To develop a new method for the rapid determination of histamine by capillary electrophoresis.MethodsTrichloroacetic acid solution (100 g/L) combined with ultrasonic extraction was used to elute histamine from fish sample for 20 minutes. Then the solution was injected for capillary electrophoresis after centrifugation and filtration. The quaternized cellulose supported Au nanoparticles (QC-Au NPs) were used to coat the capillary inner surface and inhibit the adsorption of histamine. The capillary was fused silica capillary with id/od of 75/365 μm and effective/total length of 40/47 cm. Running buffer was 500 μg/ml QC-Au NPs phosphate buffer. Separation voltage was -12 kV. Temperature was 20 ℃. Detection wavelength was set at 211 nm. ResultsThe adsorption of histamine has been inhibited in the capillary coated by QC-Au NPs and the peak tailing was eliminated, the analysis of histamine could be completed within 4 minutes with satisfied accuracy and precision. Good linearity was found for histamine within the range of 0.05-0.80 mg/ml, and the r² was 0.998 7. The limit of detection(S/N=3)and the limit of quantification(S/N=10)were 0.002 μg/ml and 0.007 mg/ml, respectively. The recoveries of histamine in fish at three spiked levels ranged from 94% to 105%,and the relative standard deviations (RSD) ranged from 3.1%-7.2%.ConclusionThis method is fast, simple, precise and it is feasible for the determination of histamine in fish samples.