This chapter describes the basics of analytical and preparative methods for
mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs). For samples whose molecular structures are
known, high-performance liquid chromatography is widely used as a simple
quantitative or qualitative analytical method for MAAs. However, if the molecular
structures are unknown, they are often identified by combining several analytical
methods, such as liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic
resonance analysis. In MAA preparation, the first key factor is how efficiently MAAs
can be obtained in the extraction process from biological samples. The second key
factor is how efficiently high-purity MAAs can be obtained from the separation
process. This chapter also discusses the production of MAAs from an industrial
perspective.
Keywords: Absorption spectrum, Amino acid analysis, Extraction, Highperformance liquid chromatography, Industrial production, Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, Mass spectrometry, Nuclear magnetic resonance, Octadecyl silyl, Preparation, Purification, Reversed-phase chromatography
