Abstract
An in situ fluorometric method was developed for the quantitation of 1-methyl-2-(2-naphthyl) aziridine (I) in biological materials. Three-phase thin-layer plate (Silica gel G, cellulose powder, and talc) was effective for the separation and fluorescence measurement of I. I in rat muscle or in rat blood was extracted with AcOEt n-hexane, respectively, and then 2-10 μl of the extract was spotted on the silica gel phase of the three-phase thinlayer plate. The plate was developed for 40 min with MeOH·ether (7 : 1, v/v) mixture, dried, and then isopropyl myristate was sprayed. Rf-value of I was about 0.5 in the talc phase of the three-phase plate. The plate was heated for 20 min on a hot plate (180°) and cooled in N2 stream. Fluorescence intensity was determined by scanning with a spetrofluorodensitometer (excit, 340 nm, emission 480 nm) after the fluorescent spot was covered with a quartz plate. The linear dynamic range for the assay was found from 0.02 to 0.2 μg of I per spot. This method was applied for the determination of unchanged I in the rat blood and muscle, and 2-vinylnaphthalene was found as the metabolite of I in rat blood.
