Novel Iron Oxide Nanoparticle-Fortified Carbon Paste Electrode for the Sensitive Voltammetric Determination of Atomoxetine

Herein, the fabrication and full characterization ofa novel atomoxetine(ATX) voltammetric carbon paste electrode (CPE) fortified with ironoxide nanoparticles (FeONPs) is demonstrated. Modification of thecarbon paste matrix with the metallic oxide nanostructure providesproper electrocatalytic activity against the oxidation of ATX moleculesat the carbon paste surface, resulting in a noticeable improvementin the performance of the sensor. At the recommended pH value, ATXrecorded an irreversible anodic peak at 1.17 V, following a diffusion-controlledreaction mechanism. Differential pulse voltammograms exhibited peakheights linearly correlated to the ATX content within a wide concentrationrange from 45 to 8680 ng mL(-1), with the limit ofdetection reaching 11.55 ng mL(-1). The electrooxidationmechanism of the ATX molecule was proposed to be the oxidation ofthe terminal amino group accompanied by the transfer of two electronsand two protons. The fabricated FeONPs/CPE sensors exhibited enhancedselectivity and sensitivity and therefore can be introduced for voltammetricassaying of atomoxetine-indifferent pharmaceutical and biologicalsamples in the presence of its degradation products and metabolites.