Simultaneous Electrochemical Determination of Hydroquinone and Bisphenol A using a Carbon Paste Electrode Modified with Silver Nanoparticles

In this paper, a rapid and sensitive modified electrode for the simultaneous determination of hydroquinone (HQ) and bisphenol A (BPA) is proposed. The simultaneous determination of these two compounds is extremely important since they can coexist in the same sample and are very harmful to plants, animals and the environment in general. A carbon paste electrode (CPE) was modified with silver nanoparticles (nAg) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The PVP was used as a reducing and stabilizing agent of nAg from silver nitrate in aqueous media. The nAg‐PVP composite obtained was characterized by transmission electron microscopy and UV‐vis spectroscopy. The electrochemical behavior of HQ and BPA at the nAg‐PVP/CPE was investigated in 0.1 mol L⁻¹ B−R buffer (pH 6.0) using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV). The results indicate that the electrochemical responses are improved significantly with the use of the modified electrode. The calibration curves obtained by SWV, under the optimized conditions, showed linear ranges of 0.09–2.00 μmol L⁻¹ for HQ (limit of detection 0.088 μmol L⁻¹) and 0.04–1.00 μmol L⁻¹ for BPA (limit of detection 0.025 μmol L⁻¹). The modified electrode was successfully applied in the analysis of water samples and the results were comparable to those obtained using UV‐vis spectroscopy.     

Cost-effective and Facile Production of a Phosphorus-doped Graphite Electrode for the Electrochemical Determination of Pyridoxine

In this study; a sensitive, selective, and simple electrochemical sensor was developed to determine low concentration pyridoxine (Py) using a phosphorus-doped pencil graphite electrode (P-doped/PGE). Electrode modification was implemented using the chronoamperometry method at +2.0 V constant potential and 100 seconds in 0.1 mol L⁻¹ H₃PO₄ supporting electrolyte solution. The characterization processes of the P-doped/PGE were carried out using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and atomic force microscope (AFM) methods. In the concentration study, using the differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) method, a linear calibration plot was acquired in the concentration range of 0.5 to 300 μmol L⁻¹ Py. The limit of quantification (LOQ) and limit of detection (LOD) of the developed method were calculated as 0.219 μmol L⁻¹ and 0.0656 μmol L⁻¹, respectively. Detection of Py has been successfully performed on the P-doped/PGE in the beverage samples. As a result, the method developed has been shown to have fast, low cost, and simple for the sensitive and selective detection of Py as an effective electrode.     

Application of a Tetraamino Cobalt(II) Phthalocyanine Modified Screen Printed Carbon Electrode for the Sensitive Electrochemical Determination of L-Dopa in Pharmaceutical and Biological Samples

A novel synthesized tetraamino cobalt(II) phthalocyanine monomer was used for the fabrication of a sensor by electrochemical polymerization. A disposable electrochemical sensor based on the use of a screen printed carbon electrode covered with an electropolymerized film of tetraamino cobalt(II) phthalocyanine for the determination of L-dopa in pharmaceutical tablets and biological samples was described. Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were performed for the characterization of the bare and modified electrode. For the electrochemical detection of L-dopa differential pulse voltammetry was used. The proposed method exhibits a good response towards electrooxidation of L-dopa in the linear concentration range: from 0.1 to 1000.0 μmol L⁻¹ in BRB pH=2.0, with a detection limit of 0.03 μmol L⁻¹ and from 1 to 1000 μmol L⁻¹ in PBS pH=7.4, with a detection limit of 0.33 μmol L⁻¹. Due to the fact that the developed sensor was applied in two different types of real samples, two buffer media were used, BRB pH=2.0 for pharmaceutical and urine samples and PBS pH=7.4 for whole blood samples. The proposed pCoTAPc/SPCE was successfully applied for the determination of L-dopa in pharmaceutical tablets, urine and in whole blood samples with satisfactory results.     

