Anodic voltammetric behaviors of methotrexate at a glassy carbon electrode and its determination in spiked human urine

The anodic voltammetric behavior of methotrexate was studied at glassy carbon electrode in acetate buffer (pH = 3.6) solution using cyclic, square-wave voltammetric and chronocoulometric techniques. The oxidation of methotrexate is an irreversible diffusion-controlled process. The oxidation mechanism was proposed and discussed in this work. The dependence of the current on pH, the concentration and nature of buffer, and instrumental parameters were investigated to optimize the experimental conditions for the determination of methotrexate. It was found that in the range of 8.0 × 10⁻⁷–2.0 × 10⁻⁵ mol/L, the currents measured by square-wave voltammetry presented a good linear property as a function of the concentrations of methotrexate. In addition, validation parameters, such as reproducibility, sensitivity and recovery were evaluated as well. The proposed method was also successfully applied for the determination of methotrexate in diluted human urine with good satisfactory.     

Square-wave voltammetric (SWV) determination of Captopril in reconstituted serum and pharmaceutical formulations

A simple, fast and sensitive square-wave voltammetric (SWV) method for the determination of trace amounts of Captopril in pharmaceutical formulation and reconstituted serum is reported. A three-electrode system containing the static mercury drop electrode (SMDE) working electrode, Pt auxiliary electrode and Ag/AgCl reference electrode was used throughout. Sodium sulfite was used as both supporting electrolyte and oxygen removing agent. No nitrogen purging is needed for oxygen removal from sample solution. Calibration graph showed good linearity in the concentration range of 0.5-50.0 μg mL⁻¹ of Captopril and regression coefficient of 0.9957 is obtained. R.S.D. for eight replicate measurements and LOD of the proposed method are 1.2% and 6.28 × 10⁻³ μg mL⁻¹, respectively. The effect of various parameters (equilibration time, scan increment, pulse height, drop size, frequency and sodium sulfite concentration) on the determination were investigated. The procedure was successfully applied to the determination of Captopril in pharmaceutical formulation and reconstituted serum.     

Square-wave voltammetric stripping analysis of thallium(III) at a poly(4-vinylpyridine)/mercury film electrode

A poly(4-vinylpyridine)/mercury film electrode (PVP/MFE) was used for the determination of trace thallium(III) by square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV). Thallium(III) is preconcentrated onto the PVP/MFE as the anionic forms in chloride medium by the ion-exchange effect of the PVP. The high solubility of thallium in mercury further facilitates the accumulation effect. Various factors influencing the determination of thallium(III) were thoroughly investigated. This modified electrode displayed good resistance to interferences from surface-active compounds and common ions and increased sensitivity when used in conjunction with SWASV. In addition, detection can be achieved without deoxygenation and the electrode can be easily renewed. Applicability to various water samples is illustrated.     

Electrooxidation of the antiviral drug valacyclovir and its square-wave and differential pulse voltammetric determination in pharmaceuticals and human biological fluids

The electrochemical properties of valacyclovir, an antiviral drug, were investigated in pH range 1.8-12.0 by cyclic, differential pulse and square-wave voltammetry. The drug was irreversibly oxidized at a glassy carbon electrode in one or two oxidation steps, which are pH-dependent. For analytical purposes, a very resolved diffusion controlled voltammetric peak was obtained in Britton-Robinson buffer at pH 10.0 using differential pulse and square-wave modes. Limits of detection were 1.04 × 10⁻⁷ and 4.60 × 10⁻⁸ M for differential pulse and square-wave voltammetry, respectively. The applicability to direct assays of tablets, spiked human serum and simulated gastric fluid, was described.     

Electrochemical studies and square-wave voltammetric determination of fenofibrate in pharmaceutical formulations

The electrochemical reduction of fenofibrate at a hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) was investigated by cyclic voltammetry, square-wave voltammetry, and chronoamperometry. Different buffer solutions were used over a wide pH range (3.0–10.0). The best definition of the analytical signals was found in borate buffer (pH 9.0)–tetrabutylammonium iodide mixture containing 12.5% (v/v) methanol at –1.2 V (versus Ag/AgCl). According to cyclic voltammetric studies, the reduction was irreversible and diffusion controlled. The diffusion coefficient was 2.38×10^–6 cm² s^–1 as determined by chronoamperometry. Under optimized conditions of square-wave voltammetry, a linear relationship was obtained between 0.146–4.96 g mL^–1 of fenofibrate with a limit of detection of 0.025 g mL^–1. Validation parameters such as sensitivity, accuracy, precision, and recovery were evaluated. The proposed method was applied to the determination of fenofibrate in pharmaceutical formulations. The results were compared with those obtained by a published high-performance liquid chromatography method. No difference was found statistically.     

