Application of poly(methacrylic acid-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) monolith microextraction coupled with capillary zone electrophoresis to the determination of opiates in human urine

A novel poly(methacrylic acid-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) (MAA-EGDMA) monolith microextraction method coupled with CZE was proposed for rapidly determining a mixture of opiates comprising heroin, 6-monoacetylmorphine, morphine, codeine, papaverine, and narcotine in human urine. The extraction device contained a regular plastic syringe, the poly(MAA-EGDMA) monolithic capillary tube (530 microm id x 3 cm) and a plastic pinhead, which connected the monolithic capillary tube and the syringe without leakage. In the polymer monolith microextraction, the sample solution was ejected via the monolithic capillary tube by a programmable syringe pump, followed by desorption with an aliquot of appropriate solution, which was collected into a vial for the subsequent analysis by CZE. The best separation was achieved using a buffer composed of 0.1 M disodium hydrogen phosphate (adjusted to pH 4.5 with 1 M hydrochloric acid) and 20% methanol v/v with temperature and voltage of 25 degrees C and 25 kV, respectively. By applying electrokinetic injection with field-enhanced sample stacking, detection limits of 6.6-19.5 ng/mL were achieved. Excellent method of reproducibility was found over a linear range of 80-2000 ng/mL.     

Fragmentation pathways of heroin-related alkaloids revealed by ion trap and quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry

The electrospray ionization (ESI) ion trap and quadrupole time-of-flight (QqToF) mass spectra of heroin and seven related alkaloids, i.e., morphine, codeine, O-6-monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM), thebaine, acetylcodeine, papaverine and narcotine, have been extensively investigated in this work. The ESI mass spectrometric fragmentation pathways of protonated 6-MAM, heroin, acetylcodeine, and thebaine were comprehensively elucidated for the first time with the aid of high-resolution mass spectrometry. It was found that cleavage of the piperidine ring was the featured fragmentation route of six of the compounds, although not of papaverine and narcotine. In addition, a simple high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-based separation method gave baseline resolution of all eight components. This study could play an important role in the screening for these alkaloids in different matrices by HPLC coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS).     

Separation and identification of illicit heroin samples by liquid chromatography using an alumina and C18 coupled column system and photodiode array detection

The analysis of illicit heroin and opium samples on a coupled alumina and C18 column system is described. The compounds to be analysed can be divided into two groups: those with low pKa values, such as caffeine, papaverine and noscapine, and those with high pKa values, such as heroin, acetylcodeine, O6-monoacetylmorphine, procaine, codeine, morphine and strychnine. The first group can best be separated on a C18 column, whereas alumina is more suitable for the second group. Previously reported criteria for choosing proper buffer systems for ion-exchange separations on alumina were used together with an iterative regressive optimization procedure developed in our laboratory. The system can be used with and without valve-switching, depending on the sample type. The peak purity of the judicially important components heroin and O6-monoacetylmorphine has been checked with a photodiode array detector and by use of advanced software.     

Simultaneous detection and quantitation of O6-monoacetylmorphine, morphine and codeine in urine by gas chromatography with nitrogen specific and/or flame ionization detection

It is of importance to differentiate heroin intake from the absorption of opiate-containing pharmaceuticals or opiates from other sources. A method for the routine determination of O6-monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM), the specific metabolite of heroin in human urine, by gas chromatography and classical detectors without having recourse to gas chromatography/mass spectrometry-selected ion mode (GC/MS-SIM) is described. With dual detection by nitrogen selective and flame ionization detectors, the limits of detection for 6-MAM were determined to be 2 ng/mL and 4 ng/mL urine for a 10 mL sample. When applied to urines preliminarily screened for opiates, the results appeared consistent in comparison with those obtained by GC/MS-SIM. The method was also developed for the simultaneous quantitative analysis of morphine and codeine. The linearity was tested up to 600 ng/mL for the three compounds of interest 6-MAM, morphine and codeine and their absolute recoveries were 76%, 78%, 75% respectively.     

