molecules-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Chromatography and Extraction Techniques for Chemical Applications

A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Analytical Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 12014

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
CQM – Centro de Químcia da Madeira, Universidade da Madeira, 9000 Funchal, Portugal
Interests: food composition in bioactive compounds; food quality and degradation; markers for food origin and authenticity; microextraction; chromatographic analysis; foodomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Departamento de Tecnología Química y Ambiental, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, 28933 Móstoles, Spain
Interests: contaminants; bioactive compounds; natural toxins; miniaturization; microextraction; sample preparation; liquid chromatography; mass spectrometry; novel sorbents; analytical methods
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Chromatography and extraction are essential techniques in the field of chemistry, being combined for the separation and purification of chemical compounds. These methods are widely applied in various industries, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, environmental analysis, and food science. Chromatography involves the separation of components of a mixture based on their physical and chemical properties, while extraction involves the removal of one or more components from a mixture using a suitable solvent.

This Special Issue is devoted to emerging technologies and applications in the field of chromatography and extraction techniques for chemical analysis. This includes reviews and original research articles that focus on the development, application, and optimization of chromatography and extraction methods for a wide range of chemical applications. Topics of interest include advances in chromatography and extraction theory, instrumentation, sample preparation, and data analysis, as well as applications in food, medicinal, and environmental analysis. Additionally, contributions in new developments in method development and validation, as well as novel approaches for the determination of trace contaminants, and other topics related to the field are welcomed. This Special Issue offers readers an invaluable resource for furthering the advancement of chromatography and extraction techniques for chemical applications.

Dr. Jorge Pereira
Dr. Natalia Casado Navas
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • liquid chromatography
  • gas chromatography
  • sample preparation
  • extraction
  • supercritical fluid extraction
  • solid-phase extraction
  • liquid-liquid extraction

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (9 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

14 pages, 574 KiB  
Article
Non-Target Screening of Chemicals in Selected Cotton Products by GC/MS and Their Safety Assessment
by Łukasz Dąbrowski
Molecules 2024, 29(15), 3584; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29153584 - 30 Jul 2024
Viewed by 564
Abstract
Cotton is used for the production of textiles, hygiene and cosmetic materials. During cultivation and technological processes, various types of substances (surfactants, softeners, lubricants, etc.) penetrate cotton, which can have a harmful effect on both the human body and the environment. The aim [...] Read more.
Cotton is used for the production of textiles, hygiene and cosmetic materials. During cultivation and technological processes, various types of substances (surfactants, softeners, lubricants, etc.) penetrate cotton, which can have a harmful effect on both the human body and the environment. The aim of this study was to analyze selected cotton products in order to identify the substances contained and to describe the potential possibilities of inducing textile contact dermatitis (CD). The impact of the identified compounds on the aquatic environment was also taken into account. Nine samples of cotton clothing and seven samples of cotton pads from various manufacturers were tested. Samples after extraction using the FUSLE (Focused Ultrasonic Liquid Extraction) technique were analyzed with GC/MS. Qualitative analysis was based on comparing mass spectra with library spectra using the following mass spectra deconvolution programs: MassHunter (Agilent), AMDIS (NIST), and PARADISE (University of Copenhagen). The parameter confirming the identification of the substance was the retention index. Through the non-target screening process, a total of 36 substances were identified, with an average AMDIS match factor of approximately 900 (“excellent match”). Analyzing the properties of the identified compounds, it can be concluded that most of them have potential properties that can cause CD, also due to the relatively high content in samples. This applies primarily to long-chain alkanes (C25–C31), saturated fatty acids, fatty alcohols (e.g., oleyl alcohol), and fatty acid amides (e.g., oleamide). However, there are not many reports describing cases of cotton CD. Information on the identified groups of compounds may be helpful in the case of unexplained sources of sensitization when the skin comes into contact with cotton materials. Some of the identified compounds are also classified as dangerous for aquatic organisms, especially if they can be released during laundering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chromatography and Extraction Techniques for Chemical Applications)
Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 4396 KiB  
Article
Deep Eutectic Solvents-Based Ultrasonic-Assisted Dispersive Liquid–Liquid Microextraction for the Determination of Organophosphorus Pesticides in Honeysuckle Dew Samples
by Kangmiao Guo, Xiaokun Wu, Fan Zhang, Ying Cao, Zenglei Tan, Shuwen Xiao and Lijie Wu
Molecules 2024, 29(14), 3423; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29143423 - 21 Jul 2024
Viewed by 771
Abstract
A deep eutectic solvent (DES) with the ability to change from hydrophilic to hydrophobic was designed and synthesized and applied to the determination of organophosphorus (OPP) pesticides in honeysuckle dew samples. Choline chloride, phenol, and tetrahydrofuran (THF) were used as the hydrogen bond [...] Read more.
A deep eutectic solvent (DES) with the ability to change from hydrophilic to hydrophobic was designed and synthesized and applied to the determination of organophosphorus (OPP) pesticides in honeysuckle dew samples. Choline chloride, phenol, and tetrahydrofuran (THF) were used as the hydrogen bond acceptor, hydrogen bond donor, and demulsifier, respectively. Eight OPP pesticides were extracted by DES coupled with ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UA) and then chromatographed by GC-MS. DES used as an extract solvent has the advantages of high extraction efficiency, low cost, and environmental protection. Furthermore, DES is compatible with GC-MS. The single factor experiment design and Box–Behnken design (BBD) were applied to the optimization of experimental factors, including the type and composition of extraction solvent, type of demulsifier solvent, the volume of DES and THF, pH of sample solution, and ultrasonic time. Under the optimum experimental conditions, the high degree of linearity from 0.1 to 20.0 ng mL−1 (R2 ≥ 0.9989), the limits of detection from 0.014 to 0.051 ng mL−1 (S/N = 3), and the recoveries of analytes from 81.4 to 104.4% with relative standard deviation below 8.6%. In addition, the adsorption mechanism of OPPs on DES was explored by adsorption kinetic studies. These results have demonstrated that the present method has offered an effective, accurate, and sensitive methodology for OPP pesticides in honeysuckle dew samples, and this method provides a reference for the detection of pesticide residues in traditional Chinese medicine. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chromatography and Extraction Techniques for Chemical Applications)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

