Development of Novel Fluorescence-Derivatization-HPLC Methods Enabling Highly Sensitive and Selective Analysis of Biological Compounds

Fluorescence-derivatization-HPLC methods are powerful tools for performing the analysis of bioactive compounds with high sensitivity and selectivity. In this paper, the author reviews the development of the following four types of novel fluorescence-derivatization-HPLC analytical systems: (1) simultaneous HPLC analysis of melatonin and its related compounds through post-column electrochemical demethylation and fluorescence derivatization, (2) HPLC analysis of 5-hydroxyindoles based on fluorescence derivatization by online pre-column photocatalytic oxidation with benzylamine, (3) reagent peak-free HPLC analysis for aliphatic amines and amino acids using F-trap pyrene as a fluorous tag-bound fluorescence derivatization reagent, and (4) reagent peak-free HPLC analysis for carboxylic acids using a fluorous scavenging-derivatization method. The authors have also successfully applied these systems to biological and pharmaceutical analyses.