Spectrofluorimetric determination of formaldehyde by a flow-injection method based on its catalytic effect on the acridine yellow-bromate reaction.

A flow-injection configuration for the determination of formaldehyde is proposed. The method is based on the enhancing effect of formaldehyde on the oxidation of acridine yellow by bromate in acidic medium. The proposed procedure is simple, inexpensive, sensitive and suitable for concentrations of formaldehyde between 1 and 56 microg mL(-1). A sampling-rate of 60 samples h(-1) was achieved. The effect of several organic and inorganic species was studied. The method was applied to the determination of formaldehyde in pharmaceuticals, milk and air in work environments. The accuracy of the method was confirmed by comparing the results with those obtained using the standard acetylacetone method.

Direct determination of ranitidine and famotidine by CE in serum, urine and pharmaceutical formulations.

A simple and sensitive capillary electrophoresis method using UV detection has been developed for the direct determination of ranitidine (RANT) and famotidine (FAMT) in serum, urine and pharmaceutical formulations. A buffer consisting of 60 mM phosphate buffer adjusted to pH 6.5 was found to provide a very efficient and stable electrophoretic system for the analysis of both drugs. The detection limits obtained were 0.088 microgram ml(-1) for RANT and 0.16 microgram ml(-1) for FAMT.

Fluorimetric determination of total ascorbic acid by a stopped-flow mixing technique.

A simple, rapid and automatic fluorimetric method for the determination of total ascorbic acid is described. The method makes use of the stopped-flow mixing technique in order to achieve the rapid oxidation of ascorbic acid by dissolved oxygen to dehydroascorbic acid, which then reacts with o-phenylenediamine to form a fluorescent quinoxaline. The initial rate and fluorescence signal of this system are directly proportional to the ascorbic acid concentration. The calibration graph was linear over the range 0.1-30 microg ml(-1) (kinetic method) and 0.25-34 microg ml(-1) (equilibrium method). The precision (% RSD) was close to 0.5%. The method has been used for the determination of ascorbic acid in pharmaceutical formulations, fruit juices, soft drinks and blood serum.

Flow-injection extraction-spectrophotometric method for the determination of ranitidine in pharmaceutical preparations.

The spectrophotometric determination of trace amounts of ranitidine was carried out by liquid-liquid extraction using bromothymol blue with a flow system. The determination of ranitidine in the range of 1 x 10(-5) - 1 x 10(-4) mol l(-1) was possible with a sampling frequency of 40 samples h(-1). The method was satisfactorily applied to the determination of ranitidine in pharmaceutical preparations and the recovery was quantitative and no interferences from excipients were observed.

Determination of riboflavin, flavin mononucletide and flavin adenine dinucleotide in biological tissues by capillary zone electrophoresis and laser-induced fluorescence detection.

The separation of riboflavin, flavin mononucleotide and flavin adenine dinucleotide was investigated by capillary zone electrophoresis using laser-induced fluorescence detection. In the systematic approach developed, the differential electrophoretic mobilities were first maximized by adjusting the pH. Increasing the buffer concentration improved the separation at the expense of migration times. A buffer consisting of 50 mM phosphate adjusted to pH 8.5 was found to provide a very efficient and stable electrophoretic system. Responses were linear within the range 0.1-100 micromol L(-1), and the detection limits of B2 vitamers were 0.23 nmol L(-1) or less. The method was successfully applied to a variety of biological tissues from different animals.

Simultaneous determination of doxorubicin, daunorubicin, and idarubicin by capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection.

The separation and simultaneous determination of doxorubicin, daunorubicin and idarubicin was investigated using capillary electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection. Because the three anthracycline antibiotics were similar in structure and mass, careful manipulation of the electroosmotic flow and electrophoretic mobilities was required. A buffer consisting of 100 mM borate, adjusted to pH 9.5, containing 30% acetonitrile was found to provide a very efficient and stable electrophoretic system for the analysis of the three anthracyclines. The method was applied to the determination of three anthracyclines in serum samples. Responses were linear in the range of 10-500 ng.mL-1 and the detection limits were lower than 0.9 ng.mL-1.

Flow injection determination of methamidophos using online photo-oxidation and fluorimetric detection.

A photochemical method for the determination of methamidophos using a flow injection system is proposed. The method is based on the rapid decomposition of methamidophos in the presence of peroxydisulphate upon irradiation with UV light. The phosphate generated in the photochemical process is made to react with molybdate in dilute nitric acid to form phosphomolybdic acid, which oxidises thiamine to thiochrome. The thiochrome can then be fluorimetrically monitored at 440 nm with excitation at 375 nm. The method shows a linear range between 14 and 1400 ng ml(-1) with a limit of detection of 1.7 ng ml(-1). The repeatability was 0.3% expressed as relative standard deviation (n=10) and the reproducibility, studied on five different days, was +/-3%. The sample throughput was 70 injections per h. The reliability of the method for routine analysis of water and vegetable samples is demonstrated.

