Electrochemical Detection of Acetaminophen in Pharmaceuticals Using Rod-Shaped α-Bi2O3 Prepared via Reverse Co-Precipitation

Abstract

This study employed a novel synthetic approach involving a modified reverse co-precipitation method utilizing glacial acetic acid to synthesize α-Bi2O3. X-ray powder diffraction and scanning and transmission electron microscopy analyses revealed the formation of a rod-like α-Bi2O3 microstructure. The prepared material was utilized to modify a glassy carbon paste (GCP) electrode for the development of an electrochemical sensor for acetaminophen (APAP) detection using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Cyclic voltammetry studies revealed that the GCP@Bi2O3 electrode exhibited enhanced electrochemical properties compared to the bare GCP. The designed GCP@Bi2O3 sensor detected APAP in the linear concentration range from 0.05 to 12.00 µM, with LOQ and LOD of 36 nM and 10 nM, respectively. Additionally, the developed sensor demonstrated sufficient precision, repeatability, and selectivity toward APAP detection. The recovery values between the declared and found APAP content in a pharmaceutical formulation (Caffetin®) displayed the advantageous accuracy, precision, and applicability of the GCP@Bi2O3 sensor and the developed DPV method for real-time APAP detection in pharmaceuticals, with minimal interference from the matrix effect.