Voltammetric Detection of Captopril in a Commercial Drug Using a Gold-Copper Metal-organic Framework Nanocomposite Modified Electrode

We report the application of an electrochemical sensor based on gold-copper metal-organic framework immobilized on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode to the detection of captopril (CAP), an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor. Cyclic voltammetric studies showed that the joint action of gold nanoparticles and copper-1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate (Cu−BTC) enhanced the electrochemical response to the Cu-captopril complex that is adsorbed onto the surface of the electrode. Release of gold nanoparticles from Au@Cu−BTC not only increased the conductivity of the electrode but also provided a more favorable environment for the deposition of reduced Cu that is catalytically renewed on the electrode surface. The anodic current of the Cu^(II)−CAP oxidation peak varied linearly within two concentration ranges, namely 0.5 to 7.0 μmol L⁻¹ and 10 to 2500 μmol L⁻¹, with a limit of detection of 0.047 μmol L⁻¹. The mean recovery for the determination of captopril in commercial tablets was 100.3 % suggesting that the method has considerable potential for future industrial applications.     

Glassy Carbon Electrode Modified with Layering of Carbon Black/Poly(Allylamine Hydrochloride) Composite for Multianalyte Determination

An electrochemical sensor using glassy carbon electrode modified with carbon black within a poly(allylamine hydrochloride) film is proposed in this work. The novel sensor was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry using the redox probe Fe(CN)6^3−/4−. The sensor was applied for the simultaneous determination of dopamine (DA), paracetamol (PAR), amlodipine (AML), and rosuvastatin (RSV). The quantification of all four analytes was carried out by linear sweep voltammetry and presented a linear concentration range for all analytes from 1.0 to 90 μmol L⁻¹, with limit of detection of 0.55, 1.3, 5.7, and 3.0 μmol L⁻¹ for DA, PAR, AML, and RSV, respectively. This sensor was successfully applied in the simultaneous determination of these analytes in environmental, pharmaceutical, and biological samples.     

Time Resolved Direct Determination of Arsenate in the Presence of Arsenite on Pencil Graphite Electrode Modified by Graphene Oxide and Zirconium

Trace amount of arsenate in the presence of arsenite was determined directly on pencil graphite electrode modified by graphene oxide and zirconium (Zr−G−PGE). The layer‐by‐layer modification of PGE was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Key point of the developed method was quick adsorption of arsenate than arsenite on the Zr−G−PGE. In optimal conditions, the Zr−G−PGE was applied for determination of arsenate using differential pulse voltammetry in a linear range 0.10–40.0 μg L⁻¹ with a limit of determination of 0.12±0.01 μg L⁻¹. The sensitivity of the electrode was 1.36±0.07 μA/μg L⁻¹. The modified electrode was used to measure the concentration of arsenate in the river water. A recovery test was performed by introducing 10 μg L⁻¹ arsenate into the rivers water in order and acceptable data of average recovery of 101.2 % was obtained. From the experimental results, the as‐prepared electrode can provide a satisfactory method for direct determination of arsenate in real samples.     

Voltammetric Method for the Simultaneous Determination of Melatonin and Pyridoxine in Dietary Supplements Using a Cathodically Pretreated Boron‐doped Diamond Electrode

The simultaneous voltammetric determination of melatonin (MT) and pyridoxine (PY) has been carried out at a cathodically pretreated boron‐doped diamond electrode. By using cyclic voltammetry, a separation of the oxidation peak potentials of both compounds present in mixture was about 0.47 V in Britton‐Robinson buffer, pH 2. The results obtained by square‐wave voltammetry allowed a method to be developed for determination of MT and PY simultaneously in the ranges 1–100 μg mL⁻¹ (4.3×10⁻⁶–4.3×10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹) and 10–175 μg mL⁻¹ (4.9×10⁻⁵–8.5×10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹), with detection limits of 0.14 μg mL⁻¹ (6.0×10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹) and 1.35 μg mL⁻¹ (6.6×10⁻⁶ mol L⁻¹), respectively. The proposed method was successfully to the dietary supplements samples containing these compounds for health‐caring purposes.     

