Voltammetric determination of venlafaxine as an antidepressant drug employing Gd2O3 nanoparticles graphite screen printed electrode

Graphite screen printed electrode modified with Gd₂O₃ nanoparticles (Gd₂O₃/SPE) was developed for the determination of venlafaxine (VF). The Gd₂O₃ nanoparticles were thoroughly characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. To study the electrochemical behaviour of venlafaxine cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CHA) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) were employed. These studies reveal that the oxidation of venlafaxine is facilitated at Gd₂O₃/SPE. After optimization of analytical conditions, analysis of venlafaxine using the modified electrode in 0.1 mol/L PBS (pH 7.0) demonstrates that the peak currents corresponding to venlafaxine vary linearly with its concentration in the range of 5.0 × 10^?6 – 9.0 × 10^?4 mol/L. The detection limit (S/N = 3) of 2.1 × 10^?7 mol/L is obtained for venlafaxine using DPV. The prepared modified electrode benefits from advantages such as simple preparation method, high sensitivity and low detection limit. Moreover, the evaluation of practical applicability of this proposed method is successful in the identification of venlafaxine in pharmaceutical formulations, urine and water samples.