Capillary gas chromatographic separation of urinary organic acids. Retention indices of 101 urinary acids on a 5% phenylmethyl silicone capillary column.

Gas chromatographic retention indices (methylene units) are reported for 101 urinary organic acids as their trimethylsilyl and oximated trimethylsilyl derivatives on a 5% phenylmethyl silicone fused silica capillary column. Using anion exchange chromatography, organic acids were extracted from urines of five healthy individuals, seven patients with neuroblastoma, and nine patients with inherited organic acidurias. Separation of the various acids was achieved by capillary gas chromatography and identification was done by mass spectrometry using a computerized library search program. All identifications were confirmed by visual comparison with reference mass spectra. Standard deviations of the retention indices for all acids were less than 0.035 methylene units and for 46 acids less than 0.01 methylene units. Three chromatograms of urine from individuals with neuroblastoma, phenylketonuria, and propionic acidemia and one from a healthy individual are shown.

Capillary gas-chromatographic determination of urinary homovanillic acid and vanillylmandelic acid.

This relatively simple, rapid method for quantification of homovanillic acid (HVA) and vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) involves solvent extraction and capillary gas chromatography. With use of this extraction method, the overall analytical recovery from an aqueous solution is 92.5% for HVA and 79.2% for VMA. 3,4-Dihydroxybenzoic acid is the internal standard. Minimal detectable quantities with this method are less than 1 mg/g of creatinine. Capillary gas chromatography produces a chromatogram that is superior to that of packed-column gas chromatography. We also report quantitative results for urinary HVA and VMA in neuroblastoma patients and in normal individuals, demonstrating the diagnostic value of this method.