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Quantitation of vitamin K in human milk
Author(s) -
Canfield Louise M.,
Hopkinson Judy M.,
Lima Anne F.,
Martin Gail S.,
Sugimoto Kyoto,
Burr Jeanne,
Clark Larry,
McGee Daniel L.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
lipids
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.601
H-Index - 120
eISSN - 1558-9307
pISSN - 0024-4201
DOI - 10.1007/bf02537985
Subject(s) - chromatography , high performance liquid chromatography , colostrum , vitamin , chemistry , ultraviolet , lipidology , clinical chemistry , biochemistry , biology , materials science , antibody , immunology , optoelectronics
A quantitative method was developed for the assay of vitamin K in human colostrum and milk. The procedure combines preparative and analytical chromatography on silica gel in a nitrogen atmosphere followed by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Two HPLC steps were used: gradient separation with ultraviolet (UV) detection followed by isocratic separation detected electrochemically. Due to co‐migrating impurities, UV detection alone is insufficient for identification of vitamin K. Exogenous vitamin K was shown to equilibrate with endogenous vitamin K in the samples. A statistical method was incorporated to control for experimental variability. Vitamin K 1 was analyzed in 16 pooled milk samples from 7 donors and in individual samples from 15 donors at 1 month post‐partrum. Vitamin K 1 was present at 2.94±1.94 and 3.15±2.87 ng/mL in pools and in individuals, respectively. Menaquinones, the bacterial form of the vitamin, were not detected. The significance of experimental variation to studies of vitamin K in individuals is discussed.