title: Quantitative analysis of cocaine in human hair by HPLC with fluorescence detection.
abstract: Cocaine is currently one of the most widespread abuse drugs in the world. Since hair cocaine concentrations are a reliable marker of exposition to the drug, an original liquid chromatographic method has been developed for the determination of cocaine in human hair. The chromatographic analysis was carried out on a Hydro-RP C18 column, using a mobile phase containing a phosphate buffer (pH 3.0)-acetonitrile-methanol (75:15:10, v/v/v). Native cocaine fluorescence was monitored at 315nm while exciting at 230nm. Mirtazapine was used as the internal standard. Sample pre-treatment was carried out by incubative extraction with 0.1M HCl followed by solid-phase extraction with C2 cartridges. Good linearity was obtained over a working range of 0.3-100.0ng/mg. Both extraction yield (>89%) and precision values (R.S.D.<6.2%) were highly satisfactory. The method was successfully applied to hair samples collected from cocaine users. Thus, the method is suitable for the long-term monitoring of cocaine use by means of hair testing.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmaco-Toxicological Analysis, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, I-40126 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mercolini
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mandrioli
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Saladini
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baccini
authors.forename: Maria Augusta
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Raggi
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D003042:Cocaine / Q000032:analysis*; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D005453:Fluorescence; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D003042:Cocaine