Graphite Oxide and Gold Nanoparticles as Alternative Materials in the Design of a Highly Sensitive Electrochemical Sensor for the Simultaneous Determination of Biological Species

New aspects related to electrochemical performance of modified carbon paste electrodes (CPE) of high analytical performance are presented in this work. We studied whether the functionalisation of graphite powder with oxygenated functional groups (graphite oxide, GrO) could affect the electrochemical features of a classical CPE. By introducing oxygen termination over the graphite surface, a remarkable improvement in electrochemical performance was verified, including enhancement of analytical signals and charge transfer kinetics, as demonstrated from electrochemical characterisation assays conducted by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy towards the potassium hexa‐cyanoferrate (II/III) probe. In addition, a positive effect was noted from the anchoring of Au nanoparticles on GrOPE. In analytical terms, two biologically relevant molecules were simultaneously determined using the proposed modified electrode based on GrO and AuNPs: epinephrine (EP) and uric acid (UA). Using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), wide linear concentration ranges were founded for the analytical curves of EP and UA, and the limits of detection of 1.0×10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹ (EP) and 5.0×10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹ (UA) were predicted, respectively. The designed electrochemical sensor showed excellent precision of measurement and appropriate applicability for the analysis of biological fluids.     

Disposable Pencil Graphite Electrode for Ciprofloxacin Determination in Pharmaceutical Formulations by Square Wave Voltammetry

In this work, a new electrochemical sensor based on pencil graphite with interesting features, such as low cost (US$ 0.01 per electrode), ease manufacture, and portability was developed. The sensor showed an adequate manufacturing reproducibility with RSD <5.3 %. Under this electrochemical platform, ciprofloxacin underwent an irreversible oxidation process at 1.03 V, characterized by the diffusion of electroactive species. A simple method by square wave voltammetry (SWV) has been optimized for the determination of ciprofloxacin in pharmaceutical formulations using a pencil graphite electrode (PGE). The method showed satisfactory analytical performance, with a wide linear range (12 to 55 μmol L⁻¹), low detection limit (5.6 μmol L⁻¹), adequate precision (RSD <3.2 %), and accuracy with an average recovery of (102±15)%. Samples of pharmaceutical formulations were evaluated, obtaining levels of ciprofloxacin close to those established by the manufacturers. In addition, the samples were analyzed by liquid chromatography and there was no significant difference between the methods at the 95 % confidence level. In this sense, the method developed proved to be reliable and promising for the quality control of pharmaceutical formulations.     

Simple and Fast Determination of Warfarin in Pharmaceutical Samples Using Boron‐doped Diamond Electrode in BIA and FIA Systems with Multiple Pulse Amperometric Detection

This paper proposes the use of the boron‐doped diamond electrode (BDDE) in flow and batch injection analysis (FIA and BIA) systems with multiple‐pulse amperometric (MPA) detection for the determination of warfarin (WA) in pharmaceutical formulations. The electrochemical behavior of WA obtained by cyclic voltammetry (CV) in 0.1 mol L⁻¹ phosphate buffer shows an irreversible oxidation process at +1.0 V (vs Ag/AgCl). The MPA was based on the application of two sequential potential pulses as a function of time on BDDE: (1) for WA detection at +1.2 V/100 ms and; (2) for electrode surface cleaning at −0.2 V/200 ms. Both hydrodynamic systems (FIA‐MPA and BIA‐MPA) used for WA determination achieved high precision (with relative standard deviations around 2 %, n =10), wide linear range (2.0−400.0 μmol L⁻¹), low limits of detection (0.5 μmol L⁻¹) and good analytical frequency (94 h⁻¹ for FIA and 130 h⁻¹ for BIA). The WA determination made by the proposed methods was compared to the official spectrophotometric method. The FIA‐MPA and BIA‐MPA methods are simple and fast, being an attractive option for WA routine analysis in pharmaceutical industries.     

