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. 2025 Feb 9;30(4):798.
doi: 10.3390/molecules30040798.

High Sensitivity and Selectivity of PEDOT/Carbon Sphere Composites for Pb2+ Detection

Lirong Ma  1 , Zhuangzhuang Wang  1 , Xiong Liu  1 , Feng Xu  1 , Tursun Abdiryim  1
Affiliations

High Sensitivity and Selectivity of PEDOT/Carbon Sphere Composites for Pb2+ Detection

Lirong Ma et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

Heavy metal ions impair human health and irreversibly damage the ecosystem. As a result, it is critical to create an efficient approach for identifying heavy metal ions. The electrochemical sensor method is a type of detection method that is highly sensitive, low in cost, and allows for real-time monitoring. In this study, solid carbon spheres were made using resorcinol and formaldehyde as raw materials, followed by the formation of PEDOT/carbon sphere composites via in situ oxidative polymerization, and Pb2+ was detected utilizing them as electrode modification materials. The structure of the PEDOT/carbon spherical composites was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). To investigate the electrochemical properties of these composites, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) were employed. In addition, the detection mechanism of the material for Pb2⁺ was studied using CV. The PEDOT/carbon sphere sensor showcased an extensive linear detection range of 7.5 × 10-2 to 1.0 μM for Pb2+ ions, achieving a low limit of detection (LOD) of 3.5 × 10-2 nM and displaying exceptional selectivity. These results can be attributed to its large surface area, superior electrical conductivity, and outstanding electron transport properties. This study offers an effective material for detecting low concentrations of Pb2+, with potential applications in future Pb2+ detection.

Keywords: Pb2+ detection; Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene); carbon sphere; electrochemical sensors.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors affirm that they have no acknowledged conflicting financial interests or personal affiliations that might have seemed to affect the work described in this paper.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
SEM images of (a) C sphere, (b) PEDOT, and (c) PEDOT/C sphere (5:1). (d) FTIR spectra of C sphere, PEDOT, and PEDOT/C sphere. (e) XRD patterns of PEDOT and PEDOT/C sphere.
Figure 2
Figure 2
CV of different materials (a). CV of PEDOT/C spheres with different proportions. (b) EIS of different materials. (c) EIS of PEDOT/C spheres with different proportions (d).
Figure 3
Figure 3
The effects of different ratios of PEDOT to carbon sphere on the detection of Pb2+ peak current. (a) The effect of pH on the detection of the Pb2+ peak current. (b) The effect of deposition time on the detection of the Pb2+ peak current by the composite-modified electrode (c).
Figure 4
Figure 4
CV curves at different scan rates (a). Linear relationship between scan rate and peak current (b). Linear association between square root of scan rate and peak current (c). Pb2+ action mechanism (d).
Figure 5
Figure 5
DPV response of PEDOT/carbon sphere/GCE with different concentrations of Pb2+ in ABS (pH = 5) (a) and calibration curve (b).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Current response of PEDOT/carbon sphere/GCE to Pb2+ (1 μM) and its potentially interfering ions (10 μM) (a); DPV response value of 1 μM Pb2+ for 9 consecutive assays on same PEDOT/carbon sphere/GCE (b).
Scheme 1
Scheme 1
PEDOT/carbon sphere/GCE sensor preparation process.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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