Quantification of Ferulic Acid Using Square-Wave Voltammetric Method at an Unmodified Boron-Doped Diamond Electrode

Abstract

For the first time, a boron-doped diamond electrode was employed in square-wave voltammetry for the sensitive and selective measurement of ferulic acid (FA). The impact of the electrode's pretreatment procedure on the current response was investigated, leading to the discovery that the consecutive pretreatment approach yielded the most optimal signal results. This determination was made upon observing that the highest quality signal could be obtained through this method. The electrochemical oxidation of FA was studied in aqueous media on a cathodically pretreated boron-doped diamond electrode. FA was shown to have two sets of oxidation/reduction peaks when tested in aqueous solutions using cyclic voltammetry. Diffusion governs the electrode process, which is pH-dependent. In 0.1 mol dm-3 H2SO4, the calibration curves were linear for FA peak over dynamic ranges of 5.1 x 10-7-4.1 x 10-5 mol dm-3, via a detection limit of 1.5 x 10-7 mol dm-3. The practical applicability of the developed methodology was tested in the commercial ampoule formulation of FA. The method can be used instead of other analytical methods because it is fast, easy to use, and cheap, has a wide calibration range, and gives consistent results.