Electrochemical sensor based on multi-walled carbon nanotubes and two-dimensional zeolitic imidazolate framework nanosheets: Application in determining dacarbazine.

Abstract

Background and purpose: Cancer is a serious public health concern, hence the determination of dacarbazine as a significant chemotherapeutic agent is very important.

Experimental approach: In the present work, we use a facile method to synthesize a nanocomposite of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and two-dimensional zeolitic imidazolate framework nanosheets (2D ZIF-L NSs). The resulting MWCNTs/2D ZIF-L NSs nanocomposite was characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy. The MWCNTs/2D ZIF-L NSs nanocomposite was subsequently used to modify a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) to achieve an electrochemical sensing platform for the detection of dacarbazine.

Key results: From cyclic voltammetric studies, it was found that the MWCNTs/2D ZIF-L NSs nanocomposite modified SPCE provided less anodic peak potential (700 mV) and higher anodic peak current (7.7 μA) for oxidation of dacarbazine when compared to other SPCEs. The MWCNTs/2D ZIF-L NSs/SPCE displayed good performance in the quantitative determination of dacarbazine. Under optimum conditions, the differential pulse voltammetry response exhibited a linear concentration range of 0.01 to 80.0 μM for dacarbazine with a relatively high sensitivity of 0.1384 μA μM^-1 and an estimated detection limit of 0.004 μM. The MWCNTs/2D ZIF-L NSs/SPCE sensor was also successfully applied to the determination of dacarbazine in injections samples of dacarbazine.

Conclusion: This detection method can be used as a valuable tool in the analysis of pharmaceutical formulations to bring benefits in cancer treatment.