Bimodal (Photo)electrochemical Sensor for Cetirizine Detection

A bimodal sensor able to effectively detect cetirizine, an antihistaminic drug, was proposed. The device is based on the catalytic properties of silver and the photoactivity of TiO2 and can be used as dual electrochemical-photoelectrochemical sensor, with good performances in cetirizine quantification both through the molecule's reduction and its photo-oxidation, with limits of detections of (3.2 +/- 0.1) and (1.03 +/- 0.08) mu M, respectively. The use of these two materials allows for greater stability, robustness, and reusability compared to using two separate electrodes. Furthermore, a comparison of the results obtained with the two techniques can help in identifying and eliminating the effects of interferents, thus increasing the reliability of the detection.