J. Sep. Sci. 2009, 32, 441 – 445 M.-J. Wang et al. 441 Man-Juing Wang1 Original Paper Chih-Hsin Tsai1 Wei-Ya Hsu1 Ju-Tsung Liu2 Optimization of separation and online sample Cheng-Huang Lin1 concentration of N,N-dimethyltryptamine and 1Department of Chemistry, related compounds using MEKC National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan The optimal separation conditions and online sample concentration for N,N-dime- 2Forensic Science Center, Military Police Command, Department of thyltryptamine (DMT) and related compounds, including a-methyltryptamine Defense, Taipei, Taiwan (AMT), 5-methoxy-AMT (5-MeO-AMT), N,N-diethyltryptamine (DET), N,N-dipropyltrypt- amine (DPT), N,N-dibutyltryptamine (DBT), N,N-diisopropyltryptamine (DiPT), 5- methoxy-DMT (5-MeO-DMT), and 5-methoxy-N,N-DiPT (5-MeO-DiPT), using micellar EKC (MEKC) with UV-absorbance detection are described. The LODs (S/N = 3) for MEKC ranged from 1.0 l 1.8 lg/mL. Use of online sample concentration methods, including sweeping-MEKC and cation-selective exhaustive injection-sweep-MEKC (CSEI-sweep-MEKC) improved the LODs to 2.2 l 8.0 ng/mL and 1.3 l 2.7 ng/mL, respectively. In addition, the order of migration of the nine tryptamines was inves- tigated. A urine sample, obtained by spiking urine collected from a human volun- teer with DMT, was also successfully examined. Keywords: MEKC / Sweeping-MEKC / Tryptamine / Received: September 8, 2008; revised: October 31, 2008; accepted: November 2, 2008 DOI 10.1002/jssc.200800492 1 Introduction diethyltryptamine (DET), N,N-dipropyltryptamine (DPT), N,N-dibutyltryptamine (DBT), DiPT, and 5-methoxy-N,N- N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT legal status: class A, UK; DMT (5-MeO-DMT) remain unscheduled. Hence, detection schedule I, US), a powerful psychoactive substance, is of these tryptamine-like drugs, which may be produced both a naturally occurring tryptamine and a potent psy- in underground laboratories and sold on the streets, is chedelic drug. Structurally, it is analogous to the neuro- an analytical challenge, not only because their chemical transmitter serotonin and other psychedelic trypt- structures are similar, but also because their levels in bio- amines, such as a-methyltryptamine (AMT), 5-methoxy- logical fluids are very low. From the point of view of AMT (5-MeO-AMT), and 5-methoxy-N,N-diisopropyltrypt- screening for and confirmation of illicit tryptamine amine (5-MeO-DiPT). These tryptamine derivatives are derivatives, more detailed information on separation illegal drugs that are listed on Schedule I of the Con- and detection of these compounds is highly desirable. trolled Substances Act (US). It should be noted that substi- Currently, GC-EI/MS [1–7], LC-ESI/MS [8–11], and CE [12– tutions to the tryptamine molecule give rise to a group 13] are the most popular and well-developed methods for of related compounds; the degree of alkylation of the identification of tryptamine derivatives. Each of these side-chain nitrogen of tryptamine has a significant effect methods has unique advantages and disadvantages with on its psychoactivity. However, a number of tryptamine respect to sensitivity, precision, and simplicity of use. In derivatives, the so-called designer drugs, such as N,N- our previous research, we have ever compared the analyt- ical sensitivity, selectivity, time, cost, and the order of Correspondence: Professor Cheng-Huang Lin, Department of migration based on different separation techniques (GC, Chemistry, National Taiwan Normal University, 88 Section 4, HPLC, and CE, respectively) [14]. In this study, mixtures of Tingchow Road, Taipei, Taiwan DMT, and related compounds, including AMT, 5-MeO- E-mail: [email protected] AMT (primary amines), DET, DPT, DiPT, DBT (various Fax: +886-2-2932-4249 degree of alkylation of the side-chain nitrogen in trypt- Abbreviations: AMT, a-methyltryptamine; BGS, background sol- amine), 5-MeO-AMT, 5-MeO-DMT, and 5-MeO-DiPT (5- ution; CSEI-sweep-MEKC, cation-selective exhaustive injection- methoxy-tryptamines) were used in the CE separation sweep-micellar EKC; DBT, N,N-dibutyltryptamine; DET, N,N-di- experiments. Using MEKC, a set of operational condi- ethyltryptamine; DiPT, N,N-diisopropyltryptamine; DMT, N,N-di- methyltryptamine; DPT, N,N-dipropyltryptamine; 5-MeO-AMT, 5- tions was selected for investigation of migration order. methoxy-AMT; 5-MeO-DMT, 5-methoxy-DMT Furthermore, in attempts to improve the sensitivity of i 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim www.jss-journal.com 442 M.