Individual and Simultaneous Square Wave Voltammetric Determination of the Anticancer Drugs Emodin and Irinotecan at Renewable Pencil Graphite Electrodes

A rapid sensitive and versatile method for the individual and simultaneous determination of the anticancer drugs emodin (Em) and irinotecan (Irino) in biological fluids based on the square wave voltammetry (SWV) using a renewable pencil graphite electrode (PGE) was investigated. Controlled adsorptive accumulation of both Em and Irino on the PGE surface was exploited for trace determination of the anticancer drugs in biological fluids. Under the optimized experimental conditions such as supporting electrolyte pH, accumulation potential and time and electrochemical parameters, calibration curves for trace assay of Em and Irino individually and simultaneously showed an excellent linear response. Limits of detection of 5.17 × 10-10 and 1.68 × 10-9 mol L-1 Em and Irino in bulk form were achieved using SWV at a PGE, respectively. The obtained results showed good stability, reproducibility, repeatability and high recovery to assay of two drugs in biological fluids. The statistical analysis and the calibration curve data for trace determination of Em and Irino individually as well as simultaneously are reported.