Green Analytical Chemistry

Salting-out homogeneous liquid-liquid microextraction for the determination of azole drugs in human urine: Validation using total error concept

A salting-out homogeneous liquid-liquid microextraction was proposed for the quantification of four azole drugs in human urine prior to high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. The procedure involved the mixing of the sample with acetonitrile in appropriate volumes followed by the addition of sodium sulfate solution in order to facilitate phase separation. The parameters influencing the extraction performance were studied and optimized using a two-step experimental design. The analytical procedure was thoroughly validated using the accuracy profiles as a graphical decision-making tool. The β-expectation tolerance intervals did not exceed the acceptance criteria of ±15% meaning that 95% of future results will be included in the defined bias limits. The limits of detection of the procedure were satisfactory, ranging between 0.01 and 0.03 μg/mL. The mean analytical bias in the spiking levels was satisfactory and ranged between -10.3 and 4.2% while the relative standard deviation was lower than 5.6%. Monte-Carlo simulations followed by capability analysis were employed to investigate the ruggedness of the sample preparation protocol. The developed method offers advantages compared to previously reported approaches for the same type of analysis including extraction efficiency and scaling down of the sample volume and extraction time.

Miniaturized green sample preparation approaches for pharmaceutical analysis

The development of green sample preparation procedures is an extremely important research field in which more and more applications are constantly being proposed in different areas, including pharmaceutical analysis. This review article is aimed at providing a general overview of the development of miniaturized green analytical sample preparation procedures in the pharmaceutical analysis field, with special focus on the works published between January 2017 and July 2021. Particular attention has been paid to the application of environmentally friendly solvents and sorbents as well as nanomaterials or high extraction capacity sorbents in which the solvent volumes and reagents amounts are drastically reduced, with their subsequent advantages from the sustainability point of view.

Electromembrane extraction of polar substances - Status and perspectives

In this article, the scientific literature on electromembrane extraction (EME) of polar substances (log P < 2) is reviewed. EME is an extraction technique based on electrokinetic migration of analyte ions from an aqueous sample, across an organic supported liquid membrane (SLM), and into an aqueous acceptor solution. Because extraction is based on voltage-assisted partitioning, EME is fundamentally suitable for extraction of polar and ionizable substances that are challenging in many other extraction techniques. The article provides an exhaustive overview of papers on EME of polar substances. From this, different strategies to improve the mass transfer of polar substances are reviewed and critically discussed. These strategies include different SLM chemistries, modification of supporting membranes, sorbent additives, aqueous solution chemistry, and voltage/current related strategies. Finally, the future applicability of EME for polar substances is discussed. We expect EME in the coming years to be developed towards both very selective targeted analysis, as well as untargeted analysis of polar substances in biomedical applications such as metabolomics and peptidomics.

Environmental Impact of the Reported Chromatographic Methods for the Determination of the First FDA-Approved Therapy for COVID-19 Patients, Remdesivir: A Comparative Study

Remdesivir (REM) is considered the first therapeutic option approved by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for clinical care in case of hospitalized patients suffering in COVID-19 epidemic. In the presented multilateral comparative search, four eco friendlessness approaches —National Environmental Methods Index (NEMI), Eco-Scale Assessment (ESA), Green Analytical Procedure Index (GAPI), and Analytical Greenness metric (AGREE) are tested to assess 16 analytical chromatographic procedures reported for the analysis of the commonly used antiviral drug; Remdesivir (REM). The values of testing more than one approach when estimating the eco-friendly characters for analytical methods are illustrated in this study. On the light of the outcomes, ESA and AGREE approaches are recommended as they are easily applied and digitally presented. Furthermore, GAPI is also a reliable tool in terms of comprehensiveness for the whole analytical procedures, from sampling till the final assessment. NEMI is the easiest and fastest greenness evaluation tool; however, the information it provides is particularly of limited scope and sometimes inaccurate. To ensure greenness of chromatographic analytical methods, there must be clear planning beforehand, to reduce chemical hazards sent to environment. Additionally, it is highly recommended in method validation protocols to consider the greenness of a given analytical procedure before releasing to routine use.

The LC-MS/MS analysis for the active metabolite of REM (Nuc) reported by Avataneo et al. and Du et al. proved to be the best bio-analytical methods regarding the environmental aspects depending on the GAPI and AGREE tools. However, the HPLC method for REM analysis in intravenous solution reported by Jitta et al. proved to be the greenest analytical method for determination of REM in the pharmaceutical dosage forms according to the ESA, GAPI, and AGREE tools.

Selective Plate-Based Assay for Trace EDTA Analysis via Boron Trifluoride-methanol Derivatization UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS Enabling Biologic and Vaccine Processes

The employment of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) across several fields in chemistry and biology has required the creation of a high number of quantitative assays. Nonetheless, the determination of trace EDTA, especially in biologics and vaccines, remains challenging. Herein, we introduce an automated high-throughput approach based on EDTA esterification in 96-well plates using boron trifluoride-methanol combined with rapid analysis by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS). Derivatization of EDTA to its methyl ester (Me-EDTA) serves to significantly improve chromatographic performance (retention, peak shape, and selectivity), while also delivering a tremendous enhancement of sensitivity in the positive ion mode electrospray ionization (ESI+). This procedure, in contrast to previous EDTA methods based on complexation with metal ions, is not affected by high concentration of other metals, buffers, and related salts abundantly present in biopharmaceutical processes (e.g., iron, copper, citrate, etc.). Validation of this assay for the determination of ng·mL^-1 level EDTA in monoclonal antibody and vaccine products demonstrated excellent performance (repeatability, precision, and linear range) with high recovery from small sample volumes while also providing an advantageous automation-friendly workflow for high-throughput analysis.

