Micellar versus reversed phase liquid chromatography for the determination of desferrioxamine and its chelates with aluminium and iron in uremic serum

Micellar liquid chromatography with sodium dodecyl sulphate or Brij-35 as surfactants in the mobile phase was evaluated and compared with reversed phase liquid chromatography using conventional acetonitrile-water eluents for the separation and determination of desferrioxamine (DFO) and its complexes with aluminium (AIDFO) and iron (FeDFO) in uremic serum. Reversed phase liquid chromatography proved to be superior in terms of sensitivity and selectivity. The three solutes investigated were separated with a mobile phase of 13% (v/v) acetonitrile/phosphate buffer (5 mM, pH = 3.5) on a C-18 column and detected by ultraviolet absorption at 210 nm (DFO) and 220 nm (AIDFO and FeDFO). Limits of detection of 0.1 mu g ml(-1) and relative standard deviation of 3-4% were obtained. The recovery from serum samples after ultramicrofiltration was around 90%. The method was applied to the determination of DFO, AIDFO and FeDFO in uremic serum. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.