Voltammetric Determination of Selected Psychopharmaceuticals Using Carbon Electrodes

Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was used for developing a method for the determination of phenothiazine derivatives, namely chlorpromazine (CHP) and levomepromazine (LMP), using a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and a graphite electrode, both with a 2 mm disc diameter. Comparison of quantification limits (LQ) for both substances on both electrodes was performed. After optimizing and processing the results, the optimal conditions for measuring calibrations were as follows: Britton- Robinson (BR) buffer at pH 4.0. Calibration dependences were measured inthe concentration range from 1·10-7 to 1·10-4 mol·dm-3 . There was no need for electrochemical electrode regeneration or matrix pretreatment. The results showed higher measurement sensitivity for CHP, and the graphite electrode also showed higher sensitivity. Although there were measured lower concentrations with the graphite electrode in comparison to the GCE, because of the low repeatability of the measurements in the lower concentration range 1-10·10-7 mol·dm-3 , the LQ is comparable to the results reached on the GCE. Besides to the BR buffer, measurements in other matrices (drinking water and river water) were also made. The following LQ values were achieved: 1.0·10-6 mol·dm-3 (in BR buffer), 1.1·10-6 -1.4·10-6 mol·dm-3 (in drinking water) and..