Differential electrolytic potentiometry, a detector in flow injection analysis for oxidation-reduction reactions

For the first time, differential electropotentiometry (DEP) is coupled with the flow injection analysis (FIA) technique for detection of oxidation–reduction reactions, and is utilized for quantitative determination of vitamin C in pharmaceutical preparations using 1.0×10⁻³-M cerium(IV) in 0.50-M sulfuric acid as carrier. Two similar platinum electrodes were employed and polarized by a constant current. Optimization by the univariate method was carried out and the optimum conditions for current density, flow rate, sample size and concentration of sulfuric acid were 4 mA, 0.93 ml min⁻¹, 140 μl and 0.25 M, respectively. Vitamin C was determined in the concentration range 100–300 ppm with 0.9987 correlation coefficient and 1.9 standard deviation. The method was applied to the determination of vitamin C in pharmaceutical preparations and no excipient was found to pose any interference thus rendering the method suitable for determination of the drug in pharmaceutical preparations. The accuracy of the method was determined by comparison with the BP standard method.