Novel Integrated Flow-Based Steam Distillation and Titration System for Determination of Volatile Acidity in Wines

Novel integrated flow-based steam distillation and titration system with spectrophotometric detection was developed for determination of volatile acidity in wines. Using the system, the distillation procedure was carried out in an automatic manner, starting with introducing into a heated steam distillation module a sample and subjecting it to steam distillation. Under selected conditions, all the analyte was transferred to the distillate; therefore, the system did not require calibration. The collected distillate and titrant were introduced into the next monosegments in varying proportions, in accordance with the developed titration procedure, and directed to the detection system to record the titration curve. The titration was stopped after reaching the end point of titration. Procedures for distillation and titration were developed and verified separately by distillation of acetic acid, acetic acid in the presence of tartaric acid as well as acetic acid, tartaric acid, and titratable acidity, with precision (relative standard deviation) and accuracy (relative error) for both procedures lower than 6.9 and 5.6%, respectively. The developed steam distillation and titration systems were used to determine volatile acidity in samples of white and rosé wines separately and as the integrated steam distillation and titration system, both with precision lower than 9.4% and accuracy better than 6.7%.

Deep Eutectic Solvents as Promising Green Solvents in Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction Based on Solidification of Floating Organic Droplet: Recent Applications, Challenges and Future Perspectives

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have recently attracted attention as a promising green alternative to conventional hazardous solvents by virtue of their simple preparation, low cost, and biodegradability. Even though the application of DESs in analytical chemistry is still in its early stages, the number of publications on this topic is growing. Analytical procedures applying dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on the solidification of floating organic droplets (DLLME-SFOD) are among the more appealing approaches where DESs have been found to be applicable. Herein, we provide a summary of the articles that are concerned with the application of DESs in the DLLME-SFOD of target analytes from diverse samples to provide up-to-date knowledge in this area. In addition, the major variables influencing enrichment efficiency and the microextraction mechanism are fully investigated and explained. Finally, the challenges and future perspectives of applying DESs in DLLME-SFOD are thoroughly discussed and are critically analyzed.

Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction of 11-nor-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol-carboxylic acid applied to urine testing

Aim: THC-COOH is the major metabolite of Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol commonly tested in urine to determine cannabis intake. In this study, a method based on dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction was developed for testing THC-COOH in urine. Materials & methods: Hydrolyzed urine specimens were extracted via dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction with acetonitrile (disperser solvent) and chloroform (extraction solvent). Derivatization was performed with N,O-Bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide with 1% trichloro(chloromethyl)silane. Analysis was performed by GC-MS/MS. Results: The method showed acceptable linearity (5-500 ng/ml), imprecision (<10.5%) and bias (<4.9%). Limits of detection and quantitation were 1 and 5 ng/ml, respectively. Twenty-four authentic samples were analyzed, with 22 samples being positive for THC-COOH. Conclusion: The proposed method is more environmentally friendly and provided good sensitivity, selectivity and reproducibility.

Green Aspects of Ion Chromatography versus Other Methods in the Analysis of Common Inorganic Ions

Due to the increasing environmental awareness of the public, green chemistry has become an important element of environmental protection. In laboratories around the world, millions of analyses of inorganic and organic anions and cations in water and wastewater samples, and solid and gaseous samples are performed daily. Unfortunately, these activities still generate large costs, including environmental costs, which are related to the scale of the studies, the use of toxic chemical reagents, the waste generated, and the energy consumed. The methods used so far for inorganic ion analysis, including classical methods, are increasingly being replaced by instrumental methods, primarily based on ion chromatography. This paper presents the most important advantages and limitations of ion chromatography, and compares them with the costs of classical analyses for the analytes and sample types. Both the financial and environmental costs associated with the determination of common inorganic ions, such as Cl−, NO2−, NO3−, and NH4+, in 1000 environmental samples, were compared using selected reference wet classical methods and ion chromatography. The advantages and limitations of ion chromatography that allow this separation technique to be classified as a green analytical chemistry method have been described herein.

Recent Advancements in the Technologies Detecting Food Spoiling Agents

To match the current life-style, there is a huge demand and market for the processed food whose manufacturing requires multiple steps. The mounting demand increases the pressure on the producers and the regulatory bodies to provide sensitive, facile, and cost-effective methods to safeguard consumers' health. In the multistep process of food processing, there are several chances that the food-spoiling microbes or contaminants could enter the supply chain. In this contest, there is a dire necessity to comprehend, implement, and monitor the levels of contaminants by utilizing various available methods, such as single-cell droplet microfluidic system, DNA biosensor, nanobiosensor, smartphone-based biosensor, aptasensor, and DNA microarray-based methods. The current review focuses on the advancements in these methods for the detection of food-borne contaminants and pathogens.

