SPECTROFLUOROMETRIC DETERMINATION OF PARACETAMOL IN PHARMACEUTICALS AND BIOLOGICAL-FLUIDS

A spectrofluorimetric method for the determination of paracetamol is p resented, based on the oxidation of the analyte to give the fluorophor e 2,2'-dihydroxy-5,5'-diacetyldiaminebiphenyl. Sodium hypochlorite was used as an oxidizing reagent and the optimum pH was found to be 10.0 (sodium carbonate-boric acid buffer solution). The linear concentratio n range of application was 0.1-100.0 mu g ml(-1) of paracetamol, the d etection limit 0.01 mu g ml(-1) and the relative standard deviation 1. 2%. The method has been satisfactorily applied to the determination of paracetamol in pharmaceutical formulations and biological fluids.