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Taurine determination by capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection: from clinical field to quality food applications

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An Erratum to this article was published on 13 February 2008

Abstract

In this work we describe a new method for taurine quantification in plasma by capillary electrophoresis laser-induced fluorescence detection. Taurine is derivatized with fluorescein isothiocyanate at 100°C in 20 min. These conditions allow to reduce the pre-analytical times and to derivatize quantitatively the taurine contained in the reaction mixture, contrary to the room temperature derivatization commonly adopted. FITC-taurine adduct is analyzed in an uncoated fused-silica capillary, 75 μm ID and 40 cm effective length using a 20 mmol/L tribasic sodium phosphate buffer pH 11.8, at 22 kV. To avoid the typical problems due to instability of FITC-adduct, we use the homocysteic acid as internal standard. The loss of FITC-taurine signal during the sequence analysis is compensated by the same loss of FITC-internal standard adduct, thus giving a noteworthy improvement in the assay precision. The method shows a good reproducibility of the migration times (coefficient of variation, CV%, 1.93) and the peak areas (CV%, 3.65). Intra- and interassay CV were 4.63 and 6.44%, respectively, and analytical recovery was between 98.1 and 102.3%. Assay application was tested measuring taurine plasma levels in 50 healthy volunteers in which a mean value of 60.2 ± 17.9 μmol/L was found. Moreover, the applicability of the method was also checked on energy drinks and milk.

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Abbreviations

CE:

Capillary electrophoresis

LIF:

Laser-induced fluorescence

FITC:

Fluorescein isothiocyanate

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the “Fondazione Banco di Sardegna-Sassari-Italy” and by the “Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca” Italy. The language revision of the manuscript by Mrs. Maria Antonietta Meloni is greatly appreciated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari (SS), Italy

    Angelo Zinellu, Salvatore Sotgia, Scanu Bastianina, Leonardo Gaspa, Luca Deiana & Ciriaco Carru

  2. National Institute Biostructures and Biosystems, Osilo (SS), Italy

    Angelo Zinellu, Roberto Chessa, Leonardo Gaspa, Flavia Franconi & Ciriaco Carru

  3. Department of Pharmacological Science, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy

    Flavia Franconi

  4. Department of Biomedical Sciences, Chair of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Sassari, Viale San Pietro 43/B, 07100, Sassari, Italy

    Angelo Zinellu

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  1. Angelo Zinellu
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  2. Salvatore Sotgia
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  3. Scanu Bastianina
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Correspondence to Angelo Zinellu or Ciriaco Carru.

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An erratum to this article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00726-008-0041-x

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Zinellu, A., Sotgia, S., Bastianina, S. et al. Taurine determination by capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection: from clinical field to quality food applications. Amino Acids 36, 35–41 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-007-0022-5

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