Highly selective and simple method for determination of polythiols based on liquid chromatography with postcolumn excimer fluorescence derivatization.

An LC postcolumn derivatization method for determination of polythiols has been developed. This method involves separation using reversed-phase LC, postcolumn derivatization with N-(1-pyrenyl)maleimide, and excimer fluorescence detection. Analytes with a polythiol structure were converted into corresponding polypyrene-labeled derivatives, and the derivatives exhibited intramolecular excimer fluorescence (440-520 nm). In this study, dimercaprol and dithiothreitol were used as model polythiols. This polythiol analysis method is simple; it is also highly selective and sensitive and yields good calibration curves.