CHEMILUMINESCENCE DETERMINATION OF PENICILLAMINE VIA FLOW-INJECTION APPLYING A QUININE-CERIUM(IV) SYSTEM

A rapid flow injection method with chemiluminescence detection is desc ribed for the determination of penicillamine. The method is based on t he chemiluminescence reaction of thiol-containing drugs with cerium(rv ) in sulfuric acid medium, Quinine is suggested as a fluorescer for th e energy-transferred excitation process. The optimum conditions for ch emiluminescence emission were investigated, With peak height as a quan titative parameter, penicillamine can be determined over the concentra tion range 2-200 mu mol l(-1) with a detection limit of 15 pmol of ori ginal thiol. The method was applied to the determination of penicillam ine in a pharmaceutical tablet preparation.