Simultaneous determination of epinephrine and norepinephrine in human blood plasma and urine samples using nanotubes modified edge plane pyrolytic graphite electrode

The simultaneous determination of catecholamines – epinephrine and norepinephrine by square wave voltammetry (SWV) at physiological pH 7.2 is reported using multi-walled carbon nanotubes modified edge plane pyrolytic graphite electrode (MWNT/EPPGE). A broad bump at ∼250 mV is appeared for the oxidation of epinephrine (EP) and norepinephrine (NE) at bare EPPGE whereas at MWNT/EPPGE two well-separated peaks at ∼150 and ∼215 mV are appeared for the oxidation of EP and NE, respectively. The oxidation peak current of both the neurotransmitters also increased significantly along with the negative shift of peak potentials using MWNT/EPPGE. The oxidation of both compounds occurred in a pH dependent, 2e and 2H+ process and the electrode reaction followed diffusion controlled pathway. Linear calibration curves were obtained for epinephrine and norepinephrine in the range 0.5–100 nM with limits of detection 0.15 × 10−9 and 0.90 × 10−10 M, respectively. The developed protocol is implemented for the simultaneous determination of epinephrine and norepinephrine in blood plasma and urine samples of smokers as well as in athletes.