A micro method for the determination of volatile metabolites in biological samples. A preliminary report.

A new method for analyzing volatile metabolites in biological fluids and tissues has been developed. The procedure involves extraction of the sample with diethyl ether, concentration on a short column of glass wool by elution of the diethyl ether, then thermal desorption of the trace constituents into a chromatographic system. Small samples of 100 mul are quite adequate. The method is applicable to serum, plasma, urine and other fluids. Small tissue samples can also be used with this technique.