Extraction and determination of flavonoids in fruit juices and vegetables using Fe3 O4 /SiO2 magnetic nanoparticles modified with mixed hemi/ad-micelle cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and high performance liquid chromatography.

Extraction and determination of three flavonoids (morin, quercetin, and kaempferol) were performed by dispersive magnetic solid phase extraction based on mixed hemi/ad-micelles and high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. The Fe3 O4 /SiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction, FTIR, scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. Fe3 O4 /SiO2 nanoparticles coated with mixed hemi/ad-micelles cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide was applied as a sorbent and used for extraction of flavonoids. Effective parameters on the extraction recovery such as amount of magnetic nano particles, volume of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide solution with specific concentration, pH of sample solution, adsorption equilibrium time, volume of desorption solvent, and desorption times were evaluated and optimized using fractional factorial design and central composite design. Under the optimum condition limit of detection and linearity were 0.83, 2.7-500.0 for morin, 0.18, 0.7-500.0 for quercetin and, 0.37, 1.3-500.0 µg/L for kaempferol. The extraction recovery with relative standard deviation were 97.88, 1.94 for morin, 95.77, 0.80 for quercetin, and 93.35, 1.45 for kaempferol. The proposed method was applied for simultaneous extraction and determination of flavonoids in several fruit juices and vegetable samples.

Polyacrylonitrile / graphene oxide nanofibers for packed sorbent microextraction of drugs and their metabolites from human plasma samples.

In the present study, a new graphene based nanofibers material (Polyacrylonitrile/Graphene Oxide (PAN/GO)) was used for microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS). The PAN/GO nanofiber was synthesized using the electrospinning technique. MEPS online with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was utilized for the extraction and determination of two local anesthetic drugs (lidocaine, prilocaine) and their major metabolites (2,6-xylidine, o-toluidine) in human plasma samples. Parameters affecting the extraction efficiency were investigated and optimized (including sample pH, washing solution and elution solution). The validation of the method was based on FDA (Food and Drug Administration) guidelines for bioanalytical methods. The calibration curve ranged from 2.00 to 2000 nmol/L for lidocaine and prilocaine, and from 10.0 to 2000 nmol/L for 2,6-xylidine and o-toluidine. The coefficient of determination (R2) values were 0.996, 0.995, 0.995, 0.996 (n = 3) for lidocaine, prilocaine, 2,6-xylidine and o-toluidine, respectively. The extraction recovery was 93.0% for lidocaine, 96.0% for prilocaine, 68.0% for 2,6-xylidine and 69.0% for o-toluidine. The limits of detection (LODs) were 0.25, 0.50, 2.50, 1.25 nmol/L for lidocaine, prilocaine, 2,6-xylidine and o-toluidine, respectively. The lower limits of quantification (LLOQs) were 2.0 nmol/L for lidocaine and prilocaine, and 10 nmol/L for 2,6-xylidine and o-toluidine, respectively. The accuracy values for the quality control (QC) samples were in the range of 91.0-111% for lidocaine, 92.0-118% for prilocaine, 84.0-98.0% for 2,6-xylidine and 82.0-90.0% for o-toluidine. The inter-day precisions for QC samples ranged from 7.0% to 11.8% for lidocaine, from 8.6% to 11.7% for prilocaine, from 8.0% to 10.0% for 2,6-xylidine and from 8.0% to 9.0% for o-toluidine. The matrix effect values were in the range of -2.3% to -8.6% for lidocaine, -2.7% to -10.2% for prilocaine, 4.8%-5.2% for 2, 6-xylidine and -8.2% to 9.4% for o-toluidine.

Synthesis of magnetic nanoparticle-based molecularly imprinted polymer as a selective sorbent for efficient extraction of ezetimibe from biological samples.

In the present study, a novel and efficient adsorbent constructed of molecularly imprinted polymer on the surface of modified magnetic nanoparticles with oleic acid (MNPs) was applied for the selective extraction of ezetimibe. The magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer (MMIP) was polymerized at the surface of modified MNPs using methacrylic acid as functional monomer, ezetimibe as template and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as cross-linker. The resulting MMIP showed high adsorption capacity, good selectivity and fast kinetic binding for the template molecule. It was characterized by Fourier transform infrared analysis, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy methods. The maximum adsorption capacity of MMIP was obtained as 137.1 mg g-1 and it took about 20 min to achieve the equilibrium state. The adsorption model of the adsorbent was fitted with the Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm equations. The assay exhibited a linear range of 0.003-20.000 mg L-1 for ezetimibe with a correlation coefficient of 0.995. The relative standard deviations for the recoveries were <5.2. The method was also examined for the analysis of ezetimibe in the biological samples.

Ultrasound-assisted supramolecular-solvent-based microextraction combined with high-performance liquid chromatography for the analysis of chlorophenols in environmental water samples.

