DETERMINATION OF PAPAVERINE AND COCAINE BY USE OF A PRECIPITATION SYSTEM COUPLED ONLINE TO AN ATOMIC-ABSORPTION SPECTROMETER

A continuous-precipitation flame-atomization atomic absorption spectro metric method for the determination of papaverine and cocaine hydrochl orides is proposed. The method is based on the precipitation of reinec kates by injection of Reinecke's salt into a carrier containing the al kaloids and their subsequent retention on a stainless steel filter. In this way, papaverine and cocaine hydrochlorides can be determined ove r the ranges 5-85 and 50-850 mug ml-1 with a relative standard deviati on of 1.3 and 3.2%, respectively, and a sampling frequency of 150 h-1. The proposed method is more sensitive and selective for papaverine th an it is for cocaine and can be applied to the determination of papave rine HCl in pharmaceutical preparations.