Selective Recognition of Lead and Cadmium in Potable Water Using Single Polypyrrole Nanowire Decorated with Cobalt Oxide Nanoparticles Electrode

Abstract

The fabrication and characterization of a high-performance, robust, and highly sensitive sensor based on a single polypyrrole nanowire (sPpy NW) decorated with cobalt oxide nanoparticles (CoOxNPs) for the selective recognition of lead (Pb2+) and cadmium (Cd2+) in potable water are described in this paper. The electrodeposition technique was used to prepare the sPpyNW/CoOxNPs assembly, and square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SW-ASV) was used to assess sensor performance. Optimizing sensor performance, such as deposition time, deposition potential, and supporting electrolyte, was used to assess for best sensor performance. The developed sensor exhibited excellent linearity and the linear range for the detection of individual Cd2+ and Pb2+ ions was determined to be 0.00 to 0.11 μM and 0.00 to 0.12 μM, respectively. The detection limits observed for both Pb2+ and Cd2+ sensors are 0.22 μM (R2 = 0.9520) and 0.013 μM (R2 = 0.9723), respectively. The linear range for the detection of Pb2+ and Cd2+ sensors present in the same sample was determined to be 0.00 to 0.09 μM, with a detection limit of 0.026 μM (R2 = 0.8726) and 0.013 μM (R2 = 0.9468) for Pb2+ and Cd2+, respectively. The observed results revealed that the functionalization of CoOxNPs on the surface of a sPpyNW electrode seems to be a very effective way of developing a sensitive, selective, and stable electrochemical sensor for Pb2+ and Cd2+ions.