Abstract
A novel voltammetric sensor was constructed by modifying a glassy carbon electrode with a composite material consisting of platinum-nickel-doped tin oxide and carbon black (PtNiSnO(2)-CB/GCE), enabling highly sensitive differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) determination of trazodone HCl (TRZ). The DPV experimental parameters, including the composition of the supporting electrolyte and instrumental settings, were carefully optimized to achieve maximum analytical efficiency. Within the linear range of 1-10 µM, quantification of TRZ molecules could be performed without the preconcentration step. When applying a 60 s accumulation time (in the range 0.02-0.2 µM of TRZ), the detection limit reached 4.1 nM (1.67 mg L(-1)), indicating superior sensitivity compared to previously reported voltammetric techniques. The method demonstrated good reproducibility, with a relative standard deviation of 4.3% for 10 repeated measurements at 0.06 µM TRZ. The developed sensor exhibits excellent stability, simplicity of fabrication, and operational convenience. Its practical applicability was confirmed by the successful analysis of molecules of TRZ in diverse sample types, including pharmaceutical products, urine, plasma, river water, and artificial gastric and intestinal fluids, with recovery rates between 97.7% and 104.2%. Flow injection analysis (FIA) with amperometric detection was also performed for TRZ molecule determination.