title: Determination of delta-aminolevulinic acid in plasma using high-performance liquid chromatography: a sensitive indicator of lead effects.
abstract: We developed a simple and reliable method for determining delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) in plasma (ALA-P) by fluorometric high-performance liquid chromatography. The method was applicable to 100 microliters of plasma and the mean +/- standard deviation for analytical recovery was 100.4 +/- 2.6% when 50 micrograms/l of ALA was added to 14 plasma samples. The detection limit for ALA-P was 2.0 micrograms/l (signal-to-noise ratio was 5) and the standard curve was linear in a wide range up to 400 micrograms/l. The ALA-P level for 26 unexposed male adults was 8.6 +/- 1.3 micrograms/l. In 72 male lead workers, logarithm of ALA-P concentration was significantly correlated with blood lead concentrations (Pb-B) of 2.5-115.4 micrograms/dl (r = 0.924, p < 0.001). Even at the Pb-B level less than 15 micrograms/dl, significant linear relationships were found between Pb-B and log ALA-P (r = 0.632, p < 0.01), between Pb-B and delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase activity (ALA-D) (r = -0.573, p < 0.05), and between ALA-D and ALA-P (r = -0.765, p < 0.001). It is suggested that ALA-P determined by the present method is a useful indicator of biological effects of lead, especially in the wide range of Pb-B level.
authors: Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Morita
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Araki
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Sakai
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Araki
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Masuyama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005470:Fluorometry; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008669:Metallurgy; D008875:Middle Aged; D000623:Porphobilinogen Synthase / Q000097:blood; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D007854:Lead; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid; D000623:Porphobilinogen Synthase