Capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry employing hexafluoro-2-propanol for the determination of nucleosides and nucleotide mono-, di- and tri-phosphates in baby foods.

The present work describes a method for the simultaneous determination of unmodified nucleosides and nucleotide mono-, di- and tri-phosphates by capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry (CE-MS). The use of hexafluoro-2-propanol (HFIP) in the separation medium, and as an additive to the sheath liquid of the electrospray interface (ESI), generated a highly efficient and sensitive method. Instrumental limits of detection in the range of 14-53ngmL-1 for nucleosides and 7-23, 20-49 and 64-124ngmL-1 for nucleotide mono-, di-, and tri-phosphates, respectively, were found. Sample treatment involved diluting an aliquot of baby food with ultra-high quality water and applying centrifugation-assisted ultrafiltration (CUF). The proposed method was validated and used to analyse a variety of baby food samples (16 in total) such as fish, meat, fruits, and baby dairy desserts that may endogenously contain these analytes.

Determination of nucleosides and nucleotides in baby foods by hydrophilic interaction chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry in the presence of hydrophilic ion-pairing reagents.

In this work we propose a rapid and efficient method for the joint determination of nucleosides and nucleotides in dairy and non-dairy baby foods based on hydrophilic interaction chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry in the presence of diethylammonium (DEA) as a hydrophilic ion-pairing reagent (IP-HILIC-MS/MS). Sample treatment of the baby food included dilution with water and centrifugal ultrafiltration (CUF) with an additional washing step that notably improved the global performance of the process. Later dilution of the extract with acetonitrile allowed adequate separation in the HILIC system. With the proposed treatment, we obtained extraction recoveries higher than 80% and, additionally, no matrix effects were observed. The CUF-IP-HILIC-MS/MS method was validated according to the 2002/657/EC decision and was used for the quantification of nucleotides and nucleosides in sixteen samples of commercial baby foods.

Rapid determination of nucleotides in infant formula by means of nano-liquid chromatography.

A rapid method for the quantification of five ribonucleotides 5'- monophophates (adenosine, cytidine, guanosine, inosine, uridine, 5'-monophosphate), in infant formula, has been proposed using nano-LC. To separate the studied compounds, capillary columns packed with different C18-based stationary phases were investigated. All the columns tested were laboratory prepared. The experiments were performed in ion-pairing RP chromatographic mode using tetrabutylammonium hydroxide as ion-pairing reagent. The method was developed using a core-shell XB-C18 capillary column with a mobile phase consisting of 5% v/v methanol and 95% v/v 100 mM ammonium formate, pH 8, containing 20 mM tetrabutylammonium hydroxide. All compounds were baseline resolved in less than 5 min with a flow rate of 500 nL/min in isocratic elution mode. Nucleotides were detected at 260 nm. Analytical validation parameters were evaluated. The RSD values for intraday and interday repeatability for retention time and peak area were <2.4 and 4.2%, respectively. The method linearity was good (R(2) < 0.9995) for the studied compounds. LOD and limit of quantitation were 0.25 and 0.50 µg/mL, respectively. The method was applied to the determination of nucleotides in infant formula, subjected to a centrifugal ultrafiltration process, prior their analysis. The amounts found were in agreement to the labeled contents.

Hydrophilic interaction chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry in the presence of hydrophilic ion-pairing reagents for the separation of nucleosides and nucleotide mono-, di- and triphosphates.

