Development of disposal SPCE pH sensor based on polypyrrole and cloth as conductive polymer

Abstract

In fish farming, monitoring water quality is crucial for the health and growth of the fish. This field area needs a robust device to monitor the pH meter. In this research, a disposal pH sensor was developed from alternative materials that can offer a wider application area than the conventional glass sensor. Polypyrrole (PPy) membrane was applied to the carbon electrode and acted as a pH-sensitive material when combined with the counter electrode. The carbon electrode was made by printing the carbon paste into cotton-rayon cloth and electrodeposition processing to create a PPy layer on the electrode surface. Afterward, the working electrode was evaluated using cyclic voltammetry and ion-selective electrode potentiometry to optimize the performance. The experimental measurements show that the electrodeposition process at 4.5 A and 30 s creates PPy deposits with optimum sensor performance. pH response and stability tests have also been performed, as the results show that the pH sensor has met the requirement for Nernst effect and IUPAC standard. Finally, the sensor was validated using a reference pH meter to test the water sample acquired from local lake, river, and fishpond, where the result shows that the pH sensor gives accurate measurements.