Iranian researchers from Bu-Ali Sina University of Hamedan succeeded in the production of a sensor which can be used in a sensitive tool to measure an anti-depression drug.

The sensor can be considered as a good replacement for complicated and costly methods due to its high sensitivity and accuracy, and its low production cost.

The project was carried out to measure fluvoxamine maleate drug by using a modified electrode with high sensitivity in biological samples. Many methods have so far been reported for the measurement of this drug, including liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography, capillary electrophoresis and polarography. Despite their advantages, all these methods have problems and limitations, including the use of organic and toxic solvents or the use of toxic mercury in polarography method. Moreover, some of the methods are very expensive. The aim of the research was to present a quick, sensitive and cheap method with low environmental pollution.

Comparison between the results obtained from this method and those obtained from HPLC shows that the proposed sensor has a better performance. Therefore, this method can be used as a cheap method to replace the costly HPLC method. Another advantage of this method is that it does not require organic solvents at large volume in comparison with HPLC, which results in less environmental pollution.

Mercury nanoparticles have been used in the production of the sensor. Therefore, the application of this method is much easier and results in less pollution than polarography method that uses enormous amount of the toxic metal of mercury.

Results of the research have been published in Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, vol. 210, issue 1, 2015, pp. 259-266.