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Comparison of automated pre-column and post-column analysis of amino acid oligomersIt has been shown that various amino acids will polymerize under plausible prebiotic conditions on mineral surfaces, such as clays and soluble salts, to form varying amounts of oligomers (n = 2-6). The investigations of these surface reactions required a quantitative method for the separation and detection of these amino acid oligomers at the picomole level in the presence of nanomole levels of the parent amino acid. In initial high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) studies using a classical postcolumn o-phthalaldehyde (OPA) derivatization ion-exchange HPLC procedure with fluorescence detection, problems encountered included lengthy analysis time, inadequate separation and large relative differences in sensitivity for the separated species, expressed as a variable fluorescent yield, which contributed to poor quantitation. We have compared a simple, automated, pre-column OPA derivatization and reversed-phase HPLC method with the classical post-column OPA derivatization and ion-exchange HPLC procedure. A comparison of UV and fluorescent detection of the amino acid oligomers is also presented. The conclusion reached is that the pre-column OPA derivatization, reversed-phase HPLC and UV detection produces enhanced separation, improved sensitivity and faster analysis than post-column OPA derivatization, ion-exchange HPLC and fluorescence detection.
Document ID
20040089083
Acquisition Source
Headquarters
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Chow, J.
(San Francisco State University CA 94132, United States)
Orenberg, J. B.
Nugent, K. D.
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1987
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of chromatography
Volume: 386
ISSN: 0021-9673
Subject Category
Exobiology
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: DMB-8507726
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAGW-324
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
NASA Discipline Exobiology
Non-NASA Center

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