Devices and methods for separating phospholipids from biological samples

Abstract

Device and methods for the removal of phospholipids from biological samples are disclosed and described. Removal of phospholipids may be desirable for the analysis of the phospholipids themselves, or to prevent the phospholipids from conflicting with and effectively masking other analytes in the sample for which identification or quantification is sought.

1 . A device for removing phospholipids from a biological sample, comprising: 
 a) a support; and    b) at least one type of phospholipotropic multivalent cation coupled to the support in a concentration that is sufficient to capture and retain phospholipids from the biological sample.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the phospholipotropic multivalent cation is a transition metal.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the phospholipotropic multivalent cation is a lanthanide.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the phospholipotropic multivalent cation is an actinide.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the lanthanide is cerium.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the phospholipotropic multivalent cation is coupled to the support with an attachment selected from the group consisting of an ionic bond, chelation, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the ionic bond utilizes an acid active group.  
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the acid active group is selected from the group consisting of sulfonic acid, phosphoric acid, carboxylic acid, acidic silanols acidic zirconia and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the support is an inorganic salt matrix.  
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the support is a sorbent.  
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the support includes a member selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica, polymers, carbon, zirconium, controlled-pore glass, diatomaceous earth, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the support includes a functional group.  
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the phospholipotropic multivalent cation retains the phospholipid until the cation is contacted with a solution that is sufficient to release the phospholipid from the cation.  
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the phospholipotropic multivalent cation is coupled to the support until the cation is contacted with an agent that is sufficient to release the cation from the support.  
   
   
       15 . A method of removing phospholipids from a biological sample, comprising: 
 a) contacting at least one type of phospholipotropic multivalent cation with the biological sample;    b) capturing phospholipids in the sample with the cation; and    c) separating the cation and captured phospholipids from the sample.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising the step of separating the captured phospholipids from the cation.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of collecting the phospholipids.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the capturing includes ionically associating the phospholipids with the phospholipotropic multivalent cation.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the phospholipotropic multivalent cation is a transition metal.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the phospholipotropic multivalent cation is a lanthanide.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the phospholipotropic multivalent cation is an actinide.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the lanthanide is cerium.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the phospholipotropic multivalent cation is coupled to a support.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the support is an inorganic salt matrix.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the support includes a member selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica, polymers, carbon, zirconium, controlled-pore glass, diatomaceous earth, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising the step of separating the phospholipotropic multivalent cation from the support.  
   
   
       27 . A method of making a device for removing phospholipids from a biological sample, comprising: 
 coupling at least one type of phospholipotropic multivalent cation with a support in a manner that preserves an affinity of the cation for phospholipids.    
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the coupling is a mechanism selected from the group consisting of ionic bonding, covalent bonding, chelation, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the cation is coupled to the support using an acid active group.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the acid active group is selected from the group consisting of sulfonic acid, phosphoric acid, carboxylic acid, acidic silanol, acidic zirconia, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the phospholipotropic multivalent cation is a transition metal.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the phospholipotropic multivalent cation is a lanthanide.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the phospholipotropic multivalent cation is an actinide.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the lanthanide is cerium.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the support is an inorganic salt matrix.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the support includes a member selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica, polymers, carbon, zirconium, controlled-pore glass, diatomaceous earth, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the support includes a functional group.