A preconcentrating/voltammetric multiwalled carbon nanotube modified glassy carbon electrode (MWCNT-GCE) has been developed for stripping analysis of carbendazim (Methyl Benzimidazol-2-yl Carbamate-MBC), based on dispersing MWCNT in water. The effect of experimental variables, such as the dispersion and loading of MWCNT, was assessed. A quasi-reversible behavior for MBC in acetic acid/acetate buffer 0.1 mol L À1 (pH 4.7) was verified and its high effective pre-concentration was attributed to the high adsorption capability and enormous surface area of the MWCNT. No evidence of carry-over effect, combined with the easiness of electrode preparation, led to the development of a highly sensitive and reliable method with an experimental work range from 0.256 to 3.11 mmol L À1 with a detection limit of 10.5 ppb for a short (60 s) accumulation period. Measurement of MBC in a river water sample was demonstrated. The accuracy of the method for real sample analysis was assessed by estimating the apparent recovery (93 AE 2.9% and 86 AE 4.1% for 4.3 Â 10 À7 mol L À1 ) for a MBC spiked river water sample.

The electrocatalytic activity of cobalt(II)-phthalocyanine immobilized in a carbon paste electrode for citric acid oxidation under a diffusion-controlled electrochemical process was employed to develop a selective flow injection amperomettric analysis method. Under optimized conditions, rapid and reliable determinations of citric acid (65 samples per hour) were achieved for analyses of commercial fruit juices with minor pretreatment of the samples. A linear response was accomplished ranging from 0.25 to 15 mmol L(-1) (r(2)=0.9979) with an estimated detection limit of 0.117 mmol L(-1). Alternatively, a very sensitive and selective assay was developed for the micromolar range, obtaining a linear response ranging from 3.81 to 91.2 μmol L(-1) (r(2)=0.9993) with an estimated detection limit of 2.54 μmol L(-1), by using square wave voltammetric methodology. The speed and simplicity of the proposed approaches compares advantageously to the all other citric acid determination methods.

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Tryptamine, a biogenic amine, is an indole derivative with an electrophilic substituent at the C3 position of the pyrrole ring of the indole moiety. The electrochemical oxidation of tryptamine was investigated using glassy carbon electrode (GCE), and focusing on trace level determination in food products by square wave adsorptive stripping voltammetry (SWAdSV). The electrochemical responses of tryptamine were evaluated using differing voltammetric techniques over a wide pH range, a quasi-reversible electron-transfer to redox system represented by coupled peaks P1-P3, and an irreversible reaction for peak P2 were demonstrated. The proton and electron counts associated with the oxidation reactions were estimated. The nature of the mass transfer process was predominantly diffusion-limited for the oxidation process of P1, the most selective and sensitive analytical response (acetate buffer solution pH 5.3), being used for the development of SWAdSV method, under optimum conditions. The excellent response allowed the development of an electroanalytical method with a linear response range of from 4.7-54.5)×10(-)(8)molL(-1), low detection limit (0.8×10(-)(9)molL(-)(1)), and quantification limit (2.7×10(-9)molL(-1)), and acceptable levels of repeatability (3.6%), and reproducibility (3.8%). Tryptamine content was determined in bananas, tomatoes, cheese (mozzarella and gorgonzola), and cold meats (chicken sausage and pepperoni sausage), yielding recoveries above 90%, with excellent analytical performance using simple and low cost instrumentation.

Xylitol is a reduced sugar with anticariogenic properties used by insulin-dependent diabetics, and which has attracted great attention of the pharmaceutical, cosmetics, food and dental industries. The detection of xylitol in different matrices is generally based on separation techniques. Alternatively, in this paper, the application of a boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrode allied to differing voltammetric techniques is presented to study the electrochemical behavior of xylitol, and to develop an analytical methodology for its determination in mouthwash. Xylitol undergoes two oxidation steps in an irreversible diffusion-controlled process (D=5.05 × 10(-5)cm(2)s(-1)). Differential pulse voltammetry studies revealed that the oxidation mechanism for peaks P1 (3.4 ≤ pH ≤ 8.0), and P2 (6.0 ≤ pH ≤ 9.0) involves transfer of 1H(+)/1e(-), and 1e(-) alone, respectively. The oxidation process P1 is mediated by the (•)OH generated at the BDD hydrogen-terminated surface. The maximum peak current was obtained at a pH of 7.0, and the electroanalytical method developed, (employing square wave voltammetry) yielded low detection (1.3 × 10(-6) mol L(-1)), and quantification (4.5 × 10(-6) mol L(-1)) limits, associated with good levels of repeatability (4.7%), and reproducibility (5.3%); thus demonstrating the viability of the methodology for detection of xylitol in biological samples containing low concentrations.