S,N-GQDs Enzyme Mimicked Electrochemical Sensor to Detect the Hazardous Level of Monocrotophos in Water

The detection of monocrotophos, an organophosphate pesticide, which disrupts water bodies and the entire eco-system has been proposed. The non-enzymatic organophosphate electrochemical biosensor has been developed with sulphur, nitrogen co-doped graphene quantum dots (S,N-GQDSs) nanocatalyst as an interface that mimics the enzyme to activate acetylthiocholine chloride (ATChCl) with significant sensitivity and selectivity. Activation of ATChCl in the absence of enzyme using the S,N-GQDs interface is the maiden approach accomplished in this work. Activated ATChCl was employed to detect and quantify monocrotophos by reducing phosphoric acid to phosphorous acid during incubation and further to elemental phosphorous. The sensor detects the separation of phosphorus at -131 mV (vs Ag/AgCl) by non-enzymatic approach coupled with amperometric analysis. The sensor exhibited a limit of detection and a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 25 and 83 nM L-1 respectively.