A fast and efficient method for the simultaneous separation of highly polar compounds, in this case nucleosides and nucleotide mono-, di- and triphosphates, using hydrophilic interaction chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC-MS/MS) is proposed. This new separation method revealed the possibilities of the formation of hydrophilic ion-pairing compounds. Three stationary phases (HILIC XBridge-Amide, HILIC-CoreShell and ZIC-HILIC) were assayed for the separation of 20 target analytes, and a detailed study of the composition of the mobile phase was made using different salts at different concentrations in a organic-rich mobile phase. We report that in order to prevent the adsorption of nucleotides on the LC-MS setup and to enhance their retention on the HILIC stationary phase, a mobile phase containing hexafluoro-2-propanol and different cations should be used. Four cations were evaluated: ammonium, diethylammonium, triethylammonium and tetrabutylammonium. The results revealed the formation of an ionic-association compound between the phosphorylated analytes and the cationic ion-pairing reagents, whose retention increased with the polarity of the cationic ion-pairing reagent. HILIC XBridge-Amide was found to be the most suitable column for the separation of these analytes, and the optimized mobile phase consisted of an ACN/UHQ water mixture (3min of isocratic elution using 82:18%, v/v and then a fast gradient from 18% to 22% of water) with 100mM hexafluoro-2-propanol and 50mM diethylamine (w(w)pH 9-w(s)pH 10). In a total analysis time of 8min, good results were achieved in terms of resolution. Under these optimum conditions, a further comprehensive study of the retention mechanism was carried out.

Design and development of a two-dimensional system based on hydrophilic and reversed-phase liquid chromatography with on-line sample treatment for the simultaneous separation of excreted xenobiotics and endogenous metabolites in urine.

In the present work we describe a two-dimensional liquid chromatographic system (2D-LC) with detection by mass spectrometry (MS) for the simultaneous separation of endogenous metabolites of clinical interest and excreted xenobiotics deriving from exposure to toxic compounds. The 2D-LC system involves two orthogonal chromatographic modes, hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) to separate polar endogenous metabolites and reversed-phase (RP) chromatography to separate excreted xenobiotics of low and intermediate polarity. Additionally, the present proposal has the novelty of incorporating an on-line sample treatment based on the use of restricted access materials (RAMs), which permits the direct injection of urine samples into the system. The work is focused on the instrumental coupling, studying all possible options and attempting to circumvent the problems of solvent incompatibility between the RAM device and the two chromatographic columns, HILIC and RP. The instrumental configuration developed, RAM-HILIC-RPLC-MS/MS, allows the simultaneous assessment of urinary metabolites of clinical interest and excreted compounds derived from exposure to toxic agents with minimal sample manipulation. Thus, it may be of interest in areas such as occupational and environmental toxicology in order to explore the possible relationship between the two types of compounds.

Analysis of free nucleotide monophosphates in human milk and effect of pasteurisation or high-pressure processing on their contents by capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry.

A simple, efficient and green analytical method for the determination of free nucleotide monophosphates in human milk is proposed. It involves centrifugal ultrafiltration (CUF) as sample treatment and capillary electrophoresis-electrospray mass spectrometry (CE-ESI-MS) for separation and simultaneous quantification. The optimised method, applied to the analysis of human milk samples, included their dilution (1:5) with water followed by CUF treatment. No matrix effects were found. The method provided limits of detection between 0.08 and 0.13 µg mL(-1) and limits of quantification between 0.26 and 0.43 µg mL(-1). The intralaboratory repeatability and reproducibility afforded relative standard deviation values lower than 10%. The method was applied to the study of the effects of Holder pasteurisation and high-pressure processing on the nucleotide contents in samples from a human milk bank. The results showed concentration values between 0.5 and 10 µg mL(-1), with higher concentrations for the samples treated by pasteurisation. The effect of freezing time on the content of nucleotides was also assessed.

A validated method for the determination of nucleotides in infant formulas by capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry.

In this work CE-ESI-MS is proposed for the identification and simultaneous quantification of several ribonucleotide 5'-monophosphates in infant formula (IF) samples. The target compounds were adenosine 5'-monophosphate, cytidine 5'-monophosphate, guanosine 5'-monophosphate, uridine 5'-monophosphate, and inosine 5'-monophosphate. To our knowledge, the application of CE for the determination of these bioactive compounds in IFs has not yet been described. Optimization of the composition of the electrophoretic separation buffer and -mainly- the injection medium was carried out with a view to obtaining the best sensitivity and separation efficiency for the CE-MS coupling. Different sample treatments were assayed and one based on centrifugal ultrafiltration proved to be the simplest and most compatible with CE separation of the analytes and their ionization by the electrospray source. The whole optimized method (centrifugal ultrafiltration treatment prior to CE-MS) was validated according to the 2002/657/EC decision, obtaining a reliable and robust CE-MS method to determine these compounds in IF samples, with LODs between 0.8 and 1.8 µg/g (S/N = 3) and recoveries in the 90-106% range.

