HPLC separation of opium alkaloids on porous and non-porous stationary phases

A new reversed-phase (RP) HPLC method has been developed and validated for the separation of the main opium alkaloids morphine, codeine, thebaine, pap averine and noscapine on a non-porous (micropellicular) stationary phase. O n this phase quantification of the compounds by internal standardization wi th brucine was achieved extremely rapidly, in ca 1.5 min, only. Thus, the a nalysis time for the opium alkaloids was approximately one tenth of that on porous stationary phases. Different opium samples were investigated using non-porous and porous packings. The correlation between the results was exc ellent.