Extraction of catecholamines from urine using a monolithic silica disk-packed spin column and high-performance liquid chromatography-electrochemical detection

Abstract

A simple method for the determination of catecholamines (norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine) in urine is described. The analytes were extracted from urine by extraction using a monolithic silica disk-packed spin column. The spin column has a phenylboronate moiety, which forms a stable negatively charged complex with cis-hydroxyl groups of catecholamines. The extraction recoveries of catecholamines were above 92.2%. The extracted catecholamines were separated on a reversed-phase column followed by electrochemical detection using a boron-doped diamond electrode. The limits of detection for the catecholamine were 0.2 ng mL⁻¹. The developed method was successfully applied for the determination of catecholamines in urine samples.