Three-dimensional synchronous fluorimetric determination of indole-type auxins after derivatization with o-phthalaldehyde

Normal-phase liquid chromatography of plant hormones using reversed cholic acid micelles as the mobile phase

When several plant hormones with similar structures are present in a sample, conventional analytical methods are not sufficiently selective to effectively differentiate them. However, the excellent selectivity of micellar liquid chromatography allows similarly structured compounds to be easily differentiated. We used reversed cholic acid micelles dissolved in tetrahydrofuran as the mobile phase in normal-phase chromatography of seven plant hormones. Our results conformed closely to those predicted by the pseudophase micellar liquid chromatography theory. The chromatographic efficiencies were calculated from the peak width and the retention times, and we compared these values with those obtained by reversed-phase chromatography using sodium dodecyl sulfate mobile phase in water. To test the efficiency of this selective method for the analysis of plant tissues that may also contain contaminants, we applied it to homogeneous suspensions of spiked maize roots. Recoveries ranged from 91 to 110%, the relative standard deviations were between 0.46 and 10.03%, and the detection limits were between 0.08 and 0.80 micrograms g-1.

Determination of the insecticide promecarb by fluorogenic labelling with dansyl chloride

The use of spectrofluorimetry to determine the fluorescent derivative of the insecticide promecarb, following hydrolysis to the corresponding phenol in basic media and subsequent coupling with the labelling agent dansyl chloride, is described and discussed. A study of media of different basicity and of different temperatures for both reactions gave optimum conditions of 20 min for the hydrolysis reaction and 10 min for the labelling reaction at 55 degrees C in 0.05 mol dm-3 sodium hydrogen carbonate solution with a reagent to insecticide ratio of 12:1. The effect of the solvent on the formation of the dansyl derivative and on the extraction process was studied using nine and seven solvents, respectively. The use of a mixture of acetone and water (50 + 50, v/v) and an extraction into cyclohexane gave the best results. The minimum detectable concentration of promecarb in the experimental assays was 100 ng ml-1. The error and relative standard deviation at a concentration level of 0.6 micrograms ml-1 were 9.7 and 10.9%, respectively. Air samples containing promecarb at different concentration levels were analysed.

Determination of salicylic acid and its metabolites in urine by derivative synchronous spectrofluorimetry

The simultaneous determination of salicylic acid in binary and/or ternary mixtures and its two main urinary metabolites is proposed. Mixtures of salicylic, salicyluric and gentisic acids are resolved by synchronous spectrofluorimetry, in combination with first-derivative measurements. The urine is extracted with diethyl ether in acid medium. Salicylic and salicyluric acids are re-extracted into glycine-sodium hydroxide buffer solution of pH 11.6 and determined at that pH, and salicylic and gentisic acids are re-extracted into boric acid-sodium hydroxide buffer solution of pH 8.5 and determined at pH 6.