Bile Analysis for Cocaine and Benzoylecgonine in Overdose Cases

Abstract

A method for determining cocaine and benzoylecgonine (BEG) in human bile using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet detection at 235 nm is proposed. The method uses a Lichrospher RP18 column and methanol-phosphate buffer as mobile phase. Following solid phase extraction with Bond Elut Certify cartridges, the linearity of the method was examined over the analyte concentration range 0.125-5 g/mL in bile. The precision of the method was acceptable, with coefficients of variation less than 5%. The average extraction yield was 82% for cocaine and 76% for BEG. The proposed method was applied to 30 bile samples from individuals fatally poisoned with cocaine.

Forensic Science

“…Cocaine and heroin with their respective metabolites have been determined in meconium by GC/MS . A method for determing cocaine and BZE in human bile using HPLC with UV detection has been described .…”