ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

A distance-based paper sensor for simple and rapid detection of paracetamol in pharmaceutical samples

Bambang Kuswandi, Firlie I. R. Abdillah, Mochammad Amrun Hidayat, Xia Sun, and Surjani Wonorahardjo

Chemo and Biosensors Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Jember, Jember, Indonesia

E-mail: b_kuswandi.farmasi@unej.ac.id

Received: 13 August 2025  Accepted: 8 December 2025

Abstract:

The detection of paracetamol content in pharmaceutical products like tablets, using a simple and rapid tool, will help pharmacy practitioners and improve the quality of pharmaceutical preparations. Herein, an analytical tool has been developed using a paper channel coated with FeCl₃ and K₃[Fe(CN)₆] reagents that tested as a simple and rapid approach for monitoring paracetamol content in tablet formulations. The detection principle is based on a reaction between the reagents and paracetamol, where a complex will be developed in the paper channel, turning the color from green to Prussian blue, a color that can easily be detected with the naked eye. The phenomenon can be used to develop a distance-based paper sensor, with the resulting color seen as a colored band produced on the paper channel. The length of the color change revealed in the band is linearly proportional to the concentration of paracetamol in the samples. The sensor has a linear range of 62.5–1000 mg/L paracetamol, with a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.991. The detection limit of the sensor was 52.413 mg/L, whereas the quantification limit was 158.827 mg/L. The results of paracetamol detection in tablets showed good agreement with the UV-Vis spectrophotometric approach. The sensor can be used as an alternative approach for paracetamol detection in the field. Due to the sensor being rapid, easy to fabricate and operate, and not requiring laboratory instruments.

Keywords: Distance paper-based sensor; Colorimetry; Prusian blue; Paracetamol; Tablet

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-025-04588-2

Chemical Papers 80 (5) 4819–4827 (2026)