Voltammetric determination of some anti-malarial drugs using a carbon paste electrode modified with Cu(OH)2 nano-wire

A sensitive electroanalytical methodology for the determination of chloroquine and primaquine using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) at a Cu(OH)2 nano-wire-modified carbon paste electrode is presented. The cyclic voltammetric and DPV pulse voltammetric techniques are compared. The effects of scan rate and pH on current were investigated and an optimal scan rate of 50 mV s−1 and a pH 5.5, 0.1 mol L−1 phosphate buffer solution (PBS), were used. Additions of chloroquine and primaquine using DPV show linear ranges from 0.068 to 6.88 μg mL−1 with a detection limit of 0.01 μg mL−1 for chloroquine and 0.58–5.89 μg mL−1 with a detection limit of 0.25 μg mL−1 for primaquine. The method was then successfully utilized for the determination of chloroquine and primaquine in a real sample of their tablets and a recovery of 95% was obtained without interference from tablet matrix.