A Gold Nanoparticle-Modified Carbon Paste Electrode as a Sensor for Simultaneous Determination of Acetaminophen and Atenolol

Abstract

A simple, rapid and sensitive electrochemical method for simultaneous determination of acetaminophen and atenolol was developed in Britton-Robinson buffer solution on a gold nanoparticles carbon paste electrode (GN-CPE). Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was used for determination of both drugs. The modified electrode exhibited electrocatalytic properties toward acetaminophen and atenolol oxidation with a peak potential of 20.0 and 50.0 mV lower than that at the bare carbon paste electrode, respectively. Also the enhanced peak current response is a clear evidence of the catalytic of the gold nanoparticles modified carbon paste electrode towards oxidation of acetaminophen and atenolol. Linear calibration curves were obtained in the range of 0.770 μM – 0.375 mM and 0.990 μM – 0.167 mM with detection limits of 0.058 μM and 0.073 μM for acetaminophen and atenolol, respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied in the simultaneous determination of acetaminophen and atenolol in several pharmaceutical formulations and human plasma.