Separation and characterisation of five polar herbicides using countercurrent chromatography with detection by negative ion electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry

Abstract

Five polar herbicides were separated and characterised using high-speed analytical countercurrent chromatography (HSACCC) in conjunction with online electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The countercurrent chromatography used a standard isocratic biphasic solvent system of hexane/ethyl acetate/methanol/water in reverse phase to effect the separation of these five environmentally important compounds. The chromatograph was coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer via a standard electrospray liquid chromatography interface that was able to give mass spectra in negative ion mode of each compound. Limits of detection are reported for this series of compounds along with representative negative ion ESI-MS data and calibrations for the separation.

Countercurrent Chromatography in Analytical Chemistry (IUPAC Technical Report)

“…Application of this CCC/ESI/MS system is illustrated by the separation and detection of biologically important compounds. Five polar herbicides were separated and characterized using an online CCC/ESI/MS combination [67]. A standard isocratic biphasic solvent system of n-hexane-ethyl acetate-methanol-water was used.…”

Hydrogen‐Bond‐Mediated Asymmetric Cascade Reaction of Stable Sulfur Ylides with Nitroolefins: Scope, Application and Mechanism

“…Several papers have highlighted the potential of CCC techniques coupled to MS and pointed out that the combined technique integrates the advantages of the two separate techniques, i.e., the separation power of CCC and the highly specific and low detection limits of MS 16–23. Passive flow‐splitters such as T‐ or Y‐split connections have most often been employed to combine CCC to fast‐atom bombardment, chemical ionization and ESI sources associated to the MS analyzer 16, 18, 22.…”

“…However, several points that have been underlined are still problematic in CCC/MS. Thus, high back‐pressure caused by lower strength connection tubing often occurs, generating dramatic effects such as leakage or rupturing of the chromatographic column and disturbance of the MS source 19, 20. Even though some ionization techniques such as thermospray have been shown to reduce this constraint,16 the fact remains that these difficulties usually limit investigations.…”

Liquid chromatography/electrospray ionisation mass spectrometric investigations of imidazoline corrosion inhibitors in crude oils

“…The advent of electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS) has seen application of the technique to the identification of a growing number of polar chemicals in environmental and industrial matrices 1–5. Coupled with liquid chromatography (LC), ESI‐MS has been used for the determination of chemicals as diverse as positively charged quaternary benzalkonium chlorides (‘Quats’) and anions of linear alkylbenzene sulphonates (‘LAS’).…”