15 pages, 10719 KiB  
Article
Widely Targeted Metabolomic Analysis Reveals the Improvement in Panax notoginseng Triterpenoids Triggered by Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi via UPLC–ESI–MS/MS
by Xing-Kai Zhang, Yue Wu, Xian-Nv Long, Xiao-Xu You, Di Chen, Yue Bi, Sen He and Guan-Hua Cao
Molecules 2024, 29(13), 3235; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29133235 - 8 Jul 2024
Viewed by 722
Abstract
Panax notoginseng is a highly valued perennial medicinal herb in China and is widely used in clinical treatments. The main purpose of this study was to elucidate the changes in the composition of P. notoginseng saponins (PNSs), which are the main bioactive substances, [...] Read more.
Panax notoginseng is a highly valued perennial medicinal herb in China and is widely used in clinical treatments. The main purpose of this study was to elucidate the changes in the composition of P. notoginseng saponins (PNSs), which are the main bioactive substances, triggered by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) via ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–ESI–MS/MS). A total of 202 putative terpenoid metabolites were detected, of which 150 triterpene glycosides were identified, accounting for 74.26% of the total. Correlation analysis, principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS–DA) of the metabolites revealed that the samples treated with AMF (group Ce) could be clearly separated from the CK samples. In total, 49 differential terpene metabolites were identified between the Ce and CK groups, of which 38 and 11 metabolites were upregulated and downregulated, respectively, and most of the upregulated differentially abundant metabolites were mainly triterpene glycosides. The relative abundances of the two major notoginsenosides (MNs), ginsenosides Rd and Re, and 13 rare notoginsenosides (RNs), significantly increased. The differential saponins, especially RNs, were more easily clustered into one branch and had a high positive correlation. It could be concluded that the biosynthesis and accumulation of some RNs share the same pathways as those triggered by AMF. This study provides a new way to obtain more notoginsenoside resources, particularly RNs, and sheds new light on the scientization and rationalization of the use of AMF agents in the ecological planting of medicinal plants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chromatography and Extraction Techniques for Chemical Applications)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

