Identification of phenolics and nucleoside derivatives in Gastrodia elata by HPLC-UV-MS

An HPLC-UV-MS method for simultaneous identification of predominant phenolics and minor nucleoside derivatives in Gastrodia elata was developed, which was based on their UV and MS characteristics summarized through a series of homemade reference standard experiments. Phenolics showed characteristic UV lambda(max) at 267 nm, [M + NH4](+) base peak in positive mode and [M - H](-) base peak in negative mode while nucleosides exhibited UV lambda(max) at 255 nm, [M + H](+), [M - H + 2H(2)O](-) or [M - H + CH3COOH](-). Phenolics conjugates mainly underwent the consecutive loss of gastrodin residue (- 268 U) and the combined loss of H2O and CO2 from the citric acid unit under negative MS/MS conditions whereas nucleosides simply lost the ribose (- 132 U) under positive MS/MS conditions. According to these characteristics, a special pattern under MS/MS conditions and reported compound data for G. elata in the literature, not only 15 phenolics were identified but also 6 nucleoside derivatives were identified. Among these compounds, seven phenolics and three nucleoside derivatives have not been reported yet from G. elata.

Comparative analysis of allantoin quercetin, and 1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-beta-carboline-3-carboxylic acid in Nitraria tangutorum Bobr. Seed by HPLC-APCI-MS and CE

This paper describes the simultaneous determination of allantoin, quercetin, and 1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-beta-carboline-3-carboxylic acid (MTCCA) in Nitraria tangutorum Bobr seed by HPLC-APCI-MS and CE (capillary electrophoresis) methods. The final optimized chromatographic conditions were investigated in a reversed-phase Eclipse XDB-C8 column (150 x 4.6 mm, 5 mu m). A seventeen-minute gradient elution, (A: aqueous acetonitrile 20% (v/v); B: aqueous acetonitrile 60% (v/v); C: pure acetonitrile 100%) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min was selected for the separation of three natural products with diode array detection (DAD) at 220 nm. A CE experiment was carried out in a fused silica capillary with 32 mmol/L boric acid (pH 10), 32 mmol/L SDS and acetonitrile (10.0%, v/v). The applied potential and temperature was, respectively, set at 19 kV and 25 degrees C. After development, the validation was performed in parallel for HPLC and CE, with the same standards and sample to avoid differences due to the manipulation. The validation parameters of both techniques were adequate for the intended purpose.

HPLC-APCI-MS determination of free fatty acids in Tibet folk medicine Lomatogonium rotatum with fluorescence detection and mass spectrometric identification

A simple and sensitive method for the determination of free fatty acids (FFAs) using acridone-9-ethyl-p-toluenesulfonate (AETS) as a fluorescence derivatization reagent by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been developed. Free fatty acid derivatives were separated on an Eclipse XDB-C-8 column with a good baseline resolution and detected with the fluorescence of which excitation and emission wavelengths of derivatives were set at lambda(ex) 404 and lambda(em) 440 nm, respectively. Identification of 19 fatty acid derivatives was carried out by online post-column mass spectrometry with an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) source under positive-ion detection mode. Nineteen FFAs from the extract of Lomatogonium rotatum are sensitively determined. The results indicate that the plant Lomatogonium rotatum is enriched with an abundance of FFAs and FFAs of higher contents, which mainly focus on even carbon atoms, C-14, C-16, and C-18. The validation of the method including linearity, repeatability, and detection limits was examined. Most linear correlation coefficients for fatty acid derivatives are > 0.9989, and detection limits (at signal-to-noise of 3: 1) are 12.3-43.7 fmol. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) of the peak areas and retention times for 19 FFAs standards are < 2.24% and 0.45%, respectively. The established method is rapid and reproducible for the separation determination of FFAs from the extract of Lomatogonium rotatum with satisfactory results.

Determination of five pharmacologically active compounds extracted from Rhodiola for natural product drug discovery with HPLC-APCI-MS

A rapid and sensitive liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-APCI-MS) assay for the determination of five pharmacologically active compounds (PAC) extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine, Rhodiola , namely salidroside, tyrosol, rhodionin, gallic acid, and ethyl gallate has been developed. In this method, PAC could be baseline separated and detected with DAD at 275 nm. The validation of the method, including sensitivity, linearity, repeatability, and recovery, was examined. The linear calibration curves were acquired with correlation coefficient >0.999 and the limits of detection LOD (at a signal-to-noise ratio=3:1) were between 0.058 and 1.500 mu mol/L. It was found, that the amounts of PAC varied with different species of Rhodiola . The established method is rapid and reproducible for the separation of five natural pharmacologically active compounds from extracts of Rhodiola with satisfactory results.

