RAPID CHARACTERIZATION OF METALLO PORPHYRIN CLASSES IN NATURAL EXTRACTS BY GEL-PERMEATION CHROMATOGRAPHY ATMOSPHERIC-PRESSURE CHEMICAL-IONIZATION MASS-SPECTROMETRY

Gel permeation chromatography/mass spectrometry with an atmospheric pr essure chemical ionization interface permits the rapid characterizatio n of the types of metallo porphyrins in sediment extracts or adsorptio n chromatographic fractions therefrom, even when the components are pr esent in trace abundance and/or in much lower abundance than co-occurr ing components of the same polarity. Gel permeation chromatography the refore also provides a rapid means of isolating and purifying porphyri n fractions for more detailed studies of component distributions. The approach should have application for pigment analysis not only in pala eoenvironmental reconstruction and palaeoceanographic studies, but als o in biological studies of porphyrins.