ANALYSIS OF POLYOLS IN UREMIC SERUM BY LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY COMBINED WITH ATMOSPHERIC-PRESSURE CHEMICAL IONIZATION MASS-SPECTROMETRY

Liquid chromatography with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry in the negative-ion mode was used to analyse polyols in uremic serum obtained from haemodialysis patients. With post-column addition of 1% chloroform-methanol as an ionization accelerating solvent, the chloride addition ions, [M + Cl]-, were detected as base peaks, and the molecular masses of the polyols were easily determined by comparing [M + Cl]- and [M - H]- ions. Concentrations of erythritol, myoinositol, mannitol and sorbitol were markedly increased, and that of 1,5-anhydroglucitol was markedly decreased in the uremic serum compared with normal serum. After haemodialysis, the serum concentration of these polyols decreased significantly. This method was found to be useful in