An electrochemical sensor based on a MOF/ZnO composite for the highly sensitive detection of Cu(ii) in river water samples

RSC Adv. 2022 Feb 10;12(9):5062-5071. doi: 10.1039/d1ra08376g.

Abstract

Cu(ii) ions are one of the most common forms of copper present in water and can cause bioaccumulation and toxicity in the human body; therefore, sensitive and selective detection methods are required. Herein, a copper ion sensor based on a UiO-66-NH2/ZnO composite material is proposed. The UiO-66-NH2/ZnO nanocomposite was prepared by an ultrasonic mixing method. The morphology and structure of the nanocomposite were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The sensitivity to Cu(ii) is 6.46 μA μM-1 and the detection limit is 0.01435 μM. The composite material is rich in -OH and -NH2 groups, which are active sites for Cu(ii) adsorption. The UiO-66-NH2/ZnO-modified electrode has good repeatability and anti-interference ability. The sensor was successfully used for the determination of Cu(ii) in an actual water sample.