On-Line Preconcentration Prior to On-Column Derivatization Monolith Octadecasiloxane Capillary Electrochromatography for the Determination of Biogenic Amines

Open-tubular admicellar electrochromatography of charged analytes

Fundamental studies on the separation of cationic and anionic analytes in open-tubular admicellar electrochromatography (OT-AMEC) using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and fused silica capillaries are presented. OT-AMEC was compared with open-tubular admicellar liquid chromatography (OT-AMLC) by running the two methods using the same mobile phases. The mobile phases were buffered at pH ≥ 6 and contained a low concentration (above the critical surface aggregation concentration and below the critical micelle concentration) of CTAB. The stationary pseudophase of CTAB admicelles were formed at the solid surface and liquid interface inside the capillary by simply conditioning the capillary with the mobile phase. Separations were performed in a 30 cm (21.5 cm to UV detector) long and 50 μm inner diameter capillary, using low pressure (50 mbar) in OT-AMLC and high voltage (15 kV at negative polarity) in OT-AMEC. The appropriate equations for the experimental estimation of retention factor (k) values of analytes were discussed. For anionic analytes, k in OT-AMEC were carefully determined by considering the observed interaction between CTAB monomers and tested analytes. The calculated k for each analyte was found similar in OT-AMLC and OT-AMEC, although the mechanism of retention was not entirely different due to the contribution of electrophoresis in OT-AMEC. Studies on the addition of a typical (i.e., acetonitrile) and atypical modifier (i.e., nonyl-β-glucoside) into the mobile phase, and sample focusing with >10x improvement in peak height under isocratic conditions were also conducted.

In-capillary derivatization and stacking electrophoretic analysis of gamma-aminobutyric acid and alanine in tea samples to redeem the detection after dilution to decrease matrix interference

An in-capillary derivatization and stacking capillary electrophoresis (CE) technique has been applied to redeem the detection of dilute analytes in the analysis of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and alanine (Ala) in tea samples. Extracts from samples were diluted to eliminate matrix interference before introduction into the CE system. GABA and Ala in the diluted sample zone were derivatized with o-phthaldialdehyde/2-mercaptoethanol (OPA/2-ME) to form fluorescence-labeled products in the stacking process, and the labeled derivatives were then enriched by online stacking. Optimal conditions for the stacking, such as the concentration of the background buffer solution, the matrix of the sample zone (sample solution), and the volume of the sample injection, were investigated and then applied to real sample analysis. Under optimum conditions, the detections were linear in the range of 5.0 nM-2.5 microM with the square of correlation coefficients (R2) of 0.9995 and 0.9992 for GABA and Ala, respectively. Detection limits were found to be 0.7 and 0.8 nM for GABA and Ala, respectively. Tea samples were analyzed with recoveries between 92.33 and 97.87% and between 94.36 and 96.46% for GABA and Ala, respectively. This method is a rapid, convenient, and sensitive process for determining GABA and Ala in complicated matrix samples such as tea samples.

Sample preparation

A panorama of sample preparation methods has been composed from 481 references, with a highlight of some promising methods fast developed during recent years and a somewhat brief introduction on most of the well-developed methods. All the samples were commonly referred to molecular composition, being extendable to particles including cells but not to organs, tissues and larger bodies. Some criteria to evaluate or validate a sample preparation method were proposed for reference. Strategy for integration of several methods to prepare complicated protein samples for proteomic studies was illustrated and discussed.

Development of in-tube solid-phase microextraction coupled to pressure-assisted CEC and its application to the analysis of propranolol enantiomers in human urine

A successful hyphenation of in-tube solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and pressure-assisted CEC (pCEC) was developed by installing a poly(methacrylic acid-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) monolithic capillary to the six-port valve in a CEC system. The device designed was appropriate for on-line in-tube SPME coupled to pCEC or muHPLC. The evaluation of this hyphenation was first carried out for in-tube SPME-muHPLC with analytical capillaries packed with 3 microm octadecyl silica (ODS). Theobromine (TB), theophylline (TP), and caffeine (CA) were chosen as model drugs for an easy comparison with the results obtained by in tube SPME-HPLC. The detection limits of these three analytes were improved more than 100 times when compared with the direct analysis by muHPLC. Then in-tube SPME-pCEC with CEC capillaries packed with perphenylcarbamoylated beta-CD-bonded silica particles was applied to the determination and analysis of propranolol enantiomers in human urine. Under optimal extraction and separation conditions, the experimental LODs were 4 and 7 ng/mL for (S)-propranolol and (R)-propranolol, respectively. The calibration curves showed good linearity for both (S)-propranolol (R(2) = 0.9997) and (R)-propranolol (R(2) = 0.9996) over the concentration range from 20 to 5000 ng/mL. Reproducibility of the method was also investigated with intra- and interday precisions lower than 10% for both enantiomers at different concentration levels.