利用MC-ICP-MS测定硼同位素及其在西藏地热和盐湖中的初步应用

Based on previous studies, boron can be separated from aqueous samples with Amberlite IRA-743 resin. Experiments on the elute temperature, elute volume and the dynamic resin exchange capacity have been performed in this study. Results show that the dynamic exchange capacity of the resin is 4.2mg B/g and at room temperature, boron fixed on the resin within this capacity level can be extracted quantitatively by using 5ml 2%HNO3. A new procedure has been developed for the measurement of boron isotope ratios in water samples using a Neptune MC-ICP-MS, after resolving the memory effect, which is a key problem, and investigating the impacts of mass bias and Si matrix effect. Using this method, it usually takes 20 min to perform one measurement on 0.1ppm boron solution with a precision of 0.23‰ (SD). If the relative deviation between a sample and the standard is large, the washout time needs to be doubled to achieve a higher precision. δ11B values of water samples from Yangbajing geothermal field vary from -10.53 to -9.13‰. Owing to the large difference B concentration and the small B isotope difference between deep geothermal water and surface water, B isotope ratios of the shallow geothermal fluids are dominated by the deep end member rather than the shallower one in the mixing process. As a consequence, δ11B-B relation is indicative basically of a dilution process. Vapor-liquid separation and calcite scaling also greatly influence B isotope fractionation. δ11B values of water samples from Dagejia geothermal field are from -15.98‰ to -11.67‰. Boron in Changma River near the field has two sources, freshwater lakes (Dajiamang Lake and Canke Lake) and geothermal waters. Finally, a preliminary discussion is included on boron geochemical characteristics of the salt lakes in Shuanghu area and other geothermal fields, to provide information for future studies on boron isotope geochemistry of geothermal systems and salt lakes in Tibet.

Lu-Hf同位素的MC-ICP-MS实验方法及其在华北克拉通典型火山岩研究中的应用

Over past ten years, a great development has been made in the Lu-Hf isotopic system with the advent of MC-ICP-MS. Based on a comprehensive review of available references in the related field, a novel analytical protocol of three exchange chromatographies after one mixed acid attacking geological samples was developed in this work, which not only avoids common multiple sample treatments for natural inhomegeneous samples, but also is useful for Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd and Lu-Hf isotopic system simultaneously, especially for the garnet- and apatite-bearing rocks for the Sm-Nd and Lu-Hf geochronology. An analytical procedure for the Lu and Hf concentration in geological samples determined by by ID-MC-ICP-MS was detailedly investigated. The Hf yield is > 90 % and total procedural blank is less than. 50 pg for Hf and 10 pg for Lu, respectively. The developed method was successfully applied to the determination of Lu and Hf concentrations for USGS geological materials. A one-column procedure for Hf purification in geological samples using common anion exchange chromatography and its isotopic analyses by MC-ICP-MS were also established. Multiple analyses of Standard Reference Materials demonstrate that this method was simple, time-saving, cheap and efficient, especially suitable for the Hf isotopic compositions of young samples. Finally, the measurements of Sr and Nd isotopic compositions using Neptune MC-ICP-MS were described briefly, which indicates that Neptune MC-ICP-MS can precisely measure Sr and Nd isotopic compositions as the TIMS does, even more efficient and less time-consuming than the TIMS method. The Hf isotopic characteristics of typical volcanic rocks (Cenozoic Changle-Linqu basalts, Mesozoic Fangcheng basalts, Mesozoic Jianguo basalts, Mesozoic Wulahada high-Mg andesite, Cenozoic Fanshi, Zuoquan and Xiyang-Pingding basalts of the Taihang Mountains, Paleozoic diamondiferous Menyin and Fuxian Kimblites) from the North China Craton were firstly studied in this work. Coupled with Nd isotopic compositions, it shows that the Hf isotopes could be a better tracer for mantle sources than the Nd isotopes. Individual kimberlite fields from both the Mengyin and Fuxian regions have quite uniform Hf isotopic compositions, similar to the situation for the Nd isotopes.