-J. Wang et al. J. Sep. Sci. 2009, 32, 441 – 445 detection, online sample concentration techniques, including sweeping-MEKC and cation-selective exhaus- tive injection-sweep-micellar EKC (CSEI-sweep-MEKC) [15–24], were applied. A urine sample was obtained by spiking urine collected from a human volunteer with DMT. After liquid–liquid extraction, the sample was examined using the sweeping-MEKC mode under opti- mized conditions. The extraction procedures used for the urine sample and the CE conditions were also opti- mized and are reported here. 2 Experimental 2.1 Reagents DMT, AMT, 5-MeO-AMT, and 5-MeO-DiPT were generously donated by the Military Police Command, Forensic Sci- ence Center, Taiwan. DET, DPT, DBT, DiPT, and 5-MeO- DMT were synthesized in this study. The procedures for their synthesis have been described previously by Shul- gin and Shulgin, TIHKAL (Tryptamines I Have Known and Loved) [25]. Following synthesis, the final products were identified using NMR and IR, and were verified using GC/ MS. SDS was purchased from Acros (Belgium). All other chemicals were of analytical grade and were obtained from commercial sources. 2.2 Apparatus The CE setup was identical to that used in our previous study [26]. Briefly, a high-voltage power supply (Model Figure 1. UV absorption spectra and molecular structures of RR30-2R, Gamma, FL, USA) was used to drive electropho- the nine tryptamines, and the abbreviations used in this resis, and a 50 lm id fused-silica capillary column (J&W paper. Scientific, CA, USA) was used for separation (total/effec- tive length of capillary: 80/67 cm). The sample solution was hydrodynamically injected by raising the sample res- 3 Results and discussion ervoir to provide the height difference for the injection length. A UV-detector (CE-971 UV, Jasco, Japan) was used 3.1 MEKC for analyte determination at a detection wavelength of Figure 1 shows the UV absorption spectra and molecular 280 nm. structures of the nine tryptamines used in this study; spectra a–i correspond to DMT, DET, DPT, DBT, AMT, DiPT, 5-MeO-AMT, 5-MeO-DMT, and 5-MeO-DiPT, respec- 2.3 Urine extraction procedure tively. Maximum absorption was observed at l280 nm. In a glass tube, a 1 mL aliquot of a clean urine sample The 5-MeO-AMT, 5-MeO-DMT, and 5-MeO-DiPT produced obtained from a human volunteer, was spiked with spectral patterns that differed from those of the other 25 ng DMT. The spiked urine sample was made alkaline compounds. These spectra are useful for online identifi- by the addition of 2 mg of potassium carbonate and then cation if a CCD detector is available. Figure 2 shows typi- was shaken for 1 min. 4 mL of hexane/dichloromethane cal MEKC/UV-absorption electropherograms for the nine (v/v 3:1) were added, and gently mixed for 5 min, fol- tryptamines, each measured at a concentration of 10 lg/ lowed by centrifugation. The upper layer was collected mL, using SDS as the surfactant. The CE buffer consisted (3 mL) and the organic phase was evaporated to dryness. of a mixture of 75 mM SDS and 50 mM NaH2PO4. The The residue was dissolved in 0.05 mL of ethanol for the volumetric ratio of water, methanol, and ACN (i.e., water/ subsequent CE separation. The extraction efficiency of methanol/ACN by volume) for electropherograms a–d, this procedure for DMT was 56.8 l 6.2% (n = 5). were as follows: a, 80:20:0; b, 70:30:0; c, 70:0:30; d, i 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim www.jss-journal.com J. Sep. Sci. 2009, 32, 441 – 445 Electrodriven Separation 443 Figure 2. Typical MEKC/UV-absorption electropherogram for the nine tryptamines using SDS as surfactant; sample concentration, 10 lg/1 mL of methanol. The CE buffer con- sisted of 75 mM SDS and 50 mM NaH PO in a mixture of 2 4 Figure 3. (A) Sweeping-MEKC/UV-absorption electrophero- water/methanol/ACN (electropherograms a–d, by volume a, gram for the nine tryptamines. Sample concentration, 0.5 lg 80:20:0; b, 70:30:0; c, 70:0:30; d, 65:30:5, respectively); the in BGS (without SDS). Conditions: Phosphate buffer pH of which was adjusted to l2.2* using H PO . The applied 3 4 (50 mM, pH 2.2) in an ACN/methanol/water (5:30:65 by vol- voltage was –15 kV. ume) solution containing 75 mM SDS. The applied voltage was –15 kV. The samples were prepared in matrices (elec- tropherograms, 50 mM NaH2PO4 aqueous solution). Sample 65:30:5. The pH of the water/organic solvent mixture was injection length, 45 cm; total/effective length of the capillary, adjusted to l2.2*, using H3PO4. As seen in electrophero- 80/67 cm. (B) CSEI-sweep-MEKC electropherogram for the grams a and b, use of methanol alone does not result in nine tryptamines. Sample concentration, 50 ng in 1 mL BGS (without SDS). Conditions: The capillary was first filled with complete separation. When ACN was used instead of background buffer, followed by injection of a high conductiv- methanol, separation efficiency improved, although the ity buffer (approximately a 10 cm length of capillary with separation time increased.