Simultaneous determination of 4-substituted cathinones (4-MMC, 4-MEC and 4-FMC) in human urine by HPLC-DAD

J Chromatogr Sci. 2013 Oct;51(9):861-6. doi: 10.1093/chromsci/bms183. Epub 2012 Nov 28.

Abstract

This study developed a selective and rapid high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection method for the confirmation of different cathinone derivates in human urine. Samples were prepared by solid-phase extraction (SPE) using procaine hydrochloride as the internal standard. The chromatographic separation was performed on a Kinetex PFP column using isocratic elution. The mobile phase was composed of a mixture of acetonitrile (33%, v/v) and 0.005M ammonium trifluoroacetate buffer (67%, v/v; pH 4.93 ± 0.03) with a flow rate of 0.350 mL/min. The diode array detection was performed at 262 nm. The method was linear over the concentration range of 25-2,400 ng/mL. Intra-day and inter-day precision values for cathinones were less than 1.26% (relative standard deviation). The limit of detection for any compounds extracted from human urine by the optimized SPE method was 40 ng/mL and the limit of quantification was 100 ng/mL in the urine. The recovery rate of SPE was between 71 and 82% with a lower relative standard deviation than 2.35%.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Amphetamines / urine*
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / methods*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Least-Squares Analysis
  • Limit of Detection
  • Male
  • Methamphetamine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Methamphetamine / urine*
  • Propiophenones / urine*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Solid Phase Extraction
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Amphetamines
  • Propiophenones
  • Methamphetamine
  • 4-methylethcathinone
  • 4-fluoromethcathinone