This work presents a simple and fast method for colchicine (CO) determination in pharmaceutical formulations and urine by multiple pulse amperometry (MPA) with flow injection analysis (FIA) system using a boron-doped diamond electrode. In optimized conditions, it was possible to quantify CO in urine samples without interference of uric acid and ascorbic acid. The working linear range for CO quantification was achieved from 1.0 × 10-7 to 0.5 × 10-3mol L-1 with a low limit of detection of 2.14 × 10-8mol L-1. Furthermore, the proposed method showed high repeatability for 10 consecutive injections of 1.0 × 10-4mol L-1 CO (relative standard deviation = 1.28%) and good analytical frequency (30 determinations per hour). The addition and recovery studies in all pharmaceutical samples were approximately 100% and the results for CO determination were compared by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection.

The amorphous, mesoporous SiO2-SO3H catalyst with a surface area of 115 m2 g-1 and 1.32 mmol H+ per g was very efficient for the protonation of ketones on a 10% (m/m) basis, and the catalyst-bound intermediates can be trapped by polyalcohols to produce ketals in high yields or suffer aldol condensations within minutes under low-power microwave irradiation. The same catalyst can easily reverse the ketalization reaction.

This work describes the electrochemical performance of a novel composite based on nickel tetrasulfonated phthalocyanine (NiTsPc), deoxyribonucleic acid from calf thymus (CT-DNA) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) for the electroanalysis of reduced β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), through electrocatalytic oxidation. The modified electrode was denoted as CT-DNA/NiTsPc/rGO. Fourier transform infrared and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopies were performed to characterize the composite material. The electrochemical performance of the composite for NADH oxidation was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The CT-DNA/NiTsPc/rGO modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) showed an excellent electrocatalytic activity for NADH oxidation with apparent electrocatalytic rate constant (kobs) of 7.35 × 105 L mol-1 s-1 and linear response range for NADH from 1 up to 1350 µmol L-1 for n = 12 (r = 0.999). The proposed sensor shows sensitivity, detection limit and quantification limit of 0.014 µA L mol-1, 0.3 and 1 µmol L-1, respectively. The prepared sensor was further tested for the determination of NADH in artificial human urine samples, showing promising biomedical applications.

This work presents two amperometric methods for Sildenafil Citrate (SC) determination in erectile dysfunction drugs (Viagra® and Generics), using Batch Injection Analysis (BIA) and Flow Injection Analysis (FIA) systems with a cell for Screen Printed Electrodes (SPE). In Britton- Robinson buffer solution (pH 2), the SC presented an irreversible anodic peak at around +1.0 V vs. Ag pseudo-reference electrode, using five different working electrodes of commercial SPE. The carbon SPE (unmodified) was selected as the best working electrode, providing good sensitivity, precision and low-cost. The SC amperometric detection for two proposed methods was performed at +1.1 V. The best conditions for SC determination by hydrodynamic systems were obtained through injection volumes of 50 and 150 µL at flow rates of 100 and 75 µL s-1, for BIA and FIA respectively. In these conditions, BIA system showed the best sensitivity (0.188 µA mol-1 L) and theoretical analytical frequency (360 h-1) for SC determination. The repeatability studies were similar for both systems with relative standard deviation of approximately 3.0%. The SC analyses in pharmaceutical samples obtained by two proposed methods were compared to HPLC-UV method.

The present work describes the development of a selective electrochemical sensor for urate based on tris(1,10-phenantroline)copper(II) bis(tetracyanoquinodimethanide) (Cu(phen)3(TCNQ)2) adsorbed on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNT). The composite material was characterized by infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The composite material showed an excellent electrocatalytic activity toward oxidation of urate. The heterogeneous charge transfer rate constant (k’) between the analyte and the sensor was determined using linear sweep voltammetry experiments. The composite material shows a linear range from 5 up to 2500 µmol L-1 with limit of detection of 1.05 µmol L-1 and limit of quantification of 3.50 µmol L-1. The high sensitivity and selectivity of the sensor for urate was sufficient for its determination in biological fluids. Finally, the proposed sensor was successfully applied in urine samples.

