Electrochemical determination of cephalosporins using a bare boron-doped diamond electrode

The electrochemical oxidation of seven cephalosporins (ceftriaxone, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, cefadroxil, cefuroxime, cefaclor, cefalexin) was evaluated at high potential, using a bare boron-doped diamond electrode and the influence on the analytical response of the side chains was investigated. Based on the anodic oxidation of the cephalosporin nucleus, a simple and sensitive method was developed for the electrochemical detection of cefalexin by differential pulse voltammetry. After the optimization of the experimental conditions, a linear correlation was obtained between the peak height and the molar concentration of cefalexin in the range of 0.5 μM–700 μM, with a limit of detection of 34.74 ng mL⁻¹. The anodic peak for cefalexin was evaluated in the presence of other cephalosporin molecules and of other common interferents. The developed method was applied to detection of cefalexin from real environmental, biomedical and pharmaceutical samples, with good results. The electrochemical oxidation of cephalosporins was successfully adapted for flow injection analyses, with sensitive and reproducible successive analyses of cefalexin, in different concentrations. The flow analyses allowed also the determination of the total amount of cephalosporins found in the sample. - Highlights: • The electrochemical oxidation at BDDE of seven cephalosporins was evaluated at high potential. • The influence on the analytical response of the cephalosporin side chains was investigated. • A simple and sensitive method was developed for the electrochemical detection of cefalexin by DPV. • Successful cefalexin detection from real environmental, biomedical and pharmaceutical samples. • The anodic oxidation of cephalosporins was successfully adapted for flow injection analyses.