Novel multi walled carbon nanotubes/β-cyclodextrin based carbon paste electrode for flow injection potentiometric determination of piroxicam

A novel carbon paste electrode based on functionlized multi-walled carbon nanotubes/β-cyclodextrin composite (FMWCNTs/β-CD-CPE) is described for potentiometric determination of piroxicam (PXM). Improved sensitivity and selectivity was achieved by application of CDs as molecular host–guest recognition elements and MWCNTs. The electrochemical performance of carbon paste electrodes incroporated with FMWCNTs/β-CD composite was compared to those incroporated with MWCNTs and free CDs. Matrices compositions of each electrode are optimized on the basis of nature and content of the modifier, ionic sites and selected plasticizer. CPEs containing FMWCNTs/β-CD composite, hyamine (Hy) and 2-fluorophenyl 2-nitrophenyl ether (f-NPE) as electrode plasticizer, work satisfactory in the concentration range from 10−6 to 10−2 mol L−1 with Nernstain compliance (58.7±0.9 mV decade−1 activity) with fast response time of about 2 s and exhibit adequate operational lifetime (16 weeks). The developed electrodes have been applied for the potentiometric determination of PXM in pharmaceutical formulation under batch and flow injection analysis (FIA). FIA allows the analysis of 120 samples h−1 with the advantage of simplicity, accuracy and automation feasibility.