Analytical Sciences

Rapid and Sensitive HPLC Method for the Simultaneous Determination of Paraquat and Diquat in Human Serum

Shuuji HARA,* Noriaki SASAKI,* Daizi TAKASE,* Shouichi SHIOTSUKA,** Kentaro OGATA,** Koujiro FUTAGAMI,** and Kazuo TAMURA***

*Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fukuoka University, Jonan, Fukuoka 814-0180, Japan
**Department of Pharmacy, Fukuoka University Hospital, Jonan, Fukuoka 814-0180, Japan
***Internal Medicine, Fukuoka University Hospital, Jonan, Fukuoka 814-0180, Japan

A rapid and sensitive HPLC method for the simultaneous determination of paraquat and diquat in human serum has been developed. After deproteinization of the serum with 10% trichloroacetic acid, the samples were separated on a reversed-phase column, and subsequently reduced to their radicals with alkaline sodium hydrosulfite solution. These radicals were monitored with a UV detector at 391 nm. This method permitted the reliable quantification of paraquat over linear ranges of 50 ng - 10 µg/ml and 100 ng - 10 µg/ml for diquat in human serum. The within- and between-day variations are lower than 2.3 and 2.2%, respectively. This technique was also utilized to determine the paraquat and diquat serum levels in a patient who had ingested herbicide (Prigrox L^®) containing paraquat and diquat.

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