Graphene supported poly(3-aminophenylboronic acid) surface via constant potential electrolysis for facile and sensitive paracetamol determination

Abstract

The present work demonstrates the first example of an electro-sensor platform based on disposable graphite surface that was coated electrochemically with poly(3-aminophenylboronic acid)-graphene for highly sensitive and selective determination of paracetamol. Fabrication of this sensing platform was realized using constant potential electrolysis with 3-aminophenylboronic acid monomer and graphene in a single step preparation. Optimization of the electrochemical polymerization conditions was done with different electrolysis durations and various concentrations of the monomer and graphene. Coated electrodes were then characterized by using cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Electrochemical determination studies performed with differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) presented that the electro-sensor platform had a good linear paracetamol concentration range of 0.15 mu M to 100 mu M and a very low detection limit of 0.028 mu M (R-2 = 0.9941, n = 3). The effect of a possible and important interferent, dopamine was also examined. The results proved the simultaneous determination of these two analytes with a good separation and high sensitivity. These results were compared with the results of the bare electrode: 15-fold and 13-fold improvements were achieved at the coated electrode for the electrooxidation of dopamine and paracetamol, respectively. In addition, this robust platform showed a good long-term stability. At last, recovery studies were done in urine samples in order to present the possible use of the electro-sensor in clinical studies. The outputs highlighted the high accuracy of the system by giving good recoveries (94.0-103.7%).