A novel sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography/electrochemical procedure for measuring formaldehyde produced from oxidative deamination of methylamine and in biological samples

Formaldehyde is a well-known environmental toxic hazard. It is also a product of oxidative deamination of methylamine catalyzed by semicarbazide-sensitive amine oxidase (SSAO). Increased SSAO-mediated deamination has been implicated in some pathophysiological conditions, such as diabetic complications. The measurement of formaldehyde in the enzymatic reactions and in vivo production using conventional methods was not straightforward due to limitations of selectivity and sensitivity. A novel high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)/electrochemical procedure for the measurement of formaldehyde has been developed. The measurement is based on the formation of adducts between formaldehyde and dopamine. These adducts can be selectively purified and concentrated using a batch method of alumina absorption, separated by HPLC, and electrochemically quantified. The method is highly selective and substantially more sensitive, i.e., detection of picomole levels of formaldehyde, than the conventional methods. The procedure not only facilitates the assessment of SSAO activity in vitro but also is useful for assessing formaldehyde in tissues and biological fluids.