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Open AccessArticle
Enhancing Heavy Metal Detection through Electrochemical Polishing of Carbon Electrodes
by
Sanjeev Billa
Sanjeev Billa 1,
Rohit Boddu
Rohit Boddu 1,
Shabnam Siddiqui
Shabnam Siddiqui 2 and
Prabhu U. Arumugam
Prabhu U. Arumugam 1,2,*
1
Institute for Micromanufacturing (IfM), Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272, USA
2
Center for Biomedical Engineering and Rehabilitation Science (CBERS), Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Biosensors 2024, 14(9), 412; https://doi.org/10.3390/bios14090412 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 2 June 2024
/
Revised: 15 August 2024
/
Accepted: 15 August 2024
/
Published: 24 August 2024
Abstract
Our research addresses the pressing need for environmental sensors capable of large-scale, on-site detection of a wide array of heavy metals with highly accurate sensor metrics. We present a novel approach using electrochemically polished (ECP) carbon screen-printed electrodes (cSPEs) for high-sensitivity detection of cadmium and lead. By applying a range of techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry, we investigated the impact of the electrochemical potential scan range, scan rate, and the number of cycles on electrode response and its ability to detect cadmium and lead. Our findings reveal a 41 ± 1.2% increase in voltammogram currents and a 51 ± 1.6% decrease in potential separations (n = 3), indicating a significantly improved active electrode area and kinetics. The impedance model elucidates the microstructural and electrochemical property changes in the ECP-treated electrodes, showing an 88 ± 2% (n = 3) decrease in the charge transfer resistance, leading to enhanced electrode electrical conductivity. A bismuth-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite-modified, ECP-treated electrode demonstrated a higher cadmium and lead sensitivity of up to 5 ± 0.1 μAppb−1cm−2 and 2.7 ± 0.1 μAppb−1cm−2 (n = 3), respectively, resulting in sub-ppb limits of detection in spiked deionized water samples. Our study underscores the potential of optimally ECP-activated electrodes as a foundation for designing ultrasensitive heavy metal sensors for a wide range of real-world heavy metal-contaminated waters.
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MDPI and ACS Style
Billa, S.; Boddu, R.; Siddiqui, S.; Arumugam, P.U.
Enhancing Heavy Metal Detection through Electrochemical Polishing of Carbon Electrodes. Biosensors 2024, 14, 412.
https://doi.org/10.3390/bios14090412
AMA Style
Billa S, Boddu R, Siddiqui S, Arumugam PU.
Enhancing Heavy Metal Detection through Electrochemical Polishing of Carbon Electrodes. Biosensors. 2024; 14(9):412.
https://doi.org/10.3390/bios14090412
Chicago/Turabian Style
Billa, Sanjeev, Rohit Boddu, Shabnam Siddiqui, and Prabhu U. Arumugam.
2024. "Enhancing Heavy Metal Detection through Electrochemical Polishing of Carbon Electrodes" Biosensors 14, no. 9: 412.
https://doi.org/10.3390/bios14090412
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