High-throughput analysis in fields such as industrial
biotechnology,
combinatorial chemistry, and life sciences is becoming increasingly
important. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is a powerful
technique providing exhaustive molecular information on complex samples.
Flow NMR in particular is a cost- and time-efficient method for large
screenings. In this study, we have developed a novel 3.0 mm inner
diameter polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE) flow cell for a segmented-flow
analysis (SFA) – NMR automated platform. The platform uses
FC-72 fluorinated oil and fluoropolymer components to achieve a fully
fluorinated flow path. Samples were repeatably transferred from 96-deepwell
plates to the flow cell by displacing a fixed volume of oil, with
a transfer time of 42 s. 1H spectra were acquired fully
automated with 500 and 600 MHz NMR spectrometers. The spectral performance
of the novel PCTFE cell was equal to that of commercial glass cells.
Peak area repeatability was excellent with a relative standard deviation
of 0.1–0.5% for standard samples, and carryover was below 0.2%
without intermediate washing. The sample temperature was conditioned
by using a thermostated transfer line in order to reduce the equilibration
time in the probe and increase the throughput. Finally, analysis of
urine samples demonstrated the applicability of this platform for
screening complex matrices.
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