Electrochemical Oxidative Determination and Electrochemical Behavior of 4‐Nitrophenol Based on an Au Electrode Modified with Electro‐polymerized 3,5‐Diamino‐1,2,4‐triazole Film

A simple and fast electrochemical method was described and evaluated to determine the hazardous compound, 4‐nitrophenol (4NP). In this work, concentration of 4NP was determined by differential wave voltammetry (DPV). A gold electrode (Au) was modified with 3,5‐diamino‐1,2,4‐triazole (35DT). The modified electrode (35DT‐Au) was characterized by using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), fouirer transform infrared spektrofotometre (FTIR), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and DPV. The modified electrode showed more sensitivity towards 4NP compared to unmodified one. A wide linear concentration range from 0.24 to 130.6 μM was obtained for 4NP with a detection limit of 0.09 μM. In the reproducibility and repeatability studies, the relative standard deviation (RSD%) values of the method were obtained as 3.72 % and 2.56 %, respectively, which are acceptable values. This proposed method was successfully used for the analysis of 4NP in lake and tap water samples. Simplicity, sensitivity, selectivity and high efficiency of the proposed method can be used in routine analysis of trace amounts of 4NP in polluted waters.     

A Graphene‐based Electrochemical Sensor for the Individual,Selective and Simultaneous Determination of Total Chlorogenic Acids,Vanillin and Caffeine in Food and Beverage Samples

An electrochemical sensor based on the electrocatalytic activity of graphene (GR) was prepared, and used for the individual, selective and simultaneous determination of 5‐O‐Caffeoylquinic acid (5‐CQA) that is major compound of chlorogenic acids in coffee, vanillin (VAN) and caffeine (CAF). The electrochemical behaviors of these compounds on GR modified glassy carbon electrode (GR/GCE) were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and square‐wave adsorptive stripping voltammetry. By using stripping conditions after 30 s accumulation under open‐circuit voltage, the electrochemical oxidation peaks appeared at +0.53, 0.83 and 1.39 V in phosphate buffer pH 2.5, and good linear current responses were obtained with detection limits of 4.4×10⁻⁹, 5.0×10⁻⁷, and 3.0×10⁻⁷ M for 5‐CQA, VAN and CAF, respectively. The potential applicability of the proposed method was illustrated in commercial food and beverage samples.     

Selective Electrochemical Determination of Uric Acid in the Presence of Ascorbic Acid Using a Carbon Paste Electrode Modified with β‐Cyclodextrin

Uric acid (UA) was determined in the presence of ascorbic acid (AA) by using a carbon paste electrode modified superficially by a β‐cyclodextrin film (CPE/β‐CD). The surface carbon paste electrode was prepared applying a 30 cycles potential program and using a 1 M HClO₄+0.01 M β‐CD electrolytic solution. The UA and AA solutions were used to evaluate the electrode selectivity and sensitivity by cyclic voltammetric and amperometric methods. In these experiments the detection limit for UA was (4.6±0.01)×10^?6 M and the RSD calculated from the amperometric curves was 10%. From the data obtained it was possible to quantify UA in the urine and saliva samples. Selective detection of UA was improved by formation of an inclusion complex between β‐CD and UA. The results show that the CPE/β‐CD is a good candidate due to its selectivity and sensitivity in the UA determination in complex samples like the biological fluids.     

Oxidation Behavior of Insecticide Azoxystrobin and its Voltammetric Determination Using Boron‐doped Diamond Electrode

Electrochemical oxidation of azoxystrobin, a systemic fungicide commonly used in agriculture to protect a wide variety of crops, was investigated using cyclic voltammetry with a boron‐doped diamond electrode (BDDE) in aqueous buffer solutions. Two pH independent irreversible anodic current peaks controlled mostly by diffusion were observed in wide pH range (2 to 12) at potentials +1600 mV and +2150 mV vs. saturated silver‐silver chloride electrode. Mechanism of the electrochemical oxidation was proposed and supported with high performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis of azoxystrobin solutions electrolyzed on carbon fiber brush electrode. The main product of the first two‐electron oxidation step was identified as methyl 2‐(2‐{[6‐(2‐cyanophenoxy)pyrimidin‐4‐yl]oxy}phenyl)‐2‐hydroxy‐3‐oxopropanoate. An analytical method for the determination of azoxystrobin in water samples and pesticide preparation by differential pulse voltammetry with BDDE was developed. The method provides a wide linear dynamic range (3.0×10^?7 to 2.0×10^?4 mol L^?1) with limit of detection 8×10^?8 mol L^?1. Accuracy of the method was evaluated by the addition and recovery method with recoveries ranging from 96.0 to 105.8 %. Interference study proved sufficient selectivity of the developed voltammetric method for the azoxystrobin determination in presence of azole fungicides as well as pesticides used to prevent the same crops.     

