Spectrofluorimetric and smartphone-based detection methods for determination of gentamicin

Abstract

This paper presents the development of spectrofluorimetric and smartphone-based detection methods for gentamicin determination using fluorescamine as a reagent. The research included selecting excitation (415 nm) and emission (489 nm) wavelengths, reaction time, and conditions like reagent concentration, and pH of the reaction medium. Moreover, the optimal operating parameters of the smartphone camera, like ISO, white balance, camera shutter, and RGB model channel were selected. Analytical parameters of the developed spectrofluorimetric and smartphone-based methods were estimated including the linear range: 0.04–15.00 mg dm⁻³ and 0.18–1.20 mg dm⁻³, respectively, limits of detection and quantification: 0.01 and 0.04 mg dm⁻³, and 0.06 and 0.18 mg dm⁻³, respectively, and precision (CV, n = 6): 5.2% and 2.8%, respectively. The proposed approaches were successfully applied to determine gentamicin in pharmaceutical samples. The obtained results were consistent with values declared by manufacturers and satisfactory recovery values, 93.2–113.6% were obtained for both spectrofluorimetric and smartphone-based methods. The developed fluorimetric method with smartphone-based detection provides a low limit of detection specific to spectrofluorimetric methods whereas the measurement system is a simple, easily accessible, compact, and low-cost device. Hence, it can become a competitive alternative to other gentamicin determination methods.

Graphical abstract