is to convert the original sample into a form that can be analyzed by a coupled (hyphenated) technique, preventing possible losses and/or species interconversion. Common techniques include different leaching and extraction modes, enzymatic hydrolysis, species volatilization, and so on, with or without species preconcentration. On the other hand, if the speciation analysis is performed for elucidation of elemental pathways and specific functions in a living system, more conscious pretreatment and/or fractionation is needed. The macroscopic separation of organs and tissues, isolation of certain types of cells, cell disruption and separation of sub-cellular fractions, as well as isolation of a specific biomolecules become important. Furthermore, to understand molecular mechanisms, the identification of intermediate-often highly instable--metabolites is necessary. Real life applications are reviewed in this work for aquatic samples, soils and sediments, plants, yeast, and urine.

Separation of low-molecular mass organic acid–metal complexes by high-performance liquid chromatography

The solution speciation of metals is a critical parameter controlling the bioavailability, solution-solid phase distribution and transport of metals in soils. The natural metal-complexing ligands that exist in soil solution include inorganic anions, inorganic colloids, organic humic substances, amino acids (notably phytosiderophores and bacterial siderophores) and low-molecular mass organic acids. The latter two groups are of particular significance in the soil surrounding plant roots (the rhizosphere). A number of analytical methodologies, encompassing computational, spectroscopic, physico-chemical and separation techniques, have been applied to the measurement of the solution speciation of metals in the environment. However, perhaps with the exception of the determination of the free metal cation, the majority of these techniques rarely provide species specific information. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to a sensitive detection system, such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) or electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), offers the possibility of separating and detecting metal-organic acid complexes at the very low concentrations normally found in the soil environment. This review, therefore, critically examines the literature reporting the HPLC separation of metal-organic acid complexes with reference to thermodynamic equilibrium and kinetic considerations. The limitations of HPLC techniques (and the use of thermodynamic equilibrium calculations to validate analytical results) are discussed and the metal complex characteristics necessary for chromatographic separation are described.

Characterization of Metal Binding Properties of Rhamnogalacturonan II from Plant Cell Walls by Size-Exclusion HPLC/ICP-MS

The binding properties of metal ions to a pectic polysaccharide, rhamnogalacturonan II (RG-II), from plant cell walls were analyzed by size-exclusion HPLC/ICP-MS. The dimeric RG-II borate complex (dRG-II-B) from sugar beet and red wine contained 0.8 - 1.1 mol/mol of B, 0.8 - 1.1 mol/mol of Ca, 0.1 - 0.3 mol/mol of Sr, and 0.03 - 0.07 mol/mol of Ba. The treatment of dRG-II-B with Sr2+, Ba2+, Pb2+ or La3+ exchanged the originally present Ca, Sr and Ba. In contrast, monomeric RG-II (mRG-II), which contained approximately 0.1 mol/mol of Ca, formed complexes with La3+, Eu3+, and Lu3+ added to the solution, but did not do so with Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+ and Pb2+. The HPLC/ICP-MS and HPLC/RI (refractive index detector) analysis of the partially hydrolyzed mRG-II that was treated with La3+ indicated that the side chains and backbone of mRG-II together form a lanthanoid binding site.

Evolution of ion-exchange: from Moses to the Manhattan Project to modern times

This article explores the history of ion-exchange from records of desalination in the Old Testament and the writings of Aristotle, to the identification of the phenomenon of ion-exchange by two English agricultural chemists, to the invention of suppressed conductivity by Small et al. [Anal. Chem. 54 (1975) 462]. It then focuses on the characteristics of the gradual and continuous evolution of ion chromatography with suppressed conductivity to its current state, with an emphasis on those discoveries that punctuated or revolutionized this evolution.