Electrochemical monitoring of 4-chlorophenol as a water pollutant via carbon paste electrode amplified with Fe3O4 incorporated cellulose nanofibers (CNF)

Abstract

A crucial problem that needs to be resolved is the sensitive and selective monitoring of chlorophenol compounds, especifically 4-chlorophenol (4-CP), one of the most frequently used organic industrial chemicals. In light of this, the goal of this study was to synthesize Fe3O4 incorporated cellulose nanofiber composite (Fe3O4/CNF) as an amplifier in the development of a modified carbon paste electrode (CPE) for 4-CP detection. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to evaluate the morphology of the synthesized nanocatalyst, while differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) techniques were implemented to illuminate the electrochemical characteristics of the fabricated sensor. The ultimate electrochemical sensor (Fe3O4/CNF/CPE) was used as a potent electrochemical sensor for monitoring 4-CP in the concentration range of 1.0 nM–170 μM with a limit of detection value of 0.5 nM. As a result of optimization studies, 8.0 mg Fe3O4/CNF was found to be the ideal catalyst concentration, whereas pH = 6.0 was chosen as the ideal pH. The 4-CP's oxidation current was found to be over 1.67 times greater at ideal operating conditions than it was at the surface of bare CPE, and its oxidation potential decreased by about 120 mV. By using the standard addition procedure on samples of drinking water and wastewater, the suggested capability of Fe3O4/CNF/CPE to detect 4-CP was further investigated. The recovery range was found to be 98.52–103.66%. This study paves the way for the customization of advanced nanostructure for the application in electrochemical sensors resulting in beneficial environmental impact and enhancing human health.