Exploring sol-gel zwitterionic fabric phase sorptive extraction sorbent as a new multi-mode platform for the extraction and preconcentration of triazine herbicides from juice samples

Triazine herbicides are a class of common pesticides which are widely used to control the weeds in many agricultural crops. Although many studies have described methodologies for the determination of triazine herbicides in aqueous samples, the attention given to agricultural crops and their products is far more limited. In this study, a novel sol-gel zwitterionic multi-mode fabric phase sorptive extraction (FPSE) platform was developed for the matrix clean-up, extraction and preconcentration of five triazine herbicides from fruit juice samples prior to their determination by high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD). The novel zwitterionic multi-mode sorbent was characterized and its performance for fruit juice analysis was evaluated. Compared to other sol-gel sorbents, the novel zwitterionic sorbent helped cleaning all the acidic interferences from fruit juices. The herein reported FPSE protocol was optimized and validated. Under optimum conditions, the FPSE method showed good accuracy, precision and sensitivity. The limits of detection and limits of quantification for all analytes were 0.15 ng mL^-1 and 0.50 ng mL^-1, respectively. The enhancement factors of this method ranged between 36.7 and 51.8. The relative standard deviation for intra-day precision was below 5.6% and for inter-day precision was below 8.8%. Finally, the proposed FPSE-HPLC-DAD method was successfully employed for the analysis of various fruit juice samples.

A Perspective of the Comprehensive and Objective Assessment of Analytical Methods Including the Greenness and Functionality Criteria: Application to the Determination of Zinc in Aqueous Samples

The recently proposed concept of White Analytical Chemistry (WAC), referring to the Red-Green-Blue color model, combines ecological aspects (green) with functionality (red and blue criteria), presenting the complete method as “white”. However, it is not easy to carry out an overall quantitative evaluation of the analytical method in line with the WAC idea in an objective manner. This paper outlines the perspective of the future development of such a possibility by attempting to answer selected questions about the evaluation process. Based on the study consisting in the evaluation of selected model methods by a group of 12 independent analysts, it was shown how well individual criteria are assessed, whether the variability of assessments by different people is comparable for each criterion, how large it is, and whether averaging the scores from different researchers can help to choose the best method more objectively.

Recent patents and a market overview on green or bio-based solvents for chromatographic analysis: a review

Green solvents (GS) in chromatography originate from green chemistry. Therefore, using GSs in liquid chromatographic analysis to separate drugs and chemicals is an emerging approach to reduce hazardous chemicals in nature. The Orbit Intelligence database was used to conduct a strategic patent search for peer-reviewed patents on GSs as a mobile phase for chromatographic analysis. This article reported numerous approaches for encouraging GSs such as ethanol, butanol, esters, polyethylene glycol, supercritical fluids and nonionic surfactants to analyze drugs or compounds. The main aim of this article is to explore the patented GSs for chromatographic analysis and forecasting of the GSs that encourage industries to shift from hazardous to GSs.

An Automated Hydrodynamically Mediated Technique for Preparation of Calibration Solutions via Capillary Electrophoresis System as a Promising Alternative to Manual Pipetting

In this paper, a novel procedure for preparing calibration solutions for capillary electrophoresis (CE)-based quantitative analysis is proposed. Our approach, named the automated hydrodynamically mediated technique (AHMT), uses a capillary and a pressure system to deliver the expected amount of working solution and diluent directly to a sample vial. As a result, calibration solutions are prepared automatically inside the CE instrument, without any or with minimal manual operation. Two different modes were tested: forward and reverse, differing in the direction of hydrodynamic flow. The calibration curves obtained for a model mixture of analytes using AHMT were thorough compared to the standard procedure based on manual pipetting. The results were consistent, though the volume of obtained calibration solutions and the potential risk of random errors were significantly minimized by AHMT. Its effectiveness was further enhanced by the application of SCIEX^® nanoVials, reducing the actual volume of calibration solutions down to 10 μL.

Wooden-based materials: Eco-friendly materials for direct mass spectrometric analysis and microextraction

Lignocellulosic materials have arisen as a sustainable alternative in microextraction techniques during the last 10 years. As they are natural materials, their use fits into some of the principles of Green Analytical Chemistry. Their inherent porosity, narrow shape, and rigidity permit their use in ambient ionization mass spectrometry techniques. In particular, the combination of wooden-based materials and direct analysis gives birth to the so-called wooden-tip electrospray ionization mass spectrometry technique. This approach has been used for the direct analysis of complex samples, and as a streamlined tool for fingerprint quality analysis. Also, wooden-based materials can be superficially modified to boost the interaction with target compounds, allowing their isolation from complex samples. This review describes the potential and applicability of direct analysis using lignocellulosic materials, as well as other alternatives related to their use in microextraction.

Development of Green and Efficient Extraction Methods of Quercetin from Red Onion Scales Wastes Using Factorial Design for Method Optimization: A Comparative Study

Waste resulting from edible plants is considered one of the best sources of valuable phytochemicals. A promising approach for using these appreciated wastes is extracting precious medically important constituents, for example, free quercetin. Two new cost-effective and green extraction methods are introduced in the present study: ultrasound-assisted glycerol extraction (UAGE) and microwave-assisted extraction (MAE). These extraction protocols are optimized using factorial design to define the highest yield of extraction, and HPLC-UV at 370 nm was used as a method of yield analysis. Quercetin remained stable during the whole process in both extraction protocols. A standard addition technique was performed to quantify quercetin in different extracts and eliminate the matrix effect. In UAGE and MAE, extraction yields were 16.55 ± 0.81 and 27.20 ± 1.55 mg/1g from red onion scales on a dry base, respectively. The amount of quercetin extracted using MAE was superior to UAGE in terms of time and yield. A greenness assessment of the offered studies compared to previously published relevant extraction methods was performed using the analytical eco-scale assessment method (ESA) and national environmental methods index (NEMI). MAE showed to be a greener method with a higher ESA score and a greener NEMI pictogram.