Development of a procedure for the isolation and enrichment of modified nucleosides and nucleobases from urine prior to their determination by capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry.

A sample treatment step based on solid-phase extraction (SPE) with polymeric sorbents has been developed for the simultaneous isolation and preconcentration of nucleosides and nucleobases from urine prior to analyses by CE-ESI-MS. In most reported methods nucleosides are isolated from urine by SPE in affinity mode, using an immobilized phenylboronic acid group, which specifically binds cis-diols. However, this is not applicable to non-cis-diol compounds. Here, different types of polymeric sorbents were evaluated for the simultaneous extraction of nucleosides and nucleobases from urine. The best results were obtained with Isolute ENV+, a hydroxylated styrene-divylbenzene polymer, whose retention capacity can be attributed mainly to hydrophobic interactions, and thus it can be applied to a broad range of compounds, regardless of whether they present or not to the cis-diol group in their structure. Other parameters such as the elution solvent and sample volume were optimized. We also studied the influence of the addition of isotopically labeled internal standards (ILISs) before or after the extraction step. The detection limits achieved were in the 0.04-0.17µg/mL range for a sample size of 2.0mL and relative standard deviations were 4-22%. The whole method developed, SPE prior to CE-ESI-MS, was applied to human urine samples from healthy volunteers. We conclude that SPE with polymeric sorbents prior to the electrophoretic CE-ESI-MS methodology constitutes a fast, valid and reliable approach for the simultaneously extraction of urinary nucleosides and nucleobases.

Capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry for direct determination of urinary modified nucleosides. Evaluation of synthetic urine as a surrogate matrix for quantitative analysis.

This work describes the development of a fast and reliable method based on capillary zone electrophoresis coupled with electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (CZE-ESI-MS) for the determination of modified nucleosides in untreated human urine. The target compounds were guanine, 1-methyl-guanine, 7-methyl-guanine, 9-methyl-guanine, adenosine, 1-methyl-adenosine, cytidine, guanosine, 7-methyl-guanosine. As internal standards, ribose-2-(13)C-adenosine and 8-(13)C-guanine were used. The CZE separation was carried out in acidic medium (pH 2.5). MS detection with a single quadrupole, with ESI operating in positive-ion mode, was optimized. For the analysis of urine samples, owing to the endogenous character of these analytes different quantification strategies were explored. The standard additions method, matrix-matched calibration in synthetic urine and calibration in pure aqueous medium were compared in order to evaluate the endogenous levels of these compounds in human urine. The results obtained showed that calibration in synthetic urine as a surrogate matrix was an appropriate alternative to the method of standard additions for the accurate quantitation of compounds such as guanine, 1-methyl-guanine, 7-methyl-guanine, adenosine, 1-methyl-adenosine and cytidine by CE-ESI-MS directly in the urine matrix; values in the range 0.1µg/mL for cytidine and 6.4µg/mL for 7mGua, as the lowest and the highest level, were found in untreated urine from healthy volunteers. These results were confirmed by LC-MS/MS detection. It can be concluded that the electrophoretic CZE-ESI-MS methodology offers a valid and reliable alternative for the determination of urinary nucleosides at naturally occurring levels in healthy individuals.

Occurrence of phenols and phenoxyacid herbicides in environmental waters using an imprinted polymer as a selective sorbent.

A monitoring program was developed for the environmental analysis of four phenols and three phenoxyacid herbicides in natural surface and ground water samples from the vineyard region of La Rioja (Spain). An analytical method based on molecularly imprinted solid phase extraction was developed for the determination of the impact of these compounds on the quality of environmental water samples. Different parameters were evaluated and optimized to achieve limits of detection in the 20-90 ng L(-1) range for both surface and ground water, with relative standard deviations in the 12-18% range. A comparative study of the behavior of the imprinted polymer compared with traditional sorbents (C18 and Oasis HLB) in the analysis of river water was performed. The results revealed that bisphenol-A is the most ubiquitous compound (present in more than 50% of the samples), with values up to 0.72 µg L(-1). Bisphenol-F was also detected in several samples (33% of the samples), although in concentration lower than Bisphenol-A. The herbicide 2,4-D was frequently detected in water samples (present in 33% of the samples), with concentrations above 0.1 µg L(-1) in two samples.

Capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry for the determination of anthelmintic benzimidazoles in eggs using a QuEChERS with preconcentration as sample treatment.

Benzimidazoles (BZDs) are anthelmintic agents widely used in veterinary medicine. Their use in food-producing animals increases the possibility of residues appearing in animal tissues and products. Most analytical procedures reported for the determination of BZDs have been developed based on liquid chromatography (LC) because of their polar nature - zwitterionic - and thermal lability. To our knowledge, the determination of these compounds by capillary electrophoresis coupled to mass spectrometry (CE-MS) has not yet been described. In this work CE-MS is proposed for the identification and simultaneous quantification of several benzimidazoles in egg samples. The target compounds were 2-aminobenzimidazole, carbendazim, albendazole-2-aminosulphone, 5-hydroxy-thiabendazole, oxibendazole, albendazole, fenbendazole, oxfendazole, albendazole-sulphone, fenbendazole-sulphone. Optimization of the composition and nature - organic/aqueous - of both the electrophoretic separation buffer and the injection medium was carried out with a view to obtaining the best sensitivity and separation efficiency for the CE-MS coupling. A comparative study was carried out on different sample treatments for analyte extraction from egg samples. Two of them comprised a solvent extraction step followed by clean-up using a new commercial polymeric sorbent (Evolute ABN(©)), and the third was a particularization of the general extractive method so called Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS). Different modifications of the QuEChERS method were assayed, which included a later preconcentration step based on either SPE with MCX(©) sorbents or evaporation. The whole optimized method (QuEChERS with preconcentration prior to CE-MS) was validated according to the 2002/657/EC decision obtaining a CE-MS method sufficiently reliable and robust to determine residues of these compounds in egg samples of different origins with limits of detection between 3 and 51 µgL(-1) (S/N=3) and recoveries in the 74-112% range.

A fast and reliable method for the quantitative determination of benzimidazoles and metabolites in milk by LC-MS/MS with on-line sample treatment.

This work reports the development of a simple, reliable and automated method based on LC-MS/MS for the quantitative determination of benzimidazole residues and some of their metabolites in milk. The method involves the use of an extraction cartridge coupled on-line to the chromatographic system for the clean-up of the milk samples, efficiently eliminating matrix macromolecules and providing appropriate selectivity for the determination of such compounds. In the online method developed here, only a reduced manual sample manipulation was required (protein precipitation and filtration) prior to injection into the chromatographic system. The limits of detection of the target anthelmintics ranged from 0.1 to 0.8 ng mL(-1) in milk samples, these values being below the maximum residue limit established for these compounds. The whole method developed was validated in real samples according to the requirements set by the Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. The optimized method was successfully applied to commercial and raw milk samples of different origin demonstrating that the proposed method may find application in routine laboratory analyses of food control safety.

Programed nebulizing-gas pressure mode for quantitative capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry analysis of endocrine disruptors in honey.

The application of programed nebulizing-gas pressure (PNP) has been previously described to be a simple strategy for the separation of anions by capillary electrophoresis-electrospray-mass spectrometry (CE-ESI-MS). The PNP mode provided high resolution and stable analyses and also had the advantage of allowing the use of capillaries wider than the 50-75 µm conventional ones. Here, the application of the PNP approach to the quantitative analysis of pollutants in real samples by CE-ESI-MS is described for the first time; in particular, for the determination several endocrine disruptors (2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,4,5-trichlorophenol, pentachlorophenol, bisphenol-A, 4-tert-butyl-phenol, and 4-tert-butyl benzoic acid) in honey. For sample pretreatment, different liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) procedures were assayed and compared to the QuEChERS(©) methodology prior to electrophoretic analysis. With the application of the PNP approach to CE-ESI-MS, the limits of detection achieved were in the 1-4 ng/g range with a simple liquid-liquid procedure without any further clean-up step; relative standard deviation values in the 2-9% range were found. The analytical characteristics allow the proposed method to be used in the control analysis of these compounds in honey.

