An ultra-sensitive laccase/polyaziridine-bismuth selenide nanoplates modified GCE for detection of atenolol in pharmaceuticals and urine samples

•Lac/PAZ-Bi2Se3NPs provided an ultrasensitive atenolol biosensor.•Nano Bi2Se3 was prepared at various temperatures.•Electrocatalytic activity of Lac and Bi2Se3 NPs was explored. The analysis of β-blockers in pharmaceutical, biological and environmental samples has gained much interest due to their wide applications. The aim of this study was to develop an enzyme-based biosensor using hexagonal-shaped low-dimensional Bi2Se3 NPs decorated with laccase through polyaziridine (PAZ) modified glassy carbon electrode (Lac/PAZ-Bi2Se3 NPs/GCE). Surface properties were examined using SEM, TEM, EDX, XRD, XPS, FTIR, UV–Visible, and zeta potential. Electrochemical studies were performed with cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The enzymatic biosensor exhibited excellent catalytic activity towards the oxidation of ATN at +1.05 V (vs Ag/AgCl). Under the optimum experimental conditions, Ip (µA) was linearly related to the concentrations of ATN in the range of 3 to 130 µM (R2 = 0.9972) with an LOD of 0.15 µM and 0.21 µM with and without Lac enzyme. Additionally, the validation of the biosensor was tested to determine ATN on within a day and between-day basis. The biosensor was applied successfully to detect ATN in real samples. The obtained recoveries range from 98.5 % to 99.2 % with an RSD (n = 5) of 0.95 (±0.02). The findings of this study have potential biomedical applications in drug detection employing a promising nano electrode sensor of Lac/PAZ-Bi2Se3 NPs/GCE.