Nanographitic impurities are responsible for electrocatalytic activity of carbon nanotubes towards oxidation of carbamazepine

Carbamazepine is one of the most extensively prescribed drug and its residues can be found in the ground and surface waters. Recently, a new method for the sensitive “electrocatalytic” determination of carbamazepine on carbon nanotube electrodes was developed. We demonstrate here that the reported excellent electrocatalytic properties of carbon nanotubes for the oxidation of carbamazepine are caused by the presence of nanographitic impurities within the carbon nanotubes.

► Carbamazepine is not electrocatalytically oxidize at carbon nanotubes as reported previously. ► Nanographitic impurities within CNTs are responsible for such voltammetric behavior on CNT surfaces. ► This is another example where nanographitic impurities dominate the electrochemistry of CNTs.