Sensitive detection for nicotine using nickel/copper nanoparticle–modified carbon paste electrode

Abstract

The need of quick testing of nicotine (NIC) is vital because of its hurtful impacts on human. NIC detection has been successfully developed using a novel sensitive simple electrochemical sensor. The sensor system is based on modifying a carbon paste electrode (CPE) using Ni and Cu nanoparticles to develop the new nickel/copper nanoparticle–modified carbon paste electrode (NCNMCPE) with low-cost and simple procedure. The sensor showed excellent electrocatalytic activity for NIC oxidation in phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.0) at a lower voltage of 1.3 V, with a linear response from 6.0 to 1000.0 µM. The detection limit (LOD) was estimated to be 0.14 nM. The sensing performance of the NCNMCPE for the electro-oxidation of NIC was examined utilizing cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CA), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) techniques were used to achieve surface characteristics.