Polypropylene-Based Microextraction Method for Determination of Fluoxetine in Human Urine Samples

Abstract

A polypropylene (PP) sheet was successfully applied as an extracting medium for trace enrichment of fluoxetine (FLX) from urine samples, followed by high performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection (HPLC-FD). The extraction medium was a square, 1 × 1 cm² piece of polypropylene membrane sheet that was conditioned in methanol. The extraction process was conveniently carried out using a 5 mL urine sample. After extraction, the PP sheet was withdrawn and transferred to a glass vial for performing the desorption process using 210 µL organic solvent. After complete drying, the residue was dissolved in 50 µL of methanol and an aliquot of 20 µL was, finally, injected into the HPLC system. Some important extraction parameters such as desorption solvent, pH, ionic strength, desorption, and extraction time were investigated and optimized. The linearity was studied by preconcentration of 5 mL of urine sample spiked with a standard solution of fluoxetine at the concentration range of 10–100 µg L⁻¹. The coefficient of determination was satisfactory (r² > 0.99). The relative standard deviations (RSD %) value under the optimized condition was found to be 10.3%. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 1.9 and 6.4 µg L⁻¹, respectively. The developed method showed to be simple, sensitive, and adequate for the trace determination of fluoxetine in urine media.

Keywords:

• Fluoxetine
• High performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection
• Polypropylene sheet
• Urine

Acknowledgments

The Research Council and Graduates School of Sharif University of Technology (SUT) are thanked for supporting the project.

Notes

LOD: limit of detection.

LOQ: limit of quantitation.

RSD%: relative standard deviation percent.

EF: enrichment factor.