Analysis of omnoponum by surface-ionization mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry methods

Abstract

This paper provides the development of analytical capabilities of surface-ionization mass spectrometry (SI/MS) and high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS/MS) for narcotic analgesic omnoponum, which perfectly exemplifies a mixture of opium alkaloids. It has been revealed that the investigated opiates solution, omnoponum, is ionized by the surface ionization (SI) method with high sensitivity. In the SI mass spectrum, M+, (M-H)+, (M-H-2nH)+, (M-R)+ and (M-R-2nH)+ ion lines, where M is a molecule, H is the hydrogen atom and R is a radical, were observed. These ion lines consist of combined omnoponum mixture SI mass spectra, i.e. morphine, codeine, thebaine, papaverine, and narcotine. Moreover, while the study of omnoponum by HPLC/MS/MS methods has attested that the mixture really consists of 5 components, it has been demonstrated that the SI/MS method can be utilized for the analysis of this mixture without the necessity of its chromatographic separation. © 2010 Elsevier B.V.