Electrocatalytical effect of montmorillonite to oxidizing ibuprofen: Analytical application in river water and commercial tablets

• The working electrode was prepared by mixing montmorillonite and carbon electrode (Mt–CPE).
• The montmorillonite catalyzes the electrooxidation of ibuprofen.
• The Mt–CPE was used to determine ibuprofen using differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry.
• The influence of the chemical and electrochemical experimental variables was investigated.
• The MtMT–CPE was investigated to detect ibuprofen in river water and commercial tablets.

The electrochemical oxidation of ibuprofen was investigated at a montmorillonite-doped carbon paste electrode (Mt–CPE). A well-defined oxidation peak was observed at around 1.02 V/AgCl in phosphate buffer (pH 8). The experimental condition was optimized by varying chemical and electrochemical parameters. The oxidation peak current is linear to the ibuprofen concentration in the ranges 1.0 × 10− 3–1.0 × 10− 6 mol L− 1 and 1.0 × 10− 6 − 1.0 × 10− 7 mol L− 1 with a detection limit of 6.80 × 10− 8 mol L− 1. The precision (n = 8) assessed as relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) were 1.24% for 1.0 × 10− 6 mol L− 1 and 1.07% for 4.0 × 10− 5 mol L− 1 respectively. Possible interferences were tested and evaluated in 1.0 × 10− 5 mol L− 1 ibuprofen in the presences of common organic and inorganic interfering agents. Based on its high sensitivity and good selectivity, the Mt–CPE was successfully applied to determine ibuprofen in river water and commercial tablets. The satisfactory obtained results confirm the applicability of this sensor in practical analysis.