Determination of haloperidol drug in ampoules and in urine samples using a potentiometric modified carbon paste electrode

• A simple and dependent tool for fast determination of haloperidol.
• A new carbon paste electrode for this psychotic drug.
• It is applicable in drugs and pharmaceutical preparations.
• It has high sensitivity, good selectivity, fast static response over a wide concentration range.

A modified carbon paste electrode for haloperidol drug based on haloperidol-phosphomolybdate (HP-PM) as an ion-exchanger dissolved in plasticizer DBP and its potentiometric characteristics were discussed. The electrode exhibited a good Nernstian slope of 56.9 ± 0.3 mV/decade with a linear concentration range from 3.2 × 10−6 to 1.0 × 10−2 M for the haloperidol ion. The limit of detection (LOD) was 1.5 × 10−6 M. It had response time of 5–8 seconds (s), useable in pH range of 6.2–8.6 and temperature of 20–60 °C. The electrode shows clear discrimination of haloperidol drug from several inorganic ions, sugars and some common drug excipients. The sensor was applied for determination of haloperidol drug in urine and in pharmaceutical formulations using potentiometric determination, standard addition and the calibration curve methods. The results are satisfactory with excellent percentage recovery comparable or better than those obtained by other routine methods.