Micro-magnetic particles frit for capillary electrochromatography

This paper presents a new method for making frit using soft-ferrite-based micro-magnetic particles (MMPs) in a micro-space, such as in a capillary tube. The MMPs-frit was made by injecting an aliquot of 10 microm (outer diameter; o.d.)-MMPs-suspension in methanol (ca. 1mg/ml) into a capillary tube (75 microm inner diameter (i.d.) x 375 microm o.d. x ca. 35 cm length) that was already sandwiched between a pair of cylindrical Neodium (Nd-Fe-B) magnets (1.5 mm o.d. x 1.5 mm height, 280 mT) at a position where the frit was made. The MMPs were trapped in the capillary tube as a frit due to the attraction of the magnets placed at surface on the capillary tube. With regard to durability, the frit was stable for methanol flow with a flow rate of 400 microl/min at room temperature. Using such a frit, a capillary column (20 cm long) was prepared by injecting a 5 microm (o.d.)-ODS-particle suspension in methanol (ca. 0.4 mg/microl) into the capillary tube. The MMPs-frits-ODS-packed column was stable for methanol for a flow pressure less than 20MPa. When comparing the present column with a conventional sintered-frits-ODS-packed column for the purposes of separating five kinds of biogenic amines by means of an on-column derivatization capillary electrochromatography (CEC), the performance of the MMPs-frits capillary column was almost equivalent to that of the sintered-frits-ODS-packed column.

Capillary electrophoretic analysis of gamma-aminobutyric acid and alanine in tea with in-capillary derivatization and fluorescence detection

The aim of this study was to investigate an in-capillary derivatization capillary electrophoresis (CE) technique that was performed to determine the concentration of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and alanine (Ala) in tea after being derivatized with o-phthaldialdehyde/2-mercaptoethanol (OPA/2-ME) to form fluorescence-labeled products. The conditions of labeled derivatization and CE separation were optimized and then applied to real sample analysis. The labeled derivatization with 20 mM OPA and 26.67 mM 2-ME (mol ratio=0.75) at pH 10 offered the most sensitive detection, and the separation with 30 mM sodium tetraborate buffer (pH 10.0) under 21 kV achieved good selectivity within 14 min. The detections were linear in the range of 0.05-5 microM with correlation coefficients (R2) of 0.9995 and 0.9964 and with detection limits of 0.004 and 0.02 microM for GABA and Ala, respectively. The recoveries were 94.22% (3.58% RSD) and 93.54% (6.46% RSD) for five determinations of GABA and Ala, respectively. This method is a fast, convenient, sensitive, and eco-friendly way to determine the GABA and Ala in tea samples from different manufacturing processes.

Recent advances in enhancing the sensitivity of electrophoresis and electrochromatography in capillaries and microchips

Poor sensitivity is considered to be one of the major limitations of electrophoretic separation methods, particularly when compared to traditional liquid chromatographic techniques. To address this issue, various in-line preconcentration techniques have been developed over the past 15 years, ranging in power and complexity, and there are now a number of well understood approaches routinely capable of providing a 10,000- to 100,000-fold increase in sensitivity, as well as several that can be pushed above a million. Furthermore, these have been achieved with particularly troublesome and often difficult samples, such as those having high salinity from a biological or environmental origin. This review will discuss the most common methods for improving the sensitivity of CE, CEC and microchip version of these, with particular attention to those approaches developed over the last five years.

