Determination of atropine in biological fluids by micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography in the presence of strychnine and tetracaine

The identification and quantitation of atropine, in whole blood and gastric contents in the presence of strychnine and tetracaine is described. This m ethod uses liquid-liquid extraction and micellar electrokinetic chromatogra phy (MECC). Separations are made using a 50 cm long capillary and a borate/ phosphate buffer at pH 9.2 with 50 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Lineari ty was established for the three compounds between 1.0 and 100 mu g/mL, usi ng scopolamine as internal standard. The limit of detection for atropine wa s estimated at 0.06 mu g/mL and the limit of quantitation at 0.2 mu g/mL. T he mn time is less than 30 min. Alternate parameters are proposed to reduce the run time to under 10 min. The method was applied to a forensic post-mo rtem case.