A novel method for sensing of methimazole using gold nanoparticle-catalyzed chemiluminescent reaction.

Based on the inhibition effect of methimazole (MMI) on the reaction of luminol-H(2)O(2) catalyzed by gold nanoparticles, a novel chemiluminescence (CL) method was developed for the determination of MMI. Under the optimum conditions, the relative CL intensity was linearly related to MMI concentration in the range from 5.0 × 10(-8) to 5.0 × 10(-5) mol L(-1). The detection limit was 1.6 × 10(-8) mol L(-1) (S/N=3), and the RSD for 6.0 × 10(-6) mol L(-1) MMI was 4.83 (n=11). This method has high sensitivity, wide linear range, inexpensive instrumentation and has been applied to detect MMI in pharmaceutical tablets and pig serum samples. Furthermore, a possible reaction mechanism is discussed.