HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHIC DETERMINATION OF PUTRESCINE IN TOMATO USING 2-HYDROXYNAPHTHALDEHYDEHYDE AS DERIVATIZING REAGENTS

The biological active diamines cadaverine (CA), putrescine (Pu) and 1, 3-propylenediamine (Pt), together with 1,2-propylenediamine (PR) react with 2-hydroxynaphthaldehyde in a molar ratio (1:2) to form the Schif f bases bis(2-hydroxypaphthaldehyde) 1,5-pentanediimine (HN(2)CA), bis (2-hydroxynaphthaldehyde) 1,4-butanediimine (NH2Pu), bis(2-hydroxynaph thaldehyde) 1,3-propanediimine (NH2Pr) and bis(2-hydroxynaphthaldehyde ) 1,2-propanediimine (NH(2)PR). HN(2)CA, HN2Pu, and HN2Pr or HN(2)CA, HN2Pu and HN(2)PR were separated on Nova pak C-18 column when eluted i socratically with methanol:water:tetrahydrofuran (64:35:1) and quantit ate 1 with UV detection at 260 nm In the presence of excess of derivat izing reagent in aqueous-meth inolic solution at pH 8, the Schiff base s formation were complete within 5 min. The dynamic ranges for CA, Pu and Pr were with 3.5-60 mu g/mL and detection limit within 0.3-.6 mu g /ml. The as ay was applied to quantitate Pu in a tomato sample which w as found to be 24 +/- 3 ng/g (w/w).