Automated cleanup

Currently PCR and mass spectrometry are performed by two separate instruments. However, there is no reason why PCR followed by simple automated cleanup and mass spectrometry cannot be incorporated into a single integrated instrument. Essentially every configuration of the modern ESI mass spectrometer has been used successfully for the analysis of PCR products, from the highest to the lowest resolution involving. Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR), triple quadrupole, quadrupole-time of flight (Q-TOF), and ion trap.22-24 MS discriminates between two structurally related PCR products by MW difference. Mass accuracy is needed to differentiate the... 

The use of small columns such as microbore liquid chromatographic columns, requiring smaller sample size, and computer-controlled solvent delivery and collection systems should lead to the development of fully integrated and automated cleanup systems. Small sample sizes facilitate miniaturization of sample preparation procedures, which in turn brings several benefits including reduced solvent and reagent consumption, reduced processing time, less demand for bench space, and ease of automation. 

In most cases, HPLC improves the laborious procedures usually applied to the analysis of OPPs and OCPs in fatty samples. Moreover, fully automated cleanup procedures would be very... 

Abad, E., Saulo, J., Caixach, J., and Rivera, J., Evaluation of a new automated cleanup system for the analysis of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in environmental samples, J. Chromatogr. A, 893, 383-391, 2000. 

If protocol development is rate determining, the effectiveness of experimental solubility assays depends on how the early exemplars are synthesized. In theory, the most effective method would be to obtain a well-spaced subset of the library in an experimental design sense. A traditional non-combinatorial synthesis would accomplish this but would not fit in well with a combinatorial optimization process. A possible way around this problem is to institute some type of early automated cleanup of combinatorial exemplars from partially optimized reaction schemes. This is not a tidy solution because the most efficient process would be an automated cleanup on the entire library after the optimization process was complete. 

Table 1 Selected Determinations of Drugs in Biological Fluids by GC-MS, Using Automated Cleanup Systems... 

Most analytical scale column adsorption chromatography is now performed with so-called solid phase extraction (SPE) columns. These are small, prepacked, single-use columns designed for automated or semi-automated cleanup of samples for analysis by gas or liquid chromatography. A note of caution recovery is generally less than 100% with any adsorption chromatography procedure. Recovery should be determined as part of the development of the methodology. 

Solid phase extraction (SPE) is a very simple, rapid and reproducible cleanup technique that is now widely accepted as an alternative to the time-consuming liquid-liquid extractions. Additionally, SPE uses relatively small volumes of solvents, and is easy to automate. It is available in a number of different formats, including cartridges, disks, loose material, well plates or SPME using film-coated capillaries. SPE can be considered as an extraction technique when used for isolation and concentration or a cleanup technique when used to remove co-extractives from solvent extracts. The use of SPE for cleanup is discussed later. 

Automated gel permeation chromatograph (Cleanup XL, Abimed Gilson) equipped with 5-mL loop and chromatographic tube, 25-mm i.d., 600-mm long, filled with 52-g of Bio-Beads, S-X3, 200 00 mesh, 33-cm gel bed length GC Gas chromatograph equipped with a split/splitless injector, autosampler, DB-1 fused-silica column, 30 mx 0.25-mm i.d., 0.25-p.m film thickness and electron capture detector... 

Multidimensional liquid chromatography encompasses a variety of techniques used for seunple separation, cleanup and trace enrichment [12,279-289]. A characteristic feature of these methods is the use of two or more columns for the separation with either manual or automatic switching by a valve interface of fractions between columns. These techniques require only minor modification to existing equipment, and of equal importance, enable the sample preparation and separation procedures to be completely automated. 

The configuration can be expanded by adding other sample preparation instruments to facilitate automating other preparative steps that may intervene between SFE and the analytical instrument, e.g. solvent exchange, internal standard addition, serial dilutions for calibration curve generation, SPE for further cleanup of the extract output by SFE, derivatisation of components within the SFE extract, and many other (currently) manual-human intervention techniques. 

There are two general types of multidimensional chromatography separation schemes those in which the effluent from one column flows directly on to a second column at some time during the experiment, and those in which some type of trap exists between the two columns to decouple them (off-line mode). The purpose of a trap is often to allow collection of a fixed eluate volume to reconcentrate the analyte zone prior to the second separation step, or to allow a changeover from one solvent system to another. The use of offline multidimensional techniques (conventional sample cleanup) with incompatible mobile phases, is common in the literature, and replacing these procedures with automated on-line multidimensional separations will require continuous development efforts. 

For the analysis of nonvolatile compounds, on-line coupled microcolumn SEC-PyGC has been described [979]. Alternatively, on-line p,SEC coupled to a conventional-size LC system can be used for separation and quantitative determination of compounds, in which volatility may not allow analysis via capillary GC [976]. An automated SEC-gradient HPLC flow system for polymer analysis has been developed [980]. The high sample loading capacity available in SEC makes it an attractive technique for intermediate sample cleanup [981] prior to a more sensitive RPLC technique. Hence, this intermediate step is especially interesting for experimental purposes whenever polymer matrix interference cannot be separated from the peak of interest. Coupling of SEC to RPLC is expected to benefit from the miniaturised approach in the first dimension (no broadening). Development of the first separation step in SEC-HPLC is usually quite short, unless problems are encountered with sample/column compatibility. 

Applications Multidimensional SEC techniques can profitably be applied to soluble polymer/additive systems, e.g. PPO, PS, PC - thus excluding polyolefins. A fully automated on-line sample cleanup system based on SEC-HRGC for the analysis of additives in polymers has been described, as illustrated for PS/(200-400ppm Tin-uvin 120/327/770, Irgafos 168, Cyasorb UV531) [982], In this process, the high-MW fractions are separated from the low molecular masses. SEC is often used as a sample cleanup for on-line analysis of additives in food extracts these analyses are usually carried out as on-line LVI-SEC-GC-FPD. 

Other techniques to improve throughput are instrumentation based and may involve multiple HPLC systems. The simplest method involves the automated use of solid phase extraction cartridges for sample cleanup followed by direct injection into the mass spectrometer [114], Coupling of multiple HPLC systems to one mass spectrometer allows one column to equilibrate and separate while another column to flow into the mass spectrometer. Multiple HPLC systems may be configured such that the mass spectrometer is only exposed to each serial HPLC eluent as the analyte of interest is eluted [115,116]. Although multiple H P LC-based methods may increase throughput, they also typically decrease sensitivity and may confound data workup and interpretation. 

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