Voltammetric determination of levofloxacin in meat and milk using a sensor based on electrically reduced graphene oxide and functionalized fullerene

Antibacterial drugs have become an integral part of the food industry and agriculture in the modern world. The presence of even trace amounts of antibiotics in food of animal origin can lead to the development of allergic reactions and direct toxic effects in the human body. In this regard, it is required to create sensitive and selective methods for the determination of antibacterial drugs in order to prevent their excessive consumption. In this work, a glass-carbon voltammetric sensor based on layer-by-layer deposited electrospun graphene oxide and functionalized S-N,N’-bis(1-phenylethyl)malonamide fullerene is proposed for the determination of levofloxacin (Lev, S-(-)-ofloxacin) by differential pulse voltammetry. The calibration plot is linear over two ranges of 1.0 × 10-6 -6.0 × 10-5 M and 6.0 × 10-5 -5.0 × 10-4 M Lev with sensitivity factors of 107 and 58.0 μA/mM, respectively. The detection limit and lower limit of detectable contents were 1.8 × 10-7 M and 6.04 × 10-7 M, respectively. The selectivity of the sensor to Lev was evaluated with respect to some fluoroquinolone antibiotics: ciprofloxacin, lomefloxacin, enrofloxacin. The sensor was used for the determination of Lev in meat and milk by differential pulse voltammetry.