Enhanced electrochemical detection of dopamine by graphene oxide/tungsten trioxide nanocomposite

Abstract

Dopamine plays a vital role in neurotransmission and dopamine level detection in body fluid is very essential for diagnosis of neurological diseases. Finding a novel material, which enhances the electrochemical detection of dopamine is necessary in the present scenario. The Graphene oxide/tungsten trioxide (GO/WO3) nanocomposite were prepared by two-step procedure; modified Hummer's method for GO synthesis, followed by co-precipitation method for the preparation of WO3 with GO. The structural, chemical compositional and surface functional properties of as-synthesized GO/WO3 composite were systematically characterized. The WO3 nanocube shaped particles with an average diameter of 100–200 nm, completely covered the GO surface, during the in-situ growth process. Glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with prepared GO/WO3 nanocomposite was used as working electrode and analysed its selective and sensitive detection of dopamine by means of electrochemical measurements. The chronoamperometric results revealed that, GCE has wide linear range of (0.3 μM–1245 μM) of dopamine detection with outstanding selective performances. The limit of detection to 0.306 μM and sensitivity 0.392 μA μM−1cm−1 of electrode was calculated. The as-prepared GCE towards the detection of dopamine was tested in real samples (human urine), the measured results established the great dopamine sensing abilities with high selectivity and good stability in real samples.