Studies on Different Hydrolysis Procedures for Drugs of Abuse in Hair

1.IntroductionDrugsofabusehavebecomeamajorprobleminoursocietyinrecentyearsandhaveresultedinwidespreadabuse.Thedetectionofdrugsofabuseinbiologicalsamplesisoneoftheprimaryfunctionsofaclinicalorforensictoxicologylaboratory.Particularlyincaseswheretheres...     

Cation-selective exhaustive injection and sweeping micellar electrokinetic chromatography for analysis of morphine and its four metabolites in human urine

A cation-selective exhaustive injection and sweeping micellar EKC (CSEI-Sweep-MEKC) was established to analyze morphine and its four metabolites, including codeine, normorphine (NM), morphine-3-glucuronide (M3G), and morphine-6-glucuronide (M6G). After SPE, the urine samples were analyzed by this CE method. The phosphate buffer (75 mM, pH 2.5) containing 30% methanol was first filled into an uncoated fused-silica capillary (40 cm, 50 microm id), then a high-conductivity buffer (120 mM phosphate, 10.3 kPa for 99.9 s) followed. The pretreated urine sample was loaded by electrokinetic injection (10 kV, 600 s). The stacking and separation were performed by using phosphate buffer (25 mM, pH 2.5) containing 22% methanol and 100 mM SDS at -20 kV, and detected at 200 nm. During method validation, calibration plots were linear (r > or = 0.998) over a range of 30-3000 ng/mL for morphine, NM, and codeine, 100-2000 ng/mL for M6G, and 80-3200 ng/mL for M3G. The LODs (S/N = 5, sampling 600 s at 10 kV) were 10 ng/mL for morphine, NM, and codeine, 35 ng/mL for M6G, and 25 ng/mL for M3G. This stacking CE method could increase 2500-fold sensitivity of codeine, when comparing with CZE. Five addicts' urine specimens were analyzed. Their results were compared with those of LC-MS-MS, and showed good coincidence. This method could be feasible for monitoring morphine and its metabolites in forensic interest and pharmacokinetic investigations.     

Application of capillary zone electrophoresis in the separation and determination of the principal gum opium alkaloids

We describe the use of capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) for the qualitative and quantitative determination of major alkaloids (i.e., thebaine, codeine, morphine, papavarine and narcotine) in gum opium involving the analysis of alkaloids without derivatization or purification. Three extractions with 2.5% w/v aqueous acetic acid quantitatively extracted major alkaloids. The separation was carried out by CZE using a 7:3 mixture of methanol and sodium acetate (100 mM, pH 3.1) at a potential of 15 kV, with UV detection at 224 nm. Spiking of pure reference alkaloid standards in the opium extract was used for peak identification. The influences of buffer composition, pH and voltage on the separation of alkaloids were studied. The detection limit of each alkaloid dissolved in methanol was found to be 850 ng/mL (morphine), 450 ng/mL (thebaine), 500 ng/mL (codeine), 550 ng/mL (papaverine), and 500 ng/mL (narcotine) at an injection pressure of 300 mbar (injection volume, 4 nL) with a signal-to-noise ratio of 3:1. The external standard method was used for the quantification of alkaloids. The calibration plot was based on linear regression analysis. The relative standard deviation (RSD) for peak area and migration time was in the range of 1.03-3.56% and 0.34-0.69%, respectively. Percentage compositions (g%) of opium alkaloids in five gum opium samples were found to be in the range of 14.45-15.95 (morphine), 2.0-3.45 (codeine), 1.32-2.73 (thebaine), 0.92-2.37 (papavarine), and 3.85-5.77 (narcotine). The method developed is suitable for the routine analysis of major gum opium alkaloids in samples of forensic importance.     

Rapid thin-layer chromatographic separation of cocaine from codeine,heroin, 6-monoacetylmorphine,morphine and quinine on microscope slides

A thin-layer chromatographic method is reported for the separation of cocaine from codeine, heroin, 6-monoacetylmorphine, morphine and quinine on microscope slides. The method involves the use of sodium hydroxide-impregnated silica gel G microchromatoplates and acetone-benzene (50:50) as developer. Cocaine separates as a distinct spot while quinine and the morphinoid alkaloids separate collectively as one large spot near the point of application. Preliminary data suggest that the procedure will separate cocaine from aspirin and caffeine, and also from mixtures containing aspirin, caffeine, quinine, codeine, heroin. 6-monoacetylmorphine and morphine.     

