Simultaneous determination of gallium and aluminium in biological samples by conventional luminescence and derivative synchronous fluorescence spectrometry.

The simultaneous determination of gallium and aluminium by using conventional fluorimetry and derivative synchronous fluorescence spectrometry has been studied. These determinations are based on the formation of fluorescent complexes of gallium and aluminium with salicylaldehyde carbohydrazone (SACH). In the conventional method, two samples are analysed under different analytical conditions, and the results are evaluated by solving a system of two simultaneous equations. In the derivative synchronous method (at pH = 2.6, in an ethanol-water medium containing 72% of ethanol), the following conditions are used: a constant wavelength difference of 20 nm between the monochromator settings, a time-constant of 1.5 sec, a scan-speed of 120 nm/min, and a derivative wavelength difference of 10 nm; gallium can be determined in the range 7-38 ng/ml, and aluminium between 6 and 45 ng/ml. The synchronous method shows more advantages, and has been used in the determination of both metal ions in diverse biological samples (animal tissues and human serum) with good results.