Low potential detection of doxorubicin using a sensitive electrochemical sensor based on glassy carbon electrode modified with silver nanoparticles-supported poly(chitosan)

Abstract Doxorubicin (DOX) is an anthracycline anticancer drug. However, the overdose of DOX could be resulted in several undesired side-effects. Thus, it is necessary to be monitored DOX concentrations in blood. Herein, a novel electrochemical platform for the quantification of DOX in cancer cell lysates and plasma samples based on silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and chitosan coated on the glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The electrocatalytic behavior of AuNPs/chitosan modified GCE electrode was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV). Obtained results exhibited favorable precision selectivity and sensitivity in the detection of DOX in human bio-fluids. The synergistic effect of AgNPs and chitosan enhances electrocatalytic activity and speeds up the electron transfer between DOX and GCE. Under optimized conditions, SWV signal exhibited a linear relationship between the oxidation peak current and concentration of DOX from 103 nM to 8.6 μM with a low limit of quantification (LLOQ) of 103 nM. Also, the developed probe was used for the determination of DOX in B16F10 cell lysates. This probe was successfully monitored DOX levels in human bio-fluids and B16F10 cell lysates with high sensitivity.