Voltammetric behavior of acebutolol on pencil graphite electrode: highly sensitive determination in real samples by square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry

In this work, an electrochemical investigation of acebutolol (ACE), a beta-blocker drug, was carried out in alkaline medium using pencil graphite (PG) electrode. In cyclic voltammetry, the compound displayed a reversible and adsorption-controlled oxidation peak. By using square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry, the oxidation peak current observed at +0.78 V showed a linear relationship with concentration at 0.4-7 nM interval in Britton-Robinson buffer (pH 10.0) and a detection limit of 0.09 nM. The relative standard deviation of 4.72% for the concentration level of 2.0 nM (n = 11) was also calculated. The PG electrode that is used for the first time in this method was successfully applied to determine the ACE in pharmaceutical formulations and urine.