ICP-MS测定表生水体稀土过程中pH值对酸性膦萃取稀土效率的影响

针对目前最常用的液- 液萃取、ICP- M S 测定法检测表生水体中微量稀土元素方法, 研究了不同pH值条件下, 酸性膦(65%HDEHP 和35%H2M EHP) 自表生水体中萃取稀土元素(REEs) 的回收率。结果表明, 在pH1～ 4 的范围内, 不同性质的水体(湖泊、河流、地下水) 有不同的REEs 回收率。其中湖水在pH 118～ 317 有90% 以上的回收率, 最高回收率为93164%; 河水在pH 211～ 315 范围内有90% 以上的回收率, 最高回收率为95152%; 地下水仅在pH 113～ 115 时回收率超过90% , 最高回收率为97161%。说明在萃取不同表生水体中稀土元素时, 需要调到特定的pH 值才能得到最好的萃取效果。

硒、锌同位素MC-ICP-MS分析方法研究及其在生物和环境样品中的应用

一定元素的同位素组成被认为是该元素特有的“指纹”，同位素组成测量是地球化学、生命科学、环境化学、地质科学和核科学等领域重要的研究手段。利用同位素技术开展生命过程，地球系统中的物理、化学、生物过程及其资源、环境与灾害效应，资源勘探，污染物溯源等方面的研究，既是该技术的前沿研究主题，也使相关领域的研究更加“精细量化”，从而在新的科学纵深揭示出更加清晰的规律。 1992年多接收电感耦合等离子体质谱仪(MC-ICP-MS)的问世，为同位素分析提供了一种强有力的技术手段，与传统的热电离同位素质谱相比，MC-ICP-MS具有测量速度快、操作简便、灵敏度高等优点。而且，由于等离子体源产生的高温，在理论上能测量所有的金属元素和一些非金属元素，并已很好地解决了一些高电离电位元素同位素测量的难题（如Se, Zn, Hf等），用MC-ICP-MS准确、精密测量各种元素同位素组成的方法正在逐渐得到发展和完善。目前，MC-ICP-MS比较成熟的方法主要是针对核和地质科学研究中应用较多的U, Pb, Sm, Nd, Sr, Hf, B, Li等，在硒和锌同位素测量方法学的研究还相对较少（尤其是硒），对一些测量中受各种干扰较为严重的、原子量小于80 的元素同位素的测量技术还有待进一步深入探索和研究。锌、硒元素不仅与人类健康息息相关，而且随着质谱分析技术的发展，使其在环境地球化学、生命科学等领域有着广泛的应用前景。准确测量生物、食品、环境、地质等样品中的锌、硒元素含量、各种形态及其同位素组成受到越来越多的关注。锌、硒同位素准确测量的方法学研究，不仅可以广泛应用于各相关领域，也为锌和硒同位素基、标准物质研制奠定技术基础，从而为锌、硒元素含量和同位素测量提供量值溯源保障。 本工作针对锌和硒元素同位素组成以及生物、环境等样品中成分量准确测量存在的问题，通过使用六极杆碰撞室MC-ICP-MS进行准确测量锌和硒元素同位素的技术研究，结合在化学计量研究中的长期实践及相关文献，从方法学角度和应用方面得出以下结论： 1.MC-ICP-MS仪器测量主要参数，如炬管轴向位置、载气流量、碰撞气流量、仪器稳定性等对测量结果影响很大，要获得高精度的测量结果，须优化和固定参数设置，保持仪器的稳定状态。在六极杆碰撞室MC-ICP-MS测量锌同位素时，高纯氩气碰撞气模式是较为理想的模式，64Zn/66Zn、67Zn/66Zn、68Zn/66Zn同位素丰度比测量精度达到0.002－0.008％，70Zn/66Zn 测量精度达到0.01％；在高纯氢气和氩气碰撞气按一定比例混合的模式下， 76Se/80Se、77Se/80Se、78Se/80Se、82Se/80Se同位素丰度比测量精度达到0.004－0.005%。 2.采用高纯、高浓缩64Zn和66Zn配制了8个校正样品 (64Zn/66Zn：0.6－2.2)；用高纯、高浓缩同位素76Se和82Se配制了16个校正样品（76Se/82Se： 0.05－11.8），用这些样品分别测量并计算了仪器系统误差校正系数K，这些校正样品的K64/66 和 K76/82的相对标准偏差分别为0.034％和0.03％，均在仪器的测量不确定度范围内，说明在校正样品同位素变化范围内，仪器测量同位素丰度比的校正系数没有发生明显变化。 3.在硒同位素丰度比值测量中，氢气碰撞气的使用是SeH产生的重要原因之一，Ar/H在2－7之间都可以满足硒同位素比值测量的要求，即保证较高的硒灵敏度、较小的SeH生成比例、稳定的同位素比值测量结果。本工作建立了SeH的校正计算公式，在对测量结果的质量歧视进行校正时，77Se和78Se的校正更为复杂，因为它们除自身产生的SeH外，还分别受到了来自76SeH和77SeH的影响，故校正质量偏移时应首先对SeH进行校正。对于不同的SeH生成比例，经过校正后，硒的同位素丰度比校正值是一致的，并不受SeH生成比例变化影响。 4.通过对IDMS过程中的关键技术研究，明确了如何正确使用该方法以获得准确测量结果。IDMS方法在测量步骤中引入的不确定度影响因素相对于其它化学分析方法较少，并且可以被明确地表达出来，测量结果可直接溯源到国际单位，因此，该方法对化学计量学研究具有十分重要的意义。 5.建立了适用于ICP-MS测量血清、大豆粉、金枪鱼等多种复杂基体中锌和硒元素的样品前处理方法，建立了锌和硒的ICP-IDMS测量方法。将建立的方法应用于人血清标准物质研制、国家计量院之间的国际比对和合作研究中，取得的优异成绩验证了所建方法的可靠性和可比性。IDMS方法在样品前处理上不怕样品损失和高精度同位素丰度比测量的优点，使其在复杂基体中硒、锌的准确测量方面较其它分析方法具有独特的优势，可在生物、临床、环境、食品等方面的分析研究中广泛应用。

