Use of native fluorescence measurements and stopped-flow scanning technique in the high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of catecholamines and related compounds.

Simultaneous separation of catecholamines and tryptophan metabolites has been carried out using a reversed-phase partition mode of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Compounds are detected and measured via their native fluorescence emitted with an excitation wavelength of 285 nm and the emission cut-off filter of 340 nm. Sample preparation is minimized and the assay is selective and well-suited for routine analyses. The sensitivity of the method is in the nanogram range. The identity of chromatographic peaks is confirmed by their excitation spectra, obtained by the stopped-flow fluorescence scanning method.