Adsorptive stripping voltammetric determination of the anti-inflammatory drug celecoxib in pharmaceutical formulation and human serum

Celecoxib is a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, that has been recently and intensively prescribed as an anti-inflammatory drug in rheumatic osteoarthiritis. A robust, highly reliable and reproducible square-wave (SW) adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetric procedure was developed for the determination of celecoxib in pharmaceutical formulation and human serum. The analytical procedure was based on the reduction of the CN of the pyrazole ring of the drug molecule at the mercury electrode surface in Britton-Robinson buffer of pH 7.0. The SW adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammogram of celecoxib showed a single well-defined peak at −1.54 V (vs. Ag/AgCl/KCl_s) using an accumulation potential of −0.70 V, frequency of 120 Hz, scan increment of 10 mV and pulse amplitude of 25 mV. Repeatability was examined for 1×10⁻⁸ M CXB drug solution after 30 s pre-concentration and a mean recovery of 99.4±0.4% (n=5) was achieved. For 90 s preconcentration, a linear concentration range of 1×10⁻⁹-2×10⁻⁸ M CXB and a detection limit of 1.86×10⁻¹⁰ M were achieved. The proposed procedure was successfully applied for the determination of the drug in capsules and human serum with mean recoveries of 101.5±0.6 and 98.8±1.1%, respectively. A detection and quantitation limits of 1.0×10⁻⁹ M (0.4 ng ml⁻¹) and 4.7×10⁻⁹ M (1.3 ng ml⁻¹) were achieved for the determination of the drug in human serum. Moreover, the procedure was useful for study of the pharmacokinetic profile of celecoxib in a healthy volunteer after administration of a single oral dose (celebrex®, 200 mg).     

Square-wave voltametric method for determination of molinate concentration in a biological process using a hanging mercury drop electrode

A square-wave voltammetric (SWV) method using a hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) has been developed for determination of the herbicide molinate in a biodegradation process. The method is based on controlled adsorptive accumulation of molinate for 10 s at a potential of –0.8 V versus AgCl/Ag. An anodic peak, due to oxidation of the adsorbed pesticide, was observed in the cyclic voltammogram at ca. –0.320 V versus AgCl/Ag; a very small cathodic peak was also detected. The SWV calibration plot was established to be linear in the range 5.0×10^–6 to 9.0×10^–6 mol L^–1; this corresponded to a detection limit of 3.5×10^–8 mol L^–1. This electroanalytical method was used to monitor the decrease of molinate concentration in river waters along a biodegradation process using a bacterial mixed culture. The results achieved with this voltammetric method were compared with those obtained by use of a chromatographic method (HPLC–UV) and no significant statistical differences were observed.     

Electrochemical properties and square-wave voltammetric determination of pravastatin

The electrochemical reduction and adsorptive voltammetric behaviour of pravastatin have been studied by means of cyclic and square-wave voltammetry at a hanging mercury-drop electrode in electrolytes of different pH. Within the entire pH range (2.0–9.0) in Britton–Robinson buffer, pravastatin gave rise to a single voltammetric peak in the potential interval from −1.22 to −1.44 V, depending on pravastatin concentration. It was found that the reduction of pravastatin proceeds via a relatively stable intermediate, which is transformed to the final electroinactive product by a coupled chemical reaction or can be re-oxidized back to pravastatin. The rate of chemical transformation is controlled by the proton concentration. The electrode mechanism has the properties of a surface redox reaction. A sensitive analytical method for trace analysis of pravastatin based on the adsorptive stripping technique has been developed. The calibration plot was linear in the range 8×10⁻⁸–5×10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹. Application of the square-wave voltammetric method to determination of pravastatin in a pharmaceutical dosage form, without sample pretreatment, resulted in acceptable deviation from the stated concentration.     