15 pages, 2794 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Water as an Additive on the Elution of Some Basic Organic Compounds in Supercritical Fluid Chromatography
by Muhamad Yahia Kazmouz and Attila Felinger
Molecules 2024, 29(9), 2124; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29092124 - 3 May 2024
Viewed by 844
Abstract
In this study, water was used as an additive in the methanol-modified carbon dioxide-based eluent for the elution of some basic organic compounds from a hybrid silica column via supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC). The experiments were applied to sulfonamides, propranolol, and other organic [...] Read more.
In this study, water was used as an additive in the methanol-modified carbon dioxide-based eluent for the elution of some basic organic compounds from a hybrid silica column via supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC). The experiments were applied to sulfonamides, propranolol, and other organic nitrogen compounds involving aromatic rings from different classes of amine, pyrimidine, and purine with different pKa values (the pKa values for the studied analytes range from 4.6 to 10.4). The results revealed different responses to the different percentages of water addition. Adding 1~2% of water to the modifier (methanol) led to a positive effect manifested by more symmetrical peak shapes and reduced retention times for most compounds. The key factor for this improvement in the properties of chromatographic peaks is due to the adsorption of water on the silanol groups of the stationary phase, consequently resembling the phenomena observed in hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC). Moreover, the availability of hydrogen bond acceptor and donor sites in the analyte structure is an important factor to be considered when adding water as an additive to the modifier for improving the chromatographic peaks. However, introducing water in an amount higher than 3% resulted in perturbed chromatographic signals. It was also found that water as an additive alone could not successfully elute propranolol from the hybrid silica column with an acceptable peak shape; thus, the addition of a strong base such as amine salts was also necessary. The proposed use of a particular amount of water in the mobile phase could have a positive effect compared to the same mobile phase without water, improving the chromatographic peak properties of the elution of some basic organic compounds from the hybrid silica column. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chromatography and Extraction Techniques for Chemical Applications)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

