In-site synthesis molecular imprinting Nb

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Bisphenol A (BPA) is a common environmental pollutant with potential health risks.
• Development of selective and sensitive detection methods for BPA is crucial for environmental monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensor for the sensitive and selective detection of bisphenol A (BPA).
• To utilize inorganic surface molecular imprinting on Nb2O5 for enhanced BPA recognition.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of molecularly imprinted Nb2O5 (MI-Nb2O5) via an in-situ surface imprinting technique.
• Characterization of MI-Nb2O5 using XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS, FTIR, and UV-vis spectroscopy.
• Fabrication and testing of the PEC sensor for BPA detection under UV-light irradiation.

Main Results:

• The MI-Nb2O5 material demonstrated significantly higher photocurrent responses and excellent selectivity for BPA.
• The PEC sensor achieved a wide detection range (0.01–30 nmol·L⁻¹) with a low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.004 nmol·L⁻¹.
• The sensor exhibited good selectivity against potential interfering substances.

Conclusions:

• The developed MI-Nb2O5 based PEC sensor provides a promising platform for rapid and selective BPA detection.
• This approach offers a potential pathway for detecting other environmental pollutants with high sensitivity.