Chemiluminescence (CL) denotes the occurrence of electromagnetic radiation, including ultraviolet, visible, or infrared radiation, that arises as a consequence of a chemical reaction. In analytical chemistry, these reactions are used to screen various real samples ranging from pharmaceuticals, clinical, and food samples to environmental pollutants and beyond. The utilization of CL methods offers several benefits, including high sensitivity, simplicity, wide linear range, no need for an excitation light source, and cost-effectiveness. To further improve the reproducibility and selectivity of these methods, they have been combined with flow analysis techniques and separation methods, respectively [1]. In the present study, the synthesis of sea urchin-like α-FeOOH (U-FeOOH) and NiO microspheres (MSs) was performed, and their influence on a chemiluminescence (CL) reaction, namely the luminol – O2 reaction, was demonstrated. This research marks the first application of U-FeOOH MSs as a catalyst in a CL reaction. The comparison of catalytic characteristics of U-FeOOH and NiO MSs revealed that both types of MSs exhibit a comparable enhancement in light intensity of CL reaction. Two novel methods employing U-FeOOH MSs and NiO MSs were utilized to measure sunitinib malate (SM), an anti-cancer medication, using a luminol – O2 CL reaction. This study presents an initial report regarding the quantitative determination of SM by applying a CL method. The foundation of the CL methods lies in the quenching property exhibited by SM towards CL reactions. The method utilizing the U-FeOOH MSs – luminol – O2 system demonstrated a linear range between 2.00 × 10−7 and 2.00 × 10−5 mol L-1. Similarly, the method employing NiO MSs – luminol – O2 system displayed a linear range spanning from 1.00 × 10−7 and 1.00 × 10−5 mol L-1. The aforementioned systems were employed for the quantification of SM in both bulk powder SM and human plasma samples. The mechanism underlying the CL reactions was concisely elucidated.
