A MoN nanosheet array supported on carbon cloth as an efficient electrochemical sensor for nitrite detection

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Nitrite is prevalent in the environment and food, posing significant health risks due to its toxicity.
• Accurate detection of nitrite is crucial for human health and safety.
• Existing detection methods may lack efficiency or sensitivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an efficient and sensitive sensor for nitrite detection.
• To investigate the catalytic properties of molybdenum nitride (MoN) nanosheet arrays on carbon cloth (CC) for nitrite reduction.
• To evaluate the performance of the MoN NA/CC sensor in terms of linear range, detection limit, sensitivity, and stability.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a molybdenum nitride nanosheet array on carbon cloth (MoN NA/CC).
• Electrochemical characterization of the MoN NA/CC as a catalyst for nitrite reduction in neutral solution.
• Performance evaluation of the sensor using varying nitrite concentrations and electrochemical techniques.

Main Results:

• The MoN NA/CC demonstrated efficient catalytic activity for nitrite reduction.
• The sensor exhibited a wide linear detection range from 1 μM to 5 mM.
• A low detection limit of 3 nM (S/N = 3) was achieved with high sensitivity (4319 μA mM⁻¹ cm⁻²).
• The sensor showed excellent long-term stability and reproducibility.

Conclusions:

• MoN NA/CC is a highly effective catalyst and sensor for nitrite detection in neutral solutions.
• The developed sensor offers superior performance characteristics, including a wide linear range, low detection limit, and high sensitivity.
• This technology holds promise for environmental monitoring and food safety applications.