Abstract
A highly selective chemisensor for 2-nitrophenol detection was fabricated using ZnO/RuO2 nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized by impregnation method. The as-synthesized NPs were characterized through UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), FTIR and X-ray diffraction (XRD). A glassy carbon electrode was modified with as-synthesized ZnO/RuO2 nanoparticles and utilized as a chemical sensor for the detection of 2-nitrophenol. The fabricated sensor exhibited excellent sensitivity (18.20 mu A mu M-1 cm(-2)), good reproducibility, short response time (8.0 s.), the lowest detection limit (52.20 +/- 2.60 pM) and long-term stability in aqueous phase without interference effects. Finally, the fabricated sensor was validated as a 2-NP probe in various environmental water samples at room conditions.