Voltammetric cadmium(II) sensor based on a fluorine doped tin oxide electrode modified with polyamide 6/chitosan electrospun nanofibers and gold nanoparticles

The authors have developed an electrochemical sensor for cadmium(II) that is based on the use of a conventional fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) electrode modified with polymeric electrospun nanofibers consisting of polyamide 6 (PA6) and chitosan which were further modified with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The materials were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, thermal analysis (DSC and TGA), and scanning electron microscopy. The modified electrode was applied to the detection of Cd(II) by square wave voltammetry. Response is linear in the 25 to 75 μg ⋅ L −1 Cd(II) concentration range, with a detection limit of 0.88 μg ⋅ L −1 . The relative standard deviations are 4.6% and 8.2% for intra- and inter-electrode measurements, respectively. Mercury(II), lead(II), and copper(II) did not significantly interfere. Graphical abstract The sensing platform developed can detect cadmium(II) with a detection limit of 0.88 μg L −1 , with no significant interference by mercury(II) and lead(II).