One-pot synthesis of antimony oxide and bismuth oxide nanocomposites for the selective electrochemical determination of the anticancer drug methotrexate in biomedical samples

Abstract

Methotrexate (MTRX) is an anticancer drug that is also used for several chronic illnesses; however, a high dosage of MTRX can cause adverse effects, so it is necessary to monitor the MTRX level in blood and urine samples. This work reports the electrochemical determination of MTRX based on Sb 2 O 3 and Bi 2 O 3 composite material (Sb 2 O 3 @Bi 2 O 3 )modified electrodes. The one-pot sonohydrolysis synthesis method is employed for the preparation of the Sb 2 O 3 @Bi 2 O 3 composite, which reveals high crystallinity with mixed phases of monoclinic Bi 2 O 3 and cubic Sb 2 O 3 . Furthermore, the phases are identified by XRD, Raman spectroscopy, XPS, and HRTEM analysis. This composite reveals nanoneedle and nanocube morphologies. The Sb 2 O 3 @Bi 2 O 3 modified GCE shows excellent electrochemical activity for the detection of the anticancer drug methotrexate (MTRX). The activity is compared with the individual Sb 2 O 3 and Bi 2 O 3 compounds. Sb 2 O 3 @Bi 2 O 3 /GCE shows good electroanalytical characteristics in chronoamperometric analysis. Sb 2 O 3 @Bi 2 O 3 /GCE exhibits a linear range of approximately 0.01 μM to 174.6 μM, a sensitivity of 1.46 μA cm -2 μM -1, and an LOD of 2.9 nM. Moreover, Sb 2 O 3 @Bi 2 O 3 /GCE delivered high selectivity among highly interfering compounds in blood and urine samples.