High-performance liquid-chromatographic analysis for tryptophan in serum.

Concentrations of total tryptophan were determined rapidly and sensitively in 50 microliter of serum by a reversed-phase partition version of high-performance liquid chromatography. For determination of total tryptophan, sample preparation requires only precipitation of the serum protein with trichloroacetic acid and removing excess trichloroacetic acid with a 1,1,2-trichlorotrifluoroethane(Freon)/tri-N-octylamine solution. Tryptophan in serum samples was detected by ultraviolet and fluorescence spectrometry. No interferences from the naturally occurring constituents of serum were observed. Elution time for tryptophan is 15 min, the limit of detection is 1 pmol.