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Biomedical subjects

Udo A Th Brinkman

Publications and source records attributed to Udo A Th Brinkman.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Analytical separation and detection methods for flavonoids.

Flavonoids receive considerable attention in the literature, specifically because of their biological and physiological importance. This review focuses on separation and detection methods for flavonoids and their application to plants, food, drinks and biological fluids. The topics that will be discussed are sample treatment, column liquid chromatography (LC), but also methods such as gas chromatography (GC), capillary electrophoresis (CE) and thin-layer chromatography (TLC), various detection methods and structural characterization. Because of the increasing interest in structure elucidation of flavonoids, special attention will be devoted to the use of tandem-mass spectrometric (MS/MS) techniques for the characterization of several important sub-classes, and to the potential of combined diode-array UV (DAD UV), tandem-MS and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) detection for unambiguous identification. Emphasis will be on recent developments and trends.

Beverages↗

Trace analysis of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans and WHO polychlorinated biphenyls in food using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with electron-capture detection.

Trace analysis of 2,3,7,8-polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and the 12 WHO-PCBs (four non-ortho and eight mono-ortho congeners that have been assigned toxic equivalence factors, TEFs, by the World Health Organisation) was conducted by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with a micro electron-capture detector (GC x GC-microECD). Four food matrices (fish oil from herring, spiked cows' milk, vegetable oil and an eel extract) were analysed by two GC x GC laboratories, and four GC-HRMS laboratories generated reference values. The two GC x GC laboratories used different column combinations for separating the target analytes. For the first dimension, non-polar DB-XLB and VF-1 columns were used, and for the second dimension, an LC-50 liquid crystalline column with unique selectivity for planar compounds. The congener-specific and total toxic equivalence (TEQ) data obtained using DB-XLB x LC-50 were in good agreement with results obtained by the GC-HRMS laboratories. The WHO-PCB data obtained with the VF-1 x LC-50 combination was also good, but the PCDD/F concentrations were sometimes overestimated due to matrix interferences. GC x GC-microECD using DB-XLB x LC-50 seems to fulfil the European Community requirements of a screening method for PCDD/F and WHO-PCB TEQ in food.

Benzofurans↗

Twin comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatographic system: concept and applications.

A twin GC x GC system has been designed which enables the analysis of a sample by means of two different and independent column combinations simultaneously. Both combinations are incorporated in the same oven, using the same temperature programme, and are fed using a 50:50 column-entrance-split. It is demonstrated that, employing combinations of a conventional non-polar x polar and a reversed-type polar x non-polar column set, the information content is as high, and the analytical performance is as good as when using two separate GC x GC systems. That is, there is an appreciable gain of time and a reduction of costs without any loss of quality. The general usefulness of performing, and comparing two mutually different GC x GC runs is further illustrated with FAMEs in olive oil, and pollutants in a sediment sample.

Chromatography, Gas↗

Flow regime at ambient outlet pressure and its influence in comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography.

With method development in one-dimensional GC already being a tedious task, developing GC x GC methods is even more laborious. The majority of the present GC x GC applications are derived from previously optimised 1D-GC methods, from which especially the carrier gas flow settings are copied. However, in view of the high pressure inside the first-dimension column (high flow resistance of the narrow-bore second-dimension column), diffusion in the first column is much slower than in 1D-GC. Proper optimisation of the column combination and the carrier gas flow can considerably improve separations in GC x GC. To assist in the process of selecting column dimensions and flow rate optimization, we have developed a computer programme, based on Excel, that enables quick and simple calculation for all types of column combinations. The programme merely needs column dimensions and carrier gas type as input parameters and calculates all resolution and velocity parameters of the GC x GC separation by using flow rate and plate height equations. From the calculations a number of interesting conclusions can be drawn. As an example, the calculations clearly show that the majority of column combinations reported up till now have been operated at a far from optimal flow -- and, consequently, a far from optimal resolution. Probably even more important is the conclusion that the majority of column combinations used so far, i.e. those with 100 microm I.D. second-dimension columns, are not necessarily the best choice for GC x GC.