海洛因与甲基苯丙胺毒品滥用者毛发特征分析的比较

根据海洛因和甲基苯丙胺滥用者毛发中毒品及其代谢物的分布特点,通过实验比较了两类毒品滥用者毛发的分析特点。 海洛因吸食者毛发采用甲醇超声释放待测物,而后直接调整pH值进行液相萃取,萃取物挥干后进行衍生化并进行GC/MS检测;甲基苯丙胺吸食者毛发在碱性条件下消解,然后采用小体积萃取,直接在提取液中衍生化,并进行GC/MS检测。 通过空白毛发标准添加6-单乙酰吗啡、吗啡和可待因进行分析,3种鸦片类毒品最小检测限均小于 3 μg/g,RSD(n=5)为2.5%~9.6%;通过空白毛发标准添加苯丙胺、甲基苯丙胺、3,4-(亚甲二氧基)苯丙胺和3,4-(亚甲二氧基)-甲基苯丙胺进行分析,4种苯丙胺类毒品的最小检测限为0.05 μg/g,RSD(n=5)为5%~14%。     

Evaluation of sample treatment procedures for the routine identification and determination at nanogram level of O6-monoacetylmorphine in urine by capillary GC and dual NPD-FID

Three methods were evaluated for the determination of O⁶-monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM), the specific metabolite of heroin in human urine, by GC-NPD-FID. The procedure devised for a hydrophobic cation exchange column showed superior performances over the liquid-liquid extraction technique and solid phase extraction with C₁₈. 6-MAM can be analyzed in random urines at the 2 ng/mL concentration with classical equipment for the differentiation between heroin intake and opiates from various origins. The procedure was also applied to enzymatic and acid hydrolyzates of urines. The simultaneous presence of morphine and codeine are useful in the interpretation of results.     

Use of beta-cyclodextrin in the capillary zone electrophoretic separation of the components of clandestine heroin preparations

The present paper describes the methodological optimization and validation of a capillary zone electrophoresis method for the rapid determination of heroin, secondary products and additives present in clandestine heroin samples, by using 20 mM beta-cyclodextrins in phosphate buffer, pH 3.23. Applied potential was 15 kV and separation temperature was 24 degrees C; detection was by UV absorption at 200 nm wavelength. Heroin samples were first dissolved in CHCl3-MeOH (96:4, v/v) and injected by pressure (0.5 p.s.i., 3 s; 1 p.s.i.=6894.76 Pa) after evaporation of the organic mixture and reconstitution in aqueous buffer. Under the described conditions, phenylethylamine (internal standard), morphine, monoacetylmorphine, heroin, acetylcodeine, papaverine, codeine and narcotine were baseline resolved in less than 10 min. The limit of detection was better than 1 microg/ml for each analyte. The study of the intra-day and day-to-day precision showed, in terms of migration times, RSDs < or = 0.71% and, in terms of peak areas, RSDs < or = 3.2%. Also, the evaluation of linearity and analytical accuracy of the method provided good results for all the analytes investigated, thus allowing its application to real cases of seized controlled drug preparations.     

Method for quantification of morphine and its 3- and 6- glucuronides, codeine, codeine glucuronide and 6-monoacetylmorphine in human blood by liquid chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry for routine analysis in forensic toxicology.

Simultaneous determination of opiates and their glucuronides in body fluids has a great practical interest in the forensic assessment of heroin intoxication. A selective and sensitive method for quantification of morphine and its 3- and 6-glucuronides, codeine, codeine glucuronide and 6-monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM) based on liquid chromatography-electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry is described. The drugs were analysed in human autopsy whole blood after solid-phase extraction on a C8 cartridge. The separation was performed on an ODS column in acetonitrile (analysis time 15 min). For the quantitative analysis, deuterated analogues of each compound were used as internal standards. Selected-ion monitoring was applied where the molecular ion was chosen for quantification. The limits of quantification were 0.5 ng/ml for morphine and 6-MAM and 1 ng/ml for the 6-glucuronide of morphine, codeine-6-glucuronide and codeine and 5 ng/ml for the 3-glucuronide of morphine.     

