Simple and rapid electrochemical detection of 1-benzylpiperazine on carbon screen-printed electrode

1-Benzylpiperazine (BZP) is an illegal synthetic drug commonly used in combination with alcoholic beverages for recreational purposes due to its amphetamine-like stimulant and hallucinogenic effects. In this work, we described a simple, portable and low-cost electrochemical method for BZP determination in beverage (vodka, whisky and white wine) and seized street samples. The electrochemical behavior of BZP was investigated by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) using a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE), where a single irreversible oxidation processes was presented at around +0.7 V (vs. Ag pseudo reference). An electrochemical mechanism for BZP oxidation at SPCE was proposed. The quantification of BZP in beverage samples was optimized by the DPV technique in 0.12 mol L-1 Britton Robison buffer solution (pH = 5.0) using a drop-casting method of small sample volume (similar to 100 mu L) on SPCE. The proposed method showed a good linear range for BZP determination from 1 to 75 mu mol L-1 with a low limit of detection (0.3 mu mol L-1) and recovery values between 90 and 102%. Additionally, interference studies for other synthetic drugs from piperazine class and for other drugs commonly found in combination with BZP, such as 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy), caffeine and synthetic cathinones, were performed. The analytical performance of the SPCE for detection of BZP in beverage and seized samples presents great potential for a simple and rapid screening method in forensic analysis.

Automated summary

An electrochemical method was developed for the determination of BZP in beverages and seized street samples. The method showed good sensitivity and recovery values, with a linear range for BZP concentrations from 1 to 75 μmol L-1.