Chromatography, Gas↗

Characterization of lipids in complex samples using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Most lipids are a complex mixture of classes of compounds such as fatty acids, fatty alcohols, diols, sterols and hydroxy acids. In this study, the suitability of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to a time-of-light mass spectrometer is studied for lipid characterization in complex samples. With lanolin, a refined wool wax, as test sample, it is demonstrated that combined methylation plus silylation is the preferred derivatization procedure to achieve (i) high-quality GC x GC separation and (ii) easily recognizable ordered structures in lipid analysis. Optimization of the GC x GC column combination, the influence of the temperature programme on the quality of the separation, and the potential and limitations of automated TOF-MS-based identification are discussed. The combined power of a 2D separation, ordered structures and MS detection is illustrated by the identification of several minor sample constituents.

Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry↗

Improved determination of flavour compounds in butter by solid-phase (micro)extraction and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography.

The practicability and potential of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC) coupled to both conventional flame ionisation (FID) and time-of-flight mass spectrometric (TOF-MS) detection, were compared with those of conventional one-dimensional (1D) GC, with the determination of flavour compounds in butter as an application. For polar flavour compounds, which were collected from the aqueous fraction of butter by means of solid-phase extraction (SPE), it was found that GC x GC dramatically improves the overall separation. Consequently, quantification and preliminary identification based on the use of ordered structures, can be performed more reliably. The improvement effected by replacing 1D-GC by GC x GC is considerable also in the case of TOF-MS detection, as illustrated by the high match factors generally obtained during identification. GC x GC was also used successfully for the characterisation of volatile flavour compounds in the headspace of butter collected by solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and to study the effect of heat treatment on the composition of butter samples in more detail.

Butter↗

Polychlorinated biphenyls in marine sediments from the southern North Sea and Scheldt estuary: a ten-year study of concentrations, patterns and trends.

The paper reports the concentrations and patterns of CBs in sediments of the Belgian part of the southern North Sea and the Scheldt estuary for the period 1991-2001. The long-term analytical performance was well within the quality assurance boundaries set at the outset of the study and is consistent with the state of the art for this type of analysis. The CB concentrations (given as the median of the sum of IUPAC Nos 28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153 and 180) vary between 0.1 microg kg(-1) and 50 microg kg(-1) dry weight in the total sediment and it could be demonstrated that CB patterns in the fine fraction of the sediment were closely similar throughout the investigated area. Isolation of the fine fraction (<63 microm) by sieving can be regarded as a physical normalisation to reduce the differences in sediment granulometric composition. It allows for a better understanding of CB distribution and patterns and improves the trend analysis. A significant downward trend could not be found at any of the stations, which suggests that CB levels have not been changing in the area of interest in the past decade.

Environmental Monitoring↗

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to a rapid-scanning quadrupole mass spectrometer: principles and applications.

The principles, practicability and potential of comprehensive two-dimensional (2D) gas chromatography coupled to a rapid-scanning quadrupole mass spectrometer (GC x GC-qMS) for the analysis of complex flavour mixtures in food, allergens in fragrances and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were studied. With a scan speed of 10,000 amu/s, monitoring over a mass range of up to 200 atomic mass unit (amu) can be achieved at an acquisition frequency of 33 Hz. Extending this mass range and/or increasing the data acquisition frequency results in a loss of spectral quality. Optimal parameter settings allow, next to unambiguous identification/confirmation of target compounds on the basis of high-quality mass spectra, fully satisfactory quantification (three to four modulations per peak) with linear calibration plots and detection limits in the low-pg level. The potential of time-scheduled data acquisition to increase the effective mass range within one GC x GC run was also explored. The analyses, with baseline separation of the flavours, allergens and PCB target compounds, took less than 30 min.

Allergens↗

Retention-time database of 126 polybrominated diphenyl ether congeners and two bromkal technical mixtures on seven capillary gas chromatographic columns.

The elution order of 126 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) was determined for seven different gas chromatographic (GC) stationary phases. The resulting database facilitates selection of the most suitable GC columns for developing a quantitative, congener-specific BDE analysis and the testing of retention prediction algorithms based on structure relationships of GC phases and congener substitution patterns. In addition, co-elutions of the principal BDE congeners with other BDEs and/or with other brominated flame retardants were investigated and, as an application, the composition of two Bromkal mixtures (70-5DE and 79-8DE) was studied.