Square-wave adsorptive stripping voltammetric determination of an antihistamine drug astemizole

The square-wave voltammetric technique was used to explore the adsorption properties of the astemizole drug. The analytical methodology used was based on the adsorptive preconcentration of the drug on a hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE), followed by the electrochemical reduction process which yielded a well-defined cathodic peak at −1.184 V (vs. the Ag/AgCl electrode). To achieve high sensitivity, various experimental and instrumental variables were investigated such as the supporting electrolyte, pH, accumulation time and potential, drug concentration, scan rate, SW frequency, pulse amplitude, convection rate, and the working electrode area. Under the optimized conditions, the AdSV peak current was proportional over the analyte concentration range of 5 × 10⁻⁷ to 2.5 × 10⁻⁶ mol L⁻¹ (r = 0.998) with the detection limit of 1.4 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹ (6.4 ng mL⁻¹). The precision of the proposed method in terms of RSD was 2.4 %, whereas the method accuracy was indicated by the mean recovery of 100.1 %. Possible interferences of several substances usually present in the pharmaceutical tablets and formulations were also evaluated. The applicability of this electroanalytic approach was illustrated by the determination of astemizole in tablets and biological fluids.     

Simultaneous voltammetric determination of paracetamol and caffeine in pharmaceutical formulations using a boron-doped diamond electrode

A simple and highly selective electrochemical method was developed for the single or simultaneous determination of paracetamol (N-acetyl-p-aminophenol, acetaminophen) and caffeine (3,7-dihydro-1,3,7-trimethyl-1H-purine-2,6-dione) in aqueous media (acetate buffer, pH 4.5) on a boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode using square wave voltammetry (SWV) or differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Using DPV with the cathodically pre-treated BDD electrode, a separation of about 550 mV between the peak oxidation potentials of paracetamol and caffeine present in binary mixtures was obtained. The calibration curves for the simultaneous determination of paracetamol and caffeine showed an excellent linear response, ranging from 5.0 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹ to 8.3 × 10⁻⁵ mol L⁻¹ for both compounds. The detection limits for the simultaneous determination of paracetamol and caffeine were 4.9 × 10⁻⁷ mol L⁻¹ and 3.5 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹, respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied in the simultaneous determination of paracetamol and caffeine in several pharmaceutical formulations (tablets), with results similar to those obtained using a high-performance liquid chromatography method (at 95% confidence level).     

Square-wave Voltammetry and Electrochemical Faradaic Spectroscopy of a Reversible Electrode Reaction: Determination of the Concentration Fraction of the Redox Couple

A comparative study conducted with square-wave voltammetry (SWV) and electrochemical faradaic spectroscopy (EFS) is presented for a reversible electrode reaction of dissolved redox couple in the presence of both Ox and Red components. In agreement with previous studies, the net peak current ΔΨ_p of the theoretical SW voltammograms is positioned at the formal potential E^0′ and does not depend on the concentration ratio c(Ox)/c(Red). However the forward-to-backward peak current ratio is sensitive to the redox state. For very low SW amplitudes, theoretical data imply superior features of EFS over SWV. Theoretical and experimental calibration lines are in good agreement within the interval 0.2≤x(Ox)≤0.8.     

Simultaneous voltammetric determination of acetylsalicylic acid,caffeine and paracetamol in pharmaceutical formulations using screen-printed carbon electrode

Electrochemical oxidation of Paracetamol (PAR), Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and Caffeine (CAF) was investigated employing square wave stripping voltammetry (SWSV) using screen–printed carbon electrodes (SPCE). Determinations were performed in 0.1 mol L⁻¹ BR buffer (pH 2.0) without accumulation step. SWV were obtained by scanning the potential from 0.00 to 1.40 V employing a scan increment of 4 mV, pulse amplitude 25 mV and frequency of 25 Hz. PAR, ASA and CAF presents oxidation signals at 0.45, 1.03 and 1.32 V. The detection limits were 1.2, 1.7 and 1.7 mg L⁻¹, respectively. The method was applied in the PAR-ASA-CAF determination on pharmaceutical formulations.     

