Electrochemical behaviour of clenbuterol at Nafion-modified carbon-paste electrodes.

A detailed study of the electrochemistry of clenbuterol at bare carbon-paste electrodes (CPEs) has been carried out. Results showed that clenbuterol undergoes an ECE process. This compound is irreversibly oxidised at high potentials, resulting in the formation of a product which demonstrates quasi-reversible electrochemical behaviour at less positive potentials. The amount of this chemical product formed is very pH-dependent. Investigations into the electrochemical behaviour of clenbuterol at Nafion-modified CPEs were also made. The use of a thin Nafion film cast over the CPE resulted in a large increase in peak current over bare electrodes. Linear accumulation occurred with time, the linear range increasing with decreasing concentration. This allowed the detection of low concentrations of clenbuterol. Diffusion proved to be the rate-controlling process of clenbuterol through the Nafion membrane.

Application of a Nafion-modified carbon paste electrode for the absorptive stripping voltammetric determination of fenoterol in pharmaceutical preparations and biological fluids.

The preconcentration of fenoterol on a Nafion-modified carbon paste electrode and its subsequent determination using differential pulse voltammetry is described. The effect of pH and percentage Nafion concentration on the accumulation behaviour of fenoterol was studied, and accumulation curves, calibration graphs and reproducibility studies at two different Nafion concentrations have been carried out in the range 2.5 x 10(-8)-5.0 x 10(-7) M fenoterol. A limit of detection in aqueous solutions, calculated using a signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) of 3, was 9.0 x 10(-9) M. Application of the electrode to pharmaceutical preparations, without sample pretreatment, resulted in acceptable deviation from the stated concentration (RSD = +/- 3.81%, n = 4). For more complex matrices, a suitable extraction procedure was developed, resulting in recoveries of > 90% (urine) and > 75% (serum).

Voltammetric assay of heroin in illicit dosage forms.

The oxidation of heroin on a carbon paste electrode has been studied by using voltammetric techniques under both semi-infinite linear diffusion and hydrodynamic conditions. By employing a simple and rapid in situ pre-treatment of the electrode, excellent reproducibility of the current signal was obtained. Subsequently, the current was measured and the concentration of total heroin present could be determined. The method compared favourably with instrumental methods that are more commonly used for the quantification of heroin in clinical laboratories such as chromatographic, spectrophotometric or radiometric techniques. Moreover, the proposed method showed good selectivity and was superior with respect to cost and time of analysis, permitting the determination of heroin in seized drug samples over a wide concentration range.

Voltammetric assay of methadone in urine.

A simple, rapid and sensitive voltammetric method for the determination of methadone in human urine is proposed, which permits the detection of concentrations of methadone as low as 0.3-0.4 microgram ml-1. The proposed method was compared with methods normally used in clinical trials, such as the enzyme multiplied immunoassay technique, and was found to be superior with regard to cost and to possess high sensitivity.