Fracionamento de cobre em proteínas do plasma, músculo e fígado de tilápia do Nilo

Copper fractionation in plasma, muscle and liver of Nile tilapia was performed after protein separation by 2D-PAGE. SR XRF analysis indicated the presence of copper in three protein spots of plasma, and in two protein spots of muscle and liver, respectively. Copper ions were found to be distributed mostly in proteins that had a molar mass of less than 54 kDa and greater than 13 kDa and a pI in the 5.3-9.3 range. The copper concentration bound to these proteins was determined by GFAAS which showed concentrations in the 1.20-4.82 mg g-1 range.

Quantification of tryptophan in plasma by high performance liquid chromatography

A simple, rapid and selective method using high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (267 nm) was applied for the determination of tryptophan in plasma. Separation was carried out on a C18 column (150 x 4.6 mm internal diameter) in 6 min. The mobile phase consisted of 5 mM the sodium acetate and acetonitrile (92:8, v/v). The method was shown to be precise and accurate, and good recovery of analyte was achieved, characterizing the method as efficient and reliable for use in laboratory analysis.

Assinatura da deposição atmosférica de testes nucleares em sedimentos da costa brasileira (240+239Pu e 137Cs)

The aim of this review is to take a look at Cold War era nuclear tests signatures found in Brazilian coastal sediments. Both137Cs and 240+239Pu signatures have been documented in mangrove, coastal mudflats and continental shelf sediments, associated with above ground nuclear tests beginning in the 1950's. The dates associated to the anthropogenic radionuclide signatures 137Cs and 240+239Pu along sediment columns are confirmed by 210Pb geochronology in many of the studies highlighted in this review. The results outlined in this review characterize the extent to which nuclear fallout products reach the Brazilian coast in quantities sufficient for detection, allowing the use of these radioisotopes as geochronometers.

Determinação rápida de fármacos básicos em plasma por cromatografia a gás com detector de nitrogênio e fósforo

A simple and fast method for determination of 40 basic drugs in human plasma employing gas-chromatography with nitrogen-phosphorus detection was developed and validated. Drugs were extracted from 800 µL of plasma with 250 µL of butyl acetate at basic pH. Aliquots of the organic extract were directly injected on a column with methylsilicone stationary phase. Total chromatographic run time was 25 min. All compounds were detected in concentrations ranging from therapeutic to toxic levels, with intermediate precision CV% below 11.2 and accuracy in the range of 92-114%.

Determinação de bussulfano em plasma através de cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência com detector de arranjo de diodos e derivatização com dietilditiocarbamato de sódio

A high performance liquid chromatographic-diode array detection method for the determination of busulfan in plasma was developed and validated. Sample preparation consisted of protein precipitation followed by derivatization with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate and liquid-liquid extraction with methyl-tert-butyl ether. Chromatograms were monitored at 277 nm. Separation was carried out on a Lichrospher RP 18 column (5 µm, 250 x 4 mm). The mobile phase consisted of water and acetonitrile (20:80, v/v). The method presented adequate specificity, linearity, precision and accuracy and allowed reliable determination of busulfan in clinical plasma samples, being applied to three patients submitted to bone marrow transplantation.

Multi-component quantitation of loratadine, pseudoephedrine and paracetamol in plasma and pharmaceutical formulations with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry utilizing a monolithic column

The purpose of this study was to develop a rapid, simple and sensitive quantitation method for pseudoephedrine (PSE), paracetamol (PAR) and loratadine (LOR) in plasma and pharmaceuticals using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with a monolithic column. Separation was achieved using a gradient composition of methanol-0.1% formic acid at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min-1. Mass spectral transitions were recorded in SRM mode. System validation was evaluated for precision, specificity and linearity. Limit of detection for pseudoephedrine, paracetamol, and loratadine were determined to be 3.14, 1.86 and 1.44 ng mL-1, respectively, allowing easy determination in plasma with % recovery of 93.12 to 101.56%.

Determination of fipronil in bovine plasma by solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection

A fast and efficient method has been developed and validated for the determination of fipronil in bovine plasma. Samples were subjected to solid-phase extraction (SPE) followed by reversed phase liquid chromatography (LC) separation, using acetonitrile/water (60:40 v/v) as the mobile phase with a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min and ultraviolet (UV) detection at 210 nm. Ethiprole was used as the internal standard (IS). The method was found to be linear over the range 5-500 ng/mL (r = 0.999). The limit of quantitation (LOQ) was validated at 5 ng/mL. The method was successfully applied to monitor plasma concentrations following subcutaneous administration of fipronil in cattle.

Determination of levodopa in human plasma by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS): application to a bioequivalence study

A sensitive, accurate and simple method using HPLC-MS/MS was developed and validated for levodopa quantitation in human plasma. Analysis was achieved on a pursuit® C18 analytical column (5 µm; 150 x 4.6 mm i.d.) using a mobile phase (methanol and water , 90:10, v/v) containing formic acid 0.5% v/v, after extracting the samples using a simple protein plasma precipitation with perchloric acid. The developed method was validated in accordance with ANVISA guidelines and was successfully applied to a bioequivalence study in 60 healthy volunteers demonstrating the feasibility and reliability of the proposed method.

