An HPLC fluorescence detection system for amines

A detection system is described which is based on fluorescent ion-pair formation between tertiary amine drugs and dimethoxyanthracene sulphonate. A dynamic micro-extraction principle is then used to isolate the ion-pairs from the excess reagent. The band broadening of this extraction detector was kept below 20% using standard auto-analyser equipment. With the enhanced selectivity and sensitivity of this approach it was possible to analyse chloropheniramine in urine at ppb concentrations using a pre-column clean-up trace enrichment step.