Selective detection of metal species in HPLC and FIA by means of pulsed amperometric detection (PAD).

Triple-step pulsed amperometry is used to detect selectively metal complex species after HPLC separation in the presence of coeluting matrix compounds. Optimized pulse parameters enable accurate and selective detection of species even in the presence of electroactive compounds such as phenols or sulfurcontaining peptides. Complexes of tin(IV) with rutin and of platinum(II) with glutathione are presented as examples for these classes of compounds. It is demonstrated that by changing the pulse waveform direct and indirect detection modes can be realized. The method is applied to detect platinum species in a grass extract and iron(II)-lactate in fruit juice. Furthermore it is shown, that pulsed amperometry can be used as a detector in FIA for determining the fraction of metal complex formed after mixing of metal and excess ligand without separation.