Potentiometric stripping analysis of methyl and ethyl parathion employing carbon nanoparticles and halloysite nanoclay modified carbon paste electrode

Carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) and halloysite nanoclay (HNC) modified carbon paste electrode (HNC-CNP-CPE) was developed for the determination of methyl parathion (MP) and ethyl parathion (EP). The electrochemical behavior of these molecules was investigated employing cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronocoulometry (CC), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiometric stripping analysis (PSA). After optimization of analytical conditions employing this electrode at pH 5.0 in acetate buffer (0.1 M), the peak currents were found to vary linearly with its concentration in the range of 1.55 x 10(-9) to 3.67 x 10(-6) M and 1.21 x 10(-9) to 4.92 x 10(-6) M for MP and EP, respectively. The detection limits (S/N = 3) of 4.70 x 10(-10) M and 3.67 x 10(-10) M were obtained for MP and EP, respectively, using PSA. The prepared modified electrode showed several advantages such as simple preparation method, high sensitivity, very low detection limits and excellent reproducibility. The proposed method was employed for the determination of MP and EP in fruits, vegetables, water and soil samples. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.