The Department of Chemistry at the College of Science, University of Mosul, discussed on Sunday, 7 June 2026, a Master’s thesis entitled:

“Determination of a Pharmaceutical Compound in Human Blood Serum Using Spectrophotometric Methods”

submitted by Mr. Ahmed Farhan Haji Rashid.

Part of the thesis defense was attended by the Dean of the College of Science, Prof. Dr. Hiyam Adel Ibrahim, the Head of the Department of Chemistry, Assist. Prof. Dr. Firas Ahmed Dhanoon, and a number of postgraduate students.

The study aimed to develop modern spectrophotometric methods for the determination of melatonin hormone in its pure form, pharmaceutical preparations, and human blood serum. The proposed methods were based on simple, rapid, and cost-effective chemical reactions compared with conventional analytical techniques commonly used in medical and research laboratories, thereby providing accurate, reliable, and efficient analytical alternatives.

The research involved the development of three different spectrophotometric methods, including an investigation of the optimum conditions affecting each method. These methods were applied to human serum samples, and the obtained results were compared with those of the reference ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) method to evaluate their analytical performance and accuracy.

The findings demonstrated the successful application of the oxidation and bleaching of rifampicin dye method and the azo-coupling method using diazotized p-nitroaniline reagent for the determination of melatonin. Both methods produced results comparable to those obtained by the ELISA technique, with no statistically significant differences observed between the developed methods and the reference method, confirming their suitability as reliable and more economical analytical alternatives.

In contrast, the study revealed that the oxidation–reduction method using potassium permanganate did not yield acceptable results when applied to human serum samples.

The significance of the study lies in the potential application of these simple, rapid, and low-cost spectrophotometric techniques in chemical, pharmaceutical, and biological laboratories, enabling accurate and efficient determination of melatonin and supporting related research and diagnostic applications.

The examination committee consisted of:

• Assist. Prof. Dr. Khalida Mohammed Omar Dhaea – Chairperson
• Assist. Prof. Dr. Lamia Adnan Najeeb Sarsam – Member
• Assist. Prof. Dr. Rana Fadhil Jasim Mohammed – Member
• Lecturer Dr. Hiba Abdul Salam Mohammed Abdullah – Member and Supervisor
• Assist. Prof. Dr. Amal Taha Yaseen Ramla – Member and Supervisor

The College of Science extends its best wishes to its students for continued success and academic excellence.

Media and Government Communication Division

Sunday, 7 June 2026