A fast and sensitive nanosensor based on MgO nanoparticle room-temperature ionic liquid carbon paste electrode for determination of methyldopa in pharmaceutical and patient human urine samples

In this study, we describe an ionic liquid–MgO nanoparticle modified carbon paste electrode (MgO/NPs/IL/CPE) was used as a simple, fast, and sensitive tool for the investigation of the electrochemical oxidation of methyldopa (MDOP) using voltammetric methods. The MgO/NPs was characterized with different methods such as TEM, SEM, and XRD. The oxidation peak potential of the MDOP at a surface of MgO/NPs/IL/CPE appeared at 450 mV that was about 100 mV lower than the oxidation peak potential at the surface of the traditional carbon paste electrode (CPE) under similar conditions. The electro-oxidation of MDOP occurred in a pH-dependent 2e− and 2H+ process, and the electrode reaction followed a diffusion-controlled pathway. Under optimal conditions at pH 7.0, the anodic peak currents increased linearly with the concentration of MDOP in the range of 0.08–380 μmol L−1 with a detection limit of 0.03 μmol L−1 (3σ). The proposed sensor was successfully applied to the determination of MDOP in real samples such as drug and urine.