Enantiomeric Separation of Tramadol and Its Metabolites: Method Validation and Application to Environmental Samples

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2017

Authors

Silva, C (Author) Other; Ribeiro, C (Author) Other; Maia, AS (Author) Other; Goncalves, V (Author) Other; Tiritan M.E. (Author) FFUP; Carlos Afonso (Author) FFUP

Journal

Title: Symmetry

Vol. 9

Final page: 170

ISSN: 2073-8994

Publisher: MDPI

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 6 Citations

Scopus - 8 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00N-0TN

DOI: 10.3390/sym9090170

Abstract (EN): The accurate assessment of racemic pharmaceuticals requires enantioselective analytical methods. This study presents the development and validation of an enantioselective liquid chromatography with a fluorescence detection method for the concomitant quantification of the enantiomers of tramadol and their metabolites, N-desmethyltramadol and O-desmethyltramadol, in wastewater samples. Optimized conditions were achieved using a Lux Cellulose-4 column 150 Chi 4.6 mm, 3 mu m isocratic elution, and 0.1% diethylamine in hexane and ethanol (96: 4, v/v) at 0.7 mL min 1. The samples were extracted using 150 mg Oasis (R) mixed-mode cation exchange (MCX) cartridges. The method was validated using a synthetic effluent of a laboratory-scale aerobic granular sludge sequencing batch reactor. The method demonstrated to be selective, accurate, and linear (r(2) > 0.99) over the range of 56 ng L (-1) to 392 ng L (-1). The detection and the quantification limits of each enantiomer were 8 ng L 1 and 28 ng L (-1) for tramadol and N-desmethyltramadol, and 20 ng L (-1) And 56 ng L- 1 for O-desmethyltramadol. The feasibility of the method was demonstrated in a screening study in influent and effluent samples from a wastewater treatment plant. The results demonstrated the occurrence of tramadol enantiomers up to 325.1 ng L (-1) and 357.9 ng L (-1), in the effluent and influent samples, respectively. Both metabolites were detected in influents and effluents.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 17