This work is aimed at developing an electrochemical sensor for the sensitive and selective detection of trace levels of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) in water. Contamination of waters by perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) is a problem of global concern due to their suspected toxicity and ability to bioaccumulate. PFOS is the perfluorinated compound of major concern, as it has the lowest suggested control concentrations. The sensor reported here is based on a gold electrode modified with a thin coating of a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP), prepared by anodic electropolymerization of o-phenylenediamine (o-PD) in the presence of PFOS as the template. Activation of the sensor is achieved by template removal with suitable a solvent mixture. Voltammetry, a quartz crystal microbalance, scanning electron microscopy and elemental analysis were used to monitor the electropolymerization process, template removal, and binding of the analyte. Ferrocenecarboxylic acid (FcCOOH) has been exploited as an electrochemical probe able to generate analytically useful voltammetric signals by competing for the binding sites with PFOS, as the latter is not electroactive. The sensor has a low detection limit (0.04 nM), a satisfactory selectivity, and is reproducible and repeatable, giving analytical results in good agreement with those obtained by HPLC-MS/MS analyses.

Electrochemosensor for Trace Analysis of Perfluorooctanesulfonate in Water Based on a Molecularly Imprinted Poly(o-phenylenediamine) Polymer

Najmeh Karimian
Formal Analysis
;
Angela M. Stortini
Membro del Collaboration Group
;
Ligia M. Moretto
Supervision
;
COSTANTINO, CLAUDIO
Investigation
;
Paolo Ugo
Conceptualization
2018-01-01

Abstract

This work is aimed at developing an electrochemical sensor for the sensitive and selective detection of trace levels of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) in water. Contamination of waters by perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) is a problem of global concern due to their suspected toxicity and ability to bioaccumulate. PFOS is the perfluorinated compound of major concern, as it has the lowest suggested control concentrations. The sensor reported here is based on a gold electrode modified with a thin coating of a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP), prepared by anodic electropolymerization of o-phenylenediamine (o-PD) in the presence of PFOS as the template. Activation of the sensor is achieved by template removal with suitable a solvent mixture. Voltammetry, a quartz crystal microbalance, scanning electron microscopy and elemental analysis were used to monitor the electropolymerization process, template removal, and binding of the analyte. Ferrocenecarboxylic acid (FcCOOH) has been exploited as an electrochemical probe able to generate analytically useful voltammetric signals by competing for the binding sites with PFOS, as the latter is not electroactive. The sensor has a low detection limit (0.04 nM), a satisfactory selectivity, and is reproducible and repeatable, giving analytical results in good agreement with those obtained by HPLC-MS/MS analyses.
2018
7
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
2018 ACS Sensors PFOS.pdf

Open Access dal 12/09/2021

Tipologia: Documento in Pre-print
Licenza: Accesso chiuso-personale
Dimensione 799.17 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
799.17 kB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in ARCA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10278/3704765
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 109
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 100
social impact