Synthesis and characterization of polypyrrole decorated graphene/β-cyclodextrin composite for low level electrochemical detection of mercury (II) in water

Palanisamy, S, Thangavelu, K, Chen, S-M, Velusamy, V, Chang, M, Chen, T-W, Al-Hemaid, FMA, Ali, AM and Ramaraj, SK (2017) Synthesis and characterization of polypyrrole decorated graphene/β-cyclodextrin composite for low level electrochemical detection of mercury (II) in water. Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 243. pp. 888-894. ISSN 0925-4005

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Abstract

Mercury (Hg(II)) is considered as one of the most toxic element that directly affects the human health and the environment. Therefore, in this study, we propose a sensitive and disposable electrochemical sensor for the detection of Hg(II) in various water samples using polypyrrole (PPy) decorated graphene/-cyclodextrin (GR-CD) composite modified screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE). The GRCD/PPy composite was synthesized by chemical oxidation of PPy monomer in GR-CD solution using FeCl3. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) is used for the detection of Hg(II) and the DPV results reveal that GR-CD/PPy composite modified SPCE has high sensitivity towards Hg(II) than bare, GR, GR-CD and PPy modified SPCEs. The optimization studies such as effect of pH, accumulating time and effect of scanning potential towards the detection of Hg(II) were investigated. The GR-CD/PPy composite modified SPCE could detect the Hg(II) up to 51.56 M L−1 with the limit of detection (LOD) of 0.47 nM L−1. The obtained LOD was well below the guideline level of Hg(II) set by the World’s Health Organization (WHO) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In addition, the fabricated GR-CD/PPy composite modified SPCE selectively detected the Hg(II) in the presence of potentially interfering metal cations.