O presente trabalho apresenta uma metodologia simples, rápida e de baixo custo para determinação simultânea de paracetamol (PC) e ibuprofeno (IB) em formulações farmacêuticas por voltametria de pulso diferencial usando eletrodo de diamante dopado com boro (BDD). Os analitos apresentaram picos de oxidação definidos em 0,85 V para o PC e 1,72 V para o IB (vs. Ag/AgCl) sobre o eletrodo de trabalho de BDD em meio de uma solução de H2SO4 0,1 mol L-1 com 10% (v/v) de etanol. As curvas de calibração mostraram uma resposta linear para determinação simultânea dos analitos entre 20 a 400 µmol L-1 (r² = 0,999) e os limites de detecção obtidos pelas regressões foram de 7,1 µmol L-1 e 3,8 µmol L-1 para PC e IB, respectivamente. Os estudos de adição e recuperação nas amostras ficaram próximos de 100% e os resultados foram validados por métodos cromatográficos.

This work presents a simple, fast and low-cost methodology for the simultaneous determination of paracetamol (PC) and ibuprofen (IB) in pharmaceutical formulations by differential pulse voltammetry using a boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode. A well-defined oxidation peak was observed using the BDD electrode for each analyte (0.85 V for PC and 1.72 V for IB (vs. Ag/AgCl)) in 0.1 mol L-1 H2SO4 solution containing 10% (v/v) of ethanol. Calibration curves for the simultaneous determination of PC and IB showed a linear response for both drugs in a concentration range of 20 to 400 µmol L-1 (r² = 0.999), with a detection limit of 7.1 µmol L-1 for PC and 3.8 µmol L-1 for IB. The addition-recovery studies in samples were about 100% and the results were validated by chromatographic methods.

Este trabalho descreve uma metodologia simples empregando análise por injeção em fluxo com detecção amperométrica pulsada para determinação simultânea de dipirona (DI) e paracetamol (PCT) em formulações farmacêuticas. Os compostos são detectados através da aplicação de quatro pulsos de potencial (seqüenciais) em função do tempo. Dipirona é diretamente detectada em +0,40 V e paracetamol indiretamente em 0,00 V através da redução do produto de oxidação (N-acetil-p-benzoquinonaimina) gerada eletroquimicamente em +0,65 V. O quarto pulso de potencial (-0,05 V) é aplicado para a regeneração ou limpeza do eletrodo de trabalho (carbono vítreo). A faixa linear de resposta foi otimizada em 9 a 45 mg L-1 para dipirona e em 6 a 30 mg L-1 para paracetamol. As regressões lineares para as duas curvas analíticas apresentaram excelentes coeficientes de correlação (R = 0,999), assim como os resultados obtidos nos estudos de adição-recuperação (ca. 100%). A freqüência analítica para a metodologia proposta foi calculada em 45 injeções hora com o consumo de 1,5 mL de solução por minuto. O desvio padrão relativo do sinal para 24 injeções sucessivas foi calculado em 0,4 % para dipirona e 0,2 % para paracetamol. O método proposto foi usado com sucesso para a determinação destes compostos em formulações farmacêuticas.

In this work a simple flow injection methodology with pulsed amperometric detection for simultaneous determination of dipyrone (DI) and paracetamol (PCT) in pharmaceutical formulations is described. The compounds are detected by applying four sequential potential pulses as function of the time. Dipyrone is directly detected at +0.40 V and paracetamol indirectly at 0.00 V through the reduction of the oxidation product (N-acetyl-p-benzoquinoneimine) electrochemically generated at +0.65 V. The fourth potential pulse (-0.05 V) is applied for the cleaning of the electrode surface (glassy carbon). The linear response range was optimized between 9 and 45 mg L-1 for dipyrone and 6 and 30 mg L-1 for paracetamol. Linear regression of these two series of experiments leads to excellent correlation coefficients (R = 0.999) for both analytes and recoveries of around 100%. The proposed methodology allows an analytical frequency of 45 injections h-1 with a consumption of 1.5 mL of solution per minute. The relative standard deviation for 24 successive injections of solutions containing DI and PCT was calculated as 0.4% and 0.2%, respectively. The developed methodology was successfully used for the determination of dipyrone and paracetamol in pharmaceutical samples.

This work presents a new approach to control the flow rate in hydrodynamic flow experiments. The combination of air pressure generated by an aquarium air pump and the pressure generated by a water column were used for this purpose. This device supports a stable flow rate without pulsation for a long period of time. Furthermore, the flow rate can be easily controlled at various values in one or more streams. The performance of this approach was investigated using Fe(CN)6(4-) solutions in flowing systems using amperometric and voltammetric detection in wall-jet configuration. The results showed that the performance of the proposed device was better than a commercial peristaltic pump. It suggests that this approach can be used successfully in flow analysis systems.