A simple chromatographic method for determining the basic amino-acids in protein hydrolysates

Abstract

A new micro method utilising charcoal chromatography has been developed for the determination of the individual basic amino-acids in protein hydrolysates. It is based on the fact that both the aromatic amino-acids and basic amino-acid picrates are strongly adsorbed by active-charcoal columns, and that the latter can be freed from the aromatic amino-acids by treatment of the adsorbent with aqueous ethyl acetate solution. The separation of the individual basic amino-acids depends on differential decomposition of their picrates on the columns by various eluents. The method can be used for the determination of histidine in the presence of other imidazole derivatives.