2018 Volume 67 Issue 2 Pages 204-209
Utilizing a portable ultraviolet lamp (black light), we estimated the amount of 12 fluorescent substances in urine specimens. The lamp can radiate light of not only the main excitation wavelengths of 350 and 370 nm, but also light of wavelengths shorter than 300 nm (the ultraviolet region). The substances may be considered as fluorescent if they have excitation wavelengths lower than 300 nm on filter papers or thin layer chromatography (TLC) plates. Using the fluorescent spot test on filter papers and TLC plates, we have defined 12 fluorescent substances, namely, amino acids (tryptophan and histidine), flavine compounds (FMN and FAD), aromatic amino acid metabolites (gentisic acid, tryptamine, serotonin, 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid, skatole, and indole) and hemoglobin metabolites (coproporphyrin and urobilin) in urine specimens.
