Mokwebo, K.V. and Murphy, E. and Guin, S.K. and Camisasca, A. and Giordani, S. and Breslin, Carmel B. and Iwuoha, E.I. and Dempsey, Eithne
(2023)
Copper-modified carbon nano-onions as electrode modifiers for the electroanalysis of the antiretroviral drug Efavirenz.
Electrochimica Acta, 461.
p. 142639.
ISSN 0013-4686
Abstract
The high prescription and consumption rate of antiretroviral drugs (ARV) such as Efavirenz (EFV) in South Africa
for the treatment of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has resulted in its presence in wastewater and
surface water. Herein we report the electroanalysis of EFV at oxidised boron-nitrogen doped carbon nano-onions
(oxi-BNCNO) and microscale branched copper cluster (CuC) modified glassy carbon electrodes. Potentiostatic
electrodeposition of CuC on the oxi-BNCNO/GCE platform resulted in a stable and electrocatalytic surface that
accelerated electron transfer between the analyte and the CuC/oxi-BNCNO/GCE surface, making quantification
efficient. The electroactive surface area of CuC/oxi-BNCNO/GCE was estimated as being 3 times higher than bare
GCE and twice that of oxi-BNCNO/GCE. The electrooxidation of EFV on a CuC/oxi-BNCNO/GCE sensor resulted
in a pH-dependant anodic peak in the potential range of 0.8 to 1.2 V vs Ag/AgCl (3M KCl). The EFV voltammetric
signal increased linearly with increasing concentration of EFV in the linear dynamic range (LDR) of 0.01 – 1.0 µM
and 0.5 – 20 µM with a limit of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of 1.2 and 3.97 nM, respectively.
Moreover, the sensor had a sensitivity of 23 µA • cm− 2 • µM− 1 and was selective to 100-fold of interferents
including heavy metal ions and other ARVs with the exception of high concentrations of nevirapine. The
developed electroanalytical method was successfully applied for the determination of EFV in real samples such as
wastewater influent and effluent, drinking/tap water, and a pharmaceutical formulation with recovery ranging
from 97.8% to 109.5%.
| Item Type: |
Article
|
| Keywords: |
Antiretroviral drugs;
Efavirenz;
Carbon nano-onions;
Copper nanoparticles;
Triple-pulse electrosynthesis;
Voltammetric sensors;
Wastewater influent and effluent; |
| Academic Unit: |
Faculty of Science and Engineering > Chemistry |
| Item ID: |
17549 |
| Identification Number: |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2023.142639 |
| Depositing User: |
Dr. Carmel Breslin
|
| Date Deposited: |
15 Sep 2023 14:52 |
| Journal or Publication Title: |
Electrochimica Acta |
| Publisher: |
Elsevier B.V. |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| URI: |
|
| Use Licence: |
This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available
here |
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