Rapid voltammetric determination of nitroaromatic explosives at electrochemically activated carbon-fibre electrodes

The electrochemical behaviour of some nitroaromatic explosives (2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, TNT; 2,6-dinitrotoluene, 2,6-DNT; 2-nitrotoluene, 2-NT; 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene, 2-A-4,6-DNT; 3,5-dinitroaniline, 3,5-DNA; and nitrobenzene, NB) at electrochemically activated carbon-fibre microelectrodes is reported. Electrochemical activation of such electrode material by repeated square-wave (SW) voltammetric scans between 0.0 and +2.6 V versus Ag/AgCl, produced a dramatic increase in the cathodic response from these compounds. This is attributed to the increase of the carbon-fibre surface area, because of its fracture, and the appearance of deep fissures along the main fibre axis into which the nitroaromatic compounds penetrate. Based on the important contribution of adsorption and/or thin layer electrolysis to the total voltammetric response, a SW voltammetric method for rapid detection of nitroaromatic explosives was developed. No interference was found from compounds such as hydrazine, phenolic compounds, carbamates, triazines or surfactants. The limits of detection obtained are approximately 0.03 g mL^–1 for all the nitroaromatic compounds tested. The method was applied for the determination of TNT in water and soil spiked samples; recoveries were higher than 95% in all cases.     

Anodic voltammetric behavior of resveratrol and its electroanalytical determination in pharmaceutical dosage form and urine

The anodic voltammetric behavior of resveratrol was studied using cyclic and square wave voltammetric techniques. The oxidation of resveratrol is irreversible and exhibits an adsorption controlled process which is of pH dependence. The oxidation mechanism was proposed in this work. The dependence of the current on pH, the concentration and nature of buffer, and scan rate was investigated to optimize the experimental conditions for the determination of resveratrol. It was found that the optimum buffer for the determination of resveratrol is 1.0 × 10⁻³ M KCl + 0.1 M HNO₃ solution with the pH of 1.0. In the range of 5.00 × 10⁻⁹ to 1.65 × 10⁻⁷ M, the current measured by square wave voltammetry presents a good linear property as a function of the concentration of resveratrol. In addition, the reproducibility, precision and accuracy of the method were checked as well. The method was applied for the determination of resveratrol in Chinese patent medicine and diluted urine.     

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).     

Fullerene-C60-modified electrode as a sensitive voltammetric sensor for detection of nandrolone--an anabolic steroid used in doping

The electrochemical behaviour of nandrolone is investigated by cyclic, differential pulse and square-wave voltammetry in phosphate buffer system at fullerene-C₆₀-modified electrode. The modified electrode shows an excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of nandrolone resulting in a marked lowering in the peak potential and considerable improvement of the peak current as compared to the electrochemical activity at the bare glassy carbon electrode. The oxidation process is shown to be irreversible and diffusion-controlled. A linear range of 50 μM to 0.1 nM is obtained along with a detection limit and sensitivity of 0.42 nM and 0.358 nA nM⁻¹, respectively, in square-wave voltammetric technique. A diffusion coefficient of 4.13 × 10⁻⁸ cm² s⁻¹ was found for nandrolone using chronoamperometry. The effect of interferents, stability and reproducibility of the proposed method were also studied. The described method was successfully employed for the determination of nandrolone in human serum and urine samples. A cross-validation of observed results by GC-MS indicates that the results are in good agreement with each other.     

Graphene oxide modified glassy carbon electrode for determination of linagliptin in dosage form,biological fluids,and rats' feces using square wave voltammetry

An applicable square wave anodic adsorptive stripping voltammetric (SWAdASV) technique was utilized for linagliptin determination. A glassy carbon electrode was modified with graphene oxide to increase the electrode reactivity. The method is cheap, accurate, precise, and selective, with a good linearity range and a low detection limit. The proposed method was the first one to determine linagliptin in the feces, which is the main route for excreting the drug from the body. The electrode was characterized using various techniques, including Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and the oxidation mechanism of the drug was examined. The proposed method has a linear range of 9.45–103.96 ng mL^?1. The detection limit was 4.0 ng mL^?1. The modified electrode was employed efficiently to determine the drug in tablet formulations, spiked human urine, plasma, and rats' feces with high recoveries. The proposed method's results were statistically compared with those of another previously published method.     

