Electrochemically imprinted self-doped polyaniline as highly sensitive voltammetric sensor for determination of bismuth in water, wastewater, and pharmaceutical samples

Abstract

A novel electrochemically imprinted self-doped polyaniline (SDPAn) film-modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) for bismuth ion (Bi3+) determination was prepared here based on copolymerization of polyaniline with metanilic acid, GCE/P(An-co-MA). Firstly, prepared SDPAn was characterized by using solid-state UV–visible, SEM, and EDXA techniques. Then, the GCE/P(An-co-MA) electrode was templated by several consecutive reduction/oxidation potential steps in Bi3+ solution for improving its selectivity to Bi3+ ions. Affecting parameters on detection signal like MA concentration, pH, and time in polymerization step and preconcentration potential and incubation pH in preconcentration step have been optimized by means of experimental design. The differential pulse anodic striping voltammetric signal of the GCE/P(An-co-MA) in optimized conditions was recorded and a linear relation ship from 1.0 × 10−9 to 1.0 × 10−4 M of Bi3+, R2 as 0.9960, with detection limit as 0.48 nM Bi3+, and RSD as 1.49% was obtained. This sensor was successfully applied for voltammetric determination of Bi3+ ions in water, wastewater, and pharmaceutical samples.