Green Synthesis of Electroactive Magnesium Ferrite Nanoparticles for the Selective Determination of Mefenamic Acid in Blood, Pharmaceutical Products, and Wastewater

Abstract

Mefenamic acid (MNA) treats sports injuries, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis. However, improper use/disposal of MNA results in the accumulation of toxic metabolites that may serious disease. The purpose of this study is to fabricate a nano ferrite-based electrochemical sensor for robust, and sensitive determination of MNA. Magnesium ferrite nanoparticles (MgFe4O7-NPs) were synthesized using a green approach using a Mentha leaf extract. The analytical characterization of MgFe4O7-NPs displayed a hexagonal structure and a particle size of less than 21 nm with rough and porous morphology. The synthesized MgFe4O7-NPs were used to fabricate an electrochemical sensor by modifying a glassy carbon electrode (MgFe4O7-NPs/GCE). The cyclic voltammetry (CV) characterization of the electrode confirms excellent redox and diffusion control for electroactive species. Thus, the MgFe4O7-NPs/GCE was used to determine MNA by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The results showed a linear relationship between oxidation peak current and concentration of MNA from 10 x 10(-9) to 2.30 x 10(-4) M (R-2 = 0.9918) with a detection limit of 1.12 x 10(-9) M. The analytical performance of the fabricated sensor has been evaluated for MNA in blood samples, pharmaceutical tablets, and water samples with satisfactory results.