Development of one and multi-dimensional LC-MS methodologies providing greatly improved detection limits and enhanced separation. Subproject: optimization of welding settings to bond high engineering plastics

• Grant number: 15/07910-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2015
• End date: December 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Analytical Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Alberto Jose Cavalheiro
• Grantee: João Victor Basolli Borsatto
• Supervisor: Sebastiaan Eeltink
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Belgium
• Associated to the scholarship: 14/00326-6 - Chemical characterization of Ficus guaranitica (Moraceae): prospection of compounds of economic interest and evaluation of biological activities with therapeutic interest, BP.IC

Abstract

Project: Development of one and multi-dimensional LC-MS methodologies providing greatly improved detection limits and enhanced separation. Coordinator: Prof. Dr. Sebastiaan Eetilink (Vrije University Brussels - Bélgica). The project aims at the development of novel ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC) workflows to enhance the detection limits by one order of magnitude and to achieve greatly improved separation performance. To counteract chromatographic dilution, unique preconcentration segments containing monolithic trap materials will be integrated on rotors (that can be applied in existing switching valves) and applied to enrich analytes prior to detection. Ultrasonic welding of novel polymer substrates that are compatible with UHPLC operation will be investigated. To increase the chromatographic efficiency the use of ultrasonic hot embossing will be explored to establish reinforced monolithic UHPLC column technology. In addition, the preconcentrator rotor design will be extended, allowing the transfer of enriched fractions between columns in a two-dimensional (2D-LC) set-up, eliminating trap-column connections and reducing extra-column volumes. To increase the separation performance even by up to two orders of magnitude, a threedimensional (3D-LC) workflow will be realized. A device integrating parallel trap segments and reinforced nanostructured chromatography columns will be created and clamped between the rotor and stator of a switching valve to realize the connection to an UHPLC instrument. The technology will be applied for plant metabolomics analysis impurity profiling in food and beverages and for the characterization of contemporary proteomic samples using liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry. Project to undergraduate student João Victor Basolli Bossatto: Optimization of welding settings to bond high engineering plastics. Workplan: - Explore welding settings (power curves) to bond different substrate types (COC, PMMA, PEEK, etc) - An imaging techniques can be explored to test the bond quality - Similar experiments will be conducted with substrates that contain a microchannel - Burst tests of chips using HPLC - Scanning electron microscopy imaging of channels (AU)