An efficient, inexpensive and environmentally benign ultrasound-assisted supramolecular-solvent-based microextraction technique combined with high-performance liquid chromatography was used for the determination of chlorophenols in environmental water samples. Different factors such as amount of decanoic acid, volume of tetrahydrofuran, pH of the sample, ultrasound time and ionic strength were investigated and optimized. The optimized extraction conditions were 60 mg decanoic acid, 1.5 mL tetrahydrofuran, 3 min ultrasound time, without salt addition. Under this condition, the extraction recoveries were 83.0-89.3 with preconcentration factors of 94-102. The calibration curves were linear from 5.0-400.0 ng/mL with square of the correlation coefficient higher than 0.9998 and the limits of detection were between 1.5-2.0 ng/mL. The values of intra- and inter-day relative standard deviations were 3.2-6.0 and 7.3-8.0%, respectively. Analysis of different samples showed that the concentration of 2,5-dichlorophenol in Babolrood river water was 80.6 ng/mL.

Application of Sigmoidal Transformation Functions in Optimization of Micellar Liquid Chromatographic Separation of Six Quinolone Antibiotics.

A chemometrics approach has been used to optimize the separation of six quinolone compounds by micellar liquid chromatography (MLC). A Derringer's desirability function, a multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) method, was tested for evaluation of two different measures of chromatographic performance (resolution and analysis time). The effect of three experimental parameters on a chromatographic response function (CRF) expressed as a product of two sigmoidal desirability functions was investigated. The sigmoidal functions were used to transform the optimization criteria, resolution and analysis time into the desirability values. The factors studied were the concentration of sodium dodecyl sulfate, butanol content and pH of the mobile phase. The experiments were done according to the face-centered cube central composite design, and the calculated CRF values were fitted to a polynomial model to correlate the CRF values with the variables and their interactions. The developed regression model showed good descriptive and predictive ability (R(2) = 0.815, F = 6.919, SE = 0.038, [Formula: see text]) and used, by a grid search algorithm, to optimize the chromatographic conditions for the separation of the mixture. The efficiency of prediction of polynomial model was confirmed by performing the experiment under the optimal conditions.

Human serum albumin-mimetic chromatography based hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide as a novel direct probe for protein binding of acidic drugs.

Human serum albumin (HSA) is the most important drug carrier in humans mainly binding acidic drugs. Negatively charged compounds bind more strongly to HSA than it would be expected from their lipophilicity alone. With the development of new acidic drugs, there is a high need for rapid and simple protein binding screening technologies. Biopartitioning micellar chromatography (BMC) is a mode of micellar liquid chromatography, which can be used as an in vitro system to model the biopartitioning process of drugs when there are no active processes. In this study, a new kind of BMC using hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as micellar mobile phases was used for the prediction of protein binding of acidic drugs based on the similar property of CTAB micelles to HSA. The use of BMC is simple, reproducible and can provide key information about the pharmacological behavior of drugs such as protein binding properties of new compounds during the drug discovery process. The relationships between the MLC retention data of a heterogeneous set of 17 acidic and neutral drugs and their plasma protein binding parameter were studied and second-order polynomial models obtained in two different concentrations (0.07 and 0.09M) of CTAB. However, the developed models are only being able to distinguish between strongly and weakly binding drugs. Also, the developed models were characterized by both the descriptive and predictive ability (R(2)=0.885, RCV(2)=0.838 and R(2)=0.898, RCV(2)=0.859 for 0.07 and 0.09M CTAB, respectively). The application of the developed model to a prediction set demonstrated that the model was also reliable with good predictive accuracy.

Synthesis of molecularly imprinted polypyrrole as an adsorbent for solid-phase extraction of warfarin from human plasma and urine.

The aim of this work was to develop a method for the clean-up and preconcentration of warfarin from biological sample employing a new molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) as a selective adsorbent for solid-phase extraction (SPE). This MIP was synthesized using warfarin as a template, pyrrole as a functional monomer and vinyl triethoxysilane as a cross-linker. The molar ratio of 1:4:20 (template-functional monomer-cross-linker) showed the best results. Nonimprinted polymers (NIPs) were prepared and treated with the same method, but in the absence of warfarin. The prepared polymer was characterized by Fourier transmission infrared spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy. An adsorption process (SPE) for the removal of warfarin using the fabricated MIPs and NIPs was evaluated under various conditions. Effective parameters on warfarin extraction, for example, type and volume of elution solvent, pH of sample solution, breakthrough volume and maximum loading capacity, were studied. The limits of detection were in the range of 0.0035-0.0050 µg mL(-1). Linearity of the method was determined in the range of 0.0165-10.0000 µg mL(-1) for plasma and 0.0115-10.0000 µg mL(-1) for urine with coefficients of determination (R(2)) ranging from 0.9975 to 0.9985. The recoveries for plasma and urine samples were >95%.

