Nano composite system based on coumarin derivative–titanium dioxide nanoparticles and ionic liquid: Determination of levodopa and carbidopa in human serum and pharmaceutical formulations Original Research Article

The combination of coumarin derivative (7-(1,3-dithiolan-2-yl)-9,10-dihydroxy-6H-benzofuro[3,2-c]chromen-6-on), (DC)–titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2) and ionic liquid (IL) yields nanostructured electrochemical sensor, formed a novel kind of structurally uniform and electrocatalytic activity material. This new ionic liquid–TiO2 nanoparticles modified carbon paste electrode (IL–CTP) due to its enhanced conductivity presented very large current response from electroactive substrates. The modified electrode was characterized by different methods including a scanning electron microscope (SEM), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and voltammetry. A pair of well-defined quasi reversible redox peaks of coumarin derivative was obtained at the modified carbon paste electrode (DC/IL–CTP) by direct electron transfer between the coumarin derivative and the CP electrode. Dramatically enhanced electrocatalytic activity was exemplified at the DC/IL–CTP electrode, as an electrochemical sensor to study the electro oxidation of levodopa (LD) and carbidopa (CD). Based on differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), the oxidation of LD and CD exhibited the dynamic range between 0.10– 900.0 μM and 20.0–900.0 μM respectively, and the detection limit (3σ) for LD and CD were 41 nM and 0.38 μM, respectively. DPV was used for simultaneous determination of LD and CD at the DC/IL–CTP electrode, and quantitation of LD and CD in some real samples (such as tablets of Parkin-C Fort and Madopar, Sinemet, water, urine, and human blood serum) by the standard addition method.