Determination of psychotropic drug chlorpromazine using screen printed carbon electrodes modified with novel MIP-MWCNTs nano-composite prepared by suspension polymerization method

Abstract In this research, the suspension polymerization method was used for synthesis of the nano-composite between Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIP) and Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNT) for the first time. The chlorpromazine (CPZ) drug was applied as template molecule. The MIP-MWCNT nanocomposite and the non-imprinted polymer (NIP-MWCNT) were used for modification of screen printed carbon electrodes (SPCEs) which were designed and manufactured by hand. The modified SPCEs were used for CPZ determination via a three-step procedure includes: CPZ extraction from sample solution, electrode washing and electrochemical measurement. After ensuring the appropriate response of MIP based sensors to CPZ, the factors affecting the performance of sensor were examined and the calibration curve was constructed under optimized conditions. The peak current showed a linear relationship with CPZ concentration in the range of 7.50 × 10 −10 –2.50 × 10 −7  M (R 2  = 0.9956) and the detection limit was calculated 2.96 × 10 −10  M. The relative standard deviations for investigation of sensor’s repeatability and reproducibility were obtained 3.76 and 4.13% (n = 5) respectively. Finally, in order to evaluate the sensor’s ability to determination of chlorpromazine in samples with complex matrices, it used for assay of CPZ in tablet and spiked human urine samples.