Sample preparation procedure for determination of dopamine sulfate isomers in human urine by high-performance liquid chromatography with dual-electrode electrochemical detection.

We developed a procedure utilizing small columns of solid-phase extraction material for sample preparation for the determination of dopamine sulfate (DAS) isomers in human urine. Processed sample is then subjected to high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with dual-series-electrode electrochemical detection. Dopamine 3-O-sulfate (DA-3-S) and dopamine 4-O-sulfate (DA-4-S) were determined using two different HPLC systems. The ratio of the urinary excretion rate of DA-3-S to DA-4-S was relatively constant, but the 24-h excretion rates of total DAS varied widely among individuals. This method should prove useful in future studies concerning the metabolic and physiologic roles of DAS isomers.