Quantification of histamine in various fish samples using square wave stripping voltammetric method.

The objective of this study was to describe a new and simple method for the determination of histamine so that it can be used in routine food analysis. A square wave stripping voltammetric (SWSV) method has been used for the indirect determination of histamine. The method is based on accumulation copper (II) - histamine complex onto a hanging mercury drop electrode and reduction of complex. The optimum conditions include an accumulation potential of -420 mV (versus Ag/AgCl), an accumulation time of 10 s. Two linear calibration graphs were obtained with slopes of 0.078 (μM/μA) and 0.014 (μM/μA), respectively. The detection limits were found to be 3 × 10(-7) and 1 × 10(-5) M for histamine (S/N = 3), respectively. The validated SWSV method showed good linearity as well as satisfactory repeatability and immediate precision values, for both instrument and method. The effect of common excipients and metal ions on the peak height of Cu-histamine complex peak was studied. The method was successfully, applied to the determination of histamine in canned anchovy (Engraulis encrasicholus), frozen Tinca tinca (L.) and Cyprinus carpio fish samples.