Dialysis membrane sampler for on-line flow injection analysis/chemiluminescence-detection of peroxynitrite in biological samples

Peroxynitrite, as a derivative of nitric oxide, is a potent oxidant. It reacts with several biological molecules, makes cellular and tissue damages, and is related with many diseases; therefore, it is of major concern in current medical research works. In this work, a special perm-selective cellulose acetate membrane sampler is used to implement flow injection analysis (FIA)/chemiluminscence (CL)-detection method for the detection of peroxynitrite with Luminol CL-reagent. Optimum detection conditions were established, and the permeability of peroxynitrite through cellulose acetate (CA) membrane, as well as the interference from matrix constituents were studied. The proposed method has the high sensitivity of the CL-detection and the selectivity of perm-selective membrane sampler. The obtained detection limit of 1 x 10(-11) M (without dialysis membrane) and 1 x 10(-10) M (with dialysis membrane), makes it possible to monitor the elusive peroxynitrite in biological samples. The mechanism of luminol CL-emission generated during oxidation by peroxynitrite and the kinetics of peroxynitrite decomposition were also studied using FIA/CL-detection set-up. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.