Detectors, HPLC fluorescence detector

The basic theory, principles, sensitivity, and application of fluorescence spectrometry (fluorometry) were discussed in Chapter 8. Like the UV absorption detector described above, the HPLC fluorescence detector is based on the design and application of its parent instrument, in this case the fluorometer. You should review Section 8.5 for more information about the fundamentals of the fluorescence technique. 

FIGURE 13.10 The HPLC fluorescence detector. When a mixture component that exhibits fluorescence elutes from the column, the light is detected and a peak appears on the chromatogram. 

Measurements were performed on a Waters 470 HPLC fluorescence detector equipped with a JASCO cuvette accessory and connected to a Perkin Elmer 561 strip chart recorder. Excitation and emission band-widths were 18 nm. Emission spectra were measured for the three excitation wavelengths mentioned above and emission starting from 10 nm higher than excitation up to 700 nm. Fluorescence at fixed wavelengths was measured four minutes after cuvette insertion and expressed as per-millage of the 275/303 fluorescence of 3.0 pM tyrosine in 50 mM HEPES, pH 7.4. Corrections were made for buffer- and blank collagenase fluorescence, and for signal attenuation. 

A major contributing factor to the increased sensitivity of the improved HPLC system over that originally described (5 ) is the detector. The original method utilized a fluorescence spectrophotometer adapted for HPLC detection by use of a fabricated 40 ul flow cell. The present system utilizes a highly sensitive HPLC fluorescence detector and this contributes greatly to the improved detection limits. 

Notes LOD, limit of detection MeOH, methanol EtOH, ethanol ACN, acetonitrile MTBE, methyl tert-butyl ether DCM, dichloromethane THF, tetrahy-drofuran KOH, potassium hydroxide SFE, supercritical fluid extraction MS, mass spectrometry HPLC, high-performance liquid chromatography DAD, diode array detector PDA, photodiode array detector FD, fluorescence detector ECD, electrochemical detector ESI, electrospray ionization APCI, atmosphere pressure chemical ionization TLC, thin layer chromatography FAB, fast atom bombardment NMR, nuclear magnetic resonance BHT, butylated hydroxytoluene SPE, solid phase extraction. 

Unlike the case with UV detection, few commercial HPLC fluorescence detectors may be suitably modified to allow efficient use with small capillaries.48 Consequently, custom-built systems are the rule when fluorescence detection is employed with capillary electrophoresis. Because of superior focusing capabilities, which allow the excitation energy to be more effec-... 

Initial Measurements. The data in Table 2 for the fluorescence of pesticides in hexane and methanol were obtained with a single-beam spectrofluorometer. No attempt was made to adjust these values for either the intensity distribution of the excitation source or the relative sensitivity of the emission unit with wavelength. However, several observations can be drawn from this data that can be useful when applied to a HPLC fluorescence detector. 

Luminescence affords a very sensitive means of detection in flowing systems such as HPLC, electrophoresis, flow injection, and flow cytometry. HPLC fluorescence detectors are similar in operation to conventional fluorimeters. Most fluorescence detectors use filters for crude monochromation. Filters pass light in a wider band than do monochromators. This favors spectral sensitivity because more light excites the sample and is collected by the detector. Grating monochromators, on the other hand, favor selectivity. The fluorimetric detector is susceptible to the usual interferences that hinder fluorescence measurements, namely, background fluorescence and quenching. 

He, X. Li, Y Li, L. Wang, Y Zhou, T. Analysis of ethacrynic acid in urine by HPLC-fluorescence detector. Chin. Chem. Lett. 1S>91,2,953-956. 

Description of Method. Fluoxetine, whose structure is shown in Figure 12.31a, is another name for the antidepressant drug Prozac. The determination of fluoxetine and its metabolite norfluoxetine. Figure 12.31 b, in serum is an important part of monitoring its therapeutic use. The analysis is complicated by the complex matrix of serum samples. A solid-phase extraction followed by an HPLC analysis using a fluorescence detector provides the necessary selectivity and detection limits. 

In hplc, detection and quantitation have been limited by availabiHty of detectors. Using a uv detector set at 254 nm, the lower limit of detection is 3.5 X 10 g/mL for a compound such as phenanthrene. A fluorescence detector can increase the detectabiHty to 8 x 10 g/mL. The same order of detectabiHty can be achieved using amperometric, electron-capture, or photoioni2ation detectors. 

