Determination of p‐Methoxyamphetamine by Capillary Electrophoresis with Diode Array Detection from Urine and Plasma Samples

Abstract

In recent years, a number of newer designer drugs have entered the illicit drug market. The amphetamine derivatives represent the largest group of designer drugs. This paper describes a method for quantifying p-methoxyamphetamine in human plasma and urine by capillary electrophoresis with a diode array detector. Using an aqueous pH 2.5 phosphate buffer, CE analysis gave peaks with good symmetry and reproducible migration time. Under these experimental conditions, the p-methoxyamphetamine was resolved in 7 min and without interferences from biological matrices. The identification using the migration time was confirmed by UV spectra recorded with a diode array detector DAD (190–350 nm). Prior to CE‐DAD analysis, a simple solid phase extraction (SPE) was used for sample cleanup. The main advantages of the present method lie in its simplicity and clean and reliable extraction from plasma and urine. The method was validated according to international guidelines.

Keywords:

• p-Methoxyamphetamine (PMA)
• Urine
• Plasma
• Capillary electrophoresis (CE)