An "on-line" HPLC analysis of crude biological samples is described. A precolumn of internal surface reversed-phase material allows the passage of proteins and other unwanted products while retaining analytes which are transferred, concentrated and chromatographed on a conventional reverse-phase or ion-exchange HPLC column. This protocol allows precise kinetics of the degradation of an oligonucleotide in cell culture to be obtained without radiolabeling or sample preparation.