Silver nanoparticles decorated functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes modified screen printed sensor for the voltammetric determination of butorphanol

The present study aimed at describing silver nanoparticles based functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes modified screen printed carbon electrode (Ag/CNT/SPE) for an effective determination of an opioid analgesic drug butorphanol (BTR). The suspension of Ag/CNT prepared was drop casted onto the surface of SPE. The surface morphology of the nanocomposite was studied using XRD, FESEM, EDX, FT-IR, and UV-Vis. Ag/CNT/SPE showed a remarkable enhancement in the peak current values in cyclic and square wave voltammograms when compared with that of the CNT/SPE, Ag/SPE and bare carbon SPE. The anodic phenomenon of BTR occurring at Ag/CNTs/SPE was found to be a function of pH of the medium, concentration and scan rate of BTR. The oxidation peak current was found proportional to the BTR concentration within the linear range of 1.05-10.45 µM, with a detection limit of 2.15 µM (LOD) and the quantification limit of 7.18 µM (LOQ). The redox mechanism of BTR at the modified electrode was evaluated after optimizing the electrode dynamic parameters. The sensor was further scrutinized for the successful quantification of BTR in the pharmaceutical formulation.