Capillary electrophoresis-based separation techniques for the analysis of proteins

CE offers the advantages of high speed, great efficiency, as well as the requirement of minimum amounts of sample and buffer for the analysis of proteins. In this review, we summarize the CE-based techniques coupled with absorption, LIF, and MS detection systems for the analysis of proteins mostly within the past 5 years. The basic principle of each technique and its advantages and disadvantages for protein analysis are discussed in brief. Advanced CE techniques, including on-column concentration techniques and high-efficiency multidimensional separation techniques, for high-throughput protein profiling of complex biological samples and/or of single cells are emphasized. Although the developed techniques provide improved peak capacity, they have not become practical tools for proteomics, mainly because of poor reproducibility, low-sample lading capacity, and low throughput due to ineffective interfaces between two separation dimensions and that between separation and MS systems. In order to identify the complexities and dynamics of the proteomes expressed by cells, tissues, or organisms, techniques providing improved analytical sensitivity, throughput, and dynamic ranges are still demanded.

Less common applications of monoliths: Preconcentration and solid-phase extraction

Monolithic materials are finding their place in a variety of fields. While liquid chromatography is the most emphasized use of this new category of porous media, some other just as important applications are eclipsed by the success of monolithic columns. This review article describes all current facets of use of monoliths in preconcentration and solid-phase extraction. In addition to the typical off line use that does not seem to be the main stream application for the monolithic materials, in-line connection of the preconcentration with HPLC, electrochromatography, electrophoresis, enzymatic digestion, as well as its applications in microfluidics are presented.

Single-step enantioselective amino acid flux analysis by capillary electrophoresis using on-line sample preconcentration with chemical derivatization

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) represents a versatile platform for integrating sample pretreatment with chemical analysis because of its ability to tune analyte electromigration and band dispersion properties in discontinuous electrolyte systems. In this article, a single-step method that combines on-line sample preconcentration with in-capillary chemical derivatization is developed for rapid, sensitive, and enantioselective analysis of micromolar levels of amino acids that lack intrinsic chromophores by CE with UV detection. Time-resolved electrophoretic studies revealed two distinct stages of amino acid band narrowing within the original long sample injection plug occurring both prior to and after in-capillary labeling via zone passing by ortho-phthalaldehyde/N-acetyl l-cysteine (OPA/NAC). This technique enabled direct analysis of d-amino acids in a 95% enantiomeric excess mixture with sub-micromolar detection limits and minimal sample handling, where the capillary functions as a preconcentrator, microreactor, and chiral selector. On-line sample preconcentration with chemical derivatization CE (SPCD-CE) was applied to study the enantioselective amino acid flux in Escherichia coli bacteria cultures, which demonstrated a unique l-Ala efflux into the extracellular medium. New strategies for high-throughput analyses of low-abundance metabolites are important for understanding fundamental physiological processes in bacteria required for screening the efficacy of new classes of antibiotics as well as altered metabolism in genetically modified mutant strains.

On-line preconcentration of organic anions in capillary electrophoresis by solid-phase extraction using latex-coated monolithic stationary phases

Quaternary ammonium functionalised polymeric latex particles were coated onto the wall of a fused-silica capillary or onto a methacrylate monolithic bed synthesised inside the capillary in order to create ion-exchange stationary phases of varying ion-exchange capacity. These capillaries were coupled in-line to a separation capillary and used for the solid-phase extraction (SPE), preconcentration and subsequent separation of organic anions by capillary electrophoresis. A transient isotachophoretic gradient was used for the elution of bound analytes from the SPE phase using two modes of separation. The first comprised a low capacity SPE column combined with a fluoride/octanesulfonate discontinuous electrolyte system in which peak compression occurred at the isotachophoretic gradient front. The compressed anions were separated electrophoretically after elution from the SPE preconcentration phase and resolution was achieved by altering the pH of the electrolyte in which the separation was performed. In the second approach, a latex-coated monolithic SPE preconcentration stationary phase was used in combination with a fluoride/perchlorate electrolyte system, which allowed capillary electrochromatographic separation to occur behind the isotachophoretic gradient front. This method permitted the removal of weakly bound anions from the SPE phase, thereby establishing the possibility of sample clean-up. The effect of the nature of the strong electrolyte forming the isotachophoretic gradient on the separation and also on the preconcentration step was investigated. Capillary electrochromatography of inorganic and organic species performed on the latex-coated monolithic methacrylate column highlighted the presence of mixed-mode interactions resulting from the incomplete coverage of latex particles onto the monolithic surface. Analyte preconcentration prior to separation resulted in compression of the analyte zone by a factor of 300. Improvement in the limit of detection of up to 10400 times could be achieved when performing the preconcentration step and the presented methods had limits of detection (S/N=3) ranging between 1.5 and 12 nM for the organic anions studied.

