Development of a Toxic Lead Ionic Sensor Using Carboxyl-Functionalized MWCNTs in Real Water Sample Analyses

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Materials Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Functional multiwall carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNTs) exhibit excellent aqueous dispersion, making them promising for environmental and nanotechnology applications.
• Developing selective sensors for toxic heavy metal ions is crucial for environmental and healthcare safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To functionalize multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) for enhanced lead ion detection.
• To develop and validate a selective sensor for toxic lead ions using f-MWCNTs and ICP-OES.
• To assess the sensor's performance in real environmental water samples.

Main Methods:

• MWCNTs were functionalized via acid treatment and ultrasonication.
• Characterization of f-MWCNTs using XRD, Raman, XPS, BET, UV/vis, FTIR, and FESEM-XEDS.
• Analytical performance evaluation using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) for selective lead ion detection among various metal ions.

Main Results:

• Successful functionalization of MWCNTs was confirmed by multiple characterization techniques.
• The f-MWCNTs demonstrated high selectivity for lead ions (Pb²⁺) over other tested metal ions (Cd²⁺, Co²⁺, Cr³⁺, Cu²⁺, Fe³⁺, Ni²⁺, Zn²⁺).
• The developed sensor accurately detected lead ions in environmental water samples.

Conclusions:

• Acid-treated f-MWCNTs provide an effective platform for selective lead ion sensing.
• This method offers a new technique for heavy metal ion detection in environmental monitoring.
• The sensor contributes to environmental and healthcare safety through reliable lead ion analysis.