Multilayered iron oxide/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite electrode for voltammetric sensing of bisphenol-A in lake water and thermal paper samples.

Abstract A multilayered iron oxide/reduced graphene oxide (ION-RGO) nanocomposite electrode is reported for the voltammetric sensing of bisphenol-A (BPA). Structural characterizations reveal the nanocomposite features RGO sheets decorated with nanometric spherical ION in a mixture of maghemite and magnetite phases. ITO substrate modified with the ION-RGO multilayered film exhibits strong electrocatalytic effect toward BPA oxidation, which is made possible by Fe(III) catalysts generated at the ION's surface after scanning the electrode potential from below 0 V (vs Ag/AgCl) and followed by the RGO phase conducting the transferred electrons. Under optimized differential pulse voltammetry conditions, the proposed sensor shows three linear working ranges 0.09–1.17 (r2 = 0.999), 1.17–3.81 (r2 = 0.995) and 3.81–8.20 (r2 = 0.998), with the highest sensitivity equaling 7.76 μA cm−2/μmol L−1 and the lowest limit of detection of 15 nmol L−1. A single electrode can be used for at least twenty consecutive runs loosing less than 15% of sensitivity, whereas electrodes fabricated in different bacthes exhibit almost identical perfomances. Determination of BPA in a thermal paper sample shows no difference (at 95% confidence level) between the proposed sensor and HPLC/UV. The sensor is neither influenced by the matrix composition nor by other emerging contaminants.