Ponceau polymer film for electrocatalytic sensing of levodopa in human serum, urine, and pharmaceutical formulation

An exceptional, affordable, and disposable electrocatalytic sensor (403% increase in peak height compared to activated pencil graphite electrode) with a one-step preparation process, ponceau-based polymer film, was utilized for levodopa determination in human serum, urine, and pharmaceutical formulation. The analytical response for levodopa was determined by measuring its oxidation signal at 180 mV in a phosphate buffer solution with a pH of 6. Characterization of the sensing platform was carried out using various techniques including cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The developed sensor exhibited the capability to detect levodopa at a low concentration of 20 nM, spanning a wide dynamic range from 0.06 to 160 mu M. Additionally, a comparative analysis was performed between the produced poly ponceau modified activated pencil graphite electrode and a potentiometric automatic titration system. The statistical evaluation revealed no significant difference between the results obtained from both methods confirming their consistency within a 95% confidence level.