Comparison of new and existing spectrophotometric methods for the analysis of tobramycin and other aminoglycosides.

New indirect spectrophotometric methods of analysis of tobramycin using the derivatizing agents o-phthaldialdehyde, fluorescamine, and dansyl chloride were developed and compared with existing methods. Optimum reaction conditions were established for the complex formation between tobramycin and each reagent. The sensitivity and reproducibility of these new procedures were compared with results obtained using published methods. Of the new methods, the o-phthaldialdehyde and fluorescamine procedures were more sensitive and reproducible than the dansyl chloride procedure. Further, these procedures were subsequently applied to the analysis of aqueous solutions of other aminoglycosides including amikacin, neomycin, gentamicin, and kanamycin.