Construction of 2D niobium carbide-embedded silver/silver phosphate as sensitive disposable electrode material for epinephrine detection in biological real samples

Abstract

Our daily activities are in control and functioned by the neurotransmitter that helps in balancing the signals send to the brain. Epinephrine (EPN) is a commonly known neurotransmitter and the imbalance in EPN leads to several dysfunctions and diseases. Moreover, the uptake of EPN and the importance of EPN have provoked the need for the detection of EPN. Such detection will be helpful in the diagnostics and clinical monitoring of the diseases. The electrode material with intriguing properties for the detection is important and was designed. The niobium carbide (NbC) with silver/silver phosphate (Ag/AgPO) with interesting physical and chemical properties was synthesized. The physical and structural analysis of Ag/AgPO/NbC was characterized by different analytical techniques. The electrochemical detection of EPN was executed after the physicochemical presence of the material. The specific surface area, and high electrical conductivity, with improved active sites enhances the electrochemical performance of EPN. With these properties, the fabricated electrode records a lower limit of detection of about 0.004 μM with a linear range of 0.09–422.45 μM and the sensitivity was about 9.25 μAμM−1cm−2. The other parameter analysis such as repeatability, reproducibility, and stability showed excellent performances at Ag/AgPO/NbC/screen-printed carbon electrode. The real sample analysis with human serum and urine samples also had good recovery results. Thus, the Ag/AgPO/NbC nanocomposite is highly efficient with all these unique features which can be employed in several applications in near future.