Extraction optimization of Loratadine by supramolecular solvent-based microextraction and its determination using HPLC.

Optimization of supramolecular solvent-based microextraction (SSME) of Loratadine and its determination with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultra violet (UV) detection were investigated. A factorial design (FD) and a central composite face-centered (CCF) were applied to evaluate the SSME procedure. The effect of four parameters on extraction efficiency was investigated. The factors studied were decanoic acid amount, percentage of tetrahydrofuran (THF) (v/v), pH and extraction time. According to half factorial design results, the effective parameters were decanoic acid amount, THF percentage (v/v) and pH. Then, a CCF was applied to obtain optimal condition. The optimized conditions were obtained at 110mg of decanoic acid, 10% of THF and pH=3. The limits of detection were in the range of 0.3-0.4ng/ml. Linearity of the method was determined to be in the range of 1.0-400.0ng/ml for distilled water and 1.3-400.0ng/ml for plasma. The extraction recovery was >92%. RSD for intra and inter day (n=5) of extraction of Loratadine were 3.1% and 6.2%, respectively. The developed method was successfully applied for the determination of Loratadine in distilled water and plasma samples.

Hollow fibre-based liquid phase microextraction combined with high-performance liquid chromatography for the analysis of flavonoids in Echinophora platyloba DC. and Mentha piperita.

A simple, inexpensive and efficient three phase hollow fibre liquid phase microextraction (HF-LPME) technique combined with HPLC was used for the simultaneous determination of flavonoids in Echinophora platyloba DC. and Mentha piperita. Different factors affecting the HF-LPME procedure were investigated and optimised. The optimised extraction conditions were as follows: 1-octanol as an organic solvent, pHdonor=2, pHacceptor=9.75, stirring rate of 1000rpm, extraction time of 80min, without addition of salt. Under these conditions, the enrichment factors ranged between 146 and 311. The values of intra and inter-day relative standard deviations (RSD) were in the range of 3.18-6.00% and 7.25-11.00%, respectively. The limits of detection (LODs) ranged between 0.5 and 7.0ngmL(-1). Among the investigated flavonoids quercetin was found in E. platyloba DC. and luteolin was found in M. piperita. Concentration of quercetin and luteolin was 0.015 and 0.025mgg(-1) respectively.

Biopartitioning micellar chromatography with sodium dodecyl sulfate as a pseudo α(1)-acid glycoprotein to the prediction of protein-drug binding.

A simple and fast method is of urgent need to measure protein-drug binding affinity in order to meet the rapid development of new drugs. Biopartitioning micellar chromatography (BMC), a mode of micellar liquid chromatography (MLC) using micellar mobile phases in adequate experimental conditions, can be useful as an in vitro system in mimicking the drug-protein interactions. In this study, sodium dodecyl sulfate-micellar liquid chromatography (SDS-MLC) was used for the prediction of protein-drug binding based on the similar property of SDS micelles to α(1)-acid glycoprotein (AGP). The relationships between the BMC retention data of a heterogeneous set of 14 basic and neutral drugs and their plasma protein binding parameter were studied and the predictive ability of models was evaluated. Modeling of logk(BMC) of these compounds was established by multiple linear regression (MLR) and second-order polynomial models obtained in two different concentrations (0.07 and 0.09M) of SDS. The developed MLR models were characterized by both the descriptive and predictive ability (R(2)=0.882, R(CV)(2)=0.832 and R(2)=0.840, R(CV)(2)=0.765 for 0.07 and 0.09M SDS, respectively). The p values <0.01 also indicated that the relationships between the protein-drug binding and the logk(BMC) values were statistically significant at the 99% confidence level. The standard error of estimation showed the standard deviation of the regression to be 11.89 and 13.87 for 0.07 and 0.09M, respectively. The application of the developed model to a prediction set demonstrated that the model was also reliable with good predictive accuracy. The external and internal validation results showed that the predicted values were in good agreement with the experimental value.

Low-density solvent-based dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction followed by high performance liquid chromatography for determination of warfarin in human plasma.

Extraction and determination of warfarin, a widely used anticoagulant drug, in human plasma were performed using a new generation of dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The extraction procedure is based on extraction solvents lighter than water and performing of extraction in a specially designed extraction cell. Some important parameters, including kind and volume of extraction and disperser solvents, pH of the sample solution, salt concentration in the sample solution and extraction time were investigated and optimized. Under the optimized conditions (150 µL 1-octanol as extraction solvent, 150 µL methanol as disperser solvent, pH(sample)=2.3, extraction time of 2 min, without salt addition), limit of detection (LOD) of 5 ng mL⁻¹ and extraction recovery of 91.0% were obtained. The calibration curve was linear within the range of 15-3000 ng mL⁻¹ with the square of correlation coefficient (R²) of 0.998. Repeatability and reproducibility of method based on five replicate extraction and determination were 2.8% and 6.5%, respectively. The proposed method was applied successfully for the determination of warfarin in plasma sample from a patient under treatment with this drug, and was demonstrated to be sensitive, efficient, and convenient.

