Polarographic determination of some penicillins through nitrosation

Direct current and differential pulse polarography DPP were used for the determination of three penicillins, namely, ampicillin, benzylpenicillin and carbenicillin, in pure form and in their dosage forms. The method is based upon treatment of penicillins with nitrous acid followed by polarographic measurement of the produced derivatives polarographically. The nitroso derivatives formed exhibited reduction waves over the whole pH range in Britton-Robinson buffers. The waves were characterized as being diffusion-controlled and free from adsorption phenomena. The current-concentration plots were rectilinear over the concentration range 8-200 and 2-160 mu g ml(-1) for DC, and DPP, respectively, for all the studied compounds. The proposed method was further applied to determine penicillins in pharmaceutical preparations, and the results obtained were in good agreement with those given by the companies. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.