Aluminium oxide/aluminium cobalt oxide as an efficient electrocatalyst for the electrochemical detection of 4-nitroaniline in environmental samples

The rise of pollutants in our ecosystem has become a major threat to be resolved. 4-nitroaniline (4-NAE) is among the carcinogenic and toxic components present in the environment with harmful effects. Thus, we designed an electrochemical sensor to detect 4-NAE with the as-synthesized aluminium oxide/aluminium cobalt oxide (AO/ACO) via the hydrothermal preparation approach. Ensured with the physicochemical characterization of the sample (AO/ACO) with XRD, FTIR, Raman, and FESEM, the presence of AO/ACO was confirmed with no impurities. The electrochemical analysis of 4-NAE was analyzed after the optimization of the sample loading. The CV and DPV results signify that the developed sensor has excellent repeatability and reproducibility for 4-NAE detection with a low detection limit of 0.007 µM and a sensitivity of about 17.96 µAµM⁻¹cm⁻². The selectivity test studied with the presence of various interfering compounds showed satisfactory results with no interference other than 4-NAE. The environmental samples applied for the spiked 4-NAE showed good results proving the sensor's ability to detect 4-NAE in real samples. Thus, the sensor will be a reliable technique for the implementation in environmental applications for the detection of 4-NAE and even other compounds with modifications.