# Simple and sensitive electrochemical sensing of amethopterin by using carbon nanobowl/cyclodextrin electrode

## TL;DR

A new low-cost electrochemical sensor using carbon nanobowl and cyclodextrin was developed to detect the drug amethopterin with high sensitivity and accuracy.

## Contribution

A novel, low-cost nanohybrid electrode material combining carbon nanobowls and β-cyclodextrin for sensitive ATP detection is introduced.

## Key findings

- The CNB-CD sensor achieved a detection limit of 0.002 μM for ATP.
- The sensor showed excellent linearity in the range of 0.005–12.0 μM.
- The sensor demonstrated good repeatability, stability, and selectivity for ATP detection.

## Abstract

Resulted from the severe side effects, the development of inexpensive, simple and sensitive method for amethopterin (ATP, an antineoplastic drug) is very important but it still remains a challenge. In this work, low cost nanohybrid composed of carbon nanobowl (CNB) and β-cyclodextrins (β-CD) (CNB-CD) was prepared with a simple autopolymerization way and applied as electrode material to develop a novel electrochemical sensor of ATP. Scanning-/transmission-electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrum, photographic image and electrochemical technologies were utilized to characterize morphologies and structure of the as-prepared CNB and CNB-CD materials. On the basic of the coordination advantages from CNB (prominent electrical property and surface area) and β-CD (superior molecule-recognition and solubility capabilities), the CNB-CD nanohybrid modified electrode exhibits superior sensing performances toward ATP, and a low detection limit of 0.002 μM coupled with larger linearity of 0.005–12.0 μM are obtained. In addition, the as-prepared sensor offers desirable repeatability, stability, selectivity and practical application property, confirming that this proposal may have important applications in the determination of ATP.