NANOGRAM LEVEL QUANTITATION OF OXYCODONE IN HUMAN PLASMA BY CAPILLARY GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY USING NITROGEN PHOSPHORUS SELECTIVE DETECTION

A sensitive and specific capillary gas chromatographic assay is reported for the quantitation of oxycodone in human plasma. The technique involves a single extraction of oxycodone and internal standard (hydrocodone) from plasma by toluene containing 1% isopropanol. Separation is achieved on a methyl silicone (HP-1) fused-silica capillary column (25 m x 0.2 mm I.D., 0.33-mu-m film thickness) and detection is by nitrogen-phosphorus selective mode. The minimum quantifiable limit is 1.8 ng/ml using 2 ml of plasma. The method is applicable to characterize the plasma profile of oxycodone in humans after a single oral 5-mg oxycodone hydrochloride tablet.