Fullerene–C60–MWCNT composite film based ultrasensitive electrochemical sensing platform for the trace analysis of pyruvic acid in biological fluids

• Fabrication of highly sensitive and selective electrochemical sensor.
• Trace determination of pyruvic acid using C60–MWCNTs nanocomposite film.
• Sensor showed electrocatalytic activity towards cathodic reduction of pyruvic acid.
• Reduction process is irreversible and adsorption-controlled.

We propose development of a novel electrochemical sensor based on fullerene-multi-walled carbon nanotubes composite film for the sensitive determination of the pyruvic acid in biological fluids. The developed sensor was characterized by cyclic voltammetry. The nanocomposite film of C60–MWCNTs on GCE exhibits electrocatalytic activity towards pyruvic acid reduction and also decreases the reduction overpotential. The influence of the optimization parameters such as pH and effect of loading of composite mixture of C60 and MWCNTs on the electrochemical performance of the sensor were evaluated. Various kinetic parameters such as electron transfer number (n=2), proton transfer number (m=2) and charge transfer coefficient (α=0.56) were also calculated. Under optimized conditions, the squarewave reduction peak current was linear over the concentration range of 2.0–55 nM with the detection and quantification limit of 0.1 nM and 0.8 nM respectively. The fabricated sensor was successfully applied to the detection of pyruvic acid in biological samples with good recovery ranging from 97.6% to 103.6%.

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