Liquid-Chromatographic Methods for Carboxylic Acids in Biological Samples

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Clinical Chemistry

Background:

• Carboxyl-bearing low-molecular-weight compounds (e.g., keto acids, fatty acids, organic acids) are integral to numerous metabolic pathways.
• Alterations in these compounds are linked to various diseases, including cancer, leukemia, heart disease, liver disease, obesity, and diabetes.
• Accurate quantification of these biomolecules offers critical insights into disease diagnosis, pathology, and mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive review of analytical methods for quantifying carboxylic acids in biological samples.
• To cover methods developed from 2000 to the present.
• To classify and summarize techniques for diverse carboxylic acid categories.

Main Methods:

• Review of analytical methods published from 2000 to date.
• Classification of carboxylic acids into categories: fatty acids, TCA cycle and glycolysis compounds, amino acid metabolites, perfluorinated carboxylic acids, α-keto acids, thiazole-containing carboxylic acids, and miscellaneous.
• Summary of liquid chromatography techniques coupled with UV, fluorescence, mass spectrometry, and electrochemical detection.

Main Results:

• Analytical methods for quantifying various carboxylic acids in biological samples have significantly advanced.
• Liquid chromatography coupled with different detection methods (UV, fluorescence, MS, electrochemical) are key techniques.
• The review categorizes and details methods for a wide range of important carboxylic acids.

Conclusions:

• Quantification of carboxylic acids is essential for advancing our understanding of metabolic diseases.
• The reviewed analytical methods provide valuable tools for clinical diagnostics and research.
• Continued development in analytical techniques will further enhance disease biomarker discovery.