Office of Aerospace Medicine Technical Reports

FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute


Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-71/15

Title and Subtitle: Automated differential fluorometric analysis of norepinephrine and epinephrine in blood plasma and urine

Report Date: April 1971

Authors: Fiorica V, Moses R

Abstract: An automated fluorometric trihydroxyindole procedure is described for the measurement of norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (E) in blood plasma or urine. The method employs conventional techniques for isolation of the catecholamines by alumina column chromatography. Column eluates are analyzed in an AutoAnalyzer system incorporating two fluorometers. Differentiation of the amines is based on differences in the fluorescence characteristics of the lutines of NE and E.

The accuracy (as estimated by recoveries of added amines) and precision of the method are comparable to those reported for other trihydroxyindole techniques. Representative values for urinary excretion and for plasma levels of NE and E compare favorably with values stated in the literature.

Key Words: Biochemical Analysis, Catecholamines, Norepinephrine, Epinephrine, Urine, Blood Plasma, Fluorometry, Automated Analysis

No. of Pages: 18

Last updated: Friday, June 1, 2012