Development of a novel hybrid POSS nanocomposite for the detection of parabens in environmental samples

Abstract

The daily use of personal care products exposes us to various chemicals, including parabens. Parabens are commonly used as preservatives in cosmetics due to their strong antimicrobial properties. Excessive exposure to parabens from multiple products can have negative side effects on human health. Additionally, it poses a significant environmental concern as high concentrations of parabens have been found in environmental samples, leading to pollution and toxicity in aquatic species through indirect exposure. Therefore, it is crucial to monitor the presence of parabens in cosmetics and water samples. In this study, an electrochemical sensor was developed using a hybrid nanocomposite composed of vinyl functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (V-POSS) embedded multi-layer graphene (MLG). The combination of these materials resulted in excellent charge transferability and conductivity, making them suitable for the sensor. The nanocomposite was characterized using various techniques such as Raman spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), water contact angle measurements, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The electrochemical characterization of the V-POSS: MLG nano-interfacing element demonstrated a detection limit (S/N:3) of 0.29 nM for methylparaben (MP), 0.11 nM for ethylparaben (EP) and 0.2 nM for propylparaben (PP). Finally, the sensor was successfully applied to the analysis of cosmetics and water samples, showing good recovery rates (95–110 %) with minimal interference.