Determinação simultânea de topiramato, carbamazepina, fenitoína e fenobarbital em plasma empregando cromatografia a gás com detector de nitrogênio e fósforo

Topiramate and the other frequently co-administered antiepileptic drugs carbamazepine, phenytoin and phenobarbital were determined in 100 µL plasma samples by gas chromatography with nitrogen phosphorus detection (GC-NPD), after a one-step liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate, followed by flash methylation with trimethylphenylammonium hydroxide. Total chromatographic run time was 12.5 min. Intra-assay and inter-assay precision was 2.5-7.3% and 1.6-5.2%, respectively. Accuracy was 100.1-104.2%. The limit of quantitation was 1 µg mL-1 for all analytes, proving suitable for routine application in therapeutic drug monitoring of antiepileptic drugs.

Quantification of the uranium concentration in human urine by inductively coupled plasma-sector field mass spectrometry (ICP-SFMS)

In this study, the validation of a method for analyzing the uranium (U) concentration in human urine samples by inductively coupled plasma-sector field mass spectrometry (ICP-SFMS) was conducted. PROCORAD (the Association for the Promotion of Quality Control in Radiotoxicological Analysis) provided two urine samples spiked with unknown contents of U (Sample A = 33.6 ± 1.0 µg/L and Sample B = 3.3 ± 0.1 µg/L) and one unspiked sample as a blank. The analyses were directly performed on the diluted urine samples (dilution factor = 1:20) in 5% v/v HNO3. The results obtained by ICP-SFMS corresponded well with the reference values, and the limits of detection were 235U = 0.049 × 10-3 µg/L and 238U = 7.37 × 10-3 µg/L. The ICP-SFMS technique has been shown to be successful in the analysis of the U concentration in human urine samples and for the quantification of isotopic ratios.

Influência de diferentes solventes utilizados na deposição de filme de poli(9-vinilcarbazol) em dispositivos OLEDs

This work studies the influence of the film deposition process on light emission performance and on threshold voltage of OLEDs, with architecture glass/ITO/PEDOT:PSS/PVK/Alq3/Al. The commercial PVK was dissolved in different solvents such as: chloroform, tetrahydrofuran, 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene and trimethylpentane. OLEDs were characterized by current-voltage and revealed a significant influence of the solvents, although all devices emitted green electroluminescence. A difference in threshold voltage up to 10 V was observed among OLEDs prepared from different solvents. The 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene showed best performance, presenting lowest treshold voltage (≈ 6 V), followed by tetrahydrofuran (≈ 8 V), trimethylpentane (≈ 14 V) and chloroform (≈ 16 V).

Determination of triamterene in human plasma and urine after its cloud point extraction

A new analytical approach was developed involving cloud point extraction (CPE) and spectrofluorimetric determination of triamterene (TM) in biological fluids. A urine or plasma sample was prepared and adjusted to pH 7, then TM was quickly extracted using CPE, using 0.05% (w/v) of Triton X-114 as the extractant. The main factors that affected the extraction efficiency (the pH of the sample, the Triton X-114 concentration, the addition of salt, the extraction time and temperature, and the centrifugation time and speed) were studied and optimized. The method gave calibration curves for TM with good linearities and correlation coefficients (r) higher than 0.99. The method showed good precision and accuracy, with intra- and inter-assay precisions of less than 8.50% at all concentrations. Standard addition recovery tests were carried out, and the recoveries ranged from 94.7% to 114%. The limits of detection and quantification were 3.90 and 11.7 µg L-1, respectively, for urine and 5.80 and 18.0 µg L-1, respectively, for plasma. The newly developed, environmentally friendly method was successfully used to extract and determine TM in human urine samples.

CONSTRUÇÃO DE UM REATOR DE PLASMA DESCARGA CORONA PARA ELIMINAÇÃO DE COMPOSTOS ORGÂNICOS VOLÁTEIS

The impacts derived from the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOC) into the atmosphere can have harmful consequences for human health and the environment. In this regard, the present paper proposes the construction of a low-cost cold plasma reactor for the treatment of these compounds. Tests with the prototype were performed to confirm the efficiency for BTEX (benzene, toluene and xylene) samples. Degradation efficiency was confirmed by the gas chromatography method.

EXTRAÇÃO ASSISTIDA POR ULTRASSOM PARA DETERMINAÇÃO COLORIMÉTRICA DE FERRO EM SOLO: UMA COMPARAÇÃO COM ESPECTROMETRIA DE MASSA COM PLASMA INDUTIVAMENTE ACOPLADO

A simple procedure for ultrasound-assisted extraction and colorimetric determination of iron in soil samples was developed. The iron concentration in the analyzed samples was determined by the colorimetric method and the results compared with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Fifteen soil samples were analyzed and the iron concentration results compared with those obtained by ICP-MS using microwave-assisted sample digestion. The proposed procedure showed good efficiency for iron extraction and the results obtained by colorimetric determination exhibited good agreement with ICP-MS. Moreover, ultrasound-assisted extraction and colorimetric determination is a simple, fast and low-cost procedure for application in routine analysis.

BIOORGANIC CONCEPTS INVOLVED IN THE DETERMINATION OF GLUCOSE, CHOLESTEROL AND TRIGLYCERIDES IN PLASMA USING THE ENZYMATIC COLORIMETRIC METHOD

Bioorganic and biological chemistry have been found to be highly motivating to undergraduate students and in this context, biochemical blood parameter analysis emerges as highly attractive content. In this proposal, several aspects related to analyses of glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides using the enzymatic colorimetric method were involved, and the findings have at least two relevant implications: i) introducing students to connections between organic chemistry and biology based on enzymatic processes, including reactivity and mechanistic aspects; ii) performing a micro scale bioassay analysis. The proposal requires two theoretical classes (2 h per class) and one practical class (4 h).