Design and fabrication of an innovative electrochemical sensor based on Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticles for the detection of toxic catechol

• Published in: Materials chemistry and physics Vol. 281; p. 125860
• Main Authors: Indrajith Naik, E., Sunil Kumar Naik, T.S., Pradeepa, E., Singh, Simranjeet, Naik, H.S. Bhojya
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 01.04.2022; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Carbon; Catechol; Chemical sensors; Chemical synthesis; Cyclic voltammetry; Drinking water; Electrochemical analysis; Electrochemical sensor; Electrodes; Magnesium; Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticles; Modified carbon paste electrode; Nanoparticles; Selectivity; Sensors; Sol-gel auto combustion method; Substrates; Voltammetry; Zinc oxide; Zinc oxides; Sol-gel auto combustion method; Cyclic voltammetry; Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticles; Catechol; Electrochemical sensor; Modified carbon paste electrode
• ISSN: 0254-0584; 1879-3312
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matchemphys.2022.125860

In this work, a novel approach has been carried out for the development of a sensor to detect toxic species catechol. Zinc oxide doped with magnesium was designed as a catalyst material and synthesized using the auto-combustion technique. The obtained product was confirmed by various characterization techniques like FTIR, XRD, FE-SEM, and UV–visible spectroscopic studies. Carbon paste electrode chosen as working electrode substrate was modified by the synthesized nanoparticles and employed for the detection of catechol. Well-known electroanalytical techniques like cyclic voltammetry and linear sweep voltammetry were employed for the electrochemical analysis using 0.1 M phosphate buffer saline as a supporting medium. The fabricated Mg-doped ZnO modified carbon paste electrode (Mg–ZnO/MCPE) exhibited excellent sensing properties for the detection of CC in terms of good reproducibility, stability, selectivity, and sensitivity. The diffusion-controlled electrode process was confirmed at the developed sensor and the LLOD was found to be 0.69 μM. Moreover, a real-world sample analysis was carried out considering local tap water at the proposed sensor. Thus, the developed Mg–ZnO/MCPE demonstrated admirable electrocatalytic performance towards catechol sensing can be applied for real-time monitoring. [Display omitted] •Designing a material and synthesis of Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticles was carried out.•Synthesized Mg-doped ZnO was employed as a catalyst material for the fabrication of the sensor.•The designed sensor was effectively employed for the detection of CC.•An acceptable Lower limit of detection (LLOD) was achieved.•Real-world sample analysis was carried out.