All-solid-state Cr(III)-selective potentiometric sensor based on Cr(III)-imprinted polymer nanomaterial/MWCNTs/carbon nanocomposite electrode

Abstract

ABSTRACTA novel potentiometric sensor, based on carbon paste electrode (CPE), modified with ion-imprinted polymer (IIP) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), is introduced for detection of chromium (III). The IIP nanomaterial was synthesised and characterised by using scanning electron microscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared. The modification of the CPE with the IIP (as a ionophore) resulted in an all-solid-state Cr(III)-selective sensor. However, the presence of appropriate amount of MWCNTs in the electrode composition was found to be necessary to observe Nernstian response. The optimised electrode composition was 76.7% graphite, 14.3% binder, 5% IIP, and 4% CNT. The proposed sensor exhibited Nernstian slope of 20.2 ± 0.2 mV decade−1 in the working concentration range of 1.0 × 10−6−1.0 × 10−1 mol L−1 (52 µg L−1–5.2 g L−1), with a detection limit of 5.9 × 10−7 mol L−1 (30.68 µg L−1) and a fast response time of less than 40 s. It displayed a stable potential response in the pH range of 2–5. It exhibited also high selectivity over some interfering ions. The proposed sensor was successfully applied for the determination of Cr(III) in real samples (sea, river water and soil).