Acid hydrolysis of urinary estriol.

One hundred and twenty determinations of urinary estriol were carried out following acid hydrolysis and gas liquid chromatography. Through the use of a radioactive standard, it was shown that, with an increase in specific gravity (1.001 to 1.025), a steady linear decline of estriol recovery occurred (93% to 56%). The presence of glucose (1-5 gm./100 ml.) gradually diminished estriol recovery (78.2 ± 9 to 24.9 ± 11). Similar effects were caused by galactose and lactose. Inulin, fructose, and sucrose led to an extensive drop of extractable estriol (more than 95% at 5 gm./100 ml.). An even more marked fall in estriol recovery was found in the presence of Mandelamine methenamine, and formaldehyde. Dimethylamine, albumin, and Urofix did not influence the recovery of estriol to a significant extent. These findings emphasize the need for adequate control of recovery whenever patient management is conducted according to urinary-estriol titers.