Urinary 4-hydroxy-3-methoxymandelic (vanillylmandelic) acid, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylacetic (homovanillic) acid, and 5-hydroxy-3-indoleacetic acid determined by liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.

We describe a simple liquid-chromatographic assay of urinary 4-hydroxy-3-methoxymandelic (vanillylmandelic) acid, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylacetic (homovanillic) acid, and 5-hydroxy-3-indoleacetic acid with electrochemical detection, with direct injection of the sample. The first two analytes are measured simultaneously; 5-hydroxy-3-indoleacetic acid is measured separately. Chromatographic conditions for assay of the three were: column temperature, 65 and 60 degrees C; mobile phase, potassium phosphate buffer (0.2 mol/L, pH 3.0) for 6 min, then potassium phosphate buffer plus acetonitrile (9/1 by vol) for 20 min; flow rate, 0.7 mL/min; oxidation potential, 600 and 450 mV vs an Ag/AgCl reference electrode; and sensitivity, 40 and 160 nA at full scale. Values so obtained agreed well with those obtained for samples that were first solvent-extracted.