Sensitive method for the determination of ambroxol in body fluids by capillary electrophoresis and fluorescence detection.

A sensitive and rapid capillary electrophoretic method combined with laser-induced fluorescence detection has been developed for the determination of ambroxol. Samples were derivatized with 5 x 10(-4) M fluorescein isothiocyanate. A linear relationship between concentration and peak area was obtained in the concentration range 0.008-42 microg ml(-1) with a correlation coefficient of 0.9999. The applicability of the method to serum and urine samples was demonstrated. The method is also useful for the determination of ambroxol in pharmaceutical preparations.

Determination of proteins in serum by fluorescence quenching of rose bengal using the stopped-flow mixing technique.

The stopped-flow mixing technique was used to develop a very fast, sensitive and accurate method for determining total proteins. The method is based on the lower fluorescence of Rose Bengal caused by binding of the dye to the proteins. The decrease in the fluorescence intensity, measured at 572 nm with excitation 555 nm, was linearly related to protein concentration from 1.3 to 24.5 micrograms ml-1. The detection limit was 0.3 microgram ml-1. The method was satisfactorily applied to the determination of total proteins in different serum samples.

Sensitive determination of diquat by a kinetic method using the stopped-flow mixing technique.

A simple, sensitive, selective, fast and inexpensive assay for the determination of diquat is proposed. The method is based on the reduction of the herbicide to a strongly fluorescent monocation radical with sodium dithionite. The initial rate of this reaction is directly proportional to the diquat concentration. The stopped-flow mixing technique was used because the kinetic data can be obtained in only 7 s, meaning that the method can be automated. The calibration graph is linear over the range 5-500 ng ml-1 and the precision (RSD) is close to 1.2%. The applicability of the method was demonstrated by determining the herbicide in different kinds of samples.

Flow injection determination of vitamin K3 by a photoinduced chemiluminescent reaction.

The determination of vitamin K3 using the coupling between a photochemical reaction and a chemiluminescent reaction in a flow system is described. The method is based on the photooxidation of ethanol sensitized by vitamin K3 to yield hydrogen peroxide, which is monitored through the chemiluminescent reaction with luminol catalysed by hematin. The new approach allows the determination of vitamin K3 in a wide concentration range (1 x 10(-7)-5 x 10(-4) mol l-1) with a throughput of 30 samples h-1. The applicability of the method was demonstrated by the determination of vitamin K3 in pharmaceutical preparations.

Separation and simultaneous determination of nalidixic acid, hydroxynalidixic acid and carboxynalidixic acid in serum and urine by micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography.

Separation in capillary electrophoresis is governed by various factors, including buffer type, buffer concentration, pH, temperature, voltage and micelles. Through proper adjustment of these parameters, nalidixic acid and its two major metabolites, 7-hydroxynalidixic and 7-carboxynalidixic, could be separated by micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatography using an electrophoretic electrolyte consisting of 50 mM borate buffer (pH 9) containing 25 mM sodium dodecyl sulphate and 10% acetonitrile. A linear relationship between concentration and peak area for each compound was obtained in the concentration range 0.15-100 micrograms ml-1, with a correlation coefficient greater than 0.999 and detection limits in the 0.2-0.7 ng ml-1 range. Intra- and inter-day precision values of about 0.8-1.2% RSD (n = 11) and 1.3-2.0% RSD (n = 30), respectively, were obtained. The method has been applied to the analysis of nalidixic acid and its two major metabolites in serum and urine with limits of sensitivity lower than 0.8 ng ml-1.

Flow injection determination of lactate based on a photochemical reaction using photometric and chemiluminescence detection.

A photochemical method for the determination of lactate using a flow-injection system is proposed. The method is based on the decomposition of lactate in the presence of UO2(2+) and Fe3+ upon irradiation with UV or visible light. The Fe2+ produced in the photochemical process was monitored by measuring the absorbance after complexation with ferrozine (lambda max = 562 nm) or the chemiluminescence (CL) intensity in a luminol system without added oxidant. The range of measurements depended on the length of the irradiation time and the detection system used. The detection limits using CL and photometric detection were 2 ng ml-1 and 50 ng ml-1, respectively. The sample throughput was 45 samples h-1. The usefulness of the method was demonstrated by determining lactate levels in blood serum, milk, yoghurt, beer and pharmaceutical preparations.

Flow-injection extraction-spectrophotometric method for the determination of chlorhexidine in pharmaceutical preparations.

The spectrophotometric determination of trace amounts of chlorhexidine was carried out by liquid-liquid extraction using bromophenol blue with a flow system. The determination of chlorhexidine in the range of 1 x 10(-4) to 1 x 10(-5) M was possible with a sampling frequency of 40 samples per hour. The method was satisfactorily applied to the determination of chlorhexidine in pharmaceutical preparations.