Capillary electrophoresis determination of biogenic amines by field-amplified sample stacking and in-capillary derivatization

A sensitive CE method for determining biogenic amines in wines based on in-capillary derivatization with 1,2-naphthoquinone-4-sulfonate is presented. In this method, reagent and buffer solutions are introduced hydrodynamically into the capillary whereas the sample is injected electrokinetically, thus, allowing a selective preconcentration of the analytes by field-amplified sample stacking. Amines are labeled inside the capillary using a zone-passing derivatization approach in mixed tandem mode. The most relevant variables influencing on the derivatization and separation as well as significant interactions have been evaluated using experimental design. Multi-criteria decision making is utilized for the simultaneous optimization of interacting variables through overall desirability response surfaces. The validation of the method has proven an excellent separation performance and accuracy for the determination of biogenic amines such as histamine, tryptamine, phenylethylamine, tyramine, agmatine, ethanolamine, serotonin, cadaverine, and putrescine in red wines. Detection limits range from 0.02 mg/L for ethanolamine to 0.91 mg/L for serotonin. The RSDs for migration time and peak area are around 1.2 and 6.2%, respectively. Red wines from different Spanish regions have been analyzed using the proposed method.

Sample preconcentration with chemical derivatization in capillary electrophoresis. Capillary as preconcentrator, microreactor and chiral selector for high-throughput metabolite screening

New strategies for integrating sample pretreatment with chemical analyses under a single format is required for rapid, sensitive and enantioselective analyses of low abundance metabolites in complex biological samples. Capillary electrophoresis (CE) offers a unique environment for controlling analyte/reagent band dispersion and electromigration properties using discontinuous electrolyte systems. Recent work in our laboratory towards developing a high-throughput CE platform for low abundance metabolites via on-line sample preconcentration with chemical derivatization (SPCD) is primarily examined in this review, as there have been surprisingly only a few strategies reported in the literature to date. In-capillary sample preconcentration serves to enhance concentration sensitivity via electrokinetic focusing of long sample injection volumes for lower detection limits, whereas chemical derivatization by zone passing is used to expand detectability and selectivity, notably for enantiomeric resolution of metabolites lacking intrinsic chromophores using nanolitre volumes of reagent. Together, on-line SPCD-CE can provide over a 100-fold improvement in concentration sensitivity, shorter total analysis times, reduced sample handling and improved reliability for a variety of amino acid and amino sugar metabolites, which is also amenable to automated high-throughput screening. This review will highlight basic method development and optimization parameters relevant to SPCD-CE, including applications to bacterial metabolite flux and biomarker analyses. Insight into the mechanism of analyte focusing and labeling by SPCD-CE is also discussed, as well as future directions for continued research.

On-line sample preconcentration with chemical derivatization of bacterial biomarkers by capillary electrophoresis: A dual strategy for integrating sample pretreatment with chemical analysis

Simple, selective yet sensitive methods to quantify low-abundance bacterial biomarkers derived from complex samples are required in clinical, biological, and environmental applications. In this report, a new strategy to integrate sample pretreatment with chemical analysis is investigated using on-line preconcentration with chemical derivatization by CE and UV detection. Single-step enantioselective analysis of muramic acid (MA) and diaminopimelic acid (DAP) was achieved by CE via sample enrichment by dynamic pH junction with ortho-phthalaldehyde/N-acetyl-L-cysteine labeling directly in-capillary. The optimized method resulted in up to a 100-fold enhancement in concentration sensitivity compared to conventional off-line derivatization procedures. The method was also applied toward the detection of micromolar levels of MA and DAP excreted in the extracellular medium of Escherichia coli bacterial cell cultures. On-line preconcentration with chemical derivatization by CE represents a unique approach for conducting rapid, sensitive, and high-throughput analyses of other classes of amino acid and amino sugar metabolites with reduced sample handling, where the capillary functions simultaneously as a concentrator, microreactor, and chiral selector.

