Liquid chromatographic analysis of amino acids in physiological fluids: recent advances.

Amino acid analysers have been used for the quantitative investigation of amino acids in physiological fluids for over 30 years. Advances in technology have resulted in a steady decrease in analysis time and detection limits of the cation-exchange chromatography, followed by ninhydrin detection, used by the original instruments. The introduction of pre-column derivatisation and alternative HPLC techniques offers new opportunities for advancement. The analytical characteristics, principles, merits and limitations of both techniques are discussed, and their suitability for clinical purposes assessed. Practical considerations are emphasised and the influence of choice of chemistry and instrument design on the resolution and quality of quantitative data is highlighted.