Fast fourier transform continuous cyclic voltammetry development as a highly sensitive detection system for ultra trace monitoring of thiamine

In this work, a highly sensitive method for the fast monitoring of thiamine hydrocholoride in flow-injection systems has been developed. The fast Fourier transform continuous cyclic voltammetry (FFCV) in flowing solution as a detection system was applied for the very fast monitoring of thiamine in its pharmaceutical formulations. This technique is very simple, precise, accurate, time-saving and economical, compared to all previous reported methods. The effects of various parameters on the sensitivity of the detection system were considered. The best condition was ;obtained within the pH value of 2, and scan rate value of 25 V s(-1), accumulation potential of -400 mV, and accumulation time of 0.6 s. The proposed method has some advantages over other reported methods such as, there is no need for the removal of oxygen from the test solution, has a sub-nanomolar detection limit, and finally the method is fast enough for the determination of any such compound, in a wide variety of chromatographic methods. This research also introduces a special computer-based numerical method, for the calculation of the analyte signal and noise reduction. The electrode response was calculated based on partial and total charge exchanges on the electrode surface after subtracting the background current from that of noise. To obtain a sensitive determination, the integration range of currents was set for all the potential scan ranges, including oxidation and reduction of the Au surface electrode, while performing the measurements. The potential waveform, consisting of the potential steps for cleaning, accumulation and potential ramp of analyte, was applied on an Au disk microelectrode (12.5 mu m in radius) in a continuous way. The detection limit of the method for thiamine was 1.0 x 10(-12) M. The relative standard deviation of the method at 1.0 x 10(-8) M was 2.2% for 8 runs.