title: Separation and identification of illicit heroin samples by liquid chromatography using an alumina and C18 coupled column system and photodiode array detection.
abstract: 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.
mesh_terms: D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D003932:Heroin / Q000032:analysis*; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000032:analysis*; D009892:Opium / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs; D003932:Heroin; D009892:Opium