Square-wave voltammetry of 4,4′-diisopropyl-2,2′-bithiazoline and its complex with copper(II)

(4S)-4′-diisopropyl-2,2′-bithiazoline (DPT) is an electroactive organic chiral compound giving two reduction responses in square-wave voltammograms at potentials about −0.2 and −0.4 V by forming a complex with mercury which deposits at the electrode surface. By the addition of copper(II) ion to the solution of DPT a third peak appears between them at about −0.3 V, which corresponds to the reduction of adsorbed Cu-DPT complex. Optimal pH for the investigation of those redox processes was found to be 2.8. By square-wave voltammetric measurements it was interpreted that these redox reactions were quasireversible with immobilized reactants. By plotting i_p/f vs. frequency a quasireversible maximum was obtained, and the apparent standard reaction rate constants were calculated: log (k_s)DPT=(0.91 ± 0.9) and 1 < k_s < 65_S⁻¹, log (k_s)_CuDPT= (0.35 ± 0.9) and 0.3 < k_s < 18 S⁻¹ in 0.55 M NaCl.     

Square wave voltammetric determination of nitrofurantoin in pharmaceutical formulations on highly boron-doped diamond electrodes at different boron-doping contents

The influence of the boron-doping levels in boron-doped diamond film electrodes on the electrochemical response of nitrofurantoin (NFT) and the development of an electroanalytical procedure for NFT determination were investigated. The investigations were carried out using the techniques of cyclic voltammetry and square wave voltammetry on diamond film electrodes with different boron-doping levels (i.e., 5000, 10,000 and 20,000 mg L⁻¹). The level of boron-doping in the diamond film electrodes influenced the electrochemical reduction of NFT. The appropriate cyclic voltammetric response of NFT was obtained with Britton-Robinson buffer at pH 4 and for diamond films doped with 10,000 and 20,000 mg L⁻¹ of boron. These two films were selected for the development of the electroanalytical procedure. The use of square wave voltammetry with the optimized parameters demonstrated a good linear relationship between the peak current and the NFT concentration for a wide range of concentration. The lower limit of detection for the electrodes doped with 10,000 and 20,000 mg L⁻¹ of boron were 2.69 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹ (6.40 μg L⁻¹) and 8.15 × 10⁻⁹ mol L⁻¹ (1.94 μg L⁻¹), respectively, while the lower limits of quantification were 8.96 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹ (21.33 μg L⁻¹) and 2.72 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹ (6.47 μg L⁻¹), respectively. The applicability of the proposed procedure was tested using a commercial pharmaceutical formulation of NFT, and the results were compared with the procedure recommended by the British Pharmacopeia. The proposed procedure was sensitive, accurate and precise for analysis of NFT and did not require complex preparations or renovations of the electrode surface. This presents the advantage of eliminating mercury waste and minimizing the adsorptive problems related to the use of other electrodic solid surfaces.     

Anodic voltammetric behavior and determination of cefixime in pharmaceutical dosage forms and biological fluids

The voltammetric behavior of cefixime was studied using cyclic, linear sweep, differential pulse and square wave voltammetric techniques. The oxidation of cefixime was irreversible and exhibited diffusion controlled process depending on pH. The oxidation mechanism was proposed and discussed. Different parameters were tested to optimize the conditions for the determination of cefixime. The dependence of current intensities and potentials on pH, concentration, scan rate, nature of the buffer was investigated. According to the linear relationship between the peak current and the concentration, differential pulse (DPV) and square wave (SWV) voltammetric methods for cefixime assay in pharmaceutical dosage forms and biological fluids were developed. For the determination of cefixime were proposed in acetate buffer at pH 4.5, which allows quantitation over the 6 × 10⁻⁶-2 × 10⁻⁴ M range in supporting electrolyte and spiked serum sample; 8 × 10⁻⁶-2 × 10⁻⁴ M range in urine sample; 6 × 10⁻⁶-1 × 10⁻⁴ M range in breast milk samples for both techniques. The repeatability, reproducibility, precision and accuracy of the methods in all media were investigated. No electroactive interferences from the excipients and endogenous substances were found in the pharmaceutical dosage forms and in the biological samples, respectively.