SOLID-PHASE EXTRACTION OF NICOTINE AND ITS METABOLITES FOR HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHIC DETERMINATION IN URINE

A solid-phase extraction, using Extrelut-1 glass columns, has been app lied to urine samples of both passive and active smokers for high-perf ormance liquid chromatographic determination of nicotine and its metab olites cotinine and trans-3'-hydroxycotinine. Chromatography was perfo rmed using a reversed-phase LC(8)DB column and a mobile phase consisti ng of water-acetonitrile (80:9, v/v) containing 5 ml triethylamine, 67 0 mg/l sodium heptanesulphonate, and 0.034 M each of K2HPO4 and citric acid (pH 4.4), at a flow-rate of 1.6 ml/min. The results obtained ind icate that solid-phase extraction is a reliable and quick procedure wh ich can be applied also to other nicotine metabolites.