Determination of oestrogens in pregnancy urine by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

A simple and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method is described for the determination of three oestrogens (oestriol, oestrone and oestradiol) in pregnancy urine. Free oestrogens are extracted with chloroform from the urine sample. The phenolic group of each oestrogen in chloroform is formylated in the presence of an alkaline aqueous solution, and the resulting aldehyde is converted into a fluorescent derivative by reaction with 1,2-diamino-4,5-dimethoxybenzene. In order to determine free and conjugated oestrogens, conjugated oestrogens are hydrolysed by heating in hydrochloric acid before the extraction and then treated in the same way as free oestrogens. The fluorescent derivatives are separated on a reversed-phase column, TSKgel ODS-120T, with stepwise gradient elution using an aqueous methanol-containing phosphate buffer (pH 2.2). The lower limit of detection for each oestrogen is ca. 200 fmol per 100-microliters injection volume.     

Determination of cabergoline in plasma and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.

A sensitive and selective high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of cabergoline in plasma and urine has been developed. After buffering plasma and urine samples, cabergoline was extracted with a methylene chloride-isooctane mixture, back-extracted into 0.1 M phosphoric acid, then analysed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Quantitation was achieved by electrochemical detection of the eluate. The linearity, precision and accuracy of the method were evaluated. No interference from the biological matrices (human plasma and urine) was observed. The assay was still inadequate in terms of sensitivity for the quantitation of cabergoline plasma concentrations after a single oral dose of 1 mg of the drug to humans, but was successfully used in the determination of the urinary excretion of the drug.     

Determination of exifone in human plasma and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method with electrochemical detection was developed for the determination of exifone in human plasma and urine. Exifone was extracted from acidified plasma or neutralized urine with diethyl ether and the evaporated extracts were analysed on a C18 reversed-phase column. The compound was eluted in about 8 min with acetonitrile-0.3 M orthophosphoric acid (15:85, v/v) at a flow-rate of 0.9 ml/min. This method gave accurate and reproducible results; the calibration graphs were linear (r greater than 0.99) over the range of 2.8-360 nmol/l for plasma and 0.18-36 mumol/l for urine, and concentrations as low as 1 nmol/l in plasma could be quantified. These results allowed this assay to be used for determinations in single-dose pharmacokinetic studies.     

Determination of serum estradiol by normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence detection

Estradiol extracted with an ODS minicolumn from serum (500 μl) is derivatized with 5-dimethylamino-1-naphthalenesulfonyl (dansyl) chloride at room temperature for 80 min, purified on the ODS minicolumn, separated on silica gel columns (150 × 1.9 mm i.d. and 100 × 1.9 mm i.d.) with n-hexane/chloroform/ethanol (70:30:0.1) as eluent at 3 ml min^?1 and detected by the chemiluminescence emission produced in a post-column reaction with bis-(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl) oxalate (8 mM in chloroform containing 100 mM triethylamine) and hydrogen peroxide (600 mM in methanol containing 6% (v/v) sodium acetate buffer at pH 4.0). The overall recovery of estradiol from serum is ca. 90% and the detection limit is ca. 50 pg.     

Determination of vinclozolin metabolites in human urine by high-performance liquid chromatography and electrochemical detection

A sensitive and reliable method to assess occupational exposure to vinclozolin based on biomonitoring principles has been elaborated. The conditions for pretreating the human urinary samples were chosen in such a way that vinclozolin metabolites containing the intact 3,5-dichloroaniline (3,5-DCA) moiety are completely degraded into this amine by means of basic hydrolysis. After addition of 3,4-DCA as an internal standard, steam distillation and extraction, the analysis is carried out by high-performance liquid chromatography and electrochemical detection. The determination limit is 5 g 3,5-DCA/l urine. The method turned out to be sensitive enough to quantify not only occupational but also nutritional excretions of 3,5-DCA containing metabolites to some extent. Interpreting these results, which are verified by an independent method, it must be considered that in addition to vinclozolin some further crop protection agents are also based on the 3,5-DCA moiety.     

Determination of vinclozolin metabolites in human urine by high-performance liquid chromatography and electrochemical detection

A sensitive and reliable method to assess occupational exposure to vinclozolin based on biomonitoring principles has been elaborated. The conditions for pretreating the human urinary samples were chosen in such a way that vinclozolin metabolites containing the intact 3,5-dichloroaniline (3,5-DCA) moiety are completely degraded into this amine by means of basic hydrolysis. After addition of 3,4-DCA as an internal standard, steam distillation and extraction, the analysis is carried out by high-performance liquid chromatography and electrochemical detection. The determination limit is 5 microg 3,5-DCA/l urine. The method turned out to be sensitive enough to quantify not only occupational but also nutritional excretions of 3,5-DCA containing metabolites to some extent. Interpreting these results, which are verified by an independent method, it must be considered that in addition to vinclozolin some further crop protection agents are also based on the 3,5-DCA moiety.     

Determination of phosphonoformic acid in human plasma and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

Trisodium phosphonoformate (foscarnet) is used in the treatment of cytomegalovirus infections in immunocompromised patients, such as bone marrow and renal transplant recipients, as well as patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome. A simple high-performance liquid chromatographic assay is described using an electrochemical detector. The method is accurate, precise and reproducible. Hydrochlorothiazide is used as the internal standard. This assay allows measurement of foscarnet in biological fluids at concentrations as low as 33 microM. This method is being used for the analysis of samples in clinical trials and is important in the evaluation of the pharmacokinetic disposition of the drug.     

Determination of 3-nitrobenzanthrone in surface soil by normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection

A sensitive method for determining 3-nitrobenzanthrone in surface soil was developed. 3-Nitrobenzanthrone was reduced to 3-aminobenzanthrone by refluxing at 60 degrees C with hydrazine and Raney nickel for 20 min, and 3-aminobenzanthrone was determined by normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection. We used a cyanopropyl stationary phase and an n-hexane-ethyl acetate (3:1, v/v) mobile phase, since 3-aminobenzanthrone exhibits fluorescence in a low-polarity solvent such as n-hexane or ethyl acetate, but not in a polar solvent such as water or methanol. The calibration graph showed good linearity (r2>0.9999) in the range of 0.002-2 ng, and the detection limit was 0.002 ng (S/N=3). 3-Nitrobenzanthrone in extracts from surface soil collected in the Chubu area (central area) of Japan was determined after clean-up using silica gel chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography on a pyrenylethyl stationary phase. The concentration of 3-nitrobenzanthrone in surface soil was determined in the range of 1.2-1020 pg/g soil.     

Determination of thiamazole in serum by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

A simple and sensitive method for the determination of thiamazole in serum by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection is described. Thiamazole in serum was quantified without an extraction procedure at concentrations down to 10 ng/ml. This method was applied to determine the serum concentration of the drug in two healthy volunteers given a single oral dose of 10 mg of thiamazole. The concentration of the drug reached a maximum at 3-4 h after the oral dose and two elimination phases were observed.     

Determination of diclofenac in plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method with electrochemical detection for the quantitative determination of diclofenac potassium in plasma was developed. Naproxen was used as the internal standard. The drug and internal standard were isolated from plasma by extraction with dichloromethane and 2 M hydrochloric acid. Chromatographic separation was performed on a C18 column with methanol-water (68:32, v/v) adjusted to pH 3.2 with phosphoric acid as mobile phase. The oxidation potential for detection was established by constructing a voltammogram for diclofenac. The quantification limit for diclofenac in plasma was 5 ng mL(-1). Linearity of the method was confirmed in the range 5-2000 ng mL(-1), correlation coefficient 0.9998. Within-day relative standard deviations (RSDs) ranged from 0.66 to 14.00% and between-day RSDs from 0.59 to 15.78%. The method was successfully applied for the determination of pharmacokinetic parameters after ingestion of a 50 mg dose of diclofenac. Studies were performed on 18 healthy volunteers of both sexes.     

Determination of urinary 5-S-cysteinyldopamine by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

Summary 5-S-Cysteinyldopamine, a new metabolite of dopamine, was determined in urine by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. The catechol was detected in 14 of 21 melanoma patients and 7 of 21 normal subjects; the highest values were 657 μg/day for melanoma patients and 44 μg/day for normal subjects. These results suggest that the cysteine conjugate may arise from autoxidation of dopamine but tyrosinase may also participate in the oxidation.     

Determination of triazine pesticides by high-performance liquid chromatography with swept-potential electrochemical detection

A swept-potential electrochemical detector, operating in the square-wave voltammetric mode, is used to detect a mixture of five triazine pesticides separated on a reverse-phase resin column. Limits of detection are below 1 ng injected. Two compounds, not completely separated by the column, are resolved on the potential axis.     

Determination of bisphenol A in air by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

An air-sampling method for bisphenol A utilizing 13-mm glass fibre filters was developed. The collection efficiency and desorption characteristics were determined. Liquid chromatographic conditions were optimized for the electrochemical detection of bisphenol A. Detection under acidic and alkaline conditions is discussed. The detection minimum is 25 ng/m3 for a 60-1 sample.     

Determination of glutathione in biological material by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

Glutathione in biological samples is extracted by perchloric acid and separated by ion-paier chromatography on a RP-18 phase. In a post-column reaction, glutathione is converted to an isoindole derivative by reaction with o-phthalaldehyde and detected at a galssy carbon electrode at 800 mV v. Ag/AgCl/3 M KCl. The detection limit is 40 pmol of glutathione injected.     

Determination of total cholesterol in serum by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

A simple and sensitive HPLC method that does not require derivatization for determining cholesterol has been developed. Investigation of voltammetric behavior of cholesterol showed that cholesterol could be oxidized on a glassy carbon electrode in non-aqueous solvents. This was applied to the development of a method by HPLC with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ED). The HPLC-ED was optimized using the separation of cholesterol and oxysterols including 26-hydroxycholesterol and 24S-hydroxycholesterol. The separation was carried out with a Develosil C30-UG-3 column; acetonitrile-2-propanol (9:1, v/v) containing 50mM LiClO(4) as a mobile phase; and an applied potential at 1.9V versus Ag/AgCl. The current peak height was linearly related to the amount of cholesterol injected from 0.5-100 microM (r>0.999). The detection limit (S/N=3) of cholesterol was 0.36 microM (1.8 pmol). Cholesterol at 100 microM was directly detected with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of less than 1.0% (n=8). Total cholesterol and free cholesterol in control human serum were determined by the present method with the recovery of more than 90% and the RSD (n=6) of less than 3.0%.