Algorithms↗

Fast miniaturised sample preparation for the screening and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatographic determination of polychlorinated biphenyls in sludge.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in sludge are usually extracted by a technique such as Soxhlet with subsequent fractionation prior to long GC runs using GC-ECD or GC-HRMS. In this study, the extraction of selected chlorinated biphenyls (CBs) from a spiked sludge sample by three rapid techniques, i.e. ultrasonic (USE), pressurised-liquid (PLE), and microwave-assisted (MAE) extraction using a domestic microwave, was studied, with subsequent direct GC-ECD, GC-MS, or GC x GC-microECD analysis of the extracts. The main goal was to select an appropriate, and miniaturised, extraction method after only a brief optimisation and demonstrate the power of GC x GC analysis of dirty extracts. For PLE similar CB recoveries were found when extracting with either n-hexane or n-hexane/acetone (1/1). For USE and MAE, n-hexane/acetone (1/1) was the preferred extraction solvent. USE gave the best recoveries (80-95%; except 130% for CB 105). The only clean-up needed prior to GC-MS or GC x GC-gECD analysis was the removal of sulphur-containing compounds. GC-ECD was not suitable for these dirty extracts. The lowest LODs for the CBs (20 fg or 0.1 ng/g sludge) were found when combining USE and GC x GC-microECD, because of the powerful extraction, high separation power and excellent detectability provided by this technique.

Calibration↗

Characterization of monofluorinated polycyclic aromatic compounds by 1H, 13C and 19F NMR spectroscopy.

Monofluorinated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (F-PAHs) have attracted much attention in analytical, environmental, toxicological and mechanistic studies because of their physico-chemical properties, which are closely similar to those of the parent PAHs. Because of this, full NMR characterization has become of interest. Complete 1H, 13C and 19F NMR chemical shifts, and also 1J(H,C), (n)J(C,F), (n)J(H,F) and (n)J(H,H) coupling constants, have been assigned for the F-PAHs 1-fluoronaphthalene, 2-fluorofluorene, 5-fluoroacenaphthylene, 2-fluorophenanthrene, 3-fluorophenanthrene, 3-fluorofluoranthene, 1-fluoropyrene, 1-fluorochrysene, 2-fluorochrysene, 3-fluorochrysene and 9-fluorobenzo[k]fluoranthene. To allow comparison with the corresponding parent PAHs, the 1H and 13C chemical shifts of acenaphthylene, phenanthrene, fluoranthene, pyrene and benzo[k]fluoranthene were determined. Chemical shift increments and the effects on the coupling constants from the fluorine substitution are discussed.

Carbon Isotopes↗

Changed isoflavone levels in red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) leaves with disturbed root nodulation in response to waterlogging.

The effect of disturbed root nodulation on the quantitative and qualitative composition of the main isoflavonoid glucoside malonates, glucosides, and aglycones in the leaves of Trifolium pratense L. grown under waterlogging conditions was investigated. Isoflavonoids are involved in the regulation of root nodule activity and the establishment of the mycorrhizal association. Isoflavonoid determination was performed using reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometric and UV absorbance detection. In response to waterlogging, the concentrations of biochanin A and biochanin A-7-O-glucoside malonate, biochanin A-7-O-glucoside, and genistein-7-O-glucoside in the leaves increased two- to threefold after a lag period of 3 wk because of disturbed root nodulation. The other isoflavones detected formononetin, formononetin-7-O-glucoside malonate, and formononetin-7-O-glucoside-did not show any significant changes related to waterlogging. After restoring normal soil water conditions, the concentrations of biochanin A and its glucoside and glucoside-malonate rapidly returned to the initial values, whereas the concentration of genistein-7-O-glucoside remained high.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography--a powerful and versatile technique.

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC) was introduced about a decade ago and is, today, rapidly become a powerful and widely applicable technique for the characterisation and analysis of a variety of complex samples. GC x GC provides structurally ordered chromatograms in the 2D plane, and features an impressive peak capacity. Combining GC x GC and time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ToFMS), with its fast acquisition rates and excellent deconvolution potential, has been an important step forward which enables identification and identity confirmation of large numbers of target analytes and unknowns in one run. Up until now, some 150 papers have been published, fish and food, environmental and air analysis. Polyhalogenated aromatics and other priority pollutants, flavours and fragrances, fatty acid methyl esters and essential oils, are among the classes of compounds which frequently receive attention. In summary, GC x GC is increasingly being recognised as the separation technique of choice in problem areas.

