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Science 25 August 1978:
Vol. 201. no. 4357, pp. 741 - 743
DOI: 10.1126/science.675255
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Articles

Science, Vol 201, Issue 4357, 741-743
Copyright © 1978 by American Association for the Advancement of Science

articles

Analysis of melatonin in human plasma by gas chromatography negative chemical ionization mass spectrometry

AJ Lewy and SP Markey

Three techniques have been used to measure human plasma melatonin: bioassay, radioimmunoassay, and gas chromatography--mass spectrometry (GC-MS). GC-MS is theoretically capable of the greatest specificity, but in general suffers from insufficient sensitivity. Negative chemical ionization, a new technique, provides a 150-fold increase in GC-MS sensitivity for electron-capturing compounds. Negative chemical ionization GC-MS permits routine measurement in human plasma of melatonin at a concentration as low as 1 picogram per milliliter.


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