Effectively Reinforced α-Bi2O3 MPs/PDA-RGO Sensor for Selective Modality Sensing of a Hazardous Phenolic Compound
Subash Vetri Selvi1, Alagumalai Krishnapandi2, Retno Damastuti1
1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 106335, Taiwan.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
|December 18, 2023
Summary
A novel sensor using bismuth oxide and graphene oxide detects the toxic compound trichlorophenol (TCP) in environmental samples. This affordable method offers high sensitivity for environmental monitoring and health protection.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Analytical Chemistry
- Materials Science
Background:
- The phenolic compound 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP) is widely used in fungicides and herbicides.
- TCP's environmental persistence, bioaccumulation, toxicity, and poor biodegradability pose significant ecological and health risks.
- There is a critical need for sensitive and cost-effective methods to detect TCP in various environmental matrices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel electrochemical sensor for the sensitive and selective detection of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP).
- To synthesize and characterize α-phase bismuth oxide microplates and polydopamine-functionalized reduced graphene oxide (α-Bi2O3 MPs/PDA-RGO) for sensor fabrication.
- To evaluate the sensor's performance, including detection limit, sensitivity, linear range, and specificity, for TCP detection.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of α-Bi2O3 MPs/PDA-RGO composite material via a simple ultrasonic method.
- Fabrication of a sensor by modifying a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) with the synthesized composite material.
- Electrochemical characterization and performance evaluation of the developed sensor for TCP detection using techniques like cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry.
Main Results:
- The α-Bi2O3 MPs/PDA-RGO composite exhibited excellent electrochemical properties due to the interaction between PDA-RGO and functional groups.
- The developed sensor demonstrated high sensitivity (2.24 μA μM⁻¹ cm²) and a low detection limit (0.0042 μM) for TCP.
- The sensor showed a wide linear range (0.019–190.7 and 212.7–1649 μM) and excellent specificity, with validated performance in real water, soil, and food samples.
Conclusions:
- The α-Bi2O3 MPs/PDA-RGO/SPCE sensor provides a highly sensitive, selective, and cost-effective platform for detecting TCP.
- This developed sensor is effective for monitoring TCP contamination in diverse environmental samples, contributing to environmental protection and public health.
- The facile synthesis method and excellent performance highlight the potential of this composite material in developing advanced electrochemical sensors.
