Effect of surfactants in simultaneous electroanalytical determination of biologically active nitrogen-containing heterocycles

Abstract

This electrochemical study is focused on selection of suitable surfactant for simultaneous voltammetric determination of biologically active nitrogen-containing heterocycles. Herein, xanthine alkaloid caffeine (CA) and pyridoxine (vitamin B6; VB6) were chosen as typical illustrative analytes. This work represents an initial step in the development of sophisticated electroanalytical method. Glassy carbon electrode and two of its modifications were tested in model samples of the Britton-Robinson pH 4.0 buffer, which contained always 100 μM CA and 100 μM VB6 and one of the surfactants tested, either nonionic Triton X-100, anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate, or cationic cetylpyridinium chloride or 1,3-idecyl-2-methylimidazolium chloride. The results show that the presence of surfactants contributes to improving the reproducibility of voltammetric measurements, but unfortunately does not cause any peak position differentiation.