One-step hydrothermal synthesis of a novel rare earth phosphate nanoellipsoid with high electrocatalytic activity and distinguished biosensing performance to common neurotransmitters

Abstract

ErPO4 nanoparticles were synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal method and the corresponding morphological feature, elemental compositions and crystalline configurations were characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). A novel electroactive interface for dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA) had been fabricated based on the erbium(III) phosphate (ErPO4) nanoparticles loaded carbon paste electrode (CPE). The electrochemical characterization of ErPO4 nanoparticles, as conductive carriers which enhanced the electron transport at the electrode/electrolyte interface, showed surprising electrocatalytic activity to the oxidation of DA and UA. Low detection limits (LOD) of 0.02 μM and 0.004 μM for DA and UA were proposed, with a proportional linear relationship in the concentration range of 0.07–78 μM and 0.01–66 μM, respectively. Furthermore, the interface exhibited excellent selectivity in the simultaneous determination of DA and UA. The interface had been successfully applied to determine the analytes in real human urine samples with satisfactory results.