Abstract
Monitoring small amount of endocrine disrupting chemical, estradiol (E2) residue in environmental and biological samples is extremely important because of its possible connections to breast and prostate malignancies and gastrointestinal disorders. The newly synthesized graphene-coated silver nanoparticles (GN@Ag) decorated on graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4)-based hybrid nanomaterial (GN@Ag/g-C3N4) was used to modify glassy carbon electrode (GCE) for electroanalytical measurement of E2. The GN@Ag/g-C3N4 nanocomposite prepared through ultrasonic-assisted reflux methodology was characterized using various physicochemical methods. The scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy have shown that GN@Ag nanoparticles were decorated and randomly dispersed over g-C3N4 sheets. The exceptional electrochemical response towards the oxidation of E2 was observed through cyclic voltammetry due to the quick electron transfer ability and superior conductivity of GN@Ag/g-C3N4/GCE. The detection limit was found to be 0.002 μM with wide linear range of E2 concentration (0.005–8.0 μM) along with remarkable stability of the fabricated electrode for 21 days showing 91% retention in initial current. The kinetic parameters such as catalytic rate constant and diffusion coefficient for E2 were estimated to be 1.1 × 105 M−1 s−1 and 1.9 × 10−4 cm2 s−1, respectively, by employing chronoamperometry. The proposed sensor also demonstrated its practical applicability for E2 determination in environmental and biological samples with a recovery range of 95–104%. Furthermore, the developed sensing platform is much better compared to reported methods in terms of simplicity, accuracy, detection limit, linearity range, and usefulness in real sample for E2 sensing.
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Acknowledgements
A. K. S. (Chem./2018-19/RET/Sept.18-term/1/4809), S. A. (Chem./2019-2020/RET-2/Sept.19-term/1/975), and R. K. G. (D.S. Kothari PDF No. F. 4-2/2006(BSR)/CH/17-18/271) are thankful to UGC, New Delhi for providing their research fellowships. Prof. N. V. Chalapathi Rao, Department of Geology, BHU, is thanked for providing SEM and EDX facilities. Department of Physics, BHU, is thanked for providing TEM facilities.
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This study is financially supported by The Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC-6019), MHRD, India and IOE incentive grant for faculty (Scheme Number-6031), BHU.
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AKS: methodology, conceptualization, visualization, writing—original draft; SA: writing—review and editing, data curation; RKG: investigation, formal analysis; IT: supervision, validation
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Highlights
• Coating of graphene (GN) on silver nano particles (Ag NPs) prevents their agglomerations.
• Immobilization of graphene-coated Ag NPs on graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) enhances the electrical conductivity and electrocatalytic activity.
• Fabrication of GN@Ag/g-C3N4 nanocomposite modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) as a novel sensing platform for electrochemical determination of estradiol.
• GN@Ag/g-C3N4/GCE exhibits a detection limit at nanomolar level with wide linear response.
• GN@Ag/g-C3N4/GCE shows excellent repeatability, reproducibility, and stability.
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Singh, A.K., Agrahari, S., Gautam, R.K. et al. Fabrication of an innovative electrochemical sensor based on graphene-coated silver nanoparticles decorated over graphitic carbon nitride for efficient determination of estradiol. Environ Sci Pollut Res (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-23410-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-23410-0