Quantitation of three benzimidazole compounds in milk combining effervescence-assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction with electrochemical detection using carbon nanotube-electropolymerized L-DOPA modified sensor

Abstract

Benzimidazoles constitute a group of compounds known for their applications in pharmacy, agriculture and food industry. In recent decades, researchers have dedicated significant efforts to improving microextraction and detection methods that align with the principles of green analytical chemistry. In the present study, we have devised an effervescence-assisted dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction method and built an electrochemical sensor for the detection of albendazole, fenbendazole, and thiabendazole using GCEs (glassy carbon electrode) modified with multiple walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and poly (L-Dopa) film, allowing benzimidazole detection in complex matrices such as milk. Optimization of the microextraction procedure and electrochemical performance of the sensor was done by response surface methodology. The electrochemical sensor enabled the detection of albendazole, fenbendazole, and thiabendazole in a range of 0.37 to 100 μg mL−1 with a detection limit ranged between 0.14 to 0.28 μg mL−1. The developed sensor was tested in commercial milk. Results show satisfactory analytical performance, achieving a sensitive and selective quantification, especially considering the complexity of the matrix in which it was applied. The newly created sensor facilitates the simultaneous quantitation of the desired analytes, delivering an exceptionally praiseworthy analytical performance with detection limits lower than most existing methods.