A comparison of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic and fluorimetric detection of the phenothiazine derivative trifluoperazine and its photooxidation products

Fluorescence spectrometry and surface-enhanced Raman spectrometry (SERS) are used for detection and characterization of the phenothiazine derivative trifluoperazine (TFZ) and its photooxidation product at trace level. The effect of UV irradiation on the fluorescence intensity and SER spectra of TFZ has been considered. SERS analysis confirms the formation of a photoinduced sulfoxyoxidation product. Both methods provide limits of detection of ca 0.1 mu g ml(-1) for TFZ, as does the SERS procedure for the photooxidation product. The fluorimetric limit of detection for the latter, however, is 3 ng ml(-1). The mid-range relative standard derivations are ca. 5%. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.