Development and Validation of Chemometrics-Assisted Green UPLC-MS/MS Bioanalytical Method for Simultaneous Estimation of Capecitabine and Lapatinib in Rat Plasma

A chemometrics-oriented green ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the first-time simultaneous estimation of capecitabine (CAP) and lapatinib (LPB) along with imatinib (as internal standard (IS)) in rat plasma. Analytes were extracted using ethyl acetate as the liquid-liquid extraction media. In the pre-development phase, principles of analytical eco-scale were used to confirm method greenness. Subsequently, vital method variables, influencing method robustness and performance, were optimized using a chemometrics-based quality-by-design approach. Chromatography was achieved on a BEH C18 (100 × 2.1 mm, 1.7 μm) using isocratic flow (0.5 mL.min-1) of mobile phase acetonitrile (0.1% formic acid):0.002 M ammonium acetate in water as the mobile phase. The mass spectrometric detections were carried out in multiple reaction monitoring modes with precursor-to-product ion transitions with m/z 360.037 → 244.076 for CAP, m/z 581.431 → 365.047 LPB and m/z 494.526 → 394.141 for IS. The bioanalytical method validation studies were performed, ensuring regulatory compliance. Linearity (r2> 0.99) over analyte concentrations ranging from 5 and 40 ng.mL-1 was observed, while acceptable values were obtained for all other validation parameters. In a nutshell, a robust and green bioanalytical method was developed and applied for the simultaneous estimation of two anticancer agents from rat plasma.

Designing a moderately hydrophobic sol-gel monolithic Carbowax 20 M sorbent for the capsule phase microextraction of triazine herbicides from water samples prior to HPLC analysis

The determination of triazine herbicides in water samples is of utmost importance, due to their persistence and excessive use. However, since the concentration of triazine pesticides in real samples is low, an extraction/preconcentration step is typically required. Capsule phase microextraction (CPME) is a recently introduced sample preparation technique in which highly efficient sol-gel sorbents are encapsulated in a tubular polymer membrane. This particular design integrates the filtration and stirring mechanism into one extraction device, enabling the application of CPME for in situ sampling. In this study, CPME coupled to high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) was employed for the first time for the determination of six triazine herbicides (i.e., simazine, cyanazine, atrazine, prometryn, terbuthylazine and propazine) in water samples. Microextraction capsules containing a moderately hydrophobic sol-gel Carbowax 20 M sorbent provided the highest extraction efficiency towards the examined pesticides. The main parameters affecting the adsorption and desorption steps of the CPME procedure were investigated and optimized. Under the selected conditions, limits of detection (signal/noise = 3.3) were 0.15 ng mL^-1 for the target analytes. Moreover, the relative standard deviation for the within-day and between-days repeatability were less than 7.2% and 9.9%, respectively. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of mineral water, tap water, rainwater and lake water samples. The reported protocol could overcome the need for sample filtration prior to the sample preparation of the water samples, resulting in simplification of the overall sample handling, improved data quality with minimal loss of analytes and reduced sample preparation cost.

Clinical Application Study of Polymeric Nanosphers Network in Methylphenidate Extraction from Urine Samples by Dispersive Solid Phase Extraction Adsorbent

Purpose: This research introduces a polymeric nanosphere as a new dispersive solid phase extraction (DSPE) adsorbent for the extraction of methylphenidate (MPH) from urine and its high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis.

Methods: Polymeric nanosphere is a kind of copolymeric network obtained by copolymerization of an ionic liquid monomer and styrene in the presence of vinyltriethoxysilane and 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate. HPLC coupled with ultra violet detector was applied for the determination and quantification of MPH. Dominant parameters in extraction were modified by the one-parameter-at-a-time method. The results are as follow: 10 mg of polymeric nanospheres (PNS), 400 μL of acetonitrile (ACT), 5 mL of urine with the pH value of 9, and the extraction and desorption times of 2 and 5 minutes, respectively, which can be selected as the optimum extraction conditions.

Results: Calibration curve was plotted through optimized conditions, and the proposed method was validated. The results demonstrated that the method presented linearity in the concentration range of 30-1200 ng/mL. Selectivity, matrix effect and metabolites interference effect were investigated and the method presented no obvious interference effect during the analysis run time. Repeatability, limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) values of the method can be reported in this section as well. The method showed satisfactory results with 98.8% relative recovery in the analysis of positive urine samples.

Conclusion: The findings convinced the applicability of the introduced method for DSPE and HPLC analysis of the positive urine samples in different laboratories.

A green and sustainable method for monitoring the chemical composition of soybean: an alternative for quality control

INTRODUCTION

Soybean is one of the most important crops in the world, an important source of isoflavones, and used to treat various chronic diseases. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), associated with multivariate experiments and green solvents, is increasingly used to develop comprehensive elution methods for quality control of plants and derivatives.

