Published: Journal of Analytical Toxicology, Volume 20, Number 2, March/April 1996, pp. 106-110.
Fluorometric HPLC Determination of D-Aminolevulinic
Acid (ALA) in the Plasma and Urine of Lead Workers: Biological Indicators of
Lead Exposure
Hirotaka Oishi, Hiroko Nomiyama, Kazuo Nomiyama, and Katsumaro Tomokuni
A fluorometric high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC)
method was developed for the highly sensitive measurement of D-aminolevulinic
acid (ALA) in biological materials. By using this method, we determined ALA
in the plasma and urine of 418 workers occupationally exposed to lead and in
the plasma and urine of 227 controls. The concentrations of ALA in the plasma
and urine of lead workers were significantly elevated as compared with those
of the controls. The concentration of ALA in plasma and urine was highly correlated
with that of lead in blood in lead workers. It was found that the correlation
(r = 0.742) between log of plasma ALA concentrations and blood lead concentrations
in lead workers was similar to that (r = 0.711) between log of urine ALA concentrations
and blood lead concentrations. These results demonstrated that the measurement
of ALA in plasma or in urine using a fluorometric HPLC method was useful for
the biological monitoring of lead workers.
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