A Voltammetric Sensor Based on Spinel-Structured Copper Ferrite Nanoparticles Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Modified Carbon Paste Electrode for Determination of Dacarbazine

A simple and sensitive method was used to develop a novel sensor for determination of dacarbazine on the surface of multi-walled carbon nanotubes/CuFe₂O₄ nanoparticles modified carbon paste electrode (MWCNTs/CuFe₂O₄/CPE). Cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to investigate the electrochemical behavior of dacarbazine at the chemically modified electrode. According to the results, MWCNTs/CuFe₂O₄/CPE showed high electrocatalytic activity for dacarbazine oxidation, producing a sharp oxidation peak current at about +0.80 vs. Ag/AgCl reference electrode at pH 5.0. The peak current was linearly dependent on dacarbazine concentration over the range of 0.10–76.0 μmol L^–1 with the detection limit (3σ) of 0.08 μmol L^?1. In addition, chronoamperometry was also used to determine diffusion coefficient of dacarbazine at MWCNTs/CuFe₂O₄/CPE.     

Electroanalytical Determination of Estrone in Seawater Samples Using Functionalized Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes

In this work, a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with multiwalled carbon nanotubes functionalized with carboxylic groups (MWCNT−COOH) was used to determine the hormone estrone in seawater samples. Modification of the electrode was optimized using three successive 10-μL aliquots of the MWCNT−COOH dispersion in ethanol (1 : 5 mL). The cyclic voltammetry results showed an oxidation peak at 0.59 V with characteristics of an irreversible process, pH dependent and controlled by adsorption of species. The results of square-wave voltammetry showed that the intensities of peak currents for the MWCNT−COOH/GCE were about 2.5 times higher than for GCE. The calibration curve showed a linearity of 0.9981 and a sensitivity of 0.1521 μA/mol L⁻¹. The limits of detection and quantification were 0.117 and 0.392 μmol L⁻¹, respectively. The recovery obtained using seawater samples was 91%, indicating the applicability of the method in marine environments.     

Nanostructured Hexacyanoferrate Intercalated Ni/Al Layered Double Hydroxide Modified Electrode as a Sensitive Electrochemical Sensor for Paracetamol Determination

An electrochemical sensor for paracetamol (PC) based on the hexacyanoferate(III) intercalated Ni−Al layered double hydroxide (Ni−Al−HCF) was presented. The as‐prepared LDH structurally and morphologically was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, and Fourier transform IR. Electrochemical studies revealed that Ni−Al−HCF film modified glassy carbon (GC) electrode exhibited remarkable electrocatalytic activity toward the oxidation of paracetamol. The electrochemical behavior of PC on the Ni−Al−HCF film was investigated in detail. Under optimum experimental conditions, the electrocatalytic response of the modified GC electrode was linear in the PC concentration range 3×10⁻⁶⁻–1.5×10⁻³ mol L⁻¹, with a detection limit of 8×10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹ (S/N=3), using hydrodynamic amperometry. In addition, the modified electrode exhibited good reproducibility, long‐term stability and anti‐interference property. The fabricated sensor was successfully applied to determination of PC in various pharmaceutical preparations such as tablets, oral solution, and oral drops. Finally, the method was validated by the analysis of paracetamol spiked human serum samples, and good recoveries were obtained in the range of 99.2–103 %.     