OBJECTIVE

The work aims to establish a HPLC fingerprinting method for soybean seeds employing Green Chemistry Principles, a sustainable solvent with low toxicity, and a comprehensive experimental design that reduces the number of experiments.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The fingerprinting method was optimised through Design of Experiments by evaluating seven chromatographic variables: initial percentage of ethanol (X1), final percentage of ethanol (X2), temperature (X3), percentage of acetic acid in water (X4), flow rate (X5), run time (X6), and stationary phase (X7). The dependent variable was the number of peaks (n).

RESULTS

An initial factorial design for screening purposes indicated that the most significant quantitative parameters to separate soybean metabolites were X1 and X3. The conditions were optimised by a Doehlert design, to obtain a HPLC-PAD (photodiode array detector) fingerprinting of the polar extract of soybean seeds with the markers identified by liquid chromatography electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). The optimum fingerprinting method was determined as 5-55% of ethanol in 30 min, at 35°C, and flow rate of 1 mL/min, by employing a phenyl-hexyl column (150 mm × 4.6 mm).

CONCLUSION

The developed green method enabled markers of soybean to be separated and identified and could be an eco-friendlier alternative for soybean quality control that covered seven Green Analytical Chemistry Principles.

Comprehensive Assessment of Flow and Other Analytical Methods Dedicated to the Determination of Zinc in Water

An original strategy to evaluate analytical procedures is proposed and applied to verify if the flow-based methods, generally favorable in terms of green chemistry, are competitive when their evaluation also relies on other criteria. To this end, eight methods for the determination of zinc in waters, including four flow-based ones, were compared and the Red–Green–Blue (RGB) model was exploited. This model takes into account several features related to the general quality of an analytical method, namely, its analytical efficiency, compliance with the green analytical chemistry, as well as practical and economic usefulness. Amongst the investigated methods, the best was the flow-based spectrofluorimetric one, and a negative example was that one involving a flow module, ICP ionization and MS detection, which was very good in analytical terms, but worse in relation to other aspects, which significantly limits its overall potential. Good assessments were also noted for non-flow electrochemical methods, which attract attention with a high degree of balance of features and, therefore, high versatility. The original attempt to confront several worldwide accepted analytical strategies, although to some extent subjective and with limitations, provides interesting information and indications, establishing a novel direction towards the development and evaluation of analytical methods.

Catalytic Oxygenation-Mediated Extraction as a Facile and Green Way to Analyze Volatile Solutes

Sparging-based methods have long been used to liberate volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from liquid sample matrices prior to analysis. In these methods, a carrier gas is delivered from an external source. Here, we demonstrate "catalytic oxygenation-mediated extraction" (COME), which relies on biocatalytic production of oxygen occurring directly in the sample matrix. The newly formed oxygen (micro)bubbles extract the dissolved VOCs. The gaseous extract is immediately transferred to a separation or detection system for analysis. To start COME, dilute hydrogen peroxide is injected into the sample supplemented with catalase enzyme. The entire procedure is performed automatically-after pressing a "start" button, making a clapping sound, or triggering from a smartphone. The pump, valves, and detection system are controlled by a microcontroller board. For quality control and safety purposes, the reaction chamber is monitored by a camera linked to a single-board computer, which follows the enzymatic reaction progress by analyzing images of foam in real time. The data are instantly uploaded to the internet cloud for retrieval. The COME apparatus has been coupled on-line with the gas chromatography electron ionization mass spectrometry (MS) system, atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) MS system, and APCI ion-mobility spectrometry system. The three hyphenated variants have been tested in analyses of complex matrices (e.g., fruit-based drinks, whiskey, urine, and stored wastewater). In addition to the use of catalase, COME variants using crude potato pulp or manganese(IV) dioxide have been demonstrated. The technique is inexpensive, fast, reliable, and green: it uses low-toxicity chemicals and emits oxygen.

Antibacterial composition of bioautographic fractions, characteristics, and stability of Carica papaya seed extract

The present work aimed to evaluate the potential of Carica papaya seed extract (CPSE) as an antibacterial agent against Salmonella Enteritidis, Bacillus cereus, Vibrio vulnificus, and Proteus mirabilis. The bioautography of the CPSE on thin-layer chromatography (TLC) plates was performed, followed by fractionation of the CPSE by column chromatography using hexane:ethyl acetate (1:1) eluent. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), toxicity, composition, and stability of the crude, fractions, and sub-fractions of the CPSE were evaluated. The bioautographic fractions of the CPSE at MIC of 5.63 mg/mL had shown that hexane:ethyl acetate (1:1) fraction and its sub-fraction 3C (Rf = 0.94 ± 0.03) demonstrated the equivalent MIC value (5.63 mg/mL) with the crude CPSE. However, the hexane:ethyl acetate (1:1) fraction and sub-fraction 3C had higher toxicity (LC50 = 1.797 ± 0.305 and 0.332 ± 0.059 mg/mL, respectively) than the crude CPSE (LC50 = 5.505 ± 0.718 mg/mL). Thus, only the crude CPSE was subjected to stability study. The dominant cis-vaccenic acid in sub-fraction 3C demonstrated the lowest MIC against B. cereus (1.41 mg/mL), P. mirabilis (1.41 mg/mL), and S. Enteritidis (0.70 mg/mL) in its pure form. Hence, these results signified the potency of the cis-vaccenic acid as an antibacterial compound from the CPSE. The stability study of the crude CPSE solution showed that at MIC of 5.63 mg/mL, the crude CPSE solution acted as a potent antibacterial agent in acidic condition (pH 4), water activity (Aw) < 0.950, and temperature < 40°C.

