Electrochemical Sensor for Meropenem Therapeutic Monitoring in Human Plasma Based on Carbon Nanotubes Modified Basal Pyrolytic Graphite Electrode

Abstract

Sensitive, precise, and fast differential pulse voltammetric (DPV) method has been developed for determination of meropenem (MER) in pure form, pharmaceutical dosage form, and human plasma. The fabricated sensors are based on basal-plane pyrolytic graphite electrode (BPPGE) substrates that was modified by coating the surface with carbon nanotubes. The modified electrode showed detectable enhancement of the anodic peak current of meropenem from 25.8 to 35.7 μA. Effect of both pH and scan rate on peak current and potential were studied, optimum conditions were found to be at pH = 3.0 and scan rate of 100 mV.s−1. A linear response was obtained over the concentration range of 3.0 × 10−7 to 7.0 × 10−5 M MER in aqueous buffer solution. The suggested sensor is highly sensitive, has short response time, capable of MER detection as low concentration as 1.5 × 10−6 M in human plasma. The proposed sensors shows a great potential towards future fabrication of a point-of-care device to monitor MER level in patients’ plasma to ensure drug safety and efficacy for patients in intensive care unit.