Fully Integrated 3D-Printed Electronic Device for the On-Field Determination of Antipsychotic Drug Quetiapine

In this work, we developed a novel all-3D-printed device for the simple determination of quetiapine fumarate (QF) via voltammetric mode. The device was printed through a one-step process by a dual-extruder 3D printer and it features three thermoplastic electrodes (printed from a carbon black-loaded polylactic acid (PLA)) and an electrode holder printed from a non-conductive PLA filament. The integrated 3D-printed device can be printed on-field and it qualifies as a ready-to-use sensor, since it does not require any post-treatment (i.e., modification or activation) before use. The electrochemical parameters, which affect the performance of the sensor in QF determination, were optimized and, under the selected conditions, the quantification of QF was carried out in the concentration range of 5 x 10(-7)-80 x 10(-7) mol x L-1. The limit of detection was 2 x 10(-9) mol x L-1, which is lower than that of existing electrochemical QF sensors. The within-device and between-device reproducibility was 4.3% and 6.2% (at 50 x 10(-7) mol x L-1 QF level), respectively, demonstrating the satisfactory operational and fabrication reproducibility of the device. Finally, the device was successfully applied for the determination of QF in pharmaceutical tablets and in human urine, justifying its suitability for routine and on-site analysis.

Automated summary

In this study, a novel all-3D-printed device for the determination of quetiapine fumarate (QF) via voltammetric mode was developed. The device features optimized electrochemical parameters, requires no post-treatment before use, and exhibits high sensitivity and reproducibility in testing.