Development of an Fe(3)O(4)@Cu silicate based sensing platform for the electrochemical sensing of dopamine

Abnormal levels of dopamine (DA) in body fluids is an indication of serious health issues, hence development of highly sensitive platforms for the precise detection of DA is highly essential. Herein, we demonstrate an Fe(3)O(4)@Cu silicate based electrochemical sensing platform for the detection of DA. Morphology and BET analysis shows the formation of ∼320 nm sized sea urchin-like Fe(3)O(4)@Cu silicate core–shell nanostructures with a 174.5 m(2) g(−1) surface area. Compared to Fe(3)O(4) and Fe(3)O(4)@SiO(2), the Fe(3)O(4)@Cu silicate urchins delivered enhanced performance towards the electrochemical sensing of DA in neutral pH. The Fe(3)O(4)@Cu silicate sensor has a 1.37 μA μM(−1) cm(−2) sensitivity, 100–700 μM linear range and 3.2 μM limit of detection (LOD). In addition, the proposed Fe(3)O(4)@Cu silicate DA sensor also has good stability, selectivity, reproducibility and repeatability. The presence of Cu in Fe(3)O(4)@Cu silicate and the negatively charged surface of the Cu silicate shell play a vital role in achieving high selectivity and sensitivity during DA sensing. The current investigation not only represents the development of a highly selective DA sensor but also directs towards the possibility for the fabrication of other Cu silicate based core–shell nanostructures for the precise detection of DA.