Electrochemical monitoring of carbamazepine in biological fluids by a glassy carbon electrode modified with CuO/ZnFe2O4/rGO nanocomposite

This paper illustrates the modification of the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) with the synthesized ternary nanocomposite of graphene, zinc ferrite nanoparticles (ZnFe2O4), and copper oxide (CuO) for the determination of carbamazepine (CBZ) in the biological fluids. The large surface area of GO, the conductivity of CuO nano particles, and electron transfer sites of ZnFe2O4 provide a sensitive electrochemical sensor for the quantitative analysis of CBZ. The physicochemical and electrocatalytic characterizations of the constructed electro-catalysts were appraised by scanning electron microscopy, elemental mapping analysis, FT-IR, XRD, and voltammetry techniques. The superiority of the nanocomposite comprised of all synthesized components, GCE/CuO/ZnFe2O4/ rGO, toward electrocatalytic oxidation of CBZ was confirmed. A sensitive oxidation peak was observed for CBZ at 1.2 V in a neutral solution. The LOD was deliberated to be 3 nM with a wide range of linearity in response (0.01 to 90 mu M). The easy preparation, high stability, repeatability (RSD % < 3), and good antifouling activity of the GCE modified with the CuO/ZnFe2O4/rGO nano-composite indicated the synergistic effect of zinc ferrite, rGO, and CuO. The applicability of the sensor for CBZ monitoring in human serum and urine species was evaluated with satisfactory results.