Simultaneous determination of cefepime and L-arginine by micellar electrokinetic chromatography and applications to commercial injections

A simple micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) with UV detection is described for simultaneous analysis of cefepime and L-arginine. The determination of cefepime and L-arginine in pharmaceutical preparations was performed at 25degreesC using a background electrolyte consisting of Tris buffer with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as the electrolyte solution. Several parameters affecting the separation of the drugs were studied, including the pH and concentrations of the Tris buffer and SDS. Under optimal MEKC conditions, good separation with high efficiency and short analysis times is achieved. Using cefazolin as an internal standard, the linear ranges of the method for the determination of cefepime and L-arginine were over 5-100 microg/mL; the detection limits of cefepime (signal to noise ratio = 3; injection 3.45 kPa, 3 s) and L-arginine (signal to noise ratio = 3; injection 3.45 kPa, 3 s) were 2 microg/mL and 4 microg/ mL, respectively. Applicability of the proposed method for the determination of cefepime and L-arginine in commercial injections was demonstrated.