SEPARATION AND DETECTION OF ACIDIC AND NEUTRAL IMPURITIES IN ILLICIT HEROIN VIA CAPILLARY ELECTROPHORESIS

The separation and detection of acidic and neutral impurities in illic it heroin using capillary electrophoresis (CE) is described. Separatio ns were achieved using charged cyclodextrin modified micellar electrok inetic capillary chromatography. The use of the anionic beta-cyclodext rin sulfobutyl ether 1V in combination with sodium dodecyl sulfate sig nificantly increased resolution. Improved selectivity and/or sensitivi ty in detection was obtained using photodiode array ultraviolet and la ser-induced fluorescence detection. The phenanthrene-like heroin impur ities exhibit high native fluorescence under krypton-fluoride laser ex citation (248 nm). The limit of detection by laser-induced fluorescenc e detection for one of these solutes (acetylthebaol) is 1.8 ng/ml, 500 times more sensitive than UV. This methodology is applicable to analy sis of both crude and refined heroin.