Nickel molybdate/cobalt molybdate nanoflakes by one-pot synthesis approach for electrochemical detection of antipsychotic drug chlorpromazine in biological and environmental samples

Pharmaceutical waste products have become environmental contamination and pollution which poses a significant risk to our planet. The fabrication of effective antipsychotic drug monitoring systems is greatly important to minimize their environmental problems. Therefore, the construction of mixed metal molybdates has been investigated to develop an electrochemical sensor with high sensitivity and low detection limits. In regards, we have successively synthesized nickel molybdate/cobalt molybdate (NiMoO4/CoMoO4; NCMO) through a simple co-precipitation method and their electrocatalytic activity of chlorpromazine (CPZ) evaluated. The synthesized NCMO was inspected by diverse physicochemical analyses. From the morphological study, the prepared NCMO nanoflake displays exceptionally rich surface electroactive sites. Furthermore, the electrochemical properties of the developed sensor were investigated through cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Accordingly, the NCMO endorses greater electrochemical behavior because of rapid electron transfer, improved electrochemical active surface area, and synergetic effect. The established electrochemical sensor displays a wide linear range and the lowest detection limit, admirable sensitivity, reproducibility, and repeatability. Finally, the real-time application of CPZ was performed in wastewater and human urine samples with reasonable recoveries. [Display omitted] •We propose mixed metal molybdate (NiMoO4/CoMoO4) via a simple co-precipitation method.•NCMO is demonstrated to be a sensitive and selective electrochemical detection of the antipsychotic drug chlorpromazine.•NCMO modified screen-printed carbon electrode has detected wide linear range and nanomolar level.•Real sample analyses validate the practical feasibility of the developed sensor with satisfactory results.