POLYAMINE ANALYSIS USING N-HYDROXYSUCCINIMIDYL-6-AMINOQUINOYL CARBAMATE FOR PRECOLUMN DERIVATIZATION

N-Hydroxysuccinimidyl-6-aminoquinoyl carbamate (AccQ.Fluor) was used a s a polyamine pre-column derivatization reagent prior to HPLC analysis using a 5-mu m C-8 reversed-phase column. The fluorescence detector e xcitation wavelength was set at 250 nm and emission at 395 nm. Quantit ation, reproducibility, linearity, recovery and stability were demonst rated. The lower limit of detection was 660 fmol. This method is 45 an d 61 times more sensitive than those using the pre-column derivatizing agents dansyl chloride and orthophthalaldehyde, respectively. Applica bility to biological samples was demonstrated by analyses of polyamine s in extracts of mouse erythrocytes and Trypanosoma brucei brucei.