Voltammetric determination of Famotidine using glassy carbon electrode modified with functionalized gold nanostructures

Famotidine is a histamine blocker that inhibits stomach acid production, and it is commonly used to treat and prevent peptic ulcer disease, reduce ulcer pain, and gastroesophageal reflux disease [1]. Functional nanoparticles (NPs) have been widely used to develop sensing approaches because they can act as the carriers of sample pretreatment, signal recognition elements, or the probes for signal readout due to their unique physical and chemical properties such as large surface-to-volume ratio and excellent optical, electrical, magnetic, and catalytic properties [2]. Many methods have been used to obtain gold nanostructures, such as self-assembly with polymers, seed-mediated growth and thermal-driven attachment [3]. In this approach gold nanostructures were directly electrodeposited onto the surface of a glassy carbon electrode via the potentiostatic method without any templates, surfactants, or stabilizers. Glassy carbon electrode was modified with electrodeposited gold nanoparticles followed by modification of a layer of 3- mercaptopropionic acid on the gold nanostructures. Functionalized nanoparticles have been characterized using electrochemical methods, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The nanoparticles have been applied as modifier at the surface of electrode. In the presence of mercaptopropionic acid at the surface of gold nanoparticle, they are able to interact with famotidine. Cyclic voltammetry has been applied for sensitive determination of famotidine. A Linear calibration curve is obtained for famotidine in the range of 3.0 × 10−7–3.0 × 10−5 mol L-1. Finally, the modified electrode has been used for determination of famotidine in real samples such as pharmaceutical tablet and human serum successfully.