Detection of the antipsychotic drug cariprazine using a low-cost MIP-based electrochemical sensor and its electrooxidation behaviour

[Display omitted] •The electroanalytical behaviour of CAR was examined in detail for the first time.•The possible oxidation mechanism of CAR on bare GCE was proposed.•Highly selective and sensitive analysis of CAR in real samples.•Fabrication of a new MIP-based electrochemical sensor for CAR determination.•The sensor indicates a detection ranging from 0.1 pM to 2.5 pM with a LOD of 12.7 fM. Cariprazine (CAR), a member of the class of atypical antipsychotics, is a widely utilized pharmaceutical agent. Therefore, analytical techniques for its detection in real samples must be established, both for the purposes of treatment and for the advancement of the pharmaceutical industry. In recent years, there have been notable advancements in the development of sensor-based technologies, particularly those employing electrochemical detection for the rapid and precise analysis of a range of pharmaceuticals. Accordingly, the present study initially examined the voltammetric behaviour of CAR using an unmodified glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The mechanism of electrochemical oxidation was proposed, and subsequently, an electrochemical method for the determination of CAR was applied, which demonstrated a detection limit of 6.4 × 10−7 M (0.64 µM) and a broad linear dynamic range (2.5 × 10−6–5.0 × 10−5 M; 2.5–50.0 µM). Subsequently, a molecularly imprinted recognition system was fabricated via a simple one-step electrochemical polymerization process, using CAR as the template molecule and 3-aminophenylboronic acid as the functional monomer. A systematic optimization of the parameters influencing the sensor response was conducted. Upon identifying the optimal conditions, the MIP/GCE demonstrated a commendable sensitivity (177.25 µA/µM) and a detection limit of 1.27 × 10−14 M (12.7 fM) in a linear range from 1.0 × 10−13 to 2.5 × 10−12 M (0.1–2.5 pM). Subsequently, the sensor was effectively utilized to determine CAR in capsule and commercial serum samples, yielding satisfactory recovery values.