Imidazolate framework–derived porous ZnO/Co3O4/ZnCo2O4 interfaced nitrogen-rich g-C3N4 sheets for electrochemical detection of nitrofurantoin

Antibiotics are used against pathogens to treat bacterial infections, prevent disease spread, and reduce serious complications. Among them, Nitrofurantoin (NT) is widely utilized as a urinary antiseptic and anti-inflammatory medication. Due to safety concerns and associated disadvantages, NT is banned in several areas. Hence, it is essential to monitor the existence of NT to mitigate risks and ensure the safety of health and the environment. Therefore, an electrochemical sensing technique is applied to monitor the NT in various samples. Consequently, we have developed an electrochemical sensor based on the zeolitic imidazolate framework–derived zinc oxide/cobalt oxide/zinc cobalt oxide (Z-ZCO) with nitrogen-rich graphitic carbon nitride (GCN) electrocatalyst. The structural and morphological features of the developed sensor were studied with numerous spectroscopic techniques, and their performances were evaluated by significant measurements. Remarkably, our Z-ZCO/GCN displayed a huge surface area (0.158 cm²), faster reaction kinetics (k_et = 6.356 × 10⁻³ cm s⁻¹, k_s = 2.947 s⁻¹, and k_cat = 2.882 × 10³ M⁻¹ s⁻¹,), higher conductivity (53 Ω), lower detection limit (0.001 µM), lower quantification limit (0.005 µM), and optimal sensitivity (0.7139 µA µM⁻¹ cm⁻²), and superior selectivity. The practical application of monitoring NT in real samples resulted in phenomenal recoveries (92.1 to 103.2%). These outcomes suggest that our Z-ZCO/GCN is a prodigious electrochemical platform for the effective determination of NT.