Efficient Amperometric Detection of Ornidazole: An Antibiotic Drug Based on Rare-Earth Metal Oxide Entrapped with Graphene Nanosheets Nanocomposite

Abstract

The use of nitro aromatic compounds for the treatment of protozoal infections as well as anaerobic bacteria is widespread. The global use of antiprotozoal drugs causes significant ecological impact on living systems. In this study, electrochemical detection of the antiprotozoal drug ornidazole (ODZ) was demonstrated through neodymium oxide/graphene nanosheets (Nd2O3/GNS) based electrocatalyst. This hybrid material was prepared with a sonochemical probe method. We characterized the Nd2O3/GNS nanocomposite using various analytical and spectroscopic techniques. For rapid ODZ drug determination, we used Nd2O3/GNS nanocomposite-based slurry to modify the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) surface. The electrocatalysis of ODZ using Nd2O3/GNS/GCE showed a good linear range (0.01–221 μM), excellent detection limit (0.001 μM), and high sensitivity, along with long-term stability. The practicality of the sensor electrode for ODZ was successfully determined in water and human urine samples, yielding satisfactory recoveries. Thus the results indicated that Nd2O3 with conductive carbon support including graphene, carbon nanotubes (CNT), carbon nanofibers, etc., can be used as a sensitive sensor electrode for the real-time detection of antibiotic drugs that cause human and environment by continuous consumption and improper disposal from the pharmaceutical industries, respectively.