Indirect Determination of Amikacin by Gold Nanoparticles as Redox Probe

Amikacin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic used for many gram-negative bacterial infections like infections in the urinary tract, infections in brain, lungs and abdomen. Electrochemical determination of amikacin is a challenge in electroanalysis because it shows no voltammetric peak at the surface of bare electrodes.

In this approach, a very simple and easy method for indirect voltammetric determination of amikacin presented in real samples. Gold nanoparticles were electrodeposited at the surface of glassy carbon electrode in constant potential.

The effect of several parameters such as time and potential of deposition, pH and scan rates on signal were studied. The cathodic peak current of Au³⁺ decreased with increasing amikacin concentration. Quantitative analysis of amikacin was performed using differential pulse voltammetry by following cathodic peak current of gold ions.

Two dynamic linear ranges of 1.0 × 10^-8-1.0 × 10^-7 M and 5.0 × 10^-7-1.0 × 10^-3 M were obtained and limit of detection was estimated 3.0× 10^-9 M.

The method was successfully determined amikacin in pharmaceutical preparation and human serum. The effect of several interference in determination of amikacin was also studied.