Amino acid analysis is performed using a Hewlett Packard AminoQuant II system.  The system consists of an HP 1090 liquid chromatograph with an HP Chemstation that is equipped with software that controls the LC and collects, analyzes and reports the data.  There is an autosampler for derivatization and multiple sample handling. 

Derivatized amino acids are eluted from a narrow bore, (2.1 x 200 mm), (Hypersil AA-ODS), 5 um reverse phase column purchased from Agilent (part # 79916AA-572).  Solvent A consists of a 20mM Na acetate buffer with 0.018% v/v triethylamine (Fluka 90338), 0.05mM EDTA, (Sigma E4884) and 0.3% tetrahydrofuran (Fluka 87363) adjusted to pH 7.2 with weak acetic acid.  Solvent B is a 20% 100 mM Na acetate buffer with 40% acetonitrile and 40% methanol.  The working gradient begins at 0 minutes at 100% A at 0.45 ml/min and goes to 60% B over 17 minutes.  Primary amino acids (tagged with OPA) are detected at 338/390 nm by the Diode Array (UV) detector and secondary amino acids (tagged with FMOC) at 266/324 nm.  Our flourometric detector monitors the primaries at excitation/emission 340/450 and the secondaries at 266/305.