21 pages, 3636 KiB  
Article
Temperature Dependence of the Polar and Lewis Acid–Base Properties of Poly Methyl Methacrylate Adsorbed on Silica via Inverse Gas Chromatography
by Tayssir Hamieh
Molecules 2024, 29(8), 1688; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29081688 - 9 Apr 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1438
Abstract
The adsorption of polymers on solid surfaces is common in many industrial applications, such as coatings, paints, catalysis, colloids, and adhesion processes. The properties of absorbed polymers commonly vary with temperature. In this paper, inverse gas chromatography at infinite dilution was used to [...] Read more.
The adsorption of polymers on solid surfaces is common in many industrial applications, such as coatings, paints, catalysis, colloids, and adhesion processes. The properties of absorbed polymers commonly vary with temperature. In this paper, inverse gas chromatography at infinite dilution was used to determine the physicochemical characterization of PMMA adsorbed on silica. A new method based on the London dispersion equation was applied with a new parameter associating the deformation polarizability with the harmonic mean of the ionization energies of the solvent. More accurate values of the dispersive and polar interaction energies of the various organic solvents adsorbed on PMMA in bulk phase and PMMA/silica at different recovery fractions were obtained, as well as the Lewis acid–base parameters and the transition temperatures of the different composites. It was found that the temperature and the recovery fraction have important effects on the various physicochemical and thermodynamic properties. The variations in all the interaction parameters showed the presence of three transition temperatures for the different PMMA composites adsorbed on silica with various coverage rates, with a shift in these temperatures for a recovery fraction of 31%. An important variation in the polar enthalpy and entropy of adsorption, the Lewis acid–base parameters and the intermolecular separation distance was highlighted as a function of the temperature and the recovery fraction of PMMA on silica. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chromatography and Extraction Techniques for Chemical Applications)
Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 4880 KiB  
Article
Cu(II)-Loaded Polydopamine-Coated Urchin-like Titanate Microspheres as a High-Performance IMAC Adsorbent for Hemoglobin Separation
by Qian Zhang, Linlin Hu, Jianyu Yang, Pengfei Guo, Jinhong Wang and Weifen Zhang
Molecules 2024, 29(7), 1656; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29071656 - 7 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 837
Abstract
Immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography (IMAC) adsorbents generally have excellent affinity for histidine-rich proteins. However, the leaching of metal ions from the adsorbent usually affects its adsorption performance, which greatly affects the reusable performance of the adsorbent, resulting in many limitations in practical [...] Read more.
Immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography (IMAC) adsorbents generally have excellent affinity for histidine-rich proteins. However, the leaching of metal ions from the adsorbent usually affects its adsorption performance, which greatly affects the reusable performance of the adsorbent, resulting in many limitations in practical applications. Herein, a novel IMAC adsorbent, i.e., Cu(II)-loaded polydopamine-coated urchin-like titanate microspheres (Cu-PDA-UTMS), was prepared via metal coordination to make Cu ions uniformly decorate polydopamine-coated titanate microspheres. The as-synthesized microspheres exhibit an urchin-like structure, providing more binding sites for hemoglobin. Cu-PDA-UTMS exhibit favorable selectivity for hemoglobin adsorption and have a desirable adsorption capacity towards hemoglobin up to 2704.6 mg g−1. Using 0.1% CTAB as eluent, the adsorbed hemoglobin was easily eluted with a recovery rate of 86.8%. In addition, Cu-PDA-UTMS shows good reusability up to six cycles. In the end, the adsorption properties by Cu-PDA-UTMS towards hemoglobin from human blood samples were analyzed by SDS-PAGE. The results showed that Cu-PDA-UTMS are a high-performance IMAC adsorbent for hemoglobin separation, which provides a new method for the effective separation and purification of hemoglobin from complex biological samples. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chromatography and Extraction Techniques for Chemical Applications)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

12 pages, 1694 KiB  
Article
HPLC–DAD Analysis, SFE-CO2 Extraction, and Antibacterial Activity on Bioactive Compounds from Mosla chinensis Maxim
by Ruixi Gao, Bingchen Han, Yanfeng Zeng, Linchuang Shen, Xinqiao Liu, Qiang Wang, Maochuan Liao and Jun Li
Molecules 2023, 28(23), 7724; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28237724 - 23 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1039
Abstract
Mosla chinensis Maxim is an annual herb with many potential purposes in agricultural, industrial, and pharmaceutical fields. At present, the extract of the whole plant from M. chinensis has been proven to demonstrate antifungal, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. Previous studies focused on the [...] Read more.
Mosla chinensis Maxim is an annual herb with many potential purposes in agricultural, industrial, and pharmaceutical fields. At present, the extract of the whole plant from M. chinensis has been proven to demonstrate antifungal, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. Previous studies focused on the enzyme pretreatment in hydrodistillation from M. chinensis. However, organic solvent or supercritical fluid carbon dioxide extraction (SFE-CO2) methods, which are commonly utilized in industry, have seldom been studied and cannot provide multiple evaluations of yield. In this work, we analysed compounds from M. chinensis by HPLC–DAD, discussed n-hexane extraction, and conducted further investigations on SFE-CO2 through the design of response surface methodology (RSM). The sample obtained from pilot-scale SFE-CO2 was also tested against nine kinds of microorganisms. Single-factor results revealed that the extraction rates from M. chinensis by steam distillation, n-hexane extraction, and SFE-CO2 were 1%, 2.09%, and 3.26%, respectively. RSM results showed a significant improvement in extraction rate through optimising pressure and time, and the interaction of both factors was more important than that of temperature–pressure and temperature–time. A pilot-scale test with an extraction rate of 3.34% indicated that the predicted RSM condition was operable. In addition, samples from the pilot-scale SFE-CO2 showed antibacterial effects against three previously unreported bacteria (Gardnerella vaginalis, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and Propionibacterium acnes). These results fill the gap in previous research and provide more information for the application and development of M. chinensis in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chromatography and Extraction Techniques for Chemical Applications)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

