Inam AKS, Costa Angeli MA, Shkodra B, Douaki A, Avancini E, Magagnin L, Petti L, Lugli P. Flexible Screen-Printed Electrochemical Sensors Functionalized with Electrodeposited Copper for Nitrate Detection in Water.
ACS OMEGA 2021;
6:33523-33532. [PMID:
34926901 PMCID:
PMC8675019 DOI:
10.1021/acsomega.1c04296]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Nitrate (NO3 -) contamination is becoming a major concern due to the negative effects of an excessive NO3 - presence in water which can have detrimental effects on human health. Sensitive, real-time, low-cost, and portable measurement systems able to detect extremely low concentrations of NO3 - in water are thus becoming extremely important. In this work, we present a novel method to realize a low-cost and easy to fabricate amperometric sensor capable of detecting small concentrations of NO3 - in real water samples. The novel fabrication technique combines printing of a silver (Ag) working electrode with subsequent modification of the electrode with electrodeposited copper (Cu) nanoclusters. The process was tuned in order to reach optimized sensor response, with a high catalytic activity toward electroreduction of NO3 - (sensitivity: 19.578 μA/mM), as well as a low limit of detection (LOD: 0.207 nM or 0.012 μg/L) and a good dynamic linear concentration range (0.05 to 5 mM or 31 to 310 mg/L). The sensors were tested against possible interference analytes (NO2 -, Cl-, SO4 2-, HCO3 -, CH3COO-, Fe2+, Fe3+, Mn2+, Na+, and Cu2+) yielding only negligible effects [maximum standard deviation (SD) was 3.9 μA]. The proposed sensors were also used to detect NO3 - in real samples, including tap and river water, through the standard addition method, and the results were compared with the outcomes of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Temperature stability (maximum SD 3.09 μA), stability over time (maximum SD 3.69 μA), reproducibility (maximum SD 3.20 μA), and repeatability (maximum two-time useable) of this sensor were also investigated.
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