Facile synthesis of mesoporous WS2 nanorods decorated N-doped RGO network modified electrode as portable electrochemical sensing platform for sensitive detection of toxic antibiotic in biological and pharmaceutical samples

We report a facile and ultrasound assisted sonochemical synthesis of a Tungsten disulfide nanorods decorated nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide based nanocomposite. The WS₂ NRs/N-rGOs nanocomposite was characterized by FESEM, HRTEM, XRD, XPS and electrochemical methods and its application towards the electrochemical detection of organo-arsenic drug (coccidiostat). The WS₂ NRs/N-rGOs modified SPCE was used for the electrochemical reduction of roxarsone (ROX) and it showed superior electrocatalytic performance in terms of reduction peak current and shift in overpotential when compared to those of WS₂ NRs/SPCE, N-rGOs/SPCE and based SPCE. The WS₂ NRs/N-rGOs modified SPCE showed an excellent sensing ability towards ROX in nitrogen saturated phosphate buffer (PB) then the other controlled modified and unmodified electrodes. The WS₂ NRs/N-rGOs/SPCE displays high sensitive response towards ROX and gives wide linearity in the range of 0.1-442.6 µM ROX in neutral phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) and the sensitivity of the sensor is calculated as 14.733 µA µM^-1 cm^-2. The WS₂ NRs/N-rGOs nanocomposite modified sensor also exhibits valuable ability of anti-interference to electroactive analytes. Furthermore, the as-prepared WS₂ NRs/N-rGOs/SPCE has been applied to the determination of ROX in biological and pharmaceutical samples.