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.
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.