Electrochemistry and voltammetry of procaine using a carbon nanotube film coated electrode

A new rapid, convenient and sensitive electrochemical method is described for the determination of procaine in pharmaceutical preparations, based on the unique properties of a multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWNT) thin film. The electrochemical behavior of procaine at the MWNT film-coated glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was investigated in detail, showing that the MWNT-coated GCE exhibits electrocatalytic activity to the oxidation of procaine because of the significant peak current enhancement and the lowering of oxidation overpotential. Furthermore, the mechanism for the oxidation of procaine at the MWNT-coated GCE was also studied. Finally, various experimental parameters such as solution pH value, the amount of MWNT, accumulation conditions and scan rate were optimized for the determination of procaine, and a new method with detection limit of 2 x 10(-7) mol/L was developed for procaine determination. This newly proposed method was successfully demonstrated with procaine hydrochloride injection. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.