Automated fluorimetric determination of the genotoxic impurity hydrazine in allopurinol pharmaceuticals using zone fluidics and on-line solid phase extraction.

In the present study we report a fully automated method for the determination of low levels of the genotoxic impurity hydrazine in allopurinol active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and formulations based on the concept of zone-fluidics. Hydrazine reacts on-line with o-phthalaldehyde in a unique way, that is in acidic medium (pH < 1.5) and in the absence of nucleophilic reagents, to form a highly fluorescent hydrazone (λex/em = 318 / 376 nm). The adaptation of a 120 s long stopped-flow step at elevated temperature (70 °C) offered adequate sensitivity (LOD =0.9 μg L-1 or 0.1 ppm in the solid API) to meet the pharmacopoeia limits for the selected application. The analyte was separated efficiently from the excess of the API by on line solid phase extraction using a Hydrophilic-Lipophilic technology sorbent that provided direct retention of the more hydrophobic API without the need of wetting/conditioning steps. Percent recoveries ranged between 93.3 and 105.8%.