Zinc oxide nanoparticles decorated nitrogen doped porous reduced graphene oxide-based hybrid to sensitive detection of hydroxychloroquine in plasma and urine

Abstract

The antimalarial hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has considered for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus. Moreover, HCQ has been used as a drug to treat Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). In this work, nitrogen doped porous reduced graphene oxide (NprGO) has been prepared via environmentally friendly process using Fummaria Parviflora extract. A catalyst based on ZnO nanoparticles-nitrogen doped porous reduced graphene oxide (ZnO-NprGO) was prepared by hydrothermal method and characterized. The diameter of ZnO nanoparticles was ~22–37 nm, which were inserted between the NprGO sheets effectively prevented their aggregation. The ZnO-NprGO hybrid had high surface area and good electro-catalytic property, suiting for determination of HCQ. The ZnO-NprGO modified carbon paste electrode (CPE)-based sensor operated in a wide concentration range of 0.07–5.5 μmol L⁻¹ with low limit of detection of 57 nmol L⁻¹ and sensitivity of 14.175 μA μmol⁻¹ L. Remarkably, the ZnO-NprGO/CPE sensor indicated acceptable accuracy, reproducibility, and stability. In addition, the proposed sensor was applied to detection of HCQ in biological samples and the recoveries were 92.0–102.5%, with relative standard deviations of 1.9–4.3%. The unique physical structure of ZnO-NprGO, as well as its chemical and electrical properties, make it promising interface for use in sensors and nanoelectronic applications.

Graphical Abstract