Carbon spherical shells in a flexible photoelectrochemical sensor to determine hydroquinone in tap water

• Published in: Journal of environmental chemical engineering 2022-06, Vol.10 (3), p.107556, Article 107556
• Main Authors: Martoni, Lucas V.L., Gomes, Nathalia O., Prado, Thiago M., Calegaro, Marcelo L., Oliveira Jr, Osvaldo N., Machado, Sergio A.S., Raymundo-Pereira, Paulo A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carbon spherical shells; Hydroquinone; Photoelectrochemical sensor; Screen-printed carbon electrodes; Water
• ISSN: 2213-3437; 2213-3437
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jece.2022.107556

Analytical tools are essential to monitor anthropogenic contamination of natural resources and prevent health risks to humans and other living beings, which should be low-cost, with fast response and high sensitivity. In this work we developed a photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensor to determine hydroquinone in tap water using a screen-printed carbon electrode functionalized with carbon spherical shells (CSS) synthesized using the hydrothermal method. The CSS had an average size of 150 ± 30 nm, and a band gap of 1.3 eV estimated with a Tauc plot using data from diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. With CSS in the sensing layer, the photoelectrochemical sensor could determine hydroquinone within a linear range from 3.0 to 23.0 µmol L–1, sensitivity 0.07 µA µmol–1 L and limit of detection (LOD) 2.7 µmol L–1 (signal-to-noise ratio of 3). The PEC sensor was reproducible, selective and amenable to use in complex matrices, such as tap water. CSS are advantageous as they can be obtained at low cost with green methodologies for mass production, and then be employed in PEC sensors for routine analysis of emerging pollutants. [Display omitted] •Carbon spherical shells (CSS) were used in photoelectrochemical sensors.•Inexpensive and greener method to synthetize nanomaterials.•Simple method to detect hydroquinone.