Determination of sparfloxacin and its photodegradation products by thin-layer chromatography with densitometry detection. Kinetic evaluation of the degradation process and identification of photoproduct by mass spectrometry

Abstract

A TLC-densitometric method was developed for the determination of sparfloxacin in the presence of its photodegradation products. Silica gel TLC F254 plates were used as the stationary phase and methylene chloride : methanol : 2-propanol : ammonia 25% (4 : 4 : 5 : 2 v/v/v/v) as the mobile phase. The developed method meets the acceptance criteria for specificity, linearity, sensitivity, accuracy, and precision. The linear regression analysis for the calibration curve showed a good linear correlation over the concentration range 1.00–3.00 μg per band, with the determination coefficient, R2, exceeding 0.9958. The method was shown to have good precision and intermediate precision, as reflected by the relative standard deviation values, lower than 2.72% and characterized by a recovery rate at three concentration levels from 93.60% to 103.90%. The limits of detection and quantification were respectively 0.16 and 0.48 μg per band. The photodegradation process of sparfloxacin followed the kinetics of a first order reaction for the substrate. Nine products of photodegradation were identified by UPLC-MS/MS. The structure of a product previously not identified was determined.