Simultaneous optimization of the resolution and analysis time of flavonoids in reverse phase liquid chromatography using Derringer's desirability function.

The chemometrics approach was applied for simultaneous optimization of resolution and analysis time of seven flavonoids in reverse phase liquid chromatography. Derringer's desirability function, a multi-criteria decision making method, was used for the evaluation of two different chromatographic performance goals including resolution and analysis time. The selected flavonoids belong to different classes of flavonoids including: flavonols (myricetin, morin, quercetin and kaempferol) flavones (apigenin and luteolin) and flavanones (naringenin). The effect of five experimental factors on a chromatographic response function, formed using two sigmoidal desirability functions, was investigated. The sigmoidal functions were used to transform the optimization criteria, resolution and analysis time, into the desirability values. The factors studied were percentages of methanol, phosphoric acid and THF in mobile phase as well as flow rate and temperature. A rotatable, orthogonal central composite design was used to map the chromatographic response surface and then calculated chromatographic response functions were fitted to a polynomial model. The obtained regression model was characterized by both descriptive and predictive ability (R(2)=0.96). The model was verified, as good agreement was observed between the predicted and experimental values of the chromatographic response function in the optimal condition. The most effective factor on retention of flavonoids was percentage of methanol in mobile phase followed by temperature, flow rate, THF and H(3)PO(4) percentages. Optimum condition for separation of flavonoids was as follows: methanol:0.4% phosphoric acid in water:THF (45.3:54.4:0.3, v/v/v) as mobile phase with flow rate of 1 mL min(-1) at 30°C. The optimum condition was applied for separation of flavonoids of Satureja sahendica Bornm. which is an endemic medicinal plant of Iran.

Three-phase hollow fiber liquid phase microextraction of warfarin from human plasma and its determination by high-performance liquid chromatography.

A simple, inexpensive and efficient sample preparation technique, three-phase hollow fiber liquid phase microextraction (HF-LPME), followed by high-performance liquid chromatography-ultra violet detection (HPLC-UV) was used for the analysis of warfarin in human plasma. Warfarin was extracted from 11.0 ml of aqueous solution with pH=2.3 (donor phase) into 1-octanol immobilized in the wall pores of a porous hollow fiber and then extracted into the acceptor phase with pH=11.0 located in the lumen of the hollow fiber. After the extraction, the acceptor phase was directly injected into the HPLC system for quantification. Different factors affecting the HF-LPME including nature of organic extraction solvent, pH of donor and acceptor phases, stirring rate, extraction time and salt addition to the sample solution (donor phase) were investigated and optimized. Under the optimized conditions (1-octanol as organic solvent, pH(donor)=2.3, pH(acceptor)=11.0, stirring speed of 1000 rpm, extraction time of 30 min, without addition of salt), limit of detection (LOD) of 5 ng ml(-1) and enrichment factor of 225 were obtained. The calibration curve was linear within the range of 15-550 ng ml(-1) with the square of correlation coefficient of 0.9984. The values of intra-day relative standard deviation (RSD) and inter-day RSD were 4.2% and 11.1%, respectively. The method was applied successfully for the analysis of warfarin in plasma sample from a patient under treatment with this drug and excellent sample clean-up was observed.

Determination of N-methylcarbamate insecticides in water samples using dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction and HPLC with the aid of experimental design and desirability function.

A rapid and simple method for the extraction and preconcentration of N-methylcarbamates (NMCs) (carbofuran, carbaryl and promecarb) in water samples using dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) using chemometrics was developed. Influence variables such as volume of extracting (CHCl(3)) and dispersing solvents (ACN), pH and ionic strength, extraction time and centrifugation time and speed were screened in a 2(7-4) Plackett-Burman design was investigated. The significant variables were optimized by using a central composite design (CCD) combined with desirability function (DF). At optimum conditions values of variables set as 126 µL chloroform, 1.5 mL acetonitrile, 1 min extraction time, 10 min centrifugation at 4000 rpm min(-1), natural pH, 4.7% (w/v) NaCl, the separation was reached in less than 14 min using a C(18) column and an isocratic binary mobile phase (acetonitrile: water (50:50, v/v)) with flow rate of 1.0 mL min(-1). At optimum conditions method has linear response over 0.001-10 µg mL(-1) with detection limit between 0.0001 and 0.0005 µg mL(-1) with relative standard deviations (RSDs) in the range 2.18-5.06% (n=6).