Usefulness of the chaotropic effect in sample preparation for chromatographic analysis of acidic xenobiotics in human plasma

In this study a new RP‐HPLC with photo‐diode array detection method for the determination of ibuprofen ((RS)‐2‐(4‐isobutylphenyl)propionic acid) in human plasma samples was developed. Samples were prepared by SPE and analyzed by an isocratic elution mode over a C₁₈ column using 80% methanol. A novel sample pretreatment method, based on the addition of ionic liquids possessing chaotropic ions to small human plasma sample (100 μL), was elaborated. 1‐Butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium chloride and 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIM BF₄) were tested from the point of view of extraction yield. Quantification was based on calibration curve applying diclofenac as the internal standard. Owing to dilution of plasma sample by 2 mM aqueous solution of BMIM BF₄ before SPE, appropriate sample purification and extraction yields higher than 95% with precision lower than 2% can be achieved. Linear coefficients of correlation (r²) were >0.99 in the range of 0.3–5 μg/mL ibuprofen concentration in plasma. The limit of quantification was 65 ng/mL and the detection limit for ibuprofen was 19.5 ng/mL.