Direct quantification of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) in marine micro- and macroalgae using HPLC or UPLC/MS

A simple method for the direct quantification of dimethylsulfinopropionate (DMSP) using HPLC or UPLC coupled to UV and/or MS detection is introduced. The protocol is applied for the determination of DMSP from marine micro- and macroalgae. The method is based on the derivatisation of DMSP using 1-pyrenyidiazomethane followed by reversed phase HPLC or UPLC separation. The detection limit is 590 nM, corresponding to 1 ng DMSP per injection. Using a combination of UV and MS detection the calibration curves were linear in the range of 2.93 mu M to 11.7 mM concentrations. We show that direct determination of DMSP is possible from macroalgal tissue and microalgal cultures if DMSP-lyase activity is suppressed during work-up. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.