Flow injection determination of vitamin K3 by a photoinduced chemiluminescent reaction

The determination of vitamin K-3 using the coupling between a photochemical reaction and a chemiluminescent reaction in a flow system is described. The method is based on the photooxidation of ethanol sensitized by vitamin K-3 to yield hydrogen peroxide, which is monitored through the chemiluminescent reaction with luminol catalysed by hematin. The new approach allows the determination of vitamin K-3 in a wide concentration range (1 x 10(-7)-5 x 10(-4) mol l(-1)) with a throughput of 30 samples h(-1). The applicability of the method was demonstrated by the determination of vitamin K-3 in pharmaceutical preparations.