A NEW DRUG SCREENING SYSTEM MULTI-HPLC BY HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY USING MULTIWAVELENGTH UV DETECTOR AND ITS CLINICAL-APPLICATION

We have developed a new drug screening system, MULTI-HPLC, a high perf ormance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system that uses a simultaneous m ultiwavelength ultraviolet (UV) detector. In this system, HPLC coupled with a 32-channel photodiode-array UV detector can provide multidimen sional chromatographic information about compounds and yield identific ation and quantification of unknown intoxicating agents rapidly and ne arly automatically by computer assistance. This detector can provide s pectral data. Special attention is given to spectral interpretation te chniques (spectrum search function, peak deconvolution, retention pred iction program). Possible applications of this system were demonstrate d in clinical cases and were found useful and practical, especially in multidrug poisoning. The comprehensive drug screening and quantificat ion within a short turnaround time allow the toxicology laboratory to assume a much more important role in the diagnosis and management of a cute poisoning patients.