PtNPs-GNPs-MWCNTs-β-CD nanocomposite modified glassy carbon electrode for sensitive electrochemical detection of folic acid

A novel electrochemical sensor, platinum nanoparticles/graphene nanoplatelets/multi-walled carbon nanotubes/β-cyclodextrin composite (PtNPs-GNPs-MWCNTs-β-CD) modified carbon glass electrode (GCE), was fabricated and used for the sensitive detection of folic acid (FA). The PtNPs-GNPs-MWCNTs-β-CD nanocomposite was easily prepared with an ultrasound-assisted assembly method, and it was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The electrochemical behavior of FA at PtNPs-GNPs-MWCNTs-β-CD/GCE was investigated in detail. Some key experimental parameters such as pH, amount of PtNPs-GNPs-MWCNTs-β-CD composite, and scan rate were optimized. A good linear relationship (R2 = 0.9942) between peak current of cyclic voltammetry (CV) and FA concentration in the range 0.02–0.50 mmol L−1 was observed at PtNPs-GNPs-MWCNTs-β-CD/GCE. The detection limit was 0.48 μmol L−1 (signal-to-noise ratio = 3). A recovery of 97.55–102.96% was obtained for the determination of FA in FA pills (containing 0.4 mg FA per pill) at PtNPs-GNPs-MWCNTs-β-CD/GCE, indicating that the modified electrode possessed relatively high sensitivity and stability for the determination of FA in real samples.