Square-wave Anodic Stripping Voltammetric Method for Novelty Detection of Bismuth Extracted by Aqueous Two-phase Systems

In this work, a voltammetric sensor was used to monitor the concentration of bismuth extracted from an eutectic alloy of BiSn by aqueous two-phase system. This strategy is a sustainable and economically viable way of recovering bismuth from secondary sources. In the aqueous two-phase system (ATPS), biodegradable and non-toxic constituents dispersed in water (major constituent) are used. For monitoring the extraction, bismuth was determined in the upper phase of the aqueous two-phase system, which is rich in L35 copolymer, that causes attenuation of the electrochemical signal (anodic peak current). The electrode and operational parameters of the square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) were evaluated according to the deposition and stripping processes of the bismuth on the surface of the carbon paste electrode (CPE). It was observed a similarity between the electrochemical response of the bismuth extracted by ATPS and with the standard solution of bismuth. The proposed method shows a linear range of 1.29–8.94 μmol L⁻¹, limit of detection (1.07 μmol L⁻¹) and limit of quantification (3.57 μmol L⁻¹) and good precision (RSD%=2.27 %). This method was validated by comparing the results with Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (FAAS), using statistical tests to verify precision and accuracy. In conclusion, using a voltammetric sensor to monitor the concentration of bismuth extracted by ATPS proved to be an efficient method, in agreement with the concentrations of the referenced method.     

Electrochemical Determination of Dicofol at Nickel Nanowire Modified Poly(p‐aminophenol) Film Electrode

An electrochemical sensor was fabricated by construction of nickel nanowires on the surface of poly(p‐aminophenol) (PPAP) modified glassy carbon electrode. The electrochemical response of dicofol, a known pesticide and used for agricultural activities such as cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry, were investigated and the results were compared with those obtained unmodified electrodes. Following the optimization of NaOH concentration, polymerization cycle number, Ni nanowire amount, the linear range for the dicofol was studied and found as 0.83–30.7 μmol L^?1 (R²=0.9981) at Ni/PPAP/GCE with a 0.08 μmol L^?1 detection limit according to S/N=3. Finally, the proposed Ni/PPAP/GCE sensor was successfully applied for the dicofol analysis in soil samples. The characterization of the developed surface was carried out by scanning electron microscopy and X‐Ray photoelectron spectroscopy.     

Stripping Voltammetric Determination of Methyl Parathion at Activated Carbon Nanopowder Modified Electrode

An activated carbon nanopowder modified glassy carbon electrode (AC-GCE) was constructed for the sensitive determination of methyl parathion by adsorptive differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry. The simple and rapid modification procedure included only drop-coating the electrode surface with a laponite stabilized activated carbon nanopowder suspension and drying. The modifier high adsorption ability, combined with its large electroactive surface area allowed a 30-fold signal increase to be achieved, compared to bare GCE. Under optimized experimental conditions (activated carbon to laponite ratio, pH and accumulation time), the AC-GCE exhibited a linear response to methyl parathion in two concentration ranges: from 0.01 μmol L⁻¹ to 1 μmol L⁻¹ and from 1 μmol L⁻¹ to 6 μmol L⁻¹. The LOD of 2.5 nmol L⁻¹ (S/N=3) achieved fitted with regulatory norms. It was demonstrated that the as-prepared AC-GCE is suitable for routine real samples analysis.     

AgNP/Bi/Nafion‐modified Disposable Electrodes for Sensitive Zn(II), Cd(II), and Pb(II) Detection in Aerosol Samples

A new method for modifying electrodes with Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) using electrospray deposition for sensitive, selective detection of Zn(II), Cd(II), and Pb(II) in aerosol samples when combined with Bismuth and Nafion coating and square‐wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) is reported. Carbon stencil‐printed electrodes (CSPEs) fabricated on a polyethylene transparency (PET) sheet were produced for an inexpensive, simple to fabricate, disposable sensor that can be used with the microliter sample volumes for analysis. Sensor performance was improved by modifying the electrode surface with electrospray‐deposited AgNPs. The use of electrospray deposition resulted in more uniform particle dispersion across the electrode surface when compared to drop‐casting. Using AgNP‐modified electrodes combined with Bi and Nafion, experimental detection limits (LODs) of 5.0, 0.5, and 0.1 μg L⁻¹ for Zn(II), Cd(II), and Pb(II), respectively, were achieved. The linear working ranges were 5.0–400.0 μg L⁻¹, 0.5–400.0 μg L⁻¹, and 0.1–500.0 μg L⁻¹ for Zn(II), Cd(II), and Pb(II), respectively. Interference studies showed Cu(II) was the only metal that interfered with this assay but inference could be eliminated with the addition of ferricyanide directly to the sample solution. This electrochemical sensor was applied for the simultaneous determination of Zn(II), Cd(II), and Pb(II) within source particulate matter (PM) samples collected on filters using an aerosol test chamber.     

