Voltammetric determination of levofloxacin using silver nanoparticles deposited on a thin nickel oxide porous film

The authors describe a simplified chemical precipitation method and silver mirror reaction to synthesize a nanocomposite consiting of silver nanoparticles on a thin and porous nickel oxide film. Placed on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE), it allows for the determination of levofloxacin (LEV) via square wave voltammetry (SWV). Under optimal detection conditions, the voltammetric signal (typically measured at around 0.96 V vs. SCE) increases linearly in the 0.25–100 μM LEV concentration range. And the detection limit was calculated as 27 nM (at S/ N = 3). The sensor is highly selective, stable and repeatable. It was applied to the determination of LEV in spiked human serum samples, and the satisfactory results confirm the applicability of this sensor to practical analyses. Graphical abstract Schematic of a two-step method to synthesize a nanocomposite consisting of nickel oxide porous thin-film supported silver nanoparticles. The composite was used for improved voltammetric determination of levofloxacin.