Sensing performance of a self-powered electrochemical sensor for H2O2 detection based on microbial fuel cell

Abstract

The accurate and rapid detection of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is important in industrial, environmental and physiological applications. In this work, we developed a new type of self-powered electrochemical sensor for H2O2 monitoring based on microbial fuel cell technology. The optimal operation conditions and H2O2 sensing properties of two sensor configurations with anion (AEM) and cation (CEM) exchange membranes were explored in detail. Results showed that the proposed sensors achieved the maximum current response at HRT of 2.8 min and pH 7.0. The sensor with CEM exhibited superior H2O2 sensing properties than that with AEM, with a fast response time of 5 s, a very broad detection range between 1 and 2000 mM, a high sensitivity of 11.0 μA mM−1 and detection limit of 34.6 μM (S/N = 3) under external resistance of 300 Ω. The sensor also showed favorable repeatability, selectivity and long-time stability. The self-powered sensor provides a new way for fast, sensitive, real-time online and long-term detection of H2O2.