A new Approach for the Voltammetric Sensing of the Phytoestrogen Genistein at a Non-modified Boron-doped Diamond Electrode

An effective electrochemical sensor was constructed using an unmodified boron-doped diamond electrode for determination of genistein by square-wave voltammetry. Cyclic voltammetric investigations of genistein with HClO₄ solution indicated that irreversible behavior, adsorption-controlled and well-defined two oxidation peaks at about +0.92 (P_A1) & +1.27 V (P_A2). pH, as well as supporting electrolytes, are important in genistein oxidations. Quantification analyses of genistein were conducted using its two oxidation peaks. Using optimized experiments as well as instrumental conditions, the current response with genistein was proportionately linear in the concentrations range of 0.1 to 50.0 μg mL⁻¹ (3.7×10⁻⁷−1.9×10⁻⁴ mol L⁻¹), by the detection limit of 0.023 μg mL⁻¹ (8.5×10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹) for P_A1 and 0.028 μg mL⁻¹ (1.1×10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹) for P_A2 in 0.1 mol L⁻¹ HClO₄ solution (in the open circuit condition at 30 s accumulation time). Ultimately, the developed method was effectively applied to detect genistein in model human urine samples by using its second oxidation peak (P_A2).     

Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticle‐Graphene Composites for Electroanalysis Applications using Chemical and Electrochemical Methods

An electrochemical device was developed for the simultaneous determination of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and trimethoprim (TMP) using differential pulse voltammetry and glassy carbon (GC) electrodes modified with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and silver nanoparticle (AgNP) composites, synthesised using both chemical and electrochemical methods. The morphology and electrochemical behaviour of the GC electrodes modified with the rGO/AgNP (chemical method) and rGO‐AgNP (electrochemical method) composites were characterised by scanning electron microscopy and cyclic voltammetry. These techniques demonstrated that, in both methods, the graphene oxide was modified by the AgNPs, and the composite synthesised by the electrochemical method showed a better dispersion of the nanoparticles, resulting in an increase in the surface area compared to the rGO/AgNP composite. The GC/rGO‐AgNP electrode was evaluated and optimised for the simultaneous determination of SMX and TMP, achieving detection limits of 0.6 μmol L⁻¹ for the SMX and 0.4 μmol L⁻¹ for the TMP. The proposed GC/rGO‐AgNP electrochemical device was successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of SMX and TMP in wastewaters samples.     

Development of a Bacterial Enzyme-Based Biosensor for the Detection and Quantification of Selenate

An enzymatic biosensor has been developed for the determination of selenate (SeO₄²⁻), in which selenate reductase (SeR) is chemically attached to a gold disk electrode by lipoic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester as linker, allowing the catalytic reduction of the SeO₄²⁻ to SeO₃²⁻. Modification of the gold electrode was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS), and electrochemistry. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) measurements were performed in different buffers for selenate determination. Under optimum conditions, the calibration curve was linear over the range 7.0–3900.0 μg L⁻¹ with limits of detection and quantification of 4.97 and 15.56 μg L⁻¹, respectively. The possible interference of the relevant oxyanions SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻, NO₂⁻, PO₄³⁻ and AsO₄³⁻ in the determination of SeO₄²⁻ was studied. Finally, the proposed biosensor was used to determine SeO₄²⁻ with recovery between 95.2 and 102.4 % in different real water samples.