DESIGN AND OPTIMIZATION OF THE VARIABLES IN THE ADSORPTIVE STRIPPING VOLTAMMETRIC DETERMINATION OF RUFLOXACIN IN TABLETS, HUMAN PLASMA AND URINE

An adsorptive stripping voltammetric method with a hanging mercury dro p electrode was developed for the determination of the fluoroquinolone rufloxacin in tablets, human plasma and urine. Measurements were obta ined in differential pulse mode and a multivariate strategy was used t o optimize the variables involved. Besides the independent effects of the variables, a strong interaction between scan rate and pulse durati on has been found. Rufloxacin was analysed at concentrations between 1 .7 x 10(-8) and 1.9 x 10(-7) M with a detection limit of 9.2 x 10(-9) M. Diluted tablet solutions and urine samples were analysed directly, while plasma samples needed an extraction procedure before voltammetri c analysis. An improved HPLC procedure was used as comparative method.