A ratiometric electrochemical probe for the quantification of apixaban in unprocessed plasma samples using carbon aerogel/BFO modified glassy carbon electrodes

Abstract

A novel electrochemical probe was established for the quantification of apixaban (APX) in unprocessed plasma samples. Efficiently oxidized graphene oxide aerogels (EEGO-AGs) and nano-sized Bi₂Fe₄O₉ (BFO) particles were electrodeposited on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). In this work, a ratiometric electrochemical method was introduced for APX detection to enhance the specificity of the probe in plasma samples. The fabricated ratiometric probe was employed for the indirect detection determination of APX using K₃[Fe(CN)₆]/K₄[Fe(CN)₆] as the redox pair. The differential pulse voltammetry technique was used to record the current alteration of the BFO/EEGO-AG-functionalized GCE probe at various APX concentrations. The probe response was proportional to the APX concentrations from 10 ng mL⁻¹ to 10 μg mL⁻¹ with a low limit of quantification (LLOQ) of 10 ng mL⁻¹. After validation, this method was successfully utilized for the determination of APX in patients' plasma samples who have taken APX regularly. The fabricated chemosensor detected APX concentrations in unprocessed plasma samples with high selectivity, resulting from the physical filtering antifouling activity of aerogels.