RP-HPLC-DAD determination of free amino acids in cocoa samples during fermentation and roasting / Determinación de aminoácidos libres en muestras de cacao durante la fermentación y el tostado por cromatografía líquida con detección DAD / Determinação de aminoácidos livres em amostras de cacau durante a fermentação e torrefação por cromatografia líquida com detecção DAD

Abstract Amino acids (AA) composition in cocoa beans can predict the synthesis of compounds which affect cocoa flavor. Thus, their determination is of great interest for the community implied in the commercialization and production of cocoa. In consequence, in this work, the analysis of AA produced during cocoa beans fermentation and roasting was carried out. A high-performance liquid chromatographic method with DAD detection at 254 nm was optimized and validated for their selective determination in six varieties of cocoa beans with different genotypes, all of them grown in Venezuela. AA were extracted by defatted milled cocoa powder ultrasonication using purified water at 70 °C. Then, they were derivatized with phenyl isothiocyanate, and their derivatives were separated, using a reversed-phase column with gradient elution, achieving a satisfactory resolution among the peaks (greater than 1.0) in less than 29 min. 110 cocoa samples were analyzed. Results showed a significant content of free AA, ranging from 3.87 to 5.97 g/kg in absence of fermentation with a predominance of acidic AA. Moreover, there is a progressive increase in the AA content while fermentation process occurs, with a predominance of hydrophobic AA such as alanine, valine, isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine, and tyrosine. On the other hand, all cocoa types showed a partial degradation of free AA during the roasting step, especially the hydrophobic ones.

Resumen La determinación de aminoácidos (AA) en granos de cacao es de gran interés ya que estos son considerados como unos de los precursores de su sabor y aroma. Por esta razón, el presente trabajo tuvo como objetivo optimizar y validar un método por cromatografía líquida con detección DAD a 254 nm para la determinación selectiva de AA durante la fermentación y tostado en seis variedades de granos de cacao con diferentes genotipos, todos estos cultivados en Venezuela. Los AA se extrajeron del polvo de cacao molido y desgrasado con agua pura a 70 ºC, utilizando la técnica de ultrasonido. Luego, se derivatizaron con fenilotiocianato para separar sus derivados con buena resolución en menos de 29 min en una columna de fase reversa, utilizando gradiente de elución. Se analizaron 110 muestras de cacao. Los resultados mostraron un contenido significativo de AA libres, entre 3,87 y 5,97 g/kg, en ausencia de fermentación con predominio de AA ácidos, y un aumento progresivo en el contenido de AA, mientras ocurre el proceso de fermentación, con un predominio de AA hidrófobos como alanina, valina, isoleucina, leucina, fenilalanina y tirosina. Además, todos los tipos de cacao mostraron una degradación parcial de AA libres durante la etapa de tostado, especialmente los AA hidrófobos.

Resumo A determinação dos aminoácidos (AA) nos grãos de cacau é importante, pois são considerados um dos precursores de seu sabor e aroma. Neste trabalho, um método foi otimizado e validado por cromatografia líquida com detecção DAD a 254 nm para a determinação seletiva de AA durante a fermentação e torrefação em seis variedades de grãos de cacau com diferentes genótipos, todos cultivados na Venezuela. Os AAs foram extraídos do pó de cacau moído e desengordurados com água pura a 70 ºC usando a técnica de ultrassom. Em seguida, foram derivatizados com feniltiocianato, e os derivados foram separados com boa resolução em menos de 29 minutos em uma coluna de fase invertida usando eluição em gradiente. Foram analisadas 110 amostras de cacau. Os resultados mostraram um conteúdo significativo de AA livre entre 3,87 e 5,97 g/kg na ausência de fermentação com predominância de AA ácidos e um aumento progressivo no conteúdo de AA enquanto o processo de fermentação ocorre com predominância de AA hidrófobos como alanina, valina, isoleucina, leucina, fenilalanina e tirosina. Além disso, todos os tipos de cacau apresentaram uma degradação parcial do AA livre durante a fase de torrefação, principalmente o AA hidrofóbico.

Development of a MSFIA sample treatment system as front end of GC-MS for atenolol and propranolol determination in human plasma.

An on-line solid-phase extraction (SPE) method coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) has been developed for the determination of atenolol (ATN) and propranolol (PRO) in human plasma. The hyphenation of SPE with multisyringe flow injection analysis (MSFIA) allows the simultaneous GC-MS determination of ATN and PRO with high selectivity and sensitivity. On-line preconcentration and derivatisation of the analytes were carried out by means of using restricted access materials (RAM) and microwave (MW) assisted derivatisation reactions with N-methyl-N-(trimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide (MSTFA)+1% trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS). Multivariate optimization was applied to optimize experimental conditions. The whole procedure comprising sample pretreatment and analyte determination took about 15 min. However, the overlap of the automatic sample treatment with the GC separation increased the frequency to 7 samples h(-1). The validated method was successfully applied to direct ATN and PRO determination in human plasma.