毛细管电泳分离检测常见的鸦片毒品

本文叙述了常见鸦片制品中海洛因、吗啡、６－单乙酰吗啡、可待因、乙酰可待因、咖啡因、罂粟碱及可卡因８种组分的毛细管电泳分离与检测方法，讨论了在不同电泳体系中各种组分的电泳行为和分离效率。在最佳条件下，一次进样可以同时获得上述组分的基线分离，检出限可达０．８－１．５ｍｇ／Ｌ水平。     

Kinetic determination of morphine in illicit powders,using a fluoride selective electrode,based on reaction with 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene

A simple, accurate and selective method is described for the determination of morphine in illicit powders, based on monitoring the initial rate of fluoride ion liberation from the reaction of morphine with 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene at pH 9 and 35 °C, using a solid-state fluoride ion-selective electrode. Under optimized reaction conditions, as little as 15 g/ml of morphine is determined with an average recovery of 99.5% and a mean relative standard deviation of 1.2%. Determination of morphine in real illicit powders containing 6–18% morphine gives results comparing favorably with those obtained from isocratic reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. No interferences are caused by many structurally related and associated compounds such as codeine, acetylcodeine, ethylmorphine, acetylmorphine and diacetylmorphine (heroin).     

Simultaneous Determination of Nalbuphine and Opiates in Human Hair by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

The method for simultaneous determination of nalbuphine and opiates (codeine, morphine, and 6-monoacetylmorphine) in human hair was developed in the selected-ion monitoring (SIM) mode of a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). Thirty-milligram hair samples were incubated in 0.01 M HCl overnight at 50 °C. We extracted the drugs from resulting hydrolyzed solutions with a mixture of chloroform-isopropanol-n-heptane (50:17:33, v/v/v) at pH 9.2. The residues were then evaporated, derivatized, and injected into the GC-MS with the internal standards. The limits of quantification for codeine, morphine, 6-monoacetylmorphine, and nalbuphine were 0.26, 0.21, 0.24, and 0.18 ng mg^-1, respectively. Drug recoveries fell in the range 72.4–86.5%. The responses were linear, with correlation coefficients (r > 0.9958) for the drugs studied. This study also demonstrated that hair dyeing or bleaching diminished the concentration level of nalbuphine, in vitro.     

超高效液相色谱-串联质谱法快速测定镇咳祛痰药中阿片类物质的含量

建立了镇咳祛痰药中吗啡、可待因、海洛因、蒂巴因、罂粟碱、那可汀6种阿片类物质含量的LC-MS/MS快速测定方法.药品经超声浸取,甲醇稀释过滤后经Waters C18柱分离,以乙腈和10 mmol/L乙酸铵(含0.1％甲酸)溶液进行梯度洗脱,采用电喷雾正离子化(ESI+)、多反应监测模式进行测定.6种阿片类物质在相应的线...     

Simultaneous determination of morphine,codeine, 6‐acetylmorphine,cocaine and benzoylecgonine in hair by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

A fast and sensitive liquid chromatography/triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method was developed for the simultaneous determination of morphine, codeine, 6‐acetylmorphine (6‐AM), cocaine and benzoylecgonine (BE) in hair. Pulverized hair samples were extracted with methanol, and a 50 µL supernatant aliquot was injected into the LC/MS/MS system. Chromatography was performed with an XBridge? phenyl column (3.5 µm particle size, 4.6 × 150 mm), and the mobile phase was composed of methanol and 10 mM ammonium acetate adjusted to pH 4.00 with 99% formic acid (95:5, v/v). A separation run with isocratic elution was completed in 10 min at a flow rate of 500 µL/min. Positive electrospray ionization and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) with one precursor ion/product ion transition were used for the identification of each analyte. Deuterated analogues as internal standards were used for quantification and qualification. Linearity was established in the concentration range of 100–3000 pg/mg. The limits of detection were 10 pg/mg for morphine, codeine and 6‐AM; and 1 pg/mg for cocaine and BE. The precision and accuracy were determined by spiking hair samples at six concentration levels. For all analytes, the relative standard deviations of intra‐ and inter‐day precision were 0.1–6.3% and 1.5–10.6%, respectively. The accuracy ranged from 92.7 to 109.7%. The validated LC/MS/MS method was successfully applied to the analysis of 79 authentic hair samples. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hair analysis for illicit drugs by using capillary zone electrophoresis-electrospray ionization-ion trap mass spectrometry

