Determination of thiocyanate in human serum by ion chromatography
Abstract
A simple ion chromatographic method has been developed for the determination of trace amounts of thiocyanate in human serum. Thiocyanate was detected by an ultraviolet detector and 4 mM potassium dihydrogen phosphate and 2 mM potassium hydrogen phosphate were used as the mobile phase. The protein in serum was removed by precipitation with acetonitrile followed by centrifugation. Thiocyanate was clearly separated from chloride, the main anion in serum, and from many organic and inorganic anions. It was found that the serum thiocyanate concentration of smokers was about seven times higher than that of non-smokers.