Fabrication of electrochemical sensors for pharmaceuticals and biologically significant molecules

Abstract

Newer properties of electrochemical sensors for various target molecules are being developed in continuum. Such sensors have attracted a lot of attention due to their simplicity, high sensitivity and trace-level detection of analytes in real samples. Sensor is a system that on stimulation by any form of energy undergoes change in its own state which helps to analyze the stimulant qualitatively and quantitatively. In the thesis studies presented, we have also described the development of electrochemical sensors for the determination of pharmaceuticals and biologically significant molecules. This can be achieved by modifying newlineelectrodes by electrochemical method. Electrode modifiers like metal nanoparticles dispersed on conducting polymers and carbon nanospheres were employed for modification of carbon fiber paper working electrode substrate. These modified electrodes were physicochemically characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field emission scanning newlineelectron microscopy (FESEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron newlinespectroscopy (XPS) and electrochemically characterized using Cyclic voltammetry and Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). newlineThe modified electrodes have exhibited remarkable electrocatalytic behaviour towards oxidation or reduction of chosen analytes. These modified electrodes were used as electrochemical sensors after optimization of experimental conditions. Under optimal conditions, the sensors have displayed significantly an ultra-low level detection limit with wide linear response and high selectivity towards analyte in the newlinepresence of other interfering substances. newlineThe ultrasensitivity and reliability of the fabricated sensors towards analyte of interest were effectively determined in real samples newline