12 pages, 927 KiB  
Article
Fast and Sensitive Bioanalytical Method for the Determination of Deucravacitinib in Human Plasma Using HPLC-MS/MS: Application and Greenness Evaluation
by Pottabattula Mahesh, M. Akiful Haque, Baher I. Salman, Tarek S. Belal, Adel Ehab Ibrahim and Sami El Deeb
Molecules 2023, 28(14), 5471; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28145471 - 17 Jul 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2266
Abstract
Plaque psoriasis is a common, long-lasting illness that affects the immune system and causes significant negative impacts on a patient’s physical health, well-being, and ability to work effectively. Deucravacitinib (DEU) is the first oral medication used in the treatment of plaque psoriasis, a [...] Read more.
Plaque psoriasis is a common, long-lasting illness that affects the immune system and causes significant negative impacts on a patient’s physical health, well-being, and ability to work effectively. Deucravacitinib (DEU) is the first oral medication used in the treatment of plaque psoriasis, a chronic skin condition that causes red, scaly patches on the skin. DEU is a type of medication called an oral Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, which works by blocking specific enzymes that play a role in the inflammation and immune response associated with psoriasis. Therefore, a quick, easy, novel, reliable, sensitive, and straightforward liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) approach was used to analyze DEU in plasma samples. The LC-MS/MS method for the determination of DEU in human plasma was based on using trimethoprim as an internal standard (IS). The separation of DEU and IS was carried out via liquid–liquid extraction (LLE). The extract was then subjected to the chromatographic system separation using the ACE-C18 column (4.6 × 100 mm, 5 µm). The mobile phase employed consisted of methanol and a solution of 2 mM ammonium formate (80:20 v/v, respectively). The flow rate used was set at 0.9 mL min−1. The creative strategy was performed by running an ABSCIEX API 4000 mass spectrometer with an electron spray ionization source in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The ion transitions m/z 426.3 → 358.2 were used for DEU quantitation, while the ion transitions m/z 291.1 → 261.1 were used for trimethoprim quantitation. The accuracy, precision, linearity, recovery, and selectivity of DEU were deemed acceptable when validated for a concentration range between 0.500 and 601.050 ng/mL, utilizing a weighting factor of 1/x2. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chromatography and Extraction Techniques for Chemical Applications)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

30 pages, 3088 KiB  
Review
Sample Preparation Techniques for Growth-Promoting Agents in Various Mammalian Specimen Preceding MS-Analytics
by Laura Klöppner, Lukas Corbinian Harps and Maria Kristina Parr
Molecules 2024, 29(2), 330; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29020330 - 9 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1577
Abstract
The misuse of growth-promoting drugs such as beta-2 agonists and steroids is a known problem in farming and sports competitions. Prior to the analysis of biological samples via liquid chromatography (LC)–mass spectrometry (MS) or gas chromatography (GC)–MS, sufficient sample preparation is required to [...] Read more.
The misuse of growth-promoting drugs such as beta-2 agonists and steroids is a known problem in farming and sports competitions. Prior to the analysis of biological samples via liquid chromatography (LC)–mass spectrometry (MS) or gas chromatography (GC)–MS, sufficient sample preparation is required to reliably identify or determine the residues of drugs. In practice, broad screening methods are often used to save time and analyze as many compounds as possible. This review was conceptualized to analyze the literature from 2018 until October 2023 for sample preparation procedures applied to animal specimens before LC- or GC-MS analysis. The animals were either used in farming or sports. In the present review, solid phase extraction (SPE) was observed as the dominant sample clean-up technique for beta-2 agonists and steroids, followed by protein precipitation. For the extraction of beta-2 agonists, mixed-mode cation exchanger-based SPE phases were preferably applied, while for the steroids, various types of SPE materials were reported. Furthermore, dispersive SPE-based QuEChERs were utilized. Combinatory use of SPE and liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) was observed to cover further drug classes in addition to beta-2 agonists in broader screening methods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Chromatography and Extraction Techniques for Chemical Applications)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Back to TopTop