An isocratic HPLC method for the simple and selective determination of adenine nucleoside and nucleotides has been developed. The separation is achieved at room temperature by reversed-phase chromatography (Shiseido, Capcell Pak C18). A mixture of 0.1 M triethylamine (TEA) phosphate buffer and methanol (95:5, v/v) is used as a standard eluent. Influence of pH and concentrations of organic modifiers and TEA ion on capacity factors of adenine compounds has been investigated. It has been also found that the TEA ion in the eluent is adsorbed onto the reversed-phase surface. The results clearly demonstrate that ion-pair formation with TEA ion occurs probably both in the mobile phase and on the stationary phase and governs the retention of adenine and nucleotides in the present system. The HPLC system is applied to the analysis of adenine nucleotides formed as intermediates in the synthesis of 5'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulphate (PAPS) and to the assays of ATPases and 5'-nucleotidase activities in rat liver plasma membrane. This method is a new type of ion-pair reversed-phase HPLC system and is suitable for the separation of highly polar organic anions, especially for adenine nucleotides. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.