Development of an Aluminium Doped TiO2 Nanoparticles‐modified Screen Printed Carbon Electrode for Electrochemical Sensing of Vanillin in Food Samples

A new chemically modified electrode based on titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO₂‐NPs) has been developed. Aluminium was incorporated into the TiO₂‐NPs to prepare aluminium doped TiO₂ nanoparticles (Al‐TiO₂‐NPs). Aluminium doped TiO₂ nanoparticles‐modified screen printed carbon electrode (Al‐TiO₂‐NPs/SPCE) was employed as easy, efficient and rapid sensor for electrochemical detection of vanillin in various types of food samples. Al‐TiO₂‐NPs were characterized by energy‐dispersive X‐ray (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and analyses showing that the average particle sizes varied for the Al‐NPs (7.63 nm) and Al‐TiO₂‐NPs (7.47 nm) with spherical crystal. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) were used to optimize the analytical procedure. A detection limit of vanillin was 0.02 μM, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was 3.50 %, obtained for a 5.0 μM concentration of vanillin. The electrochemical behaviour of several compounds, such as vanillic acid, vanillic alcohol, p‐hydroxybenzaldehyde and p‐hydroxybenzoic, etc., generally present in natural vanilla samples, were also studied to check the interferences with respect to vanillin voltammetric signal. The applicability was demonstrated by analysing food samples. The obtained results were compared with those provided by a previous method based on liquid chromatography for determination of vanillin.     

Electrochemical Study and Direct Determination of Adenosine‐5′‐Monophosphate Coupled to 6‐Thioguanosine and a Glassy Carbon Modified Electrode with Gold Nanoparticles

The direct accumulation of 6‐thioguanosine (6‐TG) and its electrochemistry has been studied by cyclic voltammetry in different conditions physical and chemical. In a first moment the surface of electrode was modified with gold nanoparticles. This modification was realized by electrodeposition on the active surface of a glassy carbon electrode with a HAuCl₄ solution. The nucleotide 6‐thioguanosine was deposited in this gold nanoparticles monolayer. The study of accumulation of other nucleotide, adenosine 5′‐monophosphate (AMP), was realized by the direct reaction with 6‐TG deposited. The conditions of the reaction and its electrochemical response were tested to fix the ideal conditions of its determination. The ideal conditions of formation of the monolayer and its electrochemical response were studied; the possibility of preconcentration of 6‐TG nucleotide in gold nanoparticles, the possibility of catalysis and limits of identification and quantification were also determined. The method proposed can be applied in direct determination of oligonucleotides. In this respect we applied it in the determination of AMP in a commercial product of infantile nutrition.     

Simultaneous Determination of Caffeine and Acetylsalicylic Acid in Pharmaceutical Formulations Using a Boron‐Doped Diamond Film Electrode by Differential Pulse Voltammetry

This work presents a simple, fast and low‐cost method for simultaneous determination of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), without alkaline hydrolysis and caffeine (CF) in pharmaceutical formulations using a boron‐doped diamond as the working electrode through differential pulse voltammetry. A good repeatability was reached for 20 measurements, with a low relative standard deviation of less than 1.0 %. The calibration curves presented a great linear correlation coefficient for both drugs (R=0.999) with a limit of detection of 1.6×10^?7 mol L^?1 for CF and 2.3×10^?7 mol L^?1 for ASA. The system was validated in comparison with the official method.     

Challenge Approach of an Inexpensive Electrochemical Sensor for Rapid Selective Determination of two Non‐classical β‐Lactams in Presence of Different Degradants and Interference Substances

An inexpensive stability−indicating anodic voltammetric method for rapid determination of two non‐classical β ‐lactam antibiotics; Meropenem (MP) and Ertapenem (EP) has been developed and validated. The method was based on the enhancement of voltammetric response at a disposable graphite pencil electrode (GPE). Differential pulse voltammetric (DPV) method was developed for quantification of both drugs in B−R buffer solution (pH 2.0) at GPE. The GPE displayed very good voltammetric behavior with significant enhancement of the peak current compared to glassy carbon electrode (GCE). Stress stability studies were performed using 0.5 M of either HCl or NaOH and H₂O₂. Mass and infrared spectroscopy were used for identification of degradants and their pathways were illustrated. Under optimal conditions, the peak currents showed a linear dependence with drug concentrations. The achieved limits of detection (LOD) were 1.23, 2.07 and 1.50 μM for MP and two waves of EP, respectively. The developed voltammetric method was successfully applied for direct determination of MP and EP in drug substances, pharmaceutical vials and in presence of either their corresponding hydrolytic, oxidative‐degradants or interfering substances with no potential interferences. The differential pulse voltammograms were highly advantageous and applicable in QC laboratories for rapid, selective micro‐determination of MP and EP.     

