Solid phase extraction and isocratic separation of urinary porphyrins by HPLC.

A method for determining urine porphyrins by HPLC is described. In the preliminary step, porphyrins are purified in high yields and concentrated by low pressure reverse-phase chromatography on C18 (octadecylsilane bonded silica) cartridge. Porphyrins are stable for 10 days after adsorption on C18 cartridge. The separation of porphyrin esters is performed on an aminopropyl-bonded silica column with an eluting system containing n-heptane and ethyl acetate. The system enables rapid isocratic separation of porphyrin methyl esters with high selectivity. The simplicity and reproducibility of the whole procedure allows its application to the routine analysis of urinary porphyrins in the clinical laboratory.