Serum ethylene glycol by high-performance liquid chromatography

A high-performance liquid chromatography procedure for detection and quantitation of ethylene glycol in serum is described. Ethylene glycol and internal standard are derivatized with benzoyl chloride under alkaline conditions, purified by solid-phase extraction and analyzed by HPLC with UV detection. Analytical recovery of ethylene glycol ranges between 96 and 103%. The calibration curve is linear from 20 to 2000 mg/l. The limits of detection and quantitation are 10 and 20 mg/l, respectively. Assay imprecision is 4.8% or less. The assay is free from common interferences and provides increased sensitivity, improved precision and extended linearity.