Development of a sensitive MEKC‐LIF method for synthetic cathinones analysis

• Published in: Electrophoresis Vol. 42; no. 9-10; pp. 1127 - 1134
• Main Authors: Emonts, Paul, Servais, Anne‐Catherine, Ziemons, Eric, Hubert, Philippe, Fillet, Marianne, Dispas, Amandine
• Format: Journal Article Web Resource
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.05.2021; John Wiley & Sons
• Subjects: Alkaloids - analysis; Chemistry; Chimie; Chromatography, Micellar Electrokinetic Capillary; Cost analysis; Drugs; Fluorescence; Forensic analysis; Glycol ethers; Human health sciences; Illicit Drugs; Isomers; MEKC-LIF; Neutral surfactant; Pharmacie, pharmacologie & toxicologie; Pharmacy, pharmacology & toxicology; Physical, chemical, mathematical & earth Sciences; Physique, chimie, mathématiques & sciences de la terre; Polyethylene glycol; Polyethylene glycol ether surfactants; Public health; Sciences de la santé humaine; Selectivity; Separation; Surface-Active Agents; Surfactants; Synthetic cathinones; Neutral surfactant; Synthetic cathinones; Forensic analysis; Polyethylene glycol ether surfactants; MEKC-LIF
• ISSN: 0173-0835; 1522-2683; 1522-2683
• DOI: 10.1002/elps.202000331

Synthetic cathinones are phenylalkylamine compounds related to natural cathinone from Catha edulis leaves. Due to their sympathomimetic effects comparable to common illicit drugs, these substances are mainly drugs of abuse and constitute the second most frequently seized group of new psychoactive substances. In order to ensure their regulation and to promote public health, reliable analytical tools are required to track these substances. In the present study, we developed a CE hyphenated to laser‐induced fluorescence detection method to demonstrate its suitability to perform fast and cost‐effective synthetic cathinones analysis. Fourteen compounds including isobaric compounds and position isomers were selected to encompass the large panel of chemical structures. To separate the FITC‐labeled analytes (presenting the same negative charge and close mass to charge ratios), MEKC separation mode was selected. Method selectivity was not suitable using common surfactants. In this context, alkyl polyethylene glycol ether surfactants were successfully used as neutral surfactant to overcome this analytical challenge. The effect of surfactant nature on separation performances and migration behaviors of the analytes was also studied. Optimal BGE composition included 75 mM borate buffer at pH 9.3 and 0.4 mM of C12E10 surfactant. Final MEKC separation conditions were proposed to analyze a large panel of synthetic cathinones. This method helped to reach a sensitivity with LOD from 0.1 to 0.4 nM (pg/mL order).