Flow-injection fluorimetric determination of vitamin K(1) based on a photochemical reaction.

The sensitizing effect of vitamin K(1) on the photo-oxidation of glucose has been used for the determination of the vitamin. The hydrogen peroxide formed in the photochemical reaction reacts with Fe(II) to yield hydroxylradical and this radical is scavenged by benzoic acid to form the fluorescent hydroxybenzoic acids, which are analysed by fluorescence detection. This analytical scheme was adapted to a flow-injection system, which permits the determination of vitamin K(1) between 1x10(-6) and 1x10(-4) M with a throughput of 20 samples h(-1) and relative standard deviation between 0.2 and 1%. The applicability of the method was demonstrated by determining vitamin K(1) in pharmaceutical preparations and vegetables.

Spectrofluorimetric determination of paraquat by manual and flow injection methods.

The reaction involving the formation of a fluorescent charge-transfer complex between paraquat and benzaldehyde was studied in ethanol-water medium. In the presence of a large excess of benzaldehyde, the fluorescence intensity is linearly related to paraquat concentration from 0.13 to 7.4 micrograms ml-1. The method can be easily adapted to a flow system using a two-channel manifold, the peak height being proportional to the paraquat concentration over the range 1.6-22.3 micrograms ml-1. Manual and flow-injection procedures were satisfactorily applied to the determination of paraquat in commercial herbicides, waters, soils and potatoes.

Selective determination of naproxen in the presence of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in serum and urine samples using room temperature liquid phosphorimetry.

A very simple, rapid and highly sensitive method is described for determining naproxen in serum and urine. This method is based on room temperature phosphorescence of naproxen in sodium dodecylsulphate micelles, with thallium(I) providing the external heavy atom and sodium sulphite acting as the oxygen scavenger. Under the optimum and experimental conditions, the range of application is 0.09-4.5 micrograms ml-1 and the limit of detection is 0.03 micrograms ml-1. The most relevant characteristic of this method is its great selectivity, e.g. naproxen can be determined in the presence of other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The clinical applicability of this procedure has been tested, analysing naproxen in serum and urine samples. The analytical recoveries and inter- and intra assay precision data obtained demonstrate the usefulness of this procedure when used with very complex samples.

Determination of tiopronin in pharmaceuticals using a chemiluminescent flow-injection method.

A flow-injection method for the determination of tiopronin in the range 1 x 10(-7)-7 x 10(-5) M is described. The procedure is based on the chemiluminescent reaction of tiopronin with cerium(i.v.) in sulphuric acid medium using rhodamine 6G and quinine as fluorophors. The flow-injection method is rapid and precise and allows measurements of up to 80 solutions per hour. The applicability of the method to the determination of tiopronin in pharmaceutical preparations was demonstrated by investigating the effect of potential interferences and by analysing commercial preparations.

Determination of flufenamic, meclofenamic and mefenamic acids by capillary electrophoresis using beta-cyclodextrin.

The possibility of separating flufenamic, meclofenamic and mefenamic acids by capillary electrophoresis was studied. The best approach involved combining a suitable pH of the carrier electrolyte (pH 12.0) with the host-guest complexation effects of beta-cyclodextrin. A running buffer consisting of 30 mM phosphate buffer (pH 12.0), 2 mM beta-CD and 10% (v/v) acetonitrile was found to provide a very efficient and stable electrophoresis system for the analysis of fenamic acids by capillary zone electrophoresis. Responses were linear from 0.4 to 40 microg/ml for the three drugs with detection limits of about 0.3 ng/ml. Intra- and inter-day precision values of about 1-2% R.S.D. (n = 11) and 3-4% R.S.D. (n = 30), respectively, were obtained. The method is highly robust and no breakdowns of the current or capillary blockings were observed for several weeks. The general applicability of this rapid CZE procedure (migration times less than 12 min) is demonstrated for several practical samples, including serum, urine and pharmaceuticals.

Simultaneous determination of propranolol and pindolol by synchronous spectrofluorimetry.

The simultaneous determination of propranolol and pindolol using synchronous fluorescence spectrometric techniques is described. The method involves measuring the natural fluorescence of these drugs in a 50% (v/v) ethanol-water medium using zero and first derivative synchronous spectrofluorimetry. Under the optimum conditions, the linear determination ranges of propanolol and pindolol are ca. 0.02-1.0 and 0.04-1.2 mug ml(-1), respectively. The results showed that propranolol and pindolol can be determined simultaneously when the concentration ratio of propranolol to pindolol varies from 1:100 to 50:1 in the mixed sample. The method has been satisfactorily applied to the determination of propranolol and pindolol in urine samples and propranolol in pharmaceutical preparations.