Application of flow injection in the assay of selected substances in food and clinical analysis

Abstract

The concept of flow injection (PIA), introduced as a simple and convenient principle, has established itself as a well defined analytical technique. With achievement and improvement of FIA as a general analytical laboratory technique, on-site monitoring and process analysis becomes a reality. It introduces a great improvement in the objectivity of the analysis, accuracy of the analytical information and greatly enhances the rate of the analytical process. The aim of this research was to determine the content of selected substances of biological importance from food industry (chloride, zinc, a-amylase), and also from the pharmaceutical industry (paracetamol). The importance of adopting FIA systems for these purposes is to increase the objectivity and the speed of their determination, and also to give the possibility of on-line assay. Because only reliable methods can be automated, it was necessary to choose between the methods available for the assay of chloride, zinc, a-amylase and paracetamol. The next step was to optimize the FIA system, and after it to evaluate the FIA/spectrophotometric systems. The results obtained for all substances proved a high reliability. The sample rate was high. Practically no sample interaction was recorded. These characteristics obtained for the proposed methods made them suitable to be used on-line in food and pharmaceutical industry, respectively.