A selective postcolumn o-phthalaldehyde-derivatization system for the determination of histamine in biological material by high-performance liquid chromatography.

Based on studies of the reaction between histamine and o-phthalaldehyde in alkaline solution, a method optimized for the determination of histamine in biological samples by means of HPLC and postcolumn o-phthalaldehyde derivatization has been developed. The method permits determination of histamine even at low-picomolar levels. By means of a valve, placed immediately after the column outlet, the eluent stream can be switched between the fluorimetric and an electrochemical detector system whereby electroactive biogenic amines may also be studied under the same chromatographic conditions.