ELECTROGENERATED CHEMILUMINESCENT DETERMINATION OF CODEINE AND RELATED ALKALOIDS AND PHARMACEUTICALS WITH TRIS(2,2'-BIPYRIDINE)RUTHENIUM(II)

This work describes a novel and sensitive method for the determination of codeine, heroin, and dextromethorphan, using flow injection with e lectrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL). The method is based on the EC L reaction of tris(2,2'-bipyridine) ruthenium(II) [Ru(bpy)(2)(2+)] wit h tertiary amino groups. The factors affecting the determinations were investigated and possible reaction inhibitors, such as phenolic funct ional groups, were identified. Linear calibrations were obtained for s ignal (mV) versus concentration (mu mol l(-1)) in the range 0.1-1.0 mu mol l(-1) with percentage relative standard deviations of less than 5 % (n = 5). The 50 limits of detection were calculated as 15, 45 and 44 nmol l(-1) for codeine, heroin, and dextromethorphan, respectively.