Optimization of ZrO2-based electrode materials for simultaneous electrochemical sensing of dopamine, uric acid and tyrosine

In this study, we report the preparation and application of ZrO2 composites as electrode materials. The as-prepared ZrO2 composites with Ag and s-GO as secondary components, were characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Zeta potential measurement, and ultraviolet-visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy. Then, the binary Ag NPs/ZrO2 and s-GO/ZrO2 composites were subsequently used as modifiers for developing novel screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCE), which were tested for their electrochemical capabilities in detecting key biomolecules, including Dopamine (DA), Uric Acid (UA), and Tyrosine (Tyr). The GO-ZrO2/SPCE sensor demonstrated superior performance in terms of sensitivity and selectivity, surpassing other formulations. The sensor exhibited linear detection ranges of 4 – 90 µM for Tyr, 2 – 100 µM for UA, and 1.5 – 100 µM for DA, with respective limits of detection (LOD) at 5.77, 4.99, and 2.89 µM. In addition, the sensor allowed for sufficient peak potential differentiation, enabling the simultaneous detection of these biomolecules.