SIMULTANEOUS DETERMINATION OF BROMVALERYLUREA, BROMODIETHYLACETYLUREA, AND ALLYLISOPROPYLACETYLUREA IN SERUM AND URINE BY HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY WITH A MULTIWAVELENGTH UV DETECTOR AND THIN-LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHY

A method for rapid detection and identification of bromvalerylurea (BVU), bromodiethylacetylurea (BDU), and allylisopropylacetylurea (AIU) in serum and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a multiwavelength UV detector after Sep-Pak C-18 cartridge extraction is reported. A Jasco Finepak C-18 reversed-phase column was used for the separation. Acetonitrile-distilled water (1:1, v/v) was used as a mobile phase. There was no significant absorption of the three hypnotics in the UV spectra (210-350 nm). However, the absorption of each was higher at the shorter wavelengths. The quantifications for the three hypnotics detected at 210 nm by the chromatogram were linear over the range 0.2-4-mu-g/mL and the detection limits of BVU, BDU, and AIU were 5, 10, and 10 ng as absolute amounts, respectively. The mean recovery yields of BVU, BDU, and AIU by Sep-Pak C-18 cartridge extraction were 85.7 +/- 4.1, 98.6 +/- 2.2, and 95.1 +/- 3.5% (n = 5) in serum and 79.5 +/- 3.8, 95.7 +/- 1.8, and 93.0 +/- 4.2% (n = 5) in urine, respectively. An optimal system of thin-layer chromatography for the identification of the hypnotics is also discussed.