Some characteristics of a protein-coated ODS column and its use for the determination of drugs by the direct injection analysis of plasma samples

Summary It was found that an ODS column of small pore (120?) which was coated with denatured plasma proteins (protein-coated ODS) no longer adsorbed plasma proteins from aqueous solution but retained the characteristics of native ODS for small hydrophobic molecules. Elemental analysis and nitrogen desorption (BET) analysis showed that the protein-coated ODS contained ca 25 mg proteing⁻¹ dry resin and that the pore diameter or pore volume was similar to that of native ODS. The coated denatured proteins, which seemed to be adsorbed on the external surface of the porous resin, were not eluted under usual reverse-phase elution conditions. Operating as either an analytical column or a pre-column, this protein-coated ODS column was used to analyse spiked-drugs in plasma. The recovery of all the spiked-drugs (such as doxorubicin, methotrexate) was almost quantitative (98–102%) with good reproducibilities (c.v., less than 2%). The present method was useful for the determination of total, that is, free + bound-to-plasma-proteins, hydrophobic drugs in plasma in view of its accuracy and simplicity. Presented at the 15th International Symposium on Chromatography, Nürnberg, October 1984