Synthesis,characterization and studies of new 3‐benzyl‐4H‐1,2,4‐triazole‐5‐thiol and thiazolo[3,2‐b][1,2,4]triazole‐5(6H)‐one heterocycles

3‐Benzyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,4‐triazole‐5‐thiol ( 1 ) was synthesized and used as starting material for preparation of 1,2,4‐triazole bearing substituted thiosemicarbazides moiety ( 4a‐d ) in high yields. The thiosemicarbazides 4a‐d were cyclized in basic medium to give two triazole rings linked by thiomethylene group ( 5a‐d ), while cyclization of thiosemicarbazides 4a‐d with chloroacetyl chloride in the presence of CHCl₃ and K₂CO₃ afforded the thiazolidinone derivatives 6a‐d . The reaction of thiosemicarbazides 4a‐c with phenacyl bromide in the presence of EtOH and fused CH₃COONa gave the corresponding thiazoline ring systems 7a‐c . Condensation of the 3‐benzyl‐1,2,4‐triazole‐5(1H)‐thiol ( 1 ) with chloroacetic acid and aromatic aldehydes ( 8a‐ g) in boiling acetic acid/acetic anhydride mixture in the presence of fused sodium acetate gave one single isomer only, which might be 9a‐g or 10a‐g . Upon application of Micheal addition reaction on compounds 9a‐e with cyclic secondary amines such as piperidine or morpholine the 2‐benzyl‐6‐(α‐amino‐aryl/methyl)‐1,3‐thiazolo[3,2‐ b][1,2,4]‐triazol‐5‐ols ( 11a‐j ) were obtained in good yields The structure of all new compounds were determined using both spectral and elemental analyses.     

Electrochemical Behavior and Amperometric Detection of 4‐Chlorophenol on Nano‐Au Thin Films Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode

An amperometric sensor based on nano‐Au thin films was fabricated, by means of which a fast response to 4‐chlorophenol (4‐CP) can be achieved in the range of mM concentrations. The nanostructured Au thin film was prepared on glassy carbon electrodes by a template‐free, double‐potential step electrodeposition technique. Its structural feature can be controlled well by adjusting the deposition time. The amperometric detection of 4‐CP was performed at +0.85 V with a linear detection range from 0.2 to 4.8 mM and a detection limit of 0.11 mM (S/N=3). Besides, the effect of concentrations on the electrochemical behavior of 4‐CP on the Au thin film was investigated by linear sweep voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.     

Voltammetric Determination of Epinephrine with a 3‐Mercaptopropionic Acid Self‐Assembled Monolayer Modified Gold Electrode

Epinephrine (EP) could exhibit an anodic peak at a bare gold electrode, but it was very insensitive. However, when the bare gold electrode was modified with 3‐mercaptopropionic acid (3MPA) self‐assembled monolayer (3MPA SAM), the peaks of EP became more reversible and sensitive due to the accumulation and mediate efficiency of 3MPA SAM. Conditions such as solution pH, concentration of supporting electrolyte and accumulation time were optimized. Under the selected conditions (i.e., 0.02 M pH 6.8 sodium phosphate buffer, accumulation time: 2 min under open‐ circuit.), the height of the anodic peak at about 0.18 V (vs. SCE) was linear to EP concentration in the range of 2×10^?7 ?1×10^?6 M and 1×10^?6?5×10^?4 M with correlation coefficient of 0.995 and 0.999, respectively. When the 3MPA/Au was further modified with cysteamine, the interference of H₂O₂ and BrO₃^? was eliminated. But the resulting electrode still suffered from the interference of ascorbic acid. This method was used to determine the content of EP in adrenaline hydrochloride injections, and the recovery was in the range of 97.0% to 105.1%.     

