Application of Pulsed Flow Analysis for Chemiluminescent Screening of Fluoxetine Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals

Abstract

A chemiluminometric methodology for fluoxetine determination based on its antioxidant scavenger effect on the fast chemiluminescence reaction between luminol and hypochlorite, is proposed. The developed procedure was implemented in a fully automated multi‐pumping flow system, combining the excellent mixing characteristics of the pulsed flow with chemiluminescence detection, resulting on a sensitive, simple, and fast procedure for fluoxetine determination in pharmaceutical formulations. Linear calibration plots for fluoxetine hydrochloride concentrations of up to 10 mg l⁻¹ (r=0.9995, n=7) were obtained, with an r.s.d<2% (n=10). Detection limit (3 σ) was 0.31 mg l⁻¹ and the sampling rate was about 136 determinations per h.

Keywords:

• Multi‐pumping
• chemiluminescence
• fluoxetine
• luminol
• hypochlorite
• counterfeit drugs

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to FCT and FSE (III Quadro Comunitário de Apoio) for financial support. One of us (KLM) thanks FCT for a postdoctoral grant.