Ultrasensitive assay of azithromycin in medicine and bio-Fluids based on its enhanced luminol–H2O2 chemiluminescence reaction using flow injection technique Original Research Article

A simple flow injection chemiluminescence method with synergistic enhancement has been investigated for the rapid and sensitive determination of azithromycin. The synergistic action was significant in the chemiluminescence system of luminol–hydrogen peroxide with azithromycin as an enhancer. The enhanced chemiluminescence intensity was linear with the concentration of azithromycin over the range from 0.1 pg mL−1 to 1.0 ng mL−1 (r2=0.9988) with a detection limit (3σ) of 0.04 pg mL−1. At a flow rate of 2.0 mL min−1, a complete analytical process could be performed within 0.5 min, including sampling and washing, with a relative standard deviation of less than 3.0%. The proposed method was applied successfully in the assay of azithromycin in pharmaceutical preparations, human urine and serum without any pre-treatment procedure.