Fast and quantitative compositional analysis of hybrid cellulose-based regenerated fibers using thermogravimetric analysis and chemometrics

Cellulose can be dissolved with another biopolymer in a protic ionic liquid and spun into a bicomponent hybrid cellulose fiber using the Ioncell^® technology. Inside the hybrid fibers, the biopolymers are mixed at the nanoscale, and the second biopolymer provides the produced hybrid fiber new functional properties that can be fine-tuned by controlling its share in the fiber. In the present work, we present a fast and quantitative thermoanalytical method for the compositional analysis of man-made hybrid cellulose fibers by using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) in combination with chemometrics. First, we incorporated 0-46 wt.% of lignin or chitosan in the hybrid fibers. Then, we analyzed their thermal decomposition behavior in a TGA device following a simple, one-hour thermal treatment protocol. With an analogy to spectroscopy, we show that the derivative thermogram can be used as a predictor in a multivariate regression model for determining the share of lignin or chitosan in the cellulose hybrid fibers. The method generated cross validation errors in the range 1.5-2.1 wt.% for lignin and chitosan. In addition, we discuss how the multivariate regression outperforms more common modeling methods such as those based on thermogram deconvolution or on linear superposition of reference thermograms. Moreover, we highlight the versatility of this thermoanalytical method-which could be applied to a wide range of composite materials, provided that their components can be thermally resolved-and illustrate it with an additional example on the measurement of polyester content in cellulose and polyester fiber blends. The method could predict the polyester content in the cellulose-polyester fiber blends with a cross validation error of 1.94 wt.% in the range of 0-100 wt.%. Finally, we give a list of recommendations on good experimental and modeling practices for the readers who want to extend the application of this thermoanalytical method to other composite materials.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10570-021-03923-6.

Green and cost-effective extraction techniques of quercetin from mixture of nutraceuticals with yield analysis via spectrophotometry and high performance liquid chromatograph methods

BACKGROUND

Extraction is the leading critical stage in the analysis of nutraceuticals. Ginkgo biloba (GB) has gained an interest because of its therapeutic usages.

OBJECTIVES

Development of four cost effective extraction techniques for extraction of quercetin from GB in mixture of nutraceuticals sachet. These techniques are solid phase extraction (SPE), liquid-liquid extraction (LLE), inverted dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (IDLLME) and QuEChERS.

METHODS

Direct spectrophotometry was used to monitor the recovery of the standard quercetin throughout the optimization steps. HPLC-UV method of analysis was optimized to quantify the yields from the extracts present in the complicated sachets. The presented study was assessed by analytical eco-scale assessment (ESA) and National Environmental Method Index (NEMI) for greenness in comparison with literature.

RESULTS

Only SPE showed the best cleanup outcomes. ESA and NEMI showed an adequate greenness of proposed extraction protocol.

CONCLUSION

Quercetin (marker for GB) extraction from market nutraceutical sachets is considered an exemplary for analysis in quality control of nutraceuticals. Regarding the greenness results, the proposed method of extraction is grander even with adequate greenness as the extraction was one-step, in comparison with multi-steps in previously published protocols. Accordingly, it is recommended to be used in routine extraction and analysis of such kind of nutraceuticals.

HIGHLIGHTS

Four extraction protocols had been developed. For GB ternary sachets, proper recovery was obtained from C18 SPE. The assessment of greenness of the proposed protocol guaranteed the superiority of the presented study. Safer sorbents and chemicals favor to be used for routine extraction of nutraceuticals.

A 3D-printed robotic system for fully automated multiparameter analysis of drinkable water samples

This work describes a 3D-printed robotic system named RSAWA (robotic system for automatic water analysis) for fully automated water analysis. RSAWA consists of a robotic arm coupled to a syringe pump, temperature and conductivity sensors, a low-cost webcam as colorimetric detector, and a 96-well microplate placed on a 3D-printed platform. The robotic system is controlled by software and it performs all analytical procedures. RSAWA was applied to measure conductivity (CDT), pH, total alkalinity (TA), total hardness (TH), chloride (Cl^-), nitrite (NO₂^-), total dissolved phosphorus (TP), and total iron (TI) in drinkable water samples. A simple circuit was designed for conductivity determinations, while colorimetric pH determinations were carried out using Hue values extracted from digital images and a pH universal indicator. HSV histograms were used to calculate Pearson's correlation coefficients, allowing the construction of accurate titration curves. In addition to achieving sample throughputs of 112 h^-1 for TA and TH determinations and 92 h^-1 for Cl^- determinations, RSAWA produced 99.5% less waste than the corresponding reference methods during titrations. Colorimetric measurements were performed through RGB vector norms calculated from digital images were used as analytical signals. Limits of quantification (μg L^-1) were 6.83, 13.0 and 1.5 mg L^-1 for NO₂^-, TP, and TI determinations, respectively. Sample throughputs (samples h^-1) were 83 for NO₂^- and TP and 72 for TI with a 98.5% reduction in waste generation. Thus, RSAWA is a low-cost, feasible, and environmentally friendly alternative to quickly and accurately determine several chemical and physicochemical parameters in aqueous samples.

Exploiting of Green Synthesized Metal Oxide Nanoparticles for Spectrophotometric Determination of Levofloxacin, Cephalexin, and Cefotaxime Sodium in Commercial Products

In this study, two metal oxide nanoparticles NiO and MnO₂ were synthesized from green sources Mentha spicata (M. spicata) extract and Malus domestica (M. domestica) peel extract, respectively. The optical and physical properties of the synthesized nanoparticles were characterized using spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. Simple, precise, and new spectrophotometric probes were suggested for the determination of three cephalosporin antibiotics, including levofloxacin (LVX), cephalexin (CPX), and cefotaxime sodium (CTX) in their pure form and commercial products. The spectrophotometric detection of the selected drugs is based on the catalytic enhancement of NiO and MnO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) due to their unique optical properties. Linear relationships with main correlation coefficients 0.999 were obtained at 0.1–20, 1.0–80, and 0.001–100 µg mL⁻¹ for the three drugs in the presence of NiONPs, whereas 0.01–60, 0.1–160, and 0.01–80 µg mL⁻¹ were obtained in the presence of MnO₂NPs at absorption wavelengths 290, 262, and 235 nm for LVX, CPX and CTX, respectively. The analytical methods were validated and successfully used for determination of the instigated drugs in their bulk and commercial dosage forms.

Analytical capabilities of micellar liquid chromatography and application to residue and contaminant analysis: A review

Green chemistry is the use of chemistry to reduce or eliminate the use of generation of feedstocks, products, by-products, solvents, reagents, etc. that are hazardous to human health or the environment. One of the branches of green chemistry is micellar liquid chromatography. Micellar liquid chromatography is a reversed-phase liquid chromatographic mode with mobile phases containing a surfactant above its critical micellar concentration. The applications of micellar liquid chromatography for the determination of numerous compounds in pharmaceutical formulation, biological samples, food, environmental samples, and feeds have been growing rapidly. Micellar liquid chromatography technique has several advantages over other chromatographic techniques. Its main advantage is the small amount of organic modifiers used such as acetonitrile and methanol and the safety and recyclability of the mobile phase. In our work, we discuss the development of "green chemistry" and present what micellar liquid chromatography is. This article presents application methods with the use of micellar liquid chromatography for analysis on antibacterial substances, melamine, biogenic amines, plant protection products, flavonoids, as well as peptides in biological matrices such as milk, eggs, tissues, honey, and feed.

New Trend in the Extraction of Pesticides from the Environmental and Food Samples Applying Microextraction Based Green Chemistry Scenario: A Review

This review focused on the green microextraction methods used for the extraction of pesticides from the environmental and food samples. Microextraction techniques have been explored and applied in various fields of analytical chemistry since its beginning, as evinced by the numerous reviews published. The success of any technique in science and technology is measured by the simplicity, environmentally friendly, and its applications; and the microextraction technique is highly successive. Deliberations were attentive to studies where efforts have been made to validate the methods through the inter-laboratory comparison study to assess the analytical performance of microextraction techniques against conventional methods. Succinctly, developed microextraction methods are shown to impart significant benefits over conventional techniques. Provided that the analytical community continues to put forward attention and resources into the growth and validation of the microextraction technique, a promising future for microextraction is forecasted.

Time-Scale Shifting of Volatile Semiochemical Levels in Wild Type Lychnophora ericoides (Brazilian arnica) and Pollinator Records

Lychnophora ericoides is a Brazilian folk phytomedicine from Cerrado's "campus rupestris". Its volatile organic compounds includes bisabolene-derivatives as major compounds. Herein we provide the chemical profiling of constitutive volatile sesquiterpenes from L. ericoides leaves, timeframe emissions surveys, and pollinators records. In situ samples of L. ericoides were harvested. A headspace-solid phase micro extraction method of pre-concentration was optimized. Identification was done through GC-MS. Isolation and structural elucidation were performed whenever necessary. Pollinators were registered in pictures and video. Short time-series and harmonic regressions determined rhythms of single compounds, and average chromatographic signal area was used to determine mono and sesquiterpene rhythms. Concluding, optimized headspace-solid phase micro extraction method of terpenes level analysis was reached. α-Pinene, β-pinene, α-terpinene, para-cymene, limonene, γ-terpinene, terpinen-4-ol, dehydro-sesquicineole, and β-guaiene were identified using GC-MS data. 11-dehydro cadinol and ortho-acetoxy bisabolol were elucidated. Sesquiterpenes concentrations were higher due to temperature rise, lower leaf age, and flowering seasons. Harmonic regressions determined that daylight might control levels of terpenes. Hummingbird, hemiptera insects, and wasps were recorded visiting Compositae capitulum for the first time. We studied nondomestic plants from in situ conditions and concluded that bisabolene-derivative levels were more abundant than monoterpenes during flowering throughout the summer.

Quantification of amphetamine and derivatives in oral fluid by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

The abuse of stimulants such as amphetamine, methamphetamine, ecstasy (MDMA), and their analogues (MDEA and MDA) has been increasing considerably worldwide since 2009. In this work, an analytical method using dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) to determine amphetamine and derivatives in oral fluid samples by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed and validated. Linearity was achieved between 20 to 5000 ng/mL (r>0.992, 1/x² weighted linear regression), with a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 20 ng/mL. Imprecision (%relative standard deviation) and bias (%) were not higher than 9.1 and -12.3%, respectively. The matrix effect was lower than 14.6%, with no carryover observed up to 5000 ng/mL and no interference with 10 different oral fluid matrix sources and against 14 pharmaceuticals and other common drugs of abuse. MDMA, MDA, and MDEA in processed samples were stable up to 24 h at autosampler (10°C); and amphetamine and methamphetamine up to 18 h. The developed method was successfully applied to authentic oral fluid analyses (n = 140). The proposed method is an example of the Green Analytical Toxicology, since it reduces both the amount of solvent required in samples preparation and the quantity of solvents and reagents used in analytical-instrumental stage, as well as requires a minimal sample volume, being a cheaper, quicker and more ecological alternative to conventional methods. Obtained results showed that DLLME extraction combined with LC-MS/MS is a fast and simple method to quantify amphetamine derivatives in oral fluid samples.

