Sunlight assisted synthesis of silver nanoparticles in zeolite matrix and study of its application on electrochemical detection of dopamine and uric acid in urine samples

•Sunlight assisted synthesis of AgNP/Zeo-Y via ion exchange method.•Enhanced electrocatalytic peak current values for DA and UA with a well separated peak to peak position.•AgNP/Zeo-Y/GCE for the simultaneous detection of DA and UA by CV and DPV methods.•Detection limit was found to be 1.60 × 10-8 M and 2.51 × 10− 8 M for DA and UA respectively.•DPV technique was effectively realistic to detect DA and UA in urine samples.

Sunlight assisted reduction of silver ions were accomplished for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles incorporated within the mesoporous silicate framework of zeolite Y. The zeolite-Y and AgNP/Zeo-Y were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, N2 adsorption-desorption BET isotherm and X–ray diffraction techniques. The incorporation of silver nanoparticles within the porous framework was further confirmed by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. An enhanced electrocatalytic oxidation of biologically important molecules like dopamine and uric acid using AgNP/Zeo-Y modified glassy carbon electrode has been developed. A simultaneous oxidation of DA and UA peaks were obtained at + 0.31 V and + 0.43 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) using AgNP/Zeo-Y/GCE under the optimum experimental condition. A well-resolved peak potential window (~ 120 mV) for the oxidation of both DA and UA were observed at AgNP/Zeo-Y/GCE system. The calibration curves for DA and UA were obtained within the dynamic linear range of 0.02 × 10− 6 to 0.18 × 10− 6 M (R2 = 0.9899) and 0.05 × 10− 6 to 0.7 × 10− 6 M (R2 = 0.9996) and the detection limits were found to be 1.6 × 10− 8 M and 2.51 × 10− 8 M by using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) method. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of both DA and UA in human urine samples with a related standard deviation was < 3%, and n = 5 using the standard addition method.

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