FACTORS AFFECTING THE DETERMINATION OF DRUGS AND ENDOGENOUS LOW-MOLECULAR-MASS COMPOUNDS IN HUMAN SERUM BY MICELLAR ELECTROKINETIC CAPILLARY CHROMATOGRAPHY WITH DIRECT SAMPLE INJECTION

Factors influencing the establishment of an analytical window in front of the solubilized proteins in micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography (MECC) with direct serum injection (DSI) are discussed. Both drugs and endogenous low molecular mass compounds eluting within the analytical window are identified concurrently by multi-wavelength absorption detection. Variables such as the concentration of the micelle forming substance, ionic strength, applied voltage, initial sample zone length, capillary length, selected buffer additives, insufficient renewal of the buffer in the anodic buffer vial and sample matrix are shown to impact MECC of endogenous compounds and model drugs, such as antiepileptics. For two drugs eluting within the analytical window, phenobarbital and ethosuximide, serum levels determined by DSI with external calibration are shown to compare well with levels obtained after liquid-liquid extraction and internal calibration (use of an internal standard). In addition, reproducibility of both assays is excellent. The limit of employing DSI is demonstrated with the determination of the hydrophobic drug phenytoin. Using an automated, commercial instrument and naproxen as model drug, high-speed MECC separations of high reproducibility and with a throughput of 12-15 samples per h are presented.