Determination of opium alkaloids in crude opium using non-aqueous capillary electrophoresis.

A method for the quantitative determination of the opium alkaloids morphine, codeine, thebaine, noscapine and papaverine in crude opium and in drug preparations based on non-aqueous capillary electrophoresis has been developed. The non-aqueous mode provides high separation selectivity and new possibilities for regulating the selectivity in capillary electrophoresis. The nature of the organic solvent, the acidity of the electrolytes as well as the temperature surrounding the capillary exhibit a major influence on the separation selectivity.