Silica gel-modified electrode as an electrochemical sensor for the detection of acetaminophen

In the present work, an inexpensive and highly reproducible carbon-based sensor in the presence of silica gel was introduced to determine acetaminophen, a pain killer drug. From the experimental results, an appreciable increment on the oxidation current was seen at the surface of the modified sensor due to the cavity structure of the sensor and also effective adsorption of acetaminophen. Hence, the silica gel electrode was used as an electrochemical sensor for the cyclic voltammetric and differential pulse voltammetric detection of acetaminophen. The surface morphology of the electrode was investigated with the help of atomic force microscopy. The effects of various experimental parameters were explored. The differential pulse voltammograms exhibited acceptable analytical performances in terms of linearity and limit of detection. The proposed technique was sensitive, specific, and could be admissible for the resolution of acetaminophen in pharmaceutical originations and spiked human urine.