A selective and sensitive polymer-modified electrode was developed for b-lactam antibiotics (cefaclor, amoxycillin and ampicillin) present in formulated and blood plasma samples for the quantitative analysis in aqueous environment. The detection was made using an ion-exchange voltammetric technique, in differential pulse mode, on poly(Nchloranil N,N,N',N'-tetramethylethylene diammonium dichloride)-modified hanging mercury drop electrode of a three-electrode system (PAR Model 303A) attached with a Polarographic Analyzer/Stripping Voltammeter (PAR Model 264A). Antibiotics, which are electroinactive compounds, were essentially converted to their electroactive oxazolone analogues through acid treatment under drastic conditions (0.1 mol L À 1 HCl, $ 85 8C, 2 h). These analytes in the form of their respective oxazolones were indirectly analyzed by oxazolone entrapment in the polymeric film through ion-exchange process at modified electrode surface (accumulation potential À 0.20 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), accumulation time 120 s, pH 7.4, KH 2 PO 4 -NaOH buffer (ionic strength 0.1 mol L À 1 ), scan rate 10 mV s À 1 , pulse amplitude 25 mV). The limit of detection of cefaclor-derived oxazolone was found to be 2.12 nmol L À 1 (0.82 ppb, S/N 3, RSD 3.21%) in terms of cefaclor (a representative b-lactam) concentration.