Analysis of cocaine and benzoylecgonine in urine by using multisyringe flow injection analysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry system.

In this paper, a method was described to determine cocaine (COC) and benzoylecgonine (BZE) in human urine samples by GC-MS detection. The extraction of analytes from urine samples was achieved in an Oasis hydrophilic-lipophilic balance column (20 mmx3.9 mm id, dp=25 microm; Waters, USA), incorporated in a multisyringe flow injection system, used for the sample treatment. Finally, to improve the volatility of the BZE, an in-line derivatization reaction with N,O-bis (trimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide with 1% trimethylchlorosilane was made microwave-assisted in order to reduce the reaction time. The results showed that the proposed method is a good alternative for the analysis of COC and BZE in urine samples because it offers advantages compared with those described in the literature, which include simplicity in the sample treatment, the sensitivity and selectivity necessary to determine the analytes of interest at low levels in the urine and high sample throughput.

Development and validation of a rapid column-switching high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of Lamotrigine in human serum.

This study describes a simple and sensitive column-switching high-performance liquid chromatographic method with UV detection for the determination of Lamotrigine in 50 microL of serum. After solid-phase extraction of Lamotrigine on an Oasis HLB extraction precolumn (20 x 3.9 mm; dp: 25 microm), chromatographic separation was achieved at 30 degrees C on a Chromolith RP-18e column (50 mm x 4.6 mm i.d.) using a solution of 20% acetonitrile in 15 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) as the mobile phase, at a flow-rate of 2.0 mL/min. The eluant was detected at 215 nm. The retention time for Lamotrigine was 1.28 min. The total analysis time was ca. 5 min. However, the overlap of sample preparation, analysis, and reconditioning of the precolumn increased the overall sample throughput to one injection every 3 min. The method was validated for system suitability, linearity, precision, accuracy, robustness, and limit of quantitation. The linearity of the calibration lines, expressed by the linear correlation coefficient, was better than 0.9996. Recovery studies achieved from Lamotrigine spiked plasma samples showed values greater than 93%, demonstrating the excellent extraction efficiency of the precolumn. Intra- and inter-day precision were generally acceptable; the coefficient of variation was < 2.3% in all cases. The detection limits for Lamotrigine at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 was 0.002 microg/mL when a sample volume of 50 microL was injected. However, it was possible to enhance the sensitivity further by injecting larger volumes, up to 200 microL. The method was shown to be robust and the results were within the acceptable range. The method was successfully applied to the determination of Lamotrigine in human serum samples of patients submitted to Lamotrigine therapy.

A new method for the analysis of amikacin using 6-aminoquinolyl-N-hydroxysuccinimidyl carbamate (AQC) derivatization and high-performance liquid chromatography with UV-detection.

A simple and sensitive reversed-phase liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the determination of amikacin (AMK) by derivatization. The method is based on the pre-column derivatization of AMK with 6-aminoquinolyl-N-hydroxysuccinimidyl carbamate (AQC). The derivatization reaction proceeds in aqueous solution at room temperature with a borate buffer of pH 8.0. The formation of the corresponding derivative of AMK is instantaneous and it is stable for more than 36 h. Detection was performed by UV-absorption instead of fluorescence. Several factors influencing the derivatization reaction yields were studied and optimized. The system offered the following analytical parameters: limit of detection (LOD) of 0.068 micro g ml(-1) (3sigma), linear correlation coefficient of 0.9998 and linear range response from 2 to 50 microg ml(-1). The precision of the method was <1%. As a preliminary application, the method has been successfully applied to the amikacin determination in parenteral pharmaceutical formulations.

Flow analysis-hydride generation-gas phase derivative molecular absorption spectrophotometric determination of antimony in oral homeopathic products ("AntimoniumTartaricum") formulated under alcoholic medium.