In the chemiluminescence-based HPLC detection system, illustrated schematically in Figure 6, the oxalate ester and hydrogen peroxide are introduced to the eluent stream at postcolumn mixer Mj, which then flows through a conventional fluorescence detector with the exciting lamp turned off or a specially built chemiluminescence detector. The two reagents are combined at mixer Mj, rather than being premixed, to prevent the slow hydrolytic reactions of the oxalate ester. 

Similarly to the methods used to characterize natural chlorophylls, RP-HPLC has been chosen by several authors to identify the individual components in Cn chlorophyllin preparations and in foods. The same ODS columns, mobile phase and ion pairing or ion suppressing techniques coupled to online photodiode UV-Vis and/or fluorescence detectors have been used. ° ... 

Polar or thermally labile compounds - many of the more modern pesticides fall into one or other of these categories - are not amenable to GC and therefore LC becomes the separation technique of choice. HPLC columns may be linked to a diode-array detector (DAD) or fluorescence detector if the target analyte(s) contain chromophores or fluorophores. When using a DAD, identification of the analyte(s) is based on the relative retention time and absorption wavelengths. Similarly, with fluorescence detection, retention time and emission and absorption wavelengths are used for identification purposes. Both can be subject to interference caused by co-extractives present in the sample extract(s) and therefore unequivocal confirmation of identity is seldom possible. 

Milbemectin consists of two active ingredients, M.A3 and M.A4. Milbemectin is extracted from plant materials and soils with methanol-water (7 3, v/v). After centrifugation, the extracts obtained are diluted to volume with the extraction solvent in a volumetric flask. Aliquots of the extracts are transferred on to a previously conditioned Cl8 solid-phase extraction (SPE) column. Milbemectin is eluted with methanol after washing the column with aqueous methanol. The eluate is evaporated to dryness and the residual milbemectin is converted to fluorescent anhydride derivatives after treatment with trifluoroacetic anhydride in 0.5 M triethylamine in benzene solution. The anhydride derivatives of M.A3 and M.A4 possess fluorescent sensitivity. The derivatized samples are dissolved in methanol and injected into a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system equipped with a fluorescence detector for quantitative determination. 

Specifications for modem detectors in HPLC are given by Hanai [538] and comprise spectroscopic detectors (UV, F, FUR, Raman, RID, ICP, AAS, AES), electrochemical detectors (polarography, coulometry, (pulsed) amperometry, conductivity), mass spectromet-ric and other devices (FID, ECD, ELSD, ESR, NMR). None of these detectors meets all the requirement criteria of Table 4.40. The four most commonly used HPLC detectors are UV (80%), electrochemical, fluorescence and refractive index detectors. As these detectors are several orders of magnitude less sensitive than their GC counterparts, sensor contamination is not so severe, and... 

In order to achieve detection limits below the ng mL-1 range only amperometric, chemiluminescence, radiometric, or conventional fluorescence (CF) can be applied (Table 4.41). Fluorescence detectors are generally about 100 times more sensitive and more selective than UV detectors. The selectivity of fluorescence detection is due to the fact that only aromatic and conjugated molecules can be analysed, and by applying specific excitation and emission wavelengths the selectivity can even be increased. Pre- or postcolumn derivatisation in HPLC is a technique that is most commonly performed prior to UV absorption or fluorescence detection... 

High Performance Liquid Chromatographic (HPLC) Analysis. A Waters HPLC system (two Waters 501 pumps, automated gradient controller, 712 WISP, and 745 Data module) with a Shimadzu RF-535 fluorescence detector or a Waters 484 UV detector, and a 0.5 pm filter and a Rainin 30 x 4.6 mm Spheri-5 RP-18 guard column followed by a Waters 30 x 3.9 cm (10 pm particle size) p-Bondapak C18 column was used. The mobile phase consisted of a 45% aqueous solution (composed of 0.25% triethylamine, 0.9% phosphoric acid, and 0.01% sodium octyl sulfate) and 55% methanol for prazosin analysis or 40% aqueous solution and 60% methanol for naltrexone. The flow rate was 1.0 mL/min. Prazosin was measured by a fluorescence detector at 384 nm after excitation at 340 nm (8) and in vitro release samples of naltrexone were analyzed by UV detection at 254 nm. 

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