title: Optimized liquid-chromatographic method for fluorometric determination of urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid in workers exposed to lead.
abstract: We developed a fluorometric method for determining delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) in urine of lead workers. A high-performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) equipped with a fluorescence HPLC monitor is used. The detection limit for aqueous ALA is 20 micrograms/L (15 pmol of ALA in the 100-microL sample). The working linear range of urinary ALA concentration was 0.1 to 100 mg/L. In 25 lead-exposed workers, ALA values by the present method for urine correlated well with those obtained by a conventional colorimetric method (r = 0.996). The advantage of the present method for micro-determination of urinary ALA is its high sensitivity.
mesh_terms: D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000652:urine*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D003124:Colorimetry / Q000379:methods; D005470:Fluorometry; D005557:Formaldehyde; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000652:urine*; D007982:Levulinic Acids / Q000652:urine*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000652:urine*; D010422:Pentanones
chemical_list: D007982:Levulinic Acids; D010422:Pentanones; D005557:Formaldehyde; C008790:acetylacetone; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid