Some applications of near-ultraviolet laser-induced fluorescence detection in nanomolar- and subnanomolar-range high-performance liquid chromatography or micro-high-performance liquid chromatography.

In this work we present some applications of near-UV laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) with micro-HPLC (microHPLC) and HPLC. To test the sensitivity of the detection, we used pyrene and aflatoxins, because both of these molecules exhibit native fluorescence. Then we studied catecholamines derivatized with 1,2-diphenylethylenediamine. The results show that we were able to reach better sensitivity levels than previously described in LIF studies. For catecholamines, a 50-fold increase in sensitivity compared to conventional fluorescence was obtained. These results indicate that LIF detection associated with HPLC or microHPLC can be used to detect very low concentrations of substances that can be excited in the near-UV range after labeling at nanomolar concentrations.