SENSITIVE DETECTION OF STRYCHNINE IN BIOLOGICAL SAMPLES BY GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY WITH SURFACE-IONIZATION DETECTION

Strychnine was found measurable with high sensitivity by gas chromatography (GC) with surface ionization detection (SID) and using brucine as the internal standard. The calibration curve was linear in the range of 62.5 to 1000 pg, on column. The detection limit of strychnine was about 50 pg on column (2.5 ng/mL sample); the sensitivity was 70 times higher than that reported by high-performance liquid chromatography. A detailed procedure for extraction of strychnine from human whole blood and urine was established using Sep-Pak C-18 cartridges; the recovery of strychnine and brucine, which had been spiked in both body fluids, was about 90%.