title: Separation and detection of acidic and neutral impurities in illicit heroin via capillary electrophoresis.
abstract: The separation and detection of acidic and neutral impurities in illicit heroin using capillary electrophoresis (CE) is described. Separations were achieved using charged cyclodextrin modified micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography. The use of the anionic beta-cyclodextrin sulfobutyl ether 1V in combination with sodium dodecyl sulfate significantly increased resolution. Improved selectivity and/or sensitivity in detection was obtained using photodiode array ultraviolet and laser-induced fluorescence detection. The phenanthrene-like heroin impurities exhibit high native fluorescence under krypton-fluoride laser excitation (248 nm). The limit of detection by laser-induced fluorescence detection for one of these solutes (acetylthebaol) is 1.8 ng/ml, 500 times more sensitive than UV. This methodology is applicable to analysis of both crude and refined heroin.
authors.affiliation: Drug Enforcement Administration, Special Testing and Research Laboratory, McLean, VA 22102-3494, USA.
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Lurie
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Spratley
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Casale
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Issaq
mesh_terms: D004340:Drug Contamination; D019075:Electrophoresis, Capillary / Q000379:methods*; D003932:Heroin / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs; D003932:Heroin