Biopolymer Stabilized Nanogold Particles on Carbon Nanotube Support as Sensing Platform for Electrochemical Detection of 5-Fluorouracil in-vitro

A fast and facile electrochemical sensor for the detection of an important anti-cancer drug, 5-fluorouracil, is fabricated using a gold nanoparticle decorated multiwall carbon nanotube (GNP-MWCNT) composite modified electrode. GNP-MWCNT composite has been prepared by a simple one-pot synthesis in the presence of chitosan, which acts as a reducing as well as stabilizing agent. Synthesized GNP-MWCNT is characterized by UV-Visible spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, XRD analysis and FESEM for the structural and chemical properties of nanocomposite, and the size of the gold nanoparticles is determined to be ∼30 nm by different methods. The electrochemical capability of the fabricated GNP-MWCNT composite modified electrode for the detection of 5-FU is examined by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance analysis and differential pulse voltammetry. The nanoAu decorated carbon nanotube electrode is found to be efficient for electrocatalytic oxidation of 5-FU. Peak current of the DPVs exhibited a linear relationship against 5-FU over a wide concentration range of 0.03–10 μM with a low-detection-limit (3σ/b) of 20 nM, and the analysis time is as low as 25 s. Practical utility of the developed GNP-MWCNT nanocomposite biosensor has been demonstrated for the detection of 5-FU directly from artificial urine and pharmaceutical formulations with good recovery limits.

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