In situ electrochemical determination of resorcinol using a fully 3D printed apparatus

Abstract

Resorcinol (RS) is a phenolic compound widely used in industrial segments, being used mainly as a disinfectant and antiseptic for skin care. However, this compound can be extremely toxic for both the environment and humans. Thus, the search for new analytical strategies to monitor this compound is of paramount importance. Therefore, the present work explored the manufacture of a fully 3D printed electrochemical system, integrated with sensors based on carbon black and polylactic acid (CB/PLA) filaments, for in-situ detection of RS in waters. The sensor was electrochemically treated employing a 0.5 mol L−1 NaOH solution, and used in the construction of an analytical curve in the range of 5.0 to 400.0 µmol L−1 by the square wave voltammetric technique. A linear behavior was observed (R2 of 0.996), and an LOD of 3.4 µmol L−1 was obtained with the proposed system. Analyses in water samples from different sources provided recovery values ranging from 90.0 to 108.0%. Thus, the 3D printed electrochemical device in conjunction with portable equipment presents a great potential for the analysis and monitoring of RS and can be applied in-situ in a practical and simple way, with low cost and without the need for a skilled operator.