Simultaneous determination of amino-alpha-carbolines and amino-gamma-carbolines in cigarette smoke condensate by high-performance liquid chromatography.

A method for the simultaneous detection of amino-alpha-carbolines (2-amino-alpha-carboline and 2-amino-3-methyl-alpha-carboline) and amino-gamma-carbolines (3-amino-1,4-dimethyl-5H-pyrido [4,3-b]indole and 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido [4,3-b]indole) by high-performance liquid chromatography has been developed. It consists of a three-step purification using three different columns with fluorometric detection. With this method, we have demonstrated that both amino-alpha-carbolines and amino-gamma-carbolines are present in cigarette smoke condensate. The method may be useful for detecting these carcinogens in various materials.