Spectrofluorimetric determination of dopamine using chlorosulfonylthenoyltrifluoroacetone-europium probe.

A new spectrofluorimetric method was developed for the determination of trace amounts of dopamine (DA). Using chlorosulfonylthenoyltrifluoroacetone (CTTA)-europium ion (Eu(3+)) as a fluorescent probe, in a buffer solution at pH = 10.0, DA can remarkably enhance the fluorescence intensity of the CTTA-Eu(3+) complex at lambda = 612 nm; the enhanced fluorescence intensity of Eu(3+) is proportional to the concentration of DA. Optimum conditions for the determination of DA were also investigated. The linear range and detection limit for the determination of DA were 5.0 x 10(-8) approximately 1.6 x 10(-5) mol/l and 3.2 x 10(-8) mol/l. This method is simple, practical and relatively free of interference from coexisting substances, and can be applied to assess DA in injection and human serum samples with good precision and accuracy.