Chromatography, Gas↗

Miniaturised pressurised liquid extraction of chloroanilines from soil with subsequent analysis by large-volume injection-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

A number of chloroanilines were extracted from soil by means of miniaturised pressurised liquid extraction (PLE). The extraction procedure was optimised for both large-volume on-column (LV-OC) and programmed-temperature vaporisation (PTV) injections combined with GC-MS. Hexane was the only extraction solvent suited for LV-OC and hexane/acetone gave the best results when using a PTV. Overall, the hexane/acetone-plus-PTV procedure shows better results than the hexane-plus-LV-OC method in terms of analyte recovery (36-109% versus 5-87%), repeatability (8-13% versus 4-31%) and detection limits. Both approaches allow detection of the chloroanilines in complex soil samples down to the 5-50 ng/g range. However, the PTV-based procedure is superior as regards robustness: over one hundred samples can be analysed without any maintenance being required.

Aniline Compounds↗

Group-type characterisation of mineral oil samples by two-dimensional comprehensive normal-phase liquid chromatography-gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometric detection.

Normal-phase liquid chromatography (NPLC) and capillary gas chromatography (GC) are complementary techniques, which makes them ideally suited for hyphenated and comprehensive coupling. In this work, an LC and a GC equipped with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer were on-line and comprehensively coupled (LC x GC-ToF MS) for the analysis of mineral oil samples. Classes of compounds present in the oil like paraffins, mono-aromatic and multi-aromatic compounds were separated by normal-phase LC. with a subsequent boiling-point separation within each class by means of GC. Sub-groups present in each class of compounds were distinguished by selecting their unique masses.

Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry↗

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography of complex samples by using a 'reversed-type' column combination: application to food analysis.

The practicability and potential of a non-orthogonal approach in comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC) were studied and compared to those of the orthogonal approach for two different complex matrices, and using conventional flame ionisation (FID) and time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ToF MS) detection. The separation of a diesel oil showed that the non-orthogonal approach also provides interesting, but completely reversed, ordered structures. For the more extensively studied flavour analysis in food samples, improved peak shapes and, also, different types of ordered structures and retention behaviour, and improved detectability for polar compounds make the two approaches complementary to each other. As a consequence, identification and/or determination of targets and/or unknowns can be performed more reliably. Analytical performance (close to three-order linearity; LODs, 2-30 pg injected in most cases; R.S.D.s, 1-6% (n = 6)) was fully satisfactory.

Chromatography, Gas↗

Liquid chromatography with triple-quadrupole and quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry for the determination of micro-constituents - a comparison.

The potential of liquid chromatography with triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC-QqQ MS) was compared to that of quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-Q-ToF MS) for the determination of microconstituents. Three applications were studied: (1) the ng/l quantification of five human drugs in surface water and waste-water effluents; (2) the quantification and confirmation of three corticosteroids in bovine urine at concentrations of 1-100 microg/l, and; (3) the confirmation of nicotine in rat plasma. In all cases, the criteria of the EU Commission Decision 2002/657/EC were followed (for confirmation analysis two MS/MS ions were monitored, and the ratio of their abundances were calculated and compared with those of standards). With both techniques fully satisfactory results were obtained in almost all instances. That is, unequivocal confirmation according to the most stringent EU criteria, those for "illegal compounds", was possible.One main advantage of LC-Q-ToF MS is that for identification and confirmation purposes, full MS/MS spectra are available after a single injection: no second injection, as required with QqQ MS, is needed. As well as the increased efficiency, the enhanced selectivity due to the impressive mass selectivity of LC-Q-ToF MS must be emphasized, which allows accurate masses of fragment ions to be calculated. Method characteristics such as linear dynamic range and repeatability were found to be essentially the same for both techniques, but LC-QqQ MS has the advantage that its detection limits are somewhat lower.

Animals↗