Zinc oxide and chitosan incorporated graphene oxide based molecular imprinted electrochemical sensor for L-Carnitine

Abstract

In this study, we report an electrochemical nano-sensor for L-Carnitine (Car) using a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) as a molecular recognition platform. Car imprinted MIP (Car/MIP) composites were prepared on allylated zinc oxide incorporated chitosan-modified Graphene oxide, polymerized along with the template molecule Car. This imprinted polymer composite was used to modify the working glassy carbon electrode surface by drop casting method to fabricate a susceptible electrochemical sensor. The prepared materials were characterized by Fourier Transform infrared Spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy, Energy Dispersive X-ray analyzer, and Nitrogen adsorption/ desorption isotherm. The electrochemical behavior of the prepared electrochemical sensor was explored by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The electrochemical studies revealed that the current value increases proportionally with increasing concentration of Car; this also confirmed the excellent electrocatalytic activity of the prepared Car/MIP-based nano-sensor toward Car. Differential pulse voltammetry is used to find the limit of detection and quantification and were obtained as 0.17 × 10⁻¹⁰ M and 0.55 × 10⁻¹⁰ M, respectively. With good stability and selectivity, this newly developed electrochemical sensor has been successfully used for Car measurements in human blood serum samples.