Comparative study of four greenness assessment tools for selection of greenest analytical method for assay of hyoscine N-butyl bromide

Several assessment tools were recently introduced for the evaluation of the greenness of analytical methods. Each tool has advantages, disadvantages, and a unique assessment protocol. The final results obtained from each assessment tool may lead to a dissimilar conclusion about the selection of the greenest method, which makes the decision confusing as to which an assessment tool relies on. Accordingly, in this comparative case study, four greenness assessment tools-National Environmental Methods Index (NEMI), Eco-Scale Assessment (ESA), Green Analytical Procedure Index (GAPI), and Analytical GREEnness metric (AGREE)-were tested to evaluate 16 chromatographic methods described in the literature for the assessment of the commonly used antispasmodic drug Hyoscine N-butyl bromide (HNBB). The importance of applying more than one assessment tool when evaluating the greenness of analytical methods is explained in this study. Despite NEMI tool simplicity, it was the least effective in providing information about the analytical method as 14 out of 16 methods had the same NEMI pictogram. ESA and AGREE provided reliable numerical assessments that differed in their total scores whereas the total scores were out of 100 and 1 for each, respectively. AGREE has the merits over ESA with respect to automation and highlighting the weakest points in analytical techniques that need further improvements in terms of greenness. GAPI and AGREE provide fully descriptive three-colored pictograms. The main disadvantage of GAPI is complexity compared to NEMI and ESA. AGREE has the merits of simplicity and automation over GAPI. Based on the results, recommendations are made for ESA, GAPI, and AGREE tools, which provide reliable and precise results about the greenness of the method. Planning for the greenness of analytical methods should be assured before practical trials in a laboratory for reduction of chemical hazards released into the environment. Moreover, inclusion of the evaluation of greenness of analytical methods in method validation protocols is strongly recommended.

Investigating the interaction of terbinafine with xanthenes dye for its feasible determination applying the resonance Rayleigh scattering technique

Terbinafine hydrochloride is a potent antifungal drug indicated for oral and topical treatment of mycoses. A resonance Rayleigh scattering (RRS) method was developed for the determination of terbinafine hydrochloride through a feasible complexation reaction with erythrosine B. In a weakly acidic medium (acetate buffer, pH 5.0), terbinafine hydrochloride can react with erythrosine B through the electrostatic attraction and virtue of hydrophobic force to form an ion-association complex. The reaction resulted in the appearance of a new RRS peak at 369 nm. The RRS peak was increased by increasing the concentration of terbinafine hydrochloride in the linear range of 0.1-1.5 µg ml-1. All the reaction conditions (erythrosine B concentration, buffer volume, diluting solvent and pH) were optimized. The detection limit was 0.029 µg ml-1 while the quantitation limit was 0.089 µg ml-1. The suggested method after its validation was successfully applied for the determination of terbinafine hydrochloride in different pharmaceutical formulations (tablets and cream) with sufficient recovery.

Post-Chromatographic Dicationic Ionic Liquid-Based Charge Complexation for Highly Sensitive Analysis of Anionic Compounds by Ultra-High-Performance Supercritical Fluid Chromatography Coupled with Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

A green analytical strategy has been developed for the analysis of 10 perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) incorporating supramolecular solvent (SUPRAS)-based extraction and ultra-high-performance supercritical fluid chromatography (UHPSFC)-tandem mass spectrometry. The SUPRAS was prepared through self-assembly of reverse micelles by mixing heptanol, tetrahydrofuran, and water at optimized volume ratios. An imidazolium-based germinal dicationic ionic liquid (DIL), 1,1-bis(3-methylimidazolium-1-yl) butylene difluoride ([C₄(MIM)₂]F₂), was dissolved in the make-up solvent of UHPSFC and introduced post-column but before the electrospray ionization source. After chromatographic separation on a Torus DIOL analytical column (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.7 μm), the PFC analytes associated with the DIL reagent through charge complexation. The formation of positively charged complexes resulted in improved ionization efficiency and analytical sensitivity. Enhancement in signal intensity by one to two magnitudes was achieved in the positive ionization mode compared to the negative ionization mode without using the dicationic ion-pairing reagent. The developed protocol was applied to 32 samples of real textiles and 6 samples of real food packaging materials, which exhibited great potential for the analysis of anionic compounds.

Microextraction Techniques with Deep Eutectic Solvents

In this review, the ever-increasing use of deep eutectic solvents (DES) in microextraction techniques will be discussed, focusing on the reasons needed to replace conventional extraction techniques with greener approaches that follow the principles of green analytical chemistry. The properties of DES will be discussed, pinpointing their exceptional performance and analytical parameters, justifying their current extensive scientific interest. Finally, a variety of applications for commonly used microextraction techniques will be reported.