Systematic study of long-term stability of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycol in plasma for subsequent determination with liquid chromatography

The effect of three storage temperature levels (i.e. +4, −20 and −80 °C) and time intervals from sampling (3, 6 and 9 months) on the degradation of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycol (DHPG) and norepinephrine (NE) was investigated in a systematic study. Extracted human plasma samples and acidified standard solutions were stored for long periods (up to 9 months) without the addition of any stabilizing agent. DHPG and NE values, determined using a ion-pair reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method with electrochemical detection of coulometric type (IP-RP-HPLC–CD), remained constant over time in those plasma samples and standard solutions that had been stored at the lowest storing temperature (i.e. −80 °C). The expected degradation was observed at higher temperature levels. Plasma and standard DHPG degradation can, therefore, be prevented by storing samples at a lower temperature than previously suggested with no need to add any stabilizing agent.