A novel sensing material has been synthesized for the design of an electrochemical sensor for epinephrine detection. The sensing material is composed of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polymer (PEDOT), polydopamine (PDA), and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The use of low-cost chemicals and the development of water-based preparation methods without the need for organic solvents were intended to comply with a sustainable development goal in the sensor’s preparation. The biocompatibility and adhesion properties of PDA were explored in the sensor’s design. The inclusion of AuNPs featuring pronounced electrocatalytic properties was aimed at improving the analytical sensitivity. The sensing material has been synthesized onto glassy carbon electrodes by using cyclic voltammetry and sinusoidal tension and current methods. The morphological analysis of the sensing material was carried out by scanning electron microscopy. The sinusoidal currents method [1] achieved the best analytical performance of the PEDOT-PDA-AuNP sensor toward epinephrine determination. A linear response in the range of 0.4 - 100 μM and a detection limit value of 0.11 μM epinephrine were obtained. The sensing material shows improved antifouling properties and stability in the detection of epinephrine in synthetic samples. The detection of epinephrine in spiked synthetic and urine samples was achieved with good accuracy and minor interferences from uric acid. The sensor is designed for reuse of the electrodic substrate, while the modifier can be eliminated by local procedures. The analytical performance of the sensor is comparable with that of other sensors prepared with conventional methods.

References:

[1]. S.A. Leau et. al. Biosensors 14 (2024) 320.