Flow-injection analysis study of the chemiluminescent behaviour of proflavine and acriflavine Original Research Article

The chemiluminescent behaviour of the amino acridines like acriflavine, and proflavin is reported. Different strong oxidants (potassium permanganate, cerium(IV), hexacyanoferrate(III), hydrogen peroxide in different media) were tested, and potassium permanganate in sulphuric acid medium was selected. The study of the experimental parameters affecting the oxidation and detection was performed with the aid of a FIA assembly. The calibration graph was applied over the range 0.05–12.0 μg ml−1 of acriflavine (regression coefficient 0.9957, and the calculated relative standard deviation (R.S.D., %) was 0.9; LOD 10 ng ml−1 and the sample throughput 48 h−1. The study of interfering compounds was also performed and the method was applied to a sample of residual water. Finally, a study of the mechanism of acriflavine was performed on the basis of the semi-empiric method CNDO/S3. From theoretical spectra acridone is proposed as the intermediate responsible of the emission.