Single-step analysis of low abundance phosphoamino acids via on-line sample preconcentration with chemical derivatization by capillary electrophoresis

New strategies for rapid, sensitive and high-throughput analysis of low abundance metabolites in biological samples are required for future metabolomic research. In this report, a direct method for sub-micromolar analyses of phosphoamino acids was developed using on-line sample preconcentration with 9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl chloride (FMOC) derivatization by capillary electrophoresis (CE) and UV detection. Analyte focusing by dynamic pH junction and FMOC labeling efficiency were influenced by several experimental factors including buffer pH, ionic strength, sample injection length and FMOC concentration. About a 200-fold enhancement in concentration sensitivity was achieved under optimal conditions relative to conventional off-line derivatization, as reflected by a detection limit (S/N approximately 3) of 0.1 microM. In-capillary sample preconcentration with chemical labeling by CE offers a unique single-step analytical platform for high-throughput screening of low abundance metabolites without intrinsic chromophores.

Sol–gel stationary phases for capillary electrochromatography

A review is presented on the current state of the art and future trends in the development of sol-gel stationary phases for capillary electrochromatography (CEC). The design and synthesis of stationary phases with prescribed chromatographic and surface charge properties represent challenging tasks in contemporary CEC research. Further developments in CEC as a high-efficiency liquid-phase separation technique will greatly depend on new breakthroughs in the area of stationary phase development. The requirements imposed on CEC stationary phase performance are significantly more demanding compared with those for HPLC. The design of CEC stationary phase must take into consideration the structural characteristics that will provide not only the selective solute/stationary phase interactions leading to chromatographic separations but also the surface charge properties that determine the magnitude and direction of the electroosmotic flow responsible for the mobile phase movement through the CEC column. Therefore, the stationary phase technology in CEC presents a more complex problem than in conventional chromatographic techniques. Different approaches to stationary phase development have been reported in contemporary CEC literature. The sol-gel approach represents a promising direction in this important research. It is applicable to the preparation of CEC stationary phases in different formats: surface coatings, micro/submicro particles, and monolithic beds. Besides, in the sol-gel approach, appropriate sol-gel precursors and other building blocks can be selected to create a stationary phase with desired structural and surface properties. One remarkable advantage of the sol-gel approach is the mild thermal conditions under which the stationary phase synthesis can be carried out (typically at room temperature). It also provides an effective pathway to integrating the advantageous properties of organic and inorganic material systems, and thereby enhancing and fine-tuning chromatographic selectivity of the created hybrid organic-inorganic stationary phases. This review focuses on recent developments in the design, synthesis, characterization, properties, and applications of sol-gel stationary phases in CEC.

On-column derivatization–capillary electrochromatography with o-phthalaldehyde/alkylthiol for assay of biogenic amines

The elution behaviors of the biogenic amines, histamine (HA) and its metabolite methyl histamine (MHA), were evaluated by means of on-column derivatization (OCD)-capillary electrochromatography (CEC) which employed a monolithic octadecylsilica (ODS) capillary column (20 cm of effective length x 50 microm of inner diameter). Five kinds of alkylthiols, e.g., 2- hydroxyethylthiol (or 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME)), ethanethiol (ET), 1-propanethiol (1-PT), 2-methyl-1-propanethiol (2-MPT) and 1-butanethiol (1-BT) were separately presented at 5 mM each in the OCD-CEC separation run buffer consisting of 60% acetonitrile in 5 mM o-phthalaldehyde (OPA)-10 mM borate buffer (pH 10). When 2-ME was present in the run buffer solution, both derivatives corresponding to HA and MHA migrated separately, but closely together through the capillary column. Replacement of 2-ME with 1-BT in the run buffer solution caused a delay in their elution profiles on the electrochromatogram and the separation between those two peaks became remarkably improved. The elution times of HA and MHA followed the increase in alkyl chain length or hydrophobicity of thiol, 1-BT > 2-MPT > 1-PT > ET > 2-ME. Performance of on-line preconcentrations of HA and MHA was also evaluated by varying the electrokinetic injection voltage from 1 kV to 8 kV. The peak area counts corresponding to HA recorded about 50 times higher when 2 kV was applied for 240 s to a 0.1 mM HA solution than when 8 kV was applied for 5 s. This method was next applied to a sample of human urine spiked with HA and MHA at levels of 0.1 microM each. Although HA and MHA peaks were not identifiable among the peaks corresponding to the materials in the urine matrix when OPA/2-ME was employed in a run buffer for the OCD-CEC, the separation and identification of their peaks became possible by replacing 2-ME with 1-BT in the run buffer solution.