Abstract

A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for the determination of 2-(4-(N,N,N-trimethyl)-butyl)-5-dodecylfuryl bromide (DFTA) in dipalmitoylphophatidil-choline (DPPC) liposome solutions has been developed. Lipid-soluble furan derivatives, 2,5-disubstituted with different n-alkyl chains and a terminal trimethylammonium group are useful probes for studying singlet oxygen dynamics and equilibria in microcompartmentalized systems. The actual HPLC method uses a gradient elution and DAD detection. The chromatographic separation of these components is achieved using a C18 analytical column with a 10 mM solution of 1-heptanesulfonic acid (PIC-7)-methanol (10:90, v/v) as initial mobile phase. Both DFTA peaks are well resolved and free of interference from matrix components and reaction products. The method has been found to be linear (r > 0.999) over a wide concentration range and reliable to perform kinetic experiments in which the time dependent consumption of a tetraalkylammonium surfactant in a microorganized systems composed by lipidic surfactants is followed. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.