Sulfanilamide Electrochemical Sensor Using Phenolic Substrates and CO₂ Laser Pyrolysis.

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Materials Science
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Environmental pollutants pose public health risks, necessitating constant monitoring.
• Simple, affordable sensors are crucial for economical, large-scale environmental monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simple electrochemical sensor for sulfanilamide (SFD) quantification.
• To investigate the effect of carbon nanotube modification on sensor performance.
• To demonstrate the sensor's applicability in real environmental samples.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of electrochemical sensors using phenolic resin and CO2 laser pyrolysis.
• Modification of sensors with carbon nanotubes via drop-casting.
• Electrochemical analysis of SFD under static and hydrodynamic conditions in a miniaturized batch-injection cell.

Main Results:

• Optimized carbon nanotube loading (1 mg L-1) enhanced electrochemical performance for SFD detection.
• The sensor exhibited fast electron transfer kinetics for SFD oxidation.
• Linear detection range of 10.0–115.0 μmol L-1 with high selectivity was achieved.
• Successful quantification of SFD in real samples demonstrated proof of concept.

Conclusions:

• The developed electrochemical sensor is effective for SFD quantification.
• The sensor offers a simple, affordable, and reliable tool for environmental and public health monitoring.
• The integration of laser pyrolysis and carbon nanotube modification provides a promising sensor platform.