Pressurized liquid extraction as a sample preparation method for the analysis of isoflavones in pulses.

In this work, we describe a rapid and simple analytical method that exploits pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) and liquid chromatography with diode array detection for the determination of isoflavones in samples of Spanish pulses. Confirmation of the analytes present was performed using ion-trap mass spectrometry. To optimize the PLE extraction, variables such as the dispersing agent, type of solvent and sample amount, and the experimental parameters, such as temperature and the number of extraction cycles, were studied. Separation was carried out using a reverse-phase C18 with polar endcapping as the stationary phase and acetonitrile/water with 0.2 % of formic acid, under a gradient regime, as the mobile phase. Optimal extraction of formononetin and biochanin-A from chickpeas with PLE was achieved using Hydromatrix as a dispersant agent, methanol/water (50:50), a temperature of 90 °C, and three cycles. The same optimal conditions-except methanol/water (75:25)-for solvent extraction were obtained for the extraction of daidzin, genistin, and formononetin from lentils. Recoveries ranged from 97 to 110 %, and standard deviations lower than 20 % were obtained. The contents obtained for daidzin in lentils using the proposed method were not significantly different from those obtained using another official method of analysis.

Development and validation of a hydrophilic interaction chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method with on-line polar extraction for the analysis of urinary nucleosides. Potential application in clinical diagnosis.

The present paper describes the development, validation and application of a quantitative method for the determination of endogenous nucleosides and nucleobases in urine based on the on-line coupling of a solid-phase extraction step with hydrophilic interaction chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The method combines the use of a highly polar restricted-access material (RAM), based on an N-vinylacetamide copolymer, for efficient analyte extraction and matrix removal, with separation by zwitterionic hydrophilic interaction chromatography (ZIC-HILIC), that revealed a satisfactory retention of the polar analytes studied. Detection using a triple quadrupole analyser allowed reliable identification and high-sensitivity quantitation of the target compounds. The on-line configuration developed, RAM-ZIC-HILIC-MS/MS, provides a convenient approach to automate the application to urine analysis, with minimum sample manipulation. The whole method was validated according to European Legislation for bioanalytical methods. The validation steps included the verification of matrix effects, calibration curve, precision, accuracy, selectivity, stability and carry-over in real samples. The results of the validation process revealed that the proposed method is suitable for the reliable determination of nucleosides and nucleobases in human urine, showing limits of detection from 0.1 to 1.3 ng mL(-1). The application to clinical samples was also checked; the results obtained in analyses of urine samples from healthy volunteers and cancer patients using Principal Component Analysis, Hierarchical Cluster Analysis and Soft Independent Modeling of Class Analogy are also shown.

Behavior of phenols and phenoxyacids on a bisphenol-A imprinted polymer. Application for selective solid-phase extraction from water and urine samples.

A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP), obtained by precipitation polymerisation with 4-vinylpyridine as the functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as cross-linker, and bisphenol-A (BPA) as template, was prepared. The binding site configuration of the BPA-MIP was examined using Scatchard analysis. Moreover, the behaviour of the BPA-MIP for the extraction of several phenolic compounds (bisphenol-A, bisphenol-F, 4-nitrophenol, 3-methyl-4-nitrophenol) and phenoxyacid herbicides such as 2,4-D, 2,4,5-T and 2,4,5-TP has been studied in organic and aqueous media in the presence of other pesticides in common use. It was possible to carry out the selective preconcentration of the target analytes from the organic medium with recoveries of higher than 70%. In an aqueous medium, hydrophobic interactions were found to exert a remarkably non-specific contribution to the overall binding process. Several parameters affecting the extraction efficiency of the BPA-MIP were evaluated to achieve the selective preconcentration of phenols and phenoxyacids from aqueous samples. The possibility of using the BPA-MIP as a selective sorbent to preconcentrate these compounds from other samples such as urine and river water was also explored.

