DETERMINATION OF MONENSINS-A AND MONENSINS-B IN THE FERMENTATION BROTH OF STREPTOMYCES-EINNAMONENSIS BY HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY

High performance liquid chromatography on an octadecyl silica column has been used to determine both the monensin A: monensin B ratio and by the method of standard addition, the concentration of both in the fermentation broth of Streptomyces cinnamonensis. Refractive index detection was preferred to ultraviolet owing to the presence of UV-absorbing components which could not be completely separated from the substances of interest. A linear relationship was obtained from the calibration data. The coefficients of variation for the estimation both of the ratio and the concentrations of the compounds were better then 5 %. The estimated limit of detection for both substances was about 1 mug/ml. The results obtained from the determination of the ratios of monensins were compared with those obtained by chemical ionization mass spectrometry. Chromatographic separation of monensins on the silica gel column is also described.