Determination of pteridines and flavins in seawater from Davies Reef, Great Barrier Reef

Individual pteridines and flavins from marine waters were analysed at picomolar concentrations. Samples were concentrated by adsorption on bonded-phase, C18 silica and Florisil Sep-Pak extraction columns connected in series.Sample extracts were analysed by reverse-phase liquid chromatography with fluorometric detection enabling quantitative identification of pteridines and flavins from reef waters at Davies Reef on Great Barrier Reef. Retention times, percent recovery, relative molar fluorescence and detection limits were recorded for each component.The application of these methods to the measurement of pterin and flavin excretion from several reef-dwelling, benthic organisms (the coral Acropora sp. and sponge Phyllopsongia sp.) was tested in some experiments. To examine the presence of flavin in pteridine micronutirients in coral reef waters. Pteridines: 6-biopterin, 6-hydroxymethylpterin, isoxanthopterin, Lumazine, Lumazine-6-carboxylic acid, pterin, pterin-6-carboxylic acid, xanthopterin.Flavins: lumiflavin, lumichrome, riboflavin, riboflavin-5-phosphate.