Journal of Chromatography A 2007-08-17

Determination of urea using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection after automated derivatisation with xanthydrol.

Shona Clark, Paul S Francis, Xavier A Conlan, Neil W Barnett

Index: J. Chromatogr. A. 1161(1-2) , 207-13, (2007)

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Abstract

A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for the determination of urea that incorporates automated derivatisation with xanthydrol (9H-xanthen-9-ol) is described. Unlike the classic xanthydrol approach for the determination of urea, which involves the precipitation of dixanthylurea (N,N'-di-9H-xanthen-9-ylurea), the derivatisation procedure employed in this method produces N-9H-xanthen-9-ylurea, which remains in solution and can be quantified using fluorescence detection (lambda(ex)=213 nm; lambda(em)=308 nm) after chromatographic separation from interferences. The limit of detection for urea was 5 x 10(-8) M (0.003 mg L(-1)). This method was applied to the determination of urea in human and animal urine and in wine.