High efficiency packed column supercritical fluid chromatography of sulfonylurea herbicides and metabolites from large water samples

Trace analysis of sulfonylurea herbicides in water by on-line continuous flow liquid membrane extraction--C18 precolumn liquid chromatography with ultraviolet absorbance detection

An on-line system that consists of continuous-flow liquid membrane extraction (CFLME), C18 precolumn, and liquid chromatography with UV detection was applied to trace analysis of sulfonylurea herbicides in water. During preconcentration by CFLME, five target compounds, including metsulfuron methyl, bensulfuron methyl, tribenuron methyl, sulfometuron methyl, and ethametsulfuron, were enriched in 960 microl of 0.5 mol l(-1) Na2CO3-NaHCO3 (pH 10.8) buffer used as acceptor. This acceptor was on-line neutralized and transported to the C18 precolumn where the analytes were absorbed and focused. Then the focused analytes were injected onto a C18 analytical column for separation and detection at 240 nm. The proposed method was applied to determine sulfonylurea herbicides in water, river, and reservoir water with detection limits of 10-50 ng l(-1) when enriching a 120-ml sample. Throughput is typically one sample per hour.

Analysis of non-saponifiable lipids by super-/subcritical-fluid chromatography

Because of the particular properties of carbon dioxide or carbon dioxide/modifier mobile phases, super- or subcritical-fluid chromatography (SFC) can be an alternative to more classical chromatographic methods such as gas chromatography (GC) or high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for the separation of unsaponifiable lipids. These fluids can also be helpful in the extraction and/or the concentration steps of sterols, tocopherols or carotenoids from complex samples. Supercritical extraction, off-line prefractionation or semi-preparative supercritical fluid chromatography, carried out before the analysis are described. The effects on separation of analytical parameters such as pressure, nature of and modifier percentage or stationary phase nature are also reported. The performance of capillary, packed or capillary packed columns is discussed, as well as the consequences of their use (choice of stationary phases, type of coupled detector). Numerous examples of fine separations are reported.

Packed-column supercritical fluid chromatography coupled with solid-phase extraction for the determination of organic microcontaminants in water

A multiresidue method for the analysis of 35 common contaminants (including pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and phenols) in lough and river waters from Castilla y León Spanish region, by using supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) with five silica packed columns, is described. In order to decrease the detection limits, a preconcentration step by coupling solid-phase extraction to the SFC system was used. The different variables affecting the extraction procedure were studied and optimized, selecting the Isolute Env+ as the best sorbent. The detection limits achieved ranged from 0.4 to 2.6 micrograms l-1.