Portable and sustainable electrochemical platform for the sub-minute detection of norfloxacin in organic fertilizers

Human urine and struvite produced from urine are considered high-potential organic fertilizers due to their rich composition of substances such as phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen. However, these fertilizers are liable to carry contaminating substances such as drugs, more specifically norfloxacin. The present study shows the development of a simple, fast, and portable procedure for the electrochemical detection of norfloxacin in organic fertilizers using disposable commercial carbon-based sensors. The disposable sensor showed a linear range from 3.71 to 1000.0 mu mol L-1 for norfloxacin detection, with a detection limit of 0.81 mu mol L-1. The analysis of the struvite sample indicated that norfloxacin was not present in the fertilizer. The recovery tests in the samples indicated values ranging from 97.2 to 101.8%, demonstrating that there is no matrix effect. Therefore, the procedure demonstrates high effectiveness for monitoring the drug of interest in an effective, fast, portable, simple way and is capable of being applied in loco.

Automated summary

This study developed a simple, fast, and portable electrochemical method for detecting norfloxacin in organic fertilizers. The method has a wide detection range and high sensitivity, making it suitable for on-site applications.