Fortified electrochemical activity of Au@Fe3O4@rGO decorated GCE for sensing of acetaminophen

In this work, the decoration of a GCE with an Au@Fe3O4@rGO nanocomposite material and its benefit as a sensor for the detection of acetaminophen (AP) in a phosphate buffer solution (PBS) with (pH = 7) are analysed. The nanocomposite mixture was prepared by a simple co-precipitation method and characterized by different surface analytical techniques. The electrochemical characteristics of the modified nanocomposite electrode were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and amperometry. The Au@Fe3O4@rGO/GCE nanocomposite showed good electrochemical sensitivity and performance towards AP. The peak current obtained by amperometry gradually increased with an increase in the AP concentration in the hiatus ranging from 0.01 to 0.28 mu M (R-2 = 0.99) with a calculated low limit of detection (LOD) and good sensitivity of 5 nM and 0.11 mu A mu M-1 respectively revealing a good rapid response. The proposed sensor was assessed for the determination of AP in human urine sample and in the unknown concentration of AP with good recoveries suggesting that the modified electrode can effectively sense AP in human urine sample.

Automated summary

This study analyzed the use of Au@Fe3O4@rGO nanocomposite material for sensor applications in the detection of acetaminophen. The modified electrode showed good electrochemical sensitivity and performance, with a low limit of detection and high sensitivity for acetaminophen detection. The sensor was also effective in detecting acetaminophen in human urine samples.