Molybdenum-doped BiVO4 thin films: Facile preparation via hot-spin coating method and the relationship between surface statistical parameters and photoelectrochemical activity.

Molybdenum-doped BiVO4 thin films were uniformly coated on indium-doped tin oxide (ITO) substrates via a facile modified hot spin coating (HSC) technique. The prepared layers were used as photoanode in a photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell. Different percentage of Mo dopant was examined to maximize the photo-current density (J) of the layers. The highest J value (872 ± 8 µA/cm2) was obtained by 5 atomic% of Mo doping. After that, the surface topographies of these samples were changed by varying the initial precursor concentration from 27 to 80 mM. The relation between surface topographies and the PEC activity of Mo-doped BiVO4 thin films was investigated from microscopic point of view by calculating the surface roughness exponent of α, and a mechanism for the PEC activity of Mo-doped BiVO4 photoanodes was proposed accordingly. The sample with a small roughness exponent provided a surface with jagged microscopic fluctuations which may trap the air molecules between the electrolyte and sample surface, hindering the fine atomic interaction for photo-generated electron-hole transition. Therefore, the layer with the highest roughness exponent (2α = 0.48 ± 0.03), which means the smoother microscopic surface and better interfacial contact with the electrolyte, exhibited the best PEC activity.

Development of an impedimetric sensor for susceptible detection of melatonin at picomolar concentrations in diverse pharmaceutical and human specimens.

Our investigation aimed to create and manufacture an electrochemical impedance sensor with the purpose of improving the detection efficiency of melatonin (ME). To achieve this objective, we employed gold nanoparticles coated on polydopamine formed in glassy carbon electrodes (AuNPs/PDA/GCE) as a means to enhance the sensor's capabilities. A novel approach employing the signal-off strategy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique was utilized to determine ME. When the AuNPs/PDA/GCE electrode was immersed in a buffered solution containing ME, and the oxidation current of AuNPs was recorded, it was observed that the oxidation current of AuNPs decreased upon the introduction of ME molecules. The decrease in electrical current can be ascribed to the inhibitory impact of ME molecule adsorption on the electrode surface with applying -0.2 V for 150 s in acetate buffer solution (ABS) (pH, 5) through various mechanisms, which hinders the electron transfer process crucial for AuNPs oxidation. Consequently, by utilizing EIS, various concentrations of ME were quantified spanning from 1 to 18 pM. Moreover, the ME sensor achieved an impressive detection limit of 0.32 pM, indicating its remarkable sensitivity in detecting low concentrations of ME. Importantly, these novel sensors demonstrated exceptional attributes in terms of sensitivity, specificity, stability, and repeatability. The outstanding performance of these sensors, coupled with their desirable attributes, establishes their considerable potential for a wide range of practical applications. These applications encompass various fields such as clinical diagnostics, pharmaceutical analysis, environmental monitoring, and industrial quality control, where accurate and sensitive detection of ME is of utmost importance.

Evaluation of thallium ion as an effective ion in human health using an electrochemical sensor.

Exposure to thallium (Tl), a noxious heavy metal, poses significant health risks to both humans and animals upon ingestion. Therefore, monitoring Tl levels in the environment is crucial to prevent human exposure and reduce the risk of developing severe health problems. This paper presents the development of a highly sensitive Tl ions sensor through surface modification of a glassy carbon electrode with a nanocomposite comprising MnO2 magnetic sepiolite and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MnO2@Fe3O4/Sep/MWCNT/GCE). Multiple methodologies were employed to assess the performance of the newly developed sensor. By employing square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) to optimize the measurement conditions, notable enhancements were observed in the stripping peak currents of Tl (I) on the MnO2@Fe3O4/Sep/MWCNT/GCE surface. The effectiveness of the nanocomposite in facilitating electron transfer between the Tl (I) ions (guest) and the electrode (host) was demonstrated from the enhanced signals observed at the different modified electrode surfaces under optimal conditions. The developed sensor displayed a wide linear range of 0.1-1500 ppb for Tl (I) and a low detection limit of 0.03 ppb for Tl (I). It was found to be selective for Tl (I) ions while remaining unaffected by interfering non-target ions in the presence of the target ions. Despite its simple preparation procedure, the modified electrode exhibited high stability and excellent reproducibility for measuring Tl (I). The outstanding electroanalytical performances of the MnO2@Fe3O4/Sep/MWCNT/GCE electrode enabled its successful use as an ultrasensitive sensor for determining trace amounts of Tl in environmental samples.

Application of BiNPs/MWCNTs-PDA/GC sensor to measurement of Tl (1) and Pb (II) using stripping voltammetry.

Herein, simultaneous determination of Tl (1) and Pb (II) has been carried out at the surface of a modified glassy carbon electrode with polydopamine functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes- BiNPs nanocomposite (BiNPs/MWCNTs-PDA/GC) using square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) technique. The morphologies, composition and, electrochemical properties of the BiNPs/MWCNTs-PDA/GC were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transition electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and, SWASV. The parameters affecting the stripping current response were investigated and optimized. The large specific area of MWCNTs and good electro-conductibility of BiNPs causes the BiNPs/MWCNTs-PDA/GC electrode to exhibit an excellent electro-catalytic effect with good separation peaks for Tl and Pb oxidation compared to bare GCE under the optimal conditions. The proposed sensor showed wide leaner ranges from 0.4-100 ppb and 100-400 ppb for Tl (I) and Pb (II). Low detection limits of 0.04 ppb for Tl (I) and 0.07 ppb for Pb (II) were achieved. The efficiency of the electrode after thirty days of storage in ambient conditions without using it and also with the ability to reuse for 16 days did not decrease significantly. In addition, the modified electrode with simple preparation method showed good reproducibility, and high selectivity for measuring target ions. The method was successfully implemented for the simultaneous determination of Tl (I) and Pb (II) in tap, mineral and waste water samples with acceptable recovery (from 99.1-103.2 for Tl (I) and 98.4-100.4 for Pb (II)).

