Jin Ouyang

In-Line and Real-Time Process Monitoring of a Freeze Drying Process Using Raman and NIR Spectroscopy as Complementary Process Analytical Technology (PAT) Tools

The aim of the present study was to examine the complementary properties of Raman and near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy as PAT tools for the fast, noninvasive, nondestructive and in-line process monitoring of a freeze drying process. Therefore, Raman and NIR probes were built in the freeze dryer chamber, allowing simultaneous process monitoring. A 5% (w/v) mannitol solution was used as model for freeze drying. Raman and NIR spectra were continuously collected during freeze drying (one Raman and NIR spectrum/min) and the spectra were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA) and multivariate curve resolution (MCR). Raman spectroscopy was able to supply information about (i) the mannitol solid state throughout the entire process, (ii) the endpoint of freezing (endpoint of mannitol crystallization), and (iii) several physical and chemical phenomena occurring during the process (onset of ice nucleation, onset of mannitol crystallization). NIR spectroscopy proved to be a more sensitive tool to monitor the critical aspects during drying: (i) endpoint of ice sublimation and (ii) monitoring the release of hydrate water during storage. Furthermore, via NIR spectroscopy some Raman observations were confirmed: start of ice nucleation, end of mannitol crystallization and solid state characteristics of the end product. When Raman and NIR monitoring were performed on the same vial, the Raman signal was saturated during the freezing step caused by reflected NIR light reaching the Raman detector. Therefore, NIR and Raman measurements were done on a different vial. Also the importance of the position of the probes (Raman probe above the vial and NIR probe at the bottom of the sidewall of the vial) in order to obtain all required critical information is outlined. Combining Raman and NIR spectroscopy for the simultaneous monitoring of freeze drying allows monitoring almost all critical freeze drying process aspects. Both techniques do not only complement each other, they also provided mutual confirmation of specific conclusions.

Simultaneous determination of catecholamines by ion chromatography with direct conductivity detection

A simple method for simultaneous determination of three catecholamines using ion chromatography (IC) with direct conductivity detection (CD) based on the ionization of catecholamines in acidic medium without chemical suppression is developed in the present paper. The method could be used for the determination of these catecholamines in pharmaceutical preparations for the purpose of drug quality control. The recovery of catecholamines was more than 97% (n=3) and the relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) (n=11) was less than 2.1%. In a single chromatographic run, norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (E) and dopamine (DA) can be determined in less than 10 min. The detection limits were found to be 0.001 microg/ml for NE, 0.01 microg/ml for E and DA respectively. Linear ranges were 0.01-50 microg/ml for NE (r(2)=0.9998), 0.1-50 microg/ml for E (r(2)=0.9995) and DA (r(2)=0.9999), respectively.

Recent developments of enantioseparation techniques for adrenergic drugs using liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis: a review.

This review provides the achievements of enantioseparation of adrenergic drugs and application of these methods in clinical and pharmaceutical analysis. The adrenergic agonist and antagonist drugs are analyzed in the direct and indirect modes by liquid chromatography (LC) and capillary electrophoresis (CE). Other chromatographic enantioseparation methods including super- and sub-critical fluid chromatography (SFC), and capillary electrochromatography (CEC) are presented likewise to analyse the cited compounds. The different separation processes for these drugs are briefly discussed and some applications are presented.

Cerium (IV)-based chemiluminescence analysis of hydrochlorothiazide.

A flow-injection analytical method for the determination of hydrochlorothiazide is presented. The method is based on the chemiluminescence reaction of hydrochlorothiazide with cerium(IV) in sulphuric acid, sensitized by the fluorescent dye rhodamine 6G. The proposed procedure allows quantitation of hydrochlorothiazide in the concentration range of 0.33-130 mumol l(-1) with a detection limit of 0.15 mumol l(-1), an RSD of 2.4% at 10 mumol l(-1) and a sample measurement frequency of 200 h(-1). The method was successfully applied to the determination of hydrochlorothiazide in pharmaceutical preparations containing, amongst others, lactose, maize starch, calcium phosphate, magnesium stearate, potassium chloride and E 110 (disodium-6-hydroxy-5-(4-sulphonatophenylazo) naphthalene-2-sulphonate) as the concomitant species. Apart from the single formulation, hydrochlorothiazide was also determined in tablets combined with the antihypertensive lisinopril.

Distinguish cancer cells based on targeting turn-on fluorescence imaging by folate functionalized green emitting carbon dots

Developing efficient methods for visual detection of cancer cells has the potential to contribute greatly to basic biological research and early diagnosis of cancer. Here, we report facile and one-step synthesis of green fluorescence carbon dots (CDs) with the help of a new passivating agent--poly(acrylate sodium) (PAAS). Based on the as-prepared CDs, a novel turn-on fluorescence probe was designed for targeting imaging of cancer cells via hydrogen-bond interaction between folic acid and CDs (FA-CDs). Intracellular experiments indicated that FA-CDs probe could accurately distinguish folate receptor (FR)-positive cancer cells in different cell mixtures with turn-on mode. In particular, combining the targeting of FA-CDs probe with the excellent photostability of CDs has inestimable meaning for fluorescence-assisted surgical resection and acquisition real-time information about tumor cells. Obviously, the as-prepared FA-CDs probe may have great potential as a high-performance platform for accurately recognizing special cancer cells, which may provide new tools for cancer prognosis and therapy.

