A sensitive micromethod for the routine estimation of methylmalonic acid in body fluids and tissues using thin layer chromatography.

A routine method for the rapid estimation of methylmalonic acid (MMA) has been developed using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) on cellulose, locating the separated MMA zones by coupling with a diazo reagent and quantitating the results by densitometric scanning of a photocopy of the chromatogram on transparency film. The method can detect as little as 25 pg MMA in small volumes of urine, plasma and other body fluids or tissue homogenates, has potential for the simultaneous estimation of MMA, other organic acids, methylmalonyl coenzyme A and creatinine and should be of particular value in the investigation of occult cobalamin deficiency or suspected errors of vitamin B12 or intermediary metabolism.