Electrochemical Reduction of Cefepime at the Mercury Electrode

Abstract

The differential pulse polarography, DC-tast polarography and cyclic voltammetry behavior of cefepime was studied in phosphate buffer solutions (pH 1.6–12.1). In acidic media, a non reversible diffusion controlled reduction process involving two electrons takes place. The reduction mechanism is discussed. The linear relationship between peak current intensity and cefepime concentration allowed the differential pulse polarographic determination of cefepime over a wide concentration range, from 10–6 to 10–4 M at pH 2.7, with a relative standard deviation of 1.7% (eleven determinations at the 4×10–5 M level). The described procedure has been applied to determination of the drug in pharmaceutical formulations and human urine samples.