Highly sensitive detection of bisphenol A in real water samples based on in-situ assembled graphene nanoplatelets and gold nanoparticles composite

Abstract

The in-situ assembly of well-dispersed gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) composite was carried out. The GNPs-AuNPs composite was characterized by Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). GNPs-AuNPs modified glassy carbon electrode (GNPs-AuNPs/GCE) was fabricated, and its electrochemical behaviors were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The highly sensitive and selective determination of bisphenol A (BPA) at GNPs-AuNPs/GCE in sulfuric acid solution was observed by DPV. Plots of peak currents versus BPA concentrations were fitted successfully to obtain a linear relationship and a nonlinear relationship in the BPA concentration range of 5 × 10−3–100 μM and 0.05–500 nM with good coefficient of determination (R2), respectively. The limit of detection (LOD) was calculated to be 0.027 nM. The recoveries of quantitative analysis of BPA in mountain spring water and tap water at GNPs-AuNPs/GCE were in the range of 96.9%–103.3% and 97.9%–104.2%, with relative standard deviation (RSD) in the range of 0.12–1.10% and 0.48–1.78%, respectively. The GNPs-AuNPs/GCE possessed good anti-interference ability, stability, repeatability, and reproducibility. It could be used as a simple, fast and sensitive electrochemical sensor electrode for determining trace amount of BPA in water samples.