Profiling of impurities in illicit amphetamine samples by high-performance liquid chromatography using column switching.
A simple high-performance liquid chromatographic method, suitable for routine profiling of impurities in illegally produced amphetamine, has been developed. Amphetamine is dissolved in acetonitrile-citrate buffer (pH 3) (2:8) and injected directly without further sample pre-treatment. The impurities are enriched on-line on a C8 extraction column, while amphetamine and polar diluents are washed out with water. After washing for 1.5 min, a six-port valve is switched and an acetonitrile-0.2 M butylamine in water (pH 8) gradient elutes the impurities from the extraction column on to a C18 analytical column where they are separated. The compounds are monitored by UV detection at 220 and 254 nm. The total extraction and analysis time is 30 min. The method allows automated extraction and analysis to be performed.
D000327:Adsorption; D000661:Amphetamine / Q000032:analysis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004340:Drug Contamination; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000032:analysis*; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
D013287:Illicit Drugs; D000661:Amphetamine