Analysis of sulfonamides by capillary electrophoresis.

The methods of analysis of sulfonamides (SFAs) using CE are reviewed. Sulfonamides were the first antimicrobial group of drugs used in medical treatment. These compounds are still used today in medicine and widely are employed in veterinary medicine, also for their growth promoter effects. Improved methods of analysis of sulfonamides are a constant challenge for researchers. CE is a new trend in the fields of pharmaceutical and food analyses. Several methods for the determination of SFAs by CE have been published in recent years, and the present review considers applications in quality control of pharmaceutical dosage forms, food analysis, determinations in serum, and other biological fluids as well as in electrophoresis experiments which examine the behavior of this class of compounds for theoretical studies of the technique. This review covers studies ranging from the pioneering works on sulfonamide analyses using classical electrophoresis to the more recent CE methods coupled to tandem mass spectrometers. The sections are divided following the EC modes like CZE, MEKC, and hyphenated methods (CE-MS, CE-MS/MS). A brief compilation of theoretical findings of sulfonamides electrophoretic behavior is also included. Parameters such as recoveries, LOD and LOQ, among others, are examined, covering works published until August 2008. This review can contribute to further research aimed to improve the analysis of SFAs by CE.