SIMPLE AND FAST DETERMINATION OF SOME PHENETHYLAMINES IN ILLICIT TABLETS BY BASE-DEACTIVATED REVERSED-PHASE HPLC

A high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for the simult aneous identification and quantitation of amphetamine, methamphetamine , 3, 4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), N-methyl-3, 4-methylenedioxyam phetamine (MDMA) and N-ethyl-3, 4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDE) in p resence df caffeine and ephedrine in illicit tablets is described. A s imple and rapid sample preparation procedure was applied in order to a llow a high number of samples to be processed per day. The chromatogra phic separation was performed on a commercially available base-deactiv ated octadecyl silica column with a gradient system using acetonitrile and 20 mM monobasic potassium phosphate buffer. The flow rate was 1.5 ml/min and peak detection was performed at 220 and 280 nm. Peak ident ity and homogeneity were determined by mapping of peaks in the 195-370 nm range. Quantitative analysis was performed using external standard method in the concentration range studied. Linearity was evaluated in the range 10-500 mu g/ml for the 5 substances in exam and for ephedri ne, and in the range 3-100 mu g/ml, for caffeine. Correlation coeffici ents ranged from 0.9985 to 0.9999. Good accuracy and between-day preci sion were achieved.