Flow-injection chemiluminescence determination of chlortetracycline using on-line electrogenerated [Cu(HIO(6))(2)](5-) as the oxidant.

A novel chemiluminescence (CL) flow system for the determination of chlortetracycline is described. It is based on the direct CL reaction of chlortetracycline and [Cu(HIO(6))(2)](5-) in KOH medium. The unstable [Cu(HIO(6))(2)](5-) was on-line electrogenerated by constant-current electrolysis. The CL intensity was linear with chlortetracycline concentration in the range of 0.1-100 mug ml(-1). The determination limit was 5.3x10(-8) g ml(-1). The whole process could be completed in 1 min. The proposed method is suitable for automatic and continuous analysis, and has been applied satisfactorily to analysis of chlortetracycline in biological fluid.