I'm looking for a HPLC method for L-carnitine in biological fluids.

We have an isocratic system with a UV detector, so I'd prefer a method using a C18 column and UV detection.

Thanks in advance.

Suggestions:
(1) cation column, 5mM HCl and conductivity
detection
(2) Look at review of all common methods for L
carnitine in J Chromatogr B Biomed Sci Appl 1997
Nov21;702(1-2):1-20
(3) a chiral separation has been reported using
teicoplanin bound to a support so if your
interested in a chiral sepn why not call Astec
technical support?

I ran across this method recently using an Inertsil ODS-2 column, 4.6 x 150 mm, with an isocratic mobile phase of 0.4% heptafluorobutyric acid (volatile ion-pair reagent) at 1 mL/min and ELS & UV227 detection. The retention time for L-carnitine is 9 minutes. The method notes indicate the UV is not very sensitive, with an LOD of 200 ug/mL. They run the calibration curve from 20 to 200 ug/mL for the ELS detector, so they are only using UV for high level samples. I suppose you could improve on this some at lower wavelengths (e.g. 204 nm).

I'm not sure if the Inertsil column is one of the newer polar embedded varities compatible with 100% aqueous, so you might want to add 2-3% MeCN to the mobile phase. Nonafluoropentanoic acid (0.2-0.4%) can be subsituted for the HFBA.

These reagents do not take as long to equilibrate a column (not like SDS), and should be ready to run after 2-3 hrs. I normally set it up in the evening, and run at 0.2 mL/min overnight (<200 mL). In the morning, the column is good to go.

Good luck.