Activating ZnWO4 nanorods for efficient electroanalysis of bisphenol A via the strategy of in doping induced band gap change

Abstract The design and development of an ideal method for treating and monitoring endocrine disruptors have become one of the greatest challenges for solving the problems of environmental and human health. In this study, different proportions of In were doped into ZnWO4 nanorods by hydrothermal methods. The effect of the doped In element on its structure, morphology, electrocatalytic performance was systematically studied. Based on the different ratios of In-doped ZnWO4 nanorod modified carbon paste electrode, a simple, rapid and sensitive electrochemistry sensor for bisphenol A(BPA) was developed. The results show that the catalytic efficiency of In-doped ZnWO4 nanorod for BPA was 3.6 times higher than that of pure ZnWO4. The proposed sensor produced a wide linear range of 0.01–20 μM and a low detection limit (3.4 nM, S/N = 3) by differential pulse voltammograms measurements. Satisfactory repeatability, stability and anti-interference performance are also achieved on In-doped ZnWO4/CPE. Meanwhile, the proposed sensor realizes the detection of BPA spiked in local tap water samples successfully. Moreover, the possible mechanism of In-doped ZnWO4 nanorods for BPA catalysis and the feasibility of ZnWO4 doping modification were clarified, which provides a novel and effective strategy for the design and synthesis of high performance electrocatalysts.