Silica-gel Paper Chromatographic Detection and Quantitation of Homogentisic Acid in Urine

Abstract

A silica-gel chromatographic method was devised to determine homogentisic acid which is apparently not detectable in normal urine. As a result the output of the acid in alcaptonuria was found to be in a range of 3-5g/day.
The new method was confirmed to provide a sufficient recovery and a high degree of specificity of homogentisic acid on its clinical use.