Selective Determination of Harmol by Room-Temperature Phosphorimetry: A Comparative Performance with Micellar Electrokinetic Capillary Chromatography

Abstract

Selective determination of harmol in the presence of other β-carboline alkaloids without the need for previous separation of components was achieved by Solid Surface Room-Temperature Phosphorimetry (SSRTP) using HgCl₂. Detection of harmol at concentrations as low as 5.2 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹ can be made in urine samples. Recovery of 100±12% was achieved. The analytical performance of SSRTP was compared to Micellar Electrokinetic Capillary Chromatography (MECC).

Keywords:

• Harmol
• micellar electrokinetic chromatography
• selective determination of beta-carbolines
• solid surface room-temperature phosphorimetry

Financial support from the Brazilian agencies FAPERJ and FINEP is gratefully acknowledged. Aucélio, Figueiredo, and de Souza thank CNPq, and Marques thanks CAPES and FAPERJ for scholarships.

Notes

I_{harmol in mixture}/I_harmol: Ratio between RTP measured from 2 nmol of harmol from the β-carboline mixture and the RTP measured from 2 nmol of harmol from a standard solution.

^a Concentration or mass of harmol producing analytical signal is equal to 3 times the blank signal.