Electrochemical Determination of the Herbicide Bentazone Using a Carbon Nanotube β‐Cyclodextrin Modified Electrode

An electrochemical sensor has been developed for the determination of the herbicide bentazone, based on a GC electrode modified by a combination of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) with β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CD) incorporated in a polyaniline film. The results indicate that the β‐CD/MWCNT modified GC electrode exhibits efficient electrocatalytic oxidation of bentazone with high sensitivity and stability. A cyclic voltammetric method to determine bentazone in phosphate buffer solution at pH 6.0, was developed, without any previous extraction, clean‐up, or derivatization steps, in the range of 10–80 µmol L^?1, with a detection limit of 1.6 µmol L^?1 in water. The results were compared with those obtained by an established HPLC technique. No statistically significant differences being found between both methods.     

Determination of some β‐Blockers by Electrochemical Detection on Polycrstalline Gold Electrode after Solid Phase Extraction (SPE)

The electroanalytical characterization and determination of three selected β‐blocker agents, namely propranolol, atenolol and nadolol using cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) in phosphate buffer solution (pH 2.5) plus 22 % acetonitrile (ACN), was described. The analytes were characterized through their electrooxidation processes on polycrystalline gold electrodes. The analytical determination of the selected molecules was performed using the differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) at pH 2.5. Under DPV conditions, the detection limits (LODs) ranged between 5 μM and 20 μM for propranolol and atenolol, respectively. For all investigated molecules, two well‐defined ranges of linearity Ip vs analyte concentration have been identified which correspond to specific calibration parameters. Calibration graphs (Ip vs concentration) considered in the first interval of linearity, shown correlation coefficients >0.99. A solid phase extraction (SPE) procedure using a polymeric mixed‐mode cationic sorbent (Strata‐X‐C), was studied and optimized. The proposed DPV‐SPE method was successfully applied for the determination of propranolol in several pharmaceutical formulations and urine sample, with results in close agreement with those obtained using traditional liquid chromatography technique coupled with spectrophotometric detection.     

The Electrochemical Behavior and the Quantitative Determination of Nitrogen Dioxide at a Solid Polymer Electrolyte Supported Pt‐Au Electrode

The electrochemical behavior of NO₂ at Au/Nafion, Pt/Nafion and Pt‐Au/Nafion electrodes was investigated by using electrochemical and SEM methods, respectively. It was found that the Pt‐Au/Nafion electrode showed higher electrocatalytic activity than Pt/Nafion and Au/Nafion electrodes. The net current density of Au/Nafion electrode decayed significantly during the reaction, though it showed high initial value. Pt/Nafion and Pt‐Au/Nafion electrodes, on the contrary, showed good stability. A quantitative determination of NO₂ concentration was carried out at Pt‐Au/Nafion electrode and a satisfactory linear relationship was found for the NO₂ concentration in the range of 0–100 ppm.     

Electrografting of 4‐tert‐Butylcatechol on GC Electrode. Selective Electrochemical Determination of Homocysteine

A new sensor based on the grafting of 4‐tert‐butylcatechol on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode (GC) was developed for the catalytic oxidation of homocysteine ( Hcy ). The GC‐modified electrode exhibited a reversible redox response at neutral pH. Under the optimum conditions cyclic voltammetric results indicated the excellent electrocatalytic activity of modified electrode toward the oxidation of Hcy at reduced over‐potential about 350 mV. A linear dynamic range of 0.01–3.0 mM and a detection limit of 1.0 µM were obtained for Hcy . The modified electrode was used as an electrochemical sensor for selective determination of Hcy in human blood.     

Selenium‐Containing Heterocycles from Isoselenocyanates: Synthesis of 5‐Amino‐2,4‐dihydro‐3H‐1,2,4‐triazole‐3‐selones

The reaction of S‐methylisothiosemicarbazide hydroiodide (=S‐methyl hydrazinecarboximidothioate hydroiodide; 1 ), prepared from thiosemicarbazide by treatment with MeI in EtOH, and aryl isoselenocyanates 5 in CH₂Cl₂ affords 3H‐1,2,4‐triazole‐3‐selone derivatives 7 in good yield (Scheme 2, Table 1). During attempted crystallization, these products undergo an oxidative dimerization to give the corresponding bis(4H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐3‐yl) diselenides 11 (Scheme 3). The structure of 11a was established by X‐ray crystallography.     

Electrochemical Behavior and Electroanalytical Determination of Indole‐3‐Acetic Acid Phytohormone on a Boron‐Doped Diamond Electrode

In this work, a boron‐doped diamond (BDD) electrode was used for the electroanalytical determination of indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA) phytohormone by square‐wave voltammetry. IAA yielded a well‐defined voltammetric response at +0.93 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) in Britton–Robinson buffer, pH 2.0. The process could be used to determine IAA in the concentration range of 5.0 to 50.0 µM (n=8, r=0.997), with a detection limit of 1.22 µM. The relative standard deviation of ten measurements was 2.09 % for 20.0 µM IAA. As an example, the practical applicability of BDD electrode was tested with the measurement of IAA in some plant seeds.     

