A carbon paste electrode modified with Al2O3-supported palladium nanoparticles for simultaneous voltammetric determination of melatonin, dopamine, and acetaminophen

• DOI: 10.1007/s00604-019-3541-3
• Publication Date: 2019-07-17T11:02:41Z
• Authors: Nasrin Soltani; Nahid Tavakkoli; Faezeh Shahdost-fard; Hossein Salavati; Fatemeh Abdoli
• Keywords: Dopamine; Metal Nanoparticles; Electrochemical Techniques; 01 natural sciences; Carbon; 0104 chemical sciences; Aluminum Oxide; Humans; Electrodes; Palladium; Acetaminophen; Melatonin

The authors have modified a carbon paste electrode with Al2O3-supported palladium nanoparticles (PdNP@Al2O3) to obtain a sensor for simultaneous voltammetric determination of melatonin (MT), dopamine (DA) and acetaminophen (AC). The PdNP@Al2O3 was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectra. The sensor can detect DA, AC, MT and their mixtures by giving distinct signals at working voltages of typically 236, 480 and 650 mV (vs. Ag/AgCl), respectively. Differential pulse voltammetric peak currents of DA, AC and MT increase linearly in the 50 nmol L-1 - 1.45 mmol L-1, 40 nmol L-1 -1.4 mmol L-1, and 6.0 nmol L-1 - 1.4 mmol L-1 concentration ranges. The limits of detection are 36.5 nmol L-1 for DA, 36.5 nmol L-1 for AC, and 21.6 nmol L-1 for MT. The sensor was successfully used to detect the analytes in (spiked) human serum and drug samples. Graphical abstract Schematic presentation of Al2O3-supported palladium nanoparticles (PdNP@Al2O3) for modification of a carbon paste electrode (CPE) to develop a voltammetric sensor for the simultaneous determination of dopamine (DA), acetaminophen (AC) and melatonin (MT).