Direct cefepime determination in human milk using solid mercury amalgam electrode manufactured with silver nanoparticles

Solid silver mercury amalgam electrodes (AgSAEs) represent a suitable alternative to mercury electrodes due to their similar electrochemical properties and non-toxicity of the amalgam material. Based on this knowledge, we report the use of silver solid amalgam as working electrode to determine cefepime in human milk sample. Square-wave voltammogram registered for cefepime in Britton–Robinson buffer at pH 2.5, presented two well-defined reduction peaks, at −0.28 V (peak 1C) and −0.45 V (peak 2C). Under optimized condition, the calibration curves presented linear response from 3.0 × 10−7 to 2.1 × 10−6 mol L−1 with limits of detection and quantification of 8.51 × 10−9 and 2.84 × 10−8 mol L−1, respectively. The applicability of the method was verified using spiked human milk samples and testing recovery percentages, which were ranged from 98.00% to 100.5%. The obtained results were also compared with those provided with the HPLC technique.