Fabrication of electrochemical sensors for pharmaceutical analysis

Abstract

Potentiometric chemical sensors, an important class of electro-chemical sensors are widely used in pharmaceutical analysis because of its inherent advantages. The present study was aimed at fabrication of potentiometric sensors for the drugs mebendazole, pefloxacin, ambroxol, sildenafil citrate, dextro methorphan and tetracycline. A total of 18 sensors have been developed for the determination of theses drugs. The major step in the fabrication of the sensor was the preparation of the ion association. Two types of sensors viz: PVC membrane sensor and carbon paste electode (CPE) were fabricated. The response characteristics of the different sensors fabricated were studied. Various response parameters studied include response time, selectivity and the effect of pH. The developed sensors were also employed for the determination of the drugs in pharmaceutical formulations and also for the recovery of the drug from urine samples. The selectivity studies reveal that the developed sensors are highly selective to the drug even in prescence of foreign ions.