A visual sensor array for pattern recognition analysis of proteins using novel blue-emitting fluorescent gold nanoclusters.

This paper describes a visual sensor array for pattern recognition analysis of proteins based on two different optical signal changes: colorimetric and fluorometric, by using two types of novel blue-emitting collagen protected gold nanoclusters and macerozyme R-10 protected gold nanoclusters with lower synthetic demands. Eight proteins have been well-discriminated by this visual sensor array, and protein mixtures after one-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis also could be well-discriminated. The possible mechanism of this sensor array was illustrated and validated by fluorescence spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), fluorescence lifetime, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) experiments. It was attributed to that the adsorption of proteins onto the surface of gold nanoclusters (Au NCs), forming the protein-Au NCs complex. Furthermore, serums from normal and hepatoma patients were also effectively discriminated by this visual sensor array, showing feasible potential for diagnostic applications.

On the use of dispersed nanoparticles modified with single layer β-cyclodextrin as chiral selecor to enhance enantioseparation of clenbuterol with capillary electrophoresis

A new strategy for chiral separation by capillary electrophoresis employing modified-nanoparticles as chiral selector is described for clenbuterol analysis. Nanoparticles modified with beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) form a large surface area platform to serve as a pseudostationary chiral phase, which can be applied for the enhancement of the enantioseparation. The application of four kinds of nanoparticles was investigated (multi-walled nanotubes (MWNTs), polystyrene (PS), TiO(2) and Al(2)O(3)) modified with single layer beta-CD as chiral selector in the enantioseparation of clenbuterol by capillary electrophoresis (CE). Successful clenbuterol enantioseparation could be achieved with the beta-CD-modified MWNTs as chiral selector. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the beta-CD modification of the nanoparticles. The effects of nanoparticles, surfactant, chiral selector (beta-CD) and run buffer were studied in relation to the enantiomeric separation of clenbuterol. This study opens attractive perspectives for the use of modified nanoparticles for chiral separational purposes in CE.

The use of silica nanoparticles for gas chromatographic separation.

A new IL-dispersed silica nanoparticles (IL-SNs) capillary column, combining properties of silica nanoparticles and ionic liquid (IL), was used for gas chromatographic separation. By dispersing silica nanoparticles in a conventional IL of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([BuMIm][BF6]), a layer of homogeneous interconnected particulate silica networks (thickness: 0.4-0.6 μm) was formed on the inner surface of a capillary column. This coating integrates advantages of silica nanoparticles (high surface area, high dispersed behaviour) and IL (extended liquid-state temperature range, chemical stability), hence increasing interactions between stationary phase and analytes. It was demonstrated that mixtures of a wide range of organic compounds including alcohols, esters, alkanes, aromatic compounds, as well as isomers and non-polar compounds can be well separated using an IL-SNs capillary column. Comparing to traditional support coated open tubular columns, the IL-SNs capillary column displays retention behaviors of separating both polar and non-polar compounds. The much thinner coating film of IL-SNs capillary column, compared to the coating film of SNs capillary column, decreases the resistance to mass transfer, resulting a good column efficiency of 3030 theoretical plates per meter for n-butanol (which is about 5 times higher than for the SNs capillary column). Furthermore, the IL-SNs capillary column decreases the IL retention selectivity dominated by IL structures, and has a higher coating value than neat IL stationary phase. Moreover, the preparation is simple as no modification of ILs or adoption of additional reagents is needed in pretreatments. This manuscript is the first report on the use of silica nanoparticles for gas chromatography, which would expand the applicability of silica nanoparticles in analytical chemistry.

Sequence‐Dependent dsDNA‐Templated Formation of Fluorescent Copper Nanoparticles

There are only a few systematic rules about how to selectively control the formation of DNA-templated metal nanoparticles (NPs) by varying sequence combinations of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), although many attempts have been made. Herein, we develop a facile method for sequence-dependent formation of fluorescent CuNPs by using dsDNA as templates. Compared with random sequences, AT sequences are better templates for highly fluorescent CuNPs. Other specific sequences, for example, GC sequences, do not induce the formation of CuNPs. These results shed light on directed DNA metallization in a sequence-specific manner. Significantly, both the fluorescence intensity and the fluorescence lifetime of CuNPs can be tuned by the length or the sequence of dsDNA. In order to demonstrate the promising practicality of our findings, a sensitive and label-free fluorescence nuclease assay is proposed.

Enhanced separation of seven quinolones by capillary electrophoresis with silica nanoparticles as additive.

This paper describes the enhanced separation of lomefloxacin, sparfloxacin, fleroxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, gatifloxacin and pazufloxacin by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) using silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) as running buffer additive. The impact of SiNPs concentration on the resolution and selectivity of separation was investigated and a given value of SiNPs was finally chosen under the optimum conditions. The addition of the SiNPs to the running buffer enabled electroosmotic flow (EOF) decrease and permitted full interaction between SiNPs and analytes. The influence of separation voltage, pH and buffer concentration on the separation in the presence of SiNPs was examined. Interactions between drugs and nanoparticles during the separation are discussed; the determination of interaction constants is also achieved. A good resolution of seven quinolones was obtained within 15 min in a 50 cm effective length fused-silica capillary at a separation voltage of +10 kV in a 12 mM disodium tetraborate-phosphate buffer (pH 9.08) containing 5.2 microgmL(-1) SiNPs.