Rapid determination of acetaminophen and p-aminophenol in pharmaceutical formulations using miniaturized capillary electrophoresis with amperometric detection

Capability of fast analysis of a novel miniaturized capillary electrophoresis with carbon disk electrode amperometric detection (mini-CE-AD) system was demonstrated by determining acetaminophen and p-aminophenol in dosage forms. Factors influencing the separation and detection processes were examined and optimized. Under the optimum conditions, the end-capillary 300 microm carbon disc electrode amperometric detector offered favorable signal-to-noise characteristics at a relatively low potential (+600 mV versus Ag/AgCl) for detecting acetaminophen and p-aminophenol. Two analytes can been separated within 150 s in a 8.5 cm length capillary at a separation voltage of 2000V using a Na2B4O7-KH2PO4 running buffer (pH 7.2). Acetaminophen and p-aminophenol could be detected down to the 1.4 x 10(-6)-5.9 x 10(-7) molL(-1) level with linearity up to the 1.0 x 10(-3) molL(-1) level examined. The inter-day repeatability for analytes in peak current (R.S.D.< or =2.3%) and migration times (R.S.D.< or =1.3%) were excellent. The proposed mini-CE-AD system should find a wide range of analytical applications in pharmaceutical formulations as an alternative to conventional CE and mu-CE.