A glassy carbon electrode modified with bismuth nanotubes in a silsesquioxane framework for sensing of trace lead and cadmium by stripping voltammetry

Abstract

Single-walled bismuth nanotubes (sw-BiNTs) were self-assembled with octa(3-aminopropyl) silsesquioxane as a framework and to govern morphology. Deposited on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE), the sw-BiNTs were used for the simultaneous analysis of Pb(II) and Cd(II) by square wave stripping voltammetry. The sw-BiNTs were prepared by (a) coordination interaction between the amino groups of the silsesquioxane and the Bi(III) ions, and by (b) reduction with sodium borohydride. Transmission electron microscopy images revealed single-walled tubular structures with diameters of ~4–6 nm, and with lengths of several hundreds nanometers. GCEs modified with such sw-BiNTs perform much better than bare GCEs in stripping analysis of Pb(II) and Cd(II). The effects of adsorption quantity of sw-BiNTs, solution pH, pulse amplitude, and pulse width were optimized. The modified electrode was then used for the analysis of Pb(II) and Cd(II) in a linear response range from 0.4 to 6 μM with a sensitivity of 4.692 μA μM−1 and 3.835 μA μM−1, and detection limits of 1 nM and 5 nM, respectively. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of Pb(II) and Cd(II) in toy leachates, and the results were in good agreement with those obtained with atomic absorption spectrometry. Sensitivity and detection limits were compared with other voltammetric methods, and the sw-BiNTs are deemed to be an attractive alternative for practical applications. Other features of the electrode include low costs, a well reproducible nanostructure, and ease of scale-up of the fabrication process.