Application of Cu2O@f-MWCNTs Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode for Electrochemical Detection of Rohypnol as Strong Sedatives and Muscle Relaxers

In the current investigation, the glassy carbon electrode has been modified utilizing a nanocomposite of Cu2O nanoparticles and functionalized (Cu2O@f-MWCNTs/GCE) by electrodeposition method as a sensitive and selective electrochemical sensor for the measurement of rohypnol (RHP) in human blood plasma. According to SEM and XRD investigations, Cu2O nanoparticles were randomly arranged on the surface of the f-MWCNTs. This resulted in a high specific surface area and porous architecture, showing that the Cu2O@f-MWCNTs nanocomposite was successfully electrodeposited on the GCE. The electrochemical studies demonstrated the synergistic effects of the f-MWCNTs with Cu2O nanoparticles in catalytic reactions for determining RHP. They showed that the incorporation of Cu2O nanoparticles into the f-MWCNTs enhanced the electrical conductivity pathway within the electrocatalyst reactions and enhanced the electron transfer efficiency at electrode/electrolyte interfaces. The Cu2O@f-MWCNTs/GCE demonstrated excellent selectivity and sensitivity (0.1769 μA/μM), an acceptable detection limit (15 nM), and a broad linearity range (1 to 160 μM) to determine RHP, which were promoted as superior to or similar to current reports of RHP electrochemical sensors. In order to determine RHP in prepared real samples of human blood plasma, the accuracy and validity of Cu2O@f-MWCNTs/GCE were assessed. The results showed acceptable recovery (99.40 % to 99.60 %) and low values of RSD (3.22% to 4.87 %), indicating that the developed method has been used successfully to determine RHP in biological liquids.