Cobalt oxide-based nanocomposites for colorimetric detection of ibuprofen as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug in orthopedic pain

Finding ibuprofen (IBF), a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication that is frequently used for orthopaedic discomfort, is crucial in many different domains. This work presents a new colorimetric detection technique based on a nanocomposite of cobalt oxide (Co 3 O 4 ) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The Co 3 O 4 /rGO nanocomposite exhibited increased activity similar to peroxidase, which made it easier to detect hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) and IBF with a high degree of selectivity. The sensor displayed negligible interference from other compounds and a strong selectivity towards IBF. For H 2 O 2 detection, the sensor revealed a robust linear range correlation with a detection limit of about 0.325 μM within a range of 1 μM to 570 μM. The sensor exhibited a linear response for the detection of IBF between 1 μM and 1000 μM, with a detection limit of roughly 0.1 μM. Over the course of a month, the sensor's low relative standard deviation (RSD) of less than 4.25 % showed its long-term stability. Furthermore, in actual samples, the sensor demonstrated an average recovery rate for IBF ranging from 94.00 % to 99.66 %. According to the results, the Co 3 O 4 /rGO-based colorimetric sensor shows promise as a quick and effective way to detect IBF.