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Biomedical subjects

Bernhard Michalke

Publications and source records attributed to Bernhard Michalke.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Capillary electrophoresis-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry: a report on technical principles and problem solutions, potential, and limitations of this technology as well as on examples of application.

This paper summarizes some basic principles of capillary electrophoresis (CE), inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and coupling of both devices. Especially the interfacing is described in detail. A special focus is drawn to various interface developments reported in literature and technical problems, i.e., requirements to the interface setup and respective solutions. Nowadays, typically sheath flow-based interfaces are used. The sheath flow fulfills two requirements of hyphenation, (i) the closing of the electrical circuit of CE and (ii) the feeding of the used nebulizer with an adequate flow rate. In the beginning of CE-ICP-MS coupling predominantly home-made interface-nebulizer constructions were developed and tested for various speciation problems. Now increasingly such laboratory-constructed interfaces are left. Mostly commercial nebulizers are employed being combined with commercially available tee or cross fittings to connect the CE capillary to the electrode, the additional sheath flow, and the nebulizer. Due to the low sample amounts and low flow rates from CE, such nebulizers are typically low-flow nebulizers like, e.g., the microconcentric nebulizer (MCN) and the direct injection nebulizer (DIN). However, there are also reports on couplings using standard Meinhard systems. Still the control and reduction of a siphoning sucting flow and sufficient detection limits are the major problems in hyphenating CE to ICP-MS. Different solutions are reported on these problems and summarized here. Finally numerous applications are reported. Mostly, applications are performed on speciation of selenium, arsenic, metallothionein isoforms, mercury, or cobalt.

Electrophoresis, Capillary↗
PubMed2004

Selenium speciation in human serum of cystic fibrosis patients compared to serum from healthy persons.

A formerly developed Se speciation method was applied to human serum. Chomatographic performance was checked regularly by measuring control standards after four sample run, each, to ensure sufficient separation of the species and sensitivity of the method even after a considerable number of serum samples. Detection limits of investigated species were similar to those reported and showed values below 1 microg/L related to Se for each Se compound. Sera of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients were investigated in comparison to sera from healthy volunteers with respect to total selenium and Se species. Generally, CF sera showed lower values of total Se, Selenocystine (SeC), and cationic/neutral Se compounds compared to serum of healthy persons. No significant gender-specific differences were found. Total Se in sera of healthy persons was determined at 102+/-12 microg/L (n = 12 individuals, mean value from male and female, age 4-38 years), whereas CF patients showed 58+/-10 microg/L (n = 31 individuals, mean value from male and female, age 3-35 years). Se-cystine showed significant differences between the CF and healthy group with a lowered SeC value in sera of CF patients by -75% (mean ca. 26 microg/L in healthy sera compared to about 6.5 microg/L (mean) in CF sera). A similar situation is seen for neutral/cationic Se compounds, which partly may comprise of Se proteins. The lowered SeC values together with lowered cationic/neutral Se compounds (probably Se enzymes) point to a Se-depleted regulated pathway combined with a reduced capability of protective functions such as protection from peroxides.

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed2004

Manganese speciation using capillary electrophoresis-ICP-mass spectrometry.

Manganese is a trace element known to activate many enzymes involved in metabolic processes and it shows protective function against oxidative stress. On the other hand, increased Mn levels are known for damaging the central nervous system, resulting in motoric abnormalities and psychic disorder. Such additional Mn exposure can cause an "Mn overflow" in the liver, accompanied by production of specific (labile) Mn transporters (Mn-species). The speciation of these Mn-compounds is still unknown but they are believed targeting the brain. The aim of this paper was to develop a speciation method for manganese species in liver extracts, which allows to speciate the compounds quickly and with minimal risk of species alteration. Capillary electrophoresis (CE)-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) offers a valuable tool as analytes are not in contact to a stationary phase which probably affects species stability. Separation usually is fast and ICP-MS detection is element specific and sensitive. The paper describes the set-up and optimization of the hyphenated technique, optimization of separation according to pH and finally the Mn speciation of a liver extract. Several Mn species were found, such as arginase, Mn-transferrine, Mn-albumine and some more. The detection limit of the method was determined at 1.1 microg Mn/L independent on the species.

Electrophoresis, Capillary↗
PubMed2003

Element speciation definitions, analytical methodology, and some examples.

This paper gives definitions related to element speciation and the reasons for the need for speciation. The problems focused on, involve sampling, sample preparation and storage, as well as changes in species information that occur during the use of various separation technologies. However, the potential and advantages of the separation methods in element speciation are also discussed. In addition, problems arising during element detection that are attributable to analytes or mobile-phase composition are outlined, as well as the pronounced advantages of detection by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The combination of the various separation systems with element- or molecule-specific detectors creates problems especially in element speciation. These difficulties are described along with recent developments for overcoming them or for improving their coupling efficiency. Finally, several elements for which the issue of speciation is important are discussed, with examples from some recent publications on arsenic, selenium and iodine speciation.

Environmental Monitoring↗
PubMed2003

Optimisation of extraction procedures for metallothionein-isoforms and superoxide dismutase from liver samples using spiking experiments.

The speciation of trace element species in solid matrices like liver samples is still problematic due to two reasons. On the one hand direct methods with sufficient selectivity and sensitivity are currently not available. Therefore extraction procedures have to be applied which are often problematic in respect to species stability. On the other hand there are no reference materials with known amounts of metal proteins like metallothionein-isoforms (MT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) for quality control. So the aim of this study was to develop and optimise procedures for the species-preserving extraction of the model compounds MT and SOD from liver samples. Spiking experiments were performed to overcome the lack of appropriate reference materials. In a first step the stability of the model species without liver matrix was investigated by the variation of several extraction parameters. The extractant and exposure to ultrasonic energy especially had a great influence on the recovery of the species while temperature, buffer concentration and atmospheric conditions were less critical. In a second step spiked liver samples were extracted with a selection of procedures taken from the literature. Most of these methods provided recoveries between 70% and 100%. Additionally the buffer concentration and the extractant-to-liver ratio were varied for optimisation. The metal balance of an extraction showed recoveries of 81% for Cd, 94% for Cu and 87% for Zn.

Animals↗