In-situ polymerization strategy for conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) on bimetallic MOF to enhance electrochemical detection of toxic hydroquinone in industrial wastewater and tap water

Abstract

Hydroquinone is an organic pollutant that poses significant risks to the environment and human health, rapid and effective monitoring is essential. In this work, a simple and efficient electrochemical sensor based on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) coated onto a bimetallic metal-organic framework (ZnCo-ZIF-67) was constructed by using an in-situ polymerization strategy at room temperature. The electrochemical sensor demonstrates excellent performance with a broad linear range (2–212 μM, 212–662 μM), high sensitivity (0.51 μA·μM⁻¹·cm⁻²), and a low limit of detection of 0.468 μM. The sensor exhibits excellent selectivity, repeatability, reproducibility, and anti-interference performance. Moreover, it effectively detects hydroquinone in both tap water and industrial wastewater, achieving recoveries ranging from 97.30 % to 102.83 %, with relative standard deviations (RSD) below 3.80 %. These results highlight the significant potential of the sensor for monitoring hydroquinone in environmental water systems.