Highly sensitive simultaneous quantification of buprenorphine and norbuprenorphine in human plasma by magnetic solid-phase extraction based on PpPDA/Fe3O4 nanocomposite and high-performance liquid chromatography

A rapid and sensitive method based on magnetic solid-phase extraction coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection was developed for the simultaneous determination of buprenorphine (BPN) and its major metabolite, norbuprenorphine (N-BPN), in human plasma samples. Poly (para-phenylenediamine)-modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles (PpPDA/Fe3O4) were synthesized and used as a magnetic adsorbent for the extraction and preconcentration of BPN and N-BPN in biological samples. The synthesized nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometery. An isocratic separation was achieved on a Nova-Pak C18 reversed-phase column using a mobile phase consisting phosphate buffer (pH 3.4) and acetonitrile (50:50, v/v) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min−1. The detection was conducted at 280 nm. Under the optimum conditions, the calibration curves for BPN and N-BPN were linear in the ranges 3.0–150.0 and 1.0–120.0 ng mL−1, respectively. The sensitivity was also high with limit of detection of 0.8 and 0.3 ng mL−1 for BPN and N-BPN in plasma, respectively. The method was successfully applied to the extraction and determination of BPN and N-BPN in human plasma samples with an average recovery of 98.10 and 96.41%, respectively.