In forensic toxicology, hair analysis has become a well established analytical strategy to investigate retrospectively drug abuse histories. In this field, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry are currently used, often after preliminary screening with immunoassays. However, on the basis of previous applications to pharmaceutical analysis, capillary zone electrophoresis coupled to ion trap mass spectrometry looks also highly promising. The purpose of the present work was the development of a simple and rapid CZE-MS method for sensitive and quantitative determination of the main drugs of abuse and their metabolites (namely, 6-monoacetylmorphine, morphine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), 3,4-methylenedioxymethampthetamine (MDMA), benzoylecgonine, ephedrine and cocaine) in human hair. Hair samples (100 mg) were washed, cut and incubated overnight in 0.1 M HCl at 45 degrees C, then neutralized with NaOH and extracted by a liquid-liquid extraction method. CZE separations were carried out in a 100 cm x 75 microm (I.D.) uncoated fused silica capillary. The separation buffer was composed of 25 mM ammonium formate, pH 9.5; the separation voltage was 15 kV. Electrokinetic injections were performed at 7 kV for 30 s under field amplified sample stacking conditions. ESI-ion trap MS detection was performed in the ESI positive ionization mode using the following conditions: capillary voltage 4 kV, nebulizer gas (nitrogen) pressure 3psi, source temperature 150 degrees C and drying gas (nitrogen) flow rate 8l/min. A sheath liquid, composed of isopropanol-water (50:50, v/v) with 0.5% formic acid, was delivered at a flow rate of 4 microl/min. The ion trap MS operated in a selected ion monitoring mode (SIM) of positive molecular ions for each drug/metabolite. Collision induced fragmentation was also possible. Nalorphine was used as internal standard. Under the described conditions, the separation of all compounds, except amphetamine/methamphetamine, MDA/MDMA and morphine/6-MAM was achieved in 20 min, with limits of detection lower than the most severe cut-offs adopted in hair analysis (i.e. 0.1 ng/mg). Linearity was assessed within drug concentration ranges from 0.025 to 5 ng of each analyte/mg of hair. Analytical precision was fairly acceptable with RSD's < or = 3.06% for migration times and < or = 22.47% for areas in real samples, in both intra-day and day-to-day experiments. On these grounds, the described method can be proposed for rapid, selective and accurate toxicological hair analysis for both clinical and forensic purposes.     

The Quantitation of Heroin and Selected Basic Impurities via Reversed Phase HPLC. II. The Analysis of Adulterated Samples

Abstract

Methodology is presented for the quantitation of heroin, O⁶-monoacetylmorphine, acetylcodeine, noscapine and papaverine in adulterated illicit heroin samples. Reversed phase chromatography was employed using an HS-5 C18 column with a gradient system. This methodology used a multimode detection scheme which consisted of a photodiode array detector in series with a dual electrochemical detector in the parallel mode. Owing to its high specificity for O⁶-monoacetylmorphine, electrochemical detection via the oxidation mode proved necessary for the quantitation of this compound in samples highly adulterated with quinine. The use of relative retention times, UV spectra and dual electrochemical response ratios for the screening of adulterants in heroin is discussed.     

Capillary electrophoresis separation and permanganate chemiluminescence on-line detection of some alkaloids with beta-cyclodextrin as an additive.

Capillary electrophoresis has been used in combination with on-line permanganate chemiluminescence detection for the simultaneous determination of morphine, 6-monoacetylmorphine and heroin. It was found that beta-cyclodextrins could improve the separation efficiency and enhance the chemiluminescence signal. Improved sensitivity over capillary electrophoresis with UV detection was obtained. The procedure has detection limits of 23, 66 and 115 fmol for morphine, 6-monoacetylmorphine and heroin, respectively.