Carbon paste electrode based on surface activation for trace adriamycin determination by a preconcentration and voltammetric method.

A voltammetric determination of adriamycin (ADM) at a carbon paste electrode (CPE) in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) is described. ADM strongly adsorbs on the surface of the electrode by the adsorption of CTAB, thereby affecting the reduction current. This method provides a detection limit below 10(-10) mol/L for ADM. The experimental parameters, which influence the voltammetric responses of ADM, e.g. the pH value, variety and concentration of surfactants and the scan rate, were optimized. The reduction peak current changes linearly with the ADM concentration over the range from 2.5 x 10(-8) mol/L to 5 x 10(-6) mol/L. The detection limit is 4 x 10(-10) mol/L for an accumulation time of 3 min. The coefficient of variation, determined at 4 x 10(-6) mol/L ADM, is 3.0% (n = 8). Using this method, ADM in the patient's urine samples, which undergoes active ADM chemotherapy, was determined.