A Compact, Portable, and Low-cost Potentiostat with Smartphone for Electrochemical Sensors

We have designed and developed a compact, portable, and low-cost potentiostat for application in electrochemical sensors. The device comprises a potentiostat circuit, a Bluetooth wireless communication unit, and an Andriod software application for running voltammetric analysis on a smartphone. The device can apply voltage to a three-electrode electrochemical cell system in the range of -2.0 to 2.0 V, with 1.0 mV resolution. The current responses were measured up to -0.25 and 0.25 mA for cathodic and anodic reactions, respectively, with resolution of 2 mu A, showing good sensitivity. Performance test results indicate that the accuracy and stability of the developed potentiostat are very good. The analytical data were transmitted in real-time to display as a voltammogram and store on a smartphone, and can be transferred to a personal computer for further evaluation. The proposed potentiostat was applied in electrochemical sensor for the determination of acetaminophen (AC), employing a screen-printed carbon electrode modified with carbon nanotube for enhancing sensitivity. A linear calibration graph was achieved in the range of 0.025-0.75 mM, with a detection limit of 0.010 mM. The developed sensor and device were successfully applied for determining AC in pharmaceutical tablets, indicating good sensitivity, selectivity, and precision. The developed potentiostat is a promising device for the development of various electrochemical sensors in the future.