Voltammetric determination of salbutamol on a glassy carbon electrode coated with a nanomaterial thin film

A rapid and convenient electrochemical method is described for the determination of salbutamol based on multi-carbon nanotubes (MWNT) film coated glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The electrochemical behavior of salbutamol at this modified electrode was studied by square wave voltammetry, which indicated that the oxidation peak potential of salbutamol shifted on 40 mV to less positive potential and the peak current increased 4.5 fold, in contrast to that at a bare electrode. Various experimental parameters such as pH value of supporting electrolyte, the amount of modifier, and accumulation time were optimized. Under optimal measurement conditions, there is a good linear relationship between the peak current (Ipa) and salbutamol concentration in the range from 8.0 × 10−7 to 1.0 × 10−5 M, and the detection limit is 2.0 × 10−7 M (S/N = 3) at 2 min accumulation. The method has been successfully employed to detect salbutamol in pharmaceutical formulations.