The ion interaction chromatographic technique has been widely used for the determination of inorganic anions. [1][2][3][4][5] This technique has high flexibility because the parameters can be readily varied to achieve suitable separation. Moreover, this powerful technique permits the separation of inorganic anions on commercially available reversed stationary columns and conventional HPLC instrumentation. 6 Culture media samples are complex because they contain inorganic salts, organic compounds, proteins and large particles (which make the solutions turbid). 7 Therefore, good sample preparation and optimization of the chromatographic conditions are needed for determining nitrite and nitrate ions.In this work, the determination of nitrite and nitrate ions in culture media (Staphyllococcus enrichment broth) including Staphyllococcus epidermis were studied. Most strains reduce nitrate ion to nitrite ion and/or ammonia as a result of nitratase and nitritase activities, respectively. 8 The goal was to find the optimum conditions for the simultaneous determination of nitrite and nitrate ions in the culture media by varying the ion interaction reagent concentration.
Experimental
InstrumentsThe chromatographic apparatus was a Hewlett Packard Series 1100 instrument, equipped with a quaternary pump, a diode array detector, a column thermostat and an autosampler. The chromatograms were recorded and analyzed with Microsoft Windows NT workstation version 4.0 and HP Chemstation for the LC 3D system. A Varian Microsorb MV column (3 µm, 4.6 × 50 mm) was used throughout. An Orion digital pH meter was used for pH measurements.
ReagentsUltrapure water from a Millipore Milli-Q system was used to prepare all solutions. All reagents were of analytical grade. Octylamine and zinc sulfate were obtained from Aldrich, potassium hexacynoferrate was obtained from Alfa, and nitrite and nitrate ions in the form of sodium salts were obtained from Baker. Bacto m Staphyllococcus broth was prepared following a method of from the Difco manual.
Chromatographic conditionsSolutions of octylammonium orthophosphate at pH 6.3 were used as the mobile phase. They were prepared by adjusting octylamine solutions (1 to 10 mM in concentrations) with orthophosphoric acid until pH 6.3 was obtained. Therefore, the concentration of the mobile phase is denoted by the concentration of the octylamine solution. No organic modifier was present. The chromatographic system was conditioned by passing the eluent through the column until a stable baseline signal was obtained. Usually, about 30 min were necessary. Then, 5 µl of the standard or sample were injected and detected at 210 nm.
Sample preparationAfter 100 ml of a culture broth (Staphyllococcus enrichment broth) was prepared based on the method of Difco, Inc., the addition of the starting nitrate followed. The culture broth was sterilized in an autoclave for 15 min at a pressure of 15 pounds (121˚C). After cooling the broth to room temperature, the required amount of S. epidermis (5%v/v) was added into the sterili...