Simple Portable Voltammetric Sensor Using Anodized Screen-Printed Graphene Electrode for the Quantitative Analysis of p-Hydroxybenzoic Acid in Cosmetics

Screen-printed graphene electrodes (SPGEs) have become a potential option in electrochemical applications because of their outstanding properties and disposable approach to miniaturize the electrodes for onsite analysis. Herein, the detection of para-hydroxybenzoic acid (PHBA) in cosmetics using the anodized SPGE has been pioneered and reported. The simple anodization of the SPGE surface was operated by anodic pretreatment at a constant potential on SPGE. The surface morphologies and electrochemical behaviors of anodized SPGEs in different anodization electrolytes were examined. Using anodized SPGE in a phosphate-buffered solution, a nontoxic solution, the sensitivity of PHBA detection was significantly improved compared with pristine SPGE owing to the increase of the polar oxygen-containing functional group during the anodization. The anodized SPGE could detect a PHBA down to 0.073 mu mol/L. Finally, the developed anodized SPGE presented high ability and feasibility for PHBA detection in cosmetics. Furthermore, a facile electrode preparation step with a nontoxic solution can present high reproducibility and compatibility with a portable potentiostat for onsite PHBA detection during manufacturing.

Automated summary

This study reports the detection of para-hydroxybenzoic acid (PHBA) in cosmetics using anodized screen-printed graphene electrodes (SPGEs). The anodized SPGEs showed significantly improved sensitivity for PHBA detection compared to pristine SPGEs, and demonstrated high ability and feasibility for onsite detection in cosmetics.