Study of retention behaviour and mass spectrometry compatibility in zwitterionic hydrophilic interaction chromatography for the separation of modified nucleosides and nucleobases.

A study has been made of the chromatographic behaviour of modified nucleosides and nucleobases using different stationary phases with functional groups of polar nature, all of them compatible with aquoorganic mobile phases. The stationary phases assayed were a pentafluorophenylpropyl (PFP) column for reverse phase separation, and another two for hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) separation. Six modified nucleosides and nucleobases (hydroxylated and methylated derivatives) were chosen as the target analytes. In the study, chromatographic resolution as well as the sensitivity in detection by mass spectrometry were taken into account. The results obtained showed that the zwitterionic (ZIC-HILIC) column was the most suitable one for the separation of these analytes. From the study of the different parameters affecting separation it may be concluded that in the ZIC-HILIC column separation is based on a mechanism of partition and interaction through weak electrostatic forces.

Programmed nebulizing gas pressure for efficient and stable capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry analysis of anionic compounds in positive separation mode.

Here we have developed a method for the analysis of anionic compounds by capillary electrophoresis coupled to electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (CE-ESI-MS). The strategy proposed is based on the application of programmed nebulizing gas pressure (PNP), which is applied during the different steps of analysis: sample injection, electrophoretic separation, and detection by the mass spectrometer. The proposed procedure prevents the frequent drops in current observed in the analysis of anions and allows high separation efficiency by capillary electrophoresis to be maintained because it is not necessary to employ pressured-assisted electrophoresis. Additionally, for the first time we describe the use of 100 µm capillaries in capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry, allowing the loading of larger samples and hence greater sensitivity, with no loss of the efficiency achieved with the 50 µm capillaries usually used.

Determination of endocrine disruptors in honey by CZE-MS using restricted access materials for matrix cleanup.

An analytical method based on CZE coupled to ESI-MS is proposed for the identification and simultaneous quantification of several endocrine-disrupting chemicals in honey. The target compounds were the chlorophenols: 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,4,5-trichlorophenol and pentachlorophenol, and bisphenol-A, 4-tert-butylphenol, and 4-tert-butylbenzoic acid. A two-step optimization of the ESI-MS detection was carried out. First, the organic solvent present in the sheath liquid was selected and its effect on the analytical signal was studied. The best results in terms of the intensity of the MS signals were obtained with methanol. Thus, an experimental design technique (Doehlert type) was used for the optimization of the other parameters: the NH(3) concentration in the sheath liquid, the flow of the sheath liquid, the nebulizer pressure in ESI, and the drying gas temperature and flow. Here, we developed a new sample treatment based on the combined use of a restricted access material and a polymeric sorbent for SPE. The LOD achieved were in the range of 5-31 ng/g. The intraday precision of the proposed method was determined from replicate analyses (n=4) at a concentration level of 50 ng/g, with RSD values in the range of 15-23%. The results revealed that the proposed method is suitable for the reliable quantification of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in honey at nanograms per gram levels.

Automated sample treatment with the injection of large sample volumes for the determination of contaminants and metabolites in urine.

This work reports the development of a simple and automated method for the quantitative determination of several contaminants (triazine, phenylurea, and phenoxyacid herbicides; carbamate insecticides and industrial chemicals) and their metabolites in human urine with a simplified sample treatment. The method is based on the online coupling of an extraction column with RP LC separation-UV detection; this coupling enabled fast online cleanup of the urine samples, efficiently eliminating matrix components and providing appropriate selectivity for the determination of such compounds. The variables affecting the automated method were optimized: sorbent type, washing solvent and time, and the sample volume injected. The optimized sample treatment reported here allowed the direct injection of large volumes of urine (1500 microL) into the online system as a way to improve the sensitivity of the method; limits of detection in the 1-10 ng/mL range were achieved for an injected volume of 1500 microL of urine, precision being 10% or better at a concentration level of 20 ng/mL. The online configuration proposed has advantages such as automation (all the steps involved in the analysis - injection of the urine, sample cleanup, analyte enrichment, separation and detection - are carried out automatically) with high precision and sensitivity, reducing manual sample manipulation to freezing and sample filtration.