Construction of a Zinc Oxide Nanorod-Modified Coated Wire Electrode for Potentiometric Determination of Levocetirizine Dihydrochloride in Its Pure and Combined Form

Abstract

Abstract Background Coated wire electrodes (CWEs) are considered the most effective and selective type of ion- selective electrodes because of the electroactive materials which are used in surface modification. Objective This study aims to construct the first potentiometric method for analysis of levocetirizine (LVZ) in its combination form with montelukast (MON) drug. Methods A novel potentiometric sensor which consists of a silver wire coated with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod modified with a polymeric membrane (combining β-cyclodextrin and tetraphenyl borate, and plasticized with di-butyl phthalate) was constructed for the determination of LVZ·2HCl in its pure form and its combination dosage form. Results The fabricated sensor exhibited a linearity range of 5 × 10−6–1 × 10−2 mol/L with a Nernstian slope 57.88 mV/decade over the pH range 2–4.5. The effect of temperature on the constructed sensor was studied and it was found that the electrode worked effectively over 10–50°C. The electrode showed a fast response time and the lifetime of the electrode was found to be 72 days without significant change in the Nernstian slope value. The selectivity of the electrode toward LVZ was estimated in the presence of some obstructive ions. Conclusion The method was validated according to International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirments for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) rules and applied to the determination of LVZ in its pure and combined pharmaceutical dosage forms. Highlights This article introduces the synthesis of the first coated wire electrode modified with zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods for the determination of the drug levocetirizine. The results demonstrate the ability of electrochemical methods to analyze drugs in combination. The presented method excels over the other analytical methods in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, and simplicity.