Magnetic reduced graphene oxide aerogel decorated silver nanoparticles towards efficient recognition of doxorubicin in patients’ blood plasma

Doxorubicin (DOX), a potent anticancer drug, requires sensitive and precise detection due to its narrow therapeutic window. In this study, a novel electrochemical sensor was developed by electrodepositing silver nanoprisms (AgNPrs), Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles, and reduced graphene oxide aerogel (rGOA) on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The cyclic voltammetry technique was utilized for electrodeposition of Fe₃O₄@rGOA/AgNPrs nanocomposite within a potential range of - 1.0 to + 1.0 V. The Fe₃O₄@rGOA/AgNPrs-modified GCE probe was optimized for the detection and quantification of DOX in human plasma samples. At an optimized pH of 6, DOX exhibited distinct redox behavior on the modified electrode. Differential pulse voltammetry was employed for the quantification of DOX and showed a wide linear dynamic range (0.075 to 5.0 µg/mL) with a low limit of quantification (LLOQ) of 0.075 µg/mL and limit of detection (LOD) of 0.028 µg/mL in blood plasma. The developed sensor demonstrated excellent sensitivity, selectivity, and reproducibility, enabling direct quantification of DOX in plasma samples. These findings underscore the potential of the proposed sensor as a reliable, efficient, and cost-effective platform for therapeutic drug monitoring and clinical diagnostics.