Preparation of GO/Fe3O4@PMDA/AuNPs nanocomposite for simultaneous determination of As3+ and Cu2+ by stripping voltammetry.

One of the critical challenges in the simultaneous determination of As3+ and Cu2+ by stripping voltammetry is the overlapping of their oxidation peaks. Therefore, the engineering of nanostructured sensors in order to uplift their electrochemical performance is a significant issue for the codetection of As3+ and Cu2+. Herein, we modified a glassy carbon electrode with a new nanocomposite based on poly methyldopa along with gold nanoparticles immobilized on the surface of magnetic graphene oxide (GCE/GO/Fe3O4@PMDA/AuNPs) that can determine As3+ and Cu2+ with great sensitivity. Optimization of the measurement conditions by square wave stripping voltammetry (SWSV) caused the oxidation peaks of As3+ and Cu2+ to be distinguished significantly from each other, while the peak currents of As3+ and Cu2+ increased 9-12 fold, respectively, compared to the bare electrode. The proposed electrode exhibits low detection limits (S/N ≥ 3): 0.15 ppb for As3+ and 0.11 ppb for Cu2+. The GCE/GO/Fe3O4@PMDA/AuNPs also has good linearity over a wide concentration range from 5 to 500 ppb for As3+ and 0.5-750 ppb for Cu2+. The good recovery values were obtained for the analysis of As3+ and Cu2+ in pool and drinking water samples.

Electrode designed with a nanocomposite film of CuO Honeycombs/Ag nanoparticles electrogenerated on a magnetic platform as an amperometric glucose sensor.

Here, an ultrasensitive non-enzymatic glucose sensor was fabricated using a facile and low price electro-deposition method. At first, thiol-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles cast onto the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) surface to provide a stable substrate with the high surface area. Then, CuO nanoparticles and Ag nanoparticles electrodeposit on the surface of Fe3O4-SH/GCE to obtain the final modified GCE. The characterization of electro-synthesized nanoparticles and the modified GCE was done by different related techniques such as field emission scanning electronic microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The proposed electrode was applied to the electrochemical sensing of glucose. By employing the optimum conditions on the preparation of modified electrode such as time and potential for electrosynthesis of two different nanoparticles, high reproducibility of measurement and sensor preparation were achieved. The thus optimized simple glucose sensor could be provided stable responses in a wide linear range from 0.06 to 1000 µM with detection limit 15 nM, indicating its potential application for real biological samples.

The role of pramipexole functionalized MWCNTs to the fabrication of Pd nanoparticles modified GCE for electrochemical detection of dopamine.

BACKGROUND: Interest in functionalized carbon nanotubes for many applications arises from a variety on the kind of modification atoms or molecules that are attached to it. Dopamine, the feel-good hormone, release by neurons and playing an important role in body systems. Abnormal dopamine levels cause nerve disorders such as Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was the design and fabrication of electrochemical sensor based on MWCNTs and Pd nanoparticles for detection and determination of dopamine in biological samples. METHODS: For this purpose, we report the synthesis of pramipexole-functionalized MWCNTs (pp-MWCNTs) for efficient capture of palladium nanoparticles and fabrication of Pd/pp-MWCNTs nanocomposite. Morphological and structural characteristics of the nanocomposites were characterized using various techniques including field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). RESULTS: This newly synthesized nanocomposite may have numerous applications in nanotechnology and sensing. We show that the synthesized nanocomposite reported here will be applicable for modifications of bare glassy carbon electrode (Pd/pp-MWCNTs/GCE) to sense of dopamine electrochemically. Two linear calibrations for dopamine are obtained over ranges of 0.01 to 10 µM and 10 to 200 µM with a detection limit of 1.4 nM. The Pd/pp-MWCNTs/GCE shows high stability and sensitivity, and an acceptable decrease of over-potential for the electrooxidation of dopamine that decreases interference in the analysis. The proposed Pd/pp-MWCNTs nanocomposite can be used as a voltammetric detector for dopamine monitoring in routine real sample analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed sensor showed high sensitivity and selectivity in sensing dopamine in biological samples. Graphical abstract Preparation of Pd/pp-MWCNTs/GCE for detection of dopamine.

Voltammetric aptasensor for bisphenol A based on the use of a MWCNT/Fe3O4@gold nanocomposite.

The present study describes an electrochemical aptamer-based method for the determination of bisphenol A (BPA). It is making use of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) immobilized on a conjugate between multiwalled carbon nanotubes and thiol-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (MWCNT/Fe3O4-SH) that are modified with an aptamer. The nanocomposite was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, elemental mapping analysis and energy dispersive X-ray diffraction. The aptasensor, typically operated at 0.20 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), has a linear response in the 0.1 to 8 nM BPA concentration range, a low detection limit (0.03 nM), and high sensitivity (86.43 µA nM-1 cm-2). Voltammetric experiments were performed by using the hexacyanoferrate redox system as an electrochemical probe. The results indicate that the presence of AuNPs, magnetic nanoparticles and MWCNTs results a synergistic electrochemical augmentation. The method is highly selective, sensitive, efficient and environmentally friendly. The method was successfully applied to the determination of BPA in spiked real samples. Graphical abstract Aptasensor fabricated by MWCNT/Fe3O4-SH@Au nanocomposite and anti-BPA aptamer. The conformation of aptamer change after BPA binding, triggering a decrease in the electron transfer of Fe(CN)63-/4- on the electrode surface. The observed decline was detectable as a function of BPA concentration.