Simplifying the extraction of opiates from hydrolysed and non-hydrolysed urine using automated SLE

The opioid crisis in the United States has necessitated monitoring of these drugs in biological fluids by many state health laboratories. Urine is a common matrix for analysis, and labs require a simple yet efficient extraction process for both hydrolysed and non-hydrolysed samples. Here we describe a fully-automated, simplified extraction of opiates (codeine, dihydrocodeine, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, morphine, 6-MAM, oxycodone, oxymorphone) from acid-hydrolysed urine and non-hydrolysed urine prior to GC-MS analysis. The benefits of each approach are considered. The methods were automated using an Biotage® Extrahera™ and supported liquid extraction columns (Biotage® ISOLUTE® SLE+). 

Literature number: P230.V.1