Highly sensitive voltammetric and impedimetric sensor based on an ionic liquid/cobalt hexacyanoferrate nanoparticle modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes electrode for diclofenac analysis

This paper describes the development of 1-methyl-3-butylimidazolium chloride ionic liquid/cobalt hexacyanoferrate nanoparticle modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes nanocomposite paste electrode for the electrocatalytic and adsorptive stripping voltammetric and impedimetric determination of diclofenac (DIC) in real samples. The nanocomposite was prepared by a simple chemical method and was characterised by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and atomic absorption spectroscopy. Also, the electrochemical behaviours of the modified electrode and the electrocatalytic oxidation of DIC were investigated in detail by cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. The kinetic parameters such as electron transfer coefficient, and apparent rate constant for the redox reaction between DIC and the modified electrode were also determined using electrochemical approaches. It was found that the modified electrode exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity toward the oxidation of DIC, and under the optimised conditions, the linear response range and detection limit were found to be 1.0–100.0 and 0.3 μM, respectively using the differential pulse voltammetry method. The proposed method was applied for the sensitive and selective determination of diclofenac in the urine samples and pharmaceutical formulations with satisfactory results.