NCJ Number
145895
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 38 Issue: 6 Dated: (November 1993) Pages: 1275-1285
Date Published
1993
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This paper suggests a procedure for enhancing differentiation between morphine and heroin during simultaneous analysis.
Abstract
Analysis of morphine and codeine is often done by acid hydrolysis to release the parent morphine from its glucuronide, which is formed during metabolism. Following its injection, heroin rapidly deacetylates to 6- monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM), which can be detected in the urine for a short time after the heroin injection. Only a small amount of 6-MAM may be further metabolized to morphine glucuronide. Generally, urine has not been hydrolyzed before analysis for heroin. Simultaneous analysis of morphine codeine, 6-MAM, and heroin would be complicated by loss of differentiation between morphine and heroin, as heroin converts to morphine following acid hydrolysis for removal of the glucuronide moiety from morphine glucuronide. Another significant problem in simultaneous analysis is the relative disparity in concentration between morphine/codeine and 6- MAM/heroin. In the method proposed in this paper, free morphine that results from B-glucuronidase rather than acid hydrolysis of morphine glucuronide is derivatized with propionic anhydride to form dipropionylmorphine. Heroin that does not react with B-glucuronidase remains unhydrolyzed as the diacetylmorphine derivative. Some more exacting steps for the acid procedure are eliminated, making costs for the enzyme procedure comparable to those of the acid hydrolysis method. A solid-phase column system purifies the enzyme reaction mixture. The authors present optimal conditions for concentration of enzyme, temperature of hydrolysis, and pH for B-glucuronidase hydrolysis. The ions that identify the propionyl derivatives are characterized for the simultaneous analysis of morphine, codeine, 6-MAM, and heroin. 7 figures and 19 references