Green disposable rGO/MoS₂ sensor for ceftriaxone detection in surface water

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry
• Environmental Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Antibiotic resistance is a growing global health concern.
• Ceftriaxone is a widely used antibiotic, and its presence in the environment can contribute to resistance.
• Effective monitoring of ceftriaxone in environmental samples is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an innovative, disposable, and economical electrochemical platform for detecting ceftriaxone.
• To evaluate the sensor's performance in real-world environmental samples.
• To assess the sensor's selectivity against other common antibiotics.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a screen-printed electrode using reduced graphene oxide and molybdenum disulfide.
• Utilized differential pulse voltammetry for electrochemical measurements.
• Tested the sensor's efficacy on surface water samples from Bangkok.

Main Results:

• Achieved a detection limit of 0.28 μmol L⁻¹ for ceftriaxone.
• Demonstrated high recovery rates (92.2%–112.6%) in environmental water samples without prior preparation.
• Exhibited excellent selectivity for ceftriaxone in the presence of structurally similar antibiotics.

Conclusions:

• The developed electrochemical sensor is sensitive, selective, and practical for detecting ceftriaxone in environmental water.
• This disposable and economical platform shows significant potential for routine environmental monitoring.
• The sensor's ability to perform without sample preparation enhances its applicability.