ERGO-based Bimetallic Nanocomposite as Novel Sensing Material for the Assay of 4-Nitrophenol in Water Samples

Abstract

A new approach for detecting and quantifying p-nitrophenol, a major environmental pollutant, is the focus of this work, which involves the electrochemical fabrication of a bimetallic alloy of ruthenium and nickel on an ergo-based pencil graphite electrode. The characterization of the fabricated composite involves techniques such as X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The composite was observed to form clusters with a size of 4.30 nm. The electrooxidation of p-nitrophenol on the Ru@Ni/ERGO/PGE electrode was investigated using chronoamperometric studies. The results indicate a satisfactory linear relationship between para-nitrophenol concentration within the range of 2.5 to 50 µM. Significantly, the proposed method demonstrates a low detection limit of 0.36 µM and a limit of quantification of 1.1 × 10-6 M. The nanocomposite electrode exhibits favourable outcomes in terms of selectivity, sensitivity and repeatability for an electrochemical sensor material. Stability testing conducted over five weeks further supports the reliability of the electrode. The capability of sensor is validated in real samples including soil and water. This study introduces a promising electrochemical sensor material in the composite electrode making it more effective in detecting p-nitrophenol.