Electrochemical determination of 4-nitrophenol using uniform nanoparticle film electrode of glass carbon fabricated facilely by square wave potential pulses

Voltammetric determination of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) has been preformed at uniform nanoparticle film electrode (UNFE) of glass carbon (GC) (GC-UNFE). The UNFE was facilely fabricated from smooth GC surface in a blank solution of NaOH with square wave potential pulses (SWPPs). This film was composed of uniform, dense GC nanoparticles decorated with oxygen-containing functional groups and exhibited high electrochemical activity. The film formation might be related to repeated pulse electrochemical oxidation of GC surface. The as-prepared film was characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The parameters including anodic potential, time and frequency of SWPPs for film preparation were examined on CV behaviors of 4-NP redox. The oxidation peak was chosen to the 4-NP determination, and under the optimized conditions, its currents varied linearly with a concentration range for 4-NP of 0.5-3000 mM (over two consecutive calibration curves) with a detection limit of 0.23 mM (3s/slope) and quantification limit of 0.77 mM (10 sigma/slope). The advantages of present method included easy fabrication, high sensitivity, good stability, good reproducibility and very broad linear range, and it was successfully applied to detect 4-NP in water samples with satisfied results. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.