Simultaneous Square‐Wave Voltammetric Determination of Paracetamol,Caffeine and Orphenadrine in Pharmaceutical Formulations Using a Cathodically Pretreated Boron‐Doped Diamond Electrode

An electroanalytical method for the simultaneous determination of paracetamol (PAR), caffeine (CAF), and orphenadrine (ORPH) using the square‐wave voltammetry (SWV) and a cathodically pretreated boron‐doped diamond electrode was developed. The method exhibits linear responses to PAR, CAF, and ORPH in the concentration ranges 5.4×10^?7–6.1×10^?5 M, 7.8×10^?7–3.5×10^?5 M, and 7.8×10^?7–3.5×10^?5 M, respectively, with detection limits of 2.3×10^?7 M, 9.6×10^?8 M, and 8.4×10^?8 M, respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied in the simultaneous determination of these analytes in pharmaceutical formulations.     

Electrochemical Determination of Cu(II) Ions by 4‐Formylphenylboronic Acid Modified Gold Electrode

A self‐assembled monolayer (SAM) modified by 4‐formylphenylboronic acid was formed on the gold electrode, which was applied for the determination of trace concentrations of Cu(II). The formation of advanced SAM on the gold electrode was evidenced by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and contact angle measurements. Electrochemical determination of Cu(II) ions was performed by square wave voltammetry. Some mutual interferences caused by Cd(II), Co(II), Fe(II), Ni(II) and Pb(II) ions were investigated and it was demonstrated how the negative effects of these interfering ions could be eliminated by adjustment of proper parameters of square wave voltammetry.     

Complexes of nickel(II) and copper(II) with 1,2,4‐triazole‐3‐carboxylic acid and of cobalt(III) with 3‐amino‐1,2,4‐triazole‐5‐carboxylic acid

Because of their versatile coordination modes and strong coordination ability for metals, triazole ligands can provide a wide range of possibilities for the construction of metal–organic frameworks. Three transition‐metal complexes, namely bis(μ‐1,2,4‐triazol‐4‐ide‐3‐carboxylato)‐κ³N ²,O :N ¹;κ³N ¹:N ²,O‐bis[triamminenickel(II)] tetrahydrate, [Ni₂(C₃HN₃O₂)₂(NH₃)₆]·4H₂O, (I), catena‐poly[[[diamminediaquacopper(II)]‐μ‐1,2,4‐triazol‐4‐ide‐3‐carboxylato‐κ³N ¹:N ⁴,O‐[diamminecopper(II)]‐μ‐1,2,4‐triazol‐4‐ide‐3‐carboxylato‐κ³N ⁴,O :N ¹] dihydrate], {[Cu₂(C₃HN₃O₂)₂(NH₃)₄(H₂O)₂]·2H₂O}_n , (II), (μ‐5‐amino‐1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐ide‐3‐carboxylato‐κ²N ¹:N ²)di‐μ‐hydroxido‐κ⁴O :O‐bis[triamminecobalt(III)] nitrate hydroxide trihydrate, [Co₂(C₃H₂N₄O₂)(OH)₂(NH₃)₆](NO₃)(OH)·3H₂O, (III), with different structural forms have been prepared by the reaction of transition metal salts, i.e. NiCl₂, CuCl₂ and Co(NO₃)₂, with 1,2,4‐triazole‐3‐carboxylic acid or 3‐amino‐1,2,4‐triazole‐5‐carboxylic acid hemihydrate in aqueous ammonia at room temperature. Compound (I) is a dinuclear complex. Extensive O—H…O, O—H…N and N—H…O hydrogen bonds and π–π stacking interactions between the centroids of the triazole rings contribute to the formation of the three‐dimensional supramolecular structure. Compound (II) exhibits a one‐dimensional chain structure, with O—H…O hydrogen bonds and weak O—H…N, N—H…O and C—H…O hydrogen bonds linking anions and lattice water molecules into the three‐dimensional supramolecular structure. Compared with compound (I), compound (III) is a structurally different dinuclear complex. Extensive N—H…O, N—H…N, O—H…N and O—H…O hydrogen bonding occurs in the structure, leading to the formation of the three‐dimensional supramolecular structure.