High-performance electrochemical sensors with SnBi2O3/Graphene oxide nanocomposite for selective antibiotic detection

Abstract

Background: Environmental contaminants like nitrofurans (NF) can be detected using rapid, sensitive, and efficient monitoring techniques. However, ineffective detection systems delay responses, allowing contaminants to persist in the environment, increasing their toxicity, and causing long-term harm to ecosystems and human health. An alternative is the electrochemical method for NF detection, which is fast, cost-effective, and reliable. Methods: We developed a low-cost, portable nanocomposite material, Sn-Bi₂O₃/GO, for the detection of NF, marking its first reported use. The crystallinity, functional groups, surface structure, and oxidation states of the materials were analyzed through various analytical and spectroscopic techniques. Significant findings: SnBi₂O₃/GO composites modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) surface was employed to detect NF using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Then, the SnBi₂O₃/GO/GCE showed outstanding selectivity, even in the presence of interfering substances, with a wide linear detection range from 0.023 µM to 814.36 µM, a detection limit (LOD) of 0.0124 µM (S/N = 3), and an ultra-sensitivity of 2.857 μA μM⁻¹ cm⁻². Additionally, the SnBi₂O₃/GO/GCE successfully detected NF in biofluids and water samples, demonstrating satisfactory accuracy and recovery.