SIMPLE METHOD FOR ANALYSIS OF DIQUAT IN BIOLOGICAL-FLUIDS AND TISSUESBY HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY

A simple HPLC method has been described to quantify diquat in biologic al fluids and tissues. This method permits separation and quantificati on of diquat from blood, bile, urine, liver and kidney. It does not re quire special pretreatment of the samples prior to analysis, nor a spe cially prepared analytical column. Various concentrations of diquat we re added (10-300 nmol/ml or g) to fluids or tissues. Analysis of blank samples revealed no substances that interfere with diquat elution. Ex cellent recovery (95-105%) was obtained. Diquat (120 mu mol/kg, i.v.) was injected to rats and quantified in bile, blood and liver. Concentr ation of diquat was higher in blood and bile than liver. Therefore, th is method is applicable for quantification of diquat in toxicological samples, and may be used to determine structurally similar compounds s uch as paraquat.