In this work, a flow analysis-hydride generation-gas phase derivative molecular absorption-(UV) spectrophotometric method has been developed for the direct determination of antimony in aqueous and hydro-alcoholic samples. Antimony (III) from undiluted samples is directly transformed into the gaseous stibine (SbH(3)) form by on-line reaction with sodium tetrahydroborate (NaBH(4)) in acidic medium (HCl). The gaseous phase generated is separated from the liquid phase using a commercial gas-liquid separator, and swept - with the help of a carrier gas (N(2)) stream - into a quartz gas cell (10cm pathlength); where the corresponding absorption spectrum is acquired in a continuous mode over the 190-300nm wavelength range, using a conventional spectrophotometer. A derivative strategy was selected in order to avoid the strong spectral interference of the ethanol vapor on the gaseous SbH(3) absorption spectrum. In this way, the peak height at 223nm of the second order derivative spectrum appears as a clear, clean and interference free analytical signal, which allows the direct determination of antimony. The recovery values obtained from homeopathic formulations (prepared in alcoholic medium) spiked with know amounts of antimony ranged between 97.5 and 103%. The method provides a dynamic range from 0.20 to 30mgSbl(-1). The precision (RDS), evaluated by replicate analysis (n=5) of samples and standard solution containing between 2.5 and 15mgSbl(-1) was in all cases lower than 1.2%. The proposed method was applied to the determination of antimony in commercial homeopathic products ("Antimonium Tartaricum") prepared in hydro-alcoholic medium; and showed to be simple, precise, and accurate.

A simple strategy for determining ethanol in all types of alcoholic beverages based on its on-line liquid-liquid extraction with chloroform, using a flow injection system and Fourier transform infrared spectrometric detection in the mid-IR.

In this work, a simple strategy for the determination of ethanol in all types of alcoholic beverages using Fourier transform infrared spectrometric detection has been developed. The methodological proposal includes the quantitative on-line liquid-liquid extraction of ethanol with chloroform, through a sandwich type cell equipped with a PTFE membrane, using a two-channel manifold; and direct measurement of the analyte in the organic phase, by means of Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. The quantification was carried out measuring the ethanol absorbance at 877cm(-1)(,) corrected by means of a baseline established between 844 and 929cm(-1). The procedure, which does not require any sample pretreatment (except for the simple degassing of beer and gassy wine samples, and a simple dilution of spirits with water), was applied to determine ethanol in different alcoholic beverages such as beers, wines and spirits. The results obtained highly agree with those obtained by a derivative FTIR spectrometric procedure, and by head space-gas chromatography with FID detection. The proposed method is simple, fast, precise and accurate. Moreover, it can be easily adapted to any infrared spectrometer equipped with a standard transmission IR cell, and provides attractive analytical features, which are comparable to, or better than those offered by other published methods. In consequence, it represents a valid alternative for the determination of ethanol in alcoholic beverages, and could be suitable for the routine control analysis.

Infrared detection in flow analysis - developments and trends (review).

Flow analysis offers an inexpensive and versatile means for the automation of analytical procedures and hence it has been incorporated in many different techniques. However, the use of infrared detection in flow analysis systems is not common. Whereas Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic detection has been routinely used in gas chromatography (GC), its use for liquid chromatography, and now for flow analysis, flow injection analysis, or sequential injection analysis, is not frequent. The most prominent reasons are probably: (i) the strong absorption of most of the common solvents, specially water, (ii) the relative poor sensibility compared to UV-vis, fluorescence, etc. (iii) FTIR is normally not even considered a valuable detection technique, (iv) problems arising from obtaining adequate information from transient IR signals from the injected samples, and (v) only a few analytical chemist uses routinely the FTIR technique. This practice neglects that IR spectroscopy offers some unique features that now, using modern FTIR instrumentation, can be exploited in an advantageous manner. It is important to realize that each sample (analyte/matrix) represents a special and unique analytical problem; which defines the mode of operation and implementation of the IR technique. Flow analysis-IR techniques - as well as all techniques - has a number of shortcomings to solve these problems. In this article, most of these strategies such as the use of: baseline correction, derivative spectroscopy, stopped flow systems, reverse flow systems, multiparametric calibrations, etc., will be discussed. Additionally, recent developments in on-line gas phase generation-FTIR and hydride generation-FTIR spectrometry, as well as the principles of the HPLC-FTIR and capillary electrophoresis-FTIR hyphenation are also discussed. This review aims to provide an account of the state of the art, of these relatively new techniques. Its beginning, developments, applications and new trends, basically in the MID-IR, and by using transmission cells.

Observation on a human intentional poisoning case by the organophosphorus inserticide fenthion / Observaciones sobre un caso humano de envenenamiento intencional por el insecticida órgano fosforado fention

A case of acute poisoning by oral ingestion of fenthion is reportd. Plasma cholinesterase activity and fenthion whole blood concentration were throughly evaluated during the therapeutic intervention that consisted in administration of atropine, toxogonine and fresh plasma. Correlation studies between clinical signs, cholinesterase activity and fenthion levels revealed that pChE activity was not as helpful as the patient's clinical status in determining when the atropine infusion could be stopped. Morever pChE was also useless in signaling sudden relapses. It is concluded, based on this case, that supportive care combined with antidotal therapy remains the cornerstone of treatment specially in severe acute poisoning cases