运用MC-ICP-MS测定天然样品的锂同位素组成

自然界锂同位素分馏强烈，这使得它在很多方面都得到了应用，如地球化学、天体化学和核工业等。所有这些领域都要求精确的测定6Li/7Li的比值。但由于锂是微量元素，而且在测试过程中还存在明显的干扰，因此在进行锂同位素比值测定之前必须对样品进行分离和富集。本文以锂元素标准样品和钾、钠、钙、镁元素标准样品的混合溶液为主要研究对象，采用阳离子交换树脂AG-50W-X8来分离富集锂，探索在不同淋洗介质条件下锂分离纯化的最佳介质条件。初步得出以下结论： 1、本次研究建立了相对简单、高效的锂同位素分离方法。用单一的柱子分离、提纯样品锂；用低浓度的盐酸（0.15M HCl）直接作为淋洗介质，操作过程简单。 2、对锂同位素比值测定产生潜在影响因素，如基体效应、回收率、流程空白等进行了实验研究，证实这些影响因素对于本次研究所建立的方法来说都是可以忽略不计的。 3、用MC-ICP-MS测定样品的锂同位素组成，分析结果的准确度和精度与现阶段所报道数据相同。测定海水的锂同位素组成（+31.6±1.0‰，2σ）与Tomoscak 等（+31.8±1.9‰，2σ）的分析值相近。 4、该方法也适用于低含量的样品。我们分离并测定了不同类型样品的锂同位素组成，样品锂含量在0.064µg/g和132µg/g之间，说明该方法也同样适用于低含量地质样品的分析测定。

Identification of ginsenosides in roots of Panax ginseng by HPLC-APCI/MS

A new HPLC-APCI/MS method for the identification of ginsenosides has been developed. The analyses were performed on a reversed-phase C-18 column using a binary eluent (acetonitrile and water) under gradient conditions. Although APCI is a high-temperature evaporative process, HPLC-APCI/MS could effectively identify thermo-labile ginsenosides. The [M-H](-) ions and the thermal degradation ions of ginsenosides could be clearly observed under negative and positive ion conditions, respectively, and these were used to identify the molecular masses, the aglycone structures and the sugar groups of ginsenosides. APCI/MS can provide more explicit information than ESI/MS for identifying and distinguishing ginsenosides. Using the HPLC-APCI/MS method, 35 ginsenosides were identified in Panax ginseng. Copyright (C) 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

HPLC-ESI-MS method development for the elucidation of nicardipine degradation products

Purpose: Nicardipine is a member of a family of calcium channel blockers named dihydropiridines that are known to be photolabile and may cause phototoxicity. It is therefore vital to develop analytical method which can study the photodegradation of nicardipine. Method: Forced acid degradation of nicardipine was conducted by heating 12 ml of 1 mg/ml nicardipine with 3 ml of 2.5 M HCl for two hours. A gradient HPLC medthod was developed using Agilent Technologies 1200 series quaternary system. Separation was achieved with a Hichrome (250 x 4.6 mm) 5 μm C18 reversed phase column and mobile phase composition of 70% A(100%v/v water) and 30% B(99%v/v acetonitrile + 1%v/v formic acid) at time zero, composition of A and B was then charged to 60%v/v A;40%v/v B at 10minutes, 50%v/v A; 50%v/v B at 30minutes and 70%v/v A; 30%v/v B at 35minutes. 20μl of 0.8mg/ml of nicardipine degradation was injected at room temperature (25oC). The gradient method was transferred onto a HPLC-ESI-MS system (HP 1050 series - AQUAMAX mass detector) and analysis conducted with an acid degradation concentration of 0.25mg/ml and 20μl injection volume. ESI spectra were acquired in positive ionisation mode with MRM 0-600 m/z. Results: Eleven nicardipine degradation products were detected in the HPLC analysis and the resolution (RS) between the respective degradants where 1.0, 1.2, 6.0, 0.4, 1.7, 3.7, 1.8, 1.0, and 1.7 respectively. Nine degradation products were identified in the ESI spectra with the respective m/z ratio; 171.0, 166.1, 441.2, 423.2, 455.2, 455.2, 331.1, 273.1, and 290.1. The possible molecular formulae for each degradants were ambiguously determined. Conclusion: A sensitive and specific method was developed for the analysis of nicardipine degradants. Method enables detection and quantification of nicardipine degradation products that can be used for the study of the kinetics of nicardipine degradation processes.

Record of natural and anthropogenic changes in reef environments (Barbados West Indies) using laser ablation ICP-MS and sclerochronology on coral cores

Coral growth rate can be affected by environmental parameters such as seawater temperature, depth, and light intensity. The natural reef environment is also disturbed by human influences such as anthropogenic pollutants, which in Barbados are released close to the reefs. Here we describe a relatively new method of assessing the history of pollution and explain how these effects have influenced the coral communities off the west coast of Barbados. We evaluate the relative impact of both anthropogenic pollutants and natural stresses. Sclerochronology documents framework and skeletal growth rate and records pollution history (recorded as reduced growth) for a suite of sampled Montastraea annularis coral cores. X-radiography shows annual growth band patterns of the corals extending back over several decades and indicates significantly lower growth rate in polluted sites. Results using laser-ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) on the whole sample (aragonite, organic matter, trapped particulate matter, etc.), have shown contrasting concentrations of the trace elements (Cu, Sn, Zn, and Pb) between corals at different locations and within a single coral. Deepwater corals 7 km apart, record different levels of Pb and Sn, suggesting that a current transported the metal pollution in the water. In addition, the 1995 hurricanes are associated with anomalous values for Sn and Cu from most sites. These are believed to result from dispersion of nearshore polluted water. We compared the concentrations of trace elements in the coral growth of particular years to those in the relevant contemporaneous seawater. Mean values for the concentration factor in the coral, relative to the water, ranged from 10 for Cu and Ni to 2.4 and 0.7 for Cd and Zn, respectively. Although the uncertainties are large (60-80%), the coral record enabled us to demonstrate the possibility of calculating a history of seawater pollution for these elements from the 1940s to 1997. Our values were much higher than those obtained from analysis of carefully cleaned coral aragonite; they demonstrate the incorporation of more contamination including that from particulate material as well as dissolved metals.

Identification of metabolites in human hepatic bile using 800 MHz 1H NMR spectroscopy, HPLC-NMR/MS and UPLC-MS

The first application of high field NMR spectroscopy (800 MHz for 1H observation) to human hepatic bile (as opposed to gall bladder bile) is reported. The bile sample used for detailed investigation was from a donor liver with mild fat infiltration, collected during organ retrieval prior to transplantation. In addition, to focus on the detection of bile acids in particular, a bile extract was analysed by 800 MHz 1H NMR spectroscopy, HPLC-NMR/MS and UPLC-MS. In the whole bile sample, 40 compounds have been assigned with the aid of two-dimensional 1H–1H TOCSY and 1H–13C HSQC spectra. These include phosphatidylcholine, 14 amino acids, 10 organic acids, 4 carbohydrates and polyols (glucose, glucuronate, glycerol and myo-inositol), choline, phosphocholine, betaine, trimethylamine-N-oxide and other small molecules. An initial NMR-based assessment of the concentration range of some key metabolites has been made. Some observed chemical shifts differ from expected database values, probably due to a difference in bulk diamagnetic susceptibility. The NMR spectra of the whole extract gave identification of the major bile acids (cholic, deoxycholic and chenodeoxycholic), but the glycine and taurine conjugates of a given bile acid could not be distinguished. However, this was achieved by HPLC-NMR/MS, which enabled the separation and identification of ten conjugated bile acids with relative abundances varying from approximately 0.1% (taurolithocholic acid) to 34.0% (glycocholic acid), of which, only the five most abundant acids could be detected by NMR, including the isomers glycodeoxycholic acid and glycochenodeoxycholic acid, which are difficult to distinguish by conventional LC-MS analysis. In a separate experiment, the use of UPLC-MS allowed the detection and identification of 13 bile acids. This work has shown the complementary potential of NMR spectroscopy, MS and hyphenated NMR/MS for elucidating the complex metabolic profile of human hepatic bile. This will be useful baseline information in ongoing studies of liver excretory function and organ transplantation.