Sensitive fluorometric procedure to determine individual amino acids in marine waters

Abstract

Improved methodology for amino acid analysis coupled with semi-micro isolation techniques make feasible the measurement of individual amino acids from marine waters where sample volumes are limited (e.g., sediment pore water or culture filtrates). If a water sample contains more than 20 nmole 1 −1 of the respective compounds, dissolved free amino acids (DFAA) can be isolated from 5 ml of filtrate by cation exchange and measured on a sensitive amino-acid analyzer equipped with a fluorometric detector. Two ml generally provides sufficient sample to determine total dissolved amino acids. Lower concentrations of amino acids can be measured after concentration from larger samples (250 ml) by ligand exchange.