A RAPID AND SIMPLE SCREENING METHOD FOR DETECTION OF OROTIC ACIDURIA BY CAPILLARY ZONE ELECTROPHORESIS

A rapid and selective capillary zone electrophoretic method for screen ing of patients with erotic aciduria is described. The method is based on direct measurement of erotic acid in untreated urine. Total analys is time is 5 min with the limit of quantification of 10 mu mol/l. Sele ctivity of the method is given by the use of a low pH of background el ectrolyte at which practically no interferences from native urine appe ared, as well as by using a fast scanning detector which enables the i dentification of erotic acid via its characteristic UV spectra. This m ethod can be used for quantitative assessment of erotic acid present i n urine at physiological conditions after an ion exchange chromatograp hy-clean up and preconcentration procedure. Urine samples containing e rotic acid at pathological concentrations (typically more than 1 mol/m ol creatinine) could be successfully analysed. The method described wa s applied to urine specimens collected from both healthy volunteers an d patients with orotic acidurias of various origin. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.