Ultrasonication-aided synthesis of nanoplates-like iron molybdate: Fabricated over glassy carbon electrode as an modified electrode for the selective determination of first generation antihistamine drug promethazine hydrochloride

Highlights

• Novel synthesis of FeMo (NPs) through the assistance of ultra-sonication technique.

• The electrochemical determination of antihistamine drug promethazine hydrochloride (PMH)

• The FeMo NPs/GCE displays wide linear range and LOD and higher sensitivity towards the PMH detection.

Abstract

The innovation of novel and proficient nanostructured materials for the precise level determination of pharmaceuticals in biological fluids is quite crucial to the researchers. With this in mind, we synthesized iron molybdate nanoplates (Fe₂(MoO₄)₃; FeMo NPs) via simple ultrasonic-assisted technique (70 kHz with a power of 100 W). The FeMo NPs were used as the efficient electrocatalyst for electrochemical oxidation of first-generation antihistamine drug- Promethazine hydrochloride (PMH). The as-synthesized FeMo NPs were characterized and confirmed by various characterization techniques such as XRD, Raman, FT-IR, FE-SEM, EDX and Elemental mapping analysis and electron impedance spectroscopy (EIS). In addition, the electrochemical characteristic features of FeMo NPs were scrutinized by electrochemical techniques like cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry technique (DPV). Interestingly, the developed FeMo NPs modified glassy carbon electrode (FeMo NPs/GCE) discloses higher peak current with lesser anodic potential on comparing to bare GCE including wider linear range (0.01–68.65 µM), lower detection limit (0.01 µM) and greater sensitivity (0.97 µAµM^-1cm⁻²). Moreover, the as-synthesized FeMo NPs applied for selectivity, reproducibility, repeatability and storage ability to investigate the practical viability. In the presence of interfering species like cationic, anionic and biological samples, the oxidation peak current response doesn’t cause any variation results disclose good selectivity towards the detection of PMH. Additionally, the practical feasibility of the FeMo NPs/GCE was tested by real samples like, commercial tablet (Phenergan 25 mg Tablets) and lake water samples which give satisfactory recovery results. All the above consequences made clear that the proposed sensor FeMo NPs/GCE exhibits excellent electrochemical behavior for electrochemical determination towards oxidation of antihistamine drug PMH.

Introduction

Promethazine hydrochloride (N, N-dimethyl-1-phenothiazin-10-yl-propan-2-amine hydrochloride; PMH) is one of the phenothiazine derivative nitro compound and widely used as for the treatment of antihistaminic, antipsychotic, sedative, analgesic and anticholinergic diseases. Conversely, the huge excess dosage of PMH may cause serious health effects like reproductive alterations, coma, endocrinal, cardiac and respiratory depression and other unwanted problems, even death [1], [2], [3], [4]. Hence, it is necessary for the selective and sensitive monitoring tool needed for the detection of PMH. Up to now, several analytical methods for instance high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) [5], gas chromatography (GC) [6], capillary zone electrophoresis [7], spectrophotometry [8], chemiluminescence [9], turbidimetry [10] were applied for the determination of PMH. Nevertheless, the aforementioned methods are relatively high cost, time consuming, expensive instrumentations. Distinctively, the electrochemical methods (especially using nanomaterials modified electrode) have proved to be outstanding choices to determine drugs and therapeutic complexes, meanwhile, they are simple, low cost and need a short time for investigation with better selectivity and great sensitivity [11], [12], [13], [14], [15]. Therefore, the exploitation of efficient nanostructured material modified electrochemical technique is an essential task for the research.

In recent decades, the binary transition metal oxides have been received extensive courtesy because of their superior physicochemical properties such as environment benignity, low toxic, high chemical stability and higher electrical conductivity when compared than mono metal oxides [16]. Attractively, divalent metal cations combined with molybdates have been used as photoluminescence, energy storage devices, gas sensors, heavy metal disposal, laser applications, photocatalyst and electrochemical sensors [17], [18], [19], [20], [21], [22], [23]. However, scheelite-type (ABO₄) nanomaterials are an ideal member of the inorganic family because of their fascinated properties like high conducting, catalytic activity and high thermochemical stability. Especially, iron molybdate (Fe₂(MoO₄)₃) have been a great key in the field of photocatalysis, ferromagnetic devices, large scale formaldehyde productions, anode material for Li-ion batteries and aqueous supercapacitors [24], [25]. However, the electrochemical sensing applications of Fe₂(MoO₄)₃ was still so scarce due to the complicated task to synthesize mono phase structured Fe₂(MoO₄)₃. There are various synthesis routes including hydrothermal, microwave irradiation, sol–gel, ball milling and co-precipitation methods have been available for nanomaterials fabrication [26], [27], [28], [29]. Instead of the above, sonochemical technique could offers simple, short reaction time, environmentally benign and user-friendly process for the synthesis of nanoparticles. Interestingly, sonochemically derived end products were of high phase purity, large active surface area, well-defined structural morphology and the highly intense ultrasound waves can create a wide range of prominent chemical and physical features in the synthesized materials, which is more beneficial for electrochemical sensors [30], [31].

Motivated by the above statements, we tried an effort for the design of plate-like Fe₂(MoO₄)₃ through simple ultrasonic assisted synthesis and further characterized by XRD, Raman, FT-IR, FE-SEM, EDX, elemental mapping analysis and EIS. The electrochemical determination was scrutinized by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry techniques. For the first time, the as-synthesized FeMo NPs modified glassy carbon electrode (FeMo NPs/GCE) was subjected to the selective electrochemical sensing of PMH. The electrocatalytic reaction parameters such as effect of catalyst amount loading, addition of PMH concentration, influence of scan rate and effect of pH for PMH determination were studied and discussed. In addition, FeMo NPs/GCE showed an excellent linear range in the low-level determination of PMH with aid of